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Friday Wrap-Up – PEI Brewing Co, Rogues Roost, Big Spruce, Stillwell, Tatamagouche, Big Tide, Hammond River, Picaroons, and much more!

Posted by acbbchris on 2015-08-07
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: ANBL, Big Spruce Brewing, Big Tide Brewing, Distillerie Fils du Roy, Half Cut Brewing, Halifax Seaport Beerfest, Hammond River Brewing, Lion & Bright, PEI Brewing Co., Picaroons, Rogues Roost Brewpub, Stillwell Beer Bar, Stutz Cider, Tatamagouche Brewing, The Grand Banker, Tom's Little Havana, Unfiltered Brewing, Upstreet Craft Brewing. Leave a Comment

Happy Friday, thirsty readers! We hope everyone’s recovered from IPA Day, but fear not, there are lots of new beers and events to keep the good times rolling!

• PEI Brewing Company have a few new beers out now, or on the horizon. Right now at the brewery, they are pouring a cask of Kiwi IPA – an IPA with freshly-squeeze kiwi juice, and dry-hopped with Citra and Comet. And it was brewed by a Kiwi to boot (their Logistics Manager, Wax, is from New Zealand)! Recent casks have included Happy Hour, a keg of their Beach Chair Lager seasoned with local sea salt, tequila and lime and Peach Chair, which was their Beach Chair with peach added to the keg. Remember that these casks are one-offs, so it’s best to keep up on their Social Media to avoid disappointment. They have also announced that the next version of the Vic Park Pale Ale will be released very shortly (hopefully next week), and will feature the Mandarina Bavaria hop. And good news for fans of the Vic Park, the Citra version will be canned and available next month to wider distribution. Also coming in September will be the barrel-aged version of their ReAnimator Bock. Much like the Ice Boat released last year, the Bock has been aging in the oak barrels for a several months, and will be packaged in 750ml bottles.

• In an update to a story we mentioned a few months ago, the building that Rogues Roost and Tom’s Little Havana call home, will be coming down this fall. While Tom’s had previously found an alternate location, and will be moving in October, it was announced this week that Rogues will be closing mid-September, with the brewery gear going into storage until an alternate location is found. But it’s not all bad news, RR fans! Parent company PEI Brewing has announced that Rogues Roost IPA will be produced at the Charlottetown brewery, and will be available for wide distribution next month. Cans of the IPA will be distributed in Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick. And be sure to drop by Rogues to grab a pint of their Ruby Porter, a 5.2% ABV porter, with light bittering to 25 IBUs.

• After making a big splash in Spring, Tatamagouche Brewing’s Sunrise Trail India Session Ale is back. Weighing in at a modest 4.1% ABV, the beer packs a solid hop punch from the Azacca and Ahtanum varietals, and is perfect for the beautiful weather we’ve been having. It is available is short supply in cans at the brewery, and look for it on tap Stillwell too.

• Big Spruce Brewing has released a pair of new beers this week. The first is the return of Tip of the Spear Spruce Tip IPA. This 6.2% ABV beer is a returning favourite, brewed with Port Hawkesbury homebrewer Jason Spears. It features Black Spruce tips, and bittered to 75 IBUs. Also hitting the taps in Nyanza and Halifax is their all-Citra conspiracy with Stillwell, named Gimme Citra Pale Ale. Weighing in at around 5% ABV, the bitterness on the beer is fairly low but the aroma and flavour are high, as the majority of the hops were added post-boil (during whirlpool, fermentation and conditioning), to preserve the temperature-sensitive oils until they hit your glass. The beer will only be available at the brewery and at Stillwell, both on Barrington and at the Beergarden. And be sure to drop by the brewery today for Mussels Friday, starting at 11:30, for mussels simmered in beer, along with local scallions and garlic scapes, with pita chips and black bean dip. Live music will start at 3:30pm.

• Big Tide Brewing and Hammond River Brewing’s collaboration, Rhubarbic Saison is out now. The 7.1% ABV Saison consisted of primarily Pilsner and Wheat malts, and was lightly hopped to 27 IBUs with Hallertau. They also added more than 30 kg of fresh rhubard to the boil, primary fermentation, and during conditioning for a big rhubarb aroma and taste. The beer is available on tap (and in growlers) at Big Tide, and will also be available at The Barrel’s Head, Bourbon Quarter, Britt’s Pub & Eatery, and Saint John Ale House soon. And, happy sixth anniversary to Big Tide! Their Anniversary Amber Ale, using six types of malts and six varietals of hops, with an ABV of about 6%, will be out very soon.

• Unfiltered Brewing’s Pubkegs are now in the wild! Grab a pint of their Hoppy Fingers APA, Exile on North Street IPA, and Twelve Years to Zion DIPA at Agricola Street Brasserie, PRIMAL Kitchen, Roy’s Lounge at Westin Nova Scotian, The Stubborn Goat, and Tom’s Little Havana, and is also in the rotation at the Bishop’s Cellar growler filling station. And keep your eyes open for Unfiltered’s first seasonal, coming mid next week.

• Fredericton’s Picaroons is having a busy weekend! Yesterday, in celebration of IPA Day, they had three different versions of their Yippee IPA on at the Brewtique (and there may be a bit of each left to try today). They were each dry-hopped with a pair of different hops: Cascade & Tettnang, Saaz & Fuggles, and Amarillo & Rakau. Out today is Pride Sally Pride Apricot Ale. This 4.5% Pale Ale was brewed in collaboration with the Fredericton Pride Week. The Pride Week events kick off today with a flag raising at city hall at noon, and a festival (featuring a beer garden) at Officer’s Square Sunday at noon, and parade at 1pm.

• Picaroons is also taking advantage of being in Halifax for the Seaport Beerfest, and will be taking over the taps at Lion & Bright Saturday evening. They will be pouring their Blonde, Dooryard, Dark and Stormy Night, ESB-231, Melonhead, Simeon Jones, and Yippee IPA. New brewery Half Cut Brewing (who brew at their Queen Street Brewtique location) will also be available, pouring their Alter Ego Altbier. The taps will switch over at 6pm, and the Pics crew will be coming by after the Beerfest around 10pm to join in the fun, as well as DJ Jules Bangsworth, starting at 10pm. There is no cover for the event, pay as you go.

• Stutz Cider has released a new product, Blueberry Cider. Using of juice from 7 varietals of NS apples and 100% wild NS blueberries, this special blend comes in at 6.5% ABV. As the juice used was 1/3 blueberry, 2/3 apples, the fresh blueberry flavour shines through nicely, with crisp apple character in the background. It will be available next week at the NSLC, in 750 ml bottles.

• Distillerie Fils du Roy has released their summer seasonal beer, La Messe Blanche. A 7% ABV Weizenbock, it features strong phenolic (pepper and clove) and banana aromas from the yeast, as well as wheat and yeast character in the flavour. This unfiltered beer features the characteristic cloudiness of this style, thanks to the wheat-derived proteins (also aiding in the thick, fluffy head), and low-flocculating yeast. Bottles are available at the Petit-Pacquetville brewery now, and will be available in select ANBL locations shortly.

• Speaking of the ANBL, in a press release out earlier this week, President Brain Harriman confirmed that their Growler Program has been a great success, with over 80,000 litres of beer flowing through the four locations. The program is “here to stay”, and they are looking to expand it to a few more locations, dependent on retail space and craft beer sales. All of the local breweries we’ve spoken with have been very happy with the results and are looking forward to the expanded reach. This week’s list of offerings has not been released, as it is being dubbed a “Wildcard Week”, with many different beers available throughout the week at each location. Best to call your local store to find out what’s pouring at the time.

• Upstreet has released their White Noize, a 7% ABV Wheat IPA (hoppy American Wheat Ale), hopped to 70 IBUs with Centennial, Cascade, Chinook, and Columbus. Drop by for their Quittin’ Time Sessions today at 6pm for beer, music from a new, all-female trio named Aster, and food from their friends at Hush Puppies, including a limited number of andouille corn dogs, made with Upstreet beer. And drop by on Sunday for the Weekend Wrap-Up, featuring music concerts on the big screen and community board games in full effect.

• The Grand Banker in Lunenburg has come up with a unique way to serve their beers in-house. They had not been selling pitchers of beer previously, but now have the option to purchase a 1.89l growler or 0.95l grunter of beer to drink and share (or not) in the restaurant. These are for in-house enjoyment only, though the empty growlers are for sale as souvenirs. Drop by today to grab one, or try a sampler of their expanded craft beer offerings.

• A reminder that the Seaport Beerfest starts today, with a 7-9:30pm session, and 2-4:30pm & 7-9:30pm sessions tomorrow. While VIP tickets are sold out, there are still general entry tickets available. With several out-of-provinces visiting, look for upcoming collaborations brews to celebrate. Today, the folks from Toronto’s Great Lakes Brewery and Waterford, Ireland’s, Metalman brewing dropped by Garrison to brew up something special.

In sad local brewery news, Hugh Campbell from Bar None passed away earlier this week. We had the opportunity to visit with him in his library above the brewery, and he was always quick with a smile and story, and full of life and love for PEI. Our sincere condolences to the Campbell family. We raise a pint in honour of Hugh today.

Friday Wrap-Up – News from Half Cut Brewing, Hammond River, Big Tide, TrailWay, King Street Ale House, Flying Boats and much more!

Posted by acbbchris on 2015-07-24
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: Big Tide Brewing, Brasseurs du Petit Sault, Flying Boats Brewing, Half Cut Brewing, Hammond River Brewing, James Joyce Irish Pub, King Street Ale House, Picaroons, Railcar Brewing, Savoie's Brewhouse, Stillwell Beer Bar, TrailWay Brewing. 3 comments

Happy Friday folks! We’ve got lots of new beers (and a couple of breweries!) to keep you satisfied today.

• Fredericton beer lovers were alerted this morning to yet another new brewery in their city… and it’s open now! Half Cut Brewing is owned by Matt Corey, an employee at Picaroons; Matt will be brewing his first beers on the 7 BBL system at the Brewtique on Queen St. This isn’t the first time that Picaroons have lent their space and equipment to a new brewery – Grimross initially had their start there when they first opened two years ago. Half Cut has released their first beer this morning for growler fills at the Brewtique – Alter Ego is a 5% ABV Düsseldorf Altbier, a copper-coloured German ale/lager hybrid that features clean and malty flavours, and is balanced by a firm bitterness (47 IBUs). Head down to the Brewtique ASAP to give this new beer a try! In the meantime, we’ll have more info on Half Cut in the near future.

• Hammond River owner/brewer Shane Steeves was at the Big Tide brewpub last Saturday with brewmaster Wendy Papadopoulos for their first collaboration beer! They decided to focus on both a style and ingredient that neither of them had brewed/used before, and settled on a “Rhubarb Saison”. With a fairly simple grist of Pilsner and Wheat malt, plus a little Munich and Crystal 60 L, it was hopped lightly with Hallertau to about 28 IBUs. Seventy pounds of locally-sourced rhubarb was added to the beer in several stages – the boil, during primary fermentation, and when fermentation is complete – which should provide significant tartness to the finished product. Fermented with a dry Saison yeast, expect this Belgian ale to weigh in at around 6% ABV; it should be available on tap at Big Tide within a couple of weeks, and will hopefully pop up at several of Hammond River’s accounts as well!

• TrailWay has added another fruit beer to their summer line-up: Mango Wheat features the same grist as their popular Raspberry Wheat, with real mangoes – 10 lbs worth – added during secondary fermentation. Also hopped with notoriously-tropical varieties Citra and Galaxy (including more Citra in the dry-hop), expect this easy-drinking, 4.5% ABV beer to be perfectly-fruity for summer (even if the weather hasn’t felt like it, lately). It’s available on tap now throughout Fredericton.

• Last night, TrailWay also took part in the recent return of the weekly Thursday Cask Night at the King Street Ale House. Along with two casks of their IPA, Hugh John Hops (one infused with bourbon-soaked oak chips, the other dry-hopped a second time, with Comet), they released… another new beer! Summer Amber is on the lighter side of Amber-coloured, with a grist of 2-row, Munich, Crystal, CaraRed, and a hint of Chocolate malt. Hopped heavily with Centennial (and smaller amounts of Amarillo and Mosaic), it’s easy-drinking at 5% ABV, with a moderate bitterness in the finish.

• Ahead of their participation in the Halifax Seaport Beer Festival August 7-8, the fine folks from Toronto’s Great Lakes Brewery will be taking over the taps at both the Stillwell Beergarden and Barrington St mothership on Thursday, August 6th. Starting at 4pm, a fine selection of GLB beers will be pouring on the waterfront, taking over all of the Beergarden’s lines, with some special sausages and dogs to accompany them. Just one keg of each beer will be on, so once it’s gone, it’s gone! Entry tickets are $5+fees. And then, starting at 6pm, Barrington Street will be pouring a dozen of Brewmaster Mike Lackey’s favourite brews, which will be sure to include some rare-for-even-Toronto GLB brews, perhaps from their mixed fermentation, barrel-aged and other small-batch beers. And Lackey himself will be on hand to meet and greet. Tickets for entry to this event are also $5+fees, and after 8pm, the doors will be open to all (assuming there’s anything left). Tickets are available online now, and are sure to sell out soon!

• Flying Boats Brewing hasn’t been open very long, but that’s not stopping them from experimenting with new beers! First up is Dome Car, a Bohemian or Czech Pilsner that is brewed with plenty of the noble Saaz hop variety, providing lots of its characteristic spicy flavours and aromas. It registers at 36 IBUs and 5% ABV, and is currently on tap at Shediac’s Auberge Gabriele Inn. Owner/brewer Marc Melanson also brewed up a special beer for a special event (mentioned directly below): S-55 Special Mission Dark Pale Ale.  Featuring a “rich blend of malted and caramel-based barleys”, the beer is heavily-hopped (and dry-hopped) with Cascade to balance the sweetness from the malts. Named after an aviation feat that took place in Shediac in 1933 (more on that here), it comes in at 37 IBUs and 5.6% ABV.

• In celebration of the upcoming New Brunswick Day long weekend, Fredericton’s James Joyce Pub is pulling out all the stops and dedicating their 18 taps to all 18 breweries in the province. This will mark the first time that every brewery in New Brunswick is available on tap at the same time! Beers from the recently-opened Flying Boats Brewing (including the new brew mentioned above) and Savoie’s Brewhouse will join the line-up, as well as the recent Acadie-Broue/Big Tide collaboration La Gaboteuse, a Belgian IPA. Acadie-Broue will also have a tap for their Hefeweizen, Valdrague Weizen (more on that beer here). The kegs will be tapped at 3 pm on Friday, July 31st, and will continue flowing all weekend until they’re gone. Many of these beers will go quickly, so don’t wait to drop in! This feat likely won’t be accomplished again for quite some time!

• Speaking of Savoie’s Brewhouse, their listing at the ANBL has gone live today, which means this weekend should be the time to pick up their Chaleur Phantom Amber Ale (and their Island Lake Blonde shortly). They will also be participating (along with Charlo neighbours Shiretown Beer) in the Bon Ami Flavour Fest taking place at 7pm July 25th at the Lion’s Club on Adelaide in Dalhousie. Tickets are $35, and include beer, cider, and wine tasting, and finger food until 10pm, when the live music and dancing take over the hall floor.

• Petit-Sault has released Lt. Ingall – Summer Edition, a new take on Lt. Ingall, their “Session Pale Ale”. While the original was brewed entirely with malt from Quebec’s MaltBroue, the new beer features both Canadian 2-row and Munich malt for “more of a smooth maltiness”, according to the brewery. The hop schedule has also been changed, with Chinook and Centennial taking the stage. It’s still a very-sessionable 4.6% ABV; currently available at the brewery, it should also be joining the line-up at the ANBL Growler Stations in the near future. And be sure to drop by their Beer Garden at 45 rue de l’Eglise July 30-Aug 1, for some pre-Foire Brayonne fun.

• Railcar Brewing in Florenceville has a new beer out this week, Celtic Red Ale. This malt-forward 6.2% ABV Red features four different malts in the grain bill, with bittering from Fuggle and Golding from local Southan Farm to 17 IBUs for balance. Railcar has also given us some details on a new beer they’ve brewed especially for their local Festival of Flavour, being held Aug 9-15. Their Sweet Potato Porter features Pale, Munich, Caramel, Carapils and Chocolate malts, along with 8 kg of sweet potatoes in the mash tun. Magnum hops were used both in a first-wort hop and in the boil to balance the malt, and an addition of star anise and cinnamon spices was added to the boil. This 8.2% ABV beer will be available at the brewery beginning August 11, and at the Festival of Flavour Grand Tasting, Aug 15 at 6:30pm. Tickets for the Grand Tasting are $35, and available now. And join Railcar’s owner/brewer Mitch Biggar in a tasting of Maritime Craft Beer on Aug 12, complete with a tour of his brewery. Finally, keep your eyes peeled for Railcar’s debut on the ANBL growler program next week, with their Grapefruit Pale Ale on tap at the Fredericton ANBL.

Let’s hope the weather improves over the weekend! Grimross’ Table Oat Saison is now available. Brewed with 100% Oats, this beer is suitable for gluten-conscious drinkers, as oats themselves contain no gluten, but they were not processed in a gluten-free facility, so those with celiac disease should be aware of that. Look for more details on the brew here. PEI Brewing’s latest Vic Park Pale Ale single-hop variant is out, this time using the Australian Galaxy hop. Big Spruce was visited by home brewer Jason Spears to brew up this year’s batch of Tip of the Spear Spruce Tip IPA, look for it to hit the taps mid-August. And drop by today for oysters (until 6:30pm) and music from Keith Mullins (starting at 3:30pm) during their Food, Music, and Beer Friday. Drop by Halifax’s Good Robot for a growler fill of their core lineup this weekend, and you can also grab a taste of some pilot brews that may be released in the coming months. Look for a Lichtenhainer (a sour and smoky low alcohol German style) and Kentucky Common (a pre-Prohibition malt and corn beer from Kentucky). Bishop’s Cellar has received a new shipment from several breweries that is hitting the shelves today, including a handful from Evil Twin, as well as a Summer Wheat from Anchor Brewing, cider from Brickworks Ciderhouse, and a collaboration between Le Trou du Diable & Dieu du Ciel!. A reminder that they take internet orders and deliveries across the province for those who cannot make it into their Halifax shop. Sign up to their Behind the Taps mailing list for the latest details. And Chris will be doing something a little different next weekend, visiting a few Maine beer sites and events, including a Brews & Views Beer Pairing Dinner at Stratton Brook Hut near Kingfield, Maine, and going for a bit of a beer and raft adventure on the Kennebec River, at The Forks, Maine. Keep an eye open for additional info next week.

A Profile of Breton Brewing, Now Open in Sydney, N.S.

Posted by acbbchris on 2015-07-16
Posted in: Profiles. Tagged: Breton Brewing. Leave a Comment

breton logo

Breton Brewing is now open at 364 Keltic Drive in Sydney, NS. The brewery is the culmination of years of passion, planning, and preparation by homebrewers Bryan MacDonald and Andrew Morrow, both from Cape Breton. Ahead of their launch party this weekend, we wanted to share the story behind Breton Brewing, from their perspective. Both Andrew and Bryan were kind enough to respond to our questions.

ACBB: Can you tell us a little bit about yourselves?
Bryan MacDonald: I was born and raised in Cape Breton. I graduated with Mechanical Engineering at Dalhousie in 2007, and spent 6 years in the HVAC industry doing mechanical building design. I am married and have a 16 month old son who is currently in training to be a brewer.
Andrew Morrow: I was born and raised in Sydney, NS. I graduated in 2006 from CBU with a Science degree and then from UPEI in 2009 with a Bachelor Education degree. I have been working for the Cape Breton Victoria Regional School Board and Community Services of Nova Scotia since 2009. I am married to my wife Jen and have a 13 month old boy Bennett.

How did you get into the world of craft beer?
Andrew: My first experience with craft beer was in PEI at the Gahan House. They opened my eyes to what the world of craft beer was all about. Since then I’ve been using my educational background to help study the art and science of the brewing industry. I am still a huge fan of the PEI Brewing Company and visit whenever I get the chance to get back to PEI.
Bryan: I think my first taste of craft beer was at Rogues Roost and Ginger’s Tavern in my university days. I have since done a fair amount of traveling and have gone to as many breweries and brewpubs as possible. I love the variety of craft beer, and am excited to now be able to share my passion for craft beer with Nova Scotia.

breton sign and tanks

Do you guys have a favorite beer style, beer, or brewery?
Bryan: I love all styles, but probably love IPAs the most. I had a chance to travel to Belgium and enjoyed all of the Abbey style ales. I love the taste of a bottle conditioned beer. My favorite two breweries that I visited were both over seas: Brouwerij ‘t ij in Amsterdam, and Brasserie Cantillon in Brussels. I loved the atmosphere at “The Egg” brewery and the rustic process at Cantillon… just awesome.
Andrew: I am a big fan of dark beer. Porters, Browns, Stouts, all peak my interest. There is a depth of complexity to these styles that excites my palate. Having said that, the beer that actually started my love of craft beer was Sir John A’s Honey Wheat Ale from the PEI Brewing Company.

Can you share a bit about your homebrewing backgrounds?
Andrew: In 2009 I made my first batch of beer through the extract method. I was hooked and I knew I wanted more. I immediately gathered enough equipment to all grain brew my second batch. The authenticity of all grain brewing was so intriguing that it led me to where I am today .
Bryan: My wife got me my first homebrew kit for Christmas back in 2008, and I have been hooked ever since. I have read every book I can get my hands on, and brewed countless batches out in the driveway. I also put in about three semesters of listening on the Brewing Network, haha.

Do you have a specific ingredient in brewing that you like to brew with?
Bryan: I think my favourite ingredient to use is the Weihenstephaner W3068 Yeast. This is one of my favourite styles of beer (Hefeweizen), and it is amazing the flavours and aromas that come from this yeast.
Andrew: I am a big fan of adding adjuncts to beer. I’ve been experimenting for as long as I can remember and have produced some great beers using adjuncts. I’m also a fan of Aromatic Malt and any type of citrusy hops.

What made you decide to take the step into brewing professionally?
Andrew: I’ve always wanted to be on the business side of things and think I am well suited for that. Along with my science background, passion for brewing and the craft beer market now, it was the perfect fit.
Bryan: I have always had the itch to be entrepreneurial, and I want to do what I love every day, so it is a perfect match. It wasn’t easy taking the leap from my professional job, but my family and friends have been very supportive, and the craft beer scene is still on the rise, so the timing is right.

breton guys and brewhouse

What size/manufacturer/type of system will you be brewing on?
We currently have a 15 BBL steam fired system from Criveller Group, out of Niagara Falls. We love the flexibility that this system offers, and are very pleased with our results so far. We are excited about the products we are producing with this system.

What are your plans for distribution? Plans for tap accounts, bottles, growlers, etc.?
Our current plan is to distribute to restaurants, bars, distilleries, and golf courses throughout Nova Scotia, and to sell growlers and pints out of our Brewery. We also just started attending the Ross Ferry Farmers Market with our growlers, and plan to offer our kegs to growler fill stations in Halifax. We eventually plan to do some bottling and canning down the road, but initially are selling 20L and 50L kegs, and 64oz and 32oz growlers.

Where can we purchase your beers currently?
We are currently on tap at many restaurants across the province:
Sydney – Flavor on the Water, Governor’s, Old Triangle
Glace Bay – Talo
Iona – Frolic Pub
Glenville – Glenora Distillery
Antigonish – The Townhouse
Halifax – Bar Stillwell & the Beergarden, The Stubborn Goat, The Argyle, Tom’s Little Havana
We also have several seasonal Cape Breton locations that will be serving our beer later this summer.

Can you tell us about the beer you are currently pouring?

We have three flagship beers:
Sons of Hector Brown Ale
Black Angus IPA
Stirling Hefeweizen

breton coasters

Have you had any assistance from other breweries/people in Atlantic Canada (or elsewhere)?
Yes, all of the NS breweries have been helpful, and we have had many questions over the past few months. The craft beer community is awesome, and we are glad to be part of it!

Where do you hope to see Breton Brewing in the next 2-3 years?
We will continue focusing on producing high quality products, and will likely have several seasonal beers by this point. We hope to be canning and bottling by this point as well.

Big thanks to Andrew and Bryan for answering our questions. Be sure to drop by the brewery, or one of their licensees to grab a growler or pint of their beers. And there are still tickets available for their Launch Party at Flavor on the Water, featuring local musicians, great food, and of course their beer.