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Friday Wrap-Up – PEI Brewing Co Oktoberfest, Picaroons Tap Takeover, Big Tide Pumpkin is back, New Beers from Sea Level and Garrison and much more!

Posted by acbbshawn on 2013-10-25
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: Beerthief, Big Spruce Brewing, Big Tide Brewing, Boxing Rock Brewing, Bridge Brewing, Garrison Brewing, Hart & Thistle, PEI Brewing, Picaroons Traditional Ales, Railcar Brewing, Sea Level Brewing, Uncle Leo's Brewery. 5 comments

It’s the last Friday of the week, which means it’s time for more Atlantic Canada Beer news!

• This Saturday, October 26th, the PEI Brewing Co. is holding their Oktoberfest celebration at their location in Charlottetown, from 1-6 pm. With no charge for admission, there will be live entertainment and lots of food and beer for purchase; they will also be providing tours of the brewery for half-price. In addition, they will be holding their 1st Annual Growler Challenge! For $10, entrants will have a growler filled with the beer of their choice. All contestants will then hold the full growler at arm’s length, parallel to the ground; the person who holds out the longest without bending their arm wins a $100 gift card from the Murphy Hospitality Group (which can be used at the brewery). All contestants get to keep the growler afterwards, of course!

• Speaking of the PEI Brewing Co., it looks like their popular Lobster Ale from this summer is going to continue to be available through the coming months. While this Saison will still be found in bottles, it will likely start turning up on tap at the brewery and other restaurants/bars in the Maritimes. It’s currently available at many ANBL stores in New Brunswick as well.

• Tonight, Picaroons will be hosting a tap-takeover at Wilser’s Room in downtown Fredericton. Starting at 5 pm, all twelve taps will be dedicated to Picaroons beers, including their latest seasonal release, Harvest Ale, as well as special releases Plaid to the Bone and 104th Regiment. Live music by Nick Ferrio starts at 9 pm.

• And while we’re on the subject of Picaroons, they’ll be releasing their very popular Winter Warmer seasonal on November 1st. Based on the English Barleywine style, it clocks in at 7.3% ABV. No events are planned for the official release as of yet; follow them on Facebook and Twitter to stay updated!

• If you missed Big Tide Brewing‘s Pumpkin Ale brewed with fresh hops last month, good news! Brewer Wendy Papadopoulos has confirmed that a second batch has been brewed, again with locally-grown pumpkins that have been roasted in maple syrup and spices. While there were no more “fresh” hops left to use in the brewing process, Cascade and Hallertau hops were added to the boil; the 5% ABV beer also has cinnamon, nutmeg, coriander and ginger added in the brewing process. Get it at the brewpub (available on tap and for growler fills) before it’s gone!

• Garrison Brewing have released two fall favourites this week: their Martello Stout and Winter Warmer. With notes of chocolate and coffee, the Stout will be available for growler fills and bottles. The Winter Warmer, brewed with cinnamon and clove, and with notes of plums and dark fruit from the dark demerara sugar used, and a little more warming at 7.0% ABV, will be available in bottles only. Both are available now at the brewery, and bottles will be filtering out to the private stores shortly.

• Sea Level has released their fourth wet-hopped beer of the season, their Punkin’ Grinner Ale. This is a new creation for brewmaster Randy Lawrence, clocking in at 5% ABV and amber in colour with a unique balance of spicy and sweet. It features all local ingredients with roasted baby pam pie pumpkins from Sea Level’s own gardens, honey from Cosman & Whidden and Cascade hops grown on the Annapolis Valley floor. It is available now on tap at the Port Pub and in 1 Litre refillable growlers at Sea Level Brewing. Cans should be on their way to Halifax for this coming weekend, at Harvest Wines and Spirits, Cristall Wine Merchants and Bishop’s Cellar. Also take note that this will be the last Sunday that the brewery will be open for the year, so take advantage of the nice fall weather and go for a drive to the Valley this weekend.

• Uncle Leo’s Brewery and Big Spruce Brewing are both taking part in the Swine & Stein event at Pictou’s Palace Theatre this Saturday, 5-10pm. Your ticket ($15 in advance from Uncle Leo’s or Stone Soup Cafe, $20 at the door) gets you inside for a massive pig roast and great entertainment from local artists. The beer is extra, but we know you won’t mind paying for these two excellent breweries’ beers.

• The Hart & Thistle Gastropub will be celebrating brewmaster Greg Nash‘s 29th (again!) birthday in style tomorrow. Starting at 11am, they will be serving up a special burger, pork belly sliders and smoked brisket sandwiches. Oh, and beer too: the currently available Dank & Stormy DIPA, as well as a special 2012 keg of Commissar RIS. It will also mark the tapping of the 2013 edition of Hop Mess Monster, Nash’s ode to hops. This year’s beer clocks in at 11.5% ABV and 533 IBUs (calc), and features hops anywhere and everywhere throughout the brewing, fermenting and conditioning period. The ACBB will be in attendance, so come say hi!

• It looks like Railcar Brewing has finally found a new location for their brewery! After plans fell through to open in Railcar 3 at the Shogomoc site, owner/brewer Mitch Biggar recently announced on his Facebook site that the brewery will be located in the rear unit at 9172 Main St. in Florenceville-Bristol. With 1800 square feet available, Mitch plans on opening the retail store and tasting area by the end of the year, with the brewery hopefully producing beer sometime in early 2014.

• Bridge Brewing will be releasing their fall seasonal tomorrow, a Belgian IPA. The beer clocks in at 6.5% and 60 IBU, from the Centennial, Chinook and Brewers Gold hops. This is a very interesting style, with the spice and fruit character of the yeast blending very well with the hops. And don’t forget that they’ve extended their hours: Open Monday to Thursday 12-7pm, and until 9pm Friday and Saturday, and open 12-6pm Sundays.

• If events in Charlottetown, Fredericton, Pictou, or Halifax aren’t enough to satisfy you, don’t forget about Boxing Rock‘s Grand Opening Saturday in Shelburne. There are still spots available on their free tours, and there will be lots of fun activities, food and beer to celebrate their opening. Check last week’s post for more details.

• Premier Wine & Spirits in Halifax, purveyors of great beer, wine and spirits in Halifax, is looking for part-time clerk people. They are looking for folks to work 15-20 hours a week, and of course a knowledge (or love!) of beer and wine is a big plus. Drop off your resume at the store at 1535 Dresden Row between 10-8.

• The latest offering from the Newfoundland Artisanal and Craft Beer Club (aka Beerthief) is closing this Sunday. The brewery being highlighted this go-around is Muskoka Brewery, after a very successful offering in the summer. Their Dark Ale, Craft Lager, Twice As Mad Tom IPA and Winter Jack (Tennessee whisky barrel-aged Double Chocolate Cranberry Stout) are all up for grabs. To sign up and/or put in a request, contact Tom Beckett.

• Late addition to Friday Wrap-up: A reminder that signup to the Picaroons and New Brunswick Craft Brewers Association Homebrew Challenge is due November 1st. Beers can be dropped off Nov 1-15 at the Picaroons Brewtique on Queen Street. More info is available in our previous post. Good luck to all NB Homebrewers!

Another week with lots going on! Have a good weekend…

Atlantic Canadian Breweries Representing at Cask Days in Toronto

Posted by acbbshawn on 2013-10-17
Posted in: Beer Events. Tagged: Big Spruce Brewing, Boxing Rock Brewing, Bridge Brewing, Garrison Brewing, Granite Brewery, Hell Bay Brewing, PEI Brewing, Picaroons Traditional Ales, Propeller Brewing, Pump House Brewery, RockBottom Brewpub, Uncle Leo's Brewery. 1 comment

caskdays2013-posterweb

This Saturday and Sunday, October 19th and 20th, the people behind barVolo in Toronto will be hosting the 9th Annual Cask Days, a beer event that involves 230 cask-conditioned beers and ciders from 124 breweries in Canada and the United Kingdom. Often referred to as “real ale”, cask-conditioned beers have their fermentation completed in the cask, which acts as the serving vessel. The beer is often served warmer and less-carbonated than your typical draught beer, and give the brewers plenty of opporunity to try new ingredients and techniques with their beer. Several breweries from Atlantic Canada will be featured at the festival; here’s what they’ll be serving up to those lucky enough to attend the event in Toronto:

Big Spruce Brewing – Cereal Killer Oatmeal Stout

Boxing Rock – Wet Willie Harvest Ale

Bridge Brewing Co. – Strong Dark Belgian

Garrison Brewing Co. – East Kent Golding IPA (from their One-Hop series)

Granite Brewery – Old Peculiar

Hell Bay Brewing Co. – English Ale

PEI Brewing Co. – Pumpkin Porter

Picaroons – Mildred Irish Red – this is their Irish Red that has been dry-hopped with local Goldings hops from Southan Farms in Wicklow, NB.

Propeller Brewery – E.S.B., dry-hopped with Fuggles

Pump House – Premium Lager

Rockbottom – Greg Nash IPA – we’re not sure if this is something new for Cask Days, or if they just named it after Nash by accident… unfortunately we weren’t able to get further details in time. However, rest assured it has a fair amount of hops!

Uncle Leo’s – Smoked Porter

If you’re going to be in the area (or are reading this from Ontario), there are still tickets available for several of the sessions, here. Cheers to our breweries showing what we’re capable of brewing here in Atlantic Canada!

Friday Wrap-up – King Street Ale House to Open Soon in Fredericton, Big Tide Brewpub Releases Their First Harvest Beer, and much more

Posted by acbbchris on 2013-09-27
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: BarNone Brewing, Big Spruce Brewing, Big Tide Brewing, Boxing Rock Brewing, Bridge Brewing, Garrison Brewing, King Street Ale House, Ladies Beer League, PEI Brewing, Pump House Brewery, Sea Level Brewing. 1 comment

Happy Friday, everyone! Lots of new beers and other news this week, so let’s dive right in!

• Those living in Fredericton will soon be seeing a new restaurant that will place a heavy emphasis on serving craft beer. Co-owner Doug Williams says that the King Street Ale House, which will be located at 546 King St., will be providing Frederictonians with “a whole bunch of craft beer that they haven’t seen in months”, as well as a large menu that will also feature barbecued cuisine. Look for the King Street Ale House to open by Thanksgiving. They’re also on Facebook and Twitter.

• The first “fresh-hopped” beer from Big Tide Brewing is now on tap at the brewpub in Saint John. Indian Beach Harvest Ale is brewed with Cascade, Hallertau and Nugget hops that were harvested at Dunham’s Run Winery. According to brewer Wendy Papadopoulos, it’s disappearing quickly, so get in there quickly to give it a try! Locals will also likely see their new fresh-hopped Pumpkin Ale – brewed with real pumpkins grown on the Kingston Peninsula – on tap by Tuesday.

• At this weekend’s Hoptoberfest, Big Spruce Brewing will be debuting their “Bitter Get’er India” India Black Ale/Black IPA. Brewed with Organic Carafa Malt and Sinamar for medium body and distinct colour, this beer will really showcase the hops, in both bittering (it weighs in at 124 IBU!) and aroma (thanks to wet, on-farm-grown, Cascade hops used to dry-hop it). Don’t worry, for those of you not able to make it to this Brewnosers event (sorry, members only!), it will also be available at the Cape Breton Farmer’s Market and at the Big Spruce Store.

• The PEI Brewing Co. is continuing to expand into Western Canada; after recently having several of their beers made available for sale in Alberta, they recently announced that three of their beers are now being shipped and sold in British Columbia. Their Sir John A’s Honey Wheat, Island Red, and Beach Chair Lager are now listed in private and public liquor agencies in Vancouver, Whistler, and the Lower Mainland through Stanley Road Imports. Check here for a full list of liquor stores in B.C. where their beers are available.

• Speaking of the PEI Brewing Co., they just released their seasonal Pumpkin Ale this week. Available in bottles and on tap for growler fills and kegs at the brewery right now, it should be available at PEILCC outlets in the near future. The beer weighs in at 5.8% and 25 IBU, and features local pumpkins that were roasted prior to being added to the lauter tun. They are also about to release their Sydney Street Stout in bottles again, after a “special release” last November. Like last year, this will be a special one-timing bottling, so get it while you can. Of course, it’s available year-round at the Gahan House.

• In other PEI brewing news, BarNone Brewing has made their beers available at two new locations in Charlottetown. Both the Pale Ale and Summer Sessions are now pouring at The Pilot House, and Water St. Fish & Chips also has the Summer Sessions on tap, with the possibility of the Pale Ale joining it in the future. Barnone’s new IPA was also pouring last night at the brewery for growler fills; Islanders should also look for this very hoppy beer soon at Baba’s Lounge.

• It looks like the Pump House Brewery has their Oktoberfest back on the shelves of numerous ANBL stores, and on tap at the brewpub. Also released last year, this malty, amber-colored lager proved to be quite popular with beer lovers in the area. At 5.5% ABV, it’s brewed with various specialty malts and German noble hops; grab some while you can, it’s the perfect time of year to be enjoying this style of beer!

• Halifax’s Garrison Brewing had a busy week! On Wednesday, they relaunched their Firkin events, once held on Fridays at Maxwell’s Plum, at the King’s College Wardroom Pub. This week, they featured two firkins: their new Harvest Wheat Ale (which is now available in growlers at the brewery), as well as a small batch of their Nut Brown Ale cask-conditioned with Peanut Butter, for a Peanut Butter Brown. They expect the firkins to be a regular event (usually one standard and one experimental), tapped at 4:30pm Wednesday afternoon, and pouring until they’re empty. You must be a King’s student, or have one sign you in, to get into the Wardroom, so it’s time to make some new friends. 🙂

• On Thursday, Garrison released their 3 Fields Harvest Wet-Hopped Beer. All of the hops in this beer are local, from four farms in Nova Scotia:  Meander River Farm and Wentworth Creek (both in Ashdale), FiddleHop Farm (Glenholme) & Ross Farm Museum (New Ross); and they are of a wide variety: Nugget, Newport, Galena, Cascade, Zeus, Centennial, Willamette and  Brewers Gold. The malt used in the beer is Maritime Malt, carried by Canada Malting, grown in the Maritimes. A special cask of it will be tapped at 11:00am Saturday at the brewery. The 3 Fields will be available only in bottles: at the brewery, the four private liquor stores in NS, and select NSLC and ANBL outlets soon.

• And next week, Garrison will be releasing the third of their One Hop series IPAs. They have released the Comet and Citra versions of this IPA, which usually clocks in around 6.5% and 60 IBU, so we expect the same this time. No details on which hop will be used, but we’ve got a feeling it will be a British varietal. Not that that narrows the selection down much!

• Sea Level Brewing has released a wet-hopped beer, Hopfazupa IPA. It showcases hops from their own farm, and is currently available on tap at the Port Pub. Here’s hoping it makes it into growlers and cans for those of us not able to make it to the Port.

• Boxing Rock Brewing have re-released their Vicar’s Cross Double IPA. After rave reviews, and quickly selling out, they have re-brewed it, and it is available at the brewery and the four private Halifax liquor stores. It will also be available at Halifax Seaport Market this weekend.

• Bridge Brewing (collaborators with Boxing Rock on the excellent Many Hands IPA) will be releasing their newest seasonal next week. After the great success of their Summer Ale, they will keep a light 5.5%ABV beer on all year. This seasonal will feature more hops for a great aroma and bitterness, and a little bit more Candi sugar for a light mouthfeel.

• Spots for the October Ladies Beer League Spring Garden Take-Over events are still available. On October 10th, they will be taking over the Rockbottom Brewpub, where they will be joined by Brewmaster Greg Nash for some beer learning and drinking. On October 17th, they will move down the road to Rogues Roost, to sample some of Lorne Romano’s fine creations. Both events run 7-10pm, and are pay-as-you-go. Please email them to secure your spot at the private event.

Whew! Looks like that’s all of it… enjoy the last weekend of September, it looks like it’s going to be a nice one!