Stillwell Turns 10 This Weekend!

Posted by acbbaaron on 2023-11-16
Posted in: Beer Bars/Restaurants, Beer Events. Tagged: Stillwell Beer Bar. 1 comment

It’s a little hard to believe for some of us, mostly because we realize it’s further evidence we’re getting old, but it’s now been a decade since word spread through the craft beer-loving community in Halifax that we were getting a “Beer Bar.” Not that everyone knew what that meant, given that such a thing didn’t really exist in the Atlantic region at the time. Sure we had some brewpubs, a few brewery taprooms, and a couple of places (RIP Tom’s Little Havana) that were known to take beer more seriously than, say, the Dome or the Lower Deck, but this was going to be a place where beer was going to be the focus. A wall of taps; ten or a dozen. Special attention for local brews. Given that there were fewer than 30 craft breweries in the region at the time we weren’t even sure how that was going to work. A bottle list. A what now?! Hand pumps and casks. Whaaaaat??! We heard it was being run by some folks who’d worked at Bar Volo in Toronto, which gave locals who’d been there some clues. But in the great tradition of, “Do we really want Toronto things in Halifax?” that also caused some consternation. So did, “bar service only,” at least until we learned to appreciate the efficiency.

Opening in November, 2013, Stillwell proceeded to be a big part of changing the landscape of craft beer enjoyment in our region. They hired friendly staff that knew beer and/or were willing to learn and share their knowledge. Even though the kitchen was small, they found staff who made the most of it. They introduced many of us to tap takeovers, Belgian beers, themed events (The Stillwell Open!), and great beers from New England, Ontario, Quebec, BC, the UK, other parts of Atlantic Canada, and more. They pioneered a beer garden; twice. They opened a British-style Pub, the Freehouse. They survived the pandemic. Now the empire has extended to producing beer of their own at Stillwell Brewing Co. We figure the only mistake they made along the way was not calling it “Stillwell’s” because, frankly, way too many people still call it that.

But it all started at HQ on Barrington Street in November, 2013, and that’s where they’ll be celebrating this weekend. Friday and Saturday, from noon until late, there’s going to be a party. We’d like to say a big congratulations to the team and all who have helped in their success over the past 10 years. Stop in and raise a glass with friends old and new as we enter the second decade of Stilly.

Here’s the opening taplist for Friday at noon:

  • Stillwell Brewing Co – Stilly Pils
  • Stillwell Brewing Co – Czech 10º Lager
  • Stillwell Brewing Co – Czech 13º Dark Lager
  • Boon – Gueuze
  • North – Saison de Chardonnay
  • Tatamagouche – Carmine
  • Trailway – Seeing Citra
  • 2 Crows – Unnamed New IPA
  • Burdock – Ducks IPA
  • Unfiltered – Exile on North Street
  • Unfiltered – RSMA
  • Stillwell Brewing Co – Auld
  • Blood Brothers – Under a House in Northern Italy

When those kegs kick, there are plenty more waiting in the wings, including: 

  • Stillwell Brewing Co – Preach
  • Oud Beersel – Rozenlambiek
  • 2 Crows – Alright Alright Alright
  • Burdock – Good Grapes Fredonia
  • Tusket – Only NEAPA
  • Saint Andrews – Southbound IPA
  • Tatamagouche – Deception Bay
  • Trailway – HuJon Hops
  • Lone Oak x Banished – Mustard Pickles TIPA
  • Tanner – Altbier
  • Blood Brothers – Unify or Die

There will also be delightful things pouring by the glass whether you like special beers, cider, or natural wine, and something from Revel will also be on tap, although what, exactly, is yet to be determined. Of course there will also be tasty treats to snack on, as Joe and his team load up a “Best Of” from their years in the kitchen. There will be a full contingent from the blog both days, we hope to see you there!

Friday Wrap-Up for November 10, 2023 – News from Tanner, Maybee, Landwash, Lone Oak, Big Spruce, Truro Brewing, Bannerman, North, Tata, Unfiltered, and More!!

Posted by acbbdamian on 2023-11-10
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: Baccalieu Trail Brewing, Bannerman Brewing, Benjamin Bridge, Big Spruce Brewing, Big Spruce Home Brew Challenge, Breton Brewing, Candid Brewing, Compass Distillers, Escarpment Laboratories, Gahan Atlantic Home Brew Challenge, Gahan House, Gahan House (Halifax), Lake City Cider, Lakeview Hops, Landwash Brewery, Lone Oak Brewing, Maybee Brewing, Mosaic.Wit, North Brewing, Propeller Brewing, Rough Waters Brewing, Tanner & Co Brewing, Tatamagouche Brewing, The Church Brewing Company, TrailWay Brewing, Truro Brewing Company, Unfiltered Brewing. Leave a Comment

The rumours of our demise were greatly exaggerated! What rumours , you ask? Well apparently we’re shit at starting rumours too, so nevermind. We’ve probably said this before, but it bears repeating: while there are four of us here at ACBB, we all have lives and jobs and responsibilities and plans, and sometimes we get to Thursday night and we realize that nobody remembered we blog and, well, it ain’t looking so good for tomorrow. Sometimes we manage to pull a post out of our collective arse on Friday morning anyway, but the last two weeks it was simply not to be. Many apologies, full refunds available in the alley out back (mind the rats). This week we’ll try to get you caught up on a little of what we missed previously, but mostly just try to get through this week’s new stuff. Be warned, though, three-quarters of the team is on the road and while you’re left with the wordy fucker (free one-year subscription to whoever guesses successfully), even he has his limits, so pardon the soul of brevity and don’t hold your breath for much wit. 

We’ll also remind you that this weekend Remembrance Day falls on Saturday, so your favorite brewery or taproom may elect to close for some or all of Saturday, on Monday, or not at all. So be sure to check socials before you make your plans. 

We’ll start this week on the South Shore of NS where Tanner & Co. Brewing has two new IPAs on the go, but ironically, “new” may not be the best descriptor for either of them. Though many know that the IPA style began in the UK over a century ago and that extra hops were generally used as a preservative for the long sea voyage to India, there have been few English IPAs of late to even try, not only locally, but around the world. So Tanner has taken up the cause of rectifying that with their aptly-named English IPA, a beer that keeps the classic British herbal and earthy hops moderate, while balancing with a prominent malt presence featuring notes of biscuit, caramel, and toffee. A rich amber colour completes the picture in this 6.5% ABV beer. Meanwhile, Tanner has also taken a much more modern IPA, one featuring Citra, Simcoe, Chinook, and Amarillo hops, local malts, and a yeast strain from Le Labo yeast lab in Quebec and then aged it for several months in oak barrels from Grand Pré Wines. The result is Barrel Aged IPA, a big beer, at 8.1%, that presents a “harmonious blend of hops and oak.” Look for both of these beers in cans from the brewery and the taproom in Chester where you’ll also stand a pretty good chance of finding them on tap. 

Fredericton’s Maybee Brewing has a new IPA this week as well, this one in the modern hazy NEIPA vein, but with a name that’s a callback to the 1970s. While some of you are wondering why anyone would refer to such ancient history, the old farts among us will no doubt have a snicker at The Knights Who Say NEIPA (and its spot-on label). Bursting with citrus, pineapple, mango, and bright orange juice aromas and flavors, they’re calling this one, “a tropical paradise in a glass.” The perfect companion to hunting for a shrubbery (one that looks nice… and not too expensive) or estimating the wingspeed of an unladen sparrow, no doubt. Find this 6.5% and 30 IBU juice bomb in cans at the brewery.

Like many breweries, we suspect even moreso in this region than in others, Mount Pearl, NL’s Landwash Brewery has long fielded questions about why they haven’t had a Red Ale available. Well now the questions can stop, at least for a while. Kicking Leaves is a perfect fall beer, deep amber in color, with notes of caramel, toffee, and a hint of rye. With an ABV of only 4%, it’s also extremely sessionable and you can pack a few for your hike in the crisp and cool fall air. This one is packaged and available only at the brewery this weekend, but headed out to all the usual spots in the coming weeks.

On another Island, Prince Edward that is, Lone Oak has released a brand new American Pale Ale. Although it contains the three most OG “C” hops from the Pacific Northwest of the US, Cascade, Centennial, and Chinook, all of the hops in this brew were local, from Lakeview Hops. Paired with a grist of Pilsner and Vienna malt, though these hop varieties are known more for citrus, pine, and dank notes, the combination, the beer, and no doubt the terroir, have come together to yield a very melony character with some grapefruit and pineapple overtones. Find this smooth and refreshing 5.2% pale ale on tap and in cans to go at the brewery in Borden-Carleton and the Brewpub at Milky Way.

Completing the island trifecta, we have Big Spruce Brewing on Cape Breton Island, who push it to a quadfecta with the name of their new release! Who doesn’t love a brewery collaboration? We know that we sure do; fortunately we have breweries like Big Spruce around who may love a collab even more than most and this week they’ve got a brand new beer that they put together in concert with Truro Brewing. Isle of Lesbos is an ode to lager, and they’re classifying it as a “Greek Pilsner” coming in at 4.2% ABV. While we’re not so much familiar with that particular style, we figure those with a knowledge of Ancient Greek were able to cull it from urns and pottery shards. Regardless, as the weather in this part of the world gets colder and damper, this beer could easily put you in the mind of the sunny and warm Mediterranean. So maybe throw on a toga, grab your lyre, get yourself a 4-pack of this tasty treat from wherever you get your Big Spruce or Truro Brewing, and head down to the Symposium to wax eloquent on your love of beer and Sapphic poetry.

Back to the Rock, where Bannerman Brewing of St. John’s is amongst those breweries embracing the cooler season with darker beers. Ghost Town is a milk stout, which means it’s been dosed with lactose sugar, yielding a creamier mouthfeel and sweeter presentation to balance the usual roasty flavors and aromas of chocolate and other roasty things. Add some hints of caramel and some malt sweetness as well, and you have a smooth sipper that packs a bit of a punch at 6.0% ABV. Look for it pouring on tap or in cans to go from their spot on Duckworth Street.

If you’ve been a craft beer lover in Nova Scotia for a while, you know that each fall, North Brewing partners up with Benjamin Bridge winery to produce a special beer in the saison style that showcases the magic that can happen when beer and wine collide. This year’s base beer began life as a light saison in the fall of 2022 that was co-fermented with freshly-pressed Chardonnay grape juice from BB using the Cerebus yeast strain from Escarpment Labs. It then spent the winter months into 2023 in the tank to age, after which it was naturally carbonated before packaging, which, for the first time, was done in 473ml cans instead of big ol’ 750ml bottles. Why the change? Because the bottles, especially at that size, can be intimidating and a bit of a commitment to someone who doesn’t necessarily know if they’re going to like a saison, let alone a saison/wine hybrid. Hopefully this inspires some folks to try something new! Tasting notes include aromas of lemon, lime, and orange marmalade, with a little bit of saison character and a vinous character from the grapes. Still full-bodied while finishing dry, the bitterness is quite low and it lands at 7.5% ABV. Grab it at any of the North locations you frequent!

Continuing on the long term beer project train are two new entries from Tatamagouche Brewing. First up is Rosaly, a rose hip and lychee sour. After initial fermentation this golden sour was fed into an Italian red wine foeder where it hung out for nearly two years, taking on fruity notes to complement its sour base. Six more months of aging took place on rose hips and lychee fruit, which added berry, citrus and melon notes along with a subtle floral hint. Packaged in short (341ml) cans, you’ll find this 6.1% flavorful sour at the brewery, including online ordering, and no doubt some other places that stock Tata brews. Also recently released is Carmine, the “other” beer that began as that golden sour in the red wine foeder, only instead of lychee and rose hips, this one went onto dragonfruit puree for six months. Picking up more colour than flavour from the fruit, Carmine is closer to its original golden sour character, but you can safely expect some vinous character from the barrel along with a touch of melon and stone fruit. Lighter than the Rosaly at 5.6% ABV, this one has been packaged in a bigger format, 750ml bottles, for convenient sharing. Available at the brewery directly and for online ordering.

Let’s keep the train rolling on barrel aged beers, but this time up the ante. How high? NASH high. Five whole years ago, Unfiltered Brewing’s Greg Nash made an Imperial Brown Ale that was distilled by North End Halifax neighbours Compass Distillers and matured in oak barrels until earlier this year. Unfiltered then took possession of those barrels and filled them with their Twelve Years to Zion DIPA, which matured for eight full months. They then unbunged the barrels and canned the results, which they’ve named Whiskey Beer, a delightful tipple at a hefty 10% ABV, bearing the character of the DIPA, the barrels, and possibly some of that brown ale concoction as well. Find out for yourself as they’ve just packaged a second (and final, we believe) run this week. If you’re wondering what happened to the brown ale distillate, you might check in at Compass, where we’re told they’ve got a new product called Beer Whiskey! If you’re looking for something lighter for balance, you should also know that Unfiltered’s 4% ABV Belinerweiße is back today in cans and on tap at Charm School.

What could be more different than a huge spirit barrel aged DIPA? If you guessed a non-alcoholic (0.4% ABV) cider you win! Lake City Cider in Dartmouth has spun up a lighter alternative to their long-running Christmas-spiced seasonal so that those who are refraining can still drink something with bells on. Non-alcoholic Spice Up Your Life still brings the merry with notes of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, and dried orange peel; you’ll find it bottled in 750ml bottles just like its booze-bearing sibling (which is also available now). If you’re not ready for THAT season yet though, fear not. Lake City also has a brand new Peach Cider available with plenty of soft and round peach flavor complementing the familiar apple side of the proceedings. Fairly light, at 5.5%, this one has been packaged in cans.

Candid Brewing in Antigonish has released a new American Pale Ale called Schadenfreude, one of those amazing words from the German language that has both a complex meaning and is terribly fun to say in an over-the-top Teutonic accent. Meaning, “a feeling of pleasure derived from someone else’s misfortune,” we’ll let you scope out the branding on your own to get an idea of who they’re poking at. Featuring some modern banger hops in Citra, Loral, and recent belle of the hop ball HBC 586, you’ll find this 5.5% ABV number in cans and most likely on tap at the brewery.

Back up to Newfoundland, we have a three-way collaboration that has produced a brand new and rather interesting beer. Baccalieu Trail Brewing in Bay Roberts put their heads together with Rough Waters Brewing in Deer Lake and then they all collectively smashed skulls with homebrewers and beer lovers @mosaic.wit (who have done other collaborations with Rough Waters and Dildo Brewing as well) to produce Tree Way, a fruited sour IPA. Low on bitterness thanks to no hops at the start of the boil, and with a very restrained dry hop, this one saw the bulk of its dose of Mosaic hops late in the whirlpool, providing big hop notes to interact with açai and curuba (a species of passionfruit) to produce an “explosion of orangey-passionfruit, and a subtle touch of nostalgic fruit roll-up vibes.” This one has been canned, and you should be able to find it at select retail  locations around the Avalon Peninsula. (and, we expect, but have not confirmed, both breweries too!)

Continuing to take advantage of the foeders on hand at their facility in downtown Halifax, Gahan Nova Centre has a new small batch release available this week. Taking a portion of last year’s Foeder Aged Winter Warmer, they added red plums and continued to age the result an additional six months. Still with notes of cherry and sweet desserts, along with some tannins from the barrel, you’ll now find some tartness and plum flavors going on. Packaged in 375ml bottles, Red Plum Winter Warmer is 5.5% and is available not just in Halifax, but around the region from the to-go fridges at Gahan locations in Charlottetown, Fredericton, Saint John, and Moncton.

Speaking of Gahan, you may remember this past spring when we announced the winner of the 4th annual Atlantic Homebrew Challenge presented by Gahan House. That beer, Herr Durstig, a German Pils, was brewed at Gahan Port City in Saint John with winner Al McLeod back in August. It’s being released in cans today across the region at all Gahan locations (the abovementioned plus Gahan Harbourview in St. John’s) and also at the PEI Brewing Company taproom. A sessionable lager at 4.8% ABV, it’s golden in color and crystal clear. With a malt backbone of 100% German Pilsner malt, it features local PEI-grown Tettnang hops, for a primarily floral hop nose with hints of citrus. Grab it in cans at your local Gahan location.

As always, the release of last year’s winning beer coincides with the announcement of this year’s competition. The 5th Annual Atlantic Home Brew Challenge will once again allow for entries under two BJCP styles: 11B Best Bitter and 30A Spice, Herb, and Vegetable. The style guidelines are available on the competition website for perusal and planning purposes; competitors can enter once per style if they’re feeling particularly ambitious. Cash prizes will be awarded for the top 5 in each style as well as for the overall winning beer, which will be brewed for canned release with the team at the winner’s local Gahan location. Entries are due for drop-off by March 2nd, 2024, with judging slated and announcement of the winners slated to take place later in March. If you’ve got other questions, definitely scroll to the bottom of the competition website for the FAQ and, if your question still isn’t answered, send an email to the competition team per the last FAQ entry. Good luck to all who compete!

Would you believe that there’s TWO homebrew competitions to announce this week? What a world we live in!! Big Spruce has announced the latest iteration of what is now the longest-running homebrew competition in the region, the 11th Annual Home Brew Challenge: Pomona vs Elysium. What are Pomona and Elysium, you might ask? Well, one is a city in California, and the other is the afterlife as conceptualized by the ancient Greeks, of course! But seriously, the real answer is even nerdier: they’re new yeast strains from Escarpment Labs. Both are targeted at IPAs, especially those of the hazy variety, with slightly different characteristics. Big Spruce has secured 25 pitches of each strain for a maximum number of entries this year of 50. Entrants may submit ONE beer this year, and may submit their preference for one or the other strain, but once one runs out allocation will be what’s left. Judging and the traditional entrants’ gala will take place at the Wooden Monkey in Dartmouth on February 4th, 2024. This year there will be two winners: the top beer made with each strain will be produced on the Big Spruce 7BBL pilot system and packaged for retail. Check out the link to the official Facebook page for the competition above for more information.

Here’s a few last quick tidbits to send you on your way for the weekend:

Trailway Brewing in Fredericton has a trio of returning favorites available now. Hu Jon Heavy is Hu Jon Hops, only MOAR. DIPA, 8%, fuller, hoppier. Then there’s a couple darker beers for the season. Beans is on the sweeter side, a 6.8% Oatmeal Coffee Stout featuring freshly roasted beans from Mill Town Roasters. Black Hops (back after a long hiatus) is a black IPA at 7% that balances zesty grapefruit with roasty character. All are available at Trailway locations and for online ordering.

Sydney’s Breton Brewing has a dark number of their own pouring again, Milk & Cookies is a smooth and slightly sweet milk stout with a “tasty hint of chocolate chip cookies.” Packaged in cans at 5.0% for sale at select NSLC locations across the province, it’s also on tap for fills and pints at the brewery.

Not to be outdone in the stout department, Wolfville’s Church Brewing Co has their Forgive Me Father American stout pouting again. Rich and chocolatey, with plenty of roasted malt flavor, it also features cold-steeped coffee from TAN Coffee. Looks like this one hasn’t been packaged (at least not yet) so you’ll have to hit the brewery for a pint.

And rounding things out this week is the biggest of the returning dark beers, Propeller’s Nanaimo Imperial Dessert Stout. Featuring all the flavors of the classic Canadian dessert, it’s a big’un at 10% ABV and in 473ml tall cans, so maybe plan your evening around that. Available at all the Prop shops and scheduled to be part of the NSLC holiday display.

Friday Wrap-Up for October 20, 2023 – News from Quidi Vidi and Maui Brewing, Newfermenters, Tanner & Co, Trailway, Burnside, Propeller, North, Sack Vegas, and Tire Shack!

Posted by acbbchris on 2023-10-20
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: Burnside Brewing Company, Maui Brewing Company, Newfermenters Homebrew Club, North Brewing, Propeller Brewing, Quidi Vidi Brewery, Sack Vegas Brewing, Tanner & Co Brewing, Tire Shack Brewing, TrailWay Brewing. Leave a Comment

Welcome to your mid-October wrap-up and preview of all of the goings on in the Atlantic Canadian Beer Scene! As always, we are thrilled to bring you the latest and greatest information from across the region, as we leave no hop leaf unturned in searching out all the news that’s fit to print. If you ever have any questions, scoops, or feedback, we would love to hear from you! Reply to this post on our website, message or tag us on Insta (@ACBeerBlog), or fire us an email. Really, we’d love to hear from you!

We start this week with news of a worldwide collaboration born out of the horrific tragedy that struck the Hawaiian island of Maui in early August. An out of control fire in an extremely dry region, fueled by winds from nearby Hurricane Dora, devastated the West Maui town of Lahaina, claiming 100 lives and causing billions in damage, changing the lives of all residents forever. Maui Brewing Company, the largest independent brewery in Hawaii, has called the island home since opening in 2015, and have worked with the Global Empowerment Mission to establish the MBC Fire Fund. The fund will assist those on the ground to support the recovery after this disaster, with brewery partners able to take part in an international collaborative brew, with more than 600 breweries having signed up thus far. And the only Canadian brewery East of Ontario to sign up for this worthy cause thus far is St. John’s’ Quidi Vidi Brewery. QV is showing their own Island Hospitality by donating $1 from every growler fill and pint of Kōkua – “Maui Strong” Session IPA sold, when it is released October 23rd at both the Taproom in the Gut, as well as the Hops Shop on Harbour View. Be sure to get out and support the Maui rebuilding effort next week!

You don’t have to wait until Monday for new QV beer, though, as the latest in their ongoing collaboration with the Newfermenters Homebrew Club has hit their shelves this week. 2 Scoops is a Blackcurrant Milkshake Sour, brewed by member Ben Hussey. Tons of blackcurrant fruit and tart character on a sour, with a touch dessert sweetness. Pick it up at QV’s spots now, and convenience stores and the NLC real soon!

Chester’s Tanner & Co Brewing has a trio of new beers on tap (and some in package) this week, so let’s get you up to date with the South Shore Suds! First up is a tiny taproom-only release, made using locally-grown flowers! Marigold began life when co-owner Peggy purchased several Orange Gem Marigold plants at the Hubbards Farmers Market, and was intrigued to see if they could be incorporated into a beer. Brewer Mark took up the mantle (and bouquet), and crafted a light saison (base malts of local pilsner, wheat, and Vienna), adding the flowers during the mash, first wort, and again at flame-out. The resulting 5.3% beer is very reminiscent of a German Gewurztraminer wine, with floral, orange blossom, and lychee. Given the special nature of the ingredients and steps involved, there is not much of this beer, so pop by their Duke Street taproom in Chester to grab a pint before it’s gone!

For those looking for a pair of beers to enjoy onsite, and then take home, Tanner has something for you too! Wild Rye is a 5.3% Amber beer brewed with a full half of the malt bill being Rye! Using a locally-isolated yeast strain, there are some prominent banana notes reminiscent of German Weiss yeast, which works well to complement the spicy malt character. And Barrel Aged IPA is another detour completely, with a high test IPA spending time in former red wine barrels from Grand Pré Wines. While the winery cleaned and stripped the barrels of most of the wine character before passing them along to Tanner, the oak and vanilla do certainly come through in the 8.1% ABV final product. Available on tap and in cans at both the brewery and taproom locations!

In Fredericton, Trailway Brewing reminds us once again this week that they’re not just harbingers of hazy hoppery with this week’s release. A German hefeweizen, heavy presence of wheat (“weizen”) in this beer ensures that it will, actually, be hazy, but instead of hops in contrast, you’ll find all kinds of yeast (“hefe”) character. Whirligig is a bright and balanced beer, with a soft mouthfeel and notes of clove, banana, and some traces of vanilla and bubblegum. Like all good hefes, this one also comes in at a very quaffable ABV, in this case 5.2%. Look for it at Trailway’s spots both on tap and in cans to go.

It’s dark beer season, and we have a trio to end the new beer news with this week. Burnside Brewing (fka Spindrift) has brought back their Goldilocks Oatmeal Stout, this time, with a twist! Namely, this 4.8% beer has been packaged with low carbonation and a healthy dose of nitrogen for a smooth as silk mouthfeel. Chocolate malt, as well as three different additions of oats, give the stout plenty of mouthfeel and flavour that will have you coming back for more. The use of nitrogen, in place of the normal carbon dioxide, keeps any harshness or bite at bay, allowing a thick and luscious mouthfeel. Because of the special treatment and packaging required, this beer is only available in cans, and will be on sale at both their original location in Burnside, as well as their Oak Manor location Antigonish. And you heard it here first, their location in Truro, The Common by Burnside located at the Hub Shopping Centre, will also be carrying Goldilocks when they open, which we expect to be before the end of the month! Keep your eyes peeled here for more information on that big announcement!

Another returning seasonal favourite is Propeller’s London-Style Porter. 5.0% ABV, full of rich notes of chocolate and roast, with a creamy mouthfeel. The pleasant full body and tasty dark malt character finishes quickly and relatively dry, allowing you to go back in for another taste. Cans are available at all of their spots, and keep your eyes open for them at private stores as well.

Rounding out our dark and roasty trilogy, from Cole Harbour’s North Brewing comes Cozy, a 5.0% Oatmeal Stout. Dark malts imparting notes of chocolate, coffee, and a bit of nuttiness are wrapped up in a cozy blanket and smooth mouthfeel thanks to the oats used in the mash. On tap and in cans at their two taprooms and three retail locations now!

News continues to trickle in from the brewery in development in Lower Sackville, Sack Vegas Brew Co. They have announced that they will be sharing space with Tapestry Beer Bar at 833 Sackville Drive, brewing and serving exclusively at the bar for the first few months. No details yet on exact brewhouse equipment or capacity, or opening dates, but follow along here, and on their socials, for the latest information.

We’ll finish this week with some big news out of Moncton, where Tire Shack Brewing have finally completed their long and winding road towards expansion. Soon to enter their fifth year of operation, anyone who’s been to their spot on a busy night knows that quarters have been close for a while now, and those who’ve been trying to get their hands on the beers know that supply has been limited. Well both of those things have been addressed with the renovations, with their brewing capacity doubled and additional room yet available for fermenters. Meanwhile, they’ve got a new 170-capacity events space downstairs, and a brand new all-season rooftop patio upstairs. “All season in Moncton,” you scoff? Yes indeed; they’re promising that from blizzard to heat wave you’ll be able to head up and enjoy beer from six rotating taps. They’ve even carved out some room to start the barrel-aging program they’ve been dreaming of for a while now. So whether you live in the Moncton area or just visit, you’ve got yet another reason to head down to Tireshack. More space, more beer, less dust and noise! Congratulations to the team on getting this done!!