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Thursday Wrap-Up for November 10, 2022 – News from Rough Waters, Shipwright, Bogside, Copper Bottom, TrailWay, Mauzy, Banished, Breton, Propeller, Quidi Vidi and plenty more!

Posted by acbbdamian on 2022-11-10
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: 2 Crows Brewing, Banished Brewing, Bogside Brewing, Breton Brewing, Copper Bottom Brewing, Island Folk Cider House, Mauzy Cidery, Propeller Brewing, Quidi Vidi Brewery, Rough Waters Brewing, Route 19 Brewing, Serpent Brewing, Shipwright Brewing, Spindrift Brewing, Tatamagouche Brewing, The Church Brewing Company, TrailWay Brewing. 1 comment

Happy Thursday evening! We’re a day early, but a few hours late. But better late than never, right pals? We’ve already used all of our best material below, so let’s just stop the lame jokes and get right to the good stuff!

Deer Lake’s Rough Waters released their first lager last weekend, which is now available at their local good beer shops, and now outside of their region. Perfectschen-lager is an Amber lager, inspired by the German Munich Dunkel style. While light in body, the specialty malt lends a light toast and caramel note, shining through the crisp and clear yeast profile. While their taproom is closed for the season, the RW Crew are still working hard to put out new and exciting beers for you!

Lunenburg’s Shipwright Brewing is making the most of a logistics miscommunication this week, with Exit 8 Hoppy Mistake. What began as a request for Maris Otter malt while in town, turned into a purchase of Munich malt instead, which was not discovered until Exit 8 of the 103 Highway! No need to panic, new Brewer Jason Crozier was able to turn that into a great beer nonetheless! An American Amber Ale, with plenty of toast, dried fruit, and caramel from the malt, with a healthy bitterness from Cascade and Topaz hops, all in a 6.5%/44 IBU package. Available at their taproom on Montague Street for pints, crowler, and growler fills all weekend.

Bogside Brewing has a pair of releases out now, one holding out on summer, the other foretelling of the cooler months ahead, available just in time for the weekend. Gone Coastal American IPA is 6.5% ABV, and bursting with loads of citrus and honeydew melon, thanks to the additions of Callista and Huell Melon late in the process. And in a completely different vein, Stocking Stuffer Winter Wheat is a Belgian Witbier, whose subtle hints of orange and spice may even work as a mulled beer choice as the nights become longer and cooler. Both are available through their online shop for delivery, or in their taproom. Both of these can also be found in their 24 Day Holiday Advent Calendar, available for pre-order now, and delivered PEI-wide Nov 23. Insider scoop, there will be one beer exclusive to this Calendar, available nowhere else!

Staying in Montague, PEI for a little bit, we have a pair of upcoming releases from Copper Bottom to let you know about. Debuting this Saturday is Eclipse, a 6.5% Black IPA. Melding lovely citrus and pine aromatics from the Cascade, Simcoe, and Galaxy hops used late, along with the dark roasted and coffee notes from the malt, all in a lovely alluring dark package.

Next Saturday, November 19th, is Copper Bottom’s Fifth Anniversary, and of course they are throwing a party to celebrate! Live music all afternoon, turning into a dance party that evening, Pizza Box Food Truck and Oyster shucking all day, plus a new beer release, how could you miss it?? Speaking of, Birthday Beer 5 may be their most ambitious yet: an 8.0% Pastry Stout, complete with toasted coconut flakes, cacao nibs, and lactose for a touch of residual sweetness. The Chocolate Malt complements the Roasted Barley for plenty of flavour, with oats to help with mouthfeel. Details on the music lineup and party are available here!

Let’s jump to our only news from New Brunswick this week. Trailway is releasing The Blend, their first take on a style that’s growing in popularity outside of the region, the Smoothie Sour. Part beer, part fruit smoothie, these thick and creamy soured ales incorporate fruit and other additions to push the limits of beer styles and draught lines alike. And because of the unfermented fruit additions, these cans MUST be kept cold, unless you want to kick start a refermentation and have the tops start blowing open on your drive home. This first run of The Blend is a limited release, with cans of the 5.3% sour available at the brewery now.

A few weeks ago, we mentioned the launch of Newfoundland’s newest cidery, Mauzy, which focuses on wild fermentation methods. This Saturday (November 12), they’re releasing their newest product in Mt. Pearl at the Landwash taproom. Willie is a spontaneously fermented cider t\that showcases Williams Pride apples from nearby Kelligrews. This one was aged for eight months prior to bottling and then bottle conditioned with honey from Baccalieu Trail Honey. Bottle pours will be available at the Landwash taproom beginning at 5 pm. For those not otherwise able to make it to the celebration, online ordering is also available.

Paradise’s other purveyor of fermented wares, Banished Brewing, also has a new release out this week with another iteration of Paradise Town, their rotating line of fruited (or not) sours. This latest version is Tangerine, with this 5.5% sour featuring massive notes of sour tangerines and yummy citrusness. You can find it now at the brewery in Paradise, and keep an eye on their social channels to see if it will hit the wider distribution network on the Avalon.

Let’s cross the Strait to Cape Breton, where Breton Brewing is partnering with Cape Breton University Alumni Association  for the release of Now & Forever CBU. This 4% ABV lager is a light and crisp crusher with enough bitterness at 20 IBUs to draw you back in for more. A portion of the sales will go to student awards and scholarships at CBU. Cans are available now at the two Sydney locations, or through their online store for delivery.

We told you all about Propeller Brewing’s Wild IPA release back in April, and the brewing crew at Propeller have something special available for us today… Wilder IPA! Choosing a specific white wine barrel from their inventory, this Wild Ale was fermented with Escarpment’s Mothership Brett Blend and hung out in that same barrel for two and a half years, allowing some massive bold fruit and funk character to develop. The beer was then blended with some freshly brewed IPA with Nelson Sauvin, Citra, Vic Secret, and Galaxy hops, which kicked off a secondary (or tertiary) fermentation that was captured during the can conditioning phase. The resulting beer features plenty of tropical and citrus notes from the fresh beer and ingredients, which allowing the tart and complex Brett notes to complement. This 6.2% meeting of old and new is available in cans at all 3 Prop Shops now, for home delivery and Canada-wide shipping, and there will be a little launch at Bishop’s Cellar on Saturday to celebrate its arrival!

Speaking of sours, let’s head back to The Rock to Quidi Vidi, who have released the collaborative Hard Ticket Fruit Punch Sour this week. Teaming up with the imaginative folks at Saltwater Designs, the Hard Ticket is juicy, creamy, and tart, with tropical fruits like pineapple and peach coming through in spades. Head down to the gut or their Hop Shop, or check out your local NLC or convenience store to grab some.

Sydney NS’s Island Folk Cider House has a returning favourite this week, with a brand new seasonal name. Sweater Weather is here, and it’s their Cranberry Cinnamon Cider in a brand new label and name. 100% NS-grown apples and cranberries in the can, with a touch of cinnamon to complement the fruit blend. At 6.5%, you’ll be warmed up in no time! Grab it from their taproom today!

A bit of a preview for you beer wonks who are tuning in on Thursday afternoon… Tatamagouche Brewing has a sneak peek of a brand new English Ale that will soon be in advent calendars around the region. Flintshire is 4.0% ABV, which means it can be consumed in quantity without too much work. And what better way to enjoy this blend of toast and caramel malt notes with the earthiness of Fuggles (with a dash of Cascade for some citrus brightness) and fermented with an iconic English ale yeast than on a handpump aka beer engine? I can’t think of one either, so we’re thrilled to share that the first releases of Flintshire will be debuting on cask at better beer bars in the province (and possibly beyond!), saving you the cost of a plane ticket to jolly old England.

Dartmouth’s Spindrift Brewing is pushing the Toller line above and beyond this week with their release of Toller Ice. Doesn’t seem like this one was Cold Filtered For Maximum Punch, but at 6.0%, it is the highest ABV of the Toller family. Eschewing the rice and corn found in the other members of the ensemble, this is an all-malt brew, with a hint of Melanoidin sitting on top of the base of Pilsner malt. A small addition of Warrior hops ensure it does not finish too sweet. Toller Ice is available now at both the Dartmouth and Antigonish Spindrift locations, and at the NSLC.

As a small follow-up to last week’s announcement of the Belgian Strong, the collaboration between longtime friends Steve Crane and Glen O’Keefe of Church Brewing and Serpent Brewing, respectively… We mentioned that we were unsure where/when it would be available in HRM. Well, we can report that if heading to Wolfville is a bit far, then Serpent’s Spryfield taproom is pouring the 12% Quadrupel today, so gird your loins and head over now! And if we are lucky, it will be available in cans later in the Fall.

Just one event to warn you about as we close out the blog for another week… A reminder that the provincial liquor stores, and some breweries, will be closed or adjusting their hours tomorrow, in honour of Remembrance Day, so check first before heading out.

2 Crows is releasing a super-small-batch, taproom-only beer next Friday, and having a bit of a party to go with it. SCOOPS is a 9.3% Imperial Pastry Stout, brewed with coffee, vanilla, graham cracker, cocoa, and to top it off, vanilla soft serve (lactose-free). To celebrate this unholy and sacrilicious melding of flavours, the 2C Crew is hosting Dartmouth Doom Metal band Skullocybin in the taproom Nov 18 at 8 PM. Also, SCOOPS will be available as an Ice Cream Float all day with more of that lactose-free soft serve for those chasing the full experience.

Two Nova Scotia Breweries are for sale, read on for a bit more info…

If you are looking to get into the beer business by purchasing a turn-key operation, complete with multiple locations and NSLC listings, someone in Nova Scotia is ready to help you make that dream happen. Check the sales listing here.

And if you are looking to make a play with a brewery and its real estate in a high traffic area, albeit seasonal, those with deep pockets should check this listing to see if this tickles their fancy.

Friday Wrap-Up for November 4, 2022 – News from North Brewing, Tatamagouche, Landwash, Banished, Propeller, Trailway, Tire Shack, Bannerman, Tusket Falls and much more!

Posted by acbbchris on 2022-11-04
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: Banished Brewing, Bannerman Brewing, Benjamin Bridge, Bishop's Cellar, Cask in the Sticks, Dildo Brewing, Landwash Brewery, Lunn's Mill Beer Company, North Brewing, Propeller Brewing, Serpent Brewing, Tatamagouche Brewing, The Church Brewing Company, Tire Shack Brewing, TrailWay Brewing, Tusket Falls Brewing. Leave a Comment

Greetings, beer fans. It’s Friday and the weather is looking niiiice this weekend, so get into those outdoor drinks while you can. Can you believe it’s November?! If you’ve got some Halloween treats kicking around, there will be many drinks to pair up with some sweet and salty leftover treats. Let’s truly get into fall, transition to winter and bring on the warmer, boozier, darker beers, but also, it’s always lager season. Basically, as always, drink what you want and it never hurts to try something different, so let’s get onto some new stuff!

We’re starting off this week with one of our favourite annual releases. North Brewing’s Saison de Chardonnay (2021) is available now! Remember when this used to come out right before Christmas? While we know the aging process dictates release dates, so let’s talk about it! As always, this is a collaboration with Benjamin Bridge. North brewed a Saison with the addition of Chardonnay grape juice from the 2021 crop from the winery. Brewed last year, this was conditioned for 7 months in stainless. After that, it was bottled and conditioned for another 5 months and it’s ready for release! Getting beautiful notes of lime zest, tangerine and apricot, we already recommend picking up a few of these for special events and holidays. This is 7.6% and available in 750ml bottles at all 3 of North’s locations, online and on tap at all 3 locations as well. 

Heading north (from North), Tatamagouche Brewing has another release in their Intertidal series. This time, they’re heading west to feature Ekuanot hops grown in Yakima Valley in Washington. Intertidal: Ekuanot West Coast Pale Ale is a west coast inspired Pale ale which is crisp with some orange citrus flavour with a bit of cedar and a well balanced malt backbone. This is available now at the brewery and online at 5.3% and in 473ml cans.

We’ll head out to Newfoundland this week, and we’re starting out with Dildo Brewing and some barrel aging to start us off right! Barrel-Aged Export Stout is coming at you (and all of us!) this weekend. A base stout starts with a nice mix of caramel and roasted malts before we bring the barrel into play. Post-fermentation, the base stout spent 11 months in American oak bourbon barrels. Bringing out flavours of vanilla, caramel and a deep toastiness, let this one warm up as you sip on it. Still quite drinkable at 6.8%, this one is available at the brewery in Dildo or the St. John’s location now in 473ml cans. It will be available in wider distribution across the island in the coming weeks, as well. 

Staying on The Rock, Banished Brewing has a brand new release joining their Puffin lineup. Interplanetary Puffin is a Double New England IPA, being a beefed up version of Space Puffin, their 6% NEIPA. Interplanetary Puffin comes in at 8% and is currently available at the brewery and will be available at retailers across Newfoundland late next week. Completing the Puffin line is the Session NEIPA, Space Puffling at 4%, so grab all 3 if you can!

Rounding out the Newfoundland trio this week is a new beer and a launch party at Landwash Brewery. Fitz’s Cold Lager is an ode to an iconic St. John’s sign that used to reside on Topsail Road. The sign read “Fitz’s Cold Beer” and the folks at Landwash won a charity auction and now they’ve had it cleaned up, refreshed and re-wired and is in the taproom. To celebrate, Landwash is having a beer launch this Saturday featuring the Fitzpatrick family themselves coming to officially light up the sign at 2 PM.  They’ll also be pouring $6 pints all day of the lager.  The beer is a light and crisp Czech-Style pilsner, coming in at 4.4%. The Newfoundland water is soft and should feature nicely for this style. The beer will be available in 8x355ml cans or 4 packs of 473ml cans and is available at the brewery Saturday, but will launch across the rest of the province and local shops and NLC later next week.

Hopping down to Fredericton, those IPA loving folks at Trailway Brewing have a true-to-style West Coast IPA launching this week! Bearstream is a departure from the brewery’s signature hazy IPA and is a classic, clear, golden IPA with those notes of pine, resin and nice bitterness, with some nice orange and lemon profile as well. Hopped up with Cascade, Chinook, Columbus and Amarillo, Bearstream is 7% ABV. This is available now on tap and in cans and will be available across the ANBL and other locations on tap over the coming weeks.

Lawrencetown’s Lunn’s Mill Beer has a new release this week, ready for you to enjoy this after. It’s a Double IPA … pretty much says it all in the name, doesn’t it? This is release #2 in the Lazy Brewer (Lazy Beer Namer, maybe?) series, as they work their way through some classic styles. Big hop usage in this 7.5% beer, with Cascade enhanced by Mosaic and Citra late in the boil and again in a generous dry-hopping. Available on tap and in cans right now, for enjoyment/pick-up at their taproom, or for local delivery or Canada-wide shipping via their website.

Elsewhere in the Annapolis Valley, Church Brewing Company has a pair of releases gracing their taps for the first time this week. First up is a collaboration with their friends at Serpent Brewing in Spryfield, and keeping in their communal wheelhouse, it’s a Belgian beer. Growing out of the long friendship of Head Brewers Steve and Glen at Church and Serpent, respectively, this 12.0% Quadrupel was brewed back in April, and has been hanging out for the right time for release. And that time is now! Belgian Strong  is light amber in colour, and thanks to the malts and yeast used, features dark fruit, molasses, and spice aromatics, with a touch of alcohol heat (unsurprisingly). It is available on draught in the Church taproom, and to go in growler fills. No word yet if it is also on at Serpent’s location. 

Also new and available on tap and in cans now is a Church exclusive, Forgive Me Father, a 5.9% Coffee Stout. The beer saw the addition of cold-steeped coffee from T.A.N. Coffee from just down Main Street, to enhance the already-present roast character from the malts. Not yet on their website, so best to call in, or better yet, pop by their Main Street Wolfville location to ensure you don’t miss out!

Back in HRM, Propeller is releasing another drop of its 10% TIPA, Leviathan. Previously released last year, you can expect big notes of tropical fruit, higher bitter (to the tune of 100 IBUs), but also a smooth and rounder drinking experience from the addition of lactose. Cans are available today at Prop’s four retail locations and will soon see distribution on some NSLC stores.

St. John’s’ Bannerman Brewing is leaning into the Fall season with two releases this week. First up is a taproom only dark ale called Past Tense. This one was made with a grain bill of Pilsner malt, flaked corn and some caramel and roasted malts, leading to notes of toffee and raisin. A light dry hop with some German noble hops also lends some herbal/spice notes. You can grab Past Tense on tap at the brewery now. And while you’re down there, why not check out the return of their Marzen-style lager, Safe Bet. Using a blend of Vienne, Caramel and Pilsner malts, this one packs a ton of nutty and sweet malt flavours in a sessionalbe 5.5% ABV package. Cans of Safe Bet are available now on Duckworth Street. 

Tusket Falls Brewing has a returning favourite releasing this week. First released last year,  While You’re Waiting is back! This peach, mint, Sour IPA has a lovely tropical profile and features Motueka, Galaxy and Citra hops. With additions of real peaches, spearmint, vanilla bean, sea salt and lactose, this is packed with refreshing notes with a smooth mouthfeel coming in at 6.5%. This is available now at the brewery in Tusket and the Tusket Falls Beer Project in Halifax on tap or in cans. It is also available online for shipping across Canada. 

In “coming soon” beer news, Moncton’s Tire Shack Brewery is celebrating their Third Anniversary this coming Wednesday, November 9th. Pints are on sale all day, and they are of course releasing a new beer to celebrate. Teaming up with nearby business, and frequent collaborators Halo Donuts, they have brewed Cel-O-Bration, a Birthday Cake-flavoured beer that included 20 kilograms of Birthday Cake donuts from Halo! Wow! Wednesday will be a blast, with a balloon drop and prizes that evening, and the party will continue on the weekend (Nov 11 & 12), as they have a pop-up kitchen visit by Euston Park, more donuts, and even a visit by a miniature horse (named Lil Sebastien, we hope). And congratulations to Henry and the TS crew for their Gold medal win in the Canada Beer Cup Triple IPA category, as their Killed by Death took home top honours. There are a few cans left, so grab them now before they’re gone for another year.

Tomorrow marks the return of the Cask in the Sticks event, a community-led beer festival that moves around to different regions of rural Nova Scotia. Sober Island Brewing in Sheet Harbour is hosting this year’s event, and they are hosting Big Spruce, Breton Brewing, The Harbour Brewing, Lunn’s Mill, Tatamagouche, Uncle Leo’s, as well as a pair of homebrewers, all showing off their best beers in casks. In addition, as this is an outdoor event, there is a onesie competition, free event toque (have to stay warm, right?), a S’more station, and more fun! Grab your tickets here.

A few more newsbites before we let you go today…

If you’re around downtown Halifax soon, they have some new releases in stock and some nice beer news they’ve passed along to us. New in the shop this week are the following:

2 Crows –  OK OK OK,  5.1% Farmhouse Ale

2 Crows –  Classic, 4.1% Maritime Dry Stout, in a new format! 6x355ml.

Garrison –  Dunkel Breaking My Heart, 5.1% Dunkel, Dark German Lager

Schoolhouse – Principal Ale, 4.7% Pale Ale  (now a regularly stocked beer)

And for some importing updates, you’ve seen Samuel Smith ales in stock over the past year or so at Bishops, and they’ve got Oatmeal Stout and Chocolate Stout are back again for the winter.

A pair of returning favourites from Nyanza’s Big Spruce to close out this week. The Respect Your Elders BerlinerWeisse with Elderberry is back, made with berries harvested from their own farm, and added early in the brewing process to allow them to ferment with some Brettanomyces yeast for a melding of funk and tart in this dry seasonal beer. And kicking it to the West Coast is Old School, as West Coast IPA with big malt and hops both getting equal billing, At 8.0% ABV, the malt definitely shows up to support the massive hop additions throughout the brew, for a serious bitterness on the palate. Both beers are available on draught and in cans at the brewery, online ordering, and coming to better beer establishments across the province.

Friday Wrap-Up for June 3, 2022 – News from Banished Brewing, BarNone, Bannerman, Tanner & Co, Quidi Vidi, Breton, Serpent, Trailway, 2 Crows, Big Spruce, Landwash, and much more!

Posted by acbbchris on 2022-06-03
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: 2 Crows Brewing, Banished Brewing, Bannerman Brewing, BarNone Brewing, Big Spruce Brewing, Bishop's Cellar, Boxing Rock Brewing, Breton Brewing, Candid Brewing, Copper Bottom Brewing, Landwash Brewery, O'Creek Brewing, Off Grid Ales, Port Rexton Brewing Co., Quidi Vidi Brewery, Saint Andrews Brewing Company, Serpent Brewing, Tanner & Co Brewing, The Church Brewing Company, TrailWay Brewing. 3 comments

Greetings, June bugs. Outside (and really, inside) of beer, it’s an important month for inclusivity, equity, celebration and learning. It’s National Indigenous History Month in Canada and Pride Month is widely-celebrated in North America in June as well. We don’t want to get on the soap-box too much here, but supporting your local, independent, craft brewers is always important, but we do encourage you to know where you’re putting your dollars. Some may use this special month as a chance to change a can design or change their branding or logos to have rainbows or Indigenous support, but please try and support those that really want to make a change for their communities, their breweries, their employees and everyone they serve. Some breweries just simply care, and we know most of our readers do, too. Now, onto the sunshine and beer news!

As we like to do, let’s kick off the post with details of a new brewery opening in our region. Banished Brewing, located in Paradise, Newfoundland, has sent the first few kegs of their beer out this week. Kegs of the initial trio of releases are pouring now at Bar Brewdock in East Duck, with cans coming to local distribution at Marie’s, Ultramar, and NLC locations next week (and soon their own retail shop at 9 Maverick Place, but keep an eye on IG for those details). So, what can you expect to drink from Banished? First up is Out The Gate, the fittingly-named Belgian Single/Singel, at 5.3% ABV, with a light malt and hop character, with a nice yeast-derived bubblegum note, while remaining refreshing. Up next is Space Puffin, a 6.0% ABV New England IPA, juicy, hazy, and full of citrus and tropical goodness for the warmer months ahead. This is the first in the “Puffin” line, keep an eye out for many more! And the newest kid on the block is NO NO NO NO YES NO. Cheeky label, eh? Big props to Paul George Hammond for this and all of Banished’s branding! This EI (Employment Insurance) Pale Ale is 4.5% ABV, light enough in alcohol to warrant having a few in the afternoon while you wait for your check to come in! These are all pouring now at Brewdock, with the Out The Gate making its way to Port Rexton Brewing on their guest tap in the next few days. And those on the West Coast will be able to get their first tastes of Banished at tomorrow’s Newfoundland & Labrador Craft Beer Festival in Corner Brook. And those in Lab City still have time to grab tickets for June 11th’s Big Land beer festival at the Legion. Congratulations to Craig and the team at Banished, we’ll have plenty more from them next week (more new beer and nerdy details and their plans for the summer!).

And speaking of new breweries, we have word that the under-new-ownership BarNone Brewing will be holding their first event at Barn One tomorrow! Doc MacLean will be blowing the roof off the joint, and there will be plenty of beer pouring to accompany that. They may even be set up to fill some growlers, just like the old days! This is a ticketed event, so email them for more details and to get your name on the list!

Bannerman Brewing, fresh off its inclusion in the list of the Top 50 Bars in Canada, is releasing a new pale ale, in collaboration with Iceberg Quest. Designed as a more sessionable offering, Undertow comes in at 5.5% ABV, perfect for sipping while out on the water searching for bergies (did we mention it will be available on-board Iceberg Quest’s tour boats?). Flaked and malted oats were added to the malt bill to give a soft mouthfeel, with dry-hop additions of Galaxy and Strata leading to hop notes of tropical and overripe fruit. In addition to being available onboard, cans and pints of Undertow can also be found at Bannerman’s taproom.

Tanner Brewing is back and these Chester brewers never disappoint with new styles, flavours and doing their own thing. They’re featuring a new hop variety, Harlequin, in their new beer of the same name. A UK hop that is very fruity with big passionfruit, peach and pineapple flavours and aromas, the Harlequin IPA features this hop in the boil and for dry-hopping. It is available in 500ml bottles and is 6.5% and 60 IBU. Get it from their stores and online for their weekly deliveries. 

Quidi Vidi is partnering with Jordan Blake, a member of the Newfoundland and Labrador Homebrew Club, the Newfermenters, for the release of Catharina Sour. The crew is getting creative with flavours and styles, concotting what they are calling a strawberry coffee sour. Cans of this 5.5% ABV sour are available today at the hop shop in Quidi Vidi and will see broader distribution to QV’s other retail partners next week.

In Sydney, Breton Brewing has a new seasonal release available now. Bringing the classic style to Nova Scotia (and we want more of it, whenever we can get it), West Coast Pale Ale is exactly as advertised. This clear, golden, fruity, citrus, hoppy and bitter pale ale is a treat, popping with a generous dry hop of Simcoe and Cascade. This 5.4% and 45 IBU IPA is available in 473ml cans from the taproom and also on tap; it’s also available online for delivery in CBRM and HRM. 

Spryfield’s Serpent Brewing is staying busy over the upcoming week with three new releases! Each release is a small batch run that will be available in cans only (no kegs or bottles). First up is Crystal Crescent Strawberry Kolsch. Named for the famous beach(es) (IYKYK) in nearby Sambro, this 5.9% take on the style sees an addition of strawberries to their Days End Kolsch. Next up is Cosmic, a Strawberry Guava IPA. Also coming in at 5.9%, this ale features a blench of kolsch and English yeasts to amp up the fruity esters. Expect lots of guava character along with grapefruit and jammy berries. Finally, we have Foiliole, a 5.9% hoppy witbier. This one combines a Belgian Witbier yeast with large dry hop additions of Citra and Simcoe. Expect the classic spice notes from the yeast, along with plenty of fruit character from the dry hop. Keep your eyes on Serpent’s social channels for the exact release dates throughout the week as these small batches are likely to move quickly. 

Would you believe that Fredericton’s favourite hop hustlers, Trailway Brewing, have now turned SIX? We do because we found out about it last weekend after we posted our Friday Wrap-up, and as punishment/penance, they’ve given us a fully 2 Crows-sized release to write up. The short version is, they released FOUR new beers (IPA variants, natch) all with a bit of a naming theme, and packaged them as a four-pack for maximum delight.

Up first is Tubesock Tanline, a West-coast IPA weighing in at 6.4% ABV. Not in the usual TW wheelhouse of juicy hazies, this one presents prominent biscuity and toasty notes that balance a dank, floral, and spicy hop profile and, of course, a firm old school bitterness. Sounds pretty textbook to us!

Next comes Soul Patch, an IPA made with newish hop variety Zappa and arriving at a hefty 7%. Also not in the totally typical Tw style, this one saw additions of tangerine purée and lactose to bring it into the Milkshake IPA territory. Featuring notes of passionfruit, stone fruit, and sweet citrus (maybe even reminiscent of fruity pebbles) thanks to the aforementioned Zappa plus some Citra and Cashmere, you can expect it to be pillowy soft and sweet-ish, with plenty of pungent hops.

Third in the mix is Turtleneck Tanline, representing a style they’re calling Piña Colada IPA. This 5.9% juice bomb (almost literally) was hopped nearly to death with Sabro and Vic Secret before being refermented on pineapple juice and then cold conditioned on coconut flakes. The result does what it says on the tin, and you might even think about pouring it into a poco grande glass and garnishing it with fruit!

Last in the four-pack comes Rattail Tanline, a double dry hopped IPA with one of the highest hopping rates that the gang at Trailway has ever smashed into a beer (and folks, that’s saying something!). With stalwart hazebomb varieties Citra, Galaxy, and Sultana, leading the way, there’s also a brand new variety from South Africa called Southern Sublime in the mix. Look for notes of Juicy Fruit™ gum and tropical fruit alongside floral and dank kush-like notes from this 6.5% hopjuice.

We know that these four-packs were sent out to Picaroons Saint John and CAVOK Brewing in Dieppe last weekend, but we don’t know how much is left there or at Trailway’s own taproom. You’ll just have to hope on your drive over. Meanwhile, kegs of all of these beers have been sent around the province, including Attepic in Edmundston. Hopefully those of us in the other Atlantic Provinces will get a chance to sample some of these hoppy delights as well! Happy Birthday to Trailway and here’s to another six years!

In Halifax, 2 Crows has a new beer out this week that’s intended to both represent and give back to the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. In order to do that, they teamed up with queer members on their staff, Mairi, Mairi, and Tessa, who helped put it together. The Agenda is a grapefruit and basil Radler with a splash of orange and 100% of the proceeds from its sale will be donated to South House Halifax, Kjipuktuk/Halifax’s only full time gender justice center. To celebrate this release in style, the brewery will be having a party with a Rhinestone Cowboy theme next Saturday, June 11th, with tasty morsels from Cafe Aroma Latino and DJ EFFA spinning (country-tinged?) tunes from 7PM to close. So grab your favourite stetson and a bolo tie and head on down to maybe do some line dancing and familiarise yourself with The Agenda.

Nyanza’s finest, Big Spruce Brewing,  is back with a new brew for June! Saison Opener is a perfectly named beer as we roll into summer. A foedre-fermented Saison brings classic saison flavours with a touch of funk. Finished off with a dry-hopping of Huell Melon, you’ll get nice aromas of melon and spice in this lovely 4.9% summer sipper. This is available on top now at the brewery, different outlets and will be canned next week. 

Island-hopping from Cape Breton to Newfoundland, up on the Avalon Peninsula in Mount Pearl Landwash Brewery has brought back their Prickly Fish “tiny” pale ale for the summer. Named for the wee little stickleback fish that heavily populate the brackish waters and tidepools around Newfoundland, the beer is as adorable as the little fishies it’s named after. Coming in at 3.2%, it’s got some hop pop with a lemon/pineapple/fruit cup vibe and a hazy appearance. Rolling out to all the regular spots where you find Landwash beers, including their own spot, this is a limited release, so don’t wait too too long before grabbing yourself some!

Further north on the Rock, we find Port Rexton Brewing, where they’re releasing a brand new beer in a brand new packaging format. Small Trek is a 4% ABV light lager that they’re calling “the perfect summer sipper”. You can safely expect this one to be clean, crisp, and refreshing, but also convenient. Available, like most other PR brews in 473 mL cans, this one is also being packaged in 355 mL cans that are available in 6-packs (with compostable rings!), a first for the brewery. Already available at the tap room, it should also have appeared on the shelves of their Saint John’s Retail Shop by the time you read this, and will see wider distro through the usual channels in the coming days and weeks.

Sticking with the island theme a little longer, Montague, PEI’s Copper Bottom Brewing is celebrating the arrival of patio season with their new Sour IPA. Part of their Field Trip series of fruited sour beers, this one also brings some hops. Which one(s)? You’ll have to taste yourself and try to figure it out. Bright, tart, and tropical, this beer is 5.0% ABV and available at the taproom for pints, and in 473 mL cans to go, for online orders, and at select PEILCC locations starting this weekend.

Wolfville’s Church Brewing Co. is jumping on the easy drinking lager train in time for summer. Atlantic Lager is a 5% ABV lager that features Pilsen malt alongside Magnum and Saphir hops. Expect herbal notes, alongside floral or lemony aromas. Keep an eye on Church’s social channels for release details.

O’Creek Brewing in Dieppe, New Brunswick, has a new canned product out this week! Paradox Ale is a New England IPA, full of big tropical punch notes of citrus, mango, and pineapple, with a touch of coconut in for good measure. This is a limited release, so head to CAVOK Brewing and Dieppe and Greater Moncton-area ANBL stores to grab cans of this 6.0% summer sipper today! And we may be letting the cat out of the bag a little early, but big things are oming for O’Creek in 2022, with a larger system, larger space of their own, and wider distribution of more beer on the horizon! We’ll be sure to pass along the important information as soon as we have it!

While we here at ACBB like to focus on informing you about locally produced beverages from across the Atlantic Provinces, we’d be remiss not to occasionally mention when some really cool beer from outside of the region becomes available (especially when it is purveyed by fine folks like Bishops Cellar). Average weeks of anticipation (you’re damn right we are constantly checking the new releases page), three releases from Toronto’s Bellwoods Brewery are hitting the shelves in 473 ml cans. Head on down to BIshops (or order online) for your chance to grab Ratclops Pale Ale, Roman Candle IPA and Jelly King today. It’s a real treat to be able to enjoy fresh hoppy beers from Bellwoods without making the trip to the Big Smoke. Kudos to Bishops for figuring out the logistics of getting the freshies here under cold storage, which is more than we can say for a certain government monopoly. For a more local option, Tanner’s Wheat Beer is making its return to Bishops as well.

If you’re reading this before Sunday, June 5th, Candid Brewing has a contest and a new beer to go along with it! First up, the beer (of course)! Twist My Arm is a 5% pale ale, starring Cascade hops that is intended to be easy-drinking with a nice punch of flavour. The contest is for an upcoming show on Saturday June 11, as The Fabulously Rich play a 3-hour set dedicated to The Tragically Hip. The winner will also win a prize pack from the brewery in addition to the tickets. Check out their social media for contest details.

Just in time for summer, tourists, and NBers travelling around their own province, the lovely St. Andrews in New Brunswick is home to a brand new brewery space and taproom that is now open. Right downtown, Saint Andrews Brewing  is open with 12 taps, a big patio and some snacks. Don’t worry, though, they will also still be on tap at other local establishments in Saint Andrews. While we will have more news coming, we can tell you they’re open 7 days a week with their favourite English-inspired ales and more.

Staying in New Brunswick, Off Grid Ales changed ownership after the the former owners followed through on plans to sell the brewery about a year ago. While Off Grid is known for being entirely self-sufficient (and tasty!), their 15-barrel production system powered by solar panels and wind turbines will be moving into a bigger space and switching to cans later this month. The move to Magaguadavic (only 20min west from the current Harvey Station location) will also see an increase to a 30-barrel system. The move is planned to be complete in early August following the New Brunswick long weekend. Check out the full news article here. 

A few bits of news out of Boxing Rock, as they’ve rebranded their 6.6% IPA and it’s available now at most NSLCs in 4x473ml packs. Also, those of you in Halifax may not have known about their location on Agricola within Local Source. The pairing has been hard at work moving to their bigger and better location at the corner of Windsor and Almon, so keep an eye out for their official opening date.