AWOL Brewery

All posts tagged AWOL Brewery

Happy Friday y’all! Another great week for beer in Atlantic Canada, with the official Launch Party of Moncton’s AWOL Brewery happening tomorrow (more info on the brewery and event in yesterday’s post), updates and first looks from Lone Oak’s Brewpub coming soon to Charlottetown’s Milky Way, and new beers for us to tell you about from all four provinces. We are bursting at the seams with content, so let’s dive right in!

Let’s start this week’s news with a reminder that this is the last week and weekend of April, CBANS’ Nova Scotia Craft Beer Month. Tomorrow is Open Brewery Day, with breweries across the province holding special events , brewing demonstrations, new beer launches, and live music in their spaces, there is sure to be something for everyone everywhere to enjoy. As you make your way to a new or favourite brewery, there will be plenty of new beers pouring and available to take away, including…

Nyanza’s Big Spruce Brewing, who have released their Brave Noise Pale Ale. A reminder that Brave Noise is the worldwide movement and collaboration to create inclusive and safe spaces for women, LGTBQ+, and BIPOC, namely anyone otherwise underrepresented or made to feel less than welcome in the beer industry. Big Spruce brewed the suggested 4.5% ABV American Pale Ale recipe on International Women’s Day, and are ready to release it to the world now. Available on tap for pints and fills at the brewery now, it is also packaged in 473ml cans in their retail fridge, for home delivery, and at the freshly stocked fridge at Warehouse Market at 2867 Isleville Street in Halifax. Proceeds from the sale are being donated to a Cape Breton-based Women and Children’s shelter.

Big Spruce has also released That’s So Bougie this week, a Foedre-Fermented Wild Saison. Leveraging hints of oak from the wooden vessel it fermented and conditioned in, this 7.0% pale-coloured saison is bursting with ester and spice and floral notes, on a lively effervescent base, all thanks to the multifaceted wild saison yeast(s) used to ferment. Cans only for this release, look for it in the usual spaces you’ll find Big Spruce beer.

Fresh off celebrating their Sixth Anniversary last weekend (Congrats to Becky and her team!) Sober Island Brewing has a new light beer on the taps and in cans, to celebrate the coming warmer months. Expect to see a different beers in this category from SIBC in the coming months, with the first of those being a 4.3% light ale, dry-hopped with Azacca for a citrus and tropical vibe without being too heavy or filling. Look for future iterations to inch lower in ABV while incorporating more local malt. No official name yet, as that will be revealed with the label design inthe summer. Just ask for the Light Beer and they’ll steer you right! May we suggest dropping by tonight around 7PM, as Shannon Dalberg from Mountain Meadworks will be onsite doing a guided tasting of five of her meads, to showcase the flavours available in this honey-derived beverage. And big things are happening on the Eastern Shore, as Sober Island prepares to open their Musquodoboit Harbour Beer Garden May 19th, and in June, Andre Pettipas and the Giants will mark the opening of their home base outdoor beer garden space. More on those events closer to the dates.

Greenwich’s Delta Force Brewing has brewed and released a second and third beer in the Make Peace Not War beer project. Joining the Dry-Hopped Farmshed Sour are the Valley Lager and Farmshed Tripel. Both available in 500 ml bottles, and 40% of all proceeds are being donated to Red Cross efforts in Ukraine. Easy drinking, fizzy and pale, the Valley Lager is no nonsense and straight to the point at 5.1% ABV and 33 IBU. On the other end of the spectrum is the Farmshed Tripel, at 9.8% ABV, quite dry, with plenty of citrus esters from the style-accurate yeast.Learn more about the beer and project, and order yours today from their website!

Straight out of Annapolis Royal, Annapolis Brewing has a trio of new beers available on draught and in cans this week to tell you about. The inaugural brew on their new brewhouse, Maiden Voyage Kolsch is a 5.5% crisp and easy-drinking hybrid beer, highlighting the straw and bready character from the malt, and just a touch of fruit ester character imparted by the yeast. A light balancing of hops helps to round out the entire package. Maiden Voyage joins their Northern Lights White IPA, which has been tweaked ever so slightly to continuously improve the recipe. 5.0% ABV Wheat Ale, featuring a full mouthfeel and great head retention, with additions of Citra, Amarillo, and Simcoe dry-hopping further enhance the coriander and curacao orange peel used in the boil (along with enough bittering hops to get up to 50 IBU). And finally, Annapolis have released their collaborative Brew for Ukraine Putin Huylo Golden Ale, with all proceeds from can and tap sales going to relief and recovery efforts in Ukraine. Tweaking the original Pravda Brewery recipe slightly, their 5.0% Golden Ale is dry-hopped with Cascade to impart some great citrus aroma and flavour.

Hot off the press (cold off the canning line?) today is the latest “locals [ingredients] only” beer from Halifax’s 2 Crows Brewing. Terra is a classic American Pale Ale, using only Maritime-grown and -processed ingredients. Starting from a base of Shoreline Pale and Pilsner malts, along with Toasted Wheat and Amber Malt from fellow PEI-based maltsters Island Malt House. Tapping into the fine growers at Lakeview Hops in New Brunswick, whose Chinook hops ended up in the mash and during first wort transfer, aided by more Chinook and now Cascade in the whirlpool post-boil. Fermented with a clean ale yeast strain to let the malt and hops take centre stage, the actively fermenting beer received even more of both hops for some lovely bio-transformation of the aromatic terpenes. Using the yeast burps of carbon dioxide to their advantage through the technique of spunding (keeping the CO2 in the vessel to naturally carbonate the beer), and adding just a touch more sugar to complete the carbonation in the can. Think West-Coast-y Pale, with flavours of grapefruit and pine with a solid bitterness to boot. This 5.8% ABV Pale Ale is on shelves at 2 Crows now, and at the NSLC in your neck of the woods real soon.

And if you can’t find a designated driver to take you around to all of the breweries in the province, may we suggest taking in the Tapped Truro Beer Fest, where about 20 breweries will be pouring their wares, plus food vendors, games, and you can even upgrade your ticket to include a shuttle back to your house, hotel, or AirBnB to arrive safely. Grab tickets here!

There is lots of action happening in Deer Lake, as Rough Waters Brewing has a bunch of new releases! Starting with Priestess, a fruited milkshake NEIPA that is fruity, full bodied, and a bit sweet. At 5.9% with additions of cherries and blueberries and a big dry-hopping of Lotus, it sports a delicious aroma with a slightly berry-forward flavour. Another new release is Knock Out. This is a 6% Brut IPA, following the dry champagne style packed with dry hops to bring topical citrus notes and a dry finish. Third on the list is one of their new Sour Series, Spiced Grapefruit! What is the spice? Ginger root! What is the grapefruit? Grapefruit puree! The base of the sour series is a Berliner Weisse and is a tweak of their Canadian Brewing Awards Silver Medal winning Sou’wester beer. All three of the releases above are available in 473ml cans at NLC stores across Newfoundland and different stores around St. John’s, too. 

Over the last few weeks, we’ve seen the release of several IPAs that are pushing as much fruit character out of the hops as possible using specialised yeast strains or Phantasm (extracted from Sauvignon Blanc grapes). The name of the game here is freeing thiols, aromatic compounds that punch above their weight when it comes to tropical fruit character. PEI’s Lone Oak Brewing is the latest to hop on the thiol train with the release of Phancy. The 7% ABV hazy IPA is low on bitterness, but high in fruit flavour and aroma, including notes of passion fruit, tangerine and grape juice. Phancy is available now at the taproom in Borden or for delivery via their online store.

Over in Mount Pearl, the team at Landwash is teaming up with St. John’s tech company, CoLab Software, for the first release in their Make/Shift series. Collab CoLab, Citra Citra Citra is a hazy DDH IPA, that Landwash is calling one of the most juicy, assertive IPA they’ve brewed to date. It features several iterations of the citrusy Citra hop, including the OG Citra T-90 pellets, an addition of T-45 Citra and Citra Spectrum during fermentation for the biotransformation effect, and a final dry hop with more hop pellets. Citra Spectrum is a newer product that uses the essential oils from the hops. Since it comes in liquid form, it can add a lot of hop character without impacting yields at all. Collab CoLab, Citra Citra Citra is available now at the taproom and should also be hitting the shelves at Landwash’s retail partners across the province this weekend. 

A couple of short newsbites before we let you go for the week…

As mentioned in last week’s post, Lunn’s Mill was just packaging up ЧЕРВОНІ ОЧІ (Red Eyes) American Amber Ale in support of the Brew for Ukraine initiative, and now we’re able to tell you the beer is available now to order through their online store, or directly at their taproom in Lawrencetown and The Station in Bridgetown.

In the category of “coming soon”, Lunn’s Mill has a new release in collaboration and support of Annapolis Royal Pride, the brewery is looking for submissions to design a label for Saisons of Love. All submissions must be in a high resolution format and submitted by May 1st to annapolisroyalpride@gmail.com for a chance to win some prizes from the brewery.

Trailway continues its streak of non-hazy releases with the return of Emerald. Their 5% ABV take on a New Zealand style pilsner features Nelson Sauvin hops and additions of lime juice and zest. Cans of Emerald are available now.

Staying in Fredericton, Maybee Brewing Company is releasing Paddle On Pale Ale.  This one is lower on ABV at 4.5%, but plenty bitter at 45 IBUs. Expect a light body and notes of grapefruit and peach. Find it on tap at the brewery today. 

As part of their 25th Anniversary celebration, Propeller Brewing has released the latest new beer in their portfolio, Guavarama Summer Ale. Featuring loads of juicy guava, as well as plenty of blackberries, this 4.8% ABV beer is a lovely glimpse of summer to come with tropical vibes and just a little tang, hazy pink in the glass. Find it on tap and in cans at all three Propeller Shops in Dartmouth and Halifax, online for local delivery or shipping, and at the private stores in HRM and at the airport.

A short drive from Antigonish, Half Cocked Brewing has a new release joining their tap lineup. Lemon Lime Farmhouse is a refreshing release leading into the warmer weather. Using additions of kaffir lime leaves and lemongrass to a slightly tart 5% ABV base, these add lighter flavours instead of the actual peel or fruit. This beer is available starting today on tap or growlers to go. 

Church Brewing has a new release out now, with Blonde available from the brewery and online now in 473ml cans. This is a 5.0% classic blonde ale with some light fruitiness, a gentle hap flavour and medium body. This will be available soon in the NSLC and if you liked their previous blonde release, In Your Honour, from a few years ago, we imagine this will be right up your alley! 

Looking to get into the beer business? Read on!

We’ll close with a job posting on Nova Scotia’s beautiful South Shore. The team at Hell Bay Brewing is looking to grow with the addition of full-time Assistant Brewer. Prior brewing experience is an asset, but a passion for beer and willingness to learn may get you in the door if you’re lacking experience. Apply via hellbaybrewing@eastlin.ca or by dropping by the brewery in Liverpool.

AWOL Brewery, a Canadian Armed Forces Veteran-owned brewery in the Moncton region, is up and running as of this month, and celebrating its Launch Party at the All Ranks Moncton Mess this weekend. We caught up with owner and brewer, Robert Black, to learn more about his journey to open AWOL, their current and future offerings, and much more!

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and AWOL?
My name is Bobby and am the brewer/owner of a new craft brewery located in Moncton, New Brunswick. I am a retired Sgt. from the Army, and started this project after my medical release in 2015. AWOL Brewery is primarily marketed towards serving and retired members of the Canadian Armed Forces, as well as first responders, but not exclusively so. We are part of the Buy Veteran movement, and give back to Veteran non-profit organizations, through a percentage of sales from our merchandise and a selection of our seasonal/specialty beers.

Can you tell us about your brewery and plans for distribution?
The brewery is a 3 BBL (~350 litre) electric brewery, powered exclusively by solar energy, thanks to the panels on the roof of our building. While our current brewing location is not open to the public, we are focusing on providing licensees in the region with beer. The focus is on the development of the brand and getting exposure, before we expand into a new space, which could include a taproom. Where to find us on tap is always expanding, so it’s best to check the list on our website for the up-to-date information. Currently pouring at the All Ranks Moncton Mess (ARMM), Laundromat Expresso Bar, Timber Lounge, and Furnace Room in Moncton, and on the rotating taps at The Joyce Pub in Fredericton. The ARMM is not normally open to the public, except during special events.

Can you tell us about the beers you have available now, and plans for the future?
Currently, we have an American Pale Ale, Tactical Pause APA, as a regular full-time listed beer. This beer is a 5% ABV hop-forward pale ale, with German Caramel malts to give it some body and help balance out the bitterness of the Warrior and Amarillo hops used to make it 36 IBU.
Throughout the year we will be rotating different beer styles in our seasonal selection. By our second year, we plan on promoting the best performing seasonal beer to a permanent listing. Our first seasonal beer is a Smoked Amber Ale, called The Smoker, named after the (rare) post-military training exercise beer call and BBQ. Lightly smoked using traditional German Beechwood-smoked malt, along with German Caramel malts and American Hops to help balance the flavor. The Smoker Ale is at 5.1% ABV 24 IBU and displays a colour of 15 SRM. This beer pairs nicely with anything from the grill, and the smoke does not overwhelm your sense of taste.
The next seasonal beer is a Red Lager brewed with German lager yeast and German Cara malts. It weighs in at 5.0% ABV. No special for it yet, other than calling it AWOL R.E.D. Lager. All three of these will be available on tap at the Launch Party, and at the other licensees, then it’s hard at work on releasing summer seasonal beers.

What can folks expect at the Launch Party Saturday?
From 6PM on Saturday, at the All Ranks Moncton Mess (Building 47 at 299 Park Street), we are inviting the public to join the active and veteran communities to help us celebrate our launch. We will be onsite pouring our three beers, reconnecting with old friends and making new ones, the BBQ will be fired up and we will have burgers and sausages available after 6:30, with merchandise such as shirts, glassware, and stickers available for purchase. And door prizes to say thank you to those who come out to support! We have more details on our Facebook and Instagram pages.

How can we keep up with the latest AWOL Brewery news?
We have Facebook and Instagram pages, and we update our website with new beer releases, merchandise, and licensees. Look for an online store for merch coming soon!

Congratulations to Robert and Julie Black on the launch of AWOL, we know it has been many years in the making!

Happy April! We promise, this is a prank-free zone, despite the date on the calendar. It also is the first day of Nova Scotia Craft Beer Month, which, given the current COVID situation does not have any major all-encompassing events (hopefully come fall!), though breweries are encouraged to hold their own and highlight some fresh releases (as they do year-round). But let’s kick off the week’s news in New Brunswick, with news of a brewery that has been nearly a decade in planning…

After attempts dating back to 2014, we are thrilled to share that AWOL Brewery in Moncton is now fully licensed and selling beer! Owned and operated by Canadian Army Veteran Robert Black, AWOL operates from a fully-electric 350 litre (3 BBL) system, fed entirely by solar power (with battery backup) in the Greater Moncton Area. Part of the Buy Veteran movement, and living up to their creed of “Serve those who Serve us”, their first licensee is the Moncton Garrison All Ranks Mess Hall, with Marky’s Laundromat Espresso Bar and The Joyce in Fredericton now also serving their beer. Their Tactical Pause American Pale Ale is 5.0% ABV and 36 IBU, with plenty of hops on the palate and nose to allow drinkers a break in their day. And from both German and American influence comes The Smoker, an Amber Ale brewed using Beechwood-smoked German malt, complementing the Canadian-grown base, and featuring American Warrior and Willamette hops throughout. Both beers are available at all three locations, and keep your eyes open here and on AWOL’s Social Media (Fb/IG) for details of their official launch later this month. Congratulations to Robert and the whole AWOL team!

Hailing from Sainte-Marie-de-Kent, New Brunswick, Broue du Païen has released a new beer this week, featuring malt grown and processed by their Acadian Peninsula neighbours Distillerie Fils du Roy. Kent Light is a crisp and light pseudo-lager, and at just 4.0% ABV, perfect for enjoying a couple after work, or while tending to the garden. Fils du Roy’s Pilsner Malt features heavily in the grain bill, imparting just enough character to keep this light beer interesting. BdP are offering home delivery in their hometown, as well as down the shore into the Greater Moncton Area. Hit them up via direct message on Facebook or Instagram to speak up for your own Kent Light, or Bouctouche Pale Ale, Cocagne Chocolate Stout, or Dunkles Bock today!

As today is the start to Nova Scotia Craft Beer Month, let’s get you up to speed with the new releases in the Bluenoser province…

Alright, we promise this isn’t a joke, but with the fellas from Delta Force, it doesn’t hurt to ask first! 😉
Today they have released Operation Bamboozle, a 10% ABV boozer that they’re only describing as a Malt Beverage. Separating this from others in that wide swath of styles is that this underwent a secondary fermentation with Brettanomyces to really dry it out, and lend just a touch of extra estery goodness. Packaged in beautifully ornate double-wax-dipped growlers with custom hand-drawn labels, Bamboozle is only available in very limited supply, so check out their How to Buy page to grab it or another of their current offerings from the Anderlecht Farmshed Ale, Bap Nurungji Lager, or duelling Mean Time and Pacific Time Brett Bitters.

If you are dialled-in to the scientific goings on in the beer world (seriously, this is a thing that happens and has always happened: beer nerds trying to make better, tastier beer!), you may have recently started hearing the term “thiols.” Actually if you’re into wine you might have heard the term quite some time ago, specifically in relation to Sauvignon Blanc varietals, especially those from New Zealand. Thiols are a magic little sulphur-containing hydrocarbon (basically the sulphurous analogue to alcohols) that, like sulphur itself, are exceptionally detectable in aroma and flavour (like, parts-per-trillion). The good news is that they smell and taste nothing like sulphur, oh no, they bring tropical notes reminiscent of gooseberry, guava, and passionfruit! Some hops (notably Citra and Mosaic) contain “free” thiols, but others contain “bound” thiols that are undetectable unless they can be freed. Enter every brewer’s and beer fan’s favourite microbe, YEAST! Several yeast labs are working on products that can release bound thiols and Canada’s own Escarpment Labs is on that list. Escarpment has bred a custom hybrid yeast strain that reliably frees bound thiols in other (much cheaper) varieties of hops like Cascade and Saaz. Called “Thiol Libré,” breweries are lining up to use it in a new beer, most often a tropically fruity hazy IPA, of course!

Enter Big Spruce Brewing in Nyanza, who are the first in the region (that we’ve noticed) to get a beer out using this brand new yeast strain. Enter Alors On Danse, a 7.1% double IPA released not only to show off this new yeast strain, but to help celebrate Big Spruce’s 9th Birthday! (Holy H! Where does the time go?!) Described as “soft, silky, and unapologetically juicy,” should be a tropical fruit bomb in a glass. Look for it on tap at Stillwell, Battery Park, and Maritime Express (and no doubt some other places), in cans at your favourite purveyor who sells Big Spruce, and obviously at the brewery for pints and fills as well as cans. And though there won’t be any big official celebrations (we’re guessing they’re saving up for a 10th birthday bash next year), raise your glass to nine years of Big Spruce!!

Dartmouth’s Spindrift Brewing is releasing Athena Pink Guava IPA today, designed and brewed by the dynamic Brew Team duo of Sophie Zimmer and Kristi White. Originally planned as a release for International Women’s Day, supply chain issues caused delays in the cans, which sport art created by White as well. Now that those are here, the beer has been packaged and is ready for all of us! Featuring fresh pink guava puree and plenty of dry-hopping of New Zealand hops Rakau and Wai-ti, look for massive tropical punch nose and flavour in this New England IPA. Available on tap and in cans at the brewery, and at their regular licensees and retail partners soon! And we’ll have plenty of info on their release of Brave Noise later this month!

We mentioned it a couple of weeks ago, and now it is a reality, Garrison Brewing’s release of Putin Huylo Strong Golden Ale. This is part of the world-wide charitable collaboration with Pravda Brewery of Lviv, Ukraine, Brew For Ukraine, with 100% of the profits going to Ukrainian Relief. Bottles of this 7.0% beer are available today at both of their retail spots (Seaport Brewery and Oxford Taproom), so be sure to pop in and grab a couple tomorrow! [Ed note: originally to be released Friday, but delays mean a delay] And while you’re there, you’ll no doubt spot a new label for the recently re-launched, and now full-time Hoppy Boy IPA. Featuring loads of Azacca, Denali, Idaho 7, and Lemondrop hops, this 6.5% IPA is kinda-sorta a hybrid of the classic American and New England IPA styles. All 2 Row malt fermented with a clean yeast leaves the hops to take centre stage, with floral, tropical, and citrus aromatics. Cans are also rolling out to private stores as well as a few NSLC locations. This 25-year old dog *does* still learn new tricks!

Speaking of Brew For Ukraine, in future beer news, Lunn’s Mill has announced that they will be releasing Red Eyes as part of the fundraising collaboration, and are giving you a chance to put your nickel down to secure yours. An American Red Ale, Cascade and Columbus hops impart plenty of great citrus on top of a well-balanced ruby-coloured beer. As part of the fundraising, the Lunn’s Mill release will see all of the profits going to the effort to Ukrainian relief. Fire up those browsers and show your support by pre-ordering your cans at LM’s online shop!

Three’s a charm this week when it comes to Brews for the Ukraine, as another Annapolis Valley Brewery, Sea Level Brewing in Sheffield Mills has also brewed up a Pravda Beer Theatre & Brewery recipe in support. Mriya is Ukrainian for “dream” or “inspiration” and also the name of the Ukrainian-designed and -built heaviest cargo aircraft ever built, the Antonov model An-225 that was destroyed at Antonov Airport in Kyiv in March. We’re not sure if there’s any connection there, but it’s an interesting sidebar if nothing else. Under the auspices of the Brew For Ukraine program, proceeds from sales of Sea Level’s Mriya will go towards humanitarian support during the invasion crisis. Look for a release date towards the end of April/early May. We’ll try to get all the details for you when that happens!

And why not bring together a pair of Dartmouth favourites once again with Burst SnakeBite. North Brewing got beer in Lake City’s cider, or maybe Lake City spilled cider in North Brewing’s beer…. Either way, the resulting blend is a deadly combination! Alloy Champagne IPA (think dry and hoppy) was blended with Exit 6 Blueberry and Dark Currant cider to birth the 6.5% amalgam, available from both spots right now!

Keep your eyes here for CBANS events as they are announced, but in the meantime, we’ve got one featuring an out-of-province brewery those in Halifax probably won’t want to miss…

Eagle eyes have noticed the Instagram stories of both Stillwell HQ and the Freehouse are featuring Town Brewing out of Whitby, Ontario and an (ominous?) date of Saturday, April 2nd. While we don’t think this is a takeover or anything, it sounds like there will be some new-to-the-region beers available at both locations starting tomorrow. Flats of cans and what looks like evidence of a tap-poured are featured in those stories, so if you’re into checking out some beers that you’d otherwise have to travel a ways for, maybe head down to a Stilly location near you tomorrow for some special treats!

More and more spots are increasing their hiring as the weather warms and the public gets thirstier, so let’s see if we can make a match for you today!

We’ve mentioned their upcoming expansion, and now that it is months away, Moncton’s Tire Shack Brewing is ready to get the right people in house to help make that happen! They are looking for a second Brewer to join the team to keep their fermenters fed and happily chugging away to keep the good stuff flowing. Drop Jerica, Alan, and Henry a line via email to learn the ins and outs, and get your name at the top of the list if you say we sent ya! (your results may vary)

PEI Brewing Company is hiring for several positions at their home base in Charlottetown, including a Brewer, Packaging Hand, Delivery & Warehouse Assistant, as well as Beer Guide, or Line Cook. All of the details on these positions, and how to apply (as well as a few other openings across the Murphy Group family of companies) are available on their hiring portal.