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Thursday Wrap-Up for April 6, 2023 – News from Good Robot, Port Rexton, Banished, Quidi Vidi, Bannerman, Lake City, Propeller, 2 Crows, and much more!

Posted by acbbdevon on 2023-04-06
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: 2 Crows Brewing, Ayawan, Banished Brewing, Bannerman Brewing, Battery Park, Big Spruce Brewing, Good Robot Brewing, HopYard, L'Apothicaire, Lake City Cider, Les Grand Bois, Lunn's Mill Beer Company, Mellon, Messorem, Poincaré Chinatown, Port Rexton Brewing Co., Propeller Brewing, Quidi Vidi Brewery, Silo, Stillwell Brewing, Unfiltered Brewing, Upstreet Craft Brewing. Leave a Comment

Happy Thursday y’all! We hope you’ve had a great week, and will be able to enjoy a long weekend. For those in the service industry/front line workers, we wish you a not-too-busy yet bountiful weekend. As always, be sure to check the Social Media for the breweries, taprooms, private shops you will be visiting this weekend, just to check that they are open. Enjoy!

Good Robot is leveraging their new facilities in Elmsdale to keep the new releases coming for Nova Scotia Craft Beer Month. Released last weekend was Raspberry Radler, a 4.0% pale beer chock-full of raspberry juice, a bit of a twist on the historic radlers made with lemon or grapefruit. Available now at their retail shops in Halifax (Robie Street) and Elmsdale, and coming to the NSLC. And debuting tomorrow is the first in their Tropical Storm series. This quartet of IPAs, all showcase tropical citrus and stone fruit flavours, across the ABV spectrum. Coming tomorrow is Tropical Storm Category 4. As the name implies, this is just 4.0% ABV, and features hops that lend a ripe citrus, guava, peach, and grape character, all in a tidy package. Available in cans and on tap Friday, look for three more Tropical Storm releases this month!

Port Rexton Brewing is having a full weekend of celebrations, with new beers, live music, and a pizza pop-up in their taproom. Let’s get you up to speed… As they have done since 2018, the Port Rexton crew invited the breweries who have opened over the past 12 months to join them in releasing a celebration of the New Wave of beer, with Next Generation. Next Generation 2023 is a collaboration with Banished Brewing who opened their doors in June 2022. Flexing their funky muscles, this is a Brett IPA, with plenty of citrus and floral notes from both the yeast and hops chosen in the brew. Medium bitterness, a dry finish, and 6.0% ABV. Cans and draught at both their taproom and St. John’s Retail Shop, as well as at Bar Brewdock and the Banished taproom (more on that in a second).

An exclusive for the Port Rexton taproom is a pair of Extra Special Bitters that are pouring right now. Why two ESBs, you ask? Well, one is Gluten Free! Yup! Always expanding their line of GF beers, having the same base recipe is a great way to check them out. PRBC is running a discount where you can try a 12 oz pour of both ESBs for one low price! (Or both the GF Bitter and the GF Porter on Nitro, if you are avoiding gluten altogether) And for those concerned, despite the name, these English-originating beers are not overly bitter, balancing malt and hops well. And if you time your visit to the taproom properly, you can enjoy a pop-up by Prohibition Pizza from 2 PM, and live music from Colin Harris from 7 PM.

Speaking of Banished Brewing, in addition to their retail and merchandise storefront, they have opened their Taproom this week! Open Wed and Thurs: 3 – 11 PM, Fri and Sat: 12 PM – 12 AM, and Sun: 11 AM – 7 PM. You can now grab a pint or flight of their offerings, fill a growler, and watch as the Brewing Team (aka Duncan) makes the magic happen! No kitchen onsite, but the head cheese tells us that food ordered in, or brought with you, is totally OK. Normal hours for this holiday weekend, so you can fill up before, and again after, family dinner!

Up in the Gut, Quidi Vidi has a new sour out with Peach Pineapple Ice Cream Sofa. Expect tons of tropical fruit flavour from additions of peach and pineapple, and some sweetness and a creamy mouthfeel (giving vanilla ice cream vibes) from a lactose addition.  You can find it now at the Hops Shop at the brewery and in Quidi Vidi’s online store. It will see wider distribution at NLC and other convenience stores soon.

Our final Newfoundland release of the week comes from Bannerman, who have a new blonde ale on the go. Minor Detail is a 4.5% ABV take on the style that starts with a grain bill of Pilsner and wheat malt. It then saw a dry-hop with a blend of German hops, before a final conditioning on green team, leading to notes of citrus and fresh herbs. Drop by the brewery on Duckworth Street to try Minor Detail now.

In cider news this week, Lake City has a brand new thang on the go that’s not quite a cider and not quite a wine. Riesling Sparkling Cider is a 9% ABV “vinous cider” where cider and wine were blended post-fermentation to produce a product with elements of both. It features floral aromas and citrus notes and a subtle green hue. Find it at the cidery where this weekend they’re also doing a special on flats: 20% off at $100 for 24 cans. Note that this is a pre-mixed flat containing 4 x Field of Dreams, 4 x Cranberry, 4 x Darkside Rose, 4 x Crisp Apple, 4 x Vanilla, and 4 x Darkside Dry. Free local delivery and Canada-wide shipping on this deal, too!

Halifax’s Propeller has a new twist on a previous beer this week with the release of Arcane X dry hopped sour. Like its older sibling, Arcane dry hopped sour, it’s a kettle soured beer where “hoppy and sour collide” in a tart and juicy beer. This time, however, it’s been hit with a “new and elusive” hop combination that should bring big notes of tropical fruit, peaches, and orange citrus. Find this 4.8% ABV thirst quencher at Prop shops, non-Bishop’s private stores in Halifax, and for online delivery. Also note that Propeller is open regular hours all weekend long for your beer-buying needs!

Around the corner, you’ll find 2 Crows Brewing on Brunswick Street. They have a pair of small batch beers to highlight this week. The first is Peel Out, a Weissbier (aka Hefeweizen), the original German wheat beer, brewed with an iconic yeast that is very banana-forward, with a hint of clove. Dreamed up by new-to-2C’s-Brew-Crew Everett, the mash went through a triple decoction to bring out melanoidin and caramel notes, with the wheat and yeast keeping the body crisp yet a hazy golden colour. As this was brewed on their pilot system, this 5.3% beaut is on tap only, and may not make it to the end of the weekend! 

And coming next Friday, April 14, is a fun beer that was initiated and brewed by the Front-Of-House crew Emily, Emily, Tessa, and Max back in early March. Gorgeous Gorgeous Beer is a lemon and lime Hopfenweisse, a hoppy and zesty take on a German Wheat. Using Citra and Motueka hops, and fresh lemon and lime juice and zest after the fact. As the bartenders had kicked the brewers out of the shop for the day, it’s only fair that they take over the serving, so 6 – 8 PM on the 14th, Jeremy and Miles will be slinging pints of GGB for all of you. Be sure to pop down to check out the fun!

A reminder that Big Spruce has taken over the taps at Battery Park today, with more than a dozen new beers on the go all day and night! Free cake for those there this evening at 7 PM. Check last week’s post for more info on what is pouring!

Next Thursday, April 13, Bar Stillwell is hosting the fine folks from Poincaré Chinatown, a good beer, wine, and food restaurant in Montreal. As they’ve done previously for fellow beer bar pals visiting from away, they’ve asked them to curate the tap and bottle list for the day. From 4 PM, look for taps from Ayawan, L’Apothicaire, Les Grand Bois, Mellon, Messorem, and Silo. If most of those are new to you (too), then you’ll definitely want to pop down!

A few quick hits and job posting to close out today’s post. Happy Easter, y’all!

Lunns Mill Beer is embracing Nova Scotia Craft Beer Month with free delivery to the HRM, and Annapolis and Kings Counties for all of April. Just be sure to submit your order before 10 PM Wednesday to receive your beer that week. Hopefully more breweries will keep up the NSCBM celebrations!

Fridays usually mean the release of one of your favourite IPAs or DIPAs at Unfiltered, but this week they are delving back into the German styles with a new batch of Hellevator. This 7% ABV Helles Bock, showcasing German malts and noble hops, is available now in cans and on-tap next door at Charm School.

Capping off the week is a new version of Upstreet’s Neon Friday. This 6.5% ABV New England IPA is full of lovely tropical, citrus, and pine, thanks to the generous additions of Citra, Idaho 7, Mosaic, and Strata hops. Available now at their taproom as well as Craft Beer Corner in downtown Charlottetown, it may be hitting the shelves and taps elsewhere before too long. And good news, normal hours of operation at both of their spots all holiday weekend long!

If you’re in the Charlottetown region and are interested in a beer-adjacent career change, drop by Hopyard’s downtown location this Saturday from 2:00 to 4:00 PM, with resume in hand. Team members will be onsite to talk about opportunities to join their team.

Friday Wrap-Up for March 31, 2023 – News from Big Spruce, Sober Island, Tatamagouche, Tusket Falls, Banished, Landwash, and More!!

Posted by acbbdamian on 2023-03-31
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: Annapolis Cider Company, Banished Brewing, Big Spruce Brewing, Dildo Brewing, Four Rivers Brewing Co., Grimross Brewing, Iron Rock Brewing Co., Landwash Brewery, North Brewing, Ol' Biddy's Brew House, Port Rexton Brewing Co., Rackhouse Brewing Co, Secret Cove Brewing, Sober Island Brewing, Tatamagouche Brewing, Together We Brew, TrailWay Brewing, Tusket Falls Brewing, Twin Harbour Brewing. Leave a Comment

Happy Friday y’all! Warmer weather, buds breaking through the snow, patios being shoveled off, it really is beginning to feel like spring! Of course, we’ll have to keep our snowblowers and scrapers close at hand, but let’s hope the worst of winter is behind us. And let us now turn to beer, because that’s why you tune in every week! Oh, and as next week is Good Friday, we’ll be giving you an All Killer, No Filler post next Thursday to set your (hopefully) long weekend up for beer and cider success! (Note to breweries, please hit us up early next week to be included, in case we check out even earlier than usual)

Never ones to do something half-assed, the Fine Family of Big Spruce is celebrating their Tenth Anniversary in a big way this weekend! April 1, 2013 is when the little farm brewery on a hill in Nyanza, Cape Breton first opened their doors, and they’ve been pumping out the good stuff and raising a little heck, ever since! At a time when there were fewer than 20 breweries in the province, and none in Cape Breton, Jeremy White and family purchased a home, planted some hops, and got to work to bring Organic beer to Nova Scotia. Check this interview from 2012 and update in 2013 for a bit of nostalgia on the brewing scene back then… Over the ten years since, they have released well over 200 different beers, fought back against outdated and backwards rules from the province and the NSLC, all while having a heck of a lot of fun. 

They are celebrating in a massive way this weekend with the release of a Birthday Box mixed case of new brews and returning favourites, just in time to kick off Nova Scotia Craft Beer Month. Giving full details on all twelve would be a full hour-read on its own, so we will tease you with the names and info to at least get you ready.

  • Kitchen Party Pale Ale – This is a throwback to the original recipe that they launched in 2013, that has undergone some tweaks over the years. 5.6% ABV
  • Cereal Killer Glenora Whiskey Barrel Aged – Taking their Stout and aging it in whiskey barrels will lend tons of vanilla, wood, and spirit character, without a ton of booziness. 5.8% ABV
  • Canadian Tuxedo – An ode to the denim on denim look, local Organic haskap berries punch up this Brettanomyces-fermented sour beer. 6.0% ABV
  • Bolt From The Blue – Another fruited sour, this time using locally-grown Organic blueberries. 4.5% ABV
  • Snailblazer – Just because it’s low ABV doesn’t mean it’s not full of flavour! A 4.5% ABV Session IPA with experimental HBC 843 hops.
  • Put Me In Kölsch – A dry-hopped pale lagered ale, refreshing and thirst quenching for those days in beer league softball. 4.9% ABV
  • Hug Bunny – A returning favourite Gose, the light salt character keeps you wanting more. 4.0% ABV
  • Blursday – A new release, a 6.6% ABV hazy IPA.
  • Brew Rodeo – Another new IPA, this one uses a cryogenic extraction of fresh, not dried, Citra hops, to capture the just-picked character of the hop harvest, stabilizing it for any-time-of-the-year enjoyment. 7.0% ABV
  • The Cat’s Pyjamas – Another experimental hop IPA, weighing in at 7.2% ABV
  • What Could Possibly Go Wrong – A Double IPA featuring the tropical and citrus New Zealand-grown Nectaron hop. 8.0% ABV
  • Under The Mountain – A Cascadian Dark Ale, aka Black IPA, the winner from this year’s Homebrew Championship, brewed by Alex Hunt. Chinook, Simcoe, and Centennial, for tons of pine and resin on a smooth dark malt base. 6.2% ABV

Wow! What a line-up! The great news is that there are a few hundred of these Birthday Boxes available at Big Spruce, or online for delivery across the province or Canada-wide, going on-sale today at 6 PM (delivery tomorrow), so set your alarms now!

Joining the new releases from Big Spruce is the return of their annual American IPA release, Cerberus. Celebrating the best of Organic ingredients, especially hops, it is hopped throughout the process, including in the kettle and later in the tanks post-fermentation, to give you both flavour and aroma bursting from the can. As always, this is a once a year treat, so don’t delay in picking it up from the brewery, their shop, or better retailers around the province.

If you manage to finish your case of new beer on the weekend, congratulations! But the good news is if you do, or happen to miss out, then you can enjoy any and all of these new and returning releases on draught at Battery Park next Thursday, April 6, as they host Big Spruce for a massive Tap Takeover. From 11:30 until late, Nyanza is taking over the taps to showcase it all to the public. And great news, as Friday is a holiday for most, hopefully you needn’t worry about having to head to work the next morning! Birthday Cake is served at 7 PM, and the Big Spruce Crew will be onsite celebrating along with everyone!

From one island to another, Sober Island Brewing has a brand new release coming out today. A light, dry-hopped Saison, Saison du Sheet Rock is a fun, light twist on a delicious style. We’re happy to bring you the details on this one, as this one brings a malt bill of Pilsen, Vienna and light Munich to bring lightly toasted and soft bready flavours. The hops in this one are all American, which isn’t traditional, but works well with the recipe. Citra, El Dorado and Centennial play up the citrus, stone fruit and a bit of spruciness. The Belgian yeast adds the peppery contrast and brings the dry finish you’d expect from the style. Overall, this comes in at 4.0% and 26 IBU and should be a great take on the style. This debuts at their beer release party tonight (Friday, March 31st) at 7 PM at the brewery, and a cask version will be available at the Together We Brew Beerfest tomorrow. Cans are available at the taproom as well. 

Staying in Nova Scotia, Tatamagouche Brewing has a brand new beer that stays in the Saison family. Peppy is a pink peppercorn and rosehip Saison. This brew was inspired by a family kombucha recipe that has botanical and grapefruit aromas with a tart citrus flavour.  Along with classic Belgian yeast, the pink peppercorn and rosehips were used as a dry “hop” to bring very bright floral, sweet, and berry notes with a peppery aroma. The finish of this 5.9% beer is dry and herbaceous and it is available today in 355ml cans from the brewery and online and may pop up around some private stores as well in Halifax. 

Another brand new beer out of Nova Scotia comes to us courtesy of Tusket Falls Brewing. Something to Say is a Hazy Session IPA that continues with the brewers’ current fascination with New Zealand hops. This 4.6% tropically flavoured beer features Pacific Sunrise along with a bit of Citra. The Pacific Sunrise has hints of lemon and orange flavour with some melon and mango notes as well. This one is available in cans and on tap at the Tusket brewery and will be available in their Halifax Beer Project location soon. 

We’re starting our Newfoundland-themed section now, sharing news from seven breweries from the Rock. Starting out with Banished Brewing, they’ve got a new beer and a fresh release of an old favourite. Private Line is a 4.7% Kölsch that embodies the cool, crisp style with a touch of sweetness from European malts. This is available at the brewery now and will be going to Newfoundland retailers through next week. The Banished crew also has a fresh batch of their Double New England IPA, Intergalactic Puffin, which is the 8% offering of their Puffin line. 

Other news from the brewery is that they’re hiring part-time and full-time positions for retail and bartending positions. To apply please submit a resume & a cover letter to kris@banishedbrewing.ca. 

The second stop on our Newfoundland swing is Landwash Brewery and they’re bringing us Garden Party, a Session IPA. This release coincided with Blue Jays opening day and brings the hope of Spring, Summer and fun, social days ahead. This is 4.2% and available in cans today. 

Bringing in a friend, Landwash has a new collaboration with Baccalieu Trail Brewing. Freeze & Thaw is a Northern German Pilsner to commemorate this time of the year and frosty mornings in Newfoundland.  Staying true to the style, this lager went through a double decoction mash and brings that nice bitter bite and floral aroma from German Spalter Select and Saphir hops. The result is a 5% canned beer available from the regular locations of Marie’s and NLC on the Avalon peninsula, and will be coming to the rest of the island next week. 

Staying in the province, but jumping over to Lab City, Iron Rock Brewing is releasing the second of its cellar series with Le Fer Du Monde. This Belgian-style tripel, a clever play on the name of the ever popular (although now macro-owned) tripel out of Quebec, translates to the Iron of the World. Their take on the style was oak-aged and then bottle conditioned. Expect notes of dark fruit, vanilla, and oak, with a touch of warming alcohol character. This one can be aged for up to three years, or enjoyed fresh (“why not both?” is our suggestion).  Bottles will be available today at the taproom with wider retail distribution next week. 

Dildo Brewing is getting you in the mood for spring with its newest release, Maibock. Their take on the German Helles Bock comes in at 6.5%, featuring Pilsner, Vienna and Munich malt, with the malt sweetness complimented by the spicy notes derived from the exclusive use of Spalter Select hops. Cans are available today around the bay in Dildo and at the downtown St. John’s retail store, with wider distribution via the NLC next week. 

Over on the west coast, Secret Cove Brewing is releasing Ocean Dust, a 4.6% ABV German gose-style ale. Their version includes the traditional additions of coriander and orange peel, with the salt harvested from Newfoundland sea water. Expect a slight tartness, along with orange pith, marmalade and a hint of ocean water. Find it on tap at the brewery now with cans next week at the brewery, and wider distribution to follow.

We’ll finish off the streak of Newfoundland and Labrador releases with this year’s version of Wild Ale from Port Rexton Brewing. This one is co-fermented with two ale yeasts, a cleaner American yeast, and a Belgian Saison yeast, before a secondary fermentation with Escarpment Labs’ Brett D strain. The resulting 6% wild ale is packed with esters and phenols, including banana, spice and floral notes. A small addition of pineapple puree rounds out the fruity fermentation-derived flavours. You can find it on-tap at the brewery now, with cans at the brewery and the St. John’s retail shop. It will see wider distribution in cans across the Province next week. 

Let’s head to Fredericton to start a little Nouveau-Brunswick swing, where Trailway’s newest release is honouring one of beer’s crown jewels, Allagash White, from Portland, Maine. Trailway’s take on the Belgian-style wheat beer, or wit, features bready malt notes, hints of orange peel and coriander (from additions of both items) and a light grassy note from the hops. Main Land is available in cans at the brewery now, with cans hitting the Saint John taproom soon.

Heading way up to Bathurst we find Four Rivers Brewery releasing a special beer brewed on international Women’s Day. Hitting the taps today at the brewery is The Women Brew Too, an IPA brewed, as you might expect, by one of the brew team, Megan Kinsman, along with a group of community-driven women in Bathurst. All proceeds from this one will be donated to Maison de Passage House in Bathurst.

Nanobrewery Twin Harbour, in Saint Anthony/Saint-Antoine on the Eastern shore of New Brunswick, has a couple offerings to talk about this week. First up, fans of their Cap Enragé 6.0% West Coast-style American IPA will be happy to hear that it’s back on tap after a long hiatus. No word on packaging for now, but you’ll at least be able to grab a fill at the brewery. Along with that they’ve also got a new beer they’re calling P’tit Prince, which is a variation on their popular blonde ale, Côte d’Or. Featuring the same grain bill but a different hop combination, it’s a very quaffable beer that should be perfect for the nicer weather that’s sure to come along any time now. Locals know this, but visitors to the area should be aware, Twin Harbour has limited hours (usually Thursday evenings from 6-8pm) and you’ll need to check social media (Fb, Ig) to be sure to know when they’re open!

Barrel-aging specialty brewery Rackhouse out of Nackawic, NB, has a new treat out this week, and, as is de rigueur for this brewery, one that’s been some time in the making. A classic witbier was aged in a former apple brandy barrel for six months, where it both mellowed and took on some tropical flavors of primarily pineapple and passion fruit that should be perfect for the coming patio season. A limited-edition run of 375ml bottles is also expected, so keep your eyes out for that. For now, however, your best bet to try this 8.5% beer is at the Big Axe or Moonshine Creek taprooms and hopefully the Joyce and the Uncorked Tours taproom in Saint John.

Our contractually* obligated** cider content this week comes from Annapolis Cider in Wolfville, where they’ve got a new entry in their Something Different series. Cranberry Mimosa is a play on the classic breakfast cocktail, with a twist, of course. Citrusy, thanks to fresh tangelos and navel oranges which were soaked in AC’s base cider for a few weeks, it’s got a sweetness that is balanced by a crisp finish of grapefruit and orange peel notes. Fresh-pressed cranberry juice complements the citrus backbone and also provides a hint of ruby red color to this 5.3% ABV cider. As with all entries in the Something Different series, this one is only available for pints and fills at the cidery and $0.50 of every fill goes to a charitable cause, in this case, Elderdog Canada.

* Hahaha. We have no contracts.
** Hahahahaha. We have no obligations either.

No new events on the docket to mention, but we trust that if you’re in the HRM area (or willing to travel for beer events) you’ve already got your ticket(s) to tomorrow’s Together We Brew.

Brewery hiring season is kicking into gear as breweries prepare for the hectic summer season.

North Brewing in Halifax is looking to staff up, with several positions available in both the “seasonal front-of-house” and “line cook/prep cook” categories at both their Timberlea and Portland Street locations. Prospective applicants are encouraged to check out all the job details on North’s website under the “Job Postings” link and then follow the instructions to apply.

A couple of quick hits to take you home (country rooooooads):

Fredericton’s Grimross has two beers from different ends of the spectrum back on tap. Hop Blonde is pale, clear, crisp, and refreshing at 6.0% ABV, and Maritime Black IPA is dark, roasty, and dank, with plenty of bitterness in a 6.2% package. Find them both at the brewery packaged in cans to go.

Fans of beer in Lower Sackville can check out their local Ol’ Biddy’s for a new beer this weekend. Their second-ever lager will go on tap on Saturday. They’re being coy with the details at this point so you’ll just have to head down tomorrow and see what it’s all about!

Friday Wrap-Up for February 17, 2023 – News from Lone Oak, Propeller, North, Banished, Baccalieu Trail, Big Spruce, Tusket Falls, Half Cut, Village Green, and much more!

Posted by acbbdamian on 2023-02-17
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: Baccalieu Trail Brewing, Banished Brewing, Bannerman Brewing, Big Spruce Brewing, Bishop's Cellar, Dieu du Ciel, Half Cut Brewing, Lone Oak Brewing, Modern Brewer's Village Green, North Brewing, Péché Day, Propeller Brewing, Serpent Brewing, Stillwell Beer Bar, Tide & Boar Gastropub, Tusket Falls Brewing. Leave a Comment

Happy mid-February! Not surprisingly, we’re in the midst of some wild weather swings, with dumps of snow followed by double-digit sunny days, leading into some nasty freezing rain type of thing. Don’t let the weather get you down, we’ll soon be free of the frozen stuff and carrying an umbrella full time (no thanks, says this writer!). Enough pitter patter, let’s get to it!

Big news from Prince Edward Island to lead off this week. As the province kicks off hosting duties for the 2023 Canada Games (running tomorrow until March 5), there’s lots of recent and coming-soon news from The Official Beer Sponsor of the Games, Lone Oak! Let’s get you caught up with two new special beer releases first… Homestead is the first beer made on PEI from all Island ingredients. Starting with a mash full of Pilsner and Oats from Island Malt House, the wort was then hopped with plenty of Ultra hops grown by Island Hop Company of Mount Albion. Once chilled, the fermentation took place using a wild yeast isolated from wild Blackberries on co-owner and Head Brewer Spencer Gallant’s family’s farm. Definitely a first for the province! Homestead is 5.0%, dry, floral, and features a moderate bitterness in the 355mL can. Available only at their Brewery, and Milky Way Brewpub and Cold Beer Store locations.

Also brand new is Biere D’Amis, the Beer of Friends! Brewed in collaboration with their pals at Tatamagouche and 2 Crows, this French Pilsner features a base of French-grown Pils malt, and hopped with Noble-like Aramis and Strisselspalt (aussi de France), lending a solid bitterness and floral character to the beer. At 4.9% ABV and 35 IBU, these short cans are a nice light beer when you’re looking for a bit “more” from a Pils. Better act fast, as Biere D’Amis, like Homestead, was a small batch, and only available at their locations on tap and in cans.

And in important coming soon news, Lone Oak has announced the second of two new locations opening in 2023. We already shared news of Lone Oak Beer Garden, set to open in June in Avonlea Village in Cavendish. A massive beer garden and patio location, complemented by some bar seating inside. A full kitchen will serve those who stay a while, with a retail spot available to those who are just passing through. And opening ahead of it in May is Lone Oak Fox Meadow. As the name implies, it will be at the Fox Meadow Golf Course in Stratford, and will feature a full-service restaurant, as well as an Event Centre. And even better, it will be open year-round! Congrats to Spencer, Jared, and Dillon, and the whole Lone Oak team on the upcoming expansion!

Halifax’s Propeller Brewing opened their Quinpool location in July 2020, which features a full retail location, taproom with seating for 40, as well as a small brewhouse that is used occasionally for experimental brews. The latest release from that kit is Smoked Wheat Ale, based on the Polish Grodziskie style (or Gratzer in German parlance). Using oak-smoked wheat as the only grain, one would think you’d be burping up clouds of smoke after imbibing, but there’s something about the refined smoke level and light kilning that offers a seriously refreshing character in a highly carbonated 3.6% beer. In fact, it is commonly referred to as “Polish Champagne”! Due to limited volume at their pilot brewery, Propeller’s SMA is available on tap only at their Gottingen and Quinpool locations for pints and growler fills.

Staying in the Halifax region, North Brewing has been bringing the flavour in their latest Timberlea location kitchen and their takeover of their Portland street kitchen. Keeping up with their ingredients and Indian inspiration, they’ve released Chalo Chalo, a brand new brown ale available now. For the naming of this beer, we can’t say it any better than North themselves “The word “Chalo” (ch-AH–low) means “let’s go” in several languages spoken on the Indian subcontinent including Urdu/Hindi/Gujarati/Punjabi.” For the beer itself, the key to this beer is additions of Jaggery (an unrefined sugar product made in Asia and Africa with big molasses and brown sugar flavor) and a big 25 litre splash of fresh pressed ginger juice. The sweet from the Jaggery and the warming spice of Ginger works perfectly in the winter and the brown ale is a perfect vessel for these flavours. This beer is 6% and available from the three North shops and online for home delivery. 

Paradise Newfoundland’s Banished Brewing has a new release this week, a throwback to the many years of homebrewing co-owner Craig Farewell spent before scaling up to commercial size. Makes Sense is a hazy-as-heck 6% IPA, in the New England IPA category. Taking inspiration from the many hazy breweries in the US Northeast, this beer looks like OJ and smells like it too! Using Solero, Nelson Sauvin, and Citra hops late and often, they come out more on the nose and palate than a bitter hop bomb. Makes Sense is available at their retail shop now, and heading to local retailers in the next few days.

After some setbacks earlier in the year, Baccalieu Trail has been able to re-open their taproom recently, and has a new beer to celebrate! Helles or High Water is a Munich Helles, natch. Light in colour, and with a clean malt and restrained hop flavour, it is the perfect post-shoveling beer! Available at the brewery and at Marie’s and other retailers now.

We’ve got a new one from Big Spruce Brewing this week, as Belgian Strong is coming in hot (and strong). This is a Belgian style Strong Ale with some classic flavours for the style. At 8.8%, this brings out the fruity esters and some spice, along with some nice sweetness and boozy warmth. Used with West Abbey yeast (which fits big, bold and dark Belgian beers very well) and additions of Light and Dark Belgian Candi sugar (also traditionally used in higher ABV belgian beers to keep high alcohol content without adding a lot of sweetness), this is a well balanced, big drinker. This comes out this weekend from the brewery in cans and will be available online as well. 

Continuing their phase change (any fellow chemistry or physics nerds out there?) Tusket Falls Brewing has released the latest in their evolving series of hazy IPAs. Next Phaze v2 (look for the Feb canning date) sees a switch in hops, dropping the Mosaic and Phantasm, and adding Citra and Idaho 7 to complement the Riwaka. Keep your eyes peeled for the March release, which will see the return of Phantasm, but in an even more generous amount!

Fredericton’s Half Cut Brewing has new beer for folks looking to imbibe, but are still not exactly sure about all of this craft beer stuff. Cold Lite is a 3.6% American Light Lager, brewed with a grist of German Pilsner with rice for a bit more oomph without much body. The hops are light in bitterness, but present, with an earthy and floral aroma, with a touch of spicy finish. Grab a Cold Lite at their taproom on Main Street, and while you’re there, grab a slice or three from taproom-mates Coastline Pizza.

Cornwall’s Village Green has a new release and just as the weather turns colder and we get some weather, they’re bringing you a perfect release for the weekend. Oatmeal Stout is available now and is true to style in a smooth, drinkable stout with notes of dark roast coffee and cocoa. With a malt bill featuring Maris Otter and 2-row, with some helping hands from English Crystal, Roast Barley and Black Malt. That’s a big backbone for a smooth 5.2% stout. This is available now in pints and cans from the brewery. 

Serpent Brewing is back with another new release this week, and if you hear Spryfield and Bitter, you may have a few thoughts (or beers) come to mind, but the Spryfield Brewery is releasing Spryfield’s Best Bitter this weekend. This beer will be on a little stronger end of the bitter scale, as it is more dark and rich than an Extra Special  Bitter, this is balanced and has those toasty caramel flavours. A malt bill of British Pale Ale malt, Crystal and Grist Rye balance with a blend of UK hops but also some CTZ hops (Columbus, Tomahawk and Zeus) thrown in for some bittering. The final result is a 6.5% and 50 IBU, medium to full bodied, drinkable beer on the lower end of carbonation with a dry finish. Pick this up directly from the brewery on Sunday before the holiday Monday! (And make sure you check their hours if you want to get some on Monday).

This week’s final release comes in the form of a 3% ABV Berliner Weisse from Bannerman. Late Sunset is a light wheat ale with a hint of tartness from the souring bacteria. This one is unfruited, representing a great opportunity to experiment with adding your own fruit syrups (no judgement if you go the Purity syrup route), which is how this style is commonly served in Northern Germany. 

Just one event reminder for you today!

A reminder that Bar Stillwell and Tide & Boar Gastropub are both hosting the Dieu Du Ciel! Péché Mortel Day this Saturday. In addition to the original Imperial Coffee Stout, they will be pouring Péché Latte, an Imperial Milk Stout; Péché Mexican, the original with spices & chilies, Péché Bourbon, a Bourbon barrel-aged version of the OG, and Péché Special Edition, brewed using Colombian Sierra Nevada coffee beans in place of the original. Good thing both bars will be pouring flights of these 9.5% brews! The fun kicks off at noon at both locations, and Stillwell is firing on all cylinders, as they will be featuring a Montreal Smoked Meat poutine feature that day. We suspect T&B will be pulling out all the stops for fun pairing too!

Before we let you go…

While our main purpose for existing is to keep informed about what’s happening in Atlantic Canada, we are occasionally compelled to spread the word about interesting beer and cider from outside the region when it hits local taps and shelves. That’s what’s happening today at Bishop’s Cellar where five beers from Scotland’s Tempest Brewing Co. are dropping. Swing by the store on Lower Water Street in Halifax or check out their online store to check out the five different styles from one of RateBeer’s top 100 best breweries in the world. While you’re there be sure to check out their other new imports including Samuel Smith’s Imperial Stout, Ayinger Celebrator and a nice selection from Bellwoods and Dieu du Ciel.