Blue Buck Session Ale - The best apres activity beer?
Victoria B.C.-based Phillips Brewing Company is one of many Vancouver Island companies duking it out for title of “best island craft brewery”, a niche category to say the least. While all make outstanding beers within that niche, Phillips’ Blue Buck Session Ale might be the brew to fill a niche among the niche: best post-activity beer. While it may not seem like a hefty title to hold, on the outdoor activity-rich Van Isle a beer that can satisfy mountain bikers, surfers, snowboarders and skiers after a day of shredding deserves high honours. Plus, recent studies indicate drinking beer post-exercise rehydrates the body slightly better than water. Enter the Blue Buck; marketed as a “session” ale, it would be easy to assume this caramel malt-tinged beer to be designed for that very purpose. After an afternoon of struggling with Pacific surf and uncooperative wetsuit removal, the first Blue Buck disappears smoothly, setting drinkers up for a whole other kind of “session”. Light-to-medium bodied with a fruit-inspired essence, Blue Buck is a great all-around, easy-drinking brew that is the perfect reward for the “earn-your-beers” activity Vancouver Islanders love so much.
Pros: Easy to drink, light enough for post-exercise enjoyment
Cons: Malt-forward flavour can overwhelm around the 6-pack mark. Keep your “sessions” short.
Blue Buck Bonus (available for all Phillips beers): A helpful database of recipes tailored to each Phillips beer. Source your next best meal HERE.
