Fredericton Craft Beer Festival

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Friday Wrap-Up for January 25, 2019 – News from 3Flip, 2 Crows, Trider’s, Good Robot, Shipwright, Good Robot, Trailway, Nine Locks, and more!!

Posted by acbbaaron on 2019-01-25
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: 2 Crows Brewing, 902 BrewCast, Benjamin Bridge, Buttered Bliss, Escarpment Laboratories, Fredericton Craft Beer Festival, Good Robot Brewing, Grand Monk Ales, Hammond River Brewing, L'Acadie Vineyards, Ladies Beer League, Lobster Crawl Beer Festival, morALE Brewsters, Niche Brewing, Nine Locks Brewery, Propeller Arcade, Saltbox Brewing, Shipwright Brewing, Stillwell Beer Bar, Sussex Ale Works, The Good Robot FemmeBrew Competition, The Grand Banker, The Joyce, TrailWay Brewing, Trider's Craft Beer, Unfiltered Brewing. Leave a Comment

It’s looking like a mild-ish weekend coming in most of our region and what better time to venture out of your lair to stock up on beer? We’ve got lots of news about what’s new and notable at your local breweries this weekend along with the official launch of another New Brunswick brewery, the goings-on this weekend in Halifax at the 2 Crows 2nd Anniversary party and a few other items that might catch your eye and inform your beer drinking and/or social calendar this weekend and beyond. Let’s get to it!

We’ve got great news for those in the Capital region of New Brunswick. 3Flip Brewing, which we told you about late last year, is now officially open for business! Located in Douglas, just a few minutes West of the Northside of Fredericton, they are brewing on a 1 BBL (120 litre) system in a residential area. 3Flip is focusing on supplying the local bars and restaurants, keeping them flush with great beer. You can be among the first to try their beer tomorrow night at The Joyce at the Crowne Plaza on Queen Street. From 7 – 9 PM, drop in for samples and pints of their Anonymous Amber Ale, Oat Cold Oatmeal Stout, and Pretty Fly for a White IPA, and of course meet the 3Flip crew. More details are available on their FB Event page. Congratulations to Nick and Alicia, and keep an eye on their social media (Fb/Ig/Tw) for more beer releases around the capital region, and as they expand their tap accounts. BTW, we updated their Profile with the full details on their launch beers, maybe not a bad time to check it out again/for the first time? 🙂

2 Crows is turning two, and of course they had to go and plan a big party and release a crapload of new beers that someone gets stuck writing up and NO I’M NOT BITTER, OK? All good, it’s all good. And in all seriousness, this party – happening tomorrow – is going to be pretty kick-ass, and the beers are sounding spectacular. Let’s start off with those beers, shall we? All six of these will be released tomorrow at opening:

  • Hollywood (4.6% ABV, 4 IBUs) – Brewed with Pilsner malt and three forms of wheat, this beer was very-lightly hopped with Calypso. Soured with Lactobacillus, and then fermented in one of the brewery’s oak foedres (with both Sacch and Brett strains), it was conditioned for 4 months before they added 150 kg of blood orange puree. They also threw in some Tonka beans, which are highly-coveted, “aromatic seeds of a giant tree from deep in the Amazon rainforest”. Yikes! Along with the character from the blood orange, the beans give notes of “vanilla, marzian, cherry, and almond” to this beer.
  • 408 Months (4.9% ABV, 15 IBUs) – Collaboration with Calgary’s Annex Ale Project, the wort of Pilsner, Spelt, and flaked oats was hopped with two Southern Hemisphere varieties, Enigma and Nelson Sauvin. Fermented in stainless with a white wine yeast strain, it was then fermented again, in a foedre, with a blend of Sacch and Brett strains. Once fermentation was complete, 200 kg of grape pomace (from Benjamin Bridge and L’Acadie Vineyards) was added, giving some tannic character to this bright, funky, slightly tart beer.
  • Brettango (7.9% ABV, 66 IBUs) – This one is a Brett IPA with mango (you may have actually been able to guess that one!), with a grist of Pale malt, Oat malt, CaraVienna, and flaked barley. Heavily-hopped in the hopback with Belma, Hallertau Blanc, and Citra, it was then fermented with Amalgamation, a blend of six different Brett strains. Then came the mango puree, all 225 lbs of it, before a heavy dry hop of Vic Secret and Citra. As expected, it’s tasting very tropical and juicy, with some light funk. It’ll be on tap Saturday, and for sale in cans.
  • Showtime (4.7% ABV) – Another collaboration, this time with Newfoundland’s The Third Place Cocktail Co. The base wort was hopped lightly with Calypso and Bramling Cross, then soured in 2C’s gin barrels with Lactobacillus, and fermented with, you guessed it, a blend of Sacch and Brett strains. After four months, the barrels were blended and transferred to stainless, where TPCC tonic – featuring cinchona bark, citrus, lemongrass, lime leaves, cardamon, lavender, and green tea – was added. Bottle-conditioned with Champagne yeast for two months, it’s tasting “tart, lively and fun, with subtle juniper, pine, and herbal notes, a light quinine bitterness and a bright lime and citrus kick from the tonic”. Available in bottles, as well as on tap Sunday.
  • Chime (4.9% ABV) – The barrel-aged sour fun continues with Chime, who’s wort made up of a base of Pilsner malt, Spelt, and oats was not boiled. Instead, a touch of Azacca and Galaxy hops were added for a brief, warm whirlpool session, before it was all transferred to stainless for fermentation with a blend of Lactobacillus, Brett, and Sacch strains. Once complete, the beer made its way to Sauvignon Blanc barrels for five months. Fresh lemongrass and pink Himalayan sea salt was added, and then the beer made its way back to stainless again for packaging in bottles with Champagne yeast, where it was allowed to condition for two months. With a surprisingly-full mouthfeel, it’s “lively, fresh, with big Sauv Blanc notes, reinforced with a subtle lemongrass brightness”, and some minerality thanks to the sea salt. In bottles tomorrow, and on tap Sunday.
  • Silence (5.8% ABV) – This beer is a bit of a turn (even for 2 Crows), as it’s a Golden Sour… that is uncarbonated. Aged in one of their foedres, samples taken over time were tasting so good with no carbonation that they decided to package it (in 750 mL wine bottles) just like that. Fans of Belgian styles will recognize that many Lambic beers aren’t carbonated (if you’re thinking of high carbonation, you’re likely thinking of Gueuze, a blend of different years of lambics that is definitely very lively), and will likely be drawn to Silence, which is showing “an assertive tartness, complex minerality, with lemony and herbal notes”. A grand total of 204 bottles will be available tomorrow, and it’ll be on tap Sunday.

They’ll be giving away 100 special anniversary glasses to the first hundred of you that drop in. Lots on tap, three beers for can/bottle pours at the bar, and live music starting at 2 pm and continuing all day (five bands!). Of course, if you plan on hanging around for awhile and having some beers (we hope so, anyway), you’re going to need food. Luckily, Luke from Luke’s Fried Chicken and Highwayman will be on site from 1 pm, serving up four different non-liquid options for your stomach.

In fact, celebrations aren’t just happening Saturday; on Sunday they’ll have some surprise bottle sales (read: some of your favourites from previous releases, so you have a chance to grab some more), and a whopping 13 sour beer on tap. Buttered Bliss will also be around from noon, giving you another chance to grab some tasty munchies. Congrats to 2 Crows on two years of success!

In Amherst, Trider’s Craft Beer is making a habit of keeping three taps on the go featuring beers made in small batches in the 20 – 40 L range, with a new one going on every month or so. Right now they’ve got three such brews on tap and we’ve got the details on all of them. First up is Brewtaur, a Brown IPA weighing in at 5.8% ABV and 55 IBU. With an earthy, “brown” hop profile coming from Willamette and Centennial hops, the brew team focused on making sure that the malt profile of the beer is balanced with the hops, a critical factor for the style. Second, they’ve got Foreign Extra Stout, described as a close relative of Guinness Foreign Extra. At a beefy 7.7% ABV, it’s quite dry, but it’s still got plenty of body. Look for plenty of roasty character and a bit of a boozy kick. And the third small batch tap is currently populated by Saaz Hands, a nice light Czech Pils at 3.9% ABV and 35 or so IBU. As you probably suspected from the name, it’s all Saaz hops from start to finish, lending it a classic Bohemian character. That these small batch beers are available on tap at the brewery only, so if one or more of them tweak your “I gotta try that” bone, best make your way to Trider’s while they last! And keep an eye on their social media (Ig, Tw, Fb) to find out what is going on tap next and when.

Shipwright Brewing Company, Lunenburg’s shiny new little brewery tucked in all cozy cozy with the Grand Banker restaurant, is already starting to make a variety of brews available. This week has already seen a new beer in their First Sail series of very small batches that give the brewers an opportunity to tweak recipes, try new ingredients, and otherwise have some extra fun in the brewery. Lumberjack Dry-hopped Ale was made with Canadian 2-row barley and Simcoe hops before being finished with a dry hop of a new Canadian hop variety called Lumberjack from BC Hop Co. First Sail beers don’t last long and it’s tough to say if this one’s still around, so keep your eyes on SBC’s social media (Ig, Tw, Fb) so you know what they’ve got coming up next in case you fancy a pint or a crowler. And if you’d like to know more about the brewery, be sure to check out the latest episode of the 902BrewCast wherein our intrepid podcasters braved the wilds of the South Shore to get the goods on Lunenburg’s latest hidden gem. You’ll even be able to learn about the latest of their beers to hit the taps yesterday, Tight Quarters IPA, a weighing in at 6.1% ABV and 50 IBU.

Next week’s Betabrew from Good Robot is different than “normal”, at least in terms of the beer’s brew day… it was brewed solo! That’s right, GR’s Kelly Costello had the pilot system all to herself, and brewed up a “Black Ale” named (just to confuse you a little) White Whale. With a grist of 2-row, Chocolate malt, and Flaked Barley, it was hopped with Summit, Vic Secret, and Cascade, to 65 IBUs. Fermented with San Diego Super Yeast, it still comes in at a very-manageable 4.9% ABV, with hints of roast and tropical fruit. Grab some next Tuesday at the taproom. And for Alpha, they’ll be releasing a fresh batch of their Vienna Lager, Infinite Saturday (5% ABV).

Good Robot is also pleased to announce the opening of sign-ups for their third annual FemmeBrew Brewing Competition. Open to all women and woman-identifying home brewers in the region, including first time brewers, the style for this year’s competition is the full BJCP Style #25B category, Saison. That means entrants can brew up a table, standard, or super-strength beer that’s light or dark, and herbs and/or spices can be used as long as they work in harmony with the yeast and other characteristics of the beer. You can check out the full description of the style in the 2015 BJCP Guidelines here. If you’d like to enter, you need to fill out this form by February 20th. You’re then free to brew your best beer and supply a minimum of 4 labeled 341 mL bottles to the brewery by March 2nd. Winners will be announced at the FemmeBot Tap Takeover on March 8th.

TrailWay is sticking with their one-hop Seeing series this week, after just releasing Seeing Double Citra last week. Their latest iteration features Summit, an American hop variety that has been around for about 20 years. A high-alpha acid hop know for its citrus aromas, it was likely used in abundance in Seeing Summit (it is a TrailWay beer, after all), a 6.5% ABV American IPA that the brewery describes as being “full of citrus and stone fruit, but with a solid background of spicy dankness”. It’s in cans at the brewery and a few ANBL stores right now, and should be on tap at the brewery as well, later today.

Dartmouth’s Nine Locks is in a German kinda mood this week with the release of Bock, their take on the Dunkles Bock style, a dark, strong, malty German lager. A variety of malts were used in the brewing of this 6.3% ABV beer, bringing aromas of “fresh-baked bread, with slight fruit overtones”. Copper in colour, it’s medium-to-full bodied, according to the brewery, finishing clean, with enough hop bitterness (25 IBUs) to help the beer from coming across as too sweet. You can stop by the brewery for cans and/or growlers, if you’re so inclined. They’ve also got some of the latest batch of their Pale Ale (5.5% ABV), which has some recipe tweaks to make it “bright, light, and extra refreshing”, with aromas of orange zest and flavours of “grainy malt, orange pith, and a subtle tropical note”.

Plenty of beery things going on in the next couple of weeks in Atlantic Canada; here’s a few you might want to check out:

It’s FROSTival time in Fredericton, a 2 & ½ week period with a wide assortment of events that celebrate winter (wait, what?). But don’t worry, it’s not all about ice sculptures and snow forts (actually, a lot of it isn’t), there’s also a beer/bowling/burger event scheduled by TrailWay for Saturday, February 2nd. Bowling, Beer & Burgs will be held at the brewery’s Bowl-a-Drome; sign up your team of four for $100, which gets you three strings of bowling, a pint of TW beer, and one of several burger options. There are two time slots available (5:30 pm and 9 pm); reserve your spot by calling 506-472-2361.

And continuing with the winter-themed events in Fredericton (what is wrong with these people?) the folks behind the Fredericton Craft Beer Festival are putting on an event a week from tomorrow that they’re calling the 2019 Beer Winter Olympics (we suspect the focus there is more on the “beer” part than the “winter” part). From 12 to 3 PM on Saturday, February 2nd, entrants will have the chance to compete in a series of fun, yet challenging events for which Gold, Silver and Bronze placings will be awarded. Even better? Beer is involved! The minimum entrance fee is $40 per person, which includes 3 beer, but the fee is actually a donation to Type One Diabetes Research. Raise more money, get more beer. A cap has been placed on the number of entries, so if you’re interested you might want to get a move on. You can buy a “ticket” here or email frederictonbeer@gmail.com for more details.

Nova Scotia’s South Shore will spend the first two weeks of February celebrating Nova Scotia’s favorite crustacean with the second annual Lobster Crawl. While there will be plenty of events from February 1st to 18th, including Groundhog Day with Lucy the Lobster and the 2019 Best Lobster Roll Challenge, of particular interest to beer lovers will be the Lobster Crawl Craft Beer Festival (Fb) taking place in Bridgewater at the Lunenburg County Lifestyles Centre on February 9th. Three levels of tickets are available, VIP, General and Designated Driver, with VIP ticket holders getting to hit the floor an hour earlier. Organizers have lined up at least 18 breweries, including all your favorites from the South Shore and some from other parts of the province as well. You’ll also find plenty of cider, food options, and some fun and games. Tickets can be purchased online and range in price from $30 to $55. We’d also encourage you to check out the Lobster Crawl site for information about places to stay, restaurants to check out, and all the other events that will be going on over this two-week celebration of everything the South Shore has to offer.

We’re pretty sure we don’t have to tell you that time flies, but when we realized that Hammond River Brewing will be celebrating their 5th Anniversary next month, it hit home even more. To celebrate this milestone, they’re throwing a party on Friday, February 8th at the taproom. As always, there will be plenty of HR beer pouring, but they’re also combining all of their weekly beer specials into the one day, which includes plenty of savings for those of you lucky enough to attend (all beers 50 IBUs+ for $6/pint, all flights $8, etc.). The partying will go on all day and evening, and there will also be live music from 5 pm on. Congrats to the entire Hammond River crew!

It gives us no pleasure to remind you that Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, but… well, there it is. If you’re not into the typical ways to celebrate Love Day (read: go-karts and petting zoos, or gifts that include items such as Lord Huggington), might we recommend a beer and chocolate pairing? The Ladies Beer League is hosting just that with I Heart Beer at Garrison Brewing on Thursday, February 14th, where there will be five Garrison brews with five carefully-chosen, hand-crafted chocolates from Rousseau Chocolatier. It all starts at 7 pm; tickets are $25 and can be purchased through the event link above.

And, as is tradition, a few items of a brief nature before you get on with your Friday:

Moncton’s Grand Monk has brewed up something new and special for the FLASH festival, happening February 15-16th. In the meantime, you can catch a sneak preview of Grand Monkster Flash, a Kolsch, which will be debuting on tap tonight at the Pink Flamingos Cabaret/Lounge.

If you’re in the Oromocto, NB area and looking for more morALE Brewsters beer in your life, stop by Mingler’s Pub tonight for the brewery’s debut there on tap. Along with beer, they’ll have live music and prizes for the winning.

Niche Brewing has brought back Single Origin again, their Coffee Sweet Stout with Ethiopian Yirgacheffe beans from local roastery Jonnie Java. At 5% ABV, it’s dark, smooth and slightly creamy, with just enough sweetness to balance the coffee. You’ll be able to find it at regular Niche tap accounts and we’ve heard that a keg is also going to be at Stillwell in Halifax in the near future (along with Zeste and Enkel).

Port Rexton has brought back Mixed Opportunity, a 5.8% ABV Saison fermented with Fruit Bomb Saison yeast from Escarpment Labs. The beer is then conditioned with a blend of Brettanomyces strains, resulting plenty of “fruity, spicy, Farmhouse flavours”. Look for the beer in cans at both the brewery and St. John’s retail shop, and on tap at the taproom.

Propeller has somehow managed to find some space in their Gottingen Street location to include an old school arcade and they’re pleased to announce its grand opening next Thursday, January 31st! Featuring some sweet pinball tables and cabinets, both new and old, we’re happy to say it appears to run on quarters — no stupid tokens or ridiculous swipe cards here. It’ll be open Thursday to Sunday nights on the regular, with league nights on Mondays. You can see a sneak preview video and get more info on the Instagram page. Craft beer and pinball; you can’t go wrong.

Mahone Bay’s Saltbox has a new beer out today, a Scotch Ale just in time for Rabbie Burns Day. Called Whiskey Jack, we’re not sure of the ABV, but we can tell you that it’s been sitting in a Glenora Distillery single malt whisky barrel for some time, lending it notes of vanilla, toffee and caramel, with peat smoke and oak rounding out the sensory experience. There’s a limited amount on tap, but they’ve also packaged this one for sale in 750 mL bottles, perfect for grabbing one (or more) to take home and pair with your haggis.

Up in Sussex, NB, Sussex Ale Works has a brand new NE IPA kegged this week. Hop To It was made in limited quantities and was tapped on Wednesday, so if you’re looking to get a hop fix for the weekend best make your way there in short order.

Unfiltered has Danko returning today; their Simcoe single-hopped DIPA weighs in at 7.5% ABV, and is chock-full of all of those delicious piney and dank Simcoe-derived flavours that you know and love. Available at the brewery today for pints, growler fills, and in cans.

Friday Wrap-Up for January 4, 2019 – News from Hill Top Hops Brewing, Shipwright Brewing, Brightwood, Bootleg Brew Co, Quidi Vidi, Spindrift, Tanner & Co, Upstreet and much more!

Posted by acbbaaron on 2019-01-04
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: Big Spruce Brewing, Bootleg Brew Company, Boxing Rock Brewing, Brightwood Brewery, Canadian Brewing Awards, Craft Beer Corner, Distillerie Fils du Roy, Eat. Drink. Local., Fredericton Craft Beer Festival, Good Robot Brewing, Halifax Magazine, Hill Top Hops, King Street Ale House, Local Source, NSLC, PEILCC, Propeller Brewing, Quidi Vidi Brewery, Shipwright Brewing, Spindrift Brewing, Stillwell Beer Bar, Sussex Ale Works, Tanner & Co Brewing, Upstreet BBQ Brewhouse, Upstreet Craft Brewing, YellowBelly Brewery. 1 comment

Welcome to our first Friday Wrap-up of 2019 (Whoot! Got the year right!!). Although we took last week off, it’s clear that the breweries in our region did no such thing, giving us plenty to catch up on from the holidays as well as news of a few new releases hitting the taps and the shelves this weekend. We’ve also got a couple new breweries open in Nova Scotia and the sad news of the demise of Fredericton’s stalwart craft beer destination, the King Street Ale House. So have a read and plan your purchases for the weekend; it’s fixing to be a snowy one in much of Atlantic Canada, so maybe grab a couple extra this afternoon to help soothe yourself after any shovelling that needs to be done. And breweries take note! Entries are now open for the 2019 Canadian Brewing Awards. This year’s event will be in Toronto, but judging takes place in April. Atlantic Canadian breweries had a strong showing at last year’s event; hopefully we’ll see some of the fantastic brews being produced out East continue that trend in 2019!

Let’s kick off the news with the details of two new breweries opening in Nova Scotia since our last Wrap-up…

Hill Top Hops has operated as a hop farm in Scotch Village, Nova Scotia, since 2016, supplying hops for two  Alexander Keith’s Historic Brewery annual harvest brews (Hants County Wet Hopped Pale Ale in 2016 and Annapolis Hop Field Pale Ale in 2017). Now, the family behind the farm have opened a small brewery to showcase their hops and love of the industry. Located at 7232 Hwy 14 in Newport, their brewery and taproom is now open for pints and growler fills. Operating on a 2 BBL (240 litre) brewhouse, they have currently have six beers available: Blonde Ale, Cream Ale, IPA, American Pale Ale, Pilsner, and Red Ale, as well as a full complement of merch to show your HTH pride. They will be celebrating their Grand Opening January 19th from noon, and until then, the taproom and brewery is open on a “by chance” status as they complete small renos and brew. Best to check with them on social media (Fb / IG / Tw) or by phone (902-791-0776) to be sure. They are currently operating by cash/EMT for the moment, and will update their social media when that changes. Congratulations to the Peters family on the opening, and we look forward to sharing a full Profile with them soon.

Congratulations also go out to the crew at Shipwright Brewing who opened their doors in Lunenburg on December 30th. Owner Adam Bower has long been a fan and promoter of local beer while managing, and then buying, the Grand Banker at 82 Montague Street in Lunenburg. Shipwright Brewing is located in the same building, and Brewer Kellye Robertson is using a 1 BBL (120 litre) system to create their own beers. The brewery and taproom is open 12 – 10 PM daily, and they are currently serving three beers to enjoy onsite or to take away in growler or crowler fills. They can also be enjoyed at the Grand Banker, who recently expanded their all-local draught offerings. Cutwater is a 4.8% ABV and 18 IBU traditional German Kolsch (hybrid of lager and ale), First Sail Banker Roast is a 4.5% ABV and 21 IBU Blonde Ale with coffee beans added, and Icebreaker is a 5.3% ABV and 40 IBU New England Pale Ale. Congratulations to Adam, Kellye, and the entire Shipwright family on their opening! Keep an eye on their social media (Fb / IG / Tw) for more updates.

Let’s get caught up with a few beers that were launched over the last two weeks…

Brightwood Brewery released John’s Punch at their brewery taproom last Friday. This 7.5% ABV NEIPA was generously hopped with Mandarina Bavaria and Huell Melon, and is full of citrus and juicy bright notes on the nose and palate. It is currently on tap at the Brightwood Market, with kegs on their way to The Auction House, Battery Park, and HopYard, with cans coming later this month.

Corner Brook’s Bootleg Brew Co released a pair of new beers late last year (we can say that!) that should still be around for your liquid enjoyment. First up is Gin & Spruce, a 5.0% ABV kettle sour, dry-hopped with Citra. However, the real fun is in the other ingredients added to the beer, which were spruce tips and juniper berries, soaked in gin from the Newfoundland Distillery Company in Clarke’s Beach. They followed that release up with another the following day, a style they’ve nicknamed “Snowball Stout”, after the eponymous cookies. In keeping with the rap theme, this one is named Untitled 02 | 12.28.18. The 5.0% ABV stout was brewed with plenty of cocoa powder and coconut to match the baked treat’s flavour profile, on a creamy smooth base. Look for these on draught at their taproom, and keep your eyes peeled in St. John’s at your favourite good beer spot.

Speaking of stouts, Quidi Vidi Brewing released their own back in December, which is back now in a limited re-release. Cappuccino Stout is a 6.5% ABV stout featuring 2-Row and Crystal malts, accented with Flaked Barley, Chocolate Malt and Roasted Barley for a smooth mouthfeel and dark brown appearance, but brought to the next level with the use of lactose (milk sugar) and coffee from Trinity Roastery. These extra ingredients balance each other with sweetness, a touch of bitterness, and nutty dark roast, like a well pulled and blended capp. The beer is available at the brewery now, and at NLCs this weekend.

Earlier in December, Dartmouth’s Spindrift Brewing released Beaufort 10, a 10% ABV, Doppelbock. This traditional German style is malt-forward, taking advantage of the roast, bread, and dark fruit character of the malts used in the mash, while keeping it lightly hopped to just over 20 IBU. A long fermentation period followed by more than a month of lagering lead to a smooth and deceptively easy-drinking beer for the alcohol level, a solid choice for these colder months. Beaufort 10 is available at the brewery and HRM private stores in cans.

Chester’s Tanner & Co. released a new beer over the holidays that’s actually a bit of an older beer, but in a good way. Bottle-aged Wheat Wine is similar to a barleywine in style, big and boozy, but with 50% wheat malt in the grist. Fermented with an American Ale yeast strain, the result is a 10% ABV bruiser with plenty of molasses, caramel and toffee character. Brewed way back in February of 2018, it was bottled and set aside until now, giving it some time to smooth out and for the flavors to come together. There wasn’t a ton of this one available to begin with and it was released just before Christmas, so you might want to check with the brewery before heading down, as that’s the only place to grab this one.

After that wrap-up of previous releases, let’s share some brand new releases with you…

PEI’s Upstreet Brewing has a new beer called Third Place that has nothing to do with winning a bronze medal. When talking about the places in your life, your first place is home, your second place is work, and your third place is “that special haunt where you come together with your community.” Released on January 1st, this beer celebrates those special places that we all (hopefully) have in our lives. An Imperial IPA at 8.5% ABV and 60 IBU, it boasts aromas of mango, clementine and peach, with a distinct piney note thanks to hop additions of Ella, Ekuanot, Azacca, and Simcoe. Look for it both in bottles and on tap at Craft Beer Corner and the Upstreet Taproom, on tap at the Upstreet BBQ Brewhouse and select tap accounts, and in bottles at select PEI Liquor stores. And if you’re at the taproom or CBC, you should check out the available bottles, currently including DeNovos I, II and III, and, from their Million Acres series, Bourbon Barrel-aged Apple Brett Blonde, Chocolate Salted Lager, Spruce Tip Wee Heavy, and Chardonnay Barrel-aged IIPA with Belma, Imperial Saison with Nelson Sauvin, Peach Cream Witbier, and Apricot Cream Witbier.

Halifax’s Good Robot has some big news this week as it has been officially announced that they are getting their first listing with the NSLC. El Espinazo del Diablo Mexican Lager is a fan favorite beer for the brewery with an ABV of 5.7% and 14 IBUs and featuring lime and jalapeño peppers on top of a grist that contains a “perfectly reasonable” amount of flaked corn. Like getting your salsa and your chips in a glass. Look for it at NSLC locations across the province and don’t be surprised if you see it joined by other Good Robot beers as 2019 rolls on.

Meanwhile, back at the farm on Robie Street, there’s plenty in the hopper for the first couple weeks of the year, starting with yesterday’s release of the latest in the Creature Feature series of biotransformation IPAs. Creature Feature III was hit with Columbus, Simcoe, and Nelson Sauvin hops for an assertive bitterness and a dank aroma. It’s 6.4% ABV and 51 IBUs and available now in the taproom. The first BetaBrew of the year will be released on Tuesday, January 8th, and it’s one made by GR staffer Drella and her father, Tim. An homage to their family’s Russian heritage and love of spicy things, it’s a chili stout they’re calling A Chili Night in Minsk. Big and bold at 7.5% ABV and 32 IBU, it’s rich, roasty, and spicy thanks to an addition of Bird’s Eye chilis after primary fermentation. And two days after that beer is tapped you’ll see another new one hit the lines at GR: The Humans Are Dead is their latest India Pale Lager with a twist of New Zealand hops, namely Azacca, Rakau, and Topaz. A calculated IBU level of 60 provides firm bitterness to this 6.8% ABV beer. Will it be the perfect accompaniment to your favorite binary solo and/or dancing the Robot or the Robo-boogie (which will be the only remaining dances in the distant future)? Affirmative!

A short distance away, on Gottingen Street comes the latest in the Propeller Small Batch series. A black lager in the Schwarzbier style it is called, most appropriately, Schwarzbier. It’s light in body, but with a flavorful punch of chocolate and toasted brown and finished off with noble hops for a subtle earthiness. Moderately dry, with a crisp and clean finish, it’s 5% ABV and is available in limited quantities for pints and growler fills only. Also in limited supply from Propeller is their El Dorado Brett IPA, which has been aging for the past nine months in red wine barrels. A mixed fermentation of classic ale yeast and Brettanomyces Claussenii have created a beer that is complex, funky, spicy, and a little earthy. Finished with a healthy dry hop of El Dorado for a tropical burst, it’s 6% ABV. We’ve confirmed that some of the very few kegs of this have gone to Hopyard Halifax, Stillwell and Battery Park, so keep an eye out for it at those places. Propeller also intends to tap a keg at their own tasting room on Monday (pints only). And lastly, the team has installed a beer engine in the Tasting Room that’ll be perfect for a traditional cask experience! So it makes sense that tonight’s Friday cask will be twist on a British style, their ESB aged on oak. Look for it to be tapped at 5 PM and to keep pouring through the weekend, as long as it lasts, anyway.

Unfortunately, we close out the news portion of today’s Wrap-up with some sad news. It was announced yesterday that Fredericton’s iconic beer-centric restaurant King Street Ale House, has closed. Opening 10 years ago as the Garrison District Ale House, Doug Williams and then-partner Shane Fraser saw that there was a big hole in the market for beer-focused establishments, and curated an impressive tap and bottle list well before the craft beer explosion hit our shores. After a fire destroyed the GDAH in January 2013, they rose from the ashes on King Street that November, with a renewed focus on local beer and great food. Having poured over 400 different beers from the Maritimes and beyond, the Garrison District and King Street Ale Houses were many first people’s introduction to well-made local beer. In fact, it’s where Shawn and Chris first met all of those years ago; we’ve conducted trivia nights during Fredericton Craft Beer Festival for several years; met countless other beery friends there over the years, and so we sincerely thank Doug, Shane, and the entire crew there for the many years of great beer. We wish them all the best in their next endeavours. For more details, check out this CBC article.

Only a couple of events to mention this week, but they’re a couple of doozies:

There are a handful of tickets still available for next Thursday’s, Jan 10th, Eat. Drink. Local. event at the Halifax Marriott Harbourfront. Formerly known as the The Craft Beer & Local Food Celebration, this is an all-inclusive evening of local beer and cider, with fresh and innovative food pairings from local restaurants. The event also serves as the launch to several new beers in our region, including the winner of Big Spruce’s Home Brew-Off, this year’s will be Ian Wheatley’s Hefeweizen. 30 different stations of food and drink, along with live music all evening, will surely keep you happy. Grab your tickets now before they disappear!

Do try to keep your wits about you after Thursday’s event, as you’ll definitely want to pop up to Bar Stillwell on Barrington Street for their Belgian Beer Fest on Saturday, January 12th. From noon, the Stilly crew will be pouring Lambics, Saisons, Flanders Red, and a bevy of style-breaking beers from one of the best beer-making regions in the world. A full dozen taps, as well as more than double that in bottles, will give any novice or veteran beer fan something to fawn over. Check out the full list here, and we’ll see you there!

A few more notes before we leave you today…

Boxing Rock released a new beer brewed in their Halifax Test Kitchen in mid-December. Knitwise is a Christmas Cake- Inspired Scotch Ale, weighing in a 7.5% ABV. It was brewed with Kim Hart Macneill, a home brewer and beer writer for Halifax Magazine. Brewed with Nova Scotia cranberries, blueberries and raisins to enhance that Christmas Cake character. It’s on tap for pints in Shelburne and growler fills at their Bottle Shop at Local Source Market in Halifax!

Distillerie Fils du Roy released a new beer in December, in a style they are calling “Sour Mash Brut”. At 10% ABV, Biere Brut is a heavy hitter, and started using the sour mash technique usually reserved for whisky. Also fermented with whisky yeast, and finished extremely dry, at 1.000 gravity. Described as hazy, with a sourness reminiscent of green olives, light body and high carbonation. Bottles are available at the brewery in Petit-Paquetville.

Sussex Ale Works has a new beer pouring in their taproom these days. Piccadilly Pale Ale is a 5.8% ABV American Pale Ale with notes of citrusy Chinook and Cascade hops. Grab a sample or pint at their spot this weekend!

St. John’s YellowBelly Brewery has released this ode to the season with Twelfth Night Porter. This 6.5% ABV porter features traditional English ingredients such as Bairds Crystal malt and Thomas Fawcett Roast Barley, along with East Kent Goldings used in the boil and dry-hopping. As described by the brewery, it is “spicy, earthy, warming, roasty, and full bodied with a slight hint of phenol/smokiness”. On tap at the brewery restaurant, in growlers at the YB Takeaway, and in bottles shortly.

Friday Wrap-Up for November 23, 2018 – News from Matchstick Beer Factory, 13 Barrels Brewing, Crooked Feeder Brewing, New Scotland, Big Tide, Boxing Rock and More!

Posted by acbbshawn on 2018-11-23
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: 13 Barrels, 2 Crows Brewing, Big Tide Brewing, Bishop's Cellar, Bissell Brothers, Bootstrap BrewPub, Boxing Rock Brewing, Breton Brewing, CBANS, Chain Yard Cider, Crooked Feeder Brewing, Darlings Island Farm, Four Rivers Brewing Co., Fredericton Craft Beer Festival, Full House Craft Beer Festival, Garrison Brewing, Good Robot Brewing, Hammond River Brewing, Highroller Lobster Co, Local Source, Matchstick Beer Factory, New Scotland Brewing, Niche Brewing, North Brewing, Propeller Brewing, Sourwood Cidery, Stillwell Beer Bar, Stubborn Goat, Sussex Ale Works, The Harbour Brewing Company, Tidehouse Brewing, Unfiltered Brewing. 2 comments

We’ve got lots of new news for you this week, including a trio of breweries who have opened in the last seven days, tickets for two great festivals are on sale now, plus close to a dozen new beer and cider releases in the region for you to enjoy. Let’s skip the formalities (we know we’re late!!), and get right to it!

Hampton New Brunswick just got a bit more beery, as Matchstick Beer Factory opened their doors this week. Operating in a private residence close to the former Flewelling Saw Mill and Match Factory in town, they are brewing on a 1 BBL (120 litre) system, and supplying kegs of beer to local restaurants and bars. They have launched with Matchstick Pale Ale, a 4.5% ABV Pale Ale features lots of late- and dry-hopping of Mosaic, Amarillo, and El Dorado for tropical and citrus notes, and their Fired Up Red, at 8.0% ABV, features a solid malt backbone with a touch of Rye malt spice, and finished with an English Ale yeast. Keep an eye on their social media (FB/Tw) for the latest news, and drop into the Match Factory Cafe in Hampton, Bootstrap BrewPub in Quispamsis, and/or Sussex Ale Works to grab a pint this weekend. We’ll give you the full Matchstick story early next week. Congratulations Luke and family!

Drive 300 km due North from Hampton, and you will reach Bathurst, New Brunswick. It is the home to 13 Barrels Brewing, which opened its doors for the first time this week. Built from the ground up at 830 Harbourview Blvd, the 5100 square foot brewery and taproom overlook the Baie de Chaleur. They launched yesterday with their Pabineau Pale Ale, and five guest taps of beer and cider, and will be adding more to their own lineup very shortly. Keep up to date with them on social media (FB/IG/Tw), and we’ll be publishing a Profile with 13 Barrels soon!

From Bathurst, you’ll want to head 625 kilometres Northeast to reach Cormack, Newfoundland, the site of the third brewery opening its doors this week. Crooked Feeder Brewing is located just North of the town of Deer Lake, and is not currently open to the public. The best place to grab their beer is at Newfound Sushi in Corner Brook, where kegs of their Bonne Bay Blonde have been dropped off and are pouring. Look for more releases on their social media (FB/IG/Tw), and we’ll try to pin them down for a Profile very soon!

From brand new breweries, to one that opened a few months ago, let’s turn our attention to New Scotland Brewing, located in downtown Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. They are launching a brand new beer this weekend, brewed with plenty of local ingredients (and love!). Slowburn is a 6.1% ABV Chocolate Porter, that saw the use of locally-grown chilli peppers added during the boil, and later in a pair “dry-peppering” additions over the course of four weeks. The result is a medium/full bodied beer with hints of spice and vanilla, building to chocolate and black cherry, with a building heat as the peppers take hold. Served on nitro, the smooth beer is perfect for enjoying in a cozy nook with friends, and watching the snow fall outside. Slowburn is launching at opening Saturday at the brewery, so drop by for a pint! They’ve got live music by Willie Stratton tonight, and Rob Wigle will be jamming in the taproom Sunday afternoon.

Over in the land of Big Tide Brewing (that’s Saint John, for those of you who aren’t aware), they’ve release their very first New England IPA. The Dickens – hopped in the kettle and during active fermentation (taking advantage of biotransformation) and dry-hopped with generous amounts of Amarillo, Azacca, and Cascade – is currently on tap at the brewpub for pints and growler fills, and is showing off tons of juicy, tropical, and citrusy hop flavour and aroma. It weighs in at 6.3% ABV and 50 IBUs, and since it’s new (and an IPA… all the rage with the youngins these days!), you best drop by sooner rather than later if you’d like to give it a try. And with the cooler months ahead, look for loads of new and returning faves from Big Tide in the coming weeks, including Boiling Point Honey Ginger Saison, Indian Beach Nut Brown, and Sandpiper Pilsener, brewed with Ultra hops from nearby Darlings Island Farm.

Shelburne’s Boxing Rock brewed up a beer especially for their Tap Takeover last week at Battery Park but if you missed it there, you’re in luck because there’s still a chance to try it! Head on over to Local Source Market and you can get yourself a growler fill of Hell Bat, a Licorice Imperial Stout. A big, 8.2% ABV beer, it’s got plenty of bitterness and spice from hops that’s balanced by roasty chocolate malt. Add to that a hit of anise aroma and flavor from additions of both real licorice root and star anise, and you have a smooth, complex and substantial beer to work your way through. And in other Boxing Rock Imperial Stout news…we told you last month that the brewery was offering folks the chance to pre-purchase cases and half-cases of their annual release of U-889 Imperial Stout with Coffee and Vanilla at a discount. That deal is in effect for one more week (pickup is November 30th) so if you’re interested it’s time to pull the trigger. Regular price on a bottle is $10.50, but you could be paying closer to $9/btl on 6 for $55 or even $8.33/btl on 12. Pickup can be arranged at the brewery in Shelburne or at Local Source in Halifax. Contact the brewery to place your order; their contact info can be found at the bottom of their web site.

Hey, if you’re in the Rothesay area of New Brunswick right about now, you really should drop by the Hammond River Brewing taproom (ok, you should probably drop by there anytime that you’re in Rothesay, to be honest), as they’ve got a couple new beers pouring… well, one new, one returning favourite. The new brew is The Unforgiven, an Imperial IPA hopped entirely with the fabulous, delicious, not-so-easy-to-get, and pricey Australian variety, Galaxy. At 8.3% ABV, it’s no wee beer, but the “wonderful flavours of citrus and passion fruit” come through front and center, so it’s easy to get carried away and drink this one a little faster than you should! The returning beer is the Glenora Whiskey Barrel-Aged Vanilla Imperial Porter; this one’s coming in at over 8% ABV as well, so you’re receiving your second warning! You know you’re going to want to have both of these beers on tap – because they won’t last long – so why not get dropped off and make an evening (or day!) of it?

The Harbour Brewing Company in Musquodoboit Harbour has a brand new release this week, as they move into the big and dark beers. Dreadnought Stout is a 5.6% ABV full-bodied stout, featuring loads of chocolate and dark fruit flavour, with a smooth finish of roasted grain. Look for it on tap in the area, or better yet, drop by their brewery along Highway 7 for a taste and growler fill!

This weekend brings us/you lucky Haligonians yet another 2 Crows barrel-aged bottle release, this time in the form of Mellarium. Brewed with Pilsner, Spelt, Wheat, Flaked Oats, and Aromatic malt, it was lightly hopped with Calypso, Hallertau Blanc, and Bramling Cross. The wort was soured with Lactobacillus, and then fermented with a blend of several Saccharomyces and Brettanomyces strains (the very same blend used in the new and delicious Glamour) in a single Sauvignon Blanc barrel. It spent a nice long time in said barrel (6 months) before being transferred onto 60 kg of Apricot puree, as well as some honeycomb, and allowed to referment/age for another 6 weeks. Finally, they decided to dry-hop it with Saffron (dry-Saffron?) before finally bottle conditioning with Champagne yeast. Now, it’s finally ready for you to eagerly purchase, and – hopefully – drink! They’re describing it as “bright, lively, and opulent, with smooth honey notes, fuzzy peach, and floral”. You can grab these bottles (5.3% ABV, btw) tomorrow at the brewery at opening. Eeek! We heard from 2 Crows this afternoon that this release has been slightly delayed until Saturday, December 1st. So you’ll have to wait a week for that barrel-aged, sour, funky, fruity, honey goodness!!

Halifax’s North Brewing has a pair of releases we’re keen to mention today. First up is another release of their Champagne-style IPA, Alloy. Inspired by the extremely dry and effervescent sparkling wine, Brut or Champagne IPAs feature very little body, low residual sweetness (gravity readings are often at or below 1.000 specific gravity), but tons of hops, and Alloy is no different. This batch features loads of Amarillo, Callista, and Vic Secret, and a low body, to really let them show off. As in previous releases, you can grab a single or 4-pack of cans, and can also fill growlers in both Halifax and Dartmouth. And if one IPA wasn’t enough for you, grab some of their Divination today too. This is a Double Dry Hopped (DDH) American IPA, in the tropical/stonefruit/citrus vein, with a touch of dank character. This 7.2% ABV beaut is also available in cans, either singles or a 4-pack, and on both sides of the harbour.

We teased it last week, but now have more information on Niche Brewing’s Moonage Daydream. The latest in their bevvy of sour offerings, this 4.4% ABV beer is generously dry-hopped with El Dorado and Citra, and features hibiscus in the secondary for a lovely pink hue. It is available on tap in Fredericton at 540 Kitchen & Bar, King Street Ale House, and The Joyce, Peppers Pub in Saint John, and in the Moncton region at CAVOK Brewing and at the Pump House Fill Station. If you drop by the latter location, you’ll be able to grab a growler or crowler to take home with you!

You probably guessed from their name that it was only a matter of time before Sourwood Cider released a barrel-aged cider… and if you did indeed guess that, you are now proven correct! While the beginning of the life of this cider occurred in a tote, it was then moved to a total of eight barrels; two of those barrels (which previously held red wine in Niagara) have produced Cherry Blaster, which is available now. As the name indicates, cherries were used in this release – 77 lbs, to be exact, all of them hand-picked from Dempsey’s Corner Orchard in Aylesford. Several different varieties of cherries were incorporated, including a type used in the making of sour pie, as well as “white/rose-fleshed sweet cherries”. Weighing in at 5.6% ABV, Sourwood is describing the cider as “naturally sour, tart, dirty rose in colour, and puckering”; overall, refreshing! Drop by their spot and Market stalls if you’d like to pick up some bottles. As for those other six barrels, as you’re probably wondering… they’ve had Haskap berries added, and will be bottled and released in the very near future!

The bottle releases continue with Halifax’s Tidehouse, with this week’s technically being a re-release. To-Wit! To-Woo! is, as you may have guessed if you’re a child of the 80s, the brewery’s little ode to Mr. Dressup… in Belgian Witbier form! Judging from the beer’s label (which you can check out here), they’ve upped the ABV this time around, to 6.1% ABV, bringing it slightly out of your classic Witbier range (but we’re ok with that!). With sweet orange peel, coriander, and Citra hops in the boil, expect aromas and flavours of all three. It’s available by the 340 mL bottle at the brewery, starting today at 2 pm.

Propeller Brewing has a brand new IPA out on the streets (well, by “streets” we mean, you know, at Propeller), Galaxy IPA. While Galaxy hops were indeed used in abundance in this beer, they were also partnered with the no-less-delicious Citra and Mosaic varieties. Since most of you reading this are likely personally familiar with all three of these hop varieties in some way or another, it may not surprise you to hear that the final 6.5% ABV product has “rich pineapple, peach, and tropical/citrus aromas”… but that doesn’t make it any less tasty! This is indeed a one-off, so get it while it lasts (cans are available). And drop by their Gottingen Street taproom tonight for a cask of their Russian Imperial Stout, which will be tapped at 5 PM.

We want to be sure all of you commercial brewers reading this know about next Friday’s Maritime Craft Malt Workshop, being held in Moncton. Organized by Chemical and Agricultural Scientists who have been bringing you the great Beer School events during the Fredericton Craft Beer Festival, this event will focus on the art and science of understanding malt reports, how to maximize yield and flavour from malts, and which steps maltsters follow (and why) to provide you with the best possible product. Learn from maltsters, brewers, and the folks who analyze the product, all to help you incorporate Maritime-grown and -processed malt into your recipes. Check out the full schedule here. The session takes place next Friday, November 30th, at the Crowne Plaza in Moncton. Reserve your seat today!

We’ve got lots more events on the go to tell you about today, including tickets for a pair of favourite beer events happening next year, but are on sale now, and sure not to last!

Tickets for March 8 and 9, 2019’s Fredericton Craft Beer Festival are on sale today, and we highly recommend grabbing yours ASAP. With the Friday Night event, nicknamed Newbie Night last year, a smaller collective of 10-15 breweries will be pouring 50+ beers in the Convention Centre March 8th. This is a great way to ease into the weekend, as we’ve been told none of these beers will be available during the Saturday sessions. Speaking of which, there are two sessions on Saturday, 1:30 – 4:00 PM and 7:00 – 9:30 PM, where you’ll have your choice of 300+ beer and cider from 50 producers across the region, Maine, and beyond. VIP tickets are always the first to go, which offer you an early entry to get a quick lay of the land before the rest of the visitors arrive. Do not miss your chance to have a heck of a time in the beginning of March in Fredericton, grab your tickets now! Closer to the date, we’ll have more details on our Trivia Night, the Drain the Keg 5K race the Sunday morning, and the other cool events on the go leading up to the Fest.

In Nova Scotia, the Craft Brewers Association of Nova Scotia has announced the dates, and ticket availability for their Full House Festival, the signature event of NS Craft Beer Week. Being held May 4th, 2019 at the Halifax Forum, more than 30 breweries from across the province, along with food vendors, will be slinging drinks and bites to the thirsty crowd. The afternoon session is 1:30 – 4:00 PM, and the evening session is 7:00 – 9:30 PM, with VIP tickets allowing you entry 30 minutes early. Pick your session, and grab your tickets today, while early bird pricing is still in effect!

Now that you’ve grabbed your tickets for future events, let’s get back to the present with a “Home and Home” Tap Takeover by Halifax and Sydney breweries, Garrison and Breton. Tonight, Breton will be visiting Halifax and joining Garrison in taking over the taps at Stubborn Goat in Halifax, with eight beers from each brewery pouring. And they’ll be doing the same at Retro 67 in Sydney, next Friday, November 30th. At each event, folks from both breweries will be there to chat and give out swag. And debuting tonight is Rye’d or Die IPA, a collaboration between the two breweries. A 6.0% ABV American Rye IPA, it features 50 IBUs thanks to Simcoe, Amarillo, Citra, and Mandarina Bavaria. Aroma of pine, citrus, and a touch of grain, lead to a solid bitterness with a touch of spice from the Rye malt.

Those in the region familiar with the great beer scene in Portland, Maine, will no-doubt know about the killer beers available from Bissell Brothers Brewing. They began life in the Portland Industrial park (one of a half dozen breweries that have called One Industrial Way home over the years), and now have their own space in Thompsons Point. And Peter Bissell, one of the aforementioned brothers, has more recently launched Highroller Lobster Co. on Exchange Street. Why are we telling you all of this? We promise, not just to tease you with some serious FOMO. We mention this because the Bissell Brothers and Highroller crews will be taking over the taps and kitchen at Stillwell Beer Bar on December 8th. A dozen bangers from Maine will be available on tap, and we’re sure that there will be some real magic going on in the kitchen that day thanks to the melting of minds (that’s a butter joke). No tickets necessary, but you’ll definitely want to show up early to avoid missing out!

And a few last notes to inform your beer- and cider-acquisition plans for the weekend:

Four Rivers Brewing in Bathurst, NB, is happy to report that they’ve canned their Timbership Milk Stout and that those cans will be available this weekend at ANBL stores in major centres across the province. This 5.5% ABV and 25 IBU American-style stout with lactose has a clean and easy-drinking flavor with notes of freshly roasted coffee, caramel and dark chocolate. Available on Nitro in the taproom as well.

Chain Yard Urban Cidery in Halifax has announced that they’re going to be doing some limited bottle runs of some of their most creative and ambitious small batches and fan favorites. Only one hundred 750 mL bottles are available of each and they’re only available at the retail store on Agricola Street. The first two to be released are Country Rose Mead (Rose wine and mead which was on tap in September), and Brett To Be Determined (blend of Jona Golds & Mac’s, dry , unfiltered wild ferment and second ferment with brettanomyces which is also on tap now).

Halifax’s Bishop’s Cellar had some big news hit the wire this week. They’ve announced that they will be expanding into the 1,400 sq. ft. space next door, almost doubling their size! This will allow them to provide an even better selection (hard to imagine!) of beer, wine, cider and spirits, including more products from afar, more cold beer storage, and more tasting room. Look for the expansion to take place after the holiday season, with a grand opening by Spring, 2019. Until then, you can continue to take advantage of their already awesome selection on Lower Water Street.

Unfiltered on North Street in Halifax has once again undertaken a canning run. This time, however, it wasn’t done on a mobile canning line it was done on their own machine. What does this mean? MORE CANS MORE OF THE TIME!! As of this weekend you’ll be able to get the previously announced Riddle of Steel along with Double Orange Apocalypse Ale, Playing With Fire, Hoppy Fingers, and Flat Black Jesus. Bow down to your new aluminum overlords.

And lastly, but certainly not leastly, Good Robot has, as always, some beer news to share. This Tuesday’s BetaBrewsday release is called The Black Barrel and it’s a big ol’ bugger at 9.2% ABV and 53 IBU. Imperial Stout is the style, with lots of dark chocolate flavors. Be careful with this one! And on the Alpha side, Creature Feature is back, an IPA in the New England style, hoppy, hazy and juicy without a whole lot of bitterness. It’s 6.2% ABV and 46 IBU and will be available come next Thursday.