• The inaugural brew at Uncle Leo’s Brewery in Pictou took place this week, by brewer Karl Whiffen and Greg Nash (of Hart & Thistle and Rockbottom). It is their signature Red Ale, and it will be released by the end of the month. Expect a full profile on Uncle Leo’s soon (including info on who Uncle Leo was). Welcome to the Atlantic Canada beer landscape!

• The PEI Brewing Company is releasing a new beer, a Belgian Saison, called Lobster Ale. Conceived to celebrate PEI fisheries, it was brewed with the idea of being paired with lobster dinners and other rich foods. According to Bryan Carver, head brewer, the beer contains a mash of malted barley, wheat and oats, with kettle additions of European noble hops, refined sugar, and lemon peel. The juice from the lemons was added to the beer during conditioning. A very small amount of lobster shell was also added, prior to fermentation with a Saison yeast. The beer has been tested for allergen compounds, and none were detected; however, those concerned with an allergic reaction should still “err on the side of caution”. Coming in at 6.5% ABV, Lobster Ale will be available at the PEI Brewing Co. on tap and in bottles; the bottles will also be available at several PEILCC stores across the province.

• Sea Level Brewing has released a new seasonal, their Summer Blonde Pilsner. It uses 100% Pilsner malt, and its namesake, a Southern Hemisphere hop, Summer. The beer was fermented using an authentic Czech Pilsner yeast. It clocks in at 4.8% ABV, and has a crisp, refreshing taste. It is currently available on tap and in cans & 1L growlers at the Port Pub. It will be at  Harvest Wines and Cristall Wine Merchants today, and Bishop’s Cellar next week.

• The Pump House has a new beer available, a Hefeweizen. For those of you not familiar, Weizen is a German wheat beer, and can be served mit hefe (with yeast) or krystal (bright, or clear). It is a beer with very low hopping rates, best drunk fresh, and is quite delicate, as the yeast will create very different aromas depending on the fermentation temperature, with some beer smelling like bananas, and others like cloves. Pump House’s beer clocks in at 5% ABV, and is only available on tap at the restaurant.

• More details on last week’s release of Big Spruce’s Regatta Red, from brewer Jeremy White: The beer is loaded with Munich and Caramel 60, with some Roast and Chocolate malts, and clocks in at 5.0% ABV. The beer has 22 IBUs, is unfiltered, and, like all of their other beers, is 100% farm fresh and certified organic. It will be available throughout the summer (they’ve brewed it three times already), in growlers and on tap in Cape Breton only.

• Halifax Seaport Beerfest tickets are now on sale at most NSLC locations in the HRM, for all of the three sessions (Friday, Aug 9, 7-9:30pm, Saturday, Aug 10, 2-4:30pm and 7-9:30pm). Tickets are also available online through Ticket Atlantic. We will announce breweries and beers when available. One major difference is that this year’s event will be held in the Cunard Centre at Pier 23, all inside. So no worrying about rain getting in your beer. 🙂