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Friday Wrap-Up for March 4, 2022 – News of International Women’s Day releases across the region, including Breton, Foghorn, Landwash, New Maritime, North, Picaroons, Port Rexton, Quidi Vidi, Saltbox, and Upstreet, plus many, many more great beers!

Posted by acbbaaron on 2022-03-04
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: Baccalieu Trail Brewing, Big Spruce Brewing, Big Tide Brewing, Boomstick Brewing, Bootleg Brew Company, Brave Noise Beer, Breton Brewing, Foghorn Brewing, Garrison Brewing, International Women's Day, King Street Beer Co., Landwash Brewery, Loyalist City Brewing Co, Lunn's Mill Beer Company, New Maritime Beer Company, North Brewing, Picaroons General Store, Port Rexton Brewing Co., Quidi Vidi Brewery, RagnaRock Northern Brewing Company, Saltbox Brewing, Secret Cove Brewing, Smokehouse Nano Brewery, Spindrift Brewing, Sussex Ale Works, Tapestry Beer Bar, Tatamagouche Brewing, The Church Brewing Company, TrailWay Brewing, Truro Brewing Company, Uncorked Tours, Upstreet Craft Brewing, Village Green by Modern Brewer, Witch Craft Beer Society, Yip Cider. 3 comments

“In like a lion…” they say about March. Well, it sure is looking that way, given the news of the world. There are bright spots in all of the doom, and hopefully we can offer respite and uplifting news to you, dear reader, as we do the tour de bière in our region this week. We’re kicking it off with a dozen releases coming out in celebration of International Women’s Day, March 8th, all of them featuring a charitable component as well! Let us dally no longer and get right to the great news.

We happily start the run of all the International Women’s Day releases this week with Breton Brewing out of Sydney. Waves Rise is a light and hoppy IPA, brewed to showcase the Pink Boots Society 2022 hop blend. This year’s blend consists of 30% Idaho Gem, 20% HBC 630, 20% Talus, 20% Triumph, and 10% Loral. The beer is 4.6% and 46 IBU and features a light malt base and moderate bitterness that lets the floral and herbal hop flavour and aroma shine. The beer will be released Tuesday for IWD at the brewery and online for delivery or shipping. A portion of the beer sales will be donated to the Every Woman’s Centre. 

Rothesay, NB’s Foghorn Brewing is up to year three for their Sparkölsch IWD brew. As with previous years, this beer was a collaboration with other breweries and organizations in the area, including Big Tide Brewing Company, Loyalist City Brewing Company, Picaroon’s General Store, Sussex Ale Works, Yip Cider, and Witch Craft Beer Society of Saint John. The beer itself is a fan favourite in the kölsch style (a lagered German ale) at 5%, but also featuring food grade glitter added at packaging for a fun visual element. Available on tap at Foghorn, at select tap accounts in Rothesay and Saint John, and a limited number of bottles are for sale at the participating breweries. Proceeds of sales are being donated to the United Way.

Brave Noise is a movement supporting and standing in solidarity with those who shared their stories about mistreatment and who are survivors of gender discrimination, racism, sexual assault, and harassment within the beer industry. It is also an international collaboration of 234 (and counting) supportive and like-minded breweries, committed to sharing (and maybe creating!) their Code of Conduct and donating 100% of the proceeds to women’s charities. Truro Brewing Company had their release in October 2021, with Big Spruce and Spindrift signed up to the project, and we’ll share the details once those beers are available. And there’s still time for others to sign up for the same, hint hint…

One of those “future releases” is from Landwash Brewery in Mount Pearl, Newfoundland. Brewed on February 23rd, Pink Shirt Day, the women and allies of Landwash took the stories amplified by Brienne Allan and Erin Broadfoot to heart, many having experienced or witnessed some form of harassment themselves. Following the Brave Noise suggested recipe, this is a low ABV hazy Pale Ale, perfect for enjoying a few in a session, while taking down the patriarchy. Ahead of the week of March 21nd release will be the publishing of Landwash’s Code of Conduct, visible to all who grab a can or visit their space. Proceeds of the beer will be going to organizations offering mental health support for workers in the craft beer and hospitality industries.

Miramichi’s New Maritime Beer Company is celebrating International Women’s Day on Tuesday with a new beer and event hosted by the Women of Miramichi Entrepreneurial Network (WOMEN). Starting at 6 PM, there will be yoga in the taproom (BYOM), lead by Heather Hutt, which will be followed by a brewery tour. Tickets for this option are available now. And at 6:45 PM the taproom is open to all who wish to taste the beer, and celebrate IWD2022, as Heather will be the special guest speaker for the event. Entry for this is by donation to Miramichi Emergency Centre for Women. About the beer… WOMEN Beer is a Raspberry Blonde Ale, brewed using the Pink Boots 2022 hop blend, which features its own charitable aspect, with scholarship funds directed at lifting up women in the brewing industry. 

North Brewing is releasing their own Brave Noise on International Women’s Day. Keeping with the suggested collab recipe, Brave Noise is a hazy Pale Ale that is tropical and flavourful, while taking it easy on the ABV. Partnering with Shoreline Malting, who donated the base Pilsen and Wheat malts, this is a juicy, light, pale ale with portions of sales going to Adsum House. This 4.5% beer will be available in cans from North’s 3 retail shops, or on tap on Portland Street, on Tuesday, International Women’s Day. 

In Saint John, Picaroons has brewed up their Dame IPA for the second year running. Brewed at Pics by a combined team from Picaroons General Store, Becky from Big Tide, and Gilliane from Uncorked Tours. Although they don’t have a charity component this year, they do have a baby component…Gilliane’s sister and partner in Uncorked, Nathalie, had her baby Jennie on January 17th, and Dame was her first brew. So if you’re grabbing a pint of the Dame, be sure to raise your glass to the little one!

A 100% women-owned brewery with a majority of female employees, Port Rexton Brewing has once again brewed Violet Femmes for IWD. A 4.6% dry-hopped kettle sour with butterfly pea flower to bring a natural purple colour, it is available now. All proceeds from the can, pint and t-shirt sales will be given to the women’s group of First Light and Marguerites Place with the St. John’s Women of Status Council. This is available at their St. John’s Retail shop and the taproom now, and heading to their usual outlets over the weekend.

Sticking in Newfoundland and IWD, Quidi Vidi is releasing Stronger Together, a Strawberry Blonde ale, for the second year in a row. A 5% Blonde ale that has a light malt body and a hop bill to match, this showcases a delicate strawberry aroma and flavour, with a bit of cherry coming through as well. This beer is available now for a limited time from the QV Hop Shops and most NLC locations. Quidi Vidi will also be hosting a Women’s Day mixer on Sunday March 6th from 12 – 3 PM, where we can celebrate together. 

Mahone Bay’s Saltbox Brewing is building on the popularity of last year’s IWD release, and bringing it back again! The Way She Gose is a gose, not surprisingly; think tart and fresh, with a touch of salt, to which SB added hibiscus for a lovely floral character and pink hue. It will also be sticking around as a spring/summer seasonal, which sounds great, at just 4.7% ABV! And keep an eye on the social media for their sister location, King Street Beer in Bridgewater, as they are releasing a new small batch product early next week to celebrate IWD.

Finishing up our IWD releases brings us to PEI, where Upstreet Brewing has a release of their own. Grisette is (you guessed it!) a grisette coming out on tap and in cans on Tuesday. The beer is sessionable and dry with some softer saison notes and a bit of a wine character on the finish to go with clove and banana yeast character. There is  a launch event at the brewery that you can check out here. They will be supporting  the Trade Herizons program through the Women’s Network of PEI. 

Jumping islands, Mount Pearl’s Landwash Brewery has a new Italian-Style Pilsner out. Terra is their take on a style that we are keen to see more brewers attempt. Originating with Birrificio Italiano’s Tipopils, the style is known for its crisp and dry body, and the use of dry hopping that differentiates it from its German and Czech counterparts. Landwash’s version uses imported Eraclea barely from Weyermann Specialty Malts, produced near Venice, to create a bready and honey malt profile. Additions of Monroe and Spalter Select hops add some floral and citrusy notes. Coming in at 5.5%, Terra is available now on tap and in cans at the brewery and should start seeing wider distribution this weekend. 

Down in Lawrencetown, Lunn’s Mill is celebrating its 5th Anniversary in style with the release of Cocobolo. This Milkshake IPA features hop additions of  El Dorado, Ekuanot and Sabro, leading to big notes of coconut and tropical fruit. In addition to being on tap all weekend, the 7% ABV Cocobolo is also available for takeaway in cans at the brewery and The Station in nearby Bridgetown. And speaking of the weekend, Saturday will see the crew celebrating the 5th anniversary at the brewery and The Station. The taproom will be serving cake with Jokers Right playing from 6:00 to 8:00 PM. Tide and Timbre will be taking the stage at the Station from 7:30 to 9:30 PM. If you’re thinking of heading down, reservations are encouraged to ensure that you can get a seat. Happy 5 years to everyone at Lunn’s Mill from your fans at ACBB! 

Two breweries from Newfoundland’s west coast are also celebrating anniversaries this week and have marked the occasions with the release of a double dry hopped double birthday double IPA. Hoppy Birthday was brewed at Bootleg Brew Co. to celebrate their 4th anniversary, in collaboration with Boomstick Brewing who are ringing in two years in business. The 7.8% ABV leans into the hazy and juicy territory that DDH IPAs are known for, making great use of El Dorado and Idaho 7 hops. Cans are available now at Bootleg and you can likely still find it on tap at both breweries’ taprooms. Congrats to these two west coast gems! 

Jumping to the east coast of Newfoundland, Baccalieu Trail Brewing Co. is releasing Brighouse Irish Red. Brewed in collaboration with The Quay restaurant in beautiful Brigus, this 5.0% ABV ale features subtle notes of toasted bread and caramel. The name is an homage to the town of Brighouse in England, which is rumoured to be the namesake for the Newfoundland town of Brigus. Find it today at the brewery, Marie’s and other finer beer retailers on the Avalon, and of course, on tap at The Quay in Brigus (open until March 12). 

The hop hounds of Trailway Brewing have brought back one of their more unique offerings this week, and one of the few remaining examples of the style in the region these days: Velvet Fog is their Milkshake IPA, packed with hops, of course, but also featuring fruit (raspberry and tangerine this time), lactose, for body and sweetness, and a hint of vanilla. Like all good MIPAs, it’s soft and round with an almost smoothie-like mouthfeel. You’ll find it on tap and in cans from the brewery. 

In other Trailway news, they’ve also got a brand new offering that’s sure to please those looking for something a little lighter in the ABV department while still being heavy on the hops. Hu Jon Hops Light is what it says on the tin; a 4% ABV sessionable version of their long time flagship NEIPA: “Everything that is loved about Hu Jon, but in a smaller percent package!” Expect HJH Light to be a plenty hoppy, but also plenty light beer featuring tropical, fruity, dank, and pine notes. Look for it at the brewery and, we’re sure, wherever else you get your Trailway beer; we suspect this one will be in demand!

Cornwall PEI’s Village Green has another new beer on the taps this week, Other IPA. At 7.2% ABV and “bracingly bitter”, this is not shying away from what the style can offer! Featuring loads of Idaho 7, Simcoe, Amarillo, and Citra, look for citrus, pine, tropical notes, with a kick that will wake you up! Available on tap and to go in cans, along with a fresh batch of Modern Bitter!

Halifax’s Garrison Brewing has released a new sour beer, as well as a fresh batch of an old favourite. Mango & Dragon Fruit Sour is a mildly tart ale, which was blended with an infusion of mango, dragon fruit, and hibiscus to give a lovely blast of tropical fruit with a bold pink colour. For those afraid of the “sour” moniker, fear not, as there is some sweetness here to balance the acidity. At 5.0% ABV, drink a couple of these and you’ll be dreaming of summer before too long! Joining M&D is Pucker Up! Citrus, their kettle sour flavoured with additions of orange, lemon, grapefruit, and lime, in a respectful 4.9% beer. Look for both on tap and in cans at Garrison’s Seaport and Oxford locations, as well as farther afield soon.

New on tap at Lower Sackville’s TAPestry Beer Bar is an exclusive release from Berwick’s Smokehouse Nano Brewery. Smokestry Amber is a 5.8% ABV Amber Ale, showcasing caramel, bread, and toast notes from the malts used, with a balancing hop bitterness (to about 44 IBU), with a smooth and “I’ll take another” finish. Drop by TAPestry today for their Flight School Fridays, where your second flight is half price!

Tatamagouche Brewing is re-releasing its Gold Lotus DIPA. This 8% hop bomb features tons of fruit notes, including grapefruit pineapple, mango, strawberry and candied watermelon. Cans are available now at the brewery and for delivery through their online store.  

While not releasing one of their own beers for International Women’s Day, Good Robot is hosting “Yes We Can” in their taproom on Tuesday. Featuring Atlantic Canadian beers either brewed by women or created by breweries run by women, including Big Spruce, Bootleg, North, Port Rexton, and many more! All are welcome to take part in celebrating the best of the region’s brewing offerings, starting at 4 PM. More info here.

God damned millennials don’t want to work. But if they did, a bunch of breweries are hiring!! In addition to these, we encourage you to search Indeed, as there are even more hiring around the region.
(we’re just kidding about the millennials thing)

Wolfville’s Church Brewing is looking for a full-time Sales Rep/Brand Ambassador to pound the pavement around Nova Scotia (sales vehicle or automobile allowance provided), and occasionally beyond, supporting existing customers and winning new ones. This is definitely a self-starter role, where the successful applicant will be responsible for representing and being a spokesperson for the brand, managing their own administrative and logistical duties, and growing the business. A valid driver’s license and clean abstract is required. They’re looking to have someone in place for April 1, so if this sounds like something you’d like to do, check out the official job posting and get your resume in!

Halifax’s Good Robot Brewing is hiring for a few positions these days, including back of house in their kitchen (Sous Chef and Prep Cook), as well as at the brewery as Marketing Manager. Working with the Marketing Director and rest of the team, the position will support sales, social and creative groups, and collect insight from consumers and customers. This is a full-time permanent position, with benefits, so those who want a chance to do their best work with GRBC should apply today!

Back in Newfoundland, Secret Cove Brewing is hiring part-time bartenders and servers to join its team over the summer. If you’re interested, send a cover letter and resume to beer@secretcovebrewing.com. 

Further up the West Coast (ok, way up the coast) RagnaRöck is also looking to add to its team for the upcoming summer season. Part-time positions are available now for cooks and servers. Email ragnarock2019@gmail.com or drop by the brewery in person to apply.

 

Friday Wrap-Up for February 18, 2022 – News from Lone Oak, Gridiron, Landwash, Truro, Baccalieu Trail, Propeller, Tanner, RagnaRock, and more!

Posted by acbbdamian on 2022-02-18
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: Baccalieu Trail Brewing, Gridiron Brewing, Grimross Brewing, Landwash Brewery, Lone Oak Brewing, Propeller Brewing, RagnaRock Northern Brewing Company, Tanner & Co Brewing, Truro Brewing Company. Leave a Comment

Sorry we’re late this week folks, sometimes work and life have a way of interrupting the truly important things like blogging about beer. We’re happy to say that we’ve once again got news from all four Atlantic Provinces this week, including an entertaining slate of new beers that show that our brewers are definitely already looking forward to warmer weather. Now that we think about it, it’s brilliant: a way to enjoy the taste of a warm-weather style without the oppressive heat and intense production schedules of the summer months. So grab one (or more!) of those summery beers this weekend, close your eyes, and let yourself dream a little.

In future brewery news, we’ve got a big one for our fans on Prince Edward Island! Lone Oak Brewing, the darlings of Borden-Carleton, are expanding their reach in a big way, as they look to open a brewpub location at 15 Milky Way in Charlottetown. Set to open late Spring next to Receiver Coffee’s spot, the new location will feature all of the great beer that visitors and locals have enjoyed in Borden, along with great food, live music, and a cozy atmosphere in the 70-seat taproom, as well as extensive cobblestone patio overlooking the North River. Residents will now be able to enjoy a pint or two without making their way to the bridge! Stay up to speed with their progress by checking out their Instagram and Facebook for the new location. And hey, while we have you… their Otis Foeder-Aged Grisette is back on tap and in cans this week. Light and spritzy, a little tart and a lot of refreshment in just 3.5% ABV, it is available in cans and on tap at the brewery, and will be available further afield in better beer bars soon!

In New Brunswick’s Kennebecasis Valley, Gridiron Brewing is putting out a really hopeful-sounding beer for the middle of February, but we’ve got to say we like their optimism. T-Shirt Weather is billed as a “Hefeweizen-style Dampfbier,” which brings a bit of obscurity to the fore, as Dampfbier is a very traditional, but little-known, style from Bavaria. Pairing an all-barley malt bill with a Weißbier yeast and fermented warm to encourage some phenols, this one was also hit with some bitter orange peel as well as some Mandarina Bavaria hops to promote even more of a citrus presence. At 3.9% ABV you’ll be able to sip several of them and consider that combination without worrying about being able to walk afterwards. Look for it on tap at the brewery in Hampton.

Mount Pearl’s Landwash Brewery has a new sour on tap and in cans this week. Ruby Line is a Raspberry and Lime Sour, bursting with flavour from both fruits, on top of a super-tart 4.5% base beer. Who knows, maybe you even took Ruby Line to get to the brewery that day! You can enjoy it on draught in samples and pints, grab a growler to go, or snag a single or four-pack of cans from their retail side. Also hitting the shelves at Marie’s (where you’ll get a free glass if you’re one of the first 24 to grab a four-pack), NLCs, and other retailers as we speak! And hey, if you’re up for it, drop by the taproom tonight where Robert Russell will be playing live, from 7:30 PM.

In the hub of Nova Scotia, Truro Brewing has a new one out with a name that might help you hearken back to the 90s (y’know, if you’re old and into great tunes). Under the Pink is a sour wheat ale with a lovely hue provided by a generous addition of local haskap berries. Is this another beer this week that’s dreaming ahead to summer? You bet your life it is! Light and tart, 4.0%, this one’s only available at the taproom, where we suspect you just might hear some Tori Amos on the sound system as you sip away.

In Bay Roberts, NL, Baccalieu Trail Brewing continues the apparent trend of this week’s post, as they have a brand new gose on the go. And nothing says, “the depths of winter,” like a gose, right? Right?! Well perhaps they took inspiration from the state of Atlantic Canada’s roads right now (salty and everybody’s sour about them) in coming up with Sea Spray. Or maybe they just wanted to make a tasty sour beer with notes of sea salt and coriander, in this case tarted up by the addition of tangerine, key lime, and grapefruit for a real citrus kick. Unfortunately you won’t be able to enjoy this one on tap at the source, as they’re still working on an HVAC issue in the taproom that’s keeping them closed, but you can grab some to go or look for cans already on the shelves at Marie’s and select NLC locations as well as Needs on the Avalon.

In Halifax, Propeller Brewing has a new beer out and would you believe it’s a dry-hopped sour that should have you thinking of warmer, brighter days ahead? Arcane hit the shelves today at all Prop shops as well as most of the private stores in Halifax. Tart and juicy, it was hit with what they’re describing as an “elusive” hop blend which is probably brewer code for either, “we don’t remember,” or, “you’ll never get me Lucky Charms.” You’ll just have to try to suss it out as you savour this 4.8% ABV sour and the citrus and tropical hop notes it features.

If we told you that Tanner & Co. Brewing in Chester, NS, had a new saison out this week, you might think that we’re finally getting away from the “summer style beers in winter” trend, and if that’s the case, allow us to tell you a little bit about Belgian Saison… Originally brewed by farmers in winter and spring, then cellared until they were provided to workers in the summer, they’re known for rustic grist, yeast driven character notes, and a thirst-quenching dry finish. Tanner’s new Belgian Saison utilizes two Belgian yeast strains, first one known for peppery/spicy phenols, then a second, added at roughly 50% fermentation, that tends to favour a more citrus-forward character. Sounds like a tasty combination to us; look for this 7.2% ABV strong beer in bottles at both Tanner locations or order online for delivery.

We started with news of a new taproom opening in our region, and let’s finish the news section in the same vein. After closing their taproom for a couple of months, St. Anthony’s RagnaRock Northern Brewing is opening back up next Wednesday, February 23rd! You should know that masks and vaccine passes are still the order of the day (Provincial rules, of course) and capacity will be limited to 50% for now, expecting to be back to full houses when restrictions lift on March 14th. For now, they’ll be open Wednesdays to Saturdays, 4 PM to 10 PM (occasionally later). So head on down and grab a pint of freshly kegged beer and something off their new Pub Grub menu and welcome truly local craft beer back to St. Anthony!!

And we’ll finish with a trio of hop-forward quick-hits to take you into your weekend.

Starting on the small side, Candid Brewing in Antigonish, NS, has an aromatic and citrusy classic American Pale Ale that they’re calling Dr. Strangelove. Balanced and dependable, it’s a 5.0% ABV easy drinker that will help you learn to stop worrying and love the hops. 

Stepping up the hops, and the ABV, we have Fredericton’s Grimross Brewing with the latest in their Scratch series of IPAs. This is Scratch 26, with a bit of a west coast vibe at 6.5% ABV and 55 IBU, featuring aromas of grapefruit and sweet citrus, with some lighter tropical, pine, and floral notes completing the picture. 

We wind up the week with not just a big’un, but a sweet, smooth, fruity, and boozy big’un. Tusket Falls Brewing has released Blueberry Milkshake IPA, a bit of a crazy one that saw lemon rind, cinnamon, vanilla bean, blueberries, and graham crackers in the mix along with, we’ll warrant, a whole bunch of hops! Look for aromas of grape gummies and flavours of blueberry pie in this 7.5% conflagration.

Friday Wrap-Up for October 29, 2021 – News from Serpent, New Scotland, Lunn’s Mill, Village Green, Port Rexton, Bannerman and 2 Crows, Lake City Cider, North, Candid, RagnaRock, 902BrewCast and Seasoned Plate, more!

Posted by acbbaaron on 2021-10-29
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: 2 Crows Brewing, 902 BrewCast, Bannerman Brewing, Brew Culture, Candid Brewing, Grimross Brewing, Half Cocked Brewing, Lake City Cider, Lunn's Mill Beer Company, Modern Brewer's Village Green, New Scotland Brewing, North Brewing, Port Rexton Brewing Co., RagnaRock Northern Brewing Company, Seasoned Plate, Serpent Brewing, Tide & Boar Brewing, Tire Shack Brewing. Leave a Comment

Welcome to the Spookiest weekend of the year! There will be plenty of little ghouls and goblins on the roads in colourful (and not) costumes Sunday, so please slow down and keep your eyes peeled for them. If you’re able, we figure the right play is to stay home and hand out treats from a distance to them, while enjoying the latest releases from around the region. The breweries in all four Atlantic provinces have stepped up this week in that department, and we’re tickled to share the latest offerings with you today!

Let’s kick off this week’s post with news of a pair of new beers hitting the taps in Spryfield Nova Scotia, thanks to their very own Serpent Brewing. Fresh off a win at this week’s Craft Draught Showdown at The Carleton, where this first beer made its debut, helping secure the win. Sprytown at Night is the latest version of their community brew, Sprytown Saison. Going dark in colour for the 6.0% “at Night”, it leverages the rich date and raisin character in addition to the colour of the dark malts, complementing the tart and spicy original Saison. Both are available on tap and in bottles and cans now. And debuting this weekend is Pumpkin Konig Tripel, a seasonal version of their ever-popular Tripel. Translating to “Pumpkin King”, this release saw the addition of plenty of hand-roasted Pie Pumpkins added for a little extra fermentable sugar (7.5% ABV here!), as well a soupçon of pumpkin to enhance the original clean yet complex Tripel.

And the perfect time to enjoy these two new releases is probably going to be Saturday, as they transform the brewery during “Devil’s Night Bash”, as they welcome Roadside Scarecrow and Caity & The Crowns for live music in their space, from 8 PM until midnight. And if that sounds a bit too spooky, pop by earlier in the day to enjoy wood-fired pizza from Dominic’s Cucina, who will be set up in the parking lot slinging pies that afternoon, from 2 – 9 PM. 

Fans of Dartmouth’s New Scotland Brewing know that they like to lean into the spooky season and this year is no different. Heads Will Roll is their returning “blood red” IPA featuring irresponsible amounts of hops, largely as late additions. As all good red IPAs (bloody or not) should be, this one has a solid malt balance and a firm, but not overpowering, 35 IBUs of bitterness. You can expect this one to be fruit forward and aromatic thanks to the Amarillo and Citra hops, and at 6.7% ABV, it’s right in the wheelhouse for the style. You can find it on tap in house or in cans to go from the brewery, and we expect it’ll pop up on their online shop for curbside pickup or local delivery any time now!

If you combine the recent renaissance of craft lagers with the seasonal shift towards darker beers, what do you get? Why schwarzbier, of course! Combining a rich malt base, roasty coffee and chocolate notes, a hint of spicy noble hops, and a crisp, dry finish, we’ve got a couple of fine examples in the region to which we’re no doubt adding another this week, this one from Lunn’s Mill. Dark Moon Lager is a small batch, session strength beer at 4.5% ABV that was brewed with the new moon and lagered for an entire lunar cycle. Premiering at the taproom in Lawrencetown in concert with tonight’s Lunn’s Mill Witches’ Ball, it will remain on tap at the taproom for pints and fills as long as it lasts, while city slickers should be able to find it on tap at Stillwell in the coming days, and for the patient, there’s a chance you’ll see some canned as well.

Sticking with the moon theme, Port Rexton Brewing up in *checks notes* Port Rexton, NL, has brought back their seasonal twist on an NEIPA theme: Chasing Moon. Although the “turn a light beer dark” trick isn’t uncommon at this time of year, PR went for extra degree-of-difficulty points by making a dark NEIPA! Maintaining the pillow-y smooth mouthfeel and prominent hop character, but taking a bit of a left turn with some dark fruit notes and, of course, a color you’d never expect, it’s got a medium bitterness and a hearty 6.7% ABV. You’ll find it on tap and in cans to go in the taproom as well as at the PR St. John’s Retail Shop; maybe grab yourself one of these and their flagship (not dark) NEIPA Chasing Sun for a little compare and contrast session. Also, a reminder that PR’s taproom hours have been updated for the rest of the year and you should check them out before heading down.

The Modern Brewer keeps churning out the good stuff at Cornwall’s Village Green where this week sees the return of two favorites. First up is a new version of Weird Clouds, their ever-changing IPA series. Version 7 comes in at 6.1% ABV and features Columbus hops for bittering and a dry-hop of Strata and Idaho 7. Expect notes of clementines and blood orange in this one. Also making a return is Modern Bitter. Brewed with Maris Otter, English Chocolate and Crystal Malts, this sessionable sipper is hopped with East Kent Goldings. Cans of both are available at the brewery now. And a reminder that VG Employee #001 Mark Misener’s last day slinging pints is today, so stop by their Cornwall location to send him off in style, before he takes on the Big Smoke next month!

Way back in September, as part of their Tap Takeover event at Bar Brewdock in East Duck, the crew from 2 Crows made the trip over to take part in the fun. Part of that fun was brewing up a special collaboration with the fine folks at Bannerman Brewing in between the laughs across the street. The fruit of that labour is out today, a beer they’ve called Before Time. Using Pilsner and spelt malts from PEI’s Shoreline Malting, as well as 2021 crop whole leaf Saaz and Mount Hood hops from Lakeview Hops of Harvey Station in New Brunswick, this is truly an all Atlantic Canadian collaboration brew. A 4.5% “Landbier” (German for “beer of the area”), this light and crisp lager was designed to be perfect for enjoyment anywhere and at any time, no matter the occasion (or none at all). Available on tap and in cans at Bannerman on Duckworth, and at select NLC and Marie’s locations around St. John’s.

Lake City Cider is celebrating the release of their latest blend, the simply-named Peaches. Featuring ripe Nova Scotia-grown peaches that were crushed and then co-fermented with local apples, both base fruits shine through in the finished product, which also features just a hint of almonds on the nose. Refreshing and juicy, this 5.5% cider is available on tap and in bottles at their downtown Dartmouth location, as well as their online shop for delivery.

If you’re a craft beer drinker in Atlantic Canada, you hopefully have experienced the glory that is the English Dark Mild style thanks to beers like Tatamagouche’s Darling, Lunn’s Mill’s Myld Stallyns, Baccalieu Trail’s Undertow (the Strong variant of the style), British Mild Ale from Grimross, and the recent Dark Mild from Village Green and Some Mild from Serpent. You may not know how lucky we are, but trust us when we tell you there are lots of places where you can’t find a single example of this style! Our luck continues this week with a new local option for Dark Mild, this one from North Brewing who have released Whirligig English Mild. A lovely low-alcohol option with plenty of comforting malt flavor for the season, it’s described as biscuity and roasty with hints of spice, making sure to bring plenty of flavor in spite of a paltry 3.2% ABV. You’ll find in cans and on tap at the brewery, at their “other” retail location at Battery Park, and available via their online shop for curbside pickup, local home delivery, or shipping.

On the north shore of Nova Scotia Candid Brewing has a brand new beer out this week, in collaboration with supplier Brew Culture. Dubbed Monster Mash, this one is big in a couple of ways, starting with a whopping ABV of 8%, continuing with a hefty 80 IBUs of bitterness, and finishing with a massive hop presence in both aroma and flavor from the exclusive use of Yakima Chief’s exclusive Cryo Pop hop blend. Super punchy and aromatic, there’s a ton of tropical character in this one, and they’re not expecting it to last long. Get it now at the Candid taproom.

Staying in the environs of Antigonish, but going in the totally opposite direction in terms of style, Half Cocked Brewing has a new beer coming out this weekend as well. Leveraging the KRISPY blend of kveik yeast strains from Escarpment Labs, Pip is a pseudo-American Lager (pseudo- in that kveik yeasts are ale yeasts) with a simple grain bill, a touch of American hops, and a 4.5% ABV. With a bit of spice and citrus complementing the crisp and dry finish, this should be an easy-drinking “tastes like another” experience. Find it starting tomorrow at the brewery, where you’ll also find Halloween at Half Cocked going down, with $1 off pints for costumed customers, food from The Crafty Cooks food truck, and door prizes as well!

Tide & Boar Brewing continues to elevate the craft with the release of their aptly-named The Pilsner, a 5.5% ABV crisp Czech-Style Pils. Although it’s been on tap for a few days, it’s now available in cans as well for your home drinking enjoyment. Sticking with tradition, they made the extra effort to lager it for a full three months before release to let the yeast perform its final slow march of cold-temperature clean-up tasks before falling out and leaving a clear and crisp product. Find this one to stay or go at T&B now!

We haven’t had the opportunity to chat about Saint Anthony Newfoundland’s RagnaRöck Northern Brewing Company in a little while, so we figured it was time for an update from this Great Northern Peninsula original. After opening their doors in November, 2019, they have been carrying on as best they can given the pandemic and all of the complications that brought everyone’s way. While they have temporarily closed their taproom for renovations and to launch their online portal, they are still brewing away, and are now stocking the shelves at Urban Market 1919 and several Marie’s Mini Marts in the St. John’s region. With ten canned offerings available at the various retailers, from Odin’s Beer Cream Ale, Boggy Bottom Brown Ale, to their Hela’s Fury IPA, there’s plenty of options for all! Congratulations to the RagnaRöck Crew, and we’ll be sure to let you know when their taproom is open again for regular service.

Our favourite podcast came back this week, with 902 BrewCast releasing the October Tasting Episode on #902sday. They invited Stephen Barrett of Seasoned Plate on to chat about all things Belgian Beer (or Belgian-inspired), food and beer pairing, and what they’ve got in the works. Stephened Plate shares his favourite local restaurants, shops, products and more daily on his IG page. One of those upcoming things is a virtual cooking event tomorrow, October 30th, where you will cook along with Stephen and a bunch of other keen folks, making Spaghetti Carbonara. Sign up now to receive the recipe and event link, and grab a great Italian Pilsner (preferably locally-brewed) to pair for the evening. “One for the sauce, one for me”. And grab the latest episode of 902BC here… perfect for listening to while you do your shopping or preparing your ingredients.

And speaking of favorites, and since we’re posting on the day of, a very Happy Birthday from us to (home?) brewer extraordinaire and overall grumpy bastard Brian Harvey. Although you may not have heard his name, if you’ve been drinking craft beer in NS for the last few years, chances are you’ve had some of his beer, owing to his many homebrew competition wins and collaborations with various breweries. He won’t read this because we’re posting after 12 PM (he’s got standards, y’know), but maybe it’s better that way!

In addition to the various events mentioned alongside beer releases above, there’s another one happening in Moncton this weekend:

Tire Shack Brewing is transforming their space into a Haunted Shack this weekend, as they get into the spirit of things. Both Friday and Saturday, costumes are welcome in the brewery (along with that proof of double-vaccination, of course!), and both evenings will see DJ Jaredactyl spinning some spooky tunes. To celebrate, they have brewed up a special beer: a Chocolate-Raspberry Jam Stout, on tap only, that pours like a goblet of blood! 

One job opportunity in the region’s brewing industry; if you’re in (or willing to relocate to) Fredericton and looking, maybe check it out!

Fredericton’s Grimross Brewing is hiring a full-time permanent person as a Brewtique and Taproom Supervisor. Managing the business aspects of the retail and taproom operations, they’ll be in change of staffing, training, inventory control, creating SOPs, and more. Grimross offers Health and Dental insurance, and this position is a tipped one as well, so could be the right fit for you! Check out the full job posting and apply here.