Updated Dec 14th at 7:23 PM. I received a press release from the good folks at Garrison after originally posting. Here is the information contained within the release:
Garrison’s celebrated Spruce Beer goes on sale today
HALIFAX, NS – Dec.14, 2012 – Garrison Spruce Beer is back for the holiday season but it’s not likely to last long. Thirty minutes before opening, a crowd was already gathering for this traditional favourite.
“This has become something people really anticipate,” says Brian Titus, brewery president. “It’s exclusive to Nova Scotia this year so we’re hoping there’s enough stock to make it through the weekend!”
Described by some as a “Christmas tree in a glass”, this seasonal specialty is brewed with local Spruce and fir tips harvested from Meander River Farms and loads of blackstrap molasses. Complex and full-bodied, this beer balances crisp Spruce bitterness and aromatics with the warming flavours of molasses and caramel.
“I really enjoy making such a unique brew for the holidays,” says Brewmaster, Daniel Girard. “The beer is a pleasure to sip on and it has so much history in the Maritimes”.
“Spruce Beer” is 7.5% alc/vol with moderate bitterness. It’s packaged in 500ml single-serve bottles and officially went on sale today at the brewery and all four private stores (while supplies last).
Original post:
In a sure sign that the Fat Guy in the Red Suit will be around any day now, Garrison Brewing’s Spruce Beer will be available today at the brewery at 9am. The beer will also be available at the Halifax private stores but unfortunately not through any of the local liquor commissions. Below is an extract of a Q & A I did with Garrison President Brian Titus earlier this year regarding the beer:
ACBB: Your Spruce Beer generated a great deal of buzz when it was available last Winter, can you tell me about the beer?
BT: This is a beer that was initially a curiosity to us and we appreciated the historical references to the founding of Halifax as it was brewed in the area at that time. We even came across some “how to brew spruce beer and cook beaver” reference material when researching the beer. It described cooked beaver as fatty, chewy and basically edible at best. The Spruce beer didn’t sound much more appealing based on the description!
Daniel was really pushing to brew this, he really wanted the challenge of creating something very unique and I kept asking him “how am I going to market and sell Spruce beer”? This has really turned into a big success for us, we brewed three times as much Spruce beer last year as the first year although the harvesting is a lot of effort. Overall Spruce Beers are growing in popularity with some form of Spruce beer available in many provinces at some point in the year.
