Happy Friday everyone! We’ve got news on new brewery openings and plans, as well as a few new beers and events in our region.
• TrailWay Brewing‘s new brewery and taproom location officially opens to the public tomorrow, with the opening party beginning at noon! Located at 280 Main St. (on Fredericton’s North Side), the brewery houses their new 10 bbl (~12 hL) DME system, including four fermentors, as well as a taproom where the public can enjoy a pint, flight, and have their growlers filled. They will happily fill any clean 1.89 L growler (and will of course be selling their own), with smaller sizes likely being available in the near future. Four beers will be pouring, including their Primetime Pale Ale, Session IPA, D’Under, and Raspberry Wheat. Milda’s Pizza and More will be there from 4:30-8:00 pm, serving up some specially-concocted pizzas to go with your beer. The taproom will remain open tomorrow until 10 pm; tentative hours for the coming weeks will be Wed and Thurs 11 am-9 pm, Fri and Sat 11 am-11 pm, and Sun 12 pm-5 pm; closed Mondays and Tuesdays. Look for their outdoor patio, which should provide seating for an additional 50-70 patrons, to open within a couple of weeks. Congrats to the TrailWay crew!
• A new brewery is in development in the town of Montague, PEI. Local businessman Dave McGuire is aiming to open Beer Island Brewery in the downtown area in Spring 2017. The 15 bbl (18hL) brewhouse will feature a retail space and taproom, where patrons will be able to enjoy the beer while savouring locally-harvested food. Currently on the lookout for a brewer, the brewery plan includes a canning line, for packaging their beer for local and out-of-province distribution. “I’m a resident and I look forward to establishing a new business in town and supporting the development and growth of Montague,’’ says McGuire.
• From one new Island brewery to another, the Newfoundland Provincial government announced a major investment in Western Newfoundland Brewing Company, to be opened later this summer in Pasadena, NL. The brewery has been in development for more than two years, and plans on local distribution in the Corner Brook and Gros Morne region. Jennifer Galliott, Director of Marketing and Sales, says, “People can look forward later this summer to seeing Killdevil Pale Ale and Wild Cove Cream Ale on tap at Galliott Studios in Woody Point, The Cat Stop in Norris Point, and other select venues throughout the Gros Morne region. We hope this venture bolsters opportunity throughout Western Newfoundland to foster growth in our beloved region.” We will share more details of the brewery and availability once we have them. Congratulations to both new breweries coming to small towns on the Island provinces soon!
• BarNone released not one, but two new beers at their weekly growler night at the brewery last night. First up is Outback Blonde, a light, sessionable ale (at 4.7% ABV) that features a simple 2-row malt base, and is hopped with Citra and Australian Galaxy, for a delicious tropical hop character. Next is Amber, an American Amber Ale that is also easy-drinking (5% ABV), with a lower bitterness than their flagship Pale Ale. Hopped with Centennial, you can also expect some fruity aromas and flavours as a result. Look for both beers to pop up at various BarNone tap accounts in the near future, and drop by the brewery in Rose Valley next Thursday for Growler Night, which may feature some local musicians taking the stage.
• Pump House is releasing their first Radler, a style that involves mixing flavoured soda with a strong beer. Originally created about a century ago in Germany, the resulting beverage is usually fruity, refreshing, and easy-drinking. Pump House’s take, Crafty Radler, includes a mix of in-house-made grapefruit and tangerine soda, providing an aroma of “ripe, freshly-sliced grapefruit with sweet notes of ripened tangerines”. Lightly hopped with Willamette to only 5 IBUs, it weighs in at 4.7% ABV. Look for it to be launched at this weekend’s Atlantic Beer Festival (more details below), and should follow at tap accounts and in cans by sometime next week.
• Drop by Good Robot today to celebrate Crop Top Tolerance (#CroToTo)… After some complaints and negative comments were made about one of their servers who favours wearing a crop-top, Robie and the Robots have deemed today Crop Top Tolerance day. All patrons are invited to share their support by wearing their own Crop Top (or not), and celebrating the lovely weather we’ve been enjoying. And beginning this Monday, they are hosting weekly “Goodwill Bot” events, by inviting local non-profit organizations to set up shop and inform their patrons of their group. From 5-8pm May 30th, Hope Cottage will be dropping by to spread the word of their community meal services in Halifax. Plus, $1 of each pint sale will go to the Charity Case, which will be split among the participating nonprofit groups.
Here’s the info you need on upcoming beer events…
• This weekend on Friday and Saturday, May 27th and 28th, the 11th Annual Atlantic Beer Festival takes place at the Moncton Coliseum. Featuring three tasting sessions – Friday, 7:30-10 pm, Saturday, 2:30-5 pm and 7:30-10 pm – there will be 70 breweries pouring over 150 different beers, including many not otherwise available in the region. This year’s fest will include a West Coast Pavilion featuring brewers from the Western provinces; also, all attendees will get the chance to win tickets to the 2016 Great Canadian Beer Festival in Victoria, B.C. this coming September. There will be live music in the form of The Royaltones and Superlove. There are still tickets available to all three sessions, here; the evening sessions are $54.50 per ticket, with the afternoon session going for $44.50 each.
• A reminder that the very first Florenceville-Bristol Beer Run is being held tomorrow, May 28th, and is brought to you by those who organize the annual Fredericton Beer Run. Due to the location, the featured brewery will be, of course, Florenceville-Bristol’s own Railcar Brewing. The 6 km run begins at 10 am sharp, with registration occurring from 8 – 9:45 am. After the run, drop by Railcar’s tasting room for beers from Railcar and several other NB breweries, in a custom-designed beer glass to keep.
• Be sure to drop by the Wolfville Farmers Market for Blossom Brew Night, also being held May 28th. Part of the Apple Blossom Festival, it will feature beers from Bad Apple Brewhouse, Paddy’s Irish Brewpub, and Schoolhouse Brewery, plus ciders from Bulwark, Noggins, Shipbuilders, and Stutz. Running 4-8pm, tickets are just $32, which include your first 4 drink tickets and a souvenir tasting glass. Local BJCP Certified Judge Andrew Newton will be leading a tasting tutorial at 4:45, and Alex MacLean of East Coast Lifestyle will be spinning tunes from 6-8pm. Tickets are available at the Acadia Box Office, and online here.
• The finale of the Rare Beer Series at Stillwell is this weekend. Featuring four beers in bottles and draught from Portland, OR’s Upright Brewing, the lineup will be filled out with some great beers from Great Lakes, Indie Ale House, and Le Trou du Diable, whose brewer Stephane Thibodeau will be onsite Sunday to chat. From noon Saturday and 4pm Sunday, May 28 & 29.
• The Saint John Ladies Beer Club has officially been formed, and you’re invited to their next meeting (provided you’re female, of course)! Held at the Big Tide brewpub next Thursday, June 2nd at 7 pm, there will be an information session with brewmaster Wendy Papadopoulos on the Big Tide beer lineup, followed by the opportunity to enjoy some of these beers with fellow beer lovers. There’s no charge to attend, just pay by the pint or flight as you go. Be sure to show up a bit early to secure your spot!
• Red Rover is celebrating the recent opening of their new CiderHouse location with an official launch party on Friday, June 3rd, from 7 pm-11 pm. They’ll have cider on tap, of course, as well as live music. Stay tuned to their social media for more details as the date gets closer.
• Early-bird tickets are now on sale for Local Connections Halifax’s Cask Beer Showdown, being held at the Olympic Community Centre September 24th. Featuring both an afternoon and evening session, each 3 hour event will feature cask-conditioned beers from local breweries, along with entertainment and food to pair. Tickets include a souvenir glass and your first 12 samples, with more available for purchase.
That’s it for this week! A few parting notes…
– One of Petit-Sault‘s first flagship beers, Tante Blanche, will be returning next week. This 4.7% ABV Belgian Witbier became a summer seasonal last year, so it’s returning just in time! Look for it at the brewery for growler fills, on tap at better beer establishments across NB, and in bottles at ANBL stores next Wednesday.
– Big Axe’s Chanterelle Cream Ale is back on tap at the brewery, and their tap accounts, now that the harvest of these mushrooms is on again.
– Saint John community and college radio station Local 107.3FM is hosting a beer-naming competition. Local beer writer Craig Pinhey has designed an English Session Ale, 4.5% ABV, that Picaroons will brew and release at their Saint John General Store on June 30th. Until June 15th, the public can submit their ideas for the beer name to brian@cfmh.ca with the subject line: “Picaroons Traditional Ales – Radio Beer.” The winner will receive a growler of the beer.
– Best of luck to the Atlantic Canadian breweries who submitted and/or are in attendance at this weekend’s Canadian Brewing Awards in Vancouver! We’ll be sure to share the details on the winning beers after Saturday’s Award Presentation.