Atlantic Canada Beer Festivals

Saint John Beer Fest – Saturday April 13, 7:30pm in the Market Square Atrium

Posted by acbbchris on 2013-04-04
Posted in: Atlantic Canada Beer Festivals. Tagged: Saint John Ale House, Saint John Beer Festival. Leave a Comment

SJBeerFest

The second annual Saint John Beerfest is taking place next Saturday, April 13th, from 7:30-9:30pm. It is being held in the Market Square Atrium, adjacent to the Hilton Saint John. VIP Tickets for the fest are now sold out (allows entry at 7pm), but there are still some available for the regular session. They are only available in person or via phone at the Harbour Station, and are $60.

The fest will feature 130+ beers, over 20% of which are not available at the ANBL. There will be roaming entertainment from Atlantic Cirque, with food from the SJAH, Smokin Pig BBQ and Grannans Seafood available. The event is also a fundraiser for Ducks Unlimited.

Beer Fountain and Beer Fans during the 2012 Saint John Beer Fest

Beer-coloured Fountain and Beer Fans during the 2012 Saint John Beer Fest

I spoke with organizer Peter Stoddard (also owner of the Saint John Ale House) about the event.

The Market Atrium seems like a solid choice for venue, can you speak about the reasons why you chose it?

Time of year is important: April can be cold, so heated underground parking, available overnight, so no tickets. It’s attached to the two major hotels uptown and easily accessed inside day or night. It is unique and has built in atmosphere. It’s also attached to all the sponsored Restaurants. It’s big enough to work, yet small enough to be intimate. Personally I love Market Square and it is Saint John’s Festival Place!

Why have you chosen D.U. as your fundraiser recipient?

I have been a long time supporter of Ducks Unlimited Canada, I am the Atlantic Spokesperson for them. We do many events and fundraisers with them and I believe the work they do can be seen and touched by everyone around.

Members of Atlantic Cirque during the 2012 SJBF

Members of Atlantic Cirque during the 2012 SJBF

Are there bands or other entertainment joining Atlantic Cirque?

We have a live DJ playing house music in the back ground with a surround sound speaker setup and upgraded versus what we had last year. The atrium doesn’t lend itself to be a great live music venue due to the acoustics, so we have opted out of that option for now.

Can you comment on non-alcoholic options at the Fest?

We will have Pop and Bottled water and I believe there will be some non-alcoholic beer options. The reality is it’s a Beer festival, so we are encouraging Taxis, again easily accessible or there is a Beerfest rate at the Hilton for people that just want to make a night of it.

Is there anything else we should know?

It’s year two, so we have learned a bit more about the flow of the space, what people are looking for and feel we have upped the bar and managed to keep the price at the same level. All of the food is included in the price of admission, we had great success with the food end of things last year and are looking at another great year for it!

Jesse Vergen of Smoking Pig BBQ at SJBF 2012 (and will be back in 2013)

Jesse Vergen of Smoking Pig BBQ at SJBF 2012 (and will be back in 2013)

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The provisional list of breweries, beers and tables has been posted to the Saint John Beer Fest Facebook page, and may change before the festival date. I see great beer from all of the Maritime Provinces, as well as some interesting imports on the list, so no one will leave thirsty!

Table #1

Garrison Tall Ship Amber Ale

Garrison Irish Red Ale

Garrison Raspberry Wheat

Garrison Hopyard Pale Ale 6

Garrison Imperial IPA

Garrison Ass Kicker IPA

Garrison Kellye’s Wild Rye’d IPA

TABLE #2

Picaroons Best Bitter

Irish Red

Dark and Stormy Night

Yippee IPA

Simeon Jones

Timberhog Stout

Yippee IPA

TABLE #3

Shiretown Blonde du Quai

Shiretown Big Brown Ale

Uncle Dunkel

TABLE #4

PEI Brewing Co/Gahan Sir John A Honey Wheat

Island Red

Iron Horse Brown

1772 IPA

Beach Chair Lager

TABLE #5

Carlsberg

Carlsberg Light

Kronenbourg

Mill Street – Tank House

Mill Street – Organic

Mill Street – Lemon Tea

TABLE #6

Saint John Ale House

TABLE #7

Coors Light

Molson Canadian

Rickards Red

Rickards White

Rickards Blonde

Rickards Dark

Creemore Springs Lager

Creemore Traditional Pilsner

Molson Canadian 67

Granville Island English Bay Pale Ale

Granville Island Lions Winter Ale

Strongbow

Newcastle Brown Ale

Molson Canadian Wheat

TABLE #8

Lemongrass Thai Fare/Pepper’s Pub

TABLE #9

Hop City Big Mouth

Hop City Barking Squirell

TABLE #10

MooseLight

Alpine

Moosehead Pale Ale

Moosehead Premium Dry

Clancy’s Amber Ale

Cracked Canoe

Moosehead Lager

Mooselight Lime

Moosehead Cask Ale

TABLE #11

Paulaner Hefe Weissbier

Samuel Adams Boston Lager

Samuel Adams Spring Lager

Tennents

Twisted Tea

Magners Original Cider

TABLE #12

Bavaria Strong 8.6

Fuller’s Honey Dew

Fuller’s Porter

Hacker Pschorr Weisse Beer

Koningshoeven Tripel Trappist Beer

TABLE #13

Pump House Blueberry Ale

Pump House Fire Chief Red Ale

Pump House Scotch Ale

Pump House Special Old Bitter Ale (SOB)

Pump House Cadian Cream Ale

Pump House Premium Lager

TABLE #14

Erdinger Weissbier

Erdinger Dunkel Weissbier

Affligem Blonde

Fruli Strawberry White

Stiegl Lager

Mort Subite Kriek

Mongozo Premium Pilsner

Stiegl Radler

Palm Amber Ale

Delirium Tremens

TABLE #15

Grannan’s

TABLE #16

Bud Light Platnium 6 pack

Bud Light Platnium 650 ml bottle

Michelob ultra 12 pk bottles

Alexander Keith’s Hallertauer Hop Ale

Alexander Keith’s Cascade Hop Ale

TABLE #17

Propeller IPA

Propeller Exrta Special Bitter

Propeller Double IPA

Propeller London Style Porter

Cask Dry Hopped ESB

TABLE #18

Tidal Wave Douple IPA

Sandpiper Pilsner

TABLE #19

St. Ambroise Oatmeal Stout

St. Ambroise Apricot Wheat Ale

St. Ambroise Pale Ale

St. Ambroise Scotch Ale

St. Ambroise IPA

TABLE #20

Smoking Pig BBQ

TABLE #21

SLEEMAN CLEAR 12 CANS

SLEEMAN CLEAR 12 BOTTLES

SLEEMAN HONEY BROWN LAGER 12 BOTTLES

SLEEMAN ORIGINAL DRAUGHT 12 BOTTLES

BLANCHE DE CHAMBLY 6 BOTTLES

EPHEMERE POMME 6 BOTTLES

SAPPORO 4 PACK

TABLE #22

Grolsch Lager Can

Pilsner Urquell

Peroni Nastro Azzuro

American Vintage Hard Iced Tea

TABLE #23

Guinness Draught

Kilkenny Irish Cream Ale

Harp Irish Lager

Smithwicks

Guinness Black

TABLE #24

Innis & Gunn Blonde

Innis & Gunn Original Oak Aged Beer

Innis & Gunn Spiced Rum Finish

Friday Wrap-Up: Fredericton Craft Beer Fest, Saint John Beer Fest, New Releases from Propeller, Sea Level and Garrison

Posted by acbbchris on 2013-03-15
Posted in: Atlantic Canada Beer Festivals, Atlantic Canada Beer News. Tagged: Brewnosers, Fredericton Craft Beer Festival, Garrison Brewing, homebrewing, Propeller Brewing, Saint John Beer Fest, Sea Level Brewing. Leave a Comment

Hello again beer fans!

A few updates since last week:

  • We had a great time at the Fredericton Craft Beer Fest at the Delta Fredericton Saturday. There were over 100 beers available from lots of local and farther afield favourite breweries, as well as  representatives from some new breweries that will be coming on the scene very soon. We’ll have a full report shortly. Thanks to the organizers and volunteers for a wonderful event! Looking forward to next year (they’ve already got some breweries signed up to return!).
  • Speaking of New Brunswick Beer Fests, the Saint John Beer Fest will be taking place April 13th at the Market Square in Saint John. Their VIP tickets are selling fast, so jump on them now. We’ll have a full write-up, with brewery and beer list, next week.
  • Also in Saint John, taking place at the Saint John Alehouse is Maple Mania, March 23rd. Picaroons Maple Cream Ale on cask along with lots of food cooked with or pairing with maple syrup. Sweet! Get your tickets at the Alehouse.
  • Attention Hop Heads: The Double IPA is back again from Propeller Brewing Co in Halifax. It is at the PropShoppe now, and will be in the private beer stores and NSLCs shortly. Sorry, not available in NB, PEI or NL.
  • It’s been on tap in Port Williams for a week, and Sea Level‘s  Dussel-port Altbier is now available for sale in cans at the brewery in Port Williams, and  Bishop’s Cellar, Harvest Wines, and Cristall Wine Merchants in Halifax.
  • The gala for Garrison Brewing Co‘s Home Brew-Off is next Thursday, when they will announce this year’s winning Blonde beer. We hear that there are at least two Brewnosers in the final four! It also means that last year’s winning beer, Kellye Robertson’s Rye IPA (name TBA at the gala), will be released the same night. We’ll be there for a full report, this event never disappoints!
  • The Coast’s annual Beer Guide is out this week, with lots of good articles on homebrewing for the Garrison Brew-Off, our friends at Bridge Brewing, NS cider and the weekly firkins at Rockbottom Brew Pub. Pick it up across Halifax, or read the digital flip version here.

Finally, you will be seeing another new handle posting articles and profiles soon. Shawn is a homebrewer and lover of all things beer, living in Fredericton. I managed to corner him at the Fredericton Craft Beer Fest, and he has graciously agreed to help Nick and I to keep the info flowing. There’s plenty of beer news in Atlantic Canada to keep us all busy, and only signs of it ramping up further! Thanks Shawn!

Friday Wrap-Up: PEI Brewing now in NB, Garrison Brew-Off Entries Beat Last Year’s Record and more

Posted by acbbchris on 2013-03-08
Posted in: Atlantic Canada Beer Festivals, Atlantic Canada Beer News. Tagged: Garrison Brewing, PEI Brewing. Leave a Comment

There’s been lots of developments since our first/last Friday Wrap-Up, here’s just a few teasers:

  • PEI Brewing Company’s Beach Chair Lager is now available in NB. It joins their four other listings (1772 IPA, Iron Horse Brown Ale, Island Red and Sir John A’s Honey Wheat). They are also in the midst of major expansions, to open in May.
  • The Garrison Brewing Home Brew-off Challenge closed last week, and there were 69 entries! The judging is taking place now, and the Awards Gala (which coincides with the release of last year’s winning Rye IPA by Kellye Robertson) is Thursday, March 21.
  • Speaking of Garrison, their Ass-Kicker IPA is being released today. I’ll have more details on that shortly. They’ve also got another of their One Hop IPA beers coming soon. Their Comet Pale Ale was VERY popular!
  • The 2nd Annual Saint John Beer Fest is happening April 13th, at the Market Square Atrium. We’ll have a full write-up soon.
  • Bridge Brewing Co. has rejigged their Gus’ 65m Blonde Ale recipe, so it is worth checking out again (or for the first time). And they have kegs back on tap at Gus’ Pub! And their Farmhouse Ale is at Chez Tess.
  • Hell Bay Brewing Co. is in the middle of major expansion and will be opening in the next months.

Wow, and that just scratches the surface! We’ll keep our ears open and fingers a-typing to keep you up to date, gang! Please forward on any tips to your friendly neighbourhood ACBB staff. 🙂 Now go out and drink! Both Rockbottom Brewpub and Hart and Thistle Gastropub in Halifax have some great beers on currently, including a special firkin Saturday at Rockbottom. The last couple have been selling out within a few hours, so better get there promptly at 1pm.