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Friday Wrap-Up – News from Lunn’s Mill, Chain Yard, Western Newfoundland, Unfiltered, Tidehouse, Port Rexton, and more!

Posted by acbbchris on 2017-06-23
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: Alexander Keith's Historic Brewery, Battery Park, Big Axe Brewery, Big Spruce Brewing, Big Tide Brewing, Bishop's Cellar, Chain Yard Cider, FirkinStein Brewing, Gahan House Harbourfront (Halifax), Henley House, HopYard, Horton Ridge Malt & Grain, Lunn's Mill Beer Company, Maybee Brewing, North Brewing, Port Rexton Brewing Co., Propeller Brewing, Sober Island Brewing, Stillwell Beer Bar, Sunset Heights Meadery, Tidehouse Brewing, TrailWay Brewing, Unfiltered Brewing, Upstreet Craft Brewing, Western Newfoundland Brewing, YellowBelly Brewery. 2 comments

Happy Summer, folks! It sure felt that the warm weather was never going to come, but with temperatures reaching well above 20C in all four provinces this week, we’re finally able to dust off the patio furniture for real, and work on those farmer tans. Let’s get right to the beer(s) you should be drinking!

• Lunn’s Mill Beer Company has added a new brew, Anvil, a Porter, to their list of offerings in Lawrencetown, NS. Described by the brewery as being closer to the American Porter style (as opposed to British), it’s smooth and dark, with “hints of roast, chocolate, and dark fruit”. With a moderate bitterness in the finish to balance the malt flavours, it weighs in at 5.8% ABV and 32 IBUs. It was released late last week at the brewery, so only limited amounts are likely still available. But fear not! They’ll be brewing it again soon, and their tasting room has extended their hours (Thursdays 3:30-6:30 and Friday 12:00-6:00). And with three new 5 bbl (580 L) BIACs (Brew-in-a-Conical) arriving, there’ll be a big increase in production at the brewery any day now!

• Halifax’s Chain Yard Urban Cidery has released a brand new blend this week, Yard Berry. The base cider of Jonagold and Northern Spy apples was blended with NS High Bush blueberries that underwent an arrested fermentation (aka, stopped short of finishing too dry). The final product features notes of sour cherry, cranberry, and of course plenty of blueberry, with a heavier weight, but clean finish. Drop by their location at North & Agricola and enjoy a glass on their patio.

• Western Newfoundland Brewing Company has had a busy spring, brewing up some test batches at their Pasadena location. They currently have three of these smaller batches in rotation (as well as their Killdevil Pale Ale and Wild Cove Cream Ale) at their officially-unofficial taproom, Galliott Studios in Woody Point, located inside Gros Morne National Park. On tap currently is The Hoppin’ McIlroy, a Pale Ale brewed using wild hops from Norris Point, across Bonne Bay from the Studios. Also rotating through are Oat Pale Ale, featuring oats for a creamy mouthfeel and lots of late-hopping for a pleasant citrus and fruit flavour, and the preview for an upcoming wider release, Stout River (formerly Stout #1). Take a drive into the Park, grab a pint and sit on their beautiful wharf, and watch the humpbacks and minke whales that frequent the Bay.

• Halifax’s Unfiltered Brewing is releasing an all-new beer today, the aggressively named Sour M.F. This is a wheat beer, kettle-soured and weighing in at 6.2% ABV. And here we depart from the typical text of an Unfiltered beer release because there’s no IBU number to report, nor are there any hop varieties to name. This ain’t a hoppy beer, it’s a sour, and in typical NASH style, it was rather unsubtly re-fermented on a metric fuckton of tart cherries for a big cherry bouquet. It’s described as acidic, refreshing and bright with a light spicy finish. Probably a beautiful beer for your patio drinking needs on a hot day. Available from noon today for fills at the brewery and pints next door at Charm School Pub.

• Those of us who’ve were lucky enough to share in the beers of Peter Lionais over his homebrewing career have reason to be excited, as there’s a new beer coming out of Tidehouse and it finished at a specific gravity of 1.003. A beer that dry can mean only one thing: Peter’s been into the saison yeast again! Using a blend of two strains, 2 Many Birds is firmly in the saison style, with a balance of earthy and citrus characters from the yeast. A grist of largely Pilsner malt with some Vienna added for character yields a rounded mouthfeel despite the dry finish. Hops in this batch were a blend of the old school Perle, the American darling Amarillo and the Southern Hemisphere newcomer Pacific Jade, for a floral and orange-grapefruity hop presence. The lion’s share of this batch was shipped up to Stillwell‘s Beer Garden on Spring Garden, so look for it to appear there soon, with the balance likely to find a home across the water at Battery Park and for a severely limited number of fills at the retail space on Salter Street.

• Newfoundland’s Port Rexton Brewing put their thinking caps on and developed a “100% Canadian beer”, utilizing ingredients from all four of our favourite provinces. Big Cod Mountain Ridge uses PEI malt (floor malted by Horton Ridge) in the grist, Cascade hops from Moose Mountain Hops in NB, and pineapple weed (tea-infused) harvested in NL by Cod Sounds. Finally fermented by Big Spruce‘s pin cherry-harvested yeast (with some help from Escarpment Labs), the beer – probably best described as a Saison – comes in at 5% ABV and 19 IBUs and exhibits a “Belgian feel”, and finishes very dry.

• North Brewing is releasing two beers today, one of which is new, the other, a returning favourite. The new brew is Little Beast, brewed for the North End Runners, a community of local runners who meet every Wednesday at 6 pm at North Brewing for a 6 km run. A 4% ABV “lagered ale”, it was hopped with Huell Melon to 10 IBUs, and features an addition of salt to the boil. North wants you to think of it as a “post-run recovery beer”… sounds right to us! Returning is White Lightning (4.8% ABV), a dry-hopped kettle sour. This time around, the beer is slightly more tart, thanks to the use of a different Lactobacillus starter, and was hopped with Azacca, Huell Melon, and Wai-Iti. Both beers will be available as of today at both North locations, for growler and swing-top fills, as well as in 650 mL bottles.

• TrailWay has their brand new automatic canning line up and running, which means more cans for all of us, and less work for the TW crew! It also means new label designs, and packaging dates indicated on each can. Beyond Reality (raspberry Fruit beer) is already out with its new look, and their Rye Pale Ale, Rype, will be available as of today. Finally, the winning American IPA in the first TrailWay Homebrew Challenge is available again (probably for the last time); Hoppy McHazy was brewed by Pierre Gagnon, and features plenty of Amarillo, Citra, Mosaic, and Simcoe, for a huge blast of tropical, fruity goodness.

• And the circle of life is complete as we heard from a little birdie this week that the canning line Trailway replaced with their new whizzbang automatic dealio is on its way to Sober Island on Nova Scotia’s Eastern Shore. While we let you consider what that’s going to mean for Rebecca Atkinson and her crew, or, more to the point, for you, gentle beer drinker, we’ll tell you about their latest release, dubbed Kirby’s Canoe Rye Pale Ale. The grist features 11% rye, which will almost certainly provide a spicy note on the finish. We also know that it was dry hopped with both Willamette and Bramling Cross hops, with the Bramling being the focus. This should provide a bright berry character. It’s straw-yellow in colour, with a solid 5.7% ABV and 30 IBU, if you really want to figure this one out, look for it in crowlers at the brewery, on tap at The Henley House in Sheet Harbour and Battery Park in Dartmouth, and appearing at the New Glasgow and Musquodoboit Farmers Markets.

• Heading Southwest along Nova Scotia’s coast, FirkinStein in Bridgewater has their latest experiment on tap and ready for prime time. Sassamanana is a 7.0% ABV Pale Ale, featuring the addition of cranberries and banana to the beer. While the techniques they used are secret (trust us, we asked!), they promise that the light tart character from the berries, and creaminess from the banana will make for a great experience. The beer is debuting at tomorrow morning’s Bridgewater Farmers’ Market. And keep an eye out for the news of their King Street satellite brewery/taproom/retail location, which is poised to open before the end of the month.

• And back to the city, on the waterfront in Halifax, Gahan Harbourfront is now serving up a batch of Flavour of the Monk which was the winning beer in their first annual homebrew competition. Devised (and named) by Ian Wheatley, who you may remember from March’s Lil’Wheatey Tap Takeover at Tidehouse Brewing earlier this year, it’s a Belgian beer in the Trappist Single style, with a pillowy white head and moderate bitterness. The hops used are classic Czech and German noble varieities, giving a floral and spicy nose to balance against the classic peppery and fruity Belgian yeast character. It’s a fairly easy-drinking 5.4% ABV and 35 IBU. Meanwhile, Gahan has quietly become the second brewery in NS to offer crowlers. These 32oz cans let you take beer pretty much anywhere in a convenient package, or let you sock it in the fridge for up to a month. Only Gahan beers are available (no PEIBC or guest taps) and they’re available for $8 from the fridge at the restaurant entrance. Currently available in this format are their Crosscurrent APA, Impatience Sour Brown and Captain Falcon’s IPA.

• Maybee Brewing is releasing Old Growth, an Extra Special Bitter, sometime today. The slightly-bigger brother to their Slanty Shanty Best Bitter that originally came out last December, the malt and hop profiles have been tweaked slightly. Horton Ridge floor-malted Organic Pale Malt makes up the majority of the grist, with New Brunswick Goldings hops bringing the IBUs to 44. Exhibiting “hints of honey and caramel”, and nicely-balanced with a firm bitterness, this 5.5% ABV beer is available at the brewery for pints, growlers, and cans. Look for cans to likely appear at select ANBL stores in the future; local tap accounts will also be receiving kegs.

• St. John’s YellowBelly Brewpub celebrated the changing of the seasons this week with the release of Summer Solstice Crystal Wheat. A nod to Wexford Wheat, one of their core beers, this beer features a simplified malt bill with just 2-Row and Wheat malts. Unlike WW, it is filtered, resulting in a bright, crystal-clear straw coloured beer. The hops are also unique to this release, with Pacific Gem and Sorachi Ace used in the boil, with more Sorachi and a second hop during dry-hopping. At 5.3% ABV and 18 IBUs, this is sure to be a crowd-pleaser on their patio this weekend at the corner of George Street, or to take-away when bottles make an appearance next week.

• Dropping today is YellowBelly’s latest cider, this one is a blend of dry apple cider fermented with Champagne yeast and sweetened with a touch of unfermented cider, then blended with 6% cold-pressed cranberry juice from the Island’s West Coast just prior to filtration. At 6.0% ABV, the resultant cider is juicy and tart, and thirst quenching for the warm weather (enjoy it over ice to extend the pleasure). On tap today, it should also see release in bottles at the Brewpub next week. And for a hint of what’s to come this summer, YB is currently on the look-out for an experience manager for “YellowBelly Take-Away”, to open at 264 Water Street in the coming months. Contact them via email for more details.

• Nackawic’s Big Axe Brewery has been busy crafting up some new sour beers, after the success of their kettle-soured Partridgeberry Sour and Sumac Sour. Coming up next is their next entry, Strawberry Sour. Initially fermented with a “collection of Brettanomyces and bacteria”, a neutral Ale strain (read: Saccharomyces) was used to finish things off. Real strawberries were then added during secondary fermentation, resulting in a “sourness complemented by a strawberry and citrus aroma” in this hazy, light-copper-coloured brew. Easy-drinking at 5% ABV, you’ll be able to find this one on tap at the brewery, as well as in Fredericton at 540 Kitchen & Bar and the Cider House. Next week should also see the release of Seaberry Sour, an amber-coloured kettle sour brewed with NB Sea Buckthorn berries, resulting in lots of citrus aromas, according to the brewery. This very-limited release will pop up at a few tap accounts.

• We have some great news for you New Brunswick Mead fans out there! Fredericton’s Sunset Heights Meadery has a very large shipment of bottles heading to more than 30 different ANBL locations across the province, starting this coming Monday, June 26th. After a few releases at four locations over the past months, the high demand was apparent; the current numbers hitting stores is ten times the amounts from before. Look for plenty of bottles of Queen’s Nectar, Scuttlebutt, ChaChaChaga, and Latifah to be hitting shelves very soon, with another release scheduled for sometime in early September. You can check the ANBL location list here.

• Big Tide has announced that they have a beer coming out soon, LaTour, their entry in the Acadian Nut Brown style being seen more and more in New Brunswick (check out our mention of it in last week’s post for more info). The 2 Row base malt is accented by plenty of CaraMunich and Chocolate Wheat malts for a medium-bodied, malt-forward, 6.5% ABV Nut Brown. Hopped to 27 IBUs with Fuggles for a mild bitterness and earthy aroma. A little past the June 9th official launch date, but that’s ok! It’ll be available at the brewpub for pours and growler next week. And grab a pint or growler of their 4.5% ABV Zippy Pale Ale, as it is sure to run out this weekend.

• Last week we told you a bunch of stuff about Good Robot that turned out to be a week too early (we blame contrails and the Illuminati). To save us some typing, you can catch up on that stuff right here (CTRL-F “robot” <enter>). We have it on good authority this week, that you will finally see the Cream Team cream ale appear this coming Tuesday, June 27th. This will mark the first of the Tuesday Beta Brew releases, heretofore and forever known as BetaBrewsDays. Also heading for Tuesday next, assuming kegs can be cleared in time, will be #2 in the SMaSH Pale Ale series, now officially known as Hey Now (you’re an all-star, get your game on, go play). And lastly, but not leastly, today will see the debut of the Cherry Goseface Killah, so head on down to Robie Street and get yourself some sour, salty brew with a fruit kick.

• Breton Brewing in Sydney, NS, has a brand new summer refresher out, the cleverly-named Miami Weiss, a weizen-style beer mixed with 100% organic grapefruit juice to create a Shandy. At a very light 4.0% and barely there 12 IBU it’s likely to be extremely crushable and perfect for a sunny afternoon on a patio somewhere. It’s already available at the brewery for pints and fills and you should see it make taps in the big city within the next couple of weeks. They’ve also got a third batch of the Stillwell Open-winning Seven Years Pale Ale just brewed and have put down their second lager for aging into early July. We’ll have more information on availability for the former and details on the latter in the coming weeks. Meanwhile, if you’re in Sydney this weekend and you love beer, why not swing by the brewery and check out Breton’s 2nd Birthday Party, which has been in full swing since kicking off last night. The festivities continue tonight with a Music on Tap event from 4 – 10 PM before tomorrow’s 10 hours of live music, food trucks and cake! Check out the Breton Brewing Birthday Bash Facebook event page and plan accordingly!

• Down in the old A. Keith’s Nova Scotia Brewery, a new beer is on the horizon, this one being labeled Highland Scottish Pilsner. Taking advantage of the similarities (water-chemistry wise) between the Halifax Pockwock water supply and the classic brewing liquor of Pilsen in the Czech Republic, this brew sees light and grainy Pilsner wed to the round sweet maltiness of Scottish Golden Promise. This will no doubt provide the beer with somewhat more body than a truly classic Pils, while preserving the dry and crisp finish characteristic of the style. The hopping also sees an uncommon marriage, with the classic Saaz combined with its descendant variety from New Zealand, Motueka. At 5.5% ABV and 20 IBU, you’ll find it available for growler fills at the brewery.

• Despite our best efforts, we’re always finding out we’re not quite as on top of things as we like to think we are. Case in point, this week we heard about The Groundswell Inn, located on the Fleur-de-lis trail in D’Escousse on Isle Madame, NS, on the south side of Cape Breton. A bed and breakfast with an attached British-style Pub, they’ve been since last year and feature 8 craft beer taps, one of the largest selections of craft beer, if not the largest, in Cape Breton! We’ve added them to the Brewnosers Good Beer Map on this site, but certainly if you’re planning to be in the area or looking for accommodations or a place to have a pint near Isle Madame, check out their website and look for info on their coming events on Facebook and Twitter!

• Those of us patiently waiting for Big Spruce‘s Silver Tart to be available in cans in Halifax, rejoice! After a run on the cans yesterday, we’ve been assured that there are a few hundred more being delivered to Bishop’s Cellar this morning, in time for your post-work pint. Keep an eye on BC’s twitter feed, as they’ll be sure to announce their arrival. Or, why not make a run up to Nyanza, where you can also enjoy some food, live music, and relaxation courtesy of some Beer Yoga.

Looking for a few things to do in the next few weeks? We’ve got lots to keep you busy, no matter where you are!

• The tap takeovers at Charlottetown’s HopYard continue in full force today, June 23rd, with an Upstreet/North Takeover all day. All taps will be dedicated to the two breweries – check out the event link for a full list – including a new collaboration between the two, Northern Light, a 3.5% ABV, 15 IBUs Session IPA brewed with equal amounts 2-row and Wheat malt, and hopped with Cashmere and Mosaic. Launching at this event, Northern Light will also be on tap at the Upstreet taproom in Charlottetown and Battery Park in Halifax, as well as select tap accounts in both cities.

• Horton Ridge is holding the Grand Opening of their brewery and taproom tomorrow, June 24th, starting at 11 am. A selection of NS craft beer will be on tap for purchase, including – of course – several of the releases from Horton Ridge, which are only available at the brewery/malt house. Singer/songwriter Caleb Miles will be performing at 6 pm, and the Let’s Eat Beer food truck will be serving up some beer-infused items all day (all proceeds will be going to Atlantic Canadian charities). Games, tours, and door prizes will be rounding out the day, so drop by and bring the family!

• Back to Upstreet, who will be having their 2nd Birthday next week, and like last year, will be celebrating with the launch of a new beer in their annual De Novo series. De Novo II is a Belgian Saison brewed with Maritime malt, New Brunswick Goldings hops, and fermented with a Saccharomyces and Brettanomyces blend. The result is flavours of “light candy and funk”, backed lightly by a dry finish and hop bitterness. This already-dry beer will get more so over time, as the Brett continues to chew away at residual sugars, increasing the amount of funk character in the beer (and, quite possibly, carbonation… you’ve been warned!). The De Novo II Release Party is next Thursday, June 29th, at the taproom, from 6-10 pm. There’s no charge to attend, just drop by for some music, cake, and pick up some hand-bottled De Novo II while it’s available!

• All year, Propeller Brewing is celebrating their 20th Anniversary, with several initiatives and collaborations and events planned. The details of their official Anniversary Party have been announced, taking place July 8th. From 2-8PM, they are taking over the parking lot of their neighbours Seven Bay Bouldering, and inviting some great local bands to play free concerts all day, also featuring games for young and old alike, beer specials, and plenty more surprises. After the day’s fun, the party moves a few feet down the block to the Marquee, where Skratch Bastid and friends will be playing starting at 10PM. With tickets priced at $20, this is a steal of a deal, but even more so when realizing that 100% of profits will be going to the North End Community Health Centre, just down Gottingen from Propeller, and their favourite charity. Check out the FB Events page for more information, and grab your tickets for the show at the Marquee before they sell out.

Friday Wrap-Up – News from across Atlantic Canada, too many breweries to mention!

Posted by acbbaaron on 2017-06-16
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: Acadie-Broue, Annapolis Cider Company, Big Spruce Brewing, Brasseurs du Petit Sault, Canadian Brewing Awards, CCNB, Central City Brewers and Distillers, Chill Street, Distillerie Fils du Roy, Fathers of Fermentation, FirkinStein Brewing, Flying Boats Brewing, Gahan House (Charlottetown), Gahan House Harbourfront (Halifax), Garrison Brewing, Good Cheer Trail, Good Robot Brewing, Granite Brewery, Graystone Brewing, Hammond River Brewing, Hell Bay Brewing, Maybee Brewing, Mill Street Brewpub, North Brewing, PEI Brewing Co., Picaroons, Port Rexton Brewing Co., Propeller Brewing, Railcar Brewing, Red Racer, Salty Dog Brewing, Savoie's Brewhouse, Schoolhouse Brewery, Tatamagouche Brewing, Tidehouse Brewing. 2 comments

It’s another busy beer week in the region, with summer literally just around the corner and the weather taking a predictable step or two backwards into spring after a couple of scorchers. This week saw the official opening of Heritage Brewing in Yarmouth and we’ve got a bunch more beer news and events to tell you about, so let’s get you right to what you came here for.

• Although the cat has been out of the bag since late May, an official announcement took place in Halifax this week that the 16th Annual Canadian Brewing Awards & Conference are coming to Halifax in May, 2018. This is the culmination of significant effort on behalf of CBANS and Brian Titus of Garrison Brewing. Part of the announcement is that the event will take place at the brand new Halifax Convention Centre where some 500 delegates are expected to descend to attend the event. This will be the first time the awards have taken place in Nova Scotia, which now leads the nation in craft breweries per capita! It’s a perfect chance to show off both our beautiful province, the quality of our beer and local support for our breweries.

•  The Biorefinery Technology Scale-up Center at CCNB Grand-Falls is putting out a call for beer samples as part of a project with the National Research Council Canada. The BTSC has the methodologies for testing and doing Quality Assurance on hops, malt, water, yeast, and finished beer, using their state-of-the-art instruments. From Jared Christensen of CCNB, “Free chemical and microbiological testing! The CCNB-BTSC is collecting finished craft beer samples for an NRC study on beer biochemical quality and local ingredients. This is for licensed craft breweries only. The testing includes: %ABV, SRM, IBU, sugars, organic acids, pH, anaerobic/aerobic Lactobacillus strains, etc. Selection will be done on a first come first serve basis, so contact us as quickly as possible, as we are collecting a limited amount of samples. If you are interested in participating in the study and getting some free beer analysis and data interpretations that could help optimize your product and/or your brewing process, please contact Jared via email or phone (506-475-4029) to get filled in on the specifics of the project.”

• Taste of Nova Scotia has launched the Good Cheer Trail again this summer. Featuring more than 60 alcohol producers from across the province, your passport (both paper and virtual) is your key to a great time touring the province for the best in beer, cider, wine, and spirits. Pick up a copy of the passport at any of the participating locations, and get started on filling it out today! To take part digitally, you’ll need to Register, and then follow this link on your device (this link shows all of the locations if your device can’t see where you are), check into the location you’re visiting, share a photo, and you’re done! After 10 stamps, you’ll be able to send in or apply online for your free t-shirt, when they become available in July.

• Newfoundland’s Port Rexton Brewing Company has a a pair of new beers flowing at their brewery this weekend, giving you yet another reason to visit their beautiful location. First up is Hop Bill IPA, a 6.5% ABV American IPA, with a touch of honey malt for some sweetness to balance out its solid 60 IBUs of bitterness (in addition to tons of whirlpool- dry-hopping for lots of juicy aromas). Hop Bill‘s origin is from the Newfermenters‘ 2016 Home Brew-Off competition, won by Bill Burton, which we wrote up here. The 2017 Home Brew-Off is taking place Sunday at the Lions Club Chalet on Newtown Rd in St. John’s. In addition to live judging of the entries vying for top Kolsch in the region, there will be talks and demonstrations on how to keg beer, the latest and greatest homebrew gadgets, and hang with your fellow homebrewers and professional brewers alike. The event starts at 7PM, be sure to check out the Facebook Event or email the Newfermenters for more details. Grab Hop Bill shortly at PR’s tap accounts around St. John’s.

• Port Rexton has also been putting Assistant Brewer Jane Tucker to work developing some new beers, and she has come through in spades with a line of small batch beers, available exclusively at the brewery in Port Rexton. The latest beer currently available from this series is Sasscot, a 5.6% ABV & 19 IBUs Scottish Ale. A complex malt bill, including Biscuit and Smoked Malts, it features a light smokiness with sweet caramel and rich mouthfeel. And waiting in the wings, possibly on tap this weekend, or early next week, is Metric Heavy Hefeweizen, a true-to-origins German Weissbier with the iconic yeast-derived banana and clove aroma and flavour, with malt-derived soft bready notes. This beer weighs in at 5.6% ABV and a light 16 IBUs.

• Have you been missing the Propeller One Hit Wonder series of the past? Well, good news! It’s undergone an evolution of sorts, and the Gottingen Small Batch series is the result! The brewery’s intention is to roll out a new style on a monthly basis, while “bringing forward a greater variety of true-to-style (but rarely seen) beers”. The first beer in the series, Gratitude, is a 4.5% ABV, 56 IBUs India Session Ale (aka Session IPA) brewed with 2-row, Munich, Crystal, Carapils, and Wheat malt. Hopped with Cascade, Centennial and Amarillo, the melon and citrus notes from the Amarillo come through front and center, followed by a “forward bitterness” in the finish. It’s on tap now at the Gottingen taproom.

• Speaking of new beer series, the PEI Brewing Co. has released the first in their After Hours series, after an initial launch of pilot brews two weeks ago. U-Pick Strawberry Pale Ale was brewed at the Gahan Charlottetown location (their 7 bbl system will be responsible for most entries in the After Hours series) with Vienna malt, bittered to 50 IBUs, and conditioned for a couple of weeks on puréed strawberries. It was then dry-hopped with Comet and Simcoe, resulting in an APA with citrus and tropical fruit on the nose, and “finishing with a hint of strawberry flavour, adding another dimension to a Pale Ale”, according to head brewer Chris Long. Look for it at select tap accounts across the Maritimes, including the PEIBC taproom and all Gahan locations.

• Months ago, we reported that Maybee Brewing had just finished brewing up a Belgian Quad (aka Belgian Dark Strong Ale). Big beers like these often take a lot of extra time to finish fermenting, and to allow the high alcohol levels to smooth out. Well, we’re happy to report that half of the double batch of this beer, named Orion, is being packaged in kegs today! This half includes the addition of maple syrup from Briggs Maples, and clocks in at a whopping 11.5% ABV. Expect flavours of caramel, brown sugar, and a bit of molasses and maple, to accompany the warming sensation from the high alcohol. With a medium bitterness in the finish, this malty-sweet ale may not taste like it’s 11.5%, but you’ve been fairly warned! Watch for this one to be show up at your favourite Maybee tap accounts over the next few days; of course, it will also be on tap at the brewery for pours and growler fills. A portion will eventually be packaged in corked-and-caged bottles in the near future.

• We mentioned last week that The Shocking Pink, Good Robot‘s Gose-Radler hybrid, was being re-released yesterday for the OUTeast Film Festival. On top of that, they now have two new brews on the horizon, both of which will be released mid-next week. First up is a new Beta Brew, Cream Team, a Cream Ale brewed by Kelly Costello and Doug Kehoe. Coming in at 6.56%, slightly higher than your typical Cream Ale, it features an aroma of honey and straw, and a “slightly lemony flavour, and grassy aftertaste”. Lightly hopped with Tettnang, Warrior, and Willamette to 15 IBUs. Next up is the second in their series of SMaSH Pale Ales, Pacifica. Named after the solely-featured hop in the brew, Pacifica is a New Zealand variety known for its orange marmalade character. Featuring a grist of Maris Otter malt, the beer was fermented with the East Coast Ale strain. Flavours of citrus, spice, and resin accompany the orange marmalade notes; it comes in at an easy-drinking 4.7% ABV, and 24 IBUs. And finally, drop by the brewery today for the beginning of Cask Fridays, starting with a series of Goseface Killah re-fermented with a variety of organic fruit purées!

• If you’ve been sad to see all of those entries in the Annapolis Cider Company Something Different series come and go, good news! The cidery has listened to the calls from the public, and have brought back three of the most popular entries to re-release in their new Creative Series. Rhubarb Ginger, Hopped Pear, and Sour Cherry are all now available again, this time in 750 mL bottles, for you to take home and enjoy. Available only at the cidery in Wolfville, for a limited time!

• Summer is right around the corner, and Fredericton’s Graystone has you covered with their latest release, Wild Child. The brewery’s first Radler (a mixture of beer and juice, or fruit soda), it’s light and refreshing, with notes of “subtle citrus” from the addition of both grapefruit juice and lemon juice. Also, the puréed flesh of 50 grapefruits was added, to up your grapefruit love even more! Completely crushable at 4.5% ABV, it’s available now at the brewery for pints, crowlers, and growlers. You’ll also likely see it on tap across the city very soon.

• Halifax’s “Littlest Brewery That Could”, Tidehouse Brewing at Salter and Barrington, has another new beer on tap today. Birthday Sauce IPA is their modern take on a classic American IPA; weighing in at 6.5% ABV, the beer features a solid bitterness (hovering around 60 IBUs), with lots of citrus and pine notes from the Cascade, Pacific Jade, and Simcoe hops used throughout. Grab a growler at their downtown location today 2-9PM (tomorrow, too), or visit their Market locations at Halifax Forum Farmers’ Market every Saturday, Tantallon Village Farmers’ Market every Tuesday 2-6PM, and the fortnightly Spryfield & District Community Market, next held June 25th. Happy Birthday Shean!

• St. John’s Mill Street Brewpub has launched their latest beer this week, The 150 S’EH!son!. It was brewed in collaboration with Mill Street Ottawa’s Head Brewer Tim Hulley, during his visit earlier this month. A partial sour mash brings a bright acidity to this Saison, along with notes of Fuzzy Peaches and citrus. The unfiltered straw-coloured beer weighs in at 6.0% ABV and 25 IBUs, and is available on tap at the brewery, and to take home in growlers today. And keep an eye on social media for details of their First Anniversary Celebration, happening June 28th. Live music, plenty of special beers and casks, and lots of fun.

• We have some excellent news for those of you that have been patiently waiting for the Hammond River expansion to be complete… owner/brewer Shane Steeves has confirmed that the first two beers were brewed on the new, 15 bbl (~1700 L) system earlier this week! Both Gammie (a California Common) and Hop Flash IPA are currently fermenting, and will be released to bars and restaurants in kegs within a few weeks. All of the first batches brewed at the new brewery will be packaged in kegs only, to fill all of the tap accounts across New Brunswick; subsequent batches will have a portion bottled as well. Look for the brewery taproom to open within the next month, where you’ll be able to enjoy your favourite HR beers by the pint and/or growler! Congratulations, Shane!

• Halifax’s Garrison Brewing is gearing up for a big weekend, or at least a big Saturday (followed by a mighty hangover on Sunday, no doubt). Tomorrow afternoon the gang from Central City will be on the Garrison patio from 1 – 4 PM as part of their tour across the country to celebrate their Red Racer Across the Nation Collaboration for Canada 150. Central City’s Daryn Medwid, Gary Lohin and James Hume will be pouring samples of their Central City x Garrison Collaboration alongside the Garrison gang. Speaking of which, that beer, ”New” Scottish Ale, is available at the brewery now for pints and growler fills. It’s a 5.7% ABV beer with a moderate bitterness at 38 IBU. It features a smoky aroma from peat malt with some berry notes, and a smooth caramel palate accentuated by a smoky character and balanced against a slightly bitter finish.

• But the big event is tomorrow night, namely Garrison’s third annual Backlot Bash event starting at 5:30 PM. This year’s version is an extra-special, super spectacular edition, as it’s also part of Garrison’s 20th Birthday Celebrations. The event supports the Ecology Action Centre and features musical acts The Sheepdogs, Port Cities, the Garrett Mason Band and The Royal Volts. A plethora of Food Trucks will also be on hand, including The Gecko Bus, Halifax Press, Asado Wood Fired Grill, Cheese Curds and Ol’ School Donuts. There will also be demos and fun from Proskates and Timber Lounge. Tickets are $35 in advance via Ticket Halifax or $40 at the door. A note to those planning to attend: the event was always advertised as rain or shine, and due to the expected weather tomorrow night, the concert has officially been moved indoors to the Cunard Centre, so don’t be shocked if things aren’t where you expected them to be upon your arrival tomorrow night!

• Gahan Harbourfront in Halifax has tapped the final keg of their Barrel Aged Golden Ale with Brett, a beer that features Brettanomyces for a distinct yeast character. It was also aged for 8 months in Hungarian Oak, which should give it some barrel notes as well; it weighs in at 5%. They’ve also just released their second batch of Impatience Sour Brown Ale, which was aged on Morello cherries and raspberries, a darker, but still refreshing drink thanks to the fruit. And lastly, they’re also at the end of their Mexican Lager, Cerveza Maritimo, having tapped the last keg this week. You might still find it on the Island later this summer, as The Gahan House in Charlottetown will have some of this light thirst quencher available.

• After an official announcement and press release from Sebastien Roy of Fils du Roy, we have more information on the Acadian Nut Brown style we mentioned last week. Several Acadian breweries united to create a “100% Acadian beer” to mark the 170th anniversary of the poem “Evangeline”, by Henry Longfellow. The style has many descriptors, including “caramel, light coffee, hazelnut, chocolate, fruity, molasses, and licorice”. We already wrote up Petit-Sault‘s entry, La Madoueska, last week, but there’s others to mention as well, as several breweries in Atlantic Canada are participating. Fils du Roy has released their Evangeline (7% ABV), Flying Boats their General’s Armada (5.5% ABV, 23 IBUs), and Savoie’s has a Nut-Brown Ale. As well, Acadie-Broue is including their previously-released La Bringue.

• Big Spruce has their Consiglière Chardonnay Barrel-Aged Saison back on tap at the brewery, first released as part of the Stillwell Open during NS Craft Beer Week. They’ve also released another batch of their One Hundred recently, their all-Nova Scotia beer, featuring Organic malt, hops, and yeast harvested from a Pin Cherry on their farm. Their Food Truck weekends have started for the summer, drop by the brewery for fresh food from Cruisin’ Cuisine from noon Thursday through Saturday until mid-September. And with Beer + Yoga each Saturday from 11AM, there are plenty of reasons to stop in Nyanza this summer.

• This morning both Halifax’s Granite Brewery and Fredericton’s Picaroons mashed in on a very special beer that will celebrate both Canada 150 and the legacy of the great Peter Austin, who was responsible for the creation of the system in use at both breweries, the Peter Austin Brick Kettle Brewing System. Breweries based on this system, over 140 of which have been installed around the world over the last 30+ years, are also known as “Ringwood” Breweries both after Austin’s original Ringwood Brewery and the yeast strain that they generally favour. These two breweries from our region are joining 5 others from across the country, Golden Lion Brewery in Sherbrooke, Quebec, Granite Brewery in Toronto, Ashton Brew Pub and Clocktower Brew Pub in Ottawa and 4 Mile Brewing Co in Victoria, BC. These breweries have come together under the name “The Fathers of Fermentation” to brew Sir John’s Special Eh’le based on a recipe by Alan Pugsley of Pugsley Brewing International, Peter Austin’s good friend and former partner, who was responsible for the design and setup at all of the participating breweries. Everyone is brewing their batch today; the beer will be fermented and then delicately aged and released on July 1st. As you anticipate the final product you can read more about this special collaboration and see some video of the cross country brew days on the The Fathers of Fermentation Facebook page.

• Chill Street Fresh Beer and Cider Market opened this week in the Elmsdale Sobey’s at Exit 8 of the 102 Highway. Featuring a SmartBrew Ferment-on-Premise system, they are offering cans and growlers of their beer and cider now. Look for their Eh? Light Lager, Hants Down Light Ale, Honey I’m Home Honey Brown, Life’s a Beach Grapefruit Radler Out of the Blue Blueberry Wheat, Skinny Dipping Cider, Storm Day White IPA, and Unplugged Pale Ale. Chill Street is the first grocery store-based brewery in Canada, a business model that could catch on, given the compact size of the SmartBrew system.

• Truro’s Salty Dog Brewing (beer brewed on the system at the Nook and Cranny next door) has released a new beer this week, HOME Brew Session Ale. The 3.5% ABV beer is a collaboration with nearby My HOME Apparel, makers of NS-inspired clothing and merchandise. Drop by the brewery Saturday for a My HOME pop-up, and grab a sampler, enjoy some music, and take home a half-priced branded growler (which gets you a discount off a fill of the Session Ale). And keep your eyes peeled as Salty Dog will soon be canning their offerings.

Another busy weekend ahead:

• A reminder that Maybee Brewing is holding their Summer Pig Roast tomorrow, June 17th, from 5 pm till late. With plenty of food, beer (including a special cask), and live music from house band Extraordinary Measures, it’s sure to be a great time! Tickets ($29.50 each) are still available.

• Tatamagouche Brewing is turning 3! Be sure to join them at the brewery for celebrations tomorrow, June 17th for face painting, food truck deliciousness courtesy of Route 6 Food Truck Co., and a draw to win a $150 gift bag or Brew Day Package. And if you’re wearing your Tata Brew gear, you’ll receive 10% off your entire purchase. Happy Birthday! See if they’ll give you a sneak peek at the freshly-bottled

• It’s Father’s Day this Sunday, June 18th (you forgot to send a card? Too late! Worst son/daughter ever!), and Railcar is holding a special event at their soon-to-officially-open new location in Perth. Father’s Day Flight will feature a guided tasting from Railcar’s very own Mitch Biggar, of six 5 oz beers brewed in the Maritimes. The two hour tasting begins at 2 pm; a selection of appetizers will also be served. Only 30 spaces are available, and tickets are $20, first-come-first-served.

• We told you about the new brewery and taproom at Horton Ridge Malt House a few weeks ago, and the taps have been flowing since June 1st, but on Saturday, June 24th, they’ll be having a proper Grand Opening. From 11 AM to 10 PM they’ll be serving up some of their new beers and others from breweries around the province that feature Horton Ridge Malt. Food will be available from a new food truck in the region, Let’s Eat Beer, recently started by the folks at Draught Pro. This truck serves beer-infused food and donate all proceeds from the events it attends to Atlantic Canadian Charities! There will also be some live music, games like washer toss and Mega Jenga, and tours of the brewery and malt house. So maybe give a thought to stopping in at Exit 10 on the 101 next Saturday and celebrating one of the newest breweries in the region!

• Prince Edward Island’s only beer festival, PEI Beer Fest, is returning this September to the Delta Prince Edward. Part of the month-long Fall Flavors Festival, a culinary celebration of the Island, the dates for this years tastings have been set and tickets are on sale now. There will be three tasting sessions this year, one on the evening of Friday, September 8th, from 6:30 – 9:30 PM, and two on Saturday, September 9th, in the afternoon from 2:00 – 4:00 PM and in the evening from 6:30 – 9:30 PM. There will be beer, of course, and some cider options, with live entertainment as well. Tickets for the evening sessions are $40, for Saturday afternoon it’s $30 and they’ve got Designated Driver tickets available as well at $10 each (be aware that various service fees are likely to make those more like $50, $40 and $15 respectively). If you’re interested in attending, don’t delay too long, last year’s event was sold out in advance and no tickets were available at the door! And keep an eye on the web site for news about what breweries will be bringing their wares to the event this year.

And a few more things today:

– Liverpool’s Hell Bay Brewing has the last keg of their Smoked Cherry India Black Ale on tap now. Brewed in collaboration with the gents at FirkinStein, who actually smoked the malt themselves using Cherrywood, this Black IPA is hopped with Cascade and Falconer’s Flight, with cherries added to the fermenter for a hint of fruit flavour. There isn’t much of the 6.8% ABV, 75 IBUs beer, so be sure to get down to the brewery today! And look for the release of their Privateer Pilsner, which will be returning soon to celebrate next weekend’s Privateer Days.

– North Brewing is releasing the Barrel-Aged version of their Milk Stout today. First previewed at the Full House event in May, the Headline Milk Stout spent 5 months in Glenora Whisky Barrels, and has been bottle conditioning for a couple more. The 7.5% ABV special brew is available now at both their Halifax and Dartmouth stores. Insider pro-tip: visitors can show their receipt from Battery Park for a discount at the North store. Tell em ACBB sent ya!

– A quick reminder that the Schoolhouse Graduation and 2017 Grad Party is on tomorrow in Windsor, with the family-oriented Graduation festivities starting at 11am and the ticketed “afterparty” beginning at 8pm (tickets available here).

Friday Wrap-Up – News from FirkinStein, Flying Boats, North and Upstreet, Loyalist City, Nine Locks, and much, much more!

Posted by acbbchris on 2017-06-02
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: 2 Crows Brewing, 902 BrewCast, Alexander Keith's Historic Brewery, Annapolis Cider Company, Battery Park, Bulwark Cider, Central City Brewers and Distillers, Cristall Wine, FirkinStein Brewing, Flying Boats Brewing, Garrison Brewing, Loyalist City Brewing Co, Lunn's Mill Beer Company, Muwin Estate Wines, Nine Locks Brewery, North Brewing, PEI Brewing Co., Sober Island Brewing, St. John's Beer Tours, Unfiltered Brewing, Upstreet Craft Brewing. Leave a Comment

Welcome to June, loyal beer readers and drinkers! It’s already been a busy week, with the announcement of the winners at the Canadian Brewing Awards, and the opening of Horton Ridge Malt & Grain Company’s taproom and pilot brewery. We’ve got plenty more news to share with you today, so grab that coffee stout and take a few minutes to get up to speed. Look for our take on the ANBL domestic beer price reduction shortly.

• Kicking off the beer release news is FirkinStein, located just outside Bridgewater in Mount Pleasant, who have released a new beer this week, called Tempus Fugit IPA. At 8.0% ABV, many would consider it a Double IPA (and it is packed to the gills with hops like one), including Cascade, Citra, Perle, Saaz, and Mosaic! It’s got a strong bitterness and prominent hop aroma, and is a touch drier and quite a bit lighter in colour than their flagship IPA, Cut of Our Jib. Tempus Fugit will only be available at the brewery and their market stalls. Meanwhile, Bishops Cellar in Halifax has been carrying the first bottled offerings from FirkinStein and have sold out of the Rock Your Boat Oatmeal Coffee Stout. But fear not, you should see their Amber, Nor’Easter appear there sometime in the coming week. And watch this space in the coming weeks for news of a new retail space for the brewery.

• Over to New Brunswick, where Shediac’s Flying Boats Brewing is releasing the first in a series of beers for the summer. Galaxy Session IPA kicks off the lineup by featuring a very popular hop of late, the Australian variety Galaxy, which is known for a blast of tropical passion fruit and citrus characteristics. The beer comes in at a very sessionable 4.7% ABV, which should make for easy drinking in the summer sun. This one will appear on tap at the James Joyce Pub in Fredericton as well as at ANBL growler stations (probably Dieppe and/or Moncton). Keep an eye on Facebook for Growler Alerts to find out when it’s coming up in rotation! Brewer Marc Melanson will be introducing more beers in this series as the summer goes on featuring either single hop varietals or blends, and we’ll try to let you know about every one of them!

• And moving across the Northumberland Strait to the Island, we told you last week about the North Brewing Taproom Takeover this afternoon at Upstreet. One of the beers you’ll find if you’re lucky enough to be at that event in Charlottetown is a beer co-brewed by Upstreet’s Mike Hogan when he was in Halifax a month or two back. Holiday Island is an IPA in the session range, at 5.1% ABV, with pale, honey, and kiln amber malts making up the grain bill. It was hopped to 35 IBU with Azacca, Belma, and Pekko, three recently released American varietals that promise to provide a big hop character. And if you happen to see the gang from North at this event or back in the HRM, be sure to congratulate them on their twin gold medals at the Canadian Brewing Awards!

• Saint John’s Loyalist City released their latest single-hop IPA to the wild this week, El Dorado. Ther El Dorado hop varietal lends an intense tropical fruit aroma of mango and stone fruit, and a light tweak to the base recipe gives a lighter body and slight sweetness to match the hop character. The beer is available now at Cask & Kettle, and a few other spots in the Uptown area.

• Dartmouth’s Nine Locks released a new one earlier this week, a red ale they’re calling Brewer’s Choice Ginger Rye. This is a dusky red ale that is full-bodied and features subtle caramel notes and hints of ginger on the palate. It’s got a long finish enabled by the astringency of the rye and wheat malts used and an assertive spiciness that we suspect comes from both the rye and the ginger. It’s not a big beer at 5.6% ABV and certainly not overly bitter at 15 IBU, so expect it to be on the malty side of the spectrum. This is a limited release, so you’ll only find it at the brewery for now and possibly appearing at licensed taps around the city over the coming weeks.

• Wolfville’s Annapolis Cider has a special small-batch this week, made with oft-overlooked apple varietals. Geneva Crab Rosé is an 8.6% ABV blend made with a blend of dry cider from 100% hand-picked local Golden Hyslop crabapples, with fresh-pressed juice from Geneva Red crabapples added post-ferment for a brilliant colour and tannic character. The resulting cider has a significant tart finish, and is only available at their cidery on Main Street for a limited time.

• In addition, Annapolis has released their latest Something Different, Sangria Cider. The 7.0% abv Sparkling Cider was created by blending cool-fermented dry cider with a dry red wine from locally sourced Frontenac Red grapes. This blend was then finished with fresh-pressed apple juice, as well as juice from oranges, lemons and limes. From Annapolis, “With aromatic notes of citrus and crisp apple and the characteristic hints of cherry, blackcurrant and plum from the wine, this lively and refreshing rosé-hued cider is the perfect patio sipper.” As with all of their Something Different releases, $0.50 will be donated to a local charity. This releases beneficiary is L’Arche Homefires in Wolfville, who provide meaningful work opportunities for adults with special needs.

• Fredericton’s Red Rover Craft Cider released a “very limited” batch of a special treat yesterday. Wyld is a cider that will appeal to those who are drawn to farmhouse funk and sour styles. Fermented with wild yeast, this is a still cider, which should accentuate the yeast character, and also quite dry, weighing in at 7% ABV. This small batch is only available at their cider house for pints or flagon fills to go, so get it before it’s gone. Meanwhile, Red Rover has plans for some more special treats in the next month that we’ll be sure to tell you about as their respective releases approach.

• And in even more cider news, Muwin Estate Wines in the Annapolis Valley, the folks who bring you Bulwark Ciders, are launching a new line of fruit-forward ciders under the label 7 Shores that will appeal to both regular cider drinkers and those who are new to cider. Like their Bulwark products, these are built on a base of freshly-pressed 100% Annapolis Valley apples, but one with slightly less tannins for a smoother palate. They also sport a significantly lower ABV, at a very quaffable 4.8%. Two flavours are available out of the gate, Peach Vanilla Bean and Strawberry Lime; look for them to appear soon at NSLC stores around the province.

• It’s been almost six months since we’ve had a new SMaSH from Greg Nash at Unfiltered Brewing, when the Simcoe-laden Danko was released back in November; so today’s release of Hops & Dreams is a special day. This one features Amarillo, one of the brewing industry darling hops of the 2010s and a varietal known for imparting a juicy orange, grapefruit, and stone-fruit character. In short, a perfect hop for another East Coast/West Coast DIPA marriage that no doubt features the magic of Mr. Nash’s proprietary SMaSH technique. It’s 8% ABV and 100+ IBU, but like its five brethren, it probably drinks a whole lot easier than the numbers would suggest. So as you wobble back to the fridge for glass number 4 from that growler, don’t say we didn’t warn you! It’ll be available for pints and fills from noon today on North Street at the brewery and Charm School Pub.

• Those who attended the Friday session of the CBANS Full House event earlier this month had a chance to try a brand new collaboration beer from 2 Crows and 2/3 of the motley crew from 902 BrewCast (1/3 had his beard caught in a rocking chair). And those folks liked it so much that they drained the keg that night, leaving none for the Saturday attendees, who are clearly not bitter about it. In ACBB exclusive news, there’s good news afoot: 2 Crows is releasing a limited run of cans of that beer, In Theory, a Galaxy and Azacca dry-hopped sour fermented with wild yeast, this coming Tuesday! Bright, tart, tropical, juicy and eminently crushable at 5.1% ABV and 18 IBU, you’ll also find it on tap at the brewery the day cans are released. So plan to grab a pint and see what all the fuss was about before you grab some cans to go!

• And speaking of the 902 BrewDudes, they released the fifth of their May #902sday episodes earlier this week, featuring a sitdown with Brian Titus, Daniel Girard, and Jeff Green of Garrison Brewing. At over 2 hours in length, there is plenty to digest about their 20 years in operation, including false starts, the lean years, and their expansion(s) to the Halifax Seaport. Grab the podcast, and a can of the much-lauded JUICY! Double IPA, which is now available at the brewery, and releasing shortly at the private stores (and NSLC in a couple of weeks). From the brewery, “Dank, hazy, and lushly tropical. This double IPA delivers waves of mango, tangerine and pineapple without the bitter hit.”

• One of the Annapolis Valley’s small breweries is fixing to get bigger. After opening in February of this year with a 1.5bbl system, Lawrencetown’s Lunn’s Mill is already planning an upgrade to 5bbl; their new equipment should be on the way from the West Coast by the time you read this. They’re not waiting on delivery to increase their presence, though, as starting today you’ll see them opening Fridays from 12-6pm in addition to their previously established Thursday hours of 3:30-6:30pm. They’ve got growler and grunter fills available, or feel free to try a flight of 5 beers for $10. And if that’s not enough to draw you in, they’ve also got a limited quantity of their Stillwell Open category-winning collaboration with Boxing Rock, April May and Juniper pouring!

•  As first reported by local blog Halifax Retales, Cristall Wine Merchants in Bedford has confirmed that it will be closing, and re-opening under a new name, this summer. “WestSide Beer Wine Spirits” will be opening at 287 Lacewood Drive in Clayton Park, in the former Brewdabaker’s location. The larger location will allow for bigger selection, expanded cold storage, 8 growlers taps, and the ability to control their opening hours. Stayed tuned for more details and dates.

There’s lots going on in our region this weekend and the next few weeks…

• Stillwell is holding a pair of mini-tap takeovers this weekend at both their Beergarden and Mothership on Barrington. Today at BGonSG, there are three West Avenue ciders pouring now, with a Beausoleil Oyster pop-up starting this afternoon. Tomorrow from noon on Barrington, there will be 3 kegs and 5 different bottles from Toronto’s Bellwoods available for enjoyment.

• PEI Brewing Company has been quietly releasing small pilot brews and special beers through casks and kegs at their brewery taproom and Halifax’s Stillwell for a couple of years, but they are now naming, and officially launching, this line of beers as the After Hours series. According to PEIBC’s Brewmaster Chris Long, “This series is a way for the brewers to scale up ideas that we’ve had for new beers without committing to 50 hectoliters of it. Some start on a pilot system, and we’ll have a 20 litre keg to put out there. Others are lower risk and start out on the 5 or 7 bbl system at one of the Gahan locations. These beers will be available on tap at the PEI Brewing Company taproom, select bars and restaurants in the Maritimes and through the growler programs at your local liquor stores.” In celebration of this, PEIBC is taking over the taps today at the new bar.1911 at 113 Longworth in Charlottetown. From 4 PM, there will be twenty different pilot- or small-batch beers, including favourites like Impatience Sour Brown and Milk Stout, as well as brand new offerings, such as Scimitar Black IPA, Strawberry Pale Ale, and Barrel-Aged Brett Pale Ale. The brewers will be onsite to answer your questions (and hear your suggestions for the next brews!), and music will be provided by Bridgette Blanchard, Nudie, and Alex Madsen of The Divorcees. Check out the details on their Facebook page.

• The BrewHopper app has launched in Fredericton, and they are holding their first tours this weekend. Starting today, thirsty visitors can hop on and off the BrewHopper bus as it takes them to the busiest beer spots on both the North and Southside. The app allows all ticketing/tracking to be done electronically, akin to ride-sharing apps available in other areas. Using the BrewHopper App (for iPhone and Android), you can track the bus’ route and exact location, use it to warn you when the bus is getting close, and take care of your payment, too. The River Hop will run every Friday through the summer (including today) 6:00 PM-12:15 AM, and take folks to both North and Southside locations (DJ Purdy’s, GrayStone, King Street Ale House, James Joyce, Picaroons Roadhouse, Mama’s Brew Pub, and Trailway Brewing), while the Hill Hop runs Saturdays 4:00-11:30 PM, and stays on the Southside (DJ Purdy’s, GrayStone, Grimross Brewing, Maybee Brewing , James Joyce, and Red Rover Ciderhouse). There are more maps, and details on the Fredericton page. Even if you will not be going on the tour this weekend, grab the free app to learn more about the stops, and to watch the bus icon scoot around the city. And if all goes well, the BrewHopper will be expanding to other cities, including Halifax and Ottawa. You can learn some more on the BrewHopper Facebook page as well.

• A reminder that the launch of the St. John’s Beer Tours is this weekend as well, with their Scuff & Scoff tour running today, the Ultimate Townie Brew Tour tomorrow, and the Hoppy Highlights Tour Sunday. Check out their calendar page for ticket details and purchase, and we’ll see you out on a tour soon enough! Check out our previous mention of it for more details.

• Drop by the Tide & Boar tomorrow for the launch of a unique beer they brewed onsite. Joined by members of the Moncton Beer League, this Pale Ale features Green Bullet and Pacifica hops, on a Pale and Vienna Malt base, with additions of local Chaga throughout the brew. The flavour of the Chaga comes through as earthy and woody. Pouring from opening at 10AM, visitors can grab a pint in a special Moncton Beer League glass (to keep), do pay-as-you-drink, or grab a growler to go. Speaking of growlers, in addition to Chaga Pale Ale, their Robot Food IPA and Killington IPA will also be available for sale to take away.

• The ANBL is celebrating the new Craft Beer Room at their York Street location with its Grand Opening this Saturday, June 3rd. From 11 AM-3 PM, drop by for free tastings, food pairings, prizes, and drop-bys from local brewery employees. The room is unique within the ANBL system, and features some beers available nowhere else in the province (or the rest of Atlantic Canada, for that matter!). The York Street inventory is available online, skip to the Beer section to spot beers from across the Maritimes, as well as from Dunham, Epic, Evil Twin, FiftyFifty, and more.

• A. Keith’s Nova Scotia Brewery in downtown Halifax, home of the firm’s small batch beers, will be hosting a Community Party to celebrate the launch of their special edition growlers next Thursday, June 8, 5-10:30 PM at the historic Alexander Keith’s Brewery. No tickets are required for the event, which will feature food and 4 special casks from brewer Stefan Gagliardi: a new Pilsner with Motueka hops, an Extra Pale Ale with experimental hops, a Stout with Heart of Africa coffee from Laughing Whale and an Oak-aged Stout with Vanilla Beans. You’ll be able to tour the brewery, play some pub games and enjoy live music.

• The next Fredericton Ladies Beer Connection event has been scheduled for Wednesday, June 14th. From 6:30-8:00 PM, meet with your fellow beer fans at Graystone Brewing for a flight and tour of their facilities. Tickets are $13, and can be reserved by emailing the organizers. Learn more on their FB page.

• The Coast is holding the Summer Launch Food Truck Party on June 15th, at the Museum of Natural History on Summer Street in Halifax. In addition to the 20+ Food Trucks/Vendors, there will be at least six local alcohol producers on-site selling their wares: Chain Yard Cider, Garrison, Good Robot, Meander River, Nine Locks, and Spindrift. The event runs from 4-8 PM, and more details are available here.

• Events celebrating the Central City Across the Nation epic twelve beer collaboration are being finalized, with the Picaroons event happening June 16th, and Garrison’s on the 17th. Look for details on the PEI Brewing Company and Quidi Vidi events next week.

• Fredericton’s Maybee Brewing Company is holding a Pig Roast at the brewery June 17th. They are having the Crowne Plaza taking care of that task, while they cover the beer and entertainment for the evening. Exact details are not yet available, but mark your calendar now, and keep an eye on the FB event page for ticket details.

• While over a month away, tickets to the Big Axe Beer Festival are selling fast, so we wanted to be sure you had the inside info. On July 15th, at the base of the World’s Largest Axe, more than twenty breweries/cideries/wineries from the Maritimes, Ontario, and Maine will be pouring beer in Nackawic. Tickets are available that include bus transportation from/to Fredericton or Woodstock, as well as DD options. Check that link for the full list.

Plenty of parting shots this week before we let you get back to your beer:

– In addition to the In Theory release today, 2 Crows tapped the last keg of their wine ‘n wild yeast-fermented Crosswired earlier this week. If you’re lucky, there’s still a few glasses left!
– Halifax’s Good Robot is re-releasing some favorites this week. Their APA Burban Legend will return to the taps in its v2 form (dry-hopped with Cascade and Amarillo) in the next few days and the Goseface Killah will be back for early summer refreshment as well. We’ll have more news from GR in coming weeks with the second in their SMaSH(mouth?) series and a serious step up in their BetaBrew releases.
– Quispamsis, NB’s Hammond River Brewing is hoping to be brewing in their new expanded brewhouse by the end of next week. Until then, look for the first batch of the season for their Watermelon Wheat on tap at the Barrels’ Head Gastropub & Wine Bar in Rothesay.
– Picaroons is also back with watermelon action, as their Melonhead has returned for another year, this time featuring a cat named Whiskey on the label. On tap and in bottles at the Picaroons Roundhouse and The Brewtique and on it’s way to The General Store in Uptown Saint John, The 5 Kings Restaurant & Picaroons Brewhouse in St. Stephen, and to ANBL locations throughout New Brunswick.
– This past Wednesday marked a new era for Propeller fans in Halifax, after 20 years, their Gottingen location is finally licensed for full pints! We’re not totally sure about their serving hours, so you may wish to check ahead, but if you’re in the area definitely stop in, say hello, and grab a pint!
– Down in Digby, NS, Roof Hound is debuting a new menu today, promising to “step things up in every way.” Don’t forget, brewer/owner Les Barr was a finalist on Masterchef Canada, so don’t take that statement lightly. Meanwhile, their non-alcoholic Blueberry Lemonade Soda is once again available for the designated drivers and kids in your crew.
– Eastern Shore’s Sober Island Brewing has announced their next beer to be released in the coming weeks. Kirby’s Canoe is a 5.0% ABV Rye Pale Ale, a light-bodied and -coloured beer featuring floral and citrus aromatics, along with the representative spiciness found in beers featuring rye malt. Look for it to appear on tap at their current home at Henley House, and during the market runs before the end of the month.
– Fredericton hopheads can rejoice that Trailway has a small batch of Green Island available in cans at the brewery, alongside some more of their hoppy wheat ale, Patio. And speaking of patios, they’ve got one at the brewery now and it’s opening today! Drop by Saturday for some beer and wood-fired goodies from Milda’s Pizza.