I really am a lazy bastard. You'd think that I could manage a small thing like moving and the purchase of real estate well enough such that there would be enough time to write a simple phrase or two on the ol' beer blog. I mean, it's not like I've curtailed the actual beer-quaffing to any extent.
Rather the oppo, I'm afraid.
Anyway, recognizing that I have the work ethic of a Sloth who used to teach indolence to senior Teamsters and now has gone on to become Professor of the Loafing Department at the University of Lethargy, I'm going to resort to bribery. Here's the carrot.
Now where, you might be wondering, did I find such a thing in the parched desert of Bud Light Lime & co. that tends to be the local cold beer n' wine store scene 'round these parts? Well, I'll tell you: complain on the Interwebs and twenty-eight nano-seconds later someone will be setting you straight with a well-timed jab. Such was the case here.
We're all aware that Vancouver proper boasts places like Firefly and Brewery Creek, and we're lucky to have 'em. However, the Lion's Gate Bridge, any sunny summer's evening, has all the arterial flow of Walt Disney's frozen corpse, and rather than fight the snarled traffic I mused aloud something along the lines of, "My kingdom for a beer!" Which, you see, is a pretty good trade for me as I haven't got a kingdom.
With lightning speed, dan of @smallbeerblog sprang to the assist with typical Liverpudlian delicacy. "WRONG WRONG WRONG!" quoth he with all-caps vehemence and, one imagines, frothy spittle accumulating at the corners of his mouth, "Go to Marine Drive west and turn left on 16th to 220 16th St. GREAT beer selection. FOOL!"
Well.
Fearing further e-wrath, I sallied forth and infiltrated this place of purveyance to negotiate the vending of some beery comestibules.
Michael Palin: "Come again?"
I went to buy some beer.
Anyway, let me tell you, as I entered this semi-hidden store, trumpets blew and choirs of angels sang. Throw a rock in any direction in this part of town and, aside from violating about fourteen by-laws, you're bound to hit some specialty wine store full of decorative pine crates, botoxed bimbegenarians and guys who use that weird makeup stick that Gerard Butler is always hocking. Finding a kickass beer place like the 16th street liquor store in this wasteland of pretense is like getting dragged to your spouse's office party and running into the guy who homebrews. Suddenly, you're glad to be here.
You can also find the 16th street liquor store on twitter at @16thstreetliquor. Even if you're out in Deep Cove someplace, it's worth driving in to face the good burghers of West Vancouver and their inability to find the turn signals on their gargantuan teutonic behemoths.
And now for my reward.
Ahhhh.
