Halifax Seaport Beerfest

All posts tagged Halifax Seaport Beerfest

Friday Wrap-Up – New Beers and News from Boxing Rock, Picaroons, Pump House, Big Tide, and more!

Posted by acbbshawn on 2014-08-01
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: 2014 Fredericton Beer Run, Acadie-Broue, Antigonish Townhouse, Big Tide Brewing, Boxing Rock Brewing, Brasseurs du Petit Sault, Celtic Knot Brewing, Fredericton Craft Beer Festival, Garrison Brewing, Halifax Seaport Beerfest, Hammond River Brewing, Ladies Beer League, North Brewing, PEI BeerFest, PEI Brewing, Picaroons Traditional Ales, Propeller Brewing, Pump House Brewery, Rudder's Brewpub. 2 comments

Good morning, beer fans! As August begins (try hard not to think about summer ending), it’s time for more local beer news…

• Boxing Rock has released a new beer – Sessionista, a “Bold Session Ale”. Brewed to be available as an easy-drinking summer beer (and at 3.5% ABV, it certainly is very sessionable), it has a heavy malt aroma “reminiscent of an English Bitter” with hints of lemon blossom and orange, according to the brewery, along with “roasty malt notes on the palate followed by a pithy lemon-lime finish”. This is a limited-release beer, so pick some up while you can. It’s available in 650 mL bottles at private liquor stores in Halifax, in one-litre growlers every Saturday at the Halifax Seaport Market and the Shelburne Farmers’ Market, and at the brewery, while supplies last. Look for it on tap at select beer bars in Halifax, as well.

• This weekend (August 1st-3rd), the 9th annual Sappyfest (an independent music festival) is being held in Sackville, and Picaroons has brewed up a special beer for the event. Currently going by Secret Show Ale, this 4.5% ABV, 20 IBUs beer will be served during the festival on tap in the main tent, and afterwards should be available at both Ducky’s and Thunder & Lightning. With a malt base of Pilsner and a little wheat malt for head retention, it’s hopped with Tettnanger and Saaz, and brewed “in a Kolsch frame of mind”, according to brewmaster Andrew Estabrooks; that is, fermented cool to minimize production of fruity esters and diacetyl.

• There’s a new beer on tap at the Pump House brewpub, their Raspberry Wheat. A great style for the warm weather of summer, the brewery describes the beer as a German style wheat beer, “bombarded” with 40 kg of raspberries. “Tart and refreshing”, it comes in at 5.5% ABV. It won’t last long, so get down to the brewpub (and select restaurants/bars around Moncton) for a taste.

• Big Tide Brewing is celebrating their 5th Anniversary on August 5th, and they’ve brewed up a special beer to celebrate! Anniversary Amber Ale is a “malty, full-bodied ale” that is brewed with five varieties of specialty malts and five hop varieties (Willamette, EKG, Nugget, Fuggles, and Cascade), and will clock in at 55 IBUs and, yes, 5.5% ABV. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to determine what else Big Tide has in store for their anniversary plans on the 5th, but keep an eye on their Facebook and Twitter accounts for updates.

• The PEI Brewing Co. is looking to release a new beer, a currently-unnamed Coffee Stout. They’ve brewed two different versions, and need your help in picking out which one is best! Drop into the brewery in Charlottetown, purchase a sample of each, and fill out a ballot indicating your choice for your favorite. Not only will you be helping the brewery decide which beer to brew on a larger scale, but you’ll also be entered to win two VIP tickets to this year’s PEI Beer Festival (Sept. 5th & 6th).

• It looks like last Saturday’s grand-opening for Brasseurs du Petit-Sault in Edmundston was a great success, and we now have a little more info on their Acadie-Broue collaboration beer that we mentioned last week. As previously noted, the beer brewed is from the recipe for Acadie-Broue’s Belgian Saison, Tintamarre. However, with this batch (brewed on a much larger scale on Petit-Sault’s system), Acadie-Broue owner/brewer Patrice Godin has dry-hopped the beer with 5 kg of Amarillo and Simcoe. Along with Amarillo in the whirlpool addition, and the Belgian yeast strain used for fermentation, this should be a very fragrant beer! Due to the slight changes, this batch will be named L’effrayab’ Tintamarre; “L’effrayab” is a local Madawaska county expression that translates to “incredible”. With an ABV of ~6-6.5% and 36 IBUs, it should be ready in time for National Acadian Day on August 15th; it will be packaged in kegs only, so look for it at bars/restaurants in the area. We’ll keep you updated as to where exactly it will be served.

• The new beer news rolls on, with Rudder’s Brewpub announcing that they’ve recently tapped Midnight Crossing Brown Ale. Brewed with Pale Ale malt as the base, along with wheat malt and two other specialty malts, it is hopped with two English varieties and one from New Zealand. Clocking in at 6% ABV and 26 IBUs, it pours with a tan head and a dark brown color in the body, and has “smooth drinking with a slight bitterness in the finish”, according to brewmaster Mike Ferguson.

• A few weeks ago, we reported on a new beer from Hammond River, a California Common named Gammie. Well, that beer is now available! A well-balanced and easy-drinking beer at 5.3% ABV and 37 IBUs, you should be able to find it on tap now at Shiretown Publicans and The Barrel’s Head; it may follow at Hammond River’s other accounts in the near future.

• The Antigonish Townhouse is starting something new today… IPA Cask Night! Their first cask ever – Terry’s British IPA – should be tapped at 5 pm, to coincide with the birthday of one of their favorite regular customers. More one-off casks will follow over the coming weeks, to allow the staff to get the whole process down; they hope for it to become a regular bi-weekly event after that. This will give brewer Terry Piercey the freedom to do a bit more experimenting for future brews.

• The Ladies Beer League put together a great-looking event that’s being held during Halifax’s Local Connections Sausage Fest (Aug. 14th – 24th). Unfortunately, it’s already sold out! Dubbed the LBL Roof-top Cask Party at Scanway, there will be three casks tapped: Propeller Pilsner, Garrison Honey Lavendar, and Boxing Rock Hunky Dory Ginger; special sausage morsels from Scanway will also be available. Tickets were $10, and include a take-home glass and first fill (pay-as-you-go afterwards). Looks like the LBL will have to start holding more beer events so everyone can attend!

• And in other Sausage Fest news, both Garrison Brewing and North Brewing are participating in a Sausage Brunch and Beer Brunch at harbourstone sea grill & pour house on Sunday, August 17th. From 10 am – 3 pm, there will be a variety of handcrafted sausages available, along with several beers from both breweries; tickets are $39.

• The 8th Annual Halifax Seaport Beerfest is almost here! It will be held August 8th – 9th at the Cunard Centre, and tickets are still available. While we plan on providing all the information you need sometime next week, we wanted to point out that the full brewery/beer list has been posted on their website. With over 110 breweries pouring about 275 different beers and ciders – including an additional 15 unique casks from eight Atlantic Canadian breweries – it’s shaping up to be another great beer festival for our region. Tune in next week for more details!

• Duo Wine Bar is holding a patio beer dinner on Wednesday, August 6th (rain date August 13th) at 6:30 pm. There will be five courses and eight different beers being served, with several beers from American breweries Goose Island and Brooklyn Brewery. More importantly, one of the courses will feature a special release of Celtic Knot Hopicide that has been “additionally hopped”, paired with traditional German Curry Wurst. Tickets are $120 (tax and gratuity included); send them an email to reserve yours.

• Looking for a job in the beer business? Well, with their expansion in progress, Garrison Brewing is hiring… specifically, for the position of Marketing, Retail & Event Coordinator. Two to three years experience in marketing, retail, events, etc. is required; if you’re interested, send a cover letter, resume, and references to Tracy Phillipi.

• This year’s annual Fredericton Beer Run, being held this Monday, August 4th (New Brunswick Day), has sold out! We’ve talked about the event in previous posts, but to re-hash, it involves a 6 km or 12 km run, followed by beer sampling at the King Street Ale House, where participants will be able to try fourteen 4 oz samples of various beers from local breweries. Check out their Race Roster page for a list of participating breweries (Railcar will not be pouring, but they will be present and selling beer swag).

• And speaking of the Fredericton Beer Run, the brain behind this event belongs to Lloyd Chambers, who also runs the yearly Fredericton Craft Beer Festival. Lloyd has confirmed that planning for next year’s FCBF has already begun; while March 7th, 2015 is still many months away, we can assure you that there’s already something new and special in mind! Looking forward to sharing more as the date gets closer!

Friday Wrap-up – New Beers (and a Cider) from Bad Apple Brewhouse, Bulwark, Sea Level, Big Spruce, and more!

Posted by acbbchris on 2014-06-13
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: 2014 Fredericton Beer Run, Bad Apple Brewhouse, Big Spruce Brewing, Big Tide Brewing, Boxing Rock Brewing, Brewer's Bash, Bulwark Cider, Gahan House Home Brewer's Challenge, Garrison Brewing, Halifax Seaport Beerfest, North Brewing, Sea Level Brewing, YellowBelly Brewery. 1 comment

Good morning! There’s lots of Atlantic Canadian Beer News this week, so let’s get right to it!

• Bad Apple Brewhouse is releasing their newest beer today, Mosaic Double IPA. Brewer Jeff Saunders chose to brew this beer as both a way to showcase the uncommon Mosaic hop, and to raise awareness of Mosaic Down Syndrome, as his son is living with this affliction. The beer weighs in at 8%ABV and 120IBU (calc), and the aroma and flavour is full of floral, tropical, and fruity notes from the Mosaic hops. All of the proceeds from the sale of this beer will be going to the Nova Scotia Down Syndrome Society and Camp Brigadoon, who hold camps for kids (and families) with various special needs throughout the summer. Grab it today starting at 1pm at the Brewhouse in Somerset, and look for it on tap in the Valley and HRM shortly.

• Bulwark Cider has released their Blush this week. Made with the same Annapolis Valley fresh-pressed apples as their Original, they then blend in local cranberries, raspberries and blueberries  for something completely different. This is all done pre-fermentation, with no extra juice added later. Though it only makes up a small percentage of the fruits, the blueberry really shines through in the aroma, complementing the apples’ crisp character. The cider weighs in at 4.5%, and is available in bottles and on tap at bars and restaurants around the Maritimes, and will also be in the NSLC soon.

• Sea Level Brewing announced late last week that they’ve launched their Summer Blonde Pilsner, just in time for the nicer weather! Brewed with 100% Pilsner malt, the beer also incorporates the Summer hop, an Australian variety that is known for exhibiting “light apricot and melon fruit notes”. The beer is also fermented with a Czech Pilsner yeast; it has 40 IBUs and an easy-drinking ABV of 4.8%. It’s available now at the brewery in cans and for growler fills, and on tap at The Port Pub and Luckett Vineyards. Look for it in the HRM very soon.

• While on the topic of Sea Level, they’ve also re-released their Southern Cross IPA. Originally launched in April, this 6.5% ABV IPA sold quickly in Nova Scotia, so the brewery decided to brew up some more, just in time for Father’s Day! For more info on this beer, check out our post from April.

• And speaking of returning beers, Boxing Rock is bringing back their Crafty Jack, an English Brown Ale. Featuring a “rich, roasty malt profile, and classic English hops”, it comes in at a very sessionable 4.2% ABV, and 29 IBUs. It should be available now at the brewery in 650 mL “bombers” and for growler fills, and at private liquor stores in Halifax. Also, this release marks the first time the beer will be available at NSLC stores across the province.

• Even more! Garrison Brewing has re-released their seasonal Sugar Moon Maple Ale this week. Brewed with local syrup from Sugar Moon Farm in Tatamagouche, this full bodied and sweet-tasting beer clocks in at 6.3% ABV and 17IBUs. It is available at the brewery now, in the private stores and NSLC soon, and will be on tap at select bars around the HRM.

• Big Spruce has a new cask heading to Stillwell in the near future… Mr. IncREDible is a “heavily dry-hopped” version of their Regatta Red. With the citrusy Amarillo used exclusively in the dry-hop, this 5.1% ABV, 26 IBU Irish Red Ale may not fit your standard definition of the style, but it sounds tasty! Keep an eye on Stillwell’s Facebook and Twitter accounts for news on when the beer is tapped.

• Tickets are now on sale for the 8th Annual Halifax Seaport Beerfest, to be held August 8th & 9th at the Cunard Centre. Atlantic Canada’s largest beer festival, this year’s fest will highlight “exclusively craft beers, premium imports and ciders”, with over 275 unique brands from more than 110 participating breweries, as well as a Cask Beer Pavilion. There will be three sessions (Friday 7:00 – 9:30 pm, and Saturday 2:00 – 4:30 pm and 7:00 – 9:30 pm); tickets for each are $45 in advance. In addition, this year’s event will feature a limited number of VIP tickets for sale, for both Saturday sessions. At $65 each, they include a souvenir glass and bottle opener, a guided one-hour tasting prior to the session, and a Q&A panel with special guests, including beer author Nick Pashley, and Stephen Clinch, co-founder and co-owner of Trouble Brewing, from Ireland. Both ticket types can be purchased through Ticket Atlantic; regular-admission tickets can also be found at select NSLC stores. We’ll have more information on the festival in the near future!

• After just reporting that they’ve added two new 10 barrel (310 U.S. gallons, or ~1160 L) fermentors from DME, Halifax’s North Brewing is pairing with the harbourstone sea grill & pour house to put on a beer pairing dinner on Thursday, July 10th from 6:30 – 9:30 pm. Tickets are currently on sale (you can purchase them online) for $50 each, and include six courses, each paired with a different North beer. Courses include coriander-crusted scallops and blueberry salad paired with a North Saison, cast iron-seared flank steak with grapefruit and blue cheese crust paired with a Belgian IPA, and chocolate-covered cherries with Mexican Pot au Creme, with a Strong Dark Belgian Ale.

• The folks at Picaroons have released the brewery list for this summer’s Brewer’s Bash on July 12th. The sold-out, all-day event will feature beers from over 60 breweries from across the country; almost 2/3 of those breweries will be from Atlantic Canada! We’ll keep you updated on the expected beer list as it becomes available, especially from the breweries in our region.

• The new seasonal from Yellowbelly Brewery, Downtown Brown, that we reported on last week is already almost gone, on tap at the brewpub. However, they are releasing the beer today in 1L bottles, exclusively at the brewpub, at 4 pm. If you’re in St. John’s, get down there to stock up!

• Back in April, we reported on the winning beer of the 1st Annual Gahan Home Brewer’s Challenge in PEI. Earlier this week on Wednesday evening, the winning beer, PEI Cranberry Wit, brewed by Ryan Palmer and Lee Nicholson, made its debut on tap at the Gahan House. As part of their prize, Ryan and Lee joined Gahan brewmaster Trent Hayes in brewing a full-sized batch of their beer, and you can taste the results! It won’t last long, so make sure you get to the brewpub to give the beer a taste.

• Big Tide Brewpub in Saint John has released two new beers in the past little while: their popular Blueberry Ale is back on tap, as well as a new beer, the Tin Can Coffee Porter. Unfortunately, details are light on the Porter, but we can tell you it was brewed using coffee from Java Moose, a local roaster.

• This year’s Fredericton Beer Run (Monday, August 4th; check out last week’s post for more details) has added another ticket option for you non-runners out there! Basically, the Coach’s Ticket includes a sampling glass and the same number of beer tickets (fourteen 4-oz samples), but without the 6 or 12 km run. The cost of the ticket is $45 (can be purchased online); you MUST be accompanying a runner to be eligible to buy a ticket. They’re also looking for volunteers; if you’d like to help out for a few hours during the run portion of the event, and then receive access to the beers later, send them an email!

A reminder that there are two special beer events scheduled for next week: on Friday, June 20th, at 7:30pm, the Ladies Beer League is holding their First Anniversary Celebration at Wooden Monkey Dartmouth. No tickets or entry fee required, just show up to pay-as-you-go and enjoy the special beers brewed for them by Garrison, North and Big Spruce. There will also be some LBL swag (glasses, pins, Tshirts) to show your support, and help shape the future of the League. The next day, starting at noon, Garrison Brewing will be invading Stillwell Beer Bar with twelve pins of beer, each made with local ingredients. A couple of the beers have been announced, including Spiceman’s Session Saison, a Belgian-style Saison spiced with Cassia Buds and Wild Voatsiperifery Pepper and Christmas in June, a blend of Meander River’s Lunchbox Pale Ale and Garrison’s Spruce Beer. Tickets for the noon “First Sips” have sold out, but starting at 2pm, the doors will re-open to the public, where $10 will get you a special glass and your first pour of beer. We’ll be there, be sure to say hi!

Friday Wrap-Up – Garrison District Ale House to Reopen in New Location, Hell Bay Releasing New Beer, Seaport Beer Fest Offerings Increase By 40%, and more

Posted by acbbshawn on 2013-08-02
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: Fredericton Beer Run, Halifax Seaport Beerfest, Hell Bay Brewing, Picaroons Traditional Ales. 1 comment

Good morning and end-of-week, fellow beer fans!

• For those of you in the Fredericton area (and beyond), you’ve likely been waiting – and waiting – for the Garrison District Ale House to re-open after they were forced to close due to a fire in early January. Progress has been slow due to circumstances beyond their control, but co-owner Doug Williams has confirmed that they will be moving to a new location. In approximately eight weeks, they’ll be opening at the old Mexicali Rosa’s / Back Nine location on King St. With a larger space and larger menu (looks like they’ll be offering more BBQ), we’re extremely happy that things are finally looking up, and we’re eagerly awaiting their grand re-opening!

• Hell Bay Brewing in Liverpool, NS will have a new beer available (albeit in limited amounts) very soon. Being described as an “Indian Brown Ale” (think: American Brown Ale), it will have an ABV of 6.7% and 45 IBUs. According to the brewery, this hoppy beer will also accentuate the malt flavors, along with chocolate and molasses. The beer will be pouring at the Seaport Beer Festival in Halifax next weekend, and should be on tap at select locations in the area.

• As for the Seaport Beer Fest, we’ll be having a separate post on the August 9th-10th event soon. In the meantime, a full list of breweries and beers can be found on the event’s website; with 110 breweries and 267 different beers, there’s approximately a 40% increase over last year’s numbers! Tickets are still available.

• There’s a new beer in the works from Celtic Knot Brewing. Loki, a Black IPA, will have about 70 IBUs and an ABV of 6%. Brewed with three of the ‘C’ hops – Chinook, Centennial, and Citra – it should be available sometime in the not-too-distant future. Keep an eye out for it at Marky’s Laundromat in Moncton.

• As mentioned yesterday, some of the breweries in Atlantic Canada cooked up special beers for National IPA Day. They should still have some leftovers, so be sure to seek these out if you weren’t able to partake yesterday!

• And, just in time for IPA Day, Boxing Rock Brewing’s DIPA, Vicar’s Cross, was released yesterday. According to the brewery, it should be making its way to Halifax today. Look for it in 650 mL “bombers” at the same four specialty stores mentioned in the Friday Wrap-Up from two weeks ago. It will also be available at the Seaport Farmer’s Market, and the NSLC within a couple of weeks.

• Picaroons has been hinting that they will release a special beer in honor of New Brunswick Day (Monday, August 5th). So far, they haven’t provided any information on the beer, but stay tuned to their Facebook and Twitter accounts over the weekend… something will likely be posted soon. Rumors indicate that it may be a re-release of their 506 Logger, a quasi-Kolsch that was originally released last year.

• In other New Brunswick Day news, the Fredericton Beer Run that we reported on will be held on Monday. Tickets have recently sold out; looks to be a great event for those participating!

That’s it for this week! Enjoy your weekend!