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All posts for the month April, 2017

Welcome to another Friday, and another dose of the Atlantic Canada Beer Blog! After an extremely busy week last week (close to 4,000 words of news to share), things have quieted down a little this week, as the build up to Nova Scotia Craft Beer Week continues. But there’s still some stuff going on in the beer world, so let’s get to it!

• On the Halifax waterfront, Gahan Halifax has a couple of new brews coming to tell you about. The first is a Kettle Soured Brown Ale called Impatience based on their Iron Bridge Brown and brewed with a visiting Spencer Gallant from PEI Beer Company. Soured with Lactobacillus, hopped to 20 IBU, fermented, and then aged on raspberries, Morello cherries and strawberries, it features fruit flavours mingling with chocolate notes from the darker malts along with a lactic bite, so expect this 5.3% ABV brown to be thirst-quenching, yet complex. A very limited release will see a couple of kegs served at Gahan and the rest being distributed to licensees. Keep your eyes peeled for it to show up on the wall at Stillwell and potentially other locations.

• And to celebrate Cinco de Mayo in style, Gahan will be cracking their first kegs of Cerveza Maritimo, a Mexican Lager, next Friday on May 5th. Featuring a characteristic element of flaked yellow corn to the tune of 20% of the grist, it was fermented using the White Labs Mexican Lager strain, yielding a very dry and clean beer, perfect for patio season. It’s an extremely sessionable 4.5% ABV and a very light 12 IBU. Only two batches of this are planned, so if you see yourself sitting at a waterfront patio on a Halifax summer day with a well-made crisp light lager in hand, Gahan will have your hookup. You can get yourself a (weather-dependant) preview next Friday from opening!

• And in very preliminary news from Gahan this week, they’ve just announced that they will be opening a location on Prince William Street in Saint John, NB, this fall. We’ll have more details on this as we gather them, of course. This will be the second (or first, actually) Gahan House location in New Brunswick, as the Murphy Group is developing a location in downtown Moncton to be opened in the next twelve months, inside of a boutique hotel.

Red Rover was in attendance at the 12th annual Great Lakes International Cider and Perry (GLINTCAP) competition last weekend in Grand Rapids, MI, and won two major awards, a first for the Maritimes! Their Summer took home 1st Best in Class (Modern-Dry), and their Barrel Reserve #2 (which will be released publicly this coming summer) won 2nd Best in Class (Specialty). With over 1200 entries, GLINTCAP is the world’s largest cider awards, so winning two awards is definitely no small feat! Congratulations! A little birdy also told us that Red Rover has some kegs going to PEI this week for the first time ever — if you’re a cider fan on the Island, keep your eyes peeled to see where those might turn up!

• Good news for fans of Grimross‘ Scratch beers, their ongoing series of one-offs – they’ve brewed up Scratch #4 and released it earlier this week at the brewery taproom. A Vienna Lager brewed with 80% Vienna malt in the grist, it was lightly hopped with Magnum and Saaz. With a light amber colour, and a malty sweetness nicely balanced by a low bitterness in the finish, this 5.1% ABV, cool-fermented beer is meant to be easy-drinking and consumed in quantity. Drop by the taproom for a pint and growler fill today!

• Downtown Halifax’s littlest brewery Tidehouse is releasing a brand new beer today at their Salter Street brewery/retail location, and at tomorrow’s Halifax Forum Farmers’ MarketRed Right Return is a 6.0% Red IPA, featuring a base of 2-Row, Mild and Red X malts, with a touch of Munich and Chocolate malts for colour and flavour, and Wheat malt for body. The hops chosen for this darker IPA were Cascade and Falconers Flight, added late in the boil and post-fermentation, for lots of citrus and pine and tropical fruit notes, but still sporting a healthy 55 IBUs. The name is a nod to the marine mnemonic to keep right of red marker buoys as you navigate your vessel home. As with all of the TH releases, these are small batches, so best to grab a growler today to avoid disappointment! It *might* show up on tap around Halifax, but better to be safe than sorry!

• The folks at Fredericton’s Graystone went down to Rothesay to pay Foghorn Brewing a visit and collaborate on a new beer. Roxie is an American Wheat Ale hopped with Huell Melon and Simcoe that comes in at a very easy drinking 4.5% ABV. Hopped to 35 IBU for a medium bitterness to balance the wheat, it also features mild notes of melon and strawberry. Definitely a summer sipper for the patio! You’ll find it on tap at both breweries and stay tuned, as Graystone is planning to brew a second version in the near future.

• There’s another new Beta Beer release coming from Good Robot, which will be released this Sunday, April 30th during their A Night at the Hog’s Head event. And if you’re in any way a Harry Potter nerd, you probably already know what it’s going to be named, right? Yep! Butterbeer is a “full-bodied and creamy” Scottish Ale brewed with Wheat and Honey malt, and hopped with Saaz and Tettnang to 11 IBUs. Featuring a large addition of lactose powder for some additional sweetness, as well as some nutmeg, cinnamon, and vanilla extract to attempt to duplicate what those crazy teenage wizards and witches were imbibing… except we don’t think theirs had alcohol, did it? Either way, the Good Robot version is pretty sessionable at just 4.2% ABV. As with all Beta releases, only a small amount (2 x 20 L) will be available in the taproom, so don’t miss out! Check out the event link for more details on other Harry Potter-themed activities that will be going on Sunday.

• And in news that we think will resonate with true brewing geeks in the region, GR’s Erica Fraser is heading to Montreal for the Siebel Institute Brewing Microbiology course. This is an intensive two-week course that is designed to arm those who take it with both the theoretical knowledge and practical skills needed to set up an effective quality control/quality assurance program in a brewery. We look forward to seeing the positive impacts of Erica’s newfound knowledge at Good Robot and expect other breweries may look to her for some knowledge sharing as well.

• With Big Spruce getting their increased production and canning line on the go, and with Tweets like this one hitting the wire, it seems like an opportune time to remind everyone of the futility of saying “never”. To celebrate, you might sneak on down to Bishop’s Cellar, where a few cans of Tim’s Dirty IPA made an early appearance yesterday afternoon. Be fast though, what’s left is not likely to last long today! This is the first wave of their canned product to be made available, which will expand to include Kitchen Party Pale Ale and Bitter Get’er India Black IPA (these three will be on the NSLC shelves in May), with Cereal Killer Oatmeal Stout and Silver Tart to be canned shortly and available at the private stores exclusively. Cans of Tim’s Dirty are already at the brewery in Nyanza (and may see Kitchen Party later today), along with bottles of the 2017 release of Ra Ra Rasputin Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout, so we suggest dropping by the brewery to pick them up.

Propeller Brewing‘s latest One Hit Wonder is Vienna Brown, their own take on the classic Vienna Lager. At 5.5% ABV and 15 IBUs, the stats may read the same as traditional VLs, but the Prop Crew left out some of the dark malts that can be found in Continental versions, and opted to use an ale yeast rather than the traditional lager. According to Prop, “the result is a dry, malt-forward, lightly-hopped sessionable beer of substance. Perfect for an early spring day in Nova Scotia”. As with all their OHW releases, you’ll have to go to the brewery (either Gottingen or Windmill) to grab a growler of it, or get lucky and spot it on tap at one of a couple bars.

Just a couple of events to mention this week as we prep out NSCBW post for Monday…

Schoolhouse Brewery is officially opening the doors of their Windsor location this weekend, with the retail location open 11-8 both Saturday and Sunday. Growlers and bottles are available for purchase, and flights of samples are available as well. Drop by 40 Water St to get schooled!

• As if there weren’t enough events going on during Nova Scotia Craft Beer Week, kicking off 10 days of beer fun around the province is an Upstreet Tap Takeover at Battery Park on Thursday, May 4th. This all-day, no-charge-to-attend event will feature 14 beers (and 1 soda!) on tap from the crew at Upstreet. The full tap list will be revealed as the week goes on via Battery Park’s Twitter feed, but we’ve heard rumors that you’ll find all the core beers and recent seasonals, at least one cask, a nitro pour and then two very special favorites including a last keg ever; but the crowning glory may very well be a special “dessert” beer that Hogie brewed up special for the occasion. Speaking of Mr. Hogan, while he and the crew are in the province he’ll be brewing with the team at North Brewing something special for an event at the Upstreet Taproom in June.

• The next Fredericton Ladies Beer Connection social is happening May 10th at the Picaroons Roundhouse. Meet other beer fans at Pics’ new brewery location for a tour of their spot and a flight of beers. Find out more details on the FB Events page, and be sure to RSVP via email to secure your spot (these always sell out!).

A couple more things before we sign off this week:

– Nackawic’s Big Axe Brewing released Solstice this week, a 5.0% ABV Witbier. Brewed in the traditional style, it is available at the brewery, and James Joyce Pub in Fredericton, now. And keep an eye out for a new sour to be released in the next few days. We’ll have all of the details next week!

Chill Street have launched their social media pages on Facebook and Twitter this week, ahead of their launch this summer. Located in the Elmsdale Sobey’s, they will be serving beer and cider fermented using a SmartBrew Ferment on Premise system. These allows the retailer to purchase wort made elsewhere, with the final steps of fermenting and packaging done on site. Look for growlers and cans to be available in the coming months at their location, and we’ll keep you up to date with their progress.

Another week of wild weather in our region, with snow and recording-breaking cold throughout the Maritimes, and a wayward iceberg in Ferryland, Newfoundland. Rest assured warmer weather is on its way, so put off going outside a little longer by reading today’s beer news…

• After launching a few months ago with two flagship beers, Think Brewing (located in Harvey, New Brunswick) has a new brew circulating at their tap accounts in the province. 150 Red IP-eh is, as you’ve probably guessed, a Red IPA brewed in celebration of Canada’s 150th birthday. With the goal of being “balanced and drinkable” with a bit of roast flavour, this reddish-coloured ale was hopped with Amarillo, Citra and Columbus (with the focus on Citra), providing some citrus and tropical notes to complement. Weighing in at 6% ABV and 53 IBUs, you should be able to find it on tap at the James Joyce, Isaac’s Way, and Hilltop in Fredericton, as well as Lemongrass and Cask & Kettle in Saint John.

• Today, Garrison will be releasing their latest collaboration brew, Mon Cerise. Brewed with Halifax’s own Good Robot, North, and Spindrift, this “Cherry Belgian Lager” is made up of 2-row, Munich, and Crystal malt, and was hopped with Brewers Gold to just 12 IBUs. Aged on sour cherries, the beer is reddish-amber in colour, and has a “slightly tart, mellow cherry aroma, with a  sweet maltiness”, according to Garrison. Effervescent, clean, and crisp, it weighs in at 5.4% ABV and will be available on draft only, at Garrison, Good Robot, Spindrift, and Battery Park.

• In Fredericton, Mama’s Brewpub has re-released their Great White Ale, a crowd favourite of the brewery’s attempt to perfect the Belgian Witbier style. With a grist comprised of 2-row and Wheat malt, as well as a touch of Crystal malt thrown in for color and flavour, the beer is lightly hopped with Perle to 16 IBUs. Plenty of fresh orange zest and ground coriander was added towards the end of the boil; as well, this batch had a new addition – 11 lbs of lactose powder, also at the end of the boil. Brewer Ryan Kingston says the lactose was added to provide a “smooth, silky sweetness” that elevates this batch above others in the past. At 4.3% ABV, this easy-drinking beer is selling fast; it’s still available at the brewpub for pints and crowlers.

• Also in Fredericton, Red Rover released a new cider yesterday, Blossom. This 7% ABV, semi-dry cider was created in collaboration with Flourish Fest, a Fredericton-based music and art festival running from April 20th-23rd. Featuring additions of hibiscus, coconut, pineapple, mango, and lemon, you can definitely expect some interesting flavour experiences with this one! Developed as an exclusive for festival venues (including the Cider House and Capital Complex), it will also be appearing on tap at Graystone, as well as Halifax’s Stillwell, in the near future.

2 Crows released a special brewery-taproom-only beer yesterday afternoon, sure to kick soon if you’re not careful. Crosswired is a straw-coloured, 5.3% ABV and 27 IBU hazy brew, with a grain bill featuring pilsner malt, along with malted oats and wheat. Columbus was used for first wort hopping, with late- and dry-additions of Citra and Hallertau Blanc, lending serious citrus, fruity, and floral aromatics. The real fun comes from the yeasts used to ferment the beer, as a hybrid of beer and wine yeasts were employed to get the job done: Sacch Trois and Lalvin 71B (Narbonne). Sacch Trois is a Sacchromyces yeast formerly thought to be Brettanomyces, based on the acidity and unique funky, mango, and pineapple aromatics that can develop. The classification was corrected after the producer, White Labs, did further genetic testing, and concluded that while the yeast displays many Brett-like characteristics, it was in fact Sacchromyces. Lalvin 71B is a wine yeast, isolated by the INRA in Narbonne, France, and is particularly well-suited for use in Pinot Gris, Rosé and Riesling wines, due to its high and long-lasting ester (fruit aroma) production. The resulting beer has plenty of wild “funky” character to it, with light floral and earthy notes as well. Do not wait to try this beer, as the only 20 litre keg of the beer is on now at the taproom, available for enjoying onsite only.

• 2 Crows is also bringing back one of their early launch beers, Brettango Mango. This 7.5% ABV, 64 IBU IPA was fermented solely with Brettanomyces Bruxellensis, a strain originating from Brussels, Belgium, and classically found in lambics and other “wild” beers. After primary fermentation, mangoes were added to the fermenter, as well as a big blast of Citra for more citrus character. The batch size was ramped up from their initial release, but at only 300 litres, it won’t be around for too long. Look for the announcement on their social media this weekend, with a Saturday evening/Sunday afternoon most likely.

• Finally in 2C news this week, they have brewed up a beer with The Barrowdowns, an alt-folk band from Halifax. The 6.3% ABV American Pale Ale features a load of West Coast hops, including CentennialChinookCitraColumbus, and Simcoe, but at a light 43 IBUs. The only way to grab a pint of the beer is at one of The Barrowdowns shows, the first of which is tomorrow, at the Seahorse Tavern. The first 40 people through the door will receive a pint of the beer with their cover charge, and will also have a chance to name the beer. The winner will receive tickets to their May 19 Album Release Party, the next time the beer will be available, plus a copy of the album. More details on the tomorrow’s lineup are here.

Pump House has released their first new beer in a while, Albert County Maple Ale. Marketed as a “malty amber ale with a twist”, this one features the addition fenugreek seeds and locally-produced dark maple syrup. Coming in at 5.2% ABV and 8 IBUs, the brewery describes it as having a “medium mouthfeel with a smooth, clean finish”, with hints of maple. It appears to be available on tap only, so drop by the brewpub in Moncton today to give it a try; it may pop up at select PH accounts as well.

• Digby’s Roof Hound is bringing out the second entry in their series of Dive Bar Cocktail-inspired beers. Back in March they gave us a preview of summer with their Mojito Dry-hopped Sour and now they’re giving us the other barrel of seasonal longing with the Fuzzy Navel IPA. Featuring a tropical burst from the Australian hop variety Vic Secret played against fruit flavours from peach purée and pomegranate juice, this is a juicy and hazy IPA in the New England style. With fruit flavours and hops reminiscent of summer, the 6.25% ABV is likely to sneak up on you if you’re not careful. You’ll find it this weekend at the brewery and also in the city for fills at Bishop’s Cellar and on tap at Stillwell, Good Robot and 2 Crows, with Stubborn Goat expecting to have it next week. A perfect opportunity to give the Fuzzy Navel a try will come tomorrow night at Roof Hound’s Night of Colour event. The Sounds of Colour will be entertaining from 9pm – 12am while artist David Gorman will do a live painting that is destined to grace the walls at Roof Hound on a permanent basis. Admission is $5.

• And if you’re considering working in the beer or beer-related hospitality industry and you’re local to Digby, NS, Roof Hound might want to talk to you. After less than a year in business, Les and company are more than doubling their brewing production and nearly doubling their seating capacity. They’ll also be bottling their beer in the near future. To make this expansion possible, they’ll be needing to supplement their staff with part time workers (19 years of age or more) to fill positions as Brewery Assistant, Kitchen Assistant, Dishwasher and Beverage Room Server. If you’re interested, hit up the Roof Hound web page and send a message via Facebook, Instagram or Email.

• In Shelburne, Boxing Rock brought out a new beer this week to celebrate the pending launch of Finest Kind Food, a new mobile food trailer set to take up regular residence at the brewery this summer. Sheila Bird, who has been making bread from Boxing Rock’s spent grain for several years, will be officially opening the window of her mobile trailer for business on Open Brewery Day, May 6th, featuring a menu of simple, healthy, local and fun food. Food that pairs nicely with Nova Scotia craft beer. Nova Scotia craft beer like the new Finest Kind Pale Ale (note: Finest Kind, two words) brewed as a collaboration with Sheila. At 5.3% ABV and 35 IBU, it sits solidly in the sweet spot for the American Pale Ale style and features biscuity malt from Horton Ridge providing a solid counterpoint for a tropical, piney and citrusy blend of new world hops. So give it a try, and look forward to enjoying a few beers accompanied by spent grain pretzels and pizza (and more!) on the Boxing Rock deck this summer.

• Today, TrailWay is re-releasing their very popular D’under, a 5.5% ABV seasonal American Pale Ale brewed with loads of Australian hops. This release will be the first time this beer is available in cans, with a small portion also being kegged for licensees. This first batch was a small one, so be sure to drop by the tasting room to pick up some cans of this tropical beauty! And don’t worry, we can expect even more TW beer soon, as they’ve recently added another 30 BBL (3500 L) fermentor to the brewery.

Tatamagouche Brewing has a popular seasonal of their own on the shelves these days, their Russian Imperial Stout. This 8.5% ABV roasty, chocolately, full-bodied beer won a Gold medal at the 2016 Canadian Brewing Awards. As a member of their Giant Beer series, this beer is packaged in 650ml bottles, and available now at the brewery. And joining the RIS this week is the latest batch of their Deadeye Double IPA, a 8.0% ABV, 90+ IBU American-style IPA. Featuring lots and lots of Hallertau BlancCascade, and Chinook hops, the yeast has returned to its original american ale strain, after a foray into Vermont territory. This full release means the beer is available for growler fills at the brewery (and maybe at some Halifax-based private stores), as well as cans. Look for it to hit the taps at Tata’s licensees this weekend. Or, better yet, drop by the brewery tomorrow for some sampling, and check out the Tattoo Brew event going on all day. Rolling Sea Tattooery will be setting up their chair and bringing their ink guns to help people (permanently) declare their love of Tata Beer. Eager clients have snapped up all of the spots, but the possibility of cancellations or quicker-than-anticipated tats means you could still grab one. Check out the options available on the FB events page, and drop by 11-6pm to check out the action (and beer!).

• Today at noon marks the return of two favorites from Halifax’s Unfiltered Brewing. Striking while the iron is hot after their star-turn (as in, the transcript is full of *’s) this week on the 902 Brewcast (Blue-cast?) Greg Nash and Andrew Murphy made the magic happen to bring back both Front Line Rocker and Daytimer Berliner Weisse ahead of schedule. Still the fastest-selling beer in Unfiltered’s history, the Front Line Rocker is a massively juicy and mind-shatteringly hoppy DIPA that comes in at 8% ABV and 100+ IBU. At the other end of the spectrum is the Daytimer, a summer favourite in Haligon for the past couple of years, an extremely light 3.4% ABV brew that pairs a thirst-quenching sourness with a blast of tropical aroma from a healthy Mosaic dry-hop. And don’t think for a second that the boys rushed these out the door: listen to the episode via iTunes for their unvarnished take on several topics, including particularly pertinent words about the importance and value of a brewery’s reputation.

• Halifax’s Good Robot has a busy weekend ahead of them. Buoyed by the return of Whackity Schmackity Brew!, their American Wheat Beer, and imminent return of Tom Waits For No One Stout (most likely Sunday), there will also be a pair of events (and accompanying releases) in the next couple of days. Tomorrow is a Day of Beer and Vinyl, celebrating National (did we ever figure out which nation this is?) Record Store Day. Hitting the taps will be Mississippi Goddam, a five-month-old 11.0% ABV Barleywine, which is “dark, rich, vinous, with a super caramel-fruitcake nose”, according to the brewery. Hitting the taps Sunday, celebrating the day after Earthy Day, is Work With Whatcha Got Gruit Earth Day Ale, made with 100% Horton Ridge Malt (both the summer and winter maltings), Nova Scotia-grown hops (Centennial and Chinook) from Fundy Hops, with maple sap and maple buds, as well as toasted paper and yellow birch from HRM. Grab this, along with Organic guest taps from Tatamagouche (Hippie Dippie Pale Ale) and Big Spruce (The Whole 9 Yards Scotch Ale) from noon during their Earth Day Hangover.

It’s a busy weekend ahead for us thirsty beer fans in #AtlCanBeer land!

• The 2 Crows crew are at it again, with a Tap Takeover taking place tonight at The Stubborn Goat. From 7pm on, look for 10+ 2C beers to be flowing, with special pricing available for flights of their beer, so you can try them all (and then grab a pint of your favourite!). Folks from 2 Crows will be there to chat beer, brewing, this crazy weather we’re having, whatever you want! And when you do grab that flight, you’ll receive a ballot to win tickets to the next day’s Brewer’s Brunch. Jeremy Taylor of 2 Crows has paired up four of their beer with four dishes from the Goat, for a great hangover cure. The ticketed event runs 1-3pm on Saturday, and can be reserved via email or in person.

• Those looking for a bit of a different event this weekend may enjoy checking out Saltscapes East Coast Expo at the Halifax Exhibition Centre. Running today until Sunday, the event showcases crafts, destinations, and food and drink made in the Maritimes. There will be ten breweries and distilleries in attendance providing plenty of samples, so at $14.50 (or less with this coupon), it could be the cheapest inadvertent beer fest you hit up this spring! One great reason to visit will be to help Sober Island Brewing celebrate their First Anniversary! They will be pouring the Oyster Stout, Bitter, and launching a new core beer, their Blonde, all of which are early batches from their massively-expanded brewhouse. At 5.0% ABV, this “gateway beer” features a twist on the theme, using a dash of Honey Malt in the grain bill, which carries through to a pleasant flavour in the finished beer. Lightly hopped to 20 IBU with Cascade and Mount Hood, it is sure to be a great summer sipper. In addition to samples of all three beers, visitors can buy crowlers to go, as well as plenty of merch. Happy birthday SIBC!

• The newly-formed Moncton Craft Brewers Collective is holding a Tap Takeover at Tide & Boar tomorrow, April 22nd, all day. There’s no ticket required, and in addition to full and half pours, flights will be available for purchase. For a full list of breweries attending and beers they’ll be pouring, take a look here. And if you’re anxious to talk beer, many of the brewers themselves will be attending, and are happy to chat! And if they’re not, feel free to keep bugging them until they are. 😉

Picaroons is releasing Dooryard, their popular seasonal Wheat beer, tomorrow, April 22nd, with an accompanying Launch Party to boot. Held at the brewery from 2-7 pm, there’ll be lots going on, including washer toss, music, snacks, and plenty of Dooryard on tap for sampling and purchasing. It will also be available on tap at the other Picaroons locations in the province, and will start shipping out in bottles (with a newly-designed label) on April 24th. For more info, check out the link above.

• Agricola Street’s Lion & Bright is holding their annual Earth Day Celebration this weekend, culminating in a Tap Takeover Party featuring Big Spruce beers. With live music from Saturday at 9pm from The Modern Grass, $1 from each pint of beer will be donated to the Ecology Action Centre. In addition, L&B will be donating $0.50 from each taco sold all weekend long, Check out the FB event page for a bit more information.

• In addition to their beer release this week, Boxing Rock will also be at White Point Beach Resort tomorrow (Saturday, April 22) with representatives from the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada , Kejimkujik National Park and Historic Site and Friends of Keji for an event entitled Boxing Rock Serves Up the Stars. Starting at 4pm, Boxing Rock’s Emily Tipton will host a beer tasting that features a sneak peek of their yet-to-be-released Dark as Keji Black IPA that they’re dedicating to Kejimkujik as part of the Canada 150 celebrations. This beer will be officially launched on May 20 at Keji, with samples at the sky circle there. A portion of the proceeds from each 6-pack sold will be donated to the Friends of Keji to support education programs related to the Dark Sky Preserve. This weekend you’ll be able to get a taste of that and other Boxing Rock brews as Emily gives a virtual brewery tour. After that, and a few words from RASC and Keji about the partnership with Boxing Rock, some RASC volunteers will lead a family-friendly evening program about the night sky and stargazing.

• On April 29th and 30th, expand your beer knowledge with the next installment of the Certified Beer Server course, presented by CAPS Atlantic. Tuition includes the cost and facilitation of the Cicerone Certified Beer Server Exam, along with four lectures, text book, brewery tour, and daily tastings. The lectures will be presented by Garrison Brewmaster Daniel Girard, and CAPS President, Certified Beer Server and Sommelier, Peter Goneau. To sign up and learn more, check out the training webpage.

• A reminder that the Fredericton Poutine Festival is happening next Saturday, April 29th, at the Crowne Plaza. This is the 6th time the event has been held in the city, and as always there are three sessions: a family one from 11:30 am-1:30 pm, and two 19+ sessions (2:15-5:15 pm, 7-10 pm) that feature beer, cider, and mead! Participating breweries include Grimross, Maybee, and TrailWay, as well as Red Rover, York County Cider, and Sunset Heights Meadery. There are different ticket options, including a VIP one for the latest session, that gets you in at 6 pm; be sure to check them out here. Tickets are still available, so be sure to get yours soon!

• Friend to local beer, Lunenburg’s Grand Banker will be hosting their fifth Winemaker vs Brewmaster dinner April 29th, featuring Hanspeter Stutz, of Grand Pré Wines taking on Emily Tipton of Boxing Rock. The two local alcohol makers will be choosing the best of their beer or wine to pair with each of the five courses being served that evening. Guests will try both drinks with each dish, and vote for the best pairing with either a wine cork or bottle cap. After the dinner, the winner is crowned based on the number of caps or corks collected. Tickets are still available for the evening.

• Cinco de Mayo is approaching fast, and if you’re in Fredericton, you don’t have to travel to Mexico to celebrate! On Friday, May 5th, Maybee Brewing is holding their Cinco de Mayo celebration, and there’s lots going on! Starting at 5 pm with with happy hour drink specials (till 7 pm) and Milda’s Pizza onsite, a special “Mexican-inspired cask” will be tapped at 6 pm. At 7 pm, a ticket will be required to continue with the fun ($10 each, available here), including piñata smashing, live music, and more beer. A free shuttle will be making several trips from the brewery to downtown, from 11:30 pm-1 am.

• A unique event is coming to the South Shore May 20th, Sip, Savour and Cycle Tour. Riders choose their ride length of choice, whether it be 25, 60, or 104km, and make their way from Mahone Bay at 10am, grab lunch in Lunenburg, and back to Mahone Bay for a wrap-up party. Along the way, stop into Saltbox Brewing, Ironworks Distillery, and more, at your own pace. For lots more information (including the exact route), and to sign up, visit the event’s webpage.

For those of you in Nova Scotia, keep your eyes open for the expanded local beer availability at your local NSLCs, including 2 Crows, Downeast Beer Factory, North, and Trider’s. Here are a few more things that have popped up this week:

Mill Street St. John’s has released Right Off the Hop Double IPA this week, a beer we first mentioned a couple of weeks ago. The 7.5% ABV SMaSH beer features loads of El Dorado, to the tune of 68 IBU, and lots of fruity aromatics. Grab a pint or growler today!
– Mahone Bay’s Saltbox Brewing has brought back their Loyalist beer, a 6.7% ABV English-inspired beer, featuring complex malt notes including caramel, coffee, and toffee, with a hint of citrus from the hops. Grab it, plus their other beers (maybe some of their Jam Session Batch 83 Raspberry Pi beer, if it’s still around) at the brewery this weekend.
– A reminder of Stillwell’s busy weekend, starting with the To Øl Tap Takeover Saturday, with 12 taps of Danish Metal pouring from noon. And while tickets for Sunday’s tasting with Stephen Beaumont are sold out, we have it on good authority that there may be a few leftover goodies to enjoy at its conclusion at 4pm.
YellowBelly Brewpub in St. John’s has brought back their Brewis Hard Tack Ale, made with day-old bread from their neighbours at Rocket Bakery. The light-bodied beer is on tap now, and will be available in bottles shortly. Though we do not have confirmation of the exact recipe and breads used, check out our description of the beer when it was released in April 2016, for an idea of the finished product.

A happy Bon Jovi Friday to all our readers who are working today. The holiday tomorrow has breweries and taprooms around the region all going their own way in terms of opening or not or adjusting or not adjusting their hours, and we’re getting out in front of the madness by posting today. So read on for the usual coverage of beers, events and other beer-related items in Atlantic Canada this week.

• The annual Saint John Beer Fest had another successful run last Saturday, and now that the dust has settled, one of the special one-offs brewed for the event is available for those of us not able to attend. Big Tide brewed Crystal One FifTEA with Pilsner and Wheat malt, and added both Orange Pekoe and Earl Grey tea, from New Brunswick’s King Cole Tea, in the boil. These tea additions complement the 5.9% ABV light-golden ale with “delicate and citrusy flavours”. Late-hopped to 12 IBUs with Crystal and Saaz from Darlings Island Farm, this “light and refreshing” beer is currently on tap at the brewpub for a limited time.

• Newfoundland’s Port Rexton Brewing has a delicious-sounding beer newly released in the province. Chasing Sun falls into the ever-growing-in-popularity style category of a New England IPA (hazy, wonderfully hoppy, smooth, lower bitterness). With a grist featuring a “healthy dose of wheat and oats” to provide a smooth mouthfeel and soft finish, plenty of hops – Amarillo, Cascade and Chinook – were added late in the boil, to help boost those fruity, juicy aromas and flavours, while cutting back on the higher bitterness expected in your typical (but not so typical anymore?) American IPAs. Fermented with the Vermont Ale yeast strain from Escarpment Labs, even more hops were added in the dry-hop, to turn the hop experience up to 11. It should be on tap at PRB accounts in St. John’s soon, as well as at the brewery’s seasonal taproom when it re-opens in the near future. And why not drop by this weekend? They’ll be open this Friday 4-10pm, and Saturday from 2pm, and Oh My Cheeses serving up grilled cheese sammies both days.

• In other hazy, hoppy beer news, North Brewing released their own take on the “style” yesterday, Malternate Reality. Brewed with spelt, oats, and wheat to really guarantee haziness/cloudiness and a smooth mouthfeel, the beer was fermented with The Yeast Bay’s Funktown Pale Ale, a blend of a Vermont Ale yeast strain and a “wild” Saccharomyces strain. Dry-hopped with Azacca, Belma, and Columbus, expect a juicy-tasting beer with notes of peach, pineapple, and passion fruit. Coming in at 6.3% ABV and 51 IBUs, you can find it at both bottle shops in swing tops and growlers, and will likely pop up on tap at Battery Park and other licensees over the weekend. And next time you’re at your local NSLC store, keep your eyes open for North’s Gus’ 65m (available in bottles the last couple of weeks) and Priority Pale Ale (coming to NSLC shelves soon).

• Scudrunner Brewing, a brewery in development in Gander, NL, provided a progress update this week. They’ve secured a location and will be taking possession on June 1 and, fortunately, are not expecting to have to do a whole lot with the space to turn it into a brewery and taproom. They’ve got their equipment picked out and their suppliers set up, and they’re working on getting their design and branding completed. As they wait for their home to be ready they’re continuing to brew test batches and believe they’ve nailed down their selection for launch day, but they invite folks to continue to provide feedback on their Facebook page and let the team know what styles the public would like to see. We’ll keep you posted with further updates and we’ll look to do a complete profile as their opening day approaches.

• In Truro, the Nook & Cranny is rebranding the brewery part of the operation to Salty Dog Brewing Company. While the beer will still be brewed on the system in the brew pub, it will now bear the new name in house, for local licensees, and at the brand new retail location they’re building next door. Soon, hopefully by mid-to-late May, you’ll be able to taste their offerings and purchase cans or have your growlers filled. They’re also taking advantage of this opportunity to provide a wider lineup, including Vanilla Porter, White IPA, Coffee Stout and Cider, as well as a couple of house favourites like the Blueberry Wheat and the Pale Ale.

• Those fine gents over at 902 BrewCast have done a public service by releasing their monthly tasting episode a day early. Available as of this morning, this podcast will take you through the line of beers being poured for the 2 Crows Tap Takeover at Battery Park this afternoon. And who better to do that with than Brewmaster Jeremy Taylor, the special guest for the session? Have a listen through the day and plan your flight(s) ahead of time! Rumour has it you might (MIGHT) hear news of an upcoming 902 BrewCast/2 Crows collaboration beer. And mark your calendars for next nine-oh-Tuesday (April 18) when the guys sit down with local brewing legend Greg Nash and his non-silent partner at Unfiltered Brewing, Andrew Murphy! We’re going to go out on a limb and suggest that headphones may be in order when you’re listening to that one.

Just a few new events to let you know about this week, as we prep our May 5-14 NS Craft Beer Week Event Calendar for a near-future release:

• Tonight at 7pm, Upstreet is hosting Art + Craft, a roof-top rock show, plus walk through an art installation. Perched on top of Confederation Centre Mall on Grafton Street, Stabbing Joy will be playing a set, before attendees will grab their flashlights and walk The Goblin Path to Upstreet, keeping an eye out for monsters along the way. Assuming everyone makes it there safely, they’ll be able to celebrate with Upstreet’s latest release, Go Devil IPA.

• Late addition to the blog, today: Moncton’s Tide & Boar Brewing are holding another Growler Day tomorrow at 11, featuring the return of their Peach Shake Ale, the Milkshake IPA (lots of late hops with lactose and vanilla) with 10 kg! of peaches added to the brew, and Method IPA, their hazy Citra bomb. Joining those are two new beer: Stowe IPA, featuring their standard grain bill but with AmarilloColumbus, and Simcoe; and Porter, featuring lots of roast and chocolate character from the dark malts used in the grain bill.

Good Robot has a new Beta Brew in the works for next weekend’s Earth Day celebration. They’ll be doing a Day of Beer & Vinyl event on actual Earth Day, April 22nd, and this beer will be tapped the next day at their Earth Day Hangover event on April 23rd. A gruit-style ale that features only organic summer and winter pale 2-row malt from Horton Ridge and only Nova Scotia hops (Centennial and Chinook from Fundy Hops). It’s also packed full of other ingredients foraged by GR’s own Eri Mycelia, including red maple sap and buds and white and yellow birch bark (both toasted). Scottish Heather tips round out the mix. While you’re sipping on a pint of this wholesome brew, you’ll be able to pet goats brought in by Moo Nay Farms, experience the magic of charging your phone with a solar charger from If You Build It, take part in a plant exchange, and more! Check the event out on Facebook for a complete list of activities and the day’s schedule.

• Down in Windsor, Schoolhouse Brewery is finally ready for their Graduation! They will be opening the doors to their new location at 40 Water Street in Windsor later this month, on April 29th. Regular retail hours will be 3:20pm (when school lets out) to 8pm on weekdays (closed Mondays) and 11am-8pm on weekends. Expect to find their regular offerings like the Principal Ale Pale Ale, Chequers Ale Robust Porter and Scotian Export Scottish Export to be available for growler fills and 650ml bombers. You might also find Skratch Plaskett Electric Tambourine Ale (developed as a collaboration with Good Robot last summer) available for growler fills, and Big Red Schoolhouse in bombers. There will be a soft opening of the retail store on April 26th and 27th from 7-9pm. And stay tuned for an announcement of the opening of Schoolhouse’s brand new tap room, where you’ll be able to sit and have pints of your favorites and no doubt some new brews, come May! Keep your eyes on Schoolhouse’s Facebook Page for events to be posted in the next few days that you can slot into your calendar.

• On April 29th, the Whycocomagh Waterfront Centre is hosting an East Coast Dinner Party, featuring a 3-course meal prepared by Son of a Sea Cook, paired with Nova Scotia beers, chosen by brewer Karen Allen, formerly of Gahan House Harbourfront, and frequent collaborator with Boxing Rock. Warren MacIntyre will provide some musical entertainment to enhance the evening. Tickets are selling fast, so be sure to grab yours today, either online or at MacKeigan’s Pharmacy.

A few more mentions from around the region:

Big Spruce is buttressing their forces for the upcoming busy season, and looking for full-time Sales Desk staff from May to September. It’s always busy on Yankee Line Road in the summer, so consider getting in on the fun! Drop them a note with your résumé to apply and/or learn more.
Good Robot has new batches of both their Goseface Killah Gose and Leave Me Blue Kentucky Corn beer available now at the brewery, and to enjoy on their Gastroturf.
– Hoping to kickstart spring, Nine Locks has brought back their Watermelon Blonde Ale, a 5.0% light-bodied and crisp Blonde Ale, dosed with lots of deconstructed (aka smashed) fresh watermelons added in the mash, as well as after primary fermentation, for a pleasant hint of aroma and flavour to the warm weather style. Look for it at the brewery in Dartmouth, at the private stores, as well as select NSLC locations now. And for our readers on The Rock, 9L has just sent over a pallet of beer to the NLC, so expect it to hit shelves of the core locations around the end of the month.

And a final public service announcement: Some breweries and taprooms will be closed or running with modified hours tomorrow and/or Sunday due to Easter weekend, so be sure to check before venturing out. And others will be opening their patios (Saturday is looking particularly nice), so a quick scan of social media will set you up for a good day out.