Bogside Brewing

All posts tagged Bogside Brewing

Ahoy-hoy beer fans of Atlantic Canada. With the region still in full-on summer mode, and often bound for the beach, it also means that many breweries are primarily focused on pumping out as much of their core lineups as they possibly can to keep up with thirsty patrons. Between that and our own busy schedules we’ve only got a handful of new releases and re-releases, but hopefully it’s enough to pique your interest and wet your whistle. Read on for your weekly dose of beer news.

Big news on the North Shore of Nova Scotia this week, as Tatamagouche Brewing has launched their non-alcoholic line of beers with Nomad Pilsner. Taking a different tack than many breweries to produce their alternative beverages, they’re confident Nomad Pilsner, and further releases to come, will have the quality and flavour that you’d expect from Tata products. Their novel approach will also allow for some additional future bevvy possibilities so stay tuned for more to come. Meanwhile, you can get all the latest news by following the Nomad brand specifically at their new website and on Fb and Ig (and possibly other socials that we’re too old to be hip to).

We’ve long appreciated Tanner & Co. Brewing in Chester Basin for their quality beers, but as true beer geeks we also appreciate their tendency towards experimentation. Sure, if you know owner/brewer Dan Tanner’s extensive wine background the integration of grapes makes sense, and they’ve put out plenty of honey-bearing liquids as well, but they’ve also spent time and effort unearthing and recreating lesser known (some might even say “forgotten”) styles. Kotbusser, Dampfbier (German Steam Beer), and Rauchbier are just a few examples of the unique styles they’ve brought to market. That continues this week with the release of Princesse. The style Princessebier was first mentioned in the mid-1700s as a Dutch beer made for shipping long distances. By 1900 the beer had pretty much disappeared from production, but has seen some revival from breweries like Tanner who appreciate the finer details of beer history and styles. This take on the style was infused with orange peel, coriander seed and licorice root, resulting in a blend of “royal” flavours. It’s currently on tap at the Duke Street taproom for pints and growler fills.

Up in Cape Breton, Big Spruce is rolling out another sessionable release with Hoppily Ever After. This 5% ABV session IPA has a touch of malt sweetness, but the real star of the show is on the hop side, with notes of mango, passion fruit and some piney resin. This one should be making an appearance on-tap this weekend and check out the Sprucetique or their online store for 473 ml cans.

A quick hit in Fredericton where Trailway has brought back their fruited wheat beer and tribute to local junk removal service Fredericton Dumpster Services, Dump Run Saves. This time the beer saw additions of apricot and mango before a dry-hop of El Dorado. Check out the brewery today to try the 4% ABV DRS. They have a $10 Shipping Special this weekend to celebrate!

Be careful while close to water this weekend, as Propeller’s Leviathan Triple IPA is back again! Absolutely loaded with tropical hops, this 10.0% beast is tropical, dank, and while bitter, is mellowed by just a touch of lactose to smooth it out. Available in tall cans at all of their shops in Halifax, Dartmouth, and now Bedford, it can also be ordered for local delivery and Canada-wide shipping, or at your favourite private shops like Bishop’s Cellar, and even some select NSLC locations!

Moncton’s O’Creek Brewing continues to flex their new-brewery-muscles with the release (and canning) of two beers this week… Corigan Pale Ale returns, and Czech Affair is a new Czech-inspired Pale Lager, made with authentic hops and malt from its homeland. Stop by their spot on Barker Street for a mug, pint, or four-pack to go! Their food partners, The Craft Canteen, have extended their hours to now serve lunch, and have added a few things to the menu, too!

If you’re in Halifax this coming week, we recommend checking out HopYard Halifax on Gottingen Street on the evening of Tuesday, August 29th, at 7 PM, where the Change is Brewing Collective will be hosting an event in association with Boxing Rock and HopYard. “One Pint at a Time” is an award-winning documentary that aims to shine a light on Black & Brown-owned breweries in the US, who make up less than 1% of the 9,000 breweries in the country, and the challenges they have faced in an industry that, on the whole, has thus far failed at diversity. In addition to a screening of the film, there will be a beer tasting and plenty of dialogue about creating an inclusive and equitable craft beer & hospitality industry. Admission is pay what you can, with proceeds supporting CiB initiatives. A limited release Change is Brewing x Boxing Rock x HopYard collaboration will also be on tap for the event. One Pint Wheat Ale is a 4.5% ABV wheat featuring Shelburne County strawberries from Loré’s Farms, as well as locally foraged rhubarb. A beautiful pink hue to the beer invites folks in for a mix of fruity and light tartness, reminiscent of a strawberry rhubarb pie! Brewed at their Windsor Street Halifax small batch brewery, after the event, it will be available while supplies last at Hopyard and Windsor Street.

Fun in the sun in Montague tomorrow, as Bogside Brewing is hosting a Summer Block Party all day. They are launching the latest in their Single Hop Series, Calypso, with live music from 4 PM all evening, and oyster shucking by Colville Bay Oysters from 4:30 PM. More details on raffle and door prizes on their IG page.

Happy Friday y’all! We hope those who attended the Canadian Brewing Awards and Conference in Halifax enjoyed their time here, and went home with some hardware in their carry-on. And that the hangovers didn’t make this week too unbearable! There was a decent enough showing from the AC breweries (summarized here), and we can all work together to have an even better showing in Hamilton next year!

In light of the devastating fires that have been burning in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick for the past two weeks, Jym Line Glassware, provider of glasses and growlers to many Atlantic Canadian breweries, has launched a fundraiser with the Craft Brewers of Nova Scotia to launch Together for NS. At participating breweries, you can help by donating a minimum of $20, and in return you’ll receive a specially-branded glass and a large sample of beer to say thanks! All of that donation will go to the Canadian Red Cross and their Nova Scotia and Atlantic Canadian Fire Relief, with both the provincial and federal governments matching that donation as well! That one sample is worth at least $60 to those looking to rebuild their lives, with the goal to sell all of the glasses to raise more than $150,000. More details on the participating breweries is here (and is growing), there should be one in your neck of the woods!

One beer launched last weekend for the CBAC, but after blog publishing, was the Nova Scotia collaboration Fer ‘Fax Sake!. Garrison Brewing welcomed in breweries from around HRM and beyond to take part in this “Welcome to Nova Scotia” beer, with Backstage Brewing out of Stellarton, Antigonish’s Candid Brewing, Colby Village’s Hardisty Brewing, Spryfield’s Serpent Brewing, and Two Islands Brewery from Parrsboro. This 5.0% Pale Ale was formulated to be juicy and quaffable, and features plenty of late-usage hops, with Apollo, Citra, Eclipse, Idaho 7, and Simcoe filling the bill. Think tropical, with mango, papaya, and lychee notes throughout. Grab this in small cans, perfect for packing in and out on a hike, at the host brewery’s retail locations!

Fresh off of some new awards from the CBAs, Trailway Brewing has two new releases. No rest for the winners… First up is a new iteration of The Blend, their Smoothie Sour series. This one features pineapple, passion fruit and black currant, with each can having about 200 grams of pure, real fruit. With all smoothie sours, keep these cold and try to drink as fresh as possible, and a little rolling beforehand won’t hurt to even it out. There is lots of real fruit to chug down in a tasty 5.3% package. Get this in cans only, and available at Fredericton and Saint John locations.

Second up is a brand new release with a cool label that may seem familiar. Sunny C is an Orange sour made with orange juice concentrate. The concept here was a brunch beer, sort of like a mimosa. The sour style works well with the citrus and orange, pairing nicely with the tartness. This is 3.5% and totally crushable. This is available now in cans from both locations. 

Paradise’s Banished Brewing is celebrating some vibrant new artwork in the brewery this week, as their long-time artistic collaborator Paul G Hammond unveiled a massive mural named Astral Puffins’ Paradise. Check out the Making Of video, as well as the finished product! And what better way to celebrate than with a new beer, and PGH label, release?! Paint With Light does just that, featuring a painter working on a canvas. When first grabbed from the freezer or backpack, the canvas is blank, ready for anything the painter (or drinker) may wish to fill in. But when brought into sunlight, the canvas springs alive with colour, thanks to the UV-activated photochromic ink used. A beautiful and fitting tribute to this relationship, named thanks to Jason Normore and his attitude towards photography. The beauty does not stop with the label, as the beer inside the can lives up to the high bar set on the outside. A 6.0% Hazy IPA, double dry hopped with Loral Cryo and the Cryo Pop blend, both offering plenty of tropical aroma with very little hop material to increase yield. Think citrus and floral, pineapple and stone fruit, both on the nose and on the tongue. Available at the brewery on tap and in cans, and coming to local retailers real soon!

Chester’s Tanner & Co Brewing is wading into the Cold IPA style, a bit of a tongue-in-cheek amping up of the traditional West Coast IPA style, and rebuff of the juicy/hazy IPAs of the past several years. Conceived as a clean IPA with a pronounced bitterness, featuring a bit of corn or rice in the malt bill to reduce the sweetness of residual sugar, keeping it crisp and easy drinking. And decidedly not hazy/thick, and not just another name for an India Pale Lager! For a fun treatise from the originators of the style, Wayfinder Beer out of Portland, OR, check this out. Back to Nova Scotia, and Tanner is rolling out 1320 Cold IPA, at 6.5% and about 50 IBU, it fits right in the pocket of the style. The name is inspired by an experimental hop, YQH-1320, which has imparted flavours and aromas of guava, grapefruit, pineapple, and even a hint of coconut in the beer. Malt from Horton Ridge is in the glass too, supporting our local malting company to boot! Cans of 1320 are available at both Tanner locations (at the brewery in Chester Basin, as well as their taproom in the town of Chester), as well as their online shop for local and HRM delivery.

North Brewing is releasing a beer this week that is of its time but also a reflection of history (but fairly recent history). It’s safe to say that IPA is still a dominant style in the craft beer world these days, but it’s also fair to say that many, if not most, of the IPAs on the market these days would be well-nigh unrecognizable as such to a craft beer drinker from, say, 2004 (although, to be fair, the opposite might be true as well for those who started drinking craft after 2015 or so). North Brewing’s new Let’s Go! IPA is a bit of a throwback to the darker, clearer, and more bitter standard that many of us cut our teeth on. Featuring pale malt, Munich, and some crystal malt for flavour and colour, they leveraged four different hop varieties (probably at least a couple of which begin with the letter ‘C’) across both the kettle and the whirlpool, yielding a well-rounded hop character. Carefully keeping the bitterness in check to ensure it’s not too foreign to the modern palate, the team is quite happy with the way it turned out. You can grab this 6.1% beer in cans at all North locations and it will also hit the shelves at the NSLC next week.

We’ve got a limited release out of Breton Brewing this week and its return to bottle-conditioned form! Stirling Hefeweizen is a core brand in cans, but like last year, Breton is featuring a limited run of 500ml bottles that have undergone a bottle conditioning process for several weeks, staying true to the style’s European roots. The recipe is their same authentic German Hefeweizen style and features the big lovely banana and clove flavours you would come to expect. Still staying at 4.6% and very delicious, this is available today from the brewery and online for delivery in CBRM and HRM. 

In Annapolis Royal, the folks at Annapolis Brewing are the latest to ask an online “AI” (ChatGPT in this case) to produce a beer recipe and produce the result. As always, we recommend reserving judgement on the concept as long as the beer is good. Produced on their one barrel pilot system, the beer is a classic APA, with a full malty body and a balancing hop character. Dry hopped with a touch of Centennial that, full disclosure, wasn’t part of the recipe as written, subtle hints of pine and spice pair with citrus for an easy drinking pint. Due to the small batch nature of this one, ChatGPT Pale Ale is only available on tap at the brewery on St George Street in downtown Annapolis Royal.

The gang at Mauzy Cider, operating out of Banished Brewing in Paradise, NL, have a new release this week, and let’s just say there’s a lot going on there. Forest Farmer’s Piquette is, as is right in the name there, a piquette, meaning it is primarily made by adding water to previously pressed fruit, macerating for a period to pull out the remaining sugars, and then fermenting the result. In this case, as Mauzy is a cidery, the pomace was from apples, namely William’s Pride, Liberty, and Honeycrisp from Jefford’s Orchard in Kelligrews and additional Honeycrisp from Mt. Scio Farm. Local Paradise water (“the essence of life!”) provided the rehydration. Giving the product a bit of extra kick were Centennial hops from Jenning’s Farm, which were co-fermented in the primary. Once primary was done, a secondary fermentation was undergone that featured lees from Mauzy’s Dolgo crabapple cider and De Chaunac grape skins from Fixed Farms. Lastly, at packaging, Baccalieu Trail Honey was used to bottle condition the result, which comes in at 4.6% ABV. Only 60 cases of 341ml bottles of this ultra-local product were produced and we’ll be honest, we’re a little jealous of the folks who are going to get to try this one. Expect a refreshing and spritzy, but also slightly funky experience, with a touch of salinity to encourage that next sip. Look for it at Banished, but also at a few other places around the area, including Bar Brewdock, Chinced Meats, Papillon Cocktail Bar, Portage Restaurant, and Toslow.

From one island to another, Upstreet Brewing comes to you this week with a new iteration from their Neon Friday IPA series. This new release, in the NEIPA style, is a big tropical bomb packed with as much hops as their system can handle. Featuring big amounts of flaked wheats and oats, the hop bill features as much cryo Idaho 7 and cryo Mosaic as could be handled in the whirlpool. The hop part doesn’t stop there, as Idaho 7 and Azacca dry hopping rounds out the beer. There are big peach, pineapple and mango flavours. This one is for sale at the taproom and Craft Beer Corner and PEI Liquor stores for the summer. It may be available in Dartmouth later this summer as well. 

We’ve got two beer festivals in Nova Scotia going on this weekend, check at least one of them out…

If you’re from down that way, you know exactly what the LCLC is! The South Shore Nova Scotia venue is hosting a craft beer and cider festival on Saturday, June 10th. Tickets are about $50 and the show will feature bevvies from Annapolis Brewing, Annapolis Cider, Big Spruce, Boxing Rock, Bulwark, Burnside, Breton, Firkinstein, Libra, Lunn’s Mill, Propeller, Saltbox, Sourwood, Tanner. Get your tickets here. Oh and the LCLC is the Lunenburg County Lifestyle Centre and it just rolls off the tongue!

And for those even further down the South Shore, the Yarmouth Craft Beer Festival is also being held tomorrow, June 10th. The Rodd Grand Hotel on Main Street will be hosting breweries, cideries, and wineries from across the province, including Boatskeg, Casa Nova, Coldstream, Corberrie, Heritage, Lunn’s Mill, Maison Meuse, Nine Locks, Rudder’s, Saltbox, and Tusket Falls. Grab your tickets now!

Gahan is hosting a cool event at their Halifax location in the Nova Centre (is this another chance to link to our CBA award winners post since Gahan is just next door). On Thursday, June 15th, at 6pm, they’re hosting a Behind the Brew event where they’ll discuss recipe design, brewing process and beer and food pairings with Gahan Nova brewer Ryan Shirtliff. This is a $40 event and you can buy tickets here

Looking to get in the beer biz? Look no further!

Love beer and live in Montague? Love beer and want to live in Montague? Bogside Brewing has a great opportunity with an assistant brewing position. With a full-time, salaried position, the successful candidate will be helping with brewing, packaging, cellaring and logistics. Check the link here to apply

Those looking to sling some great Nova Scotia beer in Lower Sackville, heads up! TAPestry Beer Bar is hiring! They are looking for someone to take on 3 or 4 shifts per month to start, and ramp up as things get busier. Of course, knowing beer is a big plus, as is experience already in the bar or brewery serving world. Check out this post and pop-by for a chat with Ian today!

A few more newsbites before we release you for the week!

We’ve got two returning releases from the two-headed calf brewery. Tatamagouche Brewing brings back a pair of Berliner Weiße buddies in Buddha’s Hand and Guava Heist. First up, Buddha’s Hand is a type of citrus fruit from Asia that is zesty and is quite similar to lemon. This is 3.8%  and with some floral notes on top of the lemonade type flavour in a thirst quenching summer hit. Guava Heist adds real guava to the Berliner Weiße base, with the base beer aged on organic guava. Big guava flavour comes through here in a really refreshing package. These are both available from the brewery, online and will likely show up at some private stores around HRM. 

Short and sweet (or tall and sweet, if you’re talking about the cans!) update from Lake City Cider. Watermelon is a brand new release from the Darkside cidery (Darkcidery?) that is a blend of their apple cider, blueberry and watermelon. It’s a bit dry, but also sweet, with a great punch of watermelon flavour for the hot summer ahead.  This is 6% and available at the cidery on tap and in 473ml cans (and online, too!).

Now to a returning beer with some wider distribution for Spryfield’s finest. Serpent Brewing’s Townie Overpass Syndrome NEIPA and is the second product of Serpent’s to hit the NSLC shelves and will be available in 40 locations as of next week. As a reminder for this beer, it’s basically a Belgian New England IPA, using Belgian Witbier yeast with their New England IPA recipe. The hop bill features large helpings of Mandarina Bavaria, Amarillo, and Ahtanum. This is 6.3% and 40 IBU and if you want to try it now, you could get it from the Serpent brewery.

In other news, we are joining the celebrations for Think Brewing who are moving to a new and larger space in Moncton as of June 1st! They’ll be adding a new beer release to their core lineup and are moving to bigger and better things. There will be more news to share with Think in the future, so stay tuned here and on their social media pages.

Happy Friday y’all! We’re as excited to start the weekend as you are, so let’s get you out the door and drinking the good stuff quickly! We have a reminder of what’s coming to our region next weekend in the Events section, so be sure to read closely!

Spryfield’s Serpent Brewing has a very special collaboration available now on tap and in cans. Born from a familial connection to Mexico, Serpent invited the crew from Cerveceria Itañeñe into the brewhouse a few months ago. And of course, Rodrigo and Lucia of Itañeñe brought gifts, in the form of their favourite coffee from roasters Ilustre. Pairing that with some locally-harvested Maple Syrup from MacRae’s, and a base English Brown Ale, they thus gave birth to Here Comes Trouble. This 5.9% beer will wake you up and keep you going all day, with the strong malt, coffee, and maple character coming through! Pop by the brewery for a taste and four-pack, and while there, you’ll be able to sample the food new menu put together by Chef Barry Samways. Having worked in kitchens at Hermitage, Elliot & Vine, and most recently at Quinn’s Arms, Chef Samways is focusing on local producers for as many ingredients as possible to ensure quality and freshness. As with any brewery menu, complementing the beer is important, so look for both share-able sizing for when your whole crew is with you, or snacking sizes for solo pop-bys to the space. Homemade pasta, tacos, microgreen salads, and several gluten-free and vegan options are also available!

On Brunswick Street in downtown Halifax, 2 Crows has a pair of new releases out this week. Let’s start hoppy, with Green World DIPA out on draught and in cans now. West Coast-inspired, this was brewed in collaboration with PEI’s Shoreline Malting, who provided the base Pale Malt, which was amped up with a touch of Crystal. This was hopped aggressively with classic American hops from Lakeview Hops throughout, including in the mash, again as the wort enters the kettle (first wort), of course throughout the boil, and again as the beer is cooled on its way to the fermenter. At that point, Escarpment Labs’ House Ale strain took over, fermenting it clean and providing natural carbonation to the finished product. It’s available today at the brewery as well as for online ordering and delivery. If you pop by the brewery, you’ll also be able to enjoy their latest tiny batch release, Multiflora. This beer/wine hybrid is the love child of a 3-year-old Wild Ale blended with fresh rosé piquette, itself made up of pomace from Riesling grapes, plus a small amount of Pinot Noir and Kekfrankos, with some quince from Head Brewer Jeremy Taylor’s backyard. This bright and funky hybrid is available on draught only, and in short supply, so if it sounds as tasty to you as it does to us…don’t delay in visiting!

HRM’s newest source of suds, Party Time Brewing in Mount Uniacke, who we profiled earlier this month, has a couple new beers and a new delivery channel for us this week. Party Time Pilsner is an American Pilsner at 30 IBU and 5% ABV that’s sure to sate your craving for a light and crispy new world crusher and Raft Up is “a beery beer” hopped with Hallertauer Mittelfrüh coming in at 4.5% ABV. Both of these are available for online ordering (althought the Party Time Pils is already in short supply!) for delivery in the general environs of Mount Uniacke, but if you’re from further afield you now have an option for pickup in the parking lot of Uniacke Pizza. You can also try the Raft Up at the Mount Uniacke Pub & Eatery.

Over on the Island, Summerside’s Bogside Brewing has a couple of new offerings this week, one of which won’t get you loaded no matter how much you drink. Bogside Zero is their first foray into the non-alcoholic beer market and they’re happy to report that it, “tastes like a real beer!” Based on their Local Legend blonde ale recipe, they’ve invested in a de-alcoholizer to take the finished beer remove the alcohol. Tasting similar enough to the original that many folks are hard-pressed to tell the difference, it’ll be a welcome option for those who want to taste a beer without having a beer. Also new on the go is a second entry in Bogside’s single hop series, this time using Belma, a bit of an unsung hop that’s been around for a decade or so, but hasn’t gained the mindshare of some of the heavy hitters. Known for providing tasting notes of strawberry and pear in particular, it also has a bit of a citrus kick on the palate and aromas of berries and melon, giving this iteration a little more of a West Coast IPA feel than the previous El Dorado version. Coming in at 6% ABV and 35 IBU, you’ll find this limited edition along with Bogside Zero available in the taproom and for online ordering.

Staying in PEI we land at Lone Oak, who, as mentioned last week, are celebrating their birthday this month. To celebrate they’ve got a brand new beer available, but so far only at Milky Way Brewpub in Charlottetown and in cans to go from their Cold Beer Store. Lone Oak Light does what it says on the tin, a North American light lager at 4% ABV that’s sure to please the beery beer drinkers out there. Simple, crisp and refreshing, it’s sure to pair well with summertime. Keep an eye on the social media for their latest location, the Lone Oak Beer Garden at Cavendish Beach, as it is set to open in the next few weeks.

From the little island we head up to the big one where, in Paradise, Banished Brewing has a brand new beer that they’re calling Baked Ziti. Why the reference to tasty noodletubes, tomato, and cheese? Because it’s an Italian Pilsner, of course! A style that’s been coming on in North America the last few years, the Italian take on a more northern European style features a light, but still malty body, with a firm bitterness and a pungent hop note, always continental and often leaning towards the floral part of the hop spectrum. Unfiltered, as is de rigueur (d’obbligo?) for the style, you’ll find this 5% delight on tap at the brewery and appearing at local retailers as well.

My, b’y, but there’s a lot of new lagers in the region this week and Port au Port’s Secret Cove Brewing has one too. A 4% American Lager they’re calling Cove Lager, it leverages rice as an adjunct to keep the body light and lagered cool to keep it crisp, it’s designed to be super easy drinking through the warmer summer months. Packaged in 355ml cans (with a super classy label) for maximum portability, it’s available now at the brewery and will see retail distribution real soon now.

We haven’t had any news out of Sheffield Mills in a few weeks, but that stops today with Sea Level’s release of Barn Yard IPA. Their take on a hazy session IPA is TRIPLE dry-hopped with Mosaic, Apollo and Comet, giving lots of topical fruit notes. The grain bill features Sea Level’s standard base malt, with an addition of Vienna for a hint of sweetness, with all of the malt coming from nearby Horton Ridge Malt House. Coming in at a sessionable 4.6% ABV, you can find Barn Yard on tap and in cans at both Sea Level locations now. 

Just in time for another sunny Cape Breton weekend, Big Spruce has a new release and the return of one of their all-time crowd pleasers. First up is It Takes Two to Mango, a 5% ABV fruited sour. Look for a pleasing tangy tartness to complement the sweetness of the ripe mangos, with the mangos also imparting their colour to the final beverage. You can find this one on tap in Nyanza. And while we’re at it, the ultimate pairing for Cape Breton summer weather is making its return. Silver Tart, the sour raspberry wheat ale originally brewed in 2015, is back for another season, with its refreshing tartness, berry flavour and deep pink hue. Cans and pints are available now, with the cans already making their way to Big Spruce’s online store for shipping and delivery. 

Did we mention the profusion of lagers this week? Of course we did, and there’s another one to mention from Tire Shack Brewing, the return of their Cerveza Mexican lager. Possibly the most crushable beer they’ve released to date, it’s back on tap and in cans to go as well. Meanwhile, on the “new release” side of things, Tire Shack also has a brand new “AI-designed” beer available. After prompting with the question “What will future beer trends be?” and receiving the response, “Alternative fermentables and herbs,” they further asked for a recipe, which was dutifully provided and dubbed “Garden Party.” They even got it to design a label. Regardless of how you feel about what’s being commonly referred to as “AI” these days, the gang at Tire Shack has dutifully made the 6.0% ABV honey lavender saison from the generated recipe and claim it’s a tasty beer. You’ll have to grab some at their spot in Moncton to find out for yourself!

Still in New Brunswick, but up in Fredericton this time, we see a brand new thang from Trailway. Hoppy? Sure. But this one, from their Main Land series of Belgian-inspired beers, pairs Belgian yeast character with lemony citrus and a grassy bitterness from the noble hops that were used. With a finish that features pear and apple sauce, this hoppy session ale comes in at 4.5% ABV. In returning engagement news at Trailway, their classic summer raspberry wheat, Beyond Reality is available again. At 4% ABV you can plan to enjoy a couple of these fruity delights that boast a touch of balancing tartness. Look for both of these ones, along with the rest of the Trailway oeuvre at a Trailway location near you!

Lots of beery things going on in our region these days, including a lot of summer openings!

Lots of news for you from the Stillwell Family this week, so let’s get you up to speed: The Stillwell Beer Garden at Spring Garden and South Park is open and operating daily from noon til “cold”, with a dozen taps and another dozen different cans from across the region and beyond. The grill is fired up and on the go too, with sausages and dogs, and yummy accompaniments to boot, with ice cream to cap the meal!

One of the beers you’ll find on tap there, as well as Stilly HQ, The Freehouse, and Battery Park, is Stillwell Brewing’s brand new Cream Ale. Eschewing the modern trend towards adjuncts, this is all Pils malt, with a decoction (!), and fermented cool to keep the fruity esters down, it uses a dose of Cascade and Willamette to add a firm bitterness as well as a bit of earth and citrus to the final product. Eminently crushable, you can sense the relationship to Kompact while appreciating the new world hop component. Cans will be coming to the brewery in a few weeks.

Before then, however, Stillwell Brewing is celebrating the opening of their taproom June 3rd. While having been open for retail sales since last year, they have completed the taproom and music system, so it’s time to party! Open from 11 AM to 11 PM next Saturday, Beverly Taco Service (from 4 PM) will be onsite slinging their wares, and there will be live spun records by DJ Douvet and Swee (also from 4 PM) to keep you happy.

Although most folks in the industry have known this for a while, we at ACBB have perhaps been a touch remiss in mentioning that the Canadian Brewing Awards Conference will be in town next weekend, June 1st to 3rd at the Nova Centre in Halifax. A presentation of Taps Media, the CBAC is both a brewing conference and the announcement vehicle for the Canadian Brewing Awards. Judged each spring in Toronto, the CBAs aim to celebrate the best in beer from coast to coast. What does this mean for the humble beer drinker? Mostly that there will be brewery folks from across the country descending on Halifax, sampling our local fare and especially our local beer, and making and rekindling friendships. So don’t be surprised if you find yourself at Stillwell Beer Garden or Hop Yard or any of our brewery tap rooms talking to a brewery owner from Saskatoon or Kelowna or Caledon or St-Jean-sur-Richelieu and feel free to let them know what your favorite locals are! 

Meanwhile, if you’re a hard core beer nerd like us and you’re interested in taking in the conference itself, there will be plenty of sessions of both practical brewing nature and more social responsibility-focused content as well as a conference floor where equipment, ingredient, and service providers ply their wares. Limited (<15!) tickets are still available, with a full ride (conference + gala) going for $400 or separate conference ($200) and gala ($200) options on tap, so to speak. Maybe we’ll see you there!

Our friends at Canadian hop supplier Hops Connect have some news for the local industry this week, as they’re opening up a cold storage warehouse in Montréal next month. If you’re a brewer in Atlantic Canada, this means your orders will get to you that much more quickly and efficiently, and especially when you’re dealing in Southern Hemisphere hops, as Hops Connect does in volume, that can make a big difference. Homebrewers in the region who take advantage of The Brewnosers annual group buys will likely benefit as well. If you’re attending the CBAC next weekend, definitely stop by the Hops Connect booth and find out the finer details (rumor has it there will be a very sensory component to their booth this year as well!!)

Looking for work in the craft beer industry in Moncton? Check this posting out:

After a very successful launch earlier this month, O’Creek Brewing in Moncton is looking to add a Full-Time Taproom Manager to their crew, concentrating on those busy evenings and weekends! If you have experience in that sort of thing, fire Greg an email to let him know you can be the right woman or man for the job! Oh, and while we have you, their on-site kitchen is operating at full speed these days, sending out nachos, quesadillas, pulled pork sandwiches, popcorns, and even serving ice cream from nearby Lost & Found.

Here’s our quick hits this week to finish things off:

The PEI Brewing Company has a new American Pale Ale out. Gahan Longshore is a 5.5% ABV take on the style, featuring notes of citrus, pine and tropical fruit. You’ll find it at the PEIBC Taproom, Gahan Beer Store, and Gahan House locations, and look for it to appear at PEI Liquor and ANBL locations this week.

After taking the winter off, Rose Valley’s Barnone Brewery is open again for the summer. No word yet on their exact opening days/hours, but we can assure you that they are open for at least a few hours today from 5 PM. Pop by their location at 4248 Route 225, Rose Valley/Breadalbane, and let them know ACBB sent ya!

Speaking of openings, The Post Taphouse in Torbay, Newfoundland, opened their doors last weekend. Located at 1412 Torbay Road, they are just a few steps from the East Coast Trail, and offer a lovely view from their patio. Serving local beer from breweries all across Newfoundland and Labrador, they also have a full food menu. They are open 12 – 11 PM daily, rain or shine!

It’s that time of year for the Cellar Slammer to return! This annual collaboration between Tatamagouche Brewing and Bishop’s Cellar is out at both retailers now. This is the 7th year of its release, and this Session IPA / India Session Ale is bigger and better than ever! Clean, bright, citrus, with a touch of white wine grapes, the low alcohol and lighter mouthfeel means this beer can be slammed back all summer long! Just be aware that the can looks a little different this year!

And finishing up with the second in the “new collaborative Session Ale” category is a brand new release from North Brewing. Celebrating their neighbours to their new Timberlea location comes Brunello, brewed with The Links at Brunello. At just 4.5% ABV, it’s lively and bright, refreshing and fun, and perfect to enjoy on your first, ninth, and eighteenth tee-off! On tap and in cans at North’s locations, and of course at the Nineteenth hole at Brunello.