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Friday Wrap-Up for November 25, 2022 – News from Port Rexton and Landwash, Bannerman, Breton, Rough Waters and The Newfoundland Embassy, Maritime Express, Beausoleil, Saltbox, Lake City, Garrison, Banished, and much, much more!

Posted by acbbaaron on 2022-11-25
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: Banished Brewing, Bannerman Brewing, Battery Park, Beausoleil Farmstead Cider, Boxing Rock Brewing, Breton Brewing, Gahan House (Charlottetown), Garrison Brewing, Happy Craft Brewing, HopYard, Lake City Cider, Landwash Brewery, Lone Oak Brewing, Maritime Express Cider, Mauzy Cidery, Port Rexton Brewing Co., Rough Waters Brewing, Saltbox Brewing, Serpent Brewing, Sober Island Brewing, Tatamagouche Brewing, The Newfoundland Embassy, Tire Shack Brewing. Leave a Comment

We’ve made it to the end of another week and somehow it’s the last Friday of November, which means thousands of Atlantic Canadians will be precariously perched on ladders this weekend, stringing up holiday lights, and cracking a cold one as they step back and admire all of those randomly burnt out bulbs. As our neighbours to the south nurse their Thanksgiving hangovers, you’re likely being bombarded with countless Black Friday emails and posts. Before you buy that 3-in-1 combination air fryer, pasta maker, pizza oven that you’ll probably never use, take a scroll through the latest beer news, and consider directing your hard earned cash towards your favourite producer of fermented beverages instead. Or consider taking advantage of our one-day only ACBB sale where you can snag a one-year subscription to the blog for 50% off!

Let us catch you up on a pair of late-last-week releases that are now available throughout the Avalon craft beer convenience store. The crew from Mount Pearl’s Landwash made the trek out to Port Rexton to brew two beers from just one mash! Let us explain… At the end of the mashing period, the sugary water (wort) is separated from the barley and other malted grain in the mash tun, and transferred to the kettle for the boil. That leftover grain still has some sugary goodness left on it, and a second dose of water can be used to rinse the malt clean, giving rise to the start of another beer! This technique is known as parti-gyle brewing, and has been around for centuries. While the two resultant beers will have the same base grains, due to the concentration of sugars, they will have quite different potential alcohol levels, and can be treated with different intensities of hops and other ingredients.

Ursa Major Double IPA is the first beer to come out of that double-brew, weighing in at a hefty 8.5% ABV. Using loads of late-addition hops (low bitterness, high aroma and flavour), namely Sultana and Amarillo, it features orange, pineapple, and a hint of pine, on a slightly-sweet finish.

Ursa Minor IPA is the parti-gyled beer made from the second runnings of wort, with an ABV of just 3.9%. As it was boiled separately, a different combo of hops could be used in the kettle, in this case Lotus and Azacca, imparting citrus and stone fruit on the palate, with a dry finish.

Both of these stellar-inspired beers are available at Port Rexton and Landwash on tap for pints and growler fills, and distributed to Port Rexton’s St. John’s Retail Shop, as well as their other retail partners.

Staying in Newfoundland, Bannerman has a big weekend ahead with two new releases. First up is Red Eye, a coffee milk stout. To get the most possible coffee character into the beer, the team added coffee during every step in the brewing process, including broken beans in the mash tun, kettle and fermenter. Before packaging, some of the fermented beer was also soaked on more beans overnight, before being added back into the main batch. Combine all of that coffee with the addition of lactose and you’ve basically got your morning pick me up ready to go in beer form. The coffee for this one comes from Cape Coffee Roasters, a new roaster in Cape Broyle. Cans and pours are available now at the brewery with cans also seeing wider distribution through Bannerman’s usual channels. And what goes better with your coffee than a piece of toast with a bit of Nan’s homemade jam? Their next release, Either/Or is a fruited sour that combines big fruit flavour with some slight tartness, just like Nan’s jam. You’ll also find cans and pours of this one at the brewery, with cans seeing wider distribution later this weekend. 

Rolling over to Cape Breton, Sydney’s Breton Brewing has a brand new seasonal release for the holidays with Milk n’ Cookies Stout. Not your average stout, this one has additions of chocolate chip cookies from their friends at Not Just Cakes and lactose sugar to create a sweet, bitter and balanced brew. Easy drinking at 5% this is available on tap or in cans from the brewery and for delivery, and in select NSLCs, too. 

Back to Newfoundland for another round this week, Deer Lake’s Rough Waters Brewing teamed up with the fine folks of The Newfoundland Embassy in St. John’s for their latest release. Ambassador is a 4.7% German Pilsner, as the two teams wanted to maximize easy drinking and super refreshing as they came together. Light-bodied, crisp, clean, and able to pair with whatever you’re eating! Pints are obviously available at the Embassy now, with cans at Urban Market 1919, and wider distro through the NLC soon.

Kentville’s Maritime Express Cider has a pair of new expressions available in their shop. 2020 Sparkling Perry is an all-pear cider, aged on lees in the bottle for two years. This extended aging period in the bottle has allowed it to dry out completely (no residual sugar), and is sparkling for a bubbly rush of candied pear and tropical fruit. Joining it is 2021 Sparkling Sour Berry, their apple cider base co-fermented with raspberries and rose hips, and blended with two-year aged cranberry wine. Allowed to undergo a secondary fermentation in the bottle before an extended cellaring period. Also finishing quite dry, the fruit additions lend much to the aroma and impart a tart finish.

Beausoleil Farmstead Cider in Port Williams has a new release this month, Valley Fields. Crisp Valley-grown pears and a field blend of estate-grown Pinot Gris, Cabernet Franc, and Frontenac Gris grapes, were co-fermented to finish dry, a light carbonation enhances the aromatic and light acidity in the glass. Their tasting room and retail shop at 1469 B Church Street in Port Williams is open 1 – 4 PM Saturday for visitors, or by appointment at other times.

Speaking of Beausoleil, wine- and cider-maker extraordinaire Melanie Eelman has once again lent her knowledge to the folks at Saltbox Brewing on the South Shore, helping them to launch Rosemary. Featuring Annapolis Valley apple cider, blended with a Marquette wine, infused with rosemary, this blend features herbal notes along with ripe apple, field berries, and a touch of spice. This 6.7% hybrid is available in cans at Saltbox and its sibling breweries.

Staying in the cider-verse, Dartmouth’s finest, Lake City Cider, has a brand new release that is winter-inspired. Gingersnap is a spicy and sweet little cider that uses Annapolis Valley apples, freshly pressed ginger root, and a bit of molasses for some balance. The fresh ginger is the star here, bringing you the fragrant nose and bit of refreshing spice like that you’d expect, all in a 7% package. It’s available now from the cidery in 473ml cans and is also available online. 

Rounding out the cider news for this week is the latest from Paradise’s Mauzy Cider. Once again taking advantage of feral and undeveloped apple trees, Devil’s Acid began life during the 2021 harvest. Starting with apples from Burin Bay and Golden Hornet Crabapples from Torbay, these were co-spontaneously-fermented with the skins of Dolgo crabapples, with the combination of crabapple varieties imparting a serious acidity in the glass. This 6.8% cider was bottle conditioned with a touch of apple juice for some carbonation. Like their other releases, look for them online for pickup in Paradise, and at cider, wine, and beer friendly spots around Town.

Staying in Paradise (we’ve got two tickets after all!), if you’re able to, hit up Banished Brewing for their brand new release, a collaboration with Toslow (a cafe, but generally delicious food establishment). Crosstown Cooldown is a Coffee Porter featuring beans from the Montreal roaster Traffic Coffee Co. The result is a highly drinkable, roasty and full beer with a great balance at 5%. This is canned and available now from the brewery and next week it will be hitting retailers.

Also new this week is the final form of the Puffin! If you’ve been following along with the themed releases from Banished, there were 3 previous variations and now the 4-pack is complete. New this week is Intergalactic Puffin, a triple IPA, the clear next step up from the previous Session NEIPA, NEIPA and double NEIPA, and coming in hot at 10% ABV. Very full, juicy, and surprisingly easy drinking for the style and ABV, it features loads of Mosaic during the boil and whirlpool, and was dry-hopped with equal parts Citra and Sabro, enhancing the citrus and tropical notes seen in the rest of the Puffin family. This beer is available now in cans from the brewery and will also hit retailers next week. If you’re looking to get the full vertical of the Puffin releases, you better hurry, as there is only a limited amount of Space Pufflin (Session NEIPA) left. Get your ticket to Paradise, pack your bag and leave tonight!

At the Seaport in Halifax, Garrison Brewing has a brand new release, which we’re already picturing having around for the holidays. Night Mooves is a Coffee Milk Stout that is lower on ABV (at 4.5%) but high on roasted coffee, dark chocolate and a bitter-sweet impression from combination of coffee, roasted malts, and lactose. Here’s the fun part for many of you, let’s look at the ingredients! The malt bill here features pale, munich, caramel & chocolate malts, along with some roasted barley. The hop bill gets balance and backing from the classic German Hallertau and the brew also features additions of lactose and coffee from West Ender Coffee. This one is available in 473ml cans now at both Garrison locations, on the website for delivery, and at Liquid Assets.

Boxing Rock has two new releases that are sure to appeal to fans of stone fruit flavours. Up first is Black and Tan: Stout and Pale. This one is a 5.2% ABV  blend of ​​Patricius, their Irish Stout, and a blonde wheat ale that saw an infusion of apricot, leading to a combo of roasty and stone fruit notes. Next up is Intergalactic, an American Pale Ale. A combination of new-world hops and an infusion of apricot leads to notes of pineapple, grass, and stone fruit. Cans of both are available now through Boxing Rock’s two retail locations and their online store. In other Boxing Rock news, their much revered Double IPA, Vicar’s Cross, is making its final appearance in bomber bottles after almost 10 years and over 1 million bottles sold! This DIPA was one of the first produced in Nova Scotia that was widely available in packaged format and introduced many budding craft beer enthusiasts to the style. To celebrate the retirement of the bombers, Boxing Rock is planning a package that includes a special edition commemorative bottle and a Vicar’s Cross hat. Pre-orders for the package go live on December 6.

Tire Shack Brewing out of Moncton has a brand new release this week, too, and if you’re noticing a theme this week of sweet treat additions to beer, you’re not alone. Scoop! There It Is! is an Apple Pie Ice Cream Beer (not a stout) released with a special ice cream recipe from Lost and Found Ice Cream in Moncton. The beer features a clean malt bill with a clear, amber colour, but features big additions of 100L of fresh ice cream (loaded with whole vanilla beans and cinnamon) and then 125 kilograms of apple pie filling. Both adjuncts were added during fermentation, so expect big flavours to carry through in a clean 5% beer. This is available in pints, cans and growlers directly from the brewery. 

We’ve got a new beer from Nova Scotia’s North Shore Tatamagouche Brewing, plus a way for you to enjoy it in the big city this weekend! Collusion Double IPA started life in the mash tun with a base of Horton Ridge pale and Shoreline Pilsner malts, amped up with malted oats and wheat, and combined with some Chit malt (the last having undergone a very short germination stage, leaving plenty of complex starch and sugar to increase mouthfeel in the final beer). After mashing, this saw a heavy-handed addition of Nugget hops early in the boil for bitterness, with a post-boil addition of a blend of Cascade, Centennial, and Bravo. Really taking this big IPA to the next level of aroma was a one-two punch of Citra and Mosaic oil extract for a big blast of citrus and tropical fruit. For fermentation they used a New England-style ale yeast, playing in the “hazy” realm, while still being eye-appealing. And while the yeastie beasties were working away, more hops were added, including Citra dry hop extract, the first time the Tata crew has played with this product. Collusion is out now, with cans, pints, and growler fills available at the brewery, and for those in HRM, the perfect time to try it may be at the Tatamagouche Tap Takeover at Battery Park Saturday! With 16 draught lines filled with a mix of new releases and old favourites, including a Baltic Porter from 2017(!), and Flintshire Pub Ale on the handpump, there will certainly be something for everyone! Plus door prizes for coming out and saying hi!

HopYard Beer Bar in Charlottetown is hosting the finals of the Battle of the Breweries this weekend, which also happens to be the battle of Montague! Bogside Brewing and Copper Bottom have each put their four best beer, cider, and seltzers forward in a race to finish kegs and sell the most pints until close Saturday. Stop in to show your support, because really, we are all winners in these sorts of competitions!

Sober Island Brewing is holding a Christmas-themed Brewers Dinner next Saturday, December 3rd, at their taproom in Sheet Harbour. A multi-course meal with SIBC beer pairings, all lead by Head Brewer Tim MacLeod. Tickets are available now, and we suggest grabbing them very soon, so that you can secure your choice in one of the courses, a Humble Pie Turkey Dinner or Vegetarian handpie.

A few quick newsbites before we let you go this week…

Moncton’s Happy Craft Brewing has a new release on draught this week, German Altbier. This hybrid of ale- and lager-techniques features the inclusion of kilned malts in the grain bill for a darker colour and a lovely toast and nutty character, with a balancing bitterness. This 5.0% ABV is available now at Happy’s Main Street location.

After a several month hiatus, Lone Oak Brewing has brought back their Boat Traffic Oatmeal Stout. Big and bold roast character is complemented with undertones of chocolate, coconut, and vanilla, thanks to a weeks-long oak-aging step before packaging. It is available on draught and in cans at their Borden-Carleton Taproom, their North River Brewpub, as well as PEILCC locations across the province.

Staying on the Island, PEI Brewing Company has a new seasonal available that they’ve dubbed Hour Delay. A chocolate stout brewed with cocoa and a selection of rich roasted malts to really bump up the chocolate flavor, it’s perfect for cozy nights by the fire as you watch the weather and say a little prayer or two for an hour delay in the morning. Or maybe one to enjoy in a cozy bed in the morning as you enjoy an hour delay? We’re not going to judge! You’ll find this 6% ABV and 30 IBU beer available across the island at the PEI Brewing Company Taproom, Gahan Beer Store, and select PEILCC locations.

Spryfield’s Serpent Brewing has announced the launch of their kitchen, with today (Friday) being the first day of operation. The full menu is available here, featuring a trio of different smash burger styles, grilled panini sandwiches, as well as beer & cheese soup, brussel sprouts, and even arancini! It launches at 2 PM this afternoon, check their social media for the full schedule as it is released.

Friday Wrap-Up for September 16, 2022 – News from Stillwell Brewing, Boxing Rock, 2 Crows, Copper Bottom, NS Craft Beer Fest, Tire Shack, TAPestry, and plenty more!

Posted by acbbdevon on 2022-09-16
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: 2 Crows Brewing, Boxing Rock Brewing, Copper Bottom Brewing, Craft Brewers Association of Nova Scotia, Delta Force Brewing, Euston Park Social Beer Garden, Grimross Brewing, Matron Fine Beer, Stillwell Brewing, Tapestry Beer Bar, Tire Shack Brewing, TrailWay Brewing, Unfiltered Brewing. Leave a Comment

Prost! With the weather turning a bit chillier this week, and the unfortunate massive rainfall felt in a few places around the region, we’re hit with the reminder that it can’t be summer forever! Thankfully there are plenty of new and returning beers and events on the go now that will help distract us from the inevitable. Read on to learn more!

Good news to those of us thirsting for more pale ales and lagers, Stillwell Brewing has opened their retail location at 3670 Kempt Road this week! Current hours are 10 AM – 5 PM, Monday to Friday, and may adjust slightly going forward with demand. Right now they have fresh cans of Stilly Pils German Lager and Best Bitter English Pale Ale, with their Kompakt Kolsch coming before the end of the month. Their website has been updated with latest offerings and delivery is an option for those unable to get down to their new spot. Congratulations to the StillyBrew team!

Shelburne’s finest has a new release available now. Fusion is a Cold IPA and is the first of the style for Boxing Rock. The beer is crisp, clean and uses new world hops to bring big tropical and stone fruit flavours and aroma. The finish is very clean and dry and is very crushable for a 6.5% IPA. This beer is available in cans now at Shelburne and their new Halifax (corner of Almon & Windsor) locations, and will be hitting the Halifax private stores in the coming weeks. 

Just in time for the turn of the weather, 2 Crows Brewing is back with a change to Classic, their dry stout. The new recipe now joins AC Lager and Terra, as now using 100% Atlantic Canadian grown ingredients. The hops are Golding variety from New Brunswick, malt sourced from PEI (with some extra roasting of the malts in-house to achieve the right level!). This is still a 4.1% easy drinking, classic dry stout with a dark, roasty character. There is a new label design as well, but still look for that tall, dark, and handsome can. This will be more widely available than its previous release; now available from the brewery, but it will be in the NSLC starting in early October, along with the private stores in HRM.

More from 2 Crows (never ones to skimp on news and details!) this week, as they’ve got an event today (September 16th) starting at 7 PM as they host a 2nd annual fundraiser for Team Daigle. Tickets for the event (2 Crows and 4 Curlers) are $25 at the door and include your first pint and an entry to win some prizes.The event also has a special small-batch release for the fundraiser. Hammer Time Lager is a 4% lager that should taste a bit familiar, like AC Light Lager, but this has been dry hopped with Azacca and Galaxy. Sign us up for that delicious beer and support your local curlers before they hammer down on the curling season kicking off next week!

Montague’s Copper Bottom Brewing is celebrating the return of the 70 Mile Yard Sale this weekend with their 70 Mile Yard Ale! An American-style Wheat Ale, it is fresh and light, with orange peel added to enhance the citrus character even more. Available on tap and in cans, at 5.0% and just 15 IBU, this one will be perfect for taking a break between stops to check out the offerings at the more than 120 vendors from Point Prim to Strathcona!

This weekend is absolutely chock full of even more events in our region, check them out below. And as always, if we’re missing a new release, event, or something else you think our readers would like to know, reach out via social media or email!

This weekend, Halifax is even more beer-ful than usual, as the re-imagined Nova Scotia Craft Beer Festival is back! Taking place outside this evening, and tomorrow afternoon and evening, they are taking over the Salter Block at 1521 Lower Water Street, the lot across the street from the Brewery Market. Presented by the Craft Brewers Association of Nova Scotia, which represents breweries from all across the province, 40 breweries will be pouring their latest and greatest creations, while live music or DJs keep your toes tapping. Your ticket allows access to the Salt Yard vendors next door. In case you didn’t win in our giveaway last weekend, and haven’t yet grabbed your ticket, fear not, there are still a few available online! And, in a first for the Fest, attending breweries were given the option to sell beer to go! Nice to see that beer is now given the same consideration as the wine and whiskey shows. 🙂

Moncton’s Tire Shack is getting into the Oktoberfest celebrations for the next three weekends, as they host their own ode to that biggest of ‘Fests. First up is the return of Helles Yeah!, their Helles Lager, fresh off a win at the 2022 Canadian Brewing Awards. You can get in the spirit of grabbing one of their limited edition 1 litre Oktoberfest Mass, just $20 including your first pour of HY!. And pals from Euston Park Social will be in the tap room with their fresh and fun food offerings, each Friday from 4 PM, and Saturday from 1 PM, until Oktober 1st.

This is shaping up to be a busy weekend, as Lr Sackville’s TAPestry Beer Bar is kicking off their Oktoberfest, which is running a full 2 weeks to coincide with Wiesn, aka Munich’s celebrations, . They’re tapping a dozen small batch German beers from across Nova Scotia tomorrow, with a noon start for their Beer Club Members, 2 PM for the general public. Complete with warm bretzels on Saturday, and live music from 6 – 10 PM, there will be plenty of good fun and cheer to complement the bier pouring freely from the taps. Tune into their Social Media for the taplist and updates on the goings ons for the event on until Oct 2, including a way to try the beers today, a day early!

Over on Barrington Street, Stillwell Beer Bar is hosting Matron Fine Beer for a takeover tomorrow, September 17th. From noon til late, they’ll have 9 different offerings on tap, from their Bobo farmhouse Wheat, Muff Darkbier, to a few IPAs including the Vanguard collaboration with Bellwoods. For those who may not make it down for the big day, there are cans of a few of the offerings (Janky IPA, Leisure Landbier, Vanguard IPA, and Deece IPA) that will be available beyond the weekend (if you’re lucky!).

A few more things before we sign off this week…

Could you read about Oktoberfest beers all day? That doesn’t sound so bad, especially if you can get out and about to drink some, too! Grimross has Märzen-bier available today. A malt-forward, classic, crisp German lager, this is an annual release from the brewery at 5.6% with a lovely Bavarian-inspired label. This is available in cans and on tap at the brewery, but will also be available at restaurants and ANBL locations around New Brunswick. 

Sticking with the Oktoberfest theme, Trailway has Festbier re-releasing this week. Like a lighter version of a Märzen, this is an Oktoberfest Lager made with a full German malt bill and German yeast. Cans are available now at the brewery and also on their Lukr side-pull tap for pints. The beer is 6%, deep gold in colour with a malty richness, this beer is perfect for the cooler fall weather and still easy drinking.

The crew out of Greenwich keeps staying in the weekly blog (that’s good!) and this week they’re back with a re-release, as Delta Force Brewing brings us Operation Jug!. This is a classic farmshed Saison and the beer was open fermented in a former milk jug. The result is a 5.2% floral, spicy and crisp ale, keeping in the Saison tradition of easy drinking for the post-work refreshment. This is available now in 500ml bottles from their online shop. 

A very small bit of news for you prompt Friday afternoon readers, Unfiltered Brewing currently isn’t doing growler fills for a few days due to some technical issues. They’ll let the people know when they’re back up and running. Doesn’t affect cans or enjoying pints at Charm School next door, however!

Friday Wrap-Up for June 10, 2022 – News from Good Robot, Village Green, Delta Force, Propeller, Shipwright, Unfiltered, Port Rexton, plus much more, including job postings!

Posted by acbbdamian on 2022-06-10
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: 2 Crows Brewing, 902 BrewCast, Baccalieu Trail Brewing, Bannerman Brewing, Bishop's Cellar, Boxing Rock Brewing, Chain Yard Cider, Cicerone Certification Program, Copper Bottom Brewing, Delta Force Brewing, Good Robot Brewing, Half Cut Brewing, Landwash Brewery, Maritime Express Cider, North Brewing, Port Rexton Brewing Co., Propeller Brewing, Quidi Vidi Wharf, Shipwright Brewing, Unfiltered Brewing, Village Green by Modern Brewer. 1 comment

Happy Friday and welcome to what looks like the first decent stretch of weekend weather this summer (at least for us crazy cats in HRM). We’ve got a bunch of new releases, a handful of events, and what seems like a record number of job postings heading your way. Sit back, relax and crack open your favourite local beverage as we bring you up to speed on all things beer/cider related in Atlantic Canada. 

In case you missed the news, big changes have been happening during the last twelve months for Good Robot Brewing, and we wanted to give you an update. We’ve previously mentioned their plans to open a production facility in Elmsdale, and as they celebrated their Seventh Anniversary in May, they were also packaging their last cans at their original Robie Street location (more on that in a second). Having now moved their brewing equipment off Robie Street and out to Industrial Way, the new facility has offered the capability of new equipment and capacity. One of those new pieces of equipment is a mash filter. Taking the place of a lauter tun (or the combo mash/lauter tun most often seen in local craft breweries), it allows quicker separation of wort from the grain, and more efficient recovery. Neat! They have also added an upgraded canning line, including a tunnel pasteurizer to help keep product shelf stable These additions, as well as more and larger fermenters, will allow them to brew up to 10 times their current capacity, allowing them to expand their reach further outside of Nova Scotia. And while specifics are still under wraps for now, they are interested in partnering with other breweries or drink manufacturers to allow them an opportunity to co-package/brew when capacity allows, giving the opportunity for others to create or scale up production on Good Robot’s facilities. More on that as we learn!

As mentioned above, with the move of the main production facility to Elmsdale, they have also moved their canning line. To mark the end of an era on Robie Street, they set aside the last can of Creature Feature IPA to come off the line, and are auctioning it off for charity. You can bid on the can here (the auction closes June 24th), and all of the proceeds will go to Blk Women in Excellence, their most recent Goodwill Beer partner. Bid early and bid often! Learn more about it here.

And finally, with the expansion to Elmsdale, they will be opening both a retail space and Beer Garden in the coming months, and are adding to their team of misfits. Check the Job Posting info below to learn more, and you may even have a chance to join our pal Kellye Robertson, who has joined GRBC’s Brewing Crew. Congratulations, Kellye!

Delta Force Brewing is back with a third contribution to the Make Peace Not War beer project. Joining the Dry-Hopped Farmshed Sour, Valley Lager and Farmshed Tripel are two more releases, a Farmshed Kvass and a Goose-Shake IPA. The Kvass is a lager beer/kvass hybrid with obvious bready notes due to the Kvass element. This beer is 6.0% and 25 IBU and available in 500ml bottles.

Goose-Shake is an IPA packed with gooseberries, with additions of lactose and vanilla to up the sweetness. This one is also 6.0% and is 17 IBU, also in 500ml bottles. 40% of all proceeds are being donated to Red Cross efforts in Ukraine for this series of beer. Learn more about the beer and project, and order yours today from their website! They’ve also got two beers back in stock, the Operation Sommar Dry Stout and Operation Barrow English IPA. 

Back with a new release out of Cornwall, Village Green has a new IPA out. Delightful! Is an IPA with a blend of classic American “C” hops (Chinook, Centennial, Columbus, Cascade and maybe even some Citra?) and a lovely British yeast to play on all the malt and hop flavours. This 6% IPA is available now from the brewery in cans and on tap.

One of the benefits of being located so close to our ‘Murican neighbours is the opportunity to make a quick trip across the border to sample the vast selection of beers that are available. Up until recently, the pandemic had put a kibosh on this, leaving fans of New England classics like Allagash White high and dry. If you count yourself in that category, you’ll be pleased to hear that Atlantic Canada is getting a new take on the Belgian Witbier with Propeller’s release of White. Available starting today, Prop’s take on the style comes in at 4.8% ABV and 30 IBUs. Expect the hallmark style notes of orange and coriander in what is sure to be a patio favourite. Cans are available now at Prop’s three retail locations, via their online store and at a handful of private stores across HRM.

Lunenburg’s own Shipwright Brewing proudly presents Day Sailor! This new release is a 4.5% easy drinking, crisp, clean Golden Ale, named after a relaxing pleasure-craft. It’s available now in cans and on tap for pints and growler fills from the brewery. 

Be sure to keep an eye on what they’re putting together next door (the old Big Red’s Restaurant), an addition to their existing taproom and brewery. They’re going to expand production, food offering and also a private booking space on the top floor. Stay tuned to their social media for updates. 

The crew at Unfiltered Brewing brings back a fan favourite this week with a banger. Here It Comes is a Double IPA (classic Unfiltered!) featuring Chinook hops. Chinook brings a wonderfully delicious citrusy flavour and aroma to this 7.5% DIPA. All of the hops in the batch are from Duke25, a Nova Scotia- and Quebec-based hop producer. This is available today in 473ml cans, growler fills and pints from Charm School. 

Next up, another returning beer, but this time out of Port Rexton Brewing. Last available in 2018, Flight of the Mango is back! This is a fruited ale made with mangue purée and lactose added. The beer is big on mango for aroma, taste and some nice sweetness throughout. This beer is 4.5% and available from the taproom for pints and also in cans from the brewery and St. John’s retail shop on Saturday. It will also be widely available across Newfoundland next week.  

In cider news, Kentville’s Maritime Express has joined a few other producers in our region in marrying up gin and cider for a refreshing herbal kick. Going the route of ageing the cider for six months in French oak that had previously held Compass Distillers’ gin, you should find this one smooth and crisp, with aromas of fresh apple and juniper. On the palate you might sense some cotton candy and pine as well. This one packs a bit of a punch at 8.3% and has been bottled in 750ml bottles; we suspect this is a limited batch, so if you’re interested it’s best you get to grabbing some.

Up in Bay Roberts, NL, Baccalieu Trail Brewing Co has been busily working away on a top secret project for months, but with the first delivery hitting store shelves, they’re ready to blow the covers off the thing. Inspired by the importance of tourism to the NL economy, BTB partnered up with four unique restaurants in four unique tourism regions in the province to create four sessionable beers that celebrate the beauty and history of Newfoundland. This isn’t just about brewing up some beers and naming them, the label artwork is designed to highlight the attractions of each region, and there’s a QR code on every can that you can scan to be taken to a portal where you can explore those attractions and see food menus for the partner restaurants. The four beers are available as a four-pack, with a very reasonable asking price of $21.50, taxes in. It should be available Island-wide in the next week or so, from many of your favourite craft beer sources. We don’t have information about the beers, but that will be part of the fun for those who grab themselves a set. We can, however, tell you that the partner restaurants are The Old Store Café in Norris Point, Ragged Rocks GastroPub in Bonavista, The Quay Restaurant in Brigus, and The Hub of the North Restaurant and Suites in Greenspond. Whether you’re a Newfoundlander who would like to explore your home province a little more or a visitor looking for beautiful and historic places to go, we suggest grabbing yourself a pack and doing some virtual exploration while you sit and sip!

Let’s give you a few reasons (and ways!) to celebrate this weekend…

After months of planning and preparation, Boxing Rock’s new Test Kitchen and Retail Shop is opening today! Located at 2790 Windsor Street in Halifax, the Test Kitchen shares space with Local Source Market, and will feature a retail space for bottles, cans, and merchandise, as well as growler fills (remember those?). They will also be doing small batch brewing here, testing out new recipes and collaborating with the community to keep bringing you the good stuff. Drop by today after 11 AM to check out the new space, fill up your lifetime-discount orange growler, and if you sign up for their loyalty program, you will be entered into a draw to win one of your own! Plus you’ll have the chance to vote on what you’d like to see brewed on their 100 litre system.

Folks close to the QV Gut can rejoice, as the Quidi Vidi Wharf is opening today for the season. Open 12 – 9 PM daily, from now until Labour Day, visitors can grab beer from Landwash’s slick beer trailer, and pair it with food from Johnny & Mae’s, Quidi Vidi Fish & Chips, and QV Sweet Spot too! And for those not in the gut, there is a shuttle to/from the wharf all day, every day, with hourly runs from the Pedestrian Mall/Alt Hotel, right to the Sugarloaf parking lot (and every 20 minutes to the Dominion on QV Lake).

There’s a fun little tap takeover this Saturday if you’re around St. John’s. The sweet folks from Chain Yard Cider are visiting Bannerman Brewing and bringing 4 of their favourite ciders to share on the rock. They’ll have four ciders on tap (Pink Tartan, Hazy Fraisy, Hopped Up and Foundation) and also some packaged products for sale (King’s Saison, Espionage and more!) at the brewery, as well. 

We mentioned 2 Crows’ The Agenda Grapefruit and Basil Radler last week, but wanted to remind you of the Rhinestone Cowboy-themed release party happening Saturday. From 1 PM, Cafe Aroma Latino will be popping up in the taproom Latin-inspired dishes, with DJ EFFA keeping the party going spinning Honky Tonk tunes from 7 PM until close. Dress up in your favourite outfit and get on down to party!

All this reading making you thirsty to get into the beer biz? We’ve got a bunch of options for you to look at this week.

Montague’s Copper Bottom Brewing is hiring a Production and Operations Manager to join their team. They will be responsible for overseeing the planning, brewing, storage, and shipment of beer across the province (and beyond). While not directly brewing, this person will be helping with planning, forecasting, and making sure everything is running smoothly! Check the link to learn more and apply!

In Cornwall PEI, Village Green is hiring folks to help out in both front and back of house. If you are interested in slinging beer to thirsty patrons, and/or helping to can up beers for folks to take home, this is the right job for you! Especially if you love beer, and are looking to learn more and get your foot in the door. Fire them an email to learn more and apply!

Half Cut Brewing is opening their own taproom on the North Side of Fredericton this summer, and they are looking for folks to sling some beer! Opening in July at 67 Main Street, the taproom will have seating both inside and out, a dozen taps, and also share space with 11th Mile’s Coast Line Pizza, providing Detroit-style pizza and salads. Interested folks should get in contact to apply!

With their big move to Elmsdale, Good Robot is hiring folks to work both in retail and the beer garden. There are about ten openings between the two positions, and you should check out their Indeed postings to learn more and apply!

With school winding down, it is scholarship season for many folks and North Brewing is accepting applications for their 2022 Diversity & Inclusion Scholarship. Always advocating and working to be an ally for their community and the wider brewing and craft beer community, this scholarship is wide ranging for any students entering programs related to the brewing industry. The scholarship includes the monetary reward but also guaranteed summer employment at North for the duration of their education. Applications are open until the end of July, so check out the link here and share with any friends and families with students that can apply!

If you’re in Bay Roberts (or know someone who is nearby!) Baccalieu Trail Brewing Co. is seeking a responsible and friendly individual to be a Beertender for the summer. If serving beer to friendly folks is up your alley, you have until June 14th to apply. 

The successful applicant will enjoy serving craft beer to thirsty customers while receiving competitive tips/pay, and working at an awesome brewery in Bay Roberts!

If interested, send a resume via email and a short sentence or two detailing why you’d be the perfect fit for Baccalieu Trail Brewing Co. Or, just drop off a resume in person at the Taproom. 

And a couple last quick mentions afore ye go:

The 902 BrewCast fellas sat down with Michelle Tham, a Certified Cicerone, while she was in Halifax recently, to learn about her lightbulb moment beer, why she hates describing beer as “hoppy”, and how she is using her beer education to travel across the country (and beyond). Grab the latest episode on the 902BC website or in your favourite podcatcher.

Speaking of 902 Brewcast, one of our favourite sources for beers of all kinds is Bishop’s Cellar on the Halifax Waterfront (if you don’t understand the connection there, you should definitely listen to the podcast!). Of course they stock all kinds of tasty beers, ciders, and meads from around Nova Scotia and the rest of the Atlantic Provinces, but they are also a source for beverages from the rest of Canada and beyond, providing us with a chance to sample quality products here at home. This week they’ve got some treats from Germany, largely lagers, in the form of AyingerJahrhundert, an Export Helles, Pinkus Müller Altbier, a “pale” (and slightly tart) Altbier, Pinkus Müller Ur-Pils, an unfiltered German Pils, SchanzenbräuHelles, and Schanzenbräu Rotbier, a red lager. Grab yourself a mixed pack of those and some brats ‘n buns and you can have yourself a proper Deutsch treat!! We’d also be remiss if we didn’t mention they’ve got Serpent Brewing’s Mexican Mole Porter in stock!!