For those of you landlocked landlubbers who think that slack tide is an ineffective laundry detergent, it’s time for a little West Coast education. Vancouverites who are in tune with the tides will know that slack tide is the time in between tides coming in and going out when the water is as calm as a stoic clam. Sounds like some smooth sailing to me, said the alliteration addict.
I’m walking in downtown Vancouver, where the gardens are in full bloom and the scents of the Pacific Dogwoods and the Rhododendrons mixed with the ever-present marijuana mist, fill the air. And just off Burrard is the Taylight taproom, a suds sanctuary in a sea of bistros and high-end dining establishments. A welcome oasis for this cranky old codger in a cosmopolitan cacophony of kimchee and quiche. In other words, they serve cold beer. *
After travelling 3,345 kms for a Slackwater experience and getting none (thanks Rory) I thought I would take matters into my own hands. The COMDB secret to success tells us if you want a job done right hire someone much better than you at it to do it. But when it comes to picking and drinking beers, in my humble opinion I’m pretty damn good at that, and I was pleasantly surprised to see a Slack Tide pale ale on the Taylight tap list.
A pro pour, hazy golden with a two-fingers of bright white foam rolling in on the beach head. It has a nice juicy tropical fruit aroma, it smells very tasty. I’m as pumped as new radial to try this one. First taste is almost creamy and very juicy, tropical and pineapplely. The great tasting juice leads into a fizzy flat ever so slightly bitter finish, with some juice bitter aftertaste. Great flavours and sequence. The fizz faded quickly leaving the juice and the fine finish intact. This one was definitely big swiggable and I must admit, I did indulge in one or two slightly larger than normal quaffs of this tasty pale.
The oceanographers tell us that slack tide usually lasts between 15 to 45 minutes and they ain’t lyin’. They also say slack tide occurs twice a day, looks like I need to order a second one.
When it comes to rating this one I must agree with Debbie Harry, the tide is high. **
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