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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.

Friday Wrap-Up for July 30, 2021 – News from Happy Craft Brewing, O’Creek, Lone Oak, Village Green, Grimross, Tatamagouche, Annapolis, and plenty more!

Posted by acbbchris on 2021-07-30
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: 3Flip Brewing, Annapolis Brewing Company, Baccalieu Trail Brewing, Big Spruce Brewing, Candid Brewing, Delta Force Brewing, Gahan House (St. John's), Grimross Brewing, Happy Craft Brewing, Hardisty Brewing, HopYard, Lone Oak Brewing, Modern Brewer's Village Green, O'Creek Brewing, Ol' Biddy's Brew House, Saltbox Brewing, Tatamagouche Brewing, The Harbour Brewing Company, Tidehouse Brewing, Unfiltered Brewing. 2 comments

Here we are at the end of July already and into the August long weekend that marks our entry into the shank of the Summer. We don’t know about you folks, but we’re hoping for some decent weather to help those folks who, enabled by the looser COVID restrictions, are moving around the region, as well as those who are staying closer to home. Whether you’re planning to hit the camp/cottage/cabin or the beach, get some yard work done, or just kick back and relax, our region’s breweries and cideries have plenty on the go to keep your thirst slaked. If you’re travelling, why not plan to swing by a brewery along the way? If you’re staying put, maybe seek out some new beers from a brewery you know well? Whatever you do, please do it safely and responsibly!

New Brewery Alert!! Update the Good Beer Map!! Happy Craft Brewing in downtown Moncton opened their doors this week, welcoming in the curious folks who have been admiring their 15 BBL (1800 litre) brewhouse front and centre at 800 Main Street. Launching with four of their own beers, including Drama Free American IPA, Oh To Be A Rainbow Passionfruit Sour, Apricot Wheat, and Good Day Bad Day Pilsner. Beers are available to enjoy onsite, as well as in growlers, with cans coming soon. No kitchen onsite, but they are welcoming food trucks to park adjacent to their off-street patio, so keep an eye on their Facebook and Instagram pages for the latest announcements. Currently open from noon until 9 or later, Wednesday to Sunday. Congratulations to Gregg and Co on the opening!

Speaking of Happy, one of the several guest beers and ciders on tap there currently is the latest release from Dieppe’s O’Creek Brewing. Reminding us that we only live once (or maybe Yoda Only Lives Outdoors), YOLO is another in their exploration of the New England/Hazy IPA style, showcasing new world hops for aroma and flavour, rather than bitterness. Case in point, YOLO is best described as a Double NEIPA at 7.5% ABV, yet a lighter 25 IBU, with the Cryo Citra, El Dorado, Sabro, and Talus all being added late in the process, in the post-boil whirlpool (as the beer is partially cooled before heading to the fermenter, with the whirlpooling effect helping to collect protein and hop matter in the brew kettle rather than clogging the heat exchanger) and dry-hopping during and post-fermentation. These hops are tropical on the nose and palate with citrus, pineapple, and stone fruit to the max, so check out the taps at Happy and Le BarBu in Dieppe for a taste of this beaut. And keep your eyes on O’Creek’s IG page this weekend as they’ll be releasing Foggy Pale Ale, a 5.0% New England Pale Ale with Loral, Citra, and Sabro soon! Ask for it at your favourite watering hole so they can bring it in!

We figure many of you will be passing by Lone Oak on your way onto PEI, so don’t miss your chance to grab a new brew. Delight is their latest barrel aged release, this one being a Golden Peach Sour. Aged in Chardonnay barrels for 18 months, this was then racked to join some peaches for another 3 months. Ending up at a sweet, fuzzy-peach vibe summer sour, this 5.5% release is available today on tap only at the brewery and HopYard, where they took home the Championship Belt last night in a fierce battle with Upstreet. In two weeks time, this will be available in 500ml bottles.

And mark your calendars for August 4th, when they will be releasing Blueprint, a Foeder-aged Farmhouse Wit. In collaboration with Nine Yards Studio, who helped name the beer and design the label, the funky and tart wheat beer will be launched at Salt & Sol on the Charlottetown waterfront, with live music and comedy from 4 PM.

The Modern Brewer of Village Green continues to roll out the new releases, with this week featuring two takes on IPA. First up is West Coast IPA, a style which the brewery has dabbled in previously. This version features a base of 2-row malt, wheat and a touch of crystal-15 malt. Hops were added in three stages with Columbus during the boil, Amarillo, Cascade and Centennial as late additions, and a dry hop of Amarillo, Cascade, Centennial and Citra. WC IPA comes in at 6.9%. Next up is Chinook IPA; featuring less bitterness and malt character than its west coast counterpart, this one features 2-row and Maris Otter malts along with wheat. It is hopped exclusively with Chinook, including a generous dry hop, and finishes at 6.2% ABV. Head to the brewery’s taproom in Cornwall now to check out these two contrasting takes on IPA.

From Fredericton, Grimross brings a new release that we rarely see canned in wide distribution for the region. British Mild Ale is a classic, malt-forward British-style ale. Boasting malty aromas and flavours, this is dark, rich and complex, and balanced nicely at 22 IBU and 3.5%. It’s available now in 475 mL cans directly from the brewery but keep an eye on their social channels for further distribution. 

Jumping over to the North Shore of Nova Scotia (home of the other canned (Dark) Mild in the region), the Tatamagouche brew crew has two fresh ones for everyone this week. First up is a limited and smaller test batch called Free Lunch, which is a 4.8% Cream Ale. Always a brewery to tweak and tinker, they’re using this batch to test out a new base malt. This will be available in kegs only at the brewery.

The next batter up from Tata is Vamoose (what a pleasure to say and type!). This beer features the same base as Guava Heist (Berliner Weisse style aged on guava), but using raspberry and plum as the fruit additions in a 70/30 ratio. Featuring raspberry for a lighter, refreshing summer quencher, the plums add depth of flavour in this 3.5% beer. It is shipping out in kegs to tap accounts, with growlers and pints in the taproom or you can pick up or order some 473 mL cans for delivery!

The calendar flipping to August means blueberry season is upon us in Atlantic Canada, and after a few lean years of production, our producers are expecting a bigger year this year. Annapolis Brewing is all ready to celebrate the start of a hopefully banging season with the release of Blueberry Sour Smoothy. This kettle sour features blueberry puree and a touch of lactose to accentuate the body. Per the style, the hops are kept to a minimum to let the tartness and fruit flavours steal the show, resulting in 12 IBUs. The 4% ABV sour smoothie is available now in picturesque Annapolis Royal.

If 4% sours aren’t your thing, perhaps we could interest you in a 8% ABV barleywine? Cutting across the mainland will bring you to Mahone Bay where you’ll find Go Big or Go Home from Saltbox Brewing Co. This one is a nod to the English version of the style, which focuses more on the malt and features less hop character than its American cousin. In a move we can get behind, Saltbox is releasing this heavy hitter in a smaller package, namely 355 mL cans. Head down the South Shore to grab yours this weekend.

Big Spruce continues to bring the new suds to Nyanza. This week’s release beams us up to Cologne with Kölsch Encounters of the Third Kind. This style of lagered ale is known for its crisp and refreshing drinking profile. Big Spruce’s latest version (we can’t forget Put Me In Kölsch from years past) comes in at 5.4% ABV and is available now at the Sprucetique in Nyanza.

The Salter street crew out of Halifax has two new releases this week, as Tidehouse brings us the goodies! First up is The Casual, a 3.5% dry-hopped sour. A kettle sour dry hopped with Enigma, bringing high alpha juice and notes of red berries and stone fruit. This is available on tap only at the brewery.

Their second release is Dripping Sun, a hazy Pale Ale that is loaded with Monroe hops. At 5.5% this flavourful, hoppy, and smooth pale ale brings notes of passionfruit and orange syrup. Available at the brewery now by the glass, but also in cans to go. 

Keeping it Candid, news out of Antigonish keeps coming week to week! Quench is a cherry sour available now. A fruit-forward sour that’s light-bodied, tart, and refreshing, it finishes clean and dry with touches of dark and sweet cherry juice. This fruity, well-attenuated, and refreshing 5.0% sour is available today in 473 mL cans to go and for pints in the taproom, which is officially open now! Pop by from noon every day (except Monday), open until 9 PM or later (except closing at 5 PM Sunday).

Out in the back end of HRM, Ol’ Biddy’s Brewhouse and TAPestry Beer Bar are putting Sackville on the map of beer destinations (a phrase we admit we never expected to type, but here we are). This week OBB has a couple new variations for us to try, both in small batch volumes. First up is Sackville Hoppy Blonde, their nominally SMaSH blonde ale elevated to something more like American Pale Ale territory through a dry hop of Ariana, Sabro, and Mosaic. Look for notes of blackcurrants, gooseberries, tangerine, and maybe a little of that magical Sabro coconut character. With this one coming in at 4.9% ABV you’ll be able to have a couple and really search for all those elements.

On a similar scale, Pineapple Bastard is a variation on their American wheat ale, Orange American Bastard, but with 10% pineapple juice into the fermenter. Still light and refreshing at 4.2% ABV and boasting light citrus and tropical vibes, it should be a perfect crusher for the long weekend. Both of these beers are available in limited quantities and they’re not being packaged in cans so you’ll have to get down to the taproom for fills or pints! Sunday would be a great day to do so, as they’ve started what they’re calling “Sunday Funday” with $5 pints of Biddy brews all day (open from noon to 6 PM). They’ve got a patio going now, so if the weather cooperates you can play washer toss and maybe some darts.

If you’re from the Bay, or heading there this weekend, be sure to stop in at Baccalieu Trail in Bay Roberts, as they have a fresh #hazyboi on tap and in cans this weekend. Dandy is a 6.5% New England IPA, featuring economically irresponsible additions during the Whirlpool and Dry Hop of Mosaic, Idaho 7, and Sabro. That translates into major pina colada vibes of pineapple and coconut, plus a juicy citrus undertone. Cans are available to take-away from the brewery now, with a draught version available any moment now. For those unable to make the well-worth-it trip to the brewery to hang on their deck and watch the birds play in the water, look for cans on the shelves of your local Marie’s, and maybe even on tap at Bar Brewdock, before too long!

We’re a day late with this news, but Happy F#&@%$g 6th Anniversary to everyone at Unfiltered Brewing. Celebrations took place last night with the esteemed Greg Nash manning the grill, but the spoils are still available this weekend with the return of Inducement, their 7.4% ABV DIPA hopped with Mosaic and Falconer’s Flight. 

The anniversaries continue, this time up Nova Scotia’s eastern shore where The Harbour Brewing Company, of Musquodoboit Harbour, is turning 3 on Sunday, August 1st. Drop by the brewery for special prices on pints and some door prizes.

We’ve got a few more short beer hits to share today before we dismiss you for the week…

A bit of news out of Cole Harbour this week from Hardisty, as they have some of their beer available around HRM. Happy Path is an American Pale Ale that’s going by keg to TAPestry Beer Bar and in cans to Harvest Wines, who will also have cans of Thirst Trap, a pride-themed amber ale. In other news, they’re adding a new unitank into the brew house reflecting increased demand. You love to hear it!

It’s been a little while since we’ve heard from 3Flip in Fredericton, but they’ve got two new seasonable releases this summer available in wide distribution across the province via ANBL. First up is Lemon Kilmister, a 5.5% ABV lemon blonde ale designed to be a super-drinkable summer quencher. Similarly in the citrus camp is Limes Ulrich, another 5.5% beer, but this one an American wheat ale with lime additions. Maybe throw some classic 80s metal on the boombox as you pound a few of these on a hot summer afternoon!  They’re both available now in 355 mL cans at ANBL locations all around New Brunswick and also Uptown Bagtown Boozy Market and Sussex Ale Works. 

Fans of traditional farmshed beers in NS can rejoice, as Delta Force Brewing has now reached the tipping point of having brewed enough beer to make it available on the regular instead of by announcement only. Check out the How to Buy section of their new(-ish?) website for full details and a list of what’s currently available. But sign up for/stay subscribed to their email list for new beer and multi-pack sale announcements!

Rounding out the beer news this week is the latest release from the 902 BrewCast crew, where they welcomed Phil back to the pod to sit down and (attempt) to catch up with him and Dodo as they tour around the province. Where have they been? Where are they going next? Keep up with Phil through amazing visuals on his IG page, and grab some prints of your own!

And in late-breaking news, it looks like Gahan is expanding yet again, this time they will be taking over the space on the St. John’s waterfront once occupied by Mill Street and Bier Market. No details yet on what size system they’ll be installing there, but our roving reporter did poke his head in this week and notice all of the previous equipment was gone, so there is a blank slate for re-configuration and optimizing of operations. We’ll share more once we have it, of course!