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Friday Wrap-Up for July 10, 2020 – News from Boxing Rock, 2 Crows, Spindrift, Propeller, Tidehouse, Lone Oak, Upstreet, Breton Good Robot, and much more!

Posted by acbbchris on 2020-07-10
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: 2 Crows Brewing, Bannerman Brewing, Beer. Diversity., Big Spruce Brewing, Boxing Rock Brewing, Breton Brewing, Brightwood Brewery, Change Is Brewing Collective, Dildo Brewing, Good Robot Brewing, Grand Monk Ales, Island Malt House, Lone Oak Brewing, Niche Brewing, North Brewing, O'Creek Brewing, Propeller Brewing, Secret Cove Brewery, Shipwright Brewing, Shoreline Malting, Spindrift Brewing, Stillwell Brewing, The Carleton, Tidehouse Brewing, Unfiltered Brewing, Upstreet Craft Brewing. 2 comments

We’re back! Did you miss us? We missed you! That week of vacation has e-invigorated us to keep spreading the gospel of good local beer, and we even managed to switch our web-hosting provider to something that fits our criteria better (ie, cheaper, seeing as we do this for nothing). So grab a coffee or pint and get back up to speed with the beers goings on (going ons? goings ons?)  in the region.

Happy 7th Anniversary to Shelburne Nova Scotia’s Boxing Rock Brewing! The landscape has certainly changed in the region in the last seven years, with the number of breweries operating in the region increasing 5-fold since their launch in 2013. You missed this week’s cake at their taproom, but the good vibes continue with a brand new release of theirs, Aldeia Portuguese Pilsner. At 5.2% ABV,  this straw coloured clear pilsner is a “modern interpretation of an old world classic style”. Taking its time fermenting at low temperature, this crisp beer features a light dry-hopping of “modern varietals of old world hops” (we’re not exactly sure what that means either 😉). In all seriousness, this ode to Portugal is celebrating the country’s embracing of modernity with human rights and environmentalism, while still maintaining respect for the ancient architecture and traditions. But good news, you don’t have to just read about the beer, you can find out for yourself by dropping into the Boxing Rock Taproom at 218 Water Street in Shelburne for a pint or grab some cans to go! They’ve also let us know about Indigo, a sour beer with blueberries from the Parrsboro region to be released in the next little bit. 5.2% ABV, mildly tart, and showing a lovely bright colour. And they are now introducing a few other neat things on the go, including getting your own Taproom Experience, with several options including a guided tasting and pairing with food, Beer 101, or a look at the barrel aging program. Congratulations to the Boxing Rock team!

So, this is what happens when you take a week off… Jeremy and the crew at 2 Crows in Halifax decide to release three new beers. We really need to get our calendars synced up! 😘 OK, let’s get you up to date with these new beers they’ve got on offer. First released was Dreamworld, a 5.6% ABV foedre Saison. Starting from a base of Shoreline Malting Pilsner, Wheat malt and raw wheat, as well as spelt malt, it was whirlpool (aka, after the boil, but before transferring to the fermenter) hopped with Galaxy and Huell Melon, and underwent primary fermentation in one of their foedres, with a blend of house Brettanomyces cultures. More Galaxy and HM were added during active fermentation (biotransformation galore), and hung out in the foedre for another 4 months. At that point, the beer was dry-hopped yet again, and transferred to cans where it spent the last 7 months carbonating and conditioning. Bright and zesty, with grapefruit on the nose with passion fruit and spiciness, on a juicy base thanks to the adjunct malts. This one is in 473 mL cans now.

A pair of bottles also debuted at 2 Crows late last week, from their barrels prominently displayed in the brewery’s taproom. Monarch is a 5.5% ABV golden sour that spent seven months fermenting in freshly-emptied Pinot Grigio barrels, before a round of Enigma and Bramling Cross hopping just before being bottled back in May. This one definitely has plenty of grapey goodness in the bottle, with the refreshing acidity helping the grape and honeysuckle notes dance and meld. Also debuting was Delight, a 5.6% ABV blended sour with sea buckthorn. This beer is actually a blend of two separate beers, the first beginning life from a 100% heirloom German pilsner malt, aged for a year and a half in Sauvignon Blanc barrels (with a mixed culture of Brettanomyces, Saccharomyces, Lactobacillus, and Pediococcus), mixed with a golden sour base beer aged for about a year in neutral (aka, already used a few times) wine barrels. When combined, they received a dose of cold-pressed sea buckthorn juice from New Brunswick, and received a dry-hopping addition of aged Noble hops (think preservation rather than bitterness or aroma), before bottling and conditioning for two months. The fruit’s oils serve to knock out the head retention, but more than make up for it in massive pineapple, fuzzy peaches, and mango character. Both are available for purchase now at the brewery, and online, in 375 mL format. And while you’re checking out their online shop, be sure to grab your raffle ticket for a massive raffle they are holding at this time. Supporting the Mi’kmaw Native Friendship Centre, the prize pack is an amazing assortment of 25 unique beer offerings from their cellar, including many historic beers that are long “out-of-print”, as well as sneak peeks at beers yet to be released, worth at least $275 (full bottle and can list available here). You can grab your tickets for the raffle here, with the drawing taking place next Wednesday, July 15th. Enter today, enter often!

There are no areas in the world that haven’t experienced a surge in heartbreak over the past few, difficult months, but Nova Scotia is one area that seems to have received an-even-heavier-than-expected blow. Paying homage to those lives lost in the Canadian Armed Forces Cyclone and Snowbirds crashes that claimed the lives of seven Canadian Armed Forces personnel, Spindrift released NS Love Lager late last week. Described as a 5% ABV, crean, crisp Lager, 100% of the profits of every case sold will go directly to the families of those who were tragically killed in the accidents. The label was designed by Jampy Furniture’s Chris Smith; note that Jampy had previously designed wooden signs with the NS Love logo, with those profits being donated to families of victims of the Portapique mass shooting earlier in the year. Cans are available at the brewery for pick-up, as well as on their online store. 

If you’re a bit overwhelmed with endless releases of hoppy beers, sour beers, big beers, etc., we recommend you head over to Propeller this weekend for a very limited release of Lotus Lager, a “Lagered Ale” inspired by the delicious Kölsch beers of Cologne, Germany. Fermented with an Ale yeast strain at cooler temperatures, as is typical for the style, the brewery added Lotus hops in the boil, providing “a burst of orange, berries, and tropical citrus”, backed by a hint of honey malt flavour. Light, crisp, and refreshing, you can find it on tap for pints at all three Prop stores, as well as in cans (note that growler fills are not available for this one). And in more great news, there’s been a rare sighting of their Sasquatch Pale Ale (this is the first 100% Canadian hop) in cans only at their three retail shops (as well as home delivery), and there’s not much of it, so jump on that while you can. And lastly with the great Prop news, their Quinpool Tap Room location, in The Keep complex, has opened their taps and tables for onsite enjoyment! Open at 10 AM daily (noon Sundays), until 8 PM Mon and Tues, 10 PM Wed, Thurs, and Sun, and 11 PM Fri and Sat.

More Tidehouse cans available this week, as they continue their series of well-received Milkshake IPAs with Big Rent Money. Brewed with malt from Horton Ridge, the beer was hopped with Hammerhead Hops varieties. Cascade, Centennial, and Idaho 7 are the hops in this one, lending a touch of bitterness with a whole heap of fruit character. As always with a Milkshake IPA, it’s not just about hops and vanilla addition, but also the fruit… in this case, plenty of pineapple and mango, as well as orange zest. Thick, creamy, and fruity, cans of this 8.8% ABV beauty are available today at 2 PM at the brewery (and we don’t expect it to last the day), along with a few others, including Sotil 2 (5% ABV Saison with Marquette grape skins), and Two Can Win (7.5% ABV Imperial saison with Loral and Saaz hops). 

Now that Prince Edward Island is open to visitors from the other Atlantic provinces again, most of you will likely be crossing over to the Island via the Confederation Bridge. Conveniently, Lone Oak Brewing is located *right* there when you touch down, so why not stop by their tasting room to have a pint and pick up some growlers/cans? And to celebrate your arrival, they’ve just released a brand new mixed-fermentation Saison, Duet. Brewed with all PEI grain (barley, wheat, and oats from Island Malt House), it was hopped with Saaz and Centennial to 22 IBUs, and fermented with a blend of two strains of Saccharomyces and two of Brettanomyces. Aged for six months in Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc barrels, the final beer is tasting very dry and complex, with some “lemon zest and noble hop characteristics” in the background. Super drinkable at just 4.5% ABV, it’s currently available on tap, and now in 750 mL bottles too! Expect to see other barrel-aged offerings from Lone Oak in the near future, now that the beers have had some time to develop; we’ve heard a rumour that a foedre-aged Grisette could be next!

Elsewhere in PEI, Charlottetown’s Upstreet is keeping local residents hoppy, as they continue to release new entries in their Neon Friday series; maybe not weekly, but pretty darn regular! Today they’re putting out Neon Friday 3.03 DIPA, an 8% ABV beer brewed with Pale and Vienna malts, along with Wheat, Oats and Rye. Hopped with lots of Sabro, Citra and Mosaic, this sandy-gold-coloured beer has aromas and flavours of “toasted coconut, pineapple, and freshly-squeezed orange and clementine”. You can find it on tap and in cans at one of your favourite downtown Upstreet locations. 

A couple weeks ago, we wrote about the first of five 5th Birthday beers from Breton Brewing, and this week they’ve released the second in the line-up. Right Some Good is a kettle sour that was dry-hopped with Idaho 7 and Sabro varieties, giving notes of “pineapple, lime zest, and berries”, complemented by the accompanying tartness. Described as full-bodied despite the 4.2% ABV, it’s hazy-gold in colour and quite refreshing. Like all beers in this series, it will be available in a limited quantity; currently, you can grab it at their taproom or have it delivered if you live in the CBRM, and you should be able to see it around Halifax late next week. Stay tuned for their third birthday beer, dropping two weeks!

Between their brewery operations and their taproom, Halifax’s Good Robot Brewing boasts one of the most diverse staffs in our region’s brewing scene and are way, way above the (admittedly low) bar in that regard. They also continue to be behind some of the most inclusive beer-related events in our region. So it’s no surprise that their Brewer, Giovanni Johnson, one of the few BIPOC brewers in Eastern Canada and one of the folks behind the Limestone Group who have repeatedly brought a taste of Bahamian food and culture to the Halifax, is one of the folks behind the newly formed Change Is Brewing Collective, a group of BIPOC Nova Scotians in the food and beverage industry, to benefit BIPOC youth and community groups and to raise awareness of BIPOC issues. The first fruit of this labor is, appropriately, a fruited beer they’re calling Blackberry Freedom. Available starting tomorrow for takeout and in the taproom, this 5.5% ABV pale ale is designed to, “awaken the senses,” according to GR’s own LaMeia Reddick, a founding member of the collective and one of the folks involved in its design. Gio himself says, “This beer was made to honour the black experience. In collaboration with Good Robot we call for unity and justice at this time.” GR has pledged that 50% of the proceeds from this beer will be donated to BIPOC youth and community groups. The press release for Change is Brewing and Blackberry Freedom begins with the phrase, “Black Lives are Essential.” We believe this is a valid and vital position and they’re making it pretty easy to show your support for it through the purchase of this beer (but hopefully we can all find ways to do more). And look for more information about Change is Brewing and what they’re all about in a future post right here.

In other Good Robot beer news, Little Creature, the “Li’l Sister” to their popular Creature Feature series of NEIPAs is back on the go. Smoother than it is bitter, like its older sibling it features the much ballyhooed and also much debated biotransformation process of hopping during active fermentation, but in a more sessionable 4.5% ABV package. Look for it at brewery and taproom as well as online orders for delivery.

Down in Lunenburg, Shipwright Brewing has just tapped Citrus Got Real, a 4.5% ABV kettle sour. Brewed with Pilsner, Wheat, and Acid malts, the wort was soured with Lactobacillus before fermentation. Once complete, they added fresh lime juice and zest, as well as some raw coconut, giving lots of citrus and, naturally, coconut, backed by some “pleasant bready notes and an overall crisp grain profile”. This is the brewery’s first kettle sour, so make sure you get over there for a pint or crowler fill! It should be on tap, soon, at the Grand Banker as well. 

Couple new and interesting beers available this week from Bannerman Brewing in St. John’s; first they’ve got Good Vibes Only, an American Pale Ale with a twist. Hopped with a blend of South African hop varieties, it was fermented with a “Brettanomyces-like” yeast strain (homebrewers out there, name that strain!). Hops and yeast combine to bring notes of tropical and overripe fruit to this 5.5% ABV beer; it’s available on tap for pints and growlers, and in cans, at the brewery. And if kettle sours are more your bag, they’ve got you covered with their other newbie, Punch Drunk Love. Fruited with a mix of raspberry, pink guava, sweet cherry, and pineapple, you can bet that it’s a tart and fruity flavour bomb! Also available on tap, with cans just hitting their shelves today. 

Moving on to Secret Cove, who have re-released their Newfoundland Light & Sour, which they originally launched last summer. This 3.8% ABV take on the Berliner Weisse style has a change this time around – the first iteration featured an addition of locally-foraged marsh berries, but the newest version crams in local rhubarb, partridgeberry, and strawberries. It’s still tart, light, and easy-drinking, but with a different fruit profile than what you may remember from last year, if you were lucky enough to grab some then. Drop by the taproom this weekend for a pour, with cans coming in the near future.

O’Creek Brewing has updated us on two returning favourites of theirs, one beer on tap, and the other back in cans. For draught beer, their Berry Mango Sour IPA – a 4.5% ABV kettle sour hopped with Citra and Sabro, with some Nelson Sauvin in the dry-hop, conditioned on raspberry and mango puree – is back, and currently on tap at Dieppe’s CAVOK Brewing (remember, CAVOK lets you take home crowlers of guest taps!). And speaking of CAVOK, O’Creek contract brewed another batch of their Route 117 IPA at the brewery, and it’s now canned and ready to go! Hazy and juicy, it’s 6.5% ABV, and available at CAVOK and several ANBL stores (including Moncton North and Mountain Rd.). 

In brewing, as in the rest of life, timing can be everything. And sometimes you think you’ve got your timing dead on and circumstances seem to conspire against you. Such was the case for Hanwell, NB’s Niche Brewing, who released a new beer called Hop Altered right in early March, just before the Government told us all to go home and stay there. As a brewery without a retail outlet, this put quite a crimp in Niche’s ability to move beer. When a big part of your oeuvre is hoppy ales best enjoyed fresh, there’s also no real opportunity to “sit on” such beers for later release. The good news is that Niche is here on the other side of the first (and only, we hope) lockdown and they’ve made that beer again, only a little different. Keeping the grist the same as well as the yeast (Escarpment Labs’ Foggy London blend) and the kettle hops (El Dorado and Mosaic), but tweaking the dry hop a little with Mosaic and Citra, the result is a fairly sessionable (5% ABV) hoppy, juicy hazebomb. Or is that a hazy, hoppy juicebomb? You’ll have to decide for yourself. Grab a pint at one of Niche’s tap accounts; we’ve confirmed that they’ve shipped kegs to The Joyce, Peppers Pub, and the Pump House Fill Station, with the balance on its way to Stillwell (which Stillwell? Hopefully all of them!). And if hops aren’t your thing, but you like a nice German Pilsner on a hot summer’s day, check out The Pickle Jar (at the Hilton Garden Inn) in Fredericton, who have laid claim to the last keg of Lanai.

We’ve actually got a pair of events to tell you about today, for the first time in a few minutes!

One of the most consistent and consistently popular series of beer-related events in our region over the last couple years has been the Craft Draught Showdowns at The Carleton in Halifax. Many music lovers know the Carleton as the best place in the city for intimate and respectful concerts by a wide range of Canadian and International acts, but especially since their relaunch a couple years ago, they’ve cemented their reputation as a destination for excellent food and local beer. CDS events pit two breweries and brewmasters against each other, pairing 4oz pours of their creations with five courses from Chef Mathias Probst. The audience votes on whose beer was a better match for each course and a winner is announced at the end of the night. Just under two weeks from now, on July 22nd, the Craft Draught Showdown returns from exile with two local breweries, Brightwood Brewery and Propeller Brewing, head-to-head with a soundtrack to the evening provided by Almasy (Michael Dalton). Spots are extra-limited due to seating restrictions, but we’ve been told that tickets are still available for this one; cost is $65 ($74.75 with HST) and includes gratuity and can be purchased online.

For our Nova Scotia brewery employee readers, we want to be sure you are aware of this important event coming August 10th. Ren Navarro is Beer. Diversity., consulting those in the beer industry on how to improve diversity in hiring practices, community outreach, in-person interactions, and how to make each more welcoming to all. She will be holding a teleseminar August 10th, 1 -3 PM AST (not EST as originally pormoted), “Committing to Diversity in Our Beer Industry”, welcoming any and all members of the Nova Scotia brewing community to take part, from owners, to brewers, to social media folk, to taproom bartenders. This interactive event will include local brewery folks Christopher Reynolds of Stillwell, Nick Ogden of 2 Crows, and Rozina Darvesh of North Brewing helping moderate the two-hour event. Those in the Craft Brewers Association of Nova Scotia may have already seen the notice, but for those breweries not members (or maybe haven’t seen the call yet), you can check out the tickets at the 2 Crows webshop. Because of the extremely limited number, you’ll need to grab a password from one of the moderators above. 

A few more newsbites for you, and we’ll take this time to mention that the Hard Seltzer Invasion continues unabated in our region, with new releases from Good Robot (Grapefruit and Moon Mist [which sold out in minutes] joining Mint Berry, fermented malt, gluten-reduced), North Brewing (Strawberry Rhubarb, blended seltzer, not from fermented malt, and gluten free), and the return of Big Spruce’s Zesty Lime and Red Raspberry Bliss (fermented malt, but filtered to remove malt flavor and gluten). We’d also like to add that you’re not likely to see too many more mentions of hard seltzers in our future blog posts. We absolutely get it, but between beer (our first love), cider, and the occasional mead, along with brewery openings, events (hah! Remember events?!), and job postings, we already have more than enough to write about on a weekly basis. So we’re tapping out and we’ll simply recommend you stay tuned to your favorite breweries’ social media for information about their alcopop offerings. And with that, let’s wrap this up for another week with a couple of quick hits and a job(s) posting:

Dildo Brewing Co. has a new summer beer for those of you in the area – Island Sunrise is a 5.2% ABV “Blood Orange and Mango Ale”. We’re extremely short on details, but rest assured it must have blood orange and mango in it! Available on tap at the brewery, and in cans. Also, the Dildo Outport Heritage Museum, located in the building, is now open for the summer, so you can drop in and enlighten yourself while buying beer!

Last week Moncton’s Grand Monk Artisan Ales dropped a new one off at Euston Park Social. Little Queenie Pale Ale is a lightweight (4.5% ABV) number with plenty of classic American hops: Chinook, Columbus, and Cascade. Described as “citrus, grassy goodness” you’ll find it on tap now at the aforementioned Euston Park, with a few other spots in the area receiving kegs this weekend.

Halifax’s Unfiltered Brewing has brought back their big bad German daddy Hellevator Bock. Featuring German everything (except water, for obvious reasons), it’s on the maltier side for an Unfiltered beer, but still with plenty of Continental hop kick. Get your fills or cans of this 7% ABV Teutonic banger at the brewery from opening today.

Charlottetown’s Upstreet Brewing has three openings available, but if you’re interested and you haven’t yet applied, your time is limited as the postings close today! First up is a Brewer to operate under the Head Brewer, helping pump out the beer that is the core of their operation. Next is Cellar Person, responsible for the path the beer takes from grain, hops, water, and yeast, to the point where the customer walks it out the door. And lastly, but certainly not leastly, a Warehousing/Packaging Operator who can help make sure that beer packaging is sound and sanitary, ensuring the customer is getting the freshest product possible. Check out the full details of each job posting here and then get your resumes in by email to joel@upstreet.ca. Applicants chosen for an interview will be contacted in the next couple of weeks.

Friday Wrap-Up for June 19, 2020 – News from Tatamagouche, O’Creek, Bannerman, Good Robot, TrailWay, Sober Island, Secret Cove, Propeller, Ninepenny, and much more!

Posted by acbbchris on 2020-06-19
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: Bannerman Brewing, Brasseux d'la Cote, Craig Pinhey, Cross Creek, Escarpment Laboratories, Euston Park Social Beer Garden, Good Robot Brewing, Magnetic Hill Winery, Moncton Beer League, Ninepenny Brewing, O'Creek Brewing, Old Road BBQ, Propeller Arcade, Propeller Brewing, Quidi Vidi Brewery, Secret Cove Brewing, Sober Island Brewing, Tanner & Co Brewing, Tatamagouche Brewing, The Church Brewing Company, Tidehouse Brewing, TrailWay Brewing, Truro Brewing Company, Uncorked Tours. Leave a Comment

We’ve got plenty of great news for you today, as our region continues to make excellent strides in flattening/eliminating the curve of COVID-19, restrictions are being lifted and in turn more breweries and beer bars are re-opening their doors. We all know we’re not out of hot water by any stretch of the imagination, but the recent days and weeks have been very promising. If we keep this up, that Atlantic Bubble will soon be a thing! Let us waste no more of your time and jump right into the good news, so you can enjoy the wonderful weather that we’ve waited a long time to arrive!

We’d like to kick off the main body of today’s post with a big Happy Birthday! to our wonderful friends at Tatamagouche Brewing. That’s right, they’re turning the big 0-6 this week, and when you’re a brewery and have a birthday, you’ve got to celebrate with lots of beer (it’s one of the many/few perks)! In Tata’s case, they’ve got several new brews they’re releasing, along with a great deal on a birthday sixer of new and “old” brews. Let’s start with the new beers, shall we?

Instinct is a 5.4% ABV Brett Pale Ale brewed with the base of their popular Nelson’s Park APA. This one was barrel-aged, however, with a blend of Brettanomyces strains from Escarpment Labs, and was dry-hopped twice (once before going into the barrels, and once after blending) with Vic Secret and Nelson Sauvin; tropical and funky!

Observe keeps the Brett train going, billed as a “Brett Lager”. Coming in at 4.9% ABV and described as “deceptively complex”, the wort underwent secondary fermentation in red wine barrels from Jost Vineyards, with Brett Q and Brett M.

Remused is a different take on another fairly recent release, Muse Sour Red. This time around, the beer was aged in neutral and former red wine barrels, blended, and then aged again, this time on cherries (the same cherries used for Muse). It’s 5.6% ABV, and is tasting very tart, dry and complex.

All three of these beers are available in bottles (Instinct and Remused in 500 ml, Observe is in 650 ml), and can be purchased as a special 6th Birthday 6-pack – along with Muse Sour Red, Ferry Boat Fantasy Golden Sour, and Toro (barrel-aged Quad w/ Brett) – for just $60, a savings of $15! And along with all that, they’ve re-released two popular canned beers, Guava Heist (fruited Berliner Weisse) and Kitty Clyde (DIPA), so you might as well tack those beauties onto your order as well. Happy birthday TataBrew, and here’s to many, many more!

Euston Park Social is back up and running in Moncton, and you couldn’t ask for nicer weather this weekend as an excuse to get outdoors for a local pint or two. Luckily for those of you able to do just that at Euston Park, O’Creek Brewing just released the latest in their DUOH series (that’s Duo Hopped, as in hopped with two different hop varieties), DUOH Mosaic/Idaho 7. With this version of this 6% ABV NEIPA, it’s not just the addition of Mosaic and Idaho 7 hops that’s different – the brewery also fermented this batch with a Kveik strain, to boost those lovely tropical, juicy vibes even further. If you’re a fan of super-hazy, super-hoppy IPAs, we highly suggest you get down there before the beer has kicked and the sun has disappeared!

Speaking of IPAs fermented with Kveik (this is definitely becoming more popular with breweries in our region, and we don’t expect it to change anytime soon), Newfoundland’s Bannerman Brewing has their own available at the taproom in St. John’s. Rhymes With Orange was double-dry-hopped with Citra, which combined with the Kveik fermentation leads to huge flavours of orange, grapefruit, and tropical fruit. This 6.5% ABV haze-bomb is currently available at the taproom for pints, as well as in growlers and cans (limited supply).

Those crazy buggers at Good Robot are officially back… well, ok, maybe they never went anywhere, but the Good Robot taproom and patio (aka Gastro Turf) are officially open to the public, starting today! Certainly, at a safer and more-socially distant capacity, but open just the same, and with this weekend’s weather, they couldn’t have planned it any better. They also have a new beverage to mark the occasion, Mint Berry Fizz. Available in cans only, this 4.7% ABV fermented seltzer is fruity, bubbly, and refreshing. They’ll also have all of their taps flowing, of course, so there will be lots of options!

Your newest hoppy brew, Golden Repair, is freshly available at TrailWay Brewing as of earlier this week. A pale-coloured, hazy American IPA, this 6.6% ABV beer was hopped with a combination of Strata and Vic Secret. Dry-hopped twice with equal amounts of each, the final beer is tasting pretty juicy, “saturated with tropical fruit, with pineapple being the frontrunner, along with citrus and passion fruit”. Available on tap and in cans exclusively at the brewery. 

Sober Island Brewing is celebrating the opening of their Beer Garden this weekend, featuring wide open spaces for you and your pals to enjoy the fruits of their labours. Thursday through Sunday, 12 – 7 PM, both the Beer Garden and indoor taproom are open for on-site enjoyment at 22462 Hwy 7 in Sheet Harbour (BG hours are weather-dependent, natch). Due to the nature of the current restrictions still in place, reservations are encouraged, via phone (902-885-2072), and soon a fancy app! And while you’re there, you’ll be able to enjoy their latest releases, which includes a brand-new IPA, a 6.4% ABV West Coast style IPA (stellar hops like Cascade, Centennial, and Simcoe in here), and the return of The Blueberry Express, their 5.0% ABV Blonde brewed with blueberries. Both of these, plus a few more, are also available for home delivery through their online shop.

On the Western side of Newfoundland, Port au Port’s Secret Cove Brewing has a new beer out that should be perfect for warm summer weather. Lingo is named for the well-documented “native-tongue” of the folks in Newfoundland, including their tendency towards turns of phrase not known outside the island. Taking things in a little different direction than a traditional fruited sour, where fruit or juice is added during fermentation, Lingo leverages the Radler style, where fruit juice is blended with finished beer, although generally not a sour beer. In this case, lemon and blood orange were the fruit juices of choice and the result is a refreshing and low-alcohol (3.2% ABV) beverage with plenty of sour bite. This limited batch has been canned and is not available in growlers; you’ll have to hit the Curb Shop to get a hold of this one. Meanwhile, check out Secret Cove’s Father’s Day contest on Instagram for a chance to win some sweet beer swag.

Speaking of fruited sour beers, but bringing it back down to Nova Scotia, Propeller has released Strawberry + Kiwi Sour, a beer that’s bursting with fresh fruit flavors. This was an experimental small batch brewed at the height of physical distancing, but without the taprooms to distribute it, they decided to bottle it up in 750 mL bombers and make it available for purchase hoping folks might be interested in trying it. And boy were they ever: all of the bottles that were available on the website for order have already sold out, but there’s a limited number remaining for sale in the three Prop Shops today (Windmill, Gottingen, and their new Quinpool spot). Light in body, this 4.8% ABV beer has plenty of fruit character and a tart finish. Hopefully the strong interest will lead to this one being made again, possibly in a bigger batch. On the topic of bigger batches, fans of Prop’s Common will be happy to hear that 24-packs of this California Common-style beer will be selling for $39.99 at the Prop Shops and through on-line ordering (shortly) for the duration of the summer. And in another round of great news, the Propeller Arcade in the basement of the Gottingen taproom is open again, Thursday to Sunday, 4 PM until late. Tackle modern and vintage pinball machines, as well as your fave cabinet games too. 

One more trip across the water to The Rock, where Ninepenny Brewing in CBS has released an English Brown Ale. At 5.3%, Old Glory may be a bit higher ABV than more traditional ones, but that just means more fun crammed into every bottle! Malt-forward notes of toffee, biscuit, and touch of dark chocolate, with the Foggy London yeast adding some light fruit character in there as well. Joining Old Glory are two returning favourites, the Route 60 Sour and 12 Bricks Milkshake IPA, with all three, plus a few more, available for order on their webshop for local delivery tomorrow. And if you get your order in before midnight, you’ll be entered in their Father’s Day giveaway!

Let’s say you can’t, or would rather not, make it out to the great restaurants, bars, and taprooms that continue to open this weekend. Fear not, chill you favourite beer, cider, wine, or other beverage, and tune into the Sip Into Summer Virtual Festival event tomorrow. Hosted by the fine folks at Uncorked Tours in Saint John, NB, the event is tailored to anyone, anywhere, to enjoy popping in and out, or stick around for the full 8 hour event. The full schedule is up on their FB page, but starting at 1 PM with some circuit training to get the juices flowing, and then some live music, followed by a tasting of Summer Stouts with Alyssa Donaldson at 3 PM. Craig Pinhey takes over for a New World vs Old World wine talk and tasting, before a tour and tasting at Brasseux d’la Côte and Magnetic Hill Winery. Cap it off with a beer tasting with the Moncton Beer League, and you’ve officially done a tour of the province’s beverages! Grab your tickets through that first link, and happy Sipping!

A few more newsbites for you today before we dismiss the class…

Up in Woodstock, NB, Cross Creek Brewing has a new American IPA called Over Across that features 100% Centennial hops grown locally. At 6% ABV and 60 IBU it sounds to be in the more traditional AIPA vein. Check it out soon on tap at The Joyce in Fredericton with other tap accounts surely to follow. Cross Creek is also planning their first packaged product for this summer, Cross Creek Pale Ale; we’ll let you know when that one makes its debut on the market.

If you’re in Quidi Vidi  this weekend and like sour and/or hoppy beers, you could check out the namesake brewery’s new Sour IPA #2. It’s 6% ABV and canned up for maximum portability. A small batch beer, there are only 300 cans of this one so they’re limiting customers to 2 each. Also available for ordering via their online store.

We’ve mentioned the new meads coming out of Chester Basin’s Tanner & Co. over the past few weeks and there’s another new small/experimental one available this week. Sauvage Sparkling Mead is the result of introducing the Scotia Sauvage yeast strain to Tanner’s mead base and letting it work for a few months. The result was then kegged and carbonated and is now available only at the brewery. Act fast if you’re interested though, there’s literally only the one keg!

Halifax’s tiny Tidehouse has two new ones available for curb-side pickup tomorrow. Sotil 2 is, of course, a remake of their original Sotil, a dry saison with some Marquette grape skin contact and a slight sour character. Not entirely unlike a wine cooler or even a seltzer, but maybe a little more refined. Fjort is a DIPA with plenty of weight (8.5% ABV) and lots of Citra, Mosaic, Amarillo, and Simcoe hops. Canned this week, so super fresh, low on the bitterness and high on pineapple, grapefruit, and melon notes. Give them a call at 902-407-2550 to place your order for Saturday pickup between 12 and 5 PM.

And in the “Hub of Nova Scotia” Truro Brewing Company has a new beer for you to try, a thirst-quenching Berlinner Weiße with Key Lime that they’re calling Summer Crush. Grab a pint at the brewery and/or get a growler to go and enjoy it wherever you like to sit in the sun and have a refreshing beer!

And with the good news happening around AtlCan, we’re seeing some spots hiring and expanding their scope, here are two such businesses looking to bring some folks onto their team.

Word is coming out that there’s going to be a changing of the guard at The Church Brewing Company in Wolfville, as one of Nova Scotia’s larger “rural” breweries is on the hunt for a new head brewer to operate their semi-automated 4-vessel, 35 hectolitre (~30 BBL) system including centrifuge and 6-head canning line. The successful candidate will have at least a few years’ experience in the industry and a willingness to take on the challenge of maintaining and operating the brewery, carrying on the existing brands, and setting the course for the future of the brewery’s beers. This will all take place in support of the distinctive on-site 250-seat restaurant as well as the retail channels through NSLC, other retailers, and tap accounts. If you’re interested, you can go ahead and request more details and/or submit your resume to matt.haysom@churchbrewing.com.

Good friend to great beer Old Road BBQ in Truro is re-inventing themselves yet again after 3 months dedicating their efforts supporting front line workers throughout the province, and beyond. That work continues through Cooking for Canada, and is still worthy of your time and attention. They are poised to re-open their restaurant with an expanded size and breadth of offerings in the next couple of weeks. They have a brand new massive patio, takeout offerings, including locally-produced staples like bread, milk, coffee, and ICE CREAM! To that end, they are looking for a bunch of awesome people to join their team as servers, bartenders, ice cream folks, and prep cooks. Anyone 19+ is welcome to apply, the best way to do that is hit them up via email. And of course we’ll remind you closer to their opening date, which is July 1st! Welcome back Aaron and crew!

Friday Wrap-Up for May 22, 2020 – News from O’Creek, CAVOK, North, Tatamagouche, Roof Hound, Niche, Propeller, Horton Ridge, TrailWay, Tanner & Co, and Breton

Posted by acbbshawn on 2020-05-22
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: Breton Brewing, CAVOK Brewing, Escarpment Laboratories, Horton Ridge Malt & Grain, Niche Brewing, North Brewing, O'Creek Brewing, Propeller Brewing, Roof Hound Brewing, Tanner & Co Brewing, Tatamagouche Brewing, TrailWay Brewing. Leave a Comment

Welp, we’ve done it folks! Made it though another week. And a short one at that, though for us, the weekdays and weekends all kind of melt together now. Plenty of new and returning beer details below, and we’ve been updating the openings and changes in our Delivery/curbside pickup options page. As always, and you’d be correct if you guess we just copy/paste this part over week-to-week, if we’ve missed something important there, or just want to chat, get in touch via email or social media (Ig and Tw preferred). Take care of yourselves and each other! ❤️

Looks like Dieppe’s O’Creek Brewing has a new entry in their DUOH series (that’s “Duo Hops” for those of you not in the know), where they brew a NEIPA focusing on two different hop varieties. Their latest – DUOH Citra/Sabro – features two wonderful and maybe-not-so-easy-to-always-attain hops (Citra and Sabro, of course!), both of which provide one heck of a punch of tropical, fruity goodness, with “citrus, mango, and guava” coming through in spades. You can currently find this 6% ABV hop bomb on tap at CAVOK Brewing, and don’t forget that they fill crowlers of guest taps to go there! Woohoo! 

Speaking of CAVOK Brewing, they’ve got a new beer of their own currently pouring. Expérience Croisée 2 continues the series of the same name, where they blend existing beer styles to come up with something that is even better than the sum of its parts. In the case of this second beer of the series, it’s a blend of a Hefeweizen and a NEIPA, so you can probably use your imagination to come up with at least a general idea of what this beer will taste like. Wheat and banana from the Weizen end, with juicy, fruity flavours from the NEIPA side, it weighs in at 6.5% ABV. If you can’t make it into the taproom, they’re still doing deliveries in the area, and shipping Canada-wide, so make sure you check out the details for that option.

Now that the weather is FINALLY getting warmer, some of you are no doubt craving something both sour, and hoppy. Well, North Brewing has you covered with their latest, Plush. After the beer’s wort was boiled without hops, and partially cooled on its way to the fermenter, it was soured with Lactobacillus Blend 2.0 from Escarpment Labs. This blend is active at warm, but not hot temps (30 – 40ºC), so doing that step in the fermenter is possible (many of the rapid sours out there are done in the kettle so that the temperature can be elevated to 50ºC or higher). After an acidic base has been achieved, the wort was chilled to normal fermentation temperature (under 20ºC) and the yeast was added. This same technique is used in their Breakwater series of fruited sours, for those curious. Once fermented, the beer saw its first hops, being heavily dry-hopped with Vic Secret, Amarillo, and cryo Cascade. We think we’ll just let them describe the final product: “the first sip is like tumbling into a pillowy cloud of peachy, citrusy, tart luxury”. See, we’re not near that eloquent! It’s refreshing and easy-drinking at 4.5%, and is available in cans this weekend; better grab some while the drinkin’ is good!

Ooo, speaking of low-ABV, bright drinking beers, Tatamagouche Brewing just released their newest hoppy American Pale Ale, Bengy (pronounced ben-GEE, like that dog!). Very-heavily dry-hopped with Mosaic and Citra (two hop varieties you know will bring you to flavour town), this 4.9% ABV brew is tasting super-juicy and tropical, with no doubt some dank aromas and flavours in there as well. Bengy is available in cans on their website for delivery orders, both locally and across Canada, and for locals, at the Brew Shop, open 10 – 5 PM daily (12 – 5 PM Sundays), just tag your order with code BREWERYPICKUP to let them know you’ll be coming by for a no contact click and grab.

The new beers just keep pumping out of Nova Scotia, with Roof Hound Brewing throwing their hat in the ring with Blunderbuss, an American Pale Ale. Blunderbuss is defined as “a short-barreled large-bored gun with a flared muzzle, used at short range” (a la the movie Looper!), and also “an action or way of doing something regarded as lacking in subtlety and precision”. We’re pretty sure their beer is named after the LATTER definition! Regarding the actual beer, they added some Honey malt to the grist to give it a touch of sweetness, and then hammered the wort with large whirlpool additions of Azacca. After fermentation was complete, a large dry-hop of Citra finished it off, giving big notes of citrus throughout. There’s some bitterness in this 6% ABV brew as well, for those of you who do prefer some to go with your hop experience! 

Let’s head back to New Brunswick for a draught-only release from Hanwell’s Niche Brewing. Delving into lager territory for just the second or third time (who can keep track?), Lanai is a German Pilsner, leveraging Bohemian Pilsner malt, along with Hallertau Mittelfruh hops added both early and late in the boil, and fermented with the Isar Lager yeast from Escarpment Labs. This 5.0% beer was brewed back in January, and has been lagered for more than 3 months. Well, the wait is over, as the beer has been released in kegs, with the first of those going to Downtown Fredericton’s Graystone Brewing, for safe in-person enjoyment, as well as to-go in growler and crowler fills, we believe. While you’re there, you may have a chance to try one of the last pours of Niche’s Empty Garden, their Kveik-fermented American Pale Ale, released recently. 

In Halifax, Propeller Brewing is still celebrating the opening of their Quinpool location at The Keep condo/retail mixed use building, but that hasn’t slowed down the new beer releases at all! This week sees the return of two much-loved and oft-demanded favourites, both perfect for the warmer weather that the region has been teased with this week. First up is their Dark Berry Sour, which we’ve been assured will be available all summer, though we imagine that thirsty fans will do their best to drain the cans and fermenters in record time! Much like last year, the kettle-soured 5.0% beer features loads of blackberries, black currants, and black raspberries, but the new fruit addition of red raspberries brings a bright refreshing character, and lightens the final beer ever-so-much. Taking advantage of its tropical feels, Mosaic is used as a dry-hopping addition. DBS is available now at Prop’s three locations for contact-free pickup, delivery in HRM through their webstore, and will be found on shelves/for delivery through the Harvest, RockHead, and WestSide private shops.
The other new brew on the fridge shelves (physically and virtually) at Propeller today is Azacca Session IPA. At 4.5% ABV, this light-bodied hazy beer may be on the lower end of the IPA style, but certainly packs plenty of tropical character. In addition to the eponymous Azacca, El Dorado and Citra hops are added for a full-on experience of mango pineapple, tangerine, melon, and stone fruit, all in a small package. And speaking of… in addition to tall cans of the beer available at the brewery (and private stores), this beer will be found at NSLC locations in the 6 x 355 ml canned format in the near future (these are also at the brewery, fret not!). And great news, just like Dark Berry Sour, Azacca wil be around all summer!

Changing gears from hop- to malt-focus, a one-hour drive up the 101 will bring you to Horton Ridge Road, where Horton Ridge Malt & Grain find their home. They’ve released two beers this week, so let’s get you up to speed pronto! Simpler Summer Lager is a 5.0% ABV Amber Lager, featuring Light Munich malt as the base, with a touch of their special Honey Malt for light toast character with a touch of honey flavour (but light in the sweetness). Malt-forward, as you’d expect, but plenty drinkable and perfect for patios, beaches, and bonfires, when it’s safe to enjoy those.
What’s that saying, “When the cat’s away, the mice will play?” Well, that situation has definitely happened at Horton Ridge, as when Head Maltster Al wasn’t looking, Stephen and Connor decided to flip the script and brew up a Big Bad Double IPA. Al’s Away is a 7.7% Double IPA, leveraging both a load malts (you need a lot to get up to 7.7%!) as well as hops, to the tune of 60 IBU thanks to generous additions of  Citra and Mosaic. Tropical fruit flavours, grapefruit play on top of the malty backbone for an all-out assault on your senses. Both the Simpler Summer and Al’s Away are now available at the Malt House for pickup in 355 mL cans.

TrailWay Brewing is celebrating the re-opening of their tasting room this week, have welcomed Milda’s Pizza back onsite, and as if that wasn’t enough, have a brand new beer available! Sultana’s of Swing is a 7.5% ABV Double IPA, brewed solely with Sultana. You may recognize that hop by its previous name, Denali, but it recently received a moniker change. Bright, ripe pineapple, fresh tangerine, with a light pine finish. Sounds lovely! You can drop by the taproom to grab cans or growler fills (TW ones only), or stick around for a pint at a responsible distance from your neighbours. No bursting bubbles in there, folks!

On Nova Scotia’s South Shore, Tanner & Co Brewing have released a small batch of Sparkling Mead. Original is 7.2% ABV, using local honey and was fermented for over two months, conditioned for a couple of weeks, and then carbed up. This dry and fizzy mead is just available in limited amounts in bottles at their Duke Street, Chester location (and maybe for delivery if you’re quick!), and features label design by Hammerlock Design Co, a local graphic designer who is a big beer fan himself (hey Andy!).

Finally this week, Breton Brewing in Sydney has a new Session IPA hitting their shelves, and ready for delivery in CBRM and in early next week in HRM. Pink Boots Session IPA uses the hop blend by the same name put together by Yakima Chief, in celebration and support of Pink Boot Society, encouraging and supporting women brewery workers. Crisp and light at 4.5% ABV, it features floral and tangerine notes, and finished with a light bitterness. Refreshing, tasty, and for a great cause; we’ll cheers to that! Enjoy your weekend, everyone, and stay safe!