Modern Brewer’s Village Green

All posts tagged Modern Brewer’s Village Green

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!

Friday Wrap-Up for July 15, 2022 – News from Bannerman, Port Rexton, Village Green, Tanner, Unfiltered, The Brewery by Quinn’s, 2 Crows, Stillwell and more!

Posted by acbbdevon on 2022-07-15
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: 2 Crows Brewing, Annex Ales, Bannerman Brewing, Blind Enthusiasm, Cabin Brewing, Modern Brewer's Village Green, Port Rexton Brewing Co., Stillwell Beer Bar, Tanner & Co Brewing, The Brewery by Quinn's, The Establishment, The Joyce, The Quinn's Arms, Unfiltered Brewing. Leave a Comment

Welcome to full-on summer here in Atlantic Canada where our region’s breweries, cideries, and meaderies are in the full swing of tourist season and are no doubt are all pulling back-to-back-to-back brewdays for the foreseeable. We don’t have a super long post this week, but there’s certainly a few new things around that a person who loves beer ought to be aware of. So read on and inform your beer buying for the weekend!

East Duckworth’s Bannerman Brewing has a new beer on tap this week, a special take on a traditional Blonde Ale. Starting with a grist of Pilsner and Wheat malts, it was dry hopped with the French Barbe Rouge hop, before spending some time on hibiscus flowers. Offering both a brilliant pink colour and floral notes, the hibiscus complements the fruity ester notes of candied orange and strawberry from the hops and yeast. At 4.5% ABV, it’s super refreshing and light, and is available for pints and growler fills only, due to the small batch size.

New beers and events at Port Rexton this month, located on the Bonavista Peninsula. First up, the return of some fruited seasonal favourites, Summer Anthem and Gluten-Free Kiwi Sour. Summer Anthem embraces the music program at their taproom, accessible via QR code on the cans. What’s in those cans is a Coconut and Lime Milkshake IPA, made with a whole bunch of the aforementioned fruit, as well as lactose and vanilla to complete the dessert-like qualities. Plus, with the hops and brewing technique, there’s a touch of bitterness along with a light acidity to balance the sweetness. 5.8%, perfect for an afternoon delight!

For those who are looking to avoid gluten, PRBC continues to expand their GF portfolio, and the return of the Gluten-free Kiwi Sour will have plenty of you smiling once again. It was brewed with gluten-free ingredients, rather than being treated with additives after the fact, ensuring those who really need to avoid gluten can do so safely. Tart, refreshing, and bursting with kiwi, it will definitely quench your thirst! The 4.5% beer joins the Summer Anthem on tap and in cans at the brewery, as well as their St. John’s Retail Shop.

Those who make the trip to the brewery in Port Rexton today will be able to take part in the “Get Out Of Town” Concert Series, as presented by Lawna Vawnya, with Andrew Smith and DJ Kitty Kells playing from 6 PM tonight. And keep your eyes peeled for more details on next weekend’s 6th Anniversary. On Saturday, July 23, from 12 PM, there will be new beers, old favourites, plenty of food options to complement the Oh My Cheeses! food truck, plus plenty of musical acts that will have you up and on your feet! Keep an eye on their Social Media for more!

Jumping down to PEI, Village Green continues to roll out the new releases with Kylefornia. This 8% DIPA, named for the California-residing brother of a Village Green regular, lives up to its west-coast billing with additions of Crystal and Victory malt added to the base of 2-row. The hops feature a combo of traditional and modern American varieties with additions of Columbus, Cascade, Citra, and Amarillo. Cans of Kylefornia are available at the brewery now, where you can also find it on tap for pours. 

Chester’s Tanner Brewing has a new version of their Tart Saison out this week. The tweaked recipe sees the ABV reduced down to 5.7% on their kettle soured and dry hopped take on a French Saison. Expect lots of tropical and citrusy notes with the dry hop featuring the ever popular combo of Citra and Mosaic. Bottles and ours of Tart Saison are available now at both Tanner locations.

Speaking of returning favourites, Unfiltered is releasing a fresh batch of their 7.5% Inducement DIPA today. Expect tons of tropical aroma and flavour from big additions of Mosaic and Simcoe. Cans and growler fills are available now at the brewery, along with pints next door at Charm School.

And in “pretty much open” news, the latest brewery in Nova Scotia is set to serve their first beers in the coming weeks, but in the meantime, The Brewery by Quinn’s has opened their doors at 6273 Quinpool Road in Halifax. Sister to the Quinn’s Arms Pub located a few doors down, the Brewery is currently serving both local and macro beer, while their first releases are finalised. Indoor and outdoor seating, with a full food menu to complement. We’ll have more on the beer and people behind it soon!

A few beery things going on this weekend in the region:

If you find yourself in Fredericton this evening (Friday), head on over to the Joyce for a Meet the Maker tap takeover with Halifax’s 2 Crows Brewing. The event will feature the Joyce’s first ever collab brew, Ode to Joyce. This one uses a similar base recipe to 2 Crow’s regulars Jamboree and Jubilee, which feature a combo of Pilsner malt, wheat malt and flaked wheat/oats, before being slowly soured with lacto and fermented with a kviek yeast.  From there, Ode to Joyce saw a conditioning stint with watermelon and kiwi puree and a dry hop with Galaxy. Instead of being forced carbed, the kegs heading to the Joyce were spunded for a gentler, natural carbonation. A small amount was also left behind at the brewery, where it is likely to see the slushie treatment on the recently added beer slushie machine. In addition to being able to grab a pint of this one-off collab, the event will also give you a chance to talk beer with 2C brewer Jeremy Taylor.

If you find yourself in downtown Halifax tomorrow for the Pride parade, why not stop in at Stillwell HQ (the parade route goes right along Barrington St.) for an Alberta tap takeover. From noon until close, the team at Stilly will be serving up beers from the Annex Ale Project, Establishment Brewing Company, Cabin Brewing and Blind Enthusiasm, with a special menu of prairie themed snacks.

Friday Wrap-Up for February 11, 2022 – News from Propeller, Bannerman, Baccalieu Trail, Rough Waters, Delta Force, Serpent, Tanner, and much more!

Posted by acbbchris on 2022-02-11
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: 2 Crows Brewing, Baccalieu Trail Brewing, Bannerman Brewing, Bogside Brewing, Breton Brewing, Delta Force Brewing, Modern Brewer's Village Green, Propeller Brewing, Quidi Vidi Brewery, Rough Waters Brewing, Serpent Brewing, Tanner & Co Brewing. Leave a Comment

Wa-hey, we’re almost halfway through February and with the little bit of unseasonably nice weather that most of the region is seeing this weekend it’s almost enough to have one believing that winter’s almost over. We suggest not falling for that, but maybe a teensy tiny little bit of joy and hope for just this weekend won’t hurt. And speaking of weekend joy, it’s both the weekend of the “Big Game” and also annual Hallmark Holiday #1, so you might find some seasonably appropriate specials going on from your favourite locals; we cover some of those below, but we might have missed something (let’s be honest, we always miss something) so do check out what’s advertised on socials!

Let’s start off in Halifax, where Propeller Brewing is releasing Earl Grey Pale Ale. The addition of Earl Grey tea adds floral and citrus aromas from the bergamot, along with some more tannic notes reminiscent of black tea. These meld nicely with the additions of cookie and red malts, which Prop says gives a ‘tea and biscuits’ experience. To remind you that this is still a pale ale, the beer features Idaho 7 and Citra hops, two hops that showcase citrus notes, complimenting the bergamot. Coming in a 5.5% AVC and 39 IBUs, Earl Grey Pale Ale. Cans are available today at the Prop shops and online for home delivery or shipping. For those outside of HRM, this one will be hitting NSLC shelves on February 21.

While our last beer featured cookie malt, Bannerman Brewing is taking things one step further, by adding ‘buckets and buckets’ of actual cookies, to its newest beer, Sweet Tooth. This “Cookie Stout” uses cookies (chocolate chip by the looks of the brew day photos) from Craig’s Cookies, dumped into the hopback allowing the beer to recirculate and pick up as much cookie essence as possible. The beer features a blend of caramel and dark malts and also saw additions of cacao nibs and Tahitian vanilla beans. Cans of this 7.5% treat are available now on Duckworth Street and for delivery through Bannerman’s online store. 

We’re going to stay in Newfoundland for the next few releases, and Baccalieu Trail is up next! With a new release available now, Hopinion Piece is a Hazy IPA that features a mix of hops, using some strong opinions of their own! This will be a recurring release, featuring different combinations of hops each time. While we’re not sure exactly which hops you’ll see in this first release, we’re sure that with a name like that they won’t be subtle. This 5.5% beer is available today from their website and taproom. It will reach their other retail locations and carriers next week.

Over to Deer Lake, Rough Waters also has a new limited release! Commander Coconut is a coconut milk stout that brings the flavour and drinkability. Using their base milk stout, coconut additions were made through the brew and also for conditioning. Due to the massive amounts of coconut used in this recipe, it was quite difficult to brew, so this one will not be coming out again anytime soon! This comes in at 5.4% and is smooth, coconut-y with a nice balance of milk chocolate flavours. This is available now from the taproom and distribution will be coming to the rest of the island over the next two weeks. 

One of the littlest breweries (in terms of size, anyway) in NS has three beers coming back to their oeuvre this week, one of which features a pretty significant change from previous batches. Delta Force Brewing, the “traditional farmshed brewery” in Greenwich, has Operation Jaromir Lagr, a Czech Dark Lager, and Operation Bap, a Nurungji Lager available once again (what’s nurungji? It’s Korean scorched rice!). Additionally, Operation Barrow, which in its previous incarnations was an English IPA with Brettanomyces added after primary fermentation, tasted so good this time that they decided against the Brett addition and to just bring it to you, dear drinker, in its pure and unadulterated form. You can order these ones up along with plenty of other δF favourites by visiting their online shop.

In Halifax, Spryfield’s finest Serpent Brewing brings Northumberland Strait Sunset to the people. A Session IPA, this was brewed with Owen, one of their Founders Club members, taking them on a quest for tropical flavour in a small package. Using tons of Mosaic for dry hopping, this 4.4% stunner features lovely stone fruit flavours and aromatics, with a touch more fruit and earthy notes from the English Ale yeast. Grab it at their spot behind Canadian Tire/adjacent to Mary Brown’s today at noon, for enjoyment onsite or to go in growlers and bottles.

It’s not just Superbowl Sunday this weekend, Valentine’s Day is Monday!  Down in Chester, Nova Scotia, Tanner Brewing has a very special release. Cranberry Amarillo is a Sparkling Mead made from their house sparkling mead recipe, but with a light hand of cranberry purée before fermentation and then dry hopped with Amarillo hops. This brew is delicate, lightly pink and a dry finishing mead available in 500ml bottles at 5.8%. 

And here’s your quick hits on the way out the door to buy beer!

Our weekly post wouldn’t be the same without something from 2 Crows! Keeping up their annual football deal, they put some of their 355ml flats on for $50. Joining Matinee and Dos Cuervos on the Deal Train is the newly released AC Light Lager. Make sure you check their delivery dates if you want to get it for SuperbOwl Sunday! Also, these are stellar “stock” beers to keep in your fridge anytime of the year. 

In St. John’s, Quidi Vidi Brewing has a big’un back on the go for your winter sipping needs. Imperial Coconut Porter, a burly brew at 9% ABV has returned, with notes of dark caramel and chestnut leading the way, with a lingering element of toasted coconut providing the back end. Available in 473ml cans now at their (new) Hops Shop, you should also see this one appear at NLC locations in the coming week.

In Montague, Bogside Brewing has a returning favourite that is back in stock. Wheat Kings County is their traditional-style Wheat Beer (remember this won silver at the 2020 Canadian Brewing Awards). Keeping with tradition, this is a classic style made true to its German roots. Using a grain bill of Wheat, Pilsner and Munich malts, along with classic hop additions of Hallertau Mittlefruh and Hersbrucker. It is 5.7% and available on tap and online in 473ml cans for pickup or delivery. 

Sydney’s Breton Brewing announced this week that it’s expanding to a second location. While their original taproom on Keltic Drive has a great atmosphere and lots of tasty beer options, it’s a bit of a hike from the downtown core. Their new location, coming later in 2022, is right in the middle of the action, located across the street from the Holiday Inn (and its epic waterslide) on the Esplinade. The plan for now is calling for a taproom and pilot system. Keep an eye on their social channels for more updates as they progress towards opening the new space.

Cornwall’s Village Green is releasing Version 9 in its series of Weird Clouds IPA. This one is showcasing notes of fruit cocktail and grapefruit thanks to hop additions of Azacca, Strata and Citra. As an added bonus, cans of Version 9 feature the full pull-back pop top, allowing more of those hoppy aromas to hit the ol’ olfactory nerve if you’re drinking straight from the can. Cans are available now at the taprom.