I have noticed recently that a few of the latest wave of B.C. breweries have snuck their way into the Alberta market. I have been sampling them in dribs and drabs, just to get a sense of things. One that caught my attention fairly early on is Dageraad Brewing from Burnaby. They have been open just over a year, so I am a bit surprised to see them here to quickly.

The beer that caught my eye was their Burnabarian. The name was the first thing I noticed – odd and clever (it actually is a made-up word to describe residents of Burnaby). Then I noticed its intended style – Tafelbier. Tafelbier (table beer in Flemish) is a low alcohol Belgian style ale. No one – and I mean no one – in Canada has admitted to attempting a tafelbier before, so naturally I stood up and took notice. I picked up a bottle and tried it. And that sample turned into my most recent Vue Weekly review (which you can read here).

The first thing I note is that it isn’t a true tafelbier, mostly because the alcohol is too big. It hits 4.5%, enough to be a nice light session ale, but traditional tafelbier were between 1.5 and 3.5 percent. However, I can forgive them that deviation given the realities of the Canadian market. Still, I am hoping for a light bodied beer that accents Belgian peppery yeast spicing.

The beer looks like a Witbier, dark straw and hazy. The aroma is light, grainy with a touch of pear and peach sprinkled with white pepper. The taste starts fruity – I get light berry and pear – with an accent of honey and a grainy, pilsner malt. The middle brings out some citrus. The spicy yeast character is slow to build but by the end is the foremost feature of the beer, bringing in pepper and earthy tones.

In the Vue review I suggested it was something like a little sister to a Tripel, with its light, refreshing body and noted Belgian character. Upon reflection I am not sure that is entirely the best description. It lacks the complexity of a good tripel. However, the comparison is okay, broadly speaking.

I am intrigued by this particular beer and it makes me want to seek out other tafelbier to see how that rare style plays out. So, consider my curiousity piqued.