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Friday Wrap-Up for September 15, 2023 – News from 2 Crows, North, Mauzy, Shipwright, Maybee, Annapolis Brewing, Tusket Falls, Schoolhouse, Landwash, Hopyard, Tapestry, Tire Shack, Smokehouse, Garrison, and more!

Posted by acbbaaron on 2023-09-15
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: 2 Crows Brewing, Annapolis Brewing Company, Bannerman Brewing, Dildo Brewing, Garrison Brewing, Godspeed Brewery, HopYard, Landwash Brewery, Mauzy Cidery, Maybee Brewing, North Brewing, Oktoberfest, Port Rexton Brewing Co., Schoolhouse Brewery, Shipwright Brewing, Smokehouse Nano Brewery, Tapestry Beer Bar, Tire Shack Brewing, Tusket Falls Brewing. Leave a Comment

Another week, another grind, more beer for all of our times. Read below for our weekly update, a share with your friends, we would appreciate. A hurricane is coming, Lee is on the move, buy some beers for the weekend, for you it will behoove. There’s lots of news, so let’s start from the top, beer and events, they never stop!

Up first this week is a beer that we almost told you about last week, but we were advised at the eleventh hour that it could have been a premature…declaration, as a label snafu prevented a timely release. That, however, was sorted and thus the gang at 2 Crows in Halifax has a brand new beer available in their series of consonantly-named juicy hazy IPAs. Perfect Revelation features the same grist that they’ve perfected over the various iterations, namely Golden Promise, flaked oats, wheat malt, and dextrin malt, and it’s also fermented with the same juice-forward yeast. As always, however, they’ve switched up the hops (and the label and the name, natch) and this batch saw massive amounts of Citra, Centennial, and Sultana. It’s safe to expect plenty of citrus, in the form of mandarin orange character, along with some pineapple and melon notes, and even some resinous pininess. You can grab this 6.1% beaut in cans from the brewery.

The team at North Brewing and their friends at Battery Park Beer Bar collaborated on a brew last year that was extremely well-received, at least by the hazy IPA loving portion of the public. Named after BP regular Dave Wilcox, whose own homebrew recipe was scaled up, brewed, and packaged, this one is packed with hops, namely Columbus, Amarillo, Simcoe, Citra, and Mosaic. Hazy and definitely as juicy as you’d expect given the name, it’s 6.2% ABV and features the lovely (and/or creepy) mascot of Battery Park on the label. While only available for a limited time, and we believe only at BP and North locations, to celebrate this re-release, the North kitchens in Cole Harbour and Timberlea are putting Soft Pretzel Bites with Hazy Dave’s IPA Cheese Sauce on the menu all weekend.

Nestled in the back of Banished Brewing’s space in Paradise, NL, Mauzy Cidery continues to put out limited edition fun things for local folks to sip on. This week’s offering is the cheekily-named Kissy Kissy Juice, their first foray into the world of grapes. Comprised of a blend of whole cluster De Chaunac grapes from Jenning’s Homestead and Nova Mac and Honeycrisp juices from Mt. Scio Orchard, the resulting wine-cider hybrid was bottle conditioned, as usual, with Baccalieu Trail Honey. Arriving at 5.5% ABV and packaged in 750ml bottles (only 13 cases produced!), you can only find this beautifully pink product at Banished.

Lunenburg’s own Shipwright Brewing has a new release that is something we would like to be drinking as we type this up right now. Litekeeper is a Belgian Grisette (like a lighter version of a Saison) that manages to bring lots of complex flavour and aroma in a lower ABV form. The malt bill for this was Pilsner, wheat, munich and oats and the hops in the boil were Loral and Hallertau Blanc, with a Belgian yeast from Escarpment Labs to bring it together. Finished with a dry-hopping of more Hallertau Blanc, all of it came together to become something very refreshing and fruity with a bit of pepper for interest and a dry finish. The finished product is 3.7% and 28 IBU and can be had today from the brewery for pints on site or to-go in crowlers or growlers. 

A welcome release out of Annapolis Brewing this weekend sees a style perfect for the changing of the seasons (which we’ve been advised is still very much going to happen, eventually). Munich Dunkel is what the beer is named and exactly what it is! A classic Bavarian-style dark lager that boasts flavours of bready malt with a bit of chocolate and caramel, all complemented by a bit of noble hop bitterness, this is an extremely balanced and drinkable style that is perfectly suited for outdoor German beer gardens or your own dwelling. It’s 5% ABV and 23 IBU and is available now in cans and on tap from the brewery in Annapolis Royal. 

Tusket Falls Brewing keeps things busy with their two locations and they’re also keeping it fresh with a brand new release that you can pick up today. Long Way Around is a triple berry sour ale that isn’t your standard kettle sour. They’ve put a lot into this beer (literally), as it’s something that’s been under development for awhile, but has been helped out with a new Lactobacillus blend from the good folks at Escarpment Labs. The bacteria was the souring agent but also provided some guava and lemon aroma and flavour. Smooth mouthfeel and a bit of balancing sweetness was introduced by a lactose addition, and it was all brought together with a hazy IPA yeast strain, as this sour also featured a dry hopping of Strata and Citra, which brought orange citrus and strawberry aromas. And we haven’t even got to the berries yet! Bringing this one home was infusions of real blueberry, raspberry, and blackberry, AND a bit of vanilla bean AND ALSO sea salt! Definitely a brew from the “But Wait, There’s MORE!” category. Arriving in your glass at 6.5% it’s definitely worth grabbing a can or pint at their Halifax or Tusket locations to see how all of those elements meld into a tasty beverage.

Don’t forget it’s Pumpkin SZN, as the kids say, or used to say? Don’t forget, we’re old. In addition to our guardian roundup last week, Schoolhouse Brewing has brought back a seasonal beer with Pumpkin Paddler, their annual pumpkin ale. First released back in 2017, this beer was first introduced to celebrate the annual Pumpkin Regatta in Windsor, Nova Scotia, an event where people hollow out giant pumpkins and race them in the water. When Lake Pisquid was no longer able to provide a home for the race, some enterprising folks up and moved the whole durn thing to the South Shore, where it is now part of the Shelburne County Giant Pumpkin Festival. This year will be the second year on the Shelburne waterfront and if you’re interested in guiding a gourd to glory on Thanksgiving weekend, you can find out more information here. But meanwhile, back to the beer! Schoolhouse had been known to put an entry of their own in the regatta, so the Pumpkin Paddler Pumpkin Ale is a perfect release to remind folks in Windsor of an event that meant a lot to the brewery and community. The beer is 6.0% and featured additions of pumpkin puree, cinnamon, clove, ginger and nutmeg. A mix of noble hops provided the bitterness and balance to this dry and drinkable fall ale. Expect it to show up soon in private stores in Halifax, but rest assured it’s available in cans and on draught at the brewery. 

Over the summer, Landwash’s Czech-style Lager got a bit of a makeover, with a light name change to Landwash Cold Lager. To celebrate the new name and branding, they are holding a launch event tomorrow, Sept 16 in the taproom. All day, they will be offering $5 mugs of Cold Lager in three distinct pour styles straight from Plzeň. Hladinka is a full mug with a full head of dense foam, Snyt is a 50/50 mug with half foam and half beer, and Mliko is also known as a Milk Pour, and is almost entirely foam. DIfferent pours for different situations, we say! They are also taking the opportunity to invite their Friends in Lager on tap for the day, with Bannerman, Dildo, and Port Rexton all pouring lagers too. And from noon until 11 PM, they are giving away a 12-pack of LCL to one lucky attendee every hour, on the hour! And for those unable to attend, look for the new branding of 12 packs of Cold Lager for your very own Beer is Nice crested coaster, which will win you a full flat of Landwash beer of your choosing. Look for those packs at NLCs, and your favourite small retailer.

A few events to tell you about this weekend and the near future! For those in areas affected by Hurricane Lee, be sure to check the conditions, and confirm your spots are opening, before heading out!

Hopyard is hosting Godspeed Brewery Tap Takeover this weekend, with seven beers from the Toronto-based brewery pouring right now. Sklepnik Pilsner (fermented in pitch-lined foedres), Tmavý Ležák 12º Dark Czech Lager, Fukami Munich Dunkel, Arbeit Hefeweizen, Yuzu Saison, Kekkon Raspberry Sour, and Ochame Green Tea IPA. This also marks the return of their original chef Jane Crawford, who is back in the kitchen again, and who has prepared a Japanese-inspired Ekiben meal to fit with the Montreal-to Japan-to Toronto story of Godpseed’s history. The beer and menu will be on until they sell out, so be sure to pop in today to avoid disappointment!

The Lower Sackville beer bar Tapestry Beer Bar kicks off our Oktoberfest news as the official Oktoberfest in Munich is September 16th to October 3rd. Tapestry will be featuring 12 German style beers from 12 different Nova Scotia breweries. If you’re reading this and itching to try some of them before Hurricane Lee hits, you can order a Mystery Flight of the beers. You’ll have to keep track of them manually though, as the full tap list won’t be revealed until later this weekend. The plan is for the event to start on Saturday, but keep an eye on their socials. It’s not looking good for Saturday, and you don’t know what kind of damage could happen with the hurricane, so check out the venue online before heading out this weekend.

Hopping over to Moncton, the wonderful folks at Tire Shack are next on the Oktoberfest lineup. Every Saturday and Sunday this month they’ll have food from Euston Park, special branded 1 litre maß mugs and they’ll be filling them with their delicious Helles Yeah! Munich style Helles lager. They also have a re-release of their award-winning The Wickerman, which is a Pumpkin Vienna Lager that is out today.  Again, this is planned to start Friday, September 15th, to beat the hurricane, but keep an eye out for the rest of the weekend if you plan to head over. 

New to the block but staying true to the tradition, Smokehouse’s new Agricola street location will be doing Oktoberfest beers from September 16th to October 3rd (again, check the weather and their socials for any delays!). They’ve brewed 5 traditional beers for the celebration and will also be planning to serve Brothers sausages on the BBQ. They’ll have special steins for serving the following special pours: Munich Dunkel, Märzen, Bavarian Wheat, Kölsch and a Festbier. 

Next up we’ve got a familiar pairing from the last few years, as The BG (formerly the home of the original Stillwell Beergarden and previously named the Stubborn Goat Beer Garden on the Halifax Waterfront) and Garrison Brewing are teaming up for their annual Oktoberfest! Just like previous years they’ve got a full menu of German platters (Knackwurst & Schnitzel), snacks and beer. This will be lasting for 10 days and will start on Monday September 18th. On Friday Sept 22nd there will be a big rocking party with Rankin MacInnis too. Stay tuned to their socials for any details or changes.

A few last quick mentions to send you into a (hopefully uneventful) weekend!

Out of Fredericton, Maybee Brewing has a new Double IPA just in time for the weekend. Retrograde is a DIPA that is big on citrus and fruit aromas. Lots of orange and ripe tangerine flavour for a dry finished and drinkable DIPA. At 8.3% you can grab this in cans or on tap from their taproom.

If you’re near Quidi Vidi and have been keeping up with the brewery’s Arts & IPA series, we can tease that the 10th iteration in the series will be available next week. Featuring new can art and featured artists for each release, new hop and flavour combinations are also explored. This Arts & IPAs 10 will feature Idaho 7 hops and will be a 7.5% IPA. Keep an eye out for it next week, featuring artwork from Molly Margaret!

After its launch at the end of last month, the non-alcoholic Nomad Pilsner sold out within days. Good news for those thirsty for more, as it is now back in stock! Brewed by Tatamagouche Brewing, the Pilsner is just the tip of the iceberg in the NA space. Look for several more styles to come through the taps in the next few months. Check their taproom and retail shop on Main Street Tatamagouche, or their online shop for local delivery or nationwide shipping.

Friday Wrap-Up for August 18, 2023 – News from Bannerman, Trailway, Port Rexton, Big Spruce, Breton, Baccalieu Trail, Tusket Falls, Shipwright, and more!

Posted by acbbchris on 2023-08-18
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: Baccalieu Trail Brewing, Bannerman Brewing, Big Spruce Brewing, Breton Brewing, Newfoundland Craft Beer Festival, Port Rexton Brewing Co., Propeller Brewing, Shipwright Brewing, TrailWay Brewing, Tusket Falls Brewing. Leave a Comment

Happy Friday, y’all! A bit of a late release to the blog today, you’ll have to excuse us as we are traveling across the East Coast this week and next, sipping and savouring what the breweries in the region have to offer. We’ve got plenty of new releases and events to let you know about, let’s get you up to speed. As always, feel free to tag us on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter to share what you’re enjoying this evening! We’re @ACBeerBlog on all of them. Cheers!

We’ll start this week in the East End of St. John’s, NL, where Bannerman has a new summer beer on the go. Curb Appeal, a dry-hopped and fruited sour, saw four different types of oranges added (kumquat, tangerine, blood orange, and standard orange) before it received a dose of Eclipse hops and was then conditioned on orange peel. Sounds like they may have been going for some citrus notes? The only way to be sure is to grab some of this dry and highly-carbonated brew on tap, as this one isn’t going in cans (but you can grab a growler fill if you need it to go).

In Fredericton, NB’s harbingers of hoppery, Trailway Brewing, have a returning engagement this week in the form of Inception, one of their double-dry hopped IPAs, this time hopped with Motueka, Topaz, and El Dorado. Coming in at 6%, it sees thick and sweet malt meeting a juicy burst of ripe tropical fruit and citrus from the hops, for a full-bodied mouthfeel with minimal bitterness. Available now on tap and in cans to go at TW’s Freddie and Saint John locations.

Back to the Rock, where Port Rexton Brewing has brewed up a special batch of their Golden Ale that they’re calling Bonavista Biennale after the event of the same name. An “innovative, rural-based, public art event occurring every two years on the Bonavista Peninsula, it provides a unique platform for artists and audiences to explore, exchange and challenge different ideas and perspectives.” With over 20 unique sites over a 165km route, running from August 19th to September 17th, it brings new meaning to the term, “exploring art.” You can find out more at the Bonavista Biennale website. Meanwhile, PR’s beer would be the perfect tipple to celebrate and rehydrate after a day’s art appreciation. You can find it in cans and on tap at the taproom, to go from the PR SJ retail shop, and many of your other craft beer sources in the area next week.

From one island to another, we find ourselves in Nyanza, Cape Breton, where Big Spruce continues to put out new beers despite the busy summer season. You Gotta Keller with Kindness is a kellerbier, a perfect offering for this time of year when tank space is at a premium and lagers take “too long.” Make no mistake this is a beer brewed as a lager, with caramel-infused maltiness and delicate hop bitterness, but if you pour it into a glass you might notice it’s not crystal clear and there’s definitely still some tooth to the body. “Kellerbier,” as we’ve probably mentioned at least once, translates to “cellar beer” as in, “we brought this up from the cellar; it’s not quite ‘done’ yet, but it still tastes great!” A classic style from Europe brought to your glass in the New World. Find it at the brewery in cans to go, their online shop, and likely at many of the other places you go to get your BS fix.

Continuing in Cape Breton, and on the lager tip, we find Breton Brewing in Sydney, who have brought back their lightest and crispest summer offering, Breton Light Lager. At only 4% ABV, and incredibly light and drinkable, you can plan on crushing a couple, a few, or a bunch after a hard day mowing lawns, out on the trails, or playing softball. Or maybe just grab one of their convenient 6-packs of 355ml cans and hit the hammock for the afternoon. Available at the taproom and also online for home delivery in the CBRM and HRM. It’s a limited release, so grab it now if you want some!

Back to NFLD as there seems to be a lot of new up there this week. This time it’s Baccalieu Trail Brewing Co. bringing up a new entry in the Summer of Sours. Radler-inspired, Strawberry Lemonade Sour tips the scales at a measly 3.5% ABV, but delivers on flavor and refreshment. A big effort from the brewing and packaging teams to ensure that the strawberry and lemonade infusion both tasted right and was packaged properly, your job is simply to grab some from your local craft beer purveyor (exclusively in Marie’s Mini Marts in the St. John’s Metro Region) and enjoy the fruits (and lemonade) of their labours.

On the South Shore of Nova Scotia we find Tusket Falls Brewing continuing to iterate on their Next Phaze hazy IPA in an effort to learn more about the style. This time around they almost completely nixed the Phantasm powder, focused on Citra in the whirlpool, and used a little more Citra along with tonnes of New Zealand hop varieties Riwaka and Motueka for the dry hop, at very high rates. We have no doubt that in doing so they’ve produced another hazy and juicy hop monster ready to satisfy your lupulin cravings. We expect you can find this one in both Tusket as well as the TF Beer Project in Halifax.

Lunenburg’s Shipwright Brewing has a fresh batch of their Whitecap Belgian Witbier on this week. Featuring loads of wheat to complement the pale pilsner malt, the beer saw generous additions of coriander, both sweet and bitter orange peels, as well as grains of paradise in the boil. A bit of Hallertau and Loral hops were used to balance the beer and enhance the flavours. Using a proper Belgian yeast sets the aroma and taste firmly in the classic style, with spicy, floral, and citrus notes flowing out of this fluffy and refreshing 5.0% ABV beer. Available on draught and in crowlers to go at both of their locations on Montague Street!

A couple of events happening over the coming weeks that you’ll want to keep on your radar…

Since opening their doors a few weeks back, staff at the Propeller Bedford location have been perfecting the space, adding in some Prop touches, and service folks both in the taproom as well as their Drive Thru retail shop. They are ready now for the full Grand Opening, which is happening Sunday, August 20th. From 1 – 5 PM, they are making it a full family affair, with cornhole and other games, face painting, balloon animals, as well as pop-ups from The Kon Dog and Vandever Pizza to keep tummies young and old satisfied. They’ll even be bringing in a few arcade games from the Propeller Arcade location to keep your Street Fighter skills honed! And just in case you missed it, the Bedford location is open from noon ’til 10 PM (later on Fri & Sat), and while their own kitchen partner is not yet operational, food can be brought in to enjoy. And while you’re there you’ll be able to grab their Galaxy IPA in the new small can twelve-pack, when you’re looking for just a small bit of hops to keep you satisfied during the week. Of course, tall can four-packs and singles will continue to be available.

A head’s up that there’s only a week until the Newfoundland Craft Beer Festival, being held at Banished Brewing next Saturday, August 26th. You’ll be able to enjoy beer and cider from thirteen producers from Newfoundland and Labrador, all in one evening! Tickets are still available here, check the updated beer list at the link above, and if you’re looking for information on safe transportation to/from Paradise, then check out this IG post.

Friday Wrap-Up for August 11, 2023 – News from Port Rexton, Schoolhouse, Shipwright, Annapolis Cider, Change is Brewing Collective, Boxing Rock, Hopyard Halifax, Banished, Big Spruce, Unfiltered, Sober Island, and Great Roads Brewing

Posted by acbbaaron on 2023-08-11
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: Annapolis Cider Company, Banished Brewing, Big Spruce Brewing, Boxing Rock Brewing, Change Is Brewing Collective, Garrison Brewing, Great Roads Brewing, Halifax Seaport Beerfest, HopYard Halifax, North Brewing, Ol' Biddy's Brew House, Port Rexton Brewing Co., Port Rexton Pride, Propeller Brewing, Schoolhouse Brewery, Shipwright Brewing, Sober Island Brewing, Unfiltered Brewing. 2 comments

Happy Friday everyone! We hope you’ve had a great week and are ready to celebrate another weekend with a variety of beer, cider, and mead from your local producers. We’ve got plenty of news on big changes from two breweries in Nova Scotia, new beer and Pride in Port Rexton, some great events later in the month for those in HRM, and of course a few things to sip and savour at home or in your favourite watering hole before then. And a reminder that this weekend’s Seaport Beerfest is happening rain or shine, so be sure to coordinate the colour of your umbrella with that of your drinking boots! With 300+ products from across the region and beyond, there will be more than enough to satisfy your cravings. Cheers!

This weekend is Port Rexton Pride, with a full gamut of events happening in town, with crafting fun and the kick-off BBQ this afternoon at the arena, and of course Port Rexton Brewery will be hosting plenty of events all weekend. To celebrate the event, they have once again teamed up with Queer Beer NL, a group of queer homebrewers in St. John’s, to bring you Experimental Phase. This is truly a hybrid of two styles, with the hop aroma and flavour of a New England IPA with the malty profile of a Red Ale. Citrus and stone fruit on the nose, followed by a touch of caramel or even gingerbread, in a low bitterness, 5.5% ABV, package. It’s pouring at the brewery now, and will be available everywhere you grab Port Rexton in the coming weeks, so be sure to check it out and support PR Pride!

Windsor’s Schoolhouse Brewery has released their Summer Break Wheat, just in time to finish out the hottest part of the summer, and give teachers one last moment of respite before the bells start ringing for another year. This 5.3% ABV beer uses a Kolsch-style yeast for a clean fermentation with a touch of subtle banana fruitiness to the bright orange peel finish. Perle hops lend a touch of mint, pine, and spice to the overall effect, and is available on tap and in cans at the brewery and at Bishop’s Cellar.

Down in Lunenburg, Shipwright is releasing Sea Legs, a Belgian influenced take on a Brut IPA. This one starts with a grain bill of Pale, Munich, CaraBelge and Abbey malts, before seeing additions of Citra and Lemondrop hops. The team then pitched Escarpment’s Ardenne Belgian yeast, which fermented the beer to be quite dry with an ABV of 9.5%. Despite the high ABV, the dryness and low bitterness (16 IBUs), this one is sneakily easy drinking. The combo of the hops and Belgian yeast give floral aromas and fruity esters. Grab it today in Downtown Lunenburg.

Across the way in Wolfville, Annapolis Cider is releasing the latest in their Something Different series with Bouquet Rosé. This one saw 4(!) separate ferments come together, including a lilac co-ferment, a cyser (mead/cider hybrid) that uses magnolias and dandelions, and a blueberry wine. The result is a spring bloom in a glass, with notes of lilac, flowers, blueberries and nectarines. Refillable bottles are available at the cidery now, with $0.50 of every sale supporting The Mudley Fund, which helps to remove financial barriers for children and youth in the Town of Wolfville who are seeking to engage with their community. 

Two big events to tell you about coming at the end of the month.

Our friends at Change is Brewing Collective are partnering with Elevate & Explore Black Nova Scotia to bring you a Summer Beer Bus Tour on Sunday August 27. Teaming up with Taste Halifax Food & Beer Tours, this tour begins at the Africville Park with a walking tour of the area, before continuing on to North Brewing (CIB’s collaborators on Deep Rooted), Propeller Brewing (Wabanaki Soda), and on to Garrison Brewing (future plans, perhaps?). There will be charcuterie boxes from a local Black-owned business, plus prizes too! Tickets are on sale now, with early bird pricing available. Don’t miss out on this great learning and drinking opportunity. Learn more here.

And just a couple of days later, on August 29, Change is Brewing is hosting a screening of One Pint at a Time, an award-winning documentary highlighting the stories of Black-owned breweries and brewers as they make their mark in the US beer market. Co-hosted by Boxing Rock (of Back to Birchtown Stock Ale), the screening will be held at Hopyard Halifax on Gottingen Street, featuring food pairing and the launch of a Triple Collaborative Beer between the three groups. Tickets are pay what you can to support Change is Brewing’s initiatives around the local industry. More information here.

A few more things before we let you go…

Coming back just in time for the Dragon Boat festivities at Octagon Pond in Paradise next weekend is Banished Brewing’s Paddles Up! Sour. Inspired by and brewed with the Avalon Dragons, a group of Breast Cancer Survivors who race in the Paradise SunSplash Paddle every year, this Raspberry and Hibiscus Fruited Sour is brimming with flavour and sports a lovely pink hue. Fifty cents from each can goes towards the team, so drink up!

In returning beer news, Big Spruce has a couple of releases this week, with the Blursday 6.6% Hazy IPA hitting the draught lines and shelves this week. Think tropical fruit, with mango, papaya, and lychee. Joining it is Kolsch Encounters, their 5.6% Lagered Ale hybrid beer, with a delicate malt character and a crisp and dry finish. Look for it on tap and in cans as well.

The King of Citra is back from Unfiltered… Double Orange Ale, aka DOA, is their 7.5% ABV Double IPA, brimming to the edge with Citra hops throughout, for serious citrus vibes and solid bitterness. Pints and cans to go from Charm School and the brewery next door on North Street!

Let’s finish off this week with news from two Nova Scotia breweries where there have been some big changes recently!

On Nova Scotia’s Eastern Shore, fans of Sober Island Brewing will be seeing some new faces working the taps these days, as owner and founder Rebecca Atkinson has passed the reins over to new owners Nancy and Steve Giles. Since opening the brewery in 2016, Atkinson has helped to make Sheet Harbour a destination for beer lovers from across the country, and is now turning her focus to other endeavours. The Giles’ will continue the great work, keeping the brewery taproom and Musquodoboit Harbour Beer Garden bustling and busy with events, and Brewer Tim MacLeod will continue brewing the same beers that he has for years, including the recently released Eastern Shore Barley Wine, an 11.7% ABV beast of a beer. Congratulations to Rebecca and the Gileses on the transition!

Residents of Lower Sackville will soon see big changes at their local brewery at 111 Cobequid Road, Ol’ Biddy’s is undergoing a name change. Since the sale of the brewery in April, there have been major renovations in the taproom and improved patio front and centre to the building. There is another big transition happening now, as they are changing their name to a locally inspired one, Great Roads Brewing. The website and social media pages are still in flux, but the Great Roads name is inspired by the nearby Fultz House Museum, with the Fultz House sitting at the intersection of the important roads leading from Halifax and Dartmouth to Windsor and Truro. Visitors to the brewery can get a sneak peak of the new branding by grabbing their newly canned Blueberry Wheat Ale. Many of the same folks who have been at the brewery for years continue on, including Brewer Rob, who has been making the beer for 3 years, learning under founder and former owner Keith Forbes. We’re excited to hear of the new and upcoming changes, and will continue to share the latest news from Lower Sackville’s brewery!