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Friday Wrap-Up – News from Fredericton Craft Beer Fest, “Johnny Be Good” Beer and Pub Crawl, BarNone, TrailWay, Bore City, Spindrift, North, and much more!

Posted by acbbdamian on 2016-02-26
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: BarNone Brewing, Big Spruce Brewing, Cicerone Certification Program, Fredericton Craft Beer Festival, Garrison Brewing, Good Robot Brewing, Grimross Brewing, Horton Ridge Malt & Grain, Maybee Brewing, North Brewing, NSLC, PEI Brewing Co., Propeller Brewing, Spindrift Brewing, Stillwell Beer Bar, Tide & Boar Gastropub, TrailWay Brewing, Unfiltered Brewing, YellowBelly Brewery. 5 comments

Good morning! Welcome to your weekly dose of beer news, let’s kick it off with some new beers and events coming soon…

• Over the past little while, there have been several new beers brewed to be released at the upcoming Fredericton Craft Beer Festival on March 12th. First off is a collaboration brew devised by Andrew “Esty” Estabrooks that included representation from almost every brewery in Fredericton: Grimross, Maybee, Picaroons, TrailWay, Mama’s Pub, soon-to-open Gray Stone, as well as Red Rover Cider House and Sunset Heights Meadery. The beer brewed was Johnny Be Good, a 5.4% ABV, 21 IBU Nut Brown Ale, in support of local brewer John Evans, who has been undergoing treatment for cancer over the past few months. The brewers teamed up at Grimross to produce the beer; when finished, it will be split between all taking part, and will then be free to put their own individual spin on it. To celebrate the release, a special Pub Crawl (open to the public) will be held next Saturday, March 5th at 6 pm. Starting at the King Street Ale House, attendees will visit several bars, and enjoy the different variations of the beer at each stop. Tickets are $45 + fee and include six 9 oz pours of different variants; proceeds from the pub crawl and sales of the beer will go to Evans.

• Next up, BarNone has brewed up a new iteration of their Little DIPA for the festival. Described as darker than the original version, it was heavily hopped with Cascade and Columbus in the boil, with a large late addition of Amarillo, Cascade, and a bit of Citra. It will, of course, be dry-hopped when fermentation is complete, with an as-yet-undetermined variety. It should clock in around 7% ABV. No need to worry for Islanders not able to attend the festival – while the beer is being released as FCBF, there will be some available at select accounts in PEI afterwards.

• Local Fredericton brewery Picaroons will be taking up permanent residence at Vault 29 in the week leading up the FCBF, March 8-12th. Pics will be taking over half of their 32 taps with a variety of seasonal, specialty, and core brand beers. On the 12th, V29 hosts the official FCBF “Afternoon Session After-Party”, with music from The Hypochondriacs, and food and beer specials starting at 3:30pm. Entry to the event is free, and more details can be found on Facebook.

• Finally, TrailWay teamed up with our local homebrewer and our own Shawn Meek to brew their first Belgian IPA. Currently unnamed, it features a grist made up mainly of Pilsner malt, with some CaraRed, Aromatic, and Wheat malt to bump up the malt character. Hopped in the boil with large whirlpool additions of Galaxy, Mosaic and Vic Secret, it will be further dry-hopped with Citra and Galaxy for plenty of tropical fruit character. It was fermented with two yeast strains, one Belgian and one American, and should weigh in at ~6.5% ABV. While this one will make its official debut at the fest, look for a possible sneak peak at our ACBB Trivia Night at the King Street Ale House on Thursday, March 10th at 8 pm!

• Back to regular releases, Moncton’s Bore City will be releasing their first Black IPA, Night and Day, in the near future. Described as a very hop-forward version of the style, it was hopped with Cascade, Summit, and Zythos in the boil, and dry-hopped with more Cascade and Summit. Clocking in at 6.4% ABV and 63 IBUs, look for this one to pop up on tap at Marky’s Laundromat any day now. And keep your eyes peeled for the latest version of their Mondo IPA, which should be hitting tap accounts, soon.

• Spindrift will be releasing Riptide, their first India Pale Lager, today on tap at the brewery. Described as a Northeast-style hoppy Lager, it has a simple, light grist, complemented by a blend of American and German hop varieties, giving the beer “aromas of pine, prefacing hop flavours of stone fruits and citrus”. Coming in at 6.5% ABV and 40 IBUs, Riptide is joining Coastal Lager and Abyss as a core brand, with this initial release on draft at the brewery and accounts now, and in cans by mid-April.

• There’s an interesting new brew available now from North Brewing: Sauer Sagen Hat is a kettle-soured SMaSH beer brewed with Pilsner malt and Sorachi Ace hops. From North owner Peter Burbridge, “When we asked our four-year-old son Noah what we should call this beer, he yelled: ‘Sauer Sagen Hat! It means sour super hero hat!’ … It actually means “has to say sour” in German, but we like Noah’s translation better.” And so do we! Combining the grapefruit- and pineapple-like acidity/tartness from the bacteria-souring process with the lemongrass characteristics from the hops, it comes in at 4% ABV and 15 IBUs. It’s currently available at both store locations on Agricola and Ochterloney in both bottles and growlers, and will be on tap around HRM, including in rotation on their new nitrogenated tap at Battery Park.

• Over in St. John’s, NL, YellowBelly Brewpub has a couple of returning favourites to talk about. First off, Top Shed Cream Ale is back on tap at the brewpub. An interesting take on the style, it was originally brewed as a collaboration with Top Shed, a brewery in Australia, late last year. The recent brew was tweaked slightly, with a lighter malt grist and shorter dry-hop period. Still with a light body, and brewed with plenty of corn and wheat (as per the style), it was lightly hopped with Pacific Gem and Mosaic, with a “gentle” dry-hop of more Mosaic. This batch will also be available in bottles in a limited run, which should be at YellowBelly and the NLC within a week or so. Second, their Paddy’s Pale Ale – a 5.7% ABV, ~45 IBUs American Pale Ale – will be returning soon. Hopped entirely with Cascade – including multiple dry-hop additions – it should be kegged sometime next week, with bottles following shortly after. And in other bottle news, YB’s cider, Crooked as Sin, should be available for purchase any day now, at NLC stores only.

• Last month, Big Spruce brewed a “simultaneous collaboration” with Stone City Ales out of Kingston, ON. Well, that beer is now available, and it sounds delicious! Watchtower Conspiracy DIPA is a big beer (9% ABV, 85 IBUs) featuring “piles” of late addition Amarillo, Galaxy, and Waimea hops, giving lots of tropical fruit character in the aroma and flavours. In addition, the beer was fermented with Vermont Ale yeast from Escarpment Labs. Better known as “Conan” to homebrewers everywhere, it’s a strain well-known for accentuating hop flavours. Available for growler fills now, and on tap at select locations, it will also be pouring at FCBF.

• Last week, we reported that this year’s edition of Ice Boat, PEI Brewing Co.‘s barrel-aged stout, would be released this week. However, after some tasting sessions with staff, they’ve determined that the beer is not yet ready for release, and will be allowed to age in whiskey barrels for a longer period (approximately 6-8 months). Kudos to the PEIBC for allowing the beer to reach its greatness with more time! We’ll keep you updated as to its eventual release. Luckily, the next round of Transmitter Coffee Stout will be released March 1st (including a release in Nova Scotia), ReAnimator (their Doppelbock) will be released shortly thereafter, and a new Saison is in the works. Stay tuned!

• There’s a new beer joining the lineup at Maybee Brewing, an “Espresso Stout” named Elevensies. Brewed with lots of organic Italian Roast coffee from Just Us!, a coffee roasters co-op, it weighs in at 5.5% ABV and 41 IBUs. You can find it on tap now for growler fills at the brewery.

• Good news if you’re nearby Unfiltered Brewing today: they’re releasing two beers at noon! The first is the return of the popular SMaSH DIPA, Double Orange Ale, brewed with all Citra hops (7.5% ABV). Next is an oak-aged version of their regular-release DIPA, Twelve Years to Zion. Coming in at 8% ABV, it was aged on oak for 6 weeks to bring out lots of oak flavour. Drop by the brewery and/or Charm School today to fill up your growlers, and then yourself.

• Looking to expand your beer knowledge? The Atlantic Chapter of CAPS is running a training course, designed to prepare you to take the Certified Beer Server exam, which is part of the Cicerone certification program. Running on four subsequent Thursdays, beginning March 10th, the classes are designed to introduce students to the ingredients involved in beer making, style guidelines, history of brewing, and flavour profiles. Class size is limited, so sign up today.

• Halifax’s Garrison Brewing is releasing the second in their Cellar Series of beers today, Grand Baltic Porter. Black in colour, this lager has a complex body aided by the addition of blackstrap molasses and whole dates, and is balanced with German hops. Like last week’s Ol’ Fogburner Barleywine, and next week’s unnamed release, the Baltic Porter’s robust 9.5% ABV will allow it to be set aside for cellaring and enjoyment for years to come. It is only available in bottles, launched at the brewery today.

• Congratulations to the 40+ entries in this year’s Home Brew-Off, in the Experimental IPA category. The Top 10 has been chosen by a team of BJCP and industry judges, with the Garrison crew now having the tough job of choosing the Final Four. The winners will be chosen next Thursday, and announced that evening at a Gala at the brewery. There are a few tickets available to the public who wish to take part in the fun, including tasting the finalists’ beers, and perhaps the first sips of last year’s winning beer, Mr. Robusto, from NS homebrewer Dave Martin. Contact the brewery for more details.

• Halifax’s Propeller Brewing has brought back their Irish Red Ale, and it is available in bottles and growler fills at both Prop Shops now. This 5% ABV, 25 IBU Red Ale features a pleasant toast character from the Crystal and Melanoidin malts, with a light balancing bitterness from Willamette. And the IRA will be the feature cask at tonight’s Prop’r Cask Night at their Gottingen location, featuring  The Other Bean & Rinaldo’s Italian American Specialties. The last few tickets just sold this morning, so hopefully you’ve already grabbed yours!

• Halifax’s Good Robot Brewery brewed up a beer to celebrate Nova Scotia’s African Heritage Month, putting their spin on the Ale to the Chief Honey Porter recipe released by President Barack Obama’s administration in 2012. Converting the extract recipe to all-grain, they used Annapolis Valley honey and Maritime malt, with Hallertau and Nugget hops, and switching to the clean-fermenting Cali Ale yeast to allow the malt and hops to shine through. Sadly (for those not in attendance), the beer was so popular that they blew through the entire pilot-system batch during Tuesday’s launch party! That is certainly an ode to the recipe, brewers, and community involvement behind the release. Want another great excuse to visit GR’s Taproom? Their monthly Silent Reading at the Imbibrary event will be happening this Wednesday, March 2nd, from 6-8pm. Previous evenings have been absolutely full, so be sure to arrive before 6pm, put down your cell phones, and pick up a book.

• A reminder that tomorrow is Péché Mortel Day, and two bars in our region will be taking part: Moncton’s Tide and Boar, and Halifax’s Stillwell. Starting at 11am in Moncton, and noon in Halifax, both bars will be pouring Dieu du Ciel!’s Péché Mortel Imperial Coffee Stout, plus several variants. Look for other rarities like Péché Mortel Dry (higher ABV due to a lower finishing gravity), Péché Mortel Véniel (lower ABV, with a special coffee blend), Péché Mortel Bourbon 2015 (last year’s batch aged in Bourbon barrels for six months), and Péché aux pêches (the original Péché Mortel with an addition of peaches). No tickets are required, and both locations will be offering small pour sizes, to accommodate the wide variety, and high ABV, of brews on tap. A special food menu will also be available at both locations.

• The NSLC has released stats on the three months of 2015, and it was another period of great growth in the local beer segment. Sales of NS-produced craft beer rose by 25% over the previous quarter, while the overall beer market rose less than 1%. While out-pacing the overall segment is heartening, it does highlight the fact that NS-produced beer accounts for just $2.0M in a $66.2M beer market, or 3.0%. Coupled with the fact that there are only 50-odd listings for the 23 local breweries (many do not sell through the NSLC stores for a variety of reasons), there’s still lots of room for growth in the province! The full details are available here.

Thanks, as always, for reading! As usual, a few parting notes…

– BarNone is currently fermenting a new addition in the ‘Sessions’ line; this one, Summer Sessions, is hopped entirely with Summer, an Australian variety that is light on citrus, melon and apricot.
– Edmundston’s Brasseurs du Petit-Sault is hosting an evening of beer and beer-friendly bites tonight at their location on rue de l’Eglise. Drop by at 6pm for the fun, including a tour of the brewery.
– Horton Ridge Malt and Grain are approaching the deadline of their second CEDIF offering. With the first malting rounds to take place in the next month or so, look for their products to be available to brewers (commercial- and home-) soon!
– Details are coming into focus for this year’s Nova Scotia Craft Beer Week, being held May 6-14. Early Bird tickets for the Saturday’s Full House Main Event are on sale now, be sure to snap them up now to avoid disappointment.

Friday Wrap-Up – News from Stillwell, North, Big Spruce, PEI Brewing, Taste Halifax Beer Bus, Garrison, and more!

Posted by acbbdamian on 2016-02-19
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: Big Spruce Brewing, Brasseurs du Petit Sault, Fredericton Craft Beer Festival, Garrison Brewing, Grimross Brewing, North Brewing, PEI Brewing Co., Spindrift Brewing, Stillwell Beer Bar, Stubborn Goat, Tatamagouche Brewing, The Auction House, Unfiltered Brewing. Leave a Comment

Happy Friday beer fans! A nice variety of beer news again this week, so let’s go!

• Halifax’s Stillwell Beer Bar has released their latest beer in the farmhouse style. Millie, described as a “Rustic Saison with Beetroot”, was brewed at North Brewing with real, fresh beetroot, and fermented with Stillwell’s house Saison strain. The 5% ABV beer has a vibrant reddish-pink hue and earthy flavour thanks to the beetroot, countered by a “citrus hop character and some very zingy, lemony fermentation characteristics”, and finishes quite dry. While it’s tasting great fresh, it is a beer that should age well, allowing the yeast characteristics to grow with time as the beetroot and hop aromas/flavours fade. Millie is in rotation on tap at Stillwell, as well as 500mL bottles always available at Stillwell for on-site enjoyment, to go at both North locations, and at the four private liquor stores in HRM shortly.

• Big Spruce has brewed up a new beer to be released at next month’s Fredericton Craft Beer Festival. Meek Thy Maker is a Red IPA based on the winning beer in that style category in the 2015 Big Spruce Homebrew Challenge, brewed by our own Shawn Meek, who was at the brewery to assist with the brew day. Hopped with Cascade, Columbus, and Amarillo, it should come in at ~6.7% ABV and 59 IBUs. Big Spruce has also sent out kegs of their seasonal Coade Word: Snowmaggedon, their 8.8% ABV, 25 IBUs Winter Warmer. Conditioned on rum-soaked vanilla beans, cinnamon sticks, and locally grown ginger, expect tons of aroma and flavour in this strong beer! It is on tap at better beer bars in Halifax and Cape Breton now. And look for a barrel-aged version to be released in a few months.

• PEI Brewing Company will be releasing this year’s edition of Ice Boat, their barrel-aged stout, on Tuesday, February 23rd. Aged in whisky barrels for the past several months, this year’s version is a Russian Imperial Stout, weighing in at 8% ABV (compared to last year’s 5.3%). As before, this will be a limited release, so make sure to drop by the brewery’s taproom on this date to stock up! Follow along with their social media accounts for more details on the launch party. And speaking of returning limited releases, they’re bringing back Transmitter Coffee Stout for a second go-around in the last several months. Blended with a new blend of coffee from Charlottetown’s Receiver Coffee Co., this batch will be released on Tuesday, March 1st, with the brewery promising a “slightly different take” on the beer.

• Tomorrow, February 20th, marks the inaugural voyage of the Halifax Beer Bus, put on by Taste Halifax Food Tours. From 3-6 pm, the bus will take ticketholders to five stops in Halifax (including Gahan House, Garrison, Propeller, Good Robot, and the Stubborn Goat) to sample a total of ten Nova Scotia craft beers. Snacks at two of the stops will be provided, and a guide will be present to educate during the sampling. There will be future tours in the coming months (March 19. Apr. 2, 16, 30); tickets are $59 + tax, and can be reserved here.

• It’s a busy weekend at Halifax’s Garrison Brewing! Today marks the release of Dirty Ol’ Town Black IPA, a 6.5%, 52 IBU hybrid with the roast, chocolate, and coffee characteristics of a stout, and citrus hop character of an IPA. Look for it now at the brewery, with delivery to the private stores, NSLC, and ANBL shortly. Also out today is the first of three beers in the Garrison Cellar Series, Ol’ Fog Burner Barley Wine. An English-style Barleywine, this 11.5% ABV, 60 IBU brew is a complex one, with lots of malt character; the higher alcohol content makes it perfect for setting aside in a cellar for enjoyment in years to come. The Cellar Series will continue next week with the release of Grand Baltic Porter, and the third beer will be out March 4th. The first round of judging for this year’s Home Brew-Off will be tomorrow; best of luck to all entrants!

• Tickets are available for February’s of Auction House Beer School. Held on the last Wednesday of the month, this edition features Tatamagouche Brewing. The Tata crew will be on hand to  drop some knowledge about their beers, and share their enthusiasm for their craft. Drop by Auction House to pick up tickets, or call them at 902-431-1726 to secure yours today.

• Edmundston’s Brasseurs du Petit-Sault has a job opening for a brewer! From recipe development, brewing, overseeing packaging and quality control, and all things in between, this is a rewarding job in a Belgian-inspired brewery. Folks interested in brewing on their 18 hL system should already have some experience in a brewery, be bilingual, and be prepared to join in to an established working environment. More details are available on their website, and the job posting closes March 4th.

• Grimross Brewing in Fredericton is looking to hire a Brewtique and Taproom Manager for their Bishop Drive location. They will be responsible for the day-to-day operation of both the Brewtique (with merchandise and growlers to go) and Taproom, where folks enjoy pints onsite. Experience in the recruiting and training of employees, as well as budgeting, customer service, and leadership skills are major assets to the position. Interested candidates should check the full posting, and drop off a resume and cover letter at the brewery.

• Hallelujah! Flat Black Jesus is back! Unfiltered’s American Stout returns at noon today for growler fills, and at 4pm at Charm School next door. This non-oak-aged version features a great melding of assertive bitterness and hop aroma from a Nash-brewed IPA, along with roast and dark malt characters of a robust stout. At 7% ABV and about 100 IBUs, your prayers have been answered.

• After an extended decision period, the Halifax Waterfront Development Corporation has announced the successful bid for an outdoor food and beverage venue. Selected from several high quality submissions, Stubborn Goat Gastropub will be setting up shop at the Summit Amphitheatre this spring. They will be serving Nova Scotian wine, beer, and cider exclusively, as well as non-alcoholic sodas from local producers Garrison and Propeller, and their own housemade strawberry lemonade. Food options will be a reflection of their current offerings on Grafton Street, tailored smaller and more outdoor friendly, with a strong emphasis on local growers and producers. The location will offer table- as well as bar-service, to accommodate patrons looking for either a full restaurant experience, or a more casual ambiance. The waterfront location will be opening in May, with expected operation to go until October. This competition was for a three-year period, meaning that it will go to tender again after the 2018 season closes. The HWDC press release also mentions a new area on the waterfront to highlight local businesses in this coveted location, showcasing local food, beverage, tours, and events, to tourists and locals alike, which may mean more opportunities for local breweries. The owners of Stillwell, who had conceived of the outdoor food and beverage venue and ran the very successful Stillwell Beergarden at the Summit Amphitheatre in 2015, are already shopping around different locations for their converted shipping container, and will be returning this spring in a new location.

Another busy week in our region! We had a great time at the Liquid Courage event yesterday at Acadia, look for a summary on that next week. Here are a few more parting shots before you grab a beer and clock out for the week (or the other way around):

– The ANBL Growler program is featuring Petit-Sault’s Canon Franchetti Cappuccino Stout, as well as Spindrift‘s Coastal Lager, at all four locations this weekend.
– Speaking of Spindrift, their Seventh Wave release for today is a Session Saison, available only at the brewery for growler fills today at noon. It features a grist of pilsner and wheat malts, along with flaked rye. At 4.3% ABV and 10 IBUs, it is a light beer worthy of an afternoon and/or evening session.
– Nine Locks have begun brewing at their Waverley Road location. Starting with their ESB and IPA brews, look for their full launch in March.
– Tickets are still available for next Friday’s Prop’r Cask Night at Propeller, featuring food from The Other Bean and Rinaldo’s Italian American Specialties. Your ticket gets you pours of the special cask, plus Propeller’s full complement of beer, plus great nourishment from both providers. At just $30, it is a fabulous deal!
– Finally, a reminder that the Fredericton Craft Beer Festival is approaching fast; the evening session on Saturday, March 12th, has been sold out for some time, but there are still a few tickets left for the afternoon session. Don’t miss out on a great time, and remember there are plenty of great events in the city scheduled for the days approaching the big festival, including our Trivia Night being held at the King Street Ale House Thursday, featuring prizes from many of the breweries attending the festival.

Friday Wrap-Up – News from Mama’s Pub, Flying Boats, Breton Brewing, YellowBelly, Petit-Sault, Acadie-Broue, and much more!

Posted by acbbdamian on 2016-02-12
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: Acadie-Broue, BarNone Brewing, Big Axe Brewery, Big Spruce Brewing, Big Tide Brewing, Bore City Brewing, Boxing Rock Brewing, Brasseurs du Petit Sault, Breton Brewing, Ducky's Bar, Flying Boats Brewing, Garrison Brewing, Garrison Home Brew-Off Challenge, Grimross Brewing, James Joyce Irish Pub, Liquid Assets, Mama's Pub, North Brewing, Red Rover Craft Cider, Spindrift Brewing, Stillwell Beer Bar, Stubborn Goat, Tatamagouche Brewing, YellowBelly Brewery. Leave a Comment

Another week, another fresh batch of beer news to get you up to speed! Let’s go!

• After announcing plans to start brewing on-site in late November, Mama’s Pub on Brookside will officially have beer for sale starting tonight! Brewer Ryan Kingston has all three of their first flagship brews ready for consumption: Mama’s Golden Ale, a 5% ABV, 17 IBUs pale ale that is “light, crisp, and really easy to drink”; Mama’s Session IPA, a 4.2% ABV, 23 IBUs ale, dry-hopped with Comet and Citra; and Mama’s Vanilla Bean Stout, a 5.7%, 19 IBUs dark beer with “tons of chocolate, coffee, and vanilla notes”, featuring real vanilla beans that were pre-soaked in Kahlúa liqueur prior to being added to the fermentor. These beers will currently be available only at Mama’s Pub for pints, so drop in to give them a try, and be sure to check out the brewery behind the new 9×6 window in the restaurant! UPDATE: Unfortunately, Mama’s has let us know that the beers will NOT be pouring tonight as originally planned; look for them to be available sometime next week.

• This weekend, Flying Boats is launching a special one-off IPA for Valentine’s Day. Lovers Quarrel IPA came to be thanks to a short in the heating element of the brewery’s electric brew panel; after over two hours of troubleshooting, brewer/owner Marc Melanson decided to change his brewing plans and concoct something new. The beer was bittered with Columbus, with several late additions of Chinook and Cascade; dry-hopped with Amarillo and Centennial, expect aromas and flavours of dank, citrus, and tropical fruit. Weighing in at 6.4% ABV and 76 IBUs, look for this one on tap at select accounts, including Ducky’s in Sackville, and Fredericton’s James Joyce Pub.

• Speaking of beers perfect for Love Day, Breton Brewing just launched their third seasonal brew: Cocoa Envy, a Robust Chocolate Porter. With fresh cocoa nibs from the U.S., coffee beans from Costa Rica, and a hint of added cinnamon, this complex brew should be just what you need to get you in the mood… to have another. Available now for growler fills and at select Breton accounts; 6.5 % ABV and 37 IBUs.

• There’s a new beer on tap at the YellowBelly brewpub, a 5.3% ABV British Pale Ale named Landsmen. Featuring a simple grist of Maris Otter and Dark Crystal malt, it was hopped solely with Brewer’s Gold to ~50 IBUs; two dry-hop additions were made to allow its “earthy, spicy, and berry fruit character to shine”, according to the brewery. Grab it on tap at the pub/restaurant today, and in bottles to go next week, as well as on NLC shelves.

• Acadie-Broue‘s Patrice Godin has made another trip to Edmundston, which is good news for all of us… it means that there’s another collaboration beer in the works with Petit-Sault! While we aren’t privy to the name yet, we can give you some other details on this strong, dark and malty lager: it should come in at about 7.5% ABV and 23 IBUs, and will feature “bready, chewy malt flavours with hints of chocolate and dark fruit, along with a slight nuttiness from toasted buckwheat”, according to Petit-Sault. Cold-conditioned, or lagered, for six weeks to help smooth out the flavours further, this one should be ready sometime in early April. It should be available on tap AND in bottles, for a limited time; we’ll keep you updated on its progress!

• In other Petit-Sault news, their annual brew day on March 5th for the Pink Boots Society is approaching fast, and ladies, they need your help! Led by Petit-Sault brewer Julie Long, the style being brewed is a “Honey Rye Ale”; two other currently-unindentified women will be helping with the brew, and they’re accepting volunteers for the fourth and final team member! If you’re interested in participating, send an email to the brewery’s own Mychèle Poitras. The winner will be chosen randomly on Feb 19th.

• Grimross recently acquired some new yeast strains from a Canadian yeast lab, Escarpment Laboratories, located in Guelph, ON. Stephen Dixon of Grimross has been wanting to do a Saison fermented with Brettanomyces, a “wild” strain that is well-known for the funky, fruity, barnyard characteristics it imparts in beer. Several strains were ordered, including variations of their “New World Saison Blend”, which contains both a Brett strain and Saccharomyces strain. If Dixon is happy with the results, he plans to continue to harvest and repitch the yeast, allowing the culture to evolve into a Grimross house blend. The first beer brewed will also feature local hops from Southan Farms. We’ll be sure to keep track of this interesting experiment!

• Moncton’s newest brewery, Bore City, has released their third flagship beer, a 6% ABV American Porter named Spacetime Odyssey. Brewed with dark roast coffee and hopped with the super-tropical, Australian variety Galaxy, you can expect an interesting blend of roasted, coffee flavours, along with the fruitiness from the hops… if you can find some. Two kegs were sent to Marky’s Laundromat on Monday, and there was a bit still available last night, so we suggest heading there today for lunch to finish it off. In doing so, you’ll help to bring BC’s next been on tap, Marécage, their Belgian-style Saison. At 7% ABV, it features a yeast-driven palate of cloves and spices, with a bit of pepper taste to finish. Again, we expect these to be drained quickly, but don’t worry though, more Bore City beer is on its way, and may find its way to Fredericton in the near future.

• We have some details on the collaboration beer brewed between Tatamagouche Brewing and Bar Stillwell, Englishish, which is being described as an “English-ish Golden Ale”. While the beer features a simple malt profile and is low in bitterness, it “draws inspiration from the aromatic North American Pale Ales that we love” according to Tata brewer Christiane Jost, as plenty of English variety hops were added (Fuggles and East Kent Goldings) to give earthy, floral and spicy aromas. British hops, American malt and brewing technique = “English-ish”. Easy-drinking at 4.5% ABV, it will make its debut this Sunday during the Tatabrew tap-takeover event at Stillwell for Valentine’s Day (a few tickets are still available), with cans to follow sometime next week.

• Red Rover will soon be celebrating their 2nd Anniversary, and they have a big announcement to do it in style… they’re opening a new Ciderhouse in the near future! Details are being kept under wraps for now, but we can tell you that the new location will still be located within Fredericton, and will provide an outlet “unlike any other in New Brunswick”, according to owner/brewer Adam Clawson. Stay tuned for more, soon!

• Tomorrow at 5 pm, Big Axe is holding a Mediterranean/African food and beer pairing event at the brewery/B&B in Nackawic. Three courses of  Mediterranean and African fusion food will be paired with three Big Axe beers, with Red Rover cider, Sunset Heights sparkling mead, and wine being offered at an additional cost. Tickets went on sale in late January and sold out in two days; however, there WILL be similar food and beer pairings at the brewery in the future, so keep your eyes on their Facebook page for announcements!

• It’s been a busy week at Halifax’s Garrison Brewing! With entry closing for the 8th Annual Home Brew-Off yesterday, it was time for 2015 winner Dave Martin to brew up his winning beer. Martin joined Brew Master Daniel Girard and Head Brewer Jonathan Harris on Marginal Rd to put together Mr Robusto, last year’s winning Robust Porter. It will be released at the gala party where this year’s Experimental IPA winner will be crowned, March 3rd. Returning to the brewery this week is Pucker Up, a pink-hued pomegranate-hibiscus wheat beer. Joining it is a brand new brew, Shack Wacky. This 5.2% ABV Radler is built on an APA base, features loads of orange aroma and finish, along with hints of lemon and other citrus. This is another brewery-only product, for samples and growler fills.

• Stubborn Goat have announced the details of their next in the series of beer events. Beer Social with Big Spruce will be taking place next Sunday, February 21st. The Big Spruce himself, Jeremy White, will be in attendance and introducing the food and beer pairings for this four course meal. Among the beers pouring that day will be one of only four kegs of the just-released Ra Ra Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout, the 10.5% ABV Glenora barrel-aged beauty (remember, bottles will only be on sale at the Nyanza brewery, and there are not many available!). Grab tickets for the Beer Social today!

• BarNone has released their latest in the “Sessions” series: Vic’s Secret Sessions made its debut at Growler Night yesterday, featuring the dual-purpose Australian hop Vic Secret. At 4.8%ABV, this beer is low in alcohol, but big in flavour and aroma, perfect for an all-day session.

• There’s another new style to try at Spindrift today, with their weekly 7th Wave beer being a Lichtenhainer. While there is some discussion as to whether traditional Lichtenhainers contained wheat, modern interpretations tend to be a hybrid of Berliner Weisse and Rauchbier, resulting in a tart, smoky, sessionable beer. Either way, it’s a style rarely seen around these parts. Spindrift’s Lichtenhainer is a light 5%ABV and 15 IBUs. As with all of their 7th Wave brews, it will be on sale today at the brewery today at noon for growler fills only.

• Good Robot has introduced a “Glee Club” at the brewery and taproom. Members receive their own custom 18oz mug at the taproom (and receive larger pours at regular price), discounts on growler and grunter fills and merchandise, specials on their birthday, access to exclusive members-only events, and a chance to be a part of a brewday with Doug. Registration is now open for this $100/yr club, and more details are available on their site.

• Liquid Assets, the NS beer, cider, wine, and spirits store opening this spring at the Halifax Stanfield International Airport, is hiring. Full- and part-time associates with knowledge of the local scene (or a thirst to learn), are encouraged to apply. The job skills include inventory control, customer assistance in choosing the right product, leading tastings, and everything in between. The job posting is here, and open until the end of the month. Construction at their storefront, located beyond security at the Airport, has begun, with an anticipated opening of April.

• For brewers (and potential ones) looking for insight into the “next step”, Springboard Atlantic is hosting a Liquid Courage event at Acadia University next Thursday, February 18th. An event highlighting the potential partnerships available between the brewing and scientific community for quality control, taste panels, and R&D, as well as insights into exporting beyond provincial and national borders, from local successful businesses. It will feature presentations from brewers and wine makers, scientists and academics from across the Maritimes, and business development agencies to aid in making it all happen. Registration is still open for the full day event.

Have a great beer- and love-filled weekend! Not because it’s Valentine’s Day, but just because! A few last news items…

– Big Tide‘s Sandpiper Pilsner is back on tap at the brewpub; a 5.5% ABV Bohemian Pilsner hopped with Hallertau and Saaz to 50 IBUs, it’s available for both pints and growler fills while supplies last.
– Boxing Rock has re-released The Next Chapter Rye IPA; first brewed in 2015 with Andrew Estabrooks and released at last year’s Fredericton Craft Beer Festival, this brew is available now in bottles and growlers, and will be seeing release in New Brunswick.
– North is re-releasing their popular Belgian Milk Stout today, after a long hiatus. The 5.0% ABV beer was out of rotation for a period, due to their expansion to Dartmouth through Battery Park, as well as the birth of Brewer Josh Herbin’s child in the fall. Look for more special beers to be released in due time, now that the brewhouse has settled down.
– PEI Brewing has brought Black Banks Black IPA back for another year. It is currently available at the brewery’s taproom, and many PEILCC stores. It has also been sent to New Brunswick, and should be appearing on ANBL shelves in the next few days. Check inventory here.
– Petit-Sault’s Canon Franchetti, their Cappucino stout, is back, currently on tap and in bottles at the brewery, and will be pouring at ANBL growler stations next Friday, Feb 19th.

We’ve added some more events to the Atlantic Canada Beer Events Calendar, be sure to check it out to be sure you don’t miss the many happenings in our region in the coming weeks and months. Included are this weekend’s events at Good Robot and Upstreet, and upcoming events like Craft Beer Cottage Party (Feb 27), and Fredericton Craft Beer Week (March 4-13). If you have a beer-centric event to add, please fire us an email.