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All posts for the month April, 2023

It’s the last week of April, and you know what that means, breaking out your favourite Justin Timberlake memes for the start of May. Also, May is a month of celebration! Cinco de Mayo leads us into Mother’s day, Fredericton and Bluenose Marathons, May two-four weekend and the Canadian Brewing Awards will be in Halifax before you know it. May is when things really get going here in the Maritimes and our favourite beverage purveyors are ramping up for the homegrown locals and visitors from away. We’ll do our part and keep track of all the new brews, availability, events and more, and you can do your part and read it, and share with a friend or ten. Onto the news!

Let’s start our week on PEI, at Borden’s Lone Oak Brewing. They teamed up with an Ontario brewery for a collaborative brew to introduce that province to the great beer-making ingredients grown in our region. Matron Fine Beer, located in Prince Edward County, ON, has roots of their own on PEI, and chose to feature Shoreline Malting Pilsner malt and New Brunswick-grown hops in the Islander Pils. At just 4.4% ABV, the pale lager features a solid bitterness from the Saaz used, on a crisp and clean base. As part of the collab, LO has been able to pour draught of Islander at both their Borden and Milky Way locations, but sadly no cans available for sale. However… MFB is one of those progressive breweries that will ship Canada-wide, so we suggest grabbing some buds and placing an order on their website (we’re good for eight if you do!).

Also available now at both Lone Oak’s Brewery and Brewpub locations is Table Beer, a small fruited saison. Look for this to be a full-time summer beer, which is just what we’re into. Light-bodied (closer to a Grisette), with a gentle spritziness, along with present but not overpowering field berry notes from the blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries in the glass. At 4.0% ABV, the inaugural batch of this beer is draught only, with subsequent releases also coming to cans. And keep your eyes peeled for announcements of their Fox Meadow location in Stratford, opening veeeeery soon.

Out by the airport in Elmsdale, or maybe in the heart of the peninsula on Robie Street, Good Robot has another entry in their Perfect Storm series, this one dubbed Category 7. Featuring a mix of new-school and super-new-school hops in Mosaic, El Dorado, and HZH-101, it’s maybe a little less “NE” and a little more “American” IPA than the other entries in the series. That said, it’s still hazy and golden in color and boasts tasting notes of pineapple, stone fruit, and lime with an overall dank and grassy presentation. You’ll find this 7% beauty in cans at both GR locations, and no doubt pouring on draught on Robie; and if you’re in a comparing mood, note that Categories 4, 5, and 6 are still available as well!

Down in Chester Basin, NS, Tanner & Co. have a couple of new things on the go for us to try. First up is Belgian Saison, a beer made with a grist of primarily Shoreline Malting Pilsner, but with a touch of Munich malt, along with some oats and malted rye. Fermented with a combination of liquid and dry yeasts (White Labs WLP565 and Fermentis BE-134 for the bacteria nerds in the audience), it was additionally dosed with black pepper and orange peel post-fermentation. Expect plenty of yeast character, along with some phenolic spiciness and a hint of citrus in this refreshing 7.2% and 25 IBU beer. Also on the go is Raspberry Licorice Root Sparkling Mead which is one of those “does what it says on the tin” kind of things. Coming in at 5.9% ABV, it was made with local honey from The Little Bee farm near Bridgewater. In contrast to what is usual for beer, but which is much more normal for mead, the raspberry puree was added pre-fermentation. Meanwhile, the licorice root (from World Tea House in Halifax, natch), was added after the mead had fermented dry. Look for Tanner’s usual style of subtle and balanced flavors as opposed to a fruit bomb. You’ll find both of these lovely liquids available in cans from the source and we suspect pouring at Tanner’s taproom in Chester.

Further up the mainland, Half Cocked is releasing Good Stuff, a kettle sour brewed with organic peach and raspberries. The result is a 5% sour with subtle fruit character and a dry finish. If you’re thinking of grabbing some, why not drop by this Saturday evening for trivia night at the taproom, starting at 7:00 PM.

Sticking with fruited sours, Trailway is releasing its newest version from their smoothie sour series. The Blend Smoothie Sour – Strawberry Kiwi incorporates over 200 grams of strawberries and kiwis, and per the style, pours thick, with the consistency of an actual smoothie. Cans of the 5.3% beer are available now. And with the temperature starting to pick up, don’t forget that these beers must be stored cold because of the unfermented sugars from the fruit, present in the final product (unless you want a fruit explosion all over your vehicle). 

Cape Breton’s Island Folk is releasing Lil Besties, a banana and coconut cider (we can confidently say a first of this style on the blog). The first step involved peeling and pressing hundreds of organic bananas, which were then fermented into a high ABV banana wine. It was then blended with Island Folk’s signature cider before seeing an infusion of toasted coconut. The result is a lightly carbonated, off-dry, 8% ABV cider with notes of pineapple, marshmallow, banana and coconut. Bottles are available now at the taproom in Sydney and for cross-Canada shipping through their online store.

Kicking into summer, Propeller has had a great track record of seasonal beer releases and they’re bringing us a new one today. Yutopia is a Summer Ale packed with natural Peach and Yuzu flavours. This is a 5% ale that boasts the strong citrus and zesty punch of the East Asian fruit, along with juicy white peaches. Low on the bitterness, but high on summer vibes and refreshment, this one is available in cans from the Prop shops and online today. 

The folks at Landwash are big doggo fans and they’re highlighting a new dog and a new employee to the Landwash fam. Cry Havok is a new dry stout from Landwash, coming to you from their new Production Manager (Jason) and a beer he made and named after his Chocolate Labrador Retriever, Havok! This is a 4% Dry stout that has a deep chocolate colour, with a bit of malty sweetness with some richer notes of espresso and dark chocolate. Light and approachable, just like the pup! This is available on tap on Nitro and in cans from the brewery and the local haunts around the Avalon.

The Crows have a call out to join their busy (and amazing) team, looking for a delivery driver and packaging assistant to start in the middle of May. This is a full time seasonal Summer job that has a possibility of staying on after the summer. This job runs through the Canada Summer Jobs program, so check out the link here for all of the details on the job and how to apply.

The jovial machines at Good Robot are really ramping into the summer, opening a new location adjacent to the Halifax Commons, and getting into gear at the other two locations. With positions in Halifax and Elmsdale, they’re hiring managers, servers, bartenders, cooks and more. Check out all of their postings here to see what may be a fit for you or someone you know. 

If you’re looking for some other work that is adjacent to beer adjacent, Picaroons is looking for full time (or part-time, and flexible) General Maintenance Workers that includes deliveries, warehouse work, cleaning, and maintenance. The jobs have competitive wages and benefits packages and it’s a great place to work if you can do a bit of driving, physical labour and maintenance. Apply by email to beerguy@picaroons.ca with the subject line: General Maintenance Position and include details/resume. Or you can drop off a resume in person at the brewery. 

Across the bay in the Valley, Horton Ridge Malthouse is hiring a bartender to join the team! This place gets busy in the summer with lots of music events, pop-up dinners, and more. They’re looking for someone with some experience with craft beer, service and flexibility. Shoot them an email with your details and interest!

A Dartmouth Duo has teamed up to bring back a local twist to a classic British mix. Last seen about a year ago, Burst: Snakebite is a take on a Snakebite (traditionally equal parts Lager and Apple Cider) but using North Brewing’s BYOB (a 3.5% light ale) and a blend of Lake City Cider’s Blueberry and Black Currant cider. It’s tart, refreshing and has a good pop of fruit flavour. This is available in cans at all the North locations, Lake City’s taproom and also online from North. Disclaimer: this is not gluten-free!

Quick trip to Corner Brook where Bootleg Brew Co has teased a collaboration with the nearby Tlacuache Mexican Restaurant on the corner of West and Main. Flare Up is a Mexican Chocolate Stout, so expect plenty of chocolate, roast, and maybe even a bit of spicing and heat in the can. Details are a bit light now, but keep an eye on their IG page for details on a collaborative launch party soon!

We’re leaving you with a bit of sad news this week, as Uncle Leo’s Brewery of Lyons Brook, NS has announced that they will be closing after 10 years in operation. Since opening in late June 2013, Uncle Leo’s has won awards both locally and nationally for their ales and lagers, from Smoked Porter to American Pale Ale, to IPA and Altbier. In this Instagram Post, they indicate that their retail shop and online store will be closing at 6PM Saturday, so be sure to drop by today or tomorrow and/or reach out on that post to show your love. No word yet on the exact reasons for the closure, but we wish Karl, Rebecca, and the entire Uncle Leo’s family all the best!

Hello Beer, Cider, and Mead fans! We hope you’ve had a great week and are able to look forward to a restful weekend. For those in Nova Scotia, may we give you some insider information that this weekend’s Saltscapes Expo may be the least expensive booze-fest going, as your ticket inside will allow you access to dozens of Maritime producers pouring samples of their wares. Just watch out, you may end up buying a hot tub or booking a ticket to Saint-Pierre et Miquelon while there!

One of the attendees at Saltscapes will be Propeller Brewing, who will no doubt be featuring their brand new fruited lagered ale. Tango is a tropical twist on the Kölsch style from Cologne, fermented as an ale, but conditioned cool, a.k.a. lagered, to ensure a crisp finish. Dialing up this beer even further is the addition of tangerine and pineapple extract, along with even more tangerine goodness via concentrate. The result is a juicy and citrus fruit-forward 4.8% beer that remains light-bodied and thirst quenching. Available in cans and on tap at Propeller’s three locations. And soon to be Four locations, as construction at their new taproom and retail spot on the Bedford Highway continues at breakneck speed!

Fellow “Class of ‘97” brewery Garrison Brewing has brought back a super-popular fruited sour in the hopes of ushering summer in just a little bit early. Mango Dragon Fruit Sour pretty much lays it out in the name, but let’s get you a bit more info…starting from a light base of Pilsner and wheat malts, after the souring and fermentation, mango and dragonfruit flavours were added, along with hibiscus, for a vibrant colour, to give you a fruit-salad-worthy experience of both light acidity and a sweeter finish. Cans of this 5.0% creation are available at their shops, the private stores in town and at the airport, and coming soon to the NSLC.

A pair of new releases from Mount Pearl’s Landwash this week, starting with the release of their International Women’s Day beer, Aunt Nance. Brewed on March 8th with the many women of Landwash, this 6.0% sour IPA was hopped with Cashmere, Monroe, and Barbe Rouge. Named after Nancy Riche, a social activist and labour organizer from Newfoundland, who was recognized as an Officer of the Order of Canada, and an all-around fighter for the under-heard and -represented. Proceeds from the beer are going towards local organizations that help women and marginalized people fight barriers to success, as Aunt Nance would want. Cans and draught available now!

A two-fer from Landwash as they have another new release named after another famous Newfoundland resident, Titus the Bear. Currently residing in the Durrell Museum in Twilingate, where Head Brewer Alex hails from, who also designed the beer recipe. This Pale Ale is chock-full of Citra and Columbus for major pine, citrus, and even a bit of dank character (4/20 was yesterday!) from terpenes. Again, grab cans and draught from the brewery, and at better beer shops in the area.

Miramichi’s Timber Ship Brewing has plenty of news for us today, so let’s get right to it! First up is a brand new beer release, Sister Marie Raspberry Sour. This 4.3% sour is bright red and filled to the brim with flavour from the eponymous fruit, all on a lively tart and refreshing base. Named after Sister Marie Inconnue, who arrived at French Fort Cove to help those displaced during the Acadian Expulsion. Caring for those ill and wounded, Sister Marie was also trusted with families’ valuables, hiding them from the British. While she was ultimately caught and interrogated to give up the details, she never did, and was unfortunately murdered by beheading. It is thought that she still roams French Fort Cove in search of her head. Wherever the truth of that lies, we can tell you that her beer is available at Timber Ship’s location at 2374 King George Highway, Unit 2 (around back, aka Below Deck) now!

And big news for fans of Timber Ship is that they have recently upscaled from their original brewkit to a larger 3.5 BBL (400 litre) Blichmann Engineering system, allowing them to more than double their capacity. Look to their social media as they post updates on their first brew session (maybe even today!), as well as the build-out of a patio to soak up the sun this summer. They will be extending their hours of operation too, of course, with those coming together in May!

Continuing their Category line of IPAs, Good Robot has released Category 6 IPA this week. Think traditional American IPA, slightly hazy, and full of citrus, melon, and peach. Leaning on Idaho 7, Amarillo, and Topaz hops to do the heavy lifting in this 6.0% ABV beer, the bitterness helps to cleanse the palate, so try pairing it with spicy food or the BBQ. Keep your eyes peeled here for the details on Category 7 coming next week, completing the Perfect Storm 4-Pack!

Back to Newfoundland for a pair of Dildo releases. First up is Tropical Smoothie Sour, a 4.3% sour beer absolutely crammed full of mango, pineapple, and passion fruit purees. It also saw the addition of homemade marshmallow fluff to give it a bit of sweetness and body. Closer to drinking a fruit smoothie than beer, but we’re here for it! Grab it on tap at their spot on Front Rd in Dildo, as their St. John’s location is closed for a bit of renovation. And keep your eyes open for their new Hoppy Mixed Pack, which includes the Tie One On WC IPA, 1933 New England IPA, as well as a couple more!

Horton Ridge is known for their Malt house, and their own beers reflect that… Except when Al is out of town, then Connor and Steve can brew whatever the heck they want! Hence the birth of Al’s Away IPA. The latest version of this IPA is out now, and you can even keep tabs on Al and Jan as they enjoy Barcelona, on the Al’s Away IG page. Cheers to still having fun in the brewhouse (and away from it)!

Baccalieu Trail Brewing in Bay Roberts has a new low ABV beer on the taps and in cans today, perfect for refueling at the end of a morning of surfing or hitting the trails. Hang Tight is a 3.5% ABV hazy Session Pale Ale, inspired by the local surfing community. Featuring Mosaic, Idaho 7, Simcoe, and Sultana hops used late in the kettle, pineapple and citrus are the name of the game as you grab the next wave before the sunset. Available in cans at Marie’s and the other private shops on the Avalon.

Halifax’s Chain Yard Urban Cidery has a new cider on tap and in cans this week. Using a blend of cider apples from the Annapolis Valley, blended with a separately-fermented Dolgo crabapple, and allowed to condition for twelve months before packaging. Plenty of ripe apple aromatics meld with some floral notes, on a medium tannin base. Cans of this 6.3% cider can be purchased directly from their Agricola Street taproom today!

Finally, in Rothesay, Long Bay is releasing a hybrid beer, using a lager yeast, fermented at warmer temperatures traditionally used for ale yeasts. This beer then went back to the lager route with an extended cold conditioning, before seeing a generous dry-hop of a new experimental hop from Washington State’s Yakima Valley. The best part of all of this is that the final beer comes in a tiny 3% ABV package, meaning you can easily enjoy more than one, and all of the mango, guava and citrus notes from that dry-hop. Mild Sedation is available now at ANBL stores in the Saint John area, and should see distribution across the province later next week. 

Get out for a hike or bike ride this weekend, and bring some local craft beer along. If you’re looking for events, here are a few for ya!

Sober Island in Sheet Harbour is celebrating their 7th Anniversary tomorrow, April 22nd, with live music, a pizza truck, and plenty of great beer a-flowing! Located right on Highway 7, their taproom will be hopping from noon onward, and they are welcoming Dominic’s Cucina to set up in their lot to sling some freshly-made pies from 1:30 until 6:30 (or until sold out). Also at the brewery is Andre Pettipas, who will be playing 2 – 5 PM. Congratulations to Becky and the whole SIBC crew!

A reminder about the Godpseed & CODA Ramen takeover at the Stilly Freehouse event this Sunday, April 23rd. While the Ramen Reservations from 5PM are sold out (sorry!), those who are looking primarily for beer satisfaction can rejoice that the Freehouse will still be opening at noon and pouring draught and cans from Godspeed. And before the kitchen transforms into a boiling ramen factory, you can enjoy your faves from their regular menu too. Also, it’s Cellar Sunday, with 25% off bottles from the cellar. Gather a group to try a few of the cool lambics or stouts from away, or do your own vertical of some local beers. We may even see you there!

And next weekend, you’re going to want to be on East Duck to celebrate the Second (or is it Third?) Anniversary of Bar Brewdock. They are pulling out all of the stops for this April 29 event, as they have brought in great beer, wine, and cider from across the province and Canada, as well as lambics from Belgium, for an evening of great cheer. This is a one-price, drinks included, ticketed event, so be sure to grab yours before they are sold out!

We’ve got a few job postings today, both on the mainland and Newfoundland, so if you’re looking, hopefully something tickles your fancy!

Banished Brewing is looking to hire an Assistant Brewer to help out Head Brewer Duncan. You’ll be involved in all aspects of the beer production, including cleaning, packaging, cleaning, transferring, cleaning, brewing, and cleaning. Sounds like a great gig! You could even become a famous Instagram Star! Reach out to Banished via the interwebs, or better yet, pop by the brewery/taproom on Maverick Place this weekend to learn more and submit your resume.

Hell Bay Brewing in Liverpool has recently celebrated their 12th Anniversary (Congratulations!), and they are looking for someone to join their ranks for the summer. If you’re interested in both the Front- and Back-of-House life in a brewery, this may be just the job for you: the successful candidate will be working as a Server and working retail, assisting on packaging days during the canning, labeling, as well as filling and cleaning kegs. Reach out via email to learn more!

Just down the road in Yarmouth, Heritage Brewing is also looking to add to their team, with two positions currently open. They are looking for a versatile person to work in the brewery, as well as a delivery driver and to attend events around the province. They are also looking to add to their taproom/retail crew, to take on those responsibilities. Drop by the brewery at 250 Main Street to submit your resume.

A few more quick hits before we dismiss you for the week!

Speaking of Banished above, they have released a fresh and ever-so-slightly tweaked Space Puffling this week. Part of their Puffin New England IPA branding, this is just 4.0% ABV, but punches well above its weight in flavour and aroma, this one is on tap and in cans at their shop and at better spots around the city. Banished has also decided to release one of their brewhouse projects to the rest of us… Sparkling Water is something the folks have been enjoying for a while whilst working, taking their local Paradise water, double-filtering it, and adding some salts and a touch of acid, before carbing it up. Think of it as Newfoundland mineral water! No extra flavouring added to the current batch, but they are definitely considering that in the future.

Tatamagouche has brought back the Kitty Clyde Double IPA. At 7.8% ABV, this Double IPA is light on bitterness, but full of citrus, peach, and passion fruit from Vic Secret and Galaxy. Draught and cans from Tata’s taproom, online shop, and private stores soon.

Fredericton’s Trailway has brought back their Urban Sabrero, a 6.0% Double Dry Hopped IPA. As the name implies, this is made exclusively with Sabro hops, so think pina colada in a can! On draught and in cans at your usual haunts.

We’ve kept you long enough, Dear Reader, so please go out and enjoy your beer!

It’s the weekend folks, and we’re totally being teased with a bit of summer. While we’re not in the Big Smoke with the dome open watching the Jays, we have had some 15ºC temperatures and sunny days that pair perfectly with April patio days. We’ve got news below from all four of our Atlantic provinces and some Canada-wide news too. Take a read, share with a friend and don’t be a stranger on our Twitter and Instagram!

Starting our week on PEI, Lone Oak has a small-batch cider release to kick off the fun. Starting from freshly- pressed Cortland and Mac juice from Red Shore Orchards, the Lone Oak team added a hybrid of Saison yeast and Brettanomyces, and allowed the little beasties to do their thing! Taking the low, slow, and hands-off route, the yeasts chewed away until very little residual sugar was left, resulting in a dry, lightly funky, and flavourful cider that has been bottled still (no carb). No burps or bloating, nice! Due to its small scale, the 6.0% ABV Farmhouse Cider is only available from Lone Oak’s Borden-Carleton Brewery and Milky Way Brewpub locations.

Over in Paradise, Banished Brewing has just celebrated the opening of their taproom (open Wed-Sun), and have followed it up with the release of a collaboration with downtown St. John’s Portage Restaurant. Melding minds with Portage’s Ross Larkin and Celeste Mah, they have developed a supremely food-pairable Czech Pilsner, Portage Světlý Ležák 12°. When designing their brewhouse, the folks at Banished wanted to be able to brew a wide variety of beer styles using the proper techniques, which paid off in spades for the Pils, as they were able to use the traditional decoction techniques believed to bring out the complexity of the Pilsen Malt from Czechia. Of course, they also sourced Saaz grown in Czechia, and fermented cool with Isar Lager from Escarpment Labs. Pale in colour, full of character, and ready to take with you on your canoeing adventures this summer! Thanks to the folks at Bines and Vines, to celebrate the launch the Czech Ambassador to Canada, Bořek Lizec, visited the brewery and celebrated the strong ties between Canada and Czechia. Portage is available on side-pull now at both the restaurant and brewery, as well as good beer bars and retailers (cans) around the city.

We’ve got a very cool release coming straight out of George Street! Yellowbelly Brewery has a new release named after the famed pub in downtown St. John’s (which they are part owners of). O’Reilly’s is a Lagered Ale dry-hopped with Cashmere that brings big notes of citrus, melon and peach. Packaged in 500ml bottles with an O’Reilly’s themed label, this very drinkable 4.7% ABV beer is available now in wide release at certain NLC Stores (cans) and at the source (pints and fills).

Up the road to Mount Pearl we find Landwash Brewery, who have teamed up with Andersons Butcher located on Water Street St. John’s. Butcher’s Brew is a 5.0% Vienna Lager, which is a style known for a hint of malt, but still being crisp and clean. Great with a cold cut sandwich or backyard BBQ, we figure! Landwash’s take on the style started out in last summer’s BBQ Mixed Pack, and has graduated to stand on its own. Grab it at the brewery this weekend.

Also new from Landwash is Field Day, their first foray into a Wheat-forward beer. Inspired by the Belgian Witbier style, this unfiltered wheat beer was fermented with an appropriate yeast to give a hint of phenolic spiciness, enhanced by the coriander, as well as orange and grapefruit peel added to the brew. The resulting beer is bright and refreshing, and at 4.8%, a nice complement to your day exploring the fields near you! Available at the brewery and their regular retail partners shortly.

Moving to Moncton (something you may actually hear people say!), Tire Shack Brewing has a brand new beer to pair up with the warming weather. Dry-Hopped Sour is exactly what you’d expect, but trying to bring those IPA flavours to a tart and sour beer. Soured with a Lactobacillus strain, and subsequently dry-hopped with Simcoe and Mosaic, expect the sour and tart flavours of fuzzy peaches, blueberries and a subtle aroma of bubble-gum. It’s an easy drinking sour with an ABV of 7.1% and is available now in cans and on tap. Also, this weekend at the brewery, there’s a 2pm to 8pm pop-up kitchen from Euston Park both Saturday and Sunday for a beautiful weekend! Ed note: this paragraph was left out of the original version of this post. Sorry!

Staying near Moncton (which you don’t hear a lot of people say), Dieppe’s CAVOK Brewing has a brand new big release that’s been aged to perfection. E-CLIPSE is a bourbon barrel-aged stout that spent its time in a Buffalo Trace barrel for 6 months. Featuring complex flavours with a smooth bourbon flavour of vanilla and a bit of molasses, this is 10.8% and packaged in 750ml bottles. Bottles are limited (145 or fewer!) and it’s also available on tap at the brewery right now!

The fine folks at Good Robot are continuing to up the intensity with this week’s new release, Tropical Storm Category 5. The 2nd release in the Tropical Storm series, this is an IPA that aims to tone down the bitterness from typical IPA’s and up the fruity flavours. Using a hop bill of Falconers Flight, Sabro and Vic Secret, these hops bring notes of grapefruit, tangerine, pineapple, and coconut. Expect a hazy, tasty 5% approachable IPA available online, and at both Good Robot locations. 

Also new in Robot news, Uncle Giggles has a new entry on its family tree. Great Uncle Giggles is a new pale ale release that both maintains and changes the recipe from the original Uncle Giggles. Since moving brewery locations to Elmsdale, the Robots have started using a piece of equipment called a Hop Egg that can handle yeast pitching, mixing, adjunct blending, dosing and other cellar additions, but which also works great for dry-hopping, as it eliminates the need to open the tanks for additions. Aiming to keep the clean, orange citrus and crisp flavours, they’re leveraging the hop egg for this new beer. This is the only recipe Good Robot has that uses hop oil and they’re trying to get this beer staying fresher for longer. It comes in at 5.1% and it’s available online and at both Robie Street and Elmsdale locations. 

Over in Spryfield, Serpent is releasing a Belgian inspired take on a NEIPA with Space Cadet. The Belgian influence comes via a Witbier yeast, leading to lots of fruity esters. A generous dosing of Ahtanum, Amarillo, and Mandarina Bavaria hops adds some additional citrusy notes. This one comes in at 6% ABV with a moderate bitterness of 45 IBUs. Cans are available this weekend at the brewery. And if beers aren’t your thing, they’ll also be releasing their first seltzers in cans and on tap this weekend.

There’s a few beery events coming up in the next month and a bit to tell you about, including one of the beeriest events in the Canadian Beer Calendar:

Another reminder that Halifax is hosting the Canadian Brewing Awards Conference June 1 – 3, and there is still time to take part! Tickets are available to purchase now, and they are still putting out the call for volunteers to help keep everything moving smoothly. There are lots of opportunities for those looking to take part, all day and evening Friday and Saturday, June 2 and 3, at the Halifax Convention Centre. Registration of attendees, prepping swag bags, set-up of rooms, bar service, preparing trophies, and much more! We probably don’t need to tell you that there are lots of beery perks to this gig! If you are interested and available, contact Megan to sign up!

A little sooner than that is a Brewer’s Dinner at Seaport Social, located in the Westin Hotel at the South end of Hollis Street. On April 30th, Jeremy Taylor of 2 Crows will be leading a tasting menu of dishes prepared by Chef Jason Townes and his team. Five courses will be served, with beers to complement and/or contrast and the stories behind them all. As this is a special event, reservations ahead of time are required. Please call 902-240-7608 to grab a seat at the table!

The week before that, you should be at the Stillwell Freehouse for a Trio of Powerhouses, as Toronto’s Godspeed Brewery and CODA Ramen take over the taps and kitchen on Agricola Street April 23. Look for well-crafted European-inspired lagers and flavourful broths and dishes, all in a relaxing atmosphere. Reservations will be required, look to Stilly’s IG feed for details when they go live, later today.

A couple last quick mentions to inform your beer buying for the weekend!

It’s not just the weather that’s been feeling the siren call of summer, a couple of HRM-area breweries are already bringing back their summer après softball crushers.  Propeller’s Lime Lite is back, baby, and so, too, is Toller Lime from Spindrift. Both are crisp, clean, and refreshing with a touch of extra thirst quenching citrus. The former can be found at all Prop shops and online for Canada-wide delivery. The latter is available, of course, at Spindrift’s locations in Burnside and Antigonish for pints to stay and fills or cans to go. Both are available at Harvest Wines, Rockhead, and West Side, with Toller Lime also expected to be at Bishop’s Cellar. Maybe grab some of each and A/B them, or at least figure out which one will be your go-to for summer electrolyte replenishment!

Fredericton’s Half Cut Brewing has something freshly canned for your weekend pleasure. Fanny Pack is an India Session Ale, coming in at a light ‘n lovely 4.5% ABV with plenty of hop character. Only available at the brewery for now, it sounds like an ideal beer for hopheads on a sunny weekend in April.

Bootleg Brew Co in Corner Brook has a new tiny beer available in cans, and on draught soon, at their retail shop. The 2.8% ABV Near Near – Boot Lite is sometimes exactly what you’re looking for in a beer: cold, wet, and close to water.