Tusket Falls Brewing

All posts tagged Tusket Falls Brewing

We don’t know about you folks, but we blinked and somehow we’re already a third of the way through February; maybe last weekend’s snow did something to accelerate that. Speaking of which, many breweries in the region lost some business days to getting dug out, so bear that in mind when you’re picking up beer for the big foosball game this weekend (see more on that below). Also coming up soon is Valentine’s Day, which really has nothing to do with beer unless you want it to. Anyways, enjoy this week’s round up of beer news in Atlantic Canada.

Chester Basin’s darling, Tanner & Co has a brand new beer available this week, dipping into the dark and delicious end of the spectrum. At 5.7% ABV, Oatmeal Stout is robust, with roast, coffee, and chocolate notes coming though thanks to the dark malts used in the mash. The addition of oats helps smooth out the mouthfeel, lending a wonderful creamy texture. The ensemble will have you looking forward to that next sip (and next pint!). Available now in both their Chester Basin brewery location, as well as their Chester taproom, and for delivery online through their shop, too!

Speaking of dark and roasty beer, Moncton’s Tire Shack has brought back their Belgian Coffee Quad this week. Melding the biggest of the Belgian styles, known for its dark fruit, caramel, and a bit of sweetness, with some great coffee roasted by nearby Down East Coffee. That combination, as well as the 9.0% ABV, will have you praising the heavens for this lovely brew. Pop by 190 John Street to see their recently expanded taproom, and grab a pint and cans before this seasonal disappears.

On to Corner Brook, where Boomstick Brewing calls 55 West Street home. They’ve decided to kick up the hops in a big way with the release of Double Knit ImperialIPA. A light base of Pilsner malt and flaked wheat supports the absolute jumbo weight of hops used in the beer. Idaho 7, Simcoe, and Mosaic have been knitted together for multiple layers of tropical, citrus, resin, and much more. On tap right now, available in cans as well, with those being distributed on the Good Beer Highway across the province soon!

It being February, the annual Nova Scotia Lobster Crawl is up and running on the South Shore of the province, and, as is traditional, the craft brewers in the area are getting involved. This week we can tell you that Boxing Rock Brewing has put together a new brew for the occasion this year, with a name that’s a riff on one of their most popular beers. Shuck Off is a blonde ale coming in at 5% ABV. Although they’re describing it as “LOBSTERIFIC” it contains no actual lobster. That said, with a light and crisp body, it’s the perfect refreshing pairing for rich, and often garlic-butter-soaked lobster! Check out all the events at the official website linked above and grab yourself some Shuck Off at all Boxing Rock locations.

It’s time for the Superb Owl Section of this post. Many breweries have some deals on now until Sunday February 11th. You like deals? We like deals. You like the Superb Owl? We do, too! Check out your favourite local craft breweries offering some special deals for the big game. These deals are directly from the breweries, so go to the source for your stuff if you can. 

Breton Brewing

  • Lager –  Mixed 4 Pack (473ml) for $12
  • Lager – Mixed Flat (24 x 473ml) for $50
  • Black Angus IPA – Two 355ml 6 Packs for $30

2 Crows Brewing

  • AC Light Lager – Flat (24 x 473ml) for $50

Garrison Brewing

  • Tall Ship Light – Case (12 x 355ml) for $25

Propeller Brewing

  • Prime Lager – Flat (24 x 355ml) for $40
  • Azacca – Flat (24 x 355ml) for $50

Burnside Brewing

  • Toller Lager, Gold & Lite – Case (12 x 355ml) for $22

Trailway Brewing

  • Fetch Lager – $4 off a Case (12 x 355ml)

North Brewing

  • 15% Off – Newsletter code

REMINDER: Not every brewery is big enough to produce beers like this that can be brewed in quantity and sold at minimal margin or even a loss to drive cash flow. So by all means, spend some of your craft beer dollars on these deals, but maybe save a couple of simoleons to pick up something from a smaller producer for whom every can counts?

We’ll take a minute to highlight one big party going on Sunday evening, up in Paradise, NL, where Banished Brewing is doing up The Banished Bowl, with tailgate starting at 6pm leading into a private watch party. Tickets for the event are $45 each, which includes entry, 2 beer tickets, 1 meal ticket, a take-home mug, and exclusive access to additional beers from Toronto’s Bellwoods and Halifax’s 2 Crows. One of the Banished joints you’ll be able to enjoy this weekend is the return of Makes Sense, their hazy IPA, which is, “ultra fresh and tasting insane.” So Making Sense is nonsensically good, apparently!!

Here’s our last few quick hits to send you on your way for the weekend. Go Ninefs!! Yay Chiefers!! Happy Tay Tay!!

If you know anything from the last couple of years of craft beer trends, it’s that Lager is Life. Tusket Falls Brewing have two locations in Tusket and Halifax, and both are featuring three new lagers. While they brew up a new one in the tank now, they currently have Czech Pils, German Pils and Helles all on tap. The Czech is featured on a Lukr side pull and all beers are available at both locations. Let your noses and tongues pick up the classic hops of Saaz and Hallterteauer Mittelfruh along with classic continental malts from Raven and Weyermann. They’re hoping to have these available all the time, so check them out if you’re around either location.

As mentioned above, there’s a deal on some Breton Brewing lagers for a football game. If you’ve been following along with their Light Lager series, you’ll be happy (or sad) that this is the fourth and final release. Breton Lager #4 is a Light Lager at 4%. That’s all we can tell you! It’s crisp and light and available now, and as part of one of their Superb Owl deals mentioned above. We’re looking forward to seeing which of the light lager variants will be the go-to for a bigger batch to feed summer thirsts across Cape Breton Island and beyond.

Halifax’s Unfiltered Brewing has a re-release a few years after its debut in 2021. This is a memorial brew to the late Paul McKinnon and Battleship PM-67 is back and available now as a tribute and memorial to the brewery’s late friend and patron. This double IPA is made with the Cryo Pop hop blend (from Yakima Chief) and is packed with tropical tastes and flavours, including pineapple, peach, and grapefruit. This is 7.5% and available at the brewery on tap and in cans. 

Break out the Silver and Black (no the Raiders aren’t in the big game!) because Bearstream is back: Trailway Brewing’s tasty West Coast IPA is back with some tweaks. Still using classic West Coast hops, this new batch beefs up the malt bill to add some toastiness and doughy body not traditionally in the style. Still piney, resinous, and citrusy, it still has the West Coast bitterness, but with a bit more malt balance in a 7% package. It’s available now from the brewery and online. 

Faithful patrons of Nyanza’s Big Spruce will be excited about the latest beer returning to taps and cans. Amärzen Grace is back and this Märzenbier is true to the traditional German lager style. German for “March Beer”, this beer is a malty, full-bodied lager that is very drinkable with notes of toffee and dried fruit. It is 6% and available on tap for growlers and pints and in cans from the brewery (in-person or online!).

The returning favourites keep on rolling as Village Green brings back one of their classic brews, Dark Mild. Forever drinkable at 3.5%, the beer has a good body with notes of chocolate and a nice sweet malty-drinkable everlasting flavour. Get this one on tap or cans to go from the Cornwall, PEI brewery.  

From the Saltbox Brewing crew, we’ve got news of a brand new location launching this summer. In addition to their other Nova Scotia taprooms in Wolfville, Mahone Bay, Bridgewater, and Lunenburg, this will be a Tantallon Taproom at the Shining Waters Marina. More details will be arriving soon, but this planned partnership will launch later this year.

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.

Happy Friday y’all! We hope everyone has been enjoying the nicer weather this week, and that Hurricane Philippe decides to take even more of a westerly track this weekend! With Monday being Thanksgiving, keep in mind the provincial stores will be mostly closed, and check with your local private stores and breweries to ensure they’re open before heading there. On with the beer news!

We’ll start off this week with 2 Crows in Halifax as this is one of those weeks when they’re looking to cramp our typing fingers with news. Up first is a small-batch collaboration brew with local band Electric Spoonful, the self-proclaimed, “beer drinking, greasy ol’ rock band,” who are celebrating the release of their new EP Still 2 Poor, on Saturday with a party at the brewery. Starting with a North East IPA base, plenty of mangos and oranges were added to bump up the fruit levels in this hazy and super juicy beer. Stop by the brewery on Saturday night to try it and check the band out. This is the second such collab with a band for an album release party in as many weeks at 2 Crows (last week was Peach & Matcha Lager with Crossed Wires); if you’re a local music fan, definitely keep your eye on social media for evidence of more in the works.

Next up is the return of a 2C classic, a beer that has been missed by many for the last year or so, Letná. A Bohemian Pilsner in style, it started with a base of 100% local floor malt from Island Malt House treated to a low oxygen lager mash while also being dosed with a huge amount of Saaz hops. Double-decocted (because Stillwell Brewing’s CPR can’t be the only nutbar in the 902), plenty more Saaz was added in the boil and the whirlpool before it was fermented extra slowly at very cool temperatures with Escarpment Labs’ Czech Lager strain. Naturally carbonated via spunding, it was lagered longer than anybody wanted to have to wait. But it’s out now in tall cans, as well as being on tap at the brewery off the Lukr side-pour faucets.

Lastly, it hasn’t exactly been a well-guarded secret, but 2 Crows will be opening their second location in the coming months, which they’re calling 2 Crows West, near the corner of Oxford and Cork Streets in the West End of Halifax. As such, they’re looking to hire a General Manager to run the place. If you’ve got some hospitality management experience and an interest in beer, you might want to check out the official posting on their Careers page. Meanwhile the rest of us will quietly anticipate what is slated to be a lovely place for a pint in a lovely neighborhood.

Rolling down to the South Shore, Shipwright Brewing has a new beer in their series of Hazy IPAs. Haar and Fret is a fresh release named after the Scottish (Haar) and English (Fret) terms for a cold sea fog. In the recipe for this one, we find a malt bill with pale, Golden Promise, wheat, and honey malts along with flaked oats. The hop bill for featured generous additions in the boil of Bru-1, Citra, Topaz and Galaxy, and the same hops were also used in a dry-hop for some extra aroma and punch on the nose. Bringing it all home was the Vermont Ale strain from Escarpment Labs. If you put all of that together, you get a hazy smooth number, with stone fruit and citrus aromas and flavors coming in in at 6.5% and available at the brewery for pints and to-go crowlers. 

Staying along Highway 103, Tanner & Co Brewing is known for their resurrections of historical and unique beer styles from across the globe, and this week they bring us Kuitbier, an old world beer based on a recipe from two centuries ago in the Netherlands. Traditionally, this is a three grain beer that is malty, amber, and reminiscent of cloudy wheat beers and Tanner stays true with a grist of oats, barley and wheat and maintains the tradition of no fruits or other additions allowed in this 19th century classic style. The result is cloudy, fruity, and crisp, with a distinct aroma. This is 5.3% and 28 IBU and is available at the taproom for pints and to-go.

If we could write about Oktoberfest beers every week, I think we happily would, as long as we get to drink them!

Our friends in Mount Pearl (just Southwest of St. John’s), Landwash Brewery, are releasing Herbst, their festbier, that brings a drinkable, malty, bready pilsner. Herbst is the German word for Autumn, and this is a perfect name for this Munich malt and German noble hop combination. Coming together in a 5% package, this beer is canned, on tap and available now from the brewery and across the Avalon peninsula. It will also be featured at the city’s Oktoberfest happening this weekend with many other craft breweries being featured! 

Though they may be few in this region, those who know the Polish style known as grätzer, also known as Piwo Grodziskie or “Polish Champagne” have reason to celebrate this week. Propeller Brewing in Halifax has released Spark, their take on this centuries-old style, which is generally known for a low ABV, high carbonation, moderate bitterness, and a characteristic smoky flavor. Brewed with the traditional oak-smoked wheat malt, Propeller’s version aims to be, as the best examples are, surprisingly refreshing, at 3.6% ABV and with the distinctive smoky punch being accompanied by spice and floral hop notes. Whether you generally like smoked beers or not we highly recommend giving this one a go, especially paired with food like kielbasa and kapusta kiszona (Polish sausage and sauerkraut), gołąbki (cabbage rolls), or pierogies. It’s available now at your usual sources for Propeller beer.

We’ve got a new beer out of Annapolis Brewing, as they bring the people Cannonball, a Double IPA packed with Columbus, Nugget and Amarillo hops. At 8.3% and 60 IBU, it has a smooth bitterness beneatha bouquet of piney, citrus and some tropical notes. The pilsner malt base keeps it light, balanced, and smooth and it is available today on tap and in cans from the taproom. And be sure to stop into their taproom in downtown Annapolis Royal, as they celebrate their sixth anniversary this weekend! Live Music from 7 – 10 PM both Friday and Saturday, beer tastings, food, and much more! Check out more details here, and congratulations to the Annapolis Brewing team!!

The newly named and rebranded Great Roads Brewing in Lower Sackville have brought back their Vienna Lager, for a bit of a change of pace from their primarily ale-driven brewery. A delicious style, this is a perfect beer for the season. Under the new name of Cobequid Copper Lager, this is a crisp and clean lager with a slight malty sweet flavour and lovely nose. It’s 5.5% and available for pints and growlers right now. This will be canned soon! Hit up your favourite Sackville (Nova Scotia) brewery to try it out.

Back to Newfoundland, where Dildo Brewing has a new beer for your enjoyment this week, a big ‘ol double IPA they’re calling, well, Double IPA. Weighing in at a hefty 8.2% ABV, this one demands some caution as you work your way from the firm opening bitterness, to the classic citrus and floral combo of Cascade and Centennial, and then through to the modern vibrant fruitiness of Citra and Mosaic. It sounds to us like a slow savouring will reward the drinker with plenty of complexity. Head to the taproom to be amongst the first to try this one, as it won’t be packaged into cans right away!

If you’ve been out to one of Garrison Brewing’s spots, either at the Halifax Seaport or on Quinpool Road, you may have heard tell of folks ordering a blend of two of their most OG offerings, Nut Brown and Razzberry Wheat. Although a mixed pint will always remain an option, the brewing team have now taken on the challenge of making it more convenient, including being available for home consumption. With a fruity raspberry nose balanced against notes of nuts and chocolate, PB&J is a limited release at 4.7% ABV and it’s on draught at all Garrison locations as well as packaged in cans to go.

Representing New Brunswick in our pages this week are stalwarts Trailway Brewing, who have one of their favorite seasonals available this week. As always, this is a sour beer, refreshingly tart, with an out-of-this-world blue colour and the flavor of blue raspberry candy. Some folks might find it scary, but we think most will find this 6% ABV beer refreshing and tasty. We’re not big fans of the name (and if you don’t know it shouldn’t take much more than a quick web search to find out why), but if you ask for the “blue one” you’ll probably find what you need at all Trailway locations and ANBL stores in the coming weeks.

A pair of beery events are in the offing, one tonight and one this coming Wednesday.

Once upon a time, Upstreet hosted a party in their taproom every week, whose name coincided with the name of their fun and fabulous one-off Neon Friday releases. Well, the wait is over, as the party is returning this week, and running all through the fall and winter. Drink specials on pints of Commons, Rhuby Social, and Do Gooder, their Rewind Seltzers, and other mixed drinks too. DJs spinning tunes from 9 PM until close, with free cover! And what better time than that to release their latest Neon Friday, 4.01: NEIPA. This New England IPA is their juiciest yet, absolutely filled to the brim with stone fruit notes of peach and mango, and even some funny fruity pebble aromatics! At 6.5% and 25 IBU, there’s just a little bit of bitterness, with a maximum amount of soft, pillowy, texture. You can grab pints and cans at Upstreet’s two locations, and order it for delivery or shipping on their website!

Next Wednesday, October 11th, the Tusket Falls Beer Project on Gottingen Street in Halifax will be hosting a Beer Dinner. With a five course menu set by chefs Keith and Matt, with a beer paired with each course, this will surely be an evening to remember. We’ll let you read the details on the variety of dishes available here, but will tease you with two new beers that are being released that evening to coincide with the dinner. The first is My Friend, a Coffee Porter, which will see a full release on draught and in package next week as well. And those attending will get a sneak preview of Copyright Infringement, Tusket’s latest NEIPA, their first IPA to feature Nectaron hops. That beer will get a full release the following week. To avoid disappointment, call (902-434-2984) or email ryan@tusketfallsbrewing.com today to secure your spot at this special event!

And a couple of final mentions before we leave you to your (hopefully long) weekend!

Halifax’s favorite source for hops and (allegedly) Bad Attitude™, Unfiltered Brewing, has a returning engagement this week, in the form of Here it Comes. A DIPA in the grand NASH tradition, it once again features Chinook hops from Québec’s Duke25 Hops, grab this citrus monster from the brewery starting today!

Unfortunately, we must end this week’s post with some sad news. Serpent Brewing, which opened  in October 2020, has announced their closing. In a post on Facebook, owner Glen O’Keefe outlines some of the reasons behind the closure, which includes the difficulty with expanding their offerings at the NSLC, despite great sales numbers. No word yet on the next project for O’Keefe, or the space in the heart of the Spryfield business district, but we wish all involved well. It’s been said before, but be sure to support your favourite local brewery, restaurant, better beer bar, or other businessperson, as some are holding on by threads at this time…