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Good things brewing at Langley’s Dead Frog, in time for Tip ‘n’ Taste

Fundraiser gives Langley company a chance to show off its newest creations and promote its new digs.
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Dead Frog trade show coordinator Kellie Eby is expecting to serve up more than 1,000 samples at Tip ‘n’ Taste. (Special to the Langley Advance)

by Bob Groeneveld/Special to the Langley Advance

Brewing new beers with new and interesting flavours fuels the passion that drives Langley’s Dead Frog Brewing Co.

“All of our recipe creation is spearheaded by Cole,” Dead Frog vice president Chris Landsman gave an appreciative nod to brewmaster Cole Smith, son of Dead Frog owners Derrick and Donna Smith.

“Sometimes he has a genius idea and we fit it into the brew schedule as soon as possible; sometimes it starts with a free spot in the brew schedule and he develops a recipe for that time of year.”

Cole drives the process, explained Landsman, but everybody gets on board with thoughts and ideas.

“Recipe creation is definitely one of the big things that drives us here,” said Landsman, who joined Dead Frog 10 years ago – before the brewery completed its first year.

“We love the creativity and passion that goes into our brews.”

The local brewery, which started in an Aldergrove warehouse in 2007, recently unveiled its newest summer brew, Moscow Mule Lime Ginger White Ale.

“We’re big fans of traditional Moscow Mules [a drink involving vodka, ginger beer, and a bit of lime] and we knew the flavours would make a perfect summer brew,” said Landsman, “so we developed the brew and it’s been a big hit so far.”

He’s expecting that it will prove to be a big hit at the Tip ’n’ Taste craft beer festival being hosted by three local Rotary Clubs at Cascades Casino in downtown Langley City this Friday, June 15, from 6 to 9:30 p.m.

Dead Frog will be one of more than a dozen local and nearby breweries, along with at least eight food providers, including Dublin Crossing Irish Pub, Brown’s Social House, Original Joe’s, JD Farms, Me N Ed’s Pizza, Townshall Pub, Ricky’s Restaurant, and Gateway of Hope Catering.

Beer and beverages will be provided by Dead Frog, Berezen Liquor Stores, Trading Post, Bowen Island, Steamworks, Fuggle & Warlock, Phillips Brewing, White Rock Beach Beer, Town Hall, Beverage Concepts, Driftwood Brewing, Kwantlen University’s brewing program, Pacific Western, Two Wolves, and Russell Brewery.

Dead Frog’s line-up at Tip ’n’ Taste will include two other recent and popular additions to their line-up: their Blueberry Blast Sour, a sour wheat ale with flavours of lemon and fresh blueberries, and their Green Magic IPA, which Landsman describes as “a juicy West Coast IPA with tropical fruit flavour and aroma from ample amounts of dry hopping.”

For the novice, Landsman explained that IPA is “India Pale Ale: it’s kind of hoppy, it’s got some malt flavour to it, but the highlight of it is the hops. We dry hop our IPA to give it a lot more aroma, so if you use the right hops, you can get a really tropical fruit citrusy aroma out of it.”

Dead Frog trade show coordinator Kellie Eby is expecting to serve up more than 1,000 samples of the three brews at this year’s Tip ’n’ Taste.

And along with serving up its new brews, Dead Frog will use Friday night as a chance to promote and celebrate the recent open of its new brewery and tasting room at 105-8860 201st St.

This will be the 10-year-old Dead Frog’s tenth appearance at the annual Tip ’n’ Taste fundraiser.

“It’s a great way for us to meet and spend some time with the community that we brew in,” said Landsman.

“We’ve met a lot of great people at the Tip ‘n’ Taste over the years, had a ton of laughs, and can’t wait to serve our brews at it again this year. We still get people coming in regularly who first sampled us at the show.”

The bulk of the money raised by Tip ’n’ Taste – 70 per cent – will go to Nicomekl Enhancement Society, said organizing chairman Leon Jensen of the Langley Rotary Club.

The remaining 30 per cent, he said, will be split between the three host clubs, Langley, Langley Central, and Langley Sunrise Rotary, to help out other local charities.

Jensen said that past Tip ’n’ Tastes have raised between $8,000 and $12,000 each year.

Tickets are $35 and include five drink samples, plus food. The tickets are available at tipntaste.com.

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Dead Frog Brewing has relocated from Aldergrove to Walnut Grove, and has a new brewery and tasting room on 201st Street. (Special to the Langley Advance)
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Dead Frog Brewing has relocated from Aldergrove to Walnut Grove, and has a new brewery and tasting room on 201st Street. (Special to the Langley Advance)