Boomstick Brewing Company Now Open Corner Brook, Newfoundland

Posted by acbbchris on 2020-02-25
Posted in: Profiles. Tagged: Boomstick Brewing. 4 comments

Boomstick Brewing Company is the latest brewery to celebrate their opening in our region! Located at 55 West Street in Corner Brook, Newfoundland, Boomstick shares space with the soon-to-open Hew & Draw Hotel and Best Coast restaurant. With the Shop open now, and the brewery taproom opening this coming Sunday, March 1st, we were able to catch up with the crew to learn more about them, the brewery, and what can be expected in the soon-to-open taproom and in the glasses therein.

Can you tell us a little bit about yourselves?
Our team starts with the third generation of a logging family and a strict discipline to do things right. We searched internationally to bring in talent and experience to give our customers the best possible experience. Our founder started with the desire to serve Corner Brook with a stunning architectural contribution by overhauling a classic building on West Street. Our Director of Operations began her management career here in Newfoundland and then advanced in Alberta before returning home. Our Brewmaster got his start at a tiny microbrewery in the States called Samuel Adams. All parts of the team are here to make and deliver the best styles of craft beer from around the world. We’re pretty sure you’ll enjoy every piece of it.

How did you get into the world of beer?
The logging world can be pretty rough at times and most days are good when you’re just a little behind. However, beer makes everyone happy! And a brewery is a social center of a community. As we want to build our community and help Western Newfoundland we thought a brewery might just work.

What made you decide to take the big steps into opening a brewery?
Boomstick Brewing Co. began with a vision of bringing craft beer and a social epicenter to Western Newfoundland back in 2014ish. Researching the industry and experiencing the market’s brewing scene really made this idea come to life. Add in a trip to the Siebel Institute in Chicago to fill our brains with beer ideas and we were set. We want to do it right and serve our town by bringing the best of craft from around the world to Western Newfoundland.

What is the culture of Boomstick Brewing?
We take the quality of beer and our guests’ experiences seriously. Everything else is up for fun. As we build this brand we aim to have everyone on the team be as passionate about beer and the customer as we are. And we’re excited to see what things we’ll learn from the team we build.

Now we’re getting thirsty! Tell us about your beers!
We’ve got some serious talent on the team so we’re planning to flex that muscle early and often. Our Brewmaster Mike Wayne has done over 200 styles in his career and we’re looking to do the best of those here. We’re starting with Penstock No. 2 as our classic American Pale Ale. Wild Bologna is our IPA and we think you’ll be amazed by the hops in this beer. Veto Power is our classic Pilsner and this is how we educate all the macro consumers. Half Marathon is our Germanic Hefeweizen to start exploring styles. Bitter Bird is our take on an ESB and we think this English town will take to this great beer. Lone Flamingo tells the story of a Newfoundland hunter who learned about flamingos the hard way; it’s a bit fruity and a tad sour. The Webber is our black lager which harkens the urban legend of the Humber River.

How can we enjoy your beer? What are your plans for distribution?
The team here is proud to show off our cans! We work out. Cans and growlers are the best way to try our beer for the time being. However, we are opening up our taproom next weekend, starting March 1st, where visitors will then be able to enjoy a flight or pint. And this is a beauty of a taproom! Best Coast Cafe will be doing full menus for dinner and supper and the first test meals are so good that I’m actually eating vegetables! There will be live Music and we’re hoping to find an actual Oompah band for Oktoberfest… To add another bit – we have a chef whose approach to his menu is just as creative as our approach to beer, so we’re sure you’ll want to stay a while. Outside of that, we’re sure some kegs will sneak out to select accounts, eventually.

How about growlers?
We carry 64oz growlers and 32oz grunters available for purchase. We’ll gladly fill any brewery’s amber glassware with our beer as long as the glass is clean. We decline filling flint glass (clear) because the beer will be skunked by the time you reach your car. We want you to experience the best possible beer we brew and hope you understand our challenge with flint glass.

Do you have some initial accounts in the area lined up to serve your beers?
We’re blown away by the support of this town! We just listed our first jobs and we got FLOODED with responses! We’ve been approached by many places and we’ll try to make enough beer for everybody.

Have you had any assistance from other breweries/people in Atlantic Canada?
We’ve had HUGE help from around the industry! It’s nice to have friends around the beer world. Our neighbours down the street at Bootleg Brew Co. have been a huge help (including helping to brew some early test batches), and Picaroons gave indispensable advice and encouragement early on. The Newfoundland and Labrador Craft Brewers Association is helping out a ton and the network through Newfoundland, the Maritimes, the rest of Canada and internationally has been wonderful. We’re in a truly great industry!

Where do you hope to see your brewery in the next 2-3 years?
With a little luck we’ll still be on West St in Corner Brook Newfoundland.

Let’s get nerdy! What system are you be brewing on?
We’re using a 15bbl (1800 litre) DME steam system with a mash/kettle/whirl and a dedicated lauter. We’re starting with two 30bbl (3600 litre) fermenters and four 15bbl (1800 litre) fermenters. We’re using a Cask V5 to can our beers and Thielmann cooperage will hold our draught products.

Tell us about the history of your brewer, Mike Wayne (homebrewer and/or pro)?
We’d like to think we’re professionals around here. Our Brewmaster was pulled into the industry from studying Synthetic Organic Chemistry and was paid to taste Sam Adams. Somehow that turned into a career and now he applies his Chemistry knowledge to the study of Zymurgy. With experience in Cincinnati OH, Sarnia ON, Iqaluit NU, and now Corner Brook we’re excited to bring the best of craft brewing to Western Newfoundland.

Do you have a favorite beer style, beer, or brewery you enjoy drinking?
We only know two types of beer and we prefer the Good. With a little luck we’ll be mostly brewing in that style.

How about favourite style or ingredient to brew with?
Me, personally, I’m really into playing with spices. Hops are cool and I was running North America’s first Reinheitsgebot brewery at the 500th anniversary of the Bavarian Purity act; all which means …not much. The team here has lots of ideas and we taste ours as well as others beer in our meetings. One style I’m excited to bring here is a chai stout. Its inspiration is Sam Adams Cream Stout then combined with masala chai spicing. Earlier in my career, I did this as a porter and it just didn’t do the spices justice. The sweet stout is the better base and Newfoundland asks for stouts during summer!

Thanks to Mike and the rest of the Boomstick family for taking the time to answer our questions. The Growler Shop is open daily Sun – Thurs 4 – 8 PM, Fri & Sat 2 – 8 PM. When the taproom opens next Sunday, March 1st, its hours will be Sun – Thurs 12 – 10 PM, Fri & Sat 12 PM – 12 AM. Stay up to date with new releases, events, and all the goings on via their Social Media (Facebook and Instagram) and their website. And of course, here on the blog!

Friday Wrap-Up for February 21, 2020 – News from Boomstick, Bootleg BrewCo, Iron Rock, Bannerman, Niche, Tatamagouche, Gahan, Breton, Good Robot, Flying Boats and much more!

Posted by acbbshawn on 2020-02-21
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: 902 BrewCast, Bannerman Brewing, Boomstick Brewing, Bootleg Brew Company, Breton Brewing, Copper Bottom Brewing, Flying Boats Brewing, Gahan House (Charlottetown), Good Robot Brewing, Heritage Brewing, HopYard, Iron Rock Brewing Co., Lone Oak Brewing, Niche Brewing, Secret Cove Brewing, Stillwell Beer Bar, Sussex Ale Works, Tatamagouche Brewing, The Guv'nor, Tire Shack Brewing, Upstreet Craft Brewing. 2 comments

Welcome to your last full week of February, 2020, although we’re cynically sure that leap day is going to make it feel like a 31-day month because that’s just the way winter has been this year. We’ve got a ton of news to share with you this week, including another new brewery in Newfoundland, a bunch of other news from the Rock, and the usual catch up with what’s going on in NB, NS and PEI. So settle in comfortably, with a hoppy and/or malty beverage, for preference, as we take you around Atlantic Canada’s beer news for the week.

Attention Corner Brook, your town just got a bit more beery! Boomstick Brewing Company has officially opened their doors this week, with their Growler Shop at 55 West Street. Gracing the shelves of their can fridge are Penstock No. 2 American Pale Ale, Wild Bologna IPA, Veto Power Pilsner, Half Marathon Hefeweizen, Bitter Bird ESB, Lone Flamingo Sour, and The Webber Black Lager. All of these are also available to take away in growlers, except for The Webber. Merchandise and other goodies are also available, and visitors can get a sneak peek of their snazzy taproom which will be opening March 1st. And you’ll soon be able to stay right at the brewery, as the Hew & Draw bootique hotel will be opening early March. But until then, the Shop is open Friday and Saturday 2 – 8 PM, and Sunday – Thursday 4 – 8 PM. Be sure to pop by this weekend and say hi, and we’ll have a full Profile with the Boomstick Crew next week!

And before or after (or both!) you’re visiting Boomstick, be sure to head back up West Street to Bootleg BrewCo, who have a new beer on tap right… about… now! Dr. Schmilsson’s Magical Elixir is a bit of a mouthful to say, and even more of a mouthful when you’re drinking it! The latest in their line of fruited sours, this one features flavours inspired by the Harry Nilsson song Coconut from the Nilsson Schmilsson album (aaah, now it becomes clear!). Coconut and Lime notes aplenty in this sour, to remind you that there will be a break in the cold coming soon (right?). Pouring from 2 PM until late today, and 4 PM tomorrow. And good news for those on the Avalon, you should be seeing this popping on tap at Toslow sometime next week!

And even more Newfoundland beer news (man, they’ve got a lot of breweries there now), Labrador City’s Iron Rock Brewing has a pair of brand new beers on tap exclusively at their taproom, just in time for their Grand Opening festivities (which started on Wednesday, and continue through the weekend). We don’t have a lot of the nitty gritty details on the first beer, unfortunately, but we can tell you it’s a hazy, hop-packed Double IPA named Hop Shocker. “Shockingly juicy”, according to the brewery, they’re describing it as “Sunny Delight for adults”, so yeah, you can probably believe them on the juicy description; it weighs in at a perfect-for-the-style 8% ABV. The second new release of the weekend, launching at 2 PM this afternoon, is Banishment, a Bourbon Barrel Aged Stout. Weighing in at a modest 5.6% ABV, it packs a punch having been aged in Maker’s Mark barrels for three months, picking up notes of vanilla and oak, complementing the solid roast character from the underlying beer. Grab it on Nitro pours today, with bottles coming soon. As for the rest of their grand opening events, they’ll have live music at the taproom tonight (8:30-11:30) and tomorrow (from 7:30 pm), as well as a Vendor Fair on Sunday (2-5pm) and a Tattoo Expo both days (10am-7pm Sat, 10am-4pm Sun). Note that the Tattoo Expo is for ages 19+ only (sorry, kids!), and is first-come, first-serve for pre-drawn tattoos only.

Moving over to St. John’s with Bannerman Brewing (see… there’s a ton of them!), where they’re releasing their own juicy, hoppy beer, State of Emergency. Described as a “Milkshake/Fruited IPA”, it was heavily dry-hopped with the magical Citra variety, and also features a large addition of mango. If you like your hoppy beers super-hazy, with “heavy flavours of tropical and candied fruit”, this is the beer for you! It’s on tap at the brewery for pints and growlers right now, and you can expect to see cans of this 7.2% ABV beer appearing sometime next week. 

Back on the mainland, we’ve got a couple of important notes to tell you about Hanwell’s Own Niche Brewing. With more than one hundred batches released since their opening in late 2017, they have moved into new territory with this week’s new release, Highroller DIPA. Having played in the Session, American/Standard, and IPA vein before, they’ve chosen to go big into the Double IPA category this go-around. For those who just can’t get enough hops, this sounds like the pint for you! Featuring flaked oats and wheat in the malt bill for a softer mouthfeel, and hopped to 50 IBUs in the kettle with Chinook and Columbus, it was further hopped post-ferment with El Dorado and Enigma. Think melon, stone fruit, and citrus on the palate, finishing moderately dry. At 8.0% ABV, it is one of Niche’s bigger releases, but the massive character masks any alcohol heat. Kegs are now a-pouring at Peppers in Saint John and The Joyce in Fredericton, where it rounds out the dozen beers the Niche fellas will be pouring tomorrow for their second Meet the Maker event. Starting at 7 PM, you’ll be able to try any/all of the twelve offerings from Niche, including faves like Day Tripper, Ethos, The Bear, and Single Origin, as well as two exclusive beers for the evening, Hold Fast Dry-hopped Sour (with Cashmere), and Cordial Sour with Elderflower. Be sure to pop down to chat with Rob, Shawn and Matt, grab a pint, and a pint glass, as they’ll have some merch for sale as well.

Those on the North Shore of Nova Scotia have a special connection to Prince Edward Island, as they share a common love of water, and are counting down the days to when the Wood Islands – Caribou ferry starts up again (May 1st, in case you were wondering!). Well, you don’t need to wait that long to rekindle that connection, as there’s a new beer on the shelves now to celebrate. Ferry Boat Fantasy came about when the folks from Charlottetown’s Gahan Pub dropped into Tatamagouche Brewing over a year ago. This Golden Sour was aged for almost a year in Chardonnay barrels, before receiving a dry-hopping treatment with Vic Secret and Hallertau Blanc, and then natural carbonation in bottles before release. From Tata, “Big tropical aromas of pineapple and mango and bright citrus notes of lemon rind and grapefruit combine with whimsical barrel aromas of butter tart, vanilla and hints of amaretto to create this creamy, tart and bright dreamscape.” Couldn’t say that better ourselves! Draught and bottles are available at TataBrew right now, with selected kegs coming soon to PEI, NB, and around the HRM. And for those not in the immediate region, check out their online store for bottle shipments direct to your door!

We’re thinking that maybe everyone is getting just a tad tired of winter, as the “dreams of summer” theme is starting to pick up with more and more beer releases. Breton Brewing is throwing their hat in the ring here with Tropical Lager, brewed for those of you “dreaming of a sunny escape” from all this snow and cold. Described as light and crisp, the beer was fermented with the Common Lager yeast and lagered for three weeks. Dry-hopped with the pretty-new-and-popular Sabro variety, it has notes of “coconut, pineapple, and mango” in the aroma. This 4.8% ABV beer is a very-limited supply test batch, so it is available at Breton’s taproom only, for pints and growlers. 

Halifax’s Good Robot Brewing has a surprise batch of Go Kart Jack Ass Scott-ish Red Ale back for your enjoyment. It’s a smooth beer, with a rich amber color, subtle spice notes, and a bit of honey in the aroma. Also (allegedly) blessed by the fae folk of Scotland. Wheeeeeeeee!!! Super easy drinking at 4.8% ABV and 19 IBUs, you’ll find it on tap at the tap room and (probably) available for fills to go. Also on Robie Street, the BetaBrew program is kicking out a new beer this week with Pump Up the Yams, a “candied yamber ale” (oy!). Orangey-red with and off-white head, there’s plenty of caramel flavors no doubt brought by the inclusion of candied yams during the brewing process. It’s also got a crackery presence on the malt side and a bit of noble Tettnanger hops to balance the sweetness. As usual, it’ll be tapped on Tuesday afternoon, so plan to get to GR where the jams will no doubt be pumpin’ and the crowd jumpin’ (maybe also plan to get your booty on the floor that night). 

Dieppe’s Flying Boats is known to release the occasional one-off brew in their ongoing Test Pilot series; sometimes, if a beer is popular enough, it will join their regular line-up. Well, that has happened recently with the brewery’s NEIPA, Test Pilot No. 6, which has been rebranded (thankfully!) as Whoopie Kat NEIPA. Brewed with a considerable portion of flaked wheat and oats to boost the mouthfeel (and haziness), it was hopped with the Aussie Vic Secret variety. At 6% ABV, it has a “clean and bright tropical bouquet of passion fruit and pineapple, along with supporting notes of fresh herbs and pine”. You can find it on tap and in cans at FB’s taproom right now, with cans shipping next week to select ANBL stores.

Yesterday marked the culmination of a month of Brewery Battles at HopYard Charlottetown, with Lone Oak facing Copper Bottom in the final. Both breweries brought their A-game, debuting new beer at the event. Let’s start with Lone Oak’s entry, Hollywood, which may have been a factor in eking out a victory. This West Coast IPA is the first of the style from the brewery, and at 6.7% ABV, brings loads of melon character with a nice bitterness. After its debut last night, you’ll be able to find it on draught at the brewery at Gateway Village this weekend, with cans coming in the next little bit.

As for Copper Bottom, their brand new beer to hit the taps is FLUX: Lotus, the first in their FLUX line of single hop IPAs the brewery is launching next Friday. Think of everything you are hoping to hit in an IPA: hazy, sessionable, and flavourful enough to keep coming back, and this is what they hope to achieve with FLUX. Not surprisingly, this initial release features the Lotus varietal, showcasing “big notes of pineapple and tropical fruit, followed by a candied grape and subtle hint of vanilla”. Weighing in at a very reasonable 4.3% ABV and 30 IBUs, the beer will be available on draught and in cans next Friday.

If you’re in the Yarmouth area, you may want to drop by Heritage Brewing, where they’ve just dropped their latest beer, Cranberry Sour Wheat. We’re betting you’ve put together a few of the details on this beer already, but that’s not going to stop us from telling you that it’s a kettle sour that was brewed with a portion of Wheat malt. Already quite tart thanks to the souring process, they added a generous amount of real Nova Scotia cranberries during fermentation, giving this cloudy, 5% ABV beer even more tartness, as well as a red colour. Check out Heritage this weekend for a taste.

Secret Cove Brewing up in Port au Port East (NOT to be mistaken for Port au Port West-Aguathuna-Felix Cove), has a new beer on the taps that pushes the boundaries of good taste. Not actual taste, we’re sure it’s a delicious beverage, but the name, dear lord the name. Blueberries Crying in the Grain pays homage to “Berry Head,” an area of Secret Cove’s home region that was made part of Port au Port (but would you believe there’s ANOTHER “Berry Head” on the East side of the Rock?! Newfoundland geography is a trip.) Aaaanyway, you should not be surprised to hear that there are both blueberries and grain in this fruited wheat beer, which weighs in at 5.1% ABV. Featuring a “vibrant purple hue” with an aroma that is both tart and sweet, the blueberries are definitely prominent. So if you’re in the area, whether you’re a local who knows all about Berry Head or a visitor who might wonder where exactly it is, stop by and give a taste of the local flora a try.

Sussex Ale Works is bringing back their Notorious APA, a 7.3% ABV, 66 IBUs American Pale Ale hopped with Sasquatch in the whirlpool. Juicy, with a supporting malt character, this is the second time this beer has been brewed. Find it on tap at their bar in Sussex this weekend.

The beery beardos of the 902BrewCast seem to maybe be hitting the gas again after a couple of slow months of soul searching and heavy drinking. Now it’s just heavy drinking. We kid! At the very least they’ve been managing to get the band back together at least a little more, with Kyle Andrus actually being spotted out in public at the Craft Beer Cottage Party a couple weeks ago, and rumours swirling of tapings with all three members in attendance. For now you’ll have to make do with a quick 30-minute or so bonus ep that dropped today featuring a few conversations Tony and Kyle had that night at the CBCP, but get ready for a Podcast that involves an actual brewery (!!) coming in March as well as a February tasting episode that we think might drop this coming Tuesday (as always, full refund on this blog post if we’re wrong about that). So grab the Bonus ep at their web site or via your favorite podcast provider and start looking forward to more content from a rejuvenated and less baby-beholden crew.

Not to be outdone by Tatamagouche and Big Spruce with their job postings last week, the news out of Charlottetown’s Upstreet Brewing is that they, too, are on the prowl for brewery staff. But in a classic case of the Island one-upping the mainland (or maybe being better at “finding efficiencies”), Upstreet is looking for someone to be a Brewer AND Cellarperson. Currently listed as a full-time summer/seasonal position, it has the potential to turn into a permanent gig. Production experience as a brewer is obviously highly valued, but brewing experience of all kinds will no doubt be considered. As always when it comes to making good beer, attention to detail is a major must along with an understanding of quality and how to achieve it consistently. If you think you’d be a good fit for this and are interested in spending at least a summer in Charlottetown, you can check out the full job posting on the Upstreet site for full details and information on how to apply.

Plenty on the go around the region this weekend, check it out!

The Guv’nor on Elizabeth Ave in St. John’s is hosting another round of their Newfoundland Craft Beer Tap Takeover all weekend. Kicking off yesterday, they are showcasing beer from a dozen Newfoundland breweries and cideries during the course of the next couple of days, as kegs kick and more come online. You can peruse the list of offerings here, but we suggest you don’t wait too long, as some options are in short supply!

Normally, beer festival season starts in New Brunswick with the Fredericton Craft Beer Festival in early March, but this year Saint John is kicking things off with the first KV Craft Beer Festival tomorrow, February 22nd. Happening at the QPLEX, there will be one evening session, with two sets of tickets available: VIP ($69) from 6:30-9:30 pm, and general admission ($49), 7:30-9:30. Your ticket gets you unlimited samples from close to 20 different breweries, cideries, and one distillery; there’ll be live music as well. Tickets are still available; you can get yours through the event link above.

As we mentioned above, this cold and snowy season often has us dreaming of warmer weather… but ya gotta admit, winter is a helluva nice time to really sit back and appreciate a good Stout. Luckily our friends at Stillwell are well aware of this, and have created a special event, STOUT SZN, that will be happening this Sunday, February 23rd, from 4pm to close. They’ll have nine different stouts on tap for your roasty needs, eight of which are from local, NS breweries, and one from Quebec’s Brasserie Dunham (Total Disrespect, a Pastry Stout w/ pecans, black cherries, and cocoa nibs). They’ll also be serving up some oysters from Sober Island, if that’s your thing! Check out the event page up there for a full brewery/beer list.⁣

Looking for a fun time this coming Monday, February 24th? Happy Hour Co is hosting their first event at Tire Shack Brewing on John Street in Moncton. Brewery Tour and Tasting kicks off at 7 PM, and will feature a tour of the brewery facilities, and then a guided tasting of Tire Shack’s lineup of beers, thanks to owners Jerrica and Alan. No need to sign up in advance, just show up and look for the other thirsty folks!

Friday Wrap-Up for February 14, 2020 – News from Petit-Sault, Propeller, Fredericton Craft Beer Fest Collaboration with Flying Boats, Boxing Rock, and Upstreet, Gahan Nova Centre and 2 Crows Collaboration, Good Robot, Tire Shack, and plenty more!

Posted by acbbchris on 2020-02-14
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: 2 Crows Brewing, Big Spruce Brewing, Boxing Rock Brewing, Brasseurs du Petit Sault, Flying Boats Brewing, Fredericton Craft Beer Festival, Gahan House (Halifax), Good Robot Brewing, Ladies Beer League, Lobster Crawl Beer Festival, Picaroons, Propeller Arcade, Propeller Brewing, Roof Hound Brewing, Rough Waters, Stillwell Beer Bar, Tatamagouche Brewing, The Drome by Trailway, The Oxford Taproom, Tidehouse Brewing, Tire Shack Brewing, TrailWay Brewing, Upstreet Craft Brewing. Leave a Comment

If you’re like us and love loving local beer, then today’s the day for you! Plenty of new releases and returning favourites are out now/coming very soon, plus a Monday holiday to nurse your headache for an extra 24 hours! Sounds like a win-win to us! Let’s get right to the new beers, and the events we think are worth your time….

After quickly selling out of their last entry in their very popular Brut IPA series at the end of 2019, Petit-Sault has decided to keep the momentum going by releasing Brut IPA #3 this week. Like the last beer, La Pêchée, this beer weighs in at a hefty 8.8% ABV, and finishes extremely dry (0° Plato, keeping the residual sugar at a bare minimum). Hopped (and dry-hopped, of course) with Mosaic, Galaxy and Amarillo, the brewery added strawberry and peach puree during fermentation. The combination of both fruit purees with the high dry-hopping makes for some intensely fruity aromas and flavours. Look for this one on tap and in bottles at the brewery now, and it should be hitting licensees and ANBL stores this weekend.

Propeller Brewing Co. in Halifax has a new beer out this week that will hopefully take you out of the mindset of a dismal February afternoon and into the mood of a crisp, yet hoppy beer on a sweltering summer day. Citra Pale Lager marries IPA darling hop Citra to a crisp and crushable base style, yielding what they’re calling a “modern lager.” Plenty of biscuity malt flavor is balanced by a firm, but approachable 38 IBU worth of bitterness, leading to a crisp, dry finish created through the use of a German yeast and a good 3 – 4 weeks of lagering time. And did we mention the hops? Aromas of melon and citrus abound where you might have expected floral, woody, and/or herbal noble hop character in a more traditional lager, giving a fruity vibe to this 5.2% ABV beer. Look for it at both Prop locations on tap, for fills to go, and in cans, with packaged product also going to private stores in Halifax and Liquid Assets at the Stanfield Airport. And if you do head down to Gottingen Street location tomorrow afternoon for a V-Day pint, look for their Galaxy dry-hopped with Sabro and Ekuanot. If you’re not able to make that, though, there’s still plenty going on this weekend with a Valentine’s Day is Dead 2020 live music show on Saturday, Family Day at the Propeller Arcade from 12 – 6 PM on Sunday (after 6 PM the Arcade will be open, but will revert to 19+), and a bonus Arcade afternoon from 2 PM onwards on the holiday Monday.

We’ve just passed the “less than a month” phase leading up to the Fredericton Craft Beer Festival, and more details are trickling out on the events and ancillary parts of the Fest. One of which is the launch of the annual Diplomatic Immunity collaboration beer, with this year’s falling under the category of Lagered APA. Brewed in early December 2019, host brewery Flying Boats in Dieppe, NB, welcomed in the good folks from Boxing Rock Brewing of Shelburne, NS, and Upstreet Brewing of Charlottetown, PEI. Brewed using primarily Weyermann heritage Barke Pilsner malt (with a touch of CaraBohemian malt for a smooth, yet lightly grainy backbone), and hopped with Pahto as a bittering addition, with whirlpool and dry hop additions of Cashmere, Amarillo, and Simcoe. The six weeks of lagering after primary fermentation by the Fermentis S-189 yeast gives a crisp and clean mouthfeel and finish, hop aromatics of melon, and a touch of coconut and grapefruit. The 5.2% ABV beer is available on draught and in cans at the host brewery now, and rolling out to the visiting breweries shortly. It will also be pouring widely around Fredericton leading up to the Fest, and be featured on the ANBL Growler program starting February 22nd. 

Recently-opened Gahan Nova Centre in Halifax teamed up with another downtown brewery, 2 Crows, for a collaboration a few months ago that has now hit the shelves. The beer goes by the moniker of 5 Minute Walk, which describes the length of time needed to get between the two breweries. The first beer to go into Gahan’s PEI-built foeder (℅ New World Foeders), and brewed by Spencer G (now of Lone Oak) with Jarrett S and Jeremy T, the beer featured a simple malt bill (Pilsner with a touch of flaked oats and white wheat), a light touch of Saaz and Ella hops, and fermented with 2C’s special house yeast blend. Acidic and citrus notes abound, with notes of funk and new oak complementing. The 6.9% ABV beer is on tap now at Gahan’s location, with a limited number of bottles available to go from their retail counter onsite.

We hinted a couple of weeks ago (well, we think we did, but we’re too lazy to go back and check) that there was an event coming up at Good Robot that would help get you in a summertime mood. Well that event is nigh, we tell you, NIGH!! Brewer Gio Johnson and his pals in The Limestone Group are bringing another FlavaBot Caribbean-infused event to Good Robot on Sunday, this one entitled Heat Wave. Look for plenty of Caribbean food from Chef Ambrose, live music and dance performances throughout the day. Doors open for brunch at 10 AM and food will be served until close at 2 AM. For the first time they’ll also be serving cocktails (Sky Juice and Switcha)! But most pertinent to us here at the ACBeerBlog, is the beer, of course. And as usual, Gio has come up with some recipes that bring the best of the Caribbean to our favorite beverage. First up is one we wrote about previously (seriously, don’t even need to check), Conch-style Bahamian Lager that’s sort of a “International Light Lager meets a Christmas Tree in a dark alley and things get (lime) zesty” kinda deal at 5.4% ABV and 20 IBU. But there are also going to be three smaller batches on the go. First is the Banana Bread Ale, a spiced dark ale treated with cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, and sweetened slightly with a touch of lactose. Doing what it says on the tin, look for a slightly creamy brew with roasty and chocolatey elements and those spices making themselves known. Plenty sessionable at 4.5% ABV and 17 IBU as well. And speaking of sessionable, next up is Lil Cay, a tropical session stout dosed with coconut flakes that had been themselves previously soaked in coconut rum. So plenty of coconut coming at you, but also some roast and vanilla and a mild citrus note to go with it. Coming in at 5.1% ABV and 27 IBU, it should be a lovely introduction to the notion of a tropical stout if you’ve never had one. And last, but certainly not least, is the delightfully-named Gruitti Fruitti! It’s a gruit, of course, which means no hops have been used, but an herb mixture takes their place in providing balance to the malt side. In this case, it’s pine needles and basil. And the “fruitti” part of the name isn’t just there for decoration, it refers to the addition of mango to the mix. At 5.0% ABV and 0 IBU, expect something herbaceous, fragrant and balanced.

Tire Shack Brewing hasn’t really slowed down on new releases since their opening last fall and this week they’ve got two more to share with the thirsty folks in the Moncton region. Leading the charge is Abracadabra, a “Tiramisu White Stout.” With a special roast from Sunny Brae Coffee done just for Tire Shack, as well as cacao nibs and vanilla, this one has all the hallmarks of the classic Italian dessert in a creamy white-colored package. Joining it on the taps is Heat Wave, an otherwise smooth and easy-drinking porter that’s been dosed with plenty of Arbol and Chipotle peppers for a smoky flavor and “A TON” of heat. Don’t be surprised if this one comes with a bit of a warning if you’re not into the spicy things. Look for both of these on tap at the brewery this weekend.

Not to be outdone on the white stout front (or the non-traditional ingredients front, for that matter), Upstreet has their own thing on the go over on the Island, a beer dreamed up and executed by Hogie and Josh that they’re calling Cereal Milk. Starting with a concept something like a blonde ale, the grist on this one was pale malt, flaked oats, golden naked oats (not as dirty as it sounds) and wheat, with Citra and Amarillo in the kettle and dry hop for a definite hop presence. Taking it somewhere else entirely were additions of lactose for some sweetness, cacao nibs, for a bit of chocolate, toasted coconut, roasted PEI hazelnuts, nutmeg, vanilla, and salt! Weighing in at 5% ABV and a very light 10 IBU, this is a small batch with only a few kegs pouring at the tap room and Craft Beer Corner. So if this sounds like the kind of thing that’ll turn your crank on Valentine’s weekend, best head down with a quickness.

In Deer Lake, Newfoundland, Rough Waters Brewing continues their hard work towards fully opening their taproom this spring, and are taking us along for the ride. Earlier this month they received the licenses allowing them to serve onsite, and have therefore been sharing pints and samples with visitors to their 83 Wights Rd location. Currently open Wednesday to Friday from 3 – 7 PM, Saturday from 1 – 8 PM, and Sunday from 1 – 4 PM, folks can have a taste of what’s available before grabbing bottles to take away. They have already held some local artisan markets and live music events in their space, teaming up to raise over $700 for local charities, and those types of community events will only increase in frequency once the taproom is fully open.
To help get folks excited about what’s to come (and to help achieve those goals), Rough Waters has launched an Indiegogo campaign. Backers to their project can grab some slick merchandise like stickers, glassware, shirts, or prints of their nautical tattoo themed labels, and locals can grab a VIP ticket to the Grand Opening Party, sign up for their “Hard Ticket” membership (getting you a personalized glass that comes with plenty of benefits), or design and help brew the beer of your dreams! Check out the list of options in the link above.
But not all of the good news is off in the future… There are two newly available brews this week that we can tell you about, and that you can pick up this weekend! The first is Down South, best described as a Pineapple IPA. Starting life as a moderately bitter IPA, they skipped the dry-hopping, and instead opted for a secondary fermentation on a whole whack of pineapple puree from Oregon Fruit. The final beer weighs in at 5.1% ABV, and features plenty of pineapple on the nose and tongue to make you forget, if only for a minute, that we don’t live in a more tropical climate. The second newbie is also the first in their Black Cat series, which will be an occasional release that will always feature spicing of some sort. This inaugural release is Cinnamon Chai ESB, a 6.8% ABV beer started as a malty ESB, and dosed in a brewed Chai blend of spices (heavy on the cinnamon, and leaving out the tea leaves) after fermentation, to keep it full of aroma and flavour. Bottles of both beers are available to taste at the brewery all weekend, with their core line-up also available to take-away.

If you’re the kind of person who has always wondered whether you could take your passion for beer and turn it into a career, there are a couple of breweries in Nova Scotia who might be able to help you figure that out. Tatamagouche Brewing has two positions open right now. First up is a summer position that they’re getting a good head start on filling: Summer Retail Sales Associate. This one runs from May to October and is customer-facing, helping folks who come to the Tata taproom to have a positive experience by providing knowledge and recommendations about the beer, but also the town and the North Shore region of the Province. Also up for grabs is a backroom position, so backroom it’s almost underground! Known as a “Cellar Hand,” this person will be focused on all the little details of making sure that all the beer that goes out with the Tata name on it is as good as it can be. From cleaning, to testing, to monitoring, to packaging and everything in-between, this person will have eyes on Tatamagoodness from wort almost all the way to the customer’s hand. If either of these positions sound good to you, you’ll find more information in the official job postings on the Tata website.

Also looking to fill some shoes in their operation is Nyanza’s Big Spruce Brewing who are looking for a Production Brewer to head up their “small batch” 7 BBL system. Formerly the main system at the brewery, it’s the one that put out the first Cereal Killer and Regatta Red and Kitchen Party Pale way back when Jeremy White opened up shop. So while bigger batches have now moved to the 20 BBL system across the way, this one still remains a vital operational piece of the Big Spruce empire, especially when it comes to their seasonal offerings. As always, experience in any and all aspects of brewing are likely to be preferred, but the right candidate who’s willing to learn and willing to relocate within/to Cape Breton is likely to find a listening ear even if experience isn’t a big part of their background. So if you’re interested, check out the full details on their Fb post and maybe slide into Big Spruce’s DMs if you think you’re the person for the job.

What’s on the go this weekend? Find out right meow!

Our friends and yours at Stillwell Beer Bar on Barrington are eager to help you enjoy your Valentine’s Day whether that be happily alone with your own gosh darn self or with your pals or, if absolutely necessary, with that special someone (no, not your dog or cat, that’s not allowed, but we feel you). However you want to celebrate, head on down this afternoon/evening for the usual loverly selection of thoughtfully curated liquids along with a bunch of super cute a la carte snacks from the kitchen: spicy pepperoni pizza pockets (YES, REALLY), charcuterie and cheese for one, house-made chicken nuggets (ALSO YES, REALLY), little mortadella sammies, mini pogos, falafel with extra garlicky toum, and personal tubs of cookie dough (YES, REALLY FOR A THIRD TIME). Just like every other day of the year ain’t nobody gonna judge you for walking in alone, but if you’re nervous about it, you shouldn’t be: it’ll be cozy and welcoming all night long.

The Ladies Beer League is hosting a different kind of Galentine’s Day event tonight at the Garrison Oxford Taproom from 7 – 9 PM. I Heart Beer 2020 is going to be a “get dressed up by dressing down”, in your comfiest jammies or other lounge-around clothes, to celebrate in a casual way with snacks, games, and a surprise or two. Grab your tickets at the FB link above, and stay cozy with fellow beer pals tonight!

Down the South Shore of NS, February means lobster season and the third annual Lobster Crawl Festival. Running the entire month (with an extra day this year!) it celebrates the crustacean that is so important to the economy and lifestyle from Barrington to Peggy’s Cove and encourages potential tourists to check out the province in the winter as well as the summer. Halfway through the month comes one of the premier events of the festival, the Lobster Crawl Beer Festival going down tomorrow night at the Bridgewater Best Western & Convention Centre. Running from 8 – 11:30 PM (with a 7 PM start for VIP ticket holders), tickets are still available: $25 for Designated Drivers (soft drinks and water available), $40 for regular admission with 10 drink tokens, and $55 for VIP admission, giving you early entry, 5 more tokens, and a VIP gift (we recommend that you assume taxes and fees apply to all of those prices). Additional tokens will be available for purchase, as will food. Fifteen breweries and cideries from the South Shore will be pouring their best, and we’ve heard tell that there may be a few cool collaboration beers on tap as well. So whether you’re already planning to be in the Bridgewater area tomorrow night and looking for something to do or you just dig craft beer and lobster, grab yourself a ticket and make a plan.

Back in mid-January, we mentioned that Chain Yard Cider in Halifax would be hosting a “Snakebite” competition in February. Well lookie here, that date is upon us. In case you’re unaware, a Snakebite is a blend of 1 part cider to 1 part beer, generally served by the pint, that is popular in the United Kingdom. Apparently someone has taken notice that our region has plenty of fine breweries and plenty of fine cideries and realized that the potential for sassy snakebite shenanigans is high! Tomorrow afternoon and evening will see eight teams competing for Snakebite Supremacy from 12 – 5 PM. Tasting will be blind and the public will vote on their favorite. The breweries and cideries competing are as follows: Sourwood Cider, Tidehouse Brewing Company, Lake City Cider, Spindrift Brewing Company, Meander River Farm, Chain Yard Cider, North Brewing Company, Saltbox Brewing, Sea Level Brewing, Maritime Express Cider Co Ltd, The Church Brewing Co, Schoolhouse Brewing and Ship Builders Cider! So whether you like cider or prefer beer, this is an opportunity to find out if you like them both together!

Just a few tiny newsbites before we dismiss you today. Then go out and grab a beer!

Fredericton’s Picaroons has a new release out this week. Details are light, like super light, but for those of you looking to “Catch ‘Em All”, 506 Pale Ale is being described as “your next domestic” and “a modern, citrus forward APA”. If you’re so inclined, check it out and let us know how it tastes!

Roof Hound Brewing in Digby (and now operating their taproom daily in Kingston), has a new available today. Save Tonight is a 4.0% ABV Cherry Sour, brimming with the tart fruit character, and available on draught as well as in bottles to take home.

Halifax’s Tiny Tidehouse has brought their most frequent collaborator to the brewhouse, and have the latest Lil Wheaty’s (aka award-winning homebrewer Ian Wheatley) pouring this afternoon. Tic Lac Toe is a blueberry kettle sour, which features a wheat beer base, and 20kg of blueberries. We’re not sure how they managed to cram all of those in there, but we’re sure that you’ll be able to taste every one. Just don’t drink too many or you’ll end up looking like Violet Beauregard!

Fredericton’s Trailway has been serving their Candlepin Kölsch as a regular feature at The Drome by Trailway pretty much since it opened, but they don’t package this easy-drinking beer too often. Good news, then, for Drome denizens who have a hankering for it at home, a fresh batch is available in cans now at the brewery!