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Friday Wrap-Up for March 3, 2023 – News from Trailway, Island Folk, Truro, Hardisty, Big Axe, Rough Waters, Half Cut, Tire Shack, and plenty more!

Posted by acbbaaron on 2023-03-03
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: Big Axe Brewery, Bishop's Cellar, BrewHQ, Candid Brewing, East Coast Cider Company, Fairweather Brewing, Gahan House (St. John's), Half Cut Brewing, Hardisty Brewing, Island Folk Cider House, Maritime Express Cider, North Brewing, Rough Waters Brewing, Stillwell Beer Bar, Tire Shack Brewing, TrailWay Brewing, Truro Brewing Company. Leave a Comment

Could this be our last weekend of winter? It just might be! The clocks change again soon, we’re in the midst of a snowy weekend and it will be March Break before you know it. Are we always talking about the weather? Sometimes! But let’s start talking about the wonderful beer and news from across our region! Let’s kick it off with a few releases celebrating International Women’s Day 2023, which is being marked next Wednesday.

Let’s start our day in Fredericton, where Trailway Brewing is celebrating IWD2023 with the release of Physica Raspberry Cream IPA. Named after the text written by Hildegard Von Bingen in the 12th century, she is thought to be the first to add hops to beer (much more on Von Bingen and Physica in this article). Walking in Von Bingen’s, and the thousands of women instrumental in the evolution of beer over the centuries, steel-toed rubber boots are the women of Trailway who designed, produced, and packaged Physica. Using plenty of hops (namely El Dorado and Mosaic), the IPA was conditioned on Raspberry, giving it plenty of fruit, light sweetness, and a lovely creamy mouthfeel. Physica is out now at the brewery on draught and in cans, and look to local licensees to enjoy in your neighbourhood. A portion of the profits will be going to Women in Transition House in Fredericton and Cloverdale Centre for Women in Saint John. Donations are also being collected all month long for these organizations, at their Fredericton taproom, and the soon-to-open Union House Taproom in Saint John. Give early, and often!

Sydney’s Island Folk Cider House is also celebrating and supporting women with an IWD2023 release, Embrace Equity. This Honey & Lavender Cider is available at the taproom for samples, pints, and in bottles to take away. Part of the proceeds are being donated to Every Woman’s Centre, a non-profit promoting, developing and supporting the enhancement of women’s lives in Cape Breton Communities. Drop by Island Folk’s spot on Nepean Street to imbibe and support today!

On to the Hub of Nova Scotia, where Truro Brewing Company recently hosted Char of Hardisty Brewing for a brewday to celebrate Queer Women in the NS Brewing Industry. Taking inspiration from another popular fizzy drink, root beer, Char’s wife and business partner in Hardisty, Laura, put together an appropriate blend of spices and herbs to best recreate the in a beer. On the brewday, Jana of TBC hosted Char to make the final product a reality. The result is Wicked Roots, a 5.0% ABV Dark Ale. Heavily spiced both in, and after, the kettle, to bring out a vibrant root beer character. The beer is dropping early next week, it will be available on tap and in cans at Truro Brew Co, cans from Hardisty, and on tap at better establishments in the region, including Battery Park and Good Robot’s Robie Street taproom. [Ed note: we originally wrote that Laura was with Truro Brewing Company, and apologize for that mistake]

Switching to another charitable release, Big Axe Brewery has released Big Axe Bitter. Owner Peter Cole was prompted by drinks writer Craig Pinhey to brew the style, after the two had been speaking of their mutual loss of a parent to Alzheimer’s Disease. Pinhey spoke highly of the UK Bitter style, recalling the time he and his brothers took his father back to his hometown of Blackawton in England, and sharing pints in the many old pubs of the region, shortly before his father’s passing. Starting from a well-developed homebrew recipe provided by Pinhey, Cole made it BA’s own, but certainly kept the backbone of the original style, including some flaked maize and Maris Otter and Special B malts. A portion of the can sales will be going to Alzheimer Society of New Brunswick, and you can learn more from Cole himself in this video clip.

Heading up to Newfoundland, and Deer Lake in particular, we find that Rough Waters Brewing Company has a new beer on the go. Definitely not so seasonable with the weather in our region this weekend, but maybe a nice inspiration to think of warmer times ahead, Tangled is a lime gose that was brewed with both lime and sea salt, which should give you some margarita vibes even if laying on a beach chair right now is not an option. In keeping with Rough Waters’ overall environmental awareness it’s also a beer with a cause, with $1 from every can purchased going to the Atlantic Healthy Oceans Initiative and specifically their Zero-Plastic Waste Gros Morne program. Look for it at the brewery now, in Deer Lake at the Big Stop and Corner Brook at the NLC and it’ll be available on the East Coast in the coming weeks!

Fredericton’s Half Cut Brewing has a dark and roasty beer out this week, perfect as a morning pick-me-up or to finish off your day. Tire Fire is an Irish Dry Stout, and served on Nitro at the brewery, so you can enjoy the lovely cascading bubbles™ (probably) as the beer settles. Your patience will be rewarded with big roast and chocolate notes, along with a touch of earthiness from the hops. That nitro treatment means it is both creamy and dry at the same time, enticing you to take another sip (or pint).

Stop in at Moncton’s Tire Shack today, and you’ll see something distinctly aquamarine pouring from the taps. Channeling the blue waters of an island paradise where there isn’t 25 centimetres of snow on the ground, Brewers Henry and Murray cooked up a 5.0% Mango and Guava Sour, bursting with tropical stone fruit and citrus aromatics. But why the blue-green colour? Spirulina, a flavourless algae that is thought to be high in antioxidants, and even higher in happiness-inducing power. Grab Santorini on tap and in cans to go this weekend, before it sails away for good!

In Nova Scotia’s Annapolis Valley we’ve got a couple of new ciders to tell you about. Up first, in Kentville at Maritime Express, is the latest in their STORM series, this one inspired by Hurricane Fiona last fall, which had a devastating effect on the Valley’s apple crops, with 10-30% of apple crops lost to wind. Leveraging these storm-caused “drops” from local farmers has two impacts: it helps the farmers get some return on what would otherwise be lost crop, and it also has an impact on the cider itself, because early season fruit has less sugar and more tannins. Made from Honeycrisp and Gravenstein apples, this one is semi-dry and comes in at 5.8% ABV. It’s also got a charitable angle, with $0.50 of each 750ml bottle sold going towards The Portal Youth Outreach Association, “a safe space for youth to receive support and access programs.”

Meanwhile, in Annapolis Royal, East Coast Cider Co has a new cider of their own as well, a semi-sweet cider that wears its blueberry content proudly with its pale purple color. Featuring a subtle blueberry flavor and aroma, but maintaining a crisp finish, you’ll find this 6% ABV beauty, known simply as Blueberry Cider on tap and in cans at the brewery/cidery.

Antigonish’s Candid Brewing is trying to keep your identity (and dance moves) safe from the prying eyes at TikTok, by releasing Californication this week. Straight from Silicon Valley, this Pale Ale is solidly in the “West Coast” style, favouring hop bitterness and crispiness, over the haze and soft mouthfeel. At 5.4% ABV, it certainly punches above its weight. Grab it in cans, as well as on draught, at their taproom on College Street today.

The Year of North Brewing continues tomorrow, March 4, as the Cole Harbour brewery takes over the dozen taps at Barrington Street’s Bar Stillwell. From noon til sell-out, there will be a full complement and variety of styles on display, from their old-school Gus’ Blonde, Pip Pip Cheerio English Porter, Pear Core Values Cider, and a special release debuting tomorrow, Larger Than Larry. Keen-eyed Beer Detectives may be able to sort out what this beer is all about, taking inspiration from their Lawrencetown Session IPA, but increasing the alcohol and hops, to produce a 6.0% New England IPA. Look for this to be available on cask for enjoyment all day!

Great news for beer lovers in St. John’s, the Gahan Harbourview has now become fully operational, and is selling their own in-house brewed beer! Head Brewer Jordan is ready to show off what he’s been doing with a Behind the Brew event next Wednesday. Join Jordan in trying more than a half-dozen beers across the flavour spectrum, while pairing it with different food stations, including oysters, fish tacos, sliders, and more! This is a ticketed event, so grab yours today!

A couple more things before we dismiss you this week…

As they’ve done a couple of times previously, the homebrew-heads at BrewHQ in Burnside are selling some fresh, pre-made wort, for those of you looking to brew your own at home. As it is the season, and you could turn it around in a couple of weeks, they have cooked up an Irish Stout just in time for Saint Patrick’s Day. The specs are ~1.045 Starting Gravity, with an expected Final Gravity of 1.011 (YMMV, of course), for a 4.5% ABV Stout. Low bitterness, to about 30 IBU. Check their social media to be sure everything goes without a hitch this morning, then pop by to grab your aseptically-sealed bag o’ wort (bringing a milk crate or something similar will help with transportation).

Finishing up the week with some out-of-town brewery news, Bishop’s Cellar has brought in a fresh shipment of goodies from Fairweather Brewing of Hamilton, ON. Five beers are in the fridge as of today, including a Schwarzbier, Pale Ale, IPA, Fruited Sour, and a dessert Imperial Stout. Check BC’s page for the full rundown, and to order yours for NS-wide shipping or delivery!

Friday Wrap-Up for February 17, 2023 – News from Lone Oak, Propeller, North, Banished, Baccalieu Trail, Big Spruce, Tusket Falls, Half Cut, Village Green, and much more!

Posted by acbbdamian on 2023-02-17
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: Baccalieu Trail Brewing, Banished Brewing, Bannerman Brewing, Big Spruce Brewing, Bishop's Cellar, Dieu du Ciel, Half Cut Brewing, Lone Oak Brewing, Modern Brewer's Village Green, North Brewing, Péché Day, Propeller Brewing, Serpent Brewing, Stillwell Beer Bar, Tide & Boar Gastropub, Tusket Falls Brewing. Leave a Comment

Happy mid-February! Not surprisingly, we’re in the midst of some wild weather swings, with dumps of snow followed by double-digit sunny days, leading into some nasty freezing rain type of thing. Don’t let the weather get you down, we’ll soon be free of the frozen stuff and carrying an umbrella full time (no thanks, says this writer!). Enough pitter patter, let’s get to it!

Big news from Prince Edward Island to lead off this week. As the province kicks off hosting duties for the 2023 Canada Games (running tomorrow until March 5), there’s lots of recent and coming-soon news from The Official Beer Sponsor of the Games, Lone Oak! Let’s get you caught up with two new special beer releases first… Homestead is the first beer made on PEI from all Island ingredients. Starting with a mash full of Pilsner and Oats from Island Malt House, the wort was then hopped with plenty of Ultra hops grown by Island Hop Company of Mount Albion. Once chilled, the fermentation took place using a wild yeast isolated from wild Blackberries on co-owner and Head Brewer Spencer Gallant’s family’s farm. Definitely a first for the province! Homestead is 5.0%, dry, floral, and features a moderate bitterness in the 355mL can. Available only at their Brewery, and Milky Way Brewpub and Cold Beer Store locations.

Also brand new is Biere D’Amis, the Beer of Friends! Brewed in collaboration with their pals at Tatamagouche and 2 Crows, this French Pilsner features a base of French-grown Pils malt, and hopped with Noble-like Aramis and Strisselspalt (aussi de France), lending a solid bitterness and floral character to the beer. At 4.9% ABV and 35 IBU, these short cans are a nice light beer when you’re looking for a bit “more” from a Pils. Better act fast, as Biere D’Amis, like Homestead, was a small batch, and only available at their locations on tap and in cans.

And in important coming soon news, Lone Oak has announced the second of two new locations opening in 2023. We already shared news of Lone Oak Beer Garden, set to open in June in Avonlea Village in Cavendish. A massive beer garden and patio location, complemented by some bar seating inside. A full kitchen will serve those who stay a while, with a retail spot available to those who are just passing through. And opening ahead of it in May is Lone Oak Fox Meadow. As the name implies, it will be at the Fox Meadow Golf Course in Stratford, and will feature a full-service restaurant, as well as an Event Centre. And even better, it will be open year-round! Congrats to Spencer, Jared, and Dillon, and the whole Lone Oak team on the upcoming expansion!

Halifax’s Propeller Brewing opened their Quinpool location in July 2020, which features a full retail location, taproom with seating for 40, as well as a small brewhouse that is used occasionally for experimental brews. The latest release from that kit is Smoked Wheat Ale, based on the Polish Grodziskie style (or Gratzer in German parlance). Using oak-smoked wheat as the only grain, one would think you’d be burping up clouds of smoke after imbibing, but there’s something about the refined smoke level and light kilning that offers a seriously refreshing character in a highly carbonated 3.6% beer. In fact, it is commonly referred to as “Polish Champagne”! Due to limited volume at their pilot brewery, Propeller’s SMA is available on tap only at their Gottingen and Quinpool locations for pints and growler fills.

Staying in the Halifax region, North Brewing has been bringing the flavour in their latest Timberlea location kitchen and their takeover of their Portland street kitchen. Keeping up with their ingredients and Indian inspiration, they’ve released Chalo Chalo, a brand new brown ale available now. For the naming of this beer, we can’t say it any better than North themselves “The word “Chalo” (ch-AH–low) means “let’s go” in several languages spoken on the Indian subcontinent including Urdu/Hindi/Gujarati/Punjabi.” For the beer itself, the key to this beer is additions of Jaggery (an unrefined sugar product made in Asia and Africa with big molasses and brown sugar flavor) and a big 25 litre splash of fresh pressed ginger juice. The sweet from the Jaggery and the warming spice of Ginger works perfectly in the winter and the brown ale is a perfect vessel for these flavours. This beer is 6% and available from the three North shops and online for home delivery. 

Paradise Newfoundland’s Banished Brewing has a new release this week, a throwback to the many years of homebrewing co-owner Craig Farewell spent before scaling up to commercial size. Makes Sense is a hazy-as-heck 6% IPA, in the New England IPA category. Taking inspiration from the many hazy breweries in the US Northeast, this beer looks like OJ and smells like it too! Using Solero, Nelson Sauvin, and Citra hops late and often, they come out more on the nose and palate than a bitter hop bomb. Makes Sense is available at their retail shop now, and heading to local retailers in the next few days.

After some setbacks earlier in the year, Baccalieu Trail has been able to re-open their taproom recently, and has a new beer to celebrate! Helles or High Water is a Munich Helles, natch. Light in colour, and with a clean malt and restrained hop flavour, it is the perfect post-shoveling beer! Available at the brewery and at Marie’s and other retailers now.

We’ve got a new one from Big Spruce Brewing this week, as Belgian Strong is coming in hot (and strong). This is a Belgian style Strong Ale with some classic flavours for the style. At 8.8%, this brings out the fruity esters and some spice, along with some nice sweetness and boozy warmth. Used with West Abbey yeast (which fits big, bold and dark Belgian beers very well) and additions of Light and Dark Belgian Candi sugar (also traditionally used in higher ABV belgian beers to keep high alcohol content without adding a lot of sweetness), this is a well balanced, big drinker. This comes out this weekend from the brewery in cans and will be available online as well. 

Continuing their phase change (any fellow chemistry or physics nerds out there?) Tusket Falls Brewing has released the latest in their evolving series of hazy IPAs. Next Phaze v2 (look for the Feb canning date) sees a switch in hops, dropping the Mosaic and Phantasm, and adding Citra and Idaho 7 to complement the Riwaka. Keep your eyes peeled for the March release, which will see the return of Phantasm, but in an even more generous amount!

Fredericton’s Half Cut Brewing has new beer for folks looking to imbibe, but are still not exactly sure about all of this craft beer stuff. Cold Lite is a 3.6% American Light Lager, brewed with a grist of German Pilsner with rice for a bit more oomph without much body. The hops are light in bitterness, but present, with an earthy and floral aroma, with a touch of spicy finish. Grab a Cold Lite at their taproom on Main Street, and while you’re there, grab a slice or three from taproom-mates Coastline Pizza.

Cornwall’s Village Green has a new release and just as the weather turns colder and we get some weather, they’re bringing you a perfect release for the weekend. Oatmeal Stout is available now and is true to style in a smooth, drinkable stout with notes of dark roast coffee and cocoa. With a malt bill featuring Maris Otter and 2-row, with some helping hands from English Crystal, Roast Barley and Black Malt. That’s a big backbone for a smooth 5.2% stout. This is available now in pints and cans from the brewery. 

Serpent Brewing is back with another new release this week, and if you hear Spryfield and Bitter, you may have a few thoughts (or beers) come to mind, but the Spryfield Brewery is releasing Spryfield’s Best Bitter this weekend. This beer will be on a little stronger end of the bitter scale, as it is more dark and rich than an Extra Special  Bitter, this is balanced and has those toasty caramel flavours. A malt bill of British Pale Ale malt, Crystal and Grist Rye balance with a blend of UK hops but also some CTZ hops (Columbus, Tomahawk and Zeus) thrown in for some bittering. The final result is a 6.5% and 50 IBU, medium to full bodied, drinkable beer on the lower end of carbonation with a dry finish. Pick this up directly from the brewery on Sunday before the holiday Monday! (And make sure you check their hours if you want to get some on Monday).

This week’s final release comes in the form of a 3% ABV Berliner Weisse from Bannerman. Late Sunset is a light wheat ale with a hint of tartness from the souring bacteria. This one is unfruited, representing a great opportunity to experiment with adding your own fruit syrups (no judgement if you go the Purity syrup route), which is how this style is commonly served in Northern Germany. 

Just one event reminder for you today!

A reminder that Bar Stillwell and Tide & Boar Gastropub are both hosting the Dieu Du Ciel! Péché Mortel Day this Saturday. In addition to the original Imperial Coffee Stout, they will be pouring Péché Latte, an Imperial Milk Stout; Péché Mexican, the original with spices & chilies, Péché Bourbon, a Bourbon barrel-aged version of the OG, and Péché Special Edition, brewed using Colombian Sierra Nevada coffee beans in place of the original. Good thing both bars will be pouring flights of these 9.5% brews! The fun kicks off at noon at both locations, and Stillwell is firing on all cylinders, as they will be featuring a Montreal Smoked Meat poutine feature that day. We suspect T&B will be pulling out all the stops for fun pairing too!

Before we let you go…

While our main purpose for existing is to keep informed about what’s happening in Atlantic Canada, we are occasionally compelled to spread the word about interesting beer and cider from outside the region when it hits local taps and shelves. That’s what’s happening today at Bishop’s Cellar where five beers from Scotland’s Tempest Brewing Co. are dropping. Swing by the store on Lower Water Street in Halifax or check out their online store to check out the five different styles from one of RateBeer’s top 100 best breweries in the world. While you’re there be sure to check out their other new imports including Samuel Smith’s Imperial Stout, Ayinger Celebrator and a nice selection from Bellwoods and Dieu du Ciel.

Friday Wrap-Up for December 2, 2022 – News from Good Robot, Trailway, Uncle Leo’s, Breton, Copper Bottom, 2 Crows, Half Cut, Tanner & Co, Propeller, Half Cocked, and much more!

Posted by acbbchris on 2022-12-02
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: 2 Crows Brewing, Battery Park, Big Spruce Brewing, Breton Brewing, Candid Brewing, Copper Bottom Brewing, Delta Force Brewing, Good Robot Brewing, Half Cocked Brewing, Half Cut Brewing, Lazy Bear Brewing, Propeller Brewing, Serpent Brewing, Shipwright Brewing, Stillwell Beer Bar, Tanner & Co Brewing, Tapestry Beer Bar, The Stillwell Freehouse, TrailWay Brewing, Uncle Leo's Brewery. Leave a Comment

Happy December, y’all! Bit of disappointment as our Men’s team has exited the World Cup this week, but at least we will not have to wait another 36 years to cheer on Les Rouges, as the Women’s World Cup is in Australia and New Zealand in 2023, and then the men’s team co-hosts with Mexico and USA in 2026. Grab a beer and read along to see all of the new releases the breweries from across all four Atlantic provinces have for us this week.

Good Robot Brewing continues to flex the versatility of their new Elmsdale brewing location, complete with mash filter and expanded fermenting capacity, with plenty more new beers rolling off the line. B.F.Hef. (aka Best Friends Foreverweizen) is the latest, their foray into the German Hefeweizen Wheat Beer style. Featuring loads of wheat in the malt bill, the 4.8% beer also uses a specific Ale yeast to give off a pleasant blend of citrus and clove aromatics, with a hint of banana on the nose. Mandarina Bavaria hops enhance that citrus aroma even further. Cans are available at their original Robie Street location, as well as their newly-opened retail shop at the Elmsdale facility. Open Wed – Sun from noon (10 AM on the weekend), visitors to 14 Industrial Way will be able to purchase from the entire GRBC portfolio in can and growler fill, as well as their branded merch.

And good news for those looking to continue or start their career in beer, as Good Robot is hiring! They are looking for help both in their Elmsdale brewery and beyond, as they beef up their Brew Crew as well as those who help sell the resulting beer. They are looking to fill the following positions: a Shift Brewer, expected to have at least a couple of years professional brewing experience, a Junior Brewer (no pro experience necessary, but that’s definitely an asset), as well as a Sales Rep in the HRM/Nova Scotia region. Check out their job postings here.

Trailway has been busy this fall as well, and have a quartet of new releases available at their Main Street Fredericton location, and for local and AtlCan- & Ont-wide delivery from their website. Returning to the taps and shelves is their Beans Coffee Oatmeal Stout, a 6.8% stout brewed with a batch of freshly roasted Winter Solstice beans from their pals at Mill Town Roasters. For our coffee nerd brethren, WS is a blend dark roast blend of beans from Sumatra, Peru, and Columbia, with notes of bitter chocolate, molasses, and a warming spiciness, pairing perfectly with the beer’s malt-derived roast and full mouthfeel from the oats. Available on tap and in cans now, they have also leveraged the capabilities of Craft Coast Canning to package a Nitro version of the beer! Lower carbonation, but that means a little shake and a hard pour from height into a glass will show off a lovely cascading action as the beer settles. Due to the special nature of this version, Nitro Beans is a can-only release, but still orderable online.

Trailway has another pair of beer ready to purchase now… Merry Very is returning again for the cooler months. This is a 5.0% White Chocolate-Orange Stout… Think big chocolate, roast, coffee, a hint of citrus, but in a pale colour, something your buddy Terry would really enjoy! Locally kilned cacao nibs from McGuire Chocolate enhance the malt’s chocolate flavour, with the citrus brightening and contrasting the dark character, with a touch of vanilla. On tap and in cans now.

And finally, a debut beer from Trailway, Event Horizon. A massive 11.0% ABV imperial stout, with strong caramel, coffee, and chocolate notes, it also spent time in a 15-year Glen Breton Single Malt Whisky barrel, picking up strong vanilla and whisky notes to complement. Obviously a bit warming at 11.0% ABV, and as it’s available in 500ml bottles, we suggest grabbing a couple for sharing with friends and families a few times over the coming winter.

Uncle Leo’s Brewery in Lyons Brook has a new beer on tap, on their shelves, and for delivery, this week. Misty Morning is an aggressively-late-hopped New England IPA, absolutely brimming with tropical notes of passion fruit, citrus, and peach. All that Galaxy and Citra used late in the brewday, as well as in the tanks after the fact, mean this 6.0% beer is not bitter, but rather has a smooth mouthfeel. Their online shop has free delivery within Nova Scotia and beyond, just need to hit a very reasonable minimum value.

A pair of beers from Sydney’s Breton Brewing this week. First released is the return of an old favourite, their take on the German Kölsch. A beer where drinkability and enjoyment are top of mind, these are fermented with an ale yeast, but usually at cooler-than-normal temps, to keep the fruity esters at bay, before a long nap at even cooler temps for a conditioning/cleanup rest. At 4.0% ABV, this is low enough to pair well with appetizers, main course, or even dessert.

And debuting later in the week was Champagne IPA, wherein Breton brewed a light-bodied beer (with some rice in the grist), and used an American Ale yeast, coupled with an enzyme to extract every last bit of sugar from the wort, to finish with a bone-dry beer. Mix in the Ariana and Mosaic hops in great volume, and you’ve got a solid bitterness as well as aroma. Look for both of these limited releases in cans, on draught, and for delivery now!

Fresh off their win of the Hopyard Battle of the Breweries, Montague’s Copper Bottom Brewing is bringing back a blast from the past today, complete with a party to help celebrate! Charlie is an English-style Brown Ale, and despite being only 4.5% ABV, is brimming with malt-derived toast, biscuit, caramel, and nuttiness. To celebrate its release on draught and in festive 355ml cans, they are hosting Loaf & Ladle Food Truck serving up comfort food from 2 until 8 PM this afternoon, Craig Fair on the piano from 6 – 8 PM, and keeping the patio nice and toasty warm. Pull that Ugly Sweater from the closet and make a night of it!

In Halifax on Brunswick Street, 2 Crows has brought out the latest entry in their now long-running series of irresponsibly-hopped hazy IPAs (fun(?) party game: try to name all the previous ones!). Permanent Vacation is described as having been “absolutely saturated” with Talus, and Vic Secret hops, but with a touch of Galaxy as well. So a little bit of “the Pacific Northwest battles Australia in a tropical fruit stand, but Australia brought backup.” Expect a smooth and creamy presentation with plenty of sweetness, leading with notes of pineapple (canned), overripe mango, and a bit of coconut. Given that there’s Talus in there we’d expect a bit of the dankness as well, but you’ll have to try this 6.1% juice bomb for yourself to confirm. The 2C gang did point out that this is a smaller batch than previous entries, so if you’re a fan of the series and/or hoppy hazies in general, you’ll want to get your orders in!

On Main Street in Fredericton, NB, Half Cut Brewing has a new IPA of their own out, a double IPA, really. Continuing their trend of “juicy beers with weird f’n names” is Deep Pockets IPA. Described as being “like that uncle who never grew up,” this one’s a heavy hitter, arriving at 8% ABV and 40 IBU. You’ll find it in cans at the brewery and (soon, if not already) on the shelves of an ANBL store near you.

As is their wont, Tanner & Co Brewing in Chester Basin, NS, continues to bring beers in styles that aren’t terribly common in these parts. This week they’ve got a twist on the German style, Rauchbier. Pronounced “rowsh-beer” rather than “rock-beer”, it is traditionally made with a very large portion (up to 100%, even) of smoked malt in the grist. This can often lead to folks who are not big fans of smoke to find the beer “too smoky” so Tanner took their foot off the gas on this one and aimed for a more mellow presentation. To ensure there would still be plenty of complexity, they then took advantage of their oenological bent to age this one in oak wine barrels for a few months. The result is a 6% ABV beer that no doubt has plenty of smoke, but also some tannins and acidity for balance. Look for it packaged in bottles at both of Tanner’s locations and online for delivery.

Fans of both dessert and beer have reason to celebrate in Halifax this week as Propeller Brewing has released a beer that ticks both boxes this week. Nanaimo Imperial Dessert Stout is a pretty self-explanatory name, we think, but if you’re somehow not in the know about the classic Canadian dessert, we’d better provide some detail anyway. Built on a base of cocoa and coconut, with a layer of vanilla custard and a topping of milk chocolate, Nanaimo bars are one of the great bake sale traditions from coast to coast. Propeller’s beer version aims to hit all of those notes and meld them together with a roasty, but still sweet imperial stout. With all of that going on and it coming in at 10%, this rich and creamy number has “danger” written all over it. Grab it now directly from the source at your favourite Prop Shop, or look for it at Bishop’s Cellar or the other private stores in Metro.

Half Cocked in North Grant has a pair of returning favourites now pouring at their taproom, and in cans for the first time. Braeside Bitter showcases their English side, with lightly-coloured malt bringing out notes of biscuit and caramel, with a blend of hops showcasing lemon, tea, and honey, to complete the experience. 5.5% ABV. The Darkest One is of another category entirely, a big brash American Stout, blasting the nose with dark chocolate, and filling the palate with roast, finishing with some bitterness on the back end. 355 ml cans for this one as well, only at the brewery. Why not drop by tomorrow, December 3rd, for Holiday Market on the 245, which they are co-hosting with Teasdale Apothecary from 3 – 6 PM. And after the vendors have packed up, there will be live music from Leeboy!

Spryfield’s own Serpent Brewing has a new beer out for the festive season with a release that reflects their continued quest to bring the best of Belgian styles to Dentith Road and environs. Described as a Belgian Golden Strong Christmas Spiced Ale, it’s got a much more compact (and fun) name: Jurassic Jesus. Although it weighs in at a hefty 7.5%, it’s deceptively easy to drink, with subtle malt undertones beneath a blend of cinnamon and nutmeg spice. Cookie and caramel along with some fruity ester notes from the yeast complete the picture, as there’s little to no hop presence detected or expected in a style like this. On tap tomorrow at the brewery, you’ll also be able to grab it in 375ml bottles to go. And if you do visit, don’t forget that Spryfood, their in-house kitchen, is now up and running at full bore.

Smiths Cove is deep in the Annapolis Valley, not too far from the ferry to Saint John, so quite accessible for people in both Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. And their very own Lazy Bear Brewing has a new beer on tap and in bottles this week, a big bold beer ready to be enjoyed around a cozy fire. Assassination of a Wise Man is a 10.0% Barleywine, with rich caramel notes shining through, balanced with just-enough hops to keep it from being too sweet. Finished with molasses, some dark notes of raisin, with a lighter vanilla hint also coming through on the nose. The bottles were sealed with wax, minimizing any oxygen from sneaking in during their (possible) long cellaring period. We suggest grabbing a couple, one to enjoy now, and one later, if you happen to miss it on tap. Not overly bitter, on draught and in bottles at Smiths Cove, keep your eyes peeled to their social media for availability beyond their location, but a visit out there is a great idea, during their Thursday night taproom evenings (and maybe by appointment if you reach out early enough)!

You can tell winter is coming, as Big Spruce is holding the release party for their annual Barrel-aged Imperial Stout this weekend. Battery Park will be the gracious hosts of the two variants of the 2022 edition, as well as sharing kegs dating all the way back to 2018. However, there is a major, and welcome, change in the beer name and design this year, that we’re excited to tell you about. Kobzar Imperial Stout, is named in honour of writer Taras Schevchenko, considered to be the father of modern Ukrainian literature, with profound effects on the language and culture of his home country. Banned and exiled from Ukraine due in part to his push for Ukrainian independence, still inspiring Ukrainians more than 150 years after his death. Kobzar is both a collection of poems written by Schevchenko, and the nickname given to him, meaning “bard” in Ukrainian. Kobzar the beer will be familiar to long-time Big Spruce fans, with massive coffee and dark chocolate notes with a touch of hop bitterness to balance. This year’s releases were aged in two distinctly different barrels, imparting plenty of the character of its previous residents. Jamaican Rum Kobzar and Glenora Whisky Kobzar both clock in at 11.0%, and in a change, will be available in cans this year! Making them a little easier to stack in the basement cellar, we suspect… You can enjoy the first tastes of Kobzar tomorrow at Battery Park from 11:30 AM, where they will be pouring both 2022 versions of the beer, as well as four previous releases of Ra Ra Rasputin, including 2021 Tawny Port, 2019 Cognac, 2019 Peach Brandy, and 2018 Glenora Whisky. Cans of Kobzar (as well as a few bottles of previous releases) are available at their shop in Nyanza, on their website for delivery and shipping, Bishop’s Cellar, with the 2022 Jamaican Rum Kobzar available in cans at Bar Stillwell and Stillwell Freehouse.

There’s not only breweries getting into the festive season, Tapestry Beer Bar in Lr Sackville is filling their dance card with a range of events this month. Tomorrow, Dec 3 at 5 – 9 PM, they are hosting a Christmas Market with their nextdoor neighbours Apartment 3 Espresso Bar. On Dec 8, they are hosting a Beer & Cheese Pairing with Smith & Hartlen Fine Cheese (grab your tickets ahead of time). There are plenty more events leading up to a Bar Olympics on Dec 31, check this page for more details!

Just a few more notes before we let you go this week….

Antigonish’s Candid Brewing has a new release today, which will be complemented by at least a couple more before the weekend is done. With 3 weeks out until the official celebration on December 23rd, they’re debuting Festivus IPA. A 6.5% ABV with plenty of late-addition Barbe Rouge and Belma hops, offset with a touch of lactose, drive a few of these into you before the Airing of Grievances or Feats of Strength.

Lunenburg’s Shipwright Brewing has a new beer on tap and for crowler fills late this week.Their first Cold IPA, they’ve named it the appropriately punny Thawless Victory. A hefty 6.5% ABV and respectable 35 IBUs, look for it on tap at their tiny taproom, and maybe downstairs at the Grand Banker too!

We’re ending this week with a bit of sad news, hopefully not a “Goodbye” but a “See You Later”, from Delta Force Brewing. The always elusive crew, brewing out of an undisclosed location in Nova Scotia’s Annapolis Valley, has announced that they are closing out Phase 1, Alpha Team if you will, of the brewery. As they say, opening a “farm shed brewery at the beginning of the brewery was a bold move”, and they have pushed through with 30 different releases over the past couple of years. To toast the possibility of Phase 2, they are holding a sale on their remaining stock, so we encourage you to grab a case and enjoy them this month. Cheers fellas!!