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Friday Wrap-Up for May 5, 2023 – News from Shipwright, Lone Oak Fox Meadow, Burnside Brewing, Breton, Tire Shack, Pump House, Maybee, Mauzy, Sourwood, Good Robot, Timber Ship, and much more!

Posted by acbbdevon on 2023-05-05
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: Big Spruce Brewing, Breton Brewing, Burnside Brewing Company, Craft Brewers Association of Nova Scotia, Discovery Centre, Garrison Brewing, Good Robot Brewing, Grimross Brewing, Lone Oak Brewing, Lone Oak Fox Meadow, Long Bay Brewery, Mauzy Cidery, Maybee Brewing, Ninepenny Brewing, Off Grid Ales, Port Rexton Brewing Co., Propeller Brewing, Pump House Brewery, Shipwright Brewing, Sourwood Cidery, Spindrift Brewing, Stillwell Beer Bar, Tatamagouche Brewing, Tide & Boar Brewing, Timber Ship Brewing, Tire Shack Brewing. Leave a Comment

Happy May, everyone! Flowers are pushing through the dirt and winter debris, migrating birds are returning (hello cardinals!), and patios are opening! As we shed the winter coats (and work towards shedding the winter pounds), there are plenty of new beers and events to encourage us out from hibernation! Let’s get you up to speed with what you could be imbibing this weekend…

Congratulations to the Shipwright Brewing team, as they celebrate the opening of their brand new Taproom + Pizza location at 80 Montague Street in Lunenburg. Located right next door to their original brewery and bar, the Taproom features 25 beers on tap, and a full menu with appetizers, bao buns, and both Detroit and New York style pizzas. For visitors to the OG taproom spot, they will be impressed with the 10-fold increase in the seating, so no more waiting for a spot at the bar or patio during busy summer evenings. The retail fridge is full of beer options to take away, during their 11 AM – 10 PM (or later), seven days a week, opening hours. Just a note that they are only doing dine-in during the first week of operation, and great news for those looking for a more intimate Shipwright experience, the original taproom in the brewery at 82 Montague remains open and ready to serve all visitors!

News from our PEI friends Lone Oak brings the announcement of their new restaurant, Lone Oak Fox Meadow! Opening today (Friday May 5th), this is a full-service, year-round restaurant and events centre at the Fox Meadow Golf Course in Stratford, PEI. They’ll be open 7 days a week for lunch, dinner and drinks and will offer a brunch on the weekends. The full website will launch next week, so for now, keep an eye on Lone Oak’s main socials for any updates, or just go check it out from 11am-10pm any day of the week (open for brunch at 9 AM on the weekends)! Congratulations to the LO Crew!

And in the spirit of new beginnings, we have news on changes to a brewery who has been around since 2015… Same brewery, new name! Spindrift Brewing is no more and now Burnside Brewing Company rises from its ashes. Keeping all of the same lineup of beers like Toller and Killick, some of you may be familiar with Spindrift in the US and their beverage products. Our local Spindrift took an enquiry from the unaffiliated RTD brand as a chance to ground where they are and go through a rebranding process. They’re trying to make beer in Burnside that isn’t fancy, is about the beer first, and celebrates working hard, having fun, and making great beer; hence they chose the name of the area in which they feel most at home. Both the Antigonish and Dartmouth locations will remain unchanged and things will continue as normal, except for the new branding and packaging. Their new website is expected to go live shortly, and their socials have changed over to the new moniker.

The Cabot Trail Relay’s newest beer sponsor, Breton Brewing, has lots on the go this week, with a few new releases and a lot of calls for hiring. Let’s start with the beer. First up, Grapefruit IPA is an American IPA with big grapefruit flavours of pine and citrus but also with real grapefruit juice added. It’s bitter, as you’d expect, with a nice punch of that grapefruit kick; it is 6% ABV and 45 IBU. 

Next up is a new member of the Let’s Jam series of sours; Let’s Jam: Raspberry Lemon Sour was brewed with big batches of real raspberry and lemon to mix up the sweet and sour flavours. A nice pink hue captures the eye and the refreshing 4% ABV will leave you wanting more. Both of these are available now at the brewery on tap and in cans, along with their website online. They will also be hitting the shelves of certain NSLC locations across the province. On the HR side of things, Breton has multiple positions for students and full-time work in Halifax and Cape Breton, so head over to their careers page if you’re interested. 

Let’s head to Moncton, where Tire Shack Brewing has a few new releases and fun events they’re hyped about. This week, they have a new experimental sour release on draught, based around the Soursop fruit, also known as guanábana or Brazilian paw paw. Imparting citrus, banana, coconut, and mango to the base sour beer, given the difficulty in sourcing the fruit in our region, there are only a few kegs, and no cans, of this one. And coming later this weekend is another sour beer, this one showcasing Pink Guava, bringing a total of 5 sours on tap, including the recent return of Sun-Kissed Mimosa Sour. 

Rounding out the recent Tire Shack releases is the return of their Gold medal winning Killed By Death, a 10.0% Triple IPA, chock-full of Citra, Mosaic, and Vic Secret late in the process for tons of great aromatics. Pop by the brewery today, or better yet, in celebration of Moncton Taco Week, Tire Shack is welcoming back Birria Dave’s in the taproom both Saturday and Sunday from noon until sell-out, as he is featuring The 3D Birria Taco. Best not to hesitate, as these always go quick!

It’s been a long time since we’ve had one of NB’s oldest craft breweries, Moncton’s own Pump House, on the blog and we’ve been hoping for some fresh drops from them to share with everyone. Uncommon Kölsch is a low-carb and low-calorie release that is crisp and refreshing. It is 4% and available in 355ml 8 packs at the ANBL, on tap at PH accounts and directly from the brewery. Sort through the dark and light stuff and pick out something clean and new to enjoy from this brewery, as this is available now!

Heading west to Fredericton, Maybee Brew has a new beer to celebrate a big milestone at the brewery. Batch 500 is a brand new IPA celebrating exactly what you think! A New England IPA, this milestone brew is big on tropical, mango, citrus, and grapefruit flavours and is juicy and enjoyable. It’s 6.2% ABV and 30 IBU and available today on tap and in cans from the brewery. Grab one of those cans as the design is gorgeous and true to the milestone celebration! 

Mauzy, the cidery operating adjacent to Banished Brewing in Paradise, NL, has their first release of 2022 fermentations this week with Point Towards Heaven, a spontaneously fermented blend of feral Mcintosh and feral crab apple juices. Transparent yellow, with no finings, filtering, or added sulphites, this one represents their first Pet Nat-style cider. Only 20 cases have been produced, so you’ll want to act quickly to get yourself a bottle. Look for this 5.6% ABV delight only at Banished.

In other cider news, Sourwood may not be slinging cider at their old spot on Cornwallis St. in Halifax but they’re still putting out tasty treats. And wouldn’t you know it, they’ve got a Pet Nat on the go as well! Starting with a base of handpicked L’Acadie Blanc grapes, they bolstered it with Russet apple juice from their secret sheep orchard. Capping the fermentation to preserve the natural carbonation, they have not disgorged the bottles, so you can expect some sediment. You can also expect flavors of elderflower, geranium, and pithy grapefruit. Marked with a vintage of 2021, this one has been sitting and improving for quite some time. Look for L’Acadie + Russet in their online shop for delivery or pickup (note that pickup is now at 115 Chain Lake Drive, Unit 12C), at Ramblers (formerly Sourwood’s own in-town location), and potentially at other fine watering holes.

Those jolly androids from Good Robot are back with their latest Goodwill beer and this one is partnered with the Ecology Action Centre. Dark Saison is the style for this release and it features an addition of cranberries to bring a bit of sweetness and tart flavour to the beer, balancing spice and cocoa notes from the malt and yeast. Each can of Goodwill Saison sold from the brewery or online will contribute 50 cents directly to the environmental charity. This beer comes in at 5.3% and is for an excellent cause, supporting climate change, biodiversity and environmental justice. 

Miramichi’s Timber Ship is back with a new release this week, one in the “perfect for enjoying with a group of buds” vein, aka, crushable. They looked to Germany for inspiration, and honed in on the Kölsch style from Cologne. Light in body, clean Pils malt backbone with Hallertauer Mittelfrüh hops, with a crisp and clean finish. Named in celebration of Harley & Hank, find this 4.5% beer on tap at Three Dog Distilling at 279 Newcastle Blvd, or in cans to go from Timber Ship’s Below Deck location on the King George Highway.

Up on The Rock, Port Rexton Brewing has a new collab brew out, this one done with the folks from Ninepenny Brewing in Conception Bay South (you may have heard of this place recently, as it’s iceberg season…). Small Game is a “Tiny” IPA coming in at a paltry 2.6% ABV, but still boasting plenty of aroma and flavor, with gummy candy and tropical fruit on the nose and more fruit and melon undertones on the palate. Perfect for games night, when you want to let loose a little, but still keep your wits about you, you’ll find this one at the taproom, at the PR St. John’s retail shop, and at Ninepenny’s taproom as well.

For those in Halifax, and wanting to delve a bit deeper into what goes into designing and crafting the beer they enjoy, The Discovery Centre is hosting Science of Beer next Saturday, May 13. From 7 – 10:30 PM, ten breweries from the Craft Brewers Association of Nova Scotia will chat up style characteristics, ingredients, processes and more, along with science demonstrations from the DC team, with live music from The Fine Tuners, all while sipping on beer. This 19+ event requires tickets, find out more and grab yours here! 

Let’s do some quick hits for some craft beer jobs around the region!

Stillwell Beer Bar is looking for a full-time server for the summer with a very likely chance for part-time work in the fall. Email here if interested.

Garrison Brewing is looking for a Head Brewer and this could be a dream job at a big craft brewery for a lot of people. Permanent, full-time, big job! Check out the link here for all the details. 

In other Head Brewer news, Long Bay Brewing in Fredericton is looking for a Head Brewer (with professional experience) or an Assistant Brewer (with all-grain homebrewing experience). With a 15bbl brewhouse and 3.5bbl test batch system, there is room to grow and learn. Send your resume here if you’re interested!

Off Grid (or OG Ales) is hiring a bunch of positions for taproom, grounds keeping and housekeeping. Part-time and full-time positions are available, for summer students as well, with pay around $15/hr. Application deadline is May 19th. Please send your resume here

Plenty more beer to let you know about, let’s get some newsbites in front of you.

Halifax’s own Propeller Brewing has a fun 12 pack featuring some summer crushers all at 5% ABV or less in a 355ml format. The Propeller Patio Pack Craft Beer Mixer is this year’s latest mix of 4 beers to grab and go for the summer. Featuring 3 each of: Tango Lagered Ale (4.8%), Tropic Haze Summer Ale (5.0%), Yutopia Summer Ale (5.0%) and Lime Lite Lager (4.5%), you can get this starting today from the 3 Propeller shops (4 if you include the online store!) and the private stores in Halifax. This will be coming to certain NSLCs as well. And a reminder that the patio at their Gottingen Street taproom is now open, so get out and enjoy some beer!

In Tatamagouche they’re getting all ready for summer sipping with the release of this season’s fruited Dekorum variations. Lime, Mandarin, and Blood Orange are all available in 355ml cans as of today, all coming in at a very sessionable 2.9% ABV. Grab them in any combination (potentially including the non-fruited OG version) from their web shop, with delivery available to all Canadian Provinces!

Moncton’s Tide & Boar Brewing has a new IPA in the fridge and on tap these days. Dinosaur Food is a big 7.0% Hazy IPA, hopped heavily with Motueka and Sabro, resulting in massive notes of ripe mango, fruit cocktail, and a coconutty pina colada vibe. Grab it from either of their Brewery or Gastropub locations on tap or in cans to enjoy outdoors.

It’s that time of year again when Big Spruce brings out their She’s Maibock, a German lager on the heavier side at 6.5% ABV. Brewed with modern Continental hop variety Huëll Melon, look for aromas of strawberries, honeydew melon, and stone fruit that complement malty notes of bread crust and candied orange. May a little reminiscent of toast and jam!

And finally this week, Grimross has brought back their Juicy IPA, and this 6.5% ABV can is available now from them and coming to ANBL and other shops shortly.

Friday Wrap-Up for July 23, 2021 – News from Stillwell Brewing, Cape Smokey and 2 Crows, Iron Rock, Baccalieu Trail, Propeller, Upstreet, Brightwood, Port Rexton and more!

Posted by acbbaaron on 2021-07-23
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: 2 Crows Brewing, Baccalieu Trail Brewing, Breton Brewing, Brightwood Brewery, Brightyard, Cape Smokey, Iron Rock Brewing Co., Libra Non-Alcoholic Beer, Modern Brewer's Village Green, Port Rexton Brewing Co., Propeller Brewing, Pump House Brewery, Stillwell Brewing, Upstreet Craft Brewing. Leave a Comment

Hello Friday! Plenty of great beer released this week, and while the weather continues to stay warm and roadtrips are the name of the game, remember to consider including a small brewery or cidery in your travel plans in the region. Why not check out our Good Beer Map to help with your planning, and please let us know if we’re missing anything so we can help the community.

Let’s start you off with some big news from the team behind Stillwell Brewing, who have been teasing some big news on their IG page over the past two weeks. They are on the move! Having outgrown their gracious hosts at Propeller’s original space on Gottingen Street, they have moved their operations a little further north to 3670 Kempt Road. Having their own facility will allow them greater freedom to set it up exactly as they wish, including a retail and events space, as well as a happy home to their foeders and dozens of barrels full of beer. It has also, just as importantly, afforded them the opportunity to design a brew system all their own! As they explore the intricacies of European Pilsners and other lager styles, they have ordered a 35 hectolitre (30 BBL) system optimized for decoction and other more complicated mash schedules (changing temperatures as well as recirculating during the mash to add complexity not otherwise available from a solely-pilsner malt base). 

While Stillwell’s new spot is not quite open, and delivery of their system is still months away, they are not leaving us drinkers thirsty, as they have released a batch of their Stilly Pils recently for draught at their sister locations on Barrington, Agricola, and Spring Garden, and, for the first time, in tall cans for enjoyment anywhere beer can go. As a reminder, Stilly Pils is their hybrid take on of the best characters of historic Czech Pils, with waves of malt complexity, German Pils, with a dry and bitter finish, and the modern Italian (and the North American beers it influenced) Pils with loads of Noble hop flavour on the nose and palate. However you define it, it’s a quaffable beer with plenty of flavour and aroma, great to either “crush or consider,” as they like to say. So, how to get your hands on these cans? While their retail shop isn’t quite ready to welcome you in person, you can order through their online shop for local delivery every Friday (as well as Canada-wide shipping). If you’re the kind of person who’s looking for a Pils fix right now, head to Bar Stillwell on Barrington or Bishop’s Cellar at Bishop’s Landing for some cans to go. Congratulations to the Stilly Brewing Crew on the new space, new beer, and the great news of things to come soon!

If you’ve been in the Ingonish area over the last 12 months, you’ve probably seen big things happening at Cape Smokey. The ski hill is fully operational, with a gondola set to open later this summer, and an ocean-front marina offering food, beer and live music. More big plans are in store with a treewalk opening in 2022, and of course, the brewery. While awaiting the opening of the brewery, brewmaster Jan Tzril has been busy sharing his knowledge of and passion for Czech-style pilsner brewing, including at least one earlier collaboration brew. This spring, Jan visited the team at Halifax’s 2 Crows Brewing to brew Cape Smokey Pilsner. The result is a 4.9% Bohemian Pilsner that features 100% Pilsner Malt sourced from the Czech Republic, Saaz hops (also from the Czech Republic), and Czech lager yeast. In true Czech style, it was brewed using a double decoction mash to extract as much flavour and richness from the malt as possible. This method keeps DMS and acetaldehyde levels lower than an infusion mash, and has also been known to accentuate bitterness and help with head retention. If you want to sample Cape Smokey Pilsner, the only way to try it (for now) is to make a visit to the Cape Smokey Marina to enjoy a can onsite. Check out Cape Smokey’s blog to learn more about the collaboration, including an interview with the 2 Crow’s talented brewmaster, Jeremy Taylor.

Let’s skip from Cape Breton to Newfoundland and Labrador, where Lab City’s Iron Rock Brewing has recently released an oak-aged Belgian Tripel months in the making. Le Fer Du Monde was brewed with a traditional simple malt bill of Pilsen and Munich, hopped with the Tettnanger and Saaz, fermented with a Belgian yeast. The work didn’t stop there, as the beer was aged on oak for 3 months before being packaged in a cork and caged bottle and allowed to carbonate naturally. Spicy yeast on the full malt character, melds with notes of oak for a sensory experience. And now the beer is available at both their taproom on Humphrey (which is back open today with Trivia and Karaoke tonight!), as well as in St. John’s at Urban Market 1919 and a pair of Marie’s Mini Mart (Kiwanis & Frecker). We suggest grabbing a couple of bottles: one to enjoy now, and one to set aside for further development in the bottle.

The December holiday season has its fair share of beverage-centric traditions; in some parts of Atlantic Canada, one of them involves a boozy concoction, stored in the freezer, usually in a repurposed bucket (salt beef, with its trusty handle, is always a good choice). The recipe for the beloved slush varies from community to community, but usually features frozen juice concentrate, spirits (typically vodka), and some lemon/lime soda for the final drink assembly. Why are we telling you all of this? Well, because Bay Roberts’ Baccalieu Trail Brewing is releasing an ode to the frozen delicacy, in the form of a slush-inspired pale ale. Right Slushed is hopped with Mandarina Bavaria and Sultana. To hit those McCain frozen concentrate notes, it was then conditioned on blood orange, pineapple and lemon. The result is a tropical and citrusy pale ale that comes in at 5.5% ABV and is sure to have you searching for your slush bucket in July. Cans are available now at the brewery with pints and fills to follow soon. 

Over at Propeller, they’re back with a new bottle release available today. Black Forest Sour is a barrel-aged kettle sour with (you guessed it) flavours and aromas reminiscent of Black Forest Cake. A mix of different berries was used in a kettle sour base, which was then aged in bourbon barrels for over a year. Through the barrel, notes of oak, bourbon and a touch of smoke joined the fray. Further conditioning was done on fresh vanilla beans and cocoa nibs. All of that together brings that delicious mix of richness, sweetness and notes from a tasty cake, but in a 5% beer! This is a limited release in 500ml bottles available today for $10/btl at the Prop Shops, Bishop’s Cellar and for local home delivery only. Check it out while it’s still available!

In the ever increasing non-alcoholic beer archive of the blog (and also our lives and building some healthier habits), one of the best and most popular local choices has been Upstreet’s Libra brand. With Libra Hazy IPA joining the lineup earlier this month, Libra Pils is the latest release in a trial run today! Using Saaz hops and lager yeast in traditional pilsner fashion, this comes in at 0.4% and 5 IBU. Expect this to have classic Pilsner notes with a floral, grassy nose, joining a touch of bitterness with a light and crisp body. Available at Upstreet’s two Charlottetown locations (Allen Street and Craft Beer Corner), as well as on their online shop very soon for those not in town (shipping available Canada-wide).

If you do pick some of this up, be sure to hit up their social channel or website to leave feedback, as they want to make a delicious local non-alcoholic beer for the masses.

From the darkside (Dartmouth!) comes Brightwood with some great news this week. First up, Loudwater is a new release now available and is a low-bitterness IPA that features Nelson Sauvin hops. This 6% IPA will showcase some white wine flavours, pairing with notes of citrus, nicely balanced with Maris Otter malt. It’s is available in 473ml cans at the brewery or online for delivery. 

In other news, Brightyard is now open! What is Brightyard? It’s an outdoor beer garden on Portland Street in Dartmouth! This is the third location for Brightwood and you can get beer, wine, cider, snacks and BBQ from the mind of Emma Strubank. Check it out around 53 Portland Street in Dartmouth, pretty close to their other two locations! Open noon til 10 PM daily, but check that forecast before heading out, as this is an outdoor space it is weather-dependent.

There’s some big goings on this weekend on the Rock!

Over the last five years, Atlantic Canada has benefited greatly as a region from breweries opening in smaller towns and villages. These businesses create jobs, tourism, economic activity and an incredible sense of community in their local areas. Nowhere has this been more evident than Port Rexton, Newfoundland. Starting from their original taproom/production facility, Port Rexton Brewing has expanded to include a St. John’s retail location and a second larger production facility. More importantly, they have placed Port Rexton firmly on the map of beer destinations in Atlantic Canada, having consistently raised the bar in terms of quality and variety of styles, and having done so while becoming a pillar of their local community, supporting other businesses and community groups through collaborations, events, and pop-ups. This Saturday, PRB is celebrating its fifth anniversary in style with new beers, lots of food options, and a street party featuring live music. 

Let’s start with details on the party. From noon until midnight, the street area adjacent to the brewery will be shut down to create a larger, Covid-friendly space. Food vendors will include the in-house staple Oh My Cheeses and special guests Adelaide Oyster House, Old Dublin Bakery, Danger Giles Fried Chicken and Like Yer Mudders. Live music will entertain the crowd all day long and the first 50 beer drinkers will also receive a free glass. Non-alcoholic beers from Upstreet/Libra will also be available. 

And now let’s get to the beers. Three new ones will be available on-tap and for takeaway in cans. First up is Five, a blood orange IPA. Coming it at 6% ABV, expect a traditional IPA with lots of citrus notes and pithy bitterness. Next up is Summer Anthem, a 6.5% coconut lime milkshake IPA. Expect a combination of sweetness, tartness and bitterness in this one, which features additions of coconut, lime, lactose and vanilla, and a big dry hop. Summer Anthem also includes a link to a Spotify playlist that features some of PRB’s favorite taproom tunes from the last five years. Last but not least, PRB continues its support for gluten free beer drinkers with Kiwi. This 4.5% GF sour features lots of tropical aromatics and a big kiwi flavour. Cheers to everyone at Port Rexton Brewing, including founders Sonja and Alicia, on five awesome years and many more to come. 

We’ve got a few more short beer hits to share today before we dismiss you for the week…

Modern Brewer’s Village Green in Cornwall, PEI, continues their informal Comfortbier series with English IPA, a 5.9% ode to the style. Maris Otter (complemented by a few other English malts) and Bramling Cross (used in both the kettle and dry hop addition) come together for a combination of fresh-baked crusty bread, citrusy marmalade with a touch of floral tea; a quick English Breakfast! Find it on tap on Church Street this weekend, and perhaps in cans to go next week, should there be any left.

The fine folks at Breton are as happy as anyone to be opening up and welcoming guests from near and far, so people can enjoy their beer in CBRM and HRM. Beachside is a new limited release Pale Ale available today. Using a blend of hops for a burst of tropical fruit flavour and aroma, this is a 4.8% summer sipper with a crisp and dry finish. This is available in 473ml cans in the Sydney taproom and also online for delivery.

Wanna work in the world of craft beer and brewing? There’s definitely some spots available right now:

Seeing as how we were just speaking of Breton, let’s start there, where they’re on the hunt for some enthusiastic folks who’d like to join their team as a Bartender in the taproom and help serve up some of that new beer. It’s considered a part-time position, with 20 – 35 hours per week up for grabs, and, as you can imagine, the hours aren’t exactly 9-5, with evenings and weekends being prime time for tap rooms. So if you’re in the Sydney area and interested in breaking into the world of craft beer, more details are available here.

With their burgeoning taproom in full summer swing and their new beer garden now operational (see above), Brightwood is looking to staff up for the rest of the summer with kitchen and serving staff. With 2 full time (40 hrs/wk) and one part time (20 hrs/wk) position available to the end of September, they’re hoping to find some eager folks with previous experience to help them develop a new food concept in house. Check out the full details in the Careers section of their website.

One of the region’s most old school breweries is also looking to fill a position, this one on the back end: Pump House Brewery in Moncton has need of a Director of Plant Operations. This is a position with some serious responsibilities, best summed up as “planning, directing, and coordinating the maintenance and production functions of the brewery.” Given that they’re well-established and fairly sizeable, it should be no surprise that they’re hoping to find someone with significant experience to fill this role. You can find out more, including how to apply, by checking out the full job description posted on Career Beacon.

Friday Wrap-Up for March 26, 2021 – News from Good Robot, Tatamagouche, Copper Bottom, Upstreet, TrailWay, North, 2 Crows, Crooked Feeder, Village Green, Annapolis Brewing, Tire Shack, Moncton Craft Beer Week, 902 BrewCast, and much more!

Posted by acbbdamian on 2021-03-26
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: 2 Crows Brewing, 902 BrewCast, Acadie-Broue, Annapolis Brewing Company, Bannerman Brewing, CAVOK Brewing, Celtic Knot Brewing, Chockpish, Copper Bottom Brewing, Crooked Feeder Brewing, Flying Boats Brewing, Gahan House (Moncton), Good Robot Brewing, Hampton Brewing Company, Holy Whale Brewing, HopYard, Modern Brewer's Village Green, Moncton Craft Beer Week, North Brewing, O'Creek Brewing, Pump House Brewery, Stillwell Beer Bar, Stillwell Beergarden, Tatamagouche Brewing, The Stillwell Freehouse, Tide & Boar Brewing, Tide & Boar Gastropub, Tire Shack Brewing, TrailWay Brewing, Upstreet Craft Brewing. Leave a Comment

Great news to lead off today, as Newfoundland & Labrador have loosened restrictions to COVID Level 2, which allows restaurants and taprooms to open for in-person dining and imbibing. Be sure to support (safely) those breweries and great beer bars and restos in whatever way you can, as they surely have had a tough few months. With the recent flare-up in Northwestern NB, we know forward progress can be taken away in a moment. We’re still feeling cautiously optimistic about April 19th, with the probable re-inflation of the Atlantic Bubble. Wear a mask and take care of yourself and others. 🧡

Halifax’s Good Robot Brewing has a brand new release this week, which comes with a mystery they’d love to learn more about. Abigail Price was a widowed free Black Woman who immigrated by boat from New York to Shelburne in 1783, her name appearing in The Book of Negroes. 10 years later, she had a home built on her land in Tusket, where she lived for some 20 years, before selling the property in 1816. After the sale, she moved on, and her life afterward is currently lost from the history books. Today, that property is known as The Hatfield House, an award-winning restaurant. 

Chelsea B teamed up with local journalist (and beer enthusiast) Evelyn C White to develop the recipe and brew Abigail Was Here, a beer to honour Price’s legacy. Light amber and a touch hazy in appearance, this 5.9% ABV Saison was lightly hopped with Lemon Drop, before an extra helping of lemon zest and juice, in addition to a touch of blueberry extract to round out the fruit character. A Saison yeast offers a bit of clove spiciness. The beer’s label was designed by Brent Braaten and Sara Panchaud, and drew inspiration from the earliest photograph available of the original house, as Abigail Price may have left it 200 years ago. The beer is available on tap at the brewery, and in cans to take away or for home delivery.

Tatamagouche Brewing has a new beer designed and brewed by brewer Chad Ellis in a somewhat uncommon style for our region. Black Flower is an American Stout coming in at 5.5% ABV and Chad did his best to lean into the “aggressively hopped” aspect of the style and leveraging American varieties. Starting with some Triple Pearl from HOOH (Harvesters of Organic Hops) in BC that he describes as featuring, “some cool vanilla/black tea aromas,” he blended in some “really resinous” Centennial from local hop farm Wicked Hops in Stewiacke, NS. Completing the hop picture is classic Cascade. With a firm bitterness of 55 IBU established, most of the hops were added in the whirlpool, which should give plenty of hop aroma and flavor showing. On the grist side of things, Horton Ridge pale, some caramel malts (but not too much), and a “punchy” blend of dark malts that included barley, rye, and wheat provide balance to all those hops with roasty, chocolate, and coffee notes. Fermented with S-04 yeast, a British strain, but well-suited to the style, the resulting beer has plenty of citrus peel character, especially on the aroma, with similar flavors as well as dark chocolate, black coffee, and caramel. This one is debuting in cask-conditioned (aka naturally carbonated) firkins at the Stillwell Freehouse in the next few days, with kegs and cans coming to Tatmagouche and licensees next week. Don’t forget you can order online as well, for delivery across Nova Scotia and the rest of Canada.

If you’re feeling that Island life and the warm weather has got you in a tropical mood, Copper Bottom brings a new release available today. Field Trip: Pink Guava is their latest in a series with an eye on experimentation, unconventional and unpredictable, which tend to be tart and fruity. This iteration brings a kettle soured with a grain bill of Shoreline two-row and wheat, a bit of Warrior hops and then a lot of pink guava puree added after the kettle souring. This is available in cans today at 5.0% and it will only be available online and in their taproom, with a few choice Charlottetown accounts. If you’re around the taproom, pop in for some live music and an expanded menu to celebrate the release, with Nick Doneff starting the tunes at 5 PM this afternoon. That expanded menu, btw, has several items curated by the fine folks at HopYard, and still includes the great Handpie Company offerings, picnic baskets, and small snacks, joined by the new epic Spinach Dip, Sausage Roll, and Pepperoni and Veggie Flatbreads. 

We would also like to congratulate the team at Copper Bottom for winning the Excellence in Adaptation & Resiliency Award last night at the Charlottetown Chamber of Commerce President’s Excellence Awards. This award recognizes a business that has shown resilience in the face of adversity by introducing or improving a product/service to better fit the new environment caused by COVID-19. Congrats to the great team there and we’re happy to have been lucky enough to enjoy your fine brews over the last year. 

Rolling right into the same awards ceremony, Upstreet Brewing also took home some hardware, picking up the Workplace Excellence Award at the same Charlottetown Chamber of Commerce awards noted above. This award is given to an organization that, through its innovative human resource practices, provides employees with a positive, healthy and productive workplace. Things are upbeat at Upstreet and we know you’re worthy recipients!

This sounds like the perfect time for a new release, so they’re back with Neon Friday 3.04 New England IPA. First released in November 2020, they’ve tweaked the recipe ever so slightly, to enhance the smooth hop finish with notes of stone fruit and cherries. Still plenty (more, even!) Cashmere, Citra, Mosaic, and Sabro, they adjusted the timing of those additions, along with changes to the water and grain bill to enhance the haze and head retention. Still at 6.5%, this is available in cans and on tap at Craft Beer Corner, their Taproom and online for island wide delivery. And those in HRM/Nova Scotia should see it in the private stores soon. And no spilling the beans just yet, but fans of their Rewind Seltzer take note, as well as those who are digging their Libra line of <1% ABV beers…

Fredericton’s TrailWay Brewing is saying “So Long” (well, “See You Later”) to their Aussie-hopped Dunder Pale Ale, and bringing in a brand new year-round Pale Ale. Day’s Done is a 5.0% ABV American Pale Ale, that features a hop bill of Cascade and Mosaic, but used judiciously in a well balanced and easy-drinking beer. A medium body and soft mouthfeel from the malt bill (mostly Canadian Pilsner) support the hops in this golden ale. Available on tap and in cans at the brewery now, as well as for shipping across Atlantic Canada and Ontario.

You can help them Hooroo to Dunder for the rest of the week by grabbing a pint or growler fill at the brewery, for just $5 or $10, taxes in. Also, for those looking for something in the fermented seltzer vein, best grab their Bubbly seltzer quick before it goes away. They’re not getting out of the Seltzer game completely, as TW will be back with a less-cease-and-desisty name and brand soon.

The team at North Brewing Company is giving us an early taste of summer with their release of Mango Mango, their take on the Fruited IPA style. This one starts off as a west-coast style IPA featuring Lotus and Mosaic hops. It was then referented on 200 lbs of mango pureé (the Totapuri variety of mango from India and Sri Lanka to be exact). 473 ml cans are available now through North’s two retail locations and for delivery through their webstore. You can also find it on tap now at North’s Portland Street taproom and Battery Park. In other exciting news, North posted a teaser on social media this week about their new, third location! Online sleuths quickly identified the location as the Brunello Estates neighborhood in Timberlea. We’ll have more news in the coming weeks on what is sure to be a great addition to the BLT area. 

Although no brewery puts out a new beer every single week of the year, some breweries do seem to aspire to it, which brings us, of course, to 2 Crows in Halifax. Fans of the brewery (and fruited sours) are no doubt familiar with Jamboree, a regular in the 2C lineup, and this week the gang on Brunswick is releasing a sibling beer they’re calling Jubilee. Built on a similar grist of Pilsner, malted wheat, raw wheat and some flaked oats, no hops were added to the boil. Souring was accomplished with Lactobacillus plantarum after which the wort was fermented at high temperature with the Ebbengarden Kveik strain. Post-fermentation it saw fruit, and not a little bit of it: 440 lbs of blackberry puree and 270 lbs of apricot were added to a 2,400 L batch!. After giving those extra sugars time to ferment out, the batch was dry hopped with a little bit of Bru-1 hops. The result is not unlike a smoothie, according to the brewery, as it’s, “fruity, lush, thick, and purple,” and not super sour, but, “kinda tart.” Also of note is that this beer was soured post-boil, so the bacteria used to sour are still alive; this implies that there could be a little bit of aging potential for this one, although probably not super long term as it’s only 4.8% ABV. You can find it at the brewery packaged in cans for a pint or grab some to go, or you can order on-line for delivery.

What better to celebrate Newfoundland and Labrador’s return to Level 2 than the release of a new beer!? On the west-coast, you’ll find the newest offering from Crooked Feeder Brewing Co. Powder Keg is a Cream Ale brewed with Escarpement Lab’s KRISPY Kveik yeast. Developed in collaboration with local outdoor outfitter Rugged Edge, Powder Keg comes in at 4.5% and is currently available on tap and in 500 ml bottles at the Crooked Feeder Gastropub in Corner Brook. 

Cornwall’s Village Green has not one, not two, but three new beers on tap this weekend. First up is their take on a Belgian-Style Tripel. Brewed in January to allow for sufficient conditioning, Tripel was made using Pilsner malt and Perle hops. At 9.4% ABV, it’s the strongest beer made by VIllage Green to date and is currently available in 5 oz pours at the taproom. Keep an eye out for a canned release of Tripel shortly. Next up is Hazy Pale Ale. This one started with two-row, malted wheat and a touch of crystal malt, along with Warrior hops for bittering. The beer was then hit with auditions of Amarillo, Centennial and Citra in the whirlpool and as a dry hop. Expect notes of candied citrus and spruce needs in this 5.8% hazy ale. Finally, for something on the maltier side, keep an eye out for their take on a Brown Ale, also being released at the taproom this weekend.

The Altbier style has been gaining in popularity in our region, with more breweries in the region producing examples of the beer that originated in Düsseldorf, Germany. Annapolis Brewing Company is the latest to release their take on style. Coming in at 5% ABV and 42 IBU, Altbier pours a dark copper colour with a moderate noble hop aroma. Expect malt notes of biscuit and caramel, nicely balanced by the hop bitterness. Altbier is available for pints and growler fills now at the taproom in Annapolis Royal.

Lots of fun news coming out of Moncton this week, as Tire Shack Brewing has a few exciting things on the go. 

First up, they have a special cask release tonight with 20L of their Russian Imperial Stout that has been sitting in cask for 4 months and filled it with cubes of Hungarian Oak to simulate the effects of barrel aging. The oaky flavours should come through and is definitely worth trying if you’re in the neighbourhood, but even if you’re not, it is worth the trip! It’s a doozy at 11.9% ABV, so tread carefully and have a pal take care of transportation! That way you can also enjoy… 

A new release also graces Tire Shack today, they have a Blueberry-Vanilla Milkshake IPA available now. Using Ahtanum hops for a lemony-spicy kick, the sweetness and blueberry come on the finish for an interesting release. This is available today for enjoyment onsite in pints and flights, and in growlers to go, and at just 4.5% ABV, you can certainly enjoy a couple in these warmer evenings. And if we play our cards right, there may be some cans coming in the next few days!

Lastly in some cool news, they’ve extended their Halo donut collaboration through the weekend for Moncton Craft Beer Week. They have two awesome donuts featuring some of their beers. The first features Secret Society Stout icing with Sunny Brae Coffee espresso crumble. The second donut is loaded with Parts N Labour IPA icing with lime zest. Pairing them with their parent beers in the taproom is highly recommended, though they will also be available to go from Halo’s spot at 110 St-George (open 12 – 6 PM all weekend, though no guarantee the donuts won’t sell out earlier!). Lots of great news from Tire Shack and worthy of heading out this weekend if you’re able. 

Speaking of Moncton Craft Beer Week, it wraps up tomorrow with a couple of special events.

Open Brewery Day is happening tomorrow, with free shuttle buses running a loop between connecting the downtown core, Riverview, and Dieppe, with stops along the way. From 11 AM – 5 PM, start your visits at any one of these spots and get a headstart on your Moncton Craft Beer Passport… The first bus leaves at 11:30 in this order, with the others leaving every 15 minutes: CAVOK Brewing (perfect place to grab some Acadie-Broue, Chockpish, and O’Creek), Flying Boats, Pump House Fill Station, Tire Shack Brewing, Tide & Boar Brewing, Holy Whale Beer Hall (just a 30 min walk Celtic Knot), completing the loop at City Hall in the downtown core (quick walk to Gahan Hub City, Pump House, and Tide & Boar Gastropub).

Speaking of Tide & Boar, they are hosting an All IPA Tap Takeover Saturday, with 14 hoppy beauts from the GMA pouring all day long, plus a secret IPA flight, and if you can correctly guess the identity of the beers, you’ll be entered in a draw for a $50 T&B gift card.

And today and tomorrow are your last chances to take part in the Beer Tasting Menu at Clos, the Spring Beer Garden at Euston Park, and the Mac & Cheese & Beer Restaurant Crawl.

In more great news from Newfoundland being at Level 2, if you’re not able to make it there, you can pop down to Stillwell on Saturday for your own fresh sips of Bannerman Brewing! Your fine purveyors of the good stuff bring six fresh pops from the St. John’s brewery. They’ll be open at Noon on Saturday and joining the six draft pours will be fried fish sandwiches flying out of the kitchen. Check out the full tap list below:

Early Rise – Dry-hopped sour w/ lactose, mango, pomegranate – 6.5%
Eclipse IPA – 7%
After Hours DIPA – 8%
Hill O Sips American IPA – 6.8%
Counter Productive Oatmeal Stout – 6%
Better Watch Out Barleywine – 9.5%

Speaking of Stillwell, they are looking for a Few Good Folks to join their Beergarden staff (yup, it’s that time of year!). Experienced Beer- and Food-tenders should apply by email at yo@barstillwell.com.

The job postings keep flowing as Bannerman is looking to add a few new people to their team. In the kitchen, they are looking for a Prep/Line Cook, as well as an Events Manager. In their words, “We’re looking for an energetic, organized individual to take on our ever growing event space. Experience is a must.” If you’re interested, please drop them a line with your resume to info@bannermanbrewing.com. 

We mentioned Village Green’s new releases already, but they are also looking to grow their team with the additions of a Trainee Brewer and part-time Beer Servers at the taproom. They are accepting resumes at villagegreenpei@gmail.com, or if you’re in the area, drop by the taproom for more info. 

In Southern New Brunswick, Hampton Brewing is preparing for the May opening of their brewery and taproom at the Fire Fly Forest Recreation area just outside of Hampton, and they are looking to hire a full-time Server. Thriving in a fast-paced work environment, and creating a great experience for those who drop by for pints or beer-to-go, the right candidate will have the opportunity to grow with the brewery. Send them an email (hamptonbrewingco@gmail.com) by April 2nd with your resume and “Taproom Server” in the subject line, and you can check out the full posting here.

Now that we’ve got you up to date with all of the latest news, how about some more beer stuff for your ears while you drink some beer this afternoon? The fellas from the 902 BrewCast are back on the mics this month after a bit of a break, and are getting you up to speed with what’s new in their beer universe, and answered questions about every little thing from their loyal listeners. Check your podcatcher for the latest ep, or go direct to the source here!