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Friday Wrap-Up for August 5th, 2022 – News from Propeller, Big Spruce, Landwash, Lone Oak, Tire Shack, and More!!

Posted by acbbchris on 2022-08-05
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: Annapolis Cider Company, Banished Brewing, Bannerman Brewing, Big Spruce Brewing, Bishop's Cellar, Black is Beautiful, Feed Nova Scotia, Good Robot Brewing, Grimross Brewing, Halifax Seaport Beerfest, Landwash Brewery, Lone Oak Brewing, Lunn's Mill Beer Company, Picaroons, Propeller Brewing, Shipwright Brewing, Stillwell Beer Bar, Tatamagouche Brewing, The Stillwell Freehouse, Tire Shack Brewing, Tusket Falls Brewing, Volo. Leave a Comment

Hello loyal beer news fans! Apologies for the lack of news last week, we decided that with 4 of us travelling, it was a bit too much to get a post together that day. But we’ve more than made up for it this week, with news from every Atlantic province and surely a beer, cider, or event that everybody will enjoy, although we were obviously challenged in getting it put together in a timely fashion. So let’s get right to it!

The summer of Propeller Brewing’s 25th Anniversary celebration continues this week as they took the opportunity on yesterday’s IPA Day to release 25K IPA. This 6.1% Double Dry-Hopped IPA leverages Amarillo and Cryo Citra for an intense melon and citrus hit on the nose, with a solid West Coast character in the glass. Available on draught at Propeller’s three locations, as well as at licensees around the province (if you don’t see it, ask!). Also available in cans locally through Propeller and the Harvest Wine group, as well as local delivery and nation-wide shipping. Enticing us even more is what the “25K” name represents: teaming up with industry partners, they will be donating 100% of the proceeds of the beer to Feed Nova Scotia, which will exceed $25,000! More than just a food bank, Feed Nova Scotia’s goal is to increase food security through food distribution, education and collaboration throughout the province. We can certainly get behind that! Check out Jenell and Pat on Global with more on the beer and charitable component.

Let’s keep the charitable beers rolling this week, with Big Spruce in Nyanza releasing their 2022 Black is Beautiful beer, Toasted Coconut Jamaican Rum Barrel-Aged Foreign Extra Stout. Wow, quite a mouthful! And the beer is too, with this Foreign Extra Stout (think full-body and bold) seeing toasted coconut in the boil, and then hanging out in Jamaican Rum barrels for more than 6 months, picking up both wood character as well as plenty of rum booziness from its previous tenant. 100% of the proceeds of Black is Beautiful are going to African Nova Scotian Decade for People of African Descent, a coalition building strength and health across African Nova Scotian communities and working to forge a renewed working relationship with government that creates conditions for all African-descended people in Nova Scotia to thrive. And you can learn more about Black is Beautiful, the international charitable collaboration entering its third year, in this short documentary. Only available through Big Spruce, pop by their taproom and retail shop overlooking the Bras D’Or lakes, or for home delivery (nationwide shipping too) on their website.

While you’re there, also check out their other new release, Ykpaïha. Styled after a classic European Pilsner, Ykpaïha features Zlato Polissya hops throughout, grown in Zhytomyr Oblast, Ukraine. Those hops lend fresh herb and light floral notes with a slight earthy undertone, reminiscent of Noble hops grown elsewhere in Europe. Available now in cans and on draught. 

Mount Pearl’s Landwash Brewery released a funky beer, months in the making, in late July, and we want to be sure we told you about it ASAP so you don’t miss out… Funk Island 2022 began life as a pale wheat ale back in the winter, which then had a second round of fermentation in wine barrels with Brettanomyces, a familiar yeast to those into traditional Belgian or French beers. With the light base beer giving the yeast a lovely stage upon which to shine, it features notes of hay, orange blossoms, and strawberries. And as the 4.9% beer was packaged with a bit of yeast and fermentable sugar present, it has developed a lively and tight carbonation in the bottle, and will be perfect for storing to see how it further develops. Currently only available at the brewery on Commonwealth Avenue, it should be available at a few other retail shops in the region in the coming weeks.

And just released this week in celebration of Regatta Day (sorry to those who may have lost at Roulette Tuesday night/Wednesday morning!), is Pearl Swirl, their new Milkshake IPA series. The first release is Pearl Swirl: Lemon and Apricot, which is chock full of lemon, drinking like a lemon meringue pie! Named after the Mount Pearl Curl hairstyle, look for this on tap at Landwash now, with cans coming next week. 

From one island to another, Lone Oak Brewing, based in Borden-Carleton (and now Charlottetown with their Brewpub location), has released a charitable and collaborative beer in Monarch Kolsch. The 4.7% ABV lagered ale is light and refreshing for these warmer months, with a touch of fruity esters with a hint of spicy character. Every can sold will see $1 donated to the Island Nature Trust, whose mission is to protect natural beauty and habitat on the Island, including the land and flora that the Monarch Butterfly loves. Pop by the Brewery or Brewpub (the only places Monarch is available) this weekend to grab a four-pack, drinking for a great purpose!

Moncton’s Tire Shack Brewery is releasing a new beer they’ve been tweaking behind the scenes since January.  Strawberry Vanilla Shake IPA is a 100% vegan take on a milkshake IPA. Milkshake IPAs typically use lactose sugar to add sweetness and a creamy mouthfeel. Tire Shack has replicated that with a secret ingredient that opens the beer to a wider audience of drinkers. Dry-hopped with Enigma, expect big notes of strawberry jam and vanilla ice cream, but without having to worry about popping a couple of Lacteeze first! Available now at the brewery on tap and in growler fills and cans to go!

Back to Newfoundland and the Avalon Peninsula, Bannerman Brewing is releasing Future-Proof, the brewery’s first cream ale. This one started with a grain bill of Pilsner malt, flaked barley and corn before a light hopping with several European hops. Cream ales combine the fruity esters from an ale yeast fermentation, with the crisp drinking experience of a lager. Future Proof, coming in at 4.8% ABV, is available now at the brewery on Duckworth. While you’re there, you’ll also find Eclipse, their Sabro/Eclipse hopped IPA, back in stock. And finally, don’t forget to bring your Newfoundland and Labrador Craft Brewery Passport for a stamp. Bannerman is participating in the promotion this summer, along 18 other breweries and 1 cidery and 1 distillery, as part of the province’s Come Home 2022 Summer.

Halifax’s, and now Elmsdale’s, Good Robot Brewing has a new beer on their Drinkubator line, a Milk Stout. Leveraging their taproom visitors’ opinions and enthusiasm, the Drinkubator program lets folks vote and decide which beers will get a bump up from a small pilot batch to a more wide release. Notes of coffee, chocolate, and vanilla abound in this beer, maybe great for enjoying around a summer evening fire (when allowed, burn safely, folks!). On tap on Robie Street only, for now…

And while you cannot (yet) grab this one at their Elmsdale Beer Garden location, a reminder that it is open and ready to serve its thirsty neighbours. Located at 14 Industrial Way, the Beer Garden is open Friday to Sunday, noon to 11 PM (noon to 10 PM Sunday). Their retail shop out there is set to open soon, operating Wednesday through Sunday, noon to 8 PM (opening at 10 AM Friday and Sunday).

Heading west to the “other Lawrencetown”, Lunn’s Mill has two new releases to share with you. First up is It’s A Session IPA, which as you may have guessed, is a session IPA. Coming in at 4.3%, it is the first release in their new Lazy Brewer series. Up next is Not Your Bock, their take on a German Maibock. Expect some grainy sweetness and a hint of spice, along with an ample 7% ABV. Both beers are being released next Wednesday, August 10, at the brewery’s Lawrencetown and Bridgetown locations. These two will also be on tap for pints and growler fills.

Lunenburg’s Shipwright Brewing has released Bell Ringer Red, in support of the campaign to save the bell from the iconic Lunenburg Academy. This one was designed by Shipwright owner Adam Bowers, who also happens to be a former student of the academy. Look for a malt-forward drinking experience that includes notes of caramel and toffee. Bell Ringer is available now at the brewery on Montague Street.

Back to the Avalon one more time, where in Paradise, NL, new brewery Banished has a brand new DIPA pouring from the taps. Jim Time is an ode to the man who was responsible for keeping their opening as close to on-schedule as it could be given the pandemic circumstances. Described as a, “tractor driving, F1-watching, Adirondack-sitting, BBQ-loving legend,” Jim was also known for only drinking DIPAs, which made it an easy decision as to how to honour him. At 8% ABV, it’s got some serious kick, and no doubt a pretty significant hop kick as well. Packaged in cans, you can grab it from the brewery and other places where you find Banished beers.

Some beery things happening in the big city this weekend and next:

As things continue to return to something like the normal we knew before the pandemic, we’re starting to see the return of such novelties as big beerfests. First out of the gate in that regard, at least in the HRM, is the Seaport Beerfest, back for the 12th iteration of the event, 14 years after the first one in 2007. This year taking place entirely out of doors in front of Garrison Brewing’s Seaport location, 25 Maritime breweries are represented (19 from NS, 3 from NB, and 3 from PEI) along with some treats from Ontario, Quebec, Europe, and Maine. There are also cideries and meaderies represented, and this year sees the advent of FizzFest, which means you’ll find a wide selection of Ready-to-Drink hard seltzers, sodas, and cocktails as well: plenty of options for the non-beer drinkers in your social circle as well. The first of four sessions was held last night and was attended by our own Aaron and Chris, who can attest to it being a great time. If you’re looking for a way to beat the heat and taste some beers (or other beverages), tickets are still available for the three remaining sessions, tonight, 7 – 10 PM, Saturday afternoon 2 – 5 PM, and Saturday evening, 7 – 10 PM. Lots more information, including a link to a list of everything that will be pouring, is available in the FAQ section of the event website.

Next Friday, August 12th, a reunion of sorts will take place in Halifax, as Stillwell will welcome their old friends from legendary Toronto beer destination Volo. As many know, some of Stillwell’s leadership learned the ins and outs of the industry at Volo, laying the groundwork for the creation of the Stillwell Empire. Since that time Volo has begun making their own beer and wine and they’ll be bringing a bunch of it for us to try and enjoy. The event will run from open to close at both The Freehouse and HQ, with slightly different taplists at each spot. You can find a full list of what’s available in this Ig post.

As is often the case at this time of year, lots of our region’s purveyors are looking to supplement their staff during the busiest season for suds.

Up first is Tusket Falls, who are looking to add a combination role of Server and Social Media Manager to the team. If this combination sounds like it would be a fit for you, you can send in your resume via email. Next up, one of the region’s oldest breweries, Picaroons, is looking for a Production Brewer for their Roundhouse location in Fredericton; full details are available here. Tatamagouche Brewing is hiring both Cellar and Store positions, part-time and full-time, year round and seasonal. No experience is required, just a great attitude; you can learn more by emailing for full info or just go ahead and submit a resume. Landwash is hiring multiple folks on a part-time basis for their taproom and events; they’re hoping to people who have availability during afternoons and weekends. Full details are available at this link. And lastly, but not leastly, Bishop’s Cellar is looking for both full and part time staff to join their warehouse team. Benefits include a staff discount on wine, beer, and spirits; find out more or send in your resume using this address.

Being off meant we missed a couple of things last week; here’s a couple that should still be around:

Grimross Brewing in Fredericton has a beer made from in-province ingredients. Spring Runnings has malt from Maison Fils du Roy, and Mt Hood hops from Lakeview hops. Packing a bit more punch than usual for a blonde ale, this one comes in at 6.5% ABV.

In Wolfville, Annapolis Cider has a new one, aptly named Blueberry Crabapple. A sparkling, off-dry cider coming in at 7.4% ABV it’s features fresh-pressed local blueberries and a splash of tart hyslop crabapple juice to balance the sweetness. Even better, $0.50 from every refillable bottle sold will go to the Nova Scotia Nature Trust.

Friday Wrap-Up for June 24 2022 – News from Banished, Half Cocked, Upstreet, Big Spruce, Annapolis Cider, Long Bay, Serpent, Copper Bottom, Annapolis Brewing, and more!

Posted by acbbaaron on 2022-06-24
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: 902 BrewCast, Annapolis Brewing Company, Annapolis Cider Company, Banished Brewing, Big Spruce Brewing, Breton Brewing, Copper Bottom Brewing, Eventide Mead, Half Cocked Brewing, Long Bay Brewery, Propeller Brewing, Serpent Brewing, Timber Ship Brewing, Upstreet Craft Brewing. Leave a Comment

Happy Summer, folks! It’s the last Friday of June, which means many kids are counting down the last days of school for another year. And for those who celebrate, joyeux journée Saint-Jean-Baptiste aujourd’hui! We’ve got plenty of new brews, as well as Anniversary and Re-Opening celebrations for you to attend this weekend. With next week’s Canada Day falling on a Friday, we’ll be sending out the news to you a day early (brewery pals please take note).

The region’s newest brewery, Paradise’s Banished Brewing, has rounded out their offerings with 3 more beers since we shared the news at the beginning of the month. Let’s get you up to speed on what to drink, and where to drink them!

– Paradise Town is their 5.5% Fruited Sour, featuring Pink Guava puree added for a tropical kick. Look for more iterations of this beer as they play with the fruit additions throughout the year.

– An Elaborate Series of Mirrors is a 5.0% American Lager, crushable, quaffable, however you want to put it, this beer is made for easy enjoyment.

– Tall Trees, with a label reminiscent of the Redwoods in the Pacific Northwest, is a 7.0% West Coast IPA. Piney and citrusy, there is a serious bitterness in here to match the aromatics.

All three have been canned, and join Out The Gate Trappist-inspired Single, Space Puffin NEIPA, and NO NO NO YES NO EI Pale Ale at Avalon-area Marie’s, NLCs, and on tap at better bars in town, including Bar Brewdock.

Half Cocked Brewing in North Grant, just outside of Antigonish, is celebrating their Grand Re-Opening this weekend. After undergoing major renovations over the past two years, which saw more than a 20-fold increase in their production capacity, as well as opening a welcoming taproom and patio capable of accommodating more than 100 people, they are ready to toast how far they’ve come! They have released two new beers to toast with, including Almost Friggin’ Famous, a 8.0% Double Friggin’ IPA. The alcohol is tempered by a solid bitterness from the Simcoe and Centennial hops used throughout, which also lend big pine character to the flavour and aroma. Brewed in collaboration with Good Friggin’ Company, an apparel company based in Lower South River. Even friggin’ better is that $0.25 from each can goes to their Small Town, Big Stages bursary, an award given to High School graduates going into a Music program, with 3 awards of $1000 to be distributed this year.

Also new on tap and in cans at Half Cocked this weekend is Something Sour, a 5.0% dry-hopped Sour, featuring the lovely Idaho 7 hop. Refreshing and tart, the hops and Lacto work together for a citrus bomb of grapefruit and tangerine on the nose and palate.

The brewery is celebrating tomorrow from noon ‘til late with The Crafty Cooks food truck running a BBQ all day, and live music starting at 3 PM. The Ceilidhmen are taking the stage 3 – 5 PM, with Jason Spracklin playing 6 – 8 PM, with Mitch (of Good Friggin’ Company) & the Good Company band starting their set at 9 PM (the final set will have a $10 cover, half of which goes to the bursary). As it will be outside, bringing a lawn chair or blanket is a good idea, if you need a break from the dancing. Congratulations to Greg, Nick, and the entire Half Cocked Crew!

Another brewery celebrating this weekend is Charlottetown’s (and Burnside’s) Upstreet Brewing. Hard to believe that it’s been 7 years since they opened their doors on Allen Street, but here we are! As is tradition, they are also taking the opportunity to release their annual De Novo, taking the opportunity to begin anew. De Novo VII is a Mango Apricot Saison, taking up the mantle from last year’s introduction of fruit (absent from the 5 previous releases), and doubling the fruiting rate again. The spicy pepper character from the yeast plays well with the mango character, with the apricot offering a subtle tartness. Neither fruit takes over the beer, and is not at all sweet, as the Saison yeast dried it out nicely. Dry-hopped with German Callista for a bit more stone fruit on the nose. The 6.26% (also their birthdate!) Saison is canned again this year, for sale at all of their locations, and may even be on tap at a favourite Halifax-based bar in the next while.

Joining that is Fireworks 2022, Upstreet’s annual collaboration with The Inn at Bay Fortune, and their Fireworks kitchen. Sourcing Pilsner, Wheat, and Rye malts from Island Malt House, with lime basil and a variety of mints varietals hand picked and dried by Farmer Kevin at the The Inn’s farm. Just a little bit of estate-grown Comet hops were added in the whirlpool. The mints come through on the nose, with the basil complementing the herbal and hay notes of the saison yeast. Packaged in a 500 ml bottle, this 6.0% Saison is available now at the brewery’s spots, with some limited draught as well, and in bottle at The Inn at Bay Fortune, where Chef Michael Smith might even sabre a bottle for you!

What’s the plan for the celebratory weekend, you ask? Well, tonight, Craft Beer Corner is transforming into a late night dance party, which kicks off at 11 PM. Ramzoid and guest will be spinning tunes under the party lights until late. (The CBC will be closed 9 – 10 PM to prepare, with a $10 cover when they reopen).

Tomorrow, the taproom and parking lot on Allen Street will be alive with the sound of music, as acts from across the province will be playing all afternoon and evening, from 3 until 8:30 PM (no charge). Brackley Bay Oyster Co will be shucking all afternoon as well!

Sunday, DJ Nimo is capping the weekend with a set beginning at 9 PM at Craft Beer Corner, so get your groove on to celebrate! No cover charge for this evening’s fun.

Congratulations to Hogie, Mitch, and everyone at Upstreet on the continued success!

Big Spruce’s new releases continue to feature interesting styles, with this week’s release of Altruist showing off their take on the Altbier style. Originating in the German city of Düsseldorf, Altbier is a malt-forward but highly quaffable ale that features sufficient bitterness to keep flavours well balanced, and generally is great with food. Altruist comes in at a sessionable 5% and is available now on-tap in Nyanza. Keep an eye on their online store for a potential release in cans.

In Wolfville, Annapolis Cider is releasing the latest in its Something Different series. This one is a 6.5% wine/cider blend that they’re calling Strawberry Sangria. The cider starts with pressed apple juice and adds fresh-pressed local strawberries and cranberries, along with a dose of orange juice, a traditional sangria ingredient. It is then blended with Riesling from Sainte Famille Wines in Falmouth. The resulting drink pours with a pink salmon hue, and features a pleasing acidity and lots of berry notes. As an added bonus, $0.50 from each bottle sold will be donated to Ronald McDonald House Charities Atlantic, a great organization that provides accommodations to families with sick children while they access medical care. Bottles of Strawberry Sangria are available now.

Long Bay Brewery in Rothesay NB has a pair of new beers this week that we’re excited to tell you about. First up is Wasted Day, a hazy and flavourful New England IPA, that is the pinnacle of years of experimental brews, with recipe and technical changes made along the way. Loading up the mash with grain and hops that are full of thiol precursors, that the yeast can then liberate into strong tropical aromatics and flavour. When a dry-hop addition comes in during fermentation, this restarts the process, with the more permanent haze being produced. During a final conditioning phase, a big addition of Eclipse to complement with notes of pine and mandarin orange. All in a tidy 6.0% package, Wasted Day is on sale in cans and draught at the brewery now. 

Joining it is The Big Brew, a 5.0% Golden Ale brewed in honour of the 50th Anniversary of the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Saint John. Brewed using Bairds 2.0 Malt, a Kolsch-style yeast, and hopped with Mandarina Bavaria, this crisp and clean golden ale is available on tap and in cans at the brewery and select retail and tap accounts. Half of all profits of the brew go towards the organization, helping to connect kids with mentors in the community.

Let’s continue the news with another of Serpent Brewing’s Beer Creation Series releases, Inherited Taste. Chris Carrigan signed up to be part of the supporting community of Spryfield’s brewery, and chose a fruited kettle sour for his beer. The peach kettle sour is actually the brewery’s first foray into that style, and they took hold with both hands. Crisp, refreshing, and tart, with a nice level of the eponymous stone fruit on the palate. Carrigan’s daughter designed the label which adorns the 345 ml bottles, which are available now at the brewery.

Montague’s Copper Bottom is releasing a new beer that they’ve been patiently sitting on for over a year. Tandem is a flanders style brown ale, also known as an oud bruin, with a grain bill featuring 2-row, wheat, chocolate malt, light munich, carafe. This one saw a light hop addition of Centennial and Warrior hops before spending over 12 months in a chardonnay barrel, continuing to ferment with the bugs from the wood, adding a distinct tartness. You can also expect a vinous and oak quality from the barrel, along with rich malt flavours of plum, fig and raisin. Bottles of the 5.1% ABV Tandem will be available soon in Montague or for delivery through Copper Bottom’s online store. 

Annapolis Brewing Company has a new beer pouring, and in cans, at their Annapolis Royal location. Summer Session Pale Ale is a light 3.0%, perfect for imbibing in volume during the warmest season. Barley and Wheat malts make up the grist, with Mandarina Bavaria and Huell Melon hops after fermentation, leading to spicy and floral aromatics, along with melon, stone fruit, and citrus in the glass. Pop by their taproom and retail shop this weekend to grab a few!

Lots of Anniversary celebrations happening in our region this weekend, so get your drinking pants on, and tag in your Designated Driver!

Head up to Sydney tomorrow to help the crew at Breton Brewing to celebrate their 7th Anniversary, complete with special guests, discounts, and music all day! Open from 12 – 10 PM, there will be giveaways happening throughout the day, with limited edition glassware on sale. Little Rolling Bistro will be set up from 2 – 8 PM with a full menu, and there will be live music from Duane Nardocchio (2 – 5 PM) and Curt Dillon & Calum MacPhee (5 – 8 PM). Be sure to pop by, grab some grub, have a pint, then buy some beer to go. One of those to-go beer could be their newly released Bottle-Conditioned Stirling Hefeweizen. The German Wheat beer was one of their earliest releases back in 2015, and they’ve gone traditional with the extra level of natural re-fermentation and carbonation right in the bottle.

A few more parting words today, and sorry for the late release!

As part of their 25th Anniversary celebrations, Propeller put out the call to their fans on what beers they would like to see return. While we were holding out for Sharp Angus, the public has spoken, and Stone Fruit has taken the prize. A can-only re-release, this 5.0% refreshing beer is bursting with notes of peach, apricot, and mango, and probably is the better choice for enjoying on a picnic or at the beach, rather than a Hemp Ale… You win!

Now fully back in the groove of things, the 902 BrewCast have delved into the world of mead for their latest release, sitting down with Eric and Ronnie of the newly-opened Eventide Mead, located in Burnside. They talk all about the sourcing of the honey from a local producer, dip their toes into the different styles of mead (and hybrids), and where they think this naturally gluten-free beverage can go in the province. Listen in for free wherever you grab podcasts (or right here). And since recording, the Eventide crew has expanded their retail store hours to Thursdays and Fridays 11 AM – 6 PM, at their 196 Joseph Zatzman Drive location.

Speaking of 902BC, their faithful sponsors Bishop’s Cellar have a bunch of tasty beers on the shelves today, including some beauties from Brasserie de Blaugies, de Ranke (yes, XX Bitter is on the list), and Drie Fonteinen. Local breweries are getting some love too, as Big Spruce’s Saison Opener Grisette, Propeller’s White Belgian Witbier, the aforementioned Bottle-Conditioned Hefeweizen from Breton, and Tatamagouche’s Cellar Slammer, now in 355 ml cans, ideal for … well… slamming.

One last thing before you go. Miramichi’s Timber Ship Brewing has been in business for 4 years, operated by two dedicated couples, pouring their heart and soul into the operation. Through community and local business support, they have managed to survive during the extremely difficult last couple of years. Given recent changes to their career and family commitments, they have had to evaluate Timber Ship, and are looking to close one chapter, and begin another with respect to the brewery. They are looking for someone to continue the Timber Ship story, whether that means on the same level, or to expand its reach even further. If you are interested, or know of a potential buyer, please check out their post and get in touch!

Friday Wrap-Up for May 6, 2022 – News from Marvelous Holy Bowly by Holy Whale, Delta Force, Trailway, Annapolis Cider, Banished, Prud’homme at Tapestry Beer Bar, Hardisty, Propeller, Big Spruce, and more!

Posted by acbbchris on 2022-05-06
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: 902 BrewCast, Annapolis Cider Company, Banished Brewing, Big Spruce Brewing, Delta Force Brewing, Hardisty Brewing, Holy Whale Brewing, Hops Connect Canada, Marvelous Holy Bowly, North Brewing, Propeller Brewing, Prud'homme Beer Certification, Tapestry Beer Bar, TrailWay Brewing. Leave a Comment

Spring has sprung in Atlantic Canada. With a stretch of great weather in the forecast, what better time to grab a great local beer, hit up your favourite outdoor space and soak up some Vitamin D. This week we’ve got new releases and returning favourites, plus a couple of new spots to enjoy your pints!

Thirsty folks in Riverview have a new place to drink and play, as the Marvelous Holy Bowly opened their doors at the end of April. Brought to you by the fine folks at Alma’s Holy Whale / Buddha Bear Cafe, the bowling alley cum craft beer bar at 28 Biggs Drive features 12 lanes of candlepin bowling (reserve your lanes here), and capacity for even the biggest of groups. What’s pouring? There are a full dozen of their own Holy Whale beer flowing at all time, with room for a handful more from other New Brunswick producers large and small, plus wine and cocktails. Open 7 days a week from noon til 11 PM Mon-Fri, 10 AM – 11 PM Sat and 12 – 8 PM Sundays, make plans to hang with some pals and throw a few frames, drop a couple of quarters into the arcade machines onsite for the full bowley alley vibe, all while throwing back a couple of pints!

Delta Force Brewing is celebrating two years in business (and what a couple of years it’s been!), with a mixed six-pack of different fruited Anderlecht Farmshed Ales. Hand-picked by the Delta Force team from the Annapolis Valley and Mahone Bay areas of the province, the six varieties of fruits added were Gooseberry, Rhubarb, Sour Cherry, White Currant, Red Currant, and Black Currant. They let the beer, already funky and a touch tart from the Brettanomyces used to ferment, direct the fruit choice and addition rate. Each beer was fully fermented to completion after the fruit was added, with about 3 months of fruit contact time before bottling. This special celebratory six-pack is available for ordering now through their website, just in time for delivery within HRM.

Trailway has a new IPA out, named after those pesky cart-seeking red shells in Mario Kart. Red Shell IPA features a moderate bitterness and notes of stonefruit, citrus and pine from additions of Citra, Amarillo and Callista hops. Featuring a more substantial grain bill than the average Trailway IPA, expect some biscuity malt notes to keep things nicely in balance. Cans are available now at the taproom and through their online store. 

Annapolis Cider has a new release from its always popular Something Different series. Black Cherry & Rosemary features cool fermented cider that is blended with juice from local black cherries. It also received an infusion of rosemary to add a lightly savoury note. The result is a full bodied cider that pours a deep crimson colour thanks to the black cherries. The flavour profile features ripe berries, cherry tannins and slightly herbal finish. Black Cherry & Rosemary is available now in Downtown Wolfville, with $0.50 from each sale supporting the Valley Hospice Foundation. 

In “coming soon/get your drinking boots on” news, Banished Brewing in Paradise NL has passed one of the big hurdles this week, as they have begun brewing! We’ll have tons more news for you ahead of their open in the coming weeks, but know that soon those tanks will be filling kegs and cans for our enjoyment. Keep an eye on their social media for updates too, as they are coming fast and often these days!

Tapestry Beer Bar in Lower Sackville is taking you to school in June, as they will be hosting Prud’homme Beer Certification Level 1 classes starting June 13. Over the course of 4 Mondays, students will learn all about beer styles, beer recipe and production, tasting techniques, and the history of beer. Interested? Reach out to Tapestry in person or over social media to sign up or learn more!

The small (some may even say, nano) folks out of Cole Harbour, Hardisty Brewing, are bringing their wares to the Alderney Market (at Dartmouth’s Alderney Landing) every Saturday from 8am until 1pm. There are lots of great vendors down there, so stop by, grab some beer, grab some food, and support your local crafters!  Hardisty currently has a lineup of at least 6 beers (an IPA, Amber, two Pale Ales, a Pilsner and Rye IPA), and they also deliver in Dartmouth and Cole Harbour weekly. Check their website for more details. 

The pleasant people at Propeller have a summer-themed Patio Pack of 12 cans available today. This 12 pack features 12 355ml cans mixed between four different beers. Two of the beers most of our readers would be familiar with, Lime Lite Lager and Passion Fruit Sour, but they also have two Summer Ales, Tropic Haze and Guavarama as part of the pack. This pack is available today on their website and in the Propeller shops and will be arriving soon at the private stores in Halifax, along with the NSLC. 

Spring time in Nyanza can only mean one thing, the return of She’s Maibock. Big Spruce’s take on the traditional German Lager is back in stock. The 6.5% maibock is hopped with Huell Melon, giving notes of strawberries, melon and stonefruit to compliment the signature toasted bread crust malt notes of the style. Grab some cans today at the Sprucetique or through their online store. 

The boys at the 902 Brewcast returned this week for a pod recapping the recent Tapped Truro Beer Fest. They also sample a few recent releases, including this year’s release of Cerberus. Treat your ears wherever you get your pods.

We’ve got two quick hits from North Brewing to bring you into the weekend, starting with a rerelease. Just in time for some warmer weather, Sparrow Pilsner is back in stock at all three retail locations. And speaking of retail, North is currently hiring for part-time positions in the three retail shops (Cole Harbour, Downtown Dartmouth and Timberlea). If you’re interested, send a resume to ben@northbrewing.ca or check out the job postings section of their website for more info.

We’ll warrant that but for a few exceptions, most beer drinkers don’t spend a whole lot of time thinking about where the ingredients in their beer come from. As you can imagine, though, as with any industry, there’s a whole worldwide supply chain that gets the barley and the hops and the hey hey from wherever they’ve been grown and processed into the hands of our region’s brewers. In the case of hops, there’s one company in particular in Canada that’s responsible for much of the hop content in your glass. That company has always been known as Hops Connect, but they’re now rebranding as Hops Connect Canada to more clearly delineate that they are a Canadian-owned and -operated company serving breweries in every Province and Territory. These are the folks responsible for much of the sought-after Southern Hemisphere (Australia and New Zealand) varieties being available to our brewers, like Galaxy, Vic Secret, Nelson Sauvin, and Motueka, but they’re also behind, through their affiliate, Hops Connect Farms, the only current trademarked Canadian hop variety, Sasquatch. So the next time you’re lifting a glass of Propeller Galaxy, or maybe one of Trailway’s latest juicy hop bombs, give a thought to Hops Connect Canada and maybe check out their website and their new branding.