Friday Wrap-Up for November 6, 2020 – News from Long Bay, Shipwright, Tanner & Co, O’Creek, CAVOK, Route 19, Tire Shack, and much more!

Posted by acbbaaron on 2020-11-06
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: CAVOK Brewing, Escarpment Laboratories, Garrison Brewing, HopYard, Lone Oak Brewing, Long Bay Brewery, O'Creek Brewing, Propeller Brewing, RagnaRock Northern Brewing Company, Route 19 Brewing, Serpent Brewing, Shipwright Brewing, Shoreline Malting, Tanner & Co Brewing, The Grand Banker, Tire Shack Brewing. Leave a Comment

Here we are in November and, with absolutely NOTHING going on in the world, least of all potentially strange and frightening things of a political nature, we’re free to wax poetic about the local beer scene as is our wont on Friday afternoons. Or maybe things are just heartening yet terrifying all at once, and what we really need to do is distract ourselves with good news about beer and then procure some of that beer and drink it. Whee!

You may have noticed that since changing ownership not too long ago, Rothesay’s Long Bay Brewing has been flexing their experimentation muscles a bit more, with new, small batch one-offs being released every Friday for the past month and a half. While most of these releases have been available only on tap at the brewery, this week’s newest beer was brewed on their 15 bbl system, so will definitely be seeing wider distribution across the province. The beer in question is Return to the Moon, a 7.5% ABV, 50 IBUs New England DIPA. Brewed with a blend of English and Canadian base malts, as well as some wheat and oats, it was hopped and dry-hopped with three different varieties of American hops. With big aromas of stone fruit, tangerine and coconut, you’ll notice flavours “reminiscent of pina colada, with a pre-dominate amount of coconut and pineapple, followed by a complex mixture of cream and tangerine”. Aside from at the brewery, you’ll be able to find this one at select bars and restaurants in Fredericton, Moncton and Saint John. This joins The Half of It, a 4.5% ABV Session-strength New England IPA released late October, also on tap at the brewery and at licensees around the province.

In other Long Bay news, keep your eyes and ears open for coming info on their first canned beer, which should be hitting most ANBLs sometime in December… more details to come! They also plan to be officially opening their taproom this winter (while currently licensed, their taproom right now is set up in a standing room only capacity for extremely small groups, and best to contact ahead of time to ensure there’s room for your Bubble) with enough room for 25 seats, and a second expansion hopefully by the spring that will be much larger, and include an outdoor deck. 

Moncton’s Tire Shack is celebrating their First Anniversary this coming Monday (November 9th), so be sure to drop by the taproom that day to help celebrate with $5 pints all day! “We really appreciate the amazing support we have had from everyone this past year so come down and celebrate with us.” So, what to drink Monday? Or even better, today? They have a pair of new beers on draught (and also freshly canned this morning!), so let’s get you those details…

  • Black Forest Cake Sour is a take on the excellent german dessert that features a chocolate sponge base filled with cherries and kirsch, a cherry liqueur. Playing off of the flavour components, Tire Shack has gone all in with a glass full of dark malts for chocolate flavour in spades, along with cherry taste and a touch of tartness to bring it all together. As they say, it’s the perfect beer to get you ready for winter!” At 6.0% ABV, the beer is available in samples and pints at the taproom, and in growlers (and now cans) to go.
  • Hip Hop Vol 4: Nelson Sauvin is their latest foray into their hop-centric releases, this time heading to New Zealand for one of the most unique (and rare) hops on the market, Nelson Sauvin. Citrus up front with plenty of gooseberry, Sauvignon Blanc grape character, and maybe even a touch of black pepper, this hop is the queen of the kiwi hop scene, and for good reason! The 8.0% ABV Hazy Double IPA packs a punch, and will have you dancing all night long! Samples, pints, growlers, and cans are all available at the brewery right now!

Congratulations to Jerica, Alan, Henry, and the whole Tire Shack crew on Year 1, we hope Monday is a big success! And if weekend drinking is more your thing, keep your eyes peeled here for a couple of new releases and birthday celebrations continuing next weekend, in next Friday’s post!

In Lunenburg, NS, Shipwright Brewing released a continent-spanning Wheat beer this week, taking its inspiration, and ingredients from both European and North American sources. And named after an international sailing season! We’ll explain: Great Grain Race starts with a blend of Pale Ale, Wheat, and Malted Oats for a typical wheat grist. In the boil, Saphir and Hallertau Blanc hops were added in, as well as Sweet Orange Peel and Coriander, iconic additions for a Belgian Witbier. After fermentation with their Kolsch yeast, it was dry-hopped lightly with Topaz before further conditioning. Soft mouthfeel with extra effervescence give a refreshingly clean finish, complementing the wheat and citrus character of this 4.3% ABV beer. So, what’s in a name? Well, the Great Grain Race is the name of a historical sailing route race carrying grain (usually wheat) that generally left from South Australia’s grain ports at Spencer Gulf, all the way to Cornwall, UK. A particularly good passage via Cape Horn was considered anything under 100 days, with the fastest ever being 83 days. We know that the beer will definitely not last that long, so best to get down to Shipwright’s Taproom, or the Grand Banker below, soon to enjoy a glass or crowler!

Chester, Nova Scotia’s own Tanner & Co. Brewing has a brand new beer this week, Belgian IPA. Named after the hybrid IPA sub-style, it was brewed with a grist of Pilsner, Rye, and Munich malts, along with a touch of Honey malt for a bit of extra sweet malt character. Hopped with Amarillo, Citra, Simcoe, Centennial, and a little Mandarina Bavaria, it was fermented with a Belgian Ale yeast strain. Giving off characteristics of both spice and citrus, thanks to the use of both Belgian and American ingredients, it comes in at 6.7% ABV and 60 IBUs. Available right now in 500 mL bottles at the brewery. 

Over in Dieppe, O’Creek Brewing continues their run of hazy, hoppy IPAs with the latest in their two-hop-variety DUOH series. DUOH Sabro/Galaxy is a 6% ABV, 50 IBUs American IPA hopped with heavy amounts of the not-so-easy-to-find Sabro and Galaxy varieties, giving the beer a whole lotta tropical fruit, citrus, and coconut notes. Look for it to be pouring soon at CAVOK Brewing (and remember, guest taps at CAVOK can be taken away in crowlers!), with other accounts following in the near future. And as a sneak preview for next week, O’Creek will be releasing SOLOH – Talus, another 6% ABV IPA, but hopped entirely with one variety… in this case, Talus. Talus is a new hop that is a cultivated daughter of Sabro, and gives the beer “big aromas of pink grapefruit, citrus rinds, dried roses, pine resin, tropical fruits, and sage”. Definitely some descriptors in there that we’re not used to seeing in most hops! Look for that one at the usual O’Creek accounts.

Speaking of CAVOK Brewing, they’ve got another bottle release that just hit their shelves yesterday, Béta Germinorum. We don’t have too many details, but can tell you that the beer is a 4.5% ABV oak foeder-aged blend of two different beers, a Raspberry Sour and an Oatmeal Stout. That may be enough info to give you an idea of what to expect in terms of a tasting, but best drop by the brewery to pick up a bottle to be sure! As always with these releases, there is a limited amount of 750 mL bottles available, so don’t wait too long to drop in.

Coming out of Inverness in Cape Breton this week is a new beer from Route 19 Brewing, a first foray (we think) into the Saison style. Eventide references the old english word for evening, which might be the best time of day to enjoy this one. Gaining plenty of yeast character from Escarpment Labs’ Old World Saison blend fermented at a relatively high temperature, you can expect cooked apple and pear notes on the nose with some peppery phenolic spice as well. The grist featured Munich malt from Shoreline Malting, which provided a darker color than might be expected for the style, alongside 2-row, wheat and biscuit malts, the latter two contributing some breadiness and, well, “biscuit” character. On the hop side, the beer leverages a relatively unheralded hop called Celeia that we’ve not run into before, but which has a noble lineage and sports herbal and green tea flavors. Bittered to 30ish IBU, this 6.2% ABV saison will be available from the brewery this weekend and will also be making its way to NSLC locations around Cape Breton as part of their Hyper-Local program.

Those driving to/from Prince Edward Island, or lucky Islanders who just want to try the latest release from Borden’s Lone Oak Brewing, are well-advised to hop in the car and make a drive this weekend! There’s a new special small batch on tap, a style not often seen in the region. Taking the base beer of their Fixed Link Maritime Pilsner, they pulled it from the conditioning tanks a little early, and allowed it to carbonate naturally in the kegs before tapping. Dubbed a Kellerpils, it weighs in at the same 4.7% ABV as Fixed Link, but features a softer mouthfeel and just a little different aromatics. Just a few kegs of this are available, so don’t delay! And for all of their other offerings, Lone Oak has introduced an On-Demand Beer Delivery Service in the Charlottetown area. Place an order online 10:30 AM – 9:30 PM (12 – 8 PM Sundays), and your beer will be in your hands in 45 minutes or less! There is a 4 can minimum, and $6.99 delivery fee for this service.

It’s that time of year for Propeller fans; or, more specifically, fans of their annual release of Russian Imperial Stout. This year, things are just a touch different for the release of this dark, strong (8% ABV), rich, cellarable beer, in that it will be available in bottles only. No growlers this time around, but they will still be serving bottle pours at both taproom locations. You can find bottles at NSLC stores, and of course at both Prop Shops. And in other Propeller good news, they’re bringing back Cask Nights at the Gottingen taproom. Casks will be tapped bi-weekly, with proceeds from each going to a different organization every month. Today’s release (5 pm sharpish) is Nocturne Black IPA w/ Cacao Nibs, and two weeks from now will feature a sneak peek of an upcoming release. Proceeds for this month’s events will go towards the Ecology Action Centre. 

Spryfield’s Serpent Brewing has been pumping out the beers nice and steady, and are putting the final push on their taproom and retail space. In preparation for that, they’ve released the details of their Growler and Founder’s Clubs. Big discounts on growlers, merch, pints, special invite-only events, the chance to choose the name and style of one of their brews? All of this, and much more, can be yours by signing up! Full details are available on their website. Best to check it out quickly, as the membership is limited in numbers!

We’re pretty lucky to be living in a region where we can even have beer-related events in a non-scary fashion. Let’s make the most of it in a safe and responsible way!

Charlottetown’s HopYard Beer Bar is hosting their latest takeover this weekend, starting… right….. Now! Hosting Dartmouth’s North Brewing Co to pour some of their core beers as well as recent releases, and have brought along Halifax’s Chain Yard Urban Cidery to ensure there’s something for everyone! From North, you’ll see: Little Beast Lagered Ale, Lawrencetown Surf Session Ale, Gold Sounds Blonde, Dartmouth Dark Lager, Headline Milk Stout, Malternate Reality IPA, Raz Plush Dry-hopped Sour with Raspberry, Strollin’ Down Baldwin Street New Zealand Grisette, and Grape and Strawberry Rhubarb Seltzers. And keeping your tummy happy too is the first pop-up from Dough Boy Industries Pizza, who will be slinging pies Friday 4 – close, and again tomorrow from noon. Margarita, Pepperoni, Canadian, Donair and vegan pizza, with fresh and local ingredients, sounds great to us! And making this all even more awesomer, North is holding a contest on FB and IG, so check it out and have a blast this weekend! Maybe we’ll see you tonight. 🙂

Congratulations are in order for St Anthony’s RagnaRöck Northern Brewing, who are celebrating their First Anniversary this weekend! Saturday evening will see Sam and Tyler jamming some live music, and the debut of a very special beer debuting especially for the event. More details are available on their Facebook page, and we highly recommend giving them a shout to reserve your table at 709-454-3136. Congratulations!!

Halifax’s Garrison Brewing is taking advantage of our Atlantic Bubble status and keeping up with some (socially-distanced) Fall events. First up is a Remembrance Day Levee going on at both their Oxford and Seaport taproom locations, from 12 – 6 PM on November 11th (of course), with a portion of sales going to The Poppy Fund. After 6 PM regular business hours and operations will resume. And next week, from Thursday, November 12th, to Sunday, November 15th, The Oxford taproom will be celebrating their first birthday. Head on down and be part of four days of celebrations that will include prizes, and “Anniversary Beer Bucket”, and more!

Friday Wrap-Up for October 30, 2020 – News from Topside, Hardisty, CAVOK, Propeller & Propeller Arcade, Tidehouse, and More!!

Posted by acbbshawn on 2020-10-30
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: Atlantic Canadian Craft Brew Fest, Big Spruce Brewing, Big Spruce Home Brew Challenge, Britt's Uptown, CAVOK Brewing, Escarpment Laboratories, Finbar's Irish Pub, Fire Fly Recreational Campground, Grass Roots Grill, Gridiron Brewing, Hammond River Brewing, Hampton Brewing Company, Hardisty Brewing, Little Shemogue Oyster Company, Loyalist City Brewing Co, Magnetic Hill Winery, Maritime Home Brew Challenge by Gahan, Monk10 Taproom, New Scotland Brewing, North Brewing, Old Road BBQ, Peddlers Creek, Peppers Pub, Propeller Arcade, Propeller Brewing, Spindrift Brewing, Spindrift Oak Manor, Station 33 Cafe, Stillwell Beergarden, The Joyce, Tidehouse Brewing, Topside Brewing, TrailWay Brewing. Leave a Comment

Happy day-before-Halloween! Just kidding; you’re not really into that stuff, are you? Look, if you’re old enough to drink beer, you’re old enough to not get excited about a “holiday” where you’re encouraged to dress up and hand out free candy to a bunch of kids you don’t even know and… wait, where were we going with this? Oh right, this is a blog about beer in Atlantic Canada so here’s some more beer news for you. And you might need some beer to survive this weekend, and/or this coming Tuesday (and the goat rodeo that will very possibly ensue). Enjoy!

Bedford’s Topside Brewing kicked off a new series of beers last week, dubbed Around the World in 30 Beers. This ambitious project sees them highlighting indigenous and historic beer styles from across the world, showcasing the many flavours available in the malt, hops, yeast, and water profiles found universally, as well as native plants or ingredients special to those regions. The first in the series is Outlaw, a 5.4% Kottbusser, an historic German style. From Topside, “As the Reinheitsgebot spread from Bavaria through the rest of the region in the late 1800s, the style was outlawed because it was brewed with Oats, Honey and Molasses. We chose this as the first beer of the series because to set a tone for the various styles that people may not have tried or may never have heard of and it’s a lot of fun.” So, now that you know about it, how can you get your hands on it? As this is a small batch from this nano-brewery, it is only available as part of their Grab a Growler program. Head to the website for the full details, but the short version is, if you live in the Bedford area, you can sign up for growler delivery weekend afternoons, meaning you don’t even have to leave home to drink around the world!

And in Coming Soon news from Topside, they will be featuring their Rollin’ the Dice IPA on tap at Finbar’s Irish Pub in Bedford for a special event on Remembrance Day, November 11th. Named after the team motto of EOD3, roto 1-10 in Afghanistan, who suffered a catastrophic attack on May 3rd, 2010, when they were targeted after disposing of an IED, with Craig Blake killed and Chris Downey wounded that day. Rollin’ the Dice features a blend of unconventional malts, continuous hopping throughout, and a yeast strain not typical of the style. The event at Finbars on the 11th will be a way for the community to come together to enjoy great food, beer, and the company of others to reflect and remember sacrifice in times of war.

Hardisty Brewing is another nano-brewery in the region, located in the Colby Village area of the HRM. Delivery of their canned product is available in that community, as well as the occasional draught taps in Dartmouth. The latest beer delivered to Battery Park is their brand-new Stoked Pilsner. The 5.8% ABV beer has a healthy 31 IBU, but certainly deviates from the traditional, featuring the addition of crushed Juniper Berries and Coriander during the conditioning phase, inspired by their love of the botanicals found in gin. Also making an appearance at Battery Park now/soon is their Block Party Pale Ale, a 4.5% ABV SMaSH beer named after the parties in the Hardisty area so often fueled by beer brewed right on the street. For those fortunate enough to live nearby, be sure to reach out to them to place your order for any/all of their six beers currently available in cans: Heritage Rye IPA, Dark Confessions Smoked Porter, Island Gold APA, and Homestead Imperial IPA join the Stoked and Block Party.

The fine folks in Dieppe are hot off a sell-out of their latest beer, so CAVOK Brewing is back with another new release. Côte Magnétique is a wild ale that was fermented on grape skins and tailings from Magnetic Hill Winery. Pitched with a blend of Saison yeast and Brettanomyces, expect this 4.6% beer with an IBU of 8 to be easy drinking with a great flavour profile. This is currently available at the brewery and while you’re there, they will be doing an Oyster pop-up from 5-7pm on Friday October 30th with Little Shemogue Oyster Company. 

Halifax’s Propeller Brewing is bringing back a small batch favourite on a bigger scale today, to avoid anyone missing out. Earl Grey Pale Ale is a 5.5% ABV English Pale Ale, featuring Idaho 7 and Citra hops, to complement the citrus and floral aromatics of black tea and bergamot orange that arose from generous additions of Earl Grey tea. Choosing Cookie and Red malts in the grist helped to provide some complexity there, too, giving a “tea and biscuits” feel. Available now at the 3 Propeller retail locations (Gottingen, Quinpool, and WIndmill) in cans, and on tap at the two Halifax taprooms.

And for those of us who have been enjoying the Propeller Arcade as a way to have a Prop pint in an awesome space, you’ll love what comes next! In addition to the 8 pinball machines, and the same number of cabinet games in their current space, a full complement of carnival-style and ball games are now installed in an expanded area just a few steps away. And these games actually dispense tickets, which can be redeemed for prizes like erasers, Popeye Candy Sticks (aka Cigarettes for those of old enough to remember those), and even retro gaming systems if you save up enough tickets! By taking over more room in the space below the Gottingen Street retail and taproom location, more seating has been added to the brewing floor, with a half-dozen picnic tables now available for solo or bubble seating, so you can safely sip in between rounds of Medusa Pinball, Area 51 or Skee Ball. As always, masks on when you’re playing (beer is best enjoyed in the sitdown area), wash/sanitize your hands often, wipe the games down before/after use, and have fun! The Prop Arcade is open from 4 until 10 PM or later, Thursday through Sunday.

Speaking of returning favourites…we’ll go down the street to Tidehouse for their latest release. After a very long sabbatical, Hey Abbot! is available and ready for purchase. The folks on Salter Street are gearing up for their 4 year anniversary in December, and this re-release is the 2nd beer in their “best of” series. Hey Abbot! is a Belgian Tripel that comes in at 9.0% but like most proper Tripels, does not taste strongly of alcohol. The beer gives hints of banana and clove, followed by some light spicy notes and a bit of white pepper if you dig deep enough. Look for this new release to drop today at 2 PM, available exclusively in cans at the brewery.

We’ve got a bit of info on the not one, not two, but *three* new beers hitting New Scotland Brewing’s taps tomorrow. The first one is this year’s iteration of Heads Will Roll, a Halloween-themed Red IPA. Featuring late-addition hops (to the tune of 55 IBUs), this 6.6% ABV beer is slightly more malt-centric on the palate, but with definite pine and citrus notes coming through as well. Next up is an “American Rye Ale” named Kitsch & Sync, a “mellow and drinkable” 4.7% ABV, 22 IBUs brew. Hopped with Willamette and Centennial, it has a balance of sweet and earthy flavours. Finally, they also have a small batch of C’est Bon, a 5.3% ABV, 25 IBUs Saison that is “fruity, spicy, and dry”. As mentioned, all three will be pouring at the brewery’s taproom by tomorrow, as well as at select licensees.

Fans of Hampton Brewing Co. will be happy to hear that the brewery has finally announced that, after contract brewing at other locations since opening (including Loyalist City and Hammond River), they have broken ground on their own location in Hampton. The plan is to have a taproom and patio area along with the brewery, which will be located at Fire Fly Recreation Campground, just outside of Hampton at 64 Robertson Rd. Of course it’ll be many months before the project is complete, but naturally they’re quite excited about having a set location and plan in place! In the meantime, you can still find their beers on tap at several bars and restaurants around NB, including Peppers Pub, Britt’s Uptown, Peddlers Creek, Station 33 Cafe, The Joyce Pub, Gridiron Brewing and Grass Roots Grill.

While on the topic of expansions (not a phrase we would expect to be typing during a pandemic, but hey, it’s beer!), Spindrift Brewing has announced that they will be opening a new taproom and beer store in Antigonish. The Spindrift Oak Manor will be located at 271 Main St., with the plans to open sometime in early 2021. The brewhouse will be small, at only 1 BBL (~120 L), with several fermentors of the same size; this will allow the brewery to experiment with new and exciting beers that will be exclusive to Oak Manor. Of course, they’ll also regularly have the flagship Burnside-brewed Spindrift beers available on tap for pints and growler fills, along with cans and Spindrift merch for takeaway. As for the taproom itself, the plan is to have lots of small group seating, as well as some larger communal tables, all in a comfortable, cozy setting that locals should be happy to think of as their home away from home. And if you live in the Antigonish area (or would love to have an excuse to move there!), the brewery is currently looking for someone to manage Oak Manor; if interested, check out the details here.

In this week’s events, it’s time to declare outdoor beer drinking season officially closed (we guess, if we have to…*grumble*), and who says you can’t have a (COVID protocol compliant, socially distanced) Beer Fest in 2020? Not us!

Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end… warm weather, hugging complete strangers in the middle of the sidewalk (that used to be a thing, right?), and the Stillwell Beer Garden. That’s right, tomorrow, October 31st is the last day for outdoor beers, tacos, ice cream, etc. That means you have only two more days to take advantage of their final week blowout, which includes $5 pricing for most pints, $5 cans of North hard seltzer and TrailWay Patio, hot chocolate (with bourbon or without!), and, of course, cornhole. 

Also tomorrow, Old Road BBQ is following suit and shutting down their patio for the season. Luckily, they’re going out with a party! Willie Stratton (2019 Music Nova Scotia’s “Entertainer of the Year”) will be headlining a socially-distanced music event at Old Road’s location in Truro (190 Industrial Ave.), and you know that there’ll be puh-lenty of delicious BBQ available on site as well. You can grab your ticket ($11.62) from the event link above; there’s also a two-ticket-plus-hotel-room option you may want to consider!

The Cox & Palmer Atlantic Canadian Craft Brew Fest For United Way is happening next weekend. Looking quite different than in years past, the celebration of local beer is holding a pair of in-person events, while encouraging attendees to go virtual for the rest. Next Friday, November 6th, there will be a 5 course Brew Dinner at the recently opened Monk10 Taproom in downtown Moncton. And then next morning, Monk10 will host the Brewmasters’ Breakfast at 10 AM. Tickets for both events can be found at the above website. For those fortunate enough to grab tickets for the Brew Fest in a Box (sales end at noon today), you’ll be able to take part in all aspects of the virtual Fest. Your ticket will get you 4 beers from the participating breweries, as well as ingredients to prepare some paired dishes, so you can tune in and drink along! Bubble up and grab 4 tickets to try all 16 available! The Brew Fest in a Box Live Q & A will allow you to chat with brewers from around the region too, recreating some more of the fun from ACCBF years past.

And furthering the charitable aspect of the Fest is the Silent Auction which is on now. Benefitting the United Way of Greater Moncton and Southeastern NB, breweries from the region have donated swag, growler fills, gift cards, and everything in between, perfect to complete your collection. The auction closes next Sunday, November 8th, and it looks like there are some great deals to be had right now!

We’re finishing off with two notices for our Homebrewing readers, don’t sleep on either of them! If you’re looking to getting into homebrewing, check out the Brewnosers or Newfermenters, both very active groups.

Today is the last day to sign up and deliver your beer to take part in the Maritime Home Brew Challenge by Gahan. Follow that link to register yourself, and then pop down to your local Gahan to deliver your West Coast and/or North East IPA, grab your t-shirt, and you’re in it to win it! Judging will be taking place next weekend, with the Awards being announced the following weekend. With thousands of dollars in prizes up for grabs, great feedback coming your way from BJCP-certified judges, there’s really no reason not to enter!

Big Spruce has announced the details of its 8th annual Home Brew Challenge. This year, home brewers from across the region are being challenged to create their best version of a Sticke Altbier, a variant of the BJCP 2008 category 7C Düsseldorf Altbier. As always, ingredients are left to the creative minds of the brewers, but for those looking for yeast, Big Spruce will arrange for pickup or delivery of Escarpment Yeast Lab’s Koslch Style Ale. Entry fees are $25 per submission, with the beers due for drop-off by January 15, 2021 (leaving plenty of time for lagering!) at a TBD location. Email jeremy@bigspruce.ca for an entry form or more details, or check out the event’s Facebook page. Unlike previous competitions, this year’s winners will be announced virtually, but T-shirts and other swag will be available to all who participate! The top 3 judge beers will be announced, and per tradition, the winner will be invited to Nyanza to brew their beer on the 7 BBL system.

Friday Wrap-Up for October 23, 2020 – News from Upstreet, Niche, Good Robot, Big Spruce, Quidi Vidi, Serpent, and More!!

Posted by acbbchris on 2020-10-23
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: 2 Crows Brewing, 902 BrewCast, Battery Park, Big Spruce Brewing, Bogside Brewing, Booms, Boomstick Brewing, CBANS, Change Is Brewing Collective, Craft Brewers Association of Nova Scotia, Grimross Brewing, HopYard, Landwash Brewery, Niche Brewing, North Brewing, Ol' Biddy's Brew House, Quidi Vidi Brewery, Serpent Brewing, Tidehouse Brewing, Tire Shack Brewing, Topside Brewing, Upstreet BBQ Brewhouse, Upstreet Craft Brewing. Leave a Comment

Happy Friday, everyone! We’re closing in on the end of October, and the weather has definitely turned chilly in the region. And snow in Labrador, but that’s to be expected in July, too! 😉 A full case of beer news for you today, so let us tarry no further and get you up to speed!

Do you like your hoppy beers with a low amount of alcohol? And by low, we mean… in the non-alcoholic range? If you do, Upstreet has just the beer for you! Libra North Cape Pale Ale is golden-coloured APA lightly hopped (both in the whirlpool and dry-hop) with Amarillo, Citra, and Simcoe, that weighs in at… 0.4% ABV. Yes, 0.4%! They insist it has been fully fermented with a “regular beer yeast”, but that’s all they’re willing to divulge. Either way, they’re hoping the ultra-low ABV won’t scare you away from enjoying a hop-flavoured beverage! It’s available at the Upstreet taproom and Craft Beer Corner in Charlottetown, and should be pouring at the BBQ Brewhouse in Dartmouth next week. You may even see it in some of the Halifax private stores, as well. And seeing as it’s non-alcoholic, it can be ordered for Canada-wide delivery through the brand’s website, DrinkLibra.ca. 

The Pride of Hanwell never stops churning out the good stuff, as Niche has a new draft release this week and a bottle release coming soon. First up, Sabro Sour Session IPA, is a sour Session IPA dry-hopped with only Sabro (well that was anticlimactic). This beer comes through with those nice Sabro coconut notes (coconotes) along with lots of citrus flavour coming through with some tartness. Coming in at 4.4%, this easy-drinking and refreshing ale will be at the usual local accounts in New Brunswick this week. 

As for their newest bottle release, Pau Hana, (Hawaiian for “end of the work day”) Niche delivers a barrel aged fruited Saison with time on its side. Pau Hana was fermented with a blend of Sacch and Brett strains and aged in a freshly-emptied Chardonnay barrel for over a year. The beer then went back to stainless for several more months on pineapple and pink guava puree. The flavours here should be oaky, dry, funky, with tons of fruit (especially guava). Pau Hana comes in at 5.8% and is marked for release next week for bottles going out next week around Fredericton and Moncton. We’ll be sure to get the details for the blog next week so you can get your paws on this tasty treat. 

For those of you in Nova Scotia who don’t live in the center of the universe, aka the HRM, you’ll be happy to hear that your hard workers at Good Robot are now shipping beer province-wide. Just make sure to have your order in by 3 pm, and it’ll ship out the next day (weekends excluded, of course). Orders need to be placed in multiples of 12 cans, and you’ll need your ID on delivery to prove you’re legally able to consume sweet, sweet beer. And what better way to christen your first order than with a new beer? Well, more good news then, as their latest, Sour Cherry Camacho, is available for purchase this weekend. This one is a “Sour Cherry Marzen” (!) brewed with a healthy portion of Vienna malt in the grist, as well as a blend of three forms of cherry: puree, extract, and juice. It comes in at 6% and features, as you might have guessed, a lot of cherry presence, along with some biscuity, bready notes. 

Brand-spanking-new Double IPA from Big Spruce coming your way! Fou D’Amour is an 8% ABV hazy wonder hopped entirely with Barbe Rouge, a fairly new French variety that gives the beer a big blast of “ripe strawberry, ruby grapefruit, and kumquat”. With a soft mouthfeel and tons of aroma, it should be just the hoppy ticket to get you through your weekend. You can find it on tap and in 650 mL bottles at the Sprucetique in Nyanza, and of course you’ll very likely see it at some of your favourite watering holes near the brewery, as well as in the HRM.

If you love beer and live in St. John’s, you’ve probably been pretty happy with all of the one-offs that Quidi Vidi has been releasing lately… and we don’t blame you, you lucky dogs! This weekend they’ve got yet another one, Citra Lager. An easy-drinking Lager hopped with Citra, it has a “bright citrus aroma and a light-bodied flavour, with a mild, bitter finish”. Available at the brewery’s Hops Shop, it can also be found at NLCs and convenience stores across Newfoundland, once deliveries are completed. 

Newly-opened Serpent Brewing in Halifax is only a few weeks old, but they’ve already got their fourth product available for purchase! Notice we say “product” and not “beer”, because, well… it’s not a beer. It’s a cider they’ve named The Bite. Made from a mix of juice from three different apple varieties from the Annapolis Valley, it was fermented in two separate vessels, with two different yeasts (one of which is a Belgian strain). Blended back together once fermentation was complete, the final, semi-dry 5.0% cider has “a subtle, rustic quality, while retaining the delicate flavour of the apples”. It’s available in 500 mL bottles, and can be purchased directly at the brewery, or online for pickup or local delivery.

Our friends at North Brewing have a bright, new beer for you to share (or hoard, we won’t judge) this weekend – Rosy Berry Saison was fermented with the Old World Saison yeast strain from Escarpment Labs, with additions of local blackberries and raspberries from Noggins Corner Farm Market. Dark orange in colour, with “notes of berry, melon, and grapefruit, with a pleasant, peppery Saison finish”, it sounds like just the beverage for this time of year. It’s launching today for purchase at both retail shops, as well as online; it’ll also be on tap at Battery Park.

Let’s return to hops (because, really, that’s still where a lot of beers go these days) with Landwash Brewery, who have a new iteration of their super-hoppy Double IPA, Dream Island. This batch features multiple additions of both Sabro and Bru-1, loading the aromas and flavours with “notes of macerated peaches, ripe mangos, and juicy oranges”. Weighing in around 8% ABV, you can grab it at the brewery right now (on tap and in cans), or arrange an order online for pickup.

Corner Brook’s Boomstick Brewing is celebrating the holiest of beer celebrations with their own Oktoberfest tomorrow. Their sister Best Coast Restaurant is converting into a beer tent for the day, complete with plenty of decorations and ambiance, in addition to the necessary music, food (brats, kraut, pretzels, mustard, and lots more!), and of course a beer worthy of celebration. Just like at Wiesn, the mayor will be tapping the first keg! The Boomstick Crew has chosen a modern Marzen, along the lines of a Helles style. The best way to take part in the fun is to book a table with your Bubble Buddies, for one of the three seatings (1 – 4 PM, 5 – 8 PM, and 9 PM – midnight). Call 709-388-0144 to RSVP. And if you can’t make it, no shame, the beer will be canned and available to others this weekend as well!

There are a bunch of great events happening this weekend, so if you’re so inclined, we encourage you to get out and get some local beer into you, safely, of course!

We’ve got three events for our Prince Edward pals to get you up and out of the house this weekend:

HopYard in downtown Charlottetown is hosting the European-inspired Grimross Brewing to take over their taps today and tomorrow. Nine taps will be pouring, with a great mix of their Belgian Cheval D’or, German Kings Horn, Brunswick Pils, and Oktoberfest, as well as the Maritime Cream Ale and Pale Ale. Plus a few more treats for you to discover!

Montague’s Bogside Brewing is holding their Oktobeer Fest Saturday afternoon 2 – 5 PM, with live music, pretzels, bratwurst, schnitzel, as well as a full complement of their German beers a-flowing. And if you do opt for those, you’ll get them at a sweet discount! Check out their Instagram for more details.

We already chatted about Upstreet a bit earlier with their new Libra release, but also wanted to highlight that their Gravedigger Ghost Tours are on this weekend and next. In collaboration with the Confederation Centre, attendees start from the Yacht Club at 7:30 PM, and are guided by the Gravedigger himself through downtown Charlottetown hearing stories of unsolved murders, ghostly haunting, and executions. You’ll end up at Upstreet’s taproom where the eponymous beer, and a bunch more, can be used to calm your nerves. The tours run Oct 23 and 24, and again on Oct 29 and 30, grab your tickets here!

In Halifax, 2 Crows and the Change is Brewing Collective releasing the Good News Raspberry and Mango Berliner Weisse tomorrow, with full details on the beer available in last week’s post. There is a full day of fun kicking off the release, starting with a BIPOC Maker’s Market in the taproom from noon til 4 PM. Pints can be enjoyed on the patio during that time, so come by to check out the craft, design, and food offerings and stay for the Good News! From 4 – 6 PM, the taproom opens up, and Hibiscus Specialty Foods will be sticking around for more snacks. At 6 PM, the Change is Brewing Collective, joined by board members of the Africville Museum, will give an address. And at 7 PM, Deidre Lee will present spoken word poetry. A full day for a great cause!

Just a few more bites rounding out the news this week!

After a brief hiatus from in-person episodes, the 902 BrewCast fellas made the trip to 111 Cobequid Rd in Lower Sackville, to visit Ol’ Biddy’s Brewhouse. There they spoke with owners Keith and Chris to learn the origin of the brewery name, what it’s like openings brewery in the middle of a pandemic, and plenty of teases on what’s on the horizon from OBB. Grab the episode today to laugh and learn!

We teased it last week, but now it’s a reality! Halifax’s Tidehouse Brewing is bringing back some of their favourite releases from the past four years (wow, it’s been that long?). First up in the celebratory series is King Friday. If you don’t remember this one, you could be forgiven…. It’s a 9.5% ABV Wheat Wine! It’s a beautiful day in the neighbourhood when you can get your hands on this malt-driven beer that features plenty of sweet warmth, but with lovely bread crust and biscuit character in your glass. Available in small quantities (as with all Tidehouse releases!), you’ll want to get down to Salter Street from 2 PM today (and tomorrow, if it lasts that long!) to take a ride on the magic trolley.

Tire Shack Brewing has brought back their crowd-favourite Waffle Sauce, an Extra Special Bitter that contains an “excessive amount” of maple syrup, combined with a “great pastry flavour from the malt bill”, all in an easy-drinking 5% ABV package. Available right now at the brewery’s taproom in Moncton.

Bedford’s newest brewery, Topside, is already bringing out some new beers, expanding their “dive roster” with a couple of English (or at least English-derived) styles. One is a Golden Ale with a lovely coppery color that comes in at 5% ABV and that they’re calling Ridgevale, the other an Oatmeal Stout with Cacao nibs at a very respectable 4.3% ABV. Not on tap anywhere in the city just yet, the best way to beer success is through their Grab a Growler program available to those in Bedford, with the details available on their website.

And finally, just a note that you may have seen some news regarding the CBANS this week, with several member breweries leaving the organization (Huddle / The Coast). While there may have been one recent incident that served as the “last straw” for the breweries have left the organization, both public statements on social media and things we’ve heard more privately have suggested that for many breweries, CBANS no longer represents their best interests in terms of business, community, or social responsibility. There have been whispers of another industry group forming, and we’ll have more on that when we can share.