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Big Axe Brewery – Now Open in Nackawic, New Brunswick

Posted by acbbshawn on 2014-04-17
Posted in: Profiles. Tagged: Big Axe Brewery. 2 comments

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Get ready for more beer, New Brunswick! Big Axe Brewery has just become the latest new brewery in the province. Located at 519 Otis Dr., in Nackawic, the brewery will be located with the recently-opened Bed & Breakfast of the same name, owned by Peter Cole and his wife, Tatiana. I recently exchanged emails with Peter to find out some more information and what he has planned for the brewery in the near future…

ACBB: Tell me a little bit about the build-up of the brewery.

Peter Cole: My wife and I moved to Nackawic about 10 years ago and immediately fell in love with the area – a place to relax after a long work week! Nackawic is New Brunswick’s best kept secret, we think, providing many nature trails, as well as the beautiful Saint John River. Tatiana would cook special meals in the evening, and I would cook breakfast. We always wondered why no one started a business on the river for the locals, as well as the many tourists that visit.

We finally decided that we would give it a try, and started extensive renovations on this beautiful, large home in January of 2013, converting it into a 3-bedroom B&B on the second floor. Renovations for the B&B were complete in September and we opened for business! The brewery was a longer process – started by having this location approved for commercial zoning, various permits for the extensive renovations, many inspections, more permits and licences, etc. Tuesday, April 15th, our first two beers were approved by the ANBL, so we’re now officially open for business! My friends Simon and Michelle Popowich have joined our brew team and are investors in the Big Axe Brewery… their support will help us be successful.

What type of system are brewing on?

After a lot of research, I decided on a 1BBL (31 U.S. gallons, or 116 L) system from Stout Tanks and Kettles.

You spent some time earlier in the year brewing with some other breweries in the province… can you tell me a little about that?

We were first invited to Shiretown in Charlo where brewer Derek Leslie let us brew with him, so we could learn more about the commercial brewing process. Hands-on experience is the best you can get! We later brewed with Stephen Dixon of Grimross Brewing; great to see how brewing is done on different equipment by different brewers. Very educational, to say the least. Most recently, we were invited to brew with Shane Steeves of Hammond River Brewing. Shane has the same brewing equipment as we do, so it was amazing to see our equipment at work!

What are your plans for distribution? Any plans for growlers, bottling, etc.?

We will be selling to licensed establishments and serving our guests. We are selling our own growlers onsite, as well as filling them once they are empty!

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

We hope to be on tap soon at the King Street Ale House in Fredericton. I have had verbal confirmations from a few other establishments that are interested and eager to sell our beer. We will keep everyone posted when the time draws near.

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

We now have two beers listed: Chantarelle Cream Ale and Double Bit IPA. We will be releasing our Maple Ale soon as part of our “Seasonal Selection”.

Have you had any assistance from other breweries in Atlantic Canada?

The support we’ve received from local breweries has been overwhelming. But we would like to highlight the support from Picaroons, Grimross, Shiretown and Hammond River Brewing!

What will make your brewery different from other breweries in Atlantic Canada?

Besides our “kick-axe” name, we hope our beer will be distinct from the local ingredients we add that grow naturally in NB! We also pride ourselves on having a beautiful location on the Saint John River. We are accessible by boat, ATV, snowmobile and we are only 3 minutes from the TransCanada Highway!

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

I would like to see Big Axe Brewery expand to the point of distribution, hiring of employees and a local craft beer pub/bistro.

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

A favourite beer? I am a craft beer enthusiast. I enjoy trying different beer from different breweries. The type of beer really depends on the mood, atmosphere and even the weather! But if I had to pick one… I would pick an IPA.

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

I learned from a combination of people over the years, starting with my grandfather, but learned the most from the brewers mentioned earlier who we can now call friends. Sean Dunbar from Picaroons has also been very helpful and supportive.

Is there something specific that got you into the world of craft beer?

My wife and I have travelled extensively throughout Europe, Central America and the UK. We prefer going to local establishments so we can get the true sense of the atmosphere and culture. We make a point in trying a local brew from each place we visit. I have always dreamed of having my own business… and what better business to have than a brewery!

We’re happy to welcome Big Axe into the Atlantic Canada brewery fold! We’ll be updating regularly as they continue to increase production and availability; also, follow their Facebook page and Twitter feed for more information as it becomes available. In the meantime, be sure to drop by the brewery for growler fills, which are currently available Mondays-Saturdays, 12 pm – 8 pm.

Friday Wrap-Up – Brew News from Big Tide, Red Rover, Gahan, Celtic Knot, Rockbottom, Picaroons, North, Bad Apple, and more!

Posted by acbbshawn on 2014-04-11
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: Bad Apple Brewhouse, Big Tide Brewing, Boxing Rock Brewing, Burgers n' Beer, Celtic Knot Brewing, Ducky's Bar, Gahan House Home Brewer's Challenge, Grimross Brewing, Hammond River Brewing, King Street Ale House, Ladies Beer League, North Brewing, Picaroons Traditional Ales, reLiSH, RockBottom Brewpub, Stillwell Beer Bar. 4 comments

Happy Friday, everyone! We don’t want to jinx anything, but it’s beginning to look more like spring in our region. To celebrate, grab a pint of beer (or coffee if your employer frowns on drinking on the job), and let’s get right to the beer news:

• In Saint John, Big Tide Brewing is pouring a new beer at their brewpub. The beer is Three Pages to the Wind, a “Whiskey Pale Ale”. Brewed with Pale Ale and Smoked malt, the beer is mildly hopped with both Cascade and Willamette hops, with whiskey added during the conditioning stage; it comes in at about 5.2% ABV. They’re also pouring a couple of returning beers, including Nut Brown, a 4.8% ABV Southern English Brown that employs some Chocolate malt, and Crasberry Cream Ale, a 5% ABV Cream Ale that has cranberry and raspberry juice added during conditioning.

• Red Rover Brewing is expanding their on-tap distribution in Fredericton, with their Summer Brew now available at the Grad House on the UNB campus, and Spring Brew on tap at Isaac’s Way. Of course, their Summer is also still available at the King Street Ale House. Owner/brewer Adam Clawson has also designed some new tap handles for their ciders, which have been 3D printed to give varying results for each of the three ciders they have available. Very cool!

• Gahan House in Charlottetown is hosting the finale of their Homebrewer’s Challenge tomorrow 2-4pm, and we’re all invited! Narrowed down from 16 entries to 5, the final judging will take place that afternoon, courtesy of a panel of six beer lovers, including current and former brewers from Gahan and PEI Brewing Company, judging these beers on Flavour Characteristics, Off Flavours, Appearance, General taste, Creativity and Overall balance. The brewers are hoping to win the big prize, having a chance to brew their beer on Gahan’s system, and have it served right at the bar! There will be live music and entertainment courtesy of Iain MacCarvill, and appetizers passed around. Of course, the full restaurant and bar will be open as well. Be sure to drop by and cheer on these well-deserving finalists (and all other entrants). Well done, all! We’ll be sure to pass along details of the event and winning beer next week.

• In other Gahan news, they released their Honey Brown Ale this week. It is a blend of the Sir John A’s Honey Wheat (featuring local PEI honey) and Iron Bridge Brown, and weighs in at 4.8%ABV. It will be available on tap and in bottles at the Gahan House Brewpub, the PEILCC and select ANBL locations.

• Good news, Sackville, NB! Your craft beer availability has taken a step up, as Celtic Knot beer will soon be on tap at Ducky’s. Management at Ducky’s has confirmed that they will be expanding their draught selection from 14 to 22 taps, with mostly local craft beer being served! Following this expansion (hopefully within the next 1-2 weeks), one or two taps will be devoted to Celtic Knot’s beers… other local nanobreweries are likely to be added in the near future.

• If you haven’t been visiting Rockbottom Brewpub for the Wednesday Firkins lately, you’ve been missing out! Over the past two weeks, Brewmaster Greg Nash has been serving up dry-hopped, cask-conditioned versions of his upcoming Thulsa Doom Double IPA, first with Simcoe, and more recently with Citra. Both of these were excellent beers, selling out that night. This base beer weighs in at 7.8%ABV, but there is no hint of alcohol at all, as it features a wonderful citrus and fruit hop aroma and flavour, calculated at 130 IBU, thanks to generous amounts of Columbus, Simcoe, Centennial and Chinook. The yeast used to ferment this brew is called Conan, and also gives off apricot and citrus characteristics. Look for it on tap the middle of next week! Brewmaster Nash also gave us a preview of next week’s Firkin: a SMaSH Lager, featuring Galaxy hops. Be sure to drop by right at 4pm, to be sure you don’t miss out!

• In other Rockbottom news, be sure to check out their Youtube channel, to get the inside scoop on upcoming specials, events, and beers. We see that a member of the Ladies Beer League dropped by this week to assist with the brewing (and cleaning) of an upcoming batch of Fathom IPA.

• Picaroons has officially announced plans for their Dooryard launch – it will be held on Earth Day, Tuesday April 22nd at the York St. Train Station in Fredericton. From 4:00 – 7:00 pm, they will be pouring samples of Dooryard, their spring/summer seasonal brewed with coriander and orange peel; there will also be wood-fired “Dough’yard” pizza from Real Food Connections and Speerville Flour Mill, and live entertainment with Earthbound Trio.

• In other Picaroons news, they’ve announced that they will be brewing a collaboration beer with Toronto’s Great Lakes Brewery in the near future. While details on on the beer are currently being kept secret, we can confirm that the beer will be ready in time for the 2014 Canadian Brewing Awards, which are being held May 29th-31st in Fredericton. Both Picaroons and Great Lakes have won the Brewery of the Year award in the past (2011 and 2013, respectively), so we’re naturally expecting great things from their collaboration!

• North Brewing’s Farmhouse  Ale is back again. Weighing in at 7.5%, it features a candied fruit aroma, and tart flavour, thanks to the combination of yeast choice, and wheat and raw sugar in the malt bill. Available at the brewery on Agricola Street, and will be on tap around the city shortly. Their second release of the Glenora-barrel-aged Strong Dark is down to the last few bottles, so be sure to drop by the brewery today to grab one!

• Bad Apple Brewhouse’s Russian Imperial Stout is back in stock in Somerset. Weighing in at 9%ABV, it is a big beer with big flavour, thanks to loads of roast malt and generous hopping. It is available in 1.89L and 750mL refillables, along with their American Pale Ale and Cider. Look out for the Barrel-aged RIS coming out at the end of the month, as well as a few more new brews. And a quick note for locals looking to have a pint of their APA at The Wick Pub in Berwick, they are now fully stocked. But be warned, their first keg was emptied in one night last week!

• Halifax Beer Fans: As if you didn’t need another excuse to visit Stillwell Beer Bar, they will be tapping three beers from Bellwoods Brewery Sunday at noon. Witchshark IIPA, Grizzly Beer American Brown Ale, and Farmhouse Classic. See you there!

• In celebration of the anniversary of Prohibition Repeal in New Brunswick, there’s a beer cocktail event being held at the King Street Ale House next Saturday, April 19th. From 3:00 – 5:00 pm, they will be mixing up a variety of beer and whisky cocktails “inspired by the drinks and era of prohibition”; tickets are priced accordingly at $19.27 and can be purchased online. No Tommy guns, please.

• A reminder that the Burgers n’ Beer event at reLiSH in Fredericton is this coming Tuesday, April 15th. There are a FEW tickets still available; remember, if you live in Fredericton, it’s your first chance to try Celtic Knot’s Dubh Loki (a Black IPA) and Hammond River‘s Red Coat India Red Ale! Not to mention some Red Rover cider and beer from Grimross Brewing… and burgers! More detail in our post here. Hope to see you there!

• Finally, be sure to drop by Stillwell Thursday evening, for the release of the Boxing Rock & Ladies Beer League beer, Alewife’s Revenge. The LBL crew visited Boxing Rock on March 15th and brewed up this beer featuring local cranberries and orange zest, and now it’s ready for prime time! Check out some pictures from the brewday to whet your appetite. If you can’t make it down for the release party, look for it in growlers and bottles at the brewery, Seaport Farmers Market, and the private wine stores in Halifax.

Sunset Heights Meadery – Opening This Summer in New Brunswick

Posted by acbbshawn on 2014-04-10
Posted in: Profiles. Tagged: Sunset Heights Meadery. 1 comment

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With all of the breweries that have opened recently and will be opening in the near future in Atlantic Canada, New Brunswick is about to get a taste of something different. John Way, a long-time homebrewer, and his wife, Deb, are planning to open Sunset Heights Meadery sometime within the next few months at their home in McLeod Hill. Mead is a fermented beverage, like beer; what sets it apart is that the majority of its fermentable sugars come from honey, as opposed to grain. Like beer, brewing mead provides an open book for the brewer, as it can be still or carbonated; dry, semi-sweet, or sweet; and can have spices, fruit, and even hops added.

John and his family were all representing Sunset Heights Meadery at last month’s Fredericton Craft Beer Festival, pouring several varieties of their meads. Mead is a product not easily found in our area, so it was great to see that the lines were long and consistent as attendants were anxious to try something new. We recently talked with John about what he and his wife will be bringing to the market in the near future…

ACBB: Tell me a little about your homebrewing history. What got you into brewing mead?

John Way: Twenty-five years of home brewing, everything from extract kits to eventually all-grain; in addition, we have been making wine for over 10 years. My Dad was a long time home wine maker as well. In the early-late 90’s I ran a business next door to a Brew/Vint on-premise on Vancouver Island. The owners became great friends and I learned a ton from them. Early forays into Mead were futile efforts to produce bad mead. We recently learned a lot from the owner and Head Mead Maker at Moonlight Meadery (in Londonderry, New Hampshire)… that changed everything, and all of a sudden all the past beer and wine experience gelled together with the new info we received from Moonlight to make some really good (we think) meads.

Are you a member of any local homebrewing clubs?

I’m a Charter Member of the New Brunswick Craft Brewers Association (NBCBA) and am currently Club Secretary, but I’ll be stepping down soon as the Meadery and my real job are taking up the total time I have in a day.

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

We had actually planned to open a nanobrewery locally, but after spending a couple of days at Moonlight we realized it’s where our future was.

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

We’ve started redeveloping our loft in our garage, as we’re fully licensed by the Feds and Province to produce. The license is actually a winery license, and we’re in the midst of going through the requirements to meet the standard as a “Farm Winery” in the province, which gives us better access to the market.

What type of system will you be brewing on?

We cold ferment, so with no heat applied to the honey there isn’t really any “brewing” per se. Heat only drives off the volatiles that we want in our meads. We currently have 160 gallons of capacity, but have a plan in place to increase that by an additional 500 gallons by this fall.

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

We’re hoping for June/July for the “Pollen Angels” kegged product to be available at bars, with the bottled still “Sunset Heights” meads in the fall.

What are your plans for distribution? Any plans for growlers, bottling, etc.?

Plans are still evolving, but currently it’s bars only, though we will be looking at a couple of growler options.

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

The King Street Ale House and The Lunar Rogue have both expressed a keen interest, and we’ve committed to only service them until we get a handle on the demand. Of course, they are also the only two places I’ve approached so far, so it’s tough to say what kind of further acceptance we’ll receive in the marketplace.

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

Our “Pollen Angels” line will likely open with the “Queen’s Nectar”, a base sparkling mead that is 8.25% ABV, along with additional flavours including Cranberry-Maple, Blueberry-Apple, Iced Tea, Green Tea and some custom dry-hopped versions. Our “Sunset Heights Meadery” still meads will be bottled in Ice Wine bottles, and will include a Local Cyser [a blend of honey and apple juice fermented together], and a dry-hopped Cyser that just won a Silver Medal for ‘Other-Sweet’ at The Mazer Cup, the world’s largest meadmaking competition. We will also be re-running our recipe for our “Sunset Blues”, a Blueberry Cyser that took home the Gold Medal in the ‘Sweet Melomel’ Category at the Mazer Cup. We’re the first New Brunswick Meadery to ever win an award at the Mazer Cup, and we’re very excited, and just a little bit proud.

Have you had any assistance from other breweries in Atlantic Canada?

Sean Dunbar has allowed us unlimited access to his head brewer, Andrew Estabrooks, which has been invaluable. The folks at Picaroons have also been incredibly supportive in helping us with suppliers, and they’ve been a great sounding board for our product development. Sean’s vision of the craft beverage market is such a breath of fresh air, being so supportive to other smaller producers. Many in the industry see everyone as a competitor, but he understands that a rising tide will float all boats.

The owner of Moonlight Meadery, Michael Fairbrother, has been our mead mentor through our learning curve of going from home to full scale; he and his fermentation specialist Chris have been incredible in supporting our efforts. Michael and his wife Bernice were very proud of us when we brought home those medals at the Mazer Cup (he took home 2 Golds and a Silver to add to his already impressive array of past medals). Michael is even working on a very special project with us planned for this fall… it will be a bit like having Elvis do a duet with you on your debut album.

To your knowledge, is this the first meadery in Atlantic Canada?

No, there is another dedicated meadery, Midgard, in Cape Breton, and though I haven’t had the opportunity to try them, I’m told they are great. There are other small meaderies about, but they tend to self-distribute in very small quantities. There are also a few wineries around making some mead as a sideline.

Where do you hope to see Sunset Heights Meadery in the next 2-3 years?

A few more medals, making some more killer versions of our Dessert Still Meads, and with “Pollen Angels” running concurrently as a parallel venture instead of having it integrated into Sunset Heights. Only time will tell if the volume consumed by the public will make that a possibility. For now, we can run both the product lines off of the same equipment.

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We’re really looking forward to when Sunset Heights Meadery has their official launch in the next couple of months! We’ll let you know exactly when to expect their products in bars and restaurants in the area, as soon as the dates are confirmed.