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Friday Wrap-Up – News from Nine Locks, Propeller, Red Rover, Garrison, and more!

Posted by acbbshawn on 2016-09-09
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: Atlantic Canadian Craft Brew Fest, Bad Apple Brewhouse, Beau's Brewing Co, Christmas Brewery Tour, Garrison Brewing, Halifax Oktoberfest, Maybee Brewing, Moncton Beer League, Nine Locks Brewery, Picaroons, Port Rexton Brewing Co., Propeller Brewing, Red Rover Craft Cider, Roof Hound Brewing, Snooty Fox, Spindrift Brewing, TrailWay Brewing, Trider's Craft Beer, Uncle Leo's Brewery, Upstreet Craft Brewing, YellowBelly Brewery. Leave a Comment

Happy Friday, everyone! Here’s hoping that you’re all fully recovered from the beautiful Labour Day weekend we just had; as usual, the local beer news just keeps on truckin’…

• There’s a new beer on tap at Nine Locks – Cream Ale is a special one-off brewed just in time for the end of summer. This amber-coloured brew is “smooth and full-bodied”, according to the brewery, featuring caramel notes and a “subtle hop finish” provided by the two English varieties, East Kent Goldings and Fuggles. At 15 IBUs, the beer finishes only mildly bitter, and is quite easy-drinking at 5.2% ABV. No cans for this one – it’s available only on tap at the brewery for growler fills, until it’s gone!

• Propeller has released their latest One Hit Wonder, Tea Rex Ale. Described as an unfiltered Black Tea-Infused Ale, the beer was infused with organic Assam black tea from DAVIDsTEA, and then further dry-hopped (dry-tead?) with it. Black in colour, with a creamy brown head, the beer was hopped with Ahtanum to 47 IBUs; the hop also provides “bright, distinct notes” in the flavour, to go with the molasses undertones. At 6% ABV, the brewery is describing it as “smooth and approachable”; they also recommend drinking this beer from a tea cup! As with all OHW beers, it’s available on tap at both Prop Shop locations for growler fills, and it will likely appear at select beer establishments in the HRM.

• Red Rover has a brand new cider that will be released next Wednesday, created specifically for local restaurant/bar The Snooty Fox. Made with wild blueberries and tart cherry juice, this 7% ABV cider will be on tap exclusively at the Snooty in celebration of the annual Harvest Jazz & Blues Festival beginning next week in Fredericton. They need your help in naming it, however, and are holding a contest with the Snooty, so send in your best name to win some great prizes! The winner will be chosen on Tuesday. And in other Harvest-related cider news, Red Rover will also be re-releasing The Blues, a 7% ABV cider made with wild blueberries. This one will be available for flagon fills at the Cider House, and on tap throughout the city; if the response is good (which it definitely was last year), The Blues could be bottled and sold at ANBL stores in the near future.

• As they gear up for the revelry of the Halifax Oktoberfest events later in the month, Garrison brings us two fall beers this week: a return engagement and an all new twist on a classic style, both featuring rye. First brewed with Beau’s All Natural Brewing in 2014, the Sweet Rye’d Harvest Wheat Ale features both wheat and rye malts along with Munich and pale in a 6.0% ABV copper-coloured brew. Hopped to 40 IBUs with Cascade, Citra, and Columbus, it also features bog myrtle (Myrica gale) provided by Beau’s. It is available for purchase in six-packs now at the NSLC, and shortly at the ANBL.

• New to Garrison’s lineup is a familiar concept to those who appreciate well shots at dive bars. A brew conceived of during this year’s Seaport Beer Fest, Rye & Ginger IPA takes on a Canadian favourite mixed drink in a beer-centric way. Featuring the grainy spiciness of rye malt, the body yields light caramel, toffee, dark fruit and a kick of ginger. The lemon slice on the rim is provided by the citrus punch of Centennial hops, which also provide a touch of earthy balance. At 6.4% ABV and 56 IBU, it’s solidly in the sweetspot for modern IPAs. Light-amber and hazy in colour, it has a dry, warming finish that should be perfect for crisp fall evenings. Even better, it provides a chance to toast your university days in a more grown-up and refined way. Find it in 650 mL bombers at NSLC and private NS stores, as well as through the ANBL growler program this weekend.

•  Digby’s Roof Hound Brewing has been open for a month, and now fans from both near and far can enjoy their beer in a few more venues. This week they launched growler fills at the brewery, allowing patrons to grab a 0.95 or 1.89 L fill of their Little Pup Pale Ale, Rooftop Rye-It Rye Amber, Wasted Days Peanut Butter Chocolate Wheat, and newly launched Big Brown Roof Hound, the 7.0% ABV Brown Ale with raisins and brown sugar, after which the brewery is named (full story here). And for those not able to make a visit to the taproom to enjoy the beer, food, and ambiance, owner Les Barr has delivered a few kegs of beer outside of town. Look out for the tapping of BBRH at Dartmouth’s Battery Park, Halifax’s Stillwell Beer Bar, as well as the Capital Pub in Middleton in the coming days.

• TrailWay is doing some experimenting at the brewery, as they recently began brewing their first go at a kettle-soured beer. Details are slim at the moment, but we can confirm they pitched a strain of Lactobacillus from Escarpment labs, with the goal being to sour the wort to the desired level, before boiling and fermenting the beer afterwards. Expect this one to come in at about 5% ABV; we’ll release more specifics as they become available.

• YellowBelly has the third iteration of their East Coast Cream Ale currently pouring at the brewpub in St. John’s. Originally a collaboration beer created with Australia’s Top Shed, the latest beer is “slightly lighter in body”, and was allowed to spend a longer amount of time in secondary, to smooth out the flavours even more than the two previous brews. It comes in at 5% ABV, and should be available in bottles by next Wednesday. In addition, bottles of their Southern Shore Foggy Porter are now available at the brewery, and select St. John’s NLC locations.

• Picaroons has brewed up a new beer at their General Store location in Saint John – Hippie IPA is a 6.3% ABV SMaSH beer featuring Maritime Malt, and Nugget hops grown and harvested at Lunahops in Cornhill, NB. Fermented with an American Ale yeast strain, this small batch will be tapped this Sunday, September 11th at 3 pm at the General Store (where it will likely be available exclusively, for pints and growler fills); live music from Earthbound Trio will accompany the release. And keep your eyes open for a unique beer brewed with BioNB for their Sept 30th “Innovation at the Station” event at the York Street Train Station, celebrating 20 years of operation. Tickets are free, but advance registration is suggested.

• We also have all the details on this year’s release of Picaroons’ Harvest Ale. A 5.5% ABV “golden amber ale” (British Pale Ale) brewed every year, there are usually three or more batches brewed, each featuring a different hop variety or varieties that is/are grown in Atlantic Canada. For this season, there will be three larger batches: one using all Mt. Hood hops from Wallace Ridge Farm (Nova Scotia); one using all Willamette from My Father’s Farm (PEI); and one using all “wild hops” from Moose Mountain Hops (New Brunswick). As always, all the details on the farm and hops used can be found by checking the four-digit code on your bottle, and looking it up online. The beer should be released sometime in the next couple of weeks.

• Spindrift is bringing back The Abyss, their Schwarzbier, which will be available in cans next week. The gravity is bumped up slightly to 4.8% ABV after a light tweak to the recipe, and fans of the black and lightly roasted lager will be happy to be able to grab it again. It launches at the brewery Thursday; private stores and NSLC outlets will follow in the near future.

We’ve got a few events to tell you about this week, and don’t forget to check out our Calendar Page, as we keep it as up-to-date as possible with all of the events going on in the region, including next weekend’s Halifax Oktoberfest fun.

• A reminder that the launch of Trider’s Craft Beer is happening tomorrow, September 10th at Sociables Pub in Springhill. Tickets are still available in advance, or pay on entry at 8pm. Meet the folks behind Trider’s, and your first pint is included in the ticket price. Trider’s storefront at 46 Anson Avenue will be opening September 16th, and they will be taking part in the Rocktoberfest at the Amherst Fire Hall October 1st.

• September 10th also marks the last Urban Beer Hike lead by the Moncton Beer League for a while. Meet at the Laundromat Espresso Bar at 1:45, and visit five spots for food and beer along the way. Tickets are still available, so be sure to check it out!

• For those in PEI (or up for a little drive), be sure to drop by Upstreet Brewing tomorrow for the launch of a brand new beer. Lager Quest came about when an Upstreet fan won a silent auction supporting the Red Cross’ efforts in Fort McMurray. Winner Gavin Hall helped pick the style of the brew, was put to work making it with Brewmaster Mike Hogan, and will have the honour of the first pour in the taproom Saturday at 3pm. Drop by for the fun, and there are more details here.

• The next Moncton Beer League event is September 24th, Atlantic Canadian Craft Brew Oktoberfest, being held at the Lions Club on Mark Avenue. Close to 20 breweries from around the Maritimes will be in attendance, pouring their wares to benefit the United Way. Tickets are still available!

• New Brunswick Beer Tours has their next event planned, and it’s set up in true festive fashion! The Christmas Brewery Tour is scheduled for Saturday, December 17th; it will follow a similar format as in previous tours, with four brewery visits. Each stop includes a minimum of four 4 oz beer samples, as well as the chance to meet and chat with the people behind your favourite Fredericton beers. The fun starts at 11:30 am at Grimross, followed by stops at TrailWay, Mama’s Brewpub, and another soon-to-be-determined location, before finishing off at the King Street Ale House for one final beer (or more!) at 4:30 pm. Tickets are available now, and are $67.50 each.

As a favourite university professor of mine always used to say – that’s it, that’s all, there ain’t no more! Ok, maybe a couple more short things…

– Bad Apple Brewhouse‘s latest release is Son of a Pitch, a 7.1% ABV Double IPA. It is available exclusively at the brewery and Stubborn Goat. And congratulations to Jeff and Kari on getting hitched in Vegas this week!
– Maybee Brewing‘s Long Carry Brett Red, their Roseway Red aged on Brettanomyces, is now available in 750 mL, cork and cage bottles, exclusively at the brewery for now.
– Port Rexton Brewing has announced their new hours for September, which will see them closed on Wednesdays, and remain open all other days 2-10pm. And they will be gearing down for the season on Saturday, October 29th, so be sure to drop by the brewery in the next 8 weeks to grab a taste of the Bonavista Peninsula!
– Uncle Leo’s is releasing their Harvest Ale today, brewed with malt from Horton Ridge Malt and hops from Bramble Hill Farm. It will be available at the brewery, their table at the New Glasgow Farmer’s Market tomorrow, and on tap at better beer bars in the province.

Friday Wrap-Up – News from Port Rexton Brewing, Fundy Bay Brewco, Shiretown, Petit-Sault, Fils du Roy, Hell Bay, and much more!

Posted by acbbshawn on 2016-07-29
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: 2 Crows Brewing, Antigonish Townhouse, Big Spruce Brewing, Boxing Rock Brewing, Brasseurs du Petit Sault, Breton Brewing, Brightwood Brewery, Bulwark Cider, Distillerie Fils du Roy, Fredericton Beer Run, Fredericton Beer Tour, Fundy Bay Brewco, Garrison Brewing, Grimross Brewing, Halifax Seaport Beerfest, Hell Bay Brewing, Ladies Beer League, Maybee Brewing, Mill Street Brewpub, Moncton Beer Run, Nine Locks Brewery, Port Rexton Brewing Co., Pump House Brewery, Saltbox Brewing, Shiretown Beer, Stillwell Beer Bar, Unfiltered Brewing, Wayfarers' Ale. Leave a Comment

Good morning! After a brief hiatus last week, due to vacation on one’s part and work travelling on the other’s, we’re back and ready to continue the work of spreading the love of beer! Good thing nothing happened during that…. oh, crap.

• Port Rexton Brewing opened last weekend in … Port Rexton, Newfoundland. Located a few hours Northwest of St John’s on the Bonavista Peninsula, PRB is the first brewery to open outside of the Avalon Peninsula. After a busy opening weekend, they are now in a groove, open daily 2-10pm for samples, pints, and growler fills. They are now pouring a pair of beers, with more on the way very shortly: Horse Chops IPA is a 6% ABV/72 IBUs American-style IPA, featuring lots of West Coast hops (including a dry hop with Mosaic) on a medium body; their Night ‘Bous Porter is 6.5% ABV and 29 IBUs, with lots of chocolate flavours in the “medium-sweet body”. We’ll be sharing more details on the brewery and the great duo behind the beer soon, but in the meantime, take a trip to P.R. for a solid pint this weekend!

• There’s another new brewery opening soon in New Brunswick, and while details are currently very slim, Fundy Bay Brewco currently has a Twitter account started. Sounds like the brewery will be located in Sussex, with three beers listed as “coming soon”: Alma IPA, a 6.5% ABV, 50 IBUs “West-Coast style IPA” with aromas of pine, citrus, and tropical fruit; Digby Dubbel, a 7.2% ABV Belgian Dubbel fermented with a Belgian yeast strain to give aromas of “dark fruits, sassafras, caramel, leather, and toasted grain”; and St. Martin’s ISA, a 4.8% ABV, 25 IBUs Session IPA hopped with Mosaic and Falconer’s Flight. We’ll have more details on the brewery soon; in the meantime, be sure to follow them on Twitter to stay up-to-date with their progress.

• After a year-long hiatus, Shiretown will be making their return at tomorrow’s Bon Ami Flavor Fest, held at the Dalhousie Lion’s Club from 7 pm – 2 am. They will be pouring two beers: their flagship, Blonde du Quai, a 4.5% ABV Blonde Ale, and Cartier’s Columbus, a new beer the brewery describes as a “Golden IPA”, weighing in at 6.2% ABV, and hopped entirely with Columbus to 60 IBUs. Shiretown is aiming for bottles of both beers to hit select ANBL stores around mid-August; we’ll keep you updated!

• There’s a new beer available from Petit-Sault, a SMaSH (single-malt and single-hop) Pale Ale named La Glazier. Brewed entirely with Pale malt from Malt-Broue, a nearby Quebec “micromaltery”, and hopped with Cascade from Aroostook Hops in Northern Maine, it comes in at 4.9% ABV and 30 IBUs. Featuring “citrus notes and a slight bitterness”, it’s available on tap at the brewery, and select ANBL growler stations this weekend, as well as select bars/restaurants in the province. And congratulations to Petit-Sault on their recent expansion, thanks to further buying-in by ACOA, the New Brunswick government, and their community investors. More details here.

• Distillerie Fils du Roy has released another new beer, Hommage à 1755, a Belgian Strong Ale. A style very similar to the more-commonly-seen Belgian Tripel, it’s a pale-coloured, bitter, effervescent beer that finishes extremely dry (thanks to high attenuation by the Belgian yeast strain), with a “spicy/fruity, resinous hop profile, and a soft, supportive grainy-sweet malt palate”, according to the brewery. Weighing in at 7% ABV and 22 IBUs, it’s available in bottles now, as well as on tap at all of the ANBL Growler filling stations this weekend. As the name implies, it is an homage to 1755, a band that popularized Acadian music in the 70’s/’80’s, and still active today.

• Hell Bay has released their first Black IPA, Black Flag IPA. As dark as the name suggests, this 6.1% ABV beer has notes of “roasted malt and rum flavours upfront, followed by earthy and citrus notes”. Hopped with Chinook and Ahtanum (to 55 IBUs), it’s available on tap at the brewery for growler fills, and should pop up on tap at the Port Grocer, Rhubarb, and Stillwell.

• Wayfarers’ Ale Society has released the third of their offerings recently at their Port Williams brewery. Thistle Dew is a 4.8% ABV Scottish Ale, described as “a malty ale with a low hop profile”. The rich copper colour leads to a medium body and very light bitterness (20 IBUs). Now on tap at the brewery for samples, pints, and growlers, it joins their Hellene Blonde Ale and Ruby Ale Irish Red Ale. Look for a pair of new beers from them in the coming weeks, their EPA English Pale Ale and One-Eyed River Hog IPA.

• Mill Street St John’s has released their latest brew, Caribou Cream Ale. Weighing in at 5% ABV and 20 IBUs, this easy-drinking beer is available on tap at Mill Street/Bier Markt and to go in growlers as well. This easy-drinking, thirst-quenching beer was fermented with two yeast strains (first with a British ale strain, then with a German lager strain) “to impart complexity and smoothness”, and exhibits “fresh, cracker malt with a slight hop aroma and yeast undertones”, according to the brewery. Also note that $1 from every growler sale will be donated to the newly-opened Royal Newfoundland Regiment Museum.

• Last week, Pump House released a new beer available on tap only at their brewpub in Moncton. Raspberry Wheat is a German-style Wheat beer that has been “bombarded” with 70 kg of fresh raspberries, and is described by the brewery as “tart and refreshing”, with plenty of raspberry in the aroma and flavour. Clocking in at 6.2% ABV, get down to the brewpub for a pint before it’s gone!

• Mahone Bay’s Saltbox Brewery is launching this weekend, to coincide with the Mahone Bay Heritage Boat Yard Festival. Visit their tent on the Town Wharf Saturday and Sunday, 1-5pm both days, to grab a taste of their beer or some merchandise. And then visit their brewery (open the same hours) on Main Street to grab growler fills of the beers. They will have their Hefeweizen, India Pale Ale, and Dark Cream Ale available, with a new Light Pilsner possibly making an appearance, if ready. Depending on beer availability, their retail storefront will be open going forward, as they are currently releasing beers brewed on their pilot system, while they await the arrival of their full-sized brewhouse. Keep an eye on their Twitter feed for exact details.

• Bulwark will be releasing a New Ross 200th Anniversary edition of their Oak Aged Cider. Long in the making, the cider spent more than six months maturing in American oak barrels, and is packaged in a bottle designed by local resident Bonnie Keddy. The barrel is an ode to the many cooperages that were in the New Ross area, thanks to the locally-designed apple barrels needed to support the apple industry. The 7.0% ABV cider is now ready for purchase at their homebase, Muwin Estate Wines (either by phone or email), and will be on sale at the New Ross 200th Anniversary Night Market on Friday, August 5. As a way of giving back to the community and thanking them for all of their support, a portion of the sales will be donated to the New Ross Development Society.

• Nine Locks has released their first seasonal, Watermelon Blonde, perfect for the remaining days of summer. Described by the brewery as “light and crisp, with a hint of watermelon”, with whole fresh watermelon added during the mash, as well as in a post-fermentation secondary (as well as some natural extract). This 5.0% ABV, 12 IBU beer is available now for growler fills and cans at the brewery. And congratulations to them on their recent expansion in the brewhouse – with the addition of three 72hl (60 BBL) fermentors, they will be better able to keep up with demand and different seasonal options.

• There’s a new beer on tap at Big Spruce’s tasting room, thanks to a collaboration with Shelburne’s Boxing Rock Brewery. Stark Craving Mad is an “Amber American IPA” with lots of late-addition hops for a serious hop flavour and nose. The beer weighs in at 7.2% ABV and 65 IBUs, and is currently only available at the Big Spruce tap room, so drop by today! And when you do, grab some grub from the Cruisin’ Cuisine Food Truck, onsite 12-7 pm Friday, Saturday and Sunday, with live music 3-5 pm daily. Check out the FB event page for details on the menu and music schedule.

• And speaking of Boxing Rock, after three years in operation, they just packaged their 1,000,000th bottle this week! To celebrate, they’ve hidden winning tickets in six of their Hunky Dory Pale Ale six-packs, which can be returned to the brewery for some sweet swag. Congratulations! They also did a small tasting of a Gin-infused Pale Ale at Bishop’s Cellar last night, which looks be prelude to a wider release soon.

• After a very successful launch at the Alderney Landing Farmers’ Market earlier this month, Brightwood Brewery has released their second beer. Smokey the Beer is a Honey Smoke Ale featuring, unsurprisingly, Honey and Smoked malts in the grist, for an aromatic journey of the senses. First smoke, then honey sweetness, with some piney hop notes to complete the campfire feel. Grab this 5.3% ABV beer, and their The Big Lift American IPA, at the Market this Saturday 8am-1pm. You can grab/exchange one of their own growlers, and they will fill personal growlers, provided they are nice and clean.

• There’s a new beer soon to be tapped at the Antigonish Townhouse – brewmaster Terry Piercy brewed up an experimental batch in the style of an English Pale Ale, using Horton Ridge Organic Pale Malt. The light-coloured ale was hopped with UK Fuggles for both bittering and flavour additions, to 43 IBUs. Coming in at a sessionable 4.7% ABV, look for this currently-unnamed brew to be released in a couple of weeks, where it will likely be cask-conditioned and served on the pub’s hand-pump.

There are a whole slew of events coming up in the next little while, so be sure to keep your calendar open for the following opportunities to drink great beer:

• Unfiltered Brewing turns one-year-old today, and they’re throwing a celebration at their Charm School Pub, with $5 pints all day (that’s noon till late), and a “special Nash-inspired menu” from 5-10 pm, served by Food Wolf. Happy 1st Anniversary!

• In other 1st Anniversary news, Breton Brewing is celebrating theirs on Saturday, July 30th with a slightly-belated Birthday Breakfast at the brewery from 9 am – 12 pm. The first 100 breakfasts (prepared by local STAND & STUFF Your Face) are free, and live music will be playing. After chowing down on some pancakes, attendees will also be able to take the opportunity to sign up for their new Mug Club, starting at noon. Limited to the first 50 people to sign up, the Club features all sorts of perks, including a personal 18 oz mug that will be kept at the brewery. Membership is $75 for the first year.

• This coming Monday, August 1st (New Brunswick Day), the 4th annual Fredericton Beer Run will be held, starting at the Lighthouse on the Green at 10 am (registration begins at 8 am). With 4, 6, and 12 km runs available, it’s open to novices and serious runners alike! Afterwards, runners will receive 14 beer tickets, each good for a 4-oz sample, with 15 breweries pouring roughly 40 different beers. There are still a limited number of tickets available ($60 each), so be sure to grab yours now! If you’d like to participate in the drinking, but not the running, tickets ($30) are available for the NB Day Beer Garden, where you can enjoy the beer without the effort. Additional tickets will be available for purchase. Not to be outdone, there is also now a Moncton Beer Run next Friday, August 5th, starting at Centennial Park at 6:30 pm (registration begins at 5 pm). This will be a 6 km run only, also featuring a beer tasting afterwards with 14 beer tickets, and 5 breweries pouring their beers. Tickets ($55 each) for this event are available here.

• Next Friday and Saturday, August 5th and 6th, marks the return of the annual Halifax Seaport Beerfest, which will be celebrating its 10th year since it first launched in 2007. Featuring over 300 different beers and ciders (full list available here), there are three sessions to choose from: one on Friday evening (7-9:30 pm), and two on Saturday (2-4:30 pm, 7-9:30 pm), with each session featuring VIP tickets that get you in a full hour earlier. All sessions will include unlimited samples, with VIP tickets also giving you access to a panel discussion and guided beer tasting. Tickets are $49+tax for regular, and $70+tax for VIP, and are available online. We’ll have more details on the event early next week, including info on a mega-collaboration brewday happening at Garrison with many of the visiting breweries.

• Stillwell Beer Bar will be hosting a Tap Takeover by Stillwater Artisanal Brewery Saturday August 6th. With a homebase in Maryland, Stillwater is a gypsy brewery, not owning their own equipment, but rather releasing beers brewed at others’ locations. There will be 10 different Stillwater beers available on tap starting at noon Saturday, and it will be a pay-as-you-go event, no tickets needed. We have the inside scoop on a few of the beers that will be flowing, including Mono, a 5.2% ABV Hoppy Pilsner; As Follows, a 9.0% ABV Belgian Strong Golden; and Vacuum, an 8.0% Black Smoked IPA. For those who can’t wait until Saturday for a taste, Stillwater Classique, a 4.5% ABV farmhouse beer, is currently available in cans at Stillwell’s homebase on Barrington.

• The Ladies Beer League is hosting a special sneak preview party with 2 Crows Brewing, a new 20 BBL (23 hL) Halifax brewery set to open this fall, on Thursday, August 18th. Held at the home of two of the owners from 7-10 pm, all three of their core brands will be available to be sampled, as well as a few surprises. Tickets (available through the link above) are only $10, with all proceeds going to Feed Nova Scotia (and they will be accepting further donations for FNS during the event)

Have a fantastic long weekend, hopefully surrounded by plenty of great beer! For those of you in New Brunswick, note that this weekend, all five ANBL growler stations will be pouring beers that were brewed by NB breweries (FYI, ANBL stores will be closed Monday August 1st). And in closing…

– A reminder that there’s still a few tickets remaining for the Fredericton Beer Tour (Saturday, August 6th) that we mentioned two weeks ago; your $77 ticket (available here) will get you transportation to five breweries/cideries, chat time with the brewers, and a minimum of four 4-oz samples per stop.
– Grimross has officially started canning, as their Maritime Pale Ale is available now in 500 mL cans at the brewery; the beer will hopefully be available at select ANBL stores in the near future. Look for their Saison, Cheval D’Or, to be canned by early fall.
– Maybee has bottled their Long Carry Brett Red in a limited number of 750 mL cork-and-cage bottles; labels are currently being printed, so look for these to be available at the brewery within the next couple of weeks.
– Keep your eyes peeled for a new English Mild from Tatamagouche Brewing. This 3.7% ABV beer has been spotted in the wild at Battery Park and Stillwell, and will surely satisfy the “sessionable” crowd, it’s a flavourful beer in a small package. And on the other end of the spectrum, they are serving an English Barley Wine at the brewery, but details on it are a little slim at the moment.

Phew, that’s it! That’ll teach us to never take a week off again!

Friday Wrap-Up – News from Red Rover, Gahan/PEIBC, Hammond River, TataBrew, TrailWay and more!

Posted by acbbchris on 2016-07-08
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: Annapolis Cider Company, Big Spruce Brewing, Bishop's Cellar, Brewbakers, Charm School, FirkinStein Brewing, Fredericton Cider Festival, Gahan House (Charlottetown), Good Robot Brewing, Hammond River Brewing, Maybee Brewing, Moncton Beer League, Newfermenters Homebrew Club, PEI Brewing Co., Port Rexton Brewing Co., Propeller Brewing, Red Rover Craft Cider, Schoolhouse Brewery, Tasting NB, Tatamagouche Brewing, TrailWay Brewing, Unfiltered Brewing, Urban Beer Hike. 4 comments

Happy Friday! After some great weather on the Canada Day weekend, we are back to the reality of Atlantic Canadian weather, so best to grab a growler, can or bottle, and stay inside to read the latest beer news from our region.

• Red Rover released a new fruit cider earlier this week – Dragon Slayer is named after Saint George, well-known for his dragon-slaying abilities and Targaryen-thwarting. The cider was co-fermented with locally-sourced cranberries, giving it a crimson hue. Subtly sharp and rather tannic, as described by the cidery, it finishes quite dry and weighs in at 7% ABV. It’s available at the Cider House and farmers’ markets for growler fills, and should be on tap at a few select bars/restaurants in New Brunswick, including 540 Kitchen & Bar and Snooty Fox in Fredericton, and Ducky’s in Sackville.

• Gahan House – Charlottetown has taken their Belgian Blonde Ale, Belgium Blue, and tweaked it a bit for some lucky New Brunswick beer drinkers! They added a special roast of local Receiver Coffee sourced from Tomila, Columbia, resulting in Coffee Belgian Blonde. The coffee is described by PEI Brewing Co. brewmaster Chris Long as “juicy, acidic, and fruity, with a mild chocolate flavour”. The original beer is light enough to let the coffee flavours shine through, “but complex enough to enhance the amazing aromas of this particular batch”. Clocking in at ~7.5% ABV, it’s available at all five ANBL growler stations this weekend. If you’re in Charlottetown and feeling left out, fear not – a couple of kegs were also sent to HopYard.

• And in other PEIBC news, the brewery has installed a used 7 BBL (~800 L) fermentor that will serve a dual purpose: growing up different yeast strains for seasonal batches, and for experimenting! Look for several new beers to be test-brewed over the coming weeks, including a dry-hopped version (with Ella and El Dorado) of their Sir John A’s Honey Wheat, a double-dry-hopped 1772 (Cascade first, then Simcoe and Mosaic), and a Saison dry-hopped with Goldings. And to celebrate their recent four Gold medals at the 2016 Canadian Brewing Awards, they have released The Gold Pack at the PEILCC, featuring cans of their Rogues Roost IPA, Setting Day Saison, Sir John A’s Honey Wheat, and Vic Park Pale Ale.

• Hammond River just brewed a new beer last night, and it’s one we’re confidant in saying hasn’t been attempted in these parts before! Rum Raisin Belgian Dubbel was brewed with a grist of Pilsner, Munich, Special B, Crystal, and Aromatic malts, and lightly hopped to 24 IBUs with Tettnang. Eight pounds of raisins were soaked in Eldorado 12 Rum, and then pureed and added to the end of the boil, along with plenty of Chapmans vanilla ice cream and dark Belgian Candi Syrup. Wait, there’s more – Madagascar vanilla beans will also be added during secondary fermentation. The targeted ABV is 7.1%, and on top of everything else, some of the beer may end up being barrel-aged! Look for the beer to be released over the next few weeks; we’ll keep you updated!

• Tatamagouche Brewing just canned and released their Cellar Slammer ISA, a new Session IPA brewed with the crew from Bishop’s Cellar in Halifax. Hopped with Mosaic, Hallertau Blanc and a small addition of Amarillo, look for lots of tropical fruit aromas and flavours in this 4.7% ABV summer sipper. It is available in growlers and cans at the brewery, and in cans at Bishop’s Cellar now.

• TrailWay has recently re-released two hoppy ales that they haven’t had out for awhile. First up is their American IPA, Hugh John Hops; heavily hopped (with Mosaic in particular) to come in “dank, fruity and piney”, it comes in at 6.8% ABV. Next is the return of Patio for the first time since its initial release last summer. An American Wheat Ale hopped entirely with Topaz – with almost all of it being added at flameout and the dry-hop, to give a huge blast of tangerine and citrus, without a lot of bitterness – it’s very sessionable at 4.7% ABV. Both beers are available now for pints and growler fills at the brewery, as well as on tap at select accounts across Fredericton.

• FirkinStein Brewing just released a new beer yesterday at the Lunenburg Farmers’ Market, Anchors Aweigh Pale Ale. Described by the brewery as “light and refreshing, with a crisp, mild hoppy taste, and mild bitterness in the finish”, it weighs in at 6% ABV. It should be available at tomorrow’s Bridgewater Farmers’ Market in growlers and grunters, with 500 mL bottles  following next week. They will also be attending tomorrow’s Food Truck Rally at the Hubbards Barn & Community Park, from 4-8pm.

• Propeller Brewing is bringing out their latest One Hit Wonder today, Citrus Pale Ale. Brewed with a grist of Pale and Wheat malts, this beer features a big citrus nose and flavour, thanks to generous addition of Curaçao orange peel and Ahtanum hops added during the whirlpool phase (after boiling is complete). Cascade and Centennial hops help to balance the malt, with the final beer details coming in at 5.8% ABV and a light 25 IBUs. The beer will be available on tap and in growlers at the Gottingen location this afternoon (drop by after work), and on Windmill later this evening, or first thing tomorrow. As always, a few of these OHW kegs do make it into the wild at select bars, so if you spot it, grab a pint!

• Halifax’s Good Robot has teamed up with Falmouth’s Schoolhouse Brewery to release a special beer ahead of this weekend’s Evolve Festival. Skratch Plaskett – Electric Tambourine Ale is a light-bodied 5.8% ABV Pale Ale, featuring a set of American and Australian hops: Warrior for bittering (contributing to most of the 25 IBUs), Cascade in the whirlpool for some flavour and aroma, and Summer as a dry hop for an Aussie aroma of stone, tropical, and citrus fruits. Skratch Plaskett is the result of 8 test batches and iterations, as the characteristics were honed in on their desired recipe for a crushable beer with lots of character. Much like the name implies, it is a true collaboration of a beer! The beer will be available at the Evolve Festival (happening near Moncton), as well as on tap/growlers at Good Robot and Schoolhouse’s market location shortly.

• And in more Good Robot news, keep your eyes peeled for the return of The Shocking Pink, their Gose blended with pink lemonade and hibiscus tea, as well as Burban Legend American Pale Ale v6.0, dry-hopped with currently-unnamed experimental hop 342 from Hop Breeding Company. This hop lends a floral, citrus, and melon characters to the beer. And for those loved, or missed and wanted to try, the New Zealand IPA Beta Brew that debuted at the Tap Room this week, the single keg is all gone, but will be returning in another iteration soon.

• Maybee Brewing has started canning another of their flagship beers – Stone House Tripel is now available in 500 mL cans for purchase at the brewery in Fredericton; they also should be for sale at the Picaroons General Store in Saint John by sometime next week. Also note that Maybee recently doubled their number of taps to 12, which means more new beers in the future, as well as several taps dedicated to other NB breweries for taproom purchase.

• Unfiltered has released another batch of Front Line Rocker, their 8% Double IPA brewed with the famous Conan yeast. It’s back on tap at the brewery and Charm School, at noon and 4pm today, respectively, and will be delivered to local bars very shortly. Be sure to drop by Charm School tomorrow afternoon for an Indochine Bahn Mi pop-up. Featuring Pork Belly marinated in Unfiltered’s Flat Black Jesus American Stout, they will be serving from 4-9pm (assuming the tasty treats last that long)

• Congratulations to the winners at last weekend’s Newfermenters Brew-Off! Bill Burton took Best-in-Show out of the 25 submissions, and will have a chance to brew his winning recipe with the crew at Port Rexton later in the summer. And speaking of which, PR has brewed the first beers on their new system, and are aiming to open in the next month or so!

As for what’s going on in the events section over the coming days and weeks…

• Annapolis Cider Company is throwing their grand opening party this weekend (Friday to Sunday), and to help celebrate, they’ll be offering tasting paddles – three 3 oz pours – of their three currently-available ciders for only $3. They’ll also be giving free tours of the cider cellar all three days, at 11 am, 2 pm and 4 pm.

• A final reminder that the second annual Tasting NB event happens tomorrow (Saturday, July 9th) in Fredericton at the Capital Complex, from 7-10 pm. Featuring 17 different producers of beer, cider, mead, spirits, and wine, your $55 ticket (if purchased in advance; $60 at the door) gets you unlimited samples for the evening.

• The Moncton Beer League is holding their second Urban Beer Hike on Saturday, July 23rd. The downtown walking tour will begin at Marky’s Laundromat at 1:45 pm, with several stops at various craft beer destinations in the city, before finishing at the Pump House brewpub around 5:30 pm. Each stop will feature beer and food samples, along with info sessions. Tickets are $49+fees, and are available online. Also note that ticket holders will receive $5 off their ticket for this year’s Atlantic Canadian Craft Brew Oktoberfest (Saturday, September 24th).

• It’s a few months away, but the date has been announced for the 2nd Annual Fredericton Cider Festival: Saturday, October 1st, on the Brewbakers covered patio. Tickets are on sale now, with two options available: regular tickets are $56.50 each and get you a custom sampling glass and unlimited 4 oz samples from 1:00-3:30 pm, while the $65 VIP ticket gets you the same, plus early entry at noon. Both local and larger cideries will be pouring, with over 25 different types likely to be available to sample.

A few more notes before signing off this week:

– Big Spruce has re-released their Meek Thy Maker, a Red IPA hopped with Amarillo, Columbus and Citra (which is replacing Cascade this time around). It’s on tap at the brewery now, with growlers available at supplied Farmers’ Markets, and many tap accounts in Nova Scotia.
– Railcar has brewed up another batch of their Smoked Molasses Porter; it’s available now at the brewery, and will be hitting the Fredericton ANBL growler station (Prospect St.) at the end of the month.
– Petit-Sault brewed up a SMaSH beer yesterday, featuring ingredient sourced nearby: Pale malt from Malt-Broue South-East Quebec and Cascade hops from nearby Aroostook Hop in Northern Maine. Look for it to hit the taps at the end of July.

Despite the weather, enjoy your weekend! In closing, Atlantic Business Magazine is running an online poll where you can vote for your favourite Atlantic Canadian brewery; it runs until July 29th, and the winner will be featured in the September edition of the magazine.