Fredericton Poutine Festival

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Another week of wild weather in our region, with snow and recording-breaking cold throughout the Maritimes, and a wayward iceberg in Ferryland, Newfoundland. Rest assured warmer weather is on its way, so put off going outside a little longer by reading today’s beer news…

• After launching a few months ago with two flagship beers, Think Brewing (located in Harvey, New Brunswick) has a new brew circulating at their tap accounts in the province. 150 Red IP-eh is, as you’ve probably guessed, a Red IPA brewed in celebration of Canada’s 150th birthday. With the goal of being “balanced and drinkable” with a bit of roast flavour, this reddish-coloured ale was hopped with Amarillo, Citra and Columbus (with the focus on Citra), providing some citrus and tropical notes to complement. Weighing in at 6% ABV and 53 IBUs, you should be able to find it on tap at the James Joyce, Isaac’s Way, and Hilltop in Fredericton, as well as Lemongrass and Cask & Kettle in Saint John.

• Today, Garrison will be releasing their latest collaboration brew, Mon Cerise. Brewed with Halifax’s own Good Robot, North, and Spindrift, this “Cherry Belgian Lager” is made up of 2-row, Munich, and Crystal malt, and was hopped with Brewers Gold to just 12 IBUs. Aged on sour cherries, the beer is reddish-amber in colour, and has a “slightly tart, mellow cherry aroma, with a  sweet maltiness”, according to Garrison. Effervescent, clean, and crisp, it weighs in at 5.4% ABV and will be available on draft only, at Garrison, Good Robot, Spindrift, and Battery Park.

• In Fredericton, Mama’s Brewpub has re-released their Great White Ale, a crowd favourite of the brewery’s attempt to perfect the Belgian Witbier style. With a grist comprised of 2-row and Wheat malt, as well as a touch of Crystal malt thrown in for color and flavour, the beer is lightly hopped with Perle to 16 IBUs. Plenty of fresh orange zest and ground coriander was added towards the end of the boil; as well, this batch had a new addition – 11 lbs of lactose powder, also at the end of the boil. Brewer Ryan Kingston says the lactose was added to provide a “smooth, silky sweetness” that elevates this batch above others in the past. At 4.3% ABV, this easy-drinking beer is selling fast; it’s still available at the brewpub for pints and crowlers.

• Also in Fredericton, Red Rover released a new cider yesterday, Blossom. This 7% ABV, semi-dry cider was created in collaboration with Flourish Fest, a Fredericton-based music and art festival running from April 20th-23rd. Featuring additions of hibiscus, coconut, pineapple, mango, and lemon, you can definitely expect some interesting flavour experiences with this one! Developed as an exclusive for festival venues (including the Cider House and Capital Complex), it will also be appearing on tap at Graystone, as well as Halifax’s Stillwell, in the near future.

2 Crows released a special brewery-taproom-only beer yesterday afternoon, sure to kick soon if you’re not careful. Crosswired is a straw-coloured, 5.3% ABV and 27 IBU hazy brew, with a grain bill featuring pilsner malt, along with malted oats and wheat. Columbus was used for first wort hopping, with late- and dry-additions of Citra and Hallertau Blanc, lending serious citrus, fruity, and floral aromatics. The real fun comes from the yeasts used to ferment the beer, as a hybrid of beer and wine yeasts were employed to get the job done: Sacch Trois and Lalvin 71B (Narbonne). Sacch Trois is a Sacchromyces yeast formerly thought to be Brettanomyces, based on the acidity and unique funky, mango, and pineapple aromatics that can develop. The classification was corrected after the producer, White Labs, did further genetic testing, and concluded that while the yeast displays many Brett-like characteristics, it was in fact Sacchromyces. Lalvin 71B is a wine yeast, isolated by the INRA in Narbonne, France, and is particularly well-suited for use in Pinot Gris, Rosé and Riesling wines, due to its high and long-lasting ester (fruit aroma) production. The resulting beer has plenty of wild “funky” character to it, with light floral and earthy notes as well. Do not wait to try this beer, as the only 20 litre keg of the beer is on now at the taproom, available for enjoying onsite only.

• 2 Crows is also bringing back one of their early launch beers, Brettango Mango. This 7.5% ABV, 64 IBU IPA was fermented solely with Brettanomyces Bruxellensis, a strain originating from Brussels, Belgium, and classically found in lambics and other “wild” beers. After primary fermentation, mangoes were added to the fermenter, as well as a big blast of Citra for more citrus character. The batch size was ramped up from their initial release, but at only 300 litres, it won’t be around for too long. Look for the announcement on their social media this weekend, with a Saturday evening/Sunday afternoon most likely.

• Finally in 2C news this week, they have brewed up a beer with The Barrowdowns, an alt-folk band from Halifax. The 6.3% ABV American Pale Ale features a load of West Coast hops, including CentennialChinookCitraColumbus, and Simcoe, but at a light 43 IBUs. The only way to grab a pint of the beer is at one of The Barrowdowns shows, the first of which is tomorrow, at the Seahorse Tavern. The first 40 people through the door will receive a pint of the beer with their cover charge, and will also have a chance to name the beer. The winner will receive tickets to their May 19 Album Release Party, the next time the beer will be available, plus a copy of the album. More details on the tomorrow’s lineup are here.

Pump House has released their first new beer in a while, Albert County Maple Ale. Marketed as a “malty amber ale with a twist”, this one features the addition fenugreek seeds and locally-produced dark maple syrup. Coming in at 5.2% ABV and 8 IBUs, the brewery describes it as having a “medium mouthfeel with a smooth, clean finish”, with hints of maple. It appears to be available on tap only, so drop by the brewpub in Moncton today to give it a try; it may pop up at select PH accounts as well.

• Digby’s Roof Hound is bringing out the second entry in their series of Dive Bar Cocktail-inspired beers. Back in March they gave us a preview of summer with their Mojito Dry-hopped Sour and now they’re giving us the other barrel of seasonal longing with the Fuzzy Navel IPA. Featuring a tropical burst from the Australian hop variety Vic Secret played against fruit flavours from peach purée and pomegranate juice, this is a juicy and hazy IPA in the New England style. With fruit flavours and hops reminiscent of summer, the 6.25% ABV is likely to sneak up on you if you’re not careful. You’ll find it this weekend at the brewery and also in the city for fills at Bishop’s Cellar and on tap at Stillwell, Good Robot and 2 Crows, with Stubborn Goat expecting to have it next week. A perfect opportunity to give the Fuzzy Navel a try will come tomorrow night at Roof Hound’s Night of Colour event. The Sounds of Colour will be entertaining from 9pm – 12am while artist David Gorman will do a live painting that is destined to grace the walls at Roof Hound on a permanent basis. Admission is $5.

• And if you’re considering working in the beer or beer-related hospitality industry and you’re local to Digby, NS, Roof Hound might want to talk to you. After less than a year in business, Les and company are more than doubling their brewing production and nearly doubling their seating capacity. They’ll also be bottling their beer in the near future. To make this expansion possible, they’ll be needing to supplement their staff with part time workers (19 years of age or more) to fill positions as Brewery Assistant, Kitchen Assistant, Dishwasher and Beverage Room Server. If you’re interested, hit up the Roof Hound web page and send a message via Facebook, Instagram or Email.

• In Shelburne, Boxing Rock brought out a new beer this week to celebrate the pending launch of Finest Kind Food, a new mobile food trailer set to take up regular residence at the brewery this summer. Sheila Bird, who has been making bread from Boxing Rock’s spent grain for several years, will be officially opening the window of her mobile trailer for business on Open Brewery Day, May 6th, featuring a menu of simple, healthy, local and fun food. Food that pairs nicely with Nova Scotia craft beer. Nova Scotia craft beer like the new Finest Kind Pale Ale (note: Finest Kind, two words) brewed as a collaboration with Sheila. At 5.3% ABV and 35 IBU, it sits solidly in the sweet spot for the American Pale Ale style and features biscuity malt from Horton Ridge providing a solid counterpoint for a tropical, piney and citrusy blend of new world hops. So give it a try, and look forward to enjoying a few beers accompanied by spent grain pretzels and pizza (and more!) on the Boxing Rock deck this summer.

• Today, TrailWay is re-releasing their very popular D’under, a 5.5% ABV seasonal American Pale Ale brewed with loads of Australian hops. This release will be the first time this beer is available in cans, with a small portion also being kegged for licensees. This first batch was a small one, so be sure to drop by the tasting room to pick up some cans of this tropical beauty! And don’t worry, we can expect even more TW beer soon, as they’ve recently added another 30 BBL (3500 L) fermentor to the brewery.

Tatamagouche Brewing has a popular seasonal of their own on the shelves these days, their Russian Imperial Stout. This 8.5% ABV roasty, chocolately, full-bodied beer won a Gold medal at the 2016 Canadian Brewing Awards. As a member of their Giant Beer series, this beer is packaged in 650ml bottles, and available now at the brewery. And joining the RIS this week is the latest batch of their Deadeye Double IPA, a 8.0% ABV, 90+ IBU American-style IPA. Featuring lots and lots of Hallertau BlancCascade, and Chinook hops, the yeast has returned to its original american ale strain, after a foray into Vermont territory. This full release means the beer is available for growler fills at the brewery (and maybe at some Halifax-based private stores), as well as cans. Look for it to hit the taps at Tata’s licensees this weekend. Or, better yet, drop by the brewery tomorrow for some sampling, and check out the Tattoo Brew event going on all day. Rolling Sea Tattooery will be setting up their chair and bringing their ink guns to help people (permanently) declare their love of Tata Beer. Eager clients have snapped up all of the spots, but the possibility of cancellations or quicker-than-anticipated tats means you could still grab one. Check out the options available on the FB events page, and drop by 11-6pm to check out the action (and beer!).

• Today at noon marks the return of two favorites from Halifax’s Unfiltered Brewing. Striking while the iron is hot after their star-turn (as in, the transcript is full of *’s) this week on the 902 Brewcast (Blue-cast?) Greg Nash and Andrew Murphy made the magic happen to bring back both Front Line Rocker and Daytimer Berliner Weisse ahead of schedule. Still the fastest-selling beer in Unfiltered’s history, the Front Line Rocker is a massively juicy and mind-shatteringly hoppy DIPA that comes in at 8% ABV and 100+ IBU. At the other end of the spectrum is the Daytimer, a summer favourite in Haligon for the past couple of years, an extremely light 3.4% ABV brew that pairs a thirst-quenching sourness with a blast of tropical aroma from a healthy Mosaic dry-hop. And don’t think for a second that the boys rushed these out the door: listen to the episode via iTunes for their unvarnished take on several topics, including particularly pertinent words about the importance and value of a brewery’s reputation.

• Halifax’s Good Robot has a busy weekend ahead of them. Buoyed by the return of Whackity Schmackity Brew!, their American Wheat Beer, and imminent return of Tom Waits For No One Stout (most likely Sunday), there will also be a pair of events (and accompanying releases) in the next couple of days. Tomorrow is a Day of Beer and Vinyl, celebrating National (did we ever figure out which nation this is?) Record Store Day. Hitting the taps will be Mississippi Goddam, a five-month-old 11.0% ABV Barleywine, which is “dark, rich, vinous, with a super caramel-fruitcake nose”, according to the brewery. Hitting the taps Sunday, celebrating the day after Earthy Day, is Work With Whatcha Got Gruit Earth Day Ale, made with 100% Horton Ridge Malt (both the summer and winter maltings), Nova Scotia-grown hops (Centennial and Chinook) from Fundy Hops, with maple sap and maple buds, as well as toasted paper and yellow birch from HRM. Grab this, along with Organic guest taps from Tatamagouche (Hippie Dippie Pale Ale) and Big Spruce (The Whole 9 Yards Scotch Ale) from noon during their Earth Day Hangover.

It’s a busy weekend ahead for us thirsty beer fans in #AtlCanBeer land!

• The 2 Crows crew are at it again, with a Tap Takeover taking place tonight at The Stubborn Goat. From 7pm on, look for 10+ 2C beers to be flowing, with special pricing available for flights of their beer, so you can try them all (and then grab a pint of your favourite!). Folks from 2 Crows will be there to chat beer, brewing, this crazy weather we’re having, whatever you want! And when you do grab that flight, you’ll receive a ballot to win tickets to the next day’s Brewer’s Brunch. Jeremy Taylor of 2 Crows has paired up four of their beer with four dishes from the Goat, for a great hangover cure. The ticketed event runs 1-3pm on Saturday, and can be reserved via email or in person.

• Those looking for a bit of a different event this weekend may enjoy checking out Saltscapes East Coast Expo at the Halifax Exhibition Centre. Running today until Sunday, the event showcases crafts, destinations, and food and drink made in the Maritimes. There will be ten breweries and distilleries in attendance providing plenty of samples, so at $14.50 (or less with this coupon), it could be the cheapest inadvertent beer fest you hit up this spring! One great reason to visit will be to help Sober Island Brewing celebrate their First Anniversary! They will be pouring the Oyster Stout, Bitter, and launching a new core beer, their Blonde, all of which are early batches from their massively-expanded brewhouse. At 5.0% ABV, this “gateway beer” features a twist on the theme, using a dash of Honey Malt in the grain bill, which carries through to a pleasant flavour in the finished beer. Lightly hopped to 20 IBU with Cascade and Mount Hood, it is sure to be a great summer sipper. In addition to samples of all three beers, visitors can buy crowlers to go, as well as plenty of merch. Happy birthday SIBC!

• The newly-formed Moncton Craft Brewers Collective is holding a Tap Takeover at Tide & Boar tomorrow, April 22nd, all day. There’s no ticket required, and in addition to full and half pours, flights will be available for purchase. For a full list of breweries attending and beers they’ll be pouring, take a look here. And if you’re anxious to talk beer, many of the brewers themselves will be attending, and are happy to chat! And if they’re not, feel free to keep bugging them until they are. 😉

Picaroons is releasing Dooryard, their popular seasonal Wheat beer, tomorrow, April 22nd, with an accompanying Launch Party to boot. Held at the brewery from 2-7 pm, there’ll be lots going on, including washer toss, music, snacks, and plenty of Dooryard on tap for sampling and purchasing. It will also be available on tap at the other Picaroons locations in the province, and will start shipping out in bottles (with a newly-designed label) on April 24th. For more info, check out the link above.

• Agricola Street’s Lion & Bright is holding their annual Earth Day Celebration this weekend, culminating in a Tap Takeover Party featuring Big Spruce beers. With live music from Saturday at 9pm from The Modern Grass, $1 from each pint of beer will be donated to the Ecology Action Centre. In addition, L&B will be donating $0.50 from each taco sold all weekend long, Check out the FB event page for a bit more information.

• In addition to their beer release this week, Boxing Rock will also be at White Point Beach Resort tomorrow (Saturday, April 22) with representatives from the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada , Kejimkujik National Park and Historic Site and Friends of Keji for an event entitled Boxing Rock Serves Up the Stars. Starting at 4pm, Boxing Rock’s Emily Tipton will host a beer tasting that features a sneak peek of their yet-to-be-released Dark as Keji Black IPA that they’re dedicating to Kejimkujik as part of the Canada 150 celebrations. This beer will be officially launched on May 20 at Keji, with samples at the sky circle there. A portion of the proceeds from each 6-pack sold will be donated to the Friends of Keji to support education programs related to the Dark Sky Preserve. This weekend you’ll be able to get a taste of that and other Boxing Rock brews as Emily gives a virtual brewery tour. After that, and a few words from RASC and Keji about the partnership with Boxing Rock, some RASC volunteers will lead a family-friendly evening program about the night sky and stargazing.

• On April 29th and 30th, expand your beer knowledge with the next installment of the Certified Beer Server course, presented by CAPS Atlantic. Tuition includes the cost and facilitation of the Cicerone Certified Beer Server Exam, along with four lectures, text book, brewery tour, and daily tastings. The lectures will be presented by Garrison Brewmaster Daniel Girard, and CAPS President, Certified Beer Server and Sommelier, Peter Goneau. To sign up and learn more, check out the training webpage.

• A reminder that the Fredericton Poutine Festival is happening next Saturday, April 29th, at the Crowne Plaza. This is the 6th time the event has been held in the city, and as always there are three sessions: a family one from 11:30 am-1:30 pm, and two 19+ sessions (2:15-5:15 pm, 7-10 pm) that feature beer, cider, and mead! Participating breweries include Grimross, Maybee, and TrailWay, as well as Red Rover, York County Cider, and Sunset Heights Meadery. There are different ticket options, including a VIP one for the latest session, that gets you in at 6 pm; be sure to check them out here. Tickets are still available, so be sure to get yours soon!

• Friend to local beer, Lunenburg’s Grand Banker will be hosting their fifth Winemaker vs Brewmaster dinner April 29th, featuring Hanspeter Stutz, of Grand Pré Wines taking on Emily Tipton of Boxing Rock. The two local alcohol makers will be choosing the best of their beer or wine to pair with each of the five courses being served that evening. Guests will try both drinks with each dish, and vote for the best pairing with either a wine cork or bottle cap. After the dinner, the winner is crowned based on the number of caps or corks collected. Tickets are still available for the evening.

• Cinco de Mayo is approaching fast, and if you’re in Fredericton, you don’t have to travel to Mexico to celebrate! On Friday, May 5th, Maybee Brewing is holding their Cinco de Mayo celebration, and there’s lots going on! Starting at 5 pm with with happy hour drink specials (till 7 pm) and Milda’s Pizza onsite, a special “Mexican-inspired cask” will be tapped at 6 pm. At 7 pm, a ticket will be required to continue with the fun ($10 each, available here), including piñata smashing, live music, and more beer. A free shuttle will be making several trips from the brewery to downtown, from 11:30 pm-1 am.

• A unique event is coming to the South Shore May 20th, Sip, Savour and Cycle Tour. Riders choose their ride length of choice, whether it be 25, 60, or 104km, and make their way from Mahone Bay at 10am, grab lunch in Lunenburg, and back to Mahone Bay for a wrap-up party. Along the way, stop into Saltbox Brewing, Ironworks Distillery, and more, at your own pace. For lots more information (including the exact route), and to sign up, visit the event’s webpage.

For those of you in Nova Scotia, keep your eyes open for the expanded local beer availability at your local NSLCs, including 2 Crows, Downeast Beer Factory, North, and Trider’s. Here are a few more things that have popped up this week:

Mill Street St. John’s has released Right Off the Hop Double IPA this week, a beer we first mentioned a couple of weeks ago. The 7.5% ABV SMaSH beer features loads of El Dorado, to the tune of 68 IBU, and lots of fruity aromatics. Grab a pint or growler today!
– Mahone Bay’s Saltbox Brewing has brought back their Loyalist beer, a 6.7% ABV English-inspired beer, featuring complex malt notes including caramel, coffee, and toffee, with a hint of citrus from the hops. Grab it, plus their other beers (maybe some of their Jam Session Batch 83 Raspberry Pi beer, if it’s still around) at the brewery this weekend.
– A reminder of Stillwell’s busy weekend, starting with the To Øl Tap Takeover Saturday, with 12 taps of Danish Metal pouring from noon. And while tickets for Sunday’s tasting with Stephen Beaumont are sold out, we have it on good authority that there may be a few leftover goodies to enjoy at its conclusion at 4pm.
YellowBelly Brewpub in St. John’s has brought back their Brewis Hard Tack Ale, made with day-old bread from their neighbours at Rocket Bakery. The light-bodied beer is on tap now, and will be available in bottles shortly. Though we do not have confirmation of the exact recipe and breads used, check out our description of the beer when it was released in April 2016, for an idea of the finished product.

Happy Friday, and happy St. Patrick’s Day! If being a Friday wasn’t a good enough excuse to drink, now you have two reasons! But before you reach for that beer (stay away from food colouring!), let’s take a few minutes to get caught up with our local beer news…

• The 2017 Fredericton Craft Beer Festival – the 5th year for the fest – was a huge success, and – as we can personally verify – one hell of a good time! With two sessions on Saturday, there were 58 breweries pouring over 220 beers, ciders, and meads, 5200+ L of beer served to ~1,750 people. Thanks to organizer Lloyd Chambers and 50 loyal volunteers, everything went smoothly, proving that the festival does indeed improve with every year. Several other events were also going on through the week (and even into Sunday), with plenty of beer lovers turning out to take part. This was also the first year for the Down East Brewing Awards, which had close to 140 different beers and ciders entered by commercial breweries in Atlantic Canada. The winners were announced at the FCBF afternoon session, and Fredericton’s TrailWay took home Brewery of the Year, thanks to winning three gold medals and Best of Show (check out the link for the full list of winners). Congratulations! Thanks again to everyone who helped to make FCBF such a success, and we’ll see you next year, with a date of March 10th already set! And don’t forget to vote for Best of the Fest, rewarding your favourite breweries that attended this year’s event.

• Attention Newfoundland Beer Fans! Split Rock Brewing Company is coming soon to Twillingate, on the island’s Northeast shore. Allison and Matt Vincent are residents of the town, and were living and working away from home for several years. In the mid-2000s, while living in Halifax, they caught the craft beer bug, and began homebrewing. Starting with wine and beer kits, they graduated to brewing All Grain in 2010, and haven’t looked back since. Like many avid homebrewers, the idea of starting a brewery in their hometown was always in the back of their mind, but at that time, just a dream. An opportunity for Allison to move back home in 2014 brought them back to Twillingate, and, as Allison puts it, “with the tourism industry booming and many young people moving home, we knew it needed a microbrewery!” Local businesspeople Tim and Robin Vatcher share their vision to bring a growth industry back to the region, and are helping to bring Split Rock Brewing Co to fruition. Brewmaster Matt will be brewing on a 500 litre (4 BBL) system from Colorado Brewing Systems, capable of a full brewday in only four hours, with 3800 litres of fermentation capacity for a wide variety of beers on the go simultaneously. Speaking of which, they are fans of brewing (and drinking) English-style beer, and will be launching with a variety of those, including a Bitter, Red Ale (with Rye), Brown Ale, Stout, and IPA, as well as a Belgian Witbier and Cream Ale. Split Rock will be hitting the local taps late spring; stay tuned to their social media and here for the full scoop!

• Down in Digby, NS, Roof Hound has taken taken one of the truly formative steps in the life of a young brewery by hiring an assistant brewer. Magen Powell is a veteran of the restaurant industry where she has worked on and off since she was 19 years of age, serving, bartending and managing. Her stint with Nova Scotia draught and tap experts BeerTech helped her develop a solid technical understanding and the skills needed to install and maintain dispensing systems. This also helps her bring another perspective to brewing in terms of how beer and other carbonated liquids behave and the influence of different gases (CO2, “beer gas”, Nitro, etc.) in dispensing. Magen’s first foray in the brewhouse is the Dive Bar Classics series, beginning with the Mojito Dry-hopped Sour that was released on March 4th. This series reflects her passion for being a “bar chef” and her interest in craft cocktails featuring local ingredients. The next in the series, Fuzzy Navel IPA was brewed this week and you can expect it to debut in April. We’ll be sure to get more details about that one as the release date approaches.

• Meanwhile, Roof Hound is also putting on something special for your St. Patrick’s day celebration today – they’ve taken their Handsome Devil Coffee Milk Porter and jazzed it up with almonds, vanilla bean and Irish Whiskey. The result is 7% ABV and there’s only one keg of it down at the brewery. So if you’re in the Digby area tonight and fixing for something dark, smooth and sweet, this one sounds like a good bet!

• In other St. Paddy’s Day beer news, Fredericton’s Picaroons just released The Leprechaunundrum, a dark, bitter, 6.5% ABV ale that doesn’t appear to fit into any particular style of beer. Described by the brewery as “dry and full-bodied, yet fruity due to the generous amounts of Galaxy hops”, it’s now on tap at all Picaroons locations across New Brunswick, and may pop up at select bars/restaurants in the near future.

Bulwark Cider’s special People’s Cider Project is ready for prime-time! We first mentioned it in October, when they put out the call for folks with hobby orchards, abandoned orchards, or just some apple trees on their property to bring apples to Ross Farm Museum for Cider Days. The original hope was simply that enough cider would be made to share with all the apple-givers who were issued People’s Cider Memberships in exchange for their apples. In the end things went a whole lot better than that and the first community-driven cider project in Nova Scotia (at least in recorded memory) is a great success. The People’s Cider has arrived and was launched this week. A rustic cider coming in at 7.8% ABV, it features aromas of apple blossom, pear, and clover honey and has a crisp, dry finish. Given the many varieties of apples it contains, some of which have surely been all but forgotten, it expresses true terroir; future versions are bound to be different, but this is your chance to taste the very first. Available in 500ml bottles, you’ll be able to find it at the private liquor stores in Halifax as well as the NSLC Port of Wines store. If you’re not in Halifax, or even in Nova Scotia, and you want to get your hands on this special batch, fear not! Bulwark has now launched an online store shipping cider and branded merchandise country-wide. This is great news for both Bulwark and cider fans across the land; now if only breweries were allowed to do the same thing…

• After a brief hiatus, Dartmouth’s Spindrift Brewing has brought back their Killick Session Lager this week, but in a big way. The 4.7% ABV Munich Helles-style beer, originally released as Kinobier last fall to celebrate Devour! Film Fest, is now available in six-pack format. The Helles (“Bright” or “Pale”) style is a traditional German style of beer, known to be supremely drinkable, and the local version does not disappoint. Featuring Heidelberg Malt as the sole grain, and a light bitterness from Herkules hops (with Huell Melon for aroma and flavour), these ingredients keep the beer authentically German. Six-packs are available now at the brewery and at Bishop’s Cellar on the Halifax waterfront, and debuting at the NSLC Monday, April 3rd. And in an update for you Blueberry Chai Pils fans (or soon-to-be fans), packaging of this beer will be happening early next week, with release mid-next-week at the brewery, and with the standard Spindrift Tall Boy cans debuting at the NSLC April 3rd.

• Moncton’s Tide & Boar Brewing is holding another Growler Day today, with a pair of beers available to go. Method IPA is a hazy and juicy, orange hoppy beer with lots of citrus and peach notes, according to the brewery. Clocking in at 7% ABV, the brewery assures us it’s “new and improved”! T&B’s latest sour beer will also be pouring – Sour Otis Tangelo Oranges features, yes, tangelo, a citrus fruit that is a hybrid of tangerine and grapefruit. The details stop there, but assuming this beer follows the trend set by the others in the Sour Otis series, it was likely kettle soured to give plenty of tartness to complement the character from the fruit addition.

• We’ve got lots of news to share about Sober Island Brewing, who are putting the final touches on their major expansion at their brewery (new building, and a 820 litre (7BBL) brewhouse, up from 50 litre). They expect to be brewing on the system before the end of the month, which means an April launch. In the meantime, however, they will be adding a brand new beer to their core lineup, a Blonde Ale very soon. Described as a “bread and butter sort of beer” by owner Rebecca Atkinson, the easy drinking brew uses a different yeast than the rest of their year-round offerings, low in hop profile, but with plenty of character. The approachable beer is meant to introduce local drinkers to the wonderful world of small batch beer. First sips and samples will be available at the Musquodoboit Harbour Farmers’ Market this Sunday.

• This week’s edition of The Coast, Halifax’s alt-weekly, is beer-centric, so be sure to grab it to learn about what local brewers are drinking, an interview with Propeller Brewing’s John Allen, and some suggestions for St. Patrick’s Day drinking from the 902BrewCast guys. Speaking of which, they have released their March Tasting Episode this morning, so be sure to grab that in your favourite podcasting method.

• The annual Saint John Beer Fest is coming up fast (Saturday, April 8th), and Flying Boats will be attending with a brand new beer in tow. Brewed in collaboration with local beer writer Craig Pinhey, it’s being stylized as a “hybrid Amber Ale” brewed to feature the Special B malt. Known for imparting raisin-like, dark fruit characteristics when used in brewing, Special B is more often seen in dark, Belgian-style ales. Flying Boats’ beer also has NB-grown Cascade hops added for bittering and flavour, and will come in at around 29 IBUs and 5.5% ABV. If you can’t make it to the SJBF – there are a few tickets still on sale, by the way – fear not! This one will also be on tap at Flying Boats accounts.

• The NB maple beers continue to flow, as Foghorn just released their take on the style. Described by the brewery as a “Maple Rye”, Xylem has a subtle maple flavour thanks to the addition of 20 L of maple syrup from local producer Briggs Maples. Hopped to 35 IBUs with Southan Goldings, giving a moderate bitterness in the finish. The beer weighs in at 5.7% ABV, and is available now for pints and growler fills at the brewery’s taproom; keep your eyes peeled, as it may pop up on tap at your favourite Foghorn licensee, soon. And keep an eye out for more Maple Beers, launched as a Tourism NB partnership between maple producers and brewers. Also on the list is Distillerie Fils du Roy‘s Monseigneur Paquet collaboration with their Pacquetville neighbours, Sucrerie Chiasson.

• In Nackawic, you’ll find Big Axe putting out their Maple Bourbon Porter, a 5.4% ABV brown porter with a light to medium body and a mild bitterness. The maple syrup for this beer came from Dumfries Maples across the river. Bourbon-soaked oak chips were added to the secondary along with a second shot of maple syrup. Continuing the maple theme, Big Axe will also be doing their annual Maple Wheat Amber as soon as the sugaring season starts, with their usual partner Stone Family Maple Products providing the syrup for that one. We’ll update you on that one as the season goes on.

• And speaking of Fils du Roy, they will be releasing a new beer next weekend, as part of an event in Bathurst. Capt. Craig Brown Ale is a 5.5% ABV, 28 IBU beer named after famous/infamous Capt Craig, a maurader in the Baie de Chaleur, and whose phantom ship is thought to sail the Baie to this day. Le Soiree Noir & Blanc is a fundraising supper happening in Bathurst Mar 25th, in support of food security and assistance for the region’s youth. After the launch, bottles of the beer will be more widely available at the region’s ANBL locations.

In addition to today’s excuse to grab a few pints at your local, we’ve got a few more reasons to celebrate local: 

• Happy One Year Anniversary to Fredericton’s York County Cider! Drop by their retail location at 418 York Street this afternoon from 4-7pm for free sampling, snacks, and prizes.

• Wolfville’s La Torta Pizzeria will be hosting a very special event tomorrow, Saturday the 18th, their first (we think!) tap takeover, as Tatamagouche Brewing comes in from the North Shore. Twelve, count ’em, 12 taps will be flowing with Tata’s signature brews starting at 2pm. There will be door prizes, swag, live music featuring Steve Lee, and no cover charge. The tap list has been slowly revealed this week via social media, with taps 1-4 showcasing the lighter side and taps 5-8 banging the hops. Taps 8-12 are yet to be revealed; check Tata’s Twitter throughout the day for the announcement. And plan to bring an appetite, as La Torta’s Neapolitan-style wood-fired oven will be in full swing.

PEI Brewing Co. will be holding a special Tap Takeover at HopYard on Saturday, March 25th, where they will be launching their dry-hopped Brett Saison. Aptly named Patience, this beer was brewed almost six months ago. With a grist of 2-row, Munich malt, and wheat, it was fermented with a Saison strain, as well as the wild yeast strain Brettanomyces, which can continue to develop funky flavours and aromas when given enough time. Once it was about ready, it was then dry-hopped with the tropical Citra and Mosaic varieties, and primed (carbonated) in the bottle for several weeks. This is the first Brett (and bottle-conditioned) beer for PEIBC, so be sure to grab a few bottles when you can! Aside from the PEIBC tap takeover, the event will feature lots of live music, as well as a limited edition menu collaboration with Chef Jane Crawford and Chef Adam Loo. Bring your appetites! It all starts at 4 pm, with no cover.

• On April 2nd (rescheduled from March 25 due to shipping issues), Halifax’s Stillwell Beer Bar will be hosting a BC Brewery Tap Takeover, featuring 3 heavy-hitters from the West Coast: Brassneck Brewery in Vancouver, Four Winds Brewing from Delta, and Dageraad of Burnaby. Featuring a wide variety in styles of beer, including Brassneck’s Changeling Raspberry Sour, Four Winds’ Featherweight Session IPA, and Dageraad’s Sri Lanka Dubbel. No tickets required for the event, and the doors open at noon. For the full taplist, check out the Brewnosers Forums for the salivating details.

• Now that FCBF is over, it’s time to start planning for the next beer-themed Fredericton event – Poutine Fest! Scheduled for Saturday, April 29th, like past events it will feature three different sessions, with two of them (late afternoon and evening) pouring over 12 different beers, ciders and meads. There are different ticket options which determine the number of drink tickets you receive (click out the link for details); of course, all tickets include all-you-can-eat poutine, with 12+ different varieties being available! Tickets go on sale today at 11 am; the event has sold out every time since its initial launch, so be sure to grab yours ASAP.

• And if summer doesn’t feel too far away for you, we have news on a new festival coming up! The first Big Axe Craft Beer Festival will be held in downtown Nackawic, NB on Saturday, July 15th from 4-8 pm. Organized by Peter and Tatiana Cole of Big Axe Brewery, exact details are still being ironed out, but there will be 20+ breweries from NB, NS, PEI and Maine on hand, as well as live music (including David in the Dark), and food vendors offering “an assortment of foods grown and sourced in NB”. Tickets are already on sale, and are $50 each; there is also a limited-availability $65 option, which includes a bus ride to and from the festival from Fredericton or Woodstock. Breweries confirmed so far include Grimross, Maybee, Hammond River, Picaroons, Sober Island, Foghorn, Upstreet, Petit-Sault, Red Rover, Sunset Heights Meadery, and Portland, Maine’s Urban Farm Fermentory. Be sure to buy your tickets ASAP, before they’re gone!

And before we go this week…

Good Robot will have their Dave & Morley Coffee Brown back on tap as of today in version 2.0 form, this time featuring Rwanda Kanzu (from Java Blend, of course) as the coffee component. So pull up a stool, order one up, and maybe lift your glass to the late, great Stuart McLean, who inspired this brew. Meanwhile, the gang has installed their Buffalo Trace whiskey barrels and will shortly be pouring things into them; we’ll let you know what when the appropriate time comes.
Mill Street St John’s has brought back their Jigger’s Delight Cali Common (5% ABV, 14 IBUs), a hybrid between lager and ale that is described as “fresh and zingy, with medium body and toasty caramel notes”.
– Needing a Nine Locks Fathom fix? Good news, it’s back in cans again! This 8% ABV DIPA recently won a medal in the Down East Brewing Awards, so stock up while you can!
– Picaroons has announced that they’re looking to fill two brewing positions, one at the Saint John brewery, and one in St. Stephen. Both breweries are 2.5 hL in size, double-batching into 5 hL. For a full list of qualifications and contact info, check out this link.
– The region’s Homebrewers, especially those in the HRM, will be excited to hear that Everwood Avenue Brewshop is relocating out of owner Dave Gillette’s basement and into a retail space in Lower Sackville. This will mean regular retail hours six days a week, and only closing on Mondays. The space is roughly twice as large and will allow the shop to expand its product lines and better cater to different market segments. We’ll have more details before the expected opening on April 5th, but for now can tell you that they’re looking for a full-time employee for the new space. You can find the details of the position posted on the Brewnoser’s forum.

Happy Friday everyone! We’ve got news about the newest brewery to launch in our region, as well as much more on two new NB breweries launching this fall. Plus our usual rundown of the new beers hitting the taps and shelves in our region. It’s another chock-full edition of the blog!

• Moncton-based Beckwith Road Brewing has launched this week, with a pair of their beers now available on tap in town. Founded by cousins Mark and Mitch Symes, Beckwith Road is named after the farm their family has owned for generations, north of Moncton. Mitch is the brewer, currently using a 1/2 BBL (50L) system, while scouting out locations and equipment for possible expansion in the future. Mark is no beer slouch himself, taking the Ultimate Three Month Beer Road Trip with his dog across North America earlier this year, clocking more than 22,000km. During that time, he explored the best that beer has to offer, and both cousins are working hard to bring that to Beckwith Road’s offerings. They have launched with two beers, Boston George and Aunt MarthaBoston George is a hybrid of their favourite styles, Pale Ale and IPA, straddling the line in both alcohol and bitterness, at 6.3%ABV and 53 IBUS, respectively. Named after their grandfather’s cousin, it features floral and fruit notes, including banana, mango, pineapple and citrus on the nose and flavour. Aunt Martha is a 4.3% ABV, 31 IBUs, American Blonde Ale, named after their aunt who enjoys light lagers, and they have brewed an approachable beer for craft and industrial beer lovers alike. Light hopping from Chinook and Palisade round out the light body and crisp finish. Both beers are currently on tap at the Tide & Boar on Main Street, and will be joined by Campfire, a 5.2% ABV, 40 IBUs, American Amber early- to mid-next week. The use of Pale Chocolate and Crystal Malts impart some roast and sweet character, with notes of caramel being offset with light hopping from the CascadeCentennial, and Nugget. Congratulations on the launch, and welcome to the wonderful world of Atlantic Canada Beer!

• Two weeks ago, we reported on Fundy Bay Brewco, a new brewery planning to open soon in the town of Sussex, NB. After talking to Paul Robertson, one of the three people who have been working on opening the brewery since last October, we can now confirm that they will be starting out by brewing on a 2 BBL (225 L) Blichmann system. A small tasting was held for local Sussex residents in early July, where their three core brands – an American IPA, Belgian Dubbel, and Session IPA – were sampled (for more info on these beers, check out our previous post); initial plans also involve the release of 1-2 seasonals per season. Their plans right now are to supply local bars and restaurants with kegs, which should hopefully begin sometime in late fall of this year, with the opening of a taproom to follow sometime later. As always, we’ll keep you updated on their progress!

• Rumours have been circulating for months, but it was officially confirmed earlier this week that Foghorn Brewing Company will be opening this fall in Rothesay, NB. Located at 47 Clark Rd., the brewery is co-owned by Business Manager Steve Russell and Andrew ‘Esty’ Estabrooks, who will also serve as brewmaster. The 7 BBL (~800 L) brewery will have an attached taproom for patrons to enjoy a pint and fill growlers to go. Information is a little slim at the moment, but follow along with their Facebook and Twitter accounts as development progresses, and we’ll be sure to post a Q&A with them in the near future.

• After an incredibly busy first week, Digby’s Roof Hound is releasing their second beer this weekend. With just a bit of Lil Pup Pale Ale left (but more coming soon!), Rooftop Rye-It is making its debut. Featuring a load of rye malt for a pleasant spicy character, this 4.8% ABV beer is full bodied and a great complement to the pizzas and sandwiches coming from the kitchen (both prepared with dough made on-site with a touch of beer in the recipe). Drop by daily from 11am.

• There’s not one, but two new beers available now from Nyanza’s Big Spruce. First up is This is Complexified, a big, bold Baltic Porter. A dark beer fermented cool with Bohemian Lager yeast, it was then cold-conditioned for an additional 4 weeks, and then split into two barrels: Bourbon barrels from Buffalo Trace, and Glenora single-malt whisky barrels. Aged for four months, then blended, the result is a beer that puts the “complex” in Complexified (a perfectly cromulent word)! Your options to try this 11.5% ABV monster are limited: either at the brewery for samples and Yapper fills, or you might be able to get a pour at one of three Halifax establishments – Stillwell, Battery Park, and Good Robot – all of which received/will receive a single, 20 L keg.

• Next from Big Spruce is Dawn Wit Berries, a “Belgian Strawberry Witbier”. Conditioned on 150 lbs of organic strawberries from local Wings of Dawn Farm in Debert, NS, it was fermented with the Fruity Witbier yeast strain from Escarpment Labs, described as producing “lots of complex fruity esters” to go along with the classic Witbier coriander character. This easy-drinking beer will be available at the brewery and at establishments serving Big Spruce beers; at 4.8% ABV and 17 IBUs, it’s a perfect session ale for summer. Drop by this weekend for the “Farm to Fork Food Truck Weekend”, featuring Cruisin’ Cuisine.

• Accidents happen in brewing, as in life, and sometimes they work out for everyone! Good Robot is no exception to this rule, as they proved recently with a new beer, The Fermenter Has Been Drinking. While brewing their Tom Waits For No One Stout, their kettle burner took a turn for the worst, resulting in a lower-gravity wort for fermentation (meaning less alcohol after fermentation). Not to be outdone, the brewing team added some cold-brewed Java Blend Sumatra Gayo coffee, giving a dark-brown beer with notes of roast, dark chocolate, berries, and wood in the aroma and flavour. This American Stout clocks in at 6.7% ABV and 60 IBUs.

• There’s yet another new beer being released at North, Horton Single Malt. This Belgian Specialty Ale was brewed entirely with Vienna malt sourced from Horton Ridge Malt and Grain Co., and dry-hopped with Cascade. Fermented with the Old World Saison Blend (featuring two Saison strains) from Escarpment Labs, it weighs in at 7% ABV. Expect a blend of both fruit and spice, with a dry finish. Look for it to be released today at both their Agricola and Ochterloney locations, and on tap around the HRM.

• There’s a new beer now pouring from Lazy Bear BrewingSissiboo Stout was brewed with a variety of both Chocolate and Roasted malts, as well as some oatmeal to boost the mouthfeel. Added to the brew was a portion of Honduran-sourced Tobiatic Wild from local Sissiboo Coffee Roaster; cold-extracted and added after fermentation was complete, this medium-roast coffee contributes a pleasant level of roast flavours (without being overpowering), as well as a slight hint of orange peel, according to the brewery. A small amount of an unnamed hop variety was added near the end of the boil to complement this orange peel character. This 5.5% ABV, ~30 IBUs beer is available this Saturday at the Annapolis Royal Farmers’ Market for growler fills, and will likely show up on tap around Digby in the near future.

Bore City has released an interesting new beer, Fricot, an homage to a popular Acadian dish. To accomplish this, potatoes were added during the mash, as well as the Summer Savory herb at the end of the boil. This hazy, pale-to-golden-coloured ale was hopped with Hallertau Blanc, and fermented with a “fruity Belgian yeast strain”, for a real blend of flavours! Best-described as a Belgian Golden Strong Ale, it weighs in at 7.1% ABV and 39 IBUs, and will be on tap exclusively at Marky’s Laundromat.

PEI Brewing Company has put on a brand new cask in their tap room, the brainchild of brewer Spencer Gallant. The Lactic-Soured Peppercorn Wheat builds on the Sir John A Wheat base, but with a sharp, tart character, and pleasant fruit and earth peppercorn flavour and aromatics. This 4.5% ABV, 12 IBU brew is only available for sale at the brewery via handpump, so drop by today for a taste!

• Halifax’s Unfiltered Brewing is bringing back an old favourite, with a new twist. All Falc’d Up! Double IPA returns today at noon. This SMaSH of 2-Row Malt features Falconer’s Flight 7C’s hops, a special blend of citrus and fruit-forward hops developed as an ode to Pacific Northwest brewing legend Glen Hay Falconer. The brew was fermented with Vermont Ale yeast for more tropical aromatics, finishing out this 7.5% ABV, 100+ IBUs beauty. Grab a pint or growler of it today from noon!

• Port Williams’ Wayfarers’ Ale Society has released a fourth beer this week. EPA is a traditional 5.0% ABV English Pale Ale, favouring a medium malt backbone with a touch of bitterness (coming in around 30 IBUs). Light esters give a pleasant fruity character, completing the English experience. It joins the Thistle Dew Scottish Ale, Hellene Blonde and Ruby Irish Ale for a full complement of European and UK-inspired beers.

• Attention, Johnny Jacks fans – their beer will soon be hitting select ANBL stores! The Oromocto-based nanobrewery will first be bottling their Trench Fighter IPA, followed by their Viking Ale and Smokin’ Amber. Look for the first bottles to hit the Oromocto ANBL outlet by early fall, with Fredericton and Saint John stores following shortly thereafter. The brewery has recently ordered two 1.5 BBL (175 L) fermentors to keep up with production, so look for more JJ beers to be available soon (including a special, bottle-conditioned beer brewed just in time for Christmas!). In the meantime, their beers can be found on tap at the Sour Grape Cafe, James Joyce, Gray Stone, and the Cask & Kettle.

There’s several beer-related events happening over the coming weeks and months:

• Don’t forget to grab tickets to this Thursday (August 18th2 Crows Brewing Sneak Preview Party, hosted by the Ladies Beer League. Tickets are still available, and attendees will be enjoying a half-dozen beers from the 20 BBL (23 hL) Halifax brewery set to open this fall. All ticket proceeds go to Feed Nova Scotia, and they will be accepting further donations for FNS during the event.

• The Upstreet Block Party is returning for its second year on Saturday, August 20th. Featuring plenty of activities, live music, food, and tours at the brewery from 12 pm on, they’ll also be unveiling a new “super-sized beer garden”! As the sun goes down, the party will move into the taproom at about 8 pm for more music (from two local DJs), food, and beer. Admission is free, just drop in anytime to join in the fun!

• Also on August 20th is the next Urban Beer Hike in Moncton, from 1:45 pm-5:30 pm. As always, the walking tour will visit five beer bars in the downtown area of the city, with beer and food samples provided at each stop. Tickets are $49+fees and available here.

• The seventh annual Oktoberfest des Acadiens is scheduled from September 1st-4th, in the village of Bertrand, NB. As always, activities include Bavarian music and dancing, live entertainment, games, and plenty of food and beer for sampling. The event is advertising as having over 100 products available for tasting, including both imported and local beers. Entry to the site is only $5, with beer tickets available for purchase at $1 each.

• Tickets are now on sale for the 2nd annual Atlantic Canadian Craft Brew Oktoberfest, scheduled for Saturday, September 24th at the Moncton Lions Club. Featuring close to 20 breweries from Atlantic Canada, there are three ticket types available, each including unlimited samples: regular tickets include a custom tasting glass and entry from 7:30 pm-10 pm; the VIP session, which begins a half hour earlier; and a VVIP session which begins at 6 pm and includes a special glass, industry panel discussion, and guided beer tasting. Tickets can be purchased online ($58, $68, and $75 for regular, VIP, and VVIP, respectively). Proceeds will go to support the United Way.

• The next Fredericton Poutine Festival is scheduled for Saturday, November 12th, with tickets going on sale earlier today at 11 am. This is the fifth time the event has been held in the city (and the second in 2016), and has sold out quickly each time. Unlimited poutine (~15 different types) from several establishments will be served up as always, at three different sessions: a family session from 11:30 am-1:30 pm (which also includes unlimited water and soft drinks); and an afternoon session from 2:15 pm-5:15 pm and evening session from 7 pm-10 pm. Both of the latter sessions are 19+ only, where you can purchase either a regular ticket (including four 4-oz samples) or “Beer Experience” ticket (twelve 4-oz samples). The 7-10 pm session also has a limited number of VIP tickets, which gets you in an hour earlier, at 6 pm. Ticket-holders can expect over 20 different beers, ciders and meads to be pouring, with most of them from local Fredericton breweries and producers. Get your tickets ASAP (online), and as always, bring your appetites!

– Don’t forget to drop by Tatamagouche for bottles and growler fills of one of their many new releases this week/weekend. Check out last week’s post for the full rundown, and grab some food from The Food Wolf food truck, set up today 12-8, and tomorrow 11-7. The Strawberry Ginger Golden Strong is out today, and the Tatamagouche Tripel is being released Saturday, joining the other Giant Beers, Barrel-Aged Baltic Porter and Raspberry Golden Strong.
– For those who had a chance and loved it, or missed out, Fredericton’s York County Cider has revealed that their unnamed cider, currently pouring for on-site samples only, is Ribes nigrum, aka Blackcurrant. Drop by for more, and fill up on growlers of their multiple offerings.
Uncle Leo’s in Lyons Brook, NS, has brought back their summer favourite, Voh’s Weizenbier. This 5.0% ABV German Weizen is once again available in bottles at the private stores in HRM, and will be on tap around the province shortly. They have also replenished their bottles of IPA at the brewery, so there are two great reasons to visit!