The Nook and Cranny

All posts tagged The Nook and Cranny

Good morning! We hope everyone is recovering from a busy past week – with the Fredericton Craft Beer Festival last Saturday and yesterday being St. Patrick’s Day, there’s probably some recuperating to be done! Well, sit back and have a read…

• This year’s fourth annual FCBF was a huge success, as usual! Here’s a few stats to sum it all up for those of you who unfortunately were not able to attend:
– 1500+ attendees over two sessions (afternoon and evening), 50 volunteers.
– 52+ breweries, 200+ beers, ciders and mead, and 200 brewers and suppliers on-hand to pour and chat.
– $2000 raised for Mosaic Down Syndrome, and $20,000 to Team Diabetes.
– A new FCBF app was launched and very-well received.
Next year’s Fest Week has already been set, and will run March 5-12, 2017. Aims for next year are to build up the afternoon session even more, and offer more events throughout the week leading up to the festival, with several tap takeovers tentatively planned for across the city (think: NB, NS, and PEI pavilions of beer). And if you’re an FCBF Alumni (i.e. have attended all four FCBFs), look out for something special coming your way in 2017!

• Fredericton’s second cidery, York County Cider, officially opens for business today! After debuting their ciders at last Saturday’s FCBF, the storefront to their cidery – located at 418 York St. – will open to the public today from 4-7 pm. They will be selling 1.89 L growlers of their ciders, and will also be filling 1.89 L, 1 L, and 750 mL clean growlers from other breweries (prices for fills are $15, $7.50, and $6, respectively). Five different products will be available:
In The Beginning, an original dry
Sweet William, a semi-dry
An Apple a Day, cider hopped with Falconer’s Flight
Ginger Snap, made with real, fresh ginger
Like an Academic, featuring 100% New Brunswick-grown blueberries
All of the ciders are made with locally-grown apples, and come in at 6.5% ABV. Glassware and t-shirts will also be available for purchase, and the storefront will be open all weekend (Friday 4-11pm, Sat noon-11 pm, and Sun noon-6pm). Be sure to drop by to fill a growler or two!

• And while on the subject of Fredericton cider, Red Rover opened their new storefront location last weekend. The Abbey Cafe is located downtown at 546 Queen St., and will have multiple RR ciders on tap for 5 oz samples, 12 oz pours, and flagon fills, along with a tap dedicated to guest cider in the future, and one tap dedicated to craft beer. Open 12-9 pm Monday through Saturday, the location also has equipment dedicated to 1500 L fermentation capacity, acting as the cidery’s pilot system, allowing RR to experiment with new styles. Note that the original Ciderhouse (880 Hanwell Rd) will still be the home of the majority of the cider-making and equipment, but will no longer be a location for flagon fills. If you’re downtown this weekend, head on in and check out the new spot!

• Even more cider news! Annapolis Cider Company has announced that they will be opening this April in Wolfville, NS. Co-founded by Gina Haverstock, winemaker at Gaspereau Vineyards, and Sean Myles, Dalhousie University apple researcher, the cidery and accompanying tasting room will be found on Main St. in Wolfville, where their ciders will be available for samples and in refillable bottles. Also on the team is manager Katie Barbour and cidermaker Melanie Eelman, who also has a PhD in Chemistry. Their first two releases will be Juicy & Sweet, a 5.6% ABV cider that combines dry-fermented cider with freshly-pressed apple juice, and Crisp & Dry, a 7.7% ABV cider that leans more heavily on cider, but still includes a “touch” of apple juice. Visitors will be invited to enjoy tours and tastings, and will be able to view the cider making process directly from the tasting bar. We’ll keep you updated on their progress; in the meantime, be sure to follow along with their Twitter account for more news.

Grimross has a new beer out, Brett Saison. Fermented and conditioned for over a month with a blend of a Belgian Saccharomyces strain and a Brettanomyces strain, it’s a light golden, dry beer that exhibits “rustic” Saison characteristics, along with some light funk and fruity character from the Brett. If you’re able to purchase a growler to hold on to, you’ll most likely notice the Brett character increasing over time, as the yeast will continue to eat some leftover sugars. Weighing in at 6% ABV and 21 IBUs, this light and refreshing beer is available for growlers fills and pints at the brewery, and is on tap at select locations.

• There’s some new-beer news coming from Pump House this week. First off, they’re releasing two more beers in bottles at ANBL stores next week, one of which is Muddy River Stout: a long-time tap-only beer, it’s an Oatmeal Stout featuring lots of roast, Espresso, and chocolate in the aroma and flavours, and still manages to weigh in at a sessionable 4.5% ABV. The other is Best Friend Märzen Lager; not to be confused with their Oktoberfest seasonal, this is a different beer altogether that uses Hallertau hops for bittering (18 IBUs) and aroma to complement the “strong nose of sweet malt aromas” and a “pleasant sweetness from Vienna and aroma-friendly malts”, according to the brewery; it clocks in at 5.5% ABV. Finally, PH released a Black Irish IPA yesterday for St. Patrick’s Day. A big beer at 8% ABV and 65 IBUs, this dark IPA was dry-hopped with Warrior. On tap at the brewpub while supplies last, it can also be found at the new SJ East ANBL growler station this weekend.

• Halifax’s Good Robot has released their latest CommuniBrew beer in the SMaSH Bros series: Rakauchu IPA. SMaSH beers feature a Single Malt and Single Hop, and for his beer, local homebrewer Miles Bishop chose Munich malt for a light body with a touch of toast/bread/caramel flavours, and New Zealand Rakau hops. The hops were added throughout the brew, including first wort, and several additions late in the boil, for a pleasing bitterness and big nose of berry, citrus, and pear. As with all of the CommuniBrew beers, they are brewed on GR’s Sabco Brew Magic system, so there will only be one keg of the beer available, at the Taproom. And at a very sessionable 5.5% ABV, we suspect it won’t last long!

• In fact, look for GR’s next CommuniBrew beer to be tapped this weekend, The Cookie Jar. Developed and brewed by homebrewer Keith Forbes, this 8.2% White Stout is a hybrid of styles: the beer features big portions of Wheat malt and Oats to add mouthfeel and complexity to the Pale base, with a light bittering charge of Warrior to balance. The addition of Brown Sugar, Cinnamon sticks, Cocoa nibs, Lactose, Toasted Coconut, and Vanilla Beans take it to the next level, however! The resultant aroma and flavour is reminiscent of a Specialty Stout, with the appearance of a Pale Ale. Taproom only, folks!

Paddy’s Irish Pub has a pair of new beers on tap, at both their Kentville and Wolfville locations. Their Black IPA is a 5.7% ABV dark beer, with a nod to American IPAs, featuring plenty of Falconer’s Flight hops for a robust 67 IBUs, and berry, citrus, and stonefruit characters in both aroma and flavour.  Their very popular Oatmeal Stout has returned: rolled oats give this 5.0% ABV beer a smooth mouthfeel, with the dark kilned malts lending notes of choclate and coffee. Both of these new brews are on tap at both locations, for both pints and in growlers to take away. And keep an eye out for a brand new beer, coming soon: Rye Saison. This 5.0% ABV pale saison was fermented with a Belgian yeast strain for big fruit and spicy characters, with a pepper note enhanced by the addition of malted rye.

• In more Paddy’s news, they will be hosting their second Brewer’s Dinner, Tuesday April 5th, 7-9pm. It will feature four courses of food, each carefully paired with one of Brewer Kirsten MacDonald’s creations from the brewery:
1st course: Spring salad with Blueberry Ale dressing
2nd course: Acorn squash stuffed with quinoa
3rd course: Beef Wellington (veg option: Veggie Wellington)
4th course: Sticky toffee pudding
The event will be taking place in the Brewer’s Hall, upstairs at their Wolfville location. Tickets are available at Paddy’s Wolfville now.

• Shelburne’s Boxing Rock has brought back two previous favourites this week. The first is La Rive Du Sud, a 7.5% ABV Bière de Garde. Based on the style originally (and still) brewed in Northern France, it is a malt-forward beer, with light toasted and caramel malt aromas meeting a slightly sweet finish with a touch of Noble hops. It is available at the brewery now in bottles and growler fills, this weekend at the Farmers Market in growlers, and on tap at better beer bars and restaurants. Also re-launching this week is Wild Axe Bohemian Pilsner. This 5.7% ABV is keeping it traditional, brewed with 100% Bohemian Pilsener malt and Czech Saaz hops. The extended lagering process leaves a crisp and refreshing beer that is supremely drinkable. The beer with be launched at Timber Lounge, a new Axe Throwing space on Agricola St, and will also be on tap around HRM, and in bottles at the private beer stores.

• Truro’s Nook and Cranny has released a new brew pouring this week. Their Amber Ale was produced on their DME Smart Brew system, which allows them to ferment beer right on the premises, adding in their own take on base recipes and styles. For the Amber, they dry-hopped the beer with Cascade, Centennial, and Galaxy hops, for a solid hop punch with stone fruit character. This 5.5% ABV and 55 IBUs beer is only available on tap at their pub on Prince Street.

• Attention St John’s (and the rest of the Rock) Good Beer Fans! The Inaugural St John’s Brew Fest is coming your way! Presented by some of the same people behind the Newfoundland Labrador Artisanal and Craft Beer Club (NLACBC, formerly Beerthief Beer Club), they’ve been sharing their passion for great beers to the public for several years, so a Festival is the next logical step. Featuring more than 60 beers from 20+ breweries (and the number is growing weekly), many of which are not otherwise available in the province, the three sessions will feature low entrance fees, and a pay-per-sample pricing scheme. This will encourage thoughtful enjoyment, rather than “trying to get one’s money worth” by drinking as much as possible. The event is being held June 17 & 18, with three sessions (one Friday evening, two Saturday), and tickets will be on sale Monday March 21st.

• From one Island to another, Upstreet Brewmaster Mike Hogan (from Prince Edward Island) is visiting Cape Breton Island’s Breton Brewing today for a collaboration brew. Inspired by the upcoming East Coast Music Awards, being held in Sydney April 13-17, they are having a jam session of their own today. An Extra Special Bitter, it features Maritime Malt, and New Brunswick-grown Golding hops. The beer will be launched at Breton at the start of ECMA weekend, and the Upstreet team, along with several of their beers on Breton’s guest taps, will be onsite to celebrate.

That’s it for this week! As usual, a few final notes:
Picaroons had several variants of their Timberhog stout (such as Ginger, Coffee, and Chocolate Vanilla) available for growler fills at the Brewtique yesterday for St. Paddy’s Day; there may still be some available, so be sure to stop by if you missed out.
– Speaking of St. Patrick’s Day beer releases, there will be no 7th Wave series release at Spindrift today, as they did a special release of Dry Irish Stout yesterday for the holiday.
Gahan House Halifax is on the lookout for a Brewer at their Historic Properties location. There are a few details on their Facebook page, and interested folks should contact them ASAP, in order to work with Karen Allen before she leaves.
– YellowBelly Patrick’s Pale Ale was released this week, featuring Cascade hops throughout the process. It is available on tap, as well as in bottles at the bar, and the NLC.
PEI Brewing Co. has brought back their 8.1% ABV Doppelbock, Reanimator, which is available now in cans at the brewery; it will follow soon at PEILCC stores, with the ANBL not far behind.
Nine Locks is starting to release some of their beers in cans: ESB is available now at the brewery, with IPA following shortly on Monday evening, and their Porter and Blonde Wednesday evening.
– Due to a trademark dispute, Somerset’s Bad Apple Brewhouse will now be selling their beer outside of Nova Scotia under the name Mosaic Brewing Co.; but if you’re in NS, don’t worry, the BAB name still stands! Check out their link for more details.

G’day! Along with your weekly dose of regional beer news comes the announcement of yet another new brewery in Atlantic Canada. Let’s get to it!

• Fredericton will soon be seeing the launch of the city’s very first brewpub, as Mama’s Pub (a local establishment that has been operating on Fredericton’s North Side for 23 years) plans to start brewing on a 2 BBL (~225 L) system in the near future. Manager Ryan Kingston will be the brewer, and has developed several “flagship beer” recipes with the help of brewer/consultant Andrew ‘Esty’ Estabrooks. They plan on launching their first three beers – an American Pale Ale, Brown Ale, and Session IPA – by Christmas, with Estabrooks staying on as consultant to see the brewery through its initial developing stages. All beers will be available on tap at Mama’s only, with four seasonal rotating beers to follow in 2016. Plans currently include growler fills onsite sometime in the future, and there will be 15 other taps in addition to the Mama’s beers. We’ll have a Q&A posted in the near future; stay tuned!

Picaroons has announced future plans to open a brewery and retail space in downtown St. Stephen. Located at 5 King St., the establishment will be in collaboration with an “experienced chef”, who will run a co-joined but separately-operated brewpub. Still in the development phase, the current working name is The Five Kings. We’ll have more details in the future as they become available!

• We also have details on the opening date plans for Battery Park Beer Bar in Dartmouth. This joint venture between Brooklyn Warehouse and North Brewing will be opening their doors December 10th. Why December 10th? Owner Leo Christakos is a board member of the Slow Food NS association, and their annual Terra Madre Day is on that date, celebrating the founding of Slow Food in 1989. The Terra Madre initiative is a celebration of local food (including beer) through community events, including meals, festivals, workshops and more. BPBB’s opening will be a culmination of their months of preparation, and so it is fitting to hold it on that date. They will be pouring several new beers and current favourites, both brewed onsite and at North’s Agricola Street location. As the exact timing and beer details are announced, we’ll be sure to share them. And drop by North today after noon to pick up a bottle of Two, the beer brewed in celebration of Stillwell’s second anniversary.

• Moncton’s Pump House Brewery has released the 2015 edition of their Stonefire Ale. It was brewed using the Steinbier technique, which involves heating the wort not by heating a kettle, but by super-heating rocks to 700C and dropping them directly into the wort. This leads to lots of sugar caramelization, and even a faint hint of smokiness in the final product. The bitterness of the beer is very low, under 10 IBUs, leaving lots of room for the 6.5% ABV, with the beer coming through slightly sweet. It is widely available at the ANBL in bottles now. Pump House has also brought back their Bière de Garde seasonal, a 6.5% ABV amber beer with Belgian yeast character spiciness, and balancing hop bitterness from Chinook and Golding.

Garrison Brewing is coming to Sackville, New Brunswick in the form of a massive tap-takeover at Ducky’s Bar! Starting tomorrow, November 21st, at 7 pm, there will be 18 taps pouring various Garrison beers, many of which are special releases such as Not So Gentle Tickle IPA, Double Jack Imperial Pumpkin Ale, 3 Fields Harvest, Sweet Rye’d Harvest Wheat Ale, and their Proud Rose-Mary, the “Gastronome IPA” normally exclusive to the harbourstone sea grill & pour house in Halifax. There is no cover charge, but if you purchase a ticket for $10, you will receive a specially-branded Belgian-style glass and five 5 oz drink tickets; sign up in advance at the bar, and you get an additional two drink tickets. Those with the branded glass will be able to purchase additional 5 oz pours for the special price of $2.25.

• In additional Garrison news, their seasonal Winter Warmer is back, starting today. Just in time for colder temperatures, this 7% ABV dark beer is perfect for sipping, and, new this year, is available in 6-packs, perfect for sharing (or not!). And next Saturday, the 28th, will see the launch of this year’s Spruce Beer, with a cask of both the Spruce Beer and Winter Warmer, as well as mulled cider, on at the brewery.

PEI Brewing Co. has officially set the date for this year’s Transmitter Coffee Stout release. A delicious beer that was brewed in collaboration with local Receiver Coffee Co., last year’s batch featured plenty of roasted coffee flavour and aroma, and was more than worth the Herculean task of getting the wax off the bottle cap! The 750 mL bottles will be available for purchase at the brewery starting at 5 pm next Tuesday (November 24th); there will be live music from Dave Woodside until 7pm, and both PEIBC brewers and Receiver employees will be on hand to answer questions about the beer and coffee (with samples of both available for sampling). Like last year’s batch, supplies will be limited, so load up while you have the chance! And for you procrastinators, there are still a few bottles available of Hell Street, their barrel-aged Doppelbock, at both the brewery and PEILCC.

• The seasonal beer re-release news doesn’t stop there, as Propeller‘s very popular Russian Imperial Stout, Revolution, is back for another year. Already in bottles and on tap at their Halifax and Dartmouth brewery shops, it will also be popping up soon at NSLC stores in the next few weeks. This dark, strong (8% ABV), complex ale features plenty of roasted and chocolate notes, along with a smooth, warming finish from the higher alcohol. For the first time, it will also be available at select ANBL locations by early 2016.

Big Spruce has just released Gimme Simcoe, the latest in the “Gimme” line of single-hop Pale Ales, with Bar Stillwell as conspirators. Weighing in at 5.0% ABV, this light-bodied brew showcases the Simcoe hop, added especially late in the process to magnify the hop’s aroma and flavour over bitterness. On tap now at the brewery, and shortly at Stillwell and elsewhere in our region. And one final reminder, entry forms for the Home Brew Challenge are due via email Nov 23rd, and beers must be submitted to the brewery, or the Halifax drop-point, no later than Friday the 27th.

• The Nook and Cranny in Truro has a new beer on tap at the pub. Their first dark beer is a 4.7% ABV Milk Stout, brewed on-site on their SmartBrew system. Smooth-drinking, with a bit of roast and sweetness, it should be a great beer for the cooler months. Like the rest of their beers, it’s currently available at the pub for pints and growler fills.

• The Ladies Beer League is holding a Holiday Brunch at Stillwell on December 6th. The party starts at noon with the launching of the Boxing Rock/Big Spruce collaboration Triskaidekaphobia, plus some great brunch food from Chef Graeme Ruppel, including Eggs Benedict, Frittata, and Biscuits & Gravy. Tickets are $32.40, and include food and first pour of Tris, and LBL members receive a $5 discount. Doors open at 4pm to the public.

That’s it for this week! If you’re in Charlottetown, BarNone‘s award-winning Black IPA, Black Eye P.A., has returned; you can find it on tap at Baba’s Lounge and The Old Triangle. And another award-winning beer, La Buckdjeuve from Petit-Sault, is currently pouring at all four ANBL growler stations, is available in bottles at the brewery now and in select ANBL locations starting next week (if you don’t see it, ask for it!), for a limited time only. Grimross has re-released their Maritime Amber Ale, a 5.6% ABV beer hopped towards the British side of the spectrum (earthy instead of fruity/citrusy). Finally, tomorrow is the third annual Fredericton Poutine Festival; the sold-out event will feature 11 breweries pouring approximately 25 different different beers, ciders and mead, served with unlimited samples of over 12 different styles of poutine! Hope to see you there!

Happy long weekend! Once again, plenty of beer news to share, including the opening of yet another brewery in Nova Scotia in the near future. Let’s dive right in…

• There is another new brewery coming to our region in the near future. Nine Locks Brewery will be opening near Lake Micmac in Dartmouth, NS in the next couple of months. It is a collaboration between Shaun O’Hearn (owner of Rockbottom Brewpub) and business partner Danny O’Hearn, with current Rockbottom head brewer Jake Saunders moving into the Brewmaster role across the bridge, and former Brutopia Brewmaster Chris Downey joining the team. Nine Locks will be focusing on American and English style beers, launching with an IPA and ESB, with more to follow shortly. Their beer will be available in cans and growlers at their storefront at 219 Waverley Rd, through the NSLC and private stores, and on tap at local bars and restaurants. Their 20 BBL/24hl DME brewhouse is being delivered next week, with launch expected late November/early December. Their website and social media pages will be launched shortly, and we’ll be sure to keep you up to date with their progress.

• Speaking of new breweries, FirkinStein are expanding their growler delivery program, and will be attending this weekend’s Hubbards Barn Farmers’ Market. From 8am-12pm (if the beer isn’t sold out earlier!), their Nor’easter Ale will be available to purchase in 0.95 & 1.89l growlers, along with their new branded glassware. They will be at the market for the next few weeks, until it closes for the season. And remember that their Bridgewater-area growler delivery service is available a few nights per week, contact them on Facebook or Twitter to get on board!

• YellowBelly Brewery in St John’s has brought back their popular Deep South IPA for a second go ’round. This New Zealand-, Australian- and American-inspired IPA features Pacific Gem hops from New Zealand and Mosaic hops from Australia for tropical fruit, grapefruit, and mint flavours and aromas. Like the previous batch, the Deep South was fermented with an American ale yeast (instead of their house British strain), to allow the hops to shine through even more. The IPA weighs in at 6.0% ABV and roughly 60 IBUs, and is available now on tap, and in take-away bottles shortly.

Grimross has re-released their popular Chantelope, an all-Brettanomyces-fermented “wild ale”. First making its debut in August of 2014, this is the first batch that has been brewed since the brewery opened at their current location on Bishop Drive in Fredericton early this year. While the first brew was fermented with Brettanomyces bruxellensis, owner/brewer Stephen Dixon decided to try a different strain for this current batch: Brettanomyces brux. var. Drie, an isolate from the excellent Belgian brewery, Drie Fonteinen. Dixon says that the new Chantelope is “extremely fruity and flowery”, with lots of pineapple, tropical fruit, and candy-like aromas and flavours, along with a “jasmine-like” character. This light-coloured ale comes in at a lower-ABV (5.4%) than before, with about 23 IBUs. It’s available now at the brewery taproom for pours and growler fills, and at select Grimross accounts in the province. And just this morning, they’ve just released another batch of their Dubbel, back again after a few week hiatus. Look for the beer details here.

• Attention PEI beer lovers! There’ll be a new beer dropping today at 6pm. Literally! Upstreet is releasing their fall seasonal, Gravedigger Imperial Pumpkin Ale today, and are starting it off with a bang. They’ll be dropping a 200kg local pumpkin from 20 metres to make a big splash/splat, to kick-off the release. Before crying foul, they are using the opportunity to kick off a food drive in their tap room, where anyone bringing in a non-perishable food item will enjoy staff-priced pints until Oct 31st. So, what about the beer? It is years in the making, and was first brewed on a homebrew scale by Brewmaster Mike Hogan, along with local homebrewer Ryan Palmer a couple of years ago. The recipe uses a big malt bill, for a solid base to support the pumpkin pie character throughout. The beer weighs in at 7.5% ABV and about 30 IBUs. And while at the brewery, check out the beautiful screen-printed posters from Upstreet label artist Jud Haynes, each one numbered and signed by the artist. And keep an eye on their Facebook and Twitter feeds for more details on other upcoming events, including Yoga at the Brewery tomorrow, a fundraiser for Anderson House next Saturday, and their first Comedy Show, featuring Gavin Stephens, on Monday, October 19.

• Shediac’s Flying Boats Brewing, which has been operating for the last few months, has just seen a major expansion with the arrival of their 2 BBL/2.4 hectolitre system from Stout Tanks and Kettles. With a hot liquor tank, mash tun, boil kettle, brite tank, and four fermentation vessels, this will allow owner/brewer Marc Melanson to brew significantly more beer than previously able on his original, 10 gallon system. Several small-scale batches will be brewed at first to dial-in the new brewery, with full-size brews to follow shortly afterwards to meet “growing demand”, and supply new accounts who have been eagerly waiting to pour Flying Boats beer!

• Nyanza’a Big Spruce Brewing will be releasing their annual pumpkin beer next week. Smokin’ Jack It features the addition of several home farm-grown pumpkins, apple wood smoked right at the brewery. After fermentation, the beer was aged on rum-soaked cardamom, vanilla and cinnamon. It comes in at 5.5% ABV; look for it on tap at the brewery mid-week, and at better beer bars shortly thereafter. Don’t forget to drop by today starting at 11:30 for some food from Cruisin’ Cuisine Food Truck, with music by Maxim Cormier at 2pm. In fact, every afternoon from Oct 9-17 (except Sunday the 11th) at 2pm, there will be live music as part of the Celtic Colours festival. Check their Facebook page for the exact schedule. And Big Spruce also has an exciting program in the works with the folks at Escarpment Laboratories in Ontario, look for details on that in the coming months.

• Fredericton’s James Joyce Irish Pub has announced the launch of their “Meet your Makers”, an ongoing series of tap takeovers. An opportunity to try several brews from one brewery, each will also provide a chance to chat with the brewer(s) in a quiet setting and ask them questions on their process, ingredients, future plans, etc. A brewery-related food special will also be available at each event. First up is Big Axe on Friday, October 23rd. Starting at 7:30 pm, owners Peter and Tatiana Cole will be bringing at least six of their beers. Details on exactly which beers are not yet known, but they HAVE brewed up something special for this event, featuring the honey produced on the rooftop of the Crowne Plaza. Their latest re-release of the Wrath of Putin “Imperial Pale Ale” (out today) should be appearing as well. There’s no cost to attend, just show up and pay by the beer! Big Axe merchandise will be on hand for purchase.

• And while on the topic, the next Meet Your Makers has already been planned for Thursday, November 5th, to coincide with Guy Fawkes Night. Featuring Red Rover, expect plenty of cider on tap (including one or two new releases), with a good chance of a cask cider as well. A Guy Fawkes effigy will hang out in the pub until 10:30 pm, when it will be taken outside and burned in a bonfire (don’t worry, they have a permit!). More details to come.

Garrison Brewing has a few new beers available now. Their 3 Fields Harvest Ale is out, brewed with fresh hops from Meander River Farm, Ross Farm Museum, and Wyskmykal Farm, added to the brew within hours of harvest. The beer weighs in at a hefty 6.4% ABV. On tap at the brewery only, they have brewed up a special cask of Cranapple Weisse, a cranberry- and apple-infused wheat beer, 5.0% ABV. For those in New Brunswick, look for their American Red on tap at the four ANBL growler filling stations. This blend of their Irish Red and India Pala Ale brings together the best of both worlds. Look out for a second batch of their Double Jack Imperial Pumpkin Ale to be refilling shelves at the brewery, NSLC, and beyond. Finally, Modem Hoperandi, celebrating The Stanfields‘ new album release, is also out now at the brewery.

• The 2nd Annual ACBAs are back, and tickets are now available to purchase for the Awards Gala at the Stubborn Goat. On Sunday, October 18th, the winners will be announced and the celebrations can begin! The Goat’s Chef Tyler Smith will be preparing a multi-course dinner, each course paired with a local beer. Tickets are available online now.

• Early Bird tickets for the Local Connection Halifax’s Craft Beer & Local Food Celebration are moving quickly, so be sure to snap them up soon to avoid disappointment. The Jan 16 event is moving to a larger venue, which means more room for more breweries, restaurants, and attendees. It always features several special casks and special brews, including Big Spruce’s Home Brew Challenge winner (btw homebrewers, just under two months to go until judging, so best get your brew on now!).

• The Nook and Cranny has released a Pumpkin Spiced Ale, which is now on tap at the brewpub. Brewed along the lines of a Wheat Ale, a pumpkin spiced tea (featuring cinnamon, ginger, and pumpkin spices) was steeped and added to the beer. Served with a sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg rim, it weighs in at 4.5% ABV. Drop down to try a pint before it’s gone for the season!

Have a fantastic Thanksgiving! Remember, lots of beer styles pair perfectly with turkey. If you’re in the Moncton area tonight, remember that the Atlantic Canadian Craft Beer Oktoberfest starts at 7:30 pm (6:30 for VIP); tickets are still available.

Finally, a few housekeeping notes to end this week’s post: we have added a Growler page to our site this week. We wanted to take stock of all locations in our region selling growlers, and their different filling/return policies. Please let us know if you find a mistake. Also this week, our Facebook page was “upgraded”, which meant we lost the ability to Friend people. Please don’t take it personally! Our Atlantic Canada Beer Pages list had to be rebuilt from scratch, so if we’ve missed anything important, please let us know too. Cheers!