The 2018 edition of the Atlantic Canadian Beer Awards were announced at a gala event earlier this evening, in front of a full house at the Stubborn Goat. 52 breweries and cider houses from across the Atlantic provinces took part, with a total of 376 beers and ciders entered for consideration in 15 different categories. 26 judges from Nova Scotia and New Brunswick tackled the enormous variety of entries, with the following beers and ciders recognized for their performance. In case you’re wondering how you can get a sweet gig like that next year, check out the Beer Judge Certification Program, and sign up to be part of a study and exam group, run through the Brewnosers homebrew club. Now, on to our winners!
1) North American & European Style Lager
Gold: Grimross – Braunschweig Pils
Silver: Pump House – Oktoberfest
Bronze: Grimross – Apres Lager
Honourable Mention: 2 Crows Brewing – Refresh
2) German Style Specialty Ale
Gold: Uncle Leo’s – Altbier
Silver: Tatamagouche Brewing Co. – North Shore Lagered Ale
Bronze: North Brewing Company – Little Beast
3) UK Style Specialty Ale
Gold: Trider’s – Rod’s Red
Silver: Garrison Brewing Co. – Irish Red
Bronze: Pump House Brewery – Barley Wine Ale
Honourable Mention: Schoolhouse – Scotian Export
4) North American Style Specialty Ale
Gold: Tatamagouche Brewing Co. – Giantess Barleywine
Silver: Tatamagouche – Dry-Hopped Lagerhosen
Bronze: Alexander Keith’s – Oland Export
5) Belgian Style Specialty Ale
Gold: Tatamagouche – Square One
Silver: 2 Crows – House Funk
Bronze: Brasseurs du Petit-Sault – Col. John Baker Dubbel
6) North American Style Amber / Red Ale
Gold: Gahan – Island Red
Silver: Four Rivers Brewing – Havre St-Pierre
Bronze: Boxing Rock Brewing Co. – Temptation Red Ale
7) Fruit & Field Beer
Gold: Upstreet – Rhuby Social
Silver: Big Spruce – Guava Get Me Some
Bronze: Petit-Sault – Bonhomme Sept-Heures Pumpkin Ale
Honourable Mention: Alexander Keith’s – Hortonville Pumpkin Ale
8) Pale Ale
Gold: Breton Brewing Co. – Seven Years Pale Ale
Silver: Alexander Keith’s – Cornerstone Edinburgh Pale Ale
Bronze: Big Spruce Brewing – Kitchen Party Pale Ale
Honourable Mention: Lunn’s Mill – Lunn’s Pub Ale
9) Stout / Porter
Gold: Breton Brewing – Cocoa Envy Chocolate Porter
Silver: North Brewing – Twinkle Pony Tiramisu Stout
Bronze: Big Spruce – Cereal Killer Stout
Honourable Mention: Pump House – Muddy River Stout
10) India Pale Ale
Gold: Uncle Leo’s – Encore IPA
Silver: Nine Locks – Fathom Double IPA
Bronze: 2 Crows – Second Situation
Honourable Mention: PEI Brewing – Snowbird
11) Experimental Beer
Gold: Tatamagouche – Feronia
Silver: North Brewing – Des Pêches Rooib
Bronze: Crows – Dare To Dream
Honourable Mention: Big Spruce – Thrice
12) Wood & Barrel-Aged Beer
Gold: 2 Crows – Forever Young
Silver: North – Midnight-Glenora Aged Strong Dark Belgian
Bronze: Garrison – Barrel-Aged Wintervention
Honourable Mention: Propeller – Barrel-Aged Baltic Porter
13) Sour Beer
Gold: Tatamagouche – Bliss Mixed Fermentation Saison
Silver: 2 Crows – Cool Kid
Bronze: Tatamagouche – Soaked
Honourable Mention: Big Spruce – Hugs Bunny
14) Standard Cider and Perry
Gold: Riverdale Orchard Cidery – 2 Scots 3 Apples
Silver: Casa Nova Fine Beverages – 1606 Good Cheer Craft Cider
Bronze: Casa Nova Fine Beverages- Buddy’s Original Craft Cider
15) Specialty Cider and Perry
Gold: Chainyard – Ginxberry
Silver: Meander River – Small Lot Rose Petal Cider
Bronze: Yip Cider – Blueberry Picnic
Honourable Mention: Chain Yard – Frostbite
Brewery of the Year
Tatamagouche Brewing (Tatamagouche, NS)
New Brewery of the Year
Four Rivers Brewing (Bathurst, NB)
Cider House of the Year
Tie between Riverdale Orchard (Bonshaw, PEI) and Chain Yard Urban Cidery (Halifax, NS)
New Cider House of the Year
Riverdale Orchard (Bonshaw, PEI)
Beer of the Year
Gold: Forever Young – 2 Crows Brewing (Halifax, NS)
Silver: Altbier – Uncle Leo’s Brewery (Lyon’s Brook, NS)
Bronze: Encore IPA – Uncle Leo’s Brewery (Lyon’s Brook, NS)
Honourable Mention – Seven Years Pale Ale – Breton Brewing (Sydney, NS)
Cider of the Year
2 Scots 3 Apples – Riverdale Orchard (Bonshaw, PEI)
Congratulations to all of the winners!
2018 Atlantic Canadian Beer Awards by the numbers:
338 Beer entries from 44 Breweries and Brewpubs
36 Cider entries from 8 Cider Houses
26 BJCP National, Certified, Recognized, and Novice Judges
6 dedicated stewards behind the scenes
14 hours of judging
1250 cups of beer and cider sniffed, swigged and sampled
50 Awards
1 Great Industry Worth Celebrating!