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Friday Wrap-Up – News from Tatamagouche, Port Rexton, Bore City, Maybee, and more!

Posted by acbbchris on 2016-09-16
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: Battery Park, Big Spruce Brewing, Big Tide Brewing, Bogtrotter Craft Brewery, Bore City Brewing, Fredericton Cider Festival, Gahan House (Charlottetown), Gray Stone Brewing, Mama's Brew Pub, Maybee Brewing, Port Rexton Brewing Co., Railcar Brewing, Red Rover Craft Cider, Roof Hound Brewing, Tatamagouche Brewing, TrailWay Brewing, Upstreet Craft Brewing. Leave a Comment

Happy Friday everyone! Another busy week, so let’s dive right in!

• It’s been a busy few weeks at Tatamagouche Brewing, and they’re ready to share the fruits of their labour! Yesterday, they released their first kettle sour beer, brewed in collaboration/conspiracy with Big Spruce. I’m In Love is a 4.0% ABV Berliner Weisse, featuring 70kg of ground cherries added after primary fermentation was complete. The resulting beer has quite a tropical feel, with melon and cantalope notes, aided by light additions of Mandarina Bavaria and Mosaic hops (to 13 IBUs). This beer will be a draft-only release, so grab a growler at the brewery, or a pint at better watering holes in the province. And we have it on good authority that this will not be the last TataWeisse release; we’ll keep you up to date with future releases.

• Launching at TataBrew today, is the third in their Barrel Aged Belgian Golden Strong series of beers. The Blackberry and Cherry spent an extra month in its barrel, as compared to the earlier releases of the Raspberry and Strawberry and Ginger versions. As such, this release, while still clocking in at 7.8% ABV, does show more barrel (vanilla and oak) and fruit (the eponymous blackberry and cherry, but also subtle sherry) characters. As with the other two releases, there are only a dozen cases of this beer available, so be sure to drop by the brewery this weekend to avoid disappointment.

• Tata’s Lagerhosen will be back next week, just in time for next weekend’s Tatamagouche Oktoberfest. The 4.5% ABV lager will be available in cans, as well as growler fills and of course on tap. They are running a contest on Facebook for swag, tickets to Oktoberfest, and a case of beer, so be sure to check it out! And we’ve spotted a new brew in the works with Battery Park, slated to be released at Tatabrew tap-takeover there on Thursday, October 6th, where a grand total of 14 Tatabrew beers will be featured on tap, along with one cask. Keep it dialed here for the details on this West Coast-inspired beer when available!

• The Port Rexton Brewing crew have been busy lately, and will be launching a brand new beer (to both them, and to the Rock, we reckon), a Gose. This 4.0% German-inspired beer features hand-picked and freshly-cracked coriander seed from the gardens and greenhouse at nearby Fisher’s Loft Inn. And in more exciting PRB news, they made their first delivery into St John’s this week: two kegs of T-Rex Porter were delivered to The Adelaide Oyster House Wednesday evening. Expect there to be more deliveries to town when supply allows it.

• Bore City has brewed up their very first Imperial IPA – with a grist made up mainly of 2-row, there’s a decent amount of flaked grains to boost the body (and add haze), and just the tiniest amount of CaraMunich malt. Hopped and dry-hopped with heavy amounts of Equinox, Galaxy and Topaz, those of you lucky enough to try this currently-unnamed DIPA can expect big blasts of citrus and tropical fruit. Fermented with a blend of English and American ale yeasts, it weighs in at 8.5% ABV and 75 IBUs. Your best bet to try this delicious-sounding beer? Next Saturday’s (Sept 24th) Atlantic Canada Craft Brew Oktoberfest in Moncton; tickets are still available here.

• As wet-hopped-beer season continues, Maybee Brewing recently brewed their first, a SMaSH featuring all Maris Otter malt and freshly-harvested Columbus hops from Southan Farms. A hop variety that has been around for years, Columbus offers a pleasant mix of dank, earthy, and resinous aromas and flavours, which should be amped up even more when used fresh. Expect this one to come in between 5.5-6% ABV, and to hit taps in the next week or so. It will also be released in 473 mL cans, which will be available exclusively at the brewery in Fredericton.

• Florenceville-Bristol’s Railcar Brewing has a new brew available at the brewery, and another following soon. Their Biggar’s Extra Special Bitter is an English ESB brewed with 2-row, Munich, Crystal 40 L, and Chocolate malts, and hopped entirely with English Goldings. At 6.2% ABV and 47 IBUs, it’s available now for growler fills and pints. Brewed recently is a Smoked Vanilla Whisky Porter; this 9.9% ABV monster features a combination of roasted and smoked malts, as well as 8 lbs of blackstrap molasses. In addition, whisky-aged oak chips and 35 vanilla beans were added in secondary. Finally, the beer was dry-hopped with Goldings. Look for this one to become available on tap at the brewery within the next couple of weeks.

• We reported last week on TrailWay‘s first sour beer, which was kettle-soured with a Lactobacillus blend from Escarpment Labs. That beer is nearing completion, and should be available sometime next week. We can now confirm that it will be a ~5% ABV hoppy sour ale; it was “generously whirpool-hopped” with Galaxy, and further dry-hopped with Citra. With the IBUs kept extremely low (high bitterness can easily clash in sour beers), expect a quite tart beer with loads of tropical fruit on the nose and palate.

• There’s another new brew on tap at Mama’s Brew Pub, an American Wheat Ale named Atlantic Great White. Featuring a simple grist of 50% each of 2-row and Wheat malt, it was hopped with the tropical/citrus Amarillo variety. Crushed coriander was also added in the boil, followed by fresh apples and oranges in secondary. Easy-drinking at 4.9% ABV and 17 IBUs, this one is – as always – available only at the brewpub for pints and tasters.

• After several months delay, Fredericton’s Gray Stone Brewing has finally received and commissioned their 11.5 hL (10BBL) brewhouse. As such, they’ve been brewing like mad this week, with at least three batches currently on the go, including their first wet-hopped beer – American Harvest IPA – which will be brewed this coming Sunday. Bittered with freshly harvested Summit to an approximated 85 IBUs, according to the brewery, the beer is expected to come in at 6.5% ABV. They are also putting out a call for any interested parties growing hops on their property to drop them off at the brewery by closing-time on Saturday, to be used in the brew in the flavour and aroma additions. Look for the first in-house-brewed releases to come late September/early October. Congratulations!

• With the return of fall comes the inevitable return of pumpkin beers. Last year, Upstreet released their Gravedigger, which is returning with a couple of changes: this year’s batch weighs in at a slightly-lower 6.5% ABV (compared to last year’s 7.5%), and exhibits slightly less graham cracker character in the flavour. The beer will officially launch tonight with the Gravedigger Ghost Tour and Beer Release, with a Ghost Tour starting at Captain Jack’s Bar & Grill at 6pm, and ending up at Upstreet at 8pm to join the party in full swing. And big congratulations to them for winning Startup Canada’s Social Enterprise Award, recognizing them for making a difference in, and helping to build, their community.

• And in an interesting mesh where wet-hopped-beers-meet-pumpkin-ales, Big Tide has brewed up their Indian Beach Pumpkin Ale, which features additions of real pumpkin, and is wet-hopped with freshly-harvested Cascade from Dunhams Run. As always, the beer also has cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and clove added to boost the pumpkin pie presence, resulting in an interesting flavour combination for this ~5% ABV brew. They have also brewed a wet-hop version of their FogBound Hemp Pale Ale, swapping out Cascade for Dunham Run’s Hallertauer and Nugget. Look for these beers to hit the taps at the end of the month.

• Charlottetown’s Gahan House has just released the details of this year’s Home Brew Challenge. Amateur brewers from the Island are encouraged to brew up their best Winter Warmer by November 18th, when it will be judged by a panel of beer experts. The winning brewer will then get to brew her/his recipe with Gahan’s Brewmaster Trent Hayes (plus a cash prize!), and will be launched in 2017. Register via email by September 30th, and more details are available on their Facebook page.

We’ve got lots of things for you to do this weekend, including the Hops ‘n’ Brats event tonight, and Halifax Beer Run and Halifax Oktoberfest tomorrow.

• It’s a busy weekend for new Nova Scotia breweries! Trider’s Craft Beer is launching today in Amherst. Their retail location at will be open at noon for growler and merchandise sales, and again tomorrow 12-10pm. In case you missed it, check out the Profile of Trider’s we released earlier this morning.

• In Mahone Bay, Saltbox Brewing is officially opening the doors of their taproom and retail shop tomorrow, September 17 at 10 am. In addition to merchandise and growlers of their four core beers, their taproom will be open to embibe onsite. Lobster Jo’s Food Truck will be set up to keep folks happy too. Joining Saltbox on tap will be a few beers from Boxing Rock, Firkenstein, and Good Robot, plus ShipBuilders Cider. Learn more about Saltbox in an upcoming Profile post, and drop by 363 Main Street to take part in the fun!

• Continuing through Sunday is the annual Harvest Jazz & Blues Festival in Fredericton. Red Rover is opening a couple of pop-ups where they’ll be selling about six different ciders; they’ll also be accompanied by various beers from Maybee and Grimross. One will take place one the balcony of the Fredericton Region Museum today from 4pm – 12am, and the other will occur on the Isaac’s Way patio tomorrow from 12am – 2am. Cover charge is by donation, with all funds going to the Fredericton Region Museum.

• Drop by Digby’s Roofhound Brewery for Games Night this Saturday. Pitchers of RH beer are discounted by $5, and there will be some special treats available that evening. The fun kicks off at 8pm.

• The Newfoundland and Labrador Artisanal and Craft Beer Club is hosting an Oktoberfest at the Bella Vista September 30th. Featuring four German beers and digestif, and food to pair with it, this will be sure to give you a taste of the country. Learn more and register your spot with Matthew by Sept 27th.

• A reminder that the second annual Fredericton Cider Festival is in two weeks, Saturday, October 1st. Held at Brewbakers downtown, there will be unlimited 4 oz samples of more than 25 different varieties of cider, with local cideries such as Red Rover, York County, Gagetown Cider Company, and Scow being the main stars of the show. Tickets are still available ($56.50, tax included), which get you a tasting glass and samples from 1:00-3:30 pm; VIP tickets, which allow for early entry at noon, are sold out.

• Mark your calendars! Bissell Brothers and Orono Brewing Company will be taking over the taps at Stillwell the weekend of Dec 10-12. These great Maine breweries are killing it in Portland and Orono, respectively (and the rest of the state), and are bringing their great beers North for us to enjoy. Stay tuned for the exact date/time details, as well as teasers of which beers will be available.

Looks like a nice couple of days coming up for the last weekend of summer; get out there and enjoy them (with some craft beer, of course)! In closing…

– PEI Brewing Co. have brought back a pair of seasonal favourites: Harvest Time Lager and Pumpkin Beer.
– For those who like it in the can, Propeller Brewing has expanded their tinnie offering to include the Pilsener and Pale Ale, joining their popular IPA. Cans are available at both their Gottingen and Windmill locations.
– Pump House SPCA IPA is available again, with a portion of proceeds going to the Greater Moncton SPCA.
– Keep an eye out for the first kegs of Fredericton’s Bogtrotter beers in the wild: kegs of Muddy Mayhem IPA, Osprey’orange Pale Ale were delivered to Gray Stone Brewery last night, and will likely be tapped this weekend. To learn more about Bogtrotter, check our Q&A with them, and be sure to visit the James Joyce for their Meet the Maker event next weekend.

Friday Wrap-Up – News from Stillwell, Manual & Co, Propeller, YellowBelly, TrailWay, Annapolis Cider, and more!

Posted by acbbshawn on 2016-06-17
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: Alexander Keith's History Brewery, Annapolis Cider Company, Authentic Seacoast Brewing, Beerocracy, Big Spruce Brewing, Garrison Brewing, Good Robot Brewing, Gray Stone Brewing, Grimross Brewing, Horton Ridge Malt & Grain, Maybee Brewing, North Brewing, Propeller Brewing, Railcar Brewing, Red Rover Brewing, Stillwell Beer Bar, Tasting NB, Tatamagouche Brewing, TrailWay Brewing, Uncle Leo's Brewery, Unfiltered Brewing, Upstreet Craft Brewing, YellowBelly Brewery. 2 comments

Happy Friday, everyone! It’s shaping up to be a busy weekend in our region, so let’s dive right in!

• One of the most anticipated openings of the summer will be happening this weekend (maybe even today, if the weather cooperates). The Stillwell Beergarden location on Spring Garden a/k/a #BGonSG will be opening very, very soon. Featuring access from both Spring Garden and South Park, the bright red sea can features an expanded tap list of 10 beer and ciders, plus a pair of wines available at all times. While focusing on local beer is still the norm, look for special beers from elsewhere to be available, including DdC!. To keep fans of the Barrington Mothership happy, a small rotating selection of large-format bottles will be available for sharing, and there will be non-alcoholic options too, such as Propeller Sodas. While Chef Graeme Ruppel is holding court on Barrington, sous-chef Joe Martin(i) will be driving the food options on Spring Garden, with a rotating dozen-item menu, featuring everything from tacos to kofte, weiners to noodles, all cooked over wood and charcoal, for a backyard BBQ vibe. Keep an eye on Stilly’s BG webpage and twitter for today’s forecast of beer and accompaniments.

• In the same space as the Beergarden, Manual & Co will be running a Dairy Bar onsite with cool treats, pulled coffee shots, and more. Featuring new house-made soft serve and sundae options daily, they are also putting together their own popsicles and will feature cold-brewed coffee, served on a nitro tap. Open from 10-8 daily, follow along with their latest flavours and features on instagram and twitter.

• Halifax’s Propeller Brewing has released a brand new collaboration brew this week. Graceland Too is a White IPA, brewed with a little help from the crew from Barrie, ON’s Flying Monkeys. This 6.5% wheat beer features loads of hops for a solid bitterness and citrus aroma, complementing the weizen yeast characters, the same strain used in their Hefeweizen. The beer is available is bottles now at both the Gottingen and Windmill locations, and will see limited release in kegs and cask around the city. Due to the small batch size, it may not last long enough to make it to their growler filling stations, so be sure to drop by today for satisfaction.

• St John’s YellowBelly Brewery has released a new beer this week. Summer Wheat is a different take on their Wexford Wheat, featuring a different hopping bill, incorporating Sorachi Ace. That hop gives off notes of lemon, dill, and flowers, on a medium-light wheat character. At 4.5% ABV and 22 IBUs, it will be perfect for the coming warmer days. The beer is available on tap now, and due to the small batch size, will not be available in bottles.

• TrailWay has released a brand new beer, American Oatmeal. Brewed with a healthy amount of Flaked Oats, some Brown malt was also added to the grist to contribute to the roast character of the beer. It weighs in at 6.2% ABV and is available at the brewery taproom now, as well as select accounts in Fredericton. And while there, be sure to try out the new iteration of their Session IPA, brewed with a different hop schedule, featuring a mix of Australian and American hop varieties (including a sizable dry hop). 4.3% and about 40 IBUs. Finally, the taproom patio should be opening today, which offers plenty of additional, outdoor seating, to help keep up with the crowds that have been turning out for a pint or three! Milda’s Pizza will be in attendance from 4:30-8 today to keep you satisfied. And tomorrow will see the brand new Country Fried Wontons truck drop by to provide nourishment from 4:30-8:30.

• Newly-opened Annapolis Cider Company has a new cider on tap, Rhubarb Ginger. Freshly-pressed rhubarb and juiced ginger give this unfiltered 6.7% ABV cider a hazy look, and a tasty blend of aromas and flavours. This “Something Different” batch is the first in their plan of passing along $0.50 for every refill to a local charitable organization. This batch’s beneficiary is the Nova Scotia Nature Trust which is dedicated to protecting, forever, Nova Scotia’s most unique, rare and treasured natural areas through land conservation. Drop by Annapolis’ Wolfville location for a fill today!

• In tribute to this year’s OUTeast Film Festival in Halifax (June 16th-19th), Good Robot released a new beer, of sorts, yesterday. Shocking Pinks is a blend of their regular-lineup Goseface Killah Gose with pink lemonade and hibiscus tea. Described by the brewery as “tart, floral and fruity”, this 4.8% ABV blend is available now on tap at the Good Robot taproom, and at many of the OUTeast events over the weekend.

• Edmundston’s Brasseurs Petit-Sault has released their Summer 2016 seasonal this week. Lt. Ingall Cream Ale is 4.3% ABV light-bodied beer, with a nice aromatic punch from the use of Galaxy, in a quaffable package. The beer will be available exclusively at their Brewtique for pints and growler fills, and at next weekend’s Edmundston Jazz and Blues Festival.

• Tatamagouche Brewing is celebrating their Second Anniversary this weekend, with some special brewery-only deals and beers available. Starting today, they will be pouring their CBA-medal winning Two Rivers Baltic Porter, and a special cask of their Deception Bay IPA, conditioned on nectarines. Look for a special beer brewed with grist from Horton Ridge Malt to be released late next week. This SMaSH (Single Malt and Single Hop) features the Annapolis Valley’s Organic Pale Ale malt, and hopped with Amarillo. And in early July, keep an eye out for a Session IPA brewed with the crew from Halifax’s Bishop’s Cellar, featuring Mosaic, Hallertau Blanc and a small addition of Amarillo.

• We now have more details on the 1st Anniversary beer being released by Upstreet next Friday, June 24th, during their 1st Anniversary event weekend. A Belgian Saison (aka Farmhouse Ale), De Novo I was brewed with a simple grist of Maritime Malt, hopped with Goldings harvested in New Brunswick, and fermented with two yeast strains: a Saccharomyces strain, and a Brettanomyces yeast blend from Escarpment labs in Ontario. Weighing in at 6% ABV, the brewery describes the beer as having “light candy and funky flavours”, with a dry finish. The beer will be available in bottles and on tap exclusively at the Upstreet taproom, and will be released June 24th at 6 pm, at the beginning of the Anniversary Beer Launch & Vinyl Party. Tickets are still available for their Field Trip, starting Saturday June 25 @ 6pm, featuring stops at 5 locations, with samples at each, ending up at The Alley for bowling and beer and food and music.

• Halifax’s Unfiltered Brewing is bringing back two favourite hopbombs today. The Double Orange Ale (DOA) Double IPA is a SMaSH beer weighing in at 7.5% ABV and 100+ IBUs, getting its eponymous colour from a Nash-special technique, using only 2-Row malt and Citra hops. The Riddle of Steel IPA is slightly lighter, boasting 7.0% ABV and about 70 IBUs, in a West Coast IPA meets East Coast yeast. Both beers are available now for growler fills, at 4pm at Charm School next door for pints, and soon at beer bars in the region.

• Mill Street Brewpub has opened on the St John’s waterfront. Tied closely to the new Bier Markt location, they are brewing beer onsite, and supplementing the standard offerings from the Labatt-owned Mill Street line. We’ll have more details on the beers and brewhouse very soon.

• Congratulations to the crew from Beerocracy, whose crowdfunding campaign ended successfully early this morning! Look for this movie love letter to NB beer to be released in the fall in breweries, bars, and events around the province. To thank their great supporters, they have released a short movie, Ciderocracy, which will be featured in the film. Check it out now!

• In a story we mentioned in November, the small-batch brews produced by AB-InBev at their Alexander Keith’s Brewery on Lower Water Street in Halifax are now available. Brewing on a 20 hl system, Brewmaster Stefan Gagliardi has put together recipes inspired by the original beers brewed by Alexander Keith in the city. Studying as a Chemical Engineer, he turned his focus to beer a decade ago, working in Quality Assurance, and then managing the brewhouse in St John’s, NL. After a move to Halifax’s Oland Brewery as Quality Manager, he is now in charge of the Historic Keith’s Brewery production. Says Gagliardi, “Brewing is my creative outlet. I have always been inspired by experimenting with beer styles and interesting ingredients and will bring this passion to the original brewery. I am constantly inspired by the story of Alexander Keith’s brewery, and the local community and culture in Halifax. Alexander Keith’s has such strong roots here and that inspiration will never stop being part of the beer that is produced in this historic facility.” On what inspires the recipes, Gagliardi says, “We look at three points for inspirations – our heritage and history, local ingredients and finally great tasting and innovative ingredients. The great thing about the original Alexander Keith’s brewery is that it gives us the opportunity to develop small-batch brews that are new and exciting, and most importantly unique to the east coast. Innovation has always been part of our heritage and we’re excited to bring new flavours and styles to Nova Scotia beer lovers.”
Their flagship beer is Cornerstone Edinburgh Pale Ale, a 4.3% ABV, 30 IBU, brewed with a base of Golden Promise, and enhanced with a blend of Cara malts from Weyermann: Cara Red, Cara Malt and CaraFoam, for colour, flavour, and body. The hops chosen were UK East Kent Goldings, Fuggles, and Hallertauer Perle, for a traditional English Ale hopping schedule. Also available now is Alexander Keith’s Lunenburg Coffee and Cacao Stout, a 6.5% ABV full-bodied stout, featuring 5kg of Laughing Whale coffee in the mash, and 11 kg of cacao nibs directly in the boil. Golden Promise base malt, with Cara Malt, Chocolate, Special B and roasted barley lend the iconic colour and flavours.
The beers will be available the NSLC and ANBL in 6-pack and 650mL bottles, on tap at bars and restaurants around Nova Scotia, and for growler fills at the Historic Keith’s Brewery.

There’s lots going on in the next couple of weeks, let’s take a look!

• Big Spruce will be hosting their Farm to Fork Food Truck event all weekend. 12-7pm Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, the folks from Cruisin’ Cuisine Food Truck will be set up at the brewery with plenty of beer-pairing options. This weekend’s theme is lobster, with several dishes featuring the local crustacean. For those unable to partake, there are plenty of non-lobster options as well. There will be musicians in the tasting room daily, be sure to check the event page for more details.

• Authentic Seacoast is opening their new brewing and distilling facilities in Guysborough this Saturday. The multi-million dollar building houses the brewing equipment to produce the Rare Bird line of beer, as well as producing spirits under the Sea Fever Rum, GLYNNEVAN Whisky and Fortress Rum names. The festivities kick off at 2pm, with public tours and tastings from 3-5pm.  Juno award-winner Garrett Mason will be keeping the good times rolling, with a performance in the Rare Bird Pub, starting at 9pm. More details are available here. No word yet on hours of operation or tours going forward.

• For those in New Brunswick, drop by Railcar Brewing’s location Saturday, June 18th, for a Father’s Day Tasting event. From 6 to 8pm, enjoy five beers and take home a branded glass for only $20. Contact RC on Twitter or at their Curtis Road location (below AC Sharkey’s Pub).

• Now that their taproom is officially open for serving pints, Maybee Brewing is celebrating with an official Grand Opening party of Saturday, June 26th. Opening at 10 am for pints, and cans and growler fills to go, the real fun kicks off in the evening with the Chunky’s Food Truck, featuring Mexican food, on site from 5pm, plus live music starting at 6pm. Look for more details as they are announced on their event page.

• After the success of the last summer’s inaugural Tasting NB in Fredericton, this year’s event has been scheduled for Saturday, July 9th. Featuring an abundance of New Brunswick craft alcohol producers – including beer, cider, mead, and wine – the 3-hour (7 pm – 10 pm) outdoor event will once again be held at the Capital Complex, and will include at least 12 NBCAPA members, including Fredericton’s own soon-to-open Gray Stone Brewing. Tickets are on-sale now ($55 in advance; $60 at the door, depending on availability).

A few parting shots this week:

– Fredericton’s Grimross Brewery looking for part-time staff in the Taproom and Retail operations. Send them an email, or drop your resume at their taproom location.
– Red Rover also looking for staff, Sales Associates at their Cider House and Farmers Market stalls. Again, drop them an email for more details.
– Halifax’s North Brewing is releasing a small run of their Millie Beet Saison, a Stillwell collaboration beer. This time around, this 5.0% ABV brew will only be available in 750’s at the brewery and Battery Park location, beginning today, so drop by for a take-away.
–  Lyons Brook’s Uncle Leo’s released their very popular Voh’s Weizenbier late last week. This 5.0% Hefeweizen is brewed with a traditional weizen yeast, and lots of wheat, for an unfiltered beer reminiscent of this classic German style. As there are only a few bottles left at the brewery, your best bet will be to find it out in the wild at better beer bars, and RockHead, in Halifax and Pictou County, and at the Townhouse in Antigonish.
– Garrison’s Seaport Blonde is back at the brewery, and in the wild. This 4.0% Blonde features Columbus hops, and a light body from 2-Row and Wheat malts. It is available now in 6-packs at the brewery and NSLC, and growler fills.

Friday Wrap-Up – Two New Charlottetown Beer Bars Announced, Plus Beers From Granite, YellowBelly, and more!

Posted by acbbshawn on 2016-04-22
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: Big Spruce Brewing, Bore City Brewing, Charlottetown Beer Garden, Good Robot Brewing, Granite Brewery, Grimross Brewing, HopYard, Lion & Bright, Local Connections, North Brewing, Picaroons, Railcar Brewing, Saltbox Brewing, Tatamagouche Brewing, Uncle Leo's Brewery, Unfiltered Brewing, YellowBelly Brewery. Leave a Comment

Welcome to the weekend, and a beautiful Friday! Beer news in our region is a bit slower this week, but there’s still plenty to talk about…

• Prince Edward Island should soon be expanding options for enjoying craft beer, as the Island’s first outdoor beer garden is being planned for downtown Charlottetown, as reported by the Guardian late last week. Business partners Steve Barber and Jacob Hiemstra, owners of local restaurants such as Hunter’s Ale House, hope to have the location open on the corner of Prince and Kent streets by late June. The Charlottetown Beer Garden and Seafood Patio should have about 25 taps, with 12 dedicated to craft breweries and another several reserved for imports. While local, Island breweries will naturally be a big focus, Barber is in talks with PEILCC to feature other craft breweries from the Maritimes. Live music and fresh, local seafood will also be a feature of the restaurant, as well as other beer-pairing favourites such as sausages and pretzels. Stay tuned for more info…

• But that’s not all! HopYard, a craft beer bar focusing on “local Island beer, regional breweries, and beers from across the continent”, is set to open downtown at 151 Kent St. on Monday, May 9th. Owned by Mike Ross and Brett Hogan, the bar will feature draught beer only, with 10 always-rotating taps. Award-winning Chef Jane Crawford will be in charge of the food menu, with all items priced at under $8 (note that while bar snacks will stay the same, all menu entrees will also be rotating). Cider, wine and spirits will also be available, and a “vast vinyl selection” will be on-hand for customers to look through and make selections to be played on the bar’s sound system. Open every day at 11 am, the bar’s simple motto – “Beer. Food. Vinyl.” – perfectly sums up their mission statement!

• Halifax’s Granite Brewery has released their latest seasonal beer, Granite IPA. Light copper in colour, the 5.5% ABV beer was brewed with healthy doses of East Kent Goldings and Cascade hops, to 55 IBUs. Grab a growler at the brewery, or a pint at better beer bars in the city.

• Back in March, we reported on a new beer being brewed by YellowBelly that involved the addition of a large amount of stale bread from neighbouring Rocket Bakery, as a statement to support those who minimize the wasting of food. Well, that beer, named Brewis Hard Tack Ale, is now on tap at the brewpub. The brewery describes the brown, 4% ABV beer as showing notes of “pepper from the rye, a lactic bite from the sourdough, and figs and raisins as backnotes”, along with some herbal and spiciness from the Willamette hops. Bottles will be available shortly at both the brewery and NLC, as well. Learn more about the ingredients, process, and beer, at YB’s site.

• Unfiltered is releasing another new beer today (and those at yesterday’s punk album evening got a sneak peek) – Riddle of Steel is an American IPA described as “bright and juicy, with a serious New England influence on top of the usual San Diego roots”. Coming in at 7% ABV and 70 IBUs, this very-pale-coloured hoppy beer will be on tap for growler fills at the retail store at noon, by the pint at Charm School at 4 pm, and in the wild at local bars shortly.

•  Good Robot has released what they’re referring to as “a damn good cup of beer”, their Damn Fine Coffee and Cherry Pie Pale Ale. Brewed with a grist including Pilsner, Red X, and Rye malt, plus some Flaked Barley, it was hopped with Falconer’s Flight and Cascade to 40 IBUs. In addition, approximately 3.5% of the beer volume comes from the addition of cold-brewed Java Blend Ethiopian Guji coffee, which is “grown in cherry soil and known for its berry character”, according to the brewery. The resultant 5.1% ABV Pale Ale is described by the brewery as exhibiting notes of coffee and caramel, with a chocolate forefront; slight acidity and tartness come from the Guji coffee as well, as the beer starts off as creamy before turning slightly sharp/acidic. Grab a pint or growler at Good Robot now, and look for it in rotation at taps around HRM.

• Saltbox Brewery, currently in development in Mahone Bay, has confirmed that they have successfully purchased the building on Main Street that will serve as their brewery and storefront. With their 12 hL DME brewhouse to be delivered in May, they are planning on a mid-summer launch. Read more on their site.

There are a few events coming up in the next bit that are worth checking out. And remember, NS Craft Beer Week kicks off in just two weeks, May 6th! Check out our Calendar and Map for all of the events, and we’ll be adding more as details are announced.

• Bishop’s Cellar is holding a free in-store tasting hosted by Dartmouth’s Nine Locks this afternoon, 4-6pm. Featuring their four flagship beers, Dirty Blonde, ESB, IPA, and Porter, drop by for a taste and grab a few cans to enjoy on the patio. While there, also check out their extensive beer sale, as they’ve marked down several American and Quebec craft beers, to make room for new arrivals.

• Celebrating Earth Day is an annual event for Lion & Bright and Big Spruce Brewing. In support of Ecology Action Centre, the two companies teamed up to collect funds throughout April, whenever patrons ordered tacos or a pint of Big Spruce beer. Tonight at 6pm, drop by L&B to celebrate Earth Day, with a Big Spruce tap takeover featuring some returning favourites, including Gimme Citra Single-Hop Pale Ale, She’s Maibock Lemon Maibock, and Watchtower Conspiracy Imperial IPA, joining their core lineup of beers. During tonight’s event, $1 from every pint, and order of tacos, will add to the donation coffers. More details here.

• Good Robot Brewery are also celebrating Earth Day today, by encouraging patrons to take part in the North End Cleanup starting at 4pm (prizes for those who collect the most street trash), and are inviting some goats from Moo Nay Farms to “graze” on their (faux) lawn on Robie Street. There will be guided yoga at 3pm to limber up before collecting trash, and when the sun goes down, the tap room will be lit only by tea lights. Moo Nay Farms, by the way, are the proud recipient of Good Robot’s spent grains, reducing the feed requirements, and therefore agricultural resources, needed to keep their animals fed. Check out a video of some Robot/Animal fun.

• Tomorrow, April 23rd, is the Winemaker vs Brewmaster event at the Grand Banker in Lunenburg. Featuring Nyanza’s Big Spruce, squaring off against L’Acadie Vineyards, in a five-course meal, each paired with both a wine and beer. Guests vote with either a beer cap or wine cork, and the winning producer will be crowned at the end of the meal. Tickets are available at the Grand Banker, or by phone (902-634-3300).

• On Saturday, April 30th, Railcar is pairing with the Algonquin Resort to present Maritime Beer & Cheer. Being held from 6-9 pm at the Algonquin in Saint Andrews, NB, there will be five courses paired with five different Railcar beers. Tickets are $55 + tax and gratuity, and will feature such pairings as braised beef brisket and butternut squash ravioli with Smoked Molasses Porter. Reserve your tickets by phone (1-855-529-8693) or in person at the resort.

• Local Connections has announced the date for Halifax’s first cask festival, the Cask Beer Showdown. Scheduled for Saturday, September 24th, there will be two sessions (12-3 pm and 5-8 pm) available to attend. Early-bird tickets are now on sale at the above link for $33 each, which includes entry, a Belgian-style take-home glass, and twelve 4 oz samples of a variety of “unique cask-conditioned beers” from local breweries.

That’s all for this week. And, of course, before you go…

– Picaroons is releasing their popular summer seasonal, Dooryard, today; this 4.5% ABV “Organic Wheat Ale” will be available on tap at most Picaroons accounts through the end of summer, as well as for growler fills at both retail locations, and in bottles.
– Grimross Brewing is hiring yet again, this time in the Assistant Brewer position. For details on the requirements and work detail, check out their link.
– Uncle Leo’s has re-released their Altbier today. This traditional German style features a copper colour, and a light body with a significant bitterness and flavour hop presence. At 5.2% ABV, it is available at the brewery for growler fills, and on tap at select bars in the province.
– North Brewing has released another batch of their Barrel-Aged Strong Dark Ale, aged for five months in barrels from Cape Breton’s Glenora Distillery.
– Bore City‘s Equilux, their APA hopped with the mega-delicious Equinox and Citra, has been sent to the James Joyce in Fredericton; it should be tapped later today, and won’t last long, so head in for a pint!
– Tatamagouche Brewery has sent off several pallets of cans of their popular Deception Bay IPA to the NSLC, for distribution across the province. Look for it in the first week of May. Around that same time, just in time for Open Brewery Day on May 7th, they will be opening their larger storefront on Main Street Tatamagouche, with more space for bottles, cans, and growler fills, and they will be offering tasting flights of their beer to visitors. Keep an eye on their Twitter and Instagram to stay up-to-date on the progress.