Halifax Seaport Beerfest

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Friday Wrap-Up for August 11, 2023 – News from Port Rexton, Schoolhouse, Shipwright, Annapolis Cider, Change is Brewing Collective, Boxing Rock, Hopyard Halifax, Banished, Big Spruce, Unfiltered, Sober Island, and Great Roads Brewing

Posted by acbbaaron on 2023-08-11
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: Annapolis Cider Company, Banished Brewing, Big Spruce Brewing, Boxing Rock Brewing, Change Is Brewing Collective, Garrison Brewing, Great Roads Brewing, Halifax Seaport Beerfest, HopYard Halifax, North Brewing, Ol' Biddy's Brew House, Port Rexton Brewing Co., Port Rexton Pride, Propeller Brewing, Schoolhouse Brewery, Shipwright Brewing, Sober Island Brewing, Unfiltered Brewing. 2 comments

Happy Friday everyone! We hope you’ve had a great week and are ready to celebrate another weekend with a variety of beer, cider, and mead from your local producers. We’ve got plenty of news on big changes from two breweries in Nova Scotia, new beer and Pride in Port Rexton, some great events later in the month for those in HRM, and of course a few things to sip and savour at home or in your favourite watering hole before then. And a reminder that this weekend’s Seaport Beerfest is happening rain or shine, so be sure to coordinate the colour of your umbrella with that of your drinking boots! With 300+ products from across the region and beyond, there will be more than enough to satisfy your cravings. Cheers!

This weekend is Port Rexton Pride, with a full gamut of events happening in town, with crafting fun and the kick-off BBQ this afternoon at the arena, and of course Port Rexton Brewery will be hosting plenty of events all weekend. To celebrate the event, they have once again teamed up with Queer Beer NL, a group of queer homebrewers in St. John’s, to bring you Experimental Phase. This is truly a hybrid of two styles, with the hop aroma and flavour of a New England IPA with the malty profile of a Red Ale. Citrus and stone fruit on the nose, followed by a touch of caramel or even gingerbread, in a low bitterness, 5.5% ABV, package. It’s pouring at the brewery now, and will be available everywhere you grab Port Rexton in the coming weeks, so be sure to check it out and support PR Pride!

Windsor’s Schoolhouse Brewery has released their Summer Break Wheat, just in time to finish out the hottest part of the summer, and give teachers one last moment of respite before the bells start ringing for another year. This 5.3% ABV beer uses a Kolsch-style yeast for a clean fermentation with a touch of subtle banana fruitiness to the bright orange peel finish. Perle hops lend a touch of mint, pine, and spice to the overall effect, and is available on tap and in cans at the brewery and at Bishop’s Cellar.

Down in Lunenburg, Shipwright is releasing Sea Legs, a Belgian influenced take on a Brut IPA. This one starts with a grain bill of Pale, Munich, CaraBelge and Abbey malts, before seeing additions of Citra and Lemondrop hops. The team then pitched Escarpment’s Ardenne Belgian yeast, which fermented the beer to be quite dry with an ABV of 9.5%. Despite the high ABV, the dryness and low bitterness (16 IBUs), this one is sneakily easy drinking. The combo of the hops and Belgian yeast give floral aromas and fruity esters. Grab it today in Downtown Lunenburg.

Across the way in Wolfville, Annapolis Cider is releasing the latest in their Something Different series with Bouquet Rosé. This one saw 4(!) separate ferments come together, including a lilac co-ferment, a cyser (mead/cider hybrid) that uses magnolias and dandelions, and a blueberry wine. The result is a spring bloom in a glass, with notes of lilac, flowers, blueberries and nectarines. Refillable bottles are available at the cidery now, with $0.50 of every sale supporting The Mudley Fund, which helps to remove financial barriers for children and youth in the Town of Wolfville who are seeking to engage with their community. 

Two big events to tell you about coming at the end of the month.

Our friends at Change is Brewing Collective are partnering with Elevate & Explore Black Nova Scotia to bring you a Summer Beer Bus Tour on Sunday August 27. Teaming up with Taste Halifax Food & Beer Tours, this tour begins at the Africville Park with a walking tour of the area, before continuing on to North Brewing (CIB’s collaborators on Deep Rooted), Propeller Brewing (Wabanaki Soda), and on to Garrison Brewing (future plans, perhaps?). There will be charcuterie boxes from a local Black-owned business, plus prizes too! Tickets are on sale now, with early bird pricing available. Don’t miss out on this great learning and drinking opportunity. Learn more here.

And just a couple of days later, on August 29, Change is Brewing is hosting a screening of One Pint at a Time, an award-winning documentary highlighting the stories of Black-owned breweries and brewers as they make their mark in the US beer market. Co-hosted by Boxing Rock (of Back to Birchtown Stock Ale), the screening will be held at Hopyard Halifax on Gottingen Street, featuring food pairing and the launch of a Triple Collaborative Beer between the three groups. Tickets are pay what you can to support Change is Brewing’s initiatives around the local industry. More information here.

A few more things before we let you go…

Coming back just in time for the Dragon Boat festivities at Octagon Pond in Paradise next weekend is Banished Brewing’s Paddles Up! Sour. Inspired by and brewed with the Avalon Dragons, a group of Breast Cancer Survivors who race in the Paradise SunSplash Paddle every year, this Raspberry and Hibiscus Fruited Sour is brimming with flavour and sports a lovely pink hue. Fifty cents from each can goes towards the team, so drink up!

In returning beer news, Big Spruce has a couple of releases this week, with the Blursday 6.6% Hazy IPA hitting the draught lines and shelves this week. Think tropical fruit, with mango, papaya, and lychee. Joining it is Kolsch Encounters, their 5.6% Lagered Ale hybrid beer, with a delicate malt character and a crisp and dry finish. Look for it on tap and in cans as well.

The King of Citra is back from Unfiltered… Double Orange Ale, aka DOA, is their 7.5% ABV Double IPA, brimming to the edge with Citra hops throughout, for serious citrus vibes and solid bitterness. Pints and cans to go from Charm School and the brewery next door on North Street!

Let’s finish off this week with news from two Nova Scotia breweries where there have been some big changes recently!

On Nova Scotia’s Eastern Shore, fans of Sober Island Brewing will be seeing some new faces working the taps these days, as owner and founder Rebecca Atkinson has passed the reins over to new owners Nancy and Steve Giles. Since opening the brewery in 2016, Atkinson has helped to make Sheet Harbour a destination for beer lovers from across the country, and is now turning her focus to other endeavours. The Giles’ will continue the great work, keeping the brewery taproom and Musquodoboit Harbour Beer Garden bustling and busy with events, and Brewer Tim MacLeod will continue brewing the same beers that he has for years, including the recently released Eastern Shore Barley Wine, an 11.7% ABV beast of a beer. Congratulations to Rebecca and the Gileses on the transition!

Residents of Lower Sackville will soon see big changes at their local brewery at 111 Cobequid Road, Ol’ Biddy’s is undergoing a name change. Since the sale of the brewery in April, there have been major renovations in the taproom and improved patio front and centre to the building. There is another big transition happening now, as they are changing their name to a locally inspired one, Great Roads Brewing. The website and social media pages are still in flux, but the Great Roads name is inspired by the nearby Fultz House Museum, with the Fultz House sitting at the intersection of the important roads leading from Halifax and Dartmouth to Windsor and Truro. Visitors to the brewery can get a sneak peak of the new branding by grabbing their newly canned Blueberry Wheat Ale. Many of the same folks who have been at the brewery for years continue on, including Brewer Rob, who has been making the beer for 3 years, learning under founder and former owner Keith Forbes. We’re excited to hear of the new and upcoming changes, and will continue to share the latest news from Lower Sackville’s brewery!

Friday Wrap-Up for July 28, 2023 – News from Flying Boats, Acadie-Broue, Stillwell, Annapolis, Lunns Mill, Horton Ridge, Little North, Tanner, Trailway, Gahan, Banished and Shipwright

Posted by acbbdamian on 2023-07-28
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: Acadie-Broue, Annapolis Brewing Company, Banished Brewing, Flying Boats Brewing, Gahan House, Halifax Seaport Beerfest, Horton Ridge Malt & Grain, Little North Brewhouse, Lunn's Mill Beer Company, Shipwright Brewing, Stillwell Brewing, Tanner & Co Brewing, TrailWay Brewing. Leave a Comment

Happy Friday! Let’s kick off the week’s post with the great news, one of you has won a pair of tickets to the Thursday August 10th session of Halifax Seaport Beerfest… Congratulations to tyler.muffins for the pic and story of them enjoying a pint on the weekend! We’ll send along your tickets momentarily! And for those who entered, thank you very much! We were thrilled to see you make us part of your beer and cider adventures! To continue those adventures, be sure to grab your tickets for the Fest taking part on the Halifax Waterfront in less than two weeks! Thursday August 10 til Saturday August 12, grab your tickets here! There are also Volunteering opportunities before, during, and after the Fest, which will get you some swag and a chance to check out the festival with a backstage pass! More on what you can expect in last week’s post.

Let’s start off this week in Dieppe, New Brunswick, where Flying Boats invited Patrice Godin of Acadie-Broue into their brewhouse for a truly special brewday. Relying heavily on the well-researched books of Lars Marius Garshol and Mika Laitinen, they brewed a rustic ale in the Norwegian and Scandinavian traditions. Beginning with a hollowed out spruce log as their mash and lautering tun, known as a kuurna, a filter bed was created with alder, fir, and spruce branches, which only stood to increase bright wood and resinous properties. A very short pasteurization step, rather than full boil, was used to kill any beasties, before the Ebbegarden Kveik yeast from Escarpment Labs was added. As is tradition, there was a healthy roar let out when pitching, which also gave rise to the name, Screaming at the TrØlls. The resultant beer is full-bodied, with a light wild character, and a bright woodsy aroma and flavour. Given the dimensions of the kuurna, this beer is in short supply, and will not be packaged, so your only chance to enjoy it is at Flying Boats’ taproom at 700 Malenfant Blvd. But we can tell you that there is at least one more beer from the same brewday that will be released in the coming months, so stay tuned! Be sure to check out the great pictures of the day from Mathieu Leger, on Flying Boats’ IG post.

Your Friends in Foam™ at Stillwell Brewing have, right under our noses, managed to stealthily brew a candidate for “beer of the Summer 2023.” Anyone who follows his Insta account knows that brewer CPR spent some time in Czechia earlier this year (or was it late last year?) and anyone who knows the man would have been daft to think he didn’t come home planning a Czech Lager. But then there was the taproom opening and the introduction of Stilly Cream Ale and then summer happened and here we were, blissfully unaware. WHAM. That’s how they get you. On draught at Stillwell properties today, and maybe some other places around town is 10º Czech Pale Lager. The 10º doesn’t mean anything about temperature, it indicates the degrees Plato of the initial wort before fermentation, which is how much sugar is available for the yeast to consume; this is the standard way of describing beer strength in Czechia and the Stillwell gang is staying true to it here, even if it means the name doesn’t really roll off the tongue. Featuring all-Czech ingredients, including floor-malted Moravian Pilsner malt, Czech Saaz hops, and a Czech yeast strain by way of Escarpment Labs, the only thing not Czech about it is the water (although we’re sure Chris thought about it). That said, Halifax’s somewhat soft water is very apt for the style, so no harm, and certainly no foul. Double-decocted (if you know what that means you just cringed at the effort) and naturally carbed via spunding for maximum tradition, it took three months to go from grain to glass. The result is a 4% ABV beer with an impeccable head of foam and a carbonation that fairly dances on the tongue. Described by CPR himself as “kinda savoury, [and] zesty!” it’s the magic of the old country in a glass. Given the ingredients, the techniques, and the conditioning time, this one will likely be a once-a-year treat from the brewery. Fortunately it’ll be packaged in cans next week so you can enjoy it in the comfort of your own home as well as out in the world. And the one of us who has already experienced it can tell you it absolutely tastes like another, and probably another after that. We do, however, recommend making sure to have a slow-poured pint off the Lukr taps at the Stillwell Freehouse, as we can vouch for the way that they can amplify an already stellar beer!

A trifecta of Annapolis Valley breweries came together earlier this month to celebrate and showcase locally-grown and malted grain. When Horton Ridge announced they had some 2-Row malted barley from a local farm, Annapolis Brewing jumped at the chance to use it, bringing along their pals down the road in Lawrencetown, Lunn’s Mill. Opting to brew a Belgian Pale Ale, thank you to the malts character and excellent extraction and fermentability, which enhanced the light spicy phenolic character of the yeast chosen. Simply named Belgian Pale Ale, this 4.9% ABV beer is available on draught only at the three participating breweries along the 101 Highway!

Little North Brewhouse, out of Baie Verte, Newfoundland has a brand new release. If you’re hot on the Cream Ale train and can’t stop dreaming of the cream, these fine folks are bringing you Good Friday, a cream ale coming in at a very drinkable 4.3%. This is available now at 410 Grocery in Baie Verte, Grand Falls Windsor and Gander NLCs and will be in Corner Brook NLC over the weekend. Grab these cans if you’re local (and want to send us some!).

Though they’ve had some troubles with the recent flooding, Tanner & Co Brewing still manages to come out with a new small batch brew for the weekend. Sahti is a new release in the style of the traditional Finnish beer. This is a 9.5% full bodied beer featuring juniper branches and local malt in the mash and hopped for balance to 10 IBU. Hefeweizen yeast brings it all together for a very unique style of beer. The yeast should bring the banana flavour while the juniper flavour should come through for a unique flavour for one of the oldest beer styles in the world. This is only available for a short time on tap for pints and growler fills  at the Duke Street taproom.

A regular to these weekly posts, Trailway Brewing has some news out of their Fredericton and Saint John locations. First up, Green Island is back! This is a taste and aromatic 6% IPA that packs the tropical fruit with its mix of Cashmere and Idaho 7 hops. Lots of citrus and tropical fruit complement this juicy New England style IPA. 

Other notes from Trailway include the return of Hu Jon Hops Ultra, a 1.5% ABV version of the Hu Jon series. This is in 4 x 355ml packs at ANBL stores and Trailway locations. Also, if you’re looking for the ultimate Trailway experience, they have 2 AirBNB units above the Union House Brewpub in Saint John. You can check them out here. 

If you were part of the two big weekends in Cavendish this month, you may have seen a new brew from the Island-native Gahan. Coming fresh off the festival circuit and into wider release is Balmy Island, a pineapple sour. This is a 5% sour with real pineapple additions that was a hit at the festivals. This sour, tart, refreshing and juicy sour is now canned and available now in wider release at PEI Liquor locations, PEI Brewing and Gahan shops.

Never one to shy away from the new stuff, we’ve got a few hits from Banished Brewing. First up is a brand new release, Makes Less Sense is a Hazy Session IPA clocking in at 4.0%. This is the little version of their Hazy IPA, Makes Sense. This is available in cans from the brewery and online right now.

In the event news, the Banished folks go from one island to another where they take over the taps at Hopyard Charlottetown! There will be 4 taps pouring on Thursday August 3rd. The four featured Paradise brews are: Paradise Town (fruited sour), Little Jim (session IPA), Private Line (Kolsch) and Makes Sense (the previously mentioned Hazy IPA). There will be a late night variety show kicking off at 10PM that night as well, but no tickets are necessary, so it’s a great chance for the Charlottetown folks to try some of the Rock’s finest.

If you’re down in Lunenburg, Shipwright Brewing has a new feature on tap. Cherry Hill is a Belgian Sour using cherries from Terra Beata Farms right in Lunenburg. This one is 4.5% and features a nice tart Cherry flavour, with that slight sour refreshing hit on your palate, good for a hot summer. This is available now at the bar and taproom for pints and also crowlers to go.

Friday Wrap-Up for July 21, 2023 – News from North, Change is Brewing, Iron Rock, Big Spruce, Timber Ship, Propeller, Breton, Candid, Big Axe, Banished, Port Rexton, Trailway and more!

Posted by acbbchris on 2023-07-21
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: Banished Brewing, Big Axe Brewery, Big Spruce Brewing, Blood Brothers Brewing, Breton Brewing, Candid Brewing, Change Is Brewing Collective, Dildo Brewing, Half Cocked Brewing, Halifax Seaport Beerfest, Hammond River Brewing, Iron Rock Brewing Co., North Brewing, Off Grid Ales, Port Rexton Brewing Co., Propeller Brewing, Route 19 Brewing, Seasoned Plate, Timber Ship Brewing, TrailWay Brewing. 1 comment

How do you like this heat and humidity folks?! Are you sticky and icky and sweaty gross? You’ll forgive us for being predictable if we suggest that the best treatment (‘cause there’s no antidote) for weather like this is beer and cider. Luckily there are plenty of new releases and re-releases on the go at our region’s breweries to keep your tastebuds interested and your weather-induced discomfort minimized. We encourage you to check out your favourite brewery’s facilities this weekend, whether that be in air-conditioned comfort, enjoying sunshine on a patio (your results may vary depending on your location), or commiserating regarding the lack thereof. Hey, at least you’ll have beer!

Starting with the week off, we start with some cultural news out of Halifax as the 40th Africville reunion kicks off on Friday July 21st and lasts for a week. While you can check out all the events here (it’s for everyone!), North Brewing and the Change is Brewing Collective is re-releasing Deep Rooted, a brown ale in celebration of Africville. The ale itself is inspired by the molasses and brown sugar used by black elders in the brewing process back in the day. This one is 5.7% and will be available at the reunion tonight, and at North Brewing now. Every can sold will contribute to the Africville Museum and Change is Brewing. Stay tuned for more CiBC news, as they are going to be busy in August, too!

As part of the Come Home to Wabush celebrations this weekend, Iron Rock Brewing has released a special beer to commemorate the town’s history and future. 1967 Inc Blackberry and Blueberry Sour marks the year the Town of Wabush was incorporated, and features the abundant local fruit growing around town. At 4.5% ABV, it’s light and refreshing and a beautiful shade of pink, and shares the story of the town to all who will see it. Come Home has a special place for Brian and Dave Hurley of Iron Rock, commemorated on the can, “In loving memory of our Aunt Roma Hawco and each dedicated resident who built our community. – Come Home to Wabush 2023. From the earth, we prosper.” Grab it at the brewery on tap and in cans, as well as at many of the events happening during the week’s festivities.

There is no question one of the very interesting recent style trends in North American Craft Beer is the Light Lager. Whether you think they’re a sad acknowledgement that craft beer has to compete on macro beer’s terms, whether you cite them as a craft victory for showing that “light lager” doesn’t have to mean ‘insipid’, or whether you just know that a light lager is the perfect, “Can we just drink some fuckin’ beer,” beer, Big Spruce is the latest brewery to have you covered. Camp Spruce will happily accompany you from your après lawnmowing sluice at the garden hose, through grilling up dinner at the BBQ, all the way to dousing the campfire and crawling into your tent. At an even 4%, it’s going to be crisp and clean and go down with a smoothness. Packaged in 473ml cans, you can grab a few (or a flat!) from the brewery or order for delivery.

Returning out of Miramichi’s Timber Ship Brewing, Scruples SMaSH is a limited-time can release named after an old Opera House in Miramichi. The 3rd floor of the Opera House had a bar named “Scruples” and this beer is in honour of that. Brewed with Maris Otter malt and Azacca hops, this is meant to mimic the pineapple flavour of it’s house cocktail, the Grog. This is 5.6% and 40 IBU. Grab this one from the brewery today. 

Veering away from the seasonable summer crushers that dominate the scene at this time of year, Halifax’s Propeller has something completely different on the go this week. Wild Ale is, well, a wild ale, fermented with a less cultivated, and thus less predictable, strain of yeast. Presenting a base crisp and bready malt character, you’ll find layers of flavor in the form of ripe orchard fruits, a decided tartness, and some funky and earthy notes. As it was barrel aged, you’ll no doubt detect some tannins and maybe a hint of sweetness as well. Reasonably light, at 4.7% ABV, this will be one to savor and consider. Bottled in 500ml bottles, you can grab one at any of the four Prop Shops (including the newly opened Bedford location, which is now open for sitdown pints!) or at Bishop’s Cellar.

Nova Scotia has some badass tourist destinations and one of them is Fortress Louisbourg National Historic Site. But the magic of its restoration would be incomplete without the life that is breathed in by the historical recreators and the other folks of the Fortress of Louisbourg Association. Sydney’s Breton Brewing knows this well and has teamed up once again with the Association to produce another batch of Île Royale Saison. Based on a grist of wheat, oats, and rye, and an additional fermentable contribution of molasses, it was fermented with the Ardennes yeast strain for a classic dry French saison character, with notes of spice and hints of fruit. Fairly light, at 4.8% ABV, it’s available in cans from the taproom and home delivery in CBRM (home delivery in HRM next week), you can also find it pouring on draught at the La Taverne Storehouse at the historic site itself.

Chef Stephen Barrett, aka Seasoned Plate, is the chef friend to breweries and cideries across the region, has teamed up with Antigonish’s Candid Brewing to bring us Sun Kissed Strawberry Saison. Available now on tap and in cans at the brewery, this 5.5% ABV beer started life as a spicy and fruity saison, thanks to the Belle Saison yeast from Lallemand, before a healthy dose of Strawberry purée was added. Be sure to check out SP’s continuing Pints & Plates series, where each week he pairs a unique recipe with a Nova Scotian beer and brewery. This week’s feature is Spiced Chicken and Hummus with Off Track’s Universal Soldier Kolsch.

Hot off the heels of last weekend’s Big Axe Craft Beer Festival, Big Axe Brewery has still managed to pump out a new release. Brewed, “in honor of our Troops who serve and have served,” Green Eyed Pale balances malty character with hop-derived elements of candied orange aromas and fresh fruit and citrus pith flavors. When sweet malt meets citrus and a firm bitterness it sounds like a classic American Pale Ale to us! This 4.8% ABV beauty is pouring on draught or available in cans to go at the BAB taproom, and you’ll also be able to find it on tap at various local restaurants.

Straight out of Rothesay (that’s in New Brunswick), Hammond River Brewing has a few returning beers with a couple of lagers. Seeng Light is a 4% lager featuring Basmati rice and Seeng Strong is a 7.2% lager with more malty notes. Pick these up from the brewery now.

Heading up to Newfoundland, to Paradise, no less, we find Banished Brewing has a new batch of Out the Gate pouring, the first since last year, and one of the brewery’s first recipes. An Abbey Ale, sans abbey or monks, it manages to carry on the stylistic tradition of malt flavors paired with candy and bubblegum notes. Falling neatly into the “Singel” category, at 5.3%, don’t be fooled into thinking it’s a simple beer; in fact at that ABV we figure there’s an opportunity to contemplate the complexity that happens when malt, hops, and especially Belgian yeast strains get together and make magic. This one’s on tap at the brewery and packaged in cans for both the Banished retail shop and wider distribution in the area.

Staying on the Rock, we have plenty of news from Port Rexton Brewing Company who are celebrating seven years in operation this weekend! With their Birthday Bash happening tomorrow, they are releasing 7 Cherry IPA. The 5.8% ABV IPA has a medium bitterness and clean character, that doesn’t get in the way of the cherry flavour and aroma. Available on tap and in cans at the brewery Saturday, and across the island starting next week. We’ve got the full rundown on the Bash in last week’s post (hourly rotating tap all day!), with even more details on the Lawnya Vawnya Concert, Screen Printing, and plenty of food options, on their Insta page. The fun kicks off at noon and goes all day/night!

You won’t have to wait, however, for a returning summer favourite this week in the form of Port Rexton’s fruited ale, Flight of the Mango. Packed with mango purée and sweetened with lactose, this one is bright orange and hazy with a full mouthfeel, and plenty of mango aroma and flavor. Weighing in at just 5% ABV, despite the sweetness you can expect it to be quite crushable. Grab some cans or a growler fill to go from the PR taproom, or sit and contemplate a pint (or maybe pints). It will also see wider distribution to the usual Port Rexton retailers in the coming weeks.

OG Ales, of Magaguadavic, NB, is continuing to bring new beers to pair with their dome experience on Magaguadavic Lake. Out this week is Overcast, a session IPA at 4.4%, that brings a light and refreshing mouthfeel paired with luscious tropical hop flavors of pineapple, mango, and passionfruit all of which are balanced by a firm bitterness courtesy of some Chinook hops from nearby Lakeview Hops. Although that one is only pouring in the taproom, their Solstice red IPA, 5.5% ABV and with a west coast vibe, sounds like it’s been reworked a little and is not only available on-site but is also packaged in cans and headed to the ANBL.

A new one out of Fredericton’s Trailway is a collaboration release with Toronto’s Blood Brothers Brewing. This one actually came out with its first release two years ago, but they’re back with another iteration. Whales All Day is an 8.5% Double IPA packed with Riwaka, Mosaic and Sabro hops. It’s got huge notes of pineapple, stone fruit and grapefruit. This is available at the Fredericton and Saint John’s tap rooms. And check their job listings for your chance to become part of the Trailway family, whether it’s in the brewhouse, selling their beer, or helping to tell people all about it! More info here, and send in your resumes to info@trailwaysbrewing.com.

Dildo Brewing has teamed up with Piatto Pizzeria to craft an Italian Pilsner, which has hit their taps and shelves today! Brewed to complement the pizza and cuisine available at Piatto, the herbal and citrus hop notes shine come through for a balance to the acidity from the tomato sauce on the pies. This beer is rolling out to NLCs and C-stores over the weekend, and will make a great evening in as part of a takeaway bundle coming soon to Maries stores too!

We’ve already told you about the events happening this weekend at Port Rexton, 2 Crows, and the Stillwell Freehouse & Beergarden this weekend, so be sure to check out last week’s post for the full scoop. 

Half Cocked Brewing is celebrating their Sixth Anniversary in North Grant tomorrow, July 22nd, with a good old-fashioned Hootenanny! Opening at noon, they’ll have plenty of great food options from The Crafty Cooks, including fish tacos, cheddar sausages, and pulled pork sandwiches. And of course, you need great music at any party, so from 3 PM, their stage will be full with The Ceilidhmen, The J-Walkers, and Shane Arsenault. Plus a dozen beer options a-flowing, including a couple of new beers to wet your whistle. If you’re not able to be there, we feel bad for you! Congratulations to the Half Cocked Team!

We’re getting you ready for the return of the largest festival of next month, Halifax’s Seaport Beer and Fizz Festival. Plus we’re going to give you a chance to win your way in!!

Atlantic Canada’s largest celebration of Beer, Cider, Soda, RTD, and Seltzer is back again in three short weeks! Halifax Seaport Cider & Beerfest is returning to the Halifax Waterfront for its fifteenth year Thursday August 10 through Saturday the 12th. Fingers crossed for great weather, as it will be outside, but we can tell you the most excellent news that they have been able to return to an all-inclusive ticket price, thanks to some fierce negotiations with NS Alcohol and Gaming. While the finalized list hasn’t yet been finalized, we know there will be more than eighty producers and hundreds of different beers, ciders, seltzers, sodas, and everything in between, representing Atlantic producers (yes, four breweries from Newfoundland will be pouring: Bannerman, Ninepenny, Port Rexton, and Quidi Vidi), as well as those from across the country and our neighbours to the South in Maine (Baxter Brewing, Lone Pine, Mason’s, Portland Zoo, and Sebago). Now spanning three days, with the Thursday evening session being perfect for those who’d like to start their weekend *just a little bit earlier*. We’re happy to provide a note to your employer, should you need it!

Ticket pricing for the sessions are quite reasonable, with advance tickets for Thursday night being only $35 (+ fees & taxes), and Friday evening and Saturday afternoon and evening only $45+. If you’re the kind of person who likes a bit of extra time on the floor to chat with the brewers, or maybe hit the special brews that may run out a bit early, VIP tickets are available for every session for only $20 more, allowing you entry an hour early and a special glass to keep! Find all of the details at the Seaport Beerfest website.

We want to help get you in the door, so we will be running a contest on Instagram to win your way into the VIP Session on Thursday! All we ask is that you put up a post, reel, or story of a beer or cider you’ve enjoyed recently, and tag us (@ACBeerBlog), Seaport Beerfest (@SeaportBeerfest). We’ll have more info on our IG page, plus plenty of ideas to get you started! The contest will be open until 11:59 PM July 27, and we’ll announce the winner of the pair of VIP tickets to Thursday’s session in next week’s blog post.

We end this week with tragic news from Inverness that Dallas Lewis, Brewmaster of Route 19 Brewing, passed away. An employee since the beginning, and publicly credited by Route 19 with brewing, “every single batch of beer we ever made,” he was a valued teammate and community member. Brewing is a tough job and it is a special person who can turn it into a fulfilling career. Though we didn’t know him personally, he was a part of the greater Atlantic Canada beer community and we’ll be raising a glass to Dallas; we humbly suggest you consider doing the same. We also note that there is a GoFundMe that has been set up in Dallas’ name to benefit his family.