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Friday Wrap-Up for December 21, 2018 – News from Secret Cove, Sussex Ale Works, Landwash, Off Track, Ol’ Biddy’s, 2 Crows, Propeller and much more!

Posted by acbbchris on 2018-12-21
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: 2 Crows Brewing, Big Spruce Brewing, Boxing Rock Brewing, CAVOK Brewing, Evermoore Brewing Co, Garrison Brewing, Half Cocked Brewing, Heritage Brewing, Horton Ridge Malt & Grain, Landwash Brewery, Lazy Bear Brewing, Maritime Express Cider, Meander River Farm and Brewery, Niche Brewing, Off Track Brewing, Ol' Biddy's Brew House, Port Rexton Brewing Co., Propeller Brewing, Saltbox Brewing, Sea Level Brewing, Secret Cove Brewery, Stillwell Beer Bar, Sussex Ale Works, Tide & Boar Brewing, Tidehouse Brewing, TrailWay Brewing, YellowBelly Brewery. Leave a Comment

So, ok, we’re a bit late today, but hey, Christmas IS only a few days away, and when you throw in work getting busier, staff parties being inconveniently scheduled for Thursday evenings, and just the general crap-storm that is preparing for the holidays, on top of a seemingly-extra large amount of brewery news/new beers, it’s tough! Ok, that’s enough wallowing in self pity for today. A note that this is the last Friday Wrap-Up for us this year, as we’ve decided to take a little break next week. In the meantime, keep an eye on our social media as we will be pushing out a Profile or two (fingers crossed!), as well as shorter blurbs as we learn of new releases to share. We’ll definitely have a full post Friday January 4th, as we begin our 8th (EIGHTH!!) year of bringing you the freshest beer news from across Atlantic Canada. Cheers and Happy Holidays!

Let’s start the news rolling this week with some fantastic news from the west coast of Newfoundland. Port au Port East is located on the outskirts of Stephenville, 2 hours from the Port aux Basques ferry terminal to the mainland. Located at 92-96 Main Street in Port au Port East is Secret Cove Brewing, which opened its doors yesterday for the first time. Operating a brewery and taproom in the former Viking Lounge location, they have four beers for enjoyment onsite and to take away in growlers: James Blonde 00709 Belgian Blonde, Malt Water Joys Brown, When in Stout Stout, and Hard Case in your Face DIPA. The brewery is open today and tomorrow 4 – 11 PM, with Sunday’s, and beyond’s, hours to be determined. Drop by to welcome the newest of your Island breweries to open, and we will share a full Profile with Secret Cove very soon! Congratulations Jason and Sheila! This marks the 5th brewery to open in Newfoundland in 2018, bringing the number across the Island to 13.

In other great news for breweries opening in our region, we mentioned a few weeks ago that Sussex Ale Works had opened their taproom on Main Street in Sussex. This week, for the first time, they have been able to serve their own house-made beers on tap and to go in growlers. Their first beer is Who’s Your Daddy Red Ale, a 6.8% Red Ale featuring 20 IBUs. It is complementing their all-New Brunswick offerings, including local Matchstick Beer Factory’s Matchstick Pale Ale, Long Bay’s Full Pleasure Passonfruit Sour, and several from Hammond River, Maybee, Niche, and Graystone, as well as Yip Cider. Look for more from Sussex Ale Work’s own 1 BBL (120 litre) brewhouse in the New Year, including their Holstein Milk Stout, and Picadilly Pale Ale. Congratulations Rick and family!

Back to the Rock for the next new beer to hit the taps, we’ve got Home and Away American Pale Ale from Landwash Brewery. Located in Mount Pearl, this is Landwash’s first release since their launch earlier this month. This 5.8% ABV American Pale Ale is a tribute to the iconic style which helped fuel the North American beer renaissance. Featuring loads of American Cascade and Citra hops, the aroma and palate are full of orange and grapefruit character, with bitterness to balance the malt. Home and Away is available on tap for pints and flights now, and for growlers to take away, along with their core lineup of beers.

Off Tracking Brewing in Bedford, Nova Scotia, is celebrating their First Anniversary this weekend, and are releasing a couple of new beers to celebrate, as well as a special collaboration with a brewing pal. First up is Charles in Charge, a hopped-up version of their 5.0% ABV Good Grief Charlie Brown Brown Ale, increasing the hopping rate to more than 50 IBU. They are also releasing Frank Citra-Natra, a 4.7% ABV American Pale Ale, featuring nothing but, you guessed it, Citra hops (to the tune of 40 IBU).

These two new Off Track beers are gracing the newly-expanded tap offerings, which now sits at 15, and also includes a few guest offerings. The latest collaboration-guest-hybrid beer to hit the chalkboard is the first from Sackville brewery Ol’ Biddy’s Brewhouse in several months, Funktown American Pale Ale. Brewed with OBB owner Keith Forbes at Off Track, this 5.1% ABV APA features loads of Centennial and Falconers Flight hops for a floral, lemon, and grapefruit character on the nose and flavour, with a light body and clean and dry finish. Grab a flight or pint, and then take a growler to go to enjoy in front of your holiday tree.

And in more Off Track news, they are keeping with the tradition of being open regular hours (Thursday through Sunday) during this holiday time, including next Monday and Tuesday (Christmas Eve and Christmas), 12 – 6 PM. If you need a break from the family, you’ll be sure to find some friends in the same boat there next Tuesday! They’ll also be open 12 – 6 PM on New Year’s Eve. And while you’re there, check out their new line of bottles, with their Crash Course IPA, Damn Skippy Peanut Butter Stout, Alias Pale Ale, Universal Soldier Kolsch, and Not About You ESB all available in singles or 4-packs.

The elves over at 2 Crows have been extra busy lately, as we’ve got three new beers to report this week, two of which will be hitting your mouth this weekend. The big release today at noon is Waltz, a 5.5% ABV, 22 IBUs German Pilsner. Brewed with 100% German Pilsner malt, no shortcuts were taken in brewing this one to style. Using de-aerated brewing water, a low oxygen brewing environment (don’t worry, no one passed out!), and a multi-step mash, let’s just say the brew day was a little longer than usual. Hopped with German varieties (Huell Melon, Hallertau Blanc, and Saphir), it was then fermented with the classic German Lager strain, Weihenstephan, and then allowed to lager for more than 8 weeks. Sounds like the wait/hard work was worth it, with the final product being “beautifully crisp, doughy, with some lovely lemony and herbal notes”. The good news is there’s lots of this one, as it was a full 40 bbl batch, so you can find it on tap and in cans at 2C today, and it should also be hitting the local private stores soon.

You could always wait to head to 2 Crows tomorrow, when you’ll be able to grab one of the very few bottles of Razzle Dazzle, a “Champagne Brett Lager”. Brewed nine months ago with Pilsner malt and rice, the wort was hopped with Hallertau Blanc in the boil to just 12 IBUs. It was then fermented with the Weihenstephan strain, lagered for 7 weeks… and then that’s when things got a bit weird! They added glucoamylase and Brett C, and allowed the beer to condition for another 5 months, where it was finally packaged in 750 mL cork-and-caged bottles, with Champagne yeast. It’s tasting “super dry, crisp, and funky, with notes of pineapple, hay, and pear”. It finished at 6.1% ABV, and if you’d like to try it, get there when they open… there’s only about 90 bottles or so available, and there is a 2 bottle-per-person limit.

And finally, 2 Crows has got one more humdinger dropping next Saturday, and were kind enough to give us the inside scoop early on Biere de Champagne. Follow along with this one closely, it ain’t the simplest beer. Originally brewed over a year ago, in October, 2017, it started off as two beers: 1) a lower-ABV beer brewed with Pilsner and Oat malt, and fermented with TYB207 (a Brett brux strain), and 2) a high-ABV beer brewed with Pilsner malt and Nova Scotia honey, and fermented with Omega All The Bretts (that’s a blend of at least 10 Brett strains!), and Champagne yeast. After both beers fermented out, they were blended and bottled in Champagne bottles, and dosed with Champagne yeast and priming sugar, aiming for a carbonation of 6.8 vol CO2 (for those of you not in the know, that is a LOT of carbonation… your typical APA or IPA is likely somewhere around 2.5). Head brewer Jeremy Taylor can do a better job of explaining the next long process: “The bottles were conditioned horizontally for 2 months, then very gradually moved until they were sitting cap-down, riddling them every day or so over a period of many months. The beers were then chilled for several days, then the neck of the bottles was super chilled with dry ice; we removed the cap and shot out the yeast plug that had settled in the neck, then bottles were corked and caged.” Yikes! Sounds like it came out tasty, extremely effervescent (ya think?!) with “big honey notes, funky, cantaloupe, earthy”, 8.4% ABV. Releasing next Saturday (Dec 29) at 2C, there’s only 140 bottles available.

If you were a fan of Propeller’s recent one-off NEIPA, Galaxy (and we’re guessing those of you who tried it ARE fans of it, considering it’s currently the brewery’s highest-rated beer on Untappd), we’re sad to say that it is now sold out. On the upswing, they do have another once-a-one-off IPA returning, Skyrocket DIPA. Showcasing the experimental Skyrocket hop variety (related to Chinook) from the Gorst valley, it was originally brewed as a Gottingen small batch brew in January, and is now returning in cans. This 8% ABV beer is “intensely aromatic, with big, beautiful notes of mango, papaya, and pineapple”. Look for it at your nearest Propeller location! We should also mention that today’s cask release is Russian Imperial Stout, with smoked black tea, which gives the already-big-and-bold beer a “powerful smoky aroma and flavour”.

In Mahone Bay, NS, Saltbox Brewing has two releases for you this week. The first is a beer, Storm Surge, that they’re referring to as a “Maritime Ale”. They describe it as a 5.4% ABV brew that is “a prime example of a malt-forward beer, beautifully balanced by the subtle, spicy citrus of hops”. We’re guessing something along the lines of an American Pale Ale, perhaps? Either way, you’ll have to try it yourself to decide for sure; you can stop by and grab a growler right now. They’ve also just released a cider, Backyard Cider, which is made up of 100% Heirloom Gravenstein apples (grown locally in NS). Exhibiting “a balance of sweet and tart”, just like the apple that it came from, it finishes dry and crisp with floral notes. Also available in growlers, both Backyard Cider and Storm Surge should be making an appearance in cans in the not-too-distant future, so stay tuned for that.⠀

With the changing of the seasons, Meander River is giving us a changing of the seasonals. The latest in their Farm Cider series is First Frost, which will be taking over from Fall’s offering, Dusty Road. Made from the freshest press of the year’s apple harvest, it’s a 5.5% ABV cider that’s citrusy, tart and juicy while being very dry. Scheduled for release on the first day of Winter (hey, that’s today!), you’ll be able to grab some this weekend at the Halifax Forum Farmers Market, and it will also go on tap at Tusket Falls, Stubborn Goat, Battery Park and Chain Yard.

Summerside, PEI’s Evermoore Brewing has a new offering that started pouring earlier this week. Called Smokey Double IPA it’s exactly what the name indicates, a double IPA with a touch of smokey character thanks to some smoked flaked barley in the grist. On the hop side, it features Brewer’s Gold, Hallertau Blanc, and Amarillo in the kettle during the boil before being hit with Simcoe and Tettnanger in the whirlpool. At 8% ABV and 60 IBU it’s a bigger beer and fairly bitter. You’ll find it at Evermoore’s taproom at 192 Water Street if you fancy a taste.

You may recall that in celebration of their 20th Anniversary last year, Garrison released XXX IPA, a Double IPA, for a brief run. They’ve just released a barrel-aged version of the same beer, where it spent 12 months in Glen Breton Rare Single Malt Whiskey barrels. They’re referring to this one as an Imperial IPA/American Barleywine hybrid, as it comes in at a whopping 11% ABV. If you’d like to decide for yourself, it’s available at the brewery only, in 650 mL bottles. They’ve also brought back their Imperial IPA in bottles and on tap at their retail store; this time around they’ve tweaked the recipe slightly, and hopped it with 100% Cascade.

Yarmouth’s Heritage Brewing is keeping up with the new brews lately, as they’ve just released a DIPA, Golden Horse. Named after the Golden Horse Fountain located in the community of Milton, the beer was hopped heavily with a blend of three high alpha acid hops. Early, late, and dry hop additions contribute to high bitterness (130 calculated IBUs) and “plenty of dank, pine, and citrus flavours”. Hazy and alarmingly drinkable (even at 7.6% ABV), sneak into Heritage before the holidays for a pint/growler, and satisfy your hop urge!

Those crazy folks at Tidehouse must have found a sale on bottles, as this is the… I don’t even know how many consistent weeks of bottle releases they’ve had, and I certainly don’t have the time to check! It’s a lot. But hey, that means more take-home beer for all of us, right? And this week brings the release of Bonny Stormer, an Extra Special Bitter hopped with Progress and First Gold. Coming across as “a pinch earthy, with notes of sweet tangerine and orange”, it finishes fairly bitter (expected with this style), and comes in at 5% ABV. In addition to being available in bottles (limit 6/person) today at 2 pm, you can also find it on tap at Tidehouse.

It’s almost December 23rd, and you know that everyone in Newfoundland (well, the fun ones, anyway!) are gearing up for Tibb’s Eve on Sunday. Those characters at Port Rexton Brewing are no exception, of course, and have a couple of brand new beers to help you celebrate, just in time. First up is Tibb’s the Saison, a “Festive Saison” that was hopped with both French and Czech hop varieties, and fermented with the Fruit Bomb Saison yeast blend from Escarpment Labs. Containing both a Saison Saccharomyces strain and two Brettanomyces strains, the combination of the three ensures lots of tropical fruit character in the finished beer. This particular Saison features “gingerbread aromas and a light rye spice” and weighs in at 6.6% ABV. This was a small batch, and half of it is already resting peacefully in a grape brandy barrel; the current iteration can be found on tap at PR for their Tibb’s Eve party Sunday, and also at their St. John’s retail shop for growler fills today and tomorrow.

Next up from Port Rexton is Round Table, a nice, big, Bourbon barrel-aged Russian Imperial Stout. Designed by head brewers Les and Chris shortly after trying some similar beers at the 2018 Canadian Brewing Awards in Halifax, the oak character from the barrel comes through nicely, blending with the Bourbon found on the nose and palate, as well as some “dark chocolate-covered berry and coffee flavours”. Smooth and quite drinkable even at 8.8% ABV, the carbonation was purposely kept fairly low, and is best enjoyed served at a slightly-warmer temperature. This one is available in 500 mL bottles only, and was released yesterday evening with a limit of 2/person. Seek it out at both PR locations this weekend!

TrailWay has a new iteration of Beans coming out today when they open, with this batch being dosed with cocoa nibs and 250 lbs of cherry puree, to help complement the regular addition of freshly-roasted coffee beans from Whitney Coffee Company. The coffee character is prominent as usual, along with “rich and deep chocolate in the aroma, with a subtle, fruity, tart cherry component”. Available on tap and in cans at the brewery. They’ve also got fresh kegs and cans of one of their crowd-favourite American IPAs, Green Island (6% ABV).

One of the region’s newest cideries, Maritime Express in Kentville, NS, has a brand new cider available that features an ingredient better known for its use in beer. Train Hopper is made from 100% Annapolis Valley apples across four varieties: Cortland, Macintosh, Gravenstein and Spartan. To that base was added three types of hops, all sourced locally, to provide a decidedly citrusy and hoppy aroma. On the palate, look for grapefruit, floral and lemon notes that lead to a strong tart finish. Look for it at the cidery, both pouring from the taps and in bottles.

Antigonish’s Half Cocked Brewing is excited to have their first bottle release and they’re doing it in style with a big one. Tapped & Feathered is being called a “maple sap imperial stout,” as it was brewed using sap from Haveracres Maple Farm in nearby St. Joseph’s in place of water, a handy way to extract additional sugars from the mashing process and thus not lose significant efficiency on a big beer. Once fermented, the beer was aged for several months in a Glenora whiskey barrel. Coming in at a hefty 10.3% ABV, it features aromas of candied orange rind and dark chocolate, with flavors of figs, brown sugar, dark chocolate and vanilla. Expect it to be available at the brewery very soon; to find out exactly when check out their social media (Fb, Ig, Tw), where the release will be formally announced.

CAVOK in Dieppe, NB, has been doing some experimentation with their Stout. So far they’ve released salted caramel, cold-brewed coffee and peanut butter variations. These are small batches, each about 1 BBL, aimed at testing the flavourings and getting a feel for the appropriate levels. As such, they are only available by the pint in their taproom. All three are 4.9% ABV. Meanwhile, in terms of bigger batches, they’ve also got a light American lager on the go that they’re calling Joe Blow Lager. Crisp and refreshing, it’ll be a great beer for a holiday party and guests who might be looking for something a little lighter. At 4.5% ABV and very low bitterness, we think they might be onto something!

Boxing Rock continues to push out some new beers from the Test Kitchen location in Local Source Market on Agricola Street in Halifax. Late last week, they released the Blue Collar Blonde, a collaborative 5.0% ABV Kolsch brewed with the fine folks at Halifax’s HopYard, which debuted during last weekend’s YMCA fundraiser at the bar. It was deemed so popular that it will be brewed again very soon, this time at their big system in Shelburne, for a full release in the New Year. Out this week is another collaboration, this time with the crew from Canopy Creative, who came in and brewed Canopy Cane Chocolate Milk Stout, which features lactose, chocolate, and peppermint in the boil for the full Christmas experience. As with all of these releases, they are very small, so if you see something you like, best get there ASAP to grab it! And keep your eyes peeled for the re-release of their 4% ABV Winter Session Ale, The Biggest Spruce Axe-worthy, brewed with spruce tips right in the boil.

If you manage to get away from the family in the couple of weeks, be sure to double check that your favourite brewery, bar, or watering hole is open, as many are adjusting their schedules over the course of the next two weeks. We’ve got a pair of events you’ll certainly want to check out if you’re in the area!

Moncton’s Tide and Boar Gastropub is hosting their annual Free Oyster Day today, with oyster shucking happening all day to complement your beer and food. As well, they’ve released a pair of new/returning favourites on tap, with a limited amount available to go in growlers: Herbies Coffee for Breakfast Stout, Special Blend IPA, and Melting Mountains IPA. Plus there may be a couple of bottles of their cellar-aged sour for you to take home! Details on their FB Event page.

Big Spruce is celebrating the release of their latest batch of One Hundred Wild next Saturday, December 29th, at Horton Ridge Malt & Grain. Obviously an important of this 100% Nova Scotia equation with grain/malt, hops, and yeast (isolated from a fruit tree on their property in Nyanza), Horton Ridge is the perfect place to host the event, and will have the beer flowing from 1 PM, with live music 3 – 5 PM, and 7 – 9 PM. Cans can also be pre-ordered for pickup the day before. More details on their FB page. And in more Big Spruce news, they’ve just announced that they will be a permanent part of the Halifax Seaport Market, beginning tomorrow, with bottles and growlers.

Stillwell Beer Bar in Halifax is once again holding their New Years Day Levee, when they will be opening their doors at noon January 1st, and will be pouring up a dozen special beers, holding super sales on many of their cellar bottle list, and a slew of hangover-curing brunch items to help you forget the night before. Pop by to see what they’re sharing to celebrate the beginning of 2019!

Just a couple more things to finish off the year, before you head out and grab that eggnog stout or nutmeg blonde…

Lazy Bear Brewing in Smiths Cove has bottled up a few of their beers, and now have the Norwegian Kviek Ale available at YHZ Airport’s Liquid Assets. Look for those to hit the shelves elsewhere in HRM soon. And keep an eye out at their market stall for their 10.1% ABV Russian Imperial Stout, available this weekend.

Niche Brewing in Hanwell has their Chromatic By Design Red IPA available again throughout New Brunswick. This 6.6% ABV beer features load of Ekunanot, Mosaic, and Citra, for a bold blast of tropical, dank, and citrus hops, with a touch of toffee and caramel flavours from the specialty malt. And hitting the taps next week is Wayfarer, their 6.0% ABV Sour IPA, featuring Centennial and El Dorado hops, for a lovely hybrid of sour and tropical.

Sea Level Brewing in Port Williams has released the latest version of their High Street Wee Heavy. This 6.3% ABV classic Scottish Ale is the first beer to feature barley and hops from their Millstone Harvest farm, the future site of their estate brewery, set to open next year. We hear that the next batch of their barley is actually being malted at Horton Ridge currently, for use in future Sea Level brews. High Street is available on tap at the Port Pub, and to go in cans and growlers today.

And finally, in a bit of humour around this Holiday time, St. John’s YellowBelly Brewery is looking for your unwanted/extra fruitcake! They’ll be brewing up a beer in the New Year, and would to use your un-loved fruitcake in the mash. With all of the sugars, and a little booze, that these divisive holiday baked goods contain, they are sure to lend plenty of character to the final beer. Check out this article for more information.

Friday Wrap-Up for July 6, 2018 – News from Off Track, 2 Crows, Stillwell Brewing, Sourwood Cidery, Lake City Cider, Chainyard and More!!

Posted by acbbaaron on 2018-07-06
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: 2 Crows Brewing, 902 BrewCast, Bishop's Cellar, Boxing Rock Brewing, Cask and Kettle Irish Pub, Chain Yard Cider, Dildo Brewing, Garrison Brewing, Lake City Cider, Long Bay Brewery, Niche Brewing, Off Track Brewing, Propeller Brewing, RustiCo, Shoreline Malting, Sourwood Cidery, Stillwell Beer Bar, Stillwell Brewing, The Coast, TrailWay Brewing, Unfiltered Brewing, Upstreet Craft Brewing, Whycocomagh Craft Beer Festival. 1 comment

Wow, what a week! With wild temperatures across our region, and some wild swings (from snowing in Gander to 30C+ in the Maritimes), we figure you’re definitely overdue for a beer! We’ve got loads of new beers and news to share with you this week, so grab the nearest pint, and have a look!

We’ve got lots of news to share from Bedford’s own brewery, Off Track on Rocky Lake Drive. First off, they launched a new beer on Canada Day named The Joy’s of Summer. This 4.25% Session IPA is full of flavour despite the low ABV, with plenty of Centennial, Simcoe, Amarillo, and Cascade hops (amounting to 48 IBUs) which is perfect for sipping all day on their new patio. Speaking of which, they’ve extended their days/hours to now be open Thursdays, so now you can get your OTBC fix all extended weekend (Thursday 12-8, Fri and Sat 12-10, Sunday 12-6). And what to pair with it? They’ve teamed up with On the Wedge at the Sunnyside Mall to provide them with lunch and dinner options Friday through Sunday (menu and hours available here). Any time, you can bring your own food, or order in from local businesses in the hood (RLP anyone?).

The gents from 902BrewCast dropped by Off Track recently, and recorded with Allan, Jon, and Matt on that new patio. They chatted about just about everything under the sun NS-beer-wise (and beyond), and broke some big news: the Off Track crew are finally brewing on their full-sized 5 BBL (600 litre) brewhouse, which means more beers in the tanks for their thirsty patrons. AND, that means a fun contest! They have already named five of their big new tanks, but need your help in naming the sixth! See if you can figure out the theme here… Newman, Puddy, J. Peterman, Bania, and Crazy Joe Davola. Tell them what the sixth tank should be, and you’ll win one of their fancy new Stainless Steel growlers (with a Phil). You can submit your answers via direct message on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook by July 14th. Get your answers in quick before some Mulva steals the best name! Listen to the podcast for more hijinx (you’ll quickly learn how Off Track got their name), and their plans for the rest of July.

We’ve got a couple of exciting tidbits concerning new beers from 2 Crows that are coming out over the next few days. First off, is the very first bottle release for 2 Crows. Dandy was brewed with Pilsner malt, Spelt, Wheat, and Oats, and hopped lightly with Calypso and Bramling Cross. The wort was soured with a mixture of Lactobacillus cultures, and then fermented in two gin barrels with a blend of Saccharomyces and Brettanomyces strains. After aging for a few months, the beer was moved to stainless and conditioned on the burnt zest of lemons, oranges, limes, and grapefruit. Bottle-conditioned with champagne yeast, the final beer is “bright, tart, lightly funky, with juniper, citrus, oaky tannins, a subtle burnt/smoky character, and a firm minerality”. Weighing in at 5.1% ABV, there will be limited quantities of this one available when it’s released at the brewery tomorrow, so do not delay in grabbing some bottles! Bishop’s Cellar will also be getting a few bottles for sale, and one keg will also be tapped at the brewery tomorrow, if you’d like to give it a try on tap.

As for the second beer, it’s a new draught-only brew named Juan Canary. This “Wild Table Beer” was brewed with malt exclusively from PEI’s Shoreline Malting, and was lightly-hopped in the boil with Galaxy and Hallertau Blanc. Fermented with a blend of wild yeast strains, it was then conditioned for several months to allow that wonderful, funky yeast character to develop. It was then further conditioned on Canary melon (a type of melon that is reportedly slightly tangier than honeydew) for four weeks, before being packaged in kegs with champagne yeast. It comes in at just 3.6% ABV and 12 IBUs; you’ll be able to find it on tap by-the-glass only, at the 2C tasting room, when a tap opens up (we’re guessing tomorrow or Sunday, best to check the 2C Instagram for the latest scoop).

If you’ve been to Stillwell over the past few days, you may have noticed that they’ve been pouring a new beer from Stillwell Brewing, Easy. This one is their latest Saison fermented with their House cultures; the beer spent just two months in the brewery’s largest foedre (oak tank), making it relatively young, at least compared to a lot of other releases from SBC! They’re describing the 4.7% ABV brew as drinking “like a more-sour Stillwell 2 [ed: Stillwell’s 2nd Anniversary beer], with mostly lactic acid and a touch of quenching acetic acid”. Featuring a bright presence of hops, and tasting floral and spicy, you can get it at Stillwell HQ by the 750 mL bottle or on tap, to drink on-site; it’ll be following on tap at the Beergarden in the near future. If you were looking forward to taking some home, fear not – they will be holding a bottle sale soon, on Saturday, July 21st. We’ll remind you when that gets closer! Looks like Easy will become a regular release, as Batch 2 is already fermenting.

You may remember TrailWay Brewing releasing More Better, a Simcoe single-hopped American IPA, a few months ago. Today, they’re releasing the “big brother” to this beer, a DIPA named, naturally, Even More Better. Simcoe is once again featured prominently, but they decided to throw in a “healthy” dose of Mosaic as well, giving the beer “pleasant pine up-front, with a big juicy background”. It’s 8% ABV, and will be available on tap and in cans at the brewery today at noon.

Last weekend, Good Robot released 5th Chamber, a sour wheat beer brewed with boysenberries, black raspberries, and raspberries, at the Hair of the Dog event. If you missed the event, you should be able to find the 4% ABV Gose on tap at the brewery, starting… yesterday! Moving on to next Tuesday’s Beta brew, keep your eyes open for Orange You Glad, a Milkshake IPA brewed with local homebrewers Jeramy and Catherine Slaunwhite. With lactose in the boil, and hopped with Citra and Mandarina Bavaria, the beer also features the addition of vanilla (of course) and sweet orange peel. It weighs in at a low-for-the-style 4.9% ABV, and 56 IBUs. Finally, next Thursday will see the return of Burban Legend APA (5.9% ABV, 42 IBUs).

Let’s change gears to cider now, with lots of news to share with you this week. Agricola Street’s Chain Yard Cider has a few new blends available these days, including the first releases from their new Vault series, availalbe in 750ml bottles (rather than on tap or in cans). Pippin is a 9.0% ABV single varietal Cox Orange Pippin dry cider, five months in the making, and full of flavour. They’ve also released Pippin & Russet, using a blend of Cox Orange Pippin and Golden Russet apples, which finished sweet at 7.1% ABV. They have also introduced Cyser Sunrise, a blend of their Foundation cider and a strawberry wine. And finally, Funk 141 is a 6.5% ABV unfiltered blend, fermented with Brett for funky and barnyard aromas and flavours familiar to those who already seek them out in beers. While some of their ciders are available on tap at restaurants and bars and in the private stores around HRM, heading to the source is probably your best bet to try them all.

Although we haven’t had a chance to mention it yet, cider and mixed-fermentation mavens in HRM very well might be aware that there’s a new cidery in the city, one that’s doing things a little bit differently. Sourwood Cidery is now producing small batches of cider at 6070 Almon Street. Focused on making sour ciders and fermenting on the wilder side, their ciders are “raw, unfiltered, and funky.” They are currently selling 6 varieties at their place, all in 750 mL bottles that have been bottle-conditioned. Be aware that they’re only open Wednesdays from 6 – 8 PM for these sales, though. You can also find Sourwood ciders on the bottle list at Stillwell on Barrington and, hopefully, soon at Bishop’s Cellar and a new place opening up later this year in the Hydrostone, The Ostrich Club. Occasionally some cider will be kegged; up to this point the Stillwell Beergarden has been the destination for every one of these. Looking ahead, they’ve got some stainless in the mix now, a 10 bbl brite tank which will allow them to do a 1000 L at a time of a carbonated cider they’re calling Small World (a younger version of their Old World); it should be available in kegs and cans in the next couple of weeks. Here’s a list of the bottled ciders they’ve got on the go now; we’re sure we’ll be hearing more from this crew in the coming weeks and months (and hey, maybe we’ll get it together and do a full profile!):

  • Old World – Fermented dry with a saison yeast
  • Hopwild – Sour cider dry hopped with Citra
  • Old World Sour – A sweet blend of apples fermented dry with Sourwood’s house culture of sour microbes
  • Hopwild – Sour cider dry hopped with CTZ (aka Columbus) and Citra
  • Gravenstein – 100% Gravenstein apples fermented with Sourwood’s house sour culture
  • Ginger – Sour cider steeped with ginger

And it’s not just Halifax that’s boasting a new cidery. Lake City Cider is now turning out cider in Dartmouth at 35 Portland Street, although they’re not yet open to the public at that location. Currently available every Saturday at the Alderney Landing Farmers’ Market in the outdoor tent as well as on tap at The Canteen, they are also on rotation at Battery Park. Look for their tap room to open soon where you’ll be able to enjoy all their products. All of the cider is produced using 100% NS apples and includes the following three core brands:

  • Nieforth Original – named for Nieforth’s, an institution of downtown Dartmouth and previous inhabitants of the space Lake City occupies. Pressed from a blend of apples, this bold cider comes in at 6.8% ABV and is packaged in 750 mL bottles
  • Darkside Dry – balanced and refreshing, this 7.5% ABV dry cider is available in 750 mL bottles and pairs well with rich foods such as scallops or grilled or roasted meat
  • District 5 – Lake City’s first canned offering is a blend of freshly-pressed 100% Nova Scotian apples intended to be a steady and sure cider that weighs in at 6.0% ABV

The gang at Lake City has also advised us that they intend to rotate through a series of limited edition seasonal ciders as well through the year. We look forward to having the chance to tell you more about Lake City in the coming weeks!

Just a couple of events to tell you about this week:

Long Bay Brewery in Rothesay is celebrating their First Anniversary this weekend, and want to give YOU the presents! Drop by their spot at 82 Marr Road today or tomorrow, 12-8PM, and with every growler fill, you will receive a free LBB glass (or your regular loyalty discount). And if you drop by tomorrow, you’ll be able to enjoy some live music and BBQ in addition to your free gift. Congratulations Sean and Co!

The Whycocomagh Beer Festival will be celebrating its Second Year on July 21st, 7-9:30 PM. Happening at the Whycocomagh Waterfront Centre as part of the Whycocomagh Summer Festival, there will be beer from Big Spruce, Boxing Rock, Breton, Garrison, North, Tatamagouche, and Uncle Leo’s all under one roof, plus wine from Jost. Tickets are just $20 at the door, and the venue has expanded to let even more folks in than last year.

We’ve got a few more news bites for you this week before we sign off…

– Shelburne’s Boxing Rock has teamed up with Capt. Kat’s Lobster Shack to release the ultimate pairing to their lobster plates. Over Aft Ale is a Cream Ale available exclusively at this Barrington Passage spot, but if you ask nicely at the brewery, they’ll fill a growler of it for you too! 🙂
– After launching late last week, Dildo Brewing Company has added a fifth beer to their rotation. Blue Eyed Buoy is a take on their Root 80 Blonde, featuring loads of blueberries added during conditioning, for a fresh and fruity presence. Grab it on tap and in growlers at the brewery today!
– After its release at The Toast the Coast event a couple of weeks ago, Garrison is releasing their This Beer is Toast! in bottles today. As a reminder, this 5.5% ABV Saison featured more than 100 kilos of toasted bread in the mash, adding to the Pale Ale and Wheat malts used. Lightly hopped to 20 IBU with Hallertau and Cascade, bottles are now available at the brewery, and at the private stores next week. $0.50 from each bottle is going to Feed Nova Scotia, to help their efforts to combat food insecurity in the province.
– Niche Brewing has brought one of their first beers back to the taps this week, Mines of Wallonia. This is their 3.6% ABV Grisette, generously hopped with Hallertau Blanc, and featuring some lovely fruity esters and light spiciness from the Saison yeast. Look for it on tap around Fredericton, including the newly opened RustiCo, as well as Cask & Kettle in Saint John, and at Halifax’s Stillwell.
– Propeller has brought back their summer favourite, Hefeweizen (5.3% ABV); you’ll be able to find this cloudy, spritzy, banana-and-clovey brew on tap and in bottles starting today. And check back with us next week, when we’ll have more info on a variation of this beer that will be released soon.
– Halifax’s Unfiltered Brewing has released the latest batch of DOA Double Orange Ale SMaSH today, featuring boatloads of Citra hop through the process. Using a combination of Cryo-extracted hops (higher Alpha Acid in less vegetal material) with standard harvest, this 7.5% ABV, 100 IBU, Double IPA will have you singing out for more.
– Upstreet is releasing their newest Neon Friday beer today, DDH Oat IPA with Idaho 7 (6.5% ABV, 50 IBUs). Brewed with Golden Naked Oats and toasted oats, it’s double-dry hopped with Idaho 7 to give “a fresh aroma of light orange and apricot”.

Friday Wrap-Up for June 15, 2018 – News from Big Spruce, the NSLC and CBANS, Tidehouse, Saltbox, Boxing Rock, Chain Yard, Tatamagouche, Niche and more!

Posted by acbbchris on 2018-06-15
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: Big Spruce Brewing, Boxing Rock Brewing, Breton Brewing, Brightwood Brewery, CBANS, Chain Yard Cider, Copper Bottom Brewing, Good Robot Brewing, Niche Brewing, NSLC, Off Track Brewing, Propeller Brewing, Saltbox Brewing, Spindrift Brewing, Tatamagouche Brewing, Tidehouse Brewing, TrailWay Brewing, Upstreet Craft Brewing. 1 comment

Here we are on another Friday, with the official start of Summer just a week away – though maybe keep bringing your plants in at night, mkay? – bringing you the latest in beer news for the region. It’s a bit of a quiet week compared to some of the craziness of the last couple of months, but that certainly doesn’t mean there’s nothing exciting to tell you.

• Let’s lead off the news with a good story from Nova Scotia, which was made public by the NSLC and CBANS yesterday. Big changes are being implemented July 1st for NS breweries: those breweries who hold a hospitality license (which is many of the smaller spots) will have the option to pour in glasses larger than 4oz, saving glasses countless trips through the washer. The change comes just months after engagement with the Premier and other members of government during a “Meet Your Brewery” event attended by members of all parties, and the divisive beer brewed by Premier McNeil with one of the most vocal members of the province’s brewing industry, Jeremy White of Big Spruce. It really *is* all about engaging those in power, as well as the general population. Here’s hoping this change is only the beginning, as there are plenty more archaic rules in place that could be eased to further help the brewing industry in the province (and the whole region).

• One Nova Scotia brewery that is most-certainly ecstatic about this recent change is Halifax’s Tidehouse. They’ve been waiting for this day, and now that it’s finally here, they just so happen to have a brand new beer to serve you pints of in their Tiny Tasty Beverage Room! Pitcher’s Perfect Pineapple NEIPA was brewed with multi-hate-wearing-employee Mike Pitcher, and is indeed a NEIPA (at 6.3% ABV) brewed with Pale, Oats, Wheat, Munich, and Acidulated malts. Hopped at the end of the boil with Citra, Amarillo, and Centennial, and then more Citra and Amarillo a couple of days into fermentation, the juice factor was upped even higher by the addition of real pineapple in the fermentor at the tail end of the beer’s completion. Tasting like “hoppy pineapple juice”, you’ll be able to find it on tap and in bottles at the brewery, starting at opening (2PM) today.

• Shelburne’s Boxing Rock and Halifax’s Chain Yard have collaborated on a new beverage, possibly the first packaged example (or at least the first local example) of the classic beer/cider mix known as a “snakebite” to be available in NS. A 50/50 blend of Boxing Rock’s Hunky Dory Pale Ale, which features citrus zest and green tea, and Chain Yard’s Foundation cider, known for its tropical notes and light tannins, Snakebite is a 5.7% ABV product that features the best of both worlds. While it will be available in limited quantities at both Boxing Rock, who have some pre-filled growlers and a keg for 4 oz (or MORE?!) samples, and at Chain Yard, who have it on tap as well as in cans, the prime channel for acquiring some for yourself will be select NSLC stores across the province.

• We don’t know whether many people outside the area are aware, but the location of Saltbox Brewing in Mahone Bay is very close to a spur of the old Halifax to Yarmouth H&SW rail line – Halifax and South Western, which locals repurposed to “Hellish, Slow & Wobbly” based on the travel experience. This line, whose bed has since been repurposed as a recreational trail, is symbolic of a beer brewed at Saltbox in collaboration with Railway City Brewing in St. Thomas, ON. Railway City’s brewer is Amanda Fehr, sister of Saltbox’s own brewer Jeremy Fehr, and the siblings came together during the week of the Canadian Brewing Awards to brew a New England IPA. Called The Last Spike, this easy drinking 5.8% ABV beer features big citrus and pineapple flavors with very little bitterness. Perfect for sipping on a sunny afternoon on a patio, possibly while watching some soapbox races…Speaking of which, a reminder that the Saltbox Soapbox Derby is tomorrow down Clearway St. in Mahone Bay with all proceeds going to Bayview Community School Breakfast Program. There are 28 entrants across the 4 classes this year with participants ranging in age from 4.5 to 67 years old!!

• Our friends at Tatamagouche Brewing have been gearing up for their big 4th birthday celebration this weekend, and one of the ways they’re celebrating is with a new beer release, Salt Water Cowboy. This one is a Gose that was soured with a co-pitch of a Kolsch yeast strain and a strain of Lactobacillus, and fermented in tequila barrels. The 4.4% ABV beer was aged in the barrels for four months, and then an additional period on lemon peel, to play up the tequila, salt, and citrus character. With a subtle flavour on all fronts (including the barrel character), it’s meant to be easy-drinking and refreshing, as all good Goses should be! You’ll be able to find it on tap at Tata tomorrow, with bottles being released sometime over the coming weeks. And a reminder since last week’s post, they’ll have Route 6 Food Truck onsite all day, live music, social media contests and real-life games, plus a Nothing But The Hits taplist pouring (sorry, still only in 4oz glasses for now!): Amrita, Barrel-Aged Barley Wine, Crack of Dawn Breakfast Porter, Guava Heist, Lagerhosen, and the aforementioned Salt Water Cowboy.

• Hanwell’s Niche Brewing has another brand new beer dropping this week, Into the Wild. Fermented solely with Brettanomyces Claussenii (Brett C rather than Saccharomyces), this IPA straddles the line between “clean” and “wild”, with both the hops and yeast working together for a fruity tropical and juicy beer. In the boil, and again in the fermenter, Azacca and Vic Secret were used to impart citrus, mango, and pineapple flavour and aromatics, which is further enhanced by the pineapple and a touch of funk from the yeast. The 6.6% ABV beer has a soft and smooth mouthfeel and finishes rather dry, setting you up for your next sip (or pint!). The Niche crew have sent the beer to the bars and restaurants in the area, so keep your eyes peeled for its tapping. In Fredericton: The Snooty Fox, King Street Ale House, and The Joyce Pub; in Saint John: Peppers Pub, Lemongrass Thai Fare, and Saint John Ale House.

• The Good Robot new beers continue, with their latest Beta batch being Rosemary Was A Boy, a 5.5% ABV Witbier. Brewed with graphic designer Margot Durling, the simple grain bill of 2-row and Wheat malt was rounded out with boil additions of Mittelfrüh hops, coriander, orange peel, and, of course, rosemary. Expect your typical Witbier experience – fruity and spicy, light and refreshing – with a touch of rosemary character to complement; check it out next Tuesday.

• Over in PEI, Montague’s Copper Bottom is ready to release the collaboration beer they brewed a few weeks ago with L’Espace Public, a Montreal taproom with a brewery in-house. Patio Beer is a 4.5% ABV kettle sour that was brewed with a grist made up of only 2-row malt. Soured with a pure pitch of Lactobacillus, the wort was then boiled and hopped very lightly with Centennial. Later in the process, they added a plethora (such a great word!) of juices, made up of equal parts strawberry, cranberry, tart cherry, and wild blueberry juice. The brewery describes the beer as “light on the sourness” with a present-but-not-overpowering juice presence. Head on over to the taproom tomorrow for a taste; it’ll be available in pints, growlers, and cans. They’ll also be serving up oysters from Chef Robert Pendergast from 4-8 pm to celebrate.

• Meanwhile, in Charlottetown, Upstreet will have cans and kegs of their latest Neon Friday release, Oat Cream IPA with Cashmere. These beer names pretty much describe themselves, meaning less typing for us! But if you’d like us to be clear, it’s an American IPA with Oats in the grist, and lactose powder in the boil. Double-dry hopped with Cashmere (an American variety that exhibits lemon, lime, and melon characteristics), they’re describing the final product as having “an easy-drinking sweetness that’s juicy and clean”. As always, it’ll be available at the Upstreet taproom and Craft Beer Corner.

• There are three new beers available from Off Track this week, proving that they’re not planning on slowing down with experimenting in the near future. Here are the Cole’s Notes for all of them: Pull the Pin IPA (5.5% ABV, 57 IBUs), an American IPA hopped entirely with Centennial; Base is Loaded (5% ABV, 37 IBUs), an easy-drinking APA hopped with Cascade, Falconer’s Flight, and Belma; and Cherry-BOMB (4.2% ABV, 22 IBUs), a “Cherry Chocolate Kolsch”. This last one was attempted after the release of their Coconut Kolsch for the Stillwell Open in May, with the cherry adding a slight tartness. And there’s more that just beer news going on at Off Track – their patio is now open for the season, they’ve paired up with On the Wedge to offer food options, and they have stainless steel growlers now available for purchase. Finally, this Sunday they will be donating $1 from every pint, grunter and growler fill towards a Father’s Day charity.

• Last week we mentioned the Toast the Coast event happening next Thursday at the Stillwell Beer Garden, and we’ve been able to gather a bit more intel to pass along. Here’s what we have on a few of the beers that will be pouring….

This Beer is Toast! (Garrison) – The grist for this one features Pale Ale and Wheat malt… and bread. Yes, 25% of the grist is made up of “fresh-but-past-code” bread from some local bakeries. Hopped with Hallertau and Cascade to 20 IBUs, this 5.5% ABV Saison has “light malt, bready-dough and toasty flavours, with a dry and effervescent finish”. A portion of all sales will go to Feed Nova Scotia.

Sorry (Good Robot) – Speaking of bread, Good Robot teamed up with Stone Hearth Bakery to brew this one, adding some of their toasted, light rye bread that was slightly past its date. The bread went into a second mash, after the first with Pilsner, Flaked Barley, Vienna, and Flaked Oats. Hopped with Ekuanot and Magnum in the boil, they also added some lactose and carob powder. Once fermentation was complete, they went further, and threw in a little coconut, more chocolate, and coffee beans. We’re not really sure if this beer has an official “style”, but it weighs in at 6% ABV and 55 IBUs, and pours  a “pale orangey colour”. A portion of sales will go to Bryony House.

Wheatly Edition (Off Track) – This 4.2% ABV, 22 IBUs American Wheat Ale was hopped with Belma and Huell Melon to “highlight the tropical, honey dew flavours”, and also has notes of pineapple. A portion of sales will got to SPCA Nova Scotia.

You’ll also see products from Propeller, Spindrift, Brightwood, and Boars Back Cider, all supporting other local charities.

There’s a couple of events going on in Nova Scotia over the next couple of weeks that we’d like to point out:

• There are still some tickets left for Garrison’s Backlot Bash, happening tomorrow, June 16th, at the Cunard Centre in Halifax. This fundraiser for the Ecology Action Centre will feature beer and cider, axe throwing, food trucks, skate demos, and plenty of live music. Tickets are $39.10, and can be purchased here.

• Sydney’s Breton Brewing is throwing a big party they’re calling Under the Breton Sky on Saturday, June 30th. Featuring Matt Anderson & the Bona Fide, Dave Sampson with Band, Slowcoaster, The Jordan Muycsyn Band, and The Carmen Townsend Band as well as, no doubt, plenty of Breton beer. Early bird tickets have come and gone, but General Admission are still available at $55 and will also be available the day of the event at $65. If you’re really enthused by the bill, you might consider the VIP Package at $75, which includes access to the beer patio, tap room, and the front of the stage. All tickets are available on-line and be aware that those prices are irrespective of taxes and fees.

And lastly, before we let you go:

– Halifax’s Spindrift has been subtly tweaking their core brands (Killick Session Lager, Knotty Buoy Pils, and Coastal Lager) and are encouraging consumers to visit the brewery to try the new versions while they’re fresh for comparison. The new batches are currently being sent to stores, as well. Both Killick and Knotty Buoy are available now, with Coastal Lager appearing on July 4th. Also, look for Keller-Hell, Keller-Pils and Keller-Amber available on draught at the brewery and select bars and restaurants.
– TrailWay is releasing their latest American IPA, All Can Phil (6.5% ABV) today at the brewery, featuring some of their favourite hops (no specifics on which ones). They describe it as having a “big, juicy/clean citrus front and a tangerine sweetness to finish it off”; available in cans and on tap at opening today.