Welcome to the first Friday of October! We hope everyone is staying dry, despite the region-wide rain we are getting this week. Why not head out to your favourite watering hole (groan) and order a local craft beer to recharge your spirits? Here are a few new options for you to consider.

• The Imperial Pumpkin Ale, Bonhomme Sept-Heures, released by Petit-Sault two weeks ago is already about gone, but luckily, they’ve just released another seasonal to take its place! La Padrix is an Oktoberfest (their second) brewed with Munich and Vienna specialty malts to provide a “rich malty taste, with light biscuit notes and a clean finish”, according to the brewery. Hopped lightly with Saaz and Northern Brewer to 25 IBUs, this 5.6% ABV lager is smooth and well-balanced, and reminiscent of their Lancaster KB882 Marzen that was released back in March. La Padrix is available on tap at the brewery now, and at ANBL growler stations the week of Oct 15th.

• Gahan House Harbourfront in Halifax has released a pair of new beers recently. Brewed for this weekend’s Oyster Festival, the Briny Blond is a hybrid lager/ale, with a twist! It features a light addition of sea salt, along with the zest and juice of 40 lemons. The finished beer does not taste salty, but enhances the other characteristics of the beer, amplifying the mouthfeel and balancing the acidity of the lemon. Brewster Karen Allen designed the beer to pair with oysters and seafood, and this 5.2% ABV and 38 IBU easy drinking brew fits the bit perfectly.

• Also new at Gahan is the Harvest Ale, a 5% Pale Ale, brewed with a variety of wet hops that Brewster Allen picked from Boxing Rock’s Emily Tipton’s yard (yes, she knew!). The hops shine through mostly in the aroma, with a combination of floral and fruity notes, and the characteristic grassy aspect commonly found in wet-hopped beers. Grab this one today before it is gone for another year! And keep your eyes peeled for the return of Allen’s Hopgoblin IRA v2.0 later this month, a malt-forward Red Ale with plenty of body to keep you warm as the temperatures decrease.

• The crew at Breton Brewing is releasing their first seasonal next week, in celebration of Celtic Colours (running Oct 9-17). This Cape Breton Island-wide celebration of music and culture will see musicians and artisans highlight the natural and cultural beauty of the region. And how better to celebrate, than with a beer! Celtic Colours Maple Lager was brewed with maple syrup from local producer Acadian Maple. The final beer weighs in at 5.5% ABV and 15 IBUs, and features a nice maple flavour and light aroma. Look for it on tap at the brewery and around the Island, including Flavor on the Water, Governor’s, Old Triangle, Red Shoe Pub, and Iona Heights Inn.

• Authentic Seacoast has released their Rare Bird Pumpkin Ale this week. This 5.5% ABV and 35 IBU beer features fresh local pumpkins and squash, that are then spiced and roasted on site before addition to the beer. These flavours complement and contrast the base beer’s bitter and crisp character, for a lovely meeting of the minds. It is available at the Rare Bird Pub in Guysborough (which is now in fall hours, open for growler and bottle sales 12-5pm, M-F), as well as the private beer stores in HRM and select ANBL stores. And for those looking to learn more about the Authentic Seacoast story, CBC recently visited Guysborough and spoke with Glynn Williams, who is heavily investing in this small Nova Scotia community. Listen to Atlantic Voice.

• Meander River in Ashdale, NS released an IPA with their own homegrown hops, named… Homegrown IPA. It was brewed exclusively with their own fresh hops, used within hours of picking. A lighter ABV (4.2%), but lots of hop and malt flavour shines through. Look for another one of their cider releases in the coming weeks, as they have been experimenting with another blend of Annapolis Valley apples.

• Uncle Leo’s in Lyon’s Brook, NS has released a new Altbier. This traditional German style features a copper colour, and a light body with a significant bitterness and flavour hop presence. At 5.2% ABV, it is available at the brewery for growler fills, and on tap at select bars in the province.

• Next Friday, Oct 9th, the Atlantic Canadian Craft Beer Oktoberfest will take place in Moncton at the Crowne Plaza downtown. Organized by the Moncton Beer League, the festival will feature beers from six NB craft breweries (Acadie-Broue, Celtic Knot, Fils-du-Roy, Grimross, Petit-Sault, and Pump House), four from Nova Scotia (Bad Apple, Boxing Rock, Garrison, and Propeller), and the PEI Brewing Co., along with six different food stations from local producers. There are two types of tickets available: the regular session ($58 + fee) is from 7:30 – 10 pm and gets you a souvenir glass and unlimited beer samples; the VIP session ($68 + fee) lets you in an hour earlier at 6:30 pm, and includes a special glass, unlimited samples, and access to an industry panel discussion and guided beer tasting. Tickets are on sale online; part of the proceeds will go towards supporting the United Way of Greater Moncton and Southeastern NB.

• The James Joyce Irish Pub has officially launched their Mug Club as of yesterday. Limited to 30 members, the sold-out club gives members their own, numbered mug, larger pours, deals on food, and access to exclusive events at the pub. Yesterday’s launch also featured the first-ever cask at the Joyce (Picaroons Yippee IPA); casks will be making more appearances at future Mug Club events, and will likely be available to non-members as well.

Thanks for reading this week! If you’re around Fredericton, TrailWay has brought back their American Stout; look for it on tap around the city. PEI Brewing Co. has released cans of their Rogues Roost IPA in PEI and NB; it is available at the ANBL Growler stations this weekend, and should be following in NS soon. Savoie’s Brewhouse in Charlo, NB, is releasing a pair of new beers in the next few days. Their Charlo Falls IPA and Heron’s Nest Honey Brown (made with local honey) will both be debuting at the Heron’s Nest Pub soon. Both are 5% ABV, and will be released in bottles at the ANBL this fall. Due to poor weather, Good Robot‘s Sowr Soul Pig Roast has been delayed to Saturday, October 17th, however their Leave Me Blue Kentucky Corn Beer will still be available beginning this weekend. Pump House Brewery has released their Oktoberfest Lager today. Look for this 5.5% amber lager at the brewpub and ANBL shortly. Finally, congratulations to Picaroons’ Sean Dunbar, who has been elected to the Board of Directors of Beer Canada, in a new position “representing Atlantic small brewers”; you can read the full press release here.