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Friday Wrap-Up – News from Petit-Sault, Gahan House Halifax, Breton Brewing, Rare Bird, Meander River and more.

Posted by acbbchris on 2015-10-02
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: Atlantic Canadian Craft Brew Fest, Authentic Seacoast Brewing, Brasseurs du Petit Sault, Breton Brewing, Gahan House Harbourfront (Halifax), Good Robot Brewing, James Joyce Irish Pub, Meander River Farm and Brewery, Moncton Beer League, Picaroons, Pump House Brewery, Savoie's Brewhouse, TrailWay Brewing, Uncle Leo's Brewery. Leave a Comment

Welcome to the first Friday of October! We hope everyone is staying dry, despite the region-wide rain we are getting this week. Why not head out to your favourite watering hole (groan) and order a local craft beer to recharge your spirits? Here are a few new options for you to consider.

• The Imperial Pumpkin Ale, Bonhomme Sept-Heures, released by Petit-Sault two weeks ago is already about gone, but luckily, they’ve just released another seasonal to take its place! La Padrix is an Oktoberfest (their second) brewed with Munich and Vienna specialty malts to provide a “rich malty taste, with light biscuit notes and a clean finish”, according to the brewery. Hopped lightly with Saaz and Northern Brewer to 25 IBUs, this 5.6% ABV lager is smooth and well-balanced, and reminiscent of their Lancaster KB882 Marzen that was released back in March. La Padrix is available on tap at the brewery now, and at ANBL growler stations the week of Oct 15th.

• Gahan House Harbourfront in Halifax has released a pair of new beers recently. Brewed for this weekend’s Oyster Festival, the Briny Blond is a hybrid lager/ale, with a twist! It features a light addition of sea salt, along with the zest and juice of 40 lemons. The finished beer does not taste salty, but enhances the other characteristics of the beer, amplifying the mouthfeel and balancing the acidity of the lemon. Brewster Karen Allen designed the beer to pair with oysters and seafood, and this 5.2% ABV and 38 IBU easy drinking brew fits the bit perfectly.

• Also new at Gahan is the Harvest Ale, a 5% Pale Ale, brewed with a variety of wet hops that Brewster Allen picked from Boxing Rock’s Emily Tipton’s yard (yes, she knew!). The hops shine through mostly in the aroma, with a combination of floral and fruity notes, and the characteristic grassy aspect commonly found in wet-hopped beers. Grab this one today before it is gone for another year! And keep your eyes peeled for the return of Allen’s Hopgoblin IRA v2.0 later this month, a malt-forward Red Ale with plenty of body to keep you warm as the temperatures decrease.

• The crew at Breton Brewing is releasing their first seasonal next week, in celebration of Celtic Colours (running Oct 9-17). This Cape Breton Island-wide celebration of music and culture will see musicians and artisans highlight the natural and cultural beauty of the region. And how better to celebrate, than with a beer! Celtic Colours Maple Lager was brewed with maple syrup from local producer Acadian Maple. The final beer weighs in at 5.5% ABV and 15 IBUs, and features a nice maple flavour and light aroma. Look for it on tap at the brewery and around the Island, including Flavor on the Water, Governor’s, Old Triangle, Red Shoe Pub, and Iona Heights Inn.

• Authentic Seacoast has released their Rare Bird Pumpkin Ale this week. This 5.5% ABV and 35 IBU beer features fresh local pumpkins and squash, that are then spiced and roasted on site before addition to the beer. These flavours complement and contrast the base beer’s bitter and crisp character, for a lovely meeting of the minds. It is available at the Rare Bird Pub in Guysborough (which is now in fall hours, open for growler and bottle sales 12-5pm, M-F), as well as the private beer stores in HRM and select ANBL stores. And for those looking to learn more about the Authentic Seacoast story, CBC recently visited Guysborough and spoke with Glynn Williams, who is heavily investing in this small Nova Scotia community. Listen to Atlantic Voice.

• Meander River in Ashdale, NS released an IPA with their own homegrown hops, named… Homegrown IPA. It was brewed exclusively with their own fresh hops, used within hours of picking. A lighter ABV (4.2%), but lots of hop and malt flavour shines through. Look for another one of their cider releases in the coming weeks, as they have been experimenting with another blend of Annapolis Valley apples.

• Uncle Leo’s in Lyon’s Brook, NS has released a new Altbier. This traditional German style features a copper colour, and a light body with a significant bitterness and flavour hop presence. At 5.2% ABV, it is available at the brewery for growler fills, and on tap at select bars in the province.

• Next Friday, Oct 9th, the Atlantic Canadian Craft Beer Oktoberfest will take place in Moncton at the Crowne Plaza downtown. Organized by the Moncton Beer League, the festival will feature beers from six NB craft breweries (Acadie-Broue, Celtic Knot, Fils-du-Roy, Grimross, Petit-Sault, and Pump House), four from Nova Scotia (Bad Apple, Boxing Rock, Garrison, and Propeller), and the PEI Brewing Co., along with six different food stations from local producers. There are two types of tickets available: the regular session ($58 + fee) is from 7:30 – 10 pm and gets you a souvenir glass and unlimited beer samples; the VIP session ($68 + fee) lets you in an hour earlier at 6:30 pm, and includes a special glass, unlimited samples, and access to an industry panel discussion and guided beer tasting. Tickets are on sale online; part of the proceeds will go towards supporting the United Way of Greater Moncton and Southeastern NB.

• The James Joyce Irish Pub has officially launched their Mug Club as of yesterday. Limited to 30 members, the sold-out club gives members their own, numbered mug, larger pours, deals on food, and access to exclusive events at the pub. Yesterday’s launch also featured the first-ever cask at the Joyce (Picaroons Yippee IPA); casks will be making more appearances at future Mug Club events, and will likely be available to non-members as well.

Thanks for reading this week! If you’re around Fredericton, TrailWay has brought back their American Stout; look for it on tap around the city. PEI Brewing Co. has released cans of their Rogues Roost IPA in PEI and NB; it is available at the ANBL Growler stations this weekend, and should be following in NS soon. Savoie’s Brewhouse in Charlo, NB, is releasing a pair of new beers in the next few days. Their Charlo Falls IPA and Heron’s Nest Honey Brown (made with local honey) will both be debuting at the Heron’s Nest Pub soon. Both are 5% ABV, and will be released in bottles at the ANBL this fall. Due to poor weather, Good Robot‘s Sowr Soul Pig Roast has been delayed to Saturday, October 17th, however their Leave Me Blue Kentucky Corn Beer will still be available beginning this weekend. Pump House Brewery has released their Oktoberfest Lager today. Look for this 5.5% amber lager at the brewpub and ANBL shortly. Finally, congratulations to Picaroons’ Sean Dunbar, who has been elected to the Board of Directors of Beer Canada, in a new position “representing Atlantic small brewers”; you can read the full press release here.

Friday Wrap-Up – New brewery FirkinStein launches, plus new beers from Petit-Sault, Tatamagouche, TrailWay, Gray Stone, Red Rover, and much more!

Posted by acbbchris on 2015-09-18
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: Antigonish Townhouse, Big Spruce Brewing, Brasseurs du Petit Sault, Cicerone Certification Program, Distillerie Fils du Roy, FirkinStein Brewing, Good Robot Brewing, Gray Stone Brewing, Red Rover Brewing, Tatamagouche Brewing, TrailWay Brewing, Uncle Leo's Brewery. Leave a Comment

Happy Friday, everyone. It’s too beautiful of a day to be stuck reading some hilarious and insightful introduction paragraph, so let’s get right to the beer news, and get you on your way out the door for a beer!

• This week saw the launch of FirkinStein Brewing, a small brewery based in Bridgewater, NS. While not available on tap in bars or restaurants just yet, they have begun direct delivery of growlers to the public in their region. They currently have their Nor’easter Ale on offer, a 7.5% ABV Strong Ale, with lots of citrus aroma and flavour from Cascade hops (to about 55 IBUs). To take part in the fun, visit their Facebook page and send them a message with your name, address, and request. And yes, direct growler deliveries ARE legal, don’t worry! Growler fills are $12, with a growler cost of $8. Look for more details on the brewery and the folks behind it very soon, and welcome to the neighbourhood, FirkinStein!

• Despite the warm temperatures we’ve been experiencing lately, October is just around the corner, which can only mean… pumpkin beers! Petit-Sault has just released their Bonhomme Sept-Heures (roughly translated as “Bogeyman”), and as pumpkin beers go, it’s a big one! Weighing in at a whopping 8.6% ABV, the batch included the addition of more than 60 lbs of fresh pumpkin and squash, and 2 lbs of spices. Described by the brewery as having a “hint of caramel, with a slight biscuit sweetness” to go along with the pumpkin and spice flavours, it features a “warm finish” from the deceptively-hidden alcohol. It’s available now for growler fills at the brewery, on tap at select locations, and will also be at ANBL growler stations by next Thursday, Sept. 24th. And for those of you in PEI, Petit-Sault is now selling several of their beers at select PEILCC locations!

• Things are hopping over at Tatamagouche Brewing, as there’s lots of beer news to report! First off, their Russian Imperial Stout (the next beer in their Giant Beer Series) is now available; a monster of a beer at 8.5% ABV and over 100 IBUs, it was brewed with Frontenac Organic Pale Malt, Munich, Chocolate malt, and Roasted Barley to provide lots of dark colour and roasted flavours, and a bit of Flaked Barley to boost the body and head retention. Hopped with Pacific Gem and Chinook, it’s available in 650ml bottles now at the brewery, and at the Truro Farmers Market Saturdays.

• Tatabrew is also releasing a brand new IPA next Thursday, Sept. 24th: Deception Bay IPA is a 6.2% ABV “West Coast-inspired IPA” that was bittered with Magnum, and features large late-hop additions of Huell Melon, Mandarina Bavaria and Citra for intense juiciness in both the aroma and flavour, and a big 63 IBUs. This beer will be available in growlers and cans, and on tap as well, so be sure to grab a pint when you spot it in the wild!

• AND, Tatabrew will soon be re-releasing a couple of old favourites; their seasonal Oktoberfest, Lagerhosen, will be released on Sept. 24th. Brewed specifically for the Tatamagouche Oktoberfest (Sept. 25th-26th), it was hopped solely with Hallertau, and weighs in at a very-drinkable 4.5% ABV. And their DIPA, Horns Over Hooves, was brewed earlier this week; it should be available for release around Oct. 8th.

• It’s Harvest Jazz & Blues week in Fredericton, so there’s plenty going on in the city. In terms of beer, the Capital Complex is holding a Saturday Matinee tomorrow, from 12-4 pm, at Wilser’s Room. Tickets are $15 each at the door, and get you a plate of BBQ (roast pig, while available), live music (starting at 1 pm), and a pint of craft beer. Both TrailWay and Gray Stone will be pouring; while not yet officially open, this will be Gray Stone’s second official appearance on the scene, with another preview of some of the beers they should be releasing when construction is completed on their brewery. They will have their American Pale Ale, India Pale Ale, American Stout, and Brown Ale on hand, and will be pouring at Wilser’s Room for the rest of the day until the beer is gone! TrailWay will be bringing their Primetime APA, and a new version of their D’Under – this batch was hopped entirely with a fairly new (and hard to come by!) Australian variety, Vic Secret (known for giving plenty of pineapple and pine characteristics). We hope to see you there!

• In other Harvest news, Red Rover is re-releasing their Blueberry Cider under the name The Blues. This batch features a change in the apple blend, but with the same 7% ABV. The name, flavour, and colour come from the addition of 55 kg local wild blueberries to the batch. Grab a growler at the Ciderhouse, and look for it on tap at bars and restaurants around Fredericton. And keep your eyes open for the return of their popular Fall in a couple of weeks.

• The crew at Good Robot in Halifax have announced the release of a new beer, so of course they will be holding a party to celebrate it! On October 4th, they will be releasing Leave Me Blue Kentucky Corn Beer, their take on the Kentucky Common pre-prohibition style beer. Brewed with corn and rye, this beer will be another departure from the mainstream for GR. The Sowr Soul party looks to be a fun one, featuring Southern-inspired food, music, and, of course, the beer. Joe Martin of Bar Stillwell will be preparing a feast, centering around a roasted pig (raised by Moo Nay Farms and fed GR spent grain!), with corn on the cob, mac & cheese, collard greens and more. Big Country Ramblers will be playing bluegrass music to keep the party going into the evening. Check the FB Event page for a few more details.

• Uncle Leo’s in Lyons Brook, NS are releasing their ode to the hop harvest today, a wet-hopped Pale Ale. The Pictou County Harvest Ale is 5.7% and at 35 IBU beer thanks to 23 kg of Centennial and Cascade fresh hops from local grower Bramble Hill Farm. Grab a growler at the brewery, and look for it on tap at their accounts shortly.

• Distillerie Fils du Roy brewed up a one-off beer specifically for the Oktoberfest des Acadiens in Bertrand, NB earlier this month. While it is named Oktoberfest Bieretrand, the beer was actually brewed in the German Hefeweizen style. Exhibiting the banana and clove aromas and flavours expected from this style (thanks to the Weizen yeast strain), this cloudy and light gold-coloured ale has low hop character, and a smooth and creamy texture. Easy-drinking at 5% ABV, expect to see some light bubblegum and candy-like qualities in the taste as well. The leftover kegs are currently at all four ANBL growler stations for growler fills this weekend.

• Big Spruce Brewing has brought back the very popular Gimme Citra this week. Brewed in conspiracy with the Bar Stillwell crew, this 4.7% ABV Pale Ale features loads of late hopping exclusively from the Citra varietal, showcasing more in the aroma and flavour than in bitterness (calculated at 36 IBUs). Look for it on tap for growler fills at the brewery and around Cape Breton and Halifax (including tomorrow’s Sausage Fest Sasuage Throwdown and Sausage O’ The Night). Drop by the brewery today for lunch for their Food Truck Friday to grab the assortment of sandwiches prepared with/built to pair with beer, and enjoy some music from their house band, The Asaphs, who go on at 3pm.

• The Antigonish Townhouse recently released a new beer, Old & Bitter. Brewed in the style of an Old Ale, it’s maltier and has a higher bitterness than their regular Best Bitter, which is often pouring at the pub. Also slightly higher in ABV at 5.7%, it was hopped with a higher alpha-acid variety, giving it “more complex, slightly spicy notes” according to the brewery. It ran out just recently, but will be returning in the near future. And next Friday, Sept. 25th, they will be releasing a new experimental beer to celebrate the Antigonight Art After Dark Festival. Incorporating elements of their Best Bitter and the Old & Bitter, expect it to be slightly darker than the two beers on their own, as the Chocolate malt has been increased in the recipe.

• For those looking to expand their knowledge of beer brewing, serving beer, and pairing food with beer, the Atlantic Chapter of CAPS (Canadian Association of Professional Sommeliers) is offering training centered around the Cicerone certification program. Local Certified Cicerone Angeline MacLennan (along with formerly-local Certified Cicerone Tracy Phillippi) developed two courses to prepare students to take and pass the Certified Beer Server and Certified Cicerone exams. Consisting of 4- and 10-week courses, respectively, the course includes information on the history of beer styles, recipe development, caring for draft and bottled beer, and pairing food with beer. The first course launches Tuesday, October 13th, so check out the details and sign up today!

A few parting shots this week: If you haven’t filled your growler with Unfiltered Brewing’s Double Orange Ale yet (or even if you have, and need more), best get down to the brewery *now* to grab it, as it will be out before the end of the day Friday. And look for a special tapping of their core lineup of beers at the James Joyce in Fredericton later in the weekend. The Little Rollin’ Bistro Food Truck set up at Breton Brewing 12-8pm today, who are now also running events throughout the week (Wednesday night 7-11pm is Game Night; Thursday 7-9pm is Trivia Night with wings made with Great Breton sauce, including Sons of Hector Brown Ale). Or, if you are on the other island, drop by Charlottetown’s Upstreet Brewing for food and music: the Thai Pad Food Truck is set up all day, and drop by after work for free and live music from Al Tuck during their Quittin’ Time Sessions, beginning at 6pm. Don’t forget to check out the Sausage Fest kick-off events at the Olympic Centre tomorrow; check last week’s post for more details. With nine breweries and lots of great food all under one roof, it will sure to be a blast! And be sure to check out the Sausage and Beer Patio Party at Scanway on Wednesday the 23rd. Picaroons’s Harvest Ale series will be hitting the shelves next week. Check their Meet Your Farmer website for information on the folks behind the wet hops used in the seven different beers. And speaking of Picaroons, the latest release of Half Cut‘s Alter Ego (brewed on Picaroons’ pilot system at the Brewtique) is out now, and available at bars around Fredericton. Sea Level has released their 6.5% ABV Hopfazupfa IPA at the brewery today, brewed with local wet hops. And congratulations to North Brewing, who have taken possession of their new 12 hl DME-built brewhouse late last week. The doubling of their brewery capacity is also part of their moving a pilot brewing system into the Battery Park Beer Bar, whose crowdfunding is entering its last couple of weeks. Now, put down your phone, laptop, or raven-delivered scroll, and get out there and enjoy the beautiful weather while it lasts!

Friday Wrap-Up – News from Shiretown, Maybee Brewing, Tatamagouche Brewing, Hammond River, Grimross, Petit-Sault, and more!

Posted by acbbchris on 2015-08-21
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: Brasseurs du Petit Sault, Flying Boats Brewing, Fredericton Poutine Festival, Good Robot Brewing, Grimross Brewing, Hammond River Brewing, James Joyce Irish Pub, Maybee Brewing, Sea Level Brewing, Shiretown Beer, Tatamagouche Brewing, TrailWay Brewing. 1 comment

Howdy, beer lovers! Time for your weekly dose of Atlantic Canadian beer news. Unfortunately, we have to lead off with some sad news…

• Shiretown Beer, first operating out of Dalhousie, and then Charlo, New Brunswick since 2011, has officially closed their doors. Their regular-release beers (including Blonde du Quai, Big Brown Ale, and Siren’s t’Ale) have been available in bottles at ANBL stores for some time, and have been pouring on tap (along with multiple seasonals and one-offs) at several accounts across the province, including the Heron’s Nest Pub, located next door to the brewery. Graduating from just 40 litre batches up to 1.5 hL, all while using their Sabco Brew-Magic system, Derek and company have been working with local producers (Southan Farms hops, for instance), and promoting the craft beer movement in Northern New Brunswick for many years. On the bright side, we understand that owner/brewer Derek Leslie will still be working in the industry, and we look forward to catching up with him in the near future!

• In good news for New Brunswick, however, there’s a new brewery opening this fall in Fredericton! Maybee Brewing Co. will be owned and operated by Paul Maybee, an avid home brewer (and NBCBA member) based in the city. Construction on the 10 BBL brewery and tasting room (located at 559 Wilsey Rd.) has already begun. The brewery will focus on hoppy American ales and Belgian styles (including an American Amber, American IPA, Pale Ale, and Belgian Tripel as their initial launch beers), and coming up with their own twist on other styles of beers. Along with pints and growler fills at the tasting room, their beers will be available at select beer bars/restaurants throughout Fredericton, and in cans at ANBL stores. You can follow along with the brewery construction progress on their Facebook and Instagram pages, and we will have a Q&A posted in the coming months.

• Tatamagouche Brewing released a new beer late last week, Little Russian Parti-gyle Stout. A parti-gyle beer involves running a second (or third) volume of hot water through the grains in the mash tun, and extracting some sugar still left over from the initial mash. The wort is then treated as a completely separate beer, boiled, hopped, and fermented independently from its big sister. In Tata’s case, that initial mash and beer is now fermenting as a Russian Imperial Stout, to be released in September, hence the Little Russian moniker for this beer. The LR is a 3% ABV beer, fairly light in body, but still features some roast flavours thanks to the darker malts used in the grain bill. The beer was hopped with Ahtanum, Centennial, and Magnum. The Little Russian can be purchased in cans and growlers at the brewery, and in growler fills at Harvest Wines and RockHead. Also look for it on tap at Agricola Street Brasserie, Stillwell, and Stubborn Goat.

• There’s currently a new beer fermenting over at Hammond River, and it’s a big one! Sterke Monnik is the first Belgian-style ale brewed on the HR system. It’s a Belgian Dark Strong Ale that should weigh in at approximately 10.4% ABV. While obviously a strong beer, the goal is one that is smooth, rich, and complex, with lots of malt and dark fruit characteristics, along with some classic Belgian fruity esters and spicy phenolics. Brewed with a Pilsner base malt, some dark Crystal malts, Special B (a specialty malt known for providing raisin and plum characteristics), and plenty of dark Belgian candi syrup, it was hopped with Hallertau to 33 IBUs. Look for this one to pop up at Hammond River’s regular accounts in two to three weeks.

• In other NB Belgian beer news, Grimross just released their Grimross Dubbel. A 6.8% ABV brew that is lightly hopped to 18 IBUs, it exhibits a coppery-brown colour and has notes of dark fruit and caramel, a dry finish, and mild alcohol warmth. Fermented with two yeast strains (a Belgian Abbey strain, and a neutral American strain), the beer had an addition of Demerara sugar, a light-tan, raw sugar with a coarse texture that can add notes of molasses to the final beer. It’s available now for pours and growlers at the brewery, and at better beer establishments across the province.

• Petit-Sault released a new seasonal offering earlier this week, and it came just in time for the heat wave we’ve been experiencing! John Stadig is named after a Madawaska counterfeiter who was one of the first civilian inmates at Alcatraz prison, in 1934. An “Orange-Ginger White Beer”, the grist includes 50% Wheat malt that adds a “bready, subtle spiciness, and an almost silky mouthfeel”, according to the brewery. Real, fresh-grated ginger was added at the end of the boil, along with fresh orange peel, to provide lots of aromatics and flavour to the beer; it comes in at a supremely-drinkable 4% ABV. It’s currently available at the brewery for a limited time for growler fills, and will be hitting all four ANBL growler stations next week; you can also find it on tap at the James Joyce in Fredericton. In other Petit-Sault news, their regular-release Witbier (and one of their first two launch beers), Tante Blanche, is now out of circulation until next May; it will be a summer seasonal from this point on.

• Sea Level Brewing is looking for a Brewing Assistant at their Port Williams location. Tasks include brewing, running the canning machine, filling growlers, and other tasks in the brewery. Brewing knowledge is preferred, but not required for the position. To apply, drop off a resume to Owner/Brewmaster Randy Lawrence at the brewery, weekdays 10am-4pm.

• Tickets for this year’s Fredericton Poutine Festival, being held Saturday November 21st at the Crowne Plaza, are now on sale, and are going fast! It looks like the evening session is sold out, but there are still some afternoon tickets available (which this year includes beer), as well as the family friendly, 12-2pm session (including free tickets for children under 12). We will have more details next week when the brewery list is finalized, but expect 8 breweries to be pouring, along with at least five establishments serving up more than a dozen styles of Poutine!

• Shediac Bay’s Flying Boats Brewing will be holding their Launch Party at the Laundromat Expresso Bar on Thursday, Sept. 3rd, starting at 7 pm. While Flying Boats has been open since early last month, this will be their official launch, and they’re bringing two kegs to be tapped for the event. The first is their S-55 Special Mission Dark Pale Ale, a 5.7% ABV, Cascade-hopped APA that first made its debut during the NB Tap Takeover at the James Joyce during the NB Day long weekend. The other is the Empress Irish Red Ale, a 5.5% ABV, 20 IBUs beer that “focuses on the maltiness and creaminess of the barley malt and wheat that is used”, according to the brewery, and features a “nice, roasted caramel flavour”.

Thanks for reading this week! In Fredericton, TrailWay has rebrewed their D’Under, an American Pale Ale hopped entirely with Australian Galaxy; this time around, they’ve increased the hop additions, so expect even more tropical fruitiness than before! And in Halifax, Good Robot Brewing are now pouring at two of the city’s markets. Catch them at the Halifax Forum Farmers’ Market Saturday 8am-1pm, and the Halifax Seaport Farmers’ Market Sundays.