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Friday Wrap-up – News from Railcar Brewing and the ANBL, Rockbottom, Rare Bird, Big Tide, Grimross and more!

Posted by acbbshawn on 2014-07-18
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: 2014 Fredericton Beer Run, ANBL, Antigonish Townhouse, Authentic Seacoast Brewing, Big Spruce Brewing, Big Tide Brewing, Boxing Rock Brewing, Garrison Brewing, Grimross Brewing, Ladies Beer League, Local Connections Halifax, Paddys Irish Brewpub, Propeller Brewing, Railcar Brewing, RockBottom Brewpub, YellowBelly Brewery. 2 comments

We start off this week’s Wrap-Up with some disheartening news, and a call to action. But fear not, there’s lots of positive news to report on as well!

• Railcar Brewing has been planning to set up shop in Florenceville-Bristol, NB. After a change in plans in which their original planned location in the Shogomoc Historical Railway Site was scrapped, they have now opened their retail shop and brewery just a few minutes down Main Street. However, they are facing a brand new major hurdle from the ANBL. They’ve just received notice that a late-June board meeting has decided that before a Brewery Agency Store licensee may sell any beer at their location for off-premises consumption (by means of bottles or growlers), they must first sell 10,000 litres of product through the ANBL network within 12 months (whether it be kegs delivered to bars, or bottles sold at ANBL stores). For a very small 1 BBL (Beer Barrel, 117 litres) brewery like Railcar, this would mean brewing, fermenting, conditioning, kegging and/or bottling, selling, and delivering to the ANBL or to restaurants and bars (possibly not in their home region) two full batches per week, assuming no spillage or spoilage. For a very small brewery whose business plan concentrated on sales direct from the brewery (including investing several thousand dollars in growlers that may become unusable), this is disastrous, and may handcuff them from opening. Railcar owner Mitch Biggar has been on CBC Radio and TV spreading word of how this will affect his small business, but keep in mind this will affect all future NB breweries as well. Mitch will be meeting with the ANBL next week, and we hope that he will still be able to open the week of Aug 10, which coincides with the Florenceville Festival of Flavour.

• When we heard of this change, we contacted ANBL president Brian Harriman for comment. He was kind enough to respond, and he assured us, “We are going to have discussions with stakeholders who were in process of starting breweries prior to development of this new strategy. We want to do all we can to support industry development to see the micro brewery industry prosper in NB”. While this is encouraging to hear, we feel the consultations with stakeholders should have taken place before these new rules were implemented.  Mr Harriman goes on, “We believe that our new policy will serve to strengthen our business. We also feel that the 100 HL requirement is a manageable number for new brewers.” While we understand that the ANBL’s goals are to generate income and control the sale of alcohol in the province, we believe that these requirements are not manageable for new brewers who may be transitioning into this industry as a part-time endeavour, or are trying to generate the least amount of debt possible. Dozens of kegs for licensees and hundreds of bottles for the ANBL are not cheap!

• So, what can you do about this? We encourage you to read and sign an online petition created by friends and neighbours (and potential suppliers) of Railcar, Kathryn and Nick Southan of Southan Farms in Wicklow. While this petition is specific to Railcar’s issue (and others that may be in the middle of licensing), we feel that signing it shows your support for the idea that before any rules are implemented, discussions with breweries, big and small, should be taking place. We suggest that either different production tiers are implemented in the licensing strategies, or allowances for breweries to sell primarily (or exclusively) for off-site consumption at their brewery locations. To assist with the extra financing he will need to comply with these restrictions, he has just launched a crowd-funding plumfund page.

And now on to the happy part of the week, new beers and other news…

• Rockbottom Brewpub has released their newest beer, Bloodletter Belgian IPA. From Brewmaster Greg Nash, they are giving their Belgian-style brew the West-Coast treatment! Weighing in at 6.3%, and with a calculated 217 IBUs, this is a light-coloured but not light on flavour beer! In addition to the characteristic yeast flavour, the beer was spiced with coriander and cumin at flame-out, and generously hopped throughout with Bravo (in the mash and first wort), Dana (at flame-out) and Kohatu (dry-hopped). As Nash put it, “MMmm West-Coast-Belgian-American-NewZealand-Slovenian-hopped-spiciness in a glass.” They will also be putting on a coffee-infused version of this beer, so check out that blend. And be sure to drop by Wednesday for the tapping of the Firkin at 4pm. Lots of exciting blends and beers start their life out in a Firkin, so it’s a great to get a sneak peak of what Nash is up to in the brewery!

• Rare Bird Craft Brewing in Guysborough has released their Maple Ale this week. Brewed with local maple sap in place of water throughout the brew, this 5.5% beer ends up with a light body and copper colour. Maple syrup is also added to the wort, but the hops help to keep it from being overly sweet, for a nice balance. The beer is in rotation at Stillwell Beer Bar in Halifax and at the Rare Bird Pub in Guysborough, and will be available in the private stores in the near future.

• Big Tide Brewpub in Saint John has released a couple of new beers since last week’s post. Tidal Wave Double IPA hit the taps late last week, and was one of the beers poured at the Picaroons Brewer’s Bash last weekend. We’re not sure about this incarnation, but previous versions of this beer weighed in around 9%, and loaded with multiple dry hop additions for a wave of hop flavour and aroma. Also new on tap is a return of the Haffe Wit, a Witbier brewed with a special blend of spices for their own twist on the style.

• Grimross Brewing has released their newest beer. Summer Serendipity is now available at the Picaroons Brewtique on Queen Street in Fredericton. Unfortunately, it was released late last night, so we do not have all of the details, but can pass along the tasting notes from brewer Steven Dixon: “Floral sweet lemongrass aroma, tropical fruit taste and subtle hop bitterness.”

• Paddys Irish Brewpubs in Kentville and Wolfville have released their newest summer seasonal, Dom Arthur Kolsch. Details are light on their recipe, but this style is a light hybrid between lager and ale, and goes well with beautiful patio weather!

• Yellowbelly Brewpub in St John’s has released a summer version of their Wexford Wheat, Summer Wheat. The base recipe is the same, but uses Topaz dry-hops for a different aroma and flavour. We’re not sure how long it will last, so be sure to drop by!

• There are still a few spots left in this year’s Fredericton Beer Run, to be held August 4th. Runners can choose to participate in a legitimate 6km or 12km run, and then enjoy beer from New Brunswick craft breweries afterwards. You must run to drink the beer, though there are a few “Coach’s Tickets” available (must register with a runner). It is being run by Lloyd Chambers, who also organizes the great Fredericton Craft Beer Festival. Sign up today, only a couple more weeks of training!

• The Chronicle Herald newspaper in Halifax has put together a Nova Scotia Craft Brewery Guide with a description of the brewing process, list of NS breweries (no brewpubs, yet), map of their locations, and amateur tasting notes.

• Propeller Brewing Company has re-launched their Open Brewery Tours at their Gottingen St location. While you normally need nine or more friends to book a brewery tour (or pay for strangers to come drink with you), every Wednesday 6-7:30pm in the summer, you can drop by solo or with a handful of friends, and pay the regular $15. During your time there, you’ll have a chance to sample lots of their regular lineup, as there’s usually a seasonal or two on tap as well.

• The Ladies Beer League is looking for your help! They are teaming up with Boxing Rock Brewing to create a special cask for their event during the Local Connections Sausage Fest, held August 14-24. Check out their Facebook page and make your suggestions. If yours gets picked, you will win a t-shirt and bragging rights! Stay tuned for more details on the LBL event, too.

• These new beers won’t be available for a few weeks, but we’ll be keeping our eyes (and mouths) open for Garrison’s Honey & Lavender Beer that was brewed Monday, and Big Spruce’s Pump Le Mousse, a grapefruit wheat beer.

• And Happy Second Anniversary to the Townhouse Pub in Antigonish! They celebrated by releasing a special British IPA brewed on their system upstairs. Fortunately/unfortunately, it sold out in a matter of hours, so if you weren’t there to enjoy Sunday, you’ll have to wait until Terry brews it again (we hope soon!).

Friday Wrap-up – News from Tatamagouche Brewery, Grimross Brewing, Rockbottom Brewpub, Granite Brewery and more

Posted by acbbshawn on 2014-06-20
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: Authentic Seacoast Brewing, Bad Apple Brewhouse, Big Tide Brewing, Brasseurs du Petit Sault, Garrison Brewing, Granite Brewery, Grimross Brewing, PEI Brewing, RockBottom Brewpub, Shiretown Beer, Stillwell Beer Bar, Tatamagouche Brewing. 3 comments

Happy Friday! As we’re about ready to officially begin summer, the beer news is coming in fast and furious!

• We are thrilled to welcome the newest brewery to the Atlantic Canada region, Tatamagouche Brewery. Located at 235 Main Street in Tatamagouche, NS, this former butcher shop has been converted to a state-of-the-art brewery. We’ve been following along with their progress for almost a year now, made a visit ourselves at the beginning of the month, and are excited to see their successful opening this week. They have launched with their Hippie Dippie Pale Ale, weighing in at 5% ABV and brewed exclusively with Ahtanum hops. Their Butcher Block Red Ale is a bit higher test at 6% ABV, and uses higher hopping levels of the El Dorado varietal, including the use of a hopback, which sits between the kettle and the chiller, for an extra dose of hops post-boil. We’ll have a full profile with them shortly, but in the meantime, grab a growler at the brewery (open 10-6 daily), or on tap at the Train Station Inn and Stirling Room in Tatamagouche, or the Nook and Cranny in Truro. Welcome aboard the Craft Beer Train!

• Grimross Brewing is just about one year away from the date that they sold their first beer (July 1st, 2013), and they’ve got some big news just in time to celebrate! Owner/brewer Stephen Dixon has confirmed that they will be expanding, and moving to a new location in Fredericton. They’ve already ordered their brewing system; the move likely won’t occur for another six months. In the meantime, they will continue brewing their regular line-up of beers at the Picaroons’ Brewtique downtown. We’ll have more details soon, but for now we can say we’re very happy to hear this news!

• In other Grimross news, they’re releasing a new beer, Ben’s Country Cousin, at the Brewtique sometime tomorrow afternoon. This beer has the same grain bill as Ben’s Bitter Pale Ale, a regular-release Grimross beer; however, it is hopped differently during the boil, and is dry-hopped, unlike the original recipe. As well, the beer is fermented with a Farmhouse Ale yeast, so overall look for it to taste quite different from Ben’s Pale. It has an ABV of about 6%, like it’s relative. Keep an eye on Grimross’ Twitter account for exact details on what time the beer is released.

• Rockbottom Brewpub has announced the return of their very popular Insidious IBA. This 2013 Canadian Brewing Awards medal-winner is an American West Coast-style India Black Ale. Dark roasted barley gives the beer its signature colour, but the flavour and aroma showcase the Columbus, Citra, Simcoe, Summit, Centennial, and German Magnum hops. Weighing in at 6.9% and 70 IBUs, this will be a popular beer for the start of summer. For those of you who want one more taste of the now sold-out Intergalatic SMaSH’d Lager, you’ll have to grab a ticket to the Brewer’s Dinner on June 24th to get it. We’ll see you there!

• Halifax’s Granite Brewery will soon be re-releasing their summer seasonal, Honey Ginger Ale. Brewed with honey and ginger root, the ginger addition adds a natural bitterness to the beer, so no hops are used at any stage of the brewing process. A light-drinking beer at 4.6% ABV, it should be available for growler fills at the brewery’s beer store soon (hopefully by next weekend); keep an eye on Granite’s Facebook and Twitter accounts for the exact release date.

• We have some details on Shiretown‘s newest beer, an IPA, Hops on for Nowhere. This 75 IBU beer is hopped with three different varieties: Waimea, Green Bullet, and Amarillo, that according to the brewery provide a “comforting, earthy orange finish”. Coming in at ~5.5% ABV, the first batch sold out for growler fills at the brewery; the next batch should be available late next week. They’ve also brewed up their Honey Wheat Ale (made with local buckwheat honey) again; it’s available now at the brewery for growler fills.

• A couple of weeks ago, we reported on the new lager that was brewed by the PEI Brewing Co. Just to update, this 4% ABV light lager (hopped with two New Zealand varieties, Kohatu and Motueka) has been named Landing Day Lager, and is now on tap at the Gahan House, in addition to at the brewery itself (96 Kensington Rd).

• It’s back! The Rare Bird Pub in Guysborough, NS, is opening today for the season. While they are brewing their Rare Bird Pale Ale and Full Steam Stout year-round, the Pub is only seasonal. Open 11:30-8pm Wed-Sun, drop by for a pint of their two year-round beers, as well as seasonals as they are released. Rare Bird growlers are also available for purchase at the Pub.

• Bigtide Brewpub in Saint John, NB has a couple of new beers on tap lately, so let’s get you caught up on their details. Tin Can Porter is a brand new release, based on their Chocolate Porter, but incorporating fresh brewed Java Moose coffee at flame-out. The beer is hopped to 45 IBUs using Nugget and Willamette hops, and is 5% ABV. The addition of vanilla smooths out any bitterness from the coffee. The beer is named after Tin Can Beach, to celebrate the work that ACAP Saint John is doing to clean up this area of the downtown.

• Also on tap at Bigtide is Princess Street IPA. This unfiltered IPA was brewed using Nugget hops exclusively throughout the 90-minute boil. The theoretical IBUs are up over 100, however the 7.5% ABV and slight residual sweetness help to round out any harsh bitterness. Canadian 2-Row and German Pale Ale are the major base malts, as well as a small amount of Caramunich and Carafoam for colour. Grab a pint at the bar, or a growler to go.

• Stillwell has been teasing us with the beers they will be pouring tomorrow at the Garrison Brewing Cask Takeover. Here’s the complete cask list:
Spiceman’s Session Saison (with Wild Voatsiperifery Peppers)
Christmas in June (Meander River Lunchbox Pale Ale and Garrison Spruce Beer blend)
Summit Buzz (Vanilla Espresso Brown Ale)
Peanut Butter Jelly Time (peanut butter and fresh raspberries on their Brown Ale)
Some Like it Hot (Tall Ship Amber Michelada)
Blueberry Raj (Spiced American Wheat with blueberry juice and masala chai)
Brand New and Already Bitter (IPA dry-hopped with Citra and Amarillo)
Makin’ Bacon (Maple Bacon Ale, using Chef Graeme’s homemade bacon rum)
Imperial Mystery (your guess is as good as ours, though we’re guessing it’s based on their Imperial Pale Ale)
Lovers Quarrel (Belgian-style Wit with rosehips and chamomile)
My Thai Wheat (American Wheat with pineapple mint and kaffir lime leaves)
La Moreno Loco (Chocolate Chili Brown Ale, with homegrown chilis and dark chocolate and cocoa nibs)
For those without noon “First Sips” tickets, the doors open again at 2pm for first-come, first-served pours. $10 gets you a glass to keep, and your first drink.

• Come out to the Wooden Monkey Dartmouth tonight, starting at 7:30, to help celebrate the Ladies Beer League First Anniversary. In addition to Wooden Monkey’s regular local beer rotation, there will be three special casks pouring: Big Spruce All Night Kitchen Party (double dry-hopped Pale Ale), Garrison Sticky Toffee Pudding Birthday Cake (based on the Sugar Moon Maple), and North Brewing Farmhouse Ale. No tickets necessary (it’s pay-as-you-enjoy), just show up to have a celebratory pint or two.

• And finally, we are very excited to announce the next big event scheduled at Stillwell Beer Bar. Jeff at Bad Apple Brewhouse has been brewing like crazy since opening just a few months ago, and will be taking over the taps (and casks) at Stillwell all day July 5th. Featuring twelve taps and two casks, there will be something for everyone that day: the much-anticipated return of That’s Falcon Teamwork (brewed with the Stillwell gang), barrel-aged versions of the Impresser DIPA and Black and Tackle RIS (as well as their non-barrel-aged versions), and the last keg of Mosaic DIPA. Among the six (SIX!) new beers debuting at the takeover, folks will have first crack at the Smokehouse Lager (brewed with 100% Smoked Malt), Apple Cider, the Summer Slurper Session Ale, and a few more special beers that will blow people’s socks off. So, how do you get in on the madness? Tickets for the noon (First Sips), afternoon, and evening sessions are on sale today at Stillwell. Unlike other events, you will need a ticket to get into the afternoon and evening sessions, so plan accordingly. As with other Takeovers, your $10 ticket gets you a glass and your first pour. We’ll definitely see you there!

• And as a late addition, we just wanted to include the exciting news that Les Brasseurs du Petit-Sault has confirmed that they’re in the process of brewing their first full batch of beer! This morning, brewers Jason Dionne and Gavin Anderson started brewing Bob LeBouef, their Blonde Ale. Look for the beer (and others) to be available sometime early next month!

Friday Wrap-Up – News from Picaroons, Great Lakes, PEI Brewing, Boxing Rock, Hell Bay, Railcar Brewing, Grimross, and more

Posted by acbbchris on 2014-05-02
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: 2014 Canadian Brewing Awards, Bad Apple Brewhouse, Big Spruce Brewing, Boxing Rock Brewing, Ducky's Bar, Grimross Brewing, Hell Bay Brewing, PEI Brewing, Picaroons Traditional Ales, Railcar Brewing, RockBottom Brewpub, Stubborn Goat, Tide & Boar Gastropub. 1 comment

Happy Friday everyone, another big week in craft beer in our region, so let’s get right to it.

• Last month, we reported on the announcement of a collaboration beer between Picaroons and Toronto’s Great Lakes Brewery for this year’s Canadian Brewing Awards in Fredericton. We now have a few more details on the beer, as both breweries just brewed the beer earlier this week. Brewers Andrew Estabrooks (Picaroons) and Mike Lackey (Great Lakes) decided on an American IPA they’ve named Eastbound and Down IPA; it’s brewed with Maritime Malt made from New Brunswick-grown Newdale barley and “a number of delicious hop varieties” (including Citra and Sorachi Ace) often featured in Great Lakes beers. We can also confirm that a California Common yeast was pitched for fermentation, rather than the Ringwood strain commonly employed by Picaroons. Both breweries were linked via Skype on their brew day since they weren’t able to physically brew together. Look for the beer to be released at the end of May when the CBAs are here; it will be available for growler fills at the Brewtique, and in restaurants and bars in the area.

• Speaking of Picaroons, they’re joining up with The Shadow Lawn Inn in Rothesay, NB for a special beer-pairing dinner on Saturday, May 3rd. This “Offaly Good Dinner” includes six carefully-selected courses by Chef Markian, each of which is paired with a different hand-picked Picaroons beer. Tickets are $75 (tax and gratuity included); call (506) 847-7539 to reserve, or send them an email.

• If you’re in the Sackville area today and have always wondered what makes PEI Brewing Co. beers tick, now’s your chance to find out! Ducky’s Bar is hosting a “Meet & Greet” with PEIBC brewer Karen Allen at 5:00 pm. Karen will be on hand for about an hour to answer questions and provide info on their beers, four of which will be on tap: Blueberry Ale, Sir John A’s Honey Wheat, Cole’s Cream Ale, and Beach Chair Lager. Be sure to keep an eye on their News page for behind-the-scenes updates directly from the brewers.

• Beginning today, White Point Beach Resort  is hosting a Beer and BBQ weekend. Boxing Rock and Hell Bay will be taking over White Point’s taps all weekend long, with Boxing Rock bringing their Hunky Dory, Temptation Red Ale and The Vicar’s Cross  and seasonals Crafty Jack English Ale and Alewife’s Revenge, and Hell Bay will have three more beers to complete the lineup. Boxing Rock is kicking off the fun Saturday afternoon at 1:00, with a guided tasting and virtual brewery tour. At 4pm, Hell Bay and the White Point culinary team will be doing some pairing of their beer with barbecued treats. Both tastings are included with an overnight stay.

• Progress continues at the soon-to-open Railcar Brewing Company in Florenceville-Bristol, as owner/brewer Mitch Biggar has confirmed that he has been busy putting on the final touches – cleaning, painting, sanitizing, and receiving new equipment, with currently eight 50-gallon (~187 L) fermentors being installed. With some test batches being brewed this weekend, we hope to see the brewery open for growler fills by the end of this month! Look for a grand-opening party to follow shortly thereafter, probably sometime in the summer.

• Living in Moncton? If so, you’ve probably been drinking Grimross Belgian Rye IPA at the Tide & Boar over the past few months. If that has left you wanting more Grimross beer, good news… owner/brewer Stephen Dixon confirmed that he has delivered some of his Pugnacious Porter, a 5% Belgian-style Porter conditioned on pure cocoa and whole vanilla beans, to the Tide & Boar this week, so look for it soon.

• The Rockbottom Brewpub SMaSH India Pale Lager that we mentioned in late March has been tapped at the brewpub in Halifax. Brewed solely with Superior Pale Ale Malt and Galaxy hops (including multiple dry-hop additions), Intergalactic SMaSH’d Lager finished at 7.1% ABV and 70 IBUs (calc). Get down to the brewpub to give it a try, it won’t be around for long!

• A reminder that The Stubborn Goat is keeping up their Cask Friday event, when they have a special beer tapped each Friday at 4pm. This week’s  is Big Spruce’s Cereal Killer Sideways, their Oatmeal Stout, fortified with Glenmorangie Single Malt Scotch.

• The Chronicle Herald has a nice article about Jeff and Kari of Bad Apple Brewhouse, on their history, as well plans for the future. It also mentions an upcoming Mosaic Double IPA, which will be released around Father’s Day, that will serve as a fundraiser towards the Brigadoon Children’s Camp Society. We’ll have more details on the beer closer to release time.

In closing, we thought we should mention another story reported by The Chronicle Herald concerning a 21-metre Labatt blimp that crashed northeast of Saint John. Nice to see that Big Beer is finally starting to evacuate Atlantic Canada, what with the increasing number and quality of local craft breweries!