Another week, another bunch of great beer happenings in Atlantic Canada. Here’s the Friday Wrap-Up:
Picaroons Brewmaster Andrew Estabrooks is putting on a dinner tonight, at the Shadow Lawn Inn in Rothesay. Tickets are $70 (inc. tax and gratuity), available by phone or email. The menu features 5 courses, each paired with a different Picaroons beer. A great opportunity to enjoy some excellent food and beer, with tasting direction from the brewer himself.
For those of you not in Rothesay, Garrison Brewing Co.‘s Daniel Girard is taking part in a Brewmaster vs. Winemaker event tonight at the Halifax Club (1682 Hollis St, Halifax), squaring off against Avondale Sky Winemaker Ben Swetnam. Call or email the Club for tickets, pricing is $89 plus tax and tip. Both Daniel and Ben were given the menu in advance, and have chosen beer or wine that complements the five courses.
Big Spruce Brewing in Cape Breton has begun selling their beer! They have been open for a few hours each day this week, selling their Kitchen Party Pale Ale and Cereal Killer Oatmeal Stout in growlers, as well as t-shirts and glassware. They are also now on tap at the Bras d’Or Yacht Club in Baddeck, where their official release party will be taking place this Saturday at 4pm. Drop by to say hello to the folks behind Cape Breton’s only Craft Brewery. Release parties in Sydney (April 12 at Governer’s Pub) and Halifax (April 20 at Wooden Monkey Dartmouth) are also upcoming.
Propeller Brewing has announced that they will be bringing back the Prop’r Cask Nights. It is held on the last Friday of the month (the next one is April 26th), and features a special cask of their beer (previous casks have been dry-hopped or had cherries added), and pair with a local food provider. This month’s catering will be provided by Jane’s Catering (formerly of Jane’s on the Common), and is sure to be a great time. Tickets are $20 ($25 at the door, but they don’t last that long), and available at the Propeller Shop on Gottingen St.
We’re seeing lots of great things happening on Nova Scotia’s South Shore. Hell Bay Brewing is brewing at their new, bigger, location in Mill Village (beer available on tap at Lane’s and elsewhere and in bottles at Premier Wines and Spirits in Halifax) and Boxing Rock Brewery is pouring the foundation for their brewery in Shelburne. We’ll have more news and profiles from these breweries soon.
If you don’t get your fill at next weekend’s Saint John Beer Fest, tickets for the Atlantic Beer Fest in Moncton are available now. It takes place May 25th at the Moncton Coliseum, and only afternoon session tickets are still available (2:30-5pm) for $49 (inc. tax). We hope to have a beer list for that shortly.
And finally, don’t forget to get out and buy a pint, bottle or growler from your favourite local brewery or brewpub. It’s one thing to talk about beer events, but the real fun is enjoying (responsibly, of course) the fruits of labour of your friendly neighbourhood brewer. Maybe we’ll see you out on a patio soon. Cheers!