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Spinnakers Brew Pub (Sample Brewpub Review)

Spinnakers Brew Pub:

• Location: 308 Catherine Street, Victoria, British Columbia V9A 3S8
• Phone: 604-384-0332, (fax) 604-384-3246
• Owners: Paul Hadfield, Ian Hadfield
• Manager: Paul Hadfield
• Brewer: Jacob Thomas
• Consulting Brewer: N/A
• Capacity: 1500 hl
• Tours: on request
• Brands: Spinnakers Ale, Mitchell's ESB, Jameson's Scottish Ale, MT. Tolmie Dark, I.P.A., Rotating stouts (Imperial, Oatmeal, Empress, Old Knucklehead), Frequent wheat beers (RotesWeizen, Dunkle Heffeweizen, Weizenbrau), Many assorted rotating specialties

As Hadfield recalls, he and the rest of the owners of Spinnakers (including Canadian brewing pioneer John Mitchell) were going ahead with the construction of the brewpub before the legislation allowing its existence was even in place. Fortunately, the change in the law to allow the on-site brewing of beer for pub consumption came just before the partners were finished.

Such are the risks of trailblazing in the Canadian brewing business.

Since its long-anticipated opening in May of 1984, Spinnakers has blazed perhaps more than its fair share of trails. From the original problems associated with their location (they had to find a non-residential site for their neighbourhood pub!) to the owners' money-losing foray into the Seattle brewpub market, Spinnakers has faced and overcome many difficulties in its short history and, no doubt, will face a few more as it continues its progress and evolution.

Nothing, however, is likely to rival the exhilaration and excitement of those early days, says Hadfield.

Beginning with the site selection, says Hadfield, the community was fascinated by what the partners were attempting to accomplish. He recalls the days of the construction when local residents would drop by to inquire as to how things were progressing and find out when the brewing would commence. And when the beer making finally did start, the curiosity simply became more intense as neighbours from near and far began to thirst for the Spinnakers brews to appear.

Hadfield also remembers the response when they did open their doors as being "phenomenal".

Potential customers, says Hadfield, were running in the door and going directly to the pay phone to call their friends and beckon them to come down. For the partners, it was the fruition of a dream.

That dream cruised along quite nicely until one of the partners (who is no longer with the pub) decided that it would be a good idea to expand their operations to Seattle and, from there, move into the larger American market. That kind of pressure was reportedly not what Mitchell had in mind and, due to the impending move and other issues, he left the group in 1986.

His departure did nothing to slow the expansion plans, though, and Spinnakers hit Seattle in 1988 with two locations, one by the university and another in a shopping mall. Unfortunately for the owners, neither pub was destined to survive and, by the early 1990's the Victoria pub was once again the only Spinnakers.

Following the failed experiment in the United States, Hadfield says that he re-focused on Victoria and got back into a hands-on management style. That management resulted in the birth of the Spinnakers Brew Pub dining room in the pub;s space on the first floor, moving the pub up to the second level.

While the pub retains its traditional, self-serve approach to food and drinks (customers order and pick up everything at the bar), the restaurant's birth marked the beginning of table service at Spinnakers. Now, says Hadfield, some of his long-time customers who have married and had children can come to the pub restaurant for dinner with their kids, something they could not do under provincial law in the pub itself.

Despite all the ups and downs over the years, Hadfield still says that it has been a "great ride" being part of the pub. And one look at the man's grin tells you that he is most definitely sincere on that count.

Scoreboard

ESB (5% vol.):

Copper coloured with chocolate toffee in the nose alongside barnyard notes. The bitter-sweet, soft malt start with very light cherry notes heads into a very full and rich body of woody, bitter hop and the occasional caramel note creeping in. The finish is of strong and bitter hop. ***

As a cask-conditioned ale it has a full leafiness to it with a slight edge of saltiness and a more strongly bitter finish. ***

IPA (4.9% vol.):

Light gold colour with a honeyish malt nose holding floral hop notes. The surprisingly sharp start (considering the aroma) has an almost lime-like bitterness leading to a full, very rooty and bitter hop body with touch of saline. Bitter to the point of nearing sourness in the grassy finish. **

Jameson's Scottish Ale (4.7% vol.):

Copper coloured with a malty aroma holding sweet notes of toffee and pear. A soft, slightly sugary start with mixed fruit heads to a dry body with woody hopping, bitter chocolate malt notes and mild astringency. Very dry, earthy finish. *1/2

Mt. Tolmie Dark (4.2% vol.):

Of light mahogany colour, it has a mild, plummy nose with hints of coffee.The soft coffee-ish start leads to a lightly bitter, earthy hop body with notes of roasted sugar and coffee. The finish is strong, dry and earthy. **

Old Knucklehead Stout (5.7% vol.):

Jet black coloured with a roasted coffee bean nose holding hints of burnt sugar. It has a malty start with a touch of saline in the coffee character. A rich, mocha body with woody and earthy hop leads to a dry, slightly bigger coffee finish. **1/2

Spinnaker's Ale (4% vol.):

Light to medium gold in colour with a faintly cinnamony, caramel malt nose. A soft, slightly toffee-ish start leads to a woody, bitter hop and slightly plummy malt body with a bitter, faintly sour sugar-root finish. **