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Friday Wrap-Up for May 26, 2023 – News from Serpent, 2 Crows, Party Time, Bogside, Lone Oak, Banished, Secret Cove, Sea Level, Big Spruce, Tire Shack and much more!

Posted by acbbdamian on 2023-05-26
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: 2 Crows Brewing, Banished Brewing, BarNone Brewing, Big Spruce Brewing, Bishop's Cellar, Bogside Brewing, Canadian Brewing Awards, Canadian Brewing Awards Conference, Escarpment Laboratories, Hops Connect Canada, Lone Oak Beer Garden, Lone Oak Brewing, North Brewing, O'Creek Brewing, Party Time Brewing, PEI Brewing Co., Sea Level Brewing, Secret Cove Brewery, Serpent Brewing, Shoreline Malting, Stillwell Beer Bar, Stillwell Beergarden, Stillwell Brewing, Tatamagouche Brewing, The Links at Brunello, The Post Taphouse, Tire Shack Brewing, TrailWay Brewing. Leave a Comment

Happy Friday y’all! We’re as excited to start the weekend as you are, so let’s get you out the door and drinking the good stuff quickly! We have a reminder of what’s coming to our region next weekend in the Events section, so be sure to read closely!

Spryfield’s Serpent Brewing has a very special collaboration available now on tap and in cans. Born from a familial connection to Mexico, Serpent invited the crew from Cerveceria Itañeñe into the brewhouse a few months ago. And of course, Rodrigo and Lucia of Itañeñe brought gifts, in the form of their favourite coffee from roasters Ilustre. Pairing that with some locally-harvested Maple Syrup from MacRae’s, and a base English Brown Ale, they thus gave birth to Here Comes Trouble. This 5.9% beer will wake you up and keep you going all day, with the strong malt, coffee, and maple character coming through! Pop by the brewery for a taste and four-pack, and while there, you’ll be able to sample the food new menu put together by Chef Barry Samways. Having worked in kitchens at Hermitage, Elliot & Vine, and most recently at Quinn’s Arms, Chef Samways is focusing on local producers for as many ingredients as possible to ensure quality and freshness. As with any brewery menu, complementing the beer is important, so look for both share-able sizing for when your whole crew is with you, or snacking sizes for solo pop-bys to the space. Homemade pasta, tacos, microgreen salads, and several gluten-free and vegan options are also available!

On Brunswick Street in downtown Halifax, 2 Crows has a pair of new releases out this week. Let’s start hoppy, with Green World DIPA out on draught and in cans now. West Coast-inspired, this was brewed in collaboration with PEI’s Shoreline Malting, who provided the base Pale Malt, which was amped up with a touch of Crystal. This was hopped aggressively with classic American hops from Lakeview Hops throughout, including in the mash, again as the wort enters the kettle (first wort), of course throughout the boil, and again as the beer is cooled on its way to the fermenter. At that point, Escarpment Labs’ House Ale strain took over, fermenting it clean and providing natural carbonation to the finished product. It’s available today at the brewery as well as for online ordering and delivery. If you pop by the brewery, you’ll also be able to enjoy their latest tiny batch release, Multiflora. This beer/wine hybrid is the love child of a 3-year-old Wild Ale blended with fresh rosé piquette, itself made up of pomace from Riesling grapes, plus a small amount of Pinot Noir and Kekfrankos, with some quince from Head Brewer Jeremy Taylor’s backyard. This bright and funky hybrid is available on draught only, and in short supply, so if it sounds as tasty to you as it does to us…don’t delay in visiting!

HRM’s newest source of suds, Party Time Brewing in Mount Uniacke, who we profiled earlier this month, has a couple new beers and a new delivery channel for us this week. Party Time Pilsner is an American Pilsner at 30 IBU and 5% ABV that’s sure to sate your craving for a light and crispy new world crusher and Raft Up is “a beery beer” hopped with Hallertauer Mittelfrüh coming in at 4.5% ABV. Both of these are available for online ordering (althought the Party Time Pils is already in short supply!) for delivery in the general environs of Mount Uniacke, but if you’re from further afield you now have an option for pickup in the parking lot of Uniacke Pizza. You can also try the Raft Up at the Mount Uniacke Pub & Eatery.

Over on the Island, Summerside’s Bogside Brewing has a couple of new offerings this week, one of which won’t get you loaded no matter how much you drink. Bogside Zero is their first foray into the non-alcoholic beer market and they’re happy to report that it, “tastes like a real beer!” Based on their Local Legend blonde ale recipe, they’ve invested in a de-alcoholizer to take the finished beer remove the alcohol. Tasting similar enough to the original that many folks are hard-pressed to tell the difference, it’ll be a welcome option for those who want to taste a beer without having a beer. Also new on the go is a second entry in Bogside’s single hop series, this time using Belma, a bit of an unsung hop that’s been around for a decade or so, but hasn’t gained the mindshare of some of the heavy hitters. Known for providing tasting notes of strawberry and pear in particular, it also has a bit of a citrus kick on the palate and aromas of berries and melon, giving this iteration a little more of a West Coast IPA feel than the previous El Dorado version. Coming in at 6% ABV and 35 IBU, you’ll find this limited edition along with Bogside Zero available in the taproom and for online ordering.

Staying in PEI we land at Lone Oak, who, as mentioned last week, are celebrating their birthday this month. To celebrate they’ve got a brand new beer available, but so far only at Milky Way Brewpub in Charlottetown and in cans to go from their Cold Beer Store. Lone Oak Light does what it says on the tin, a North American light lager at 4% ABV that’s sure to please the beery beer drinkers out there. Simple, crisp and refreshing, it’s sure to pair well with summertime. Keep an eye on the social media for their latest location, the Lone Oak Beer Garden at Cavendish Beach, as it is set to open in the next few weeks.

From the little island we head up to the big one where, in Paradise, Banished Brewing has a brand new beer that they’re calling Baked Ziti. Why the reference to tasty noodletubes, tomato, and cheese? Because it’s an Italian Pilsner, of course! A style that’s been coming on in North America the last few years, the Italian take on a more northern European style features a light, but still malty body, with a firm bitterness and a pungent hop note, always continental and often leaning towards the floral part of the hop spectrum. Unfiltered, as is de rigueur (d’obbligo?) for the style, you’ll find this 5% delight on tap at the brewery and appearing at local retailers as well.

My, b’y, but there’s a lot of new lagers in the region this week and Port au Port’s Secret Cove Brewing has one too. A 4% American Lager they’re calling Cove Lager, it leverages rice as an adjunct to keep the body light and lagered cool to keep it crisp, it’s designed to be super easy drinking through the warmer summer months. Packaged in 355ml cans (with a super classy label) for maximum portability, it’s available now at the brewery and will see retail distribution real soon now.

We haven’t had any news out of Sheffield Mills in a few weeks, but that stops today with Sea Level’s release of Barn Yard IPA. Their take on a hazy session IPA is TRIPLE dry-hopped with Mosaic, Apollo and Comet, giving lots of topical fruit notes. The grain bill features Sea Level’s standard base malt, with an addition of Vienna for a hint of sweetness, with all of the malt coming from nearby Horton Ridge Malt House. Coming in at a sessionable 4.6% ABV, you can find Barn Yard on tap and in cans at both Sea Level locations now. 

Just in time for another sunny Cape Breton weekend, Big Spruce has a new release and the return of one of their all-time crowd pleasers. First up is It Takes Two to Mango, a 5% ABV fruited sour. Look for a pleasing tangy tartness to complement the sweetness of the ripe mangos, with the mangos also imparting their colour to the final beverage. You can find this one on tap in Nyanza. And while we’re at it, the ultimate pairing for Cape Breton summer weather is making its return. Silver Tart, the sour raspberry wheat ale originally brewed in 2015, is back for another season, with its refreshing tartness, berry flavour and deep pink hue. Cans and pints are available now, with the cans already making their way to Big Spruce’s online store for shipping and delivery. 

Did we mention the profusion of lagers this week? Of course we did, and there’s another one to mention from Tire Shack Brewing, the return of their Cerveza Mexican lager. Possibly the most crushable beer they’ve released to date, it’s back on tap and in cans to go as well. Meanwhile, on the “new release” side of things, Tire Shack also has a brand new “AI-designed” beer available. After prompting with the question “What will future beer trends be?” and receiving the response, “Alternative fermentables and herbs,” they further asked for a recipe, which was dutifully provided and dubbed “Garden Party.” They even got it to design a label. Regardless of how you feel about what’s being commonly referred to as “AI” these days, the gang at Tire Shack has dutifully made the 6.0% ABV honey lavender saison from the generated recipe and claim it’s a tasty beer. You’ll have to grab some at their spot in Moncton to find out for yourself!

Still in New Brunswick, but up in Fredericton this time, we see a brand new thang from Trailway. Hoppy? Sure. But this one, from their Main Land series of Belgian-inspired beers, pairs Belgian yeast character with lemony citrus and a grassy bitterness from the noble hops that were used. With a finish that features pear and apple sauce, this hoppy session ale comes in at 4.5% ABV. In returning engagement news at Trailway, their classic summer raspberry wheat, Beyond Reality is available again. At 4% ABV you can plan to enjoy a couple of these fruity delights that boast a touch of balancing tartness. Look for both of these ones, along with the rest of the Trailway oeuvre at a Trailway location near you!

Lots of beery things going on in our region these days, including a lot of summer openings!

Lots of news for you from the Stillwell Family this week, so let’s get you up to speed: The Stillwell Beer Garden at Spring Garden and South Park is open and operating daily from noon til “cold”, with a dozen taps and another dozen different cans from across the region and beyond. The grill is fired up and on the go too, with sausages and dogs, and yummy accompaniments to boot, with ice cream to cap the meal!

One of the beers you’ll find on tap there, as well as Stilly HQ, The Freehouse, and Battery Park, is Stillwell Brewing’s brand new Cream Ale. Eschewing the modern trend towards adjuncts, this is all Pils malt, with a decoction (!), and fermented cool to keep the fruity esters down, it uses a dose of Cascade and Willamette to add a firm bitterness as well as a bit of earth and citrus to the final product. Eminently crushable, you can sense the relationship to Kompact while appreciating the new world hop component. Cans will be coming to the brewery in a few weeks.

Before then, however, Stillwell Brewing is celebrating the opening of their taproom June 3rd. While having been open for retail sales since last year, they have completed the taproom and music system, so it’s time to party! Open from 11 AM to 11 PM next Saturday, Beverly Taco Service (from 4 PM) will be onsite slinging their wares, and there will be live spun records by DJ Douvet and Swee (also from 4 PM) to keep you happy.

Although most folks in the industry have known this for a while, we at ACBB have perhaps been a touch remiss in mentioning that the Canadian Brewing Awards Conference will be in town next weekend, June 1st to 3rd at the Nova Centre in Halifax. A presentation of Taps Media, the CBAC is both a brewing conference and the announcement vehicle for the Canadian Brewing Awards. Judged each spring in Toronto, the CBAs aim to celebrate the best in beer from coast to coast. What does this mean for the humble beer drinker? Mostly that there will be brewery folks from across the country descending on Halifax, sampling our local fare and especially our local beer, and making and rekindling friendships. So don’t be surprised if you find yourself at Stillwell Beer Garden or Hop Yard or any of our brewery tap rooms talking to a brewery owner from Saskatoon or Kelowna or Caledon or St-Jean-sur-Richelieu and feel free to let them know what your favorite locals are! 

Meanwhile, if you’re a hard core beer nerd like us and you’re interested in taking in the conference itself, there will be plenty of sessions of both practical brewing nature and more social responsibility-focused content as well as a conference floor where equipment, ingredient, and service providers ply their wares. Limited (<15!) tickets are still available, with a full ride (conference + gala) going for $400 or separate conference ($200) and gala ($200) options on tap, so to speak. Maybe we’ll see you there!

Our friends at Canadian hop supplier Hops Connect have some news for the local industry this week, as they’re opening up a cold storage warehouse in Montréal next month. If you’re a brewer in Atlantic Canada, this means your orders will get to you that much more quickly and efficiently, and especially when you’re dealing in Southern Hemisphere hops, as Hops Connect does in volume, that can make a big difference. Homebrewers in the region who take advantage of The Brewnosers annual group buys will likely benefit as well. If you’re attending the CBAC next weekend, definitely stop by the Hops Connect booth and find out the finer details (rumor has it there will be a very sensory component to their booth this year as well!!)

Looking for work in the craft beer industry in Moncton? Check this posting out:

After a very successful launch earlier this month, O’Creek Brewing in Moncton is looking to add a Full-Time Taproom Manager to their crew, concentrating on those busy evenings and weekends! If you have experience in that sort of thing, fire Greg an email to let him know you can be the right woman or man for the job! Oh, and while we have you, their on-site kitchen is operating at full speed these days, sending out nachos, quesadillas, pulled pork sandwiches, popcorns, and even serving ice cream from nearby Lost & Found.

Here’s our quick hits this week to finish things off:

The PEI Brewing Company has a new American Pale Ale out. Gahan Longshore is a 5.5% ABV take on the style, featuring notes of citrus, pine and tropical fruit. You’ll find it at the PEIBC Taproom, Gahan Beer Store, and Gahan House locations, and look for it to appear at PEI Liquor and ANBL locations this week.

After taking the winter off, Rose Valley’s Barnone Brewery is open again for the summer. No word yet on their exact opening days/hours, but we can assure you that they are open for at least a few hours today from 5 PM. Pop by their location at 4248 Route 225, Rose Valley/Breadalbane, and let them know ACBB sent ya!

Speaking of openings, The Post Taphouse in Torbay, Newfoundland, opened their doors last weekend. Located at 1412 Torbay Road, they are just a few steps from the East Coast Trail, and offer a lovely view from their patio. Serving local beer from breweries all across Newfoundland and Labrador, they also have a full food menu. They are open 12 – 11 PM daily, rain or shine!

It’s that time of year for the Cellar Slammer to return! This annual collaboration between Tatamagouche Brewing and Bishop’s Cellar is out at both retailers now. This is the 7th year of its release, and this Session IPA / India Session Ale is bigger and better than ever! Clean, bright, citrus, with a touch of white wine grapes, the low alcohol and lighter mouthfeel means this beer can be slammed back all summer long! Just be aware that the can looks a little different this year!

And finishing up with the second in the “new collaborative Session Ale” category is a brand new release from North Brewing. Celebrating their neighbours to their new Timberlea location comes Brunello, brewed with The Links at Brunello. At just 4.5% ABV, it’s lively and bright, refreshing and fun, and perfect to enjoy on your first, ninth, and eighteenth tee-off! On tap and in cans at North’s locations, and of course at the Nineteenth hole at Brunello.

Friday Wrap-Up for December 16, 2022 – News from Microbrasseries Ateepic, Gahan, Ol’ Biddy’s, Serpent, Shipwright, Tatamagouche, Unfiltered, Mauzy, Sourwood, Tire Shack, PEI Brewing, and plenty more!

Posted by acbbdevon on 2022-12-16
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: Breton Brewing, Candid Brewing, Gahan Atlantic Home Brew Challenge, Gahan House (Charlottetown), Good Robot Brewing, Mauzy Cidery, Microbrasserie Ateepic, Ol' Biddy's Brew House, PEI Brewing Co., Serpent Brewing, Shipwright Brewing, Sourwood Cidery, Tatamagouche Brewing, Tire Shack Brewing. Leave a Comment

It’s the most wonderful time for a beer! This week saw much of the Maritimes experiencing its first winter storm. Luckily, our wonderful local producers of fermented beverages continue to pump out tasty new ones to help keep us hydrated during all of the shovelling and cozy inside while we wait for the storms to pass. A friendly reminder that lots of breweries across the region are continuing to offer special holiday discounts in their online stores, along with seasonal gift packs featuring new brews, merch and other goodies. Be sure to keep them at the top of your list as you finish up your shopping over the next few days. A quick logistics note from the ACBB Head Office: with the festive season fully in swing, we’ll be taking a break from publishing next Friday, December 23, with December 30 being a tentative “Go”, but that may change. In the meantime, keep an eye on our Instagram account where we’ll continue to share new releases and other happenings. Happy Festivus to the Rest of Us, and read on for this week’s beer, mead and cider news. 

Congratulations to Microbrasserie Ateepic in Edmundston on now having their own beer available! The Ateepic taproom, located at the Fraser Edmundston Golf Club at 570 Rue Victoria, has been open since May, serving up 20 craft beer from across the province, and now has flexed the capabilities of their Specific Mechanical 1200 litre (10 BBL) brewhouse, and released four of their own beers. Available on draught for in-house or growler enjoyment are Little Gear Pale Ale, Big Gear IPA, Pin Noir Oatmeal Stout, and Party Kolsch, joining the Northwestern NB collab NOir Dessert Stout that Ateepic took part in with Brasseurs du Petit-Sault, Grand Falls Brewing, and Microbrasserie Novum Boreas. While hours may change slightly during the next few weeks due to the Holidays, currently they are open Wednesday 4 – 8 PM, Thursday and Friday 1 – 9 PM, Saturday 1 – 8 PM, and 1 – 5 PM Sunday. Keep an eye on their Fb and Ig pages as they announce new beers or changes in hours. Felicitations encore to Hubert and the Ateepic team!

As all our longtime readers know, the AC Beer Blog’s interest in beer doesn’t end with commercial products, we’re big supporters of the Homebrew scene as well! And with the post-COVID world opening up again we’re starting to see one of our favorite things come back: homebrew competitions. We’re happy to report that after a year off, the 4th Annual Maritime Atlantic Homebrew Challenge (Presented by Gahan House) is back! But first, in the name of unfinished business, is the release of the winner of the 3rd annual competition, held back in late fall of 2020. Hazy McHazeface, a 6.5% Hazy IPA designed by competition winner Trevor McLean, will be available soon (if not already) at all Gahan locations (except Harbourview in St. John’s) packaged in cans, but also on tap by times. Featuring flaked oats for a creamy mouthfeel and tonnes of tropical fruit aromas and flavours thanks to generous post-boil and dry hop additions, it still maintains a clean finish.

If you’re a homebrewer and you’d like to be like Trevor and see your beer brewed for limited release, the 2023 competition is your big chance. As is somewhat traditional for this competition, you’ll be able to enter one of two styles: German Pilsner and Altbier. Both German in origin, and both delicious at their best, the Pilsner sees light and crackery malt profile, a firm hop presence, and a crisp dry finish thanks to lager yeast and a cool conditioning period. At the other end of the spectrum is the Altbier, or “old beer”, not as in “stale” but as in, “the beer that we used to make before we discovered modern malting, lager yeast, and cold conditioning.” Although it’s also on the hoppier side for a Continental beer, malt is still the star of the show, both in terms of flavour and aroma and the deep red color that is a hallmark of the style. The deadline to submit your beer is March 3, 2023, which gives plenty of time to brew and condition either style. The entry fee is $30 payable through Eventbrite. Entries can be dropped off at any of the Gahan locations in the region. Judging will take place in a central location and an announcement of the winning beer will be made shortly thereafter. If you have questions for the organizers you can email them at homebrewchallenge@gahan.ca. Good luck to all who enter!

We mentioned one winner last week, but we now have the full list of Atlantic Canadian winners in the 2022 Canadian Brewers Choice Awards, presented by Brewers Journal Canada. Foghorn Brewing’s Head Brewer Andrew Estabrooks won over the judges with his nomination package to take home Brewer of the Year. In addition to winning Brewery of the Year, Tire Shack Brewing’s own Henrique Soares was shortlisted for Young Brewer of the Year. And New Beer of the Year went to Halifax’s 2 Crows Brewing, for Classic Maritime Dry Stout. Congratulations to the breweries and brewers!

And now onto the new beer news, starting in Lower Sackville’s own Ol’ Biddy’s Brewhouse. If you’re trimming the tree, or watching a yule log burn, it’s always nice to have some liquid accompaniment in your glass. One of those could be their Vanilla Bourbon Christmas Stout. Weighing in at a hefty 7.6% ABV, the notes of vanilla and roast and light bourbon all meld together like a warm beer sweater, a favourite for those of us who enjoy imbibing during this time of year. Joining it is Merry Ryesolution Christmas Ale, the 9.4% ABV bigger sister, featuring rye malt that imparts a natural spiciness to the full-bodied ale. Rye-solution is available in bottles only, while the Bourbon Stout is a draught only release, both available in limited quantities to enjoy at the brewery or to take away.

From the wilds of Spryfield comes a beer with a label that is both wild and refined. Serpent Brewing’s Elementary is an oatmeal stout that arrives on the stronger side at 6% ABV. Chewy, yet still roasty and dry with an assertive bitterness, it was dry hopped with Amarillo to provide a subtle orange marmalade finish. It’s been pouring on the taps since yesterday for pints and growler fills, but you should see bottles in the fridge in the coming days.

Heading down the South Shore of NS to Lunenburg, we find Shipwright Brewing has a new beer pouring for pints to stay or crowler and growler fills to go. Cross Island Common is named for the eponymous island in the approach to Lunenburg Bay. It follows the tradition of the California Common (a.k.a. “Steam Beer”) style with spicy and woody Northern Brewer hops taking center stage on top of a toasty, slightly sweet malt base built with pale, Munich, caramel, biscuit, and chocolate malts. Highly carbonated, with a medium almost creamy mouthfeel, this one is an easy drinking 5% ABV and 30 IBU.

Back up to the North Shore of the province we find that Tatamagouche Brewing has a trio of re-releases available just in time for the holidays. First up is Eventide Vienna Lager, a 4.8% ABV amber lager that’s like a hug in a can. Brewed with all German ingredients, it’s medium-bodied with a crisp finish and flavours and aromas of lightly toasted honey oat bread. Second we have Tata’s wintertime post-activity beer, Apres. A cream ale at 4.5% ABV, it’s designed to be super-easy drinking after clearing the driveway or a day on the slopes or the local pond. And last is Ketch, their Berlinerweiße. Only 3.1% ABV, with the classic bright acidity and subtle funk that the style is known for, expect it to provide a tasty low alcohol option and/or a pleasant way to reset your palate after a bunch of heavier seasonals. Look for all of these to be available for order on the website in coming days or, if you’re in the area, at the brewery; we suspect some cans and kegs will also reach distro in the HRM at the very least.

Speaking of re-releases, in the HRM Unfiltered Brewing has a Christmas miracle on the go in the form of Sparkling Motherfucker, a 4.0% low-calorie (4.5g carbs) beer containing sodium, chloride, and potassium electrolytes. Sound like a sports drink? WELL IT’S NOT. Also gluten-reduced (<10ppm), you’ll find it in 473ml cans at the brewery, perfect for stuffing into stockings or pouring down your throat in an effort to tolerate friends, family, and the holidays in general.

Back in Paradise, Mauzy is releasing the last bottling from its 2021 season. Humbled In Love, is a 6.4% ABV blend of mead and cider . The mead portion features a spontaneous fermentation of Brown’s Family Farm Blueberries and Baccalieu Trail Honey. This was blended (30% mead, 70% cider) with Mauzy’s blend of spontaneously fermented feral and Golden Hornet Crab apples, with the resulting liquid being conditioned on freshly picked white rose petals. Expect lots of blueberry notes, baked berries and a bright acidity. Only 10 cases are available so don’t delay if you’re interested. 

Sticking with blended ciders, next up is Frontenac Gris + Ida Red, from Halifax’s Sourwood. This blend of Front Gris grapes and hand-picked organic apples showcases the complexity that can be achieved when the worlds or cider and fruit wine combine. Bottles of the 9.0% ABV Frontenac Gris + Ida Red are available now at the taproom or through their online store. 

We mentioned Moncton’s Tire Shack Brewing above, but they also are celebrating the release of three beers this week in their John Street taproom. Bumbleberry Sour is a sour with a blend of berries reminiscent of the pies or “crisps” of the same name. Cranberry, raspberry, blueberry, blackberry, as well as cherry and pomegranate all went into this 6.0% beer, to amp up the fruit to both complement and enhance the tart base beer. Continuing the long-running series is Hip Hop Vol 8 – Sabro Double IPA. Sabro used throughout the process of this 8.0% beer means it is overflowing with coconut, lychee, with a touch of citrus. And returning to the taps and shelves is Roman Road Italian Pilsner. Crisp and effervescent, Tire Shack’s version has just a touch of hops. If you pop into the taproom Saturday at noon, People for Animal Wellbeing will be onsite to take pictures of your pets to fundraise for their important activities, and selling tickets for The Big Draw for PAW too!

Speaking of our animal friends, PEI Brewing is helping out the PEI Humane Society with the release of Loyalty Brew, a 4.5% Blonde Ale. This limited edition beer is available at the PEIBC Taproom and the Gahan Beer Store in Atlantic Superstore, with $1 from each can going to the shelter supporting lost, homeless, and abandoned animals.

A few short things before we leave you…

Sydney’s Breton Brewing has released Bah Humbug Holiday Bitter, a 4.7% British Bitter featuring Old World/Noble hops lending citrus, berry, floral, and spicy notes, all on a smooth caramel base. Available now at the brewery in cans and on draught.

Candid Brewing in Antigonish released a couple of new beer after we posted last week, so let’s get you up to date… Space Coyote is a 7.5 % Double/Imperial IPA, featuring loads of Comet and Galaxy hops (get it?), ready to shoot you to the moon and beyond. Mango, pineapple, and guava tropical notes and complemented by a solid dank character. And in another vein completely is the 5.2% Golden Pig, a Czech Pilsner. Featuring Saaz hops, GP underwent a six week lagering process, keeping it crisp, clean, and easy drinking. Cans of both beers are available at their taproom on College Street.

Rounding out this week’s news is Good Robot’s latest release, Late Night Milk Stout. In case you were wondering what to leave out for Santa next weekend, perhaps this will fit the bill. At 5.0% ABV, this stout features a lovely addition of lactose (aka milk sugar) to soften any harsh notes, and leave a little bit of residual sweetness in the can. Available at the Robie Street location, and the now-open Elmsdale retail shop. A note on the latter, as they celebrate with a Grand Opening there tomorrow. Open 12 – 8 PM, all beer and merch is 10% off, and there are quirky prizes to be won for those who visit. At 1 PM, there is even a tour of their facility planned, grab your free tickets here. We’ll soon be sharing some info on a tour for those unable to make it tomorrow, so keep your January 21 free if you’d like to hit up a tour in the New Year.

Friday Wrap-Up for October 14, 2022 – News from North, Serpent, Tatamagouche, Half Cocked, Tire Shack, Rough Waters, and more!

Posted by acbbdamian on 2022-10-14
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: Baccalieu Trail Brewing, Bishop's Cellar, Bite House, CAVOK Brewing, Half Cocked Brewing, Lake City Cider, North Brewing, PEI Brewing Co., Rough Waters Brewing, Serpent Brewing, Sourwood Cidery, Tatamagouche Brewing, Tire Shack Brewing, Upstreet Craft Brewing. Leave a Comment

Welcome, welcome, welcome! Is this a natural time for a beer news lull? Maybe! But there is always news out there and we are happy to bring it to you. We feel for our breweries in the Pictou/New Glasgow/Stellarton area that were mostly out of power for over two weeks with Hurricane Fiona. Just as with any of your other local businesses and community members, keep your heart and mind open to all of those around you. You could even bring them some beer, or get some for yourself! Watch the weather, relax after some turkey and drink what you like, or try something new…now onto some news for you!

‘Tis the season, and North Brewing is getting into the Pumpkin SZN swing with Sweater Weather, a Pumpkin Spiced Amber Ale and North’s first ever pumpkin beer! They started out by roasting out those pumpies before adding a selection of seasonal spices, including nutmeg, cinnamon, clove, and ginger in the fermenter. It came out at 5% and is nicely spiced, malty and drinkable. It’s available now in cans from all North locations and on tap as well. 

Keeping our feet firmly planted in the pumpkin patch we find Serpent Brewing also has a gourdy new release, fresh out of Spryfield. Today they’re releasing Pumpkin König Tripel, sticking with their Belgian-inspired backbone and a mostly traditional Belgian Tripel style, but with the addition of a touch of pumpkin spice. Using traditional amber and biscuit malts, with the aforementioned spices and some simple candy syrup to clean it all up, it’s got a nice body, while staying dry and drinkable. It’s 7.5% and available to go in 500ml bottles and on tap for pints and growlers. This is very limited in bottle stock, so don’t wait for Halloween!. 

Staying in season, Tatamagouche Brewing is bringing back their seasonal Lagerhosen in a 355ml format and with a festive new label. Originally released over 8 years ago(!), you probably already know that it’s an Oktoberfest-themed lager, but were you aware that it picked up silver at the 2014 Atlantic Canadian Brewing Awards? Crisp and refreshing at 4.5% it’s brewed with Halltertau Mittelfrüh hops for classic spicy and floral notes.

Also new and available today from TataBrew, and in collaboration with Derado’s Pizzeria for their anniversary, is Saucy, a Cerveza with a basil addition inspired by the classic pizzeria. The beer is 4.5% and pairs perfectly with all the fare from Derado’s. Both of these releases are available online and in-store. 

Pulling a different thread of connections between beer news items we’ll switch to geography. On the North Shore in the Antigonish area you’ll find Half Cocked Brewing who have a new 4.5% lager-ish release available. Pip is a Pseudo-American Lager that is canned and available now from the brewery in 355ml cans. 

Taking a rip over to Moncton, Tire Shack has their big banger monster sized triple IPA back for Spooky Season! Killed by Death is a 10% TIPA absolutely loaded with a luscious, juicy mix of Citra, Mosaic and Vic Secret hops. Look for citrus and tropical fruit along with some dankness on top of a big body with some alcohol bite. It’s available now in cans and on tap at the brewery. 

Straight out of Deer Lake, NL, Rough Waters has a new Daydreamer IPA out now and soon to spread across the western part of the island. Featuring a powerful hop blend of Vic Secret, Sabro and Mosaic, it’s smooth and balanced with some bitterness but still has a full, hazy body at 5.2%. It’s available from the brewery now and in Deer Lake, Corner Brook and Pasadena over the coming days, with distro to the eastern part of the province in the following week. 

Jumping across to Bay Roberts, Baccalieu Trail is jumping into the low ABV lager game with the release of Baccalieu Light. The brewery has been experimenting with different light lagers over the last 8 months, making tweaks and improvements along the way, and has landed on a recipe worthy of its core lineup. Featuring a grain bill of Pilsner malt and flaked corn and hopped exclusively with Saaz hops, Light comes in at a sessionable 4.3% ABV. The first batch is currently flowing from the taps at the brewery, with a larger run of cans currently conditioning for release in a few weeks. 

In what has the look of an annual event, Sourwood is once again releasing two collabs with Baddeck Forks Chef Bryan Picard of Bite House fame. First up is a Pet-Nat made from a blend of wild apples to the tune of 5.3% ABV. Expect a hint of sweetness and a pleasant carbonation from the bottle conditioning. Field Blend Pet-Nat is available in 375 ml bottles. The pomance from those wild apples was then combined with water to extract the remaining sugars and fermented as a Piquette style cider, with the signature low-ABV of the Piquette method. Feral Apple Piquette features a more neutral acidity and comes in at 1.9% ABV. You can find these two releases at the Sourwood taproom, through their online store or via the fine folks at Bishops Cellar. 

Skipping straight over Hallowe’en and getting an early start on stocking stuffers this year is Dartmouth’s Lake City Cider. Featuring a stocking hat-clad take on their duck logo on the outside of the bottle, the inside looks to bring a taste of winter. Off-dry (or semi-sweet, depending on your preferred terminology), and 6.8% ABV, it’s bolstered by a blend of cinnamon, ginger, clove, nutmeg, and dried orange peel. A limited edition, Spice Up Your Life is available in 750ml bottles via Lake City’s online store, a great gift for the cider lover in your life, or maybe you’ll want to grab one and dream of cooler nights to come yourself.

Just one event on the go in the next week, as the last (we think!) of the region’s Oktoberfest events 

If you’re in Charlottetown next weekend and you’re looking for something to do involving beer, check out PEI Brewing Co.’s annual Okto-beer-feast celebration. A two-day extravaganza of German-inspired food stations, live entertainment, and activities, tickets are $30 plus taxes and fees per session and include a 24oz. stein and one fill. Friday evening’s festivities run from 5pm – 12am, while saturday’s start earlier, of course, at 2pm and also run until midnight. Beers and ciders will be on tap from Gahan and the food stations will run on a token system. Activities will include some competitions where the winners will receive Murphy Hospitality Group gift cards. Full details for each day can be found at the ticket purchase links for Friday and Saturday.

A few newsbites before we go. 

Upstreet has a fresh batch of Blue Meanie Blueberry DIPA available at its Halifax and Charlottetown locations. Coming in at 8% ABV, expect notes of blueberry jam, lemon, pineapple and a hint of tartness.
We’ll leave you with a quick hit from Dieppe where CAVOK is releasing a lovely new fruited sour, Mission Rhubarbe  Canneberge. This 4.9% sour was fermented on local cranberries and rhubarb and is available now on tap and to-go in growers or crowlers.