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Thursday Wrap-Up for June 1, 2023 – News from Propeller, Tatamagouche, 2 Crows, Brew Culture, Candid, North, Garrison, Stillwell, Landwash, Trailway and More

Posted by acbbdevon on 2023-06-01
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: 2 Crows Brewing, Banished Brewing, Bishop's Cellar, Brew Culture, Burdock Brewery, Canadian Brewing Awards Conference, Candid Brewing, Escarpment Laboratories, Garrison Brewing, Grimross Brewing, Indie Alehouse, Island Folk Cider House, Landwash Brewery, Lightfoot & Wolfville, Lone Oak Brewing, Merit Brewing, North Brewing, Propeller Brewing, Stillwell Brewing, Tatamagouche Brewing, Tide & Boar Brewing, TrailWay Brewing. Leave a Comment

The Canadian Brewing Awards and Conference kicks off in Halifax today, and unfortunately, does so under the shadow of the immense forest fires affecting thousands of Nova Scotians. Like many of you, we have friends and family affected by the fires and emergency evacuations, and understand beer is much lower on the priority list for many! If you are able to assist through donations to Red Cross and United Way, who are assisting those seeking food and shelter and other necessities, and when it is time to rebuild. North Brewing is donating 15% of draught sales until Sunday, as well as a drop point for necessary items for displaced people. Read more here. You can also do your part by doing nothing… Now is not the time to get out and enjoy a hike and a beer in our forested lands! Pause those activities until it is safe to do so. Let’s get you up to speed with the events and new beers that those in Halifax, and beyond, can enjoy in the days to come.

As mentioned, the Canadian Brewing Awards are taking place in downtown Halifax today until Saturday, and while a ticket is required to attend talks, check out the Exhibition Floor, or attend the Awards Gala Saturday night, there are plenty of events happening around Halifax to celebrate the increased eyes on the region’s beer scene. Here are but a few events that we know about, but you’ll be doing yourself a favour by checking Social Media to avoid disappointment, just in case your favourite taproom is closed for an event! 

Propeller Brewing and Tatamagouche got together for a pair of home-and-home collaborations at their respective breweries in May, and are releasing them today in a big bash at Prop’s Gottingen Street tap room. When the Tata crew came to the big city, they brewed Twin Shores Collaboration Ale, a 4.5% Pale Ale featuring Nectaron and Vic Secret hops, for a double dose of passion fruit, peach, and pineapple. Using a cold fermentation temp kept the beer crisp and clean. In addition to the draught for today’s event, cans of Twin Shores are also available now. Prop will have a half-dozen more beer on tap, a collection of newer releases, complemented by seven from TataBrew, who will be offering a sneak peak of the soon-to-come Kudos.

When the Propeller Team visited Main Street Tatamagouche, they opted to get a little funky, using Sacc Brux Trois to ferment the Nectaron-hopped Pale Ale. The yeast itself gives off plenty of fruity aromas, only enhancing the hop choice. While visitors today (like, right now!) will be able to try Kudos in advance of its full can release in the coming weeks. Also on tap from Tata is the Bishops Cellar collab Cellar Slammer, Dekorum Lime, Apres Cream Ale, Saltwater Cowboy Gose, Deception Bay IPA, and Baltic Porter. And if you time it just right, you’ll be able to enjoy food from Humble Pie Kitchen, who are on-site from 3 PM until sell out. 

Not on tap at Propeller today, but available wherever Tata beer is sold, is the newest entry to their Dekorum line, Dekorum Gold. After Brewer Chad Ellis tasted Horton Ridge Malt’s Vienna malt recently, he knew that it would make a great base for a “maltier light lager”, and pictured it as the next Dekorum. Using that Vienna malt, with just a touch of Dextrin for a bit more body, malt, and “oomph”, it was lightly hopped in the mash and then whirlpool with Strisselspalt and Spalter Select, respectively, before fermentation with Isar Lager from Escarpment Labs (plenty from them later in the blog!). After several weeks of cool fermentation and conditioning, small cans of this super crispy beer with a light toasty note are available now at Tata’s shop and taproom on Main Street, as well as select retailers in the province, including their online shop.

Another event is being hosted today by BrewCulture at the Gahan House Nova Centre location, adjacent to the CBAC, and is sure to appeal to the yeast nerds in the audience. Dr. Chris White, of White Labs, will be in attendance 4 – 6 PM to chat all things yeast, and to toast the release of Thiol City IPA, a collaboration brew featuring WLP077 Tropicale Yeast Blend. And after the Conference tomorrow, BrewCulture is hosting a party at the Propeller Gottingen Street taproom and Arcade, learn more and RSVP here.

Among the collaborations Stefan Gagliardi of BrewCulture undertook recently is Born to be Mild, with Antigonish’s Candid Brewing. This lower alcohol Mild Ale was fermented with White Labs’ London Ale Yeast, expressing some subtle esters of oak, and enhancing the light toast and coffee notes from the malts. Available now on draught and in cans wherever you enjoy being Candid.

And for those folks in town to attend the Conference, the fine folks at Anton-Paar are in attendance, and will have some working instruments at Booth 117 on the Exhibition floor. So if you’re looking for information on Dissolved Oxygen (bad!), Alcohol testing (good!), and CO2/Carbonation level (depends!), bring in your cans and bottles, and Tim and Co will let you know what you’ve got on the go!

It wouldn’t be a big week of beer in Halifax if 2 Crows didn’t torture us at ACBeerBlog with more of everything. True to form, they’re kicking off the CBAC weekend tomorrow, June 2nd, from 4pm ‘til close with a special tap takeover. Featuring beers made in collaboration with PEI’s Shoreline Malting and Guelph’s Escarpment Labs, 10 new tipples are slated to be on tap at the 2C taproom on Brunswick Street. We told you last week about 2C’s new Green World DIPA, which features 100% Maritime-grown ingredients including the aforementioned Shoreline malt and hops from Lakeview Hops in Harvey Station, NB. Also from the home brewery is Guv, an English mild that started with Shoreline Pale, with some amber and black malts capping the mash for color and a bit of toasty bread crust and drying roast, respectively, and some brewer’s caramel. It was hopped in the boil with Goldings from Southan Farms and fermented with Escarpment’s House strain. Bready and creamy, they’ll have it on the nitro tap as well for a real treat in terms of mouthfeel. Rounding out the 2C contribution is Racy, which is part beer, part kekfrancos piquette. The kekfrancos skins came from frequent 2C collaborators Lightfoot & Wolfville and the beer side is essentially AC Light Lager, but you probably wouldn’t recognize it as such, as it’s got plenty of winey depth and spritz from the piquette side. You’ll also find Saison du Chardonnay from North Brewing pouring from bottles, Shore, a pseudo-lager from Lone Oak that leverages the Escarpment Krispy Kveik strain, and If you Don’t Stop, a hazy NE-style IPA from Tide & Boar. Given the capricious nature of our provincial regulatory overlords at NSLC, the realities of shipping beer across the country in a post-pandemic world, and the added complications of our local wildfire problem, the rest of the beers are a little bit tentative, but we can tell you that you might run into additional offerings from Burdock, Indie Alehouse, Merit Brewing, Banished Brewing, and Escarpment themselves! The only way to find out for sure is to head over on Friday evening!

For those who are thirsty now and don’t want to wait until tomorrow, 2 Crows has brought back their collaborative and charitable radler, The Agenda. Version 2.0 features a light lager base, with the addition of tangerine and peach puree. Using a touch of agave nectar for a hint of sweetness, this juicy hybrid is fresh, easy drinking, and just 2.0% ABV! This is only available on tap during the month of June, and will see 100% of the sales donated to Halifax Sexual Health Centre, a non-judgemental non-profit giving back to folkx in the Halifax region since 1970, especially embracing the 2SLGBTQIA+ community.

Back in Halifax, Garrison has two new releases this week starting off with the newest version of their Pucker Up! Series, Citrus. This 4.9% ABV kettle sour starts of with 2-row and wheat malt before seeing additions of flavoured green tea and stevia. Expect notes of orange, lemon, grapefruit and lime, with a hint of vanilla, and a tart finish. Next up is this year’s version of SMASH, a beer made with one type of malt and one variety of hops, in this case 2-row malt and Sasquatch hops. Coming in at 5% ABV, and brewed in the American Pale Ale style, expect \ woodsy and citrusy notes from the hops along with some dankness. They’re both available now at both Garrison locations, on tap and in cans, with SMASH also seeing distribution at the private stores in HRM.

This week’s last release comes to you from Sydney, where Island Folk is rolling out Blowing Raspberries, featuring notes of raspberry and rose water. Bottles of the 5.4% ABV cider are available now at the cider house and through their online store. The name for this one stemmed from a partnership with the Writers’ Federation of Nova Scotia, that saw Island Folk run a competition for short stories or poems that reflect the unique personality of the cidery and the flavours of this new cider. Hannah Vincent, a writer from Truro, took the prize with a poem titled Blowing Raspberries and a new cider name was born.

Not all of the fun is in Halifax this weekend, as Landwash in Mount Pearl, Newfoundland is holding a Cask Festival Saturday at noon. Inviting in breweries and cideries from across the island (Banished, Bannerman, Bootleg, Dildo, Port Rexton, Rough Waters, and Mauzy Cider), they will have plenty of tasty and unique casks a-pouring this weekend, including something a bit crazy with Skittles! You’ll have to pop by to check it out!

And for those in Fredericton, TrailWay Brewing is celebrating their Seventh Anniversary on Main Street with their annual Block Party! Live music, Food Trucks, face painting for the kids (and adults, we hope!), and of course great beer (look out for some tasty beer slushies)! The party kicks off at 11 AM and runs all afternoon and evening, with live music kicking off at noon. More details on the line-up here!

We’ll leave you with a few final newsbites, starting in Fredericton where Grimross is releasing its cult-favourite Praha bohemian lager for another summer run. This one packs lots of herbal hop character and bitterness into a sessional 3.8% ABV package. Short cans are available now at the brewery. 

Sticking with short cans, Halifax’s Bishop Cellar is stocking an exclusive 6-pack of Tatamagouche Brewing’s Dekorum lager, featuring 2 each of the lime, mandarin and unfruited versions. And while you’re there, be sure to grab some cans of the aforementioned Twin Shores Pale Ale collab with Propeller and this year’s edition of Cellar Slammer. 

Unfortunately, as we began the post today, we must also end with sad news of the fires currently burning in Nova Scotia. While not in the most affected area of the province, The Harbour Brewing in Musquodoboit Harbour shared some video and pictures of their storage and expansion gear affected by a fire a couple of days ago. As they sift through the debris, we can help them by purchasing their beer where available, and maybe even making a trip to their taproom/retail spot on Highway 7, to purchase their beer and merch.

Friday Wrap-Up for May 26, 2023 – News from Serpent, 2 Crows, Party Time, Bogside, Lone Oak, Banished, Secret Cove, Sea Level, Big Spruce, Tire Shack and much more!

Posted by acbbdamian on 2023-05-26
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: 2 Crows Brewing, Banished Brewing, BarNone Brewing, Big Spruce Brewing, Bishop's Cellar, Bogside Brewing, Canadian Brewing Awards, Canadian Brewing Awards Conference, Escarpment Laboratories, Hops Connect Canada, Lone Oak Beer Garden, Lone Oak Brewing, North Brewing, O'Creek Brewing, Party Time Brewing, PEI Brewing Co., Sea Level Brewing, Secret Cove Brewery, Serpent Brewing, Shoreline Malting, Stillwell Beer Bar, Stillwell Beergarden, Stillwell Brewing, Tatamagouche Brewing, The Links at Brunello, The Post Taphouse, Tire Shack Brewing, TrailWay Brewing. Leave a Comment

Happy Friday y’all! We’re as excited to start the weekend as you are, so let’s get you out the door and drinking the good stuff quickly! We have a reminder of what’s coming to our region next weekend in the Events section, so be sure to read closely!

Spryfield’s Serpent Brewing has a very special collaboration available now on tap and in cans. Born from a familial connection to Mexico, Serpent invited the crew from Cerveceria Itañeñe into the brewhouse a few months ago. And of course, Rodrigo and Lucia of Itañeñe brought gifts, in the form of their favourite coffee from roasters Ilustre. Pairing that with some locally-harvested Maple Syrup from MacRae’s, and a base English Brown Ale, they thus gave birth to Here Comes Trouble. This 5.9% beer will wake you up and keep you going all day, with the strong malt, coffee, and maple character coming through! Pop by the brewery for a taste and four-pack, and while there, you’ll be able to sample the food new menu put together by Chef Barry Samways. Having worked in kitchens at Hermitage, Elliot & Vine, and most recently at Quinn’s Arms, Chef Samways is focusing on local producers for as many ingredients as possible to ensure quality and freshness. As with any brewery menu, complementing the beer is important, so look for both share-able sizing for when your whole crew is with you, or snacking sizes for solo pop-bys to the space. Homemade pasta, tacos, microgreen salads, and several gluten-free and vegan options are also available!

On Brunswick Street in downtown Halifax, 2 Crows has a pair of new releases out this week. Let’s start hoppy, with Green World DIPA out on draught and in cans now. West Coast-inspired, this was brewed in collaboration with PEI’s Shoreline Malting, who provided the base Pale Malt, which was amped up with a touch of Crystal. This was hopped aggressively with classic American hops from Lakeview Hops throughout, including in the mash, again as the wort enters the kettle (first wort), of course throughout the boil, and again as the beer is cooled on its way to the fermenter. At that point, Escarpment Labs’ House Ale strain took over, fermenting it clean and providing natural carbonation to the finished product. It’s available today at the brewery as well as for online ordering and delivery. If you pop by the brewery, you’ll also be able to enjoy their latest tiny batch release, Multiflora. This beer/wine hybrid is the love child of a 3-year-old Wild Ale blended with fresh rosé piquette, itself made up of pomace from Riesling grapes, plus a small amount of Pinot Noir and Kekfrankos, with some quince from Head Brewer Jeremy Taylor’s backyard. This bright and funky hybrid is available on draught only, and in short supply, so if it sounds as tasty to you as it does to us…don’t delay in visiting!

HRM’s newest source of suds, Party Time Brewing in Mount Uniacke, who we profiled earlier this month, has a couple new beers and a new delivery channel for us this week. Party Time Pilsner is an American Pilsner at 30 IBU and 5% ABV that’s sure to sate your craving for a light and crispy new world crusher and Raft Up is “a beery beer” hopped with Hallertauer Mittelfrüh coming in at 4.5% ABV. Both of these are available for online ordering (althought the Party Time Pils is already in short supply!) for delivery in the general environs of Mount Uniacke, but if you’re from further afield you now have an option for pickup in the parking lot of Uniacke Pizza. You can also try the Raft Up at the Mount Uniacke Pub & Eatery.

Over on the Island, Summerside’s Bogside Brewing has a couple of new offerings this week, one of which won’t get you loaded no matter how much you drink. Bogside Zero is their first foray into the non-alcoholic beer market and they’re happy to report that it, “tastes like a real beer!” Based on their Local Legend blonde ale recipe, they’ve invested in a de-alcoholizer to take the finished beer remove the alcohol. Tasting similar enough to the original that many folks are hard-pressed to tell the difference, it’ll be a welcome option for those who want to taste a beer without having a beer. Also new on the go is a second entry in Bogside’s single hop series, this time using Belma, a bit of an unsung hop that’s been around for a decade or so, but hasn’t gained the mindshare of some of the heavy hitters. Known for providing tasting notes of strawberry and pear in particular, it also has a bit of a citrus kick on the palate and aromas of berries and melon, giving this iteration a little more of a West Coast IPA feel than the previous El Dorado version. Coming in at 6% ABV and 35 IBU, you’ll find this limited edition along with Bogside Zero available in the taproom and for online ordering.

Staying in PEI we land at Lone Oak, who, as mentioned last week, are celebrating their birthday this month. To celebrate they’ve got a brand new beer available, but so far only at Milky Way Brewpub in Charlottetown and in cans to go from their Cold Beer Store. Lone Oak Light does what it says on the tin, a North American light lager at 4% ABV that’s sure to please the beery beer drinkers out there. Simple, crisp and refreshing, it’s sure to pair well with summertime. Keep an eye on the social media for their latest location, the Lone Oak Beer Garden at Cavendish Beach, as it is set to open in the next few weeks.

From the little island we head up to the big one where, in Paradise, Banished Brewing has a brand new beer that they’re calling Baked Ziti. Why the reference to tasty noodletubes, tomato, and cheese? Because it’s an Italian Pilsner, of course! A style that’s been coming on in North America the last few years, the Italian take on a more northern European style features a light, but still malty body, with a firm bitterness and a pungent hop note, always continental and often leaning towards the floral part of the hop spectrum. Unfiltered, as is de rigueur (d’obbligo?) for the style, you’ll find this 5% delight on tap at the brewery and appearing at local retailers as well.

My, b’y, but there’s a lot of new lagers in the region this week and Port au Port’s Secret Cove Brewing has one too. A 4% American Lager they’re calling Cove Lager, it leverages rice as an adjunct to keep the body light and lagered cool to keep it crisp, it’s designed to be super easy drinking through the warmer summer months. Packaged in 355ml cans (with a super classy label) for maximum portability, it’s available now at the brewery and will see retail distribution real soon now.

We haven’t had any news out of Sheffield Mills in a few weeks, but that stops today with Sea Level’s release of Barn Yard IPA. Their take on a hazy session IPA is TRIPLE dry-hopped with Mosaic, Apollo and Comet, giving lots of topical fruit notes. The grain bill features Sea Level’s standard base malt, with an addition of Vienna for a hint of sweetness, with all of the malt coming from nearby Horton Ridge Malt House. Coming in at a sessionable 4.6% ABV, you can find Barn Yard on tap and in cans at both Sea Level locations now. 

Just in time for another sunny Cape Breton weekend, Big Spruce has a new release and the return of one of their all-time crowd pleasers. First up is It Takes Two to Mango, a 5% ABV fruited sour. Look for a pleasing tangy tartness to complement the sweetness of the ripe mangos, with the mangos also imparting their colour to the final beverage. You can find this one on tap in Nyanza. And while we’re at it, the ultimate pairing for Cape Breton summer weather is making its return. Silver Tart, the sour raspberry wheat ale originally brewed in 2015, is back for another season, with its refreshing tartness, berry flavour and deep pink hue. Cans and pints are available now, with the cans already making their way to Big Spruce’s online store for shipping and delivery. 

Did we mention the profusion of lagers this week? Of course we did, and there’s another one to mention from Tire Shack Brewing, the return of their Cerveza Mexican lager. Possibly the most crushable beer they’ve released to date, it’s back on tap and in cans to go as well. Meanwhile, on the “new release” side of things, Tire Shack also has a brand new “AI-designed” beer available. After prompting with the question “What will future beer trends be?” and receiving the response, “Alternative fermentables and herbs,” they further asked for a recipe, which was dutifully provided and dubbed “Garden Party.” They even got it to design a label. Regardless of how you feel about what’s being commonly referred to as “AI” these days, the gang at Tire Shack has dutifully made the 6.0% ABV honey lavender saison from the generated recipe and claim it’s a tasty beer. You’ll have to grab some at their spot in Moncton to find out for yourself!

Still in New Brunswick, but up in Fredericton this time, we see a brand new thang from Trailway. Hoppy? Sure. But this one, from their Main Land series of Belgian-inspired beers, pairs Belgian yeast character with lemony citrus and a grassy bitterness from the noble hops that were used. With a finish that features pear and apple sauce, this hoppy session ale comes in at 4.5% ABV. In returning engagement news at Trailway, their classic summer raspberry wheat, Beyond Reality is available again. At 4% ABV you can plan to enjoy a couple of these fruity delights that boast a touch of balancing tartness. Look for both of these ones, along with the rest of the Trailway oeuvre at a Trailway location near you!

Lots of beery things going on in our region these days, including a lot of summer openings!

Lots of news for you from the Stillwell Family this week, so let’s get you up to speed: The Stillwell Beer Garden at Spring Garden and South Park is open and operating daily from noon til “cold”, with a dozen taps and another dozen different cans from across the region and beyond. The grill is fired up and on the go too, with sausages and dogs, and yummy accompaniments to boot, with ice cream to cap the meal!

One of the beers you’ll find on tap there, as well as Stilly HQ, The Freehouse, and Battery Park, is Stillwell Brewing’s brand new Cream Ale. Eschewing the modern trend towards adjuncts, this is all Pils malt, with a decoction (!), and fermented cool to keep the fruity esters down, it uses a dose of Cascade and Willamette to add a firm bitterness as well as a bit of earth and citrus to the final product. Eminently crushable, you can sense the relationship to Kompact while appreciating the new world hop component. Cans will be coming to the brewery in a few weeks.

Before then, however, Stillwell Brewing is celebrating the opening of their taproom June 3rd. While having been open for retail sales since last year, they have completed the taproom and music system, so it’s time to party! Open from 11 AM to 11 PM next Saturday, Beverly Taco Service (from 4 PM) will be onsite slinging their wares, and there will be live spun records by DJ Douvet and Swee (also from 4 PM) to keep you happy.

Although most folks in the industry have known this for a while, we at ACBB have perhaps been a touch remiss in mentioning that the Canadian Brewing Awards Conference will be in town next weekend, June 1st to 3rd at the Nova Centre in Halifax. A presentation of Taps Media, the CBAC is both a brewing conference and the announcement vehicle for the Canadian Brewing Awards. Judged each spring in Toronto, the CBAs aim to celebrate the best in beer from coast to coast. What does this mean for the humble beer drinker? Mostly that there will be brewery folks from across the country descending on Halifax, sampling our local fare and especially our local beer, and making and rekindling friendships. So don’t be surprised if you find yourself at Stillwell Beer Garden or Hop Yard or any of our brewery tap rooms talking to a brewery owner from Saskatoon or Kelowna or Caledon or St-Jean-sur-Richelieu and feel free to let them know what your favorite locals are! 

Meanwhile, if you’re a hard core beer nerd like us and you’re interested in taking in the conference itself, there will be plenty of sessions of both practical brewing nature and more social responsibility-focused content as well as a conference floor where equipment, ingredient, and service providers ply their wares. Limited (<15!) tickets are still available, with a full ride (conference + gala) going for $400 or separate conference ($200) and gala ($200) options on tap, so to speak. Maybe we’ll see you there!

Our friends at Canadian hop supplier Hops Connect have some news for the local industry this week, as they’re opening up a cold storage warehouse in Montréal next month. If you’re a brewer in Atlantic Canada, this means your orders will get to you that much more quickly and efficiently, and especially when you’re dealing in Southern Hemisphere hops, as Hops Connect does in volume, that can make a big difference. Homebrewers in the region who take advantage of The Brewnosers annual group buys will likely benefit as well. If you’re attending the CBAC next weekend, definitely stop by the Hops Connect booth and find out the finer details (rumor has it there will be a very sensory component to their booth this year as well!!)

Looking for work in the craft beer industry in Moncton? Check this posting out:

After a very successful launch earlier this month, O’Creek Brewing in Moncton is looking to add a Full-Time Taproom Manager to their crew, concentrating on those busy evenings and weekends! If you have experience in that sort of thing, fire Greg an email to let him know you can be the right woman or man for the job! Oh, and while we have you, their on-site kitchen is operating at full speed these days, sending out nachos, quesadillas, pulled pork sandwiches, popcorns, and even serving ice cream from nearby Lost & Found.

Here’s our quick hits this week to finish things off:

The PEI Brewing Company has a new American Pale Ale out. Gahan Longshore is a 5.5% ABV take on the style, featuring notes of citrus, pine and tropical fruit. You’ll find it at the PEIBC Taproom, Gahan Beer Store, and Gahan House locations, and look for it to appear at PEI Liquor and ANBL locations this week.

After taking the winter off, Rose Valley’s Barnone Brewery is open again for the summer. No word yet on their exact opening days/hours, but we can assure you that they are open for at least a few hours today from 5 PM. Pop by their location at 4248 Route 225, Rose Valley/Breadalbane, and let them know ACBB sent ya!

Speaking of openings, The Post Taphouse in Torbay, Newfoundland, opened their doors last weekend. Located at 1412 Torbay Road, they are just a few steps from the East Coast Trail, and offer a lovely view from their patio. Serving local beer from breweries all across Newfoundland and Labrador, they also have a full food menu. They are open 12 – 11 PM daily, rain or shine!

It’s that time of year for the Cellar Slammer to return! This annual collaboration between Tatamagouche Brewing and Bishop’s Cellar is out at both retailers now. This is the 7th year of its release, and this Session IPA / India Session Ale is bigger and better than ever! Clean, bright, citrus, with a touch of white wine grapes, the low alcohol and lighter mouthfeel means this beer can be slammed back all summer long! Just be aware that the can looks a little different this year!

And finishing up with the second in the “new collaborative Session Ale” category is a brand new release from North Brewing. Celebrating their neighbours to their new Timberlea location comes Brunello, brewed with The Links at Brunello. At just 4.5% ABV, it’s lively and bright, refreshing and fun, and perfect to enjoy on your first, ninth, and eighteenth tee-off! On tap and in cans at North’s locations, and of course at the Nineteenth hole at Brunello.

Friday Wrap-Up for April 28, 2023 – News from Lone Oak, Good Robot, Tanner, Half Cocked, Trailway, Island Folk, Propeller, Landwash, Annapolis and plenty more!

Posted by acbbdamian on 2023-04-28
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: 2 Crows Brewing, Annapolis Brewing Company, Bootleg Brew Company, Craft Brewers Association of Nova Scotia, Discovery Centre, Good Robot Brewing, Half Cocked Brewing, Horton Ridge Malt & Grain, Island Folk Cider House, Lake City Cider, Landwash Brewery, Lone Oak Brewing, North Brewing, Picaroons Traditional Ales, Propeller Brewing, Shipwright Brewing, Tanner & Co Brewing, TrailWay Brewing, Uncle Leo's Brewery. Leave a Comment

It’s the last week of April, and you know what that means, breaking out your favourite Justin Timberlake memes for the start of May. Also, May is a month of celebration! Cinco de Mayo leads us into Mother’s day, Fredericton and Bluenose Marathons, May two-four weekend and the Canadian Brewing Awards will be in Halifax before you know it. May is when things really get going here in the Maritimes and our favourite beverage purveyors are ramping up for the homegrown locals and visitors from away. We’ll do our part and keep track of all the new brews, availability, events and more, and you can do your part and read it, and share with a friend or ten. Onto the news!

Let’s start our week on PEI, at Borden’s Lone Oak Brewing. They teamed up with an Ontario brewery for a collaborative brew to introduce that province to the great beer-making ingredients grown in our region. Matron Fine Beer, located in Prince Edward County, ON, has roots of their own on PEI, and chose to feature Shoreline Malting Pilsner malt and New Brunswick-grown hops in the Islander Pils. At just 4.4% ABV, the pale lager features a solid bitterness from the Saaz used, on a crisp and clean base. As part of the collab, LO has been able to pour draught of Islander at both their Borden and Milky Way locations, but sadly no cans available for sale. However… MFB is one of those progressive breweries that will ship Canada-wide, so we suggest grabbing some buds and placing an order on their website (we’re good for eight if you do!).

Also available now at both Lone Oak’s Brewery and Brewpub locations is Table Beer, a small fruited saison. Look for this to be a full-time summer beer, which is just what we’re into. Light-bodied (closer to a Grisette), with a gentle spritziness, along with present but not overpowering field berry notes from the blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries in the glass. At 4.0% ABV, the inaugural batch of this beer is draught only, with subsequent releases also coming to cans. And keep your eyes peeled for announcements of their Fox Meadow location in Stratford, opening veeeeery soon.

Out by the airport in Elmsdale, or maybe in the heart of the peninsula on Robie Street, Good Robot has another entry in their Perfect Storm series, this one dubbed Category 7. Featuring a mix of new-school and super-new-school hops in Mosaic, El Dorado, and HZH-101, it’s maybe a little less “NE” and a little more “American” IPA than the other entries in the series. That said, it’s still hazy and golden in color and boasts tasting notes of pineapple, stone fruit, and lime with an overall dank and grassy presentation. You’ll find this 7% beauty in cans at both GR locations, and no doubt pouring on draught on Robie; and if you’re in a comparing mood, note that Categories 4, 5, and 6 are still available as well!

Down in Chester Basin, NS, Tanner & Co. have a couple of new things on the go for us to try. First up is Belgian Saison, a beer made with a grist of primarily Shoreline Malting Pilsner, but with a touch of Munich malt, along with some oats and malted rye. Fermented with a combination of liquid and dry yeasts (White Labs WLP565 and Fermentis BE-134 for the bacteria nerds in the audience), it was additionally dosed with black pepper and orange peel post-fermentation. Expect plenty of yeast character, along with some phenolic spiciness and a hint of citrus in this refreshing 7.2% and 25 IBU beer. Also on the go is Raspberry Licorice Root Sparkling Mead which is one of those “does what it says on the tin” kind of things. Coming in at 5.9% ABV, it was made with local honey from The Little Bee farm near Bridgewater. In contrast to what is usual for beer, but which is much more normal for mead, the raspberry puree was added pre-fermentation. Meanwhile, the licorice root (from World Tea House in Halifax, natch), was added after the mead had fermented dry. Look for Tanner’s usual style of subtle and balanced flavors as opposed to a fruit bomb. You’ll find both of these lovely liquids available in cans from the source and we suspect pouring at Tanner’s taproom in Chester.

Further up the mainland, Half Cocked is releasing Good Stuff, a kettle sour brewed with organic peach and raspberries. The result is a 5% sour with subtle fruit character and a dry finish. If you’re thinking of grabbing some, why not drop by this Saturday evening for trivia night at the taproom, starting at 7:00 PM.

Sticking with fruited sours, Trailway is releasing its newest version from their smoothie sour series. The Blend Smoothie Sour – Strawberry Kiwi incorporates over 200 grams of strawberries and kiwis, and per the style, pours thick, with the consistency of an actual smoothie. Cans of the 5.3% beer are available now. And with the temperature starting to pick up, don’t forget that these beers must be stored cold because of the unfermented sugars from the fruit, present in the final product (unless you want a fruit explosion all over your vehicle). 

Cape Breton’s Island Folk is releasing Lil Besties, a banana and coconut cider (we can confidently say a first of this style on the blog). The first step involved peeling and pressing hundreds of organic bananas, which were then fermented into a high ABV banana wine. It was then blended with Island Folk’s signature cider before seeing an infusion of toasted coconut. The result is a lightly carbonated, off-dry, 8% ABV cider with notes of pineapple, marshmallow, banana and coconut. Bottles are available now at the taproom in Sydney and for cross-Canada shipping through their online store.

Kicking into summer, Propeller has had a great track record of seasonal beer releases and they’re bringing us a new one today. Yutopia is a Summer Ale packed with natural Peach and Yuzu flavours. This is a 5% ale that boasts the strong citrus and zesty punch of the East Asian fruit, along with juicy white peaches. Low on the bitterness, but high on summer vibes and refreshment, this one is available in cans from the Prop shops and online today. 

The folks at Landwash are big doggo fans and they’re highlighting a new dog and a new employee to the Landwash fam. Cry Havok is a new dry stout from Landwash, coming to you from their new Production Manager (Jason) and a beer he made and named after his Chocolate Labrador Retriever, Havok! This is a 4% Dry stout that has a deep chocolate colour, with a bit of malty sweetness with some richer notes of espresso and dark chocolate. Light and approachable, just like the pup! This is available on tap on Nitro and in cans from the brewery and the local haunts around the Avalon.

The Crows have a call out to join their busy (and amazing) team, looking for a delivery driver and packaging assistant to start in the middle of May. This is a full time seasonal Summer job that has a possibility of staying on after the summer. This job runs through the Canada Summer Jobs program, so check out the link here for all of the details on the job and how to apply.

The jovial machines at Good Robot are really ramping into the summer, opening a new location adjacent to the Halifax Commons, and getting into gear at the other two locations. With positions in Halifax and Elmsdale, they’re hiring managers, servers, bartenders, cooks and more. Check out all of their postings here to see what may be a fit for you or someone you know. 

If you’re looking for some other work that is adjacent to beer adjacent, Picaroons is looking for full time (or part-time, and flexible) General Maintenance Workers that includes deliveries, warehouse work, cleaning, and maintenance. The jobs have competitive wages and benefits packages and it’s a great place to work if you can do a bit of driving, physical labour and maintenance. Apply by email to beerguy@picaroons.ca with the subject line: General Maintenance Position and include details/resume. Or you can drop off a resume in person at the brewery. 

Across the bay in the Valley, Horton Ridge Malthouse is hiring a bartender to join the team! This place gets busy in the summer with lots of music events, pop-up dinners, and more. They’re looking for someone with some experience with craft beer, service and flexibility. Shoot them an email with your details and interest!

A Dartmouth Duo has teamed up to bring back a local twist to a classic British mix. Last seen about a year ago, Burst: Snakebite is a take on a Snakebite (traditionally equal parts Lager and Apple Cider) but using North Brewing’s BYOB (a 3.5% light ale) and a blend of Lake City Cider’s Blueberry and Black Currant cider. It’s tart, refreshing and has a good pop of fruit flavour. This is available in cans at all the North locations, Lake City’s taproom and also online from North. Disclaimer: this is not gluten-free!

Quick trip to Corner Brook where Bootleg Brew Co has teased a collaboration with the nearby Tlacuache Mexican Restaurant on the corner of West and Main. Flare Up is a Mexican Chocolate Stout, so expect plenty of chocolate, roast, and maybe even a bit of spicing and heat in the can. Details are a bit light now, but keep an eye on their IG page for details on a collaborative launch party soon!

We’re leaving you with a bit of sad news this week, as Uncle Leo’s Brewery of Lyons Brook, NS has announced that they will be closing after 10 years in operation. Since opening in late June 2013, Uncle Leo’s has won awards both locally and nationally for their ales and lagers, from Smoked Porter to American Pale Ale, to IPA and Altbier. In this Instagram Post, they indicate that their retail shop and online store will be closing at 6PM Saturday, so be sure to drop by today or tomorrow and/or reach out on that post to show your love. No word yet on the exact reasons for the closure, but we wish Karl, Rebecca, and the entire Uncle Leo’s family all the best!