Atlantic Canada Beer Blog

Happy Friday! There’s a whole whack of new beers being released in Atlantic Canada this week, just in time for the long weekend. Here’s some info on them, and what else is going on in the region for beer news…

• Sea Level Brewing has released the third beer in their wet-hopped series. Hoptoberfest is a medium-bodied, Oktoberfest-style beer with a subtle hop flavor and aroma, according to the brewery. Brewed and wet-hopped with locally-grown hops, it has approximately 40 IBUs and an ABV of 5.5%. Currently on tap at The Port Pub, it may follow soon in cans and growlers. This one won’t last long; their Hopfazupa has already sold out at the brewery and at private stores in Halifax. Get it while you can (pun intended)!

• Due to some hop harvesting problems, Shiretown’s Runnin’ Down the Road IPA will unfortunately not be brewed this season. However, they do have another couple of new beers to make up for it! Available this week, Five Rivers is a golden ale that is unfiltered and has no fining agents added. Coming in at 5% ABV with approximately 25 IBUs, it is brewed with a variety of malts and hops and is “naturally clear”, according to the brewery. Soon-to-follow is the return of the popular Black Currant Wheat, a beer brewed with a high amount of wheat malt, and local black currants. With a 4.6% ABV and 17 IBUs, the beer has a “beautiful fuchsia color and smooth mouthfeel”. Both beers will be available for growler fills only, at the brewery.

• Meanwhile, Garrison Brewing has released the third beer in their One-Hop series. East Kent Golding (also known as EKG) is a hop variety that has been available commercially for over a century, and is well-known as one of the classic British hops. Following along the lines of your typical British Pale Ale, the beer’s hop presence won’t be as aggressive as North American IPAs (such as its predecessor, Citra One-Hop IPA). Described by the brewery as having “floral and fruity flavors, and an earthy nose”, East Kent Golding has 40 IBUs and an ABV of 6.5%; it is available now at the brewery and at NSLC and private stores in the province.

• Over at the Rockbottom Brewpub, brewer Greg Nash whipped up something different for the Ladies Beer League Spring Garden Take-Over last night. Synaptic Illusion is being billed as a “sour Saison”. The wort (the sugary liquid that will eventually become beer) is first soured with the bacteria Lactobacillus, boiled, and is then fermented with a Saison strain of yeast to produce a sour, tart, and slightly-funky ale. Get it on tap at the brewpub before it’s gone!

• And in yet some more new-beer news, Quidi Vidi Brewing has just released their Oktoberfest Lager. A malty, light-amber beer, it is currently available at the brewery, and appears to have reached various NLC locations as well. Oktoberfest (the event) may have just ended, but this is a great beer style, especially for this time of year, so drink it while it’s available!

• Finally, Grimross Brewing should be releasing their Belgian Rye IPA sometime this weekend. While we don’t have any details on the beer yet, owner/brewer Stephen Dixon has indicated that the beer will be available in growlers at the Picaroons Brewtique soon; the beer will likely also be on tap at the King Street Ale House when they open later in the month.

• In a recent article, the Huffington Post has named Uncle Leo’s Brewery one of the best 11 new breweries in Canada! Rebecca Whiffen, co-owner of the brewery, had this to say: “We were very grateful to be recognized. It is a great time to be part of the craft brewing community in Nova Scotia. The camaraderie makes it fun and provides a built-in support system for new breweries like us, contributing greatly to our success. I don’t know how many other industries you could say that about”. Congratulations, guys!

• The Ladies Beer League continues to impress with their scheduled events in Halifax: on November 17th, they’ll be hosting the city’s first Cask Beer Festival at the soon-to-open Stubborn Goat gastropub on Grafton St. There will be two sessions (1pm – 4pm and 5pm-8pm), and both genders are welcome! Tickets are $35 and go on sale online this Sunday, October 13th at 12pm. We’ll have a separate post on this event sometime next week to provide more info!

• If you’re looking to get into all-grain brewing, the CCNB is holding a Brewing Workshop on November 2nd and 3rd in Grand Falls, New Brunswick. The two days will involve a series of workshops and brewing demonstrations, as well as a tasting session after supper. Local brewers will be involved: Patrice Godin of Acadie-Broue will be hosting the tasting session and “Ingredients & Types of Beer” workshop, and Sean Dunbar of Picaroons will be there to talk about starting a microbrewery. Tickets for the event are $60 and can be purchased here; email Josée Landry (josee.landry@ccnb.ca) for more details.

That’s it for this week… enjoy your beer and turkey this weekend!