Bogside Brewing

All posts tagged Bogside Brewing

Thursday Wrap-Up for November 10, 2022 – News from Rough Waters, Shipwright, Bogside, Copper Bottom, TrailWay, Mauzy, Banished, Breton, Propeller, Quidi Vidi and plenty more!

Posted by acbbdamian on 2022-11-10
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: 2 Crows Brewing, Banished Brewing, Bogside Brewing, Breton Brewing, Copper Bottom Brewing, Island Folk Cider House, Mauzy Cidery, Propeller Brewing, Quidi Vidi Brewery, Rough Waters Brewing, Route 19 Brewing, Serpent Brewing, Shipwright Brewing, Spindrift Brewing, Tatamagouche Brewing, The Church Brewing Company, TrailWay Brewing. 1 comment

Happy Thursday evening! We’re a day early, but a few hours late. But better late than never, right pals? We’ve already used all of our best material below, so let’s just stop the lame jokes and get right to the good stuff!

Deer Lake’s Rough Waters released their first lager last weekend, which is now available at their local good beer shops, and now outside of their region. Perfectschen-lager is an Amber lager, inspired by the German Munich Dunkel style. While light in body, the specialty malt lends a light toast and caramel note, shining through the crisp and clear yeast profile. While their taproom is closed for the season, the RW Crew are still working hard to put out new and exciting beers for you!

Lunenburg’s Shipwright Brewing is making the most of a logistics miscommunication this week, with Exit 8 Hoppy Mistake. What began as a request for Maris Otter malt while in town, turned into a purchase of Munich malt instead, which was not discovered until Exit 8 of the 103 Highway! No need to panic, new Brewer Jason Crozier was able to turn that into a great beer nonetheless! An American Amber Ale, with plenty of toast, dried fruit, and caramel from the malt, with a healthy bitterness from Cascade and Topaz hops, all in a 6.5%/44 IBU package. Available at their taproom on Montague Street for pints, crowler, and growler fills all weekend.

Bogside Brewing has a pair of releases out now, one holding out on summer, the other foretelling of the cooler months ahead, available just in time for the weekend. Gone Coastal American IPA is 6.5% ABV, and bursting with loads of citrus and honeydew melon, thanks to the additions of Callista and Huell Melon late in the process. And in a completely different vein, Stocking Stuffer Winter Wheat is a Belgian Witbier, whose subtle hints of orange and spice may even work as a mulled beer choice as the nights become longer and cooler. Both are available through their online shop for delivery, or in their taproom. Both of these can also be found in their 24 Day Holiday Advent Calendar, available for pre-order now, and delivered PEI-wide Nov 23. Insider scoop, there will be one beer exclusive to this Calendar, available nowhere else!

Staying in Montague, PEI for a little bit, we have a pair of upcoming releases from Copper Bottom to let you know about. Debuting this Saturday is Eclipse, a 6.5% Black IPA. Melding lovely citrus and pine aromatics from the Cascade, Simcoe, and Galaxy hops used late, along with the dark roasted and coffee notes from the malt, all in a lovely alluring dark package.

Next Saturday, November 19th, is Copper Bottom’s Fifth Anniversary, and of course they are throwing a party to celebrate! Live music all afternoon, turning into a dance party that evening, Pizza Box Food Truck and Oyster shucking all day, plus a new beer release, how could you miss it?? Speaking of, Birthday Beer 5 may be their most ambitious yet: an 8.0% Pastry Stout, complete with toasted coconut flakes, cacao nibs, and lactose for a touch of residual sweetness. The Chocolate Malt complements the Roasted Barley for plenty of flavour, with oats to help with mouthfeel. Details on the music lineup and party are available here!

Let’s jump to our only news from New Brunswick this week. Trailway is releasing The Blend, their first take on a style that’s growing in popularity outside of the region, the Smoothie Sour. Part beer, part fruit smoothie, these thick and creamy soured ales incorporate fruit and other additions to push the limits of beer styles and draught lines alike. And because of the unfermented fruit additions, these cans MUST be kept cold, unless you want to kick start a refermentation and have the tops start blowing open on your drive home. This first run of The Blend is a limited release, with cans of the 5.3% sour available at the brewery now.

A few weeks ago, we mentioned the launch of Newfoundland’s newest cidery, Mauzy, which focuses on wild fermentation methods. This Saturday (November 12), they’re releasing their newest product in Mt. Pearl at the Landwash taproom. Willie is a spontaneously fermented cider t\that showcases Williams Pride apples from nearby Kelligrews. This one was aged for eight months prior to bottling and then bottle conditioned with honey from Baccalieu Trail Honey. Bottle pours will be available at the Landwash taproom beginning at 5 pm. For those not otherwise able to make it to the celebration, online ordering is also available.

Paradise’s other purveyor of fermented wares, Banished Brewing, also has a new release out this week with another iteration of Paradise Town, their rotating line of fruited (or not) sours. This latest version is Tangerine, with this 5.5% sour featuring massive notes of sour tangerines and yummy citrusness. You can find it now at the brewery in Paradise, and keep an eye on their social channels to see if it will hit the wider distribution network on the Avalon.

Let’s cross the Strait to Cape Breton, where Breton Brewing is partnering with Cape Breton University Alumni Association  for the release of Now & Forever CBU. This 4% ABV lager is a light and crisp crusher with enough bitterness at 20 IBUs to draw you back in for more. A portion of the sales will go to student awards and scholarships at CBU. Cans are available now at the two Sydney locations, or through their online store for delivery.

We told you all about Propeller Brewing’s Wild IPA release back in April, and the brewing crew at Propeller have something special available for us today… Wilder IPA! Choosing a specific white wine barrel from their inventory, this Wild Ale was fermented with Escarpment’s Mothership Brett Blend and hung out in that same barrel for two and a half years, allowing some massive bold fruit and funk character to develop. The beer was then blended with some freshly brewed IPA with Nelson Sauvin, Citra, Vic Secret, and Galaxy hops, which kicked off a secondary (or tertiary) fermentation that was captured during the can conditioning phase. The resulting beer features plenty of tropical and citrus notes from the fresh beer and ingredients, which allowing the tart and complex Brett notes to complement. This 6.2% meeting of old and new is available in cans at all 3 Prop Shops now, for home delivery and Canada-wide shipping, and there will be a little launch at Bishop’s Cellar on Saturday to celebrate its arrival!

Speaking of sours, let’s head back to The Rock to Quidi Vidi, who have released the collaborative Hard Ticket Fruit Punch Sour this week. Teaming up with the imaginative folks at Saltwater Designs, the Hard Ticket is juicy, creamy, and tart, with tropical fruits like pineapple and peach coming through in spades. Head down to the gut or their Hop Shop, or check out your local NLC or convenience store to grab some.

Sydney NS’s Island Folk Cider House has a returning favourite this week, with a brand new seasonal name. Sweater Weather is here, and it’s their Cranberry Cinnamon Cider in a brand new label and name. 100% NS-grown apples and cranberries in the can, with a touch of cinnamon to complement the fruit blend. At 6.5%, you’ll be warmed up in no time! Grab it from their taproom today!

A bit of a preview for you beer wonks who are tuning in on Thursday afternoon… Tatamagouche Brewing has a sneak peek of a brand new English Ale that will soon be in advent calendars around the region. Flintshire is 4.0% ABV, which means it can be consumed in quantity without too much work. And what better way to enjoy this blend of toast and caramel malt notes with the earthiness of Fuggles (with a dash of Cascade for some citrus brightness) and fermented with an iconic English ale yeast than on a handpump aka beer engine? I can’t think of one either, so we’re thrilled to share that the first releases of Flintshire will be debuting on cask at better beer bars in the province (and possibly beyond!), saving you the cost of a plane ticket to jolly old England.

Dartmouth’s Spindrift Brewing is pushing the Toller line above and beyond this week with their release of Toller Ice. Doesn’t seem like this one was Cold Filtered For Maximum Punch, but at 6.0%, it is the highest ABV of the Toller family. Eschewing the rice and corn found in the other members of the ensemble, this is an all-malt brew, with a hint of Melanoidin sitting on top of the base of Pilsner malt. A small addition of Warrior hops ensure it does not finish too sweet. Toller Ice is available now at both the Dartmouth and Antigonish Spindrift locations, and at the NSLC.

As a small follow-up to last week’s announcement of the Belgian Strong, the collaboration between longtime friends Steve Crane and Glen O’Keefe of Church Brewing and Serpent Brewing, respectively… We mentioned that we were unsure where/when it would be available in HRM. Well, we can report that if heading to Wolfville is a bit far, then Serpent’s Spryfield taproom is pouring the 12% Quadrupel today, so gird your loins and head over now! And if we are lucky, it will be available in cans later in the Fall.

Just one event to warn you about as we close out the blog for another week… A reminder that the provincial liquor stores, and some breweries, will be closed or adjusting their hours tomorrow, in honour of Remembrance Day, so check first before heading out.

2 Crows is releasing a super-small-batch, taproom-only beer next Friday, and having a bit of a party to go with it. SCOOPS is a 9.3% Imperial Pastry Stout, brewed with coffee, vanilla, graham cracker, cocoa, and to top it off, vanilla soft serve (lactose-free). To celebrate this unholy and sacrilicious melding of flavours, the 2C Crew is hosting Dartmouth Doom Metal band Skullocybin in the taproom Nov 18 at 8 PM. Also, SCOOPS will be available as an Ice Cream Float all day with more of that lactose-free soft serve for those chasing the full experience.

Two Nova Scotia Breweries are for sale, read on for a bit more info…

If you are looking to get into the beer business by purchasing a turn-key operation, complete with multiple locations and NSLC listings, someone in Nova Scotia is ready to help you make that dream happen. Check the sales listing here.

And if you are looking to make a play with a brewery and its real estate in a high traffic area, albeit seasonal, those with deep pockets should check this listing to see if this tickles their fancy.

Friday Wrap-Up for October 21, 2022 – News from Bannerman, Tatamagouche, Propeller, Sober Island, Garrison, Loyalist City, Village Green, Truro Brewing, Libra, and a ton more!

Posted by acbbdevon on 2022-10-21
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: 12 beers of christmas, 2 Crows Brewing, Atlantic Canadian Craft Brew Fest, Banished Brewing, Bannerman Brewing, Bishop's Cellar, Bogside Brewing, Garrison Brewing, Good Robot Brewing, Half Cocked Brewing, HopYard, Libra Non-Alcoholic Beer, Loyalist City Brewing Co, Lunn's Mill Beer Company, Mauzy Cidery, Modern Brewer's Village Green, Port Rexton Brewing Co., Propeller Brewing, Roof Hound Brewing, Sober Island Brewing, Tatamagouche Brewing, Truro Brewing Company. Leave a Comment

We are back at full strength this week at the blog, and the breweries must have known, because we’ve got an overfilled post for you today from all 4 provinces, and plenty of events to keep you busy for the next few weekends. Let us tarry no further and get right to the good stuff!

We’re going to start this week with three returning engagements from around the region, starting in the East End of St. John’s, NL, where Bannerman Brewing has brought back Early Rise, their fruited sour IPA. Hopped with Citra and Sabro before being refermented on mango puree and pomegranate concentrate, and bolstered with an addition of lactose, the result is a full-bodied and heavy beer with lots and lots of fruit and hop character, but also a slight acidity that complements the fruit and sweetness, and a balancing bitterness on the finish. It’s both on tap and available in cans to go at the shop, but look for it to see wider distribution in the coming days and weeks.

Also returning for the second time in 2022 after a successful run in 2021 is Black Flower from Tatamagouche. An American Stout, once again the brew team leaned into the “American” aspect of that style with copious amounts of hops. In place of last year’s classic Cascade and Centennial, this year’s batch leverages piney and spicy Chinook and piney and woody Nugget (both from HOOH Hop Farms in BC) for a bit of a different feel. A medley of malts builds a solid base to balance those hops, with chocolate, caramel, dried fruit, and firm roasted flavours coming to the fore. An English yeast strain ensures plenty of body carries forward, and though it’s a fairly middling 5.5% ABV, the brewery describes it as tasting like a young RIS. You’ll just have to try it for yourself to find out! With any luck, just like last year we’ll see a cask or two of it go on at the Stillwell Freehouse for a different take on the same beer.

Last, but definitely not the least of our returning beers is one that many folks in the region might remember as a gateway to craft beer. Earlier in 2022 as part of their 25th anniversary celebrations, Propeller Brewing conducted a poll on their socials about which beer their fans would like to see brought back for a limited run and, of course, Stone Fruit won. But the runner-up? That beer was the venerable Honey Wheat, one of the breweries’ stalwart brands throughout their first 20 years, but unseen since its retirement batch in 2018. Brewery staff from past and present were invited to the brew day to celebrate this old friend. Brewed with both barley and wheat, along with Nova Scotia honey from Cosman & Whidden in Greenwich, it was fermented slightly cool to ensure a clean presentation and little distraction from the subtleties of the honey. The result is 5% ABV and is now available exclusively on tap for pints and growler fills at all Prop Shops.

And if you’re in Halifax and you’re looking for something even more retro than Prop Honey Wheat, you can check out Movie Mania at Propeller Arcade, four seasonal movies on three nights. On October 25th, Canadian cult classic “George’s Island” (1989) is playing, and on October 26th, it’ll be a “mystery movie.” On both of those nights admission is free, but we suggest reserving your spot by picking up a ticket at the Arcade today. On October 30th you’ll find the last outdoor screening of the year, a double-feature of “Ernest Scared Stupid” and “Pumpkinhead.” Gates open at 4pm, with the first flick commencing at 6 and an intermission at 7:30. Taz Records will be on-site selling horror movies, soundtracks, and merch, and Asado BBQ will have eats for the buying. And, of course, Propeller will be selling beer! Tickets for the big night are $30, also available at the Arcade. So gawan, get yer spooky on (but remember to dress warm!!)

Switching from things we’ve seen before to brand new beer, Sober Island Brewing has a new seasonal available in their Autumn Session Series that shows their continued love for traditional English styles. Hardwood Mild is what it says on the tin: a Dark Mild ale that arrives at a very sessionable 3.8% ABV. With six types of barley malt coming together for a complex malt profile, you can expect notes of roasted nuts, chocolate, and biscuits. To add to that is a lovely deep brown colour. Available from the brewery in cans, but note that they’ve switched to their winter hours: Thursdays 2 – 9pm, Fridays and Saturdays 12 – 7pm, and Sundays 12 – 5pm, with occasional later hours on any given night for events.

Following the earlier release of their hazy pale ale, Garrison is rolling out another 25th Anniversary beer, this time a Champagne IPA. This one starts off with a grain bill of 2 Row, flaked rice and oat malt, before seeing hop additions of Galaxy, Topaz, Idaho 7, and Simcoe. The champagne quality comes from the yeast used which produces a highly effervescent carbonation. Look for notes of citrus, mango and stone fruit, and a light bitterness of only 21 IBUs. The 6.0% ABV Champagne IPA is available now at the two Garrison retail locations and will see broader distribution via the government monopoly and private stores soon. While we are on the topic of Garrison, one of their Oktoberfest exclusives from a few weeks ago, Dunkel Breaking My Heart, has now been canned, and is available exclusively at the Seaport and Oxford locations. 

Speaking of Oktoberfest, Saint John’s Loyalist City is releasing Bestest Mensch, their take on a German Marzen. This one features a grain bill of Vienna, Munich and Pilsner malts, imported straight from Germany by Weyermann Speciality Malts. Fermented with Global Lager yeast, it was then lagered to provide the crisp and refreshing drinking experience the style is known for. You can expect a moderate malt profile along with some classic floral hop notes from the German hops in this 5.2% Marzen. This one will see release in draught format only, on tap at the brewery this weekend. 

Next up is a double release week from Cornwall’s Village Green. First up is the 7.5% ABV Double Porter. Starting off with two British malts, Marris Otter and English Brown malt, it then sees a generous addition of Centennial and Chinook, both on the hot side and via a dry hop. Find it on tap and in cans at the brewery starting at 4:00 PM today (Friday). Also keep an eye out for their Dorf Pilsner, a German Pils that made its debut at the HopYard Brewery Battle last yesterday. More details on that below!

Back on the mainland, the fine folks at Truro Brewing Company have a new release that’s joining their core lineup. Little Dyke Pilsner, is a German take on the style with a moderate hop presence that’s been fermented to a sessionable 5.0% ABV. You can find it on tap and in cans at the brewery now. And, just in time for spooky season, the brewery will be showing Evil Dead II at the taproom tonight at 7:00 PM. Tickets are $5 at the door. 

We here at ACBB appreciate all forms of fermented beverages, including the non-alcoholic variety. Upsreet spin-off Libra is releasing a new beer in collaboration with Juno-winning musician Serena Ryder, Libra Lavender Sage Cream Ale. Expect a balanced drinking experience with notes of, you guessed it, lavender and sage, along with a mild honey character. Check out the Libra online store for ordering info. 

Bogside out of Montague, PEI is back with another fundraiser for the PEI Humane Society. Last year they raised over $4,000 for the society and this year, six pack sales of Gimme Shelter (a Blonde ale) will provide $6 to PEI’s only animal shelter. The beer itself is a crisp, approachable 5% North American blonde ale which will satisfy many beer drinkers all across PEI. Pick this up directly from the brewery, or order online for delivery.

If you’re near Antigonish and things have calmed down post-Fiona, Half Cocked has an exciting beer release available now. NOBO is a Norwegian Farmhouse Ale that uses a no-boil technique and features the Voss strain from the Kveik family of Norwegian farmhouse yeasts. Additions of juniper berries, Pinot (Grigio, we think) and butterfly pea blossom give this a purple hue and herbaceous flavours and atoms. There is a touch of acidity, it’s dry on the finish, and it’s 4.5% ABV. Check this one out on tap or in 355ml cans directly from the brewery.

Mauzy Cider, currently based in Paradise, Newfoundland and Labrador, has their second release this week, making the most of a bad situation. When hurricane Larry hit Newfoundland in September 2021, the apple trees were full of apples in various stages of ripening. Of course, Larry had other ideas, and millions of these were sent off the trees whether they were ready or not. Enter the Mauzy team, who quickly sprang into action and collected the “feral” fruit from around town so that they did not go to waste. Aided by some honey from Baccalieu Trail Honey Bees, this spontaneously fermented cider was aged for 8 months before bottling. Tannin- and acid-forward, the 7.0% cider has been packaged in just 30 cases of 750ml bottles, and is available to purchase now. And downtown cocktail bar Papillon is holding a release party this Sunday at their 152 Water Street location. 8 PM until late, with Shuck NL there providing oysters to pair.

While Mauzy hangs out in their space, host brewery Banished has been ramping up their production as they now offer Canada-wide shipping. And new today is Skelephone, a shocking 6.0% ABV IPA. Starting from the glow in the dark can, you can tell this is going to be a different beer… Starting from one of their established IPA recipes, they used the Cryo Pop hop blend from Yakima Chief for a stone fruit and tropical character. But most shocking will be the appearance of the beer, which is blueish-green, thanks to the addition of blue spirulina algae. While odourless and flavourless, it lends its colours in a big way, making this beer impossible to miss! Skelephone is debuting in the taproom today (fresh off the canning line), and out to their normal retail partners next week.

Sticking to the Rock, Port Rexton has released their annual celebration of St. John’s The Adelaide Oyster House, It’s a Vibe! Celebrating 8 years in business, AOH has been a long time supporter of PRBC, so it’s only fitting that the brewery returns the favour. This year’s edition is a kettle sour with Mango and Guava, resulting in a tropical cocktail that will have you dreaming of down south. Available exclusively on tap at the brewery and Adelaide currently, if there’s any left, they’ll send cans out to the rest of the Island!

In “coming soon” beer news, 2 Crows Brewing has teased a new release coming in a couple of weeks, but we wanted to help spill the beans early to ensure you don’t miss out. Starting life during a November 2021 brewday, the malt bill consisted of 69% Shoreline Pilsner, 16% Flaked Rye, and 15% Flaked Rice. Hopped in the mash with Chinook, then early with Sterling before a hefty dose in the whirlpool (while cooling after the boil) with Bru-1. Fermented with Verdant yeast (commonly used for NEIPAs) and the 2Crows House Funky Foedre Culture™, cultivated from many batches passing through their large wooden fermenters. After fermentation completed and the yeast were just starting to nap, they added 200 kilos of Apricot puree to call them into duty once again. After that second round of fermentation was completed, the mad scientists in the brewery added fresh lime juice and zest to up the ante. Once the extra natural sugars were chewed up, the beer was transferred to a stainless steel fermenter, where a soupcon of locally-harvest sea salt was added, care of OK Sea Salt in LaHave. This final addition marked the end of intervention, as the beer was packaged and allowed to carbonate naturally in the can, before its upcoming release. The resultant OK OK OK is a lovely melding of juiciness, tart, and funk, with a hint of salinity drawing you back for more. First dibs of this limited release will be going to 2C Newsletter subscribers next Friday, so be sure to sign up in the next day or two. We’ve saved you some clicking to find the link. Those of you who miss out on the early access will be able to grab it online, their retail shop, or local private store(s) November 8th.

Where to go and have a beer-y blast this weekend? Read below to learn more!

Charlottetown’s HopYard is once again holding their Battle of the Breweries, taking place over the next several weeks. On now is the fierce head to head to head battle between Lone Oak, Double Hill Cidery and Village Green, as each producer brings forth new releases and core brands, in the effort to sell the most pints Thursday through Saturday. The winner of this weekend will move onto a Semi Final before the big Finals, November 24-26. Next weekend’s competitors, Barnone, Moth Lane, and PEI Brewing, kick off their fun at 11:30 October 27, with the final first round of breweries, Bogside, Labatt, and Upstreet, duke it out November 3 – 5.

Here’s something you don’t see a lot, a brewery having a yard sale! Both Good Robot locations (Elmsdale and Halifax) will be having beer on sale, with up to 50% off some of their lineup. They’re doing a mass clear out to make room for a lot of new products and we’re sure their new production out of Elmsdale is pumping out some tasty treats. The yard sale will be on today at both locations, so if you’re an early reader of this, get on over if you can, while supplies last!

Next weekend is the return of the Cox & Palmer Atlantic Canadian Craft Brew Fest, happening at the Moncton Coliseum October 29th. There are still tickets available for both the afternoon (2-4:30 PM) or evening (7:30-10 PM) sessions, and your ticket includes unlimited beer, cider, mead, and spirit samples from more than 20 producers. There are also a handful of food vendors to keep you perked up and satiated. There will also be some Electric Vehicles on display for those who want to learn more about them. Grab your tickets at the link above before they’re gone!

This is as close we’ll get to posting “urgent” news on the blog, but the 12 Beers of Christmas in St. John’s only has tickets left for one of their days! This event is a fun one for Newfoundland craft beer fans, and the Saturday session is all sold out! There are still tickets left for Friday November 25th and all of the local breweries will be there and of course, way more than 12 beers! They’ll be food, ugly sweaters and more! It’s a month before Christmas, so it’s a good time to start spreading the cheer and drinking beer! Check out the link for tickets here, if you can be at the St. John’s Farmers Market on that date, of course.

A few more things before we dismiss you this afternoon…

A bit of news out of Bishop’s Cellar and their latest offerings, they’ve got some Bellwoods brews for the Halifax locals. Original Jelly King is now a core beer at Bishop’s and this will ALWAYS BE IN STOCK*. What a time to be alive.

Other Bellwoods offerings available for a limited time starting today:

  • PIG IPA
  • Jelly King Plum
  • Bellweiser

They’ve also got some recently released local beers available now as well:

Tanner Brewing – Altbier

North Brewing – Sweater Weather

Propeller – Porter 

* except when it’s not, because people bought it all, because of course sometimes they will, because it’s awesome!

Big things are happening for Roof Hound, as they’ve bought the roof! They’ve bought their building where their Kingston taproom and restaurant reside, as they are building towards their future, Roof Hound Public House. Shifting away from Digby and taking over the former space of The Crossing restaurant in Kingston, they’re going to be working on a huge new project in the heart of Kingston by expanding their current space and adding accommodations, too! Stay tuned to their socials and we’ll be sure to keep you updated here, too!

And as a service to our homebrewing readers to close out the blog today, a heads up that Lawrencetown’s Lunn’s Mill Beer is hosting their first Homebrew Competition! Dubbed the Winter Home Brew Challenge, they are looking for your best seasonal ale, in the Amber to Brown colour spectrum, and 4.5 – 6.5% ABV. They’re teaming up with Noble Grape for this competition, and the beers will be judged blindly by their team of experts, and the winning entry will see their beer brewed and distributed! You have until December 8th to submit your 6-pack of entries at one of their drop-points in HRM, Annapolis or Kings Counties. Fire them an email at events@lunnsmill.beer for more info, including details on the post-judging party where the winners will be announced, where your $25 brewing entry fee is your ticket to food, beer, and fun!

Friday Wrap-Up for June 17 2022 – News from Tatamagouche, North, Landwash, Bogside, Lunn’s Mill, Delta Force, Ninepenny, Tire Shack and much more!

Posted by acbbdevon on 2022-06-17
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: Bishop's Cellar, Bogside Brewing, Candid Brewing, Delta Force Brewing, Dieu du Ciel, Escarpment Laboratories, Lagabiere, Lake City Cider, Landwash Brewery, Lazy Bear Brewing, Lunn's Mill Beer Company, Ninepenny Brewing, North Brewing, Propeller Brewing, Tapestry Beer Bar, Tatamagouche Brewing, Tire Shack Brewing. Leave a Comment

We’re just over halfway through June and as we officially roll into Summer, you may be throwing a Summer Solstice party, planning something special for Father’s day (or, Fadder’s Day) or looking for some cool new things to do. While it’s hard for us to capture absolutely everything that’s going on in Atlantic Canada, hopefully we can point you in the right direction with places to try, beers and ciders to look for and help with summertime plans. Even on those rainy days, you may be listening to some Alan Jackson, and want to sip on some new and local beers. We are here to help, especially when Alan Jackson comes to the Chattahoo…erm, New Brunswick in November!

Let’s kick off this week’s news and fun with a whole lotta goodness flowing from the North Shore of Nova Scotia. There you’ll find Tatamagouche Brewing, who opened their doors in June of 2014, and are celebrating their birthday this weekend. They’ve released a whole whack of beers since they launched with Hippie Dippie Pale Ale and Butcher Block Red (shout out to us at the blog for having that info at launch!), and have won a slew of local, national, and international awards since then. You’ll be able to grab some of those award-winning beers in a Birthday Surprise Beer Box, specially curated by co-owner Matt Kenny, which includes award winning brews, special one-time releases, and early Weird Beer and Giant Beer releases from as far back as 2015! Due to the nature of the low supply, there were only 10 cases available and some have already been claimed, your best bet for success is to DM Tatabrewco on Instagram or drop by the brewery today to grab the case! Popping by the brewery will also reward your ears, thanks to Live Music from Jamie & Jonny today 5 – 7:30 PM, and tomorrow with the Brew Boys taking the stage from 1 – 4 PM.

A brewery can’t have a birthday celebration without new releases, of course, and Tata is not shying away from their “responsibility” in that department this week. First up is Tempest, a blended Imperial Stout, and a hefty one at that! Starting life as two distinct beers, the first was brewed with a traditional grain bill, and aged in peat-heavy Scotch barrels for a year, picking up smoke, vanilla, and a touch of booze from its temporary home. Blended with that is another “large and in charge stout,” this one not having spent any time in wood, but sporting a touch of smoked malt. The amalgamation of the two features the best of both worlds, in a sneaky 12.2% package! Think chocolate, toasty graham crackers, and rich dark fruits. Available now online and in store in a 500ml bottle.

Also debuting this weekend is the continuation of their Solera program, where young beer is added to a vessel when part of the aged beer is removed, to keep the hungry yeast and bacteria well fed with new starch and sugars, and extend the flavour profile of the offerings. Enter Foeder 3, the second release from one of their Red Wine foeders, which is a blend of 3-year old and 1-year old wort. There’s no shortcutting this sort of beer, as the Gueuze producers of the Zenne River Valley will attest! The red wine that was previously held in the wood is long gone, but just a touch of its essence remains, with the main character from the yeast and bacteria coming through with light notes of acidity, highlighted by plum and lychee and hay. Look for more from this vessel too!

Also fresh off the canning line this week are returning favourites Saltwater Cowboy, the 4.4% Tequila Barrel-Aged Gose, and Skiff, their 3.3% Grisette (think Saison’s little sister). And why not hit a banger of an Italian Pils, with their Pausa Pranzo available online and in the shop now, as well as Square One, the 6.1% Dry-Hopped Saison. Phew, what a list! Big congratulations to the TataBrewCrew on 8 years of fun times and great beer, and here’s to many more!

Out of their Dartmouth brewery, North Brewing, has a new release today that is not your standard release, Kem Cho? Which means “How are you?” in the Gujarati language. a 4.5% spiced Pale Ale, it’s spiced with additions of saffron, cardamom and lemon zest additions.  Using Cashmere hops to provide a delicate, but lemon-friendly flavour and smooth bitterness, it seems to be balanced in all the right places. This beer is available on tap at the brewery and Battery Park for pints, and both locations and Timberlea have 473ml cans available.

We are stoked to announce a big collaborative offering from Mount Pearl’s Landwash Brewing this week, perfect for grilling season (whether that’s in the summer or year-round!). Their Mixed BBQ Pack has been released at the brewery and Marie’s shops today, and features four crushable beers for any and all occasions. Anchoring the pack is Tidepool Pilsner, their 5.0% German-inspired pils, crisp and refreshing with just a touch of German hop bitterness. New on the scene are 3 releases, brewed in collaboration with St. John’s based restaurants and meat shops, including Newfoundland Sausage Company. Their team came out to Mount Pearl and brewed up a Vienna Lager, which at 5.2%, is the most malt-forward of the bunch, but thanks to a long, cold, conditioning, is super-smooth, with the Saaz and Spalter Select hops used keeping it bright and balanced. Vienna…Sausage… we’re not the only ones making that connection, right? 😉

Restaurant and Deli hybrid Chinched got into the game too, opting for a New Zealand Pilsner for their collab beer. Kiwi-grown Nelson Sauvin and Wakatu hops impart a Sauvignon Blanc vibe, with tropical notes, in this super-refreshing 6.0% Pils. And finally, the kitchen crew from Mallard Cottage made the trek from QV to MP, and, with guidance from Landwash’s Nardia McGrath, put together a lovely Australian Sparkling Ale: at 4.9%, it used an English Ale for primary fermentation, followed by an extended lagering period to tamp down the fruit esters. Instead, thanks to the Aussie-grown Ella, look for a touch of spice and floral on the nose, with a bright and crisp finish, super-easy drinking.

The BBQ Packs are available at the brewery right now, and rolling out to Marie’s Mini Marts as you read this, in their slick new “Can-teen” display cases, ready to grab a flat and go! Check out the fun quotes stamped on the bottom of the can with their date codes… The 8-pack joins their just-released-yesterday Bungle Rye, a 6.8% Rye IPA. Leveraging the spiciness of that malt (both flaked and malted rye were used in the mash), Galaxy, Vic Secret, and Mosaic hops were used throughout to balance that malt backbone with pine, citrus, and tropical fruit. Head Brewer Alex crafted this one, and raided the hop freezer to make it happen! FYI, the name of the beer is inspired by the ballad of the same name, the tale of being sold a baby instead of a bottle of rye! What a switcheroo! Maybe Alex will perform the song at next Wednesday’s Open Mic…. 

Let’s shine the spotlight on another island, with two new releases out of Montague, PEI, where Bogside Brewing has a few can releases from their anniversary bash a few weeks ago. First up, Lunchpail Lager! This is the first rice lager from the brewery and is crisp and easy drinking, with an IBU of 9, it’s intended as a mainstream style for all around crushability. It’s 5.5% ABV and available in cans and from the taps.

Next up, another easy drinker with some fruit and lower ABV, Strawberry Sour makes its return as a Berliner Weisse-style release, using real strawberries for a 4% small sour featuring the quintessential summery berry of PEI. Get this one in cans or on tap from the brewery as well.  

Up in Lawrencetown, NS, (no not the beach, the other one) Lunn’s Mill has a new seasonal that’s, uh, perfect for the season. Patio Saison is a Saison Table Beer that is 3.7%, perfectly sessionable and dry with a bit of spice. Using African Queen hops (the most popular South African houblon) for a dark fruit flavour, along with an Old World Saison yeast blend, the balance of smooth, sweet, and spicy pairs well with the style of beer. This is available in cans and on tap from the brewery, on tap at The Station in Bridgetown and Battery Park has a keg tapping soon, too!

Continuing with their newfound frequent release schedule and also their continued contributions to the Make Peace Not War beer project, Delta Force Brewing has a fourth release featuring two new beers available now on their online shop. Cucumber Farmshed Sour is 3.8% and Red Currant/Rhubarb Saison is 7.8%. Both of these are available in 500ml bottles today from their online store, and just like all of the previous releases, 40% of the proceeds will be donated to Red Cross Ukraine. 

We head to CBS (Conception Bay South, b’y) in Newfoundland for Ninepenny Brewing’s collaboration with the Baymen Rugby Club. The beer, The Baymen, is named after the team and they wanted to make a flavourful, refreshing beer and ended up making a blueberry and raspberry 5.3% fruited sour. Members of the club joined for the brew day and the label is inspired by their jerseys. Pints and cans are available now and will be available at Marie’s as well.

Moncton’s Tire Shack has some news for you this week, as they have two of their favourite and popular beers returning this week, along with a Sunday event! Love at Midnight is a returning 7% IPA, dubbed a Piña Colada IPA, this beer was conditioned on lots of pineapple and coconut. Bringing big tropical vibes this sounds delicious. Also returning is Mexican Lager Cerveza, a 5% crisp lager that is one of the favourites The Shack team has released, and, as they say “quite possibly the easiest drinking beer we have ever made”. Both of the beers are available at the brewery in pints, growlers and cans. Why not check them out on Sunday, when they are hosting Ricky Burger for a Father’s Day burger pop-up? It starts at 1 PM on Sunday June 19th and what better way to treat Dad than burgers and beer? 

Where else to drink this weekend? Let’s get you up to speed!

One of Lower Sackville’s beer destinations, TAPestry Beer Bar is celebrating their first year in business and they’ve got something planned for each day of the celebratory weekend. Today, June 17th, they’ve got Flight School Friday, where you can buy one flight and get the second one for half price. Also, for the first 25 customers of the day, there will be a special sweet treat (Vandal Doughnuts). On Saturday, music will be keeping the party going with a 3 PM to 6 PM show from Cas Rio McCrea and then 6 PM to 10 PM will feature the MacGillivray Boys.
Sunday is more beer-focused with Happy Hour through the entire day, but from 12 PM to 2 PM, there will be a private event just for their SackVegas Beer Club. Members only, as they say. When they open up to the public at 2 PM, happy hour will be there for everyone. Be sure to check out their beer bar this weekend if you have the chance!

This Sunday, Propeller is celebrating their latest collaboration with Barkeep Cocktails with a Patio Party at the (Barkeep affiliated) Dear Friend Bar in Dartmouth. Celebrating the releases of Paloma and Cucumber Rickey, these canned cocktails will be joined with food and drink specials, giveaways, music and free gifts for the first 30 people. Check it out at the bar on Sunday, June 19th, from 12 PM until 3 PM. And check out the just-released Yuzu Fruited Ale, a draught-only release at Gottingen and Quinpool, for growler or pints!

Very big news for breweries (and, assuming the lessons are learned and applied, beer drinkers!) as Escarpment Labs is headed to Nova Scotia (North Brewing in Dartmouth, specifically) for a series of one day courses about Yeast Quality Control. In July there are 2 sessions for “Quality Control in the Brewery” and will cover quality control and setting up your own yeast lab for your own brewery. Check out all of the details here.  

A few short pieces before we dismiss you this week. Have fun and take care of each other!

While it’s still Pride month (and Halifax Pride comes in July), one of the best local drinks you can buy and support for Pride is from Lake City Cider and their District Pride Rosé. This is a delicious cider that is dry with Nova Scotia applies and multiple tart berries. $0.25 from every can is donated to Egale, who focus on Legal Advocacy, and their vision of “a world, without homophobia, biphobia, transphobia and all other forms of oppression so that every person can achieve their full potential, free from hatred and bias.”

Another cider you can get now is Canoe ‘22 (named after the 2022 Canoe World Championships coming to Dartmouth in August). With this release, LCC ran a contest where local artists could design the can. The winner of the contest was the talented Anisa Francoeur, so check out the can here. The cider is Lake City’s Crisp Apple, refreshing and clean for sitting around Lake Banook in August and watching some elite talent.

Lastly for Lake City, today (Friday) is Oyster Night and Saturday afternoon is another Oyster Pop-Up! $2 per oyster or a dozen for $20. Friday is from 4 PM until sell-out and Saturday is from 4 PM until they’re all gone. To top off their weekend, Sunday features Vandal Doughnuts with $3 donuts starting at 11am. Lots on the go for the fine cider folks, so support them now, soon, or later!

One thing we love to see here is breweries teaming up and supporting their local regions and communities. In this spirit, Candid Brewing has a new collaboration out with the very fun and amazing Keppoch Mountain (only a 17 minute drive apart!). East of Awesome is an easy-drinking Cream Ale to celebrate a love of recreation and the outdoors. There is a mountain biking cross-country bike race on Sunday June 19th and the Candid crew will have a pop-shop on site. The beer is available now at the brewery for cans to go, along with growlers and pints on tap. 

Like last week, we’ll finish off with a rundown of some of the new treats hitting Bishop’s Cellar this week. A global favourite from Montreal, Dieu Du Ciel! have sent two new imports into Halifax this week. Blanche du Paradis is a 5.5% Belgian Wheat Ale and Sentinelle is a Kölsch-style Blonde Ale. Sticking in Quebec, there are 3 new fresh brews available from Lagabière. Their flagship beer is Ta Meilleure, a 7% New England IPA and brings a big bouquet of citrus and juicy hops. Second up, Ta Plus Meilleure, a twist on the aforementioned, brewed with the same base and hops, with added peach and passion fruit puree, making it an 8% Double NEIPA. Also, Tiki Sour: Cucumber and Lime Gose (an annual 4% Gose-style summer release) is also available now. On the local front, check out Gut View, a 4.9% Amber Ale from Lazy Bear Brewing. Order online or visit Bishop’s Landing in Halifax in store!