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A Sneak Peek at this Year’s Brewer’s Bash in Fredericton

Posted by acbbshawn on 2014-07-09
Posted in: Atlantic Canada Beer Festivals. Tagged: Brewer's Bash. Leave a Comment

bash

We’re only a few days away from this year’s Brewer’s Bash in Fredericton! Put on by Picaroons, the festival will be held this Saturday, July 12th from 11 am – 11 pm in downtown Fredericton at Officer’s Square. This is the second year for the outdoor event, and it promises to be at least as fantastic as last year! With about 60 breweries from across Canada present (about 1/3 of which are from Atlantic Canada), there will be over 300 beers pouring. With many of these beers typically not available in our region, the Bash offers a great excuse to get outside and enjoy a lot of new craft beer!

For entertainment, the outdoor festival will have a DJ spinning music throughout the day, and live tunes in the evening. Both Cyndi Cain and The Chronos Band will be performing; unfortunately, the also-scheduled Zeus has had to cancel due to medical issues. Luckily, Cyndi Cain and Chronos have agreed to extend their sets, so there’ll still be plenty of live music for your listening pleasure!

Ticket-holders can come and go as they please, but there will still be food options available at the festival. Milda’s will be serving up some wood-fired pizzas, and reLiSH will have several burgers available for purchase, including The Brewster, with lager onion chutney, cheddar cheese, and hickory sticks.

As for the beers and ciders that will be available, well, most breweries are keeping it a secret until the day of the festival. But, we’ve spoken with most of the brewers at the Atlantic Canadian breweries that are attending, and managed to get a sneak peek from many of them! Check out the list below:

• New Brunswick:

– Acadie-Broue – Kiebitz coti (Berliner Weisse), Zirable (“pseudo-Lambic”, or American Sour… more on this beer here)

– Big Axe – ShakesBeer Chocolate Oatmeal Stout, Simon Saaz Summer Ale

– Big Tide – Three Pages to the Wind (a “Whiskey Pale Ale”), Tidal Wave Double IPA

– Brasseurs du Petit-Sault – Tante Blanche (Witbier)

– Celtic Knot – Dubh Loki Black IPA, For Shore (Session IPA)

– Grimross – Cheval D’Or, Ben’s Country Cousin, and a new, currently unnamed beer

– Hammond River Brewing – Hop Flash IPA, Hawaiian Pale Ale

– Picaroons – You’ll have to wait until the festival to find out, but it sounds like they have some new and interesting brews planned!

– Pump House – Blueberry Ale, Premium Pilsner, IPA

– Red Rover – Spring Brew, Summer Brew; also, look for a collaboration with Picaroons!

Unfortunately, Railcar Brewing will not be attending, as previously reported. Due to problems brought on by Hurricane Arthur, their recent batch of beer will not be ready in time. We look forward to trying their beer in the very near future!

Also unfortunately, Shiretown has been forced to pull out of the festival. Hopefully we see them at the next festival!

• Newfoundland:

– Quidi Vidi – TBA

• Nova Scotia:

– Big Spruce – Cereal Killer Oatmeal Stout, You Spin Me White Round (White IPA)

– Boxing Rock – Crafty Jack, Temptation Red, Hunky Dory Pale Ale, The Vicar’s Cross Double IPA (bronze medal winner at this year’s Canadian Brewing Awards)

– Garrison – Nut Brown, Nit Wit, Raspberry Wheat Ale, IPA, Tall Ship Amber; they will also be pouring Glutenberg American Pale Ale, Red and Blonde.

– Hell Bay – English Ale, Wee Heavy

– Propeller – IPA, Extra Special Better, Bohemian Style Pilsner, Revolution Russian Imperial Stout, Double IPA

– Uncle Leo’s – Red, IPA, Smoked Porter

• Prince Edward Island:

– PEI Brewing Co. – Blueberry Ale, Landing Day Lager, Vic Park Pale Ale

Looks like plenty of great options, with lots of seasonals and one-offs joining regular-line-up beers! Like last year, the event sold out quickly (despite 500 more tickets being sold this year)… however, they announced this morning that they are holding another ticket giveaway contest later today. Keep an eye on their Facebook page for your chance to win! We hope to see you at the festival on Saturday!

Friday Wrap-up – News and New Beers from Garrison, PEI Brewing, Propeller, Bad Apple, A.W.O.L. Brewery and more!

Posted by acbbshawn on 2014-07-04
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: A.W.O.L. Brewery, Bad Apple Brewhouse, Brewer's Bash, Garrison Brewing, Meander River Farm and Brewery, North Brewing, PEI Brewing, Propeller Brewing, Sea Level Brewing, Tatamagouche Brewing. Leave a Comment

Happy end of the week! How about some local beer news to transition from stifling hot temperatures into hurricane weather?

• Garrison Brewing Co is releasing a special beer today, Summer Fest Blonde. Brewed as a celebration of the 15 year support of the Halifax Jazz Festival, this light ale was brewed with Maritime Malt and 10% wheat malt, and hopped with Columbus. Weighing in at 4% ABV and 8 IBUs, this will be a nice refreshing drink to enjoy at the Fest. It is being launched today on tap at the JazzFest (which runs July 4-12), and will be available soon on tap at the brewery for samples and growler fills. For a peek into Garrison’s brewery expansion, and the Summer Fest brewday, check out this post by Jazz Marketing assistant Tenille Goodspeed.

• PEI Brewing Co. has brewed up another new beer – Vic Park Pale Ale is described by the brewery as an “amped up Pale Ale that isn’t quite an IPA”. Brewed with a grist of 100% Vienna malt (which provides a flavor of lightly-toasted bread crust), the beer is hopped with Citra and Kohatu, which provide aromas and flavors of grapefruit and tropical lime, as well as a “spicy noble character”. Finishing dry, the beer comes in at 5.2% ABV, with ~40 IBUs. Only a small batch was brewed, so it’s only available on tap at the Gahan House, and for pours/growler fills at the brewery.

• Propeller Brewing Co is continuing their very popular One Hit Wonder series, with this week’s release of their Session IPA. Brewed with 2-Row Pale Ale, Crystal, Wheat and Pilsner malts to 4.5% ABV, this beer is punching above its weight in the hop department, with lots of Cascade and Columbus , to 45 IBU bitterness, and lots of aroma from late hopping. As with all of the One Hit Wonder beers, the best place to guarantee satisfaction is to grab a growler at the Halifax and Dartmouth brewery locations. And if you drop by the Dartmouth brewery today, you can grab lunch from the Cheese Gypsy food truck onsite from 11:30-3pm.

• Bad Apple Brewhouse is launching a couple of new beers as part of their Tap Takeover at Stillwell tomorrow (a few tickets to the noon and 8pm sessions are still available, contact Stillwell to grab some). While some of the new beers were brewed in small batches only for this special event, there are a couple that will be available at the brewery beginning next week. Their East Coast Beer (Sea Salt and Caramel), weighs in at 6% ABV, and features products from three important East Coast industries: Farming, as the beer was brewed using Maritime Malt; Fishing, as dulse was added to the beer for a light salt character; Forestry, as the beer was aged on locally-grown cedar. The HopScotch Barrel-aged Double IPA will also be available next week at the brewery. This 10% ABV and 100+ IBU beer has been aging in a freshly-emptied Glenora barrel since February. Fear not, hop heads, as upon transfer into the barrel, the beer was hammered with Simcoe, Citra, and Galaxy varieties, and the aroma has definitely persisted throughout its hibernation. Both of these beers are available in Squealers at the brewery.

• There’s another new brewery looking to start up in New Brunswick – A.W.O.L. Brewery will be located in Riverview, and is founded by homebrewer (and Sergeant in the Canadian Army) Robert Black. Currently, Robert plans on having three beers – including a Belgian Pale Ale, an Amber brewed with rye-soaked oak chips, and a hoppy American Brown – and one mead in his regular line-up. A.W.O.L. currently has a fundraising campaign set up here, to help raise the money necessary to build their 2-bbl brewery, and to be operation by this fall. There’s several incentives available, based on donation amount, ranging from pint glasses to the chance to be an assistant brewer for a day. Now’s your chance to help a local brewery get started! We’ll have more news on A.W.O.L. as their progress continues. You can also follow along with them on Twitter and Facebook.

• The Picaroons Brewer’s Bash is only a week away, and their beer truck is currently making its way east to Fredericton! Its trip began earlier this week when it started picking up beer from participating breweries in British Columbia, was in Saskatchewan yesterday, and heading through Manitoba today. You can keep an eye on their Twitter account for updates. And stay tuned next week, as we hope to have a list of the beers being poured at the festival by the Atlantic Canadian breweries attending, similar to what we did last year.

• Looking to get a job at a newly-opened craft brewery? Well, Tatamagouche Brewing (which just opened a couple of weeks ago) is looking to fill a part-time position, with the possibility of stepping up to full-time. The job involves lots of beer-lifting, and experience in customer service is required. Drop by the brewery if you’re interested, or send them off an email.

• A reminder that tickets are still available for the North Brewing Beer Pairing Reception at harbourstone sea grill & pour house July 10th. The full menu is available on their Facebook page, and will mark the launch of their new California Common beer. Tickets are only available online, so pick them up now!

On a personal note, Chris would like to thank Alan and Brenda at Meander River, the Sea Level and Port Pub crew, and Jeff at Bad Apple Brewhouse for a wonderful Canada Day in the Annapolis Valley. Showing six beer-thirsty American visitors around our region was the perfect way to spend July 1st!

Friday Wrap-up – News from Tatamagouche Brewery, Grimross Brewing, Rockbottom Brewpub, Granite Brewery and more

Posted by acbbshawn on 2014-06-20
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: Authentic Seacoast Brewing, Bad Apple Brewhouse, Big Tide Brewing, Brasseurs du Petit Sault, Garrison Brewing, Granite Brewery, Grimross Brewing, PEI Brewing, RockBottom Brewpub, Shiretown Beer, Stillwell Beer Bar, Tatamagouche Brewing. 3 comments

Happy Friday! As we’re about ready to officially begin summer, the beer news is coming in fast and furious!

• We are thrilled to welcome the newest brewery to the Atlantic Canada region, Tatamagouche Brewery. Located at 235 Main Street in Tatamagouche, NS, this former butcher shop has been converted to a state-of-the-art brewery. We’ve been following along with their progress for almost a year now, made a visit ourselves at the beginning of the month, and are excited to see their successful opening this week. They have launched with their Hippie Dippie Pale Ale, weighing in at 5% ABV and brewed exclusively with Ahtanum hops. Their Butcher Block Red Ale is a bit higher test at 6% ABV, and uses higher hopping levels of the El Dorado varietal, including the use of a hopback, which sits between the kettle and the chiller, for an extra dose of hops post-boil. We’ll have a full profile with them shortly, but in the meantime, grab a growler at the brewery (open 10-6 daily), or on tap at the Train Station Inn and Stirling Room in Tatamagouche, or the Nook and Cranny in Truro. Welcome aboard the Craft Beer Train!

• Grimross Brewing is just about one year away from the date that they sold their first beer (July 1st, 2013), and they’ve got some big news just in time to celebrate! Owner/brewer Stephen Dixon has confirmed that they will be expanding, and moving to a new location in Fredericton. They’ve already ordered their brewing system; the move likely won’t occur for another six months. In the meantime, they will continue brewing their regular line-up of beers at the Picaroons’ Brewtique downtown. We’ll have more details soon, but for now we can say we’re very happy to hear this news!

• In other Grimross news, they’re releasing a new beer, Ben’s Country Cousin, at the Brewtique sometime tomorrow afternoon. This beer has the same grain bill as Ben’s Bitter Pale Ale, a regular-release Grimross beer; however, it is hopped differently during the boil, and is dry-hopped, unlike the original recipe. As well, the beer is fermented with a Farmhouse Ale yeast, so overall look for it to taste quite different from Ben’s Pale. It has an ABV of about 6%, like it’s relative. Keep an eye on Grimross’ Twitter account for exact details on what time the beer is released.

• Rockbottom Brewpub has announced the return of their very popular Insidious IBA. This 2013 Canadian Brewing Awards medal-winner is an American West Coast-style India Black Ale. Dark roasted barley gives the beer its signature colour, but the flavour and aroma showcase the Columbus, Citra, Simcoe, Summit, Centennial, and German Magnum hops. Weighing in at 6.9% and 70 IBUs, this will be a popular beer for the start of summer. For those of you who want one more taste of the now sold-out Intergalatic SMaSH’d Lager, you’ll have to grab a ticket to the Brewer’s Dinner on June 24th to get it. We’ll see you there!

• Halifax’s Granite Brewery will soon be re-releasing their summer seasonal, Honey Ginger Ale. Brewed with honey and ginger root, the ginger addition adds a natural bitterness to the beer, so no hops are used at any stage of the brewing process. A light-drinking beer at 4.6% ABV, it should be available for growler fills at the brewery’s beer store soon (hopefully by next weekend); keep an eye on Granite’s Facebook and Twitter accounts for the exact release date.

• We have some details on Shiretown‘s newest beer, an IPA, Hops on for Nowhere. This 75 IBU beer is hopped with three different varieties: Waimea, Green Bullet, and Amarillo, that according to the brewery provide a “comforting, earthy orange finish”. Coming in at ~5.5% ABV, the first batch sold out for growler fills at the brewery; the next batch should be available late next week. They’ve also brewed up their Honey Wheat Ale (made with local buckwheat honey) again; it’s available now at the brewery for growler fills.

• A couple of weeks ago, we reported on the new lager that was brewed by the PEI Brewing Co. Just to update, this 4% ABV light lager (hopped with two New Zealand varieties, Kohatu and Motueka) has been named Landing Day Lager, and is now on tap at the Gahan House, in addition to at the brewery itself (96 Kensington Rd).

• It’s back! The Rare Bird Pub in Guysborough, NS, is opening today for the season. While they are brewing their Rare Bird Pale Ale and Full Steam Stout year-round, the Pub is only seasonal. Open 11:30-8pm Wed-Sun, drop by for a pint of their two year-round beers, as well as seasonals as they are released. Rare Bird growlers are also available for purchase at the Pub.

• Bigtide Brewpub in Saint John, NB has a couple of new beers on tap lately, so let’s get you caught up on their details. Tin Can Porter is a brand new release, based on their Chocolate Porter, but incorporating fresh brewed Java Moose coffee at flame-out. The beer is hopped to 45 IBUs using Nugget and Willamette hops, and is 5% ABV. The addition of vanilla smooths out any bitterness from the coffee. The beer is named after Tin Can Beach, to celebrate the work that ACAP Saint John is doing to clean up this area of the downtown.

• Also on tap at Bigtide is Princess Street IPA. This unfiltered IPA was brewed using Nugget hops exclusively throughout the 90-minute boil. The theoretical IBUs are up over 100, however the 7.5% ABV and slight residual sweetness help to round out any harsh bitterness. Canadian 2-Row and German Pale Ale are the major base malts, as well as a small amount of Caramunich and Carafoam for colour. Grab a pint at the bar, or a growler to go.

• Stillwell has been teasing us with the beers they will be pouring tomorrow at the Garrison Brewing Cask Takeover. Here’s the complete cask list:
Spiceman’s Session Saison (with Wild Voatsiperifery Peppers)
Christmas in June (Meander River Lunchbox Pale Ale and Garrison Spruce Beer blend)
Summit Buzz (Vanilla Espresso Brown Ale)
Peanut Butter Jelly Time (peanut butter and fresh raspberries on their Brown Ale)
Some Like it Hot (Tall Ship Amber Michelada)
Blueberry Raj (Spiced American Wheat with blueberry juice and masala chai)
Brand New and Already Bitter (IPA dry-hopped with Citra and Amarillo)
Makin’ Bacon (Maple Bacon Ale, using Chef Graeme’s homemade bacon rum)
Imperial Mystery (your guess is as good as ours, though we’re guessing it’s based on their Imperial Pale Ale)
Lovers Quarrel (Belgian-style Wit with rosehips and chamomile)
My Thai Wheat (American Wheat with pineapple mint and kaffir lime leaves)
La Moreno Loco (Chocolate Chili Brown Ale, with homegrown chilis and dark chocolate and cocoa nibs)
For those without noon “First Sips” tickets, the doors open again at 2pm for first-come, first-served pours. $10 gets you a glass to keep, and your first drink.

• Come out to the Wooden Monkey Dartmouth tonight, starting at 7:30, to help celebrate the Ladies Beer League First Anniversary. In addition to Wooden Monkey’s regular local beer rotation, there will be three special casks pouring: Big Spruce All Night Kitchen Party (double dry-hopped Pale Ale), Garrison Sticky Toffee Pudding Birthday Cake (based on the Sugar Moon Maple), and North Brewing Farmhouse Ale. No tickets necessary (it’s pay-as-you-enjoy), just show up to have a celebratory pint or two.

• And finally, we are very excited to announce the next big event scheduled at Stillwell Beer Bar. Jeff at Bad Apple Brewhouse has been brewing like crazy since opening just a few months ago, and will be taking over the taps (and casks) at Stillwell all day July 5th. Featuring twelve taps and two casks, there will be something for everyone that day: the much-anticipated return of That’s Falcon Teamwork (brewed with the Stillwell gang), barrel-aged versions of the Impresser DIPA and Black and Tackle RIS (as well as their non-barrel-aged versions), and the last keg of Mosaic DIPA. Among the six (SIX!) new beers debuting at the takeover, folks will have first crack at the Smokehouse Lager (brewed with 100% Smoked Malt), Apple Cider, the Summer Slurper Session Ale, and a few more special beers that will blow people’s socks off. So, how do you get in on the madness? Tickets for the noon (First Sips), afternoon, and evening sessions are on sale today at Stillwell. Unlike other events, you will need a ticket to get into the afternoon and evening sessions, so plan accordingly. As with other Takeovers, your $10 ticket gets you a glass and your first pour. We’ll definitely see you there!

• And as a late addition, we just wanted to include the exciting news that Les Brasseurs du Petit-Sault has confirmed that they’re in the process of brewing their first full batch of beer! This morning, brewers Jason Dionne and Gavin Anderson started brewing Bob LeBouef, their Blonde Ale. Look for the beer (and others) to be available sometime early next month!