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Friday Wrap-Up for March 4, 2022 – News of International Women’s Day releases across the region, including Breton, Foghorn, Landwash, New Maritime, North, Picaroons, Port Rexton, Quidi Vidi, Saltbox, and Upstreet, plus many, many more great beers!

Posted by acbbdamian on 2022-03-04
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: Baccalieu Trail Brewing, Big Spruce Brewing, Big Tide Brewing, Boomstick Brewing, Bootleg Brew Company, Brave Noise Beer, Breton Brewing, Foghorn Brewing, Garrison Brewing, International Women's Day, King Street Beer Co., Landwash Brewery, Loyalist City Brewing Co, Lunn's Mill Beer Company, New Maritime Beer Company, North Brewing, Picaroons General Store, Port Rexton Brewing Co., Quidi Vidi Brewery, RagnaRock Northern Brewing Company, Saltbox Brewing, Secret Cove Brewing, Smokehouse Nano Brewery, Spindrift Brewing, Sussex Ale Works, Tapestry Beer Bar, Tatamagouche Brewing, The Church Brewing Company, TrailWay Brewing, Truro Brewing Company, Uncorked Tours, Upstreet Craft Brewing, Village Green by Modern Brewer, Witch Craft Beer Society, Yip Cider. 3 comments

“In like a lion…” they say about March. Well, it sure is looking that way, given the news of the world. There are bright spots in all of the doom, and hopefully we can offer respite and uplifting news to you, dear reader, as we do the tour de bière in our region this week. We’re kicking it off with a dozen releases coming out in celebration of International Women’s Day, March 8th, all of them featuring a charitable component as well! Let us dally no longer and get right to the great news.

We happily start the run of all the International Women’s Day releases this week with Breton Brewing out of Sydney. Waves Rise is a light and hoppy IPA, brewed to showcase the Pink Boots Society 2022 hop blend. This year’s blend consists of 30% Idaho Gem, 20% HBC 630, 20% Talus, 20% Triumph, and 10% Loral. The beer is 4.6% and 46 IBU and features a light malt base and moderate bitterness that lets the floral and herbal hop flavour and aroma shine. The beer will be released Tuesday for IWD at the brewery and online for delivery or shipping. A portion of the beer sales will be donated to the Every Woman’s Centre. 

Rothesay, NB’s Foghorn Brewing is up to year three for their Sparkölsch IWD brew. As with previous years, this beer was a collaboration with other breweries and organizations in the area, including Big Tide Brewing Company, Loyalist City Brewing Company, Picaroon’s General Store, Sussex Ale Works, Yip Cider, and Witch Craft Beer Society of Saint John. The beer itself is a fan favourite in the kölsch style (a lagered German ale) at 5%, but also featuring food grade glitter added at packaging for a fun visual element. Available on tap at Foghorn, at select tap accounts in Rothesay and Saint John, and a limited number of bottles are for sale at the participating breweries. Proceeds of sales are being donated to the United Way.

Brave Noise is a movement supporting and standing in solidarity with those who shared their stories about mistreatment and who are survivors of gender discrimination, racism, sexual assault, and harassment within the beer industry. It is also an international collaboration of 234 (and counting) supportive and like-minded breweries, committed to sharing (and maybe creating!) their Code of Conduct and donating 100% of the proceeds to women’s charities. Truro Brewing Company had their release in October 2021, with Big Spruce and Spindrift signed up to the project, and we’ll share the details once those beers are available. And there’s still time for others to sign up for the same, hint hint…

One of those “future releases” is from Landwash Brewery in Mount Pearl, Newfoundland. Brewed on February 23rd, Pink Shirt Day, the women and allies of Landwash took the stories amplified by Brienne Allan and Erin Broadfoot to heart, many having experienced or witnessed some form of harassment themselves. Following the Brave Noise suggested recipe, this is a low ABV hazy Pale Ale, perfect for enjoying a few in a session, while taking down the patriarchy. Ahead of the week of March 21nd release will be the publishing of Landwash’s Code of Conduct, visible to all who grab a can or visit their space. Proceeds of the beer will be going to organizations offering mental health support for workers in the craft beer and hospitality industries.

Miramichi’s New Maritime Beer Company is celebrating International Women’s Day on Tuesday with a new beer and event hosted by the Women of Miramichi Entrepreneurial Network (WOMEN). Starting at 6 PM, there will be yoga in the taproom (BYOM), lead by Heather Hutt, which will be followed by a brewery tour. Tickets for this option are available now. And at 6:45 PM the taproom is open to all who wish to taste the beer, and celebrate IWD2022, as Heather will be the special guest speaker for the event. Entry for this is by donation to Miramichi Emergency Centre for Women. About the beer… WOMEN Beer is a Raspberry Blonde Ale, brewed using the Pink Boots 2022 hop blend, which features its own charitable aspect, with scholarship funds directed at lifting up women in the brewing industry. 

North Brewing is releasing their own Brave Noise on International Women’s Day. Keeping with the suggested collab recipe, Brave Noise is a hazy Pale Ale that is tropical and flavourful, while taking it easy on the ABV. Partnering with Shoreline Malting, who donated the base Pilsen and Wheat malts, this is a juicy, light, pale ale with portions of sales going to Adsum House. This 4.5% beer will be available in cans from North’s 3 retail shops, or on tap on Portland Street, on Tuesday, International Women’s Day. 

In Saint John, Picaroons has brewed up their Dame IPA for the second year running. Brewed at Pics by a combined team from Picaroons General Store, Becky from Big Tide, and Gilliane from Uncorked Tours. Although they don’t have a charity component this year, they do have a baby component…Gilliane’s sister and partner in Uncorked, Nathalie, had her baby Jennie on January 17th, and Dame was her first brew. So if you’re grabbing a pint of the Dame, be sure to raise your glass to the little one!

A 100% women-owned brewery with a majority of female employees, Port Rexton Brewing has once again brewed Violet Femmes for IWD. A 4.6% dry-hopped kettle sour with butterfly pea flower to bring a natural purple colour, it is available now. All proceeds from the can, pint and t-shirt sales will be given to the women’s group of First Light and Marguerites Place with the St. John’s Women of Status Council. This is available at their St. John’s Retail shop and the taproom now, and heading to their usual outlets over the weekend.

Sticking in Newfoundland and IWD, Quidi Vidi is releasing Stronger Together, a Strawberry Blonde ale, for the second year in a row. A 5% Blonde ale that has a light malt body and a hop bill to match, this showcases a delicate strawberry aroma and flavour, with a bit of cherry coming through as well. This beer is available now for a limited time from the QV Hop Shops and most NLC locations. Quidi Vidi will also be hosting a Women’s Day mixer on Sunday March 6th from 12 – 3 PM, where we can celebrate together. 

Mahone Bay’s Saltbox Brewing is building on the popularity of last year’s IWD release, and bringing it back again! The Way She Gose is a gose, not surprisingly; think tart and fresh, with a touch of salt, to which SB added hibiscus for a lovely floral character and pink hue. It will also be sticking around as a spring/summer seasonal, which sounds great, at just 4.7% ABV! And keep an eye on the social media for their sister location, King Street Beer in Bridgewater, as they are releasing a new small batch product early next week to celebrate IWD.

Finishing up our IWD releases brings us to PEI, where Upstreet Brewing has a release of their own. Grisette is (you guessed it!) a grisette coming out on tap and in cans on Tuesday. The beer is sessionable and dry with some softer saison notes and a bit of a wine character on the finish to go with clove and banana yeast character. There is  a launch event at the brewery that you can check out here. They will be supporting  the Trade Herizons program through the Women’s Network of PEI. 

Jumping islands, Mount Pearl’s Landwash Brewery has a new Italian-Style Pilsner out. Terra is their take on a style that we are keen to see more brewers attempt. Originating with Birrificio Italiano’s Tipopils, the style is known for its crisp and dry body, and the use of dry hopping that differentiates it from its German and Czech counterparts. Landwash’s version uses imported Eraclea barely from Weyermann Specialty Malts, produced near Venice, to create a bready and honey malt profile. Additions of Monroe and Spalter Select hops add some floral and citrusy notes. Coming in at 5.5%, Terra is available now on tap and in cans at the brewery and should start seeing wider distribution this weekend. 

Down in Lawrencetown, Lunn’s Mill is celebrating its 5th Anniversary in style with the release of Cocobolo. This Milkshake IPA features hop additions of  El Dorado, Ekuanot and Sabro, leading to big notes of coconut and tropical fruit. In addition to being on tap all weekend, the 7% ABV Cocobolo is also available for takeaway in cans at the brewery and The Station in nearby Bridgetown. And speaking of the weekend, Saturday will see the crew celebrating the 5th anniversary at the brewery and The Station. The taproom will be serving cake with Jokers Right playing from 6:00 to 8:00 PM. Tide and Timbre will be taking the stage at the Station from 7:30 to 9:30 PM. If you’re thinking of heading down, reservations are encouraged to ensure that you can get a seat. Happy 5 years to everyone at Lunn’s Mill from your fans at ACBB! 

Two breweries from Newfoundland’s west coast are also celebrating anniversaries this week and have marked the occasions with the release of a double dry hopped double birthday double IPA. Hoppy Birthday was brewed at Bootleg Brew Co. to celebrate their 4th anniversary, in collaboration with Boomstick Brewing who are ringing in two years in business. The 7.8% ABV leans into the hazy and juicy territory that DDH IPAs are known for, making great use of El Dorado and Idaho 7 hops. Cans are available now at Bootleg and you can likely still find it on tap at both breweries’ taprooms. Congrats to these two west coast gems! 

Jumping to the east coast of Newfoundland, Baccalieu Trail Brewing Co. is releasing Brighouse Irish Red. Brewed in collaboration with The Quay restaurant in beautiful Brigus, this 5.0% ABV ale features subtle notes of toasted bread and caramel. The name is an homage to the town of Brighouse in England, which is rumoured to be the namesake for the Newfoundland town of Brigus. Find it today at the brewery, Marie’s and other finer beer retailers on the Avalon, and of course, on tap at The Quay in Brigus (open until March 12). 

The hop hounds of Trailway Brewing have brought back one of their more unique offerings this week, and one of the few remaining examples of the style in the region these days: Velvet Fog is their Milkshake IPA, packed with hops, of course, but also featuring fruit (raspberry and tangerine this time), lactose, for body and sweetness, and a hint of vanilla. Like all good MIPAs, it’s soft and round with an almost smoothie-like mouthfeel. You’ll find it on tap and in cans from the brewery. 

In other Trailway news, they’ve also got a brand new offering that’s sure to please those looking for something a little lighter in the ABV department while still being heavy on the hops. Hu Jon Hops Light is what it says on the tin; a 4% ABV sessionable version of their long time flagship NEIPA: “Everything that is loved about Hu Jon, but in a smaller percent package!” Expect HJH Light to be a plenty hoppy, but also plenty light beer featuring tropical, fruity, dank, and pine notes. Look for it at the brewery and, we’re sure, wherever else you get your Trailway beer; we suspect this one will be in demand!

Cornwall PEI’s Village Green has another new beer on the taps this week, Other IPA. At 7.2% ABV and “bracingly bitter”, this is not shying away from what the style can offer! Featuring loads of Idaho 7, Simcoe, Amarillo, and Citra, look for citrus, pine, tropical notes, with a kick that will wake you up! Available on tap and to go in cans, along with a fresh batch of Modern Bitter!

Halifax’s Garrison Brewing has released a new sour beer, as well as a fresh batch of an old favourite. Mango & Dragon Fruit Sour is a mildly tart ale, which was blended with an infusion of mango, dragon fruit, and hibiscus to give a lovely blast of tropical fruit with a bold pink colour. For those afraid of the “sour” moniker, fear not, as there is some sweetness here to balance the acidity. At 5.0% ABV, drink a couple of these and you’ll be dreaming of summer before too long! Joining M&D is Pucker Up! Citrus, their kettle sour flavoured with additions of orange, lemon, grapefruit, and lime, in a respectful 4.9% beer. Look for both on tap and in cans at Garrison’s Seaport and Oxford locations, as well as farther afield soon.

New on tap at Lower Sackville’s TAPestry Beer Bar is an exclusive release from Berwick’s Smokehouse Nano Brewery. Smokestry Amber is a 5.8% ABV Amber Ale, showcasing caramel, bread, and toast notes from the malts used, with a balancing hop bitterness (to about 44 IBU), with a smooth and “I’ll take another” finish. Drop by TAPestry today for their Flight School Fridays, where your second flight is half price!

Tatamagouche Brewing is re-releasing its Gold Lotus DIPA. This 8% hop bomb features tons of fruit notes, including grapefruit pineapple, mango, strawberry and candied watermelon. Cans are available now at the brewery and for delivery through their online store.  

While not releasing one of their own beers for International Women’s Day, Good Robot is hosting “Yes We Can” in their taproom on Tuesday. Featuring Atlantic Canadian beers either brewed by women or created by breweries run by women, including Big Spruce, Bootleg, North, Port Rexton, and many more! All are welcome to take part in celebrating the best of the region’s brewing offerings, starting at 4 PM. More info here.

God damned millennials don’t want to work. But if they did, a bunch of breweries are hiring!! In addition to these, we encourage you to search Indeed, as there are even more hiring around the region.
(we’re just kidding about the millennials thing)

Wolfville’s Church Brewing is looking for a full-time Sales Rep/Brand Ambassador to pound the pavement around Nova Scotia (sales vehicle or automobile allowance provided), and occasionally beyond, supporting existing customers and winning new ones. This is definitely a self-starter role, where the successful applicant will be responsible for representing and being a spokesperson for the brand, managing their own administrative and logistical duties, and growing the business. A valid driver’s license and clean abstract is required. They’re looking to have someone in place for April 1, so if this sounds like something you’d like to do, check out the official job posting and get your resume in!

Halifax’s Good Robot Brewing is hiring for a few positions these days, including back of house in their kitchen (Sous Chef and Prep Cook), as well as at the brewery as Marketing Manager. Working with the Marketing Director and rest of the team, the position will support sales, social and creative groups, and collect insight from consumers and customers. This is a full-time permanent position, with benefits, so those who want a chance to do their best work with GRBC should apply today!

Back in Newfoundland, Secret Cove Brewing is hiring part-time bartenders and servers to join its team over the summer. If you’re interested, send a cover letter and resume to beer@secretcovebrewing.com. 

Further up the West Coast (ok, way up the coast) RagnaRöck is also looking to add to its team for the upcoming summer season. Part-time positions are available now for cooks and servers. Email ragnarock2019@gmail.com or drop by the brewery in person to apply.

 

Friday Wrap-Up for November 5, 2021 – News from Tatamagouche, Landwash, Big Spruce, Propeller, Tanner, Lake City Cider, Good Robot, and plenty more!

Posted by acbbdamian on 2021-11-05
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: 2 Crows Brewing, Battery Park, Big Spruce Brewing, Breton Brewing, Copper Bottom Brewing, Good Robot Brewing, Lake City Cider, Landwash Brewery, Lone Oak Brewing, North Brewing, Propeller Brewing, Sussex Ale Works, Tanner & Co Brewing, Tatamagouche Brewing, TrailWay Brewing. Leave a Comment

We’re firmly into November now, and no doubt mostly everyone has found themselves reaching for the thermostat at least once. Whether you’re looking for something bigger and warming to make up the distance between where your heat is set and where you wish it was, or you’re looking for something cooling because your spouse demands sweat lodge room temperature, our craft breweries and cideries have you covered. There’s plenty of new and returning beers going around in all four Atlantic Provinces this weekend, so read on to find out what and where you can grab it!

We’ll start off this week on the North Shore of Nova Scotia, where Tatamagouche Brewing continues to put out entries in their hop-focused Intertidal series. Veering away a little from the New World varieties that have been featured in the last few iterations, this one hits up the “new school of the old school”, featuring French hops. “French hops?” you ask, why yes, dear beer drinker, French hops. Starting with a base of pale and Vienna malts paired with a touch of honey malt for a slightly sweet and grainy backbone, hopping began in the kettle with the original French noble hop, Strisselspalt (from Alsace, the most German part of France, natch) paired with two brand new varieties, Mistral and Aramis. An additional hit of Mistral was added as a dry hop at the end of fermentation, which was undertaken cool, with Kölsch yeast, for a clean profile that would let the hops shine. And shine they do, with the Mistral at the fore, providing notes of melon, rose, and grapefruit along with some prominent dried apricot on top of a crispy and refreshing base. Look for this one at the brewery either in person or for online orders. Meanwhile, in other Tata release news, you may be aware that at Stillwell Beer Garden’s Oktoberfest this year they were serving a Märzen that Tata provided for that celebration, Sepia, a classic, malt-driven 5.3% little number that was quaffed in quantity that day on Spring Garden Road. Whether you had some and know how good it was, or you missed it and you’d like to find out, you’re in luck. That beer has been packaged in 355 mL cans and is now available as well.

Some BIG news out of Landwash Brewery and Memorial University this week: a whale of a new beer is out from the brewery in collaboration with the university’s their Faculty of Science. To celebrate the Blue Whale skeleton hanging in their Core Science Facility, Whale of a Time is a 4.5% dry-hopped saison that was released on Wednesday. The beer is very dry with a complex fruit aromas of strawberry, grapefruit and tropical fruits due to the dry-hopping of Saaz and experimental HBC 586.  The beer is available now at the brewery on tap and cans, with cans also available at Marie’s. The whale is one of two that washed ashore on the west coast of Newfoundland in 2014 and is believed to be one of nine crushed by heavy sea ice that year. Read more about the installation here. 

Put on your big person pants, as the cooler weather has also brought out one of the higher-alcohol annual releases this week, with yesterday’s debut of Big Spruce’s Ra Ra Rasputin. This Certified Organic (as all of BS’s beers are) Barrel-Aged Russian Imperial Stout poured for the first time at Downtown Dartmouth’s Battery Park yesterday, with both the “original” Glenora Whiskey version, as well as the debut of a Glenora Canadian Rye Whiskey version, the first of its kind, on tap. Sourcing barrels from the Glenora Distillery in Glenville, Cape Breton, each of the two versions weighs in at 10.5% ABV, with the bold roast and chocolate malt supporting the whiskey and spicy rye notes that complete the aroma and flavour. Available now in 330 ml bottles (thank you!) via Big Spruce’s webshop for free delivery province- and country-wide, look for them on the shelves of the private stores this weekend. Heck, we bet there are still some of these two releases, and/or the 2018 Glenora Whiskey, 2019 Peach Brandy, 2019 Cognac, 2020 Tawny Port pouring at Battery Park if you arrive early enough today for a side-by-side-by-side-by-… you get it… tasting. 

Speaking of returning favourites, Propeller has two dark and lovely releases on the shelves again today… First is their Mocha Oatmeal Stout, which sounds to us like a killer breakfast beer! Coffee, chocolate, beer, 5.5% ABV, say no more! Dark roasted malts were used judiciously to keep the base beer from being harsh or bitter, and given that the cans were carbonated with nitrogen rather than carbon dioxide, a super-smooth mouthfeel rewards the drinker. With these types of packaging, remember that giving it a fast and vigorous pour (hold it completely upside-down from height to create some activity) is the best technique. If you track us down, we can talk about the partial pressures of various gases to really drive home the science of it. 😉 Cans are available in the three Prop Shops and online for home delivery and shipping, and you should also see it at the private stores like Bishop’s Cellar and Liquid Assets shortly. [Ed note: we jumped the gun on the London Porter, stay tuned for more on that release]

Moving down to the South Shore of Nova Scotia, Tanner Brewing in Chester just released a barrel aged version of one of their core beers. Barrel Fermented Belgian Blonde is a twist on their blonde ale that traditionally has pronounced malt aromas and flavours, mixed with aromatic spicy and fruity esters from the yeast. Throwing in six months of a partial fermentation and aging in a first-use Ironworks rum barrel to the traditional golden blonde ale added flavours of molasses, caramel and vanilla has yielded a 7% beer is with 20 IBU that is available in 500ml bottles in both of their locations and their online store. 

On the cider side of the world, Lake City Cider is back with a new release from their limited edition Vine Series. Blueberry Pinot Grigio is a wine-infused cider, based on their Nova Scotian apple cider base complemented with Pinot Grigio and blueberries. The result is a light, effervescent, refreshing drink with a light blueberry flavour. Ideally served in champagne flutes it’s 8.5% and available in 4-packs of 355ml cans. A limited release you’ll want to move fast if you’d like to try it; you’ll find it available at Lake City’s Downtown Dartmouth location and on their online store for delivery. 

Good Robot continues to innovate and keep us on our toes with new releases that push the style boundaries. This week, they are dabbling in more of a mainstream style with the release of Tropical Storm, a single-hop NEIPA showcasing the Sabro hop, known for its tropical and coconut characteristics. Cans and pints of this 7% ABV NEIPA are available now. What’s more, this is the first in what they are planning to be a series of single-hop NEIPAs. We’ll be sure to keep you posted when the next one drops. 

Events…

Never a stranger to events and release celebrations, 2 Crows is re-releasing Paradise, their foedre aged sour with raspberry and passionfruit additions, originally released in October 2019. Lightly hopped in the boil with Nelson Sauvin and aged noble hops, it was conditioned on over 500lbs of raspberries and 200lbs of passionfruit for several months, allowing the sugars to fully ferment. The result is a jammy, bright, and sour beer coming in at 4.7%. To celebrate on Saturday November 6th, the brewery is teaming up with Fortune Doughnuts for a special Paradise doughnut! The doughnut is a sour lemon and passionfruit-filled number with a raspberry and passionfruit glaze; it will be available at the brewery for dine-in or take-out starting at noon until they’re all gone! Meanwhile, you can grab a pint of the matching beer on tap or get some cans to go.

Next weekend, Saturday, November 13th, Copper Bottom Brewing in Montague is marking their 4th Anniversary, and we’re all invited to take part in the fun! From noon until late, there will be live music on their stage (12 – 3 PM Thomas Harrington & Jesse Periard; 3 – 6 PM Nick Doneff; 6 – 9 PM Dan Doiron), their resident food truck, The Pizza Box, will be running specials on pizza and sandwiches, plus the taproom is featuring $5 pints and beer slushies! One beer you’ll have to try is Birthday Beer 4, which is the special anniversary beer being released for the event. A Mango IPA, this 5.6% beer started with a malt bill of pilsner, wheat, and flaked oat, and fermented with an Escarpment Labs strain of Kveik yeast. Dry-hopped with Amarillo and Simcoe, the beer also saw the addition of mango puree to really dial up the tropical fruit flavour. Low in bitterness, but big in taste, in addition to pouring at the brewery next Saturday, it will also be available in cans for retail and website sales.

Just a few more things to hit before we dismiss you this week…

As you start to see holiday goodies fill up the stores, you’ll see a returning favourite from Breton Brewing on the shelves! Gingerbread Holiday Ale is back and is a London Extra Special Bitter with Gingerbread, bringing flavours of ginger and cinnamon to the classic style. First released back in 2018, you’ll be able to find this special 5.5% and 35 IBU winter release available now at select NSLC locations around the province, or at the brewery in-store or online (for delivery too!). 

If you’re looking for something different in the Sussex area this weekend, swing by Sussex Ale Works for a pint of their newest release, Petal Pusher Chamomile Blonde.  Look for citrusy notes and an approachable drinking experience. Petal Pusher is available now for pints at the taproom or to-go in crowlers.

And rounding out the news is a big announcement from the fine folks at Trailway Brewing in Fredericton….. they’re heading South! No, we don’t mean on a vacation to Mexico, they will be opening a location in Saint John! Even better, eh? Taking over the space at the corner of Union and Dorchester Streets in the heart of Saint John, they will be operating a 3 BBL (350 litre) brewhouse to supply the 40-seat taproom with all of the experimental and style-bending beers folks in Fredericton have loved for years as well as brewing up special one-offs and even a few exclusive house beers to keep SJ locals happy, plus guest taps from other local breweries and cider producers. The space also features a kitchen to provide a well-curated menu, and a fully-stocked retail space to serve the local clientele even better. Renovations are starting now, and we’ll keep you up to date on the progress, including job posting calls, as they are looking to open mid-2022. Congratulations to the Trailway Family on the great news!

Looking for a job in #AtlCanBeer? Peep these offerings!

Lone Oak is looking for a Brewery Assistant to work with Head Brewer Spencer Gallant. This full-time position will include everything from production planning, managing raw materials inventory, and supporting brew days, to packaging and equipment maintenance. Doesn’t hurt if you’re funny too, as the last person who had the job definitely is (congrats on the album drop, Dan!). If you’re looking to get into the PEI brewing scene, check the full posting here, then send a resume to spencer@loneoakbrew.com. 

North Brewing is also recruiting for full and part-time retail positions at their OG location on Portland Street and the soon-to-open location on the Timberlea Village Parkway! North has been teasing lots of renovation progress at the new retail space and hiring the team is another sign that the opening is right around the corner. Check out their website for more info on the positions and how to apply.

 

Friday Wrap-Up for March 12, 2021 – News from Upstreet, New Scotland, Annapolis Brewing, Brasseux d’la Cote, Bannerman, Good Robot, 2 Crows, Gahan, Lunn’s Mill, Brightwood, TrailWay and Blood Brothers, Big Spruce, and much more!

Posted by acbbdamian on 2021-03-12
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: 2 Crows Brewing, Annapolis Brewing Company, Bannerman Brewing, Big Spruce Brewing, Big Spruce Home Brew Challenge, Blood Brothers Brewing, Brasserie Retro Brewing, Brasseux d'la Cote, Breton Brewing, Brightwood Brewery, Distillerie Fils du Roy, Good Robot Brewing, International Women's Day, Lake City Cider, Lunn's Mill Beer Company, Microbrasserie Houblon-Pechêur, New Scotland Brewing, Paddys Irish Brewpub, PEI Brewing Co., Pink Boots, Propeller Brewing, Sea Level Brewing, Sussex Ale Works, The Church Brewing Company, TrailWay Brewing, Unfiltered Brewing, Upstreet Craft Brewing. Leave a Comment

As sometimes happens with nearly 200 breweries and ciderhouses in the region, a few things fall between the cracks. Wel, that happened last week as we were touting the awesome beers and brew days that happened in celebration of International Women’s Day. Let’s get you up to speed with a few more releases and brew days that happened across the region Monday:

The women of Charlottetown’s Upstreet Brewing came together in late February to design and brew Shine!, an American Pale Ale. Using the Pink Boots hop blend of Ahtanum, Cashmere, Citra, Loral, and Sabro, the beer features massive citrus and tropical notes, but low on bitterness. With a clean, light body with a silky mouthfeel, the beer also has a touch of herbal notes poking through as well. The Pink Boots blend supports scholarships and educational efforts to increase numbers and improve representation of women in the beer sector, and Upstreet is also making donations locally to the PEI Association of Newcomers to Canada, in support of their Women’s Group. You can grab Shine! on tap and in cans at the brewery taproom and Craft Beer Corner, and check out the IWD 2021 playlist DJ Grace put together so you can rock out to some awesome tunes at home enjoying the beer. Shine On!

In Downtown Dartmouth, two women of New Scotland Brewing designed, brewed, and released Divine, now on draught at their taproom. Already heavily involved in the brewing process since the brewery opened in 2018, Jan Gillespie teamed up with newer member of NSBC, Charlie Parent, to bring to life this Session IPA. Dry-hopped with Galaxy, Mosaic, and Sabro, tropical notes of pineapple and a hint of coconut dance on the palate. Taking this 4.0% ABV beer to the next level are additions of dragon fruit and hibiscus flower, for a bright orange hue and even more tropical fruit. Currently on tap at their spot at 91 Alderney Drive, there should be some kegs in the wild around HRM soon.

And in “coming soon” IWD brews, Annapolis Brewing Company hosted an official Pink Boots Brew Day, inviting women from Church Brewing, Lunn’s Mill, and Sea Level to their brewery in Annapolis Royal. Using the Pink Boots Hop Blend, they put together a stronger New England IPA, big on flavour but low on bitterness. We’ll have the full details when the beer is released later this month, of course!

Same for the crew at Brasseux d’la Cote, who invited in three other Acadian Peninsula breweries and MTB group Sirènes en Cavale in to brew a beer made with barley grown and malted on the Acadian Peninsula thanks to the new facilities at Distillerie Fils du Roy, who also participated in the brew day along with Houblon-Pêcheur and Brasserie Retro.

Avaloners (Avalonians?) looking to celebrate the move down to Level 4 can check out Bannerman Brewing Co. for their new pilsner, Casual Acquaintance. Their take of the German-stule of pilsner features Saaz and Ella hops that lend grassy, herbal and fruity notes. Coming in at 5% ABV, you can find it now in 16 oz cans and for growler fills at the brewery, and cans may be making it to some of the better beer stores around the peninsula too!

The joyful droids at Good Robot are releasing a crisp beer this week that is true to the Halifax water, true to their roots, and is a lovely release for our warming weather. Introducing the Ten Thousand Pound Pilsner is a 4.5% ABV Czech Pilsner, which should be very true to style due to the Halifax water profile being so similar to that of Pilsen, Czech Republic. Hopped with Perle and achieving 31 IBU, this should have a classic floral taste with a mild cracker sweetness with a crisp and palate cleansing mouthfeel. Pick this one up today from the retail shop or order online. And they’re pleased to announce that as of today, their taproom has reopened with everything you’d expect from the Robie Street space. Starting this weekend, they’ll be doing a small brunch as well for all future weekends. 

Never a stranger to new releases, Brunswick Street’s brewery, 2 Crows, brings a new release available now. Starflight is an oak fermented saison at 4.4% ABV and 28 IBU. Brewed last July with a base of Shoreline Pilsner malt and hopped with Sterling and Bramling Cross, it was then dry hopped with Mandarina Bavaria and Sterling. After 6 months it came out of a large oak foedre and was allowed to naturally carbonate and can condition for 4 more months before being ready to release to the public. Pick this one up from the taproom or order online for shipping all over the country. 

Back on the sunny shores of the Island, PEI Brewing Company is releasing a beer to help ease us into the warmer weather (it’s coming, right?). Gahan’s Beacon Blonde Ale comes in at 4.5% ABV and is lightly hopped to the tune of 12 IBUs. Expect a medium to high carbonation level, a crisp mouthfeel and some light sweetness in the finish. Beacon is available now in 4 packs of 355 mL cans at PEI BC’s three Charlottetown-area locations with wider distribution through PEI LC and ANBL coming soon. 

We’ve got a fun one from one of the hidden gems of the NS beer scene: Lunn’s Mill is releasing a saison this week. Le Domaine is a strong 8.2% saison that is fruity, spicy with a smooth caramel finish. Brewed with Pilsner, Munich, wheat and rye malt. Fermented with Escarpment Labs Old World Saison blend, this has a slightly floral aroma with a touch of a boozy finish. This one is available now in the taproom for pints and growlers. This will be released in cans in coming weeks. 

Dartmouth’s Brightwood Brewery has a new hazy IPA out this weekend with the release of Expat. This is a double dry hopped version of the style, made exclusively with Eclipse hops from Australia. Look for a hazy, yellow appearance and big citrusy aromas of mandarin and oranges on the nose, along with some pine notes. Expat comes in at a reasonably sessionable 6% ABV. Cans, fills and pints are available at the Portland Street taproom today with a release through the NSLC by the end of March. 

Let’s head to Fredericton next for another hazy IPA from, you guessed it, Trailway Brewing. For it’s newest release, Trailway teamed up with Toronto innovators, Blood Brothers Brewing. The two breweries collaborated virtually to design Whales All Day Double IPA. Coming in at 8.5%, this DIPA features Citra, Sabro, and the experimental hop HBC 630. Look for lots of tropical notes, with Sabro’s signature coconut profile, along with mango, tangerine, stone fruit, vanilla and bubblegum. You can find it now in cans and on tap at the brewery, or for delivery via their webstore. 

We’ve got another release this weekend that will be soon packaged for distribution, but this one is from the Homebrew Competition winner, Tim Gregory. Famous for his other Big Spruce canned staple, Tim’s American IPA which won the inaugural Competition in 2013, Tim comes back with Das Schmeckt Gut!, a Sticke Altbier at 6.7%. This delicious beer style has a nice copper appearance with a great balance of malt and hop bitterness. Available now on tap in Nyanza, this has been released in 650ml bottles and will be available online, with other keg accounts confirmed at Battery Park and Hopyard. 

In a normal year this would be a post chock full of news and brews about St. Patrick’s Day (or Paddy’s Day, but please not St. Paddy’s Day, and absolutely-goddamn-not St. Patty’s Day). Such are the times upon us, however, that one of Halifax’s most notorious nights of celebration won’t be nearly as messy as in “normal” years. For those of us who walk downtown that means not having to remember to be extra observant of where we step the next morning, but it’s certainly a downer for those of Irish descent (or “Irish for the day,” in many cases) that they won’t be able to get their big drink on this coming Wednesday night. Bless ‘em, our local Irish Pubs are doing the responsible thing and not making a big deal of it, with The Old Triangle and Durty Nelly’s going so far as to be closed that night. Because these folks are losing what is traditionally an excellent night of business, Propeller Brewing is stepping up to help them out a little by giving away 7 gift packs, each containing a 4-pack of Prop’s seasonal Irish Red (in the form of a gift card) plus a $50 gift card to a local Irish Pub (Durty Nelly’s, The Old Triangle Irish Alehouse, Seamus David’s Pub, Jamieson’s Irish Pub, Celtic Corner, Finbar’s Irish Pub, Finbar’s Portland Hills). To enter all you’ve got to do is like the Ig or Fb post, follow Propeller on that platform, and cheers a friend in the post’s comments.  You have until 11:59 PM on Monday, March 15th, to enter; winners will be determined via random draw and announced on Paddy’s Day (Wednesday, March 17th). And whether you win or not, or in Halifax or not, do keep your local Irish-flavoured watering hole in mind over the coming weeks; like everyone else in the food service and hospitality industry, they could use some help right now. And speaking of the contest’s sponsor Propeller, they have just reduced the order size needed to qualify for free delivery in HRM. That means you can have a flat of their Prime Lager delivered to your home for just $40! Peep their online shop for that and other options. Delivery is just $5 if under the threshold.

In other seasonally-tinted news, we told you a couple of weeks back about Lake City Cider’s new Kombucha/Cider blend, Green Ginger Cider, well this week they’re offering that up as a package with two 750 mL bottles and a 16oz Lake City stein from which to drink them for $35, a $5 savings. If you can’t get your St. Patrick’s Day on downtown, might as well sip some cider in style at home.

Big congratulations to Paddy’s Brewpub who are celebrating their 20th Anniversary at their Wolfville location, with a 5-day Ceilidh from now until St Patrick’s Day! Live music each evening at 7 or 8 PM, and a special Irish menu includes Boxty, Irish Cream Bash Cheesecake, and of course a proper Irish Red Ale. More details on their Facebook page.

Your weekly reminder of fresh, hoppy goodness at Unfiltered Brewing. This week, you can find the return of the infamous Double Orange Ale, a 7.5% DIPA. Cans are available now on North Street. 

In the job hunt news, the season is picking up and so are some jobs in a fun industry. In Sydney, Breton Brewing is growing and have two positions they’re currently looking to fill. Both seasonal positions, they’re looking for an Assistant Brewer and a Packaging Assistant. Check out the link here to apply and the deadline to apply is Friday March 26th. 

As they prepare for the busy spring and summer season, Sussex Ale Works is bringing on a Craft Beer Adventure Guide to their team. Probably the coolest job title we’ve heard of (except maybe professional beer and cheese taster, anyone hiring?), as their guide you’ll be working in the taproom serving up pints to visitors, telling the stories behind the beers, and making the overall SAW experience a great one for those popping in, or staying for a session. After you read through the above posting, apply here!

Rounding out the jobs today is back where we started, Upstreet Brewing in Charlottetown PEI. They are looking for an Account Manager to join their team, working with retail and licensee customers to keep them up to date on the latest and greatest releases, and seek out new spots to carry Upstreet on the Island, as well as across the Maritimes. If you love beer, and love helping sell it, this is the job for you! Check out the full job description here, and apply right meow!