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Friday Wrap-Up – News from TrailWay, Schoolhouse, Sunset Heights, Boxing Rock, Big Spruce, North and more!

Posted by acbbshawn on 2016-09-23
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: Annapolis Cider Company, Atlantic Canadian Craft Brew Fest, Big Spruce Brewing, Bogtrotter Craft Brewery, Bore City Brewing, Boxing Rock Brewing, Cask Beer Throwdown, Escarpment Laboratories, Garrison Brewing, Hell Bay Brewing, Lazy Bear Brewing, North Brewing, PEI Brewing Co., Propeller Brewing, Schoolhouse Brewery, TrailWay Brewing. Leave a Comment

Happy first Friday of Fall! Lots of seasonal beers, ciders, and meads have been released this week, so let’s get right to it!

• TrailWay released Rype, their newest American Pale Ale, earlier this week at the brewery. This pale and hazy hoppy ale was brewed with a portion of Rye malt, giving a “noticeable, yet subtle” rye presence in the background. Hopped with Mosaic, Comet, and Topaz (with the high majority being used in the whirlpool and dry hop additions, keeping the IBUs in the low-20s) for plenty of juicy and tropical aromas and flavours, this one will join the regular lineup at TrailWay, with possible hop substitutions in the future. In addition, look for their kettle-soured hoppy beer, Sour 1, to be tapped later today. Hopped with Citra and Galaxy, this 5.0% ABV beer will be available at the brewery today and at select tap accounts in the region shortly.

• Schoolhouse has released the latest version in their locally-hopped series, Big Red Schoolhouse. This take features Galena and Centennial, harvested from Elleslea Farm out of Sheffield Mills, NS. Both varieties were added to a hopback, which the beer passed through twice, first on the way to the boil kettle from the mashtun, and again from the kettle to the fermentor. At 6.5% ABV and 80 IBUs, the brewery describes the finish as having a “mouth-puckering hop bitterness”. Some of the beer has been kegged, with the rest going into 650 mL bottles. Look for it on tap at a few of Schoolhouse’s tap accounts, and their next growler night, October 6th in downtown Windsor (assuming there’s any left!). As well, a special cask of the beer will be pouring at the first session of tomorrow’s Cask Beer Throwdown (more on that in the events section below).

• Good news for Sunset Heights Meadery fans in Fredericton – many of their brands have been bottled and were available for sale at two ANBL stores (York Street and Brookside Mall) as of last Friday afternoon. Sales have been high over the past week, with different varieties of their Still Meads, Sparkling Queens, and Pollen Angels all being available for purchase; drop in both stores (or check online inventory) to see what’s still available. Luckily, this won’t be the only time bottles are available through ANBL, as more release dates will be scheduled for the near future.

• The latest Boxing Rock / Big Spruce collaboration beer, a blueberry Berliner Weisse – was released this week. For the Love of Grimace is made up of a simple grist of half-and-half Pilsner and Wheat malt, and was kettle-soured with the Big Spruce Lactobacillus in-house culture. After being boiled and fermented, it was aged for two weeks on 250 lbs of wild organic blueberries from North of Nuttby Farm. Featuring a beautiful purple colour, it weighs in at 3.9% ABV. This beer will only be available on tap and in growlers, but should make it to better bars across the province, as both breweries in Shelburne and Nyanza are sharing the wealth.

• Boxing Rock also teamed up with the crew at North Brewing recently, and are ready to release Year 4 of their Many Hands collaboration beer. This year’s batch once again features locally-grown and freshly-picked hops, namely Cascade, Crystal, Goldings and Willamette from Wallace Ridge Farm in Malagash. The hops were added in the “first wort” (as the kettle is filled with wort after draining from the mash tun), and then not again until just 10 minutes left in the boil, to preserve the essential oils in these freshly-harvested hops. New this year is the use of locally malted barley from Horton Ridge Malt & Grain, namely 100% Munich malt, which undergoes a higher kiln temperature than traditional Pale or 2-Row malts, thus displaying enhanced colour and flavour character. This 5.7% ABV celebration of local farmers and producers will be available starting tomorrow at both the Boxing Rock and North breweries for growler fills, and their local accounts and Farmers’ Market tables.

• And look for the re-launch of Boxing Rock’s The Darkness Cascadian Ale shortly, which will be available in 355 ml bottle six-packs at the NSLC beginning next week. The 6.5% black, hoppy ale will also see release on tap and in growlers very soon.

• After months of trials, Big Spruce is now putting their own farm-isolated yeast to the test. What first began as 50 samples collected from in and around the farm brewery, with the help of Guelph’s Escarpment Labs, they narrowed down the yeasts to those that produce, and could tolerate, alcohol. From those, a few mini batches were prepared to check the taste and aroma characteristics, with the ultimate Saccharomyces cerevisiae winner being chosen. Originating from a wild pin cherry on their property, the yeast is currently chugging away on a batch of wort, with the beer seeing wide release in the fall. And there has been lots of development across the road from the brewery, as the location of their 20 barrel (2400 litre) production brewery is being built and assembled now. Follow along on their Facebook page.

• Lazy Bear Brewing in Smiths Cove, NS have released their own harvest beer this week, Binecraft Pale Ale. From 40 hand-harvested and -picked bines of Cascade hops grown by the Hudgins family in Aylesford, the wet hops were added late in the boil, preserving the freshly-harvested aroma, plus a dash of citrus. The yeast chosen for this brew, Midwestern Ale from Yeast Bay, lent some subtle esters to the final beer, enhancing the bright fruit experience. Drop by the brewery during their Thursday night Growler Nights to enjoy the fruits of their labours, and look for it on tap in HRM at Battery Park and for fills at Harvest Wines soon.

• Halifax’s Garrison Brewing has a pair of beers returning this week and next. Released for Halifax Oktoberfest, Hammerschlagen is also available now at the brewery for samples and growler fills. This ‘Fest-style lager is 5.4% ABV and a light 14 IBUs, highlighting an amber colour from the crystal and caramel malts, and the typical toffee, bready, and dark fruit flavours and aromas from them. Also at the brewery are 650 ml bombers of the Sweet Rye’d Harvest Wheat Ale, brewed with bog myrtle.

• And returning next week is Garrison’s Double Jack Imperial Pumpkin Ale. Brewed with loads of Cinderella pumpkins from the Dill Farm, and additions of the spices found in pumpkin pie recipes the world over (allspice, cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg). The 8.0% ABV copper-coloured beer is lightly hopped to 30 IBUs to allow the spicing, crystal malts, and light sweetness to shine through. Pair it with your turkey, pumpkin pie, or on its own, this beer is a fun seasonal release for fall. Look for it to be released at the brewery and private stores next Thursday.

• Annapolis Cider Company has released their first Ice Cider, Harvest Gold. This type of cider is typically produced by cryoextraction – the juice is frozen and then allowed to slowly thaw; the “run-off” is, as a result, extremely concentrated and sweet. This is then fermented, and usually results in a high-alcohol cider… in the case of Harvest Gold, 10.5% ABV. The alcohol is hidden quite well, however, as the resulting cider “still retains plenty of sweetness and acidity”; think of this one as a dessert cider, similar to ice wine. It’s available now in 200 mL bottles ($19.95 each), and only at the cidery in Wolfville.

• There’s a brand new cask pouring at the PEI Brewing Co. – The Mayor is described as an easy-drinking, 3.8% ABV Saison that has been spiced with garden-fresh basil. With “lots of fruity esters and a spicy aroma, with notes of black liquorice and fresh-cut grass”, according to the brewery, it won’t last long, as per usual for these special cask releases. Get to the brewery’s taproom now for a taste!

• Moosehead has confirmed that they have secured a location for their new small-batch brewery, scheduled to open in 2017 in conjunction with their 150th anniversary. The new facility will be located on Water Street, adjacent to Pugsley slip at the bottom of Princess St. in Uptown Saint John. Two small-scale brewing systems will be located in the 10,000 square foot space, which will allow the brewery to “explore new product development and new brewing techniques”, according to a recent press release; a tap room and retail area will also be housed in the space. This should mean more beer along the lines of the special releases that have popped up over the last few years, especially at events such as the Fredericton Craft Beer Festival.

Another busy weekend; here are a few of the events worth checking out including the Tatamagouche Oktoberfest, depending on where you are in the world:

• A reminder that the Cask Beer Throwdown is happening at Olympic Centre tomorrow, September 24th. Featuring two sessions (12-3 and 5-8), guests will get a chance to try a whole slew of beers served via gravity pins and hand pumps. The entrance fee includes access to the event, a take-home glass, and your first 12 beer sample tickets. Session One (12-3pm) breweries include: Big Spruce, Boxing Rock, Garrison, Good Robot, Propeller, Schoolhouse, Sober Island, and Tatamagouche. Session Two (5-8pm) breweries include: Big Spruce, Gahan House – Halifax, Garrison, Good Robot, Hell Bay, North, Sober Island, and Spindrift. Food courtesy of Bramoso Gourmet Pizzeria, The Food Wolf, and T DOGS will be available as well. Grab your tickets now!

• Also happening tomorrow is the 2nd annual Atlantic Canadian Craft Brew Oktoberfest, at the Moncton Lions Club. Featuring 20 breweries, cider houses and meaderies from Atlantic Canada, there are three ticket types available, each including unlimited samples: regular tickets include a custom tasting glass and entry from 7:30 pm-10 pm; the VIP session, which begins a half hour earlier; and a VVIP session which begins at 6 pm and includes a special glass, industry panel discussion, and guided beer tasting. Tickets can be purchased online ($58, $68, and $75 for regular, VIP, and VVIP, respectively). Proceeds will go to support the United Way.

• And one final reminder for tomorrow – new Fredericton brewery Bogtrotter will be holding their official launch. Their three core beers have been pouring at several establishments over the past week, and are now available in 16 oz bottles at the Oromocto ANBL. Starting with a tasting at the ANBL Train Station from noon – 3 pm, then on to Graystone from 4-6 pm, before finishing off with a Meet the Maker event at the James Joyce from 8-10 pm. There’s no charge to attend any of the events.

We’ve got a few more parting shots this week:

– Bore City has confirmed the name of their new DIPA – Tipsy Giant will be pouring at the Atlantic Canadian Craft Brew Oktoberfest, with one keg likely to make it to one of their Moncton licensees, soon. For those of us who are missing out, fret not – Tipsy Giant will most likely be joining the regular Bore City rotation. For more details on the beer, check last week’s post.
– Hell Bay has brought back their Black IPA, Black Flag IPA; brewed with dark malts and Demerara sugar (to add a touch of rum flavour), the beer is hopped with Chinook and Ahtanum to 55 IBUs. Weighing in at 6.1% ABV, it’s available on tap at the brewery now and should pop up at select accounts, soon.
– Propeller Pumpkin Ale is back, in both 6-packs and 500 mL bottles, as well as on tap; brewed with a combination of real pumpkin flesh and spices, it comes in at 5% ABV.

Friday Wrap-Up – News from Nine Locks, Propeller, Red Rover, Garrison, and more!

Posted by acbbshawn on 2016-09-09
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: Atlantic Canadian Craft Brew Fest, Bad Apple Brewhouse, Beau's Brewing Co, Christmas Brewery Tour, Garrison Brewing, Halifax Oktoberfest, Maybee Brewing, Moncton Beer League, Nine Locks Brewery, Picaroons, Port Rexton Brewing Co., Propeller Brewing, Red Rover Craft Cider, Roof Hound Brewing, Snooty Fox, Spindrift Brewing, TrailWay Brewing, Trider's Craft Beer, Uncle Leo's Brewery, Upstreet Craft Brewing, YellowBelly Brewery. Leave a Comment

Happy Friday, everyone! Here’s hoping that you’re all fully recovered from the beautiful Labour Day weekend we just had; as usual, the local beer news just keeps on truckin’…

• There’s a new beer on tap at Nine Locks – Cream Ale is a special one-off brewed just in time for the end of summer. This amber-coloured brew is “smooth and full-bodied”, according to the brewery, featuring caramel notes and a “subtle hop finish” provided by the two English varieties, East Kent Goldings and Fuggles. At 15 IBUs, the beer finishes only mildly bitter, and is quite easy-drinking at 5.2% ABV. No cans for this one – it’s available only on tap at the brewery for growler fills, until it’s gone!

• Propeller has released their latest One Hit Wonder, Tea Rex Ale. Described as an unfiltered Black Tea-Infused Ale, the beer was infused with organic Assam black tea from DAVIDsTEA, and then further dry-hopped (dry-tead?) with it. Black in colour, with a creamy brown head, the beer was hopped with Ahtanum to 47 IBUs; the hop also provides “bright, distinct notes” in the flavour, to go with the molasses undertones. At 6% ABV, the brewery is describing it as “smooth and approachable”; they also recommend drinking this beer from a tea cup! As with all OHW beers, it’s available on tap at both Prop Shop locations for growler fills, and it will likely appear at select beer establishments in the HRM.

• Red Rover has a brand new cider that will be released next Wednesday, created specifically for local restaurant/bar The Snooty Fox. Made with wild blueberries and tart cherry juice, this 7% ABV cider will be on tap exclusively at the Snooty in celebration of the annual Harvest Jazz & Blues Festival beginning next week in Fredericton. They need your help in naming it, however, and are holding a contest with the Snooty, so send in your best name to win some great prizes! The winner will be chosen on Tuesday. And in other Harvest-related cider news, Red Rover will also be re-releasing The Blues, a 7% ABV cider made with wild blueberries. This one will be available for flagon fills at the Cider House, and on tap throughout the city; if the response is good (which it definitely was last year), The Blues could be bottled and sold at ANBL stores in the near future.

• As they gear up for the revelry of the Halifax Oktoberfest events later in the month, Garrison brings us two fall beers this week: a return engagement and an all new twist on a classic style, both featuring rye. First brewed with Beau’s All Natural Brewing in 2014, the Sweet Rye’d Harvest Wheat Ale features both wheat and rye malts along with Munich and pale in a 6.0% ABV copper-coloured brew. Hopped to 40 IBUs with Cascade, Citra, and Columbus, it also features bog myrtle (Myrica gale) provided by Beau’s. It is available for purchase in six-packs now at the NSLC, and shortly at the ANBL.

• New to Garrison’s lineup is a familiar concept to those who appreciate well shots at dive bars. A brew conceived of during this year’s Seaport Beer Fest, Rye & Ginger IPA takes on a Canadian favourite mixed drink in a beer-centric way. Featuring the grainy spiciness of rye malt, the body yields light caramel, toffee, dark fruit and a kick of ginger. The lemon slice on the rim is provided by the citrus punch of Centennial hops, which also provide a touch of earthy balance. At 6.4% ABV and 56 IBU, it’s solidly in the sweetspot for modern IPAs. Light-amber and hazy in colour, it has a dry, warming finish that should be perfect for crisp fall evenings. Even better, it provides a chance to toast your university days in a more grown-up and refined way. Find it in 650 mL bombers at NSLC and private NS stores, as well as through the ANBL growler program this weekend.

•  Digby’s Roof Hound Brewing has been open for a month, and now fans from both near and far can enjoy their beer in a few more venues. This week they launched growler fills at the brewery, allowing patrons to grab a 0.95 or 1.89 L fill of their Little Pup Pale Ale, Rooftop Rye-It Rye Amber, Wasted Days Peanut Butter Chocolate Wheat, and newly launched Big Brown Roof Hound, the 7.0% ABV Brown Ale with raisins and brown sugar, after which the brewery is named (full story here). And for those not able to make a visit to the taproom to enjoy the beer, food, and ambiance, owner Les Barr has delivered a few kegs of beer outside of town. Look out for the tapping of BBRH at Dartmouth’s Battery Park, Halifax’s Stillwell Beer Bar, as well as the Capital Pub in Middleton in the coming days.

• TrailWay is doing some experimenting at the brewery, as they recently began brewing their first go at a kettle-soured beer. Details are slim at the moment, but we can confirm they pitched a strain of Lactobacillus from Escarpment labs, with the goal being to sour the wort to the desired level, before boiling and fermenting the beer afterwards. Expect this one to come in at about 5% ABV; we’ll release more specifics as they become available.

• YellowBelly has the third iteration of their East Coast Cream Ale currently pouring at the brewpub in St. John’s. Originally a collaboration beer created with Australia’s Top Shed, the latest beer is “slightly lighter in body”, and was allowed to spend a longer amount of time in secondary, to smooth out the flavours even more than the two previous brews. It comes in at 5% ABV, and should be available in bottles by next Wednesday. In addition, bottles of their Southern Shore Foggy Porter are now available at the brewery, and select St. John’s NLC locations.

• Picaroons has brewed up a new beer at their General Store location in Saint John – Hippie IPA is a 6.3% ABV SMaSH beer featuring Maritime Malt, and Nugget hops grown and harvested at Lunahops in Cornhill, NB. Fermented with an American Ale yeast strain, this small batch will be tapped this Sunday, September 11th at 3 pm at the General Store (where it will likely be available exclusively, for pints and growler fills); live music from Earthbound Trio will accompany the release. And keep your eyes open for a unique beer brewed with BioNB for their Sept 30th “Innovation at the Station” event at the York Street Train Station, celebrating 20 years of operation. Tickets are free, but advance registration is suggested.

• We also have all the details on this year’s release of Picaroons’ Harvest Ale. A 5.5% ABV “golden amber ale” (British Pale Ale) brewed every year, there are usually three or more batches brewed, each featuring a different hop variety or varieties that is/are grown in Atlantic Canada. For this season, there will be three larger batches: one using all Mt. Hood hops from Wallace Ridge Farm (Nova Scotia); one using all Willamette from My Father’s Farm (PEI); and one using all “wild hops” from Moose Mountain Hops (New Brunswick). As always, all the details on the farm and hops used can be found by checking the four-digit code on your bottle, and looking it up online. The beer should be released sometime in the next couple of weeks.

• Spindrift is bringing back The Abyss, their Schwarzbier, which will be available in cans next week. The gravity is bumped up slightly to 4.8% ABV after a light tweak to the recipe, and fans of the black and lightly roasted lager will be happy to be able to grab it again. It launches at the brewery Thursday; private stores and NSLC outlets will follow in the near future.

We’ve got a few events to tell you about this week, and don’t forget to check out our Calendar Page, as we keep it as up-to-date as possible with all of the events going on in the region, including next weekend’s Halifax Oktoberfest fun.

• A reminder that the launch of Trider’s Craft Beer is happening tomorrow, September 10th at Sociables Pub in Springhill. Tickets are still available in advance, or pay on entry at 8pm. Meet the folks behind Trider’s, and your first pint is included in the ticket price. Trider’s storefront at 46 Anson Avenue will be opening September 16th, and they will be taking part in the Rocktoberfest at the Amherst Fire Hall October 1st.

• September 10th also marks the last Urban Beer Hike lead by the Moncton Beer League for a while. Meet at the Laundromat Espresso Bar at 1:45, and visit five spots for food and beer along the way. Tickets are still available, so be sure to check it out!

• For those in PEI (or up for a little drive), be sure to drop by Upstreet Brewing tomorrow for the launch of a brand new beer. Lager Quest came about when an Upstreet fan won a silent auction supporting the Red Cross’ efforts in Fort McMurray. Winner Gavin Hall helped pick the style of the brew, was put to work making it with Brewmaster Mike Hogan, and will have the honour of the first pour in the taproom Saturday at 3pm. Drop by for the fun, and there are more details here.

• The next Moncton Beer League event is September 24th, Atlantic Canadian Craft Brew Oktoberfest, being held at the Lions Club on Mark Avenue. Close to 20 breweries from around the Maritimes will be in attendance, pouring their wares to benefit the United Way. Tickets are still available!

• New Brunswick Beer Tours has their next event planned, and it’s set up in true festive fashion! The Christmas Brewery Tour is scheduled for Saturday, December 17th; it will follow a similar format as in previous tours, with four brewery visits. Each stop includes a minimum of four 4 oz beer samples, as well as the chance to meet and chat with the people behind your favourite Fredericton beers. The fun starts at 11:30 am at Grimross, followed by stops at TrailWay, Mama’s Brewpub, and another soon-to-be-determined location, before finishing off at the King Street Ale House for one final beer (or more!) at 4:30 pm. Tickets are available now, and are $67.50 each.

As a favourite university professor of mine always used to say – that’s it, that’s all, there ain’t no more! Ok, maybe a couple more short things…

– Bad Apple Brewhouse‘s latest release is Son of a Pitch, a 7.1% ABV Double IPA. It is available exclusively at the brewery and Stubborn Goat. And congratulations to Jeff and Kari on getting hitched in Vegas this week!
– Maybee Brewing‘s Long Carry Brett Red, their Roseway Red aged on Brettanomyces, is now available in 750 mL, cork and cage bottles, exclusively at the brewery for now.
– Port Rexton Brewing has announced their new hours for September, which will see them closed on Wednesdays, and remain open all other days 2-10pm. And they will be gearing down for the season on Saturday, October 29th, so be sure to drop by the brewery in the next 8 weeks to grab a taste of the Bonavista Peninsula!
– Uncle Leo’s is releasing their Harvest Ale today, brewed with malt from Horton Ridge Malt and hops from Bramble Hill Farm. It will be available at the brewery, their table at the New Glasgow Farmer’s Market tomorrow, and on tap at better beer bars in the province.

Friday Wrap-Up – News from Unfiltered, TrailWay, Propeller, Gahan House, North, Yellowbelly, Garrison, Big Spruce, and lots of events!

Posted by acbbchris on 2016-08-19
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: Beckwith Road, Big Spruce Brewing, Breton Brewing, Gahan House (Charlottetown), Gahan House Harbourfront (Halifax), Garrison Brewing, Halifax Oktoberfest, Hell Bay Brewing, Liquid Riot, Local Connections Halifax, Meander River Farm and Brewery, North Brewing, NSLC, Picaroons, Propeller Brewing, Saltbox Brewing, Shiretown Beer, Stillwell Beer Bar, TrailWay Brewing, Unfiltered Brewing, Unibroue, YellowBelly Brewery. Leave a Comment

Happy Friday everyone! Lots of news this week, so let’s get right to it…

• Leading us off today is a story from Halifax’s Unfiltered Brewing: they have filed suit against the NSLC, arguing that the “Retail Mark-Up Sales Allocation” the Crown Corporation is unconstitutional. When Unfiltered’s lawyers consulted the legislation to learn more about the mark-up, none could be found, and the NSLC has been unable to provide documents outlining the details. The $0.50/litre mark-up is applied to all NS-made beer that is sold or given away, whether or not it hits any NSLC retail stores. Unfiltered is claiming that the mark-up is in fact a tax, and that the NSLC is not legislated to collect it. They are requesting reimbursement for the more than $25,000 paid to the NSLC over the last 13 months, and that the mark-up be declared unconstitutional. This case has wide-reaching implications, as all of the more than 35 breweries in the province have been paying this fee for years, and would amount to many millions of dollars that could be at dispute. From the NSLC’s own spokesperson, $954,000 was collected in 2015, of which $50,000 was provided to the Craft Brewers Association of Nova Scotia (the association of 25 member breweries, but Unfiltered is not one of them). The scheduling of the suit is to be decided in early September, and we’ll be sure to keep you up to date with all of the news. The CBC has a good summary of the details of the suit.

• In new beer news, Fredericton’s TrailWay Brewing has dropped a new take on their fruit wheat beer this week: Haskap Wheat. With a similar base as their Raspberry Wheat, this beer features 40 kilos of locally-grown Haskap berries added after fermentation. The resultant beer is a hazy purple colour, with notes of blueberry, raspberry, and cranberry, on a pleasant wheat base. A very drinkable 4.3% ABV and 20 IBUs Wheat beer. And speaking of drinkable, their South Pacific-hopped Pale Ale D’under is back again, weighing in at 5.5% ABV and approximately 40 IBUs from late addition hops. Lots of tropical aromas come through from the hops, without a big bitter blast.

• Propeller Brewing has released their latest One Hit Wonder this week, and their Brewmaster apparently had a one-track mind when it came to this recipe! 1 Hop IPA is a 6.6% ABV and 56 IBUs beer, featuring nothing but Mandarina Bavaria for the hopping. As the name implies, this hop was developed in Germany, at the Hop Research Institute in Hüll, and is among the recent wave of aromatic hops (higher oil content) coming from Europe. The orange and citrus notes of the hop shine through on top of the robust body and significant bitterness. As with all of their OHW releases, this is only available in draft, or for growler fills at their two brewery locations. And while you’re at the brewery, be sure to check out Prop’s first can release. They have started with their flagship IPA, with cans now available at their retail locations, and will soon be rolling out to the private stores and NSLC shelves.

 • Gahan House Halifax has a few new beers on tap currently, and a brand new beer hitting the taps next week. Now on tap are: Maritime Brine, a 3.8% Gose with a light acidity and salt character, along with pleasant lemon character, with just enough hops (less than 10 IBUs) to keep it balanced; The Barberrian (which made its cask debut at the Seaport Beer Festival), a 5.0% ABV Red Ale aged on dried barberries and cherries, for a bright fruit flavour and aroma; Summer House Beer, a 4.0% Hefeweizen dry-hopped with Mt Hood for a hoppy-aromatic take on the style; and Crosscurrent, their 5.5% ABV American Pale Ale with El Dorado and Simcoe. On tap for next week is Night Vision, a 6.2% American Porter, using Magnum and Mt Hood hops (to about 30 IBUs), featuring “chocolate and graham cracker notes” as a nice contrast to their roast-forward Stout, according to Brewmaster Kyle Jeppesen. Be sure to follow along with his adventures on Instagram, to keep up-to-date on his brew days and what’s coming up on the waterfront. In fact, Jeppesen just brewed a Sahti, his take on the traditional Finnish brew, featuring locally-harvest juniper branches used in the mash, and a large percentage of rye malt.

• North Brewing is releasing a special beer collaboration brew today, Lawrencetown Blonde. This 4.5% ABV beer features 2-Row and Wheat malts, and lightly hopped with Cascade and Saaz to about 20 IBUs. Surfing friends of the brewery, Ian Jackson and Dean Petty (of Anchored Coffee) were also part of the brewday, label design, and recipe development. Ten litres of Ethiopian Yukro cold brew was added to the final beer, courtesy of Anchored, for a light roastiness to complement the peach, citrus, and light ginger aromas. And a nod to the surfers was a little but of Lawrencetown Beach sea water too! Ian’s wife Jill (of Jill+Jack Paper) designed the label, on the bottles which are available on both Agricola and Ochterloney today.

• Yellowbelly Brewpub in St John’s has released a new beer this week, Southern Shore Foggy Porter. This deep-ruby-coloured porter features a big roast character, notes of toast and smoke, and dry finish, thanks to the large percentage of roasted barley used in the recipe. Dry-hopped with Brewer’s Gold, Cascade, and Mosaic to enhance the nose with a touch of spice and fruit. This beer is Brewmaster Liam Mckenna’s tribute to “the finest sort of folks down the Shore who endure weather like no others, [and] will warm the cockles.” The 5.8% ABV, 45 IBUs, beer is on tap at the brewpub now, and may not make it into bottles, so best to drop by for a pint today!

• Garrison Brewing has brought back their popular Honey Lavender Ale today. The 6.5% ABV beer features lavender harvested from Meander River Farms, and its aroma is a pleasant partner to the malt and light honey character. Honey from Shubenacadie’s G.G. Smeltzer & Son helped to bump up the alcohol a bit, aiding the Maritime Malt and Wheat, and does offer a sweet aftertaste. A small dose of Citra hops helps to offset the beer at a light 16 IBUs. Bottles are now available at the brewery and private stores in HRM.

• Nyanza’s Big Spruce has brought back their kettle-soured IPA this week, JAC the SIPA. Featuring loads of Amarillo, Citra, and Simcoe hops added during a whirlpool after flame-out, this 6.0% ABV beer features a big aromatic blast of hops with a medium 54 IBUs. The acidic nature of the beer gives a pleasant refreshing sharp character, on a hot afternoon.

• Picaroons will be pouring a special beer this weekend, to celebrate The Tragically Hip‘s final concert (and Canada-wide phenomenon). The Tragically Hop’d Pale Ale is a 4.5% ABV Pale Ale with “silly” amounts of some special hops: Galaxy, Saphir, Summit, Topaz, Vic Secret, and Warrior, to 40 IBUs. The beer will be pouring exclusively at the “Fully Completely in the Square” event in Fredericton’s Officer Square, at the Brewtique, and at the General Store in Saint John tomorrow, August 20th.

Speaking of events, there are a whole bunch of them on our radar in the coming weeks. You can check out our Calendar of Events Page for the full listing, and subscribe to it by clicking here. And feel free to let us know about the neat events that we may have missed! We love to hear from you at ACBeerBlog@gmail.com.

• Mahone Bay’s Saltbox Brewing will be opening their retail location August 20 for growler and merchandise sales, 10-4. They will be selling their Dark Cream Ale, a flavourful 4.7% golden orange ale featuring notes of biscuit and toast and their IPA, a 5.4% dry-hopped hoppy ale, featuring notes of melon and strawberry. As they are still awaiting their 12 hl brewhouse to come online (much of it was delivered this week!), they will be concentrating on to-go sales, in both their own, or customer-provided (clean), grunters and growlers. Their current schedule is to be open for take away sales for the next few Saturdays until their launch at the end of September.

• The Upstreet Block Party is returning for its second year on Saturday, August 20th. Featuring plenty of activities, live music, food, and tours at the brewery from 12 pm on, they’ll also be unveiling a new “super-sized beer garden”! As the sun goes down, the party will move into the taproom at about 8 pm for more music (from two local DJs), food, and beer. Admission is free, just drop in anytime to join in the fun!

• On August 26th Quebec Belgian-inspired brewery Unibroue is sending their Beer Sommelier (and Certified Cicerone®) Sylvain Bouchard to The Port, NSLC’s new flagship location at 5485 Clyde Street. He will be helping to launch the release of the 6-litre 17 Grand Reserve Belgian Strong, with a food and beer tasting with several of their products (including Éphémère Apple, Blonde de Chambly, La Fin du Monde, Maudite, in addition to the 17) . There are only 32 bottles of this special beer, in a format best suited for sharing at a wedding or other celebration, and those in attendance will have the first chance at trying and purchasing them. There are only 30 tickets available to the 7-8:30pm event (on sale at The Port now), and we are holding a contest for your chance to win a pair of them! Post a picture to our Facebook page, and/or tag us and @Unibroue on Twitter or Instagram, with a picture your favourite beer and food pairing, and we will announce the winner in our Weekly Wrap-Up next Friday morning.

•  On August 26 & 27, Stillwell Beer Bar is hosting a tap takeover from Portland Maine’s Liquid Riot Bottling Co. Owned by the awesome beer-focused team behind Novare Res Bier Cafe, Liquid Riot brews a wide variety of beers and spirits on the Portland waterfront, and is bringing a great selection to Halifax. The fun starts Friday night at 6pm on Barrington, with a dozen sours, porters, wheats, and IPAs taking over the taps at the Mothership, and continues Saturday from noon at the Beer Garden on Spring Garden, with ten taps of LR goodness (five of which are exclusive to the BG). There are no tickets required for the fun, and there are only single kegs of many of the beers, so be sure and drop by early to avoid disappointment! Check out their Facebook Event page for the full line-up, because it’s too long and awesome to post it all here.

• On September 16th, Garrison and Local Connections Halifax are hosting Hops ‘n’ Brats, as part of Halifax Oktoberfest. From 6:30 to 11, they will be hosting a handful of NS breweries at the Salter Street parking lot, slinging beers and pairing them with a ton of locally-produced sausages. Your entry fee includes your first 8 samples, a token to take part in the beer-centric games, and a souvenir glass. New this year is the ability to trade 3 tickets for a full pour of your favourite brew. There will be a dozen breweries in attendance, including: Big Spruce, Boxing Rock, Garrison, Meander River, and Spindrift. Tickets are just $24+tax, and are available now.

• September 17th is the main event for Halifax Oktoberfest, with the party kicking off at 11am with traditional German food, music and games, with the evening session kicking off at 6pm with more food, dancing, and Garrison beer a-plenty. The Swell Guys and Die Brew-misters Oompah Bands will be providing music, and Scanway Catering will be serving up lots of sausages, spaetzle and schnitzel, as well as two whole roasted pigs. From 11AM to 5PM the event will be all-ages, admission is $5/adults and free for children. In the evening, the fun continues as a 19+ event with dancing, food, and games. An evening pass can be purchased for $16 which includes entry and one Garrison beer, or a $20 entry that also includes a commemorative Oktoberfest Halifax Stein. Full details are available here, and tickets are on sale now.

Wow, another big week! A few more notes that came in after our deadline:

– Gahan Pub Charlottetown have brought back Summer in New Zealand, the NZ-hopped beer with grains of paradise and a touch of lemon and lime zest, the winning recipe by Ryan Palmer in last year’s Gahan Homebrew Challenge.
– Congratulations to Breton Brewing on brewing their 100th batch of beer! They celebrated by…. brewing! More Stirling Hefeweizen coming soon.
– Hell Bay has brought a pair of favourites this week, with the O.P.A Oat Pale Ale and R.I.P. (A) IPA.
– After last weekend’s very successful launch, Beckwith Road Brewery has delivered their Campfire Amber at the Tide & Boar in Moncton, and will be going on tap very shortly.
– You can once again pick up Shiretown Beer at the ANBL! Drop by the Dalhousie and Charlo locations to grab bottles of their Blonde Du Quai, Siren’s T’ale and Big Brown Ale.

Apologies for the late posting this week, *someone* decided to take the week off, again! 😉