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Friday Wrap-Up for November 24, 2023 – News from Revelry, Bannerman, Trailway, Iron Rock, Mauzy, Baccalieu Trail, 2 Crows, Battery Park, Sea Level, and The Common by Burnside!

Posted by acbbaaron on 2023-11-24
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: 2 Crows Brewing, Baccalieu Trail Brewing, Bannerman Brewing, Battery Park, Bellwoods Brewery, Bishop's Cellar, Burnside Brewing Company, Iron Rock Brewing Co., Mauzy Cidery, Millstone Harvest Brewhouse, Revelry Brewing, Sea Level Brewing, The Brewery by Quinn's, The Common by Burnside, TrailWay Brewing. Leave a Comment

Happy Last Friday of November to you and yours! And/or Happy Black Friday Deals if you’re into that kind of thing. Though the big holiday is south of the border and most of the really good deals with it, you might find your local producers and retailers throwing a cheeky bone in the form of a modest sale, so be sure to check your social feeds for opportunities. With that said, it’s a somewhat quiet weekend in regional beer news (not that we’re complaining!) but we expect it’s just one of those “calm before the storm” weeks before the big holiday season is upon us.

We’re starting the week with a bunch of beers in Halifax from a brewery we haven’t featured much in the blog. Opening just over a year ago, we wrote about The Brewery by Quinn’s opening up with their own beer and other local fare. The other locations for Quinn’s beers, under the Revelry Beer Company brand, at Quinn’s Arms and the two Brown Hound Locations (Agricola Street and Hollis Street), under the same ownership. Primarily, all of the Revelry beer will always be available at The Brewery by Quinn’s, while Quinn’s Arm and the Brown Hound locations serve a smaller selection, but still feature other local breweries. 

Now with that covered, let’s hit you with four new beers releasing on December 1st at The Brewery by Quinn’s (anyone else want some BBQ after reading this?):

  • Sailors Delight – Fruited sour with Raspberry, Passion Fruit, & Ginger  –  4.4%
  • Pyrocumulus – Strong stout with Toasted Coconut and Tonka Bean –  9.0%
  • City of Stone – Dry Stout (on nitro) – 4.0%
  • Nomitomodachi – Rice Lager 5.0%

On top of this, they are aiming to keep a rotating small batch Farmhouse ale on tap from Wild Sour to their Classic Saison. For an upcoming tease, the brewer is currently working on a longer term production of a Wild Sour after a successful stint as a test batch. We have a lot of details on this one that we will save for later, but it will feature fruit, a mixed yeast culture that’s been propagated and kept up for almost 15 years, and some cellarring for at least 3-6 months, maybe longer. We will keep you updated on this brewery for future releases to come as these beers will be more available around their Halifax locations in the coming months. 

Bannerman Brewing, in St. John’s, NL, has a couple of things to talk about this week. Up first is Spice World 2, a place where the Munich Dunkel style meets lemongrass and ginger giving you an opportunity to spice up your life. Deep malty flavors of molasses, caramel, and bread crust meet subtle lemongrass and not-so-subtle ginger, yielding an overall impression that you might find reminiscent of ginger snap cookies. An ABV of 5.3% gives you some room to have a couple and appreciate the composition. Grab it in cans from the brewery and the usual spots. Also new from BB this week, and of particular note, is the first beer to come out of their long in-the-works aged beer program. The first beers to be released will be a series they’re calling “Epiphany” and the first release will be, fittingly, Epiphany No. 1. A simple Golden Ale that has matured in white wine barrels for six months, it is the tabula rasa upon which the future releases in the series will be based. You can expect notes of pepper, stone fruit, and lemon peel, a gentle bitterness, dry finish, and some barrel notes as well. They’re doing a very limited release of this OG ale, so if you’re looking to get in on the ground floor of the Epiphany series, you’ll want to act fast; it’s been packaged in 750ml bottles and is only available at Bannerman.

Fredericton’s Trailway Brewing has a pair of new releases for you this week, so let’s get you up to speed! Vibe Check is a 6.0% American IPA, brewed with a touch of wheat to round out the mouthfeel, and a bit of haze. Of course, the hops take centre stage, with big citrus notes of orange, some apricot and pear, with a medium bitterness finish. Available in pints and in cans to go at both their Main Street Fredericton taproom, as well as the Union House in Saint John. And vibing along with this new release the return of the seasonal Hu Jon Holiday, their ode to the festive season. Think of their flagship Hu Jon Hops, but with the added flavours of locally-harvested fresh spruce tips lending a resiny and sprucey character. Cans are available today!

Headed way up to Lab City, Iron Rock Brewing has a big release to share. Bringing a local spin to their pale ale, this one features hops grown in Labrador. Fresh Hop is a Labrador Pale Ale (not to be confused with their Large Day American Pale Ale) that uses hops grown in their Community Gardens over the summer.  Some community members grew the hops and then helped with the brewing, too. The hops were harvested by the Iron Rock team and used in a wet hop brewing method of using the whole cone, fresh hops directly in the brewing process. This is test batch number one from them and it’s available on tap at the brewery. Go give it a try! As a sneak peek, test batch number two will be another wet hop release, but featuring hops from Goose Bay. 

The little cidery in Portugal Cove, NL, Mauzy Cider, has another small batch complex concoction for the enjoyment of those who can get their hands on it. Starting with feral Russet and Mcintosh apples from the Southern Shore and Mount Pearl, respectively, fermentation took place on lees of Williams Pride from Jefford’s Orchard. Once complete, golden plums from Campbellton’s Farm were introduced and eight months of maceration later, it was bottled in 750ml bottles and conditioned with Baccalieu Trail honey. Arriving at 6.3% ABV, only 33 cases of Diabolically Quenched were produced. It’s only available for local delivery or shipping from their website.

Out in Bay Roberts, Baccalieu Trail Brewing has a new release this week, perfect for enjoying in front of a roaring fire, for those of us adventurous enough to get out and enjoy the brisk fall evenings. Campout is a 6.0% S’mores Stout, brewed using Mecca Grade Opal 22 malt, known to impart both graham cracker and cocoa character to the final beer. Enhancing it even further is the addition of real cacao, for an even bigger nose and flavour of chocolate. Homebrewer Ralph Pike partnered with BaccTrail for this brew, which is out now on draught and in cans at the brewery and St John’s Maries too!

Great news for those in Dartmouth, or nearby, as 2 Crows Brewing are taking over the taps at Battery Park Beer Bar all day today. Sixteen draught and cask taps will be a-flowing all day and night, with OG favourites like Pollyanna, Fantacity, three different variants of their Jamboree Fruited Sour (Blueberry & Lemon, Strawberry & Guava, Watermelon & Kiwi), as well as the newly released Home and Home Hazy IPA with Grapes collab with Banished Brewing (as well as the non-graped Battery Power that debuted last week). And never stopping, never stopping, there are a pair of brand new beers on the board today, Guv Dark Mild and Feral Fawn Wild Ale with Apricot. Full draught and cask list available here. Battery Park is open 11:30 AM until late, and you’ll have a good chance of running into some of the Crows themselves when you pop by to embibe!

Big congratulations are in order to the team at Sea Level Brewing, as they celebrate their Sixteenth Anniversary this weekend! The beer scene was quite different back in 2007, with Sea Level (and their partners at Port Pub) being one of only a handful independent breweries in the province. There have been plenty of changes since then, both at Sea Level, and in the region, so this seems like a great reason to celebrate! Drop by both their Sea Level and Millstone Harvest Brewhouse locations to toast the crew in person!

The wait is just about over for folks thirsty for more beer in Truro, as The Common by Burnside Brewing is super-close to being fully open. While their retail shop at The Hub Shopping Mall has been open for a couple of weeks, their ability to pour pints has been delayed by various levels of red tape. We have word that samples can now be poured, and pints will soon be possible in their cozy space too. Located near Philthy Philly’s and Wung Express, The Common welcomes folks to bring in food to enjoy while in the space. In addition to their standard lineup of beer, look for pilot batch brews done onsite, by long-term and multi-award winning homebrewer Mark MacKay, who has been brewing for more than a decade in the province. Keep your eyes on their social media for the announcement, expected before the end of next week.

Down on the Halifax waterfront, Bishop’s Cellar has a fresh drop of Bellwoods Brewery treats. In addition to the somewhat regular classics on offer, namely, Bellwether Pilsner, Jelly King (OG version), and Roman Candle, they’ve now got three new non-alcoholic brews as well, Jelly King NA Blackberry/Raspberry Sour, Jelly King NA Dry Hopped Sour, and Stay Classy NA IPA. But wait! There’s more!! Also on the shelves are Cat Lady IPA, a less bitter, juicy and tropical answer to Roman Candle, and the beloved and rare Milkshark Tripleberry Milkshake IPA. These are all available now, but we expect many of them will go quickly; if you’re in the area from 1 – 3pm today you can drop by the shop and try them with Bishop’s Beer Baron Lucas Mader!

Friday Wrap-Up for October 13, 2023 – News from O’Creek, Tire Shack, Trailway, Tusket Falls, Landwash, Big Spruce, and More!!

Posted by acbbaaron on 2023-10-13
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: 2 Crows Brewing, Annapolis Cider Company, Banished Brewing, Bannerman Brewing, Big Spruce Brewing, Bishop's Cellar, Change Is Brewing Collective, Copper Bottom Brewing, Half Cocked Brewing, Hammond River Brewing, Iron Rock Brewing Co., Landwash Brewery, North Brewing, O'Creek Brewing, Port Rexton Brewing Co., Quidi Vidi Brewery, Schoolhouse Brewery, Tatamagouche Brewing, Tire Shack Brewing, Tobique River Trading Company, TrailWay Brewing, Tusket Falls Brewing. 2 comments

It’s been another busy week, as patios and Beer Gardens are beginning to close for the year (last chance for Stillwell BG is Saturday, weather-willing), darker beers are coming back in full force, and the never-stopping (not that we’d want it to) release of well-made IPAs continues unabated. Join us for a summary of almost two dozen releases from across our four Atlantic provinces! (Ed note: We’re gonna need a beer after this!)

Let us start with a duo of big IPAs from two breweries in Moncton, both hitting the taps and shelves today. First up is O’Creek Brewing once again flexing their hazy muscles with the release of Take On Me. Using a yeast that helps to keep all that hoppy goodness in suspension and closer to your nose, this beer was hopped late, and often, with the tremendous trio of Nelson Sauvin, Vic Secret, and the new HBC 586 (more on that in a moment). Massive tropical and citrus aromatics here, in a tidy 7.5% ABV package. And, speaking of packages, this freshly-canned beer is available today at their brewery on Barker in Moncton, as well as on tap there, and soon at better beer bars in the province.

Tire Shack, currently undergoing an incredible expansion of their facilities on John Street, is also releasing a great big hazy IPA today, telling the world that just because it’s getting a little cooler, there’s no need to let go of the tropical flavours just yet! They are continuing their Hip Hop Series, their ongoing exploration of flavour profiles from a showcased hop. Today’s release is Hip Hop Volume 9: HBC 586. A still-experimental hop from the Hop Breeding Company, HBC 586 is a stone fruit paradise, with mango, lychee, guava, and some orangey citrus in the mix. Beer nerds and home brewers, more info here. Sounds great in your breakfast smoothie, eh? Well, pop by Tire Shack today to grab some cans to try that tomorrow morning! And at only 8.0% ABV, it’s a fine substitution for a mimosa anyway. (Ed note: we are not responsible for anything that happens post-brunch if you substitute an 8% IPA for a mimosa)

Up the road in Fredericton, Trailway has a new delight for you with the introduction of Sunny B. You may remember their previous Sunny C, a step up the alphabet (and a step up in ABV) from the classic orange drink popular with the youths across North America. This iteration is still a small sour, at 3.5% ABV, and swaps orange for blueberry. Juicy and crushable, think of it like a blueberry mimosa, perfect for accompanying brunch or to give you a fruity kick to ward off the doldrums of a rainy and cool Fall day. Grab it in cans at either of their Fredericton or Saint John taprooms.

Continuing the trend of breweries whose names begin with the letter ‘T’, we have Tusket Falls, who have a sour of their own out this week that they’re calling Long Way Around. The latest in their series of “sour smoothies,” this one saw a dry hop of Citra and Strata for major citrus and dank hop aromas, an infusion of raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries for a fruity punch, and lactose and Madagascar vanilla beans to sweeten and smooth it all out, balancing the Lactobacillus-driven sourness. A touch of sea salt puts the finishing touch on this one, which comes in at 6.5% ABV and is available now from the brewery or at their spot in North End Halifax.

Off the mainland and up to the Rock we find Landwash Brewery in Mount Pearl with something new and hoppy for us this week. Dog Park is a 4.5% ABV session IPA, but rather than the little hazies that have abounded in our region and across the continent over the past few years, this one instead leans into the classic West Coast profile. With malt notes of biscuit and toffee, and citrus, dank, and slightly spicy hop character, this one would be perfect to slide into a Yeti Colster® for sneaky sips while your pup pulls zoomies at the local off leash area. There are three can designs available, all featuring very good girls and boys owned by members of the Landwash Team; collect ‘em all! Find this one in cans and on tap at the brewery, with distribution to come at all the usual places you find their beer.

Now we head back down South, but to another island of note in our region, Cape Breton, where in scenic Nyanza, Big Spruce has a new one and a returning engagement. First up is Buntàta, a collaboration brew with a primary ingredient that might take you by surprise. It’s no secret that CB has one of the largest Gaelic-speaking populations outside Europe and the local Gaelic Business Initiative worked together with the Spruce team to come up with a beer to celebrate their culture. A “Gaelic Potato Ale” this one leaned on starches from farm-grown red, purple, and white potatoes, paired up with Big Spruce’s own Centennial and Mount Hood hops for an earthy and vibrant brew. The mouthfeel is smooth and creamy thanks to the potatoes, but there’s still some malty caramel sweetness and subtle hop bitterness as well. More in the mainstream is the other release from BS this week, Alors on Danse, this one on its second go around. A hazy double IPA coming in at 7.1%, it leverages the Thiol Libre yeast from Escarpment Labs to help bring out lots of tropical flavors like gooseberry and passionfruit. Grab either (or both!) of these brews at the brewery and, no doubt, at other places where you tend to find Big Spruce beers.

Moving west to the Antigonish area, we find North Grant’s Half Cocked Brewing also has a new release, a hybrid of French and Belgian saisons. Old Barn Saison is bone dry, thanks to the hungry yeast that consumed all of the tasty sugar from the mash. It has also imparted some lovely pepper and citrus notes, further enhanced by the Saaz hops used throughout the boil. Refreshing, complex, a touch acidic…definitely a complex beer that warrants your further investigation! Grab Old Barn on tap this weekend, maybe while you pop in for brunch at The Crafty Cooks, who are setting up a buffet inside the brewery, 10 AM – 1 PM Sunday.

In cider news, Annapolis Cider in Wolfville, NS, has a new entry in their Something Different series. Melon Margarita sees the marriage of literal truckloads of watermelon goodness with honeycrisp apple juice, a bit of cucumber, for a vegetal smokiness, and some lime for that tart zip that says, “margarita.” Finished with fresh honeycrsip and watermelon juice, the result is sweet, yet tart, and very refreshing, at 5.2%. As with all ciders in the Something Different series, $0.50 of every fill goes to a charity and this time around it’s Shelter Movers Nova Scotia, a volunteer organization that helps individuals and families fleeing abuse.

Back up to Newfoundland, we find Banished Brewing in Paradise bringing the Hallowe’en goods with the return of their Skelephone IPA. Although they tried to do the same thing this year as last year, using blue spirulina to impart an eerie green hue, this year it’s less green than ever. Same recipe, same techniques, different result; they tried blending in the spirulina three times and each time it dissolved and then precipitated back out. We agree with the Banished team that’s a suitably sinister situation for this 5% seasonal. Fortunately, the spirulina is flavor-neutral and the beer tastes just fine, the glow in the dark can is still rad AF, and it is what it is, b’y. Find it on tap at the brewery and at retailers who tend to stock Banished beer.

Speaking of Banished, our friends at Bishop’s Cellar on the Halifax Waterfront have made an effort to bring some of their offerings to Nova Scotia beer fans. Available today in the store and for online orders are An Elaborate Series of Mirrors (American Lager, 5%), Mustard Pickles (Triple IPA collab with Lone Oak, 10.5%!), Clockin’ Out (Red Ale, 5.2%) and their flagship hazy Space Puffin (NEIPA, 6%). You may also see that last one appear at some of the other private stores in the city, but you’ll have to stick to Bishop’s for the others. A reminder that shipping is free on to addresses in NS on orders over $150 and quite reasonable on orders less than that, and they’ve also got a new Express Delivery Service (2 hours within select postal codes within the HRM, 12 noon – 8 PM Thu/Fri/Sat). They’ve also got a fall sale in progress across most of their product lines, so we ask, “What are you waiting for?”

A big birthday party this weekend in Labrador, and a workshop in Halifax coming up early next week.

Labrador’s Iron Rock Brewing is celebrating their Fourth Anniversary this week, with events all weekend, as well as a new beer, one with quite a history, to celebrate their accomplishment. First brewed by Dave Hurley as part of the Newfermenters Homebrew Club Advent Calendar in 2017, it took a little bit of help from his brother Brian to be delivered to the distribution point in St. John’s in time for the bottle share. And now, six years later, Dave is still the one brewing (albeit on a much bigger scale!), and Brian is helping with the Island logistics (and plenty more!). Orange Daydream Milkshake IPA is the beer, and marks batch number 261 on their system in Lab City. The 6.0% ABV beer is loaded with Equinox, Azacca, and Citra, and further bumped up with sweet orange zest, and a bit of lactose and house-made vanilla extract for that creamsicle mouthfeel. On tap now, with cans coming to the brewery, and beyond, in the next little while.

The Fourth Anniversary Fun continues this weekend with a full schedule, including Trivia tonight at 7:30, Beer Yoga tomorrow at 1 PM, and live music tomorrow night at 9 PM, courtesy of The Sun Dogs. Congratulations to the Hurley boys and the whole Iron Rock Family!

We’ve got an event put on by Prince’s Trust to tell you about this week and this one is put on with the Change is Brewing Collective. Prince’s Trust has been an organization based out of the UK (back when King Charles was the Prince of Wales) to fund opportunities for youth from disadvantaged communities in finding new opportunities and connections, and learning new skills in hopes of finding career paths and exploring new industries. The Prince’s Trust Canadian branch is featuring a Halifax workshop on Monday, October 16th, to discuss brewing industry opportunities and all of the jobs involved from brewing, marketing, supply chain, and warehousing. Giovanni and O’Neil from Change is Brewing will be giving a talk and then diving into a hands-on workshop. This is all free if you’re between 18 and 30 and can be in the North End of Halifax from 6:30 PM until 8:30 PM. You’ll need to register at the link here to attend.   

Staying on the job train, Tatamagouche Brewing is hiring part-time and full-time positions as a taproom associate. You have three ways to apply here if you live nearby and want the job: drop off your resume in person at the brewery, email, or via Indeed. Be sure to check the Indeed posting for even more details. 

Lots of quick mentions to end the post today, from further news about a new taproom to lots of re-releases around the region:

The news keeps coming out of 2 Crows and their new location (Oxford and Cork in Halifax, the old 4Cats Art Studio, if you didn’t read last week’s post). As we mentioned last week they’ve posted for a General Manager for the food and taproom and this week we get news that it’s Yeah Yeahs Pizza as the food partner! Moving from their Barrington Street location, they will be headed from the downtown to the West End for the 50-seat taproom location. This is a big newsbite and an awesome partnership and location. Yeah Yeahs should be closing their Barrington location at the end of the month, so check out the 2 Crows and Yeah Yeahs socials for more updates. 

If you’re near Perth-Andover in New Brunswick, the do-it-all (brewery, coffee roastery, music venue and more) Tobique River Trading Company has a new brew on tap. Oktober Brown Ale is available now at the brewery for pints and growler fills. It’s 5% and is malt forward but balanced out with some nice hop bitterness. 

As it truly is the fall harvest, we’re rolling right into Stout Season and North Brewing is bringing back Let the Good Times Roll, a 6% Golden Stout. The beer brings the comfortable warmth of a stout with some chocolate and coffee flavours, but with a golden coloured body from the light-on-roast malt bill. This is available now in cans from all three of North’s locations and online for home delivery and shipping. 

Sticking with another returning seasonal for Stout Season, Schoolhouse Brewery is bringing back Staffroom Stout, a collaboration with T.A.N. Coffee, their Windsor neighbours. Using cold-brewed organic coffee from T.A.N, this coffee stout has refreshing flavours of espresso and chocolate that is refreshing and flavourful. It’s 5.5% and available in cans from the brewery for a limited time. 

Kicking off a trio of Newfoundland beer news, Bannerman Brewing kicks us off with their seasonal release of Dressed to Kill. Just like the first time it was released it’s a fruited sour ale with additions of raspberries and blackberries. A dry-hopping of Mosaic then brings a lovely initial aroma to join the berry flavours. The 6% beer is available now on tap and in cans from the brewery.

Another Halloween-themed Newfoundland release comes to us from Port Rexton Brewing. Back with a seasonal dark beer release, Chasing Moon is a Dark NEIPA. A style that we haven’t seen too much of, the beer takes all those tropical and stone fruit flavours and aromas, and pairs them with a dark colour and slightly roasty profile with the use of dark malts. At 6.2% there is a lot of flavour in the juicy, smooth, slightly bitter and highly drinkable brew. Pick this up now at both Port Rexton locations, Marie’s and everywhere else around the island for distribution next week. 

Finishing off the Newfoundland trio, Quidi Vidi Brewery is teaming up with the (amazing) St. John’s International Women’s Film Festival for a new release to mark the occasion. Director’s Cut is a 4.8% American Pilsener that’s been canned and is available now, though the actual festival runs from October 17th until the 21st. 

Copper Bottom Brewing out of Montague, PEI is embracing the darkness as they bring back Eclipse, a Black IPA. This 6.5% IPA brings notes of citrus, pine, stone fruit and a slightly roasty body thanks to the dark roasted and coffee notes from the malt. The hop bill for this brings out those aforementioned flavours from Simcoe, Galaxy and Cascade and it comes in at 50 IBU. This returns on Saturday in cans and on tap along with some special and food music at the brewery. 

We’ll leave you this week, for the second week in a row, with some unfortunate news. Hammond River Brewing in Rothesay, NB, announced this week that they are permanently closing their doors. The first brewery to open in the Kennebecasis Valley, in fall of 2013, HR started very small, with a 1 BBL system in the basement of original brewer/owner Shane Steeves. That system was eventually replaced by something much larger and a brewery and taproom in town. They’d seen an ownership change in the last few years, but still seemed to be a going concern in the region. We’re sure they will be missed by lovers of craft beer in the KV. We remind you again that this is an extremely tough time for the industry and people continuing to support their favorite locals is likely to be a determining factor in brewery survival.

Friday Wrap-Up for September 29, 2023 – News(bites) from Trailway, Big Spruce, Battery Park Beer Bar, Lunn’s Mill, Breton, Schoolhouse, and more!!

Posted by acbbdamian on 2023-09-29
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: Battery Park, Big Spruce Brewing, Bishop's Cellar, Breton Brewing, Godspeed Brewery, Lunn's Mill Beer Company, Propeller Brewing, Schoolhouse Brewery, Tatamagouche Brewing, TrailWay Brewing. Leave a Comment

Welcome to the “Oops All Newsbites!” version of your favourite Friday newsletter. Plenty of new beer to share with you, and not a lot of time, hence the shortened format. Please remember that tomorrow, September 30th, is National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, a time for all to reflect on the atrocities of the past, and how we can make Canada more equitable for all, especially First Nations. Some breweries and retailers will be closed Saturday, in observation, so check first before heading out.

Trailway on Fredericton’s North Side received a pair of unusual visitors earlier this month, and while they didn’t stick around long, the video evidence is quite funny! Embracing the fun, Trailway has released On The Loose West Coast IPA. 5.5% ABV, with a healthy bitterness and aromatic in all the ways a great piney, resinous, WC IPA should be. This beer was a small batch, so you’ll want to head to the brewery locations in Fredericton and Saint John to grab cans before they flee too!

Those reading this Friday can still make it down to Battery Park in Dartmouth for a Big Spruce Tap Takeover. With 20 beers available on tap, there is a healthy mix of core favourites, seasonal releases, as well as at least one new one. Let’s tell you about Trop Style, an oak-fermented Saison. Bright and refreshing, there are notes of pepper and herb, as well as a bit of funk and wood from the foedre aging process. You’ll also be able to grab cans of Trop Style at the brewery and for delivery and shipping! A-Marzen Grace, their Marzen/Festbier also makes its debut for the year on tap at BP (as well as Horton Ridge and the Stilly Beergarden for their Oktoberfest celebrations Sunday). The Wanderers Citra Session IPA makes its return this week as well, on tap and in cans at better establishments.

Lunn’s Mill Beer is celebrating with an Oktoberfest party tomorrow, and they have a new beer to mark the occasion! Brewer Jörg has put together a Red Wheat Ale, using traditional German and American hops, and the classic German Weiss yeast for a touch of banana and clove. Grab a Maßkrug of Maldix tomorrow during the party, and a couple more in cans for the road! And all the Oktoberfest details are right here.

If you’re a fan of Breton Brewing, you know doubt already know their long-running Black Angus IPA and its “big” brother, Crazy Angus DIPA. This week they introduced the “little” brother of those two, Tiny Angus. Just 4.5% ABV and a crisp, citrus taste, just not as big. Find it at the tap room and online shop for delivery in the CBRM and HRM starting next week.

Also returning from Breton this week is a former seasonal that has earned a callup to the full-time lineup. Irish Stout is just that, a 4.2% beer that’s as dark as coal, with plenty of roasted coffee flavor and a smooth chocolatey finish. This one is also available at the taproom and via the online shop, but is also seeing wider distribution via select NSLC locations throughout the province.

Perhaps the first of this year’s fresh-hopped beers is pouring now at Schoolhouse Brewery in Windsor, NS, their Freshman Fresh Hopped New England IPA. Sourcing hops from Wicked Hops in the Valley, more than 20 kilos of Cascade, Chinook, and Centennial were used during the whirlpool to impart major aromatics of pine, citrus, and even a touch of freshly mown grass. Using a yeast that encourages a bit of haze just means there’s more flavour in every glass, so be sure to drop by the brewery this weekend to get it while it’s fresh!

We promised we’d keep it short and sweet, so let’s be sure we keep you to your schedule as we round out the news!

Tatamagouche has brought back Peppy Pink Peppercorn & Rose Hip Saison, a 7.1% Belgian Saison that really is exactly as described on the can. A bit of pepper character from the yeast is complemented by the pink peppercorn, and floral notes abound, from the late addition of the rose hips. Darling English Dark Mild has also returned this week, a favourite of cask-ale drinkers across the province, so look for this 3.6% beauty on hand pumps at better locations in your neighbourhood.

Propeller Brewing has decided it’s Stout Season, and we agree! However, they are putting their own spin on it with the return of Flat White, their White Stout. The beer is golden in colour, but if you closed your eyes, you’d swear it was jet black, thanks to the addition of cold-brewed coffee from Java Blend and cacao nibs. Loads of flaked oats help increase the body and mouthfeel, and impart a lasting, frothy head. On tap and in cans now at all of the Prop Shops across HRM!

And finally, our friends from away at Godspeed Brewery have sent four tasty offerings to Halifax Waterfront’s Bishop’s Cellar. Yuzu Saison, Ochame Green Tea IPA, Sklepnik Czech Lager (fermented in pitch-lined foeders), and Arbeir Hefeweizen (a collaboration with Michael Hancock, of Dennison’s). Drop down this weekend, or place an order for delivery or shipping Nova Scotia-wide!