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Meander River Farm and Brewery – Opening May 17th in Ashdale, Nova Scotia

Posted by acbbchris on 2014-05-07
Posted in: Profiles. Tagged: Meander River Farm and Brewery. 2 comments

 

Meander River Logo

 

Meander River Farm and Brewery is the latest brewery to open in our region. Owned and operated by the Bailey family, Meander River Farm is located in Ashdale, NS, 20km from Windsor. The Baileys have been operating the farm for several years, growing livestock, as well as lavender and hops, with both of these crops used in beers by Garrison Brewing Co. We spoke with Alan Bailey regarding the brewery, and he was kind enough to answer our questions.

ACBB: Is there something specific that got you into the world of craft beer?
Alan: I have been homebrewing since the late 70’s – when bottles exploded as often as not, graduating to all grain brewing about 5 years ago… but it really just stems from something that I enjoy doing and educating my friends about. I like beer and I especially like beer that I make. There is something very gratifying about that.

What made you decide to take the step into brewing professionally?
It really completes the circle on the farm – we raise livestock pigs clear land and fertilize as they go, we come behind and plant hops, now the hops go into the beer, the spent grain is fed to the animals and the brewery waste water is used to irrigate the hops – so full circle. But beer has been a dream and passion of my wife and I for as long as we have been together – longer than we have been apart…

What steps have you taken so far getting everything up and running?
Wow – way too many to mention – but we first floated the idea about 2 years ago – we planned for over a year and have been in execution for about 9 months. In spite of our planning we still ran into lots of challenges – but we were determined.

Do you have any partners in the brewery?
No, the brewery is family owned presently.

Brewery Tanks

Meander River’s Brewery Tanks. Courtesy of Campbell Bailey of Meander River Farm and Brewery

What size/type of system will you be brewing on?
3 bbl from Stout Tanks and Kettles in Portland Oregon… When we were first in the market for a system, DME (Diversified Metal Engineering, based in Charlottetown, PEI) was only selling 5bbl and up… I  understand that they may be in the smaller market now. It is a single infusion mash set up with a RIMS module.  We have 2 jacketed fermentors at present – but room and hopes for additional tank expansion in the future.

Will you be the primary brewer, or will you be employing one?
I will be the primary brewer for now. But I want my wife, son and daughter to all be capable of creating a brew and running the brewery. I am also looking forward to working with other brewers because the I have lots to learn and lots to share.

What are your plans for distribution?
We will be selling growlers and kegs directly from the brewery retail store, and hope to establish 2 or 3 tap accounts. Because we are so small – we want to ensure we can keep the tap accounts flowing – so we are being careful not to overextend ourselves. We plan to be active in the community at local events as well.

Do you have any beer bars/restaurants in the area lined up to serve your beers?
We have a verbal agreement with the Spitfire Arms Pub in Windsor to serve our beer there. They are open to doing something special at the launch – but again still tentative as to when that will be – but hopefully in May. We hope to have other draft taps in the province, but are intentionally going slow to ensure we can produce enough volume to keep the taps flowing – no point in having draft contracts we can’t live up to.

Can you tell me about the beer style(s) you plan on brewing?
Our plans are for traditional American style ales… we grow hops on the farm – so look forward for some seasonals that showcase the hops. We want to establish at least 2 always available styles – and then expand our seasonal beers to utilize some of the ingredients on our and other local farms. Our first offering is a Pale Ale. At 6.5%ABV and 55 IBU’s it is at the high end of the Pale Ale style and the lower end of the IPA style, but we are planning a big IPA to coincide with our hop harvest in September. We’re calling this initial offering Lunchbox Pale Ale for some sentimental reasons (full story on the website) – but we are shooting for a beer that is appealing to both the seasoned craft beer audience and those making the transition to craft beer.

Brewing up the Lunchbox Pale Ale

Brewing up the Lunchbox Pale Ale. Courtesy of Campbell Bailey of Meander River Farm and Brewery

Have you had any assistance from other breweries/people in Atlantic Canada?
There are many excellent brewers in the Maritimes – but I have developed a tremendous respect for Daniel Girard – Garrison’s brewmaster. In my mind, he is a true brewmaster – at a level I will never claim to be, and can only ever aspire to. His passion and creativity for the craft is truly amazing. Also, Jeremy at Big Spruce has been a great resource of information and advice.

With the recent increase in the number of new breweries in Atlantic Canada, what will make Meander River different from the rest?
We are focused on the agri-tourism and experiential tourism market. We think our farm currently differentiates us from the rest in NS anyway – I haven’t been to Barnone in PEI – but from what I see on Facebook – I would say they have similar goals.

Where do you hope to see Meander River in the next 2-3 years?
We are certainly not about world domination of the beer market – we want to be a brewery that our local community can get behind and support and want to have a strong presence in our local area. We see ourselves max-ing out at about 750 – 1000 hL a year. No plans to go any bigger.

Do you personally have a favorite beer style, beer, brewery?
IPA. 3 Fields Harvest. Garrison.

Will you be attending any farmers markets to sell growlers?
It is not our intent at this time to attend farmers markets. We are planning to participate in local community events and festivals to raise awareness.

Have you got a launch date for the brewery?
Yes, we will be opening for business next Saturday, May 17th. We will be open 10am-5pm. We will be selling kegs and growlers (1L refillable bottles are $5, fill is $6, and will fill bottles from other breweries), payment options will be cash, debit, and credit. We’ll be publishing all the details about the 17th throughout the week next week, as there will be some special offers/events on the day – folks will need to stay tuned to Twitter and Facebook for that.

 

Thank you to Alan and the Bailey clan for their time. Something special that they are doing is offering the public a chance to buy into their future: following the CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) model, they are selling annual shares in the brewery. Be sure to check out their webpage for more details on these attractive awards! We are happy to welcome them to the vibrant Atlantic Canada Beer family, and wish them all of the best on their May 17th opening.

Friday Wrap-Up – News from Picaroons, Great Lakes, PEI Brewing, Boxing Rock, Hell Bay, Railcar Brewing, Grimross, and more

Posted by acbbchris on 2014-05-02
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: 2014 Canadian Brewing Awards, Bad Apple Brewhouse, Big Spruce Brewing, Boxing Rock Brewing, Ducky's Bar, Grimross Brewing, Hell Bay Brewing, PEI Brewing, Picaroons Traditional Ales, Railcar Brewing, RockBottom Brewpub, Stubborn Goat, Tide & Boar Gastropub. 1 comment

Happy Friday everyone, another big week in craft beer in our region, so let’s get right to it.

• Last month, we reported on the announcement of a collaboration beer between Picaroons and Toronto’s Great Lakes Brewery for this year’s Canadian Brewing Awards in Fredericton. We now have a few more details on the beer, as both breweries just brewed the beer earlier this week. Brewers Andrew Estabrooks (Picaroons) and Mike Lackey (Great Lakes) decided on an American IPA they’ve named Eastbound and Down IPA; it’s brewed with Maritime Malt made from New Brunswick-grown Newdale barley and “a number of delicious hop varieties” (including Citra and Sorachi Ace) often featured in Great Lakes beers. We can also confirm that a California Common yeast was pitched for fermentation, rather than the Ringwood strain commonly employed by Picaroons. Both breweries were linked via Skype on their brew day since they weren’t able to physically brew together. Look for the beer to be released at the end of May when the CBAs are here; it will be available for growler fills at the Brewtique, and in restaurants and bars in the area.

• Speaking of Picaroons, they’re joining up with The Shadow Lawn Inn in Rothesay, NB for a special beer-pairing dinner on Saturday, May 3rd. This “Offaly Good Dinner” includes six carefully-selected courses by Chef Markian, each of which is paired with a different hand-picked Picaroons beer. Tickets are $75 (tax and gratuity included); call (506) 847-7539 to reserve, or send them an email.

• If you’re in the Sackville area today and have always wondered what makes PEI Brewing Co. beers tick, now’s your chance to find out! Ducky’s Bar is hosting a “Meet & Greet” with PEIBC brewer Karen Allen at 5:00 pm. Karen will be on hand for about an hour to answer questions and provide info on their beers, four of which will be on tap: Blueberry Ale, Sir John A’s Honey Wheat, Cole’s Cream Ale, and Beach Chair Lager. Be sure to keep an eye on their News page for behind-the-scenes updates directly from the brewers.

• Beginning today, White Point Beach Resort  is hosting a Beer and BBQ weekend. Boxing Rock and Hell Bay will be taking over White Point’s taps all weekend long, with Boxing Rock bringing their Hunky Dory, Temptation Red Ale and The Vicar’s Cross  and seasonals Crafty Jack English Ale and Alewife’s Revenge, and Hell Bay will have three more beers to complete the lineup. Boxing Rock is kicking off the fun Saturday afternoon at 1:00, with a guided tasting and virtual brewery tour. At 4pm, Hell Bay and the White Point culinary team will be doing some pairing of their beer with barbecued treats. Both tastings are included with an overnight stay.

• Progress continues at the soon-to-open Railcar Brewing Company in Florenceville-Bristol, as owner/brewer Mitch Biggar has confirmed that he has been busy putting on the final touches – cleaning, painting, sanitizing, and receiving new equipment, with currently eight 50-gallon (~187 L) fermentors being installed. With some test batches being brewed this weekend, we hope to see the brewery open for growler fills by the end of this month! Look for a grand-opening party to follow shortly thereafter, probably sometime in the summer.

• Living in Moncton? If so, you’ve probably been drinking Grimross Belgian Rye IPA at the Tide & Boar over the past few months. If that has left you wanting more Grimross beer, good news… owner/brewer Stephen Dixon confirmed that he has delivered some of his Pugnacious Porter, a 5% Belgian-style Porter conditioned on pure cocoa and whole vanilla beans, to the Tide & Boar this week, so look for it soon.

• The Rockbottom Brewpub SMaSH India Pale Lager that we mentioned in late March has been tapped at the brewpub in Halifax. Brewed solely with Superior Pale Ale Malt and Galaxy hops (including multiple dry-hop additions), Intergalactic SMaSH’d Lager finished at 7.1% ABV and 70 IBUs (calc). Get down to the brewpub to give it a try, it won’t be around for long!

• A reminder that The Stubborn Goat is keeping up their Cask Friday event, when they have a special beer tapped each Friday at 4pm. This week’s  is Big Spruce’s Cereal Killer Sideways, their Oatmeal Stout, fortified with Glenmorangie Single Malt Scotch.

• The Chronicle Herald has a nice article about Jeff and Kari of Bad Apple Brewhouse, on their history, as well plans for the future. It also mentions an upcoming Mosaic Double IPA, which will be released around Father’s Day, that will serve as a fundraiser towards the Brigadoon Children’s Camp Society. We’ll have more details on the beer closer to release time.

In closing, we thought we should mention another story reported by The Chronicle Herald concerning a 21-metre Labatt blimp that crashed northeast of Saint John. Nice to see that Big Beer is finally starting to evacuate Atlantic Canada, what with the increasing number and quality of local craft breweries!

Friday Wrap-Up – Hoppy Beer News from Lion & Bright, Big Spruce, Burgers n’ Beers, Gahan, Rogues Roost, and more!

Posted by acbbchris on 2014-04-18
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: Beerthief, Big Axe Brewery, Big Spruce Brewing, Burgers n' Beer, Gahan House (Charlottetown), Gahan House Home Brewer's Challenge, Picaroons cat contest, Picaroons Traditional Ales, RockBottom Brewpub, Rogues Roost Brewpub, Uncle Leo's Brewery. 1 comment

Happy Friday everyone! We hope you’re reading this while sipping a nice coffee stout or citrusy IPA to start your long weekend off right.

• Lion & Bright is hosting a Spruce up the Planet! Earth Day Celebration this Tuesday, April 22nd, in support of the Ecology Action Centre. It will feature a tap takeover by Big Spruce Brewing, featuring Bitter Get’er India Black IPA,  The Whole 9 Yards, Cereal Killer, Kitchen Party, Regatta Red, You Spin Me White Round White IPA will all be on tap, and a cask of Cereal Killer Sideways, infused with Glenmorangie, will also be pouring. Jeremy and the rest of Big Spruce Nation will be in attendance, so drop by and say hello. There are no tickets required for the event, but show up promptly at 6pm to get a packet of seeds to help green up Halifax and to enjoy the music and food. $1/per pint of beer sold goes to the EAC.

• In more Big Spruce news, they kicked off the Roving Canadian Craft Beer Bag this week. Born out of receiving the bag with their Organic Conspiracy from Brian and Rebecca at Crannóg Ales, they want to keep the Canadian Beer Love going! The first recipient will be Aaron Spinney at Sawdust City, with a growler of their collaboration You Spin Me White Round White IPA and The Whole 9 Yards. We’ll be sure to keep an eye on this fantastic new tradition as it criss-crosses the country by bus.

• Finally in Big Spruce news, they recently received the second part of their expanded brewhouse, two 10 barrel unitanks, allowing them to ferment, condition and carbonate all in one vessel, allowing for an efficient way to make use of their space. As an aside, they are brewing up another batch of their White IPA today, so all of us fans will have another chances to get our hands on it. For folks lucky enough to be in the area to purchase growlers, they are very short on The Whole 9 Yards First Anniversary Scotch Ale, so be sure to drop by now to avoid disappointment. Like many breweries and the private beer stores, they are open today and Sunday, even if the provincial stores are not.

• Tuesday’s Burgers n’ Beer in Fredericton was a great success; the sold-out event was a dual effort from the Fredericton Beer Festival and reLiSH Gourmet Burgers, and featured six specialty sliders paired with six different craft beers, including first-timers to Fredericton Celtic Knot Dubh Loki Black IPA and Hammond River Brewing Red Coat India Red Ale. Along with ciders from Red Rover, and more beer from Grimross, Shiretown and Central City (Red Racer IPA), the quality of all was top-notch! The next event takes place in Moncton at reLiSH on Tuesday, April 29th from 8 pm – 10 pm. The tentative brewery list includes the brand new Big Axe, Celtic Knot, Grimross, Hammond River, Red Rover, and Shiretown. Tickets ($45, taxes and fees included) can be purchased here.

• Last Saturday featured the judging of the five finalists for the 1st Annual Gahan Home Brewer’s Challenge, which took place at the Gahan House in Charlottetown. The winning beer came from the brewing team of Ryan Palmer and Lee Nicholson with their PEI Cranberry Wit, a sessionable ale at 4.3% ABV brewed with coriander and orange peel, with cranberries added during secondary fermentation. Ryan and Lee will get to brew a full-sized batch of their beer on the Gahan system with brewmaster Trent Hayes, to be served on tap at the Gahan House in a couple of weeks. Congratulations, Ryan and Lee!

• Rogues Roost Brewpub now has their Oatmeal Stout on tap, for the first time in six years. It joins the Brown Ale, IPA, Red Ale, Blueberry Wheat, and Cream Ale on tap (and most are also available in growlers). Keep an eye on their Twitter feed for the up-to-date growler list, as well as their continuing Brewmasters events.

• We forgot to mention this last week, but better late than never, especially when it involves great beer! At this year’s Saint John Beer Fest (held on Saturday, April 5th), the crowd selected the Best of Show beer for the event… the winner was Hammond River Brewing Hop Flash IPA! Owner/brewer Shane Steeves was surprised, yet extremely grateful, at being singled out among other great beers. Congratulations, Shane!

• We mentioned in a previous Friday post that Picaroons was holding a Prohibition Repeal Party at the Capital Complex in Fredericton tomorrow, featuring a tap-takeover of their 12 draught lines. They’ve released which beers will be present – many of their regular releases will be there, along with their Yippee IPA dry-hopped with Cascade, Amarillo and Willamette, and their Best Bitter infused with Fuggle hops (thanks to the use of Randall the Enamel Animal). Check out our previous post and the event page for more info!

• Continuing with Picaroons reminders, if you still plan on sending in a picture of your kitty for their Melonhead Cat Contest, deadline for the hi-res pictures to be emailed is next Thursday, April 24th. More details in our earlier post here.

• The next Rockbottom Beer Dinner is scheduled for April 29th at 6pm. Featuring three courses paired with three beers, it’s a great opportunity to chat with Brewmaster Greg Nash about beer, food, and life in general. This month’s dinner will be Sweet Potato Gnocchi paired with their Bigwater Brown, Stout Braised Lamb Shank (Jacktar Stout), and Unbaked Peanut Butter Cheesecake (Fathom IPA). Call the pub for tickets, but act quickly, as its already half sold-out. While there, you can try their Thulsa Doom DIPA, and their Galaxy India Pale Lager SMaSH should be on tap by then as well.

• A friendly reminder that the Beerthief Private Beer Order for Wold Top and Orkney is closing this Sunday, be sure to email in your requests before then to take part. Mike Buhler will also be leading a Beer and Tulip River Cruise in March of 2015, visiting Amsterdam, Antwerp, Brussels, Ghent and more. Check out this flyer for more details.

• Finally, in case you missed yesterday’s post on the recently-opened Big Axe Brewery in Nackawic… well, they’re now open! You can stop by the brewery/B&B on 519 Otis Dr. for growler fills of their first two beers, Chantarelle Cream Ale and Double Bit IPA, Mondays to Saturdays from 12 pm – 8 pm. You should also see their beers popping up in bars/restaurants in the area, including the King Street Ale House in Fredericton, in the near future. We’ll keep you updated on their development!

• Tickets are now on sale for the Inaugural Pictou County Pizza Competition, Saturday, April 26th, Glasgow Square, New Glasgow. Along with the chance to try six different Pictou County-style pizzas (from Cafe Italia, Crown Pizza Pictou, East Side Pizza, Sam’s Pizza (Stellarton), Sam’s Pizza (Trenton), Ted’s Pizza), attendees will receive two glasses of Uncle Leo’s beer. Tickets are available at various outlets in New Glasgow and Pictou. Also, look for Uncle Leo’s at the Halifax Seaport Farmers’ Market Friday (today included) and Sunday. They will have their IPA and Smoked Porter available in growlers.