Ninepenny Brewing

All posts tagged Ninepenny Brewing

Happy almost-Mothers Day to all of our readers who are mothers, moms, mums, aunts, female role models, and awesome beer, cider, and mead-enjoying women! We at ACBB appreciate and salute you for everything you do day in and day out. We also understand this can be a hard time for people as well based on their relationships, grief or whatever else can be wrapped into what you’re feeling. Whatever you’re feeling this weekend, we’re with you and will always raise a glass to you and yours❤️. Onto the news!

In case you missed it, Mount Uniacke’s first professional brewery is now open and selling beer to the public. Party Time Brewing is (currently) a one-person operation, selling beer in cans and growlers to those fortunate enough to live nearby. We published a full ACBB Profile with James Marshall earlier this week to learn about the man behind the beer. Since Wednesday, we’ve heard that the first kegs of PTB have been ordered, and are now pouring on draught in the wild! Battery Park on Ochterloney in Dartmouth has purchased both the Garage Party Blonde and Polar Dip Cold IPA. The Blonde is 4.5% ABV, and features a touch of Honey and Crystal malts to complement the Pale and Pilsner malt base, with a robust addition of Willamette to keep it interesting. The Polar Dip is staying true to the new Cold IPA style: the use of flaked corn keeps the body lighter than a traditional IPA, while plenty of Cascade and Citra are used in the whirlpool and dry hop. Congratulations again to Marshall!

In more “New Nova Scotia Brewery” news, Coldstream Clear Distillery has released a beer in their extensive portfolio of spirits and RTD bevies. Nova Scotia Lager is a 5.0% American Lager, ultimately brewed to be crisp, clean, and supremely enjoyable. Using their in-house pilot system, they brewed many trials of ingredients and techniques before being satisfied with the current recipe. Their 2000 litre brewhouse features a mash filter system, a rarity in Canadian Craft Beer, allowing for excellent control and 95% efficiency in the brewing process. Look for 12-packs of cans at Coldstream Clear locations in Stewiacke, Antigonish, and Dartmouth Crossing, as well as province-wide at NSLCs from Yarmouth to Sydney. Congratulations to Coldstream Clear on the launch of NS Lager, and we hope to share more about the brewery and expanded offerings soon!

A bit of (good and beer related) news out of Spryfield, as Serpent Brewing has a limited release out now. Riff is a Belgian Table Beer that’s 5% ABV and has a very complex profile. Bringing some flavour of peach, field berry, white pepper and white tea, this features some good partnerships we need to highlight! First, the beer is created as a celebration for NovaFest, as NSCC students will be doing musical performances at the Serpent taproom every Tuesday night in May. The beer also features Peach White Tea from World Tea House, along with a blend of fieldberries as an addition to the beer. Lastly, the more standard beer ingredients feature a Belgian yeast from Ardenne to bring the white pepper notes, along with biscuit malt to have a nice, balanced backbone for the ale. There is a lot to chew on here and we can’t wait to try it. This is currently available on tap at the brewery for pints only (no growler fills) and this weekend there will be a small can release. The kitchen and patio will also be opening this weekend, so there’s even more reason to head to the brewery!

If you’re tied into the beer scene in the Annapolis Valley you might be aware that Annapolis Brewing picked up some fermentation vessels from the (sadly) defunct Bad Apple Brewhouse. What you might not know, however, is that the recipe and naming rights for BA’s classic West Coast IPA, Boxcutter, was also part of the deal. Not only that, but they’ve already gone ahead and put a batch together that’s available now! Although he wasn’t on-site for the brew, Bad Apple’s Jeff Saunders was heavily involved in the process of scaling the recipe to Annapolis’ system and ensuring that the water profile and ingredients were the same. That said, beer can vary from batch to batch even within the same brewery, so while it may not be exactly as you remember, it’s certainly made with the same spirit as the original! Coming in at 6.9% ABV, expect a resinous hop character with notes of pine and citrus paired with a balancing malt backbone. Fans of this beer were sad to see it disappear; you can find out why for yourself by visiting the Annapolis taproom in Annapolis Royal for a pint. You can also expect to see it appear in beer bars around the province and hopefully, in the future, at retail as well!

There may still be snowfall warnings in parts of Newfoundland, but there is new beer, too! Ninepenny Brewing out of St. John’s (more specifically CBS, as the locals would tell us!) has a new release in their hop series. The second release of their NPT Experimental IPA Series, M2 is a Voss Kviek IPA. This one is a big deal for the Ninepenny crew, as they’re calling it their haziest, juiciest and dankest beer, yet. Packed in the boil are Mosaic and Cascade hops, then Idaho 7 and Cryo Pop join the fray for some dry-hopping. This is the first time they’ve used any sort of Cryo hops and they’re thrilled with the result. The Cryo Pop blend is designed to bring a big dry-hopped punch of citrus and tropical and stone fruits. The beer has low bitterness and comes in at 4.7% to be juicy, hazy and enjoyable. This is canned and available now at the brewery and some local distribution in the coming week. There were only 90 flats of cans produced here, but it is also available for pints in the taproom.

Trailway Brewing news out of Saint John (still gotta get our heads around that), as Union House by Trailway has a new beer in cans and on top. Pipe Dream is a Session IPA that is brand new and inspired by Pipe Mania, the old video game. This is a dank, fruity and flavourful Session IPA that packs a lot into its 4.8% body. Fermented with Verdant yeast (a balanced yeast that brings a bit of body and highlights some apricot notes) and features a hop bill of Citra Cryo, Topaz and Idaho 7. This beer is clean, fruity and refreshing and is available now from the Saint John location, and of course their HQ in Fredericton.

Other news out of Trailway is around that food truck they bought and they need some attendants and cooks to work in it! If you’re interested in talking to customers, cleaning, stocking and working with a fun team on Main Street Fredericton, send your resume in here

Congratulations are in order to Lazy Bear Brewing of Smiths Cove, as they celebrate their Seventh Anniversary this month. Next Friday, May 19, they will be firing up their on-site pizza oven, and for the rest of the summer Firebox will be operating both Thursdays and Fridays. Lewis Hodsgon will be providing live music that evening, and of course, there will be great beer flowing! You will be able to try the new Coastal Light 4.0% lager, as well is their new 3.5% ABV Hard Ginger Ale. Oh, and their house-made gelato, too! And don’t forget that they attend the Annapolis Royal Farmers Market held every Saturday, with May 20 being the first of the outdoor markets for the year.

Scholarship alert! North Brewing is back with their Diversity & Inclusion Scholarship which includes $1500 renewable for up to 4 years plus guaranteed summer employment for the duration of their education. Presented and founded with Beer Diversity (and the wonderful Ren Navarro) and Change is Brewing Collective. If you know someone of age and interest, please pass this along to apply, as the deadline is July 31. This is incredibly important work and we need it to facilitate change within our society. Many students are not very familiar with the craft beer industry or the harassment and problems within it. Support North, support change and help spread the word on this important scholarship. Check out the link here for more details. 

We’ve got a short and sweet (but the cans are tall) update from Propeller Brewing, Tropic Haze is back. This is a summer ale that is now a staple in Prop’s seasonal rotation. Bringing big flavours in a refreshing summer ale, this wraps up flavours of mango, passionfruit and dragon fruit with a golden blonde and hazy package. Coming in at 5% and 473ml cans, this is available in the 3 Propeller shops, online for delivery, private stores in Halifax  and certain NSLCs. 

Before we end this week, we are compelled to remind our readers, and ourselves, that despite the many exclamations of “Good Job!”, “High Five!”, and “We Rock!” we all want to share, Beer is not yet for Everyone. After a particularly jarring and problematic session and interactions at this week’s Craft Brewers Conference in Nashville, Tennessee, there was a distinct lack of proactive support for those affected. Not to mention the choice to hold the conference in Tennessee, a state that is absolutely unwelcoming, sometimes dangerous, to the LGBT2S+ community. We encourage members of provincial and national brewery associations to reach out to their groups to see what they are doing to improve diversity, equity, and inclusion. Canadian Craft Brewers Association. CBANS. CANB. NLCBA. PEICBA. (The fact that we cannot find a public link to the latter two is disturbing in its own right…)

Happy May, everyone! Flowers are pushing through the dirt and winter debris, migrating birds are returning (hello cardinals!), and patios are opening! As we shed the winter coats (and work towards shedding the winter pounds), there are plenty of new beers and events to encourage us out from hibernation! Let’s get you up to speed with what you could be imbibing this weekend…

Congratulations to the Shipwright Brewing team, as they celebrate the opening of their brand new Taproom + Pizza location at 80 Montague Street in Lunenburg. Located right next door to their original brewery and bar, the Taproom features 25 beers on tap, and a full menu with appetizers, bao buns, and both Detroit and New York style pizzas. For visitors to the OG taproom spot, they will be impressed with the 10-fold increase in the seating, so no more waiting for a spot at the bar or patio during busy summer evenings. The retail fridge is full of beer options to take away, during their 11 AM – 10 PM (or later), seven days a week, opening hours. Just a note that they are only doing dine-in during the first week of operation, and great news for those looking for a more intimate Shipwright experience, the original taproom in the brewery at 82 Montague remains open and ready to serve all visitors!

News from our PEI friends Lone Oak brings the announcement of their new restaurant, Lone Oak Fox Meadow! Opening today (Friday May 5th), this is a full-service, year-round restaurant and events centre at the Fox Meadow Golf Course in Stratford, PEI. They’ll be open 7 days a week for lunch, dinner and drinks and will offer a brunch on the weekends. The full website will launch next week, so for now, keep an eye on Lone Oak’s main socials for any updates, or just go check it out from 11am-10pm any day of the week (open for brunch at 9 AM on the weekends)! Congratulations to the LO Crew!

And in the spirit of new beginnings, we have news on changes to a brewery who has been around since 2015… Same brewery, new name! Spindrift Brewing is no more and now Burnside Brewing Company rises from its ashes. Keeping all of the same lineup of beers like Toller and Killick, some of you may be familiar with Spindrift in the US and their beverage products. Our local Spindrift took an enquiry from the unaffiliated RTD brand as a chance to ground where they are and go through a rebranding process. They’re trying to make beer in Burnside that isn’t fancy, is about the beer first, and celebrates working hard, having fun, and making great beer; hence they chose the name of the area in which they feel most at home. Both the Antigonish and Dartmouth locations will remain unchanged and things will continue as normal, except for the new branding and packaging. Their new website is expected to go live shortly, and their socials have changed over to the new moniker.

The Cabot Trail Relay’s newest beer sponsor, Breton Brewing, has lots on the go this week, with a few new releases and a lot of calls for hiring. Let’s start with the beer. First up, Grapefruit IPA is an American IPA with big grapefruit flavours of pine and citrus but also with real grapefruit juice added. It’s bitter, as you’d expect, with a nice punch of that grapefruit kick; it is 6% ABV and 45 IBU. 

Next up is a new member of the Let’s Jam series of sours; Let’s Jam: Raspberry Lemon Sour was brewed with big batches of real raspberry and lemon to mix up the sweet and sour flavours. A nice pink hue captures the eye and the refreshing 4% ABV will leave you wanting more. Both of these are available now at the brewery on tap and in cans, along with their website online. They will also be hitting the shelves of certain NSLC locations across the province. On the HR side of things, Breton has multiple positions for students and full-time work in Halifax and Cape Breton, so head over to their careers page if you’re interested. 

Let’s head to Moncton, where Tire Shack Brewing has a few new releases and fun events they’re hyped about. This week, they have a new experimental sour release on draught, based around the Soursop fruit, also known as guanábana or Brazilian paw paw. Imparting citrus, banana, coconut, and mango to the base sour beer, given the difficulty in sourcing the fruit in our region, there are only a few kegs, and no cans, of this one. And coming later this weekend is another sour beer, this one showcasing Pink Guava, bringing a total of 5 sours on tap, including the recent return of Sun-Kissed Mimosa Sour

Rounding out the recent Tire Shack releases is the return of their Gold medal winning Killed By Death, a 10.0% Triple IPA, chock-full of Citra, Mosaic, and Vic Secret late in the process for tons of great aromatics. Pop by the brewery today, or better yet, in celebration of Moncton Taco Week, Tire Shack is welcoming back Birria Dave’s in the taproom both Saturday and Sunday from noon until sell-out, as he is featuring The 3D Birria Taco. Best not to hesitate, as these always go quick!

It’s been a long time since we’ve had one of NB’s oldest craft breweries, Moncton’s own Pump House, on the blog and we’ve been hoping for some fresh drops from them to share with everyone. Uncommon Kölsch is a low-carb and low-calorie release that is crisp and refreshing. It is 4% and available in 355ml 8 packs at the ANBL, on tap at PH accounts and directly from the brewery. Sort through the dark and light stuff and pick out something clean and new to enjoy from this brewery, as this is available now!

Heading west to Fredericton, Maybee Brew has a new beer to celebrate a big milestone at the brewery. Batch 500 is a brand new IPA celebrating exactly what you think! A New England IPA, this milestone brew is big on tropical, mango, citrus, and grapefruit flavours and is juicy and enjoyable. It’s 6.2% ABV and 30 IBU and available today on tap and in cans from the brewery. Grab one of those cans as the design is gorgeous and true to the milestone celebration! 

Mauzy, the cidery operating adjacent to Banished Brewing in Paradise, NL, has their first release of 2022 fermentations this week with Point Towards Heaven, a spontaneously fermented blend of feral Mcintosh and feral crab apple juices. Transparent yellow, with no finings, filtering, or added sulphites, this one represents their first Pet Nat-style cider. Only 20 cases have been produced, so you’ll want to act quickly to get yourself a bottle. Look for this 5.6% ABV delight only at Banished.

In other cider news, Sourwood may not be slinging cider at their old spot on Cornwallis St. in Halifax but they’re still putting out tasty treats. And wouldn’t you know it, they’ve got a Pet Nat on the go as well! Starting with a base of handpicked L’Acadie Blanc grapes, they bolstered it with Russet apple juice from their secret sheep orchard. Capping the fermentation to preserve the natural carbonation, they have not disgorged the bottles, so you can expect some sediment. You can also expect flavors of elderflower, geranium, and pithy grapefruit. Marked with a vintage of 2021, this one has been sitting and improving for quite some time. Look for L’Acadie + Russet in their online shop for delivery or pickup (note that pickup is now at 115 Chain Lake Drive, Unit 12C), at Ramblers (formerly Sourwood’s own in-town location), and potentially at other fine watering holes.

Those jolly androids from Good Robot are back with their latest Goodwill beer and this one is partnered with the Ecology Action Centre. Dark Saison is the style for this release and it features an addition of cranberries to bring a bit of sweetness and tart flavour to the beer, balancing spice and cocoa notes from the malt and yeast. Each can of Goodwill Saison sold from the brewery or online will contribute 50 cents directly to the environmental charity. This beer comes in at 5.3% and is for an excellent cause, supporting climate change, biodiversity and environmental justice. 

Miramichi’s Timber Ship is back with a new release this week, one in the “perfect for enjoying with a group of buds” vein, aka, crushable. They looked to Germany for inspiration, and honed in on the Kölsch style from Cologne. Light in body, clean Pils malt backbone with Hallertauer Mittelfrüh hops, with a crisp and clean finish. Named in celebration of Harley & Hank, find this 4.5% beer on tap at Three Dog Distilling at 279 Newcastle Blvd, or in cans to go from Timber Ship’s Below Deck location on the King George Highway.

Up on The Rock, Port Rexton Brewing has a new collab brew out, this one done with the folks from Ninepenny Brewing in Conception Bay South (you may have heard of this place recently, as it’s iceberg season…). Small Game is a “Tiny” IPA coming in at a paltry 2.6% ABV, but still boasting plenty of aroma and flavor, with gummy candy and tropical fruit on the nose and more fruit and melon undertones on the palate. Perfect for games night, when you want to let loose a little, but still keep your wits about you, you’ll find this one at the taproom, at the PR St. John’s retail shop, and at Ninepenny’s taproom as well.

For those in Halifax, and wanting to delve a bit deeper into what goes into designing and crafting the beer they enjoy, The Discovery Centre is hosting Science of Beer next Saturday, May 13. From 7 – 10:30 PM, ten breweries from the Craft Brewers Association of Nova Scotia will chat up style characteristics, ingredients, processes and more, along with science demonstrations from the DC team, with live music from The Fine Tuners, all while sipping on beer. This 19+ event requires tickets, find out more and grab yours here

Let’s do some quick hits for some craft beer jobs around the region!

Stillwell Beer Bar is looking for a full-time server for the summer with a very likely chance for part-time work in the fall. Email here if interested.

Garrison Brewing is looking for a Head Brewer and this could be a dream job at a big craft brewery for a lot of people. Permanent, full-time, big job! Check out the link here for all the details. 

In other Head Brewer news, Long Bay Brewing in Fredericton is looking for a Head Brewer (with professional experience) or an Assistant Brewer (with all-grain homebrewing experience). With a 15bbl brewhouse and 3.5bbl test batch system, there is room to grow and learn. Send your resume here if you’re interested!

Off Grid (or OG Ales) is hiring a bunch of positions for taproom, grounds keeping and housekeeping. Part-time and full-time positions are available, for summer students as well, with pay around $15/hr. Application deadline is May 19th. Please send your resume here

Plenty more beer to let you know about, let’s get some newsbites in front of you.

Halifax’s own Propeller Brewing has a fun 12 pack featuring some summer crushers all at 5% ABV or less in a 355ml format. The Propeller Patio Pack Craft Beer Mixer is this year’s latest mix of 4 beers to grab and go for the summer. Featuring 3 each of: Tango Lagered Ale (4.8%), Tropic Haze Summer Ale (5.0%), Yutopia Summer Ale (5.0%) and Lime Lite Lager (4.5%), you can get this starting today from the 3 Propeller shops (4 if you include the online store!) and the private stores in Halifax. This will be coming to certain NSLCs as well. And a reminder that the patio at their Gottingen Street taproom is now open, so get out and enjoy some beer!

In Tatamagouche they’re getting all ready for summer sipping with the release of this season’s fruited Dekorum variations. Lime, Mandarin, and Blood Orange are all available in 355ml cans as of today, all coming in at a very sessionable 2.9% ABV. Grab them in any combination (potentially including the non-fruited OG version) from their web shop, with delivery available to all Canadian Provinces!

Moncton’s Tide & Boar Brewing has a new IPA in the fridge and on tap these days. Dinosaur Food is a big 7.0% Hazy IPA, hopped heavily with Motueka and Sabro, resulting in massive notes of ripe mango, fruit cocktail, and a coconutty pina colada vibe. Grab it from either of their Brewery or Gastropub locations on tap or in cans to enjoy outdoors.

It’s that time of year again when Big Spruce brings out their She’s Maibock, a German lager on the heavier side at 6.5% ABV. Brewed with modern Continental hop variety Huëll Melon, look for aromas of strawberries, honeydew melon, and stone fruit that complement malty notes of bread crust and candied orange. May a little reminiscent of toast and jam!

And finally this week, Grimross has brought back their Juicy IPA, and this 6.5% ABV can is available now from them and coming to ANBL and other shops shortly.

We’re just over halfway through June and as we officially roll into Summer, you may be throwing a Summer Solstice party, planning something special for Father’s day (or, Fadder’s Day) or looking for some cool new things to do. While it’s hard for us to capture absolutely everything that’s going on in Atlantic Canada, hopefully we can point you in the right direction with places to try, beers and ciders to look for and help with summertime plans. Even on those rainy days, you may be listening to some Alan Jackson, and want to sip on some new and local beers. We are here to help, especially when Alan Jackson comes to the Chattahoo…erm, New Brunswick in November!

Let’s kick off this week’s news and fun with a whole lotta goodness flowing from the North Shore of Nova Scotia. There you’ll find Tatamagouche Brewing, who opened their doors in June of 2014, and are celebrating their birthday this weekend. They’ve released a whole whack of beers since they launched with Hippie Dippie Pale Ale and Butcher Block Red (shout out to us at the blog for having that info at launch!), and have won a slew of local, national, and international awards since then. You’ll be able to grab some of those award-winning beers in a Birthday Surprise Beer Box, specially curated by co-owner Matt Kenny, which includes award winning brews, special one-time releases, and early Weird Beer and Giant Beer releases from as far back as 2015! Due to the nature of the low supply, there were only 10 cases available and some have already been claimed, your best bet for success is to DM Tatabrewco on Instagram or drop by the brewery today to grab the case! Popping by the brewery will also reward your ears, thanks to Live Music from Jamie & Jonny today 5 – 7:30 PM, and tomorrow with the Brew Boys taking the stage from 1 – 4 PM.

A brewery can’t have a birthday celebration without new releases, of course, and Tata is not shying away from their “responsibility” in that department this week. First up is Tempest, a blended Imperial Stout, and a hefty one at that! Starting life as two distinct beers, the first was brewed with a traditional grain bill, and aged in peat-heavy Scotch barrels for a year, picking up smoke, vanilla, and a touch of booze from its temporary home. Blended with that is another “large and in charge stout,” this one not having spent any time in wood, but sporting a touch of smoked malt. The amalgamation of the two features the best of both worlds, in a sneaky 12.2% package! Think chocolate, toasty graham crackers, and rich dark fruits. Available now online and in store in a 500ml bottle.

Also debuting this weekend is the continuation of their Solera program, where young beer is added to a vessel when part of the aged beer is removed, to keep the hungry yeast and bacteria well fed with new starch and sugars, and extend the flavour profile of the offerings. Enter Foeder 3, the second release from one of their Red Wine foeders, which is a blend of 3-year old and 1-year old wort. There’s no shortcutting this sort of beer, as the Gueuze producers of the Zenne River Valley will attest! The red wine that was previously held in the wood is long gone, but just a touch of its essence remains, with the main character from the yeast and bacteria coming through with light notes of acidity, highlighted by plum and lychee and hay. Look for more from this vessel too!

Also fresh off the canning line this week are returning favourites Saltwater Cowboy, the 4.4% Tequila Barrel-Aged Gose, and Skiff, their 3.3% Grisette (think Saison’s little sister). And why not hit a banger of an Italian Pils, with their Pausa Pranzo available online and in the shop now, as well as Square One, the 6.1% Dry-Hopped Saison. Phew, what a list! Big congratulations to the TataBrewCrew on 8 years of fun times and great beer, and here’s to many more!

Out of their Dartmouth brewery, North Brewing, has a new release today that is not your standard release, Kem Cho? Which means “How are you?” in the Gujarati language. a 4.5% spiced Pale Ale, it’s spiced with additions of saffron, cardamom and lemon zest additions.  Using Cashmere hops to provide a delicate, but lemon-friendly flavour and smooth bitterness, it seems to be balanced in all the right places. This beer is available on tap at the brewery and Battery Park for pints, and both locations and Timberlea have 473ml cans available.

We are stoked to announce a big collaborative offering from Mount Pearl’s Landwash Brewing this week, perfect for grilling season (whether that’s in the summer or year-round!). Their Mixed BBQ Pack has been released at the brewery and Marie’s shops today, and features four crushable beers for any and all occasions. Anchoring the pack is Tidepool Pilsner, their 5.0% German-inspired pils, crisp and refreshing with just a touch of German hop bitterness. New on the scene are 3 releases, brewed in collaboration with St. John’s based restaurants and meat shops, including Newfoundland Sausage Company. Their team came out to Mount Pearl and brewed up a Vienna Lager, which at 5.2%, is the most malt-forward of the bunch, but thanks to a long, cold, conditioning, is super-smooth, with the Saaz and Spalter Select hops used keeping it bright and balanced. Vienna…Sausage… we’re not the only ones making that connection, right? 😉

Restaurant and Deli hybrid Chinched got into the game too, opting for a New Zealand Pilsner for their collab beer. Kiwi-grown Nelson Sauvin and Wakatu hops impart a Sauvignon Blanc vibe, with tropical notes, in this super-refreshing 6.0% Pils. And finally, the kitchen crew from Mallard Cottage made the trek from QV to MP, and, with guidance from Landwash’s Nardia McGrath, put together a lovely Australian Sparkling Ale: at 4.9%, it used an English Ale for primary fermentation, followed by an extended lagering period to tamp down the fruit esters. Instead, thanks to the Aussie-grown Ella, look for a touch of spice and floral on the nose, with a bright and crisp finish, super-easy drinking.

The BBQ Packs are available at the brewery right now, and rolling out to Marie’s Mini Marts as you read this, in their slick new “Can-teen” display cases, ready to grab a flat and go! Check out the fun quotes stamped on the bottom of the can with their date codes… The 8-pack joins their just-released-yesterday Bungle Rye, a 6.8% Rye IPA. Leveraging the spiciness of that malt (both flaked and malted rye were used in the mash), Galaxy, Vic Secret, and Mosaic hops were used throughout to balance that malt backbone with pine, citrus, and tropical fruit. Head Brewer Alex crafted this one, and raided the hop freezer to make it happen! FYI, the name of the beer is inspired by the ballad of the same name, the tale of being sold a baby instead of a bottle of rye! What a switcheroo! Maybe Alex will perform the song at next Wednesday’s Open Mic…. 

Let’s shine the spotlight on another island, with two new releases out of Montague, PEI, where Bogside Brewing has a few can releases from their anniversary bash a few weeks ago. First up, Lunchpail Lager! This is the first rice lager from the brewery and is crisp and easy drinking, with an IBU of 9, it’s intended as a mainstream style for all around crushability. It’s 5.5% ABV and available in cans and from the taps.

Next up, another easy drinker with some fruit and lower ABV, Strawberry Sour makes its return as a Berliner Weisse-style release, using real strawberries for a 4% small sour featuring the quintessential summery berry of PEI. Get this one in cans or on tap from the brewery as well.  

Up in Lawrencetown, NS, (no not the beach, the other one) Lunn’s Mill has a new seasonal that’s, uh, perfect for the season. Patio Saison is a Saison Table Beer that is 3.7%, perfectly sessionable and dry with a bit of spice. Using African Queen hops (the most popular South African houblon) for a dark fruit flavour, along with an Old World Saison yeast blend, the balance of smooth, sweet, and spicy pairs well with the style of beer. This is available in cans and on tap from the brewery, on tap at The Station in Bridgetown and Battery Park has a keg tapping soon, too!

Continuing with their newfound frequent release schedule and also their continued contributions to the Make Peace Not War beer project, Delta Force Brewing has a fourth release featuring two new beers available now on their online shop. Cucumber Farmshed Sour is 3.8% and Red Currant/Rhubarb Saison is 7.8%. Both of these are available in 500ml bottles today from their online store, and just like all of the previous releases, 40% of the proceeds will be donated to Red Cross Ukraine

We head to CBS (Conception Bay South, b’y) in Newfoundland for Ninepenny Brewing’s collaboration with the Baymen Rugby Club. The beer, The Baymen, is named after the team and they wanted to make a flavourful, refreshing beer and ended up making a blueberry and raspberry 5.3% fruited sour. Members of the club joined for the brew day and the label is inspired by their jerseys. Pints and cans are available now and will be available at Marie’s as well.

Moncton’s Tire Shack has some news for you this week, as they have two of their favourite and popular beers returning this week, along with a Sunday event! Love at Midnight is a returning 7% IPA, dubbed a Piña Colada IPA, this beer was conditioned on lots of pineapple and coconut. Bringing big tropical vibes this sounds delicious. Also returning is Mexican Lager Cerveza, a 5% crisp lager that is one of the favourites The Shack team has released, and, as they say “quite possibly the easiest drinking beer we have ever made”. Both of the beers are available at the brewery in pints, growlers and cans. Why not check them out on Sunday, when they are hosting Ricky Burger for a Father’s Day burger pop-up? It starts at 1 PM on Sunday June 19th and what better way to treat Dad than burgers and beer? 

Where else to drink this weekend? Let’s get you up to speed!

One of Lower Sackville’s beer destinations, TAPestry Beer Bar is celebrating their first year in business and they’ve got something planned for each day of the celebratory weekend. Today, June 17th, they’ve got Flight School Friday, where you can buy one flight and get the second one for half price. Also, for the first 25 customers of the day, there will be a special sweet treat (Vandal Doughnuts). On Saturday, music will be keeping the party going with a 3 PM to 6 PM show from Cas Rio McCrea and then 6 PM to 10 PM will feature the MacGillivray Boys.
Sunday is more beer-focused with Happy Hour through the entire day, but from 12 PM to 2 PM, there will be a private event just for their SackVegas Beer Club. Members only, as they say. When they open up to the public at 2 PM, happy hour will be there for everyone. Be sure to check out their beer bar this weekend if you have the chance!

This Sunday, Propeller is celebrating their latest collaboration with Barkeep Cocktails with a Patio Party at the (Barkeep affiliated) Dear Friend Bar in Dartmouth. Celebrating the releases of Paloma and Cucumber Rickey, these canned cocktails will be joined with food and drink specials, giveaways, music and free gifts for the first 30 people. Check it out at the bar on Sunday, June 19th, from 12 PM until 3 PM. And check out the just-released Yuzu Fruited Ale, a draught-only release at Gottingen and Quinpool, for growler or pints!

Very big news for breweries (and, assuming the lessons are learned and applied, beer drinkers!) as Escarpment Labs is headed to Nova Scotia (North Brewing in Dartmouth, specifically) for a series of one day courses about Yeast Quality Control. In July there are 2 sessions for “Quality Control in the Brewery” and will cover quality control and setting up your own yeast lab for your own brewery. Check out all of the details here.  

A few short pieces before we dismiss you this week. Have fun and take care of each other!

While it’s still Pride month (and Halifax Pride comes in July), one of the best local drinks you can buy and support for Pride is from Lake City Cider and their District Pride Rosé. This is a delicious cider that is dry with Nova Scotia applies and multiple tart berries. $0.25 from every can is donated to Egale, who focus on Legal Advocacy, and their vision of “a world, without homophobia, biphobia, transphobia and all other forms of oppression so that every person can achieve their full potential, free from hatred and bias.”

Another cider you can get now is Canoe ‘22 (named after the 2022 Canoe World Championships coming to Dartmouth in August). With this release, LCC ran a contest where local artists could design the can. The winner of the contest was the talented Anisa Francoeur, so check out the can here. The cider is Lake City’s Crisp Apple, refreshing and clean for sitting around Lake Banook in August and watching some elite talent.

Lastly for Lake City, today (Friday) is Oyster Night and Saturday afternoon is another Oyster Pop-Up! $2 per oyster or a dozen for $20. Friday is from 4 PM until sell-out and Saturday is from 4 PM until they’re all gone. To top off their weekend, Sunday features Vandal Doughnuts with $3 donuts starting at 11am. Lots on the go for the fine cider folks, so support them now, soon, or later!

One thing we love to see here is breweries teaming up and supporting their local regions and communities. In this spirit, Candid Brewing has a new collaboration out with the very fun and amazing Keppoch Mountain (only a 17 minute drive apart!). East of Awesome is an easy-drinking Cream Ale to celebrate a love of recreation and the outdoors. There is a mountain biking cross-country bike race on Sunday June 19th and the Candid crew will have a pop-shop on site. The beer is available now at the brewery for cans to go, along with growlers and pints on tap. 

Like last week, we’ll finish off with a rundown of some of the new treats hitting Bishop’s Cellar this week. A global favourite from Montreal, Dieu Du Ciel! have sent two new imports into Halifax this week. Blanche du Paradis is a 5.5% Belgian Wheat Ale and Sentinelle is a Kölsch-style Blonde Ale. Sticking in Quebec, there are 3 new fresh brews available from Lagabière. Their flagship beer is Ta Meilleure, a 7% New England IPA and brings a big bouquet of citrus and juicy hops. Second up, Ta Plus Meilleure, a twist on the aforementioned, brewed with the same base and hops, with added peach and passion fruit puree, making it an 8% Double NEIPA. Also, Tiki Sour: Cucumber and Lime Gose (an annual 4% Gose-style summer release) is also available now. On the local front, check out Gut View, a 4.9% Amber Ale from Lazy Bear Brewing. Order online or visit Bishop’s Landing in Halifax in store!