Boxing Rock Brewing

All posts tagged Boxing Rock Brewing

The storm is past us and Oktoberfest events and releases are in full swing. With *that* storm past us, our country saw another storm of hate against our non-binary, queer and trans friends and community. We had a number of breweries and establishments offer support, safe-spaces and community gatherings, so with your likes, with your dollars, your time and effort, be conscious of who you’re supporting. We’ve got a full plate ahead of us this week so let’s get right into it!!

Your Friends in Foam™ at Stillwell Brewing are at it again, bringing you another beer you very well might not have realized was missing from your life. You may recall way back in the early-ish days of Stillwell Beer Bar, they worked with Greg Nash and Bad Apple Brewing (RIP) to work up a house batch of hoppy pale ale for the bar. Intended to be an evolution of what was then known as East Coast IPA (malty, very bitter, not so much with the hops), That’s Falcon Teamwork was paler and more hop-forward, with a balanced bitterness. Fittingly for the Stilly gang, this was ahead of the curve, and the world started seeing a pale ale and IPA trend away from the malt sweetness and the tongue-curling bitterness and towards presenting a fairly neutral slate on top of which all the newest hop cultivars from the Pacific Northwest and the Southern Hemisphere could shine. Fast forward a few years and we saw the rise of the hazies, where bitterness and maltiness dropped to barely perceptible levels and sweetness and mouthfeel went through the roof. 

Although it doesn’t feel like we’re in any danger of a decline in hazy hoppy juice bombs, Stillwell is coming full circle back to a style they themselves moved away from nearly a decade ago. Continuing with their, “what’s on the tin is what’s in the tin,” naming scheme, Stillwell Pale Ale has arrived. Based on a grist of predominantly UK Maris Otter, known for bringing a maltier character than North American two-row varieties, with a soupçon of Crystal 60 to round it out a touch more, it was, of course, decocted (CPR: DECOCTOR OF ALL THINGS) and treated with classic American hops Chinook, Cascade, and Simcoe. The result is a typically quaffable 5.3% ABV beer with some sweetness, balancing bitterness, and a citrusy and slightly dank hop character that’s reminiscent of many beers you may not have had in a long time but you’d probably love if you tried them again. And since you probably can’t get those ones in Atlantic Canada, we encourage you to try this one. On draught only for now at the taproom and Stillwell properties, expect them to put it in cans for wider sale later in the fall. Speaking of cans, if you’ve been missing Stilly Pils, more cans should be available at the brewery by mid-next-week (although many NSLC locations still seem to have decent stock). And lastly, speaking of the brewery/taproom, they’ve really started to hit their stride on events over the past month and if you’re looking for a really fun and chill space with cool things going on, you could do worse than to keep an eye on their Ig feed!

Now we’ll get into the Oktoberfest news, starting in God’s Country (does every island call their homeland God’s Country?), but specifically Sydney, Cape Breton. Breton Brewing has their Oktoberfest Lager out now in a classic Festbier style lager in a 5.8% malty German flavour, yet dry and crisp with enough balancing hop character. This is a new release for Breton, but they have done Marzen style under the same name in the past. The beer is available now from the brewery in pints and cans, and delivery in CBRM and HRM today. They’re closed on September 23rd and 24th, so stock up beforehand if you need to!

Although they’re known more for (very) hoppy things, Fredericton’s Trailway Brewing has been celebrating Oktoberfest for a few years now, and each year with the release of their Festbier. First brewed a couple of years ago, it features a German-style grist comprised of local ingredients and a classic German lager yeast, leaning into the bread dough character and light toasty notes, while leaving a touch of honey-ish sweetness. Rounded out with an herbal hop character and a light bitterness as befits the style, we expect that like all classic examples it very much tastes like another, just maybe be a bit cautious, as it’s 6.3% ABV! You’ll have plenty of opportunity to try it if you head down to the brewery and taproom for their Oktoberfest celebration tomorrow, Saturday, September 23rd, from 11am – 11pm. Beer garden, live music, an appropriately-themed menu from The Kitchen by Trailway, games, giveaways, and, of course, more. 

If easy drinking lagers and lederhosen aren’t your thing though, rest assured that Tw still has you covered with their other release this week, with a beer that’s probably about as far as you can get from that style (at least in one direction), the latest iteration in their series of smoothie sours they call The Blend. This time 5.3% and featuring cherry and raspberry, every can contains nearly 200g of pure fruit. This means a few things: it’s fruity as hell, you’ve got to keep it cold and drink it fresh, and you might want to roll the can around a little before you open it. Possibly for breakfast.

Not to be outdone by the uplanders in Fredericton, Moncton’s O’Creek also has two beers and an Oktoberfest party to tell you about this week. The first beer is, of course, a suitably festy one, their Amber Lager at 5% ABV. Medium-bodied, you can expect some toasty malt notes and caramel sweetness that should pair well with grilled meats (sausages, maybe?) and sharp cheese. You will be able to drink your fill of this one if you grab yourself one of the few remaining tickets to their Oktoberfest party tomorrow, Saturday, September 23rd, from 1 – 5pm. With full Bavarian immersion, your $60ish ticket gets you live music, a t-shirt, a stein, 32oz of beer, and plenty of fun. You can also look for their other new beer, Dry-hopped Saison, to be pouring now and available in cans: this one is suitably dry, with some lovely hop notes from a dry hopping of Citra and Motueka.

The last of our Oktoberfest celebrations to talk about this week is a three-day bash scheduled for Friday, September 29th to Sunday, October 1st at Tatamagouche Brewing on Nova Scotia’s North Shore. With on-site food by Moth and Moon on Friday evening from 4 – 8pm (happy hour from 5 – 7!), fresh pretzels on Saturday from Connie’s Bakery, and more Moth and Moon on Sunday from 2 – 6pm, your need for nibbles will be satisfied as you sip from a weekend-long Oktoberfest-themed tap list. Of course that tap list will feature Tata’s long-running fall seasonal, Lagerhosen. At 4.5% ABV, this is a thirst-quenching lager brewed with Hallertauer Mittelfrüh hops for spicy and floral hints. Whether you can make the party or not, this one has also been packaged in cans for your enjoyment at home.

Rolling down to the other end of Nova Scotia, Boxing Rock brings us the last (of this week!) Oktoberfest release, this time featuring the aforementioned Märzen-style classic Bavarian lager. Equinox is their long-running take on the traditional style with a lot of pilsner malt, herbal German hops and bringing together the bready, malty, sweet flavours with a touch of spiciness in a 5% package. An annual release from the Shelburne brewery, you can pick up cans of this one at both locations and online. 

Back to New Brunswick where Rackhouse Brewing continues to release their barrel-aged and -inspired beers. Barrel-Aged Blonde is a flavourful and complex Blonde that spent time in a Brandy barrel, where it picked up notes of the spirit, as well as yeast notes from the Brettanomyces that has made its home in the wood. At 7.1% ABV, it shows both fruity and bitter notes married together. Available at CAVOK Brewing’s taproom in Dieppe, so though in the area should definitely take flight!

Heading up to Newfoundland, we find Baccalieu Trail has a new beer out, albeit a variation on a previous release, but one with a great story behind it. Ediacaran Fuse was a hazy IPA released a couple years ago that celebrated, “the multitudinous fossil discoveries in Newfoundland and Labrador.” Since that time, and somewhat oxymoronically, new fossils have been found in Conception Bay North that have revealed organisms completely new to science. What better excuse than to iterate on that previous beer than in celebration of what is literally a once-in-a-lifetime discovery? Ediacaran Fuse: Origins Edition sounds like it could be a tabletop RPG or a multiplatform video game, but it’s definitely a beer, a beer featuring all kinds of Australian and New Zealand hops, particularly Eclipse, Riwaka, and Strata, this beer offers, “a unique flavour that reflects early life’s journey across continents and epochs,” but also a whole lot of juicy hop character. Packaged in cans, look for this 6.0% beauty at the brewery in Bay Roberts.

Going very much west to Corner Brook, NL, we find Boomstick Brewing with their own variation on a previous release. Strawberry Rhubarb Lone Flamingo pretty much tells you what you need to know, with Boomstick’s version taking the same sour base they’ve used for previous Lone Flamingo batches and treating it to a heavy fruiting with strawberries and rhubarb. They’re pretty pleased with the way the base beer shines through this time, giving a light and bright character to support the ample fruit. It’s on draught in their taproom now, and packaged in cans to go, with further distribution likely in coming weeks.

Down on Nova Scotia’s South Shore, in Lunenburg, Shipwright Brewing has a new beer on the go. Wheels Are Turning is an American Wheat Ale that was treated to a dry hop. Built on a grist of wheat, pale, and Munich malts, it saw Hallertau Blanc and Lemondrop hops in the kettle along with orange peel before fermentation with Vermont Ale yeast from Escarpment Labs. A further dry hop with more Lemondrop tied it all together at the end with a final burst of citrus character. With a creamy mouthfeel balanced by a refreshing bitterness, this is a lovely beer for late summer (please nobody point out that it’s fall!) as you enjoy some cooler and drier air, especially in the evenings. Grab it for pints or crowlers/fills to go at Shipright locations, and also packaged in cans to go from the brewery.

Let’s hop (get it?!) over to PEI where we’ll start with the multi-locationed Lone Oak brewing who are introducing a brand new collaboration with Toronto’s Indie Ale House. Hang Your Hat! is an American style Brett Pale Ale coming in at 5.3%. This beer has additions of fresh Orange zest and peel in the whirlpool, along with orange concentrate during the fermentation with Thiol Libre (a thiol-unbinding yeast blend from Escarpment Labs that can enhance tropical flavours) and Brettanomyces Bruxellensis (a strain of Brett yeast derived from Lambic beers from Brussels, Belgium). The grain bill is Golden Promise along with some oats, and in the kettle, there were Amarillo hops and Phantasm powder (to bring out those Thiols!). There’s a lot going on in this one, and it’s a must try; it’s available while quantities last at all of their locations on tap and in cans to go at the Borden brewery and the cold beer store at their Milky Way location. And a heads up that their Cavendish location is now closed for the season. 

Sliding over to the Eastern part of the Island, Montague’s Copper Bottom is re-releasing the 70 Mile Yard Ale. Brewed in support of the annual 70 Mile Yard Sale, this beer is a celebration of the yard sale and their strong community. A refreshing hazy wheat beer with orange citrus flavour, it was hopped with old school American variety Cascade and is 5.0% and 15 IBU. It’s available only directly from the brewery, grab it right from the source in Montague today!

With some of the fake news that was going around the protests earlier this week, Nyanza’s Big Spruce has re-released their pale ale, Fake News, just in time. This is a bright, juicy pale ale showcasing the tropical and citrus flavours of a single hop, El Dorado! Find this 5.7% release available on tap and in cans at the brewery and also online to order for delivery. 

As the weather turns a little colder each year, Cole Harbour’s North Brewing thinks to bring back their Headline Milk Stout for a smooth, creamy and highly drinkable nightcap. This returning ale has been around since 2016 and is still 5.5% and features three different chocolate malts (including debittered chocolate malt), complemented with toasted nut and coffee notes. The addition of lactose lends a creamy and lightly sweet finish to the beer and it comes in at 30 IBU. Grab it on tap or in cans from all three of North’s locations. 

Sticking with the dark and creamy, Port Rexton Brewing has a similar theme with a truly seasonal release. Having been released in Fall and Spring editions, we see the return of their Fall edition of Shoulder Season, which is a dark cream ale. The beer is big on bready, malty flavour, but still features a crisp finish. Even at 5.5% it still gives some warmth with some toffee and dark fruit characters and a dark ruby red colour. This is available at the taproom this weekend in cans and will be available everywhere you can buy craft beer in Newfoundland in the coming weeks!

Next in this quadrilogy of deep dark returning beers is Propeller’s Nocturne dark lager. Brewed every year in support of the Nocturne: Art at Night festival that takes place in Halifax every fall, this jet black beer with a tan head carries notes of toasted bread, milk chocolate, and coffee, all of which are malt-driven. A lager yeast keeps those characters while ensuring that the beer finishes crisp, dry, and clean. At 5% ABV and 25 IBU, it’s a beer you can savor a few of without worry. Look for it at Prop Shops around the HRM and maybe check out the Nocturne website to plan some (free!) art appreciation in downtown Halifax, October 12 – 15th!

And finally in this group of dark beers this week is Candid’s Antigonight Dark Berry Sour. Brewed to celebrate the ongoing celebration of Art After Dark in Antigonish, this 5.0% ABV sour beer is full of raspberries and dark cherries, for a refreshing and tart beer. Enjoy it any night of the week, or prepare yourself for the celebrations to come later this fall and winter!

We’ll finish the week back in Newfoundland where Banished Brewing in Paradise has a couple of returning beers to tell you about. First up is Jim Time, named for the father of one of the owners, the real life Jim played a big part in getting the brewery up and running, and what better way to celebrate the man than to name a beer (in his favorite style) after him?! Generously hopped with Citra, Mosaic, and Cascade in the boil before being even more generously dry hopped with more Citra and Mosaic, this very popular 8% double IPA is in its third, and hopefully best iteration. Joining it for sale this weekend is Portage Pilsner, a beer originally brewed in collaboration with the much-acclaimed Portage Restaurant. A 12º Czech-style Pilsner (so figure somewhere around 5% ABV), it’s an ideal beer for cracking on a cool evening around the campfire. Cleaner than ever, you can grab this one at the brewery, with further distribution to retail locations to come next week.

Ahoy-hoy beer fans of Atlantic Canada. With the region still in full-on summer mode, and often bound for the beach, it also means that many breweries are primarily focused on pumping out as much of their core lineups as they possibly can to keep up with thirsty patrons. Between that and our own busy schedules we’ve only got a handful of new releases and re-releases, but hopefully it’s enough to pique your interest and wet your whistle. Read on for your weekly dose of beer news.

Big news on the North Shore of Nova Scotia this week, as Tatamagouche Brewing has launched their non-alcoholic line of beers with Nomad Pilsner. Taking a different tack than many breweries to produce their alternative beverages, they’re confident Nomad Pilsner, and further releases to come, will have the quality and flavour that you’d expect from Tata products. Their novel approach will also allow for some additional future bevvy possibilities so stay tuned for more to come. Meanwhile, you can get all the latest news by following the Nomad brand specifically at their new website and on Fb and Ig (and possibly other socials that we’re too old to be hip to).

We’ve long appreciated Tanner & Co. Brewing in Chester Basin for their quality beers, but as true beer geeks we also appreciate their tendency towards experimentation. Sure, if you know owner/brewer Dan Tanner’s extensive wine background the integration of grapes makes sense, and they’ve put out plenty of honey-bearing liquids as well, but they’ve also spent time and effort unearthing and recreating lesser known (some might even say “forgotten”) styles. Kotbusser, Dampfbier (German Steam Beer), and Rauchbier are just a few examples of the unique styles they’ve brought to market. That continues this week with the release of Princesse. The style Princessebier was first mentioned in the mid-1700s as a Dutch beer made for shipping long distances. By 1900 the beer had pretty much disappeared from production, but has seen some revival from breweries like Tanner who appreciate the finer details of beer history and styles. This take on the style was infused with orange peel, coriander seed and licorice root, resulting in a blend of “royal” flavours. It’s currently on tap at the Duke Street taproom for pints and growler fills.

Up in Cape Breton, Big Spruce is rolling out another sessionable release with Hoppily Ever After. This 5% ABV session IPA has a touch of malt sweetness, but the real star of the show is on the hop side, with notes of mango, passion fruit and some piney resin. This one should be making an appearance on-tap this weekend and check out the Sprucetique or their online store for 473 ml cans.

A quick hit in Fredericton where Trailway has brought back their fruited wheat beer and tribute to local junk removal service Fredericton Dumpster Services, Dump Run Saves. This time the beer saw additions of apricot and mango before a dry-hop of El Dorado. Check out the brewery today to try the 4% ABV DRS. They have a $10 Shipping Special this weekend to celebrate!

Be careful while close to water this weekend, as Propeller’s Leviathan Triple IPA is back again! Absolutely loaded with tropical hops, this 10.0% beast is tropical, dank, and while bitter, is mellowed by just a touch of lactose to smooth it out. Available in tall cans at all of their shops in Halifax, Dartmouth, and now Bedford, it can also be ordered for local delivery and Canada-wide shipping, or at your favourite private shops like Bishop’s Cellar, and even some select NSLC locations!

Moncton’s O’Creek Brewing continues to flex their new-brewery-muscles with the release (and canning) of two beers this week… Corigan Pale Ale returns, and Czech Affair is a new Czech-inspired Pale Lager, made with authentic hops and malt from its homeland. Stop by their spot on Barker Street for a mug, pint, or four-pack to go! Their food partners, The Craft Canteen, have extended their hours to now serve lunch, and have added a few things to the menu, too!

If you’re in Halifax this coming week, we recommend checking out HopYard Halifax on Gottingen Street on the evening of Tuesday, August 29th, at 7 PM, where the Change is Brewing Collective will be hosting an event in association with Boxing Rock and HopYard. “One Pint at a Time” is an award-winning documentary that aims to shine a light on Black & Brown-owned breweries in the US, who make up less than 1% of the 9,000 breweries in the country, and the challenges they have faced in an industry that, on the whole, has thus far failed at diversity. In addition to a screening of the film, there will be a beer tasting and plenty of dialogue about creating an inclusive and equitable craft beer & hospitality industry. Admission is pay what you can, with proceeds supporting CiB initiatives. A limited release Change is Brewing x Boxing Rock x HopYard collaboration will also be on tap for the event. One Pint Wheat Ale is a 4.5% ABV wheat featuring Shelburne County strawberries from Loré’s Farms, as well as locally foraged rhubarb. A beautiful pink hue to the beer invites folks in for a mix of fruity and light tartness, reminiscent of a strawberry rhubarb pie! Brewed at their Windsor Street Halifax small batch brewery, after the event, it will be available while supplies last at Hopyard and Windsor Street.

Fun in the sun in Montague tomorrow, as Bogside Brewing is hosting a Summer Block Party all day. They are launching the latest in their Single Hop Series, Calypso, with live music from 4 PM all evening, and oyster shucking by Colville Bay Oysters from 4:30 PM. More details on raffle and door prizes on their IG page.

Happy Friday everyone! We hope you’ve had a great week and are ready to celebrate another weekend with a variety of beer, cider, and mead from your local producers. We’ve got plenty of news on big changes from two breweries in Nova Scotia, new beer and Pride in Port Rexton, some great events later in the month for those in HRM, and of course a few things to sip and savour at home or in your favourite watering hole before then. And a reminder that this weekend’s Seaport Beerfest is happening rain or shine, so be sure to coordinate the colour of your umbrella with that of your drinking boots! With 300+ products from across the region and beyond, there will be more than enough to satisfy your cravings. Cheers!

This weekend is Port Rexton Pride, with a full gamut of events happening in town, with crafting fun and the kick-off BBQ this afternoon at the arena, and of course Port Rexton Brewery will be hosting plenty of events all weekend. To celebrate the event, they have once again teamed up with Queer Beer NL, a group of queer homebrewers in St. John’s, to bring you Experimental Phase. This is truly a hybrid of two styles, with the hop aroma and flavour of a New England IPA with the malty profile of a Red Ale. Citrus and stone fruit on the nose, followed by a touch of caramel or even gingerbread, in a low bitterness, 5.5% ABV, package. It’s pouring at the brewery now, and will be available everywhere you grab Port Rexton in the coming weeks, so be sure to check it out and support PR Pride!

Windsor’s Schoolhouse Brewery has released their Summer Break Wheat, just in time to finish out the hottest part of the summer, and give teachers one last moment of respite before the bells start ringing for another year. This 5.3% ABV beer uses a Kolsch-style yeast for a clean fermentation with a touch of subtle banana fruitiness to the bright orange peel finish. Perle hops lend a touch of mint, pine, and spice to the overall effect, and is available on tap and in cans at the brewery and at Bishop’s Cellar.

Down in Lunenburg, Shipwright is releasing Sea Legs, a Belgian influenced take on a Brut IPA. This one starts with a grain bill of Pale, Munich, CaraBelge and Abbey malts, before seeing additions of Citra and Lemondrop hops. The team then pitched Escarpment’s Ardenne Belgian yeast, which fermented the beer to be quite dry with an ABV of 9.5%. Despite the high ABV, the dryness and low bitterness (16 IBUs), this one is sneakily easy drinking. The combo of the hops and Belgian yeast give floral aromas and fruity esters. Grab it today in Downtown Lunenburg.

Across the way in Wolfville, Annapolis Cider is releasing the latest in their Something Different series with Bouquet Rosé. This one saw 4(!) separate ferments come together, including a lilac co-ferment, a cyser (mead/cider hybrid) that uses magnolias and dandelions, and a blueberry wine. The result is a spring bloom in a glass, with notes of lilac, flowers, blueberries and nectarines. Refillable bottles are available at the cidery now, with $0.50 of every sale supporting The Mudley Fund, which helps to remove financial barriers for children and youth in the Town of Wolfville who are seeking to engage with their community. 

Two big events to tell you about coming at the end of the month.

Our friends at Change is Brewing Collective are partnering with Elevate & Explore Black Nova Scotia to bring you a Summer Beer Bus Tour on Sunday August 27. Teaming up with Taste Halifax Food & Beer Tours, this tour begins at the Africville Park with a walking tour of the area, before continuing on to North Brewing (CIB’s collaborators on Deep Rooted), Propeller Brewing (Wabanaki Soda), and on to Garrison Brewing (future plans, perhaps?). There will be charcuterie boxes from a local Black-owned business, plus prizes too! Tickets are on sale now, with early bird pricing available. Don’t miss out on this great learning and drinking opportunity. Learn more here.

And just a couple of days later, on August 29, Change is Brewing is hosting a screening of One Pint at a Time, an award-winning documentary highlighting the stories of Black-owned breweries and brewers as they make their mark in the US beer market. Co-hosted by Boxing Rock (of Back to Birchtown Stock Ale), the screening will be held at Hopyard Halifax on Gottingen Street, featuring food pairing and the launch of a Triple Collaborative Beer between the three groups. Tickets are pay what you can to support Change is Brewing’s initiatives around the local industry. More information here.

A few more things before we let you go…

Coming back just in time for the Dragon Boat festivities at Octagon Pond in Paradise next weekend is Banished Brewing’s Paddles Up! Sour. Inspired by and brewed with the Avalon Dragons, a group of Breast Cancer Survivors who race in the Paradise SunSplash Paddle every year, this Raspberry and Hibiscus Fruited Sour is brimming with flavour and sports a lovely pink hue. Fifty cents from each can goes towards the team, so drink up!

In returning beer news, Big Spruce has a couple of releases this week, with the Blursday 6.6% Hazy IPA hitting the draught lines and shelves this week. Think tropical fruit, with mango, papaya, and lychee. Joining it is Kolsch Encounters, their 5.6% Lagered Ale hybrid beer, with a delicate malt character and a crisp and dry finish. Look for it on tap and in cans as well.

The King of Citra is back from UnfilteredDouble Orange Ale, aka DOA, is their 7.5% ABV Double IPA, brimming to the edge with Citra hops throughout, for serious citrus vibes and solid bitterness. Pints and cans to go from Charm School and the brewery next door on North Street!

Let’s finish off this week with news from two Nova Scotia breweries where there have been some big changes recently!

On Nova Scotia’s Eastern Shore, fans of Sober Island Brewing will be seeing some new faces working the taps these days, as owner and founder Rebecca Atkinson has passed the reins over to new owners Nancy and Steve Giles. Since opening the brewery in 2016, Atkinson has helped to make Sheet Harbour a destination for beer lovers from across the country, and is now turning her focus to other endeavours. The Giles’ will continue the great work, keeping the brewery taproom and Musquodoboit Harbour Beer Garden bustling and busy with events, and Brewer Tim MacLeod will continue brewing the same beers that he has for years, including the recently released Eastern Shore Barley Wine, an 11.7% ABV beast of a beer. Congratulations to Rebecca and the Gileses on the transition!

Residents of Lower Sackville will soon see big changes at their local brewery at 111 Cobequid Road, Ol’ Biddy’s is undergoing a name change. Since the sale of the brewery in April, there have been major renovations in the taproom and improved patio front and centre to the building. There is another big transition happening now, as they are changing their name to a locally inspired one, Great Roads Brewing. The website and social media pages are still in flux, but the Great Roads name is inspired by the nearby Fultz House Museum, with the Fultz House sitting at the intersection of the important roads leading from Halifax and Dartmouth to Windsor and Truro. Visitors to the brewery can get a sneak peak of the new branding by grabbing their newly canned Blueberry Wheat Ale. Many of the same folks who have been at the brewery for years continue on, including Brewer Rob, who has been making the beer for 3 years, learning under founder and former owner Keith Forbes. We’re excited to hear of the new and upcoming changes, and will continue to share the latest news from Lower Sackville’s brewery!