Rogues Roost Brewpub

All posts tagged Rogues Roost Brewpub

Friday Wrap-Up – Hoppy Beer News from Lion & Bright, Big Spruce, Burgers n’ Beers, Gahan, Rogues Roost, and more!

Posted by acbbchris on 2014-04-18
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: Beerthief, Big Axe Brewery, Big Spruce Brewing, Burgers n' Beer, Gahan House (Charlottetown), Gahan House Home Brewer's Challenge, Picaroons cat contest, Picaroons Traditional Ales, RockBottom Brewpub, Rogues Roost Brewpub, Uncle Leo's Brewery. 1 comment

Happy Friday everyone! We hope you’re reading this while sipping a nice coffee stout or citrusy IPA to start your long weekend off right.

• Lion & Bright is hosting a Spruce up the Planet! Earth Day Celebration this Tuesday, April 22nd, in support of the Ecology Action Centre. It will feature a tap takeover by Big Spruce Brewing, featuring Bitter Get’er India Black IPA,  The Whole 9 Yards, Cereal Killer, Kitchen Party, Regatta Red, You Spin Me White Round White IPA will all be on tap, and a cask of Cereal Killer Sideways, infused with Glenmorangie, will also be pouring. Jeremy and the rest of Big Spruce Nation will be in attendance, so drop by and say hello. There are no tickets required for the event, but show up promptly at 6pm to get a packet of seeds to help green up Halifax and to enjoy the music and food. $1/per pint of beer sold goes to the EAC.

• In more Big Spruce news, they kicked off the Roving Canadian Craft Beer Bag this week. Born out of receiving the bag with their Organic Conspiracy from Brian and Rebecca at Crannóg Ales, they want to keep the Canadian Beer Love going! The first recipient will be Aaron Spinney at Sawdust City, with a growler of their collaboration You Spin Me White Round White IPA and The Whole 9 Yards. We’ll be sure to keep an eye on this fantastic new tradition as it criss-crosses the country by bus.

• Finally in Big Spruce news, they recently received the second part of their expanded brewhouse, two 10 barrel unitanks, allowing them to ferment, condition and carbonate all in one vessel, allowing for an efficient way to make use of their space. As an aside, they are brewing up another batch of their White IPA today, so all of us fans will have another chances to get our hands on it. For folks lucky enough to be in the area to purchase growlers, they are very short on The Whole 9 Yards First Anniversary Scotch Ale, so be sure to drop by now to avoid disappointment. Like many breweries and the private beer stores, they are open today and Sunday, even if the provincial stores are not.

• Tuesday’s Burgers n’ Beer in Fredericton was a great success; the sold-out event was a dual effort from the Fredericton Beer Festival and reLiSH Gourmet Burgers, and featured six specialty sliders paired with six different craft beers, including first-timers to Fredericton Celtic Knot Dubh Loki Black IPA and Hammond River Brewing Red Coat India Red Ale. Along with ciders from Red Rover, and more beer from Grimross, Shiretown and Central City (Red Racer IPA), the quality of all was top-notch! The next event takes place in Moncton at reLiSH on Tuesday, April 29th from 8 pm – 10 pm. The tentative brewery list includes the brand new Big Axe, Celtic Knot, Grimross, Hammond River, Red Rover, and Shiretown. Tickets ($45, taxes and fees included) can be purchased here.

• Last Saturday featured the judging of the five finalists for the 1st Annual Gahan Home Brewer’s Challenge, which took place at the Gahan House in Charlottetown. The winning beer came from the brewing team of Ryan Palmer and Lee Nicholson with their PEI Cranberry Wit, a sessionable ale at 4.3% ABV brewed with coriander and orange peel, with cranberries added during secondary fermentation. Ryan and Lee will get to brew a full-sized batch of their beer on the Gahan system with brewmaster Trent Hayes, to be served on tap at the Gahan House in a couple of weeks. Congratulations, Ryan and Lee!

• Rogues Roost Brewpub now has their Oatmeal Stout on tap, for the first time in six years. It joins the Brown Ale, IPA, Red Ale, Blueberry Wheat, and Cream Ale on tap (and most are also available in growlers). Keep an eye on their Twitter feed for the up-to-date growler list, as well as their continuing Brewmasters events.

• We forgot to mention this last week, but better late than never, especially when it involves great beer! At this year’s Saint John Beer Fest (held on Saturday, April 5th), the crowd selected the Best of Show beer for the event… the winner was Hammond River Brewing Hop Flash IPA! Owner/brewer Shane Steeves was surprised, yet extremely grateful, at being singled out among other great beers. Congratulations, Shane!

• We mentioned in a previous Friday post that Picaroons was holding a Prohibition Repeal Party at the Capital Complex in Fredericton tomorrow, featuring a tap-takeover of their 12 draught lines. They’ve released which beers will be present – many of their regular releases will be there, along with their Yippee IPA dry-hopped with Cascade, Amarillo and Willamette, and their Best Bitter infused with Fuggle hops (thanks to the use of Randall the Enamel Animal). Check out our previous post and the event page for more info!

• Continuing with Picaroons reminders, if you still plan on sending in a picture of your kitty for their Melonhead Cat Contest, deadline for the hi-res pictures to be emailed is next Thursday, April 24th. More details in our earlier post here.

• The next Rockbottom Beer Dinner is scheduled for April 29th at 6pm. Featuring three courses paired with three beers, it’s a great opportunity to chat with Brewmaster Greg Nash about beer, food, and life in general. This month’s dinner will be Sweet Potato Gnocchi paired with their Bigwater Brown, Stout Braised Lamb Shank (Jacktar Stout), and Unbaked Peanut Butter Cheesecake (Fathom IPA). Call the pub for tickets, but act quickly, as its already half sold-out. While there, you can try their Thulsa Doom DIPA, and their Galaxy India Pale Lager SMaSH should be on tap by then as well.

• A friendly reminder that the Beerthief Private Beer Order for Wold Top and Orkney is closing this Sunday, be sure to email in your requests before then to take part. Mike Buhler will also be leading a Beer and Tulip River Cruise in March of 2015, visiting Amsterdam, Antwerp, Brussels, Ghent and more. Check out this flyer for more details.

• Finally, in case you missed yesterday’s post on the recently-opened Big Axe Brewery in Nackawic… well, they’re now open! You can stop by the brewery/B&B on 519 Otis Dr. for growler fills of their first two beers, Chantarelle Cream Ale and Double Bit IPA, Mondays to Saturdays from 12 pm – 8 pm. You should also see their beers popping up in bars/restaurants in the area, including the King Street Ale House in Fredericton, in the near future. We’ll keep you updated on their development!

• Tickets are now on sale for the Inaugural Pictou County Pizza Competition, Saturday, April 26th, Glasgow Square, New Glasgow. Along with the chance to try six different Pictou County-style pizzas (from Cafe Italia, Crown Pizza Pictou, East Side Pizza, Sam’s Pizza (Stellarton), Sam’s Pizza (Trenton), Ted’s Pizza), attendees will receive two glasses of Uncle Leo’s beer. Tickets are available at various outlets in New Glasgow and Pictou. Also, look for Uncle Leo’s at the Halifax Seaport Farmers’ Market Friday (today included) and Sunday. They will have their IPA and Smoked Porter available in growlers.

Friday Wrap-up – News and Brews from Fredericton Craft Beer Fest, Ladies Beer League, Lion & Bright, Uncle Leo’s, and more!

Posted by acbbshawn on 2014-02-28
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: 2014 Fredericton Craft Beer Festival, Big Spruce Brewing, Brasseurs du Petit Sault, Gahan House (Charlottetown), Gahan House Home Brewer's Challenge, Garrison 2013 Home Brew-Off Challenge, Garrison 2014 Home Brew-Off Challenge, Garrison Brewing, Ladies Beer League, Lion & Bright, Picaroons Traditional Ales, Propeller Brewing, Pump House Brewery, Rogues Roost Brewpub, Stubborn Goat Gastropub, Uncle Leo's Brewery. Leave a Comment

Happy Friday, everyone! Today also marks the last day of February. Wow, time flies when you’re having fun/beer! Lots of beer news for you this week, so let’s dive right in!

• As part of next weekend’s Fredericton Craft Beer Festival, there is a separate fundraiser going on, to benefit the Fest’s charity, Team Diabetes. Check out the Golden Growler Auction! There are only twenty of these snazzy Golden Growlers available, screenprinted with the list of breweries and suppliers attending the 2014 FCBF. To win one, you must put in your bid before 11:59PM on Friday, March 7th. The twenty highest bids will get a growler (sorry, not full, but it can be filled down the street at the Picaroons Brewtique), as well as a charitable donation receipt. What a no-brainer! If you’re not on Facebook, you can also submit your bids via Twitter and email. Right now, the minimum bid to win is somewhere around $30, so don’t be shy! Be sure to mention how many growlers you’d like, as you can bid in multiples, as well. If you won’t be able to pick up the growler at the Fest, they will make arrangements to get it to you.

• After a little break for the holidays and New Year, the Ladies Beer League is back with another great event! They will be hosting a screening of Beer Hunter: the movie, about the life of Michael Jackson, at Lion & Bright Cafe & Wine Bar in Halifax, 7pm March 25th. Your $15 movie ticket also gets you some tasty popcorn, and a pint of a special cask of Uncle Leo’s beer (unsure which of their beers it is, yet). Tickets are only available online, and in short supply, so buy yours today! The movie will actually be introduced and attended by some people who had the opportunity to meet and work with Michael during his career. Sounds like a great date night to me, and there will also be a limited number of copies of the film for sale after, for future viewings. As with all LBL events, everyone is welcome! And be sure to check out LBL’s new website, with an FAQ, and the future possibility of purchasing a membership, which will give discounts at local establishments.

• The Parcel of Rogues that Picaroons brewed up for the 25th Anniversary of the Lunar Rogue is back. This time, in addition to being on tap at the Rogue, it will also be available for growler fills at the Brewtique. And don’t forget, if you’re in the Fredericton area tomorrow (March 1), Picaroons is having the official launch of their Maple Cream Ale at the York St. Train Station, with free food, beer samples, and music, from 11 am – 3 pm.

• As their official launch date gets ever closer, the people over at Les Brasseurs du Petit Sault have started a countdown to opening, estimating at about 95 days. They’re making leeway in the process, as they’ve already chosen the names of their flagship beers (a Belgian Blonde and Witbier… no, they’re not revealing the names yet!), are testing brewing recipes at the NBCC in Grand-Sault, and preparing to have some tastings of their first batch within the next few weeks. Their building is also taking shape quite nicely, with their brewing equipment expected within a month.

• The Pump House Brewery in Moncton is looking to add to their brewing team! They’ve posted a job listing here, looking for someone to fill the position of Head Brewer and add to their brewing talent. Check out the link for the full job requirements; they are looking for someone with 5-15 years of brewing experience. If you’re interested in responding to the posting, you can send them an email.

• For those of you living on PEI who are entering the 1st Annual Homebrewer’s Challenge (we originally posted on the event here), those at the Gahan House have decided to change some of the dates in order to give homebrewers sufficient time to brew their beer. The registration deadline was last Friday, but those registered now have until 5:00 pm, Friday April 4th to pass in their six-pack to the Gahan House. The preliminary judging and other events noted in our post will then be held over the next week, with the judging of the top 5 entries taking place on Saturday, April 12th.

• Big Spruce Brewing in Nyanza is hosting a special guest brewer in the brewhouse today: Aaron Spinney, head brewer at Sawdust City, in Gravenhurst, ON. They are brewing a big Wheat IPA (You Spin Me White Round Wheat IPA), weighing in around 6.5-7% ABV and with 70 IBUs, and will have loads of dry hopping. The big wheat component will give a different mouthfeel and head from normal IPAs; the beer should be a great addition to the lineup. Aaron has some connections to the Bras d’Or Lake area, so brewing with Jeremy and crew at Big Spruce was a no-brainer! Be sure to follow along with the fun on Big Spruce’s and Aaron’s Twitter accounts for up-to-the-minute details.

• More great news for Big Spruce: In order to keep up with the growing demand for their beer both on and off Cape Breton Island, they got several fermentors and conditioning tanks on the way from DME in PEI. Two 10 bbl fermentors are scheduled to arrive within the next week, and a third will be through the doors shortly thereafter. And then in late spring, they will be adding two more conditioning tanks to the brewery. This will allow them to increase production by about 70%, in order to keep their head above water during the busy summer to come. This will mean some shuffling of things around the brewery, and construction of the Sprucetique, where visitors will be able to sit and enjoy a paddle of samples while deciding which to purchase in a growler, while enjoying their beautiful view of the Bras d’Or lake. All this after just one year of brewing and selling beer! Congrats to Jeremy and the Big Spruce crew, and thanks to you for drinking it!

• Another busy week at Garrison Brewing in Halifax, punctuated with a home brewing flavour: Last Saturday, the first round of judging was performed in this year’s Home Brew Off competition. Seventy-six homebrewed Weizens were judged by a panel of 10 BJCP-certified judges (acbbchris was among them), narrowing down the field to a top 13 best beers. This week, that lucky thirteen was further reduced down to a final four of beer awesomeness, by Brewmaster Daniel Girard and his crew. Those four beers will be further tasted and tested (again by certified judges), and the winning beer will be crowned the 2014 Home Brew Off Winner! 2013’s Home Brew Off winner, Peter Welton, was in the brewery for a long day Monday, in order to brew his Belgian Blonde. This beer will be released at the Gala event, March 13th. The beer name is a closely guarded secret (only revealed at the Gala), but we can tell you that the beer will weigh in at 7.5% ABV and 24 IBUs.

• The Stubborn Goat in Halifax is inviting Propeller Brewing for today’s Firkin Friday, and Propeller has answered the call with a cask of Black IPA, dry hopped with Simcoe! They brewed up a special batch of this beer specially for the Goat, and will be releasing a full batch in the spring, so be sure to grab a pint. As always, the casks are tapped at 4pm, and once it’s gone, it’s gone, so best to get there promptly.

• A quick reminder that Beerthief Offering #10 from Brooklyn Brewery closes Sunday, March 2nd. Check the full details here, but the quick summary is that members can order East India Pale Ale, Brooklyn Pennant, Local 1, Local 2 or Sorachi Ace beers, to be delivered at their local NLC. As always, contact Tom to place your order.

• In other Beerthief news, on Sunday March 16, there will be a combination tasting and presentation about their March 2015 River Cruise to the Netherlands and Belgium. There will be an assortment of excellent Belgian beers served (including Saison Dupont to start), and the presentation will go over the itinerary and beer specifics of the cruise. Mike Buhler will be part of the planning process of the cruise, and will be leading the tasting (both on the 16th, and during the cruise). Seating for the presentation/tasting is very limited, so reserve your spot with Tom today!

• Rogues Roost Brewpub in Halifax has released their latest seasonal, a Porter. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to get all of the recipe details before press time, but we can assure you it will be worth a visit!

• And finally, coming back to the Fredericton Craft Beer Festival, we’re having a contest for you to win two VIP tickets to the sold-out event! Starting today, take a picture of a beer brewed by any of the breweries that will be at the festival (check out the full list here), and tweet it or share it to the FCBF Facebook page, with the hashtag #FCBF14. The contest will run until next Thursday, March 6th, at 11:59 pm; the lucky winner will be announced in next week’s Friday Wrap-Up. Extra points for creativity! And if you already have tickets to the fest, feel free to still participate; the FCBF will refund the cost of your 2 VIP tickets if you win!

Have a fantastic weekend, everyone!

Friday Wrap-Up – News from Hart & Thistle, Railcar, reLiSH, Picaroons, Grimross, Garrison, Sea Level and more!

Posted by acbbchris on 2014-02-21
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: 2014 Canadian Brewing Awards, Garrison Brewing, Grimross Brewing, North Brewing, Paddys Irish Brewpub, Picaroons Traditional Ales, Pump House Brewery, Railcar Brewing, reLiSH, Rogues Roost Brewpub, Sea Level Brewing, Stillwell Beer Bar. 1 comment

Good morning, everyone! Lots of craft beer news to get into this week; unfortunately, we have to start with some sad news…

• Earlier this week, owner Bruce Keith announced the closure of the Hart & Thistle Brewpub in Halifax. Unfortunately, their beautiful waterfront location sees a drastic slowdown outside of the summer months, and that was not enough to sustain the business year-round. It’s also unfortunate that we are losing a place where Brewmaster Greg Nash was given free reign to put together some experimental and wild beers, including the Hop Mess Monster (and her annual offspring) and Commissar RIS (which was still on tap upon closing, the beer’s fate is sad to think about). Thank you for five great years, H&T!

• Bringing us one step closer to tasting their beer, Railcar Brewing is opening their merchandise section, located at the brewery at 9172 (Unit 6) Main St. in Florenceville-Bristol, NB. Stop by to check out the renovated location, and pick up a variety of Railcar merchandise for sale – including four different logoed glasses, men and women’s shirts, hats, railway spike bottle openers, and six-pack craft beer holders. The hours will be Tuesday – Friday, 5:30 pm – 8 pm, and Saturdays 9 am – 5 pm.

• Last September, we posted about reLiSH (a popular gourmet hamburger franchise that originated in Fredericton) planning on opening a new restaurant that featured craft beer. Well, after a few delays, it looks like that restaurant will finally be opening tomorrow in the Knowledge Park complex of Fredericton! They plan on having 9 beers on tap, up to eight of which will be craft beers from Atlantic Canadian breweries (including Picaroons, Pump House, and PEI Brewing Co. when they first open). One of these beers is going to be designated as “people’s choice”; the next keg tapped will be chosen by popular vote through reLiSH’s Facebook and Twitter accounts. They also plan on having multiple bottled craft beer choices available.

• We mentioned last week that Picaroons would soon be releasing their seasonal Maple Cream Ale, a 5% ABV beer brewed with local maple syrup from Briggs Maples. Details for the official launch party are now available: it will be held on Saturday, March 1st at the York St. Train Station, from 11 am – 3 pm. Featuring all maple, all the time, there will be samples of the beer available, as well as maple food and “maple music” (no, I’m not exactly sure what that means). The beer will then be available at the ANBL, Brewtique, and restaurants/bars in the area.

• While on the topic of Picaroons, they’re going to be having a tap takeover at Bar Stillwell in Halifax on Saturday, March 15th from noon – 5 pm. Details on specific beers are still being kept under wraps, but we know that there’ll be 12 taps and 3 casks devoted entirely to Picaroons, so rest assured they’ll be bringing something special! Brewmaster Andrew Estabrooks will be on hand to answer questions and talk beer. Tickets are $10 each, and include a one-off glassware for the event and your first taste. Reserve your tickets at the bar, or email tix<at>barstillwell.com.

• On July 1st, 2013, Grimross Brewing released their first beer, Cheval D’Or, a ~5.2% ABV Saison. Brewer/owner Stephen Dixon has confirmed that he has recently re-brewed this beer; equipment upgrades have provided better temperature control while brewing, so that recipe targets have been hit more efficiently. He also mentions that the carbonation of the beer has been improved over the first batch. Look for this beer to be available soon on tap at the King Street Ale House, and in 750 mL re-fillable growlers at the Brewtique. It will also be making an appearance at the sold-out Fredericton Craft Beer Festival in two weeks!

• This week, Garrison Brewing released their popular seasonal Black IPA. Weighing in at 6.2% and 48 IBUs, this beer is the best of their hoppy and bitter IPAs, together with the roast character of their Martello Stout. This beer won gold at the 2010 Canadian Brewing Awards, and is available at the private beer stores in the HRM, as well as at the brewery.

• Sea Level Brewing in Port Williams, NS is releasing their El Rojo Diablo Double IPA late next week. Brewmaster Randy Lawrence chose a New Zealand hop as the centrepiece of this bold, hoppy brew. Its bitterness is balanced with a tropical fruit sweetness and the levels of taste boasts crushed black pepper. The beer weighs in at 7.666% ABV and 88 IBUs, and will be available in the Halifax private stores, as well as on tap at the Port Pub. It may also make it to Stillwell in Halifax.

• Congratulations to Paddys Irish Brewpub & Rosie’s Restaurant, who won Best Bar/Lounge at the Annapolis Valley Chamber of Commerce “Valley’s Best” event earlier this week. Well done! Their Fitz’s Belgian Dubbel is still on tap, but is going fast, so now is the time to enjoy it – the flavours are really nicely matured now. They also have an IPA in the works, so stay tuned for more details on that.

• The German Bock we mentioned previously is now on tap at Rogues Roost, and is tasting great. The final specs are 6.8% ABV and 24 IBUs, with lots of malt backbone, and some dark fruit notes. Their Pilsner will be released next week, as well as a new batch of their Porter.

• The folks at North Brewing (formerly Bridge) had a busy first week under their new moniker. Using their new fermenters and modifications to their original Psycho Brew system, they were able to push through a massive brew day: 1330 litres of their Saison! Congratulations, and we’re sure this will mean more access to their beer on tap and in growlers at the brewery and Alderney Market.

• CTV Atlantic highlighted the explosion of interest in Cask-conditioned and Real Ale in Halifax this week with a piece on their news hour. Lots of familiar faces and places are highlighted in the piece; just remember that Kevin Keefe at Granite Brewery has been brewing Cask Conditioned beer in our city for 30 years. Cheers to great beers!

• While the specific conference talk/presentation/gala schedule has yet to be released, we have confirmation that the 2014 Canadian Brewing Awards are being held May 29th-31st. This is the first time the CBAs have been held in the Atlantic Provinces, and will be at the Fredericton Convention Centre. While the conference may not be open to everyone, there will certainly be some events in town that will highlight the great brewers and beers from our area, as well as around the country. As the event gets closer, we’ll be posting more information on what they have planned for this year.