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Friday Wrap-Up for May 5, 2023 – News from Shipwright, Lone Oak Fox Meadow, Burnside Brewing, Breton, Tire Shack, Pump House, Maybee, Mauzy, Sourwood, Good Robot, Timber Ship, and much more!

Posted by acbbdevon on 2023-05-05
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: Big Spruce Brewing, Breton Brewing, Burnside Brewing Company, Craft Brewers Association of Nova Scotia, Discovery Centre, Garrison Brewing, Good Robot Brewing, Grimross Brewing, Lone Oak Brewing, Lone Oak Fox Meadow, Long Bay Brewery, Mauzy Cidery, Maybee Brewing, Ninepenny Brewing, Off Grid Ales, Port Rexton Brewing Co., Propeller Brewing, Pump House Brewery, Shipwright Brewing, Sourwood Cidery, Spindrift Brewing, Stillwell Beer Bar, Tatamagouche Brewing, Tide & Boar Brewing, Timber Ship Brewing, Tire Shack Brewing. Leave a Comment

Happy May, everyone! Flowers are pushing through the dirt and winter debris, migrating birds are returning (hello cardinals!), and patios are opening! As we shed the winter coats (and work towards shedding the winter pounds), there are plenty of new beers and events to encourage us out from hibernation! Let’s get you up to speed with what you could be imbibing this weekend…

Congratulations to the Shipwright Brewing team, as they celebrate the opening of their brand new Taproom + Pizza location at 80 Montague Street in Lunenburg. Located right next door to their original brewery and bar, the Taproom features 25 beers on tap, and a full menu with appetizers, bao buns, and both Detroit and New York style pizzas. For visitors to the OG taproom spot, they will be impressed with the 10-fold increase in the seating, so no more waiting for a spot at the bar or patio during busy summer evenings. The retail fridge is full of beer options to take away, during their 11 AM – 10 PM (or later), seven days a week, opening hours. Just a note that they are only doing dine-in during the first week of operation, and great news for those looking for a more intimate Shipwright experience, the original taproom in the brewery at 82 Montague remains open and ready to serve all visitors!

News from our PEI friends Lone Oak brings the announcement of their new restaurant, Lone Oak Fox Meadow! Opening today (Friday May 5th), this is a full-service, year-round restaurant and events centre at the Fox Meadow Golf Course in Stratford, PEI. They’ll be open 7 days a week for lunch, dinner and drinks and will offer a brunch on the weekends. The full website will launch next week, so for now, keep an eye on Lone Oak’s main socials for any updates, or just go check it out from 11am-10pm any day of the week (open for brunch at 9 AM on the weekends)! Congratulations to the LO Crew!

And in the spirit of new beginnings, we have news on changes to a brewery who has been around since 2015… Same brewery, new name! Spindrift Brewing is no more and now Burnside Brewing Company rises from its ashes. Keeping all of the same lineup of beers like Toller and Killick, some of you may be familiar with Spindrift in the US and their beverage products. Our local Spindrift took an enquiry from the unaffiliated RTD brand as a chance to ground where they are and go through a rebranding process. They’re trying to make beer in Burnside that isn’t fancy, is about the beer first, and celebrates working hard, having fun, and making great beer; hence they chose the name of the area in which they feel most at home. Both the Antigonish and Dartmouth locations will remain unchanged and things will continue as normal, except for the new branding and packaging. Their new website is expected to go live shortly, and their socials have changed over to the new moniker.

The Cabot Trail Relay’s newest beer sponsor, Breton Brewing, has lots on the go this week, with a few new releases and a lot of calls for hiring. Let’s start with the beer. First up, Grapefruit IPA is an American IPA with big grapefruit flavours of pine and citrus but also with real grapefruit juice added. It’s bitter, as you’d expect, with a nice punch of that grapefruit kick; it is 6% ABV and 45 IBU. 

Next up is a new member of the Let’s Jam series of sours; Let’s Jam: Raspberry Lemon Sour was brewed with big batches of real raspberry and lemon to mix up the sweet and sour flavours. A nice pink hue captures the eye and the refreshing 4% ABV will leave you wanting more. Both of these are available now at the brewery on tap and in cans, along with their website online. They will also be hitting the shelves of certain NSLC locations across the province. On the HR side of things, Breton has multiple positions for students and full-time work in Halifax and Cape Breton, so head over to their careers page if you’re interested. 

Let’s head to Moncton, where Tire Shack Brewing has a few new releases and fun events they’re hyped about. This week, they have a new experimental sour release on draught, based around the Soursop fruit, also known as guanábana or Brazilian paw paw. Imparting citrus, banana, coconut, and mango to the base sour beer, given the difficulty in sourcing the fruit in our region, there are only a few kegs, and no cans, of this one. And coming later this weekend is another sour beer, this one showcasing Pink Guava, bringing a total of 5 sours on tap, including the recent return of Sun-Kissed Mimosa Sour. 

Rounding out the recent Tire Shack releases is the return of their Gold medal winning Killed By Death, a 10.0% Triple IPA, chock-full of Citra, Mosaic, and Vic Secret late in the process for tons of great aromatics. Pop by the brewery today, or better yet, in celebration of Moncton Taco Week, Tire Shack is welcoming back Birria Dave’s in the taproom both Saturday and Sunday from noon until sell-out, as he is featuring The 3D Birria Taco. Best not to hesitate, as these always go quick!

It’s been a long time since we’ve had one of NB’s oldest craft breweries, Moncton’s own Pump House, on the blog and we’ve been hoping for some fresh drops from them to share with everyone. Uncommon Kölsch is a low-carb and low-calorie release that is crisp and refreshing. It is 4% and available in 355ml 8 packs at the ANBL, on tap at PH accounts and directly from the brewery. Sort through the dark and light stuff and pick out something clean and new to enjoy from this brewery, as this is available now!

Heading west to Fredericton, Maybee Brew has a new beer to celebrate a big milestone at the brewery. Batch 500 is a brand new IPA celebrating exactly what you think! A New England IPA, this milestone brew is big on tropical, mango, citrus, and grapefruit flavours and is juicy and enjoyable. It’s 6.2% ABV and 30 IBU and available today on tap and in cans from the brewery. Grab one of those cans as the design is gorgeous and true to the milestone celebration! 

Mauzy, the cidery operating adjacent to Banished Brewing in Paradise, NL, has their first release of 2022 fermentations this week with Point Towards Heaven, a spontaneously fermented blend of feral Mcintosh and feral crab apple juices. Transparent yellow, with no finings, filtering, or added sulphites, this one represents their first Pet Nat-style cider. Only 20 cases have been produced, so you’ll want to act quickly to get yourself a bottle. Look for this 5.6% ABV delight only at Banished.

In other cider news, Sourwood may not be slinging cider at their old spot on Cornwallis St. in Halifax but they’re still putting out tasty treats. And wouldn’t you know it, they’ve got a Pet Nat on the go as well! Starting with a base of handpicked L’Acadie Blanc grapes, they bolstered it with Russet apple juice from their secret sheep orchard. Capping the fermentation to preserve the natural carbonation, they have not disgorged the bottles, so you can expect some sediment. You can also expect flavors of elderflower, geranium, and pithy grapefruit. Marked with a vintage of 2021, this one has been sitting and improving for quite some time. Look for L’Acadie + Russet in their online shop for delivery or pickup (note that pickup is now at 115 Chain Lake Drive, Unit 12C), at Ramblers (formerly Sourwood’s own in-town location), and potentially at other fine watering holes.

Those jolly androids from Good Robot are back with their latest Goodwill beer and this one is partnered with the Ecology Action Centre. Dark Saison is the style for this release and it features an addition of cranberries to bring a bit of sweetness and tart flavour to the beer, balancing spice and cocoa notes from the malt and yeast. Each can of Goodwill Saison sold from the brewery or online will contribute 50 cents directly to the environmental charity. This beer comes in at 5.3% and is for an excellent cause, supporting climate change, biodiversity and environmental justice. 

Miramichi’s Timber Ship is back with a new release this week, one in the “perfect for enjoying with a group of buds” vein, aka, crushable. They looked to Germany for inspiration, and honed in on the Kölsch style from Cologne. Light in body, clean Pils malt backbone with Hallertauer Mittelfrüh hops, with a crisp and clean finish. Named in celebration of Harley & Hank, find this 4.5% beer on tap at Three Dog Distilling at 279 Newcastle Blvd, or in cans to go from Timber Ship’s Below Deck location on the King George Highway.

Up on The Rock, Port Rexton Brewing has a new collab brew out, this one done with the folks from Ninepenny Brewing in Conception Bay South (you may have heard of this place recently, as it’s iceberg season…). Small Game is a “Tiny” IPA coming in at a paltry 2.6% ABV, but still boasting plenty of aroma and flavor, with gummy candy and tropical fruit on the nose and more fruit and melon undertones on the palate. Perfect for games night, when you want to let loose a little, but still keep your wits about you, you’ll find this one at the taproom, at the PR St. John’s retail shop, and at Ninepenny’s taproom as well.

For those in Halifax, and wanting to delve a bit deeper into what goes into designing and crafting the beer they enjoy, The Discovery Centre is hosting Science of Beer next Saturday, May 13. From 7 – 10:30 PM, ten breweries from the Craft Brewers Association of Nova Scotia will chat up style characteristics, ingredients, processes and more, along with science demonstrations from the DC team, with live music from The Fine Tuners, all while sipping on beer. This 19+ event requires tickets, find out more and grab yours here! 

Let’s do some quick hits for some craft beer jobs around the region!

Stillwell Beer Bar is looking for a full-time server for the summer with a very likely chance for part-time work in the fall. Email here if interested.

Garrison Brewing is looking for a Head Brewer and this could be a dream job at a big craft brewery for a lot of people. Permanent, full-time, big job! Check out the link here for all the details. 

In other Head Brewer news, Long Bay Brewing in Fredericton is looking for a Head Brewer (with professional experience) or an Assistant Brewer (with all-grain homebrewing experience). With a 15bbl brewhouse and 3.5bbl test batch system, there is room to grow and learn. Send your resume here if you’re interested!

Off Grid (or OG Ales) is hiring a bunch of positions for taproom, grounds keeping and housekeeping. Part-time and full-time positions are available, for summer students as well, with pay around $15/hr. Application deadline is May 19th. Please send your resume here

Plenty more beer to let you know about, let’s get some newsbites in front of you.

Halifax’s own Propeller Brewing has a fun 12 pack featuring some summer crushers all at 5% ABV or less in a 355ml format. The Propeller Patio Pack Craft Beer Mixer is this year’s latest mix of 4 beers to grab and go for the summer. Featuring 3 each of: Tango Lagered Ale (4.8%), Tropic Haze Summer Ale (5.0%), Yutopia Summer Ale (5.0%) and Lime Lite Lager (4.5%), you can get this starting today from the 3 Propeller shops (4 if you include the online store!) and the private stores in Halifax. This will be coming to certain NSLCs as well. And a reminder that the patio at their Gottingen Street taproom is now open, so get out and enjoy some beer!

In Tatamagouche they’re getting all ready for summer sipping with the release of this season’s fruited Dekorum variations. Lime, Mandarin, and Blood Orange are all available in 355ml cans as of today, all coming in at a very sessionable 2.9% ABV. Grab them in any combination (potentially including the non-fruited OG version) from their web shop, with delivery available to all Canadian Provinces!

Moncton’s Tide & Boar Brewing has a new IPA in the fridge and on tap these days. Dinosaur Food is a big 7.0% Hazy IPA, hopped heavily with Motueka and Sabro, resulting in massive notes of ripe mango, fruit cocktail, and a coconutty pina colada vibe. Grab it from either of their Brewery or Gastropub locations on tap or in cans to enjoy outdoors.

It’s that time of year again when Big Spruce brings out their She’s Maibock, a German lager on the heavier side at 6.5% ABV. Brewed with modern Continental hop variety Huëll Melon, look for aromas of strawberries, honeydew melon, and stone fruit that complement malty notes of bread crust and candied orange. May a little reminiscent of toast and jam!

And finally this week, Grimross has brought back their Juicy IPA, and this 6.5% ABV can is available now from them and coming to ANBL and other shops shortly.

Friday Wrap-Up for Jan 20, 2023 – News from Trailway, Spindrift, Bannerman, Landwash, Lone Oak, Propeller, Port Rexton , Annapolis Cider and more!

Posted by acbbdamian on 2023-01-20
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: Annapolis Cider Company, Bannerman Brewing, Chain Yard Cider, Lake City Cider, Landwash Brewery, PEI Beer Festival, Port Rexton Brewing Co., Propeller Brewing, Sourwood Cidery, Spindrift Brewing, Tatamagouche Brewing, The Church Brewing Company, TrailWay Brewing. Leave a Comment

We’ve made it to another Friday, and for those of us in Nova Scotia, winter is making its first real appearance. Despite half the province jumping at the opportunity to pre-emptively call the first snow day of the year, your favourite breweries, taprooms, bars, cideries and bottle shops across the region remain open with plenty of new releases and old classics on tap and packaged for your enjoyment. So sit back, crack a cold one and wait for your neighbour to fire up their snow blower as you get caught up on this week’s news. 

Some big news from Fredericton’s Trailway Brewing this week that speaks to the way our beer can compete beyond our region’s borders. Some may know of the friendship between Trailway and Lagabière of Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec, which has been manifest in a couple of home-and-home collaborations over the past couple years. Some may also be aware that Trailway has long hoped to share their beer in the Quebec beer market, which is notoriously competitive and complex for out-of-province breweries, especially smallish craft breweries, to break into. If you put those two things together, it makes perfect sense for Trailway to have entered into a new partnership with Lagabière to have some of Trailway’s recipes brewed at Lagabière’s state-of-the-art brewing facility on a contract basis for distribution within Quebec. This means Quebecers will be able to enjoy Trailway the way it’s best enjoyed, fresh. Congratulations to the Trailway crew on this next step in their growth!

In other big Trailway news is a big beer: Action Phil is a triple IPA tipping the scales at 10% ABV. Named for the action figure that hangs out on the bar at Peppers Pub, who is in turn named after Pepps owner Philip Croft, it’s a Trailway joint and an TIPA so you’ve got to figure there’s some hop action going on in there. Taking a page out of the Dogfish Head manual, this one was continuously hopped during the boil and then dry-hopped “generously” with Columbus, Amarillo, Chinook, and Simcoe, which could easily be referred to as the four horsemen of the dankocalypse. Expect plenty of pine, resin, and citrus oil notes, with some dried stone fruit to boot. On the malt side, rich and toasty is the order of the day, giving much more of a West Coast impression than Trailway’s typically juicy and hazy oeuvre. Look for it on tap at Peppers Pub, of course, but also at the brewery, where you might also grab a can or two of the latest batch of Sabro-loaded double IPA, Ooz.

Speaking of IPAs, head over to Burnside this week and you’ll find a new one pouring at Spindrift. Dubbed Fusion Hazy IPA, it gets its name from the melding of New World IPA techniques with Old World hops. Never fear, however, they didn’t make a noble hazebomb with Hallertauer Mittelfrüh, Tettnanger, and Saaz, they used “Old World, New School” varieties Callista, Arianna, and Hallertau Blanc. Built on a base of Pilsner, malted wheat, malted oats, and chit malt, this one came out at 6.9%, with a fairly gentle, but balancing bitterness at 30 IBU. Expect plenty of citrus and tropical fruit, alongside some berry, spice, and white wine notes to complement. It’s available at the brewery, of course, but also at Spindrift’s Oak Manor location in Antigonish and very likely the private stores in the HRM in the coming week or two.

Not to be outdone, Newfoundland gets into this week’s IPA game with the return of a collaboration between Bannerman and Landwash. Originally brewed in 2019, it is conceptually the meeting of two double IPAs: Bannerman’s Island Time and Landwash’s Dream Island. Taking those two recipes into a dark alley with a tube sock ¼ full of dinky cars yielded Dream Time. Fluffy and light, but packing a DIPA-appropriate punch at 7% ABV, it features Galaxy, Eclipse, and BRU-1 hops and a soupçon of lactose to smooth it all out. Both breweries have this one on tap now and cans are available at Landwash’s retail. Wider distribution won’t happen until January turns into February, so you’ll have to head to the source(s) until then!

We couldn’t resist trying to complete the superfecta of an IPA release from each of the four provinces and sure enough, Borden-Carleton’s Lone Oak came through for us. Phancy is a re-release of the brewery’s most popular seasonal to date. A hazy IPA, it was brewed with Phantasm, which you may remember from other ACBeerBlog posts as a powdered product derived from New Zealand Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc grapes that contains copious quantities of thiol precursors. Those thiol precursors, unlocked by brewing and fermentation techniques can lead to amazing tropical fruit flavors and aromas in the beer. What more could you ask for in a juicy IPA? This one comes in at 7%, is full-bodied, but low in bitterness, and is bursting with passion fruit, tangerine, and grape aromas. You’ll find it at the Lone Oak taproom as well as their Milky Way Brewpub and Cold Beer Store. Note that supply is limited so you’ll want to move quickly!

Switching to a more “seasonal” style, for those who are into tired old rubrics, is Propeller, who have a new pilot batch on tap. Superstition is an imperial spiced stout with cardamom (both black and green by the looks of the insta post). Brewed on Friday the 13th, we suspect this one has been aging since May of last year rather than being served a week after brewing. Expect a complex and full-bodied brew, with a big head, flavours of dark chocolate, and aromas of anise and smoke. Being a pilot batch, supply is limited, and it’s only available on tap. Find it at both the Gottingen and Quinpool taprooms.

Also going dark this week is Port Rexton Brewing, who have brought back their Shoreline salted stout. Featuring salt from the Newfoundland Salt Company, this one carries roasted malt and dark chocolate characters, with some subtle dark cherry and fig notes coming through. Fairly low in ABV at 5.4%, and with the salt providing a minerality that lightens the body a touch, it’s sessionable enough that you can justify having a second one to really appreciate the complexity. It’s available on tap for pints and fills at the tap room and the St. John’s retail shop. Although it’s available in cans as well, we note that PR is filling jugs at a discount this weekend at both locations, with 32oz grunters/squealers being filled for $4.14 + tax and 64oz growlers for $8.24 + tax. That’s a great deal on some fine beer, especially with this new release and also a fresh batch of their OG IPA, Horse Chops available as well!

Switching gears to cider now we’ve got a trio of releases this week, each with something interesting going on beyond plain fermented apple juice. Up first is Annapolis Cider who have something new that’s made from something old: old school apples, that is! Heirloom features a blend of juice from heirloom apple varieties Golden Russet, Spartan, Ribston, and Cox’s Orange Pippin, and fermented in oak, this one brings aromas of the orchard along with a sweetness that masks what a dry cider it is. Finished with a curated blend of juice from some more obscure traditional varieties, the result has a golden hue. Plenty of tannins, from both the apples and the oak, provide some structure and it’s got a refreshing carbonation. Find it by the bottle at the cidery in Wolfville.

Next we have Sourwood Cider, who bring us Ginger, a Northern Spy-based cider with plenty of other things going on. This one leverages malolactic fermentation: the use of Lactobacillus to ferment malic acid (tart) present in the juice into lactic acid (smooth/milky). This type of fermentation is commonly used in winemaking, specifically with Chardonnay; if you’ve ever tasted or heard of a “buttery” Chard, that’s almost certainly due to malolactic fermentation. But that’s not all that’s going on in Ginger, there’s, well, ginger in there, and just like the apples, the ginger is Nova Scotia-grown. Lastly, the cider was barrel aged, no doubt to add some tannins, again, consistent with (oaked) Chardonnay. Finished with a low carbonation for a smooth and soft mouthfeel, you’ll find this one at Sourwood Cider Bar in North End Halifax.

Finishing up on the fun and funky cider tip is Chainyard who bring us the return of King’s Saison. This one started with two heritage apple varieties, King of Tompkins County (also known simply as “King”), a once very popular apple from New York State, and Ribston Pippin, the most famous variety from Yorkshire, UK, and almost certainly the parent of Cox’s Orange Pippin (although it is suspected to ultimately have a French origin). This blend of juices was then fermented with saison yeast, a type of yeast known much more for use in beer than cider, and which provides flavor components in the estery and phenolic (spicy) ranges, but more importantly for cider, also tends to ferment out extremely dry. Intrigued? We sure are. Grab this one in cans to go from the cidery on Agricola Street or stay and have a pint from the taps. This one was on tap at Stillwell last May, so keep your eyes peeled for this 6.6% saison take on the cider. 

Not to be outdone by Halifax, Lake City Cider in The Part of HRM Formerly Known as Dartmouth has a return engagement back on the shelves. Feisty is a collaboration with local chef Renée Lavallée of The Canteen. Made from 100% crab apples, it “celebrates small things that pack a big punch”. Expect plenty of acidity and tannins, with aromas of honeysuckle and apple blossom and flavors of pear and lychee on the finish. This one should pair very nicely with seafood, pork dishes, and roasted root vegetables.

Just one major event to tell you about, but it’s a big’un for folks on the Island.

Fans of good beer in Prince Edward Island can recommence with the rejoicing, as the PEI Beer Festival is back! After the originally scheduled event was cancelled due to Hurricane Fiona’s impending landfall, new dates have been locked in for February 10th and 11th at the Delta Prince Edward in Charlottetown. There will be three sessions in total, one Friday evening from 6:30 to 9:30pm and two on Saturday: afternoon from 2:00 to 4:30pm and evening from 6:30 to 9:30pm. VIP tickets will cost you a little more for any given session, but grant you a 30-minute earlier entry (i.e., 1:30pm on Saturday afternoon or 6:00pm for either evening session) along with a souvenir glass. Designated driver tickets (complimentary non-alcoholic drinks and access to the DD lounge) are also available for all three sessions, which we heartily applaud. All told, including fees and taxes, VIP will cost you $80.67, regular admission $60.94, and DD $13.55. If you purchased tickets back in September your tickets are still good! Otherwise, head over to the Eventbrite page and grab some and plan to experience all kinds of Island and non-Island beers and other drinks, with live entertainment for a convivial atmosphere during the dregs of Winter!

Seems to be a bunch of breweries looking for staff this week; looking ahead to a big summer, we expect!

Wolfville’s Church Brewing is looking for a full-time Brewer to join their congregation. This is a unique opportunity to work in one of the most unique spaces in the region. Experience isn’t necessary for this position (though it would certainly be considered an asset), but a passion for brewing definitely is. Get your résumé in by Monday, January 22nd to be considered for the role! If you’re interested, you can email the head brewer, Steve Crane. 

Over in Burnside, Spindrift is on the lookout for a Tap Room and Retail Associate. If slinging high quality lagers to the thirsty beer drinkers of Dartmouth sounds like your thing, send a resume to kj.dugas@spindriftbrewing.ca

Along the North Shore of Nova Scotia, Tatamagouche is hiring a full-time and permanent position at the brewery. They’re looking for a Store Manager and someone to lead a team, learn about beer, work events and spread that Tatamagoodness. And, it comes with health plan! If this interests you, email Christiane Jost to apply. They’ll be accepting applications until January 31st, and this is a very cool opportunity if you’re nearby Tatamagouche or looking to make a move. 

IPAs and Quebec aren’t the only Trailway news this week. If you remember, they’ve been working on a second location in Saint John, and with Union House nearing completion in early March, they’re excited to be close enough to opening to start hiring. Positions are now available for serving and kitchen roles, on both a full-time and part-time basis. If you’re interested in craft beer and getting in on the ground floor of what’s sure to be a go-to spot in Saint John, send a resume to unionhousebytw@gmail.com. 

You’ve made it to the end! Stay alert, stay safe and cheers from us to you and yours.

Friday Wrap-Up for December 16, 2022 – News from Microbrasseries Ateepic, Gahan, Ol’ Biddy’s, Serpent, Shipwright, Tatamagouche, Unfiltered, Mauzy, Sourwood, Tire Shack, PEI Brewing, and plenty more!

Posted by acbbdevon on 2022-12-16
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: Breton Brewing, Candid Brewing, Gahan Atlantic Home Brew Challenge, Gahan House (Charlottetown), Good Robot Brewing, Mauzy Cidery, Microbrasserie Ateepic, Ol' Biddy's Brew House, PEI Brewing Co., Serpent Brewing, Shipwright Brewing, Sourwood Cidery, Tatamagouche Brewing, Tire Shack Brewing. Leave a Comment

It’s the most wonderful time for a beer! This week saw much of the Maritimes experiencing its first winter storm. Luckily, our wonderful local producers of fermented beverages continue to pump out tasty new ones to help keep us hydrated during all of the shovelling and cozy inside while we wait for the storms to pass. A friendly reminder that lots of breweries across the region are continuing to offer special holiday discounts in their online stores, along with seasonal gift packs featuring new brews, merch and other goodies. Be sure to keep them at the top of your list as you finish up your shopping over the next few days. A quick logistics note from the ACBB Head Office: with the festive season fully in swing, we’ll be taking a break from publishing next Friday, December 23, with December 30 being a tentative “Go”, but that may change. In the meantime, keep an eye on our Instagram account where we’ll continue to share new releases and other happenings. Happy Festivus to the Rest of Us, and read on for this week’s beer, mead and cider news. 

Congratulations to Microbrasserie Ateepic in Edmundston on now having their own beer available! The Ateepic taproom, located at the Fraser Edmundston Golf Club at 570 Rue Victoria, has been open since May, serving up 20 craft beer from across the province, and now has flexed the capabilities of their Specific Mechanical 1200 litre (10 BBL) brewhouse, and released four of their own beers. Available on draught for in-house or growler enjoyment are Little Gear Pale Ale, Big Gear IPA, Pin Noir Oatmeal Stout, and Party Kolsch, joining the Northwestern NB collab NOir Dessert Stout that Ateepic took part in with Brasseurs du Petit-Sault, Grand Falls Brewing, and Microbrasserie Novum Boreas. While hours may change slightly during the next few weeks due to the Holidays, currently they are open Wednesday 4 – 8 PM, Thursday and Friday 1 – 9 PM, Saturday 1 – 8 PM, and 1 – 5 PM Sunday. Keep an eye on their Fb and Ig pages as they announce new beers or changes in hours. Felicitations encore to Hubert and the Ateepic team!

As all our longtime readers know, the AC Beer Blog’s interest in beer doesn’t end with commercial products, we’re big supporters of the Homebrew scene as well! And with the post-COVID world opening up again we’re starting to see one of our favorite things come back: homebrew competitions. We’re happy to report that after a year off, the 4th Annual Maritime Atlantic Homebrew Challenge (Presented by Gahan House) is back! But first, in the name of unfinished business, is the release of the winner of the 3rd annual competition, held back in late fall of 2020. Hazy McHazeface, a 6.5% Hazy IPA designed by competition winner Trevor McLean, will be available soon (if not already) at all Gahan locations (except Harbourview in St. John’s) packaged in cans, but also on tap by times. Featuring flaked oats for a creamy mouthfeel and tonnes of tropical fruit aromas and flavours thanks to generous post-boil and dry hop additions, it still maintains a clean finish.

If you’re a homebrewer and you’d like to be like Trevor and see your beer brewed for limited release, the 2023 competition is your big chance. As is somewhat traditional for this competition, you’ll be able to enter one of two styles: German Pilsner and Altbier. Both German in origin, and both delicious at their best, the Pilsner sees light and crackery malt profile, a firm hop presence, and a crisp dry finish thanks to lager yeast and a cool conditioning period. At the other end of the spectrum is the Altbier, or “old beer”, not as in “stale” but as in, “the beer that we used to make before we discovered modern malting, lager yeast, and cold conditioning.” Although it’s also on the hoppier side for a Continental beer, malt is still the star of the show, both in terms of flavour and aroma and the deep red color that is a hallmark of the style. The deadline to submit your beer is March 3, 2023, which gives plenty of time to brew and condition either style. The entry fee is $30 payable through Eventbrite. Entries can be dropped off at any of the Gahan locations in the region. Judging will take place in a central location and an announcement of the winning beer will be made shortly thereafter. If you have questions for the organizers you can email them at homebrewchallenge@gahan.ca. Good luck to all who enter!

We mentioned one winner last week, but we now have the full list of Atlantic Canadian winners in the 2022 Canadian Brewers Choice Awards, presented by Brewers Journal Canada. Foghorn Brewing’s Head Brewer Andrew Estabrooks won over the judges with his nomination package to take home Brewer of the Year. In addition to winning Brewery of the Year, Tire Shack Brewing’s own Henrique Soares was shortlisted for Young Brewer of the Year. And New Beer of the Year went to Halifax’s 2 Crows Brewing, for Classic Maritime Dry Stout. Congratulations to the breweries and brewers!

And now onto the new beer news, starting in Lower Sackville’s own Ol’ Biddy’s Brewhouse. If you’re trimming the tree, or watching a yule log burn, it’s always nice to have some liquid accompaniment in your glass. One of those could be their Vanilla Bourbon Christmas Stout. Weighing in at a hefty 7.6% ABV, the notes of vanilla and roast and light bourbon all meld together like a warm beer sweater, a favourite for those of us who enjoy imbibing during this time of year. Joining it is Merry Ryesolution Christmas Ale, the 9.4% ABV bigger sister, featuring rye malt that imparts a natural spiciness to the full-bodied ale. Rye-solution is available in bottles only, while the Bourbon Stout is a draught only release, both available in limited quantities to enjoy at the brewery or to take away.

From the wilds of Spryfield comes a beer with a label that is both wild and refined. Serpent Brewing’s Elementary is an oatmeal stout that arrives on the stronger side at 6% ABV. Chewy, yet still roasty and dry with an assertive bitterness, it was dry hopped with Amarillo to provide a subtle orange marmalade finish. It’s been pouring on the taps since yesterday for pints and growler fills, but you should see bottles in the fridge in the coming days.

Heading down the South Shore of NS to Lunenburg, we find Shipwright Brewing has a new beer pouring for pints to stay or crowler and growler fills to go. Cross Island Common is named for the eponymous island in the approach to Lunenburg Bay. It follows the tradition of the California Common (a.k.a. “Steam Beer”) style with spicy and woody Northern Brewer hops taking center stage on top of a toasty, slightly sweet malt base built with pale, Munich, caramel, biscuit, and chocolate malts. Highly carbonated, with a medium almost creamy mouthfeel, this one is an easy drinking 5% ABV and 30 IBU.

Back up to the North Shore of the province we find that Tatamagouche Brewing has a trio of re-releases available just in time for the holidays. First up is Eventide Vienna Lager, a 4.8% ABV amber lager that’s like a hug in a can. Brewed with all German ingredients, it’s medium-bodied with a crisp finish and flavours and aromas of lightly toasted honey oat bread. Second we have Tata’s wintertime post-activity beer, Apres. A cream ale at 4.5% ABV, it’s designed to be super-easy drinking after clearing the driveway or a day on the slopes or the local pond. And last is Ketch, their Berlinerweiße. Only 3.1% ABV, with the classic bright acidity and subtle funk that the style is known for, expect it to provide a tasty low alcohol option and/or a pleasant way to reset your palate after a bunch of heavier seasonals. Look for all of these to be available for order on the website in coming days or, if you’re in the area, at the brewery; we suspect some cans and kegs will also reach distro in the HRM at the very least.

Speaking of re-releases, in the HRM Unfiltered Brewing has a Christmas miracle on the go in the form of Sparkling Motherfucker, a 4.0% low-calorie (4.5g carbs) beer containing sodium, chloride, and potassium electrolytes. Sound like a sports drink? WELL IT’S NOT. Also gluten-reduced (<10ppm), you’ll find it in 473ml cans at the brewery, perfect for stuffing into stockings or pouring down your throat in an effort to tolerate friends, family, and the holidays in general.

Back in Paradise, Mauzy is releasing the last bottling from its 2021 season. Humbled In Love, is a 6.4% ABV blend of mead and cider . The mead portion features a spontaneous fermentation of Brown’s Family Farm Blueberries and Baccalieu Trail Honey. This was blended (30% mead, 70% cider) with Mauzy’s blend of spontaneously fermented feral and Golden Hornet Crab apples, with the resulting liquid being conditioned on freshly picked white rose petals. Expect lots of blueberry notes, baked berries and a bright acidity. Only 10 cases are available so don’t delay if you’re interested. 

Sticking with blended ciders, next up is Frontenac Gris + Ida Red, from Halifax’s Sourwood. This blend of Front Gris grapes and hand-picked organic apples showcases the complexity that can be achieved when the worlds or cider and fruit wine combine. Bottles of the 9.0% ABV Frontenac Gris + Ida Red are available now at the taproom or through their online store. 

We mentioned Moncton’s Tire Shack Brewing above, but they also are celebrating the release of three beers this week in their John Street taproom. Bumbleberry Sour is a sour with a blend of berries reminiscent of the pies or “crisps” of the same name. Cranberry, raspberry, blueberry, blackberry, as well as cherry and pomegranate all went into this 6.0% beer, to amp up the fruit to both complement and enhance the tart base beer. Continuing the long-running series is Hip Hop Vol 8 – Sabro Double IPA. Sabro used throughout the process of this 8.0% beer means it is overflowing with coconut, lychee, with a touch of citrus. And returning to the taps and shelves is Roman Road Italian Pilsner. Crisp and effervescent, Tire Shack’s version has just a touch of hops. If you pop into the taproom Saturday at noon, People for Animal Wellbeing will be onsite to take pictures of your pets to fundraise for their important activities, and selling tickets for The Big Draw for PAW too!

Speaking of our animal friends, PEI Brewing is helping out the PEI Humane Society with the release of Loyalty Brew, a 4.5% Blonde Ale. This limited edition beer is available at the PEIBC Taproom and the Gahan Beer Store in Atlantic Superstore, with $1 from each can going to the shelter supporting lost, homeless, and abandoned animals.

A few short things before we leave you…

Sydney’s Breton Brewing has released Bah Humbug Holiday Bitter, a 4.7% British Bitter featuring Old World/Noble hops lending citrus, berry, floral, and spicy notes, all on a smooth caramel base. Available now at the brewery in cans and on draught.

Candid Brewing in Antigonish released a couple of new beer after we posted last week, so let’s get you up to date… Space Coyote is a 7.5 % Double/Imperial IPA, featuring loads of Comet and Galaxy hops (get it?), ready to shoot you to the moon and beyond. Mango, pineapple, and guava tropical notes and complemented by a solid dank character. And in another vein completely is the 5.2% Golden Pig, a Czech Pilsner. Featuring Saaz hops, GP underwent a six week lagering process, keeping it crisp, clean, and easy drinking. Cans of both beers are available at their taproom on College Street.

Rounding out this week’s news is Good Robot’s latest release, Late Night Milk Stout. In case you were wondering what to leave out for Santa next weekend, perhaps this will fit the bill. At 5.0% ABV, this stout features a lovely addition of lactose (aka milk sugar) to soften any harsh notes, and leave a little bit of residual sweetness in the can. Available at the Robie Street location, and the now-open Elmsdale retail shop. A note on the latter, as they celebrate with a Grand Opening there tomorrow. Open 12 – 8 PM, all beer and merch is 10% off, and there are quirky prizes to be won for those who visit. At 1 PM, there is even a tour of their facility planned, grab your free tickets here. We’ll soon be sharing some info on a tour for those unable to make it tomorrow, so keep your January 21 free if you’d like to hit up a tour in the New Year.