Friday Wrap-Up

Friday Wrap-Up – News from Brightwood Brewery, Saltbox Brewing, North Brewery & Stillwell Beer Bar, Breton Brewing, and more!

Posted by acbbshawn on 2016-07-15
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: Annapolis Cider Company, Brasseurs du Petit Sault, Breton Brewing, Brightwood Brewery, Charlottetown Beer Garden, Fredericton Beer Tour, Fredericton Craft Beer Festival, Gray Stone Brewing, Half Cut Brewing, Hammond River Brewing, Lazy Bear Brewing, Mama's Brew Pub, NBCAPA, New Brunswick Beer Tours, North Brewing, Picaroons, Saltbox Brewing, Stillwell Beer Bar, The Nook and Cranny. Leave a Comment

Happy Friday! After a sweltering last few days, it’s time to get out of the sun and cool off with some Atlantic Canadian beer news, including that from two brand new breweries…

• There is a new nano brewery launching their beer this weekend in Dartmouth, NS! Brightwood Brewery is located in Downtown Dartmouth, and will begin selling their beer at this Saturday’s Alderney Landing Farmers’ Market. Brightwood was started by two enthusiastic homebrewers, Matt McGrail and Ian Lawson, looking to share their craft with the public. Brewing on a very small 1.2 hL (1 BBL) brewery, they will have their The Big Lift American IPA available for purchase at the Market, selling by the growler in 0.75 L and 1.89 L formats, and will also be able to fill customers’ clean growlers on demand. Due to their small size, they will be concentrating on the Market for now, with tap accounts coming soon. The Big Lift is 6.0% ABV and 71 IBUs, and look for the launch of their next beer, a honey smoked ale, in the coming weeks. Welcome Brightwood Brewery to the Atlantic Canadian beer scene!

• In Mahone Bay, Saltbox Brewery had a very successful tasting with their Pioneers Club this week, and are getting ready to launch the pilot batches of beer to the general public. During this year’s Mahone Bay Heritage Boatyard Weekend, being held July 30 and 31, they will be set up with a tasting tent, and will be selling their growlers to the public. They will be selling their Dark Cream Ale, a flavourful 4.7% golden orange ale featuring notes of biscuit and toast; their Hefeweizen, a 5.2% classic German wheat beer, with notes of banana and clove, to which they have added dried orange peel; and their IPA, a 5.4% dry-hopped hoppy ale, featuring notes of melon and strawberry. As their 12hL (10 BBL) brewhouse is not yet onsite, the full launch of the brewery and taproom will be later in the summer.

• Last Friday, North Brewing released a new Saison, North Saison. Hopped with Centennial and Huell Melon, it exhibits notes of “lemon, pepper, and melon”, according to the brewery, with a “very-balanced ester and phenolic profile”. Fermented with the Old World Saison Blend (which is made up of two different Saison strains) from Escarpment Labs, the high attenuation results in a beer with an extremely dry finish, appropriate to the style. It’s currently still available for growler fills at the brewery, and on tap at select accounts. And today, the North x Stillwell Gose is returning to the rotation, with some changes from it popular first batch. Still weighing in at 4.5% ABV, this batch’s Lacto souring character came courtesy of locally-produced Horton Ridge Malt, and tweaked water for a crisper finish. It still features salt from Black Whale, harvested in PEI, toasted coriander, and hopped with Saaz and Mandarina Bavaria. And for fans of the cask they released on Canada Day, a significant portion of the next batch will be aged on barberry.

• Breton Brewing released their newest seasonal yesterday, Ol’ Mick’s Tart-an Juicy Grapefruit Pale Ale. The recipe was designed by local homebrewer Mike Morrison, it comes in at 15 IBUs and a very-sessionable 4% ABV, perfect for summer-drinking. Approximately 200 L of 100%-pure grapefruit juice was added to the beer after fermentation was complete, to boost the juicy flavours even more. Look for it on tap across Nova Scotia this weekend.

• There’s a new beer pouring at Mama’s Brew Pub in Fredericton – Orange Grove Summer Ale was brewed with 2-row, Pilsner, and Wheat malt, and dry-hopped with Citra, Amarillo and Goldings. Once fermentation was complete, 10 lbs each of both fresh oranges and clementines were added to the brew, so expect this 4.7% ABV ale to showcase plenty of orange, citrus, and tropical fruit in the aroma and flavour. As with the other Mama’s brews, it’s available at the brewpub for pints and samples only.

• Elsewhere in Fredericton, Gray Stone has released their third beer since their grand opening party earlier this month. India Session Ale is their take on the Session IPA style, and is single-hopped to 50 IBUs with the El Dorado variety, known for giving candy-like aromas not dissimilar to Jolly Rancher candy. The brewery describes the beer as “light-bodied and easy-drinking, with tropical notes”. Supremely-sessionable at 4% ABV, it’s available now for pints and crowler fills at the brewery, and will likely pop up on tap across the city.

• Annapolis Cider Company’s newest batch of “Something Different” is now available at the Cidery in Wolfville. Their Garden Strawberry builds on their classic base of local fresh-pressed apples, with an infusion of two types of basil, sage, and thyme, and a blending of strawberry juice (just over 10% of the total volume) after fermentation is complete. The resultant 6.9% ABV mixed-fruit cider features pleasant aromas of strawberry and herbs, while still maintaining the underlying apple character. Drop by the Cidery to grab a bottle, and as with all of their Something Different releases, part of the proceeds go to a local charity, with the Wolfville Children’s Center being the beneficiary this batch.

• Smith’s Cove’s Lazy Bear Brewing is releasing a new beer this weekend, Paddler’s Pale Ale. Brewed in celebration of the Clean Annapolis River Project’s Riverfest, being held tomorrow at Jubilee Park in Bridgetown. The 5.0% ABV Pale Ale features a special combination of hops, and a special blend from Yeast Bay with a wild strain to lend some citrus notes. To grab that beer, you’ll have to visit the Pork in the Park, the festival’s food tent with local sausages and ribs, as it may not be released in growlers or on tap at their licensees.

• Truro’s Nook and Cranny Brewpub will be releasing a new product shortly. Made with juice from New Zealand apples, and fermented on-site with a Champagne yeast, this new Cider finishes quite dry and crisp, with a refreshing finish. Grab it on tap, or in growlers to go. And look for the launch of another cider later this summer, this one fermented using 100% PEI cranberry juice.

• Acadie-Broue now has their beer back on tap, with several batches already having been brewed on their new system at La Coude, the University of Moncton student bar-turned brewpub. Two of the confirmed beers now available are Valdrague Weizen, a 5% ABV Hefeweizen that has been a popular Acadie-Broue staple for some time, and La Benaise, a Belgian Pale Ale brewed with some “pungent CaraMunich 80” that was sourced from France. If you’re in Fredericton and can’t make the trip to Moncton, good news – the James Joyce has one keg of both beers, with La Benaise pouring currently.

Several new events are on the horizon in the near and distant future:

• Picaroons is holding a launch party today, from 4-7 pm at the Picaroons General Store in Saint John, to celebrate the release of their Live Transmission Session Ale. Designed and co-brewed by Craig Pinhey (on the General Store’s 2.5 BBL system), this 4.5% ABV “English Session Ale” was brewed in support of local radio station Local 107.3fm. Along with the beer, the launch will feature live music from local band Regardless.

• The Charlottetown Beer Garden & Seafood Patio is now open! With outdoor seating for 240, and 24 taps (with a slight majority dedicated to craft beer, mostly local), it’s yet another destination for beer lovers on the Island. Their official launch party is scheduled for next Friday, July 22nd, with Upstreet Presents:  Grand Theft Bus, starting at 10:30 pm.

• New Brunswick Beer Tours has announced the details for their Fredericton Beer Tour, scheduled for Saturday, August 6th. With stops at four breweries (Grimross, TrailWay, Gray Stone, and Maybee) and finishing at Red Rover, ticket-holders will be treated to a minimum of four 4-oz samples per stop, and will get to meet and chat with the people responsible for crafting some of your favourite Fredericton beers and ciders! The fun starts at 11:30 am at Grimross, and finishes at approximately 5:30 pm at Red Rover. Tickets are $77 (taxes and fees included) and are available now.

• The New Brunswick Craft Alcohol Producers Association (NBCAPA) has announced that they will be be organizing an annual gala to “recognize the best of what the industry has to offer”, to coincide with the Fredericton Craft Beer Festival every March. While details are understandably very slim at this moment, expect to see monthly contests organized through social media in the months leading up to the event. Of course, we’ll release more information on the gala as it becomes available.

Enjoy the weekend, and stay cool if you can! And a few more notes before you sign off…

– Half-Cut Brewing has a new beer out, Numbskull IPA, a 6% ABV, 73 IBU IPA hopped entirely with Sorachi Ace.
– Hammond River is re-brewing their popular The Vegas SMaSH today, however this batch will be single-hopped with Centennial (instead of the previously-used Amarillo); look for this one to be released later in the month.
– Petit-Sault is currently looking for a new head brewer, with the position being available immediately. For all the details on the opening at the 15 BBL (~17.5 hL) brewery, including contact info, check out the official job posting here.
– Picaroons is now officially selling other New Brunswick beer at both their General Store and Brewtique locations, including cans, bottles, AND growler fills (when tap space is available). Many breweries are already being featured, with others sure to join the line-up as time progresses.
– Their Citrus Pale Ale One-Hit Wonder is still available, but as soon as that runs out, Propeller tells us to keep an eye open for a new OHW Pilsener to hit the taps of their two brewery locations. And next month, look for a single hop Mandarina Bavaria IPA.

Friday Wrap-Up – News from Red Rover, Gahan/PEIBC, Hammond River, TataBrew, TrailWay and more!

Posted by acbbchris on 2016-07-08
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: Annapolis Cider Company, Big Spruce Brewing, Bishop's Cellar, Brewbakers, Charm School, FirkinStein Brewing, Fredericton Cider Festival, Gahan House (Charlottetown), Good Robot Brewing, Hammond River Brewing, Maybee Brewing, Moncton Beer League, Newfermenters Homebrew Club, PEI Brewing Co., Port Rexton Brewing Co., Propeller Brewing, Red Rover Craft Cider, Schoolhouse Brewery, Tasting NB, Tatamagouche Brewing, TrailWay Brewing, Unfiltered Brewing, Urban Beer Hike. 4 comments

Happy Friday! After some great weather on the Canada Day weekend, we are back to the reality of Atlantic Canadian weather, so best to grab a growler, can or bottle, and stay inside to read the latest beer news from our region.

• Red Rover released a new fruit cider earlier this week – Dragon Slayer is named after Saint George, well-known for his dragon-slaying abilities and Targaryen-thwarting. The cider was co-fermented with locally-sourced cranberries, giving it a crimson hue. Subtly sharp and rather tannic, as described by the cidery, it finishes quite dry and weighs in at 7% ABV. It’s available at the Cider House and farmers’ markets for growler fills, and should be on tap at a few select bars/restaurants in New Brunswick, including 540 Kitchen & Bar and Snooty Fox in Fredericton, and Ducky’s in Sackville.

• Gahan House – Charlottetown has taken their Belgian Blonde Ale, Belgium Blue, and tweaked it a bit for some lucky New Brunswick beer drinkers! They added a special roast of local Receiver Coffee sourced from Tomila, Columbia, resulting in Coffee Belgian Blonde. The coffee is described by PEI Brewing Co. brewmaster Chris Long as “juicy, acidic, and fruity, with a mild chocolate flavour”. The original beer is light enough to let the coffee flavours shine through, “but complex enough to enhance the amazing aromas of this particular batch”. Clocking in at ~7.5% ABV, it’s available at all five ANBL growler stations this weekend. If you’re in Charlottetown and feeling left out, fear not – a couple of kegs were also sent to HopYard.

• And in other PEIBC news, the brewery has installed a used 7 BBL (~800 L) fermentor that will serve a dual purpose: growing up different yeast strains for seasonal batches, and for experimenting! Look for several new beers to be test-brewed over the coming weeks, including a dry-hopped version (with Ella and El Dorado) of their Sir John A’s Honey Wheat, a double-dry-hopped 1772 (Cascade first, then Simcoe and Mosaic), and a Saison dry-hopped with Goldings. And to celebrate their recent four Gold medals at the 2016 Canadian Brewing Awards, they have released The Gold Pack at the PEILCC, featuring cans of their Rogues Roost IPA, Setting Day Saison, Sir John A’s Honey Wheat, and Vic Park Pale Ale.

• Hammond River just brewed a new beer last night, and it’s one we’re confidant in saying hasn’t been attempted in these parts before! Rum Raisin Belgian Dubbel was brewed with a grist of Pilsner, Munich, Special B, Crystal, and Aromatic malts, and lightly hopped to 24 IBUs with Tettnang. Eight pounds of raisins were soaked in Eldorado 12 Rum, and then pureed and added to the end of the boil, along with plenty of Chapmans vanilla ice cream and dark Belgian Candi Syrup. Wait, there’s more – Madagascar vanilla beans will also be added during secondary fermentation. The targeted ABV is 7.1%, and on top of everything else, some of the beer may end up being barrel-aged! Look for the beer to be released over the next few weeks; we’ll keep you updated!

• Tatamagouche Brewing just canned and released their Cellar Slammer ISA, a new Session IPA brewed with the crew from Bishop’s Cellar in Halifax. Hopped with Mosaic, Hallertau Blanc and a small addition of Amarillo, look for lots of tropical fruit aromas and flavours in this 4.7% ABV summer sipper. It is available in growlers and cans at the brewery, and in cans at Bishop’s Cellar now.

• TrailWay has recently re-released two hoppy ales that they haven’t had out for awhile. First up is their American IPA, Hugh John Hops; heavily hopped (with Mosaic in particular) to come in “dank, fruity and piney”, it comes in at 6.8% ABV. Next is the return of Patio for the first time since its initial release last summer. An American Wheat Ale hopped entirely with Topaz – with almost all of it being added at flameout and the dry-hop, to give a huge blast of tangerine and citrus, without a lot of bitterness – it’s very sessionable at 4.7% ABV. Both beers are available now for pints and growler fills at the brewery, as well as on tap at select accounts across Fredericton.

• FirkinStein Brewing just released a new beer yesterday at the Lunenburg Farmers’ Market, Anchors Aweigh Pale Ale. Described by the brewery as “light and refreshing, with a crisp, mild hoppy taste, and mild bitterness in the finish”, it weighs in at 6% ABV. It should be available at tomorrow’s Bridgewater Farmers’ Market in growlers and grunters, with 500 mL bottles  following next week. They will also be attending tomorrow’s Food Truck Rally at the Hubbards Barn & Community Park, from 4-8pm.

• Propeller Brewing is bringing out their latest One Hit Wonder today, Citrus Pale Ale. Brewed with a grist of Pale and Wheat malts, this beer features a big citrus nose and flavour, thanks to generous addition of Curaçao orange peel and Ahtanum hops added during the whirlpool phase (after boiling is complete). Cascade and Centennial hops help to balance the malt, with the final beer details coming in at 5.8% ABV and a light 25 IBUs. The beer will be available on tap and in growlers at the Gottingen location this afternoon (drop by after work), and on Windmill later this evening, or first thing tomorrow. As always, a few of these OHW kegs do make it into the wild at select bars, so if you spot it, grab a pint!

• Halifax’s Good Robot has teamed up with Falmouth’s Schoolhouse Brewery to release a special beer ahead of this weekend’s Evolve Festival. Skratch Plaskett – Electric Tambourine Ale is a light-bodied 5.8% ABV Pale Ale, featuring a set of American and Australian hops: Warrior for bittering (contributing to most of the 25 IBUs), Cascade in the whirlpool for some flavour and aroma, and Summer as a dry hop for an Aussie aroma of stone, tropical, and citrus fruits. Skratch Plaskett is the result of 8 test batches and iterations, as the characteristics were honed in on their desired recipe for a crushable beer with lots of character. Much like the name implies, it is a true collaboration of a beer! The beer will be available at the Evolve Festival (happening near Moncton), as well as on tap/growlers at Good Robot and Schoolhouse’s market location shortly.

• And in more Good Robot news, keep your eyes peeled for the return of The Shocking Pink, their Gose blended with pink lemonade and hibiscus tea, as well as Burban Legend American Pale Ale v6.0, dry-hopped with currently-unnamed experimental hop 342 from Hop Breeding Company. This hop lends a floral, citrus, and melon characters to the beer. And for those loved, or missed and wanted to try, the New Zealand IPA Beta Brew that debuted at the Tap Room this week, the single keg is all gone, but will be returning in another iteration soon.

• Maybee Brewing has started canning another of their flagship beers – Stone House Tripel is now available in 500 mL cans for purchase at the brewery in Fredericton; they also should be for sale at the Picaroons General Store in Saint John by sometime next week. Also note that Maybee recently doubled their number of taps to 12, which means more new beers in the future, as well as several taps dedicated to other NB breweries for taproom purchase.

• Unfiltered has released another batch of Front Line Rocker, their 8% Double IPA brewed with the famous Conan yeast. It’s back on tap at the brewery and Charm School, at noon and 4pm today, respectively, and will be delivered to local bars very shortly. Be sure to drop by Charm School tomorrow afternoon for an Indochine Bahn Mi pop-up. Featuring Pork Belly marinated in Unfiltered’s Flat Black Jesus American Stout, they will be serving from 4-9pm (assuming the tasty treats last that long)

• Congratulations to the winners at last weekend’s Newfermenters Brew-Off! Bill Burton took Best-in-Show out of the 25 submissions, and will have a chance to brew his winning recipe with the crew at Port Rexton later in the summer. And speaking of which, PR has brewed the first beers on their new system, and are aiming to open in the next month or so!

As for what’s going on in the events section over the coming days and weeks…

• Annapolis Cider Company is throwing their grand opening party this weekend (Friday to Sunday), and to help celebrate, they’ll be offering tasting paddles – three 3 oz pours – of their three currently-available ciders for only $3. They’ll also be giving free tours of the cider cellar all three days, at 11 am, 2 pm and 4 pm.

• A final reminder that the second annual Tasting NB event happens tomorrow (Saturday, July 9th) in Fredericton at the Capital Complex, from 7-10 pm. Featuring 17 different producers of beer, cider, mead, spirits, and wine, your $55 ticket (if purchased in advance; $60 at the door) gets you unlimited samples for the evening.

• The Moncton Beer League is holding their second Urban Beer Hike on Saturday, July 23rd. The downtown walking tour will begin at Marky’s Laundromat at 1:45 pm, with several stops at various craft beer destinations in the city, before finishing at the Pump House brewpub around 5:30 pm. Each stop will feature beer and food samples, along with info sessions. Tickets are $49+fees, and are available online. Also note that ticket holders will receive $5 off their ticket for this year’s Atlantic Canadian Craft Brew Oktoberfest (Saturday, September 24th).

• It’s a few months away, but the date has been announced for the 2nd Annual Fredericton Cider Festival: Saturday, October 1st, on the Brewbakers covered patio. Tickets are on sale now, with two options available: regular tickets are $56.50 each and get you a custom sampling glass and unlimited 4 oz samples from 1:00-3:30 pm, while the $65 VIP ticket gets you the same, plus early entry at noon. Both local and larger cideries will be pouring, with over 25 different types likely to be available to sample.

A few more notes before signing off this week:

– Big Spruce has re-released their Meek Thy Maker, a Red IPA hopped with Amarillo, Columbus and Citra (which is replacing Cascade this time around). It’s on tap at the brewery now, with growlers available at supplied Farmers’ Markets, and many tap accounts in Nova Scotia.
– Railcar has brewed up another batch of their Smoked Molasses Porter; it’s available now at the brewery, and will be hitting the Fredericton ANBL growler station (Prospect St.) at the end of the month.
– Petit-Sault brewed up a SMaSH beer yesterday, featuring ingredient sourced nearby: Pale malt from Malt-Broue South-East Quebec and Cascade hops from nearby Aroostook Hop in Northern Maine. Look for it to hit the taps at the end of July.

Despite the weather, enjoy your weekend! In closing, Atlantic Business Magazine is running an online poll where you can vote for your favourite Atlantic Canadian brewery; it runs until July 29th, and the winner will be featured in the September edition of the magazine.

“Friday” Wrap – up – News from Gahan, Flying Boats, North & Battery Park, Big Tide & Boiling Point, and much more!

Posted by acbbshawn on 2016-06-30
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: Big Spruce Brewing, Big Tide Brewing, Flying Boats Brewing, Gahan House (Moncton), Gahan House Harbourfront (Halifax), Garrison Brewing, Good Robot Brewing, Grimross Brewing, Halifax Oktoberfest, Lazy Bear Brewing, Mill Street Brewpub, North Brewing, NSLC, Stillwell Beer Bar, Upstreet Craft Brewing, Wayfarers' Ale. 1 comment

Hello, and welcome to an early edition of our weekly Friday Wrap-Up! Tomorrow is Canada Day, so we wanted to be sure to catch all of you – and keep you updated on beer info – before the long weekend hits and the beer-enjoying begins!

• Earlier this week, Gahan Halifax released Berliner Weisse, named after the iconic German style known for being lightly sour, refreshing, and easy-drinking. Brewed with a grist of 60% Pilsner malt and 40% Wheat malt, a sour mash was performed to give a light acidity. During the boil, there was a small hop addition of Magnum for a low bitterness (5 IBUs), as befits the style. Described by the brewery as “slightly hazy with a thick white head that dissipates quite quickly”, it exhibits “lemony, citrus notes” to go along with the tartness from the sour mash. In addition, they’ve made a raspberry simple syrup that can be added to the beer (a practice still in use in Berlin today), for those who prefer to cut the acidity a tad. A supremely sessionable 4% ABV, it’s a perfect style for drinking during the summer! Look for more summer-themed seasonals coming soon, all of which are fermented with either their house American yeast strain, or a German Hefeweizen strain. Speaking of which, their summer Beer Bar (extra patio location) is now open, where all Gahan core brands and two Halifax seasonals are available on tap, as well as a limited food menu. As its opening is weather-dependent, be sure to check their social media for the latest news.

• Flying Boats will be releasing a new beer over the long weekend, their first Session IPA. Hopped entirely with Galaxy – a delicious Australian variety with characteristics of passionfruit and citrus – it comes in at an easy-drinking 4.7% ABV, and 44 IBUs. Currently unnamed, it will be on tap this weekend at Marky’s Laundromat, and sometime next week at the Tide & Boar and James Joyce.

• North Brewing is continuing with the interesting beer releases, this time with Wiley Boys, a Black Saison aged on currants that will be released tomorrow. Brewed with Pilsner, Munich, Chocolate, and Black malts, it was lightly-hopped with Galena and Willamette to 20 IBUs. Clocking in at 6% ABV, this one will first be available at North retail locations for growler fills, and on tap at Battery Park, until next week’s release to a few other lucky tap accounts in the HRM. The beer will be launched as North takes over the Battery Park patio at 11:30AM tomorrow, also pouring a pair of special casks of their Stillwell collaboration Gose, one batch aged on barberries, the other on mango, as well as blasts from the past Sauer Sagen Hat Sour and Belgian Milk Stout.

• The Big Tide / Boiling Point Podcast beer that we originally reported on last month is now on tap at the brewpub, and we have all the details. Brewed to celebrate the 100th episode of the podcast that stars Greg Hemmings and Dave Veale, Brewmaster Wendy Papadopoulos was charged by the voting public to brew a beer that was “golden, citrusy, sweet, potent, local, spicy, and sessionable”… not exactly an easy task! Not one to fail to rise to the challenge, however, Wendy settled on a Honey Ginger Ale, named Hemmingsway Vealey Great Ale. Brewed with Pale Ale and Wheat malts, and hopped with all NB-grown varieties (EKG from Southan Farms, and Cascade and Hallertau from Darlings Island Farm), fresh ginger was also added during the mash, boil, and fermentation. Lemon rind, lemongrass, and honey were all added to the boil as well, resulting in a 7.5% ABV, 38 IBUs beer. And good news for those of you attending next week’s Tasting NB in Fredericton – this one may just pop up at the event on Saturday!

• Also last month, Garrison put a call out for all patrons to bring in as much rhubarb as they could, to be used for a special beer, and to be exchanged for brewery credit. That beer – It’s Rhubarb Saison! – is now available as of today. A “refreshing wheat beer brewed in the Saison style”, over 500 lbs of fresh, local rhubarb were added to give a “clean, tart character” to the pale, hazy-orange brew. Available on tap only at the brewery for tasters and growler fills, it comes in at 5.7% ABV.

• Garrison has also released their ACBA Gold-medal-winning Rise n’ Stein Hefeweizen today. This 5.5% ABV classic German style features a significant amount of wheat in the malt bill, and is fermented using a traditional Hefe yeast for notes of clove and banana on the hazy beer with a pillowy white head. The beer is available at the brewery now on tap and in bottles, with bottles also at the private stores, and hitting NSLC shelves in a couple of weeks. The beer was first brewed in celebration of the Halifax Oktoberfest, with this year’s event taking place Sept 16 & 17, 2016. September 17th also marks the first time the Canada Beer Run will hit Halifax. The 11.4 km run starts at Garrison, and features a route that will take racers to Good Robot and Propeller Brewing for bevvies, as well as a “satellite” set up from Spindrift. The run finishes back at Garrison, to take part in the Oktoberfest-ivities.

• Big Spruce‘s “Wheat IPA”, You Spin me White Round, is back for the season. Originally brewed “in conspiracy” with Sawdust City Brewing (Gravenhurst, ON) in February, 2014, it features plenty of malted organic Wheat in a “traditional American-style IPA” grist. First-wort hopped with Magnum, with later additions of Chinook and Amarillo for plenty of citrusy, grapefruit aromas and flavours, it weighs in at 6.5% ABV.

• Halifax’s Good Robot has brought back their popular David Lynch-inspired beer, Damn Fine Coffee & Cherry Pie Pale Ale. While light amber in colour (thanks to a Pilsner base with Rye and Red X malts), the beer evokes thoughts of something darker, thanks to the generous addition of cold-brewed Java Blend Ethiopian Guji coffee. The use of Cascade and Falconer’s Flight hops (to 40 IBUs) and California Ale yeast lends a fruit and berry aroma to round out the beer. The 5.1% ABV beer is on tap at the brewery for pints and growler fills, and will be in the wild shortly.

• We have a bit more info on the Grimross expansion we briefly mentioned last week. They have taken over an additional 4000 sq. ft. of space adjacent to the brewery/taproom, doubling their area to a total of 8000 sq. ft. As they continue to add fermentors to allow them to brew more beer, as well as hosting more events in their taproom, the extra space will be a welcome addition to the brewery. Phase one, the expansion of the taproom and warehouse space, is currently underway, with phase two occurring in the near future, which will result in a greater fermentation capacity, addition of a canning ling, as well as an outdoor patio “overlooking a very scenic marshland”.

• As we mentioned last week, Mill Street Brewpub in St. John’s has released their second beer, Capelin Hound Session IPA. The 4.0% ABV beer features loads of Cascade and Mosaic in the dry-hop to complement the 50 IBUs. Featuring a melon and citrus aroma, with fruit flavour and a light lingering bitterness that keeps you coming back for the next sip. The low ABV is perfect for those who want to enjoy a few while waiting for the Capelin to roll.

• The Murphy Hospitality Group has confirmed in a recent story by The Guardian that they will be opening a new hotel in downtown Moncton, The Wesley Hotel, in late 2017/early 2018 on the corner of Wesley and Queen streets. In addition, the hotel will house another location for the Gahan House Restaurant and Brewery, making it the third brewpub for the company, joining its sister properties in Charlottetown and Halifax. Featuring a 6 bbl (700 litre) DME brewhouse, the brewpub will have indoor seating for 160 patrons, plus an additional 60-seat seasonal patio. We’ll be sure to update with more information as the brewery nears completion.

• For our homebrewing/small commercial brewery readers in the Saint John region, a new brewing store is opening today to meet your expanding needs. The NB Craft Brewers Market is located in Rothesay, and will be carrying grain, hops, and yeast from White Labs. Owner Michael Hebert is very open to bringing in ingredients for the local community, so be sure to reach out to put in your requests. While not a brick and mortar shop, the online store will be launching this afternoon at 6, and orders are available for pickup within a couple of hours of submission.

• The NSLC released their annual report this week, and local beer sales continue to show excellent growth. Small Nova Scotian breweries’ sales rose by more than 25% to $7.6M, significantly outpacing the overall beer growth of 2.1%. The news is heartening, but small local producers still account for just 4% of the NS beer market, indicating that there is lots of room for continued growth in the years to come. Any worry that the market for small and locally-owned breweries is becoming saturated seems unfounded given these numbers. What is frustrating is that by the NSLC’s own report, there are just “more than 40” listings of NS craft beer at NSLC stores, where most packaged product is sold. Improving the number to capture the dozens more styles and offerings from around the province would see local product continue to increase, employing more in the province.

With tomorrow’s holiday a great excuse to grab a local beer, we reached out to the breweries in our region to see what they have planned. We didn’t hear from everyone, so be sure to check social media for their hours of operation:

New Brunswick

ANBL stores will be closed Friday July 1, while some agency stores may be open (contact your local one for the scoop).

– Big Tide will be open Friday.

– Grimross will be open Friday.

– Picaroons’ stores in Fredericton and Saint John will be open regular hours Friday.

– York County Cider will be open Friday, extending their hours to open at noon for growler fills. Stocks of their Sidra, a Spanish-style sour cider, are getting low, so drop by for a growler fill before it runs out.

Newfoundland and Labrador

NLC stores will be closed Friday July 1.

– Mill Street Brewpub will be open regular hours, and have their Long Shore Porter and Capelin Hound Session IPA available for purchase (in addition to the standard Mill Street offerings). They will be celebrating Canada Day with a special offer: 1.89l growler fill and Canada Day t-shirt for $30.

– Quidi Vidi will be open at 11:30 Friday, with tours starting at noon, and a Kitchen Party kicking off at 5:30pm.

Nova Scotia

NSLC stores will be closed Friday July 1. The private wine and beer stores will be open.

– Annapolis Cider in Wolfville will be open regular hours all weekend (10am – 7pm).

– Big Spruce will be open Friday (and the rest of the weekend) 12 to 7pm. Featuring the Cruisin’ Cuisine Food Truck all weekend, there will also be music each day: Friday, fiddle/guitar duo Rosie MacKenzie and Patrick Gillis at 1pm to 3pm and Asaph Deuce from 3pm to 5pm; Saturday is Jordan Musycyn (singer/songwriter, folk/rock) 1pm to 3pm; Sunday is Maxime Cormier (Acadian guitar) 1pm to 3pm.

– Boxing Rock will be open 12-6pm for brewery tours and retail purchases. Call (902) 494 9233 to set up a tour.

– Downeast Beer Factory in Burnside will be open from noon for growler fills of their Lachlan’s Lushious Red and CML IPA beers.

– Garrison will be open for the day, and expanding their taps to more than 15 different brews, including some special one-offs and blasts from the past, including their Cider. They will be expanding their patio seating, and have Maple Bacon Cupcakes from Blue Bird Bakery (plus easy access to the Seaport Market next door).

– Gahan Halifax Harbourfront will be open regular hours Friday, offering a great view of the evening’s fireworks.

– Good Robot will be open regular hours, and will be joined by Rinaldo’s Italian American sandwiches from noon.

– Hell Bay Brewing will be open regular hours, so be sure to drop by and enjoy a pint on their newly-opened patio. They will be serving up Woolly Mountain Farms sausages made with their own English Ale beer, as well as pigs that are fed their spent grain. A beer and sausage will be $10.

– North Brewing will be open and taking over Battery Park’s patio (details above), joined by an Ace Burger pop-up menu, and their Agricola location will be open 12-6pm.

– Propeller’s stores in Dartmouth and Halifax will be open Friday.

– Rudder’s Brewery & Pub in Yarmouth will be open standard hours Friday, and all weekend long. Check out their “Rudder’s Express” train car for some lighter fare and ice cream, now open for the season. And if you are traveling to/from Yarmouth by Ferry, their Blonde Rock Ale is now on tap aboard the Cat Ferry, with plans to increase the variety of offerings in the near future, maybe including the newest batch of their Sweet Georgia Brown Double Chocolate Oatmeal Sweet Stout, brewed this week.

– Spindrift Brewing will be closed Friday through Sunday, so drop by their location today for your liquid refreshment. Their current batch of Abyss Schwartzbier is almost gone, so grab some before it fades to black.

– Tatamagouche Brewing will be open regular hours Friday.

– The Townhouse in Antigonish will be open regular hours Friday, and celebrating with Happy Hour all day.

– Unfiltered’s Charm School will be open from noon for pints and growler fills.

– Wayfarers’ Ale Society in Port Williams will be open for business Friday, with the Hellene Blonde Ale on tap for samples to enjoy on their deck, and to take in growlers, with their The Ruby Irish Red Ale available early this weekend. They will also be open Saturday, and Mon-Sat going forward (11-6 Mon-Wed, 11-8 Thu-Sat).

Prince Edward Island

PEILC stores will be open standard hours, as will the breweries and brewpubs.

More events this weekend:

• Tonight, Lazy Bear in Smiths Cove, NS is throwing open the doors of their retail location for their first Growler Night. From 5-8pm this evening, and future Thursdays, grab refills of their Gut View Amber, and Bear Bones IPA right from the source! They can also be found at the Annapolis Royal Farmers Market Saturday mornings, and have expanded their tap accounts to include Battery Park, where they expect to launch this weekend.

• Also Tonight, Upstreet is launching the first of their Thursday Nights Live, a weekly event featuring live music in the taproom from 8pm-10pm. There’s no charge to attend, just keep checking the brewery’s Facebook page for updated schedules on performing bands.

• The Townhouse in Antigonish is celebrating their Fourth Anniversary this weekend. After Friday’s Canada Day Festivities, Saturday from 4-6pm they will be holding tours of Terry’s Tiny Brewery upstairs, as he puts together the latest brew. Downstairs, they will be holding ‘Appy Hour!, featuring an oyster bar with tastings of three stouts and three Tidal Bay wines. Samples of Terry’s Dry Irish Stout, Granite Brewery Keefe’s Irish Stout, Sober Island’s Oyster Stout, plus 3 oysters, and a pint of your favourite stout, is only $13. The same tasting can be done with the Tidal Bay wines, for those so inclined. And if oysters aren’t your thing, there will be Pulled Pork buns, Lani’s Filipino Ceviché, and plenty of Stout & Ginger birthday cake. After the afternoon events, drop by for $5 pints of craft beer and glasses of Tidal Bay, and celebrate with Vinyl Night. Sunday after 4pm, come back for more birthday cake and Happy Hour, and stick around for the Traditional Irish Music Session and Sunday Roast, starting at 6:30pm. Looks like a fantastic weekend at the Townhouse!

And a few more parting shots before we sign off for a break!

– Pump House has re-released their Weizen for the summer, a 5.2% ABV unfiltered Hefeweizen. Fermented with Weihenstephan yeast, it displays characteristic notes of clove and banana; look for it on tap now at the brewpub in Moncton.
– Upstreet‘s Scottish Export Ale, Eighty Bob, is back after a brief hiatus; a malty brew exhibiting flavours of coffee, caramel, raisins, and a slight nuttiness, it’s smooth and easy-drinking at 4.5% ABV. And in a sign of becoming environmentally conscious, they have partnered with Bullfrog Power, offeting Upstreet’s usage with 100% clean energy.
– Grimross Brewing is looking for a full-time brewer to join their team. Drop off or email a resume today to join the expanding brewery!

Happy Canada Day, and have a great weekend!