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Friday Wrap-Up – News and Brews from Hammond River, Shiretown, Petit-Sault, TrailWay, Granite, Boxing Rock, and more!

Posted by acbbshawn on 2014-11-21
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: Boxing Rock Brewing, Brasseurs du Petit Sault, Bulwark Cider, Garrison Brewing, Granite Brewery, Hammond River Brewing, RockBottom Brewpub, Rogues Roost Brewpub, Shiretown Beer, Tatamagouche Brewing, TrailWay Brewing. 3 comments

Happy Friday, everyone! Another hefty week of beer news for Atlantic Canada, so let’s get cracking…

• Last month, we mentioned that Hammond River was planning on brewing a Coconut Porter in the near future. Owner/brewer Shane Steeves has confirmed that he will be brewing this beer, Into the Dark, this coming Monday. A Robust Porter, the beer will have both toasted coconut and toasted cacao nibs added in secondary (after primary fermentation has completed); there may even be some local coffee added! The beer should come in at about 6.3% ABV and 38 IBUs; we’ll keep you updated on its progress. And don’t forget to swing by the KV ANBL this weekend, where Hammond River’s Red Coat India Red Ale is available for growler fills!

• Shiretown has a new one-off beer almost ready to be packaged: Hop Hash Strong Wheat Ale is hopped exclusively with… Hop Hash! This is a relatively new product composed of the sticky, resinous hop lupulin glands, supposedly giving lots of hop flavor without the bitterness. For this batch, the hash comes from Goldings hops grown at Southan Farms. Lots of Wheat malt goes into this 6.2% ABV beer (50% of the grist), along with 2 Row, Munich, Vienna, CaraMunich, and Toasted Wheat. The Hop Hash was used in three different additions during the boil. Due to the nature of the additions, the calculated IBUs aren’t known, but owner/brewer Derek Leslie has confirmed the bitterness is in the “medium” range. Look for it soon (probably next week) at the brewery for growler fills, and likely on tap shortly after at the King Street Ale House in Fredericton.

• In even more new beer news from New Brunswick, Les Brasseurs du Petit Sault will be releasing a one-off holiday beer next Wednesday, Nov 26th at noon, at the brewery for growler fills. The name is a secret for now; the brewery is currently dropping small clues in the form of a picture puzzle on Facebook and Twitter. The beer is described by the brewery as a “spiced winter ale” (think Winter Warmer); they’re keeping a few details secret for now, but we can confirm that it will come in at 7.3% ABV and 28 IBUs, and pour with a dark-brown body. “Spicy, and with a nice molasses aftertaste”, it sounds like a great beer for the holidays!

• As their opening date gets closer, the brewers at TrailWay Brewing have been testing out their new equipment with some test batches, including an American Pale Ale and American Stout. Recently, they brewed up something new, an Imperial Brown Ale named Grizzly Oak; as the name suggests, the beer will be aged on oak when fermentation is complete. Including Victory and Honey malt in the grist, it should clock in at around 7.5% ABV and 40 IBUs. While only a test batch now, hopefully we’ll see it on tap around Fredericton when the brewery officially opens; at the very least, this should be representative of future beers from Fredericton’s newest brewery!

• On to Nova Scotia! Granite Brewery is releasing a new beer soon, a Black IPA named Dark Side. Brewed with 2-r0w, Carastan and “Black malt”, the beer is hopped with East Kent Goldings and Cascade to 60 IBUs. It’s a stronger beer at 6.8%, and should be available by the first week of December at the latest, at the Beer Store for growler fills. It will follow afterwards on tap at select locations in Halifax.

• Speaking of Black IPAs, Boxing Rock is releasing a new beer today, The Darkness Cascadian Dark Ale. Brewed in the IPA style, with strong bitterness and fragrant hop characteristics, the CDA features a roast character from the dark malts used in the mash, also lending the signature ink-black colour. 2014-harvest Canadian-grown Centennial hops are featured in the dry-hop with Simcoe, both of which lend their characteristic citrus and piney flavour and aroma to the beer. The beer weighs in at 6.5% ABV and ~50 IBUs. Bottles are available at the brewery and the four private wine shops and Market, as well as on tap at better beer establishments. This was a one-off brew, so best to grab a bottle or pint when you see it!

• And good news for beer drinkers in New Brunswick: after a year of Boxing Rock’s great offerings being available only in Nova Scotia, they are now available on tap at a few bars in your province! Look for their beers on tap at Ducky’s Bar in Sackville, Marky’s Laundromat and Tide & Boar in Moncton, Lemongrass Thai and Peppers Pub in Saint John, and 540 Kitchen & Bar and King Street Ale House in Fredericton.

• Rockbottom Brewpub is releasing their newest seasonal tomorrow, Smoke and Mirrors. This is a classic Rauchbier, reminiscent of the iconic beer from Bamberg, Germany, Schlenkerla Rauchbier Märzen. Brewmaster Greg Nash used over 80% Beechwood-smoked malt, with Munich malt making up the rest of the grist, and Hallertauer Tradition hops used for a balancing bitterness. The result is a 5.3% ABV beer featuring both smoke and malt character, and a light 21 IBU bitterness. The beer hits the tap at opening at 4pm, and the RB kitchen will be serving grilled cheese and bacon sandwiches to pair with the beer.

• As promised last week, we have some more information on the Tatamagouche Brewing North Shore Lagered Ale. Weighing in at 4.7% ABV, the beer was lagered for 3 weeks before hitting the taps and bottling line. With that extra conditioning time, the beer has time to meld the light Pale Ale body with the hop bitterness and aroma, measured at 15 IBUs, thanks to Ahtanum and Hallertau Mittelfruh. And good news everyone, it is still available on tap in Halifax, as both Bar Stillwell and the Stubborn Goat received a reload this week.

• Tatamagouche also went through a small (but critical) expansion this week, adding capacity to their mash tun and kettle. The folks from Purity Stainless were in and chopped the top off of both vessels, and added 5 hl (500 litres) additional capacity to their 10hl brewhouse. And the Tata Crew wasted no time in testing out the system, and everything worked great! Staying true to their goal to not run out of their two core brand offerings, Hippie Dippie Pale Ale and Butcher Block Red, will now be that much easier thanks to this extra volume. It will also mean more access, and greater frequency, to special brews and one-offs, like a new one-off RR#2 Lager coming next week (brewed using their own Malagash-grown hops), and the return of their Dreadnot IBA, with the next batch hitting the taps in the first week of December.

• Rogues Roost Brewpub released their newest one-off beer last week, Double IPA. The 8% ABV, light-bodied ale features 2-Row, Wheat, Crystal, and Melanoidin malts, with Falconer’s Flight and Cascade hops throughout (including dry-hopping) for a massive hop aroma and assertive, but not punishing, bitterness. Notes of citrus and floral come to mind while sipping the beer. Assistant Brewer Jake Saunders took the reins with this beer, developing the recipe himself, and it is a beer to be proud of. Cheers!

• Garrison Brewing has released their newest seasonal, Winter Warmer, this week. Weighing in at 7% ABV and 20 IBUs, this beer is a great accompaniment to those cool nights we are experiencing in our region. 2-Row, Munich, Caramel and Chocolate malts make up the grist, with Brewer’s Gold hops used to balance the rich mouthfeel of the beer. Notes of cinnamon, clove, dark fruit and citrus are present. It is available now in 6-packs in Nova Scotia, and in 500ml bottles in New Brunswick. Last week, we spied the Garrison crew braving the weather and visiting Meander River Farm to pick Spruce tips and branches for their annual Spruce Beer. Look for that to be released in December, we’ll have all of the details then!

• We have more details to share on two ciders that are hitting shelves (and a few taps) in Nova Scotia these days, both from Bulwark. Bulwark Winter is 7.0% ABV, and is their Original Cider infused with Cinnamon, Nutmeg and Ginger. It offers a fuller mouthfeel due to a slightly higher alcohol content. It can be enjoyed either chilled, or try warming it up to release even more of the great spice aromas. It has been on the shelves at the NSLC and private wine stores for a few weeks, and as it has been so successful, a second run will be released in the next two weeks. Bulwark Gold is 5.0% ABV, and is infused with honey and orchard fruit, for a subtle sweetness and notes of apricot or peach. The Gold will be hitting the NSLC shelves this weekend, and can be sampled at the Barrington St location Sunday 1-4pm. Both ciders, as well as their Original and Blush, use a blend of Macintosh, Golden Russet, Red Delicious, Honey Crisp and Spartan apples, all from Nova Scotia’s Annapolis Valley.

In a promising final word this week, the ANBL growler program has expanded to their Sackville location. This week’s offerings will be Picaroons Winter Warmer, Muskoka Brewery Cream Ale, and Le Trou du Diable L’Amère Indienne (American IPA). And speaking of Muskoka, their Mad Tom IPA and Winter Beard Double Chocolate Cranberry Stout will soon be available in Nova Scotia, and they are holding a launch party at Stubborn Goat Wednesday (Nov 28, 6-8pm) to celebrate. Contact Lara to secure your spot.

Friday Wrap-Up – News from NB HopSpiel, Shiretown, Rockbottom, Petit Sault, Propeller, Sea Level, and more!

Posted by acbbshawn on 2014-11-07
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: Big Axe Brewery, Brasseurs du Petit Sault, Burgers n' Beer, Fredericton Craft Beer Festival, Garrison Brewing, NB HopSpiel, Picaroons Traditional Ales, Propeller Brewing, Pump House Brewery, Sea Level Brewing, Shiretown Beer, TrailWay Brewing, Uncle Leo's Brewery. Leave a Comment

Hello, craft beer fans! After an extremely busy news week last week, things have quieted down a little. However, there’s still several things going on in the beer world in our region…

• Back in September, we alluded to NB HopSpiel, another beer event coming up early next year in Fredericton, from the creators of the Fredericton Craft Beer Festival. Well, we now have more details! An outdoor curling tournament featuring a beer garden, it will be held Feb. 6th & 7th, during the annual FROSTival winter festival. Held downtown in Officer’s Square, you’ll need to register in teams of four to participate. Friday night will feature an “Introduction to Outdoor Curling” from 6:00 – 8:00 pm, giving the opportunity to practice your skills and meet fellow curlers. On Saturday, the tournament will begin at 8:00 am and continue until the closing ceremonies at 4:30 pm; each team will play a minimum of two games. Of course, the beer garden will be there throughout the day (and will stay open until 8:00 pm), featuring NB craft beer, cider and mead from 5-6 breweries, with approximately 10 different products. Every contestant will receive beer tickets, with more available for purchase. There will also be other contests through the day, including “Best Dressed Team” and “Classic Snowsuit Contest”. What about food? Luckily, they will also be hosting the Fredericton Chili Challenge that day! Tickets will be approximately $65 each ($260 per team), and will go on sale December 1st; you can pre-register and hold your spot now, online. Stay tuned for more info as it becomes available!

• Shiretown has yet another new one-off beer available for growler fills at the brewery. A first impression of the name – Venezuelan Express Porter – would make you think “coffee”, but it actually refers to a type of crude oil produced in Venezuela at the time, that used to come into Dalhousie for the now-closed Dalhousie Generating Station, according to owner/brewer Derek Leslie. A dark beer that comes in at 5% ABV and 25 IBUs, it is brewed with an unidentified hop variety harvested from Letourneau Lane in Dalhousie that is thought to have been growing there for over a hundred years. You can also currently find the beer on tap at the King Street Ale House in Fredericton, for a very limited time only!

• Rockbottom Brewpub is looking for a head brewer. The very busy brewpub on Spring Garden Rd in Halifax has put out the call for a brewer with previous experience to step in and brew on their 8 bbl Electric-fired DME system. In addition to once-to-twice weekly brews, the successful candidate will be responsible for quality control, ingredient inventory and ordering, and staff training, and will be an all-around, one-person army in the brewhouse. They are looking to hire someone immediately, to train with current Brewmaster Greg Nash. Interested candidates should email a cover letter and resume. And in case you were worried, dear reader, that Mr. Nash was getting out of the brewing business, or leaving our region, fear not! He is leaving to open, with partner Andrew Murphy, a new brewery in Halifax’s North End, named Unfiltered.

• The Amber Ale recently brewed by Brasseurs du Petit-Sault is now available. Named Louis XVII, it’s available for growler fills at the brewery now, and is also on tap at Frank’s Bar & Grill; it should also follow at Resto-Bar le Deck by this weekend, and hopefully in bottles by early 2015. And if you’re attending the Fredericton Poutine Festival tomorrow, it’ll be pouring there as well!

• Good news everyone! Propeller Brewing’s One-Hit Wonders are back! These one-off, draft and growler-only brews, come out of the Gottingen St location when space and timing allows. Today’s launch is Section 31 Pale Ale. Unfortunately, we don’t have any other information on the beer for today. In other Propeller news, be sure to read the article from Chronicle-Herald this week for some insight into the start of the brewery through founder/owner John Allen.

• Sea Level Brewing in Port Williams, NS marked the return of two darker brews this week: Crossing Muddy Waters Brown Ale and Port in the Storm Porter. The Brown Ale is a North American style, weighing in at 5.5% ABV, featuring chocolate malt profile with subtle hopping. The Porter features coffee and chocolate flavour and aroma, weighing in at 5% ABV, using English hops to balance the malt. Look for both beers on tap at the Port Pub and around the Valley and HRM, and growlers and cans at the brewery, and cans at the four private stores in HRM.

• Uncle Leo’s Brewery has a new seasonal beer that they recently brewed, a Sweet Stout (aka Cream Stout, or Milk Stout) named Uncle Leo’s Cream Stout. A delicious beer style that is brewed with lactose powder to provide a slight sweetness, and fuller body, it has an ABV of 5%, and 23 IBUs. Look for it to be released for growler fills at the brewery by next weekend; they’ll be brewing the beer until the end of December. Fans of their award-winning Vohs Weizenbier have no need to worry – it will return in May, 2015!

• As a follow-up to yesterday’s profile on TrailWay Brewing in Fredericton, they announced this morning that they have passed their inspections, and will be brewing their first test batch on their new brew system today! Congrats on the completion of one more step, Dan and Jake!

• It’s about four months away, but that doesn’t mean it’s too early to start getting excited about the 2015 Fredericton Craft Beer Festival! Tickets for the March 7th event will officially go on sale on Friday, November 28th at 10:00 am – the link should be on their Facebook page soon. Keep in mind that VIP tickets for last year’s event sold out in less than three hours, so remember this date! And keep an eye on their Facebook page and Twitter account close to ticket launch – they’ll be holding a contest to win two VIP tickets to the event.

• And speaking of the FCBF, they’re holding their third Burgers n’ Beer event later this month, on Thursday, Nov. 27th at 8:00 pm. While the brewery list has not yet been announced, it should be a tasty time (come on, just look at the title) as usual! As a switch, this time they’ll be offering ten different 4 oz beer samples, as opposed to their regular five 8 oz samples, paired with five reLiSH sliders. Tickets are available now; they’re $45 and available through the link above. As an added bonus, if you attend, you’ll have the chance to buy FCBF tickets a day early, with a 10% discount!

As for this weekend, want to get the first taste of Garrison Brewing’s Klingon Warnog Roggen Dunkel Ale? It is being released today at 3:30 at the brewery, and all sci-fi and beer fans are welcome! In case you can’t make it, it will be available at the brewery, all four private stores, and a limited number of bars and restaurants in HRM. If you are in Moncton, Fredericton, or Saint John, be sure to check out your local ANBL to see what’s pouring from the growler taps. In addition to some interesting beer from away (Brooklyn East India Pale Ale is pouring in both Dieppe and Saint John), local favourites Big Axe Shakesbeer Chocolate Oatmeal Stout and Picaroons Winter Warmer (Fredericton), and Pump House Pail Ale (Dieppe) are pouring. They will fill any 1.89 L growler, so you needn’t buy one of theirs (just be sure yours is clean, as they do not have the facilities there). And maybe we’ll see you at Fredericton Poutine Fest tomorrow night!

TrailWay Brewing to Open Soon in Fredericton

Posted by acbbshawn on 2014-11-06
Posted in: Profiles. Tagged: TrailWay Brewing. 6 comments

TrailWay-VerticalLogo

Very recently, a new brewery in New Brunswick suddenly popped up in social media. To our knowledge, no one was aware that there was a new nanobrewery planned to open soon in Fredericton, but on Saturday, October 25th, TrailWay Brewing Co. happily announced through Twitter that they would be producing beer for the public in the near future. With the name inspired by the nearby Fredericton Walking Trail, TrailWay’s brewery construction is currently ongoing. They’ve already received their Federal Exise License, and their brewery inspection is scheduled for later today. We recently met with the owners/brewers of TrailWay, homebrewers Dan Mason and Jake Saunders (an engineer and Chartered Account by day, respectively), to check out brewery construction and ask them some questions on what they have planned for beer drinkers in our area…

ACBB: Tell us a little about your homebrewing history.

Dan: For me, my dad has homebrewed for almost 30 years and I have always been interested in the hobby and the beer he was making. Eventually I became interested in brewing better beer and beer of different styles, and the rest is history. I started with a couple of kits and immediately made the jump to all-grain, and since then I have probably brewed 3-4 batches per month.

Jake: I got into making beer in my second year of University. I started buying the cheapest kits I could find and soon realized that the quality of product had a huge impact on the final product. I first got into brewing when I realized that I could make it for a lot cheaper than I could buy it for – likely my cheap accountant side coming out. I eventually was introduced to a couple of the original members of the New Brunswick Craft Brewing Association (NBCBA) and had the chance to try their all-grain beer. I immediately started stockpiling all-grain equipment and the hobby soon became an obsession.

What made you decide to take the step into brewing professionally?

Dan: One of my favorite parts of making beer is sharing it with friends and family. Sharing my beer on a larger scale gets me very excited.

Jake: Similar to Dan, I consume a small percentage of the product I produce. I really enjoy giving it away – and the more of it you can give away, the more 5 gallon batches I can brew! I’m a Chartered Accountant but I always thought it would be cool to do this professionally on the side. A couple months back, Dan and I were sitting in my kitchen during one of our club meetings, and we began talking about how fun it would be to start a small craft brewery. My problem and main stumbling block was time – during the busy season at work I simply do not have enough. Dan’s main holdback was more of a space issue. I was just finishing up building a new house with loads of space in the basement. The partnership made a lot of sense in these respects. That day, we brainstormed the idea and here we are now.

What steps have you taken so far getting everything up and running?

Nearly all brewing equipment has been purchased and is on-site. Brewery construction is nearing the end and we should be licensed in the coming weeks.

Do you have any other partners in the brewery?

At this point it is just the two of us involved in the brewery.

What size/type of system will you be brewing on?

We are starting with a one barrel (31 U.S. gallons, or 116 L) electric brewing system. We’ve pieced it together from various suppliers & manufacturers.

TW-brewhouse

The Brewhouse

Do you know when your beers will be available to the public?

Timelines can – and most likely will – change, but at this point we are targeting mid to late December. Our first inspection is scheduled for today, and we plan to have everything construction/equipment-wise ready for then. The timeline will largely depend on the timeliness of licencing agencies.

What are your plans for distribution? Plans for tap accounts, bottles, growlers, etc.?

Initially we will be selling kegs for distribution to pubs and restaurants.

Do you have any beer bars/restaurants in the area lined up to serve your beers?

We’ve spoken to two popular restaurants in town who have both shown a keen interest, but nothing has been officially set in stone. We’ve only spoken to these two restaurants and want to start with only two or three accounts so that we can gauge the demand – if we have the capacity, we’ll consider expanding our distribution to additional restaurants or pubs.

The Fermenters

The Fermentors

Can you tell me about the beer(s) you plan on offering initially? Are you planning on offering a specific style, or genres (German, English, etc.), of beer? Any seasonals, one-offs, or will you stick mainly with a “flagship lineup”?

We both tend to brew a lot of beers featuring American hops, but we also both love to experiment with different ingredients. We will focus on full-flavoured ales. Where we’re both homebrewers at heart, we love the idea of experimentation and producing a lot of one-off beers.

Have you had any assistance from other breweries/people in Atlantic Canada (or elsewhere)?

We’ve received various help from our friends at Grimross, Sunset Heights Meadery (with both breweries being owned by members of the NBCBA) and Picaroons.

With the recent increase in the number of new breweries in Atlantic Canada, what will make TrailWay different from the rest?

As mentioned, we both love to experiment with ingredients and TrailWay Brewing Co. will very much be about experimentation and playing with new recipes.

Where do you hope to see TrailWay in the next 2-3 years?

It’s difficult to say. We would both love to see TrailWay grow and continue to focus on these experimental batches and possibly have a tasting room at some point. We’re going to continue brewing on a part-time basis and if there’s a business case to expand operations, we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it.

Do either of you personally have a favorite beer style? Beer? Brewery?

Our flavours are similar. We both love pale ales, IPAs and stouts of all kinds, although any beer with a lot of flavor is a winner in our books. Did we mention that we’re both hop-heads?

Do you have a specific ingredient in brewing that you like to brew with? E.g. a specific malt and/or hop variety?

So far we would have to say any American hops. We are big on the intense aromas and flavors they bring. Expect to see a lot of late hop additions to produce this big hop aroma and flavor – we won’t be shy with dry hopping either.

From what/where/whom have you learned the most in respect to brewing?

Dan: My dad has definitely taught me plenty over the years. The NBCBA has been a huge part of my development as a brewer. The club has a massive amount of knowledge and brewing experience.

Jake: 90% of my brewing knowledge is from the NBCBA. I do tend to spend a lot of time online doing research and reading about the profession. For both of us, most of the learning is obtained through brewing. There’s only so much you can learn through reading and discussion with your beer club buddies – the best way to learn is through experience.

Jake and Dan, Trail Way Brewing

Jake and Dan, TrailWay Brewing

Welcome, TrailWay Brewing, to the growing list of Atlantic Canadian craft breweries! We look forward to trying their beers as they become available, and will continue to keep you updated on their progress. In the meantime, follow them on Twitter and Facebook for continued updates on brewery construction, licensure, and more!