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Good Robot Brewing Company, Opening this Weekend in Halifax

Posted by acbbchris on 2015-05-07
Posted in: Profiles. Tagged: Good Robot Brewing. Leave a Comment

Good Robot Logo - Black Text

Good Robot Brewing Company will be launching this weekend at 2736 Robie Street in Halifax. Angus Campbell, Doug Kehoe and Josh Council are the President, Head Brewer, and Marketing Director, respectively, on paper, but their jobs are certainly more than that! Think trench digger, grain hauler, spirit animal, and so much more. Josh was kind enough to answer a few questions about the guys, the brewery and everything else.

ACBB: Can you tell us about how the Good Robot Crew came together?

Good Robot started with late-night college dorm room chats, the kinda chats buzzed teenagers have while looking at the stars on a wasted summer night. Were we really going to pursue engineering, or were we going to sail a party yacht from Bonaire to Ibiza? Throughout college, we threw parties for a crowd of misfits decidedly different from that of the typical social cliques. We brewed together – disastrously – but our passion for craft beer really took off as Angus, Doug and Josh parted ways and entered the corporate world. To escape the monotony of our white-collar environments, we sought sanctuary in the pubs, dives and comedy clubs where craft beer abounded and misfits roamed. Independently, we became obsessed with craft beer until one day, we finally realized what we needed to do. Good times introduced us. Great beer brought us back together.

What brought you to Halifax?

Angus hails from Whycocomagh and as Maritimers can appreciate, nowhere else quite feels right. Doug has always remained close to his home of Perth, Ontario, preferring the laid back rural lifestyle and community spirit of small towns. After college, Doug visited Angus in Halifax on several occasions and fell in love with its charm. Angus and Doug promised Josh that Halifax bolstered an eccentric personality reminiscent of the big seaboard cities, like Seattle and New York, in which he did business. Halifax’s small-town love with big-city amenities was a natural fit for all three.

Can you tell us about the brewhouse (manufacturer, size, etc)?

DME supplied our 10-bbl brewhouse complete with 120-bbl fermentation capacity (2x 30 bbl and 3x 20 bbl) and one 30-bbl bright tank. We do not filter our beers.

Good Robot - PANO

What beers will you be serving at launch?

We are launching four beers to start: Tom Waits for No One Stout, Goseface Killah Gose, Burban Legend Citrus APA, and Crown on the Ground Steam. Details on each can be found on our website.

Are these flagship beers, or will they be rotating seasonals?

We have been playing with the idea of evolving flagships, almost like software releases. The launch beers are all version 1.0. A future iteration of the Gose, for example, may include rhubarb extract and be updated to version 1.1. Like any living thing, we expect our brewery to grow and adapt with our palates and those of the market. Of course, if one particular release has people drowning in their own saliva, we could bring it back. We also expect to release new seasonals when we’re itching for something fresh.

Can you talk about Good Robot using Clarityferm in the beer?

Of course! We have several friends who have been diagnosed with gluten allergies. We pitied their inability to partake in our fun. We didn’t care for the beers made without cereal adjuncts and began researching Clarityferm as a potential solution. We applied it to several homebrews, performed in-house testing, and served them to our gluten-sensitive friends with great success. Our party posse has always been inclusive. We felt our beers should be likewise.

How can folks enjoy your beer: on tap around the city, and growler fills?

Our beer is best served with good times, whatever that may be. We have several confirmed tap accounts – Stillwell, The Stubborn Goat, The Wooden Monkey Halifax, The Brooklyn Warehouse, 2 Doors Down, The Auction House – with more on the way. Growlers and grunters are to be served at our retail space, and we are slated to open our taproom in late summer, including a dirty driveway space which will eventually evolve into a beautiful beer garden.

Can you tell me a bit about the tasting room plans and progress?

Our tasting room will reflect the house we lived in together during college: eccentric, childish, surreal, nonjudgmental, and above all, fun. We have special events planned that may not reflect a typical craft brewery environment. Hell, they may not reflect any typical environment. We plan to release one-offs at the taproom and maybe host special taps for homebrewers and other breweries we love. Ultimately, we’re beer lovers and want to showcase a variety of styles that we may not be brewing ourselves. Demolition begins this month with opening slated for late summer.

Have you had any assistance from other industry folks in getting started?

Boat-loads! There are few people who haven’t helped, which is part of the reason this industry is just the best. Jeremy from Big Spruce, Don from BarNone and Gary from Muskoka Brewery all deserve special praise for their extra efforts with brewing, commissioning and planning. Lorne, formerly of Rogues Roost, is in nearly every week offering tips and breaking our balls. The Brewnosers are always offering something interesting up at their meetings. Plus, of course, the myriad bars, restaurants, media and other brewers that have made working such a pleasure. There are too many to thank, plus my wrists hurt from typing. Which reminds me, we’d also like to thank our osteopath.

Where do you hope to see Good Robot in the next 5 years?

We love the direction craft beer is going in the States: a small brewery in every neighbourhood (or in the case of the North End, several breweries in every neighbourhood). When we drive to Port Hawkesbury, we don’t want the same beer we can get in Halifax. We want our beers to be ever-evolving, our knowledge ever-growing. The beer should reflect its locale. When weirdos and misfits come to Halifax, they know where to find us. And if we do expand our borders, we want our beer in another location to be wildly different from what we serve here.

Do you guys have a favorite beer, or style, or brewery you reach into the fridge for?

For a long time, we tried to consolidate our thoughts into a singular beer brand direction. This proved difficult since we all became obsessed with craft beer in different locales. Angus’ assertive personality and tour in Fort Mac made him a target for the hop-forward west coast IPAs, especially Mission’s Shipwrecked and Lagunitas’ Maximum. Doug’s well-balanced lifestyle and job locale on the border of Quebec and Ontario drove him to Beau’s Lug-Tread and Bog Water. Josh’s stint in Seattle and affinity for dark, yet sweet, people led to an obsession with rich stouts, including especially Deschutes’ Obsidian, Elysian’s Split Shot Espresso and 21st Amendment’s Marooned on Hog Island. We’re thrilled to be in Nova Scotia among so many styles that weren’t as prevalent out west, and we always make time for the beer that made so many memories for us: the 2012 GABF Gold Winner for American-Style Lager, Pabst Blue Ribbon.

Can you tell me about your brewing history and training? Did you start out as homebrewers?

All three of us have homebrewing history. Angus started out with his dad at an age that our counsel has advised us not to disclose and brought that knowledge to college where Doug and Josh joined in the fun. The three pursued continued to pursue homebrewing after college, with Doug and Angus splitting on a Sabco Brew-Magic system to up their game. Doug dove further into the technical side with the Siebel Institute Concise Course in Brewing Technology, classic brewing books, and myriad magazine subscriptions, and later gained commercial brewing experience with Jeremy White at Big Spruce and Lorne Romano, formerly of Rogues, upon moving to Nova Scotia.

Do you have a favourite ingredient that you like to use (ie, specific hop or malt)?

Doug gets heartburn from beers that are high in alpha acids. He has always been a malt guy, and is also increasingly a yeast buff. His favourite malt is amber. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and the toastiness imparted by amber malts makes him smile.

Anything else you want to be sure our readers know?

Beer isn’t exclusive – it brings us together. Beer isn’t pretentious – it’s fun. Beer helps us laugh and dance and joke the way social stimulants should. So enjoy yourself. It’s beer.

 

We want to wish Josh, Doug and Angus all of the best with their launch this weekend. NS Craft Beer Week’s Open Brewery Day on Saturday will be their coming out party, with beer, food and fun starting at 10am. Follow their adventures on their website, where Josh has been documenting the planning, construction, name change(!), and final opening details on his blog. Check them out on Twitter and Facebook too. Cheers!

Friday Wrap-Up – News from TrailWay, Grimross, YellowBelly, Boxing Rock, Big Spruce and more!

Posted by acbbchris on 2015-05-01
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: 540 Kitchen & Bar, Authentic Seacoast Brewing, Boxing Rock Brewing, Grimross Brewing, Hell Bay Brewing, King Street Ale House, NS Craft Beer Week, Paddys Irish Brewpub, Sea Level Brewing, TrailWay Brewing, YellowBelly Brewery. 1 comment

Happy Friday! Looks like some of these rotten weather may be coming to an end; what better way to celebrate than by reading about local beer?

• TrailWay‘s newest beer, Sensible Nonsense, will be available this weekend in Fredericton. A collaboration DIPA brewed with two local homebrewers (for more information, check out our post from earlier in April), it should be hitting taps sometime this weekend throughout the city. As well, they’re tapping two casks of the beer at the King Street Ale House today sometime around 5 pm; the first has had some Bourbon-soaked Spanish cedar added, while the second had an additional dry-hop of Mosaic and Centennial. The last casks of TrailWay at KSAH didn’t last long at all, so get there early to give them a try!

• That’s not all for new beers from TrailWay… they’re releasing two more this weekend as well, and both are brewed with warmer temperatures in mind! The first is a Raspberry Wheat Ale; lightly hopped to around 20 IBUs, and easy-drinking at 4.5% ABV, it was brewed with 10 lbs of raspberries added after primary fermentation. With “some big raspberry aroma and flavour, with some wheat that comes through, especially in the aftertaste”, expect a dry, crisp, and refreshing beer. It will be making its debut at the Wine Tasting Event for Hailey’s Dreams today at 6:30 pm (check out the link for details and tickets); it should also be available on tap at the KSAH sometime this weekend. The other brew is a new APA named D’under Pale Ale. Brewed without any Crystal malt – to keep the beer light-coloured and dry – it was hopped entirely with Galaxy, an Australian variety that is well-known for its fruity, citrusy characteristics. It should come in at about 40 IBUs and 5.4% ABV; look for it on tap this weekend at 540 Kitchen & Bar. Expect further iterations of this beer to be hopped with other Australian and New Zealand varieties!

• Elsewhere in Fredericton, Grimross Brewing has just brewed up a new beer they’re calling a “Maritime Pale Ale”, which they describe as a hybrid between an English Pale Ale and an American Pale Ale. Featuring a grist with equal parts Pale Ale and Pilsner malts, along with Vienna, Medium Munich, CaraRed and Wheat to give it a light-copper colour. It was then hopped with a mixture of English (Willamette and East Kent Goldings) and American (Centennial and Amarillo) varieties to 38 IBUs (with most of those IBUs coming from later additions in the boil, meaning more hop flavour and aroma). The beer will also be dry-hopped following primary fermentation. Fermented with a neutral American yeast strain, expect this beer to come in at about 5.6% ABV. This one should be ready in around 2 weeks; we’ll be sure to keep you updated on its release!

• There’s a new beer on tap at the YellowBelly brewpub in St. John’s, a Saison named Field Assistant. Brewed in celebration of the Canadian Archaeological Association‘s conference in the city this week, the grist is made up of Pilsner and Honey malt, and the beer was hopped (including a dry-hop addition) entirely with Saphir. It was fermented quite warm (reaching temps as high as 90 F) with a blend of Belgian Saison yeast strains; after primary fermentation, it spent over two months in secondary. Less dry than most beers in this style (due to the addition of the Honey malt), it’s still balanced and easily-drinkable (at 6% ABV), with lots of characteristic spiciness and fruitiness, according to brewmaster Liam McKenna. The beer should also be available in bottles at the brewery this weekend.

• In coordination with the CAA meeting, there will be a free public lecture Saturday, May 2nd, from 1-2:30pm at the Sheraton Hotel Newfoundland (Fort William Ballroom, Salon B), Archaeology and History of Beer. Visiting biomolecular archaeologist Patrick McGovern will be kicking off the event by giving a lecture on the the composition and reconstruction of ancient brewing techniques and recipes. Yellowbelly Brewmaster Liam McKenna will be speaking about the cultural importance of beer, and its historic development. Stephen Mills, a St. John’s-based consulting archaeologist, will discuss the archaeology of drinking and taverns in 17th century Newfoundland. A discussion and Q&A session will follow. Tickets may still be available for Saturday evening’s Ancient Ales tasting, contact Tom Beckett for details.

• Boxing Rock has re-released last year’s Sessionista, with some minor tweaks and improvements! While last year’s beer was in the English Bitter style, this time around it’s a “better, bolder, and hoppier” brew that the brewery likes to refer to as a “Fractional IPA”. With a slightly higher ABV at 4%, it’s still highly sessionable and malty, but with a big nose of floral hops (“lemon blossom, orange, and tropical fruit”, according to the brewery). Exhibiting flavours of biscuit, roasty caramel and toasted bread”, with a “tropical, fruity hop middle”, it’s meant to be enjoyed again and again. Look for it on tap at the brewery and select bars/restaurants in our area; it’s also available in 650 mL bottles in many NSLC stores. It should be around until mid-June, when Boxing Rock’s next seasonal will hit the streets!

• Big Spruce has released their latest seasonal this week, She’s Maibock. This twist on the traditional German style features the zest of 40 lemons in both the boil and conditioning tank, for a blast of citrus aroma. Brewed in March, it has been lagering for a month until its release. Weighing in at 6.1% ABV, and 30 IBUs from Magnum in the first wort, Big Spruce-grown Galena for bittering and Challenger for flavour/aroma. Look for it on tap for growlers at the brewery now, and in widespread distribution throughout NS Craft Beer Week.

• Not to be left out, Sea Level also has a brand new beer available on tap. Acadian Cross Extra Pale Ale is an unfiltered pale ale, clocking in at 5.5% ABV. It was brewed to commemorate the 260th Anniversary of the Expulsion of the Acadians, and named after the Deportation Cross erected in 1924, in Grand Pre. It was brewed with Maritime Malt, and fermented with a neutral American ale yeast. It was bittered with Apollo, with two dry hop additions in the fermentor, and one more addition in the serving tank. It is on tap now at the Port Pub, and for keg sales at the brewery, and will be available soon for growler fills and cans.

• Staying in the Annapolis Valley, Paddys Irish Brewpub has two new beers on tap at their Wolfville and Kentville locations. Their Vienna Lager is a North American interpretation of this Amber-cloured German style. It features a citrusy hop aroma and flavour that complement the complexity of the European malt bill. The beer is 5.1% ABV, and has 17 IBUs. They have also released Citra IPA, a 6.2% ABV beer featuring Citra hops throughout for a grapefruit flavour and aroma, and signifcant 50 IBUs. Grab a pint of each at the bar, or a growler to go!

• Hell Bay Brewing has been busy in Liverpool! They have released another batch of their Dark Cream Ale, and it is available for purchase at NSLC locations across the province. The tail end of their 5% traditional Dry Irish Stout is available for growler fills at Harvest Wines in Dartmouth.  And they are looking to release another version of their R.I.P.A. IPA in a couple of weeks, with another tweak on the hops used in the brew.

• Details of the different events are still pouring in for next week’s kickoff for NS Craft Beer Week. Events are being updated on the official page, and we have created a Calendar that you can add to Google Calendar, Outlook or iCal. The events are geolocated, so you can plan your week that way, as well. Please let us know if there are any events that we’re missing! Look for more NSCBW details next week, as we share our guide to the events are beers. Tickets are still available for many of the events, including Signature events like the Beer & Beethoven kick-off, Science of Beer on the 14th, and the Brewers’ Brunch on the 17th. There are several collaboration brews that will be released that week, including a three-way conspiracy between Big Spruce, Propeller and Tatamagouche, launching at noon on May 9th at Stillwell. Cerberus American IPA is a 7% ABV Organic IPA, featuring Centennial, Amarillo, Simcoe, and Zythos hops. It will be available in bottles, as well as growlers at all three breweries after launching.

Enjoy the warmer weather this weekend! The winner of the first annual Railcar Homebrew Competition was announced last Saturday: local homebrewer Pierre Gagnon submitted the winning entry with his Groundskeeper Willie Pish (Scottish Export 80/-), which he will brew with brewmaster Mitch Biggar on the Railcar system in the near future. Railcar has also announced a “He Said Beer, She Said Wine” tasting and pairing event May 23rd at the brewery. Be sure to pick up tickets in advance to avoid disappointment. Rare Bird has released a new Red Ale, and it is available at NSLC locations across the province now. This 5% ABV beer features Rye in the malt bill, for a slight spicy character.

Friday Wrap-Up – News and New Beers from Red Rover, Propeller, TrailWay, Big Axe, Big Tide, and more!

Posted by acbbchris on 2015-04-17
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: Big Axe Brewery, Big Tide Brewing, Grimross Brewing, Hammond River Brewing, Picaroons, Propeller Brewing, Railcar Brewing, Red Rover Brewing, Rogues Roost Brewpub, Rudder's Brewpub, Saint John Beer Fest, Schoolhouse Brewery, Stillwell Beer Bar, TrailWay Brewing. Leave a Comment

Good morning, craft beer fans! It’s another very busy week in the world of Atlantic Canadian beer news, so let’s get cracking…

• New Brunswick, Red Rover Brewing needs your help! As explained by owner/brewer Adam Clawson in a recent CBC interview, the company has had increasing difficulty turning a profit in the province, despite excellent demand for their ciders. Right now, there isn’t a set policy for cider; while there is one for beer, and one for wine, cider falls into a “grey area” where the mark-up set by the ANBL is not pre-determined. As a result, Red Rover has to pay a much higher mark-up for every keg and flagon of cider that they produce. Here’s a few numbers to make it all a bit clearer:

– For a 20 L keg of beer, breweries pay a $0.76/L mark-up, while Red Rover pays $1.29/L

– For bottles at ANBL stores, breweries pay $1.23/L; Red Rover would pay $2.90/L if their ciders were listed (which they are trying to accomplish)

– Many styles of beer can be brewed and packaged within a matter of weeks, while cider takes 2-3 months before it’s ready; during that extended period, temperature control and storage space increase the time, effort, and cost required for the batch

– Depending on the beer, a 20 L keg could be brewed for $20 or less; the cost in ingredients, time, etc. to Red Rover for the equivalent amount is about $50-55

Clawson understands that this is not an easy fix, and respects that there is currently no policy under ANBL for his business. What he’s asking for is that the ANBL temporarily let Red Rover join one of the current policies, or even better, create a new policy specifically geared towards cider, where the mark-ups are fair, and set-in-stone.

We also spoke with Brian Harriman, CEO of the ANBL; he acknowledges that the policy for cider was never clear, and that they had always made it their goal to work with Red Rover to help them (and other ciderhouses) succeed. Harriman went on to say that they currently have a “project team” made up of people from the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Economic Development, the Department of Public Safety, the Department of Tourism, and ANBL, with the goal to “streamline processes and to create a policy that fosters growth of micro producers from all categories in New Brunswick”.

What can you do? Call and make your opinion clear to ANBL and to your MLA. If a new, fair policy is created, Red Rover will be able to expand, which will only be good news for the province. If nothing is done, they may be forced to either a) shut down, or b) leave the province and set up shop elsewhere. Neither is good for New Brunswick. This isn’t just a matter of keeping an excellent product in the province; this is about showing the proper support for a small, local business that is asking for nothing more than the opportunity to grow. Here’s hoping for a quick resolution.

• Propeller Brewing has two new beers out this week. First up, their next One-Hit Wonder All Tapped Out is an India Pale Ale brewed with 6 different hop varietals, and will take any hophead down for the count. Victory, Wheat, and Crystal malts bump up the 2 Row base malt, lending colour and flavour, while the Warrior, Centennial, Columbus, Cluster, Ahtanum and Cascade hops pack a punch of bitterness and grassy, citrus, and resiny aromas. The beer weighs in at 6.9% ABV and 72 IBUs, for a bit more alcohol than their standard IPA. As with all other One-Hit Wonders, this beer is for growler sales only (on now at both the Gottingen and Windmill locations), with the rare keg sneaking out to friendly HRM bars and restaurants.

• Prop’s second new beer this week is their Spring Seasonal, Rye IPA. Weighing in at 6.8% ABV and 72 IBUs, the malt bill features a healthy dose of Rye malt to spice up the brew, and a secret blend of hops for bittering and aroma. Released today in bottles at both brewery locations, it will also be available in the NSLC and private beer stores, and on tap for growlers and at HRM bars soon.

• TrailWay Brewing just delivered some kegs of their newest beer, a Black IPA named Black Hops One. This particular style of beer is often interpreted differently from brewery to brewery; look for TrailWay’s version to have significant roast and chocolate character (thanks to the addition of both Roasted and Chocolate malts in the mash). Of course, there will also be lots of hop character, as this beer includes Apollo, Centennial, Mosaic, Chinook and Comet. As the style dictates, it comes in fairly bitter at around 90 IBUs, with an ABV of 7.1%. There should be a limited quantity available this weekend at both the King Street Ale House and 540 Kitchen & Bar.

• Big Axe is re-releasing their Maple Wheat Amber Ale, first introduced last year. Brewed with both Pale and Caramel malts, it also features maple sap tapped from Big Axe’s very own maple trees, as well as some sourced from Nackawic’s own Stone Family Maple Products. Hopped with the Orbit variety, the beer comes in at 5% ABV and features a light-to-medium body, and lots of sweet, caramel and maple aromas, according to the brewery. Look for it on tap at the brewery and possibly select accounts by this weekend. And stay tuned for more news soon on their 1st Anniversary party, which sill take place at the brewery  in June; they’re planning on lots of live music, beer, and NB cider and mead (from Red Rover and Sunset Heights Meadery). They’ve also announced plans to build a taproom at their location in the future; we’ll keep you updated on their progress!

• There’s a new beer on tap at the Big Tide brewpub in Saint John, an India Pale Lager (read: hoppy Lager) named Sea Legs. Originally brewed for last Saturday’s Saint John Beer Fest (more on that below), a lot of the recipe is similar to their regular-release Seaworthy IPA, except it was fermented – of course – with a Lager yeast. It also followed a step-mash technique (more than one temperature rest during the mashing process), and was aged cool (or “lagered”) for a month before packaging. The beer was hopped with Cascade, Columbus, and Hallertau, and dry-hopped with Saaz. It weighs in at 5.5% ABV and about 60 IBUs, and is on tap for both pints and growler fills. Their Bucht Bock – another festival beer – is still available for pints for a limited time only, so be sure to get to the brewpub to sample both!

• Shortly after last week’s experimental Belgian Scotch Ale, Picaroons has released the “other half” of that beer; that is, the first runnings from the brew day, which were fermented with their house Ringwood yeast to make The Brick ISA, an “Imperial Scotch Ale”. With a grist consisting of Pale malt, Golden Promise, Torrified Wheat, and Roasted and Smoked malts, the beer exhibits plenty of fruity esters, along with a “subtle smokiness” and some expected warmth from the high ABV (11.5%). It was hopped lightly to 28 IBUs with Goldings and Fuggles; as with last week’s beer, it is available only at the Brewtique for growler fills. And stay tuned for the second beer from their “Employee Series”, which should be released in the near future!

• In other Pics news, next week will mark the return of their popular summer seasonal, Dooryard, a 4.5% ABV American Wheat Ale. To celebrate, they’re having a Dooryard Launch Party at the ANBL Train Station next Wednesday, April 22nd (Earth Day). Along with free Dooryard samples, they’ll have food from Isaac’s Way and live music from the Alan Jeffries Duo. There’s no charge to attend; it all starts at 4 pm.

• Grimross has re-brewed one of the beers originally brewed shortly after they opened in the summer of 2013. Bayard Blond is a 7% ABV Belgian Blond, a stronger style that exhibits both spiciness and fruitiness, thanks to the expressive Belgian yeast. With “notes of pear and grass”, and a “very fresh character” according to the brewery, it was likely brewed with the warmer temperatures of spring in mind! Stop by the brewery to try this refreshing ale; it’s available for both pints and growler fills now.

• Next Saturday, April 25th, Railcar Brewing is holding a Craft Beer and Cheese Pairing at their newly-opened tasting room. Held from 6 pm – 9 pm, there will be six cheeses from Jolly Farmer, paired with six different craft beers, including two each from Railcar (Irish Red and Chocolate Maple Stout), Picaroons (Yippee IPA and Dark and Stormy Night), and Propeller (ESB and Double IPA). Tickets are $20 each and can be bought at the door, or purchased in advance by contacting owner/brewer Mitch Biggar through the brewery’s Facebook page.

• And coming back to the Saint John Beer Fest, last Saturday’s event was a great success; the festival was sold-out, and featured more breweries and more beer than last year. The People’s Choice votes were tallied, and Hammond River Brewing won first place for the second year in a row! Silver went to Big Tide, and bronze to first-time attendee TrailWay Brewing. Congrats to the winners, and to the SJBF on another successful event!

• Rogues Roost has a new Double IPA on tap at the brewpub now. Weighing in at 7.2%, this is a big beer with big hops to balance: 90 IBUs coming from several different hop varietals, finished with a large aroma addition of the Falconer’s Flight blend, lending tropical and citrus characteristics. This is actually the second Double IPA that Brewster Karen Allen has released in recent months, and like the first one, it will probably sell quickly, so be sure to pop down soon!

• Rudder’s Brew Pub & Restaurant in Yarmouth has brewed up a lager for the coming warmer months. Lighthouse Lager 2.0 was brewed this week, and will be fermenting and conditioning until June. A lighter lager, the grain bill has changed slightly since the last time it was brewed in 2013. And this batch has been hopped with New Zealand Southern Cross and UK Fuggles varietals.

• For those not able to visit Rudder’s in Yarmouth, look for them in the Yarmouth Town Exhibit at the Saltscapes Expo next weekend at Halifax Exhibition Grounds. They will be sampling a couple of their beers, along with local restaurants and artisans. Other breweries attending the Expo include Propeller and Garrison, and local homebrew/winery shop Noble Grape.

• Bar Stillwell in Halifax shared some great news this week: they will be setting up Stillwell Beergarden on the waterfront, set to open in about 6 weeks. Based in a custom-built shipping container, the Stilly Satellite Spot will be located at the Summit Plaza, steps from “The Wave”. The taps will be primarily NS beers (with a Nova Scotian cider and wine also on tap), with a focus on lighter-bodied, more “sessionable” beers. The food will also focus on NS, with chef Graeme Ruppel cooking up homemade sausages, complemented with other local fare, like sausages from Sweet William’s, Rose Lane, and bread and buns from Gingerbread Haus. It will operate into the fall, so that locals and tourists alike will have plenty of chances to drink and taste the best Nova Scotia has to offer. We understand that there are already some exciting events scheduled for the space, including Tap Takeovers that would be seen at both Stillwell HQ and the Beergarden, plus the special beers that show up on a regular basis.

• Schoolhouse Brewery has a very cool project in the works, The Southfield Project: One Field, One Beer. They will be using a two-acre plot of land and growing barley and hops for a truely local NS beer. The ingredients will be hand planted and tended to, with the barley malted and hops harvested and dried right at the brewery. Those interested can follow along with the progress of the project on Facebook, and we look forward to taking part and drinking the resulting beer in the fall.

• Several more events for NS Craft Beer Week May 7-18 have been announced, including a series of Brewmaster’s Dinners at Lion & Bright: Boxing Rock vs Big Spruce on Monday, Sea Level vs Propeller on Wednesday, and North Brewing on Thursday. Beer Cocktail Face-Off, The Science of Beer, and Brews Cruise tickets are still available, and new events are being announced daily. Keep up with them using the #NSCraftBeerWeek tag on Twitter.

Enjoy your weekend! BarNone has rebrewed their Milk Stout, La Vaca Loca, and it should be available for their weekly growler night next Thursday at the brewery, and is expected to be on tap at the Pilot House next week as well. And speaking of Milk Stouts, it looks like there’s one being brewed at the Gahan House, too; we’ll have more on that beer for you next week. After a 10-day break the Townhouse Pub in Antigonish re-opened this week, so local beer fans can resume their place at the bar for a pint of Terry’s Bitter. And don’t forget that tomorrow is the launch of the Ladies Beer League and Boxing Rock beer, Cinnamon Spin. The event starts at 6pm at Stillwell, with the official tapping at 6:30. Happy 1st Anniversary to BeerTech Draft System Technologists, keeping many bars, restaurants and breweries’ taps and lines clean! And Happy 30th Anniversary to Granite Brewing, who continue to push the NS beer scene forward!