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Friday Wrap-Up for December 30, 2022 – End of Year Beer News from Secret Cove, Baccalieu Trail, Lone Oak and HopYard, Garrison, Bogside, Village Green, Propeller, North and Battery Park, Stillwell, Good Robot, plus a contest!

Posted by acbbaaron on 2022-12-30
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: Baccalieu Trail Brewing, Battery Park, Bogside Brewing, Garrison Brewing, Good Robot Brewing, HopYard, Lone Oak Brewing, Modern Brewer's Village Green, North Brewing, Propeller Brewing, Secret Cove Brewing, Stillwell Beer Bar, The Stillwell Freehouse. Leave a Comment

Well, you’ve done it! You survived another year! This is our 51st post of 2022, and 812th published since our launch in January 2012. Not bad for 10 years, eh? We hope you’ve enjoyed reading and learning along with us as we’ve tracked the Atlantic Canadian Beer, Cider, and Mead landscape, from the early days with fewer than 40 producers in the region, to today where our region boasts more than 300! There’s always something local and great to drink when you’re traveling in the Atlantic provinces, so we hope your 2023 brings the ability to do that for you all! We’ll be here, churning out the latest info on new breweries, cideries, beer, and events, to guide you along the way!

We’re kicking off the blog with a few releases from before Christmas, but we know are still around…

Celebrating their Fourth Anniversary mid-month, Port-Au-Port’s Secret Cove Brewing released their ode to the largest bird to grace Newfoundland and Labrador, with a beer of fitting proportions. The Great Auk is a 10% Triple IPA, featuring both a massive flavour and aroma from the hops and extra malt in the beer. The eponymous bird was rendered extinct in the region in the 17th century, though there is a widely accepted sighting noted in 1852 on the Grand Banks. The Great Auk the beer is alive and well, and available on tap at the brewery, and in cans at retailers across Newfoundland. Happy Fourth Anniversary Secret Cove!

Sticking to Newfoundland, Baccalieu Trail Brewing is celebrating the light show in Port de Grave with Christmas in the Harbour. This 4.0% beer is a light American lager, infused with just a touch of peppermint. May even pass as a candy-cane lager. The boats should still be lit up when you read this, so grab a four-pack from the brewery or your local beer shop, and head out Highway 72 to see the show!

From one island to another, PEI’s Lone Oak Brewing teamed up with their pals at Hopyard Beer Bar, and released Lil’ Hoppy. The first in what we expect to be a series, the partners are playing around with different hop varieties and techniques. For V1, they used loads of locally-grown Cascade hops during a mash hop phase, and waited until fermentation had died down to add Sultana and Nelson Sauvin, locking in that aroma. Look for notes of pineapple, citrus, and maybe even a touch of Sauv Blanc grape too. On tap at HopYard C’town and both Lone Oak locations, as well as in cans to take-away.

Halifax’s Garrison Brewing has a trio of new releases on tap these days, including a pair of small batch beers that are exclusive to The Oxford Taproom location on Quinpool. Krampus is the first of these, a 6.2% Black IPA, featuring the very aromatic Bravo, Simcoe, Zythos, and Mosaic, for a melding of citrus, pine, with chocolate and roast. And celebrating the location itself is Oxford Pale, a 5.5% Pale Ale, with Bravo, Mosaic, Simcoe, and Comet hops blended for some citrus and tropical notes of pineapple and mandarin orange. They’re open today for pints and retail, with tomorrow being a cafe and retail kinda day…

Embracing the season entirely is the release of Garrison’s Bourbon Barrel-Aged Wintervention. The 2022 edition of this familiar friend is 11.5%, and whose base Imperial Stout beer spent time hanging out in bourbon barrels before release in the share-worthy 650 ml format. Chocolate, roast, dark fruit meld with the vanilla, toffee, oak, and hint of booze from its temporary home. Bottles are available exclusively at the Seaport and Oxford locations, as well as through their website for local delivery.

One of our favorite trends of the last year or so has been more releases of lower-ABV English bitters. Although beers like Hell Bay’s English Ale, Sober Island’s Beachstone Bitter, Foghorn’s Esty’s Special Bitter, and Lunn’s Mill’s Pub Ale are core brands and longtime stalwarts, this year has seen all sorts of new bitters, including some from breweries you might not expect. In 2022 we saw, amongst others, the releases of Stillwell’s Best Bitter, Trailway’s Chancy’s Pub Ale, and, more recently, Tatamagouche’s Flintshire. Who knows, maybe part of the reason for this is the introduction of proper cask ale at places like the Stillwell Freehouse, or maybe folks are just looking for the next big thing after hopbombs, hazebombs, and crispybois, but regardless, as shared owners of a beer engine, we’re here for it! Anyways, that’s a bit of a long-winded introduction to the release of Proper Pub Ale from Montague’s Bogside Brewing. Coming in at a very quaffable 4.5% ABV and 25 IBU, you can safely expect a classic smooth taste profile with notes of toffee. Look for it on tap and in cans to go at the brewery.

Speaking of PEI and traditional English styles, Cornwall’s Village Green (by Modern Brewer) has two new beers for us this weekend and the first fits that description quite nicely. Often even lower in ABV than bitter, but just as suitable for the hand pumps, dark mild is one of the most sessionable beers ever. VG’s Dark Mild hits all the right notes, with toasty malt flavors, some subtle cherry esters, and a clean finish, all in a “tastes like another, and maybe another after that” 3% ABV package. Also being released is Altbier, also a very traditional style, but the German tradition rather than the English. A contrast to the lagers that came later, the “alt” in “altbier” means “old” as in “the beer we used to make.” Using bottom-fermenting ale yeast and not generally undergoing a lagering period, these are darker, more full-bodied beers, with some fruity esters and a decent bitterness from Northern Brewer hops balancing toasty sweet malt notes. Comforting on a cold day, but still not overly boozy, this one comes in at 4.9%. Both of these beers are available at the tap room for pints or in cans to go!

Continuing to find new and interesting ways to pump hops into beer are Propeller Brewing, who are releasing another new IPA today, this one not just full of lupulin, but lots of other fun things as well. Piña Colada IPA features Sabro, known for some serious coconut vibes, and Azacca, which tends to impart mango, papaya, and other tropical notes. These two together make a perfect combination, along with some actual coconut, vanilla bean, and lactose, to give the vibes of many people’s favorite umbrella drink. So you may be stuck in Atlantic Canada instead of having your toes in the sand and a drink in your hand in warmer climes, but you can at least crack one of these, sit back, and dream. Look for it as of today at all Prop Shops, online for home delivery, and at the private stores in the HRM as well. And speaking of the Prop Shops, we’ve been advised that Propeller has officially broken ground on their “coming in 2023” Bedford Highway location that was announced earlier in the year. We’ll keep you posted on the progress of that construction in the new year!

There’s a busy weekend shaping up in HRM, let’s get you in the know so you can take part in the fun.

Celebrating their 10th Anniversary in January is North Brewing, who have come a long way from their small beginnings on Agricola Street (opening as Bridge Brewing on January 23rd, 2013). And to kick off the fun is a New Year’s Eve Tap Takeover at Battery Park on Ochterloney in Dartmouth. From 11:30 tomorrow, Cole Harbour’s Finest will be pouring from the 20 draught lines behind the bar, featuring some old and new favourite beer, ciders, and vodka sodas. In the mix are a pair of new IPAs released this month. Teaming up with the Battery Park team, and a favourite customer of theirs, they have released Hazy Dave’s Juice-tastrophy. This 6.7% New England IPA is a scaling up of a recipe by Dave Wilcox, which is hoppy, hazy, juicy, and not at all a catastrophe. “It’s selling great”, says the brewery, and is available on tap and in cans at North Brewing’s retail and taproom locations for now, until it’s all gone!

Coming tomorrow at the North taprooms and Battery Park event is The Longest Night, another IPA, but different altogether. A Triple IPA, at 10.0% ABV, the big base of Pilsner malt is enhanced with Oats and Wheat for body, head retention, and foam stability. Hopping-wise, the Brew Crew opted for new-to-them Calypso and Talus for citrus aroma and flavour, complementing the Amarillo and Summit, familiar to fans of HiFi. Onlya touch of haze, the hops come through on the nose and flavour, but are not overpowering or bitter. On tap and in responsibly-sized 355ml cans.

More on their NYE event, is that a three course Prix Fixe menu option will be available after 5 PM, which comes complete with pairing North beer with what the BP kitchen has whipped up. Fans of their burgers will be happy to know that their full menu will also be available during that time. Check here for the details on the meal, and this post for the full taplist. Congrats to the North Crew on 10 years!

Celebrating New Year’s Eve in Halifax is The Stillwell Freehouse, who are hosting a pre-party Tap Feature by BC’s Dageraad Brewing. Frequent award-winners for the Belgian/Abbey style beers, they have sent along 8 to be enjoyed on draught tomorrow. Look for a Lacto-fermented Dubbel, a Tripel, both a clean and mixed culture fermented Quads (as well as one aged in a Rum barrel), and going off-brand with a Hazy IPA. They’ll be the only Stilly location open Dec 31, as HQ gears up for…

Bar Stillwell on Barrington is hosting a Levee January 1st, with a tap feature from Brasserie Dunham. Starting at 2 PM, there are a half dozen from Dunham on tap, including the Simplexite Pils collab with de Ranke, Biere de Table, Sierra Yakima New England Pale Ale (with Boreale). And from the kitchen, folks will be able to enjoy breakfast sandos, cheesesteak fries, and dunkaroos for dessert! (Note that the Freehouse is closed Jan 1 and both locations are closed Jan 2)

To celebrate the opening of their Elmsdale Brewery, Good Robot is going to be hosting an ACBB (aka, Nerdy) tour of their new facilities in the New Year. On January 21st, you, us, and a dozen other folks looking to learn more about Good Robot’s state-of-the-art brewhouse and gear will be given a tour by the folks who work so tirelessly behind the scenes. There is no cost to the event, but we do need you to win your way onto the guest list! To do that, post a picture/story/reel on social media of a favourite local beer/cider/mead you’ve enjoyed in the past twelve months, and be sure to tag us in it and use the hashtag #ElmsdaleTour. And if you’re not the SM kind, no problem, just fire us an email, send us a text, or release a carrier pigeon to let us know you’re interested! (We’d like to post/re-post to show what our readers are drinking, hope that’s OK) We’ll be drawing a whole buncha names Jan 18 at 6 PM, so your chances are good to take part! Looking forward to meeting you there!

And there you have it, our last post of 2022! Enjoy responsibly this weekend, be sure to check that your favourite brewery or bar is actually open before heading in (and whether they recommend reservations), and we’ll see you next Friday!

Friday Wrap-Up for November 25, 2022 – News from Port Rexton and Landwash, Bannerman, Breton, Rough Waters and The Newfoundland Embassy, Maritime Express, Beausoleil, Saltbox, Lake City, Garrison, Banished, and much, much more!

Posted by acbbaaron on 2022-11-25
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: Banished Brewing, Bannerman Brewing, Battery Park, Beausoleil Farmstead Cider, Boxing Rock Brewing, Breton Brewing, Gahan House (Charlottetown), Garrison Brewing, Happy Craft Brewing, HopYard, Lake City Cider, Landwash Brewery, Lone Oak Brewing, Maritime Express Cider, Mauzy Cidery, Port Rexton Brewing Co., Rough Waters Brewing, Saltbox Brewing, Serpent Brewing, Sober Island Brewing, Tatamagouche Brewing, The Newfoundland Embassy, Tire Shack Brewing. Leave a Comment

We’ve made it to the end of another week and somehow it’s the last Friday of November, which means thousands of Atlantic Canadians will be precariously perched on ladders this weekend, stringing up holiday lights, and cracking a cold one as they step back and admire all of those randomly burnt out bulbs. As our neighbours to the south nurse their Thanksgiving hangovers, you’re likely being bombarded with countless Black Friday emails and posts. Before you buy that 3-in-1 combination air fryer, pasta maker, pizza oven that you’ll probably never use, take a scroll through the latest beer news, and consider directing your hard earned cash towards your favourite producer of fermented beverages instead. Or consider taking advantage of our one-day only ACBB sale where you can snag a one-year subscription to the blog for 50% off!

Let us catch you up on a pair of late-last-week releases that are now available throughout the Avalon craft beer convenience store. The crew from Mount Pearl’s Landwash made the trek out to Port Rexton to brew two beers from just one mash! Let us explain… At the end of the mashing period, the sugary water (wort) is separated from the barley and other malted grain in the mash tun, and transferred to the kettle for the boil. That leftover grain still has some sugary goodness left on it, and a second dose of water can be used to rinse the malt clean, giving rise to the start of another beer! This technique is known as parti-gyle brewing, and has been around for centuries. While the two resultant beers will have the same base grains, due to the concentration of sugars, they will have quite different potential alcohol levels, and can be treated with different intensities of hops and other ingredients.

Ursa Major Double IPA is the first beer to come out of that double-brew, weighing in at a hefty 8.5% ABV. Using loads of late-addition hops (low bitterness, high aroma and flavour), namely Sultana and Amarillo, it features orange, pineapple, and a hint of pine, on a slightly-sweet finish.

Ursa Minor IPA is the parti-gyled beer made from the second runnings of wort, with an ABV of just 3.9%. As it was boiled separately, a different combo of hops could be used in the kettle, in this case Lotus and Azacca, imparting citrus and stone fruit on the palate, with a dry finish.

Both of these stellar-inspired beers are available at Port Rexton and Landwash on tap for pints and growler fills, and distributed to Port Rexton’s St. John’s Retail Shop, as well as their other retail partners.

Staying in Newfoundland, Bannerman has a big weekend ahead with two new releases. First up is Red Eye, a coffee milk stout. To get the most possible coffee character into the beer, the team added coffee during every step in the brewing process, including broken beans in the mash tun, kettle and fermenter. Before packaging, some of the fermented beer was also soaked on more beans overnight, before being added back into the main batch. Combine all of that coffee with the addition of lactose and you’ve basically got your morning pick me up ready to go in beer form. The coffee for this one comes from Cape Coffee Roasters, a new roaster in Cape Broyle. Cans and pours are available now at the brewery with cans also seeing wider distribution through Bannerman’s usual channels. And what goes better with your coffee than a piece of toast with a bit of Nan’s homemade jam? Their next release, Either/Or is a fruited sour that combines big fruit flavour with some slight tartness, just like Nan’s jam. You’ll also find cans and pours of this one at the brewery, with cans seeing wider distribution later this weekend. 

Rolling over to Cape Breton, Sydney’s Breton Brewing has a brand new seasonal release for the holidays with Milk n’ Cookies Stout. Not your average stout, this one has additions of chocolate chip cookies from their friends at Not Just Cakes and lactose sugar to create a sweet, bitter and balanced brew. Easy drinking at 5% this is available on tap or in cans from the brewery and for delivery, and in select NSLCs, too. 

Back to Newfoundland for another round this week, Deer Lake’s Rough Waters Brewing teamed up with the fine folks of The Newfoundland Embassy in St. John’s for their latest release. Ambassador is a 4.7% German Pilsner, as the two teams wanted to maximize easy drinking and super refreshing as they came together. Light-bodied, crisp, clean, and able to pair with whatever you’re eating! Pints are obviously available at the Embassy now, with cans at Urban Market 1919, and wider distro through the NLC soon.

Kentville’s Maritime Express Cider has a pair of new expressions available in their shop. 2020 Sparkling Perry is an all-pear cider, aged on lees in the bottle for two years. This extended aging period in the bottle has allowed it to dry out completely (no residual sugar), and is sparkling for a bubbly rush of candied pear and tropical fruit. Joining it is 2021 Sparkling Sour Berry, their apple cider base co-fermented with raspberries and rose hips, and blended with two-year aged cranberry wine. Allowed to undergo a secondary fermentation in the bottle before an extended cellaring period. Also finishing quite dry, the fruit additions lend much to the aroma and impart a tart finish.

Beausoleil Farmstead Cider in Port Williams has a new release this month, Valley Fields. Crisp Valley-grown pears and a field blend of estate-grown Pinot Gris, Cabernet Franc, and Frontenac Gris grapes, were co-fermented to finish dry, a light carbonation enhances the aromatic and light acidity in the glass. Their tasting room and retail shop at 1469 B Church Street in Port Williams is open 1 – 4 PM Saturday for visitors, or by appointment at other times.

Speaking of Beausoleil, wine- and cider-maker extraordinaire Melanie Eelman has once again lent her knowledge to the folks at Saltbox Brewing on the South Shore, helping them to launch Rosemary. Featuring Annapolis Valley apple cider, blended with a Marquette wine, infused with rosemary, this blend features herbal notes along with ripe apple, field berries, and a touch of spice. This 6.7% hybrid is available in cans at Saltbox and its sibling breweries.

Staying in the cider-verse, Dartmouth’s finest, Lake City Cider, has a brand new release that is winter-inspired. Gingersnap is a spicy and sweet little cider that uses Annapolis Valley apples, freshly pressed ginger root, and a bit of molasses for some balance. The fresh ginger is the star here, bringing you the fragrant nose and bit of refreshing spice like that you’d expect, all in a 7% package. It’s available now from the cidery in 473ml cans and is also available online. 

Rounding out the cider news for this week is the latest from Paradise’s Mauzy Cider. Once again taking advantage of feral and undeveloped apple trees, Devil’s Acid began life during the 2021 harvest. Starting with apples from Burin Bay and Golden Hornet Crabapples from Torbay, these were co-spontaneously-fermented with the skins of Dolgo crabapples, with the combination of crabapple varieties imparting a serious acidity in the glass. This 6.8% cider was bottle conditioned with a touch of apple juice for some carbonation. Like their other releases, look for them online for pickup in Paradise, and at cider, wine, and beer friendly spots around Town.

Staying in Paradise (we’ve got two tickets after all!), if you’re able to, hit up Banished Brewing for their brand new release, a collaboration with Toslow (a cafe, but generally delicious food establishment). Crosstown Cooldown is a Coffee Porter featuring beans from the Montreal roaster Traffic Coffee Co. The result is a highly drinkable, roasty and full beer with a great balance at 5%. This is canned and available now from the brewery and next week it will be hitting retailers.

Also new this week is the final form of the Puffin! If you’ve been following along with the themed releases from Banished, there were 3 previous variations and now the 4-pack is complete. New this week is Intergalactic Puffin, a triple IPA, the clear next step up from the previous Session NEIPA, NEIPA and double NEIPA, and coming in hot at 10% ABV. Very full, juicy, and surprisingly easy drinking for the style and ABV, it features loads of Mosaic during the boil and whirlpool, and was dry-hopped with equal parts Citra and Sabro, enhancing the citrus and tropical notes seen in the rest of the Puffin family. This beer is available now in cans from the brewery and will also hit retailers next week. If you’re looking to get the full vertical of the Puffin releases, you better hurry, as there is only a limited amount of Space Pufflin (Session NEIPA) left. Get your ticket to Paradise, pack your bag and leave tonight!

At the Seaport in Halifax, Garrison Brewing has a brand new release, which we’re already picturing having around for the holidays. Night Mooves is a Coffee Milk Stout that is lower on ABV (at 4.5%) but high on roasted coffee, dark chocolate and a bitter-sweet impression from combination of coffee, roasted malts, and lactose. Here’s the fun part for many of you, let’s look at the ingredients! The malt bill here features pale, munich, caramel & chocolate malts, along with some roasted barley. The hop bill gets balance and backing from the classic German Hallertau and the brew also features additions of lactose and coffee from West Ender Coffee. This one is available in 473ml cans now at both Garrison locations, on the website for delivery, and at Liquid Assets.

Boxing Rock has two new releases that are sure to appeal to fans of stone fruit flavours. Up first is Black and Tan: Stout and Pale. This one is a 5.2% ABV  blend of ​​Patricius, their Irish Stout, and a blonde wheat ale that saw an infusion of apricot, leading to a combo of roasty and stone fruit notes. Next up is Intergalactic, an American Pale Ale. A combination of new-world hops and an infusion of apricot leads to notes of pineapple, grass, and stone fruit. Cans of both are available now through Boxing Rock’s two retail locations and their online store. In other Boxing Rock news, their much revered Double IPA, Vicar’s Cross, is making its final appearance in bomber bottles after almost 10 years and over 1 million bottles sold! This DIPA was one of the first produced in Nova Scotia that was widely available in packaged format and introduced many budding craft beer enthusiasts to the style. To celebrate the retirement of the bombers, Boxing Rock is planning a package that includes a special edition commemorative bottle and a Vicar’s Cross hat. Pre-orders for the package go live on December 6.

Tire Shack Brewing out of Moncton has a brand new release this week, too, and if you’re noticing a theme this week of sweet treat additions to beer, you’re not alone. Scoop! There It Is! is an Apple Pie Ice Cream Beer (not a stout) released with a special ice cream recipe from Lost and Found Ice Cream in Moncton. The beer features a clean malt bill with a clear, amber colour, but features big additions of 100L of fresh ice cream (loaded with whole vanilla beans and cinnamon) and then 125 kilograms of apple pie filling. Both adjuncts were added during fermentation, so expect big flavours to carry through in a clean 5% beer. This is available in pints, cans and growlers directly from the brewery. 

We’ve got a new beer from Nova Scotia’s North Shore Tatamagouche Brewing, plus a way for you to enjoy it in the big city this weekend! Collusion Double IPA started life in the mash tun with a base of Horton Ridge pale and Shoreline Pilsner malts, amped up with malted oats and wheat, and combined with some Chit malt (the last having undergone a very short germination stage, leaving plenty of complex starch and sugar to increase mouthfeel in the final beer). After mashing, this saw a heavy-handed addition of Nugget hops early in the boil for bitterness, with a post-boil addition of a blend of Cascade, Centennial, and Bravo. Really taking this big IPA to the next level of aroma was a one-two punch of Citra and Mosaic oil extract for a big blast of citrus and tropical fruit. For fermentation they used a New England-style ale yeast, playing in the “hazy” realm, while still being eye-appealing. And while the yeastie beasties were working away, more hops were added, including Citra dry hop extract, the first time the Tata crew has played with this product. Collusion is out now, with cans, pints, and growler fills available at the brewery, and for those in HRM, the perfect time to try it may be at the Tatamagouche Tap Takeover at Battery Park Saturday! With 16 draught lines filled with a mix of new releases and old favourites, including a Baltic Porter from 2017(!), and Flintshire Pub Ale on the handpump, there will certainly be something for everyone! Plus door prizes for coming out and saying hi!

HopYard Beer Bar in Charlottetown is hosting the finals of the Battle of the Breweries this weekend, which also happens to be the battle of Montague! Bogside Brewing and Copper Bottom have each put their four best beer, cider, and seltzers forward in a race to finish kegs and sell the most pints until close Saturday. Stop in to show your support, because really, we are all winners in these sorts of competitions!

Sober Island Brewing is holding a Christmas-themed Brewers Dinner next Saturday, December 3rd, at their taproom in Sheet Harbour. A multi-course meal with SIBC beer pairings, all lead by Head Brewer Tim MacLeod. Tickets are available now, and we suggest grabbing them very soon, so that you can secure your choice in one of the courses, a Humble Pie Turkey Dinner or Vegetarian handpie.

A few quick newsbites before we let you go this week…

Moncton’s Happy Craft Brewing has a new release on draught this week, German Altbier. This hybrid of ale- and lager-techniques features the inclusion of kilned malts in the grain bill for a darker colour and a lovely toast and nutty character, with a balancing bitterness. This 5.0% ABV is available now at Happy’s Main Street location.

After a several month hiatus, Lone Oak Brewing has brought back their Boat Traffic Oatmeal Stout. Big and bold roast character is complemented with undertones of chocolate, coconut, and vanilla, thanks to a weeks-long oak-aging step before packaging. It is available on draught and in cans at their Borden-Carleton Taproom, their North River Brewpub, as well as PEILCC locations across the province.

Staying on the Island, PEI Brewing Company has a new seasonal available that they’ve dubbed Hour Delay. A chocolate stout brewed with cocoa and a selection of rich roasted malts to really bump up the chocolate flavor, it’s perfect for cozy nights by the fire as you watch the weather and say a little prayer or two for an hour delay in the morning. Or maybe one to enjoy in a cozy bed in the morning as you enjoy an hour delay? We’re not going to judge! You’ll find this 6% ABV and 30 IBU beer available across the island at the PEI Brewing Company Taproom, Gahan Beer Store, and select PEILCC locations.

Spryfield’s Serpent Brewing has announced the launch of their kitchen, with today (Friday) being the first day of operation. The full menu is available here, featuring a trio of different smash burger styles, grilled panini sandwiches, as well as beer & cheese soup, brussel sprouts, and even arancini! It launches at 2 PM this afternoon, check their social media for the full schedule as it is released.

Friday Wrap-Up for October 21, 2022 – News from Bannerman, Tatamagouche, Propeller, Sober Island, Garrison, Loyalist City, Village Green, Truro Brewing, Libra, and a ton more!

Posted by acbbdevon on 2022-10-21
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: 12 beers of christmas, 2 Crows Brewing, Atlantic Canadian Craft Brew Fest, Banished Brewing, Bannerman Brewing, Bishop's Cellar, Bogside Brewing, Garrison Brewing, Good Robot Brewing, Half Cocked Brewing, HopYard, Libra Non-Alcoholic Beer, Loyalist City Brewing Co, Lunn's Mill Beer Company, Mauzy Cidery, Modern Brewer's Village Green, Port Rexton Brewing Co., Propeller Brewing, Roof Hound Brewing, Sober Island Brewing, Tatamagouche Brewing, Truro Brewing Company. Leave a Comment

We are back at full strength this week at the blog, and the breweries must have known, because we’ve got an overfilled post for you today from all 4 provinces, and plenty of events to keep you busy for the next few weekends. Let us tarry no further and get right to the good stuff!

We’re going to start this week with three returning engagements from around the region, starting in the East End of St. John’s, NL, where Bannerman Brewing has brought back Early Rise, their fruited sour IPA. Hopped with Citra and Sabro before being refermented on mango puree and pomegranate concentrate, and bolstered with an addition of lactose, the result is a full-bodied and heavy beer with lots and lots of fruit and hop character, but also a slight acidity that complements the fruit and sweetness, and a balancing bitterness on the finish. It’s both on tap and available in cans to go at the shop, but look for it to see wider distribution in the coming days and weeks.

Also returning for the second time in 2022 after a successful run in 2021 is Black Flower from Tatamagouche. An American Stout, once again the brew team leaned into the “American” aspect of that style with copious amounts of hops. In place of last year’s classic Cascade and Centennial, this year’s batch leverages piney and spicy Chinook and piney and woody Nugget (both from HOOH Hop Farms in BC) for a bit of a different feel. A medley of malts builds a solid base to balance those hops, with chocolate, caramel, dried fruit, and firm roasted flavours coming to the fore. An English yeast strain ensures plenty of body carries forward, and though it’s a fairly middling 5.5% ABV, the brewery describes it as tasting like a young RIS. You’ll just have to try it for yourself to find out! With any luck, just like last year we’ll see a cask or two of it go on at the Stillwell Freehouse for a different take on the same beer.

Last, but definitely not the least of our returning beers is one that many folks in the region might remember as a gateway to craft beer. Earlier in 2022 as part of their 25th anniversary celebrations, Propeller Brewing conducted a poll on their socials about which beer their fans would like to see brought back for a limited run and, of course, Stone Fruit won. But the runner-up? That beer was the venerable Honey Wheat, one of the breweries’ stalwart brands throughout their first 20 years, but unseen since its retirement batch in 2018. Brewery staff from past and present were invited to the brew day to celebrate this old friend. Brewed with both barley and wheat, along with Nova Scotia honey from Cosman & Whidden in Greenwich, it was fermented slightly cool to ensure a clean presentation and little distraction from the subtleties of the honey. The result is 5% ABV and is now available exclusively on tap for pints and growler fills at all Prop Shops.

And if you’re in Halifax and you’re looking for something even more retro than Prop Honey Wheat, you can check out Movie Mania at Propeller Arcade, four seasonal movies on three nights. On October 25th, Canadian cult classic “George’s Island” (1989) is playing, and on October 26th, it’ll be a “mystery movie.” On both of those nights admission is free, but we suggest reserving your spot by picking up a ticket at the Arcade today. On October 30th you’ll find the last outdoor screening of the year, a double-feature of “Ernest Scared Stupid” and “Pumpkinhead.” Gates open at 4pm, with the first flick commencing at 6 and an intermission at 7:30. Taz Records will be on-site selling horror movies, soundtracks, and merch, and Asado BBQ will have eats for the buying. And, of course, Propeller will be selling beer! Tickets for the big night are $30, also available at the Arcade. So gawan, get yer spooky on (but remember to dress warm!!)

Switching from things we’ve seen before to brand new beer, Sober Island Brewing has a new seasonal available in their Autumn Session Series that shows their continued love for traditional English styles. Hardwood Mild is what it says on the tin: a Dark Mild ale that arrives at a very sessionable 3.8% ABV. With six types of barley malt coming together for a complex malt profile, you can expect notes of roasted nuts, chocolate, and biscuits. To add to that is a lovely deep brown colour. Available from the brewery in cans, but note that they’ve switched to their winter hours: Thursdays 2 – 9pm, Fridays and Saturdays 12 – 7pm, and Sundays 12 – 5pm, with occasional later hours on any given night for events.

Following the earlier release of their hazy pale ale, Garrison is rolling out another 25th Anniversary beer, this time a Champagne IPA. This one starts off with a grain bill of 2 Row, flaked rice and oat malt, before seeing hop additions of Galaxy, Topaz, Idaho 7, and Simcoe. The champagne quality comes from the yeast used which produces a highly effervescent carbonation. Look for notes of citrus, mango and stone fruit, and a light bitterness of only 21 IBUs. The 6.0% ABV Champagne IPA is available now at the two Garrison retail locations and will see broader distribution via the government monopoly and private stores soon. While we are on the topic of Garrison, one of their Oktoberfest exclusives from a few weeks ago, Dunkel Breaking My Heart, has now been canned, and is available exclusively at the Seaport and Oxford locations. 

Speaking of Oktoberfest, Saint John’s Loyalist City is releasing Bestest Mensch, their take on a German Marzen. This one features a grain bill of Vienna, Munich and Pilsner malts, imported straight from Germany by Weyermann Speciality Malts. Fermented with Global Lager yeast, it was then lagered to provide the crisp and refreshing drinking experience the style is known for. You can expect a moderate malt profile along with some classic floral hop notes from the German hops in this 5.2% Marzen. This one will see release in draught format only, on tap at the brewery this weekend. 

Next up is a double release week from Cornwall’s Village Green. First up is the 7.5% ABV Double Porter. Starting off with two British malts, Marris Otter and English Brown malt, it then sees a generous addition of Centennial and Chinook, both on the hot side and via a dry hop. Find it on tap and in cans at the brewery starting at 4:00 PM today (Friday). Also keep an eye out for their Dorf Pilsner, a German Pils that made its debut at the HopYard Brewery Battle last yesterday. More details on that below!

Back on the mainland, the fine folks at Truro Brewing Company have a new release that’s joining their core lineup. Little Dyke Pilsner, is a German take on the style with a moderate hop presence that’s been fermented to a sessionable 5.0% ABV. You can find it on tap and in cans at the brewery now. And, just in time for spooky season, the brewery will be showing Evil Dead II at the taproom tonight at 7:00 PM. Tickets are $5 at the door. 

We here at ACBB appreciate all forms of fermented beverages, including the non-alcoholic variety. Upsreet spin-off Libra is releasing a new beer in collaboration with Juno-winning musician Serena Ryder, Libra Lavender Sage Cream Ale. Expect a balanced drinking experience with notes of, you guessed it, lavender and sage, along with a mild honey character. Check out the Libra online store for ordering info. 

Bogside out of Montague, PEI is back with another fundraiser for the PEI Humane Society. Last year they raised over $4,000 for the society and this year, six pack sales of Gimme Shelter (a Blonde ale) will provide $6 to PEI’s only animal shelter. The beer itself is a crisp, approachable 5% North American blonde ale which will satisfy many beer drinkers all across PEI. Pick this up directly from the brewery, or order online for delivery.

If you’re near Antigonish and things have calmed down post-Fiona, Half Cocked has an exciting beer release available now. NOBO is a Norwegian Farmhouse Ale that uses a no-boil technique and features the Voss strain from the Kveik family of Norwegian farmhouse yeasts. Additions of juniper berries, Pinot (Grigio, we think) and butterfly pea blossom give this a purple hue and herbaceous flavours and atoms. There is a touch of acidity, it’s dry on the finish, and it’s 4.5% ABV. Check this one out on tap or in 355ml cans directly from the brewery.

Mauzy Cider, currently based in Paradise, Newfoundland and Labrador, has their second release this week, making the most of a bad situation. When hurricane Larry hit Newfoundland in September 2021, the apple trees were full of apples in various stages of ripening. Of course, Larry had other ideas, and millions of these were sent off the trees whether they were ready or not. Enter the Mauzy team, who quickly sprang into action and collected the “feral” fruit from around town so that they did not go to waste. Aided by some honey from Baccalieu Trail Honey Bees, this spontaneously fermented cider was aged for 8 months before bottling. Tannin- and acid-forward, the 7.0% cider has been packaged in just 30 cases of 750ml bottles, and is available to purchase now. And downtown cocktail bar Papillon is holding a release party this Sunday at their 152 Water Street location. 8 PM until late, with Shuck NL there providing oysters to pair.

While Mauzy hangs out in their space, host brewery Banished has been ramping up their production as they now offer Canada-wide shipping. And new today is Skelephone, a shocking 6.0% ABV IPA. Starting from the glow in the dark can, you can tell this is going to be a different beer… Starting from one of their established IPA recipes, they used the Cryo Pop hop blend from Yakima Chief for a stone fruit and tropical character. But most shocking will be the appearance of the beer, which is blueish-green, thanks to the addition of blue spirulina algae. While odourless and flavourless, it lends its colours in a big way, making this beer impossible to miss! Skelephone is debuting in the taproom today (fresh off the canning line), and out to their normal retail partners next week.

Sticking to the Rock, Port Rexton has released their annual celebration of St. John’s The Adelaide Oyster House, It’s a Vibe! Celebrating 8 years in business, AOH has been a long time supporter of PRBC, so it’s only fitting that the brewery returns the favour. This year’s edition is a kettle sour with Mango and Guava, resulting in a tropical cocktail that will have you dreaming of down south. Available exclusively on tap at the brewery and Adelaide currently, if there’s any left, they’ll send cans out to the rest of the Island!

In “coming soon” beer news, 2 Crows Brewing has teased a new release coming in a couple of weeks, but we wanted to help spill the beans early to ensure you don’t miss out. Starting life during a November 2021 brewday, the malt bill consisted of 69% Shoreline Pilsner, 16% Flaked Rye, and 15% Flaked Rice. Hopped in the mash with Chinook, then early with Sterling before a hefty dose in the whirlpool (while cooling after the boil) with Bru-1. Fermented with Verdant yeast (commonly used for NEIPAs) and the 2Crows House Funky Foedre Culture™, cultivated from many batches passing through their large wooden fermenters. After fermentation completed and the yeast were just starting to nap, they added 200 kilos of Apricot puree to call them into duty once again. After that second round of fermentation was completed, the mad scientists in the brewery added fresh lime juice and zest to up the ante. Once the extra natural sugars were chewed up, the beer was transferred to a stainless steel fermenter, where a soupcon of locally-harvest sea salt was added, care of OK Sea Salt in LaHave. This final addition marked the end of intervention, as the beer was packaged and allowed to carbonate naturally in the can, before its upcoming release. The resultant OK OK OK is a lovely melding of juiciness, tart, and funk, with a hint of salinity drawing you back for more. First dibs of this limited release will be going to 2C Newsletter subscribers next Friday, so be sure to sign up in the next day or two. We’ve saved you some clicking to find the link. Those of you who miss out on the early access will be able to grab it online, their retail shop, or local private store(s) November 8th.

Where to go and have a beer-y blast this weekend? Read below to learn more!

Charlottetown’s HopYard is once again holding their Battle of the Breweries, taking place over the next several weeks. On now is the fierce head to head to head battle between Lone Oak, Double Hill Cidery and Village Green, as each producer brings forth new releases and core brands, in the effort to sell the most pints Thursday through Saturday. The winner of this weekend will move onto a Semi Final before the big Finals, November 24-26. Next weekend’s competitors, Barnone, Moth Lane, and PEI Brewing, kick off their fun at 11:30 October 27, with the final first round of breweries, Bogside, Labatt, and Upstreet, duke it out November 3 – 5.

Here’s something you don’t see a lot, a brewery having a yard sale! Both Good Robot locations (Elmsdale and Halifax) will be having beer on sale, with up to 50% off some of their lineup. They’re doing a mass clear out to make room for a lot of new products and we’re sure their new production out of Elmsdale is pumping out some tasty treats. The yard sale will be on today at both locations, so if you’re an early reader of this, get on over if you can, while supplies last!

Next weekend is the return of the Cox & Palmer Atlantic Canadian Craft Brew Fest, happening at the Moncton Coliseum October 29th. There are still tickets available for both the afternoon (2-4:30 PM) or evening (7:30-10 PM) sessions, and your ticket includes unlimited beer, cider, mead, and spirit samples from more than 20 producers. There are also a handful of food vendors to keep you perked up and satiated. There will also be some Electric Vehicles on display for those who want to learn more about them. Grab your tickets at the link above before they’re gone!

This is as close we’ll get to posting “urgent” news on the blog, but the 12 Beers of Christmas in St. John’s only has tickets left for one of their days! This event is a fun one for Newfoundland craft beer fans, and the Saturday session is all sold out! There are still tickets left for Friday November 25th and all of the local breweries will be there and of course, way more than 12 beers! They’ll be food, ugly sweaters and more! It’s a month before Christmas, so it’s a good time to start spreading the cheer and drinking beer! Check out the link for tickets here, if you can be at the St. John’s Farmers Market on that date, of course.

A few more things before we dismiss you this afternoon…

A bit of news out of Bishop’s Cellar and their latest offerings, they’ve got some Bellwoods brews for the Halifax locals. Original Jelly King is now a core beer at Bishop’s and this will ALWAYS BE IN STOCK*. What a time to be alive.

Other Bellwoods offerings available for a limited time starting today:

  • PIG IPA
  • Jelly King Plum
  • Bellweiser

They’ve also got some recently released local beers available now as well:

Tanner Brewing – Altbier

North Brewing – Sweater Weather

Propeller – Porter 

* except when it’s not, because people bought it all, because of course sometimes they will, because it’s awesome!

Big things are happening for Roof Hound, as they’ve bought the roof! They’ve bought their building where their Kingston taproom and restaurant reside, as they are building towards their future, Roof Hound Public House. Shifting away from Digby and taking over the former space of The Crossing restaurant in Kingston, they’re going to be working on a huge new project in the heart of Kingston by expanding their current space and adding accommodations, too! Stay tuned to their socials and we’ll be sure to keep you updated here, too!

And as a service to our homebrewing readers to close out the blog today, a heads up that Lawrencetown’s Lunn’s Mill Beer is hosting their first Homebrew Competition! Dubbed the Winter Home Brew Challenge, they are looking for your best seasonal ale, in the Amber to Brown colour spectrum, and 4.5 – 6.5% ABV. They’re teaming up with Noble Grape for this competition, and the beers will be judged blindly by their team of experts, and the winning entry will see their beer brewed and distributed! You have until December 8th to submit your 6-pack of entries at one of their drop-points in HRM, Annapolis or Kings Counties. Fire them an email at events@lunnsmill.beer for more info, including details on the post-judging party where the winners will be announced, where your $25 brewing entry fee is your ticket to food, beer, and fun!