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Friday Wrap-Up for July 26, 2019 – News from The Church Brewing Co, Brewster’s Bedford, New Scotland Brewing, Bannerman, Big Spruce, 2 Crows, Niche, Propeller, Shipwright and much more!

Posted by acbbaaron on 2019-07-26
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: 2 Crows Brewing, 902 BrewCast, Annapolis Brewing Company, Bannerman Brewing, Bellwoods Brewery, Big Spruce Brewing, Big Tide Brewing, Bishop's Cellar, Everwood Ave Brewshop, Gahan House (Charlottetown), Good Robot Brewing, Halifax Seaport Beerfest, Hill Top Hops, Horton Ridge Malt & Grain, Low Point Coffee Co, Microbrasserie Houblon-Pechêur, New Scotland Brewing, Niche Brewing, Nine Locks Brewery, Port Rexton Brewing Co., Propeller Brewing, Schoolhouse Brewery, Shipwright Brewing, Stillwell Beer Bar, Tatamagouche Brewing, The Church Brewing Company, Tidehouse Brewing, TrailWay Brewing, Unfiltered Brewing, Upstreet Craft Brewing. Leave a Comment

It’s shaping up to be another lovely weekend across the region, so let’s keep this short and sweet and get you that pint in your hand ASAP! Here’s what’s new and exciting in Atlantic Canada this weekend. As usual, if we’ve missed something, let us know and we’ll get the word out next week!

The Church Brewing Company at 329 Main St in Wolfville, NS, is now serving their own beer! Having opened their restaurant and taproom at the beginning of 2019, the brewery took a little bit longer to set up. As of last weekend, their Sanctuary Enkel (3.8% ABV) and Mayflower White IPA (5.8% ABV) are pouring at the restaurant for your enjoyment. With cans are coming in August to both their retail shop and the NSLC, the only place to grab a pint of Church Brew Co beer for now is at the brewery, so pop out and toast their success! The restaurant is open from 10 AM, seven days a week, so now’s the time to visit, in case you have not yet made the trip. More information from them, and more of their own beers on tap, soon! In the meantime, keep an eye on their Social Media (Fb / Ig / Tw) for updates. Oh, and peep their podcast episode recorded just this week with the 902 Brewcast crew, at your finer podcast retailers.

And speaking of new breweries, word went out on social media a couple weeks ago from newly revitalized DME Process Systems that they’re building a system for a place in Bedford. That’s right, someone has noticed that the stretch from Clayton Park to Sackville is relatively bereft of craft breweries and has decided to do something about it. That someone is the Grafton Connor Group, who operate more than 14 establishments throughout HRM and beyond, including long-standing family restaurants like The Esquire and Kempsters, the classic seafood house Five Fishermen, and possibly Halifax’s most (in)famous nightclub, The Dome. Of late, another of their properties, The Auction House, has quietly become a destination for craft beer in the downtown. You may also remember that when The Auction House opened, it featured a much-maligned ferment-on-premise (FoP) system in the front window, but this new brewery will not be that: a full 10 BBL (12 hL) mash tun and kettle will be installed along with four 10 BBL fermentation tanks and a hot liquor tank besides. Beer will be served on-premises direct from four 5 BBL bright tanks, and some kegging will take place to service other Grafton Connor properties, including Roxbury Urban Dive Bar, Riverside Pub, Redwood Grill, The Dome, Hide + Seek, and The Auction House. Where, you may ask, is this place going to be? On the south side of Bedford at Mill Cove, in Brewster’s Bar & Grill. We’ve been told they expect the equipment to be delivered in October, and hope to be up and running in November, just in time for Christmas Party season. We’ll check back in with them later in the year to see how they’re doing and hopefully get some more details on what they plan to offer in terms of beers.

Dartmouth’s New Scotland Brewing celebrated their First Anniversary last weekend, which brought with it two new beers into the fold. Thanks to an expansion of their fermentation and conditioning capabilities (they’ve added 7 new tanks!), they’ll be able to keep up with demand of their core beers, as well as introduce new recipes. The first is Yacht Rock, in celebration of their weekly Thursday night Brews Cruise on the Tall Ship Silva, running all summer long. Single-hopped with Comet, this Session IPA features a light base of Pilsner, Munich, CaraPils, and Crystal malts, and at 3.7% ABV and 28 IB, perfect for enjoying on the boat, wharf, patio, or wherever you find yourself this weekend. And pop by the brewery taproom at 91 Alderney Drive to grab a sample, pint, or growler of their other new release, Louisville Chugger. An old-school Kentucky Common weighing in at 4.5% ABV, this historic recipe features corn in the grist, and is lightly hopped to 21 IBU with Cluster hops. Keep an eye on their social media for details on their ever-rotating list of musicians playing on their taproom stage.

St. John’s latest brewery, Bannerman Brewing Co., released a new beer late last week. Mood Improvement is a kettle sour that was inspired by the Moscow Mule, a mixed drink traditionally made with vodka, ginger beer, and lime juice. While there’s no vodka in Mood Improvement (thankfully!), they did add ginger, along with a dry hop of Motueka, before finally conditioning the beer on lime puree. The resulting beer, which weighs in at 5.2% ABV, is tasting “light and refreshing, with citrusy and spicy notes” to go along with the tartness. If you’re in that fine city this weekend, we highly suggest you drop by for a pint or fill to take away.

This year’s Stan Rogers Folk Festival (aka Stanfest), being held in Canso, NS from July 25th-28th, will include Nyanza’s own Big Spruce at the event. This is the 23rd year for the music festival, and the first year that they have used a local brewery as the beer provider. Big Spruce is pretty hyped about that, so naturally they’ve created a new beer for the occasion! Stanfest, a 4.2% ABV “Session Ale” created with the intention of being the perfect outdoor-concert-summer-sipper. Lightly hazy, nice tight foam, dry and light-bodied. Those not in attendance *may* have a chance to try it at the brewery or better retail spots after this weekend, if they’re lucky! In order to reduce glass issues, the Beer Tent at Stanfest is all cans, so look for other faves like Kitchen Party, Cereal Killer, and The Silver Tart, as well as bevvies from Bulwark and Nova Scotia Spirit Co. 

And available now at the brewery taproom in Nyanza, and soon at better bars and retail locations in HRM, is Maracu-YES!, a 7.1% ABV “Passion Fruit IPA”. Starting with a base of a Hazy IPA, it conditioned on a ton (figuratively) of Organic passion fruit to impart its iconic tart character along with the floral, tropical fruity notes from the flesh. The result is a lovely melding of these two worlds, with the beer giving the drinker something new with every sip. Maracu-YES! is a draught-only release, so find a patio pouring it, and take your growler to the brewery this weekend!

2 Crows Brewing on Halifax’s Brunswick Street is continuing their summer of bottle releases, with Persica hitting the shelves tomorrow at noon. This Golden Sour beer started from a malt base of Pilsner malt, oats, spelt, wheat, and special aromatic malt in the tun, made a quick turn into the kettle, but did not receive any hops in the boil. After cooling, the wort was transferred directly into freshly-emptied peach brandy barrels, ready to impart their fuzzy fruity goodness. After fermenting and conditioning in the barrels for a total of 3 months, the beer was transferred to a tank, with a heavy addition of Organic dried peaches. After 2 more months to allow everything to be extracted from the fruit possible, the still (flat) beer was bottled with a touch of sugar and champagne yeast, and has spent the last two months carbing up. That’s quite the journey for this little beer, but now the wait is over! Peach comes through the beer in waves, on top of the lightly funky, tart, and bright base, reminiscent of fuzzy peaches candy. Bottles of the 6.5% ABV beer are available from noon tomorrow at the taproom, with one keg available for onsite pours (or in bottles, if you’d prefer).

Niche Brewing is releasing another new beer this week, a dry-hopped kettle sour that they’re calling Wander. Coming in at 5.4% ABV and 20 IBU, it was hopped very lightly during the boil with two hops known for citrus and fruity character, Idaho 7 and Citra. After fermentation had completed, however, massive amounts of both varieties were used to dry hop, giving a powerful hop nose and flavor notes of tropical fruit and stone fruit along with a bit of dankness. Given that it’s quite tart, it’s a lovely palate cleanser and will no doubt make a great companion to food. Look for it on tap at The Joyce Pub, Peppers Pub, Southside Shake, Graystone Brewing, Le BarBu and Laundromat Expresso Bar, and hopefully some other places as well.

Propeller Brewing keeps the new beers coming and coming, with a couple releases this week to help keep your thirsts satisfied, just in time for the weekend. Hypocrite American Stout ain’t your typical American Stout… it was fermented with the Norwegian Voss Kveik yeast. Brewed on Prop’s pilot system in collaboration with Peter Davis, winner of this year’s Everwood Homebrew Competition, the use of Kveik yeast adds an orange, citrus flavour to the beer, to go with the typical roasted characteristics seen in American Stouts. A very small batch that comes in at 6.1% ABV and 31 IBUs, it will be available for pints and flights at Prop’s tasting room, and will be pouring at tonight’s Cask Night, starting at 5 pm. There’s also a couple of kegs going to Battery Park, the Board Room Cafe, and Truro’s Nook and Cranny, in Davis’ hometown. 

Next up is Sabro Sour IPA, a 6.1% ABV kettle sour brewed with lots and lots of flaked oats to help give a smooth mouthfeel. While Sabro hops were indeed used in this beer, Mosaic was also used as a late-boil addition, and Galaxy was thrown into the dry-hop addition (along with the Sabro). Featuring a lactose addition in the boil to add a touch of sweetness, the hops provide plenty of tropical fruit aromas to this tart beer, and at just 10 IBUs, you don’t have to worry about any lingering bitterness. This one is the latest in their line of Gottingen Small Batch releases, which means draught-only, and should be available for growler fills at both Prop locations, and pints and flights in Halifax, as of 5PM today. 

There’s a brand new outdoor sidewalk patio at Lunenburg’s Shipwright Brewing, and what better way to celebrate than with a brand new beer to drink on it! Appropriately named Sidewalk Saison, the beer was brewed with a base of Pilsner malt, as well as equal amounts of oat, rye, and wheat. Some fresh lychee, tangerine peel, and cardamom were added to the boil; the wort was then fermented with a Belgian Saison yeast strain. This is a very light, easy-drinking brew (at just 3.8% ABV) that has the cardamom coming through prominently in the aroma, with “some slight Belgian funk, followed by some upfront acidity and a balance of citrus and spice”. Grab your seat on the sunny patio (the weekend looks quite nice) and order up a pint! 

Looks like Horton Ridge is keeping up their collaborating pace, as they’re latest team-effort beer, brewed with Annapolis Brewing, has been released this week. The beer is a 6.5% ABV NEIPA named Juicy Bits, and it was – of course – brewed with 100% Horton Ridge organic floor-malted malt. Hopped heavily (3 lbs/bbl) with Mosaic, El Dorado, and Idaho 7, this hazy beverage is very fruit-forward and juicy. Available in limited quantities only, at both taprooms. 

Today marks the third collaboration beer release that Tidehouse has brewed with Dartmouth’s Low Point Coffee, but this one is definitely a step away from the first two beers. Sidama is a Saison… probably not the first beer style you would think of to feature coffee, but stay with us, we’ll walk you through it. Brewed with a Pilsner malt base as well as additions of flaked oats, flaked wheat, and Vienna malt, there was also a touch of Pale Chocolate malt added (via sparging only) to add a “touch of orange colour” without extracting any chocolate flavours. The wort was hopped with Huell Melon and Motueka, and then fermented and allowed to condition since late May, until it was ready for the coffee addition. Speaking of the coffee, the beans (specifically, Green Ethiopia Tolima coffee beans) were first added to peach brandy barrels, and then extracted and lightly roasted at Halifax’s Java Blend. These beans were then made into a “very potent” cold brew, which the chaps at Tidehouse blended into the Saison before bottle conditioning. And now it’s ready! With notes of peaches, vanilla, and tropical fruit, there’s also plenty of malt character and some toasted oak in the background, along with a bit of citrus and honeydew from the hop additions. You can find it on tap at the brewery for pints and tasters, and there’s also bottles (both 340 mL and 650 mL) to purchase for takeaway. 

Charlottetown’s Upstreet has brought back a pair of seasonal favourites, perfect for enjoying outside amongst friends this weekend. First up is Rainbrew Strawberry Lavender Saison, released Monday to celebrate Pride PEI, and tomorrow’s parade through downtown Charlottetown. Featuring ingredients from all colours of the rainbow including Red strawberries, Orange and Yellow malts (all from Island Malt House in PEI), Green hops (wild hops from NB’s Moose Mountain), Blue water, and Purple Lavender. The resulting beer shows influence of the berries, flowers, and yeast, on a dry yet complex base. Grab a pint of this 5.5% ABV brew at the taproom and Craft Beer Corner today! Plus back on tap and in cans is Island Hopspitality, their annual ode to hops, this year focusing on Australia and New Zealand, thanks to Galaxy, Waimeau, and Wakatu in the boil and dry hop. Hazy, juicy, tropical, resinous, this is everything we’re looking for in a 6.5% ABV NEIPA this summer.

Port Rexton Brewing has released the second of their beers for the Port Rexton Come Home Year, celebrating 50 years of the town. Events continue this weekend, which can now be highlighted by Lamplighter, PRBC’s latest brew. Weighing in at 4.5% ABV, this beer is best described as a “craft lager”, sure to pique everyone’s taste buds. “With light floral notes and a smooth body, this easy-drinking beer is crisp, clean and super crushable!” It’s available right now in the taproom, as well as at the St. John’s Retail Shop (while supplies last).

Dartmouth’s Nine Locks is releasing the fourth installment in their series of Summer Seasonals this week, with a Witbier featuring blood orange and an unwieldy name. From Brussels with Blood: a Blood Orange Witbier is pretty much what it says on the tin: a wheat-laden beer with classic notes of coriander and orange peel, but also featuring some additional character, especially citrus, from additions of curaçao (a liqueur made with bitter orange peel) and, of course, blood orange (and a hefty dose at that). Look for aromas of orange peel, vanilla and even some bubblegum along with a pronounced citric tartness. At 5.0% ABV and only 15 IBU you can expect this one to be refreshing in the heat and especially well-paired with hearty foods. Although it’s been canned, it’s only available at the Nine Locks retail store, so you’ll need to get yourself to Dartmouth to grab some.

School has been out for 5 weeks now, but luckily for residents of Windsor, NS, Schoolhouse Brewery is still going strong. Their latest addition to their lineup, Early Dismissal, is a Kolsch that was fermented with a yeast strain “traditionally used in mostly wheat beers”, to 5.5% ABV. The beer was then aged at cool temperatures for four weeks after fermentation was complete, before packaging in kegs. Only available on tap, with the majority at the brewery’s taproom, they’re describing it as having a bready flavour with a “subtle but noticeable fruitiness” and a clean finish. 

What’s on the go this weekend, and beyond? Here’s what’s got us excited…

Unfiltered is turning four, and they’re celebrating tomorrow, July 27th, with a party, Unfiltered-style. What does that mean, you ask? Well, they’ll be pouring plenty of beer (including the return of both Daytimer and Front Line Rocker), with special prices, and lots of cursing throughout the event! Food will be available on-site from The Other Bean, and DJ Chris Toms will be spinning some tunes until they’re forced to shut ‘er down. They’ll even be taking over a portion of the parking lot, to take advantage of that beautiful weather. The fun starts at noon… don’t forget to bring your empty growlers!

Those Stillwell events just keep on comin’, with next Saturday, August 3rd being no exception, as they welcome Ontario’s Bellwoods to Halifax. One of the highest-rated breweries in the country, they’ll be taking over the taps (11) all day, and will also be bringing plenty of bottles for purchase to enjoy on-site. You know what that means –  lots of hoppy, sour, wild goodness… and more! A special menu from the kitchen will also be on hand to fill your eager tummies, and the next day they’ll be serving a selection of Bellwoods sour beers at the Stilly Beegarden, from noon to close. And check out Bishop’s Cellar that Saturday at 8 am; they’ll have some Bellwoods cans on hand for sale.

Tickets are still available for next weekend’s Down East Brew Festival, being held in downtown Fredericton. Taking over Carleton Street 4 – 8 PM August 3rd, breweries from across the province, as well as food trucks, will be serving their wares for thirst and hungry visitors. The accompanying Beer Run kicks off at 3 PM, so maybe you can work up a thirst to get the party started. Check out tickets here.

One of Saint John’s longest-running breweries, Big Tide, is turning the big 1-0 in a couple of weeks, and they’re holding a 10th Anniversary With a Purpose on Monday, August 5th. The small, ticketed event will occur from 7:30 pm – 9 pm, and will feature a tasting of a number of BT beers, with the brewers also in attendance to provide details and answer questions on each. The kitchen will also be providing a selection of finger foods, and your $20 ticket entitles you to a commemorative souvenir. All proceeds from ticket sales will be donated to Bobby’s Hospice; call the brewery today to reserve yours at 506-214-3311 (you can also purchase them directly at the brewpub). 

On August 9th and 10th, the Halifax Seaport Cider and Beer Fest will once again be taking over the Cunard Centre, and pouring beers and ciders from across the world to attendees. With most Nova Scotian breweries in attendance, plus 20 from New Brunswick and PEI, the Maritimes’ producers will be well represented. Guest beer from the rest of the country, and afar, will also be in full supply, including a delegacy from Iceland braving the Atlantic to attend. The Maine Brewers Guild is sending the Maine Beer Box to the event, featuring 78 taps of beer from our closest state. Grab your tickets here!

Before we let you go, just a few Newsbites for ya:

Gahan House in Charlottetown is pouring a new creation from the brewpub, German Hefeweizen (4.7% ABV, 20 IBUs). Medium-bodied with “aromas of fruit and phenols, leading into a pillowy mouthfeel with notes of banana, clove, bubblegum, and a slight yeast finish”. 

Good Robot has a fresh batch of their El Corazón de Ángel (a Mexican Lager w/ orange peel and lime zest) on tap, and will soon be pouring a collaboration they brewed with Graystone Brewing, Outdoorsy Brut IPA (7.2% ABV, 25 IBUs). Described as “herbal and light”, you can also find it on tap at Graystone’s taproom in Fredericton. And pick up their El Espinazo del Diablo Corn Lager with lime and jalapenos at your local NSLC, and check their Facebook and Instagram pages for a contest they’re currently running.

Hilltop Hops in Newport, NS, is pouring a pair of new beers this weekend, perfect for a hot summer’s day. Smash is a 4.6% ABV light and crisp beer brewed with their 215 hops, old growth hops planted by English settlers, growing in nearby Summerville. And Hill Top Saison weighs in at 4.1% ABV, and while it can be described as hoppy (naturally!), it’s light on bitterness with more fruity character. Pop by their taproom right beside Tidal Bore market on Highway 14!

Microbrasserie Houblon-Pecheur has just bottled their latest beer, Balbuzard Pêcheur IPA (6% ABV). They’re describing it as an East Coast IPA with “big tropical fruit flavour and aroma”. Looks like it’s currently available at the Caraquet, Tracadie, and Shippagan ANBL stores, with others to follow in the fall.

Tatamagouche Brewing has a pair of returning favourite this week, the first being their Englishish Golden Ale, a 4.5% ABV brew perfect for a session in your favourite local. English hops bring out traditional earthy, floral, and spicy aromatics, and make it a nice pair to pub food. Also returning, and now available on their online store for shipping Canada-wide, is Feronia. This 5.1% ABV beer is fermented solely with Brettanomyces (a blend of three strains, in fact), and was aged on Organic plums before bottle conditioning for a melding of dark fruit and funky yeast character, all in a lovely package. 750 mL bottles can also be found at Bishop’s Cellar as of today.

TrailWay has brought back their extremely popular DDH Hu Jon Hops (6.5% ABV), the double-dry-hopped (you figured that out already, didn’t you?) version of their flagship IPA, HJH. Brewed only once a year, it’s hoppiness dialed to 11, with “flavours of pineapple, overripe tropical fruit, and citrus, with a firm, spicy, dank backbone”. On tap and in cans at the brewery, with a few local pubs getting kegs as well.

Friday Wrap-Up for May 10, 2019 – News from the Stillwell Open, Big Spruce, Church Brewing, New Scotland, Breton, Shipwright, Propeller, Gahan House Hub City, and much more!

Posted by acbbchris on 2019-05-10
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: 2 Crows Brewing, Bad Apple Brewhouse, Big Spruce Brewing, Bootleg Brew Company, Breton Brewing, Crooked Feeder Brewing, Gahan House (Moncton), Good Robot Brewing, Landwash Brewery, Matchstick Beer Factory, Maybee Brewing, New Scotland Brewing, Port Rexton Brewing Co., Propeller Arcade, Propeller Brewing, Quidi Vidi Brewery, Shipwright Brewing, Stillwell Beer Bar, Stillwell Open 2019, The Church Brewing Company, The Core by Bad Apple, TrailWay Brewing, YellowBelly Brewery. Leave a Comment

Happy Friday, Beer Fans! Well, you did it, you survived Nova Scotia Craft Beer Week! Hopefully you made it out to some of the events sponsored by the CBANS, and drank more than your share of the good stuff. Let’s keep the good vibes going to let you know what and where to enjoy some more tasty bevvies this weekend and beyond.

The final event of NS Craft Beer Week this year was the Stillwell Open, hosted by the long-time local-beer-boosters at Bar Stillwell. Four teams from across the province (North, South, Halifax, and Dartmouth) competed to create their best Single Hop beers in four categories (English, Session, Standard, and Double IPA). The drinking public voted on their favourite, and after the dust settled, First Place in the IPA category, and overall, went to the winning brew from Team North. Big Spruce Brewing teamed up with the soon-to-open Church Brewing Company and multi-award-winning homebrewer David Pepper. Named $$$$ (named after/sung to the first line of The O’Jays – For The Love of Money), due to the overwhelming amount of the very new, and not even named yet, HBC 692 hop. Pouring a hazy straw colour, with aromas and flavours of grapefruit and tangerine, it ticked all of the boxes for the crowd that day. Good news for those who missed out Sunday, this is a full release with the beer available at the breweries and better beer locations around the province.

Other finalists in their category were the Session IPA, Karate Lazer, brewed with Ekuanot by New Scotland Brewing, American IPA Shipwreck IPA brewed with Mosaic by Breton Brewing and Brathair Brothers homebrewing collective, and English IPA It’s a Boy! with Bramling Cross by homebrewer Glen O’Keefe. Both commercial brews mentioned are also available at their respective breweries and will see local distribution as well. Congratulations to these medal winners!

There were twelve other beers debuting on the wall Sunday, many of them also seeing distribution throughout the province. For the first time ever, Shipwright Brewing graced the chalkboard at Stillwell, with Secret HOPeration, a 4.6% ABV Session IPA featuring Vic Secret, which is also pouring at their taproom and Grand Banker. Hop notes of pineapple and grapefruit complement the light grain profile with a light bitterness. This entry was brewed with local homebrewers Matt and Isaac Hachey.

Propeller Brewing teamed up with own acbbchris to continue the love with another Gottingen Street Small Batch. This year’s effort was Sabro Double IPA, featuring a s**t-ton of newer hop Sabro added generously early, late, and after the boil (including during active fermentation), for a melding of coconut, pineapple, mango, and papaya, for a pina colada with a bit of a bitter kick. It is available now at both Propeller locations for growler fills, with pints also pouring at the Gottingen Street taproom. Drop by tomorrow during Open City to check out their brewery, and for the first time ever, the Propeller Arcade is open to all ages from noon to 4 PM.

Let’s skip provinces for a moment, where after months of delays (the most recent opening was planned for mid-October of 2018), the Gahan House has officially opened their Moncton location, Gahan House Hub City. The 160-seat restaurant (located at 55 Queen St. downtown) will also feature a 60-seat seasonal patio and a 5 bbl (~600 L) brewhouse, with three 5 bbl fermentors. As with other Gahan locations, you’ll find the standard PEI Brewing Co./Gahan line-up on tap, along with one-offs and seasonals brewed at the Hub City location, as well as other Gahan breweries in Atlantic Canada. Naturally, we’ll keep you updated on these beers, but we can give you a sneak preview of the first beer brewed at Hub City… it’s a 5.3% ABV American Pale Ale hopped with Cascade and Huell Melon.

And while on the subject of Gahan, we might as well take the opportunity to mention that the first beer from the Saint John Barrel Room series will be released at the Saint John and Fredericton Gahan locations on May 17th. Sour Saison was fermented initially with a Saison strain, the beer was then moved to Pinot Noir barrels with a blend of Brett, Lacto, and Pedio for six months. Bottle-conditioned for three months before its release next week, it finished off at 6.4% ABV.

If you’re into this new trend of hazy IPAs that all the kids are drinking (and who isn’t??), you may be interested to hear that Port Rexton Brewing has added a new rotating beer series, Continuum, to their line-up. This series of hazy IPAs will focus on different hops with each batch, and the first, Continuum w/ Vic Secret, was mainly hopped with the lovely Vic Secret variety from Australia. With large amounts thrown into the whirlpool and dry hop additions (along with some Azacca to complement), the beer has “bright tropical, stone fruit, and floral aromas and flavours, with undertones of piney bitterness”, all in a smooth, soft body with a dry finish. You’ll have to make a trip out to the brewery this weekend (now open 7 days a week, 12 – 10 PM) to grab this 5.6% ABV beer, but the trip will be worth it for the berg-watching, a walk along the Skerwink, and/or to attend their Mini Market tomorrow from noon until two, with crafts and goods by local entrepreneurs.

On the Avalon Peninsula, where we’ve been told you can spot some icebergs as well, you’ll find Landwash Brewery. And out in Mount Pearl, they’ve released a brand new take on their Brackish Gose, this release conditioned with some juicy Guava for an extra kick of acidity, and of course some bright tropical character. As always, sea salt from Newfoundland Salt Company plays an important role in mouthfeel and “zing”. On tap at the brewery for samples, pints, and growlers, as well as limited number of cans, pop in this weekend to enjoy this 4.8% ABV taste of the tropics. Their website is always up-to-date with their Availability, so be sure to keep an eye out there too. You’ll soon see yet another new beer hit the taps at the brewery, as well as the Admiralty House Museum, a hint of what’s to come can be found here.

On Newfoundland’s West Coast, pop into Bootleg BrewCo in Corner Brook for a taste of their Hawai’i Four-O American Session Ale. Full of fresh pineapple added to the conditioning tank, plus juicy tropical hops to complement, this 4.0% ABV refresher of a beer is light, smooth, and perfect for the warmer days sure to arrive any week now…

And speaking of Corner Brook, there will soon be another local brewery location in the city. Crooked Feeder Brewing, located in Cormack, will be taking over the Gitanos’ restaurant space in the Millbrook Mall, and opening Crooked Feeder Gastropub. While keeping their brewing operations in the former mill just north of Deer Lake, they will be bringing the look and feel of their quiet brewery location to CB. We expect that will feature plenty of work by The Tin Man, the local fabricators who have worked with Crooked Feeder to manufacture their brewhouse and fermentation vessels. With an expected seating capacity of over 100, the food menu will feature both meal and small-bite options, for those just coming in for a flight or pint, or staying a while to enjoy the live music and entertainment. They will also have a retail counter where growlers and merchandise to show off your Crooked Feeder pride. The Gastropub will be opening next month, but they’ve got plenty of beer to share with us in the meantime. Their Ohh Baby Brut IPA debuted at the Newfoundland Craft Beer Festival last month, and they are filling growlers in Cormack currently, and keep an eye out for a late-May release of their Best Coast Bitter, a Best Bitter in the traditional English style.

In Fredericton, TrailWay has been busy with the upcoming warm weather, meaning patio season, and more beer drinking! This week, they’ve got a new beer and two returning ones to suit those thirsty days. First up is their latest American IPA, Inception, a 6.5% ABV brew hopped entirely with Falconer’s Flight, an ever-changing blend of American ‘C’ hops. Plenty of citrus and tropical fruit abounds, no doubt, and if you’re at the brewery to have a pint or pick up some cans, bonus points if you do so with your totem in hand… but remember, don’t let anyone else touch it! (No, we’re not being dirty, sickos… watch the movie for cryin’ out loud!)

As for returning favourites, their seasonal Beyond Reality, a 4.6% ABV dry-hopped Raspberry Wheat, is back on tap and in cans, for those of you who need a hop break (homebrewers, see what I did there?). But if you love the hops (and if you’re going to TrailWay, we’re pretty sure you do), they’ve also brought back DDH Green Island, the double-dry hopped version of their standard Green Island IPA. This one is also available on tap and in cans, albeit at a very limited supply.

Out in Hampton, New Brunswick, Matchstick Beer Factory has launched a new beer. Darlin’ of an Amber is being touted as a heavily-hopped American Amber Ale that features a simple grist of Maritime Malt and Crystal 40, with the hops being split between Liberty and Newport (added to the tune of about 40 IBUs) sourced from local Darlings Island Farm. Fermented with a neutral American Ale yeast strain, the hop flavours are complemented by the maltiness of the beer. Coming in at 6% ABV, look for kegs to be pouring at Sussex Ale Works, the Cask and Kettle, Saint John Ale House, and Match Factory Restaurant.

Drop by 2 Crows this Saturday at noon if you’d like to get your bottle fix, as they’ll be releasing Five Petals, the latest in their ever-expanding lineup of barrel-aged sours. Brewed with Pilsner, Spelt, and Wheat, no hops were added to the wort before it made its way to the wonderful world of oak. Fermented with a blend of the brewery’s Lacto, Brett and Saccharomyces cultures, it spent about 4 months in Sauvingon Blanc barrels, where it was then transferred back to stainless. Here, it was further conditioned on fresh lemon zest and juice, along with an addition of elderflowers, before bottling. Tasting “very bright, fun, lively and fresh, with a strong lemon presence, firm minerality, and a delicate touch of elderflowers’ floral/lychee presence”, it weighs in at 5.9% ABV.

YellowBelly in St. John’s, Newfoundland has a new beer coming this week, their version of a collaboration with Five Boroughs Brewing Co. in New York City to celebrate the success of the hit musical now playing in New York (on Broadway, even!), Toronto, Melbourne, London and on tour as well, Come From Away. Unfiltered and unfined, this pale ale’s is augmented by oats and wheat in the grist for a silky mouthfeel, with a soft bitterness rated at 40 IBU and a maybe-not-quite-sessionable-but-maybe-have-another-one-anyway 6.0% ABV. The blend of Cashmere, Cascade, and Amarillo hops lends tropical, citrus, and stone fruit notes in both the aroma and on the palate. Expect it to pair well with spicy foods and creamy cheese. You can find it on tap at YellowBelly’s Pub, with growler fills expected to be available by Sunday, May 19th at the Takeaway. You can also expect to find it on guest taps around the city and possibly the rest of the province, and the NLC will have bottles within the next week! A lovely tribute to a great story of folks going out of their way to help others during an event that truly shook the world.

Late last fall, Maybee Brewing released Brut IPA, their take on the hoppy, effervescent, bone-dry style. This beer will be the focus of the first release in their barrel-aged program with Brut: Aged in Pinot Noir Barrels. Aged in Pinot Noir barrels for four months, the final product is the result of a blend of two of these barrels, plus a small amount of the Brut IPA base. Refermented in 750 mL cork-and-cage bottles with fresh yeast for about 6 weeks, the bottles are now ready and will be released exclusively at the taproom next Wednesday. The 6% ABV beer is displaying aromas of “tropical fruit, pineapple, white wine grape notes, wood vanillins, earth, and spice”, with flavours of the same, along with some barrel character, according to the brewery. They’ve also kegged a small amount, which will be available for pints only, also at the brewery.

What to do this weekend? We’ve got one suggestion for you today!

Our good friends at Stillwell are holding their very first Newfoundland Tap Takeover tomorrow, May 11th, from noon until closing. They’ll be hosting three breweries from the Rock, including Landwash (pouring That Much Ocean, Hazures Rock, One Wave, Brackish, and Home and Away), Quidi Vidi (Iceberg, Bog & Barrens Imperial Bakeapple Gose, and Dayboil), and Port Rexton (T-Rex Porter, Some Day on Hops, Azacca NEIPA, and Drifter). And it wouldn’t be a Newfoundland anything if there weren’t some tasty home-inspired treats on hand, so they’ll be serving up fried bologna and fishcakes on the menu. No entry fee, of course, so drop by and sample some delicious beers and food!

Just a couple more before you head out for lunch…

Bad Apple Brewhouse has been experimenting with English beers lately, as an excuse to find use for their new hand pump. If you’re in Wolfville, drop by The Core (just off of Main Street) to try the new, unnamed Extra Special Bitter (4.9% ABV), which has a “balanced hop bitterness with a slight, fruity ester-like finish”.

For next Thursday’s Alpha Brew, Good Robot is bringing back Creature Feature I (6% ABV, 68 IBUs), the first iteration in their biotransformation IPA series. Hopped with a selection of North American varieties, expect a “mild honey flavour and a subtle orchard fruit aroma”.

Friday Wrap-Up for March 22, 2019 – News from Petit-Sault and Big Tide, Hampton Brewing, Lazy Bear, Niche, Boxing Rock, and much more!

Posted by acbbchris on 2019-03-22
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: 902 BrewCast, Agricola Street Brasserie, Annapolis Cider Company, Baccalieu Trail Brewing, Bad Apple Brewhouse, Big Tide Brewing, Bootleg Brew Company, Boxing Rock Brewing, Brasseurs du Petit Sault, Dieu du Ciel, Fredericton Craft Beer Festival, Garrison Brewing, Geaghan Bros Brewing, Good Robot Brewing, Hampton Brewing Company, Holy Whale Brewing, Landwash Brewery, Lazy Bear Brewing, Limestone Group, Local Source, Newfoundland Cider Company, Niche Brewing, NSLC, O'Creek Brewing, Oh My Cheeses, Paddys Irish Brewpub, Péché Day, Port Rexton Brewing Co., Propeller Brewing, Quidi Vidi Brewery, Roof Hound Brewing, Spindrift Brewing, Split Rock Brewing, Stillwell Beer Bar, The Church Brewing Company, The Core by Bad Apple, Tide & Boar Gastropub, Town of Wolfville, Unfiltered Brewing, YellowBelly Brewery. Leave a Comment

Happy Spring Everyone! Now we just need to tell Mother Nature that! But it will be nice to see the snow eventually receding so that you have a big more time to dodge the potholes. A handful of new beers and events this week, so grab that coffee, or coffee stout, and get up to speed on the beer news. As always, if you have beer info you’d like us to share, please don’t hesitate to send it along! We’re always happy to spread the word about the great beer in our region.

News concerning collaboration beers brewed for International Women’s Day keeps trickling in; this week, we can fill you in on the one released by Petit-Sault and Big Tide. Brewed at the Petit-Sault brewery in Edmundston, Brighid is an 8.8% abv “Strawberry Brut IPA”. Hopped with Mosaic and Lemondrop, enzymes were added to help the beer dry out as much as possible, as is typical for the Brut IPA style. During fermentation, strawberry puree was added (to the tune of 300 lbs), giving the beer a hazy, pinkish hue. Tropical, juicy, and super-dry (as expected), it’s currently available on tap only, at both breweries. Look for 750 mL bottles to appear at both locations next week, as well.

One of New Brunswick’s newest breweries (for a little while longer, anyway), Hampton Brewing, dropped a new beer release in time for St. Patrick’s Day last weekend. Ol’Marley is a Chocolate Oatmeal Stout, brewed with a mixture of Roasted Barley and Chocolate malts to impart plenty of roasted, coffee-like character in the aroma and flavour. The beer also features the addition of rum-soaked, organic cacao nibs, adding even more chocolatey goodness to the finished product. Weighing in at 5.5% ABV and 32 IBUs, it has a medium body and moderate bitterness in the finish. Look for it on tap at your favourite Hampton Brewing account.

Let’s move back to Brut IPA territory; specifically to Smiths Cove, NS, where Lazy Bear Brewing has released their very own. Simply named Brut IPA, it was dry-hopped with Ariana, Callista, and El Dorado; we’re going to assume no hops were added during the boil, as the brewery lists the IBUs as “very low to none”. The beer comes in at 7% ABV and finishes very dry (again, thanks in part to the addition of enzymes); it’s available on tap at the brewery during the Thursday Growler Evenings and the Annapolis Royal Farmers Market, with kegs possibly being sent elsewhere soon.

Hanwell, New Brunswick’s Niche Brewing has a new beer out this week that hopefully will put you in mind of warmer days to come. A grisette, In Limbo was brewed with primarily Pilsner malt, with plenty of spelt and both flaked and malted wheat rounding out the grist, and it was hopped lightly with classic noble Saaz before being fermented with Niche’s house culture. The result is a beer with a light body and a pleasant lemon presence that’s definitely on the funkier side of the style, but which certainly doesn’t bash you over the head with yeast character. Easy-drinking and refreshing, at 4.2% ABV you can have a few and without worrying you might dart out in front of an oxcart during the festival of the vernal equinox! Look for it at Niche tap accounts around NB and, if the folks in Halifax are lucky again, maybe some will come to that city as well.

We warned you a month ago to keep your eyes out for a beer featuring carrots, and sure enough, it has come to pass as those crazy kids at Boxing Rock in Shelburne, NS, have pushed the boundaries yet again with 14 Carrot Gold. This beer is a collaboration with Square Roots, a brand that encompasses a pair of projects under the aegis of Enactus SMU that aim to help reduce food waste and eliminate food insecurity in our communities. One way to address the former is to find uses for the less pretty produce that might not be sold if it were put on the shelf. So this beer isn’t just full of carrots, it’s full of ugly carrots, carrots that might roll a rabbit in a dark alley, carrots that you wouldn’t bring home to meet your Mom, but carrots that taste just fine. The juice of these carrots was added to the mash, joining a grist that included some honey malt to encourage some balancing malt sweetness. Into the kettle the wort went, to be hopped up (sorry*) with Calypso, Magnum, and Hallertauer Mittelfruh. The overall result is a clean and refreshing rather orange pale ale that is herbal and slightly spicy, but which also definitely tastes of carrots. You can find it already in 650 mL bottles at the brewery, Boxing Rock Bottle Shop at Local Source and private liquor stores in Halifax, and it will also be on the shelves at NSLC locations starting April 1st. Maybe grab an extra to put out for the Easter Bunny to enjoy? And speaking of the bottle shop, thanks to the associated Test Kitchen, they’ve also got a brand new one on the taps: FLEX IPA clocks in at a hefty 7.3% ABV and sports plenty of Falconer’s Flight, Centennial, and Simcoe hops. Stop by to grab a growler if you’re in the North End.

* totally not sorry

Spindrift Brewing has their latest entry in their Out of the Hold series bottled and available for sale, FIKA. This one is a 10% ABV Imperial Stout that was fermented in stainless, and then transferred to a French oak barrel for months of aging. Once it was ready to be packaged (in 500 mL bottles), the beer was infused with espresso beans, vanilla, and cardamom (in essence, now making it an Imperial Coffee Stout). Wondering about the beer’s name? Well, “fika” is apparently the Swedish word for “coffee break”, and the espresso beans were bought from IKEA (which we’re sure we do not have to explain to you what that is). You can pick up your bottles at the brewery’s taproom right now; check out the HRM’s private liquor stores in the near future as well. Note that this beer was brewed with lactose, just in case you’re intolerant of such things!

Halifax’s Garrison brewed up a special collaboration with the staff of Agricola Street Brasserie that made its debut last week at their beer dinner at that restaurant. How Dairy?! is a one off draft-only release available for now at the brewery for samples, pints, and growler fills, although it’s expected to be sent out to a few tap accounts as well. A stout weighing in at 4.7% ABV, it was built on pale ale and Munich malts, with oats, crystal malt and roasted barley rounding out the grist. Hopped to 32 IBU with Millennium, it also contains lactose, which very well might take it into the sweet stout or milk stout category. You can make that determination for yourself if you head down and give this smooth and full-bodied beer with notes of coffee and chocolate a try.

Bryan Carver, certified Cicerone, former Brewmaster at PEIBC, and former employee in the technical services department at DME Brewing, will be opening his own brewery – Modern Brewer’s Village Green – in Cornwall, PEI, this summer. Located at 1 Cornwall Rd, the building currently houses a dentist’s office which is relocating at the end of this month. While his equipment has not been ordered yet, as he’s waiting for the building to be rezoned, Carver plans to brew on a 2 bbl (240 L) system, to concentrate primarily on serving the 25-seat taproom. Locals can expect to try beers that they may not have tried before, as Carver plans to focus on styles that may not be easily-accessible to the area. We will have much more with Carver on Village Green as the project progresses.

We’ve got a few events to tell you about this week, definitely worth leaving the March Madness behind for a few hours, we reckon!

We mentioned it a few weeks ago, but here’s your reminder that this year’s Péché Day will be happening tomorrow and folks in our region are lucky enough to have two options available: Stillwell in Halifax and Tide & Boar in Moncton. Péché Day celebrates Péché Mortel, a Imperial Coffee Stout from Dieu du Ciel! that continues to be one of the finest beers in the country year after year. There will be seven variants on offer this year, all boasting an ABV of 9.5%:

  • Péché Mortel – the original
  • Péché Mortel Bourbon 2018 and 2019 – two different vintages aged in bourbon barrels
  • Péché Mortel Cerise – brewed with cherries
  • Péché Mortel Coconut – matured on toasted coconut
  • Péché Mortel Islay 2019 – aged in Islay Scotch barrels
  • Péché Mortel Moka – brewed with cacao

If you’re at all a fan of big, dark boozy beers, especially those featuring wood aging or other additions, you might want to find a way to check it out. You might also want to strongly consider 5 oz tasting glasses if you want to run to try them all!!

Last week we gave you the full rundown on the Flavabot: Rake ‘n Scrape event being thrown down on Sunday by the Lime Stone Group at Good Robot in Halifax, but we thought it prudent to give you a little reminder that there will be four brand new beers available, all with a Caribbean influence:

  • Rake ‘n Scrape – 6.9% ABV Tropical IIPA with mangoes & pomegranate, 70 IBU
  • Blackbeard’s Amber Ale – 4.5% ABV, Blackberry Amber Ale, 30 IBU
  • Pineapples & Coconut … Bro – 5.6% ABV, Pina colada Wheat Ale, 27 IBU
  • Passion Bliss – 5.5% ABV, Passion fruit Pale Ale, 50 IBU

Brunch starts at 10 AM but the party goes ALL DAY. That said, only the Rake ‘n Scrape is a full-size Alpha batch, so if you want to increase your chances of tasting the other three best get there early.

Digby’s Roof Hound Brewing is celebrating the release of a brand new beer Sunday, a collaboration with the Hopped Up Gaming East (HUGE) podcast. Button Masher is a 7.0% Cherry IPA, featuring loads of Citra hops for a hazy, aromatic and bitter IPA, that was then “juiced up” with black cherries. Keeping with the mutual love of video games and beer, the teammates will be launching the beer at the Board Room Cafe on Barrington Street in Halifax. From 7 – 9 PM, there will be Video Game Trivia, with the beer pouring all evening. Drop by to grab the first pints and take part in the fun, and then look for it on tap around Halifax, with bottles of Button Masher coming next week.

Next Saturday, March 30, White Hills Resort in Clarenville, NL, will be celebrating BrewSKI 2019! With Beer Yoga kicking off the day at 10 AM, to a fun ski & snowboard race at 12 PM, to the BrewSKI Craft Beer Fest starting at 7 PM, there is a whole day of fun to be had on the ski hills. The evening’s festival will feature beer from 8 Newfoundland breweries and cideries: Baccalieu Trail Brewing Co (Conception Bay), Bootleg Brewery (Corner Brook), Landwash Brewery (Mt Pearl), Port Rexton Brewing Co (Port Rexton), Quidi Vidi Brewery (Quidi Vidi), Split Rock Brewery (Twillingate), YellowBelly Brewery (St. John’s), plus the Newfoundland Cider Company (Milton). There will be live music by 3 Shades of Grey and The Dimaggios, and food from Oh My Cheeses. Tickets for the day’s events are available now, grab them and find your best retro snowsuit to fit right in with the crowd.

Just a few more notes to pass along this week!

We mentioned it briefly in yesterday’s post with His Excellency Pavel Hrnčíř, the Czech Republic’s Ambassador to Canada, but wanted to remind you that the 902 BrewCast has dropped their March Tasting Episode today, and it covers all things Fredericton Craft Beer Festival. In addition to that interview, they spoke with Geaghan Brothers, Holy Whale, and O’Creek Brewing. Listen in!

Mount Pearl’s Landwash Brewery has brought back their Brackish, a 4.8% ABV Sour Ale that features Newfoundland Sea Salt, their take on a German Gose. With draught, growlers, and cans available at the brewery now, we suggest popping by to grab some. And to celebrate its return, the folks at Landwash have a couple of fun things on the go. They actually brewed a second full-sized batch, and added mango puree to it, and so Mango Brackish is pouring (and available to go in growlers) at the brewery now. And, also, too, they’ve cask conditioned 20 litres of the unfruited Brackish, and swapped out the standard sea salt for Newfoundland Salt Company’s Juniper Smoked Salt, for a floral and herbal cousin of the original. This one is in short supply (and we’re not even positive it’s still available!), so if that sounds like something you’d like, be sure to pop by the brewery today when they open at 4 PM.

Propeller Brewing has brought back a favourite from the fall, their Galaxy IPA. This 6.5% hoppy, hazy, and juicy IPA feature a ton of the great Aussie hop Galaxy added in the kettle and fermenter, for tropical, citrus, and stonefruit character. Back now on tap and in cans, with four-packs available at the NSLC for the first time next week.

Unfiltered is bringing back their Fist of God DIPA again, a “fruity, tropical, soft, and delicious” 7.5% ABV hop bomb. Available today at the brewery in pints, growlers, and cans. So is their Citra bomb DOA which came back last week. If you love some hops, you know where to go.

In a case of a community doing the right thing, the Town of Wolfville agreed Tuesday to amend their Land Use Bylaws and Municipal Planning Strategy to explicitly allow breweries to operate and sell beer off-site. This is great news for Church Brewing, who continue construction of their on-premise brewery at 329 Main Street in the town, to complement the already thriving restaurant. If struck down, it would have severely handcuffed them from the start, and had the unintended consequence of hurting other craft alcohol producers in the same zone, including Annapolis Cider Company, Bad Apple Brewhouse, and Paddy’s Pub.