Saint John Beer Fest

All posts tagged Saint John Beer Fest

Happy Nova Scotia Craft Beer Week! The 41 Bluenoser breweries part of the Craft Brewers Association of Nova Scotia are putting their best beers forward, and hosting a slew of events and launching a ton of new beers over the next 10 days. For those of you in the province, or coming for a visit, check out the Calendar and Map we put together, and read below for a small tease of what all you’ll be enjoying.

• Looks like our friends at Propeller are dropping a new beer for the masses today. Common is, as you may expect, their take on the California Common, a lager/ale hybrid that is typically fermented somewhere between warm and cool with a unique yeast strain. Hopped with Northern Brewer, a “woodsy” hop variety quite typical for this beer style, the beer was designed to be approachable for seasoned beer geeks and novices alike. Described by the brewery as having “subtle herbal notes, along with roasted and caramel malt characters and a crisp, refreshing finish”, this isn’t just a one-off, as the beer will be available year-round in six packs of 355 mL cans. You’ll be able to find it starting today at the brewery retail stores, private stores, and the NSLC. In addition, at tonight’s Cask Night, an iteration of Common dry-hopped with even more Northern Brewer will be pouring. Naturally, you’ll be able to find it at various Propeller tap accounts across the city as well. And finally, for those of you who are fans of the brewery’s Organic Blonde Ale and Honey Wheat, we have some sad news – both brands are being dropped from the Propeller line-up. Best stock up if you can get your hands on any that happen to be left!

• Coupla new, small to smaller releases coming out of 2 Crows tomorrow, which simply means you’re going to have to get down there quicker than normal to give them both a try! First off is Field Hand, a Wild Ale brewed in collaboration with PEI’s Shoreline Malting. Brewed with Shoreline’s Pale malt, as well as a touch of raw wheat, it was lightly hopped at flameout with Galaxy and Hallertau Blanc, to the tune of 12 IBUs. Head Brewer Jeremy Taylor fermented the beer with yeast harvested from a bottle of Forward, a Saison from British Columbia’s Coalesce Brewing. Dry-hopped afterwards with more Galaxy and Hallertau Blanc, the beer is “super light, delicate, and easy-drinking; pithy grapefruit, earthy and bright, with the malt performing beautifully”. There are only 600 cans of this beauty available, and they’ll go on sale at the taproom tomorrow; expect to see a few keg-conditioned kegs at your favourite beer-centric spot in the HRM as well. And we hope to share more information about Shoreline Malting in the next couple of weeks.

• These beers sound so delightful, we just have to split them up with a paragraph break. Next up is the smaller batch, brewed on 2C’s pilot system by Assistant Brewer Miles Bishop and a special guest. A close friend of the brewery staff recently found out that his son, Jude, was diagnosed with cancer. In support, an auction in the community was held to raise money for the family, with 2C donating some merch and a brew day at the brewery. Jude’s grandfather Gord was the highest bidder, and joined Miles to help develop the recipe and brew Little Hero. Described as a kinda-mixture of Pollyanna and Bonanza! (Gord’s two favourite 2C beers), this NEIPA was brewed with Pale malt, Wheat, Malted Oats, and a little bit of Crystal 15 L. Hopped in the boil with Columbus, Galaxy, Centennial, and Simcoe, it was fermented with white wine yeast, and finished off with Sacch Trois. Coming in at 6% ABV and 58 IBUs, the beer turned out “mega juicy, with notes of peach, pineapple, passion fruit, and stone fruit; slightly sweet, and a touch funky”. Little Hero will be launched tomorrow, by-the-glass only, in the taproom. And if you don’t make it to 2C for a pint, those of us outside NS will be shaking our collective fists in your general direction.

• Halifax’s Good Robot has a stacked social calendar for NSCBW and they’ve also got some fresh beers hitting the taps at the same time, starting tomorrow with a beer they brewed with longtime metro sugar bears Freak Lunchbox for their Freak Lunchbot event. Look for the brand new I Fink You Freaky Sour Cherry to be pouring along with a variety of candies designed to pair with other brews from the Good Robot stable and a bunch of other candy you’re welcome to try to pair on your own! Next up, on Tuesday, May 1st, GRBC fan Mallory signed up for the Beta Brew program looking to do up a hoppy hefeweizen, and sure enough, a Hopfenweizen was produced! With an ABV of 4.8% and an IBU level in the 45 – 48 range, this beer was based on a pretty traditional hefe grist of wheat, Pilsner and Vienna along with a classic yeast. The hops, on the other hand, took a left (right?) turn, heading south of the equator for fruity tropical goodness from Australian varieties Galaxy, Ella, and Vic Secret. Look for a soft mouthfeel and almost creamy presence to meet a big hop character as you marvel over the brilliance of the beer’s name: Weiß Grips. And on Thursday, May 3, comes yet another new brew out of the GR brewhouse, cutting straight to the heart of the summer with an unapologetic lawnmower beer they’re calling, aptly, Light Beer. At 4.6% ABV and a practically gentle 15 – 18 IBU, this beer is designed for refreshment and relaxation. Toast the season to come by closing your eyes and picturing that warm summer breeze and that hammock you’re swaying in after a long hot day in the yard.

• Bridgewater’s FirkinStein Brewing has a brand new beer flowing at their taproom on King Street these days, a beer that owners Adam and Devin swore they would never brew: a lager. The aptly-named Hypocrite Lager weighs in at 5.1% ABV, and though is fairly pale and light in colour, there is plenty of Firkin Flavour and character to the beer. Currently only available on-site, grab a sample or pint, plus a growler to enjoy at home.

Boxing Rock and Trider’s Craft Beer recently teamed up for their first collaboration, Headstrong. Described as a “Nova Scotian Ale”, the grist was made up simply of Pale malts, with a blend of Noble and Canadian-grown hops used in the boil. Fermented cool with that now-kinda-famous wild yeast isolated from a Cape Breton pin cherry (courtesy of Big Spruce and Escarpment Labs), it was brewed to “embody the spirit of Nova Scotian camaraderie”, and is described as “bright, crisp, clean and dry”. It weighs in at 5.2% ABV and 17 IBUs, you can find it in the typical-for-Boxing Rock 650 mL bottles at their retail store, Seaport and Alderney Farmers Markets, and Harvest Wines locations in the HRM.

• Were you a fan of Cloud Shadow, the Hopfenweisse released by Tidehouse back in November? Well, good news, everyone! The 4.6% ABV brew is making a return today at the taproom, and it’s better than ever… well, according to them, anyway! Still featuring a 50/50 grist of 2-row and Wheat malt, it was fermented with a blend of Hefeweizen and American yeast strains. This time around, however, they increased the Ahtanum and Mandarina Bavaria hop amounts, allowing even more juicy, citrusy, spicy character to come through. In addition to kegs, some of the batch was packaged in 640 mL bottles (for sale at the taproom only); this portion was also dry-hopped with Amarillo. Drop by today for a growler and some bottles, for an in-depth comparison.

• Dartmouth’s Spindrift Brewing is continuing their Seventh Wave Series with a tidal wave of two new releases this week. Red Sky At Night is another in their foray to Ales, namely an Irish Red. Featuring a full body and clean finish, specialty malts in the form of Double Roasted Crystal from Simpsons and Chocolate Rye Malt (paging TonyW) lend some toasty/sweet notes to the beer. This beer weighs in at 5.7% ABV and a light 21 IBU. Also pouring this week is Piece of Gear, a 5.1% ABV Blonde Ale. Featuring Lemondrop hops (18 IBUs), it’s a crisp and refreshing beer with a nice citrus kick. As with all of their Seventh Waves, these are only available for growler fills at the brewery, so drop by today before they sell out.

• Port Williams’ Sea Level Brewing has brought back their seasonal The Acadian Cross, but made some major changes to the recipe. This Extra Pale Ale weighs in at 5.5% ABV, built from 100% Floor-Malted Maris Otter malt, and hopped in the kettle with Idaho 7. After fermentation, they hopped it further, but with Ahhhroma Hopzoil, a purified hop oil from Montana, made from freshly-harvested cones, for intense aroma and flavour with no bitterness. The Ahhhroma hop is described as having an aroma of Pina Colada, which blends with the Idaho 7 character for a citrus and tropical beer.

• Bedford’s Off Track Brewing has dropped a new beer this week, Jonny-A-Go-Go. Featuring a Wheat Ale base, the addition of mango to the beer brings it up a few tropical notches to be a perfect summer sipper (the 4.5% ABV doesn’t hurt either!). As always, the best place to grab your Off Track fix is at the brewery on Rocky Lake Drive.

• Switching gears away from Nova Scotia, Saint John’s Big Tide has a brand new beer on tap, their first non-collaborative kettle sour, and very positive customer feedback has already ensured it won’t be their last! OH Blackberry Sour was brewed with 2-row, Pale malt, Wheat malt, and a little Carared, and hopped in the boil with Crystal from Darlings Island Farm to just 15 IBUs. When primary fermentation began to slow down, blackberry purée from Oregon Fruit was added to give the beer a light purple hue, and notes of blackberry that pair nicely with the pine, citrus, and spicy elements from the hops, according to the brewery. Easy-drinking at just 4.5% ABV, you can grab some at the brewpub right now (pints and growlers), but it likely won’t last long! Also, a big congrats to Big Tide for winning Gold in the People’s Choice at the Saint John Beer Fest earlier this month, with their Tool Shed Root Porter (also still on tap at the moment).

• And speaking of kettle sours from New Brunswick, Hanwell’s Niche Brewing has one to share as well. Also featuring a fruit addition from Oregon Fruit, Pineapple Persuasion started with lactose powder added in the boil, providing a base sweetness to the wort. It was then fermented with the familiar Amalgamation Brettanomyces blend that has graced several of the brewery’s offerings so far and which is sure to have imparted some tartness and a bit of funk. Once the beer was cooled, Madagascar vanilla bean and pineapple puree were added, yielding an easy-drinking brew that features subtle hints of vanilla and lots of pineapple character in a 4.7% ABV package. Look for it on tap at accounts in Fredericton and Saint John, and maybe, just maybe, showing up in Halifax at some point in the next month or so…

• We told you about the goings on in St. John’s last weekend at the BrewFest, this week we’re reminding you that the Western side of the island cannot be ignored as Corner Brook’s Bootleg Brew Co is continuing to bring it, starting with a new one available for your enjoyment. Dubbed F*#% Off Winter! they’re calling it a Spring Belgian Wheat that’s lemony, grassy, zesty and refreshing. With an ABV of 6.7% and 25 IBUs, this isn’t a light summer quaffer, but a bigger, bolder kiss off to a Winter that just doesn’t seem to want to go away. Featuring the fairly uncommon hop Sorachi Ace that’s known for its ability to impart a distinct lemon character with herbal overtones, but also for occasionally making beers with a distinct dill note, it’s available now in the Bootleg taproom. They’ve got some more new beers planned as well, including an oaty session ale, a series of SMaSH beers, and some more summery light beers in the works. We’ll have more details on those as they become available!

• There’s a new brew about to appear at Maybee Brewing, after a slightly-early debut a few days ago on cask only. Hold Me Closer, Tony Danza is the brewery’s first Black IPA. Hopped entirely with Cascade and Chinook from NB’s Moose Mountain Hops, the beer has “pronounced chocolate, coffee, and a toasted malt profile, with a resinous, piney, and slight citrus hop accompaniment”, according to the brewery. At 7% ABV, this batch will be available in kegs only, for purchase by the pint at select licensees, as well as pints and growlers at Maybee’s taproom in Fredericton.

TrailWay Brewing‘s weekly Friday release for this week is More Better, an American IPA showcasing the wonderful Simcoe hop, the first time the brewery has used this unique, piney, citrusy American varietal. Coming in at 6.5% ABV, they’re describing the beer as having “a pleasant pine front, with a soft, tropical finish”. You can find it in cans and on tap at the brewery only, starting today.

• After a several month hiatus, Half Cut Brewing is back on the New Brunswick scene, with their Tickle Fight IPA flowing once again. Previously brewed at the Picaroons Brewtique on Queen Street (where the initial batches of Grimross were brewed), owner Matt Corey has struck up an agreement with Petit-Sault in Edmundston to brew and package his beer. In addition to the 6.1% IPA, look for his Alter Ego Altbier to be available in the province in the coming weeks. Currently only available in kegged format, Half Cut kegs are now at several bars and restaurants in Fredericton, including 540, James Joyce, King Street Alehouse, and Snooty Fox.

We’ve got plenty of events to the go this weekend, as part of the NS Craft Beer Week, which kicks off today with the Cape Breton Full House, NS Craft Beer Week Pub, and Highway 101 Tap Takeover at Schoolhouse Brewing, as well as the continuation of the Cape Breton Double Header Tap Takeover at Jamieson’s. Tomorrow is the Rotary Pizza Fest and TAPPED! Beer Fest in Truro. Hopefully we’ll see you at Sunday’s Stillwell Open, and again at our Beer Trivia Night May 2nd at The Auction House (Prizes! Fame! Beer! Drawing for tickets to Full House!), and head back up to Schoolhouse for the May 3rd airing of Sociable!. Be sure to check out the stand-alone post for the full details.

• After the dust of Craft Beer Week settles, the folks at Horton Ridge have a series of events on the go in May. On four subsequent Mondays, beginning with the May 14th, will see the Malted malt-focused dinner being held at the Malt House. After a tour of the facility, Chef Christine Fancy of Yesteryear Baking will be serving up several different preparations of Horton Ridge’s malt (hey, it’s not just for beer!), including sweet and savoury items, and malted drinks. Advance ticket purchase is required, and you can learn more on their FB Event and own pages.

• Horton Ridge is also hosting a series of talks on Wednesdays, beginning May 23rd. Dubbed Meet Your Brewer, drop by at 7PM to learn from brewers in the Annapolis Valley to hear their stories and taste their beers. On May 23rd, Cam Hartley from Schoolhouse will be on site, May 30th will have Randy Lawrence from Sea Level, and June 6th will see Horton Ridge’s own brewer Steven Mastroianni join head maltster Alan Stewart for the evening. A few more details are on their FB page, and tickets should still be available here.

• Nova Scotia can’t have all the fun with the events, New Brunswick is certainly pulling their weight! Tickets for the May 25 and 26 Atlantic Beer Festival in Moncton are now available, with more than 150 beers from 70 breweries across the country available for your enjoyment.

• Saturday, June 2nd will be the 2018 edition of Northumbeerfest at Pictou Lodge. Celebrating its Fifth year, beers and brewers from Backstage, Big Spruce, Sober Island, Tatamagouche, and Uncle Leo’s will be on hand and available, along with live music and the Lodge’s own food all evening long. Your $50 ticket pays for your first 12 ounce pour from each of the vendors, with more available after you do the tour. Pictou Lodge is also offering a $115 accomodation package that includes a night’s stay and ticket to the event, based on double occupancy. Check June 2nd rates online for that option. You can also email or call in your request.

And a few last quick mentions before you go get yourself a(nother) beer:

Big Spruce has pulled out all of the stops for the Craft Beer Week, and will have all 5 variants of the 2018 edition of Ra Ra Rasputin Russian Imperial Coffee Stout available for sale at Bishop’s Cellar tomorrow. Drop by at 3PM to grab a taste of the Glenora, American Bourbon, California Cabernet Sauvignon, Cognac, and Nicaraguan Rum barrel-aged expressions, and pick up a bottle or two of your favourites. You’ll also be able to grab cans of The Silver Tart Raspberry Sour, as it has officially landed for the season. And for more fun, head to Battery Park Sunday at 5PM for the launch of the beers on draft, with at least a couple special kegs you’ll only be able to enjoy that afternoon. More details here.
– Speaking of Bishop’s Cellar, you may as well camp out there, at Lucas Mader is holding his latest Brews with Lou Saturday from 1PM, where Mader will share some of the latest beers to hit their shelves. And if you ask nicely, he may even crack open something else you’ve been eyeing up, but wanted a taste before committing to a full bottle. Be sure to tell him ACBB sent ya!
– Our beer-podcast-compadres Kyle, Phil, and Tony from the 902 BrewCast did a full tasting of the Ra Ra Rasputin, including bottles from 2016 and 2017. Sharing the “burden” of the tasting was local beer guru Jeff Pinhey, along with our very own acbbaaron (hey, now we’ve all been on the podcast. Next stop, Hollywood!). Tune in to get their take on the difference a little wood can make, the history of the Brewnosers, and Beer Judge Certification Program in the region. If after listening you’re interested in learning more, hit us or them up on social media, we can help you out!
Breton Brewing has brought back their Imperial IPA Crazy Angus, the big brother to one of their flagships, Black Angus. The malt bills are very similar between the two (albeit it larger for Crazy Angus, bringing it to 7.4% ABV), but the IIPA has higher citrusy hop characteristics. It’s pouring right now at the Breton taproom while supplies last.
Grimross Brewing has released a brand new beer yesterday, featuring maple syrup from Tree Hugger Maple in New Denmark. At 5.5% ABV Tree Hugger Maple Ale is available at the taproom for pints and fills and also in kegs. Act fast, they don’t expect this one to last long.
– The folks at Port Rexton were, luckily for us, slightly ahead of the return of nicer weather, and brewed up a new batch of their orange peel-infused kettle sour, Blue Steel (4.7% ABV), which is ready just in time to enjoy in the warmth! You can drop by the brewery to pick up some cans, along with their T-Rex Porter and Chasing Sun NEIPA.
– Today at noon, Unfiltered will once again be re-releasing their Front Line Rocker, an 8.5% ABV, super juicy DIPA, on tap for growler fills and pints at the brewery.

Good morning, and welcome to another Friday… as usual, chock-full of news on beer releases, events, and more! Let’s skip the chit chat and dive right in:

• It’s another week, which means at least one new 2 Crows beer is being released! Tomorrow at noon, they’ll be tapping Sunny Days, a “Sunflower seed Brett Saison”. Brewed with home-malted sunflower seeds (which made up 20% of the grist) as well as Pilsner, Vienna, Acid, and Wheat malts, the beer was fermented with a combination of Brettanomyces bruxellensis and a “funky Saison yeast”, bringing it to 7.1% ABV (and hopped to 27 IBUs). We’re not sure what exactly to expect with this one, but as usual for many 2 Crows special releases, you can’t deny that it sounds interesting! There’ll only be one keg of this beauty pouring, so get down to the taproom to give it a try. In addition, two kegs of a new, “slightly spicier” batch of Lil’ Miguel Aztec Stout will be tapped next Friday (April 14th), followed by a keg of Crosswired – a beer fermented with a mixture of a “wild” yeast strain and a wine yeast strain – on Thursday, April 20th; look for some Crosswired to also appear at the 2 Crows Battery Park Tap Takeover on April 13th.

• This week in Smith’s Cove, Lazy Bear Brewing made two new brews available. The Folly IPA with wild yeast that we wrote about two weeks ago has finally meandered its way through the system and was released last night at the brewery during their weekly growler night. This tropical fruity delight may not make it to the city so you’ll have to head down to the brewery or catch it at the Annapolis Farmers and Traders Market or one of the brewery’s regular tap accounts. Earlier in the week, as they waited for the Folly to finish, The Once-Over was released. This is a version of their Bear Bones IPA that was different enough to justify a new moniker. Still brewed with Wild Turkey hops from Ontario, this 5.9% ABV brew was dry-hopped with that variety along with classic American Cascade and Chinook that are sure to bring citrus and pine to the aroma. Like the Folly, this one is available in the usual places, but some apparently also made its way to Battery Park in Dartmouth, so keep your eyes out for it to appear there.

Mill Street Brewpub in St. John’s has been busy, with a few new beers on tap now, or coming very soon. Lukey’s Bock is a traditional-style German Helles/Mai Bock, meaning light in colour with Munich malt-derived sweetness and aromatics. Named after the ship in the harbour of the same name, the 6.5% ABV Bock is on tap at their Mill Street/Bier Markt location only. Coming very soon from them is Right Off the Hop, a SMaSH (Single Malt and Single Hop) featuring El Dorado hops. This Double IPA took more than 6 kilograms of hops in their 8 hL system, for big bitterness and a massive pineapple aroma and flavour.

• Debuting next Wednesday, April 12, is a collaboration that Mill Street did with the Port Rexton Brewing Crew. Planned months ago during a trip to Port Rexton, and brewed in mid-March when PR made the return trip, the cross-province Dunkelweizen will be launched in a big way. At 5.2% ABV, 22 IBUs, the Dark German Wheat beer features the iconic banans and clove aromatics, reminiscent of banana bread. The debut is a ticketed event, which gets you a pint of Port Rexton new IPA, a pint of Mill Street’s Black Bart’s, plus a celebratory pint of their collaboration. A Mac & Cheese bar, featuring the wares of St. John’s own Five Brothers Cheese, will be set up to keep your stomach from growling, and going all night. Tickets are available by phone (709-383-7070), and are selling quickly, so be sure to grab them today!

• Fredericton’s Graystone Brewing recently launched their second Lager, an India Pale Lager named Alpen IPL. Described by the brewery as an “earthy, amber IPL with amble bitterness and a clean, soft mouthfeel”, the grist contains Crystal and Munich malt to achieve the beer’s colour and malt character. Hopped with Columbus and Centennial to 70 IBUs, it was fermented with a dry German Lager yeast, and then lagered at cool temperatures for 5 weeks before packaging. Coming in at 6% ABV, it’s on tap now at the brewery for pints and growlers/crowlers, and is likely showing up at licensees across the city.

• Sticking with Fredericton beers, TrailWay released their Porter a couple nights ago, a one-off that will only be available on tap at the brewery’s tasting room for the first week. Sessionable at only 4.7% ABV, it shows off some roast and chocolate character, with a medium-bodied mouthfeel and a dry, slightly bitter finish from the use of dark malts. Look for it to pop up around New Brunswick for next weekend’s ANBL growler program. And be sure to grab some cans of Luster, which has just returned and is as fresh as you can get it right now!

• And not to be left out, Maybee Brewing also has a new beer available! Tailwind is a “New England Session IPA” (read: cloudy/hazy with big hop aromas and flavours, but not big bitterness) that was hopped heavily with Mosaic, as well as additions of Amarillo, Cascade, and Chinook. Fermented with a Vermont Ale strain from Escarpment Labs to give even more tropical, citrusy, stone fruit characteristics, it all comes together in a highly drinkable 4.8% ABV, 45 IBUs package. And speaking of packaging, it’s available now in 16 oz cans at the brewery (and soon at other brewery stores in NB), and on tap at Maybee accounts.

• And even more Fredericton news, as Red Rover is releasing a very special cider next week. They’ve “carefully chosen the best apples New Brunswick has to offer,” including their favourite heritage Russet and Crab apples, to bring a very limited, 400 bottle production of Orchard Reserve 2016. An English Extra Dry cider that clocks in at 7.2% ABV, this one involved a slow fermentation process, followed by an additional 6 months of aging, enhancing the “subtle spice and delicate honey notes”. These 750 mL bottles ($16.50 each) will be sold only at the Ciderhouse and participating Farmers’ Markets, so be sure to grab a couple before they’re gone! They’ll be officially released next Wednesday at noon.

• Halifax’s Tidehouse Brewing should have a brand new one-off popping up today or through the weekend, a Saison named Pied de Lapin. Described by the brewery as a dry, “French/Belgian Saison”, it was hopped predominantly with Wakatu (WHACK-a-tu? wah-KA-tu?), a New Zealand variety, as well as some Centennial. The Wakatu comes through with “prominent notes of lime zest, backed by subtle melon”. Highly drinkable at 5.6% ABV, look for it on tap at Stillwell and Battery Park, as well as available for growler fills at the brewery retail store, and Halifax Forum Farmers Market.

• In Saint John, Loyalist City is bringing out a new beer in their One Hop Series, but let us know there’s been some changes to the recipe for that series. First, they’ve found a supplier for the yeast made famous by John Kimmich’s Alchemist Brewery in Vermont and have decided to ferment all their One Hop beers with it. Known in brewing circles as Conan, this yeast is known for producing an ester profile featuring stone fruit and light citrus notes that is very complimentary to modern American and New World hop varieties. It’s also known for producing a hazy final product consistent with the New England IPA style. Second, they’ve tweaked the recipe to give the beer a little more body and increased hop flavour and aroma. The first beer to be made with the new recipe is Summer named, as always, after the single hop used in producing it. Summer hops are an Australian variety known for imparting citrus and stone fruit flavours and aromas. Look for melon and apricot on the nose and for the hops and yeast to complement each other nicely. Summer comes in at 5.5% ABV and 65 IBU. It will be available at the Cask & Kettle and other local tap accounts this week.

• Loyalist City has also released another new brew, Württemberg Weissbier. A classic German Hefeweizen, this cloudy, light golden, refreshing ale was brewed with 100% German malt, hops, and yeast. The Wheat and Pilsner malt enjoyed a three-part step mash (three temperature rests) to increase the development of banana and clove flavours expected in the style, which are also produced during fermentation from the Weizen yeast strain. Brewed with soft water in an attempt to replicate the low-mineral-content water of Plzeň, Germany, the resulting 5% ABV beer features a “pleasing banana-clove aroma that is complemented by a moderate bready malt flavour”. And for you history buffs, the beer is named after Württemberg, the historical German territory that was home to the majority of the German-Canadian settlers that helped to colonize the Atlantic Canadian provinces. This highly-carbonated beer should be available now at your favourite LC tap account, and is also at select ANBL growler stations this weekend (check out which ones here).

• In Dartmouth, Spindrift released their highly anticipated Barrel O’ Cherries this week. Winner of the Gold Medal at the DownEast Brewing Awards in Fredericton last month in the Experimental Beer category, this is their Abyss dark lager that was aged in red wine barrels for 12 months and then racked onto sour cherries for further aging before being bottled with help from North Brewing and their bottler. Those who tasted it at the Fredericton Craft Beer Fest or the Savour Food & Wine Festival Craft Beer Cottage Party in Halifax have the inside scoop on this one. At 4.5% ABV it’s not a heavy hitter, but flavour wise you’ll taste big cherry notes married to bold chocolatey and roasty dark malt flavours. Some have likened the overall character to that of a Black Forest Cake. This is a limited edition beer with only 78 cases produced, and you can only get it at the brewery in Burnside.

• Acadie-Broue has brought back a blast-from-the-past, recently releasing La Boloxée, best described as a dark Saison. Brewer Patrice Godin took the base of his Tintamarre Saison and darkened it by steeping a large amount of Midnight Wheat malt, to “stain” the wort. This gives a minimal roast character in the finish, while preserving the Farmhouse flavours of orange and pepper. Expect this beer to finish extremely dry, as a longer-than-usual fermentation brought the final gravity all the way down to 1.000, a reading usually reserved for ciders! The final numbers are 6.6% ABV and 30 IBUs. It’s currently on tap at Le Coude, James Joyce, and should pop up at Marky’s Laundromat, if it isn’t on already.

As always, there’s plenty of beer-related events going on in our region; here’s a few you should be paying particular attention to:

• The annual Saint John Beer Fest is tomorrow, April 8th; while tickets are sold out, you can add your name to the waiting list here, just in case! In the meantime, those of you lucky enough to currently have tickets can check out the full beer list here, and plan your attack! Plenty of beer and cider will be pouring, including a few special releases.

• Leading into the Saint John Beer Fest tomorrow, PEI Brewing Company will be taking over the taps this evening starting at 5:00 pm at McGill’s. Pints will be $5 all night, with 8 PEIBC brews on the go, including some new ones. Look for Big Don Belgian Coffee Blonde, Tasman Pale Ale and Black Lager in particular along with some Gahan faves. And if you miss that, rest assured that PEIBC will be in full effect at the beer fest on Saturday.​

• Since opening their doors in July of 2016, Port Rexton Brewing Co. has been inundated with emails and calls asking, “How do I start a brewery in Newfoundland?” In response, they’ve decided to take the amazingly forthcoming step of hosting an open house/open books event on April 14th and 15th. On Friday night there will be a social at the brewery from 1800 – 2200h. Saturday will feature a brewday, with mash in commencing promptly at 0700h after which Port Rexton will open their books and their database to answer as many questions as they can from the group, likely ending around 1400h. On the table are questions about the NLC, suppliers, equipment, funding opportunities, regulatory considerations and provincial requirements. It’s no secret that Newfoundland is a very difficult place to open a brewery and this outreach to the brewing community by Port Rexton less than a year into their operations is commendable. So if you’re very serious about opening a brewery in NL and actively working towards that goal, and you’re interested in hearing from some folks who’ve managed to do it, you can email beer@portrextonbrewing.com to register. Space is limited.

• The Brewnettes, a Ladies Beer League in Newfoundland, has scheduled their April event, a Pizza Party on Thursday, April 20th. The event will take place at Quidi Vidi Brewery in St. John’s and will consist of a brewery tour at 1830h, a tasting at 1900h and finally pizza at 2000h. It’s $15 to attend, and you’ll want to check in on the event’s Facebook page to show your interest. After the highly successful axe-throwing event in March, this is sure to be a blast for everyone involved.

• Not content to limit themselves to the Dark Side of the harbour with their tap takeover at Battery Park next week, 2 Crows will aim for total HRM domination by following that up with another takeover a week later at the Stubborn Goat! On Friday, April 21st, starting at 1900h, you’ll find 8-10 2 Crows beers on tap at the Goat with samples and a special price on flights. No cover and live music round out the package. Buy a flight and you’ll receive a ballot to win tickets to the 2 Crows Brewer’s Brunch. “Brewer’s Brunch?” you ask? Yes, the very next day, Saturday, April 22, from 1300-1500h, you’ll find another 2 Crows event at the Goat where Jeremy Taylor will prove he’s not actually chained to his mash tun by making an appearance. Tickets are $39 per person and entitle you to four 12oz beers, each a 2 Crows offering that’s been paired with a course from the kitchen. You can see which beers and the food they’ve each been paired with on the event’s Facebook page. Space is limited, so if you’re interested you’ll want to email tyler@stubborngoat.ca.

• In Stillwell news, they’ve got another premium European tap takeover in the works for April 22 that’s got fans of forward-thinking beers all a-titter. To Øl is a gypsy brewery from Denmark. Started by students of Mikkel Borg Bjergsø of Mikkeller (not just beer-wise, he taught them in high school!), Tobias Emil Jensen and Tore Gynther started brewing with their Bjergsø in their school’s kitchen (high school is different in Europe, apparently) in 2005. While he moved on to start Mikkeller, they continued to hone their brewing craft before opening their own brewery in 2010. In addition to their beer, they’ve got Scandinavian brewpubs BRUS in Copenhagen, the recently-opened BRUS Bar Oslo, and, with Mikkeller, are part of the group behind the lambic-focused Koelschip. To quote the gang at Stillwell, “Quality is guaranteed, mind-expansion highly likely.” From Brett-aged Table Beer, Dry-hopped Sours, Gose, to Barrel-Aged Saison and Imperial Coffee Stouts, there is something for everyone pouring on the 22nd. If you liked the Mikkeller takeovers in December and January or are sad you missed them, this is another chance to drink on the leading edge of beermaking.

• It’s too late if you don’t already have a ticket, but Stillwell is hosting a Tastes of the World event on Sunday, April 23. Hosted by Stephen Beaumont, author or co-author of ten books, including The World Atlas of Beer, two editions of The Great Canadian Beer Guide, and The Beer & Food Companion, it will be a guided tasting of eight of the world’s best beers, several of which have never been available in NS. Four of the beers will be paired with thoughtfully selected cheeses. As you sip and munch, Mr. Beaumont will provide tasting notes, some history about the beers, and details on how they were made. Tickets are were $36.50 each – they sold out extremely quickly. If you didn’t get one, but wish you had, maybe let the fine folks at Stillwell know; perhaps if enough additional interest is shown we’ll see another such event scheduled (can you tell none of us acted quickly enough to get tickets?). The good news for those who are missing out on the tasting is that some of the beers that will be served (including Stilly’s last keg of Nectarous from Four Winds Brewing) will be available after the event. And a few new-to-the-province bottles will hit the fridge that day, Blond d’Esquelbeq from Brasserie Thiriez and Brasserie de la Senne Taras Boulba, classics in the Saison style.

Garrison will be co-hosting a Brew and Bites Dinner with Harbourstone Sea Grill & Pour House on Thursday, April 27. It will feature an IPA tasting menu that pairs 5 courses from Executive Chef Trevor Simms with beers from Brewmaster Daniel Girard. Tickets are $55 and can be reserved by calling 902.428.7852 or emailing harbourstone@marriott.com. You can see details on the food and beers in this post on Garrison’s Instagram.

A few more things today:

– The ANBL has expanded their Growler Program further recently. When opening their new location at Corbett Centre in Fredericton (after closing the Prospect Street location), they upraded to 4 taps. The ANBL in Newcastle now features a growler station as well.
Flying Boats is releasing their Stagecoach Amber Ale just in time for this weekend’s Saint John Beer Fest. This collaboration with Craig Pinhey features strong caramel and raisin/dark fruit characteristics from the malts, and was bittered using NB-grown Cascade. The 5.5% ABV and 29 IBUs brew is available at the Shediac Beach brewery’s local accounts as well as at the Fest.
Picaroons is looking for the cutest, smartest, or most distinct cat to once again grace the label of their MelonHead Watermelon Wheat beer. Submissions are open until May 2nd, with all of the details available here.
– Mahone Bay’s Saltbox Brewing released The Loyalist, a beer they are describing as a “Yorkshire Olde Ale”. At 6.7% ABV, it has notes of biscuit and light herbaceous qualities from the traditional Fuggles hops used in the boil. Fermented with Nottingham for a dry finish.

Happy Friday, and happy St. Patrick’s Day! If being a Friday wasn’t a good enough excuse to drink, now you have two reasons! But before you reach for that beer (stay away from food colouring!), let’s take a few minutes to get caught up with our local beer news…

• The 2017 Fredericton Craft Beer Festival – the 5th year for the fest – was a huge success, and – as we can personally verify – one hell of a good time! With two sessions on Saturday, there were 58 breweries pouring over 220 beers, ciders, and meads, 5200+ L of beer served to ~1,750 people. Thanks to organizer Lloyd Chambers and 50 loyal volunteers, everything went smoothly, proving that the festival does indeed improve with every year. Several other events were also going on through the week (and even into Sunday), with plenty of beer lovers turning out to take part. This was also the first year for the Down East Brewing Awards, which had close to 140 different beers and ciders entered by commercial breweries in Atlantic Canada. The winners were announced at the FCBF afternoon session, and Fredericton’s TrailWay took home Brewery of the Year, thanks to winning three gold medals and Best of Show (check out the link for the full list of winners). Congratulations! Thanks again to everyone who helped to make FCBF such a success, and we’ll see you next year, with a date of March 10th already set! And don’t forget to vote for Best of the Fest, rewarding your favourite breweries that attended this year’s event.

• Attention Newfoundland Beer Fans! Split Rock Brewing Company is coming soon to Twillingate, on the island’s Northeast shore. Allison and Matt Vincent are residents of the town, and were living and working away from home for several years. In the mid-2000s, while living in Halifax, they caught the craft beer bug, and began homebrewing. Starting with wine and beer kits, they graduated to brewing All Grain in 2010, and haven’t looked back since. Like many avid homebrewers, the idea of starting a brewery in their hometown was always in the back of their mind, but at that time, just a dream. An opportunity for Allison to move back home in 2014 brought them back to Twillingate, and, as Allison puts it, “with the tourism industry booming and many young people moving home, we knew it needed a microbrewery!” Local businesspeople Tim and Robin Vatcher share their vision to bring a growth industry back to the region, and are helping to bring Split Rock Brewing Co to fruition. Brewmaster Matt will be brewing on a 500 litre (4 BBL) system from Colorado Brewing Systems, capable of a full brewday in only four hours, with 3800 litres of fermentation capacity for a wide variety of beers on the go simultaneously. Speaking of which, they are fans of brewing (and drinking) English-style beer, and will be launching with a variety of those, including a Bitter, Red Ale (with Rye), Brown Ale, Stout, and IPA, as well as a Belgian Witbier and Cream Ale. Split Rock will be hitting the local taps late spring; stay tuned to their social media and here for the full scoop!

• Down in Digby, NS, Roof Hound has taken taken one of the truly formative steps in the life of a young brewery by hiring an assistant brewer. Magen Powell is a veteran of the restaurant industry where she has worked on and off since she was 19 years of age, serving, bartending and managing. Her stint with Nova Scotia draught and tap experts BeerTech helped her develop a solid technical understanding and the skills needed to install and maintain dispensing systems. This also helps her bring another perspective to brewing in terms of how beer and other carbonated liquids behave and the influence of different gases (CO2, “beer gas”, Nitro, etc.) in dispensing. Magen’s first foray in the brewhouse is the Dive Bar Classics series, beginning with the Mojito Dry-hopped Sour that was released on March 4th. This series reflects her passion for being a “bar chef” and her interest in craft cocktails featuring local ingredients. The next in the series, Fuzzy Navel IPA was brewed this week and you can expect it to debut in April. We’ll be sure to get more details about that one as the release date approaches.

• Meanwhile, Roof Hound is also putting on something special for your St. Patrick’s day celebration today – they’ve taken their Handsome Devil Coffee Milk Porter and jazzed it up with almonds, vanilla bean and Irish Whiskey. The result is 7% ABV and there’s only one keg of it down at the brewery. So if you’re in the Digby area tonight and fixing for something dark, smooth and sweet, this one sounds like a good bet!

• In other St. Paddy’s Day beer news, Fredericton’s Picaroons just released The Leprechaunundrum, a dark, bitter, 6.5% ABV ale that doesn’t appear to fit into any particular style of beer. Described by the brewery as “dry and full-bodied, yet fruity due to the generous amounts of Galaxy hops”, it’s now on tap at all Picaroons locations across New Brunswick, and may pop up at select bars/restaurants in the near future.

Bulwark Cider’s special People’s Cider Project is ready for prime-time! We first mentioned it in October, when they put out the call for folks with hobby orchards, abandoned orchards, or just some apple trees on their property to bring apples to Ross Farm Museum for Cider Days. The original hope was simply that enough cider would be made to share with all the apple-givers who were issued People’s Cider Memberships in exchange for their apples. In the end things went a whole lot better than that and the first community-driven cider project in Nova Scotia (at least in recorded memory) is a great success. The People’s Cider has arrived and was launched this week. A rustic cider coming in at 7.8% ABV, it features aromas of apple blossom, pear, and clover honey and has a crisp, dry finish. Given the many varieties of apples it contains, some of which have surely been all but forgotten, it expresses true terroir; future versions are bound to be different, but this is your chance to taste the very first. Available in 500ml bottles, you’ll be able to find it at the private liquor stores in Halifax as well as the NSLC Port of Wines store. If you’re not in Halifax, or even in Nova Scotia, and you want to get your hands on this special batch, fear not! Bulwark has now launched an online store shipping cider and branded merchandise country-wide. This is great news for both Bulwark and cider fans across the land; now if only breweries were allowed to do the same thing…

• After a brief hiatus, Dartmouth’s Spindrift Brewing has brought back their Killick Session Lager this week, but in a big way. The 4.7% ABV Munich Helles-style beer, originally released as Kinobier last fall to celebrate Devour! Film Fest, is now available in six-pack format. The Helles (“Bright” or “Pale”) style is a traditional German style of beer, known to be supremely drinkable, and the local version does not disappoint. Featuring Heidelberg Malt as the sole grain, and a light bitterness from Herkules hops (with Huell Melon for aroma and flavour), these ingredients keep the beer authentically German. Six-packs are available now at the brewery and at Bishop’s Cellar on the Halifax waterfront, and debuting at the NSLC Monday, April 3rd. And in an update for you Blueberry Chai Pils fans (or soon-to-be fans), packaging of this beer will be happening early next week, with release mid-next-week at the brewery, and with the standard Spindrift Tall Boy cans debuting at the NSLC April 3rd.

• Moncton’s Tide & Boar Brewing is holding another Growler Day today, with a pair of beers available to go. Method IPA is a hazy and juicy, orange hoppy beer with lots of citrus and peach notes, according to the brewery. Clocking in at 7% ABV, the brewery assures us it’s “new and improved”! T&B’s latest sour beer will also be pouring – Sour Otis Tangelo Oranges features, yes, tangelo, a citrus fruit that is a hybrid of tangerine and grapefruit. The details stop there, but assuming this beer follows the trend set by the others in the Sour Otis series, it was likely kettle soured to give plenty of tartness to complement the character from the fruit addition.

• We’ve got lots of news to share about Sober Island Brewing, who are putting the final touches on their major expansion at their brewery (new building, and a 820 litre (7BBL) brewhouse, up from 50 litre). They expect to be brewing on the system before the end of the month, which means an April launch. In the meantime, however, they will be adding a brand new beer to their core lineup, a Blonde Ale very soon. Described as a “bread and butter sort of beer” by owner Rebecca Atkinson, the easy drinking brew uses a different yeast than the rest of their year-round offerings, low in hop profile, but with plenty of character. The approachable beer is meant to introduce local drinkers to the wonderful world of small batch beer. First sips and samples will be available at the Musquodoboit Harbour Farmers’ Market this Sunday.

• This week’s edition of The Coast, Halifax’s alt-weekly, is beer-centric, so be sure to grab it to learn about what local brewers are drinking, an interview with Propeller Brewing’s John Allen, and some suggestions for St. Patrick’s Day drinking from the 902BrewCast guys. Speaking of which, they have released their March Tasting Episode this morning, so be sure to grab that in your favourite podcasting method.

• The annual Saint John Beer Fest is coming up fast (Saturday, April 8th), and Flying Boats will be attending with a brand new beer in tow. Brewed in collaboration with local beer writer Craig Pinhey, it’s being stylized as a “hybrid Amber Ale” brewed to feature the Special B malt. Known for imparting raisin-like, dark fruit characteristics when used in brewing, Special B is more often seen in dark, Belgian-style ales. Flying Boats’ beer also has NB-grown Cascade hops added for bittering and flavour, and will come in at around 29 IBUs and 5.5% ABV. If you can’t make it to the SJBF – there are a few tickets still on sale, by the way – fear not! This one will also be on tap at Flying Boats accounts.

• The NB maple beers continue to flow, as Foghorn just released their take on the style. Described by the brewery as a “Maple Rye”, Xylem has a subtle maple flavour thanks to the addition of 20 L of maple syrup from local producer Briggs Maples. Hopped to 35 IBUs with Southan Goldings, giving a moderate bitterness in the finish. The beer weighs in at 5.7% ABV, and is available now for pints and growler fills at the brewery’s taproom; keep your eyes peeled, as it may pop up on tap at your favourite Foghorn licensee, soon. And keep an eye out for more Maple Beers, launched as a Tourism NB partnership between maple producers and brewers. Also on the list is Distillerie Fils du Roy‘s Monseigneur Paquet collaboration with their Pacquetville neighbours, Sucrerie Chiasson.

• In Nackawic, you’ll find Big Axe putting out their Maple Bourbon Porter, a 5.4% ABV brown porter with a light to medium body and a mild bitterness. The maple syrup for this beer came from Dumfries Maples across the river. Bourbon-soaked oak chips were added to the secondary along with a second shot of maple syrup. Continuing the maple theme, Big Axe will also be doing their annual Maple Wheat Amber as soon as the sugaring season starts, with their usual partner Stone Family Maple Products providing the syrup for that one. We’ll update you on that one as the season goes on.

• And speaking of Fils du Roy, they will be releasing a new beer next weekend, as part of an event in Bathurst. Capt. Craig Brown Ale is a 5.5% ABV, 28 IBU beer named after famous/infamous Capt Craig, a maurader in the Baie de Chaleur, and whose phantom ship is thought to sail the Baie to this day. Le Soiree Noir & Blanc is a fundraising supper happening in Bathurst Mar 25th, in support of food security and assistance for the region’s youth. After the launch, bottles of the beer will be more widely available at the region’s ANBL locations.

In addition to today’s excuse to grab a few pints at your local, we’ve got a few more reasons to celebrate local: 

• Happy One Year Anniversary to Fredericton’s York County Cider! Drop by their retail location at 418 York Street this afternoon from 4-7pm for free sampling, snacks, and prizes.

• Wolfville’s La Torta Pizzeria will be hosting a very special event tomorrow, Saturday the 18th, their first (we think!) tap takeover, as Tatamagouche Brewing comes in from the North Shore. Twelve, count ’em, 12 taps will be flowing with Tata’s signature brews starting at 2pm. There will be door prizes, swag, live music featuring Steve Lee, and no cover charge. The tap list has been slowly revealed this week via social media, with taps 1-4 showcasing the lighter side and taps 5-8 banging the hops. Taps 8-12 are yet to be revealed; check Tata’s Twitter throughout the day for the announcement. And plan to bring an appetite, as La Torta’s Neapolitan-style wood-fired oven will be in full swing.

PEI Brewing Co. will be holding a special Tap Takeover at HopYard on Saturday, March 25th, where they will be launching their dry-hopped Brett Saison. Aptly named Patience, this beer was brewed almost six months ago. With a grist of 2-row, Munich malt, and wheat, it was fermented with a Saison strain, as well as the wild yeast strain Brettanomyces, which can continue to develop funky flavours and aromas when given enough time. Once it was about ready, it was then dry-hopped with the tropical Citra and Mosaic varieties, and primed (carbonated) in the bottle for several weeks. This is the first Brett (and bottle-conditioned) beer for PEIBC, so be sure to grab a few bottles when you can! Aside from the PEIBC tap takeover, the event will feature lots of live music, as well as a limited edition menu collaboration with Chef Jane Crawford and Chef Adam Loo. Bring your appetites! It all starts at 4 pm, with no cover.

• On April 2nd (rescheduled from March 25 due to shipping issues), Halifax’s Stillwell Beer Bar will be hosting a BC Brewery Tap Takeover, featuring 3 heavy-hitters from the West Coast: Brassneck Brewery in Vancouver, Four Winds Brewing from Delta, and Dageraad of Burnaby. Featuring a wide variety in styles of beer, including Brassneck’s Changeling Raspberry Sour, Four Winds’ Featherweight Session IPA, and Dageraad’s Sri Lanka Dubbel. No tickets required for the event, and the doors open at noon. For the full taplist, check out the Brewnosers Forums for the salivating details.

• Now that FCBF is over, it’s time to start planning for the next beer-themed Fredericton event – Poutine Fest! Scheduled for Saturday, April 29th, like past events it will feature three different sessions, with two of them (late afternoon and evening) pouring over 12 different beers, ciders and meads. There are different ticket options which determine the number of drink tickets you receive (click out the link for details); of course, all tickets include all-you-can-eat poutine, with 12+ different varieties being available! Tickets go on sale today at 11 am; the event has sold out every time since its initial launch, so be sure to grab yours ASAP.

• And if summer doesn’t feel too far away for you, we have news on a new festival coming up! The first Big Axe Craft Beer Festival will be held in downtown Nackawic, NB on Saturday, July 15th from 4-8 pm. Organized by Peter and Tatiana Cole of Big Axe Brewery, exact details are still being ironed out, but there will be 20+ breweries from NB, NS, PEI and Maine on hand, as well as live music (including David in the Dark), and food vendors offering “an assortment of foods grown and sourced in NB”. Tickets are already on sale, and are $50 each; there is also a limited-availability $65 option, which includes a bus ride to and from the festival from Fredericton or Woodstock. Breweries confirmed so far include Grimross, Maybee, Hammond River, Picaroons, Sober Island, Foghorn, Upstreet, Petit-Sault, Red Rover, Sunset Heights Meadery, and Portland, Maine’s Urban Farm Fermentory. Be sure to buy your tickets ASAP, before they’re gone!

And before we go this week…

Good Robot will have their Dave & Morley Coffee Brown back on tap as of today in version 2.0 form, this time featuring Rwanda Kanzu (from Java Blend, of course) as the coffee component. So pull up a stool, order one up, and maybe lift your glass to the late, great Stuart McLean, who inspired this brew. Meanwhile, the gang has installed their Buffalo Trace whiskey barrels and will shortly be pouring things into them; we’ll let you know what when the appropriate time comes.
Mill Street St John’s has brought back their Jigger’s Delight Cali Common (5% ABV, 14 IBUs), a hybrid between lager and ale that is described as “fresh and zingy, with medium body and toasty caramel notes”.
– Needing a Nine Locks Fathom fix? Good news, it’s back in cans again! This 8% ABV DIPA recently won a medal in the Down East Brewing Awards, so stock up while you can!
– Picaroons has announced that they’re looking to fill two brewing positions, one at the Saint John brewery, and one in St. Stephen. Both breweries are 2.5 hL in size, double-batching into 5 hL. For a full list of qualifications and contact info, check out this link.
– The region’s Homebrewers, especially those in the HRM, will be excited to hear that Everwood Avenue Brewshop is relocating out of owner Dave Gillette’s basement and into a retail space in Lower Sackville. This will mean regular retail hours six days a week, and only closing on Mondays. The space is roughly twice as large and will allow the shop to expand its product lines and better cater to different market segments. We’ll have more details before the expected opening on April 5th, but for now can tell you that they’re looking for a full-time employee for the new space. You can find the details of the position posted on the Brewnoser’s forum.