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Friday Wrap-Up – News from Tatamagouche Brewing, Unfiltered, Big Spruce, Picaroons, and more!

Posted by acbbchris on 2015-10-16
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: Atlantic Canadian Brewing Awards, Big Spruce Brewing, Boxing Rock Brewing, Brasseurs du Petit Sault, Celtic Oktoberfest, Hammond River Brewing, Hell Bay Brewing, Lion & Bright, Picaroons, Red Rover Craft Cider, Stillwell Beer Bar, Tatamagouche Brewing, Unfiltered Brewing. Leave a Comment

There are several new beer releases this week, plus some events worth attending, coming up in the next couple of weeks. Let’s get right to it!

• Tatamagouche Brewing has been busy recently, and we all get to reap the rewards. Firstly, they have released an additional number of bottles from their Giant Beer series, featuring Giantess Barleywine, Baltic Porter, and Rum Barrel Aged Dreadnot Black IPA, joining the last few Russian Imperial Stout bottles they had released last month. These are the last bottles from the initial run, and would do very well with a few months of cellaring due to the higher alcohol content. We received word that a new batch of barrel-aged Dreadnot will be out shortly, after spending some time in Ironworks rum barrels.

• Another specialty beer from Tata out again is their Horns Over Hooves Double IPA, brewed with the crew from Stubborn Goat. For the first time, this 8.0% ABV and 80 IBU beer will be available on tap, in growlers, AND cans, with the latter available soon at the private stores in Halifax. And, in another first, Tata has sent a shipment of beer to the NSLC. Cans of their North Shore Lagered Ale will be available throughout the province in the coming weeks, allowing drinkers from Yarmouth to Sydney to enjoy their wares. Hopefully this helps to continue the trend of greater access to NS craft beers at the NSLC.

• And finally in Tatamagouche news, their latest new beer was released yesterday. Ging’ Sync : Rye, Rye, Rye is a 5.5% ABV and 17 IBUs ale. On top of the spicy rye notes from the malt bill and Cascade and Willamette hops in the base beer, 6 kg of ginger and sweet orange peel was added in the kettle and hopback, for a ginger spice and citrus aroma. Another kilo of ginger was added during the conditioning stage to amp up the ginger aroma and bite, for a true Rye and Ginger character. Their firkin for Cask Days (more on that below) features even *more* fresh ginger, along with caraway seeds, for a heightened Ging’ Sync experience. And keep an eye open for a barrel-aged version of the brew, Giant Beer: Dark n’ Stormy, out in the coming months.

• Unfiltered Brewing is releasing another SMaSH (single-malt and single-hop) Double IPA today at the brewery. All Falc’d Up was brewed with 2-row base malt and plenty of Falconer’s Flight hops; Falconer’s Flight is actually a combination of several different varieties, giving heavy amounts of tropical, citrus, and floral notes. Weighing in at 7.5% ABV and a calculated 100+ IBUs, this should be the perfect beer to replace the extremely-popular previous SMaSH DIPA, Double Orange Ale. Hop on down to the brewery today to get your growlers filled!

• Big Spruce Brewing in Nyanza is holding a beer lunch/beer launch today. Starting at noon, they will be serving up slow-roasted pig, courtesy of local farm Forever Green Organic Farm. This 80kg heritage breed pig will be paired with Apple/cabbage slaw, Gallo Pinto featuring Big Spruce-farm grown beans, along with pico de gallo and tomatillo sauces, mole and others. And to wash it down, the Smokin’ Jack It Pumpkin Beer will be launched at noon. Joining the taps will be their latest specialty brew, Gimme Nelson, a conspiracy brew with Bar Stillwell. In the same vein as their Gimme Citra beer from the summer, this 5.7% ABV and 34 IBU American Pale Ale features loads of the New Zealand hop, Nelson Sauvin, late in the boil and in dry hopping, for an emphasis on the aroma and flavour of the hop, rather than the bitterness. And speaking of launching, throughout the afternoon, they will be using their trebuchet to launch pumpkins into the Bras d’Or lake (or as close as they can get them ;)). From 2pm, their house band, Asaph Deuce, will be keeping everyone entertained. Don’t worry if the weather doesn’t look too friendly, there is a tent set up in the parking lot just in case. As such, people are asked to park on Yankee Line Rd.

• Over in New Brunswick, Picaroons has released a couple of new beers for growler fills at the Brewtique. First up is Ginger Ale; consisting of a “wide and varied malt bill” made up primarily of Pilsner, Wheat malt, and Rye malt, along with “significant amounts” of Munich and Vienna, it was lightly hopped with Amarillo and Mt. Hood. In addition, real ginger root was added both in the boil and the hop percolator, along with generous helpings of lemon peel and Rooibos tea. All this comes together to give the beer a slightly sweet taste, similar to a fall ginger tea, with a “pleasant herbal finish” according to the brewery. This amber-coloured ale weighs in at 6% ABV and ~20 IBUs. Pics has also just put out their Magnum PEI, a hop-forward American Amber Ale that has been hopped with fresh Magnum from My Father’s Farm in Pownal, Prince Edward Island. Only a single batch was made; as mentioned, it’s available at the Brewtique for growler fills until it’s gone.

• Speaking of Picaroons, they’re holding a Harvest Ale Dinner at Lion & Bright in Halifax on Sunday, October 25th from 6 – 9 pm. The $50 ticket price includes three courses with beer pairings, with all food featuring freshly-harvested local ingredients. Picaroons’ Tony Goss will be hosting the dinner, telling the story behind every beer that will be paired throughout the evening. Only 45 tickets are available; they can be purchased at the event link above.

• Petit-Sault is releasing yet another brand new beer today, Simone Hébert, a Belgian Dubbel named after “an important land owner” in Edmundston in the early 19th century who stood up to American commissioners who claimed his lands were on American territory. Brewed with a little bit of Chocolate malt and plenty of dark Belgian candi syrup to give it the style-classic notes of dark fruit and mild chocolate, it comes through as “rich, malty, and fruity with a surprisingly dry finish”, according to the brewery. Hopped lightly with Willamette and Hallertau to 20 IBUs, it weighs in at 7% ABV. This one will be available only at the brewery for growler fills, so get over there to give it a try!

• Tickets are selling quickly for October 24th’s Celtic Oktoberfest in Port Hawkesbury. Featuring unlimited sampling from seven breweries and one winery (Big Spruce, Boxing Rock, Breton Brewing, Garrison Brewing, Hell Bay, Tatamagouche, Uncle Leo’s, and Eileanan Breagha Vineyards), food from ten different local producers is also included (Barykin Bistro, Buschmann Free Range Bio, Clove Hitch Bar & Bistro, Dancing Goat Cafe & Bakery, Fleur De Lis Tea Room, Governor’s Pub & Eatery, Louie’s Cosy Corner, Martin’s Fine Bakery, Miller’s Tap & Grill, and the NSCC Culinary Program). And of course, live music throughout the evening from Nuallan and Beech Hill. Grab your tickets today, it will be a blast!

• Next week will mark the 11th Anniversary of Cask Days in Toronto. Put on by the family crew that owns Bar Volo, it is a celebration of Cask beer. Thanks to the folks at Bar Stillwell, there will be more than a dozen Maritime beers available at the fest again this year. The full list of beers is available here. We reached out to the breweries to find out more details on which beers they would be sending. There are several new beers on the list that we will share the details of, when they are released in our region.

Big Spruce: Bitter Getter India Black IPA and Gimme Nelson American Pale Ale, collab with Stillwell.

Boxing Rock: The Darkness Cascadian Dark Ale and Vicar’s Cross Double IPA

Breton Brewing: Celtic Colours Maple Lager

The Brewnosers: Special Bitter

Garrison Brewing: Imperial Chocolate Stout and Vulcan Ale – Genesis Effect Red Session IPA

Hell Bay: English Ale

North Brewing: TBA

PEI Brewing: Island Vibes American Pale Ale and Roll Out The Barrels (Barrel Aged Lager w/ Brett)

Pumphouse: Thai Wheat

Tatamagouche Brewing: Rye & Ginger

Unfiltered Brewing: Exile on North Street IPA, Flat Black Jesus American Stout, and Twelve Years To Zion Double IPA

Upstreet: Gravedigger Imperial Pumpkin Ale

• Attention Halifax beer fans! Tomorrow marks the last day of the 2015 season for the Stillwell Beergarden, so be sure to drop by for a pint. We reached out to co-owner Andrew Connell for his thoughts on its inaugural year on the waterfront:

“I was personally really surprised at the response from people in and around Halifax. We wanted to create a space for ourselves to hang out, somewhere outside with an awesome view and good beer on tap. When we opened it felt like people had been waiting for that exact thing for way longer than I realized! At the height we were really surprising ourselves with the amount of beer we ordered from individual breweries every week. The problem became not having enough keg room space to have enough beer for a busy weekend! Halifax based breweries saved us, emergency keg deliveries several times a week just to keep up with demand – they were awesome. The response of the community in Halifax was incredible and we definitely put craft beer in to a lot of people’s hands who were completely new to the idea – I’m sure you can appreciate that it always feels great to do that and to be on the front line supporting Nova Scotia craft beer. As far as next year goes, if we are able to do the Beergarden again, we just want to raise the bar for the whole experience. The best selection of Nova Scotia craft beer that we can get our hands on, more variety on the snack side and we’ll invest in making the space more fun (lawn games!) and more comfortable.”

We’re certainly looking forward to seeing them on the waterfront again next year, showcasing the best the NS breweries have to offer, to locals and visitors alike.

• Boxing Rock will be hosting a Harvest Party at their Shelburne brewery tomorrow. From 1-4pm, they will be holding free brewery tours, live music, serving up beer sausages, and have pumpkin-themed games for the whole family. At 2pm, co-owner and -brewer Henry Pedro will give a presentation on the Science of Beer. Expanding on his Mash talk at the Discovery Centre event during NS Craft Beer Week, he will go into more detail on the entire process, sure to satisfy both the brewing novice and beer nerd.

Have a fantastic weekend! Hammond River has a couple of favourites that have returned to tap accounts: both the Imperial Vanilla Porter (including the Bourbon-version) and Imperial Breakfast Stout (this time with more bacon!) should be available at better beer bars in the Quispamsis/Saint John region, and hopefully at the James Joyce at some point as well. Red Rover has also re-released their very popular Fall Cider, a 7% ABV semi-dry cider that has real cinnamon sticks added in secondary. If you haven’t tried Petit-Sault’s Oktoberfest, La Padrix, yet, it’s currently at all four ANBL growler stations. Hell Bay‘s
hop harvest beer will be released shortly, featuring fresh hops from local Dayspring hop farm. Also, look for 6-packs of their English and Dark Cream ales at the NSLC, replacing the 500ml format. Best of luck to all entrants in this weekend’s ACBAs. With 200 entries from across the Maritimes, the judges have their work cut out for them! We’ll be sharing the details of the winners next week. And from the folks organizing the ACBAs, a reminder that their Cicerone prep course for Certified Beer Server and Certified Cicerone are beginning this week. Get in touch with Peter Goneau for more details.

Friday Wrap-Up – News from Nine Locks , FirkinStein, YellowBelly, Grimross, Upstreet, and much more!

Posted by acbbshawn on 2015-10-09
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: Atlantic Canadian Brewing Awards, Big Axe Brewery, Big Spruce Brewing, Big Spruce Home Brew Challenge, Celtic Oktoberfest, FirkinStein Brewing, Flying Boats Brewing, Garrison Brewing, Grimross Brewing, James Joyce Irish Pub, Nine Locks Brewery, Red Rover Craft Cider, RockBottom Brewpub, Sunset Heights Meadery, The Nook and Cranny, Upstreet Craft Brewing, YellowBelly Brewery. Leave a Comment

Happy long weekend! Once again, plenty of beer news to share, including the opening of yet another brewery in Nova Scotia in the near future. Let’s dive right in…

• There is another new brewery coming to our region in the near future. Nine Locks Brewery will be opening near Lake Micmac in Dartmouth, NS in the next couple of months. It is a collaboration between Shaun O’Hearn (owner of Rockbottom Brewpub) and business partner Danny O’Hearn, with current Rockbottom head brewer Jake Saunders moving into the Brewmaster role across the bridge, and former Brutopia Brewmaster Chris Downey joining the team. Nine Locks will be focusing on American and English style beers, launching with an IPA and ESB, with more to follow shortly. Their beer will be available in cans and growlers at their storefront at 219 Waverley Rd, through the NSLC and private stores, and on tap at local bars and restaurants. Their 20 BBL/24hl DME brewhouse is being delivered next week, with launch expected late November/early December. Their website and social media pages will be launched shortly, and we’ll be sure to keep you up to date with their progress.

• Speaking of new breweries, FirkinStein are expanding their growler delivery program, and will be attending this weekend’s Hubbards Barn Farmers’ Market. From 8am-12pm (if the beer isn’t sold out earlier!), their Nor’easter Ale will be available to purchase in 0.95 & 1.89l growlers, along with their new branded glassware. They will be at the market for the next few weeks, until it closes for the season. And remember that their Bridgewater-area growler delivery service is available a few nights per week, contact them on Facebook or Twitter to get on board!

• YellowBelly Brewery in St John’s has brought back their popular Deep South IPA for a second go ’round. This New Zealand-, Australian- and American-inspired IPA features Pacific Gem hops from New Zealand and Mosaic hops from Australia for tropical fruit, grapefruit, and mint flavours and aromas. Like the previous batch, the Deep South was fermented with an American ale yeast (instead of their house British strain), to allow the hops to shine through even more. The IPA weighs in at 6.0% ABV and roughly 60 IBUs, and is available now on tap, and in take-away bottles shortly.

• Grimross has re-released their popular Chantelope, an all-Brettanomyces-fermented “wild ale”. First making its debut in August of 2014, this is the first batch that has been brewed since the brewery opened at their current location on Bishop Drive in Fredericton early this year. While the first brew was fermented with Brettanomyces bruxellensis, owner/brewer Stephen Dixon decided to try a different strain for this current batch: Brettanomyces brux. var. Drie, an isolate from the excellent Belgian brewery, Drie Fonteinen. Dixon says that the new Chantelope is “extremely fruity and flowery”, with lots of pineapple, tropical fruit, and candy-like aromas and flavours, along with a “jasmine-like” character. This light-coloured ale comes in at a lower-ABV (5.4%) than before, with about 23 IBUs. It’s available now at the brewery taproom for pours and growler fills, and at select Grimross accounts in the province. And just this morning, they’ve just released another batch of their Dubbel, back again after a few week hiatus. Look for the beer details here.

• Attention PEI beer lovers! There’ll be a new beer dropping today at 6pm. Literally! Upstreet is releasing their fall seasonal, Gravedigger Imperial Pumpkin Ale today, and are starting it off with a bang. They’ll be dropping a 200kg local pumpkin from 20 metres to make a big splash/splat, to kick-off the release. Before crying foul, they are using the opportunity to kick off a food drive in their tap room, where anyone bringing in a non-perishable food item will enjoy staff-priced pints until Oct 31st. So, what about the beer? It is years in the making, and was first brewed on a homebrew scale by Brewmaster Mike Hogan, along with local homebrewer Ryan Palmer a couple of years ago. The recipe uses a big malt bill, for a solid base to support the pumpkin pie character throughout. The beer weighs in at 7.5% ABV and about 30 IBUs. And while at the brewery, check out the beautiful screen-printed posters from Upstreet label artist Jud Haynes, each one numbered and signed by the artist. And keep an eye on their Facebook and Twitter feeds for more details on other upcoming events, including Yoga at the Brewery tomorrow, a fundraiser for Anderson House next Saturday, and their first Comedy Show, featuring Gavin Stephens, on Monday, October 19.

• Shediac’s Flying Boats Brewing, which has been operating for the last few months, has just seen a major expansion with the arrival of their 2 BBL/2.4 hectolitre system from Stout Tanks and Kettles. With a hot liquor tank, mash tun, boil kettle, brite tank, and four fermentation vessels, this will allow owner/brewer Marc Melanson to brew significantly more beer than previously able on his original, 10 gallon system. Several small-scale batches will be brewed at first to dial-in the new brewery, with full-size brews to follow shortly afterwards to meet “growing demand”, and supply new accounts who have been eagerly waiting to pour Flying Boats beer!

• Nyanza’a Big Spruce Brewing will be releasing their annual pumpkin beer next week. Smokin’ Jack It features the addition of several home farm-grown pumpkins, apple wood smoked right at the brewery. After fermentation, the beer was aged on rum-soaked cardamom, vanilla and cinnamon. It comes in at 5.5% ABV; look for it on tap at the brewery mid-week, and at better beer bars shortly thereafter. Don’t forget to drop by today starting at 11:30 for some food from Cruisin’ Cuisine Food Truck, with music by Maxim Cormier at 2pm. In fact, every afternoon from Oct 9-17 (except Sunday the 11th) at 2pm, there will be live music as part of the Celtic Colours festival. Check their Facebook page for the exact schedule. And Big Spruce also has an exciting program in the works with the folks at Escarpment Laboratories in Ontario, look for details on that in the coming months.

• Fredericton’s James Joyce Irish Pub has announced the launch of their “Meet your Makers”, an ongoing series of tap takeovers. An opportunity to try several brews from one brewery, each will also provide a chance to chat with the brewer(s) in a quiet setting and ask them questions on their process, ingredients, future plans, etc. A brewery-related food special will also be available at each event. First up is Big Axe on Friday, October 23rd. Starting at 7:30 pm, owners Peter and Tatiana Cole will be bringing at least six of their beers. Details on exactly which beers are not yet known, but they HAVE brewed up something special for this event, featuring the honey produced on the rooftop of the Crowne Plaza. Their latest re-release of the Wrath of Putin “Imperial Pale Ale” (out today) should be appearing as well. There’s no cost to attend, just show up and pay by the beer! Big Axe merchandise will be on hand for purchase.

• And while on the topic, the next Meet Your Makers has already been planned for Thursday, November 5th, to coincide with Guy Fawkes Night. Featuring Red Rover, expect plenty of cider on tap (including one or two new releases), with a good chance of a cask cider as well. A Guy Fawkes effigy will hang out in the pub until 10:30 pm, when it will be taken outside and burned in a bonfire (don’t worry, they have a permit!). More details to come.

• Garrison Brewing has a few new beers available now. Their 3 Fields Harvest Ale is out, brewed with fresh hops from Meander River Farm, Ross Farm Museum, and Wyskmykal Farm, added to the brew within hours of harvest. The beer weighs in at a hefty 6.4% ABV. On tap at the brewery only, they have brewed up a special cask of Cranapple Weisse, a cranberry- and apple-infused wheat beer, 5.0% ABV. For those in New Brunswick, look for their American Red on tap at the four ANBL growler filling stations. This blend of their Irish Red and India Pala Ale brings together the best of both worlds. Look out for a second batch of their Double Jack Imperial Pumpkin Ale to be refilling shelves at the brewery, NSLC, and beyond. Finally, Modem Hoperandi, celebrating The Stanfields‘ new album release, is also out now at the brewery.

• The 2nd Annual ACBAs are back, and tickets are now available to purchase for the Awards Gala at the Stubborn Goat. On Sunday, October 18th, the winners will be announced and the celebrations can begin! The Goat’s Chef Tyler Smith will be preparing a multi-course dinner, each course paired with a local beer. Tickets are available online now.

• Early Bird tickets for the Local Connection Halifax’s Craft Beer & Local Food Celebration are moving quickly, so be sure to snap them up soon to avoid disappointment. The Jan 16 event is moving to a larger venue, which means more room for more breweries, restaurants, and attendees. It always features several special casks and special brews, including Big Spruce’s Home Brew Challenge winner (btw homebrewers, just under two months to go until judging, so best get your brew on now!).

• The Nook and Cranny has released a Pumpkin Spiced Ale, which is now on tap at the brewpub. Brewed along the lines of a Wheat Ale, a pumpkin spiced tea (featuring cinnamon, ginger, and pumpkin spices) was steeped and added to the beer. Served with a sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg rim, it weighs in at 4.5% ABV. Drop down to try a pint before it’s gone for the season!

Have a fantastic Thanksgiving! Remember, lots of beer styles pair perfectly with turkey. If you’re in the Moncton area tonight, remember that the Atlantic Canadian Craft Beer Oktoberfest starts at 7:30 pm (6:30 for VIP); tickets are still available.

Finally, a few housekeeping notes to end this week’s post: we have added a Growler page to our site this week. We wanted to take stock of all locations in our region selling growlers, and their different filling/return policies. Please let us know if you find a mistake. Also this week, our Facebook page was “upgraded”, which meant we lost the ability to Friend people. Please don’t take it personally! Our Atlantic Canada Beer Pages list had to be rebuilt from scratch, so if we’ve missed anything important, please let us know too. Cheers!

Friday Wrap-Up – Launch of Spindrift Brewing and York County Cider, Plus New Beers From Celtic Knot, Hammond River, Big Spruce, Unfiltered, and more!

Posted by acbbshawn on 2015-09-25
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: BarNone Brewing, Big Spruce Brewing, Big Tide Brewing, Bulwark Cider, Celtic Knot Brewing, Garrison Brewing, Hammond River Brewing, Moncton Beer League, North Brewing, PEI Brewing Co., RockBottom Brewpub, Rudder's Brewpub, Spindrift Brewing, Tatamagouche Brewing, The Brewnosers, Unfiltered Brewing, York County Cider, Your Father's Moustache. Leave a Comment

It’s been another busy week in the Atlantic Region! Another new brewery has launched in Nova Scotia, a new cidery will be opening soon in New Brunswick, and there are more new beers (and return of seasonal releases) than you can shake a stick at; not to mention several great events for you to check out this weekend. Let’s get to it!

• Spindrift Brewing in Dartmouth now has beer available for purchase. While their storefront is not yet open, their Coastal Lager is available now in several NSLCs around the province (with that list growing daily). This 5.0% ABV Amber Lager has an initial province-wide launch in cans, with tap accounts soon, and growler fills at their Burnside location upon its opening in the coming weeks. Look for our profile of them early next week, and go grab a can now!

• There’s a new cidery coming to Fredericton – York County Cider recently got the final approval to move into 418 York St downtown. They’re hoping to launch by the end of October; their first five products should include a Dry, Semi-Dry, Hopped, Ginger, and Blueberry version. Plans right now are to distribute in 12 oz bottles, along with one confirmed tap account in the city (with likely more to follow); growler fills are also a strong possibility. We’ll keep you updated on their progress, and should have a Q&A with owner/brewer Ed Teale in the near future!

• Meanwhile, the string of wet-hopped seasonal beers continues! First off is a “Harvest ale version” of Celtic Knot‘s American IPA, Hopicide. Owner/brewer Bruce Barton was generously given a large amount of fresh Cascade from Amherst, NS homebrewer Jeff Smith, all of which were used as a single dry-hop addition in the already-brewed beer. Look for this batch to pop up on tap at various Celtic Knot accounts very soon. And in other Celtic Knot news, they will be brewing an Oyster Stout version of their Oatmeal Stout, Dark Passage, soon; this one will feature the addition of oyster shells at the beginning of the boil, followed by the meat and juices added near the end. We’ll keep you updated on its release.

• Moving on to Hammond River, they’ve once again released their Harvest Ale. This season’s batch was wet-hopped with a large amount of fresh Cascade that was harvested at the home of owner/brewer Shane Steeves. A West-Coast style IPA, it weighs in at 70 IBUs and 7% ABV and features a “simple grain bill” to let the hops shine through. It’s been popping up at selects bars/restaurants over the last week or two; only two batches were brewed, so if you haven’t tried it yet, find it quickly before it’s gone!

• Big Spruce has released their annual hop harvest beer, Craig Goes Yard. An American IPA clocking in at 6.7% ABV, and features a combination of wet and freshly-dried hops, all harvested from their on-premise hop farm. East Kent Goldings and Mt Hood were used wet, while a healthy dose of dried Chinook made it into the boil, and the beer was further dry-hopped with Mandarina Bavaria. The multiple hops give a great combination of complex aromatics, with the brewery describing the final product as “deeply flavourful”. Look for it on tap at the brewery during today’s Food Truck Friday, around Halifax and Sydney, and at tonight’s Hops n’ Brats event (more details below).

• Unfiltered will be releasing their first single-varietal fresh-hopped beer, Hop Riot India Red Ale, at the brewery today at noon. This one features the addition of a total of 272 kg (!!) of wet Centennial hops, grown locally and sourced through the Maritime Hop Growers Cooperative. The hops were used within 6 hours of harvesting in PEI, so expect a blast of fresh hop aromas and flavours in this 7.3% ABV Red IPA. We can only imagine how much work this brew day must have been, with the sheer weight and volume of hops in their brew system.

• Big Tide has released three hop harvest beers, all part of their Indian Beach series. The three varieties used in these beers – Cascade, Hallertau, and Nugget – were grown locally at Dunhams Run Estate Winery at Gorham’s Bluff on the Kingston peninsula, historically known as Indian Beach. The first beer is Indian Beach Kolsch-style, which is their regular-release Karnival Kolsch (4.8% ABV) brewed with fresh Cascade. The Indian Beach Pumpkin Ale (5.2% ABV) also uses Cascade, along with fresh local pumpkin that has been cut up and roasted with several spices, and added to the mash of Pale Ale malt. Both beers are available on tap now at the brewpub. Coming early next week is the final beer, Indian Beach Harvest Ale. With a grist of 2-row and CaraMunich, it was hopped with all three of the fresh varieties, and comes in at 5% ABV.

• In PEI, BarNone has just released a batch of their award-winning Sub Stanchel Amber that has been wet-hopped with Cascade grown on their farm, with some wild PEI native hops grown nearby in Stanchel (or directly under it). It’s currently available at the brewery, and on tap at the Olde Dublin Pub and Old Triangle in Charlottetown. BarNone is also releasing a new beer that was brewed in tribute to co-owner Hugh Campbell, who passed away last month. 333 Somewhat Irish Red is brewed in the style of an Irish Red, but features more hops… specifically, 3.33 kg of freshly-dried whole hops were added as a dry-hop addition. Both beers will be pouring at a special music event being held at the brewery tonight, featuring Nudie’s Country Duets with Hannah Rose, plus Samantha Martin & Delta Sugar. The show begins at 8 pm; tickets are available online.

• In case you didn’t know, there are always a few in-house brewed beers on at Your Father’s Moustache in Halifax, courtesy of Rockbottom in the basement. The latest to hit the taps is a wet-hopped version of their Red Duster American Pale Ale. This 5.5% ABV Pale Ale was brewed with a healthy dose of locally-grown Centennial hops, but instead of typical floral or piney aromatics, these wet hops deliver a massive orange and sweet citrus aroma and flavour.

• Downstairs at Rockbottom, they have a couple of seasonals in addition to their four core lineup: Bulldog Brown Ale is a 4.5% ABV English Brown with a light and semi-sweet body, toasted aromas, and mild toffee flavour. It’s lightly hopped to 25 IBUs using traditional earthy English varietals. The Märzen Red Lager is a malty, amber German lager traditionally brewed for Oktoberfest. At 5.9% ABV and 25 IBUs, it features a bready malt flavour, restrained bitterness, and a dry finish. Be sure to drop down for a pint of each, and don’t forget their Wednesday weekly firkins for a taste of something different (this week’s was a Schwartz Bier Black Lager).

• Finally in harvest beers this week, North Brewing has released their second of the year (after the Many Hands collab with Boxing Rock): Setting Sun. This wet-hopped version of their Saison features brewer Josh Herbin’s own Cascade, Chinook and Willamette hops. If that wasn’t enough, the beer was aged on 12 kg of sour cherries from Stirling Fruit Farms in the valley. The cherries come through brilliantly in the aroma, coupled with a citrus flavour and bitterness, and pepper finish from the yeast. The beer is available now at the Agricola St brewery for growler fills, and will make it on tap at just a few spots around the city shortly. And the crowdfunding for their new partnership with Brooklyn Warehouse, Battery Park Beer Bar, is entering its last week. Things are definitely taking shape at the new location in Dartmouth, with the grand opening happening in the coming weeks.

• PEI Brewing Co. has re-released their Pumpkin Ale seasonal. An Amber Ale that includes the addition of plenty of local pumpkins and squash, it’s also spiced with whole nutmeg, allspice, cloves, cassia, and fresh ginger. The grist also features Victory malt for a “toasty sweetness”. Hopped with Magnum to 25 IBUs, it clocks in at 5.8% ABV. It’s available now at the brewery in bottles and on tap, and will be at the PEILCC and licencees shortly, and select ANBL and NSLC stores, soon.

• Next week should also mark the arrival of Rogues IPA, which was brewed at the PEI Brewing Co. Brewed “in the style of an American IPA”, it actually features a lot of British ingredients, such as Maris Otter malt (along with Crystal 40 L and Torrified Wheat), Goldings and Target hops, and was fermented with Burton Ale yeast. This 6% ABV, 70 IBUs ale should be released in cans at the brewery next week, with PEILCC  and NSLC stores to follow shortly afterwards; ANBL stores should eventually be seeing some, too. The beer is based on the IPA served at Rogues Roost brewpub in Halifax, which closed last week, due to the building being demolished for renovations. Be sure to raise a can of Rogues IPA to toast the life of this Halifax institution.

• Moving back to Pumpkin beers: Garrison has re-released their Double Jack Imperial Pumpkin Ale. Brewed with Cinderella pumpkins (a variety regarded as a superior dessert pumpkin) from the Dill Family, the beer was also spiced with cinnamon, clove, allspice and nutmeg. Hopped with Millenium to 30 IBUs for “a light bitterness to offset the malt and spice character”, it weighs in at a might 8% ABV. It’s currently available at select NSLC stores, and will follow shortly at the brewery and tap accounts. And for those heading to the Halifax Oktoberfest this weekend (more details below), you will be able to enjoy three new brews on tap: the Hammer-Schlagen Brau, Nass Hopfenweisse, and Rise ‘n’ Stein Hefeweizen.

• Bulwark Cider will be releasing an Oak-aged blend later this fall, and they’re currently holding a Label Competition for the bottles of this new cider. The competition is open to all artists, and entries should not include any text (name of the brand and cider); the winner will receive a cash prize and TBD cider prize. The deadline for entry is October 6th at 1 pm; eight finalists will be chosen by Oct 12th, and will then move on to final judging in a display at Bar Stillwell. For more information on how to enter, check out the link above.

• Next Friday, October 2nd at 7 pm, Rudder’s Brewpub will be holding their 10th Annual Brewer’s Dinner. Reservations are required, and include a 4-course dinner, with each course paired with a different Rudder’s-brewed beer. Contact the brewpub today to reserve your seat!

• Finally brewers, don’t forget to submit the forms for the second annual Atlantic Canadian Beer Awards. Today is the last day to register, with beers due in a couple of weeks. This year’s Awards has expanded to an entire week of events, including seminars and dinners for both brewers and open to the public.

There are lots of events on the go this weekend, so be sure to get out for some great local beer:

• The Ladies Beer League will be holding a Food and Beer Pairing at Bishop’s Cellar this afternoon, beginning at 5pm. Nine beers from Bishop’s shelves will be paired with some small plates and snacks from a local chef. Tickets are $20, and available online.

• The Tatamagouche Oktoberfest is being held today and tomorrow; this is the 36th year for Atlantic Canada’s largest Oktoberfest, and there’s plenty of events going on both days, including a Beer Garden tonight from 6-11 pm. If you’re attending, keep your eyes open for Tatabrew‘s just-released Lagerhosen.

• The Halifax Oktoberfest is also taking place this weekend, with a craft beer/sausage event, Hops & Brats, taking place today from 5-11 pm. Entry is $16 and includes five beer samples from local craft breweries; of course, plenty of sausages will be available for purchase as well. Tickets are available online. Tomorrow there will be an Oktoberfest & Kinderfest from 11 am – 11 pm, featuring traditional German food, games, music, and plenty of Garrison beer and Bulwark cider. Entry is free until 6 pm; afterwards, it becomes a 19+ event, where entry is $20 and includes a 500 mL Stein to keep, and your first fill.

• Saturday afternoon, the Moncton Beer League will be going on an Urban Hike to five different craft-beer-friendly bars in the downtown area; more details on this event in an earlier post. Those who purchase tickets to the Hike will receive a $5 discount on the upcoming Atlantic Canadian Craft Beer Oktoberfest, being held October 9th at the Moncton Crowne Plaza. We’ll have more details on the Oktoberfest next week; in the meantime, tickets are on sale now.

• And for those who are looking for a fun group of homebrewers to hang with, the Brewnosers Hoptoberfest event is being held Saturday afternoon and evening. Check the thread on the forum for details, and though it is a private event, anyone looking to chat, snack, and taste and enjoy great beer, of course, is welcome! There will be at least 20 different homebrew kegs of all types, and hop-infused sausages, especially made for the crew by Cavicchi’s Meats.

Wow, another extremely busy week! There’s even more new beers coming soon, including the first seasonal from Breton Brewing, Celtic Colours Maple Lager, and an Imperial Pumpkin Ale from Upstreet Brewing (actually a collaboration brewed with award-winning homebrewer Ryan Palmer)… more on these beers, soon. Boxing Rock has re-released their Black IPA, The Darkness; it should be popping up, now. If you live in Fredericton and are thinking you’d like to work in a brewery, Maybee Brewing Co. is now accepting resumes for positions in the New Year; send along yours via email. Have a fantastic weekend!