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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 May 6, 2022 – News from Marvelous Holy Bowly by Holy Whale, Delta Force, Trailway, Annapolis Cider, Banished, Prud’homme at Tapestry Beer Bar, Hardisty, Propeller, Big Spruce, and more!

Posted by acbbchris on 2022-05-06
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: 902 BrewCast, Annapolis Cider Company, Banished Brewing, Big Spruce Brewing, Delta Force Brewing, Hardisty Brewing, Holy Whale Brewing, Hops Connect Canada, Marvelous Holy Bowly, North Brewing, Propeller Brewing, Prud'homme Beer Certification, Tapestry Beer Bar, TrailWay Brewing. Leave a Comment

Spring has sprung in Atlantic Canada. With a stretch of great weather in the forecast, what better time to grab a great local beer, hit up your favourite outdoor space and soak up some Vitamin D. This week we’ve got new releases and returning favourites, plus a couple of new spots to enjoy your pints!

Thirsty folks in Riverview have a new place to drink and play, as the Marvelous Holy Bowly opened their doors at the end of April. Brought to you by the fine folks at Alma’s Holy Whale / Buddha Bear Cafe, the bowling alley cum craft beer bar at 28 Biggs Drive features 12 lanes of candlepin bowling (reserve your lanes here), and capacity for even the biggest of groups. What’s pouring? There are a full dozen of their own Holy Whale beer flowing at all time, with room for a handful more from other New Brunswick producers large and small, plus wine and cocktails. Open 7 days a week from noon til 11 PM Mon-Fri, 10 AM – 11 PM Sat and 12 – 8 PM Sundays, make plans to hang with some pals and throw a few frames, drop a couple of quarters into the arcade machines onsite for the full bowley alley vibe, all while throwing back a couple of pints!

Delta Force Brewing is celebrating two years in business (and what a couple of years it’s been!), with a mixed six-pack of different fruited Anderlecht Farmshed Ales. Hand-picked by the Delta Force team from the Annapolis Valley and Mahone Bay areas of the province, the six varieties of fruits added were Gooseberry, Rhubarb, Sour Cherry, White Currant, Red Currant, and Black Currant. They let the beer, already funky and a touch tart from the Brettanomyces used to ferment, direct the fruit choice and addition rate. Each beer was fully fermented to completion after the fruit was added, with about 3 months of fruit contact time before bottling. This special celebratory six-pack is available for ordering now through their website, just in time for delivery within HRM.

Trailway has a new IPA out, named after those pesky cart-seeking red shells in Mario Kart. Red Shell IPA features a moderate bitterness and notes of stonefruit, citrus and pine from additions of Citra, Amarillo and Callista hops. Featuring a more substantial grain bill than the average Trailway IPA, expect some biscuity malt notes to keep things nicely in balance. Cans are available now at the taproom and through their online store. 

Annapolis Cider has a new release from its always popular Something Different series. Black Cherry & Rosemary features cool fermented cider that is blended with juice from local black cherries. It also received an infusion of rosemary to add a lightly savoury note. The result is a full bodied cider that pours a deep crimson colour thanks to the black cherries. The flavour profile features ripe berries, cherry tannins and slightly herbal finish. Black Cherry & Rosemary is available now in Downtown Wolfville, with $0.50 from each sale supporting the Valley Hospice Foundation. 

In “coming soon/get your drinking boots on” news, Banished Brewing in Paradise NL has passed one of the big hurdles this week, as they have begun brewing! We’ll have tons more news for you ahead of their open in the coming weeks, but know that soon those tanks will be filling kegs and cans for our enjoyment. Keep an eye on their social media for updates too, as they are coming fast and often these days!

Tapestry Beer Bar in Lower Sackville is taking you to school in June, as they will be hosting Prud’homme Beer Certification Level 1 classes starting June 13. Over the course of 4 Mondays, students will learn all about beer styles, beer recipe and production, tasting techniques, and the history of beer. Interested? Reach out to Tapestry in person or over social media to sign up or learn more!

The small (some may even say, nano) folks out of Cole Harbour, Hardisty Brewing, are bringing their wares to the Alderney Market (at Dartmouth’s Alderney Landing) every Saturday from 8am until 1pm. There are lots of great vendors down there, so stop by, grab some beer, grab some food, and support your local crafters!  Hardisty currently has a lineup of at least 6 beers (an IPA, Amber, two Pale Ales, a Pilsner and Rye IPA), and they also deliver in Dartmouth and Cole Harbour weekly. Check their website for more details. 

The pleasant people at Propeller have a summer-themed Patio Pack of 12 cans available today. This 12 pack features 12 355ml cans mixed between four different beers. Two of the beers most of our readers would be familiar with, Lime Lite Lager and Passion Fruit Sour, but they also have two Summer Ales, Tropic Haze and Guavarama as part of the pack. This pack is available today on their website and in the Propeller shops and will be arriving soon at the private stores in Halifax, along with the NSLC. 

Spring time in Nyanza can only mean one thing, the return of She’s Maibock. Big Spruce’s take on the traditional German Lager is back in stock. The 6.5% maibock is hopped with Huell Melon, giving notes of strawberries, melon and stonefruit to compliment the signature toasted bread crust malt notes of the style. Grab some cans today at the Sprucetique or through their online store. 

The boys at the 902 Brewcast returned this week for a pod recapping the recent Tapped Truro Beer Fest. They also sample a few recent releases, including this year’s release of Cerberus. Treat your ears wherever you get your pods.

We’ve got two quick hits from North Brewing to bring you into the weekend, starting with a rerelease. Just in time for some warmer weather, Sparrow Pilsner is back in stock at all three retail locations. And speaking of retail, North is currently hiring for part-time positions in the three retail shops (Cole Harbour, Downtown Dartmouth and Timberlea). If you’re interested, send a resume to ben@northbrewing.ca or check out the job postings section of their website for more info.

We’ll warrant that but for a few exceptions, most beer drinkers don’t spend a whole lot of time thinking about where the ingredients in their beer come from. As you can imagine, though, as with any industry, there’s a whole worldwide supply chain that gets the barley and the hops and the hey hey from wherever they’ve been grown and processed into the hands of our region’s brewers. In the case of hops, there’s one company in particular in Canada that’s responsible for much of the hop content in your glass. That company has always been known as Hops Connect, but they’re now rebranding as Hops Connect Canada to more clearly delineate that they are a Canadian-owned and -operated company serving breweries in every Province and Territory. These are the folks responsible for much of the sought-after Southern Hemisphere (Australia and New Zealand) varieties being available to our brewers, like Galaxy, Vic Secret, Nelson Sauvin, and Motueka, but they’re also behind, through their affiliate, Hops Connect Farms, the only current trademarked Canadian hop variety, Sasquatch. So the next time you’re lifting a glass of Propeller Galaxy, or maybe one of Trailway’s latest juicy hop bombs, give a thought to Hops Connect Canada and maybe check out their website and their new branding.

Friday Wrap-Up for November 12, 2021 – News from O’Creek, Hardisty, Serpent, 902 BrewCast, Port Rexton, Upstreet, Good Robot, Lake City, Propeller, and more!

Posted by acbbdamian on 2021-11-12
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: 12 beers of christmas, 2 Crows Brewing, 902 BrewCast, Bar Brewdock, Bishop's Cellar, Bogside Brewing, Copper Bottom Brewing, Dildo Brewing, Foghorn Brewing, Good Robot Brewing, Hardisty Brewing, Lagabiere, Lake City Cider, Libra Non-Alcoholic Beer, Lone Oak Brewing, Long Bay Brewery, O'Creek Brewing, Ol' Biddy's Brew House, Port Rexton Brewing Co., Propeller Brewing, Quidi Vidi Brewery, Serpent Brewing, TrailWay Brewing, Upstreet Craft Brewing. Leave a Comment

Happy Friday beer and cider drinkers of Atlantic Canada. We’ve reached the mid-point of November, which means you’re about to start hearing way more Boney M. on the radio and the holiday-themed beverages will be rolling out of tanks across the region. And while we certainly have a few big, wintery beers to tell you about, you’ll be comforted to know that your favourite producers are still bringing you new IPAs, sours, ciders and sessionable ales as well. Holiday-creep also means that way-too-early Black Friday sales are everywhere, which is a perfect excuse for us to remind you to buy local this holiday season. Gift cards, glassware, swag, a year-long subscription to ACBB, or just some good ol’ fashioned fermented beverages from your favourite producers all make perfect gifts. Your support helps to ensure that they can keep giving you the good stuff, and we’ll keep telling you about it every Friday.

Let’s start off with some news from the smaller producers in our region! O’Creek Brewing based in Dieppe, New Brunswick, leads us off with a banger of a beer in bottles. While known near and far for their love (and great execution) of New England IPAs, as the weather turns a bit chillier, sometimes you need something else in your glass! Enter Coffee Island, a brand new release that spent time in their oak foeder, built for them by New World Foeders on Prince Edward Island. The base Imperial Stout was aged in wood for about 9 months, before a cold-brew concoction was added shortly before bottling. This was not any old coffee, however, as these beans were aged in bourbon barrels before roasting, courtesy of Matera Brasseurs in Montreal. Notes of oak, roast, bourbon and coffee come together in this 10.4% ABV sipper, and will be available shortly at several ANBL locations, as well as the Picaroons Roundhouse Brewtique.

Located in Colby Village, Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia, you’ll find another small producer serving their local community, Hardisty Brewing. Their latest release is honouring the region’s, and their own, heritage, with a spot-on name, Heritage Rye IPA. Recognizing and reflecting on Acadian roots, as well as a history of brewing in their family, they have slightly tweaked their motto “Inspired by Community” to “Inspirée par la famille”. This 6.0% ABV beer showcases the spicy and ester character of the Rye malt used in the base beer, and follows through with enough bitterness (to the tune of 48 IBU) to balance everything out. Heritage Rye will be available this weekend in Hardisty’s Winter Special, a mixed 8-pack of beer perfect for the cooler weather. And to keep your noggin warm as well as your belly, a Hardisty Brew toque is included! The Winter Special is now available for purchase on Hardisty’s website, where they have also launched their special Dartmouth-wide shipping. On Thursday November 18 and December 16, residents in Dartmouth will be able to take part in the fun that until now only folks in Cole Harbour have been able to enjoy: Hardisty Brew right to your door! Fear not, CH folks, your usual weekly deliveries are still happening. 🙂 And if you’re not lucky enough to live on the Darkside, Heritage Rye will be on the shelves at Harvest Wines in the next week or so, joining a few other Hardisty offerings..

Spryfield’s Serpent Brewing has some things on the go, starting, of course, with a new beer. Judas is a Belgian Blonde Ale, a refreshing and easy-drinking pale yellow beer with esters of plum and pear, that they’ve balanced with sweet malt and a low but still very present bitterness. Coming in at 5% ABV and 35 IBU, expect more character and body than you’d find in a pale lager, but still a fairly crisp finish. Grab it at the brewery today. You can also now order online for next day delivery or, if you’re not local to NS, nationwide shipping. Details are available on their website. And if you’d like to learn a little bit more about the brewery, owner/brewer Glen O’Keefe sat down with Tony and Kyle from the 902BrewCast (‘member them?) for their first brewery episode in over a year and that episode is online for your listening pleasure! Get it from the source or find it through your favorite podcast app. Meanwhile, if you’re like us and you’ve busted your 902BC glass, they’ve got them available again for $10; message them via Instagram to arrange.

We’re a little late to the party on this one, but Port Rexton Brewing put out a new release in their Continuum series of hazy IPAs last week. This one, however, veers away from the “hot” hops generally used in this style and takes a flyer on a couple of Continental hops largely unknown on these shores. Styrian Dragon is a Slovenian hop developed over the last number of years by the Slovenian Institute of Hop Research and Brewing in Žalec, and is known as an aroma (late-addition) hop with notes of floral citrus, grapefruit, lemon, berries, rose, and tropical fruit. Malling, on the other hand, has been around for a long time, a descendant of English hops that were imported to Austria to rebuild their hop industry after disease and the Second World War decimated it. Named for a village in Kent, where a Mr. Golding lived, it’s known for minty and peppery notes. Together these hops provide the latest Continuum with aromas of gummy candy, flavors of citrus and berries, and some minty character. It’s 5.9% ABV and is the first in the series to be packaged in cans; get it at the brewery and the St. John’s retail shop now and look for it on tap at PR tap accounts and retailers.

In nearly beer news this week, Upstreet out of Charlottetown has released a new entry under their Libra brand of non-alcoholic beers, Libra Stout. Tasting like “a light iced-mochaccino” it brings the typical characters of coffee and chocolate while being low calorie. This one was a trial batch so only available at Upstreet locations, but they’ve already hinted that they’ll be making more in the future. Which brings us to Libra Pilsner, which this week is graduating from a similar trial release back in the summer to wider distribution at Sobeys and other retail partners. Crisp and slightly malty, it’s also got some floral notes from the use of traditional Saaz hops.

Upstreet is still making not-just-nearly beer as well, and they’ve got a new IPA coming soon to replace Black Tie on the shelves of PEILLC for the Fall/Winter season. Blue Meanie marries the flavor of blueberries (thanks to blueberry concentrate) with bright Lemondrop and dank/fruity Mosaic hops, all carried by a decidedly colder-season ABV of 8%. Tart, semi-sweet, with pineapple, blueberry, and lemon notes prominent, it boasts 30 IBUs of balancing bitterness. Look for this one starting next week.

Longtime fans of Halifax’s Good Robot may remember the time they took their Mississippi Goddam American Barleywine and put it in bourbon barrels for six months, kicking off their barrel program with a bang. That was four-ish years ago now, but those who have been waiting with bated breath for the next BA beer from GR can finally heave a sigh of relief. Barrel Aged Tom is what happened when they took their stalwart Tom Waits for No One American stout and sat it in Buffalo Trace bourbon barrels for 6 months. Still bringing the coffee and chocolate notes of the regular version, the barrel adds some smoky oak and sweetness to the mix. Of course, the residual spirit bumped the ABV a little, taking it from 7.9% to more like 10.5%, which no doubt also adds a little (more) alcohol warmth to the mix. Released on Wednesday in 650 mL bottles with a swank metallic label, you might want to invite a friend or two to come on up to the house to share it. Or, y’know, accept an invitation to the blues, explore the bottom of the world, and wind up sleeping on the cold cold ground with the rain dogs. Get it at the brewery or order it online for delivery.

Over in Dartmouth, Lake City Cider is making sure you’re ready for the coming season, both holiday and meteorologically speaking. Spice Up Your Life, re-released today, isn’t a paean to the Spice Girls (well, it could also be that), but mostly the self-describing name of their latest offering. Featuring your favorite winter spices, namely cinnamon, ginger, clove, and nutmeg, along with some dried orange peel, this off-dry cider comes in at 6.8% ABV and has been packaged in 750 mL bottles. Look for it at the cidery or order online for pickup or delivery.

Back across the harbour to Halifax, where Propeller Brewing is continuing to lean firmly into the “dark beers for the dark months” model. We told you last week about the return of their London Porter, which we were a little early on (sorry folks!), but it turns out there’s more than one reason for the return of that beer. First, people like it and want to drink it; second, because the fine folks at the brewery took a portion of the batch and created another beer with it. Wild Cherry Porter is out today and sees that very London Porter treated to some time in the tank with wild cherries. Still 5% and still boasting plenty of chocolate and coffee character from roasted malts, the cherries add some sweetness and richness along with the flavor you’d expect. A bit of a treat for a cold day or sock a couple away for the impending holiday season. Available in 4-packs of cans for ordering from their website; you should be able to get singles in person at the Prop shops, and we suspect you’ll see it pop up at some tap accounts for draught pours as well. It’s also available in singles on the holiday rack at select NSLC locations throughout the Province.

And keep an eye out for the London Porter itself; here’s what we wrote last week about it before redacting it in shame: “Also returning is Propeller’s London Porter, another flavourful dark beer, emphasizing the chocolate over the roast (though roast is still present), on a drier finish. These characteristics, as well as the 5.0% ABV, put it soundly in the “traditional” style for a porter, close to that of an iconic London brewery that has been brewing it for decades, carried on the historic style. On tap at Propeller locations now and cans coming soon, this beer will see distribution during the remainder of Fall and into Winter.”

For those looking for something even darker, richer, and stronger, it’s that time of year again when we see the return of what might be considered the granddaddy of big beers in our region: Revolution Russian Imperial Stout. Although it doesn’t come in those awesome 500 mL slope-shouldered bottles anymore, it still has all the intense chocolate, dark fruit, and coffee flavors you remember along with a balancing bitterness and a slightly warm alcohol finish. Weighing in at a hefty 8% ABV and 60 IBU, you’ll find it starting today at the Prop shops and available for online ordering in four-packs of 473 mL cans, and in singles from select NSLC locations, with some tap accounts pouring it as well.

We won’t fault you for thinking that maybe you were going to get through a week without having to head down to 2 Crows and grab yet another tasty release. But if you did, once again you thought wrong. Frequenters of the tap room will know Tessa, their tasting room manager and social media coordinator. Well now you can add beer designer to the list, as this week’s release is Tessa’s brainchild. As Tessa is one of the biggest proponents of sours in the building, it’s natural that this one started in mid-2019 with the standard 2C golden sour as a base, this one fermented and conditioned long and slow in the barrels used for the Megadregs project of several years ago, taking on a complex sour character with a hint of coconut. From there, the goal was to develop lemon and lavender characters; the lemon was relatively straightforward, with a small amount of fresh lemon juice added to barrel to complement the already present lemony and floral vibe created during fermentation. But the lavender was a bit of a more difficult ask, as nobody wants a soapy character to their beer. Thanks to some advice from the fine folks at Meander River Brewery, the gang learned that the lavender stems and flowers can be boiled in a small amount of water to draw out a nuttier lavender character. This water was added along with a hit of fresh lemon zest shortly before bottling, and the beer bottle conditioned for several months. The result is a 5.5% ABV beer, sour and complex, but also bright and spritzy, where the lavender is layered and subtle and the lemon provides some extra zip. You’ll find it available today in 375 mL bottles at the brewery and available via online orders for pickup or delivery as well. If you grab some, take a minute to appreciate the lovely label, also designed by Tessa, and for a triple play of Tessa-ness, maybe check out her recently released EP on Spotify too!!

If you’re in the mood for something a bit richer this weekend, check out Ol’ Biddy’s Brew House for the release of their new Double Chocolate Stout. This small batch brew was made with copious amounts of Chocolate Malt and 2 pounds of cocoa powder, for good measure. Coming in at 26 IBUS and an approachable 6.8% ABV, it showcases notes of chocolate and roasted coffee beans. Head to the taproom in Lower Sackville ASAP if you want to try it, with only two kegs being available before it’s gone.

What to drink this weekend, and where? We’ve got you covered!

A reminder that tomorrow, November 13th, Copper Bottom Brewing in Montague is marking their 4th Anniversary, complete with live music all day (noon til 9 PM), food specials by their resident food truck, The Pizza Box, plus $5 pints and beer slushies! And launching is Birthday Beer 4, a 5.6% Mango IPA. Dry-hopped with Amarillo and Simcoe, along with plenty of mango puree to really dial up the tropical fruit flavour, it will be available on draught and in cans in-house and online.

While in Montague tomorrow, you can also pop by Bogside Brewing, who is launching a new look to their Lighthorse Lagered Ale. From 12 – 9 PM, visitors will enjoy staff-priced pints of Lighthorse (just $5!), with performances by the PEI Regiment Band from 1 – 3 PM, Blizzard Goat Band 3:30 – 5:30, and Carter MacLellan closes out the evening from 6:30 on. This collaborative brew with the PEI Light Horse Regiment was first released in October 2019, and part of tomorrow’s pint and can sales will be donated to the Last Post Fund.

Newfoundlanders, your next two weeks are shaping up to be busy!

First off, Quidi Vidi Brewery has teamed up with Basho Restaurant to release the latest version of their Bog and Barrens beer, Yuzu Rice Lager. Launching next week, this beer was designed to pair perfectly with Tak Ishiwa’s cuisine at this local Japanese restaurant. So what better way to celebrate than with a pairing dinner? On November 16 and 17, Ishiwa will be bringing a 5-course pairing menu to the QV gut to showcase how well food and beer go together. While Tuesday’s event is sold out, tickets are available for Wednesday’s dinner, and available on the QV website. And keep your eyes peeled for the beer to be released in cans in the next few days!

In East Duck, Bar Brewdock is hosting an interprovincial tape takeover next week that is so big it needs two days to contain! Next Friday and Saturday, Nov 19 and 20, the fine folks from PEI’s Lone Oak Brewing are skipping the causeway and flying straight into St. John’s, pouring a full dozen of their beers. From core brands like South Shore Sour and Fixed Link Pils, as well as special and one-off releases like Blueprint and Otis, there will be plenty for folks to try. If you’re like us and know that Brewdock actually has 24 draught lines (!!), you may be wondering, “Hey, what else might I see on tap that weekend?”. Well, we can spill that joining LOB on tap for the weekend is none other than Dildo Brewing Co. With fresh releases like the DO-X Italian Pilsner, Lassie Brown Ale, to the classic I’se Da Bye PA, Dildo is sure to show up and please everyone who pops in for the swally. An event this big could use some epic food to pair, so Crumb & Pickle are taking over the kitchen! Sandwiches and more, plants are what’s for dinner on Duckworth from 12 – 9 PM Friday and Saturday! No tickets necessary, just show up early and show up often, to drink the best from our two Atlantic Canadian island provinces.

And rounding out the great events occurring this month in Newfoundland is the return of the 12 Beers of Christmas. Hosted at the St. John’s Farmers Market on November 26 and 27, while the Saturday show is sold out, there are still a few tickets for Friday’s event. Despite the name, there are waaaaay more than 12 beers pouring, with a great combination of Newfoundland and Labrador breweries, as well as those from outside of the region. Look out for the first time in Nfld history to see Boombox Brewing from Vancouver, and New Level from Calgary pouring in the province. Grab your tickets now before you’re left out in the cold!

A few more quick hits today…

Fredericton’s Trailway Brewing has a new iteration of their Velvet Fog milkshake IPA available this week. With vanilla and lactose as usual given the sweetness and body the style is known for, the fruiting this time is pineapple and mango. 6.0% ABV and available from the source.

Speaking of hazebombs, one of Quebec’s finest purveyors of that style, who collaborated with Trailway last year, is Lagabiere from St-Jean-sur-Richelieu. Why are we telling you this? Because the beer saints at Bishop’s Cellar have managed to bring in four beers from Lagabiere that, rumor has it, will be available tomorrow: Ta Meilleure IPA, Ta Plus Meilleure DIPA, Ta Valeur Sour IPA, and Nice ‘n Hazy APA. We recommend you move fast on these, as we suspect they won’t last long.

Over on Beer Advocate, a member of the beer exchange group known as CanBIF (Canada Beer-it-Forward) has set up an arrangement to encourage charitable giving this month. In short, if you make a $100 donation to a local (to you) charity of your choice and provide proof of same to the organizer, you will be entered in a draw for a box of lovely beers from participating breweries (mostly Ontario, local to the organizer, near as we can tell, though if you’re a brewer reading this and want to take part, we can help make that happen!). Entries must be received by November 27th, with a random draw taking place on November 28th. Full details, along with info about participating breweries, is available in this BA post. While donating to local charities is always rad, it’s especially so at this time of year, and maybe you win some beer too.

Foghorn Brewing Co.has seen the return of their Undercover Hop New England Pale Ale out this week, restocking their can and draught inventory. Each batch of this series will be brewed using an unnamed experimental hop variety, this one being HBC 586 from Yakima Valley Hops. The description from the hop producer suggests lots of fruit flavours including mango, guava and citrus. Coming in at 6% ABV, Undercover Hop is available now in cans and on tap.

Further south in Rothesay, Long Bay is releasing Brew Number 22 in their Ex-Beeriment series. For this one, Long Bay set out to create a sessionable ale with just enough hop character and bitterness to keep things interesting. Consisting of Golden Promise and Maris Otter malts, and the exclusive use of Eclipse hops, the hoppy session ale came in at 4% ABV and 25 IBUs. Find it on tap at the Long Bay taproom now.