Beer to Beer: Two Beers, One Review.

Bevees’ Beer to Beer cracks open the latest and greatest non-alcoholic brews from around B.C., Canada, and the world to help you decide how to spend your hard-earned dough.

It’s fall. The hops have been harvested, and the beer-drinker's thoughts turn dark: not to seasonal affective disorder, but to stouts.

You'd be forgiven for hearing stout and thinking Guinness. But the pride of Ireland is just one of a myriad beers in the traditional British style characterized by the use of roasted barley.

So put on your favourite comfy sweater and crack open one of these dark delights to make the most of the cozy season.

Drop Bear Beer Co.'s Bonfire Stout

Coming all the way from Wales, this sleek all-black can catches your eye with a ferocious-but-still-cute koala bear.

Vegan and gluten-free (well, removed to less than 10 ppm), it’s a gold-medal winner in the 2021 European Beer Challenge.

And it lives up to the hype.

It pours an opaque black oak with a milk chocolate head that lingers like a log on a smouldering fire.

Though not typical for a stout (but very welcome), the suspicion of smoke — like passing a cabin warmed by a wood-burning stove — heightens the fresh-ground coffee aromas.

If you’re expecting a creamy, Guinness-like mouthfeel, you’d be disappointed. But the Bonfire Stout still tantalizes with sweet molasses notes that contrast wonderfully with back-of-the-tongue-biting dark chocolate bitterness.

Pair this with meat roasted over an open flame, or a charcuterie board featuring old, strong cheese.

Bevees also stocks Drop Bear’s Tropical IPA, New World Lager, and Yuzu Pale Ale.

Collective Arts Emerald Stout Non-Alcoholic

Coming from not quite so far away — Hamilton, Ontario, to be specific — is Collective Arts’ non-alcoholic stout.

As always, Collective Arts’ can designs (courtesy of local artists) are worth reviews of their own. Kudos to the artist, who may or may not have been inspired by the CBC logo from the ‘80s.

There’s no doubt that Collective Arts knows a good stout when they taste one. Their annual Origin of Darkness (alcoholic) release is a collaborative effort that usually involves barrel ageing or unique flavouring — and rarely misses the mark.

They’ve carried that expertise over to their non-alcoholic offering.

Emerald Stout pours an opulent burgundy, forming a crema-coloured head that bubbles off quickly.

Sweet aromas of fig, date, and other often-candied fruits rise up.

The flavour is British stout, through and through: think rich biscuits and toasted dark bread, but with a creamy mouthfeel imparted by the addition of oats to the mash bill.

Opt for this one if you savour the sweetness of Guinness but want a hint more complexity, and enjoy alongside a full English or Irish breakfast.

Also on the shelf at Bevees from Collective Arts is the Guava Gose (see review here).

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Drop Bear Beer Co.'s Bonfire Stout and Collective Arts Emerald Stout Non-Alcoholic are available now at Bevees in Port Coquitlam, home to Greater Vancouver's largest selection of booze-free beverages. Shop today at https://boozefreebevees.ca.