Cask in the Sticks

All posts tagged Cask in the Sticks

Greetings, beer fans. It’s Friday and the weather is looking niiiice this weekend, so get into those outdoor drinks while you can. Can you believe it’s November?! If you’ve got some Halloween treats kicking around, there will be many drinks to pair up with some sweet and salty leftover treats. Let’s truly get into fall, transition to winter and bring on the warmer, boozier, darker beers, but also, it’s always lager season. Basically, as always, drink what you want and it never hurts to try something different, so let’s get onto some new stuff!

We’re starting off this week with one of our favourite annual releases. North Brewing’s Saison de Chardonnay (2021) is available now! Remember when this used to come out right before Christmas? While we know the aging process dictates release dates, so let’s talk about it! As always, this is a collaboration with Benjamin Bridge. North brewed a Saison with the addition of Chardonnay grape juice from the 2021 crop from the winery. Brewed last year, this was conditioned for 7 months in stainless. After that, it was bottled and conditioned for another 5 months and it’s ready for release! Getting beautiful notes of lime zest, tangerine and apricot, we already recommend picking up a few of these for special events and holidays. This is 7.6% and available in 750ml bottles at all 3 of North’s locations, online and on tap at all 3 locations as well. 

Heading north (from North), Tatamagouche Brewing has another release in their Intertidal series. This time, they’re heading west to feature Ekuanot hops grown in Yakima Valley in Washington. Intertidal: Ekuanot West Coast Pale Ale is a west coast inspired Pale ale which is crisp with some orange citrus flavour with a bit of cedar and a well balanced malt backbone. This is available now at the brewery and online at 5.3% and in 473ml cans.

We’ll head out to Newfoundland this week, and we’re starting out with Dildo Brewing and some barrel aging to start us off right! Barrel-Aged Export Stout is coming at you (and all of us!) this weekend. A base stout starts with a nice mix of caramel and roasted malts before we bring the barrel into play. Post-fermentation, the base stout spent 11 months in American oak bourbon barrels. Bringing out flavours of vanilla, caramel and a deep toastiness, let this one warm up as you sip on it. Still quite drinkable at 6.8%, this one is available at the brewery in Dildo or the St. John’s location now in 473ml cans. It will be available in wider distribution across the island in the coming weeks, as well. 

Staying on The Rock, Banished Brewing has a brand new release joining their Puffin lineup. Interplanetary Puffin is a Double New England IPA, being a beefed up version of Space Puffin, their 6% NEIPA. Interplanetary Puffin comes in at 8% and is currently available at the brewery and will be available at retailers across Newfoundland late next week. Completing the Puffin line is the Session NEIPA, Space Puffling at 4%, so grab all 3 if you can!

Rounding out the Newfoundland trio this week is a new beer and a launch party at Landwash Brewery. Fitz’s Cold Lager is an ode to an iconic St. John’s sign that used to reside on Topsail Road. The sign read “Fitz’s Cold Beer” and the folks at Landwash won a charity auction and now they’ve had it cleaned up, refreshed and re-wired and is in the taproom. To celebrate, Landwash is having a beer launch this Saturday featuring the Fitzpatrick family themselves coming to officially light up the sign at 2 PM.  They’ll also be pouring $6 pints all day of the lager.  The beer is a light and crisp Czech-Style pilsner, coming in at 4.4%. The Newfoundland water is soft and should feature nicely for this style. The beer will be available in 8x355ml cans or 4 packs of 473ml cans and is available at the brewery Saturday, but will launch across the rest of the province and local shops and NLC later next week.

Hopping down to Fredericton, those IPA loving folks at Trailway Brewing have a true-to-style West Coast IPA launching this week! Bearstream is a departure from the brewery’s signature hazy IPA and is a classic, clear, golden IPA with those notes of pine, resin and nice bitterness, with some nice orange and lemon profile as well. Hopped up with Cascade, Chinook, Columbus and Amarillo, Bearstream is 7% ABV. This is available now on tap and in cans and will be available across the ANBL and other locations on tap over the coming weeks.

Lawrencetown’s Lunn’s Mill Beer has a new release this week, ready for you to enjoy this after. It’s a Double IPA … pretty much says it all in the name, doesn’t it? This is release #2 in the Lazy Brewer (Lazy Beer Namer, maybe?) series, as they work their way through some classic styles. Big hop usage in this 7.5% beer, with Cascade enhanced by Mosaic and Citra late in the boil and again in a generous dry-hopping. Available on tap and in cans right now, for enjoyment/pick-up at their taproom, or for local delivery or Canada-wide shipping via their website.

Elsewhere in the Annapolis Valley, Church Brewing Company has a pair of releases gracing their taps for the first time this week. First up is a collaboration with their friends at Serpent Brewing in Spryfield, and keeping in their communal wheelhouse, it’s a Belgian beer. Growing out of the long friendship of Head Brewers Steve and Glen at Church and Serpent, respectively, this 12.0% Quadrupel was brewed back in April, and has been hanging out for the right time for release. And that time is now! Belgian Strong  is light amber in colour, and thanks to the malts and yeast used, features dark fruit, molasses, and spice aromatics, with a touch of alcohol heat (unsurprisingly). It is available on draught in the Church taproom, and to go in growler fills. No word yet if it is also on at Serpent’s location. 

Also new and available on tap and in cans now is a Church exclusive, Forgive Me Father, a 5.9% Coffee Stout. The beer saw the addition of cold-steeped coffee from T.A.N. Coffee from just down Main Street, to enhance the already-present roast character from the malts. Not yet on their website, so best to call in, or better yet, pop by their Main Street Wolfville location to ensure you don’t miss out!

Back in HRM, Propeller is releasing another drop of its 10% TIPA, Leviathan. Previously released last year, you can expect big notes of tropical fruit, higher bitter (to the tune of 100 IBUs), but also a smooth and rounder drinking experience from the addition of lactose. Cans are available today at Prop’s four retail locations and will soon see distribution on some NSLC stores.

St. John’s’ Bannerman Brewing is leaning into the Fall season with two releases this week. First up is a taproom only dark ale called Past Tense. This one was made with a grain bill of Pilsner malt, flaked corn and some caramel and roasted malts, leading to notes of toffee and raisin. A light dry hop with some German noble hops also lends some herbal/spice notes. You can grab Past Tense on tap at the brewery now. And while you’re down there, why not check out the return of their Marzen-style lager, Safe Bet. Using a blend of Vienne, Caramel and Pilsner malts, this one packs a ton of nutty and sweet malt flavours in a sessionalbe 5.5% ABV package. Cans of Safe Bet are available now on Duckworth Street. 

Tusket Falls Brewing has a returning favourite releasing this week. First released last year,  While You’re Waiting is back! This peach, mint, Sour IPA has a lovely tropical profile and features Motueka, Galaxy and Citra hops. With additions of real peaches, spearmint, vanilla bean, sea salt and lactose, this is packed with refreshing notes with a smooth mouthfeel coming in at 6.5%. This is available now at the brewery in Tusket and the Tusket Falls Beer Project in Halifax on tap or in cans. It is also available online for shipping across Canada. 

In “coming soon” beer news, Moncton’s Tire Shack Brewery is celebrating their Third Anniversary this coming Wednesday, November 9th. Pints are on sale all day, and they are of course releasing a new beer to celebrate. Teaming up with nearby business, and frequent collaborators Halo Donuts, they have brewed Cel-O-Bration, a Birthday Cake-flavoured beer that included 20 kilograms of Birthday Cake donuts from Halo! Wow! Wednesday will be a blast, with a balloon drop and prizes that evening, and the party will continue on the weekend (Nov 11 & 12), as they have a pop-up kitchen visit by Euston Park, more donuts, and even a visit by a miniature horse (named Lil Sebastien, we hope). And congratulations to Henry and the TS crew for their Gold medal win in the Canada Beer Cup Triple IPA category, as their Killed by Death took home top honours. There are a few cans left, so grab them now before they’re gone for another year.

Tomorrow marks the return of the Cask in the Sticks event, a community-led beer festival that moves around to different regions of rural Nova Scotia. Sober Island Brewing in Sheet Harbour is hosting this year’s event, and they are hosting Big Spruce, Breton Brewing, The Harbour Brewing, Lunn’s Mill, Tatamagouche, Uncle Leo’s, as well as a pair of homebrewers, all showing off their best beers in casks. In addition, as this is an outdoor event, there is a onesie competition, free event toque (have to stay warm, right?), a S’more station, and more fun! Grab your tickets here.

A few more newsbites before we let you go today…

If you’re around downtown Halifax soon, they have some new releases in stock and some nice beer news they’ve passed along to us. New in the shop this week are the following:

2 Crows –  OK OK OK,  5.1% Farmhouse Ale

2 Crows –  Classic, 4.1% Maritime Dry Stout, in a new format! 6x355ml.

Garrison –  Dunkel Breaking My Heart, 5.1% Dunkel, Dark German Lager

SchoolhousePrincipal Ale, 4.7% Pale Ale  (now a regularly stocked beer)

And for some importing updates, you’ve seen Samuel Smith ales in stock over the past year or so at Bishops, and they’ve got Oatmeal Stout and Chocolate Stout are back again for the winter.

A pair of returning favourites from Nyanza’s Big Spruce to close out this week. The Respect Your Elders BerlinerWeisse with Elderberry is back, made with berries harvested from their own farm, and added early in the brewing process to allow them to ferment with some Brettanomyces yeast for a melding of funk and tart in this dry seasonal beer. And kicking it to the West Coast is Old School, as West Coast IPA with big malt and hops both getting equal billing, At 8.0% ABV, the malt definitely shows up to support the massive hop additions throughout the brew, for a serious bitterness on the palate. Both beers are available on draught and in cans at the brewery, online ordering, and coming to better beer establishments across the province.

It’s the middle of October folks, which in a normal year would probably mean lots of darker beers in the works, a decided downturn in thermometer readings, and plans afoot for Halloween festivities. This isn’t what you’d call a normal year by any stretch, though, and last week’s outbreaks in New Brunswick were a sobering reminder of that. But you’ve got to figure that the proper balance to sobering is drinking! So read on for all the beer news we could find to help you find that balance in your life! And remember that taprooms, restaurants, and bars are extending patio season, so keep that in mind as another way to maintain safe distance beer enjoyment. Just make sure you bundle up!

Great news Prince Edward Islanders! Your fair isle just got a little beery-er. Located at 30 Church Street (aka 1 Cornwall Rd) in Cornwall, the Village Green taproom has opened their doors. What is Village Green, you ask? Well, it’s the first foray into brewing for Bryan Carver in a few years, one that has been in the works for a long time. Carver has a long history in the PEI beer scene, working as the Head Brewer at PEI Brewing Company for many years, joining DME for a time, somehow finding time to become a Certified Cicerone, and now launching Modern Brewer. Village Green is just the latest piece in the overarching plan for Carver, and you’ll be able to learn much more in our Profile coming out next week. But in the meantime, head to Cornwall to check out the taproom and chat with Bryan or Mark who will be working the taps. Their own beer is slated for release later this month, but in the meantime you can enjoy six other Island beers and ciders on tap, or wine by the glass. They’re open Fri – Sat 12 – 9 PM, Sun 1 – 6 PM, and Mon – Thur 4 – 9 PM. 

Last Friday, just a little too late for that day’s Wrap-Up, TrailWay Brewing announced that they were releasing their newest bottled, barrel-aged beer. As the old folks like to say (present company included), better late than never, as we’ve got all the info on that beer for you to feast on today, if you haven’t already. The beer is named SPLIT, and it has been in the making for two years. It began its life in October of 2018, when the brewers mixed a 50:50 blend of wort that had spent the night in their coolship with beer that had already undergone a secondary fermentation with the brewery’s house culture. The resulting blend spent 18 months in a single Zinfandel barrel, was packaged in 750 mL bottles, and spent another 6 months conditioning. The final 6% ABV beer is finally ready, sporting “a deep and complex funk with a bright, subtle acidity and beautiful, oaky Zinfandel character”. They’re expecting this one to evolve over time, naturally, so do your best to hold onto some in your cellar. They’ve still got some bottles left for purchase; they’re available exclusively at the brewery while supplies last.

If you live in Moncton and feel like heading out for a beer this weekend, Tire Shack Brewing is currently pouring a new American IPA at the taproom. When they were designing the recipe for Parts & Labour, their aim was to go big on hop aroma, while keeping the bitterness low, all with easy drinkability. They feel like they’ve hit those targets with this 6% ABV brew, as they threw in plenty of Loral and Simcoe hops, resulting in a beer that is “bright and extremely refreshing, with flavours of passion fruit, lychee, and tangerine”. Though it’s limited to pints and growlers currently, it should be available in cans very soon (if not by the time you read this).

Truro Brewing Company has a new beer this afternoon, freshly tapped and ready for your enjoyment! Red Sky is a traditional Red Ale, featuring a touch of roast to complement the notes of caramel and toffee. Kicking it up a notch are the locally-grown Willamette hops from Wicked Hops Farm in Stewiacke. Brewed by, with, and in honour of fellow bad-ass women knocking down walls and ceilings in traditionally male-dominated professions, Red Sky is available at the taproom for pints, samples, and growlers.

PEI Brewing Co. is playing around with Brettanomyces again, with their latest beer, Wild Intentions: Kettle Sour. After souring with Lactobacillus, a Brett yeast strain was used to ferment the wort, giving the final beer pineapple and pear aromas. At 5% ABV and 14 IBUs, it’s tasting “dry and sessionable, with a slight sourness”. You can find it now at the PEIBC taproom and Gahan Beer Store; it should be following at Gahan House locations, PEILCC stores, and select ANBL locations next week.

The “tiny brewery that can” in the heart of downtown Halifax is back at it with another release today. Tidehouse Brewing is releasing a unique take on the hazy IPA style, by adding citrus green tea from nearby World Tea House. Green Cosmos was lovingly hopped with Amarillo, Idaho 7, and Cascade, enough to get you excited, but not so much as to drown out the tea. Expect a dry finish and the lovely notes of tea to come through. Their retail shop is open from 2 PM today and tomorrow, and if you visit early you will be able to snag some cans of Porchlight too. Keep your eyes peeled for a return of some old favourites next week, as they look back on their 4 years in business and re-release some bangers! 

Next Saturday in Halifax you’ll have a chance to experience the launch of the latest jam from the Change Is Brewing Collective of BIPOC individuals working to bring positive change in terms of diversity and inclusion to the brewing industry. This time they’ve collaborated with Halifax’s 2 Crows to produce a beer they’re calling Good News. A Berliner weiße fruited with raspberry and mango, this 3.1% ABV beer started with Pilsner and both malted and unmalted wheat in the tun before being soured with Lactobacillus plantarum and then fermented with a super fruity strain of the famed Scandinavian Kveik yeast. Conditioning took place, in typical 2 Crows style, on a huge amount of fruit: 950 lbs of raspberry and 725 lbs of mango, before the final touch was added, namely a light dry-hopping with Enigma and Huell Melon. The result is described as, “super jammy, super fruity, and super fun!” Your first chance to try this beer will be at a BIPOC Makers Market next Saturday, October 24th, from 12 – 4 PM, followed by a Food Pop-up featuring Hibiscus Specialty from 4 – 6 PM, and a spoken word poetry session by Deirdre Lee from 7 – 7:30 PM. Sounds to us like a full afternoon and evening celebrating diversity and drinking great beer!

What’s on the go in the near future? Here’s a few things bubbling up soon!

Charlottetown’s HopYard Beer Bar has a few tap takeover weekends planned in the next month, with Fredericton’s Grimross Brewing taking over the taps on the weekend of October 23 & 24th, with ten different options flowing. And HopYard will be doing double duty as they welcome Darmtouth’s North Brewing to the Island November 6th and 7th, as well as see the launch of Dough Boy Industries, with their pop-up pizza oven on the go all weekend. Keep an eye here, and on everyone’s social media, for tap/topping lists. 😉

If you happen to be hanging around Sheet Harbour, NS at all over the next couple of months, we should pass on that Sober Island Brewing will be hosting a series of Brewers Dinners, with the first starting next Saturday, October 24th. Each will consist of a 3-course meal, with each course being paired with a Sober Island brew. The food includes chowder with buttermilk biscuit and molasses beer butter, Thai chili-breaded chicken wings w/ Asian slaw, and Chocolate Stout cake. As well, head brewer Tim will be on-site to introduce each beer and food item, as well as to answer any questions you may have about the beers or general brewing process. A maximum of 20 guests for each event will be allowed in order to comply with distancing restrictions; the other dates are November 14th, November 20th, and December 11th. Tickets are $40 each (they recommend booking in groups of 4, if possible), and can be reserved by phoning 902-885-2072, or heading directly to the taproom. 

Speaking of Sober Island, they will be the host of this year’s Cask in the Sticks event, being held November 7th. They have invited a handful of breweries from across the province, as well as homebrewer David Pepper, to prep a pin of their favourite beer. You’ll be able to sip the good stuff from Big Spruce, Harbour Brewing, Lunns Mill, Tatamagouche, Uncle Leo’s, and maybe even a couple more! Your ticket gets you your first pours, a toque, and live music. Food will also be available for sale, and all proceeds will be going to a local non-profit organization. Call the brewery to grab your ticket for either the 1 – 3 or 4 – 6 PM session (or both!). Those loveable beer grumps from the 902 BrewCast will be onsite judging the onesie competition, so be sure to come dressed to impress!

Of course the Oktoberfest events continue, with Montague’s Bogside Brewing holding theirs next Saturday, October 24th. The “Oktobeer Fest” will be held from 2-5 pm, and will feature a German food menu, happy hour beer prices, and live music. You already know they are killing it with German-inspired beer, with their Lighthorse Kolsch and North Lake Lager, and their Shoreline Smash Dunkel is back on tap just in time. Oktoberfest in Atlantic Canada is definitely winding down, so this may be your last chance to partake in all the fun… and really, who can say no to Oompah music? We dare thee.

Friend of good beer Old Road BBQ in Truro has adjusted their fall hours to be open 12 – 9 PM Friday and Saturday, and have music in the taproom or on the patio almost every night. They are gearing up for a big event on October 31st, with Willie Stratton celebrating the end of patio season with a big bash. Tickets for the evening are just $10, or for those visiting from out of town, a killer deal on a room at the nearby Inn on Price hotel and a pair of tickets is just $100. Further, those who take advantage of this package will be entered in a draw for a massive platter fit for two (or more) to enjoy that evening, including beers! Details on the entertainment tickets, and hotel package, are available here.

And for those looking for some tasty Bar-B-Q, beer, and live music in Halifax should drop by Murphy’s On The Water October 29th, with Them Other Johns providing the live music, and Dartmouth’s New Scotland Brewing providing the beers. Details and tickets available on the NSBC Events page. Lastly on the BBQ front, for those looking to enjoy some BBQ for lunch, Old Road has been catering for businesses since they’ve opened, but are now offering a Thursday lunch option, starting October 22nd. Gather up the crew (10 order minimum), and fire them an email before Tuesday night to get on the list! More details here and via email.

We’ve got a little about a lot more beers today, enjoy!

Bad Apple Brewhouse has a new, funky pear and apple cider joining their repertoire. Pearadise of Funk was brewed with Brettanomyces yeast, as well as Pediococcus and Lactobacillus bacteria, making it “light, effervescent, and wildly unique”. Available right now at the brewery.  

Speaking of cider, Meander River has a new one of their own, from their Small Lot Cider series. Strawberry Basil is a cider made with… we’re pretty sure you can take a good guess at which two ingredients are extra special in this one! Available on tap at the brewery, as well as in bottles.

Tusket Falls Brewing have scaled up Woke Up Quick, a 7.5% ABV Brown Porter brewed with smoked malt, lactose powder, cold brew coffee, Madagascar vanilla beans, and cocoa nibs to a full, 20 BBL batch, since it was so popular when it was first released. This time around it’s available in cans, starting today.

Quidi Vidi has a brand new one-off available at the brewery – Sour Kveik (4.7% ABV) was fermented with the Laerdal Kveik strain, and has “a complex and pleasant sourness, with lemon, passion fruit, and honeydew flavours” as a result, with a touch of honey-like sweetness to balance the tartness. Also available for online orders.

And speaking of Newfoundland and Labrador Craft Breweries, they received some great news this week, when the provincial government announced that they were increasing discounts on the commission paid to the NLC. The discount is increased to 95% on the first 100,000 litres of product, which wholly encompasses the production of 15 of the 19 craft breweries in Newfoundland and Labrador. It is expected to save the industry more than $1 Million dollars annually. And in doubly good news, the commission/markup collected will be the same whether the beer is sold at the brewery, NLC, or convenience stores. Both of these steps mean more money staying with the breweries to fuel hiring, expansion, improved distribution, and countless other improvements. There’s a good article from CBC outlining some of the real-world numbers. Good on the province and the NLC to recognize their role is not only to regulate the sale and production of alcohol, but to promote businesses to thrive and improve the economy for all. With small independent beer accounting for less than 5 percent of overall sales, there’s plenty of room for growth in Newfoundland and Labrador beer!

Thanksgiving 2020! We made it! A time to (safely) get together with family and friends to celebrate the changing seasons. Whether you’ll be gathered in person, or virtually, we hope you’re able to do so with some great local beer. And if you’re venturing out Sunday and/or Monday, be sure to check that the restaurant, bar, taproom, or brewery is open. As someone who’s been burned by Google Maps hours of operation suggestions a lot recently, always best to call or check social media!

Great news for those in Western New Brunswick, after a few dry years, you now have a local brewery once again! Tobique River Trading Co in Perth-Andover has been open and serving their own coffee for a few months, but have now officially released their first beers. Available now at the brewery in cans and growlers for take home enjoyment, as well as the local ANBL and nearby agency stores. So, what have they put together for you to enjoy? Great question, voice in my head!

  • The Old Highway is their 5.7% flagship, a Blonde ale with a crisp finish.
  • BeechGlen Blonde, a 5.0% “faux blonde”, bordering on a light lager, with very low bitterness.
  • Better on the Tobique, a 6.0% featuring a touch of sweetness from the Honey malt used in the grist, and a complement to all sorts of food dishes.
  • Monquat Citra, a 4.8% light and refreshing pale beer, with a serious citrus dry hop to have you thinking this could even be a radler (but it ain’t).

Pop by their spot at 694 Perth Main Street this weekend for your first tastes, and congratulations to the Tobique crew!

Staying within the bubble (don’t we always?), we head just across the PEI border where we have been treated to many …treats… Lone Oak brings us Sour Outage, a 7.0% golden sour with another throwback to Hurricane Dorian from September 2019. Sour Outage was aged on 700lbs of Cherry Plums that staff, friends and family handpicked from The Grove Orchard shortly before Dorian hit last year. After being aged for a months on the cherries, this sour gives a nod to all of the crews working to restore power to Islanders after one of the most devastating storms to hit the Atlantic. Sour Outage is now on tap for pints at the brewery with bottles-to-go available around October 16th. 

Nyanza’s Big Spruce has big news this week with an entirely new beer, a very seasonal re-release, and the annual return of a regional favorite. First up is the newbie, a style unseen in this region, we believe. If you’re at all familiar with the Alsace region of France, you’ll know that was a hotly contested area between French and Germanic states for hundreds of years and thus has heavy cultural influences from both sides. Those cultural influences obviously include language and food, but more importantly, beer! Just as Alsatians have their own versions of coq au vin (with Riesling, of course) and Sauerkraut (Choucroute), they also have their own take on the classic German Pilsner (although, somewhat ironically, it has been argued that it’s got more Czech roots than German). Generally featuring a little bit of corn, which flies in the face of the German beer purity law, and local Strisselspalt hops, it’s lighter in color and flavor and more bitter than most French beers. Big Spruce has adopted the corn aspect in their Pils d’Alsace, which they sourced from a farm in Cape Breton that dries corn to make their own grits. Crystal clear, with a big white head, the aroma is redolent of herbs, spices, and biscuit, with floral and herbal notes on the palate and a slightly bready body. The crisp finish will no doubt leave you contemplating the similarities and differences between this substyle and it’s German and Bohemian brethren, but also another sip. This one will likely also be a lovely beer for a study in contrast between pale European with amber European lager, and the folks at Big Spruce are happy to help with that too, as they’re also releasing their very seasonal Amärzen Grace. Amber in color, full-bodied, and balanced very much towards the malt side, Märzen is the OG Oktoberfest style which was served at Oktoberfest in Munich up until the 1950s when it was replaced by the lighter golden Helles Oktoberfestbier style. Big Spruce’s version is 6% ABV and has the color of burnt honey, with an ivory-colored head. Look for notes of toffee and brown bread, with dried and candied fruit notes that lead to a slightly sweet aftertaste. We don’t know that this one will be packaged for retail sale, but we don’t doubt that if you find yourself at finer taprooms around the Province in the next couple of weeks you’ll bump into it.

Also coming out of Big Spruce this week is the return of one of the classic big beers in Atlantic Canada. Ra Ra Rasputin was the brewery’s first bottled beer, announced in early 2016, and is now (we think) in its 5th iteration. In keeping with the tradition established in the past couple of years, there’s more than one version available. As always, the classic formulation is a Russian Imperial Stout that was aged in barrels from Glenora Distillery for three months and then cellared for bottle conditioning for another two months before release. We suspect at this point, with the recipe and process well-defined, that it will be consistent with everything you already love about Ra Ra. This year’s alternate version, however, is a horse of a different color. Started last year, it was aged in tawny port barrels for nine full months, hung out in stainless tanks for an additional three, and then was packaged and given the same two month bottle conditioning period. The result is apparently extremely smooth, with only a touch of alcohol on the nose despite the 10.5% ABV. Look for plenty of barrel character, in terms of both vanillins and tannins, with aromas of sweet vanilla, chocolate, fruit, and coffee, and a palate presentation that’s not unlike black forest cake. Even better, if you’re leery of buying a 650 mL bomber of ~10%-ish beer and having it stare at you from your cellar as you wait for just the right night to commit to taking it on, worry not, Big Spruce has heeded the call of beer geeks everywhere to make a big beer a little more bite-sized: both of this year’s Ra Ra variations are available only in 330 mL single-serve bottles. So you’ll be able to have one by the fire on a chilly fall evening and then walk to bed without risking life and limb!

You’ll be able to try both of these Ra Ra Rasputin variations, and probably the Pils d’Alsace and the Amärzen Grace as well, along with a host of other Big Spruce beers (including a collaboration with Chain Yard Cider) tomorrow at Battery Park in Dartmouth. In total, 19 taps of Big Spruce will be pouring along with seven different vintages of RaRa. Social distancing and mask rules apply, of course, but they can’t stop the great beer from flowing! After that, look for bottles and draught at Bishop’s Cellar and Stillwell Beer Bar.

Moncton, the hub city, rises again with a festive release from Tire Shack. Do you like lagers? Duh. Do you like Vienna? You bet your Schnitzel! Let’s throw that together for a Pumpkin Vienna Lager! The Wickerman, brings a taste of pumpkin and pumpkin spices to a drinkable beer, that doesn’t turn you into Peter Pumpkinhead. It clocks in at 5.0% ABV so you can drink it all Thanksgiving long. The beer was dosed with pumpkin puree in the boil as well as ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice, and ground cloves and it will be available for pints, cans and growlers as of noon Friday from the brewery. Hooray for The Wickerman! 

If you’ve been in and around the craft beer world over the last couple of years, you’ve no doubt run into the concept of a “pastry stout.” These dark beers generally sport a high ABV, a fair amount of residual sweetness, and some flavor components of whatever crazy thing they were made with (cookies, donuts, candy bars, eclairs…). Many versions have, as time has gone on, eschewed actually adding foodstuffs to the mash in favor of creating a flavor profile reminiscent of those foodstuffs, which many consider a more thoughtful and repeatable approach, not to mention usually much easier to clean up at the end of the brewday. And now that sense of innovation continues as someone thought to ask, “does it need to be a stout?” with the answer being, “Maybe? No? Let’s find out!” Enter Newfoundland breweries Landwash and Baccalieu Trail, who are releasing a collaboration they’re calling Lemon Land. Touted as a “Pastry Ale” it was inspired by the tart and bright flavors of lemon meringue pie. Lots of lemon juice, lemon peel, lactose, and vanilla were added to this brew, with the more traditionally beery side leveraging Cashmere and Sorachi Ace hops. Packaged primarily in cans, only 90 cases are available, available at the Landwash retail shop in Mount Pearl. Those feeling draughty can also grab a pint there, or at co-conspiring Baccalieu Trail this weekend. Whether you just love a new and interesting beer, or if you’re not a whiz with pie crust and you’re looking for an alternate Thanksgiving dessert, if you’re local to the brewery you might want to swing by and grab yourself a few.

Coming off their triumphant takeover at The Stillwell Freehouse last weekend, Halifax’s 2 Crows is dropping two new ones this week just in time for your long weekend beer needs. First up is Laurel, which isn’t actually a new release, at least for those who attended the “2 Crows preview party” some 4 years ago before they opened. (Although that may seem like an obscure reference there’s actually a good chance that amongst our dozen or so readers, some were actually at that event…) In classic 2C “rolls right off the tongue” style, this one is a “tart dark saison with plum and bay leaf.” Starting with a base of Pilsner, dark Munich, and caramel Munich, with some chocolate malt for color and character; dark candi sugar was also added in the boil for additional character and, no doubt, to dry the beer out a little. Hops used were Columbus and East Kent Goldings. Half the wort was soured with Lactobacillus Plantarum before joining the other half and a pitch of the 2C house saison culture. Finally, the beer was conditioned on some 760 kg of plums and then “dry hopped” with bay leaves. The result is rich and smooth, somewhat herbaceous, definitely jammy, but also dry. You can expect some saison spice and plenty of dark fruit character as well. Look for this one in cans and on tap at the brewery as of Saturday.

Next up is the latest 2 Crows iteration on a golden sour, similarly simply described, “Tequila barrel-aged sour with cucumber, sea salt, lime, and mint.” Using their usual base of Pilsner, wheat, spelt, oats and special aromatic malts, with a touch of aged hops, this one was obviously aged in tequila barrels, but a bit also spent time in gin barrels. The remarkable part, though, is that the aging process was some 14 months! Post-barrel, a touch of sea salt was added along with 80 cucumbers that were sliced and diced, and the juice and zest of a whole case of limes. This melange spent about 8 weeks conditioning before a dosing with mint, packaging, and a good four months of bottle conditioning. Fresh and zippy, bright and fun, with enough salinity to have you reaching for another sip, this 5.4% ABV beauty they’re calling Shadow Rider is a limited release with only about 750 bottles available on Saturday. You’ll also find it pouring at the taproom as long as the single keg lasts!

Taking a trip to the Darkside (maybe you’ll be doing that too on the long weekend!), New Scotland Brewing is back with a classic and tasty-looking release. A tribute to the wonderful west coast IPA, Kilted takes a traditional approach to the style using some very classic American hops, Columbus, Centennial, Cascade, and Comet, along with newer varieties that have dominated the market in the last few years, Citra and Simcoe. This hop combination creates a very layered and fruity flavour that is well balanced with Golden Promise malt. Kilted is 6.3% ABV and 65 IBU and available Friday in cans, pints and kegs. Rumour has it that Battery Park already has theirs.

Hanwell, New Brunswick’s Niche Brewing is back on a mixed-fermentation trip with their latest, Southern Accents. Brewed with Pilsner and aromatic malts along with some flaked wheat, it was hopped in the boil and whirlpool with a bit of Citra. Well we do declare, they’ve put Yankee hops in this here Saison! Fermented with a blend of Saccharomyces and Brettanomyces, the result is a funky beer with a touch of sweetness and a bit of a floral presence. You’ll find it at Niche tap accounts including The Joyce, Peppers Pub, Ringo’s Grill, and Stillwell Beer Bar.

A reminder to our homebrewing readers that if you haven’t already brewed your entry for the 2020 Maritime Home Brew Challenge, you need to do that this weekend! Hosted by Gahan, this year’s style categories are encouraging you to take a walk on the hoppier side, with West Coast IPA and New England IPA being the centre of attention. It’s always good to drink these styles fresh, so brewing now will be four weeks until judging. Your $30 entry registration gets you a free t-shirt, entry to the Gala on November 14th at Gahan House Charlottetown, and your chance at more almost $2000 in cash and cards! Plus the priceless prize of bragging rights to the best beer in the Maritimes! Drop off your entry before October 30 at your local Gahan, and good luck! And a heads up that they’re bringing out the big guns for judges this year, including close to a dozen BJCP judges from the region, so expect your feedback to be topnotch. Any questions on that part of it, or any other little thing, hit them up via email.

The Oktoberfests continue this weekend! In addition to Big Spruce’s big event at Battery Park tomorrow, don’t forget that the Stillwell Beergarden is hosting their Oktoberfest tomorrow, featuring the first draught beer from the Valley’s Delta Force Brewing, plus some imported Continental European inspired beauts from Godspeed Brewery in Toronto. Plus Uncorked Tours in Saint John is hosting their own Oktoberfest on the 17th, taking over an extended patio at the Saint John City Farmers’ Market. More on those in last week’s post.

Do you love beer (of course you do!)? Do you love curling? If you answered a resounding “hell yes!” to both questions, then Brightwood Brewery has just the event for you. They’re holding a Sip N’ Spiel Curling & Beer Release tomorrow, October 10th, at the Mayflower Curling Club in Halifax. Let’s fill you in on the beer, first. It’s a dry-hopped Pilsner named Bonspiel that was brewed with late hop additions of Barbe Rouge and Idaho 7, and then a dry-hop of more Barbe Rouge. Hazy, bright yellow, with “lots of red and stone fruit flavours” to go with the classic Pilsner crispness, it will be on tap during once the curling portion of the evening is complete, along with seven other Brightwood beers. Speaking of curling, your $20 ticket fee includes two hours of curling and curling lessons (if needed), starting at 6:30 pm. At 8:30, the party moves upstairs to the bar, where they’ll have live music, and as mentioned, beer! Your ticket also includes a sampling of Brightwood beers (probably a flight, by the sounds), but of course you’re free – and encouraged! – to purchase more. Check out the event link above to buy your ticket.

From our friends as Uncorked Tours, comes another event after their Oktoberfest weekend on the 17th, check out the “IPA and Its Variations with Craig Pinhey” where Craig will take attendees through a whirlwind of IPA styles. From Craig, “I plan to have them taste UK style (hard to find!), West Coast, NEIPA, DIPA, and other variations that are available at the time, like maybe Red, Black, White, Belgian, Sour, etc.”. Check out the Facebook event here to get registered for the Saint John event. Tickets are $50 per person for a 90 minute session at the Uncorked Tasting Room and seating is limited!

Sober Island Brewing is planning an event to scratch your cask itch (btw, you should probably get that looked at by a doctor) – Cask in the Sticks is happening at the brewery on Saturday, November 7th. Featuring eight different cask beers (from seven breweries and homebrewer David Pepper), there will be two sessions available for sampling: 1-3 pm and 4-6 pm. Due to social distancing and everything that goes with that, they have set a limit of 60 people per session, so don’t wait to grab your tickets, even though it’s four weeks away. Tickets are $40 each (tax included), and include eight 4 oz pours and an event-branded toque (DD tickets are also available, for $10). In addition to the casks, they’ll have live music, food available for purchase, and even a “Onesie competition” to encourage layering up (the event will be held outside). Our buds from the 902 Brewcast will be roaming around, judging the onesies, with the winner receiving tickets to next year’s event (take this seriously, folks, you know Phil Church will be putting a lot of thought into HIS onesie). You can purchase your tickets by calling the taproom (902-885-2072). And speaking of the 902 Bcast, be sure to check out their October Tasting episode, which dropped Tuesday. Kyle and Tony chat about what’s happened in the world over the past 3 months since their PEI Trip, new additions to the family, and even about beer for a hot minute.

A few more beers and ciders to quench that holiday weekend thirst!

Just in time for the long weekend, CAVOK Brewing Co. is dropping Champion, a wet hopped ale made with hops harvested just 3 kilometers from the brewery on Rue Champion in Dieppe. Grab this limited release on tap at the taproom, or in crowlers or growlers to-go.

Fans of artistic beer cans should check out Quidi Vidi Brewery this weekend for their release of Director’s Cut, a raspberry and blackberry creamsicle sour. The cans for this 5.5% ABV sour feature 31 (!!) different works from female artists across Newfoundland and Labrador. The artwork is part of a collaboration with the St. John’s International Women’s Film Festival which runs from October 14-18. Check out their website for more info. Cans of Director’s Cut are available at the QV Hops Shop along with NLCs and convenience stores across the province. And great news for those who’ve been waiting patiently to grab a pint in QV’s taproom, they are hosting their first Kitchen Party in 6 months today! The doors open at 4 PM, and they’re keeping it local: no visitors or those who have had contact with folks off The Rock, Atlantic Bubble be damned! 😉

If you’re looking for something sessionable this weekend, check out Bannerman Brewing Co’s newest release, Comfort Zone. Coming in at 4.5%, the session ale is full bodied thanks to a heavy addition of flaked oats, to complement the Marris Otter and Caramel malts. A dry hop of Mosaic and Simcoe lends notes of peach, apricot and pear. Available at the brewery/taproom/early morning coffee spot on Duckworth Street now. 

Heading north on the island, the team at RagnaRöck is launching the first release in their Hit or Miss series, where tasters will be asked to vote on whether to keep the beer in rotation or set it adrift in the Strait of Belle Isle (ok, we made that part up). Their take on a Cream Ale is light and crisp, and comes in at 5.7% ABV. Find it on-tap now at the taproom in St. Anthony.

Lastly, for those holding out for one last (first? only?) taste of pumpkin-spice season, check out Route 19’s take on the style, Pumpkin Potion. Coming in at a warming 8.5%, this one is available on-tap at the brewpub in Inverness.

There were some updates in growler news this week, with ANBL and Good Robot making changes to their current offerings. ANBL suspended all growler fill stations in March due to the pandemic, but this program will not be returning due to declining sales. Only the flagship location in York Street, Fredericton, will have a growler program available when conditions allow. Check out the full story on CBC here

Meanwhile, Good Robot will no longer be offering growlers for purchase on their online store for delivery. From Good Robot “They are challenging to transport in our pothole-laden town, costly to replace, difficult to fill on demand to keep fresh, and even more difficult to deliver in a timely fashion.” They will still be offering on-site growler fills as usual, so pop by and get your robot fills as you normally would! The last day for growlers online will be October 16th.

Good Robot is also releasing, Crop Top Summer just in time for Thanksgiving. This 4.1% release is  “An amazingly satisfying summertime wheat beer with notes of orange, tangerine and clove.” This is available today at the brewery and available online as well. 

Two late-breaking cider additions to the blog today: Annapolis Cider Co has the latest in their Something Different series out tomorrow, Peach and Basil, a 6.3% sparkling cider, a blend of their dry cider infused with locally-grown basil and fresh pressed Valley peaches. As with all of these releases, each refill see $0.50 go to a local charity, with this batch supporting the Portal Youth Outreach Center, whose goal is to reduce youth experiencing homelessness in the Valley.

And Dartmouth’s Lake City Cider has also dabbled in a mixed-fruit blend with Nova Scotia strawberries fermented and steeped along with whole vanilla beans, blended with Valley apples. And then a splash of Blackcurrant wine was added in for a lovely luscious colour and body. Weighing in at 8.5%, cans of Field of Dreams are available in store and online for delivery right now!