Parallel 49 Brewing Company - Salty Scot

This Scotch Ale pours a brilliant ruddy amber-brown and offers up huge malty aromas as soon as you pop the can. Look for rich caramel notes, toffee, bread and cake, and a touch of dried fruit. When brewing Scotch Ale, also called Wee Heavy, brewers will boil the wort (the sugary raw liquid extract produced after steeping the grain – basically beer before fermentation) for an extended time, leading to very deep caramelization. To complement this, Parallel 49 takes the unusual step of adding sea salt, which, while relatively subtle compared to something like Gose (a German style of salted beer), lends an extra dimension of flavor which really works here, much like a salted caramel. Toffee and caramel notes abound on the palate, bolstered by a bit of a fruity undertone and a wisp of smoke. We liked how the moderate residual sweetness contrasts nicely with that salty minerality, the bite of fine-bubbled carbonation, a very light hop bitterness, and just a touch of booziness, which we always like in our Scotch Ales. Try pairing this Salty Scot with cheeses like aged Gruyere or smoked Gouda, or try a main course of roasted meats or smoked salmon. Of course, a dessert pairing featuring caramel, toffee, or chocolate could work well too. Cheers!

Three friends, Mike Sleeman, Nick Paladino, and Anthony Frustagli, grew up in East Vancouver together, just a few minutes drive from the location of their craft beer brewery, Parallel 49. Being experienced homebrewers and craft beer enthusiasts, the trio ultimately decided to break free of their existing careers in 2008 in order to open St. Augustine’s Craft Brew House & Kitchen, a beer-oriented restaurant boasting over 60 taps. The restaurant was a hit, quickly becoming a destination for Vancouver’s beer connoisseurs. Emboldened by the success of the restaurant, the three friends began planning their next foray into the beer business.

Starting their own brewery had long been a dream, but the time to stop dreaming and start doing had come. Partnering with Michael Tod, a friend and experienced craft beer salesman, and Graham With, homebrewer and chemical engineer, the new team set to work. In summer of 2012, Parallel 49 Brewing Company produced their first batch and opened their Tasting Room to the public. The brewery is named after the line of latitude which defines much of the border between Canada and the US, and indicates their desire to become a popular brand in both nations.

Joined by another partner, Scott Venema, and with Graham With serving as Brewmaster, Parallel 49 has grown dramatically in the four years it’s been around, and currently produces five year-round beers and several seasonals, plus barrel aged beers including sours as well as more unusual styles like braggot (a hybrid of beer and mead). And, you can always count on their tongue-in-cheek beer names and labels to give you a chuckle. For more information, contact them at 604-558-2739 or visit them at www.parallel49brewing.com.