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Moncton’s Tide & Boar Now Brewing Beer Onsite

Posted by acbbchris on 2016-10-05
Posted in: Profiles. Tagged: Tide & Boar Brewing, Tide & Boar Gastropub. Leave a Comment

now-on-tap

Since opening in 2012, Moncton’s Tide and Boar Gastropub has been combining the best of local and craft beer with thoughtful food, including their very popular Boar Poutine, along with hosting local music and events. Late last week they launched the first of their house-brewed beers, produced by one of the owners, and long-time homebrewer, Chad Steeves. We caught up with Chad to learn more about the new beers hitting the taps at T&B these days.

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and Tide and Boar?
I am one of the owners of Tide & Boar Gastropub. We have been open for five years and have been trying our best to be a home to good beer, food and live music. After home brewing for the past five years I thought it was time to offer my own beers on tap.

How did you get into the world of craft beer?
I was in a pub in the Rockies thirteen years ago, when a British friend of mine passed me a 32oz glass of Guinness; I had asked him what this glass of black was and he said by the time you get to the bottom of it you’ll be a fan. He was right, and I’ve been trying new beer, while learning as much about it as possible.

Do you have a favorite beer style, beer, or brewery you enjoy drinking?
I’m a big fan of IPAs, love the hops!

What made you decide to take the step into brewing professionally?
It’s something I have dreamed about for a long time and I finally felt I had the time to do it.

What size/manufacturer/type of system are you be brewing on? Expected output (monthly, yearly, etc)?
We are brewing on a 1 BBL (120 litre) electric system from Ruby Street,  along with seven 170 litre Blichmann conical fermentors.

Can you tell us about the beers you plan on offering?
I’m planning on selling more “series of beers”, with a lot of them being focused on different hops and malt blends. All hazy and unfiltered of course! In the Hoppy IPA vein, we started with the 5.9% ABV Centennial/Simcoe/Citra (that sold out right away), and are currently serving Apollo (which in addition to the eponymous hop, also features Amarillo, Citra, and Pacific Gem) and a Fresh Hop Pale Ale, also 5.9% ABV, featuring local Cascade and Willamette. We also currently offer a kettle sour series we’re calling Sour Otis: this sub-5% ABV beer will be infused with whatever blend of in-season fruit or berries we can get. So far we have done a Wild Raspberry Hibiscus (that’s already sold out), and on now is the Blueberry Basil; up next we have a Field Grape & Lemon Zest, with even more to come. The size of the system really means I can explore and try different ideas out. But for now, Hazy IPAs and Kettle Sours are what I have brewing in our tanks.

20161004-062

Tide & Boar Brewing’s Apollo IPA, Sour Otis (Blueberry and Basil), and Harvest Pale Ale

Will you be sending beers out to other bars/restaurants, or offering growler fills?
We do plan to send our beer to other bars and places when we can. We’re not actively pursuing this option currently, but would be happy to put a keg here or there on request. I’m going to try to not keep it all here at the Tide & Boar.

Have you had any assistance from other breweries/people in Atlantic Canada (or elsewhere)?
Every brewery we work with at the Tide & Boar has been great and very supportive: in no particular order, Grimross Brewing, Unfiltered, Beckwith Road, Garrison, Celtic Knot, Flying Boats, Bore City, to name a few…

Where do you hope to see your brewery in the next 2-3 years?
Only time will tell!

Anything else you’d like to share, we’d love pass it along.
I guess I just want to emphasize that we will continue to carry and support the craft beer scene. I have no intention of not selling other craft breweries at the Tide & Boar – I love trying new beers. Our beers will only take up 2-4 lines at a time, and we currently have 14 draft lines.

Thanks to Chad for getting us up to speed with Tide & Boar Brewing, and be sure to check what’s on tap through their Twitter, Facebook, and Untappd pages.

“Sociable! Craft Brewing in Nova Scotia” Film Premiering October 12th at Good Robot

Posted by acbbchris on 2016-09-29
Posted in: Beer Events. Tagged: Sociable!. Leave a Comment

Sociable_poster

 

Sociable! is the passion project for Helen MacGillivray and Chris Thomas, two Nova Scotian filmmakers who spent weeks and months on the road, shooting during the 2015 NS Craft Beer Week, touring the province’s breweries and meeting the people behind the beer we all enjoy. The film is now ready for release, so we caught up with Chris and Helen to learn more about them and the film.

Can you tell us a little about yourselves?
Chris: I’m a Nova Scotian. I grew up here, went to university here, and then went to Ontario for graduate school and work. I’m a medical physicist at the cancer centre here in Halifax.
Helen: I’m also Nova Scotian, grew up here and went to university and then the Screen Arts program at NSCC where I learned the art of independent filmmaking. I worked in the film industry for a while and then somehow became a cook and now I work at the hospital and do things like this film on the side.

The winners of the 2015 Race the Kegs event.

Members of the winning team during the 2015 Race the Kegs event, Boxing Rock, Gahan, Hell Bay, and Sea Level.

How did you get into local beer?
Chris: I started getting into local beer when I lived in Ontario, which further developed when I moved to Chicago for work. Once I realized that there was more to beer than the bland, tasteless stuff from the big breweries, I really became interested in drinking local and interesting beers. Once I moved back to N.S. and realized that there was a growing craft beer scene here, I started exploring the local craft beer. For me it’s about local, handmade beer and supporting local businesses.
Helen: Honestly I hated beer for the longest time, and then a filmmaking friend gifted me a case of Propeller as a thank you for screening his film in an event I organized, and I was like, hmmmm….this isn’t the swill I remember drinking when I was 16….er, I mean 19…..and it went from there. Having a culinary background gives me a huge appreciation of the tastes and complexities and sheer variety of local craft beers, and as Chris is a huge beer nerd I keep learning more and more from him.

Can you tell us about the movie?
Helen: At first we were just hoping to tell the story of the community of craft brewers in Nova Scotia, and we have, but over the year and a half we shot, it became more than that. It became a story of craft brewing itself; the struggles and rewards of opening a small, creative business in a province that’s not always easy to make a go in, of changing peoples minds about what is good, about getting s*** done in a east coast snow storm…..

This RV visited breweries across Nova Scotia, carrying the filmmakers (safely) along the way

What have been some highlights of the filming process?
Chris: Definitely the RV trip from Nyanza to Shelburne in windy, rainy weather, mid-November with an anxious dog. But also of course, the openness from everyone we met who are passionate about what they make.
Helen: Oh gosh yes, the RV trip, what an adventure. It’s so amazing to have traveled outside the hub of the city to see these rural breweries who are just thriving! As someone who grew up in the sticks, I remember a time when the smaller communities had very little in the way of choice of beers, not to mention the fact that because of that, a person would choose their beer and drink it exclusively. Now you have people driving way out of their way to get their growler filled at Big Spruce or Bad Apple or Tatamagouche. It’s awesome! But for me I think the most amazing part of the whole project was seeing the Good Robot guys through their entire process. We met them at the Craft Beer fest almost two years ago when they were still Wrought Iron and their sign was made of bristol board and sparkles, and we were there to witness many major milestones for them, right up until the one year anniversary of their opening. To see how far they’ve come, with such sheer will and hard work, is inspiring. I feel so proud of them!

The Wrought Iron Brewing Crew (now Good Robot)

The Wrought Iron Brewing Crew (now Good Robot)

Can you tell us about the premiere event?
Chris: Our friends at Good Robot Brewing are hosting our premier. They’re featured in the film as we followed them from their initial construction all the way to their opening and beyond. The premier will be at their outdoor space on October 12th, 2016 at 8:30 pm.
Helen: Yeah, as of right now (September 26th) that’s all we know, but if you know the Robots, you’re aware they know how to throw an event, so it should be awesome. We’re really proud of the film so whatever happens, we’re just happy to be able to share it with people!

Congratulations to Helen and Chris on the release of their film! You can check out some behind the scenes and interview pieces on their Facebook page. For those unable to attend the premiere, look for more ways to see the film coming soon, including more screenings across the province!

Friday Wrap-Up – News from Tatamagouche, Port Rexton, Bore City, Maybee, and more!

Posted by acbbchris on 2016-09-16
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: Battery Park, Big Spruce Brewing, Big Tide Brewing, Bogtrotter Craft Brewery, Bore City Brewing, Fredericton Cider Festival, Gahan House (Charlottetown), Gray Stone Brewing, Mama's Brew Pub, Maybee Brewing, Port Rexton Brewing Co., Railcar Brewing, Red Rover Craft Cider, Roof Hound Brewing, Tatamagouche Brewing, TrailWay Brewing, Upstreet Craft Brewing. Leave a Comment

Happy Friday everyone! Another busy week, so let’s dive right in!

• It’s been a busy few weeks at Tatamagouche Brewing, and they’re ready to share the fruits of their labour! Yesterday, they released their first kettle sour beer, brewed in collaboration/conspiracy with Big Spruce. I’m In Love is a 4.0% ABV Berliner Weisse, featuring 70kg of ground cherries added after primary fermentation was complete. The resulting beer has quite a tropical feel, with melon and cantalope notes, aided by light additions of Mandarina Bavaria and Mosaic hops (to 13 IBUs). This beer will be a draft-only release, so grab a growler at the brewery, or a pint at better watering holes in the province. And we have it on good authority that this will not be the last TataWeisse release; we’ll keep you up to date with future releases.

• Launching at TataBrew today, is the third in their Barrel Aged Belgian Golden Strong series of beers. The Blackberry and Cherry spent an extra month in its barrel, as compared to the earlier releases of the Raspberry and Strawberry and Ginger versions. As such, this release, while still clocking in at 7.8% ABV, does show more barrel (vanilla and oak) and fruit (the eponymous blackberry and cherry, but also subtle sherry) characters. As with the other two releases, there are only a dozen cases of this beer available, so be sure to drop by the brewery this weekend to avoid disappointment.

• Tata’s Lagerhosen will be back next week, just in time for next weekend’s Tatamagouche Oktoberfest. The 4.5% ABV lager will be available in cans, as well as growler fills and of course on tap. They are running a contest on Facebook for swag, tickets to Oktoberfest, and a case of beer, so be sure to check it out! And we’ve spotted a new brew in the works with Battery Park, slated to be released at Tatabrew tap-takeover there on Thursday, October 6th, where a grand total of 14 Tatabrew beers will be featured on tap, along with one cask. Keep it dialed here for the details on this West Coast-inspired beer when available!

• The Port Rexton Brewing crew have been busy lately, and will be launching a brand new beer (to both them, and to the Rock, we reckon), a Gose. This 4.0% German-inspired beer features hand-picked and freshly-cracked coriander seed from the gardens and greenhouse at nearby Fisher’s Loft Inn. And in more exciting PRB news, they made their first delivery into St John’s this week: two kegs of T-Rex Porter were delivered to The Adelaide Oyster House Wednesday evening. Expect there to be more deliveries to town when supply allows it.

• Bore City has brewed up their very first Imperial IPA – with a grist made up mainly of 2-row, there’s a decent amount of flaked grains to boost the body (and add haze), and just the tiniest amount of CaraMunich malt. Hopped and dry-hopped with heavy amounts of Equinox, Galaxy and Topaz, those of you lucky enough to try this currently-unnamed DIPA can expect big blasts of citrus and tropical fruit. Fermented with a blend of English and American ale yeasts, it weighs in at 8.5% ABV and 75 IBUs. Your best bet to try this delicious-sounding beer? Next Saturday’s (Sept 24th) Atlantic Canada Craft Brew Oktoberfest in Moncton; tickets are still available here.

• As wet-hopped-beer season continues, Maybee Brewing recently brewed their first, a SMaSH featuring all Maris Otter malt and freshly-harvested Columbus hops from Southan Farms. A hop variety that has been around for years, Columbus offers a pleasant mix of dank, earthy, and resinous aromas and flavours, which should be amped up even more when used fresh. Expect this one to come in between 5.5-6% ABV, and to hit taps in the next week or so. It will also be released in 473 mL cans, which will be available exclusively at the brewery in Fredericton.

• Florenceville-Bristol’s Railcar Brewing has a new brew available at the brewery, and another following soon. Their Biggar’s Extra Special Bitter is an English ESB brewed with 2-row, Munich, Crystal 40 L, and Chocolate malts, and hopped entirely with English Goldings. At 6.2% ABV and 47 IBUs, it’s available now for growler fills and pints. Brewed recently is a Smoked Vanilla Whisky Porter; this 9.9% ABV monster features a combination of roasted and smoked malts, as well as 8 lbs of blackstrap molasses. In addition, whisky-aged oak chips and 35 vanilla beans were added in secondary. Finally, the beer was dry-hopped with Goldings. Look for this one to become available on tap at the brewery within the next couple of weeks.

• We reported last week on TrailWay‘s first sour beer, which was kettle-soured with a Lactobacillus blend from Escarpment Labs. That beer is nearing completion, and should be available sometime next week. We can now confirm that it will be a ~5% ABV hoppy sour ale; it was “generously whirpool-hopped” with Galaxy, and further dry-hopped with Citra. With the IBUs kept extremely low (high bitterness can easily clash in sour beers), expect a quite tart beer with loads of tropical fruit on the nose and palate.

• There’s another new brew on tap at Mama’s Brew Pub, an American Wheat Ale named Atlantic Great White. Featuring a simple grist of 50% each of 2-row and Wheat malt, it was hopped with the tropical/citrus Amarillo variety. Crushed coriander was also added in the boil, followed by fresh apples and oranges in secondary. Easy-drinking at 4.9% ABV and 17 IBUs, this one is – as always – available only at the brewpub for pints and tasters.

• After several months delay, Fredericton’s Gray Stone Brewing has finally received and commissioned their 11.5 hL (10BBL) brewhouse. As such, they’ve been brewing like mad this week, with at least three batches currently on the go, including their first wet-hopped beer – American Harvest IPA – which will be brewed this coming Sunday. Bittered with freshly harvested Summit to an approximated 85 IBUs, according to the brewery, the beer is expected to come in at 6.5% ABV. They are also putting out a call for any interested parties growing hops on their property to drop them off at the brewery by closing-time on Saturday, to be used in the brew in the flavour and aroma additions. Look for the first in-house-brewed releases to come late September/early October. Congratulations!

• With the return of fall comes the inevitable return of pumpkin beers. Last year, Upstreet released their Gravedigger, which is returning with a couple of changes: this year’s batch weighs in at a slightly-lower 6.5% ABV (compared to last year’s 7.5%), and exhibits slightly less graham cracker character in the flavour. The beer will officially launch tonight with the Gravedigger Ghost Tour and Beer Release, with a Ghost Tour starting at Captain Jack’s Bar & Grill at 6pm, and ending up at Upstreet at 8pm to join the party in full swing. And big congratulations to them for winning Startup Canada’s Social Enterprise Award, recognizing them for making a difference in, and helping to build, their community.

• And in an interesting mesh where wet-hopped-beers-meet-pumpkin-ales, Big Tide has brewed up their Indian Beach Pumpkin Ale, which features additions of real pumpkin, and is wet-hopped with freshly-harvested Cascade from Dunhams Run. As always, the beer also has cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and clove added to boost the pumpkin pie presence, resulting in an interesting flavour combination for this ~5% ABV brew. They have also brewed a wet-hop version of their FogBound Hemp Pale Ale, swapping out Cascade for Dunham Run’s Hallertauer and Nugget. Look for these beers to hit the taps at the end of the month.

• Charlottetown’s Gahan House has just released the details of this year’s Home Brew Challenge. Amateur brewers from the Island are encouraged to brew up their best Winter Warmer by November 18th, when it will be judged by a panel of beer experts. The winning brewer will then get to brew her/his recipe with Gahan’s Brewmaster Trent Hayes (plus a cash prize!), and will be launched in 2017. Register via email by September 30th, and more details are available on their Facebook page.

We’ve got lots of things for you to do this weekend, including the Hops ‘n’ Brats event tonight, and Halifax Beer Run and Halifax Oktoberfest tomorrow.

• It’s a busy weekend for new Nova Scotia breweries! Trider’s Craft Beer is launching today in Amherst. Their retail location at will be open at noon for growler and merchandise sales, and again tomorrow 12-10pm. In case you missed it, check out the Profile of Trider’s we released earlier this morning.

• In Mahone Bay, Saltbox Brewing is officially opening the doors of their taproom and retail shop tomorrow, September 17 at 10 am. In addition to merchandise and growlers of their four core beers, their taproom will be open to embibe onsite. Lobster Jo’s Food Truck will be set up to keep folks happy too. Joining Saltbox on tap will be a few beers from Boxing Rock, Firkenstein, and Good Robot, plus ShipBuilders Cider. Learn more about Saltbox in an upcoming Profile post, and drop by 363 Main Street to take part in the fun!

• Continuing through Sunday is the annual Harvest Jazz & Blues Festival in Fredericton. Red Rover is opening a couple of pop-ups where they’ll be selling about six different ciders; they’ll also be accompanied by various beers from Maybee and Grimross. One will take place one the balcony of the Fredericton Region Museum today from 4pm – 12am, and the other will occur on the Isaac’s Way patio tomorrow from 12am – 2am. Cover charge is by donation, with all funds going to the Fredericton Region Museum.

• Drop by Digby’s Roofhound Brewery for Games Night this Saturday. Pitchers of RH beer are discounted by $5, and there will be some special treats available that evening. The fun kicks off at 8pm.

• The Newfoundland and Labrador Artisanal and Craft Beer Club is hosting an Oktoberfest at the Bella Vista September 30th. Featuring four German beers and digestif, and food to pair with it, this will be sure to give you a taste of the country. Learn more and register your spot with Matthew by Sept 27th.

• A reminder that the second annual Fredericton Cider Festival is in two weeks, Saturday, October 1st. Held at Brewbakers downtown, there will be unlimited 4 oz samples of more than 25 different varieties of cider, with local cideries such as Red Rover, York County, Gagetown Cider Company, and Scow being the main stars of the show. Tickets are still available ($56.50, tax included), which get you a tasting glass and samples from 1:00-3:30 pm; VIP tickets, which allow for early entry at noon, are sold out.

• Mark your calendars! Bissell Brothers and Orono Brewing Company will be taking over the taps at Stillwell the weekend of Dec 10-12. These great Maine breweries are killing it in Portland and Orono, respectively (and the rest of the state), and are bringing their great beers North for us to enjoy. Stay tuned for the exact date/time details, as well as teasers of which beers will be available.

Looks like a nice couple of days coming up for the last weekend of summer; get out there and enjoy them (with some craft beer, of course)! In closing…

– PEI Brewing Co. have brought back a pair of seasonal favourites: Harvest Time Lager and Pumpkin Beer.
– For those who like it in the can, Propeller Brewing has expanded their tinnie offering to include the Pilsener and Pale Ale, joining their popular IPA. Cans are available at both their Gottingen and Windmill locations.
– Pump House SPCA IPA is available again, with a portion of proceeds going to the Greater Moncton SPCA.
– Keep an eye out for the first kegs of Fredericton’s Bogtrotter beers in the wild: kegs of Muddy Mayhem IPA, Osprey’orange Pale Ale were delivered to Gray Stone Brewery last night, and will likely be tapped this weekend. To learn more about Bogtrotter, check our Q&A with them, and be sure to visit the James Joyce for their Meet the Maker event next weekend.