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Friday Wrap-Up for May 28, 2021 – News from Hampton Brewing Co, Landwash, Candid Brewing, Trailway, Rough Waters, Lunn’s Mill, Village Green, PEI Beer Week, and more!

Posted by acbbdamian on 2021-05-28
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: Bar Brewdock, Candid Brewing, Flying Boats Brewing, Hampton Brewing Company, Landwash Brewery, Lunn's Mill Beer Company, Modern Brewer's Village Green, PEI Beer Guy, PEI Craft Beer Week, Rough Waters Brewing, Serpent Brewing, Tanner & Co Brewing, Tatamagouche Brewing, TrailWay Brewing. Leave a Comment

It’s the last Friday in May in Atlantic Canada and after a short week thanks to Victoria Day, it’s time to start thinking about the weekend. Somewhat sadly, with the pandemic still upon us, that’s not going to include much in the way of in-person socializing or even, for many, trips to the cabin or cottage or camp or whatever you call it. But there have certainly been some rays of hope this week, with Nova Scotia’s case numbers continuing to drop, recoveries increasing, and vaccinations now open to everyone 12 years of age and older throughout the entire region. And our breweries definitely seem to be getting into a more summery mood as they hope for easing of intra- and inter-province restrictions in time to be slinging suds in person and on premise before our all-too-short warm season is over. Read below for all the news we could find and type up about this week’s releases. We also encourage our Nova Scotia readers in particular to check out the information that’s come out this week regarding the Auditor General’s report on the operations of the NSLC. If you’re a fan of the smaller independent breweries in NS, consider lending your voice to the crowd that’s calling for action by the Provincial Government. We already knew that these folks have been facing an uphill battle with largely antiquated liquor laws and COVID restrictions destroying many business models, but the AG’s report seems to suggest that the operating model of the NSLC does almost nothing to help our region’s local producers, folks who have been entrepreneurial in their communities, generating employment opportunities and keeping cash local. We’d love to see more folks out there amplifying their voices as they lobby the NS Government for change to support our community breweries before we start seeing them have to close up shop.

After contract brewing for the past couple of years, Hampton Brewing Company now has a place to call their own. Located at 64 Robertson Road just outside of town, HBC has set up at Fire Fly Forest Recreation. The taproom and patio are open seven days a week, Mon – Wed 4 – 8 PM, Thurs 4 – 10 PM, today and Sat 12 PM – 12 AM, and Sun 12 – 8 PM. Brewing on a 500 litre (4 BBL) Blichmann Hybrid system, they are currently pouring 5 beers for onsite enjoyment (or to take away), Crush Session IPA, Big Shoes American Pale Ale, Black Door Porter, Chameleon Blackberry Lime Sour, and just tapped for the weekend, Misty Mountain Hops NEIPA. Make the trip out, maybe even stay the night, and support the newest brewery in our region! Congratulations Hampton Brewing Crew!

Our friends at Landwash Brewery have handed over control of their brewhouse – temporarily – to their Packaging Manager, Nardia, to create a one-off beer of her very own. After no doubt hours of deliberation, she desired to brew something inspired by her home country of Australia. April 25th was the annual Anzac Day, a national day of remembrance originally designed to honour the members of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corp. This reminded Nardia of the biscuits that have been produced by ANZAC, which are made with coconut, rolled oats, and golden syrup. So… where were we going with this? Oh right, so the beer, Caribou Hill, was brewed to represent these biscuits! Named after the battle of Caribou Hill in World War I, where ANZAC and Newfoundland troops fought alongside each other, the beer is a 5% “Coconut Biscuit Brown Ale”. We’re betting you can already taste it in your minds (is that a thing?), but rest assured it’s a dark brown brew with notes of coconut, and plenty of biscuity malt character throughout. Cans are available now at the brewery, and if you get there REALLY fast, you may be lucky enough to purchase some of the cookies that inspired the beer! All money raised from cookie sales will be donated to the Canadian Mental Health Association – Newfoundland.

Candid Brewing in Antigonish opened their doors last week for the first of their “retail pop-ups”, and are back at it again this weekend for even more of the same. Joining their Humdinger West Coast IPA are two more of their core beers, namely the No Brainer and Party Line. No Brainer is a 5.2% ABV Pale Ale, with blood orange juice added for an extra citrus blast on the palate. Party Line is a 6.2% ABV Northeast IPA, featuring plenty of tropical and bright citrus character from loads of hops added late in the process, for a smooth and low bitterness beer. All three beers are available at their pop-up shop at 88 College Street today 3 – 6 PM, and again tomorrow 1 – 4 PM. And keep an eye on their and neighbour The Townhouse’s Social Media (IG) for the details on a food and beer pairing take-away bundle available tomorrow and Sunday.

Over the last few weeks, we’ve been bringing you news about more and more breweries embracing lower ABV styles in smaller packages, mainly 355ml cans. Trailway is the latest to embrace this trend with the release of Fetch Pale Ale. Let’s start with the packaging. For the first time, Trailway will be offering 12 packs of 355 ml cans. Starting off, you can find them at the brewery, but in a few weeks it will see province-wide distribution through ANBL. Now, onto the beer. Fetch is made using Canadian pilsner malt and hops sourced exclusively from New Brunswick producers. In another first, Trailway is saying goodbye to its trademark haze, and filtering the beer to a high degree of clarity. Expect notes of honey from the malt with floral hope notes and a mild bitterness.

Rough Waters Brewing, up in Deer Lake, NL, has released a new beer in their Neighbeerly series of beers that each support a local charity. This time, they’re benefiting the Islaview Foundation, with $1 from each bottle sold going to that organization. You’ll also find it for sale at Marie’s Mini Mart locations on the East Coast, Ultramar Corner Stores in Deer Lake and on West Street in Corner Brook, and Rudy’s Pub & Grub in Gros Morne. The swank new beer bar in St. John’s, Brewdock, also has it on tap and will also be donating proceeds. So what is the beer, you ask? It’s a fairly self-describing Strawberry Mango Milkshake India Session Ale, of course! At only 4% ABV you should be able to go through a couple of them as you decide whether it’s the Strawberry, Mango, or hops that you like the best.

Continuing to fly under the radar (at least, in our opinion) Nova Scotia bright spot and future destination once things open back up, Lunn’s Mill has a new release this week. Sour Batch Kveiks is a Sour IPA clocking in at 7% on the ABV scale and this style is always a fun one to try. Citrus and stone fruit complement a ripe orange with lime sour taste, reminiscent of Sour Patch Kids. Bringing some bitterness to the finish, this uses El Dorado for the hops and a Kveik yeast from Escarpment Labs. Available now for growler fills and pints at the brewery, cans will be available in the coming weeks at the private stores around HRM. 

Cornwall’s Village Green continues to churn out interesting styles, with two new releases over the last two weeks. First up is Centennial Black Ale. This 7.5% ale features bready notes, chocolate and orange flavours, with enough bitterness from Centennial to keep things balanced. Find this one on tap or for fills at the brewery, as well as cans to go. And brand new this week is West Coast IPA. Coming it at 7.9%, expect more malt character and bitterness than Village Green’s previous IPAs that leaned more into tropical hop notes, thanks to Columbus, Cascade, Amarillo, and Mosaic in the boil, and then a double dry-hopping from a combo of Motueka, Amarillo, and Citra, and later Idaho 7. Hops lovers will want to get out to Cornwall this weekend to snag this before it’s gone!

Chester’s Tanner & Co continues to dip their toes in the mead pool, offering more choices for fans of fermented beverages, especially those seeking a gluten-free option. Their newest release is Oak Aged Raspberry Mead. This one starts with local honey from Cosman & Whidden. Towards the end of fermentation, it was transferred to an oak barrel from Ironworks Distillery, where it finished fermentation with some raspberry purée. This 8% ABV mead has made its way into bottles that are available now at the Duke. St taproom and through Tanner’s online store. 

Spryfield’s Serpent Brewing has a stated goal of focusing on Belgian-inspired beers, and Saison certainly qualifies. Originally brewed on the farms of Wallonia in the winter months with leftover ingredients, and then conditioned for summer consumption, there has always been a wide range of characteristics to what we know as Saison. Of late, and certainly in our region, when most people think of the style they think of a fairly light-bodied spritzy beer with plenty of yeast character, including pepperiness and even some tartness. Those who experienced Serpent’s first iteration of Sprytown Saison back in March know that it was more on another part of the spectrum, with rustic malt character and some deep caramel undertones. Why are we telling you all this? Because there’s a new version available, their Summer Edition, and it’s not so much like the first one. Drier, lighter, and with some definite tart and fruit character, this new 5.5% ABV edition should be an excellent refresher on hot summer days. You can find both versions, Spring and Summer, available from the brewery, just make sure you ask for the one you want. Grabbing one of each would be an excellent way to introduce yourself to the breadth of the Saison style, while giving you something to look forward to, as they plan to brew a different version of this beer for each of the seasons of the year. Pop out to their spot behind Canadian Tire on Dentith this weekend to pick some up, and complete your visit by grabbing something from Jamdouns Food Truck, specializing in Jamaican cuisine, who are onsite 2 – 8 PM Saturday and 2 – 6 PM Sunday.

Want more tiny beers in tiny cans? Check out Tatamagouche Brewing’s newest taste of summer, Dekorum Lime. Tata has added organic lime to its 2.9% light lager for a super sessionable sipper, available in 355 ml cans. If you’re not feeling the lime, check out Arvo, their 4.6% Helles Lager, also back in stock this week. In other Tata news, the brewery’s retail store has reopened for in-person takeaway, with capacity limits in place. Pair that with a 15% discount of Tata clothing (in person and online), and your weekend is set!

Although not specifically mentioned in government reopening plans, the gradual return to normal times means that we’ll surely be seeing more beer events across the Atlantic region. Craft breweries on PEI are kicking off the summer season with PEI Craft Beer week. Running from June 5-12, the celebration of local beer features daily events that include tastings, musical entertainment and food pairings. Check out https://www.peicraftbeerweek.com/ for all of the details, and if you’re on FB, their Events pages. And while you wait for the weekend’s festivities to begin, check out Beer Trivia with the PEI Beer Guy at the Upstreet taproom on Thursday night. Trivia runs from 7-9 PM and you can call the taproom to book your team of 4-6 people.

A couple of brewery job listings for you to peruse before signing off this week.

If you’re looking for an industry job in the Moncton/Dieppe area, check out the jobs page for Flying Boats Brewing. They are currently looking for a Sales Representative to join their team.  The ideal candidate will have an outgoing attitude and a passion for craft beer. Applications for the position close on June 6.

Landwash Brewery in Mount Pearl is hiring a cellarperson to join their team. Mostly working on the “cold side” of the brewhouse, that is, everything after the brewing, tasks include cleaning, transferring, cleaning, packaging (kegs and cans), cleaning, and more cleaning. 😉 But in all seriousness, the position is open to anyone enthusiastic to get into the beer world, but does not require brewing experience, so this could be just the perfect way in for you! Check the job posting on Indeed, and give them a shout before June 1.

 

Friday Wrap-Up for May 7, 2021 – News from 2 Crows and Change is Brewing, Big Spruce, Island Folk Cider, Landwash, Church, Bad Apple Brewhouse, Maritime Express, Copper Bottom, Garrison, Lone Oak, Lunn’s Mill, Propeller, and much, much, more!

Posted by acbbaaron on 2021-05-07
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: 13 Barrels, 2 Crows Brewing, Annapolis Brewing Company, Bad Apple Brewhouse, Bar Brewdock, Big Spruce Brewing, Brasseux d'la Cote, Change Is Brewing Collective, Copper Bottom Brewing, Garrison Brewing, Heritage Brewing, Island Folk Cider House, Lake City Cider, Landwash Brewery, Lone Oak Brewing, Lunn's Mill Beer Company, Maritime Express Cider, Mountain Meadworks, New Maritime Beer Company, North Brewing, Propeller Brewing, Red Herring Pub, Red Rover Brewing, Route 19 Brewing, Saint Andrews Brewing Company, Tatamagouche Brewing, The Church Brewing Company, Toslow, Village Green by Modern Brewer. Leave a Comment

Welp, after a lighter blog last week, the breweries, cider houses, and mead makers have righted the ship with two dozen new and returning releases this week. All four Atlantic Provinces are well-represented, so no envious reading of new beers not available in your neck of the woods… And with many breweries shipping intra- and inter-provincially, even those concerns are things of the past. As always in these times, confirm that your local brewery or favourite beer-centric bar or restaurant is open and doing take-away or in-person enjoyment (those in NS will have to wait a while for that luxury again), but at least we can suggest what to ask for when you do sidle up to the bar.

Starting off this week, we’ve got a barrel aged version of a previous release. Last fall, 2 Crows released a Change is Brewing collaboration called Good News, a Berliner-style Weisse with raspberry and Mango additions. Yesterday, they released Great News a barrel aged sibling. The big difference with this one is that the brewers started with some Berliners that were already in barrels from the fall.

From the brewery: “Together with the members of CIB and a couple folks from the Africville Heritage Museum, we held a blending session where we sampled a number of different Berliners we had brewed to barrel in early 2020.  As a group, we decided on a blend of three different barrels – one Sauvignon Blanc, and two Mezcal Reposado barrels.” Fruit additions of Raspberry and Mango joined the blend, which used the same base for all barrels: 55% pilsner, 11% raw wheat, and 33% wheat malt, along with some aged hops in the mash. The beer was then conditioned for two months before bottle conditioning for another seven.

This beer has great jammy flavours from the raspberry, and is zippy per the style. The Mezcal barrels bring some earthiness, while the Sauvignon Blanc barrels give smooth lemongrass notes. It comes in at 3.2% ABV and is available in 375ml bottles. A limited number are available, so get it directly from the brewery while you can! 

Those in the Saint Andrews, New Brunswick area have reason to celebrate, as they now have a local brewery of their own! Saint Andrews Brewing Company is a nano brewery owned and crafted by Ian Covey, a veteran of the New Brunswick brewing scene. While SABC does not have a taproom of their own, they will be supplying local bars and restaurants with their beer, with local The Red Herring Pub the first to carry their beer this weekend. We’ve got the early scoop on what will be pouring, namely: Herringbone Pub Ale, their 4.6% take on a traditional Best Bitter, featuring a grain bill of Golden Promise and a dash of Crystal Dark, plentifully hopped with East Kent Goldings to the tune of 30 IBU. Caramel, toast, and even some Earl Grey tea qualities in the glass, and look for it to be on Cask in the future. Also on draught is Wharfbound Hazy Pale Ale, a 5.5% NEIPA with a blast of ripe tropical fruit character from the Citra and Simcoe used throughout (including in two dry-hopping additions), on a pillowy base of Golden Promise, Canadian 2-Row, wheat, and flaked oats. Think candied pineapple, mango, and even CBD gummies. In addition to these core beers that should always be on tap at the Red Herring, the first of their rotating taps is London Brown Ale, a 4.3% Brown Ale brewed in the historical style, a touch sweeter than a traditional English Brown, showcasing all the lovely brown bread, toffee, and raisin notes you’d expect. These three beers will be on tap today at noon, and given the small batch size, may not last all weekend, so do not delay in visiting to grab the first tastes! We’ll have much more from Covey and SABC soon, and in the meantime follow along on IG and Fb to learn more on future releases!

Heading back to NS, Big Spruce is re-releasing Complexified. With only 500 bottles available, this Bourbon Barrel-Aged Baltic Porter was slow lagered and conditioned in Buffalo Trace bourbon barrels for over six months. Featuring complex, rich chocolate notes with a bit of nuttiness, a smooth bourbon finish, and a touch of wood, this beer is a winner. Only available at their Sprucetique in Nyanza and online in 650ml bottles, be sure to act quickly on this. They’ll ship this 10.9% ABV and 28 IBU beauty anywhere in Canada. 

And staying in Cape Breton, their new cidery on the block, Island Folk CIder House, is releasing Special Elderflower Cider. The elderflower infusion leads to slightly herbal and floral notes that compliment tannic notes from the apples. You can grab a bottle at the cider house in Sydney, or order online for local delivery and Canada-wide shipping.

From one Island to another, let’s head to Mount Pearl, Newfoundland, where Landwash Brewery can be found who have plenty to share this week. Out today is Up She Rises, the result of the collaborative brewday Head Brewer Christina Coady held on International Women’s Day in March, in which breweries from across Newfoundland and Labrador took part virtually. This 6.0% ABV IPA uses the Pink Boots Society hop blend from Yakima Chief, and features additions of passion fruit to the brew, for a massive blast of tropical, floral, and summer-esque vibes. Part of the proceeds from can and draught sales this weekend will be going to YWCA St. John’s, so be sure to support their efforts while drinking a great bevvie!

Plus we have some intel on two beers coming later this month, that we’ll spill closer to release, but we can say that the first is a Saison, reminiscent of Christina and Chris’ time brewing at Folly Brewing in Toronto, where naturally conditioned and “weird” and “funky” were the norm. And coming later in May is Packaging Manager Nardia McGrath’s Caribou Hill, an Anzac-biscuit-inspired Brown Ale beer featuring coconut. Much more then!

Where better to drink Up She Rises than at the brewery taproom, which is sporting some new seating up above the taproom proper in a space they are calling the Loft. With 30 additional seats (that will grow to 60 when restrictions ease), the space also features a second bar to reduce wait-times, and a view of the taproom and brewhouse below. It will be available for private bookings shortly, and their website also now allows for seating reservations for you and your bubble. They have a full month of events planned each Wednesday and Thursday, with fly tying (of the fishing type) each Wednesday beginning at 5 PM, and live music each Thursday starting at 6 PM. And as the weather warms, you’ll soon be able to enjoy a pint on their under-construction outdoor seating!

Wolfville’s Church Brewing has a new release this week, and best we can tell, it marks the first time they’ve packaged in bottles. Til Death Do Us Tart Sparkling Framboise is a new take on their previously released raspberry wheat ale, Til Death Do Us Tart. This time around, they’ve bottled conditioned the beer with champagne yeast to create a more sparkling and effervescent carbonation. Bottles are available now at the taproom on Main Street and for delivery locally, throughout the Valley Wednesdays (order before 8 PM Tuesday), as well as to HRM Thursdays (order by Wednesday at 8 PM). It’s also available in a special Mother’s Day gift pack that includes two tulip glasses and a bottle opener, with an optional variety of cheeses that can be added, available Sunday for pickup or local delivery. Due to the small batch size, phoning in the order for delivery is probably the way to go for this one (902-542-2337, https://churchbrewing.ca/store/shop-beer). 

And while we have you thinking of Church, they debuted a new American IPA on the weekend, aptly named Maia. Named after the Goddess of Spring, this 5.7% ABV slightly hazy golden ale features some wheat and oats in the grist to soften the mouthfeel, with the star of the show being the hops used. Magnum, Mosaic, and Vic Secret shine through with lemon and herbal notes, with plenty of other fruity ester character to stand tall on her own, or the beer’s acidity can work with the hops as a refreshing palate cleanser accompanying wings, orzo salad, or a Caprese bacon sandwich. Maia is a draught-only release, which these days means it is only available in Crowlers, but those can be added to a local or HRM delivery over the phone, or picked up in person at their location on Main Street Wolfville.

Bad Apple is back with a cider release this week, straight outta Somerset in the heart of the Annapolis Valley. Haskap Cider is 6% ABV and features the local Haskap berry added to the cider as whole fruit smashed with love. Available in 473ml cans only from the brewery, this is rich, flavourful, well carbed and sports a vibrant red colour. 

And In other Bad Apple news, if you’re reading this early enough on Friday and are in HRM, you may be able to get an order delivered in Halifax. Check out the Facebook post here for details on how to order, and choose from their Box Cutter IPA, Mosaic DIPA, Black & Tackle RIS, and Stearman APA, as well as several of their ciders.

And speaking of both cider and the Valley, Kentville’s Maritime Express has a new cider available this week as well. Lively Airs is a 5.2% fruity and herbal cider that began with a base of a juice blend from Spy and Honeycrisp apples. To that, local strawberries were blended in, before basil was added during the aging process. Named for a picnic outing sponsored by the Western Counties Railway way back in 1875 to drum up funds. Flat cars were fitted with benches and an estimated 1,200 people went on the excursion, entertained by the “lively airs” of the Milton Brass Band who were positioned at the center of the train. A lovely historical reference to a very summery-sounding cider. Get your taste of it by ordering online for pickup any time between 12 and 8 today (Friday) or between 4 and 8 on Saturday (and hopefully soon enough you’ll be sipping pints in the taproom again!) And if you’re making an order, you might also be interested to know that their Roundhouse Rhubarb is also back in stock and it’s “tarter and rhubarbier than ever!”

Bringing some good news from PEI, Copper Bottom is bringing the love, returning the support they’ve received over the past 14 months during the pandemic. Islanders have been more than kind to them and they’re taking a turn to give back. Launching today, they’re starting a Give Back Initiative, which will be a series of beer releases that will support PEI not-for-profits, community groups and local artists. 

The first release comes out today and Plover is a Helles-style lager in support of Island Nature Trust, whose mandate is to protect vital underdeveloped land and at-risk wildlife. Available in cans and pints, this style has a bit more body than a classic Pilsner, has a Noble hop flavour and aroma from the Hallertau Mittelfrüh, complementing the Island floor-malted grain used to achieve the 4.8% ABV. Cans are available from the brewery today, along with draught Plover pouring as well. $1 from every can or pint sale will go directly to the Island Nature Trust to work to protect natural assets and thrive for sustainability across the province. For those not in Montague, check their website for delivery options to your neck of the woods. If you’re lucky enough to be nearby, they’ll have some entertainment in the taproom at 6 PM tonight to celebrate the release. From Copper Bottom, “Future plans for the Give Back Initiative include releases to support mental health initiatives, local art installations, and other community-oriented projects.”

There’s a bunch of news out of Garrison Brewing in Halifax this week, as it’s clear they’re very very busy over there despite the HRM lockdown. First up is news for fans of football (no, not that one, the other one): Halifax Wanderers FC and Garrison are teaming up for a co-branded special release of Garrison’s Tall Ship Light in 473 mL cans. Merging themes from each brand into a single, unified look, you’ll be able to see it for yourself through the Seaport and Oxford retail locations, private stores around the city, and eventually at the Wanderers Grounds at a Wanderers match once this lockdown madness is all over.

There are also beers returning to the Garrison ranks this week, one that’s fairly new school and one that’s decidedly not. First up is the summer edition of their kettle sour. The 2021 edition of Pucker Up! Citrus is hazy and very orange forward, continuing to a citrus finish, all on top of the usual tartness that fans of this one enjoy. Available at the Seaport and Oxford locations now, they will also be coming to the private stores and NSLC in the coming days.

Also returning is the elusive, in-frequent, but cult-following-inducing Jalapeño Ale. Last spotted in 2018, this year’s 4.6% batch features more chilis than just its eponymous pepper, but the exact cultivars are a secret! What isn’t a secret is the kick of capsaicin evident on the nose and palate right away, making it perfect for marinating, cooking, as a base for a beer cocktail, or straight up enjoyment for those pepperheads out there. If you fall into any of these categories, we suggest you grab Jalapeño quickly, as it will be gone before you know it. (Now we need to start a petition for Garrison to bring back and equally vintage brand, Khybeer Mokka Ale!!)

And finally from Garrison is a cider collaboration with their pals at Bulwark. Core Apple Cider has been on tap at their Seaport and Oxford locations for a while now, but is available for the first time in 473 ml cans this week. At 5.8%, finishing dry, it used 1005 Annapolis Valley Apples that Bulwark helps them source and process. Gluten-free as you’d expect, and a yummy alternative for those wanting/needing an alternative to beer.

Borden-Carlton’s Lone Oak Brewing has a new beer on tap at their taproom, your first/last stop when visiting the Island (you know, assuming you aren’t supposed to be self-isolating)…Lupin is a 6.5% ABV Belgian Saison, with lots of yeast-derived notes of bubblegum, clove, spice, and herbs, on a dry effervescent base. Featuring Island-grown hay, as well as honey from Canoe Cove, there’s a hint of sweetness on the backend. Only available on draught at the taproom currently, bottles of Lupin will be available before the end of the month.

Lunn’s Mill – CM done

Lunn’s Mill Brewing, in Nova Scotia’s Annapolis Valley, has a new “Old” English IPA on tap at the brewery now. Bramle On features the English Bramling Cross hop, resulting in an earthy and floral aroma complementing the soft and well-conditioned feel of a classic British beer base (and, if you’re like some of us, a name that’ll put you in mind of Led Zeppelin). At 6.1% ABV, it is on draught at the brewery’s taproom in Lawrencetown, so growlers are the best way to go for this one. And then in-person pints there and at your local pub soon, once the lockdown lifts! In the meantime, you can request delivery to your door through their online portal.

Halifax’s Propeller Brewing is continuing their month of Small Batch Releases with a beer over a year in planning. Wild IPA is a blend of a Brettanomyces-fermented IPA that spent time in white wine barrels, before being blended with a super-fresh IPA loaded with Nelson Sauvin hops. Gooseberry and White Wine notes burst from the can, with a funky wild character from the Brett component. This 6.2% ABV blend is a can-only release, appearing on the shelves at all 3 Prop locations open 12 – 8 PM today (and everyday!), with same-day delivery available in HRM and shipping further afield. A portion of the batch will also be appearing at the four private stores in Halifax and Dartmouth this weekend. And after a mad dash to snap it up mid-April, Tropical Haze is back in cans at the Prop Shops as well, perfect for enjoyment outside as the weather warms.

Annapolis Brewing Company is going sour for their most recent release, Basin Berry Sour. Leveraging plenty of raspberry and blackberry fruit in the glass, blending perfectly with the base kettle sour beer that marks their first foray into the style, and just in time for the warmer weather. Featuring a lovely purple hue, the 4.0% sour is available in cans at the taproom in Annapolis Royal (lockdown hours, Wed – Sun, 12 – 6 PM), or for home delivery through their website.

Mountain Meadworks has a pair of new meads available this week, available from their stall Saturday from the Truro Farmers Market, as well as through the online portals from the Truro and New Glasgow Markets. Feral Nova Scotia was created with honey from Tatamagouche, and yeast harvested from a pin cherry in Cape Breton and cultured by Escarpment Labs that will be familiar to many beer fans… Finishing dry, yet showing a touch of lingering honey on the palate, the floral character shines through in spades. The second expression is a sure sign of spring, the return of grackles to the area. Featuring wildflower honey from Tatamagouche, the mead also showcases organic blueberries from North of Nuttby Farm, and Black Currants from Upperbrook Farm in Truro. Dry, yet juicy, with plenty of fruit flavour and light tannins from the fruit additions shining through.

Cornwall PEI’s Village Green has debuted their first traditional farmhouse beer this week, the simply-named Saison. Using a multi-grain grist bill, the beer finishes quite dry with notes of pepper, lemon, and a touch of spice. European and English hops complement the base with a solid bitterness. Find Saison on draught and in cans at their location on Church Street in Cornwall, and you may also be able to catch it on tap at HopYard in Charlottetown as well.

We finish off our news section today with a major development for cider in Fredericton. Red Rover Craft Cider has found a new home, at the historical Neill Family Farm, located in Devon on the Northside. Dating back to 1867, there are generations of history at that location, which Nicola Mason and Adam Clawson of Red Rover intend to continue with their own family. Their plans are far-reaching, including moving their production facility from Hanwell Road to Devon in the coming months, which will allow expansion as well as welcome guests to tour the facility once renovations are complete. A taproom and event space, the Ciderworks, will repurpose some of the existing farm buildings to better suit their new intention. Going forward, they will be planting apple and other fruit trees, including traditional cider-specific varietals, which will bear fruit in the coming years. Much more great details to share as Red Rover make the farm their own, and our congratulations to Mason and Clawson on this major milestone!

Just one event to talk about this week, but it’s a good ‘un if you happen to be in the St. John’s area!!

The East Duck area of St. John’s is getting a taste of the mainland this weekend, with both Bar Brewdock and nearby Toslow pouring some fresh kegs from Halifax’s 2 Crows Brewing. Both spots are pouring a nice selection on the go/coming soon, with Waltz German Pils, Deux II Cherry Sour (collab with Orono Brewing Co), Laurel Dark Saison with plum and bay leaf, Zip! Berliner Weisse, Jamboree Fruited Sour, I Love You Brett Saison, and Space Words Triple IPA to be pouring at Brewdock, and Deux II and Laurel on at Toslow. Both spots will also be pairing some great food all weekend (and the rest of the time, natch), so maysel make an evening of it and try ‘em all!

A few last quick hits to leave you with this week:

Lovers of tiny hoppy beers rejoice! 2 Crows Matinee is back. This 3.1% crusher is now available to-go at the brewery and via 2 Crows’ shipping and delivery options on their webstore. Look for it to start popping up at select NSLC’s around the province too. 

The small can/small ABV trend continues to gain momentum, providing us with sessionable packaged options just in time for summer. Tatamagouche Brewing is the latest to adopt the format and is now selling 355ml cans of Dekorum, their 2.9% ABV light lager by the flat. Check out their webstore for some special pricing and stock up for the weekend. 

Heritage Brewing has a new English Pale Ale out this week. This one comes in at 5.4% ABV and 30 IBUs, and like any good EPA, features some malt-driven sweetness. Easy to drink, it is lightly hopped with Fuggles to balance the malt sweetness, with the combination of malt and hops giving a deliciously smooth, medium-bodied ale that is perfect for enjoying in your household bubbles. EPA is available now for growler fills at the brewery on Main Street.

Route 19 Brewing also has a new release this week with Sandcastle. Coming in at 5.0% ABV, this fruited sour ale features peach, key lime and cara cara orange. Sandcastle is available for delivery through Route 19’s online store and is also being carried at 20 NSLC locations across Cape Breton Island. 

Dartmouth pals North Brewing and Lake City Cider have teamed up for a collaborative release hitting the shelves at both spots today. Burst is a melding of beer and cider, aka Snakebite, that features the hop-forward Pleasant Disposition from North, and a blend of Lake City’s Blueberry and Dark Currant ciders that were co-secondary-fermented to finish quite dry. The resultant beverage is hoppy, tart, refreshing, and full of fruit on the palate. Grab Burst in person at both Lake City and North, or through their respective delivery portals.

We’ll leave you with some good news from Miramachi, where New Maritime Beer Co. was the recent recipient of not one, but two gold models at the European Beer Challenge. The Very Best Juicy IPA and Refined Pirate Stout both took home the medals in their respective categories. Congrats to head brewer David Draper and the rest of the team at New Maritime on the wins! And if you’d like to join this award-winning team, they are currently hiring for a full-time Sales Representative / Delivery Person to join their family. Check out the job posting and send along a resume!

Congratulations are also in order to Brasseux d’la Côte who took home an EBC Gold for their La Classic Rosé! Lots of great things brewing along the shore in New Brunswick. Well done Crew!

And speaking of job positions, Bathurst’s 13 Barrels Brewing is hiring a bar tender/server for their taproom. You can learn more and apply by reaching out via email.

Friday Wrap-Up for April 23, 2021 – News from Holy Whale, Rough Waters, Propeller, Village Green, O’Creek, Delta Force, TrailWay, Tidehouse, 3Flip, Brasseux d’la Côte, Broue du Païen, and more!

Posted by acbbdamian on 2021-04-23
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: 3Flip Brewing, Beer Sessions Radio, Big Spruce Brewing, Brasseux d'la Cote, Broue du Païen, Buddha Bear Cafe, Craig Pinhey, Delta Force Brewing, Garrison Brewing, Holy Whale Brewing, Modern Brewer's Village Green, O'Creek Brewing, Propeller Brewing, Rough Waters Brewing, Stillwell Beer Bar, Tatamagouche Brewing, Tidehouse Brewing, TrailWay Brewing. Leave a Comment

And just like that, Nova Scotia is on a 4-week Circuit Breaker/Restore the Arse Shutdown, joining the Edmundston region in New Brunswick. It goes to show how truly tenuous our ability to stay ahead of the pandemic the region is, and the willingness for the region’s governments are to act swiftly and decisively, unlike some *other* places in the country. Despite the strengthening of border restrictions, while inter- (and some intra-) provincial travel is more difficult, and some regions are seeing another halt to in-person dining and drinking, we hope you will support your local brewery, restaurant, and bar, by taking advantage of curbside take-out and delivery options. Many spots have not stopped doing so for the past 13 months, and those returning to it will need every assistance possible to reduce food spoilage and laying off employees. Stay safe, take care of yourself and each other.

Holy Whale Brewery in Alma has released their beer as part of the Celebrating Sisters Beer Project, initiated by the Indigenous Brew Crew and aided by Do Better. Be Better.. 43 breweries across the country and in the UK signed up to the project, with the goal to raise awareness on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women in Canada, and to celebrate the strength and power of Indigenous Women. Locally, Holy Whale connected with a local Wabanaki Women’s group to learn from them and will be donating money to further their goals. The Irish Red Ale brewed as part of the project is on tap in Alma and their Riverview location now.

In Deer Lake, Newfoundland, Rough Waters Brewing is opening their taproom today, and celebrating with a new beer! Located at 83 Wights Road, the 27-seat bar will feature 7 taps, as well as a small but mighty menu of dips perfect for pairing with beer (if you want to bring in a Big Mary from down the street that’s OK too!). They also have some cool beer cocktails on the menu, perfect for when you want just a bit *more* with your beer. Retail sales of bottles, as well as a growler exchange program will let you take the beer home with you after you’ve chosen your favourites. They are launching with Friday (4 – 11 PM) and Saturday (12 – 11 PM) hours, but will expand during the warmer months. So what to drink while you’re there? Check out their latest release, Knock Out, a 6.0% Brut IPA. As the style suggests, this is a dry and light-bodied beer, with a clean bitterness, and big citrus flavours, thanks to a healthy dry-hop addition. On draught and in bottles too, if you can’t make it to Deer Lake, you can grab it at your friendly neighbourhood Marie’s Mini Mart, and on tap at the just-now-opened Bar Brewdock in St. John’s. But these all taste better on tap at the source, right? Congratulations to Jennie and Chris on the grand opening!

Continuing to step up their game with summer treats, Propeller has a brand new seasonal release available today. Tropic Haze is a 5% ABV golden blonde ale with some tropical vibes. With flavours of juicy mango, passionfruit and dragonfruit, the grain bill is pale malt and wheat malt, with a hop profile including Warrior for bittering and Citra for aroma. While not a hop forward beer at 8 IBU, the tropical impression of mango, passionfruit, and dragonfruit comes from fruit and flavouring additions. Keep an eye out for this one in cans and draught as you pop-by for a retail grab-and-go, or home delivery, until we can enjoy pints at the taprooms next month.

Our friendly neighbours across the bridge (no, not Dartmouth), Village Green in Cornwall, PEI, is releasing Golden Ale as part of their Comfortbier Series, a family of English inspired session ales. The grain bill of primarily 2-Row and Maris Otter with a bit of flaked corn and double roasted crystal joins a hop blend of EKG and Cascade to bring a nice citrus hop profile that is very well balanced. Fermented with London Ale III, this English ale should be easily drinkable, slightly dry, and slightly bitter at 4.5% ABV and 35 IBU. Look to grab it on draught and in cans directly from the brewery, and if the weather turns a bit warmer, their patio may even be open this weekend!

Keep an eye out for more news from the brewery with future food events with Sneaky Cheats popping up for a big burger cookout on May 1st, as well as the Holy Fox Food Truck returning in a couple of weeks to spend the summer at 30 Church Street. Also, if you’re in PEI and looking for work this summer in the craft beer industry, see below for some job openings with Village Green.  

Staying somewhat close to PEI (depending on your definition of close these days) is O’Creek Brewing in Dieppe, NB. First up, they have fresh kegs at Tide & Boar and CAVOK of their new Mango Oat Cream IPA. This is a full bodied beer, brewed with a huge amount of oats in the grain bill, giving it a full, smooth and creamy mouthfeel. Lactose was then added to the boil to add some sweetness. During secondary fermentation, mango was added to bring some more sweetness and a more tropical flavour at 6.5% ABV.

In other news from O’Creek, they have a Hazy IPA hitting wider distribution this week as Citra in a Galaxy is available at multiple ANBL locations. This is a tropical, juicy, hazy IPA generously hopped with Citra and Galaxy that brings citrus and stone fruit flavours with low bitterness at 6% ABV. It’s available in 473ml cans now across most of New Brunswick, specifically, Fredericton, Saint John, Greater Moncton, Shediac, Richibuctou, Miramichi, Péninsule Acadienne, Bathurst, and Kedgwick.

The fellas behind Delta Force Brewing are back this weekend with release #5 which sees four new variations on their ‘Traditional Farmshed Ale” Anderlect. The base beer is DF’s take on a Trappist single, with some funk from the Brett fermentation. The four variants feature different fruit additions for your drinking pleasure: peach, red currant, sour cherry, and rhubarb. They are available through a Farmshed Harvest pack that includes 500 ml bottles of each fruited variant, alongside the regular Anderlect and Mean TIme, DF’s take on an English Bitter with Brett. Bottles of Anderlect, Mean Time, and their English Barleywine with Brett, Wessex, are also available. As usual, email deltaforcebrewing@gmail.com for ordering details, or to be added to their email distribution list. They are starting deliveries this weekend to those who place orders within a one hour drive of HRM.

Back across the border, Trailway Brewing has a new batch of Hot Sky, a beer seeing just its second release. This hazy IPA celebrates the Aussie hop Eclipse and features flavorus of citrus, pine and a taste that’s gonna move ya (juicy fruit gum, that is). Hot Sky comes in at 6.6% ABV and is available now at the taproom and for delivery across Atlantic Canada. This weekend also sees a return of Good Weather (hopefully not just the beer variety). Look for this 6% IPA featuring Vic Secret hops at the brewery and various ANBL locations. Finally, in exciting news for Nova Scotian beer drinkers looking to satisfy their haze craze, both of these beers are on their way to the NSLC, which we believe is Trailway’s debut at the NS government liquormart.  Expect to see them on the shelves in about two weeks with Hot Sky exclusively at the Port location. 

A few weeks off of their renovation, Tidehouse has a new release for the people to enjoy. A Westward Pine is a 6.5% ABV IPA bringing true west coast IPA vibes. Using crystal malt to give a malt-heavy backbone, Warrior and Idaho 7 hops were used to balance the bitterness and bring some pine flavour and aroma leading to a dry and delicious finish! With the COVID-related closures in HRM, the best way to support Tidehouse and grab some beer is via retail cans, which opens today at 4 PM (Wednesday – Saturday, 4 PM – ?). Keep an eye on their Insta page for updates to that schedule.

Just outside of Fredericton, the fine folks at 3Flip have a seasonal can release available across the province. The Goodest Girl is a pale ale named after their own little doggo: the dog’s name is Citra (!) and so is the main hop in this 5.2% ABV pale ale. Featuring fruity and tropical flavours, it has a touch of balanced malt sweetness and a bit of juiciness as well. It’s available in 355ml cans online and across the province at select ANBL stores and local producers; you can check out the full list here of where to pick this up, as it’s available at some brand new locations for the brewery.   

Up the Acadian Peninsula, Brasseux d’la Cote is releasing a new SMaSH beer that is made with 100% local ingredients. This single malt, single hop ale comes in at 5% ABV and features local grains malted by their friends at Distillerie Fils du Roy. The hops are a locally harvested wild hop that has yet to be identified as a specific variety. Look for notes of stonefruit, specifically apricots and peaches. SMaSH is available now on-tap at the brewery.

A bit further south in Kent County, Broue du Païen is releasing two new beers. FIrst up is Dieppe IPA, the third release of their Kveik-fermented IPA. This one comes in at 6.2% ABV and features an aggressive dry hop, leading to aromas of passionfruit and pineapple. Next we have Shediac Red Ale. Brewed in the Irish Red style, this 4.9% ABV ale features caramel and roasty notes and a smooth mouthfeel. Both beers are available at three ANBL locations – in Moncton, you can find them on Elmwood Drive and Mountain Road, and further north, they’ll be available at the Tracadie-Sheila ANBL.

And last but certainly not least for our main news section this week, host Jimmy Carbone of Beer Sessions Radio sat down (virtually) with a quartet of Atlantic Canadian beer folk this week, as a way to introduce his listenership to the history, present, and future of beer in our region. Tapping Christopher Reynolds of Bar Stillwell and Stillwell Brewing, Craig Pinhey a Beer, Wine, and Spirits Writer, Jeremy White of Big Spruce Brewing, as well as our own @acbbchris, the quadrumvirate chatted up the region’s offerings to Jimmy’s primarily US-based audience. Once travel is a thing again, we’re sure at least 50% of the influx will be due to our waxing poetic on the state of beer in the Atlantic Provinces! Listen to the episode here or in your favourite podcatcher.

No events to talk about this week, for obvious reasons, but here’s your usual quick mentions to complete the beer news:

Always one to bring back nice favourites, Big Spruce has a draught-only return of Hugs Bunny. A dry-hopped gose, this bright, effervescent, salty batch of deliciousness is traditionally made with coriander and French sel de mer and then given a citrus kick with a dry hopping of (this week’s hop of the week) Citra! Lovers of this style will find a slight tartness and a small kick of salt on the tongue for a thirst quenching beer. At 3.8% ABV it’s only available on tap in Nyanza and for a short time only. 

Another returning favourite this week comes from Garrison, as their tasty Italian Pilsner, Tesoro, makes its return. First seen back in 2019, this seasonal release is inspired by the heavily-hopped German-style Pilsners of Italy. With the bitterneess coming in on the stiffer side for a Pilsner at 40 IBU, it was brewed with a base of Pilsner malt, fermented with German lager yeast and then dry-hopped with German Hallertau and Czech Saaz. You can expect this tasty eurotreat to be bready, spicy and boasting a pleasant finishing hop bitterness at 5.0% ABV. Find it in cans at all Garrison locations and keep an eye on the private shops as well.

Rounding out a trio of Nova Scotia craft beer re-releases, Tatamagouche, brings the return of Deadeye, a Double IPA. Also a 2019 initial release, this Double IPA is hopped with Hallertau Blanc giving flavours of passion fruit, grapefruit, and pineapple, with hints of pine and citrus. It was then dry hopped twice using Hallertau Blanc. Coming in at 8.0% ABV, cans are coming *very* soon, and can be ordered from the brewery for nationwide shipping, directly from the brewery, the private shops in Halifax in the next week or so, and NSLC in May. And their 2.9% ABV warm weather crusher Dekorum Lager is now available in short cans for a killer price from the brewery (even more savings!) and for delivery too.

We’ve got a new release from CAVOK in Dieppe! Always excited for this style, Touch ‘n Go (appropriate name for the times) is a Belgian-style IPA – hopped like an IPA but fermented with traditional Belgian yeast – from which you can safely expect some clove, pepper, and fruity aromas and flavours combined with a high bitterness. This 6.8% IPA is available in limited quantities in cans directly from the brewery.

A couple of job postings for you today, in New Brunswick and PEI, for those looking for Front of House positions at a brewery taproom, as well as behind the scenes making the lovely beer…

CAVOK Brewing is looking to hire staff for their Dieppe Brewery Retail and Taproom, as well as for the nearby seaside town of Cap-Pelé. Being bilingual is key, given the number of tourists and locals who speak both official languages, as well as being well-organized, enthusiastic, jovial, willing to learn about and promote local products. Plus you’ll have a blast pouring beer for thirst folks! All shifts are available, and the successful candidates should be available days, evenings, and weekends. Send them your resume to apply (taproom@cavokbrewing.ca), and who knows, you could be pouring one of us a beer before too long!

Cornwall PEI’s own Village Green is looking for some help both in front of house as well as behind the scenes. If pouring beer and chatting with visitors is more your speed, they are looking for some folks to work the taproom which is now open Wednesday through Sunday. And if you want to learn how to make beer, hang with BA in the brewery/cellar to learn the ins and outs of mashing in, vorlauf, spunding, and all the fun in between. They strongly encourage inclusion and diversity, and are looking for all who have a desire to work in the brewing industry to apply, which you can do via email: villagegreenpei@gmail.com.