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Friday Wrap-Up for October 23, 2020 – News from Upstreet, Niche, Good Robot, Big Spruce, Quidi Vidi, Serpent, and More!!

Posted by acbbchris on 2020-10-23
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: 2 Crows Brewing, 902 BrewCast, Battery Park, Big Spruce Brewing, Bogside Brewing, Booms, Boomstick Brewing, CBANS, Change Is Brewing Collective, Craft Brewers Association of Nova Scotia, Grimross Brewing, HopYard, Landwash Brewery, Niche Brewing, North Brewing, Ol' Biddy's Brew House, Quidi Vidi Brewery, Serpent Brewing, Tidehouse Brewing, Tire Shack Brewing, Topside Brewing, Upstreet BBQ Brewhouse, Upstreet Craft Brewing. Leave a Comment

Happy Friday, everyone! We’re closing in on the end of October, and the weather has definitely turned chilly in the region. And snow in Labrador, but that’s to be expected in July, too! 😉 A full case of beer news for you today, so let us tarry no further and get you up to speed!

Do you like your hoppy beers with a low amount of alcohol? And by low, we mean… in the non-alcoholic range? If you do, Upstreet has just the beer for you! Libra North Cape Pale Ale is golden-coloured APA lightly hopped (both in the whirlpool and dry-hop) with Amarillo, Citra, and Simcoe, that weighs in at… 0.4% ABV. Yes, 0.4%! They insist it has been fully fermented with a “regular beer yeast”, but that’s all they’re willing to divulge. Either way, they’re hoping the ultra-low ABV won’t scare you away from enjoying a hop-flavoured beverage! It’s available at the Upstreet taproom and Craft Beer Corner in Charlottetown, and should be pouring at the BBQ Brewhouse in Dartmouth next week. You may even see it in some of the Halifax private stores, as well. And seeing as it’s non-alcoholic, it can be ordered for Canada-wide delivery through the brand’s website, DrinkLibra.ca. 

The Pride of Hanwell never stops churning out the good stuff, as Niche has a new draft release this week and a bottle release coming soon. First up, Sabro Sour Session IPA, is a sour Session IPA dry-hopped with only Sabro (well that was anticlimactic). This beer comes through with those nice Sabro coconut notes (coconotes) along with lots of citrus flavour coming through with some tartness. Coming in at 4.4%, this easy-drinking and refreshing ale will be at the usual local accounts in New Brunswick this week. 

As for their newest bottle release, Pau Hana, (Hawaiian for “end of the work day”) Niche delivers a barrel aged fruited Saison with time on its side. Pau Hana was fermented with a blend of Sacch and Brett strains and aged in a freshly-emptied Chardonnay barrel for over a year. The beer then went back to stainless for several more months on pineapple and pink guava puree. The flavours here should be oaky, dry, funky, with tons of fruit (especially guava). Pau Hana comes in at 5.8% and is marked for release next week for bottles going out next week around Fredericton and Moncton. We’ll be sure to get the details for the blog next week so you can get your paws on this tasty treat. 

For those of you in Nova Scotia who don’t live in the center of the universe, aka the HRM, you’ll be happy to hear that your hard workers at Good Robot are now shipping beer province-wide. Just make sure to have your order in by 3 pm, and it’ll ship out the next day (weekends excluded, of course). Orders need to be placed in multiples of 12 cans, and you’ll need your ID on delivery to prove you’re legally able to consume sweet, sweet beer. And what better way to christen your first order than with a new beer? Well, more good news then, as their latest, Sour Cherry Camacho, is available for purchase this weekend. This one is a “Sour Cherry Marzen” (!) brewed with a healthy portion of Vienna malt in the grist, as well as a blend of three forms of cherry: puree, extract, and juice. It comes in at 6% and features, as you might have guessed, a lot of cherry presence, along with some biscuity, bready notes. 

Brand-spanking-new Double IPA from Big Spruce coming your way! Fou D’Amour is an 8% ABV hazy wonder hopped entirely with Barbe Rouge, a fairly new French variety that gives the beer a big blast of “ripe strawberry, ruby grapefruit, and kumquat”. With a soft mouthfeel and tons of aroma, it should be just the hoppy ticket to get you through your weekend. You can find it on tap and in 650 mL bottles at the Sprucetique in Nyanza, and of course you’ll very likely see it at some of your favourite watering holes near the brewery, as well as in the HRM.

If you love beer and live in St. John’s, you’ve probably been pretty happy with all of the one-offs that Quidi Vidi has been releasing lately… and we don’t blame you, you lucky dogs! This weekend they’ve got yet another one, Citra Lager. An easy-drinking Lager hopped with Citra, it has a “bright citrus aroma and a light-bodied flavour, with a mild, bitter finish”. Available at the brewery’s Hops Shop, it can also be found at NLCs and convenience stores across Newfoundland, once deliveries are completed. 

Newly-opened Serpent Brewing in Halifax is only a few weeks old, but they’ve already got their fourth product available for purchase! Notice we say “product” and not “beer”, because, well… it’s not a beer. It’s a cider they’ve named The Bite. Made from a mix of juice from three different apple varieties from the Annapolis Valley, it was fermented in two separate vessels, with two different yeasts (one of which is a Belgian strain). Blended back together once fermentation was complete, the final, semi-dry 5.0% cider has “a subtle, rustic quality, while retaining the delicate flavour of the apples”. It’s available in 500 mL bottles, and can be purchased directly at the brewery, or online for pickup or local delivery.

Our friends at North Brewing have a bright, new beer for you to share (or hoard, we won’t judge) this weekend – Rosy Berry Saison was fermented with the Old World Saison yeast strain from Escarpment Labs, with additions of local blackberries and raspberries from Noggins Corner Farm Market. Dark orange in colour, with “notes of berry, melon, and grapefruit, with a pleasant, peppery Saison finish”, it sounds like just the beverage for this time of year. It’s launching today for purchase at both retail shops, as well as online; it’ll also be on tap at Battery Park.

Let’s return to hops (because, really, that’s still where a lot of beers go these days) with Landwash Brewery, who have a new iteration of their super-hoppy Double IPA, Dream Island. This batch features multiple additions of both Sabro and Bru-1, loading the aromas and flavours with “notes of macerated peaches, ripe mangos, and juicy oranges”. Weighing in around 8% ABV, you can grab it at the brewery right now (on tap and in cans), or arrange an order online for pickup.

Corner Brook’s Boomstick Brewing is celebrating the holiest of beer celebrations with their own Oktoberfest tomorrow. Their sister Best Coast Restaurant is converting into a beer tent for the day, complete with plenty of decorations and ambiance, in addition to the necessary music, food (brats, kraut, pretzels, mustard, and lots more!), and of course a beer worthy of celebration. Just like at Wiesn, the mayor will be tapping the first keg! The Boomstick Crew has chosen a modern Marzen, along the lines of a Helles style. The best way to take part in the fun is to book a table with your Bubble Buddies, for one of the three seatings (1 – 4 PM, 5 – 8 PM, and 9 PM – midnight). Call 709-388-0144 to RSVP. And if you can’t make it, no shame, the beer will be canned and available to others this weekend as well!

There are a bunch of great events happening this weekend, so if you’re so inclined, we encourage you to get out and get some local beer into you, safely, of course!

We’ve got three events for our Prince Edward pals to get you up and out of the house this weekend:

HopYard in downtown Charlottetown is hosting the European-inspired Grimross Brewing to take over their taps today and tomorrow. Nine taps will be pouring, with a great mix of their Belgian Cheval D’or, German Kings Horn, Brunswick Pils, and Oktoberfest, as well as the Maritime Cream Ale and Pale Ale. Plus a few more treats for you to discover!

Montague’s Bogside Brewing is holding their Oktobeer Fest Saturday afternoon 2 – 5 PM, with live music, pretzels, bratwurst, schnitzel, as well as a full complement of their German beers a-flowing. And if you do opt for those, you’ll get them at a sweet discount! Check out their Instagram for more details.

We already chatted about Upstreet a bit earlier with their new Libra release, but also wanted to highlight that their Gravedigger Ghost Tours are on this weekend and next. In collaboration with the Confederation Centre, attendees start from the Yacht Club at 7:30 PM, and are guided by the Gravedigger himself through downtown Charlottetown hearing stories of unsolved murders, ghostly haunting, and executions. You’ll end up at Upstreet’s taproom where the eponymous beer, and a bunch more, can be used to calm your nerves. The tours run Oct 23 and 24, and again on Oct 29 and 30, grab your tickets here!

In Halifax, 2 Crows and the Change is Brewing Collective releasing the Good News Raspberry and Mango Berliner Weisse tomorrow, with full details on the beer available in last week’s post. There is a full day of fun kicking off the release, starting with a BIPOC Maker’s Market in the taproom from noon til 4 PM. Pints can be enjoyed on the patio during that time, so come by to check out the craft, design, and food offerings and stay for the Good News! From 4 – 6 PM, the taproom opens up, and Hibiscus Specialty Foods will be sticking around for more snacks. At 6 PM, the Change is Brewing Collective, joined by board members of the Africville Museum, will give an address. And at 7 PM, Deidre Lee will present spoken word poetry. A full day for a great cause!

Just a few more bites rounding out the news this week!

After a brief hiatus from in-person episodes, the 902 BrewCast fellas made the trip to 111 Cobequid Rd in Lower Sackville, to visit Ol’ Biddy’s Brewhouse. There they spoke with owners Keith and Chris to learn the origin of the brewery name, what it’s like openings brewery in the middle of a pandemic, and plenty of teases on what’s on the horizon from OBB. Grab the episode today to laugh and learn!

We teased it last week, but now it’s a reality! Halifax’s Tidehouse Brewing is bringing back some of their favourite releases from the past four years (wow, it’s been that long?). First up in the celebratory series is King Friday. If you don’t remember this one, you could be forgiven…. It’s a 9.5% ABV Wheat Wine! It’s a beautiful day in the neighbourhood when you can get your hands on this malt-driven beer that features plenty of sweet warmth, but with lovely bread crust and biscuit character in your glass. Available in small quantities (as with all Tidehouse releases!), you’ll want to get down to Salter Street from 2 PM today (and tomorrow, if it lasts that long!) to take a ride on the magic trolley.

Tire Shack Brewing has brought back their crowd-favourite Waffle Sauce, an Extra Special Bitter that contains an “excessive amount” of maple syrup, combined with a “great pastry flavour from the malt bill”, all in an easy-drinking 5% ABV package. Available right now at the brewery’s taproom in Moncton.

Bedford’s newest brewery, Topside, is already bringing out some new beers, expanding their “dive roster” with a couple of English (or at least English-derived) styles. One is a Golden Ale with a lovely coppery color that comes in at 5% ABV and that they’re calling Ridgevale, the other an Oatmeal Stout with Cacao nibs at a very respectable 4.3% ABV. Not on tap anywhere in the city just yet, the best way to beer success is through their Grab a Growler program available to those in Bedford, with the details available on their website.

And finally, just a note that you may have seen some news regarding the CBANS this week, with several member breweries leaving the organization (Huddle / The Coast). While there may have been one recent incident that served as the “last straw” for the breweries have left the organization, both public statements on social media and things we’ve heard more privately have suggested that for many breweries, CBANS no longer represents their best interests in terms of business, community, or social responsibility. There have been whispers of another industry group forming, and we’ll have more on that when we can share.

Friday Wrap-Up for October 16, 2020 – News from Village Green by Modern Brewer, TrailWay, Tire Shack, Truro Brewing, PEI Brewing, Tidehouse, 2 Crows, Change is Brewing Collective, and much more!

Posted by acbbaaron on 2020-10-16
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: 2 Crows Brewing, Bad Apple Brewhouse, Bogside Brewing, Cask in the Sticks, Change Is Brewing Collective, Grimross Brewing, HopYard, Meander River Farm and Brewery, New Scotland Brewing, Newfoundland Beer, North Brewing, Old Road BBQ, PEI Brewing Co., Quidi Vidi Brewery, Sober Island Brewing, Tidehouse Brewing, Tire Shack Brewing, TrailWay Brewing, Truro Brewing Company, Tusket Falls Brewing, Village Green by Modern Brewer. 1 comment

It’s the middle of October folks, which in a normal year would probably mean lots of darker beers in the works, a decided downturn in thermometer readings, and plans afoot for Halloween festivities. This isn’t what you’d call a normal year by any stretch, though, and last week’s outbreaks in New Brunswick were a sobering reminder of that. But you’ve got to figure that the proper balance to sobering is drinking! So read on for all the beer news we could find to help you find that balance in your life! And remember that taprooms, restaurants, and bars are extending patio season, so keep that in mind as another way to maintain safe distance beer enjoyment. Just make sure you bundle up!

Great news Prince Edward Islanders! Your fair isle just got a little beery-er. Located at 30 Church Street (aka 1 Cornwall Rd) in Cornwall, the Village Green taproom has opened their doors. What is Village Green, you ask? Well, it’s the first foray into brewing for Bryan Carver in a few years, one that has been in the works for a long time. Carver has a long history in the PEI beer scene, working as the Head Brewer at PEI Brewing Company for many years, joining DME for a time, somehow finding time to become a Certified Cicerone, and now launching Modern Brewer. Village Green is just the latest piece in the overarching plan for Carver, and you’ll be able to learn much more in our Profile coming out next week. But in the meantime, head to Cornwall to check out the taproom and chat with Bryan or Mark who will be working the taps. Their own beer is slated for release later this month, but in the meantime you can enjoy six other Island beers and ciders on tap, or wine by the glass. They’re open Fri – Sat 12 – 9 PM, Sun 1 – 6 PM, and Mon – Thur 4 – 9 PM. 

Last Friday, just a little too late for that day’s Wrap-Up, TrailWay Brewing announced that they were releasing their newest bottled, barrel-aged beer. As the old folks like to say (present company included), better late than never, as we’ve got all the info on that beer for you to feast on today, if you haven’t already. The beer is named SPLIT, and it has been in the making for two years. It began its life in October of 2018, when the brewers mixed a 50:50 blend of wort that had spent the night in their coolship with beer that had already undergone a secondary fermentation with the brewery’s house culture. The resulting blend spent 18 months in a single Zinfandel barrel, was packaged in 750 mL bottles, and spent another 6 months conditioning. The final 6% ABV beer is finally ready, sporting “a deep and complex funk with a bright, subtle acidity and beautiful, oaky Zinfandel character”. They’re expecting this one to evolve over time, naturally, so do your best to hold onto some in your cellar. They’ve still got some bottles left for purchase; they’re available exclusively at the brewery while supplies last.

If you live in Moncton and feel like heading out for a beer this weekend, Tire Shack Brewing is currently pouring a new American IPA at the taproom. When they were designing the recipe for Parts & Labour, their aim was to go big on hop aroma, while keeping the bitterness low, all with easy drinkability. They feel like they’ve hit those targets with this 6% ABV brew, as they threw in plenty of Loral and Simcoe hops, resulting in a beer that is “bright and extremely refreshing, with flavours of passion fruit, lychee, and tangerine”. Though it’s limited to pints and growlers currently, it should be available in cans very soon (if not by the time you read this).

Truro Brewing Company has a new beer this afternoon, freshly tapped and ready for your enjoyment! Red Sky is a traditional Red Ale, featuring a touch of roast to complement the notes of caramel and toffee. Kicking it up a notch are the locally-grown Willamette hops from Wicked Hops Farm in Stewiacke. Brewed by, with, and in honour of fellow bad-ass women knocking down walls and ceilings in traditionally male-dominated professions, Red Sky is available at the taproom for pints, samples, and growlers.

PEI Brewing Co. is playing around with Brettanomyces again, with their latest beer, Wild Intentions: Kettle Sour. After souring with Lactobacillus, a Brett yeast strain was used to ferment the wort, giving the final beer pineapple and pear aromas. At 5% ABV and 14 IBUs, it’s tasting “dry and sessionable, with a slight sourness”. You can find it now at the PEIBC taproom and Gahan Beer Store; it should be following at Gahan House locations, PEILCC stores, and select ANBL locations next week.

The “tiny brewery that can” in the heart of downtown Halifax is back at it with another release today. Tidehouse Brewing is releasing a unique take on the hazy IPA style, by adding citrus green tea from nearby World Tea House. Green Cosmos was lovingly hopped with Amarillo, Idaho 7, and Cascade, enough to get you excited, but not so much as to drown out the tea. Expect a dry finish and the lovely notes of tea to come through. Their retail shop is open from 2 PM today and tomorrow, and if you visit early you will be able to snag some cans of Porchlight too. Keep your eyes peeled for a return of some old favourites next week, as they look back on their 4 years in business and re-release some bangers! 

Next Saturday in Halifax you’ll have a chance to experience the launch of the latest jam from the Change Is Brewing Collective of BIPOC individuals working to bring positive change in terms of diversity and inclusion to the brewing industry. This time they’ve collaborated with Halifax’s 2 Crows to produce a beer they’re calling Good News. A Berliner weiße fruited with raspberry and mango, this 3.1% ABV beer started with Pilsner and both malted and unmalted wheat in the tun before being soured with Lactobacillus plantarum and then fermented with a super fruity strain of the famed Scandinavian Kveik yeast. Conditioning took place, in typical 2 Crows style, on a huge amount of fruit: 950 lbs of raspberry and 725 lbs of mango, before the final touch was added, namely a light dry-hopping with Enigma and Huell Melon. The result is described as, “super jammy, super fruity, and super fun!” Your first chance to try this beer will be at a BIPOC Makers Market next Saturday, October 24th, from 12 – 4 PM, followed by a Food Pop-up featuring Hibiscus Specialty from 4 – 6 PM, and a spoken word poetry session by Deirdre Lee from 7 – 7:30 PM. Sounds to us like a full afternoon and evening celebrating diversity and drinking great beer!

What’s on the go in the near future? Here’s a few things bubbling up soon!

Charlottetown’s HopYard Beer Bar has a few tap takeover weekends planned in the next month, with Fredericton’s Grimross Brewing taking over the taps on the weekend of October 23 & 24th, with ten different options flowing. And HopYard will be doing double duty as they welcome Darmtouth’s North Brewing to the Island November 6th and 7th, as well as see the launch of Dough Boy Industries, with their pop-up pizza oven on the go all weekend. Keep an eye here, and on everyone’s social media, for tap/topping lists. 😉

If you happen to be hanging around Sheet Harbour, NS at all over the next couple of months, we should pass on that Sober Island Brewing will be hosting a series of Brewers Dinners, with the first starting next Saturday, October 24th. Each will consist of a 3-course meal, with each course being paired with a Sober Island brew. The food includes chowder with buttermilk biscuit and molasses beer butter, Thai chili-breaded chicken wings w/ Asian slaw, and Chocolate Stout cake. As well, head brewer Tim will be on-site to introduce each beer and food item, as well as to answer any questions you may have about the beers or general brewing process. A maximum of 20 guests for each event will be allowed in order to comply with distancing restrictions; the other dates are November 14th, November 20th, and December 11th. Tickets are $40 each (they recommend booking in groups of 4, if possible), and can be reserved by phoning 902-885-2072, or heading directly to the taproom. 

Speaking of Sober Island, they will be the host of this year’s Cask in the Sticks event, being held November 7th. They have invited a handful of breweries from across the province, as well as homebrewer David Pepper, to prep a pin of their favourite beer. You’ll be able to sip the good stuff from Big Spruce, Harbour Brewing, Lunns Mill, Tatamagouche, Uncle Leo’s, and maybe even a couple more! Your ticket gets you your first pours, a toque, and live music. Food will also be available for sale, and all proceeds will be going to a local non-profit organization. Call the brewery to grab your ticket for either the 1 – 3 or 4 – 6 PM session (or both!). Those loveable beer grumps from the 902 BrewCast will be onsite judging the onesie competition, so be sure to come dressed to impress!

Of course the Oktoberfest events continue, with Montague’s Bogside Brewing holding theirs next Saturday, October 24th. The “Oktobeer Fest” will be held from 2-5 pm, and will feature a German food menu, happy hour beer prices, and live music. You already know they are killing it with German-inspired beer, with their Lighthorse Kolsch and North Lake Lager, and their Shoreline Smash Dunkel is back on tap just in time. Oktoberfest in Atlantic Canada is definitely winding down, so this may be your last chance to partake in all the fun… and really, who can say no to Oompah music? We dare thee.

Friend of good beer Old Road BBQ in Truro has adjusted their fall hours to be open 12 – 9 PM Friday and Saturday, and have music in the taproom or on the patio almost every night. They are gearing up for a big event on October 31st, with Willie Stratton celebrating the end of patio season with a big bash. Tickets for the evening are just $10, or for those visiting from out of town, a killer deal on a room at the nearby Inn on Price hotel and a pair of tickets is just $100. Further, those who take advantage of this package will be entered in a draw for a massive platter fit for two (or more) to enjoy that evening, including beers! Details on the entertainment tickets, and hotel package, are available here.

And for those looking for some tasty Bar-B-Q, beer, and live music in Halifax should drop by Murphy’s On The Water October 29th, with Them Other Johns providing the live music, and Dartmouth’s New Scotland Brewing providing the beers. Details and tickets available on the NSBC Events page. Lastly on the BBQ front, for those looking to enjoy some BBQ for lunch, Old Road has been catering for businesses since they’ve opened, but are now offering a Thursday lunch option, starting October 22nd. Gather up the crew (10 order minimum), and fire them an email before Tuesday night to get on the list! More details here and via email.

We’ve got a little about a lot more beers today, enjoy!

Bad Apple Brewhouse has a new, funky pear and apple cider joining their repertoire. Pearadise of Funk was brewed with Brettanomyces yeast, as well as Pediococcus and Lactobacillus bacteria, making it “light, effervescent, and wildly unique”. Available right now at the brewery.  

Speaking of cider, Meander River has a new one of their own, from their Small Lot Cider series. Strawberry Basil is a cider made with… we’re pretty sure you can take a good guess at which two ingredients are extra special in this one! Available on tap at the brewery, as well as in bottles.

Tusket Falls Brewing have scaled up Woke Up Quick, a 7.5% ABV Brown Porter brewed with smoked malt, lactose powder, cold brew coffee, Madagascar vanilla beans, and cocoa nibs to a full, 20 BBL batch, since it was so popular when it was first released. This time around it’s available in cans, starting today.

Quidi Vidi has a brand new one-off available at the brewery – Sour Kveik (4.7% ABV) was fermented with the Laerdal Kveik strain, and has “a complex and pleasant sourness, with lemon, passion fruit, and honeydew flavours” as a result, with a touch of honey-like sweetness to balance the tartness. Also available for online orders.

And speaking of Newfoundland and Labrador Craft Breweries, they received some great news this week, when the provincial government announced that they were increasing discounts on the commission paid to the NLC. The discount is increased to 95% on the first 100,000 litres of product, which wholly encompasses the production of 15 of the 19 craft breweries in Newfoundland and Labrador. It is expected to save the industry more than $1 Million dollars annually. And in doubly good news, the commission/markup collected will be the same whether the beer is sold at the brewery, NLC, or convenience stores. Both of these steps mean more money staying with the breweries to fuel hiring, expansion, improved distribution, and countless other improvements. There’s a good article from CBC outlining some of the real-world numbers. Good on the province and the NLC to recognize their role is not only to regulate the sale and production of alcohol, but to promote businesses to thrive and improve the economy for all. With small independent beer accounting for less than 5 percent of overall sales, there’s plenty of room for growth in Newfoundland and Labrador beer!

Friday Wrap-Up for Sept 11, 2020 – News from 902BrewCast, CAVOK, Propeller, Tidehouse, Bannerman, Quidi Vidi and More!!

Posted by acbbchris on 2020-09-11
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: 902 BrewCast, ANBL, Bannerman Brewing, BarBu, Bishop's Cellar, CAVOK Brewing, Cielo Glamping, Copper Bottom Brewing, Double Hill Cidery, Euston Park Social Beer Garden, Garrison Brewing, Grimross Brewing, Harvest Wines, Horton Ridge Malt & Grain, Island Hop Company, Java Blend Coffee Roasters, New Maritime Beer Company, O'Creek Brewing, PEILCC, Quidi Vidi Brewery, Rockhead Wine & Beer Market, Saint John City Market, Shoreline Malting, Tatamagouche Brewing, The Port by NSLC, Tide & Boar Gastropub, Tidehouse Brewing, Tire Shack Brewing, TrailWay Brewing, Uncorked Tours, WestSide Beer Wine Spirits. Leave a Comment

Well folks, you did it, you survived your first week of school! Whether it be you, your kids, or nieces or nephews, you’ve definitely earned your end-of-week pint. We’ve got loads of new beauties to tell you about today, from all four Atlantic provinces. Big thanks to pinch writers Devon and Damian who helped us fill out this week’s post, else it would be a lot shorter due to work and travel commitments. Let’s start the week off with a shameless plug for our favourite beer podcast, perfect for listening to while you drive to your first beer destination of the weekend…

Island Hop Company‘s Josh Mayich got on the mic with the fine fellas from the 902 BrewCast this week, dropping some serious science on setting up their hop fields in Eastern PEI. If you’re a commercial brewer, homebrewer, or just a lover of beer, the episode is a must-listen! Pair that with the earlier release with John Webster of Shoreline Malting, you’ve got yourself three hours of quality Island Time with the folks behind the ingredients in your favourite local beers! On a related note, Phil Church of the 902 Brew Crew is holding a raffle to finance photography equipment to kick-start his new career path, and you can get your mitts on some very special bottles from the region and beyond by taking part. You have until October 1st to participate, check out these posts for more details.

CAVOK has teamed up with Haut-Shipagan’s Cielo Glamping, on the beautiful Acadian Peninsula, for a local collab featuring lavender harvested from Cielo’s property. The resulting beer, Cielo, is a lavender kettle sour coming in at 4.4% ABV. This thin-bodied sour features a strong acidity, prominent notes of lavender and a dry, clean finish. Stop by CAVOK in Dieppe (or order online) for a pint, growler or crowler; and, keep an eye out for it on tap following the reopening of the Cielo’s Hub, Cielo’s on-site pub/oyster bar.

After a well-deserved break last week, the team at Tidehouse Brewing is back this Friday with a new release they’ve dubbed Pull, a vanilla milkshake sour with what the brewery is calling an “absurd amount of orange zest”. In addition to the vanilla and zest, the beer also features a dose of lactose and, per the usual with Tidehouse, was brewed with 100% Horton Ridge malt. Described as the baby brother to last November’s Milk Trip DIPA, Pull comes in at 4.7% ABV. Hit up the brewery on Salter Street in Halifax for cans today beginning at 2PM and, while you’re there, grab some Hibiscus City, Tidehouse’s hibiscus lime gose, which they’ve warned you might not see again for a little while. 

Halifax’s Propeller Brewing has brought back a favourite of their 2019 small batch releases, a style-bending beer perfect for this time of year. Flat White, a “white stout”, that is, a golden coloured ale with all of the roasted coffee and chocolate notes of a stout. Using fresh cold-brewed coffee from local roasters Java Blend, and full-flavoured cacao nibs, the pale-coloured base included flaked oats in the grist to increase mouthfeel and generate a lingering head, much like the crema/foam on top of a well-made espresso drink. This 5.0% ABV beer is available today at all 3 Prop Shops (Windmill, Gottingen, and Quinpool), and will be seen at Harvest Wines, RockHead, and WestSide, as well as The Port by NSLC, in the next little while.

If you find yourself in the St. John’s area this weekend, stop by Bannerman Brewing Co. for a pint of their new frutied pale ale, Last Light. Brewed as a 4.5% APA with a Mosaic dry-hop, the beer was then conditioned on passionfruit and guava to compliment the tropical hops. Available in growlers (Bannerman glass only due to COVID rules), pints, and cans now. Be sure to include a visit in your plans tomorrow, as from noon to 6 PM (and online from 6:30 NDT), local ceramic artists are taking part in a Brewery Cup pop-up exhibition, with drinkware on display and available for purchase. More info through Alexis Templeton’s site.

In other Bannerman news, tickets are now available for Sept 17th and 18th shows at the brewery with singer-songwriter Tim Baker (former Hey Rosetta! bandmate of Bannerman co-founder Phil Maloney). In-person tickets are already sold out, but you can join the waitlist or purchase a ticket for online viewing here. 

Sticking to the St. John’s area, veteran brewery Quidi Vidi is once again wading into the hazier side of beer with Squeezebox New England IPA. This 6.0% ABV hazy orange beer features a full off-white head, releasing all of the goodness of the fruity hops inside. Nectarine and peach, with a touch of sticky resin, play on top of the creamy smooth body with just a touch of bitterness. It’s the perfect accompaniment to your Friday night gig with the b’ys, or whenever the mood strikes! Available now through their online ordering portal, for either Hop Shop pickup or home delivery in St. John’s and beyond, it will be heading out to NLC and convenience stores next week. If you do opt for pick up or delivery, you can get your hands on a few more recent smaller releases, including the Crooked Amber (a malty sour with notes of dried fruit), Imperial Black Forest (an 8.0% ABV Stout with cacao, cherries, vanilla, and a touch of lactose), or the Strawberry Guava Creamsicle Sour (what more do you want to know? 😉 ). And massive congratulations to QV founder David Fong, who got to start his weekend a little early yesterday, as he celebrated his retirement after 25 years with Quidi Vidi! We’ve got tons of respect for Fong and Co who saw the opportunity for an independent brewery on the island, and weathered many rough patches to be one of the bright lights in the beer industry in the province. Enjoy your retirement, David, the brewery is in good hands! 

Known more recently for their fantastic lager program, Fredericton’s Grimross is venturing into new territory with the release of their first ever West Coast IPA. Grimross’ take on the style features aromas of berry, vanilla, pine and floral notes. Expect flavours of pine and orange rind, leading to a dry finish. Available today, stop by the taproom for pints, fills and cans.

Also in Fredericton, Trailway has a brand new one out that’s like many of their other beers, but also unlike them. Anomaly is an IPA that the brewery says is, “focused on softness and fullness in terms of body and flavor.” That doesn’t sound un-Trailway-like to us, but what does is the use of a different yeast than their usual house strain (an English strain, apparently), and the use of primarily Apollo hops, a variety generally known more for its bittering properties than flavor and aroma. But treated right, it can apparently bring incredible pungent and juicy grapefruity citrus. You can find out for yourself if Trailway hit that mark with this one by picking up cans of this 6.6% ABV beer directly from the brewery or by ordering online (they ship throughout the Atlantic Provinces and to Ontario as well!).

Back to the mainland, the fine folks from Tatamagouche have an exciting new release this week from one of their foeders. The release of Foeder Two Saison, marks their first release from Foeder Two, a larger Italian red wine barrel that’s currently (mostly) filled with Saison. The remaining litres will be moved into barrels for additional aging that will support future releases. For now, today’s release is a 6.1% ABV saison, can-conditioned and a good expression of what we can expect to see down the road from Foeder Two for more tasty treats from Tata in the future.

Moving to Moncton (which is something you don’t hear a lot), Tire Shack has two new casks they are tapping today (Friday) at 4 PM. The first is a stout that they have infused with cinnamon, cloves and star anise. This should be a nice mix of spice and dark malts into a smooth drinking cask ale.  The second cask is a wet hopped pale ale with local hops. It’s loaded with some unique hops and is always nice to see how they come through with some cask pulls. The cask nights at Tire Shack have thus far been well received and they usually don’t last long, so definitely check it out if you’re in the area. We’d also like to take a second to congratulate the gang at Tire Shack on the occasion of their first Anniversary!

Taking a hop, trip and a Jump to Halifax, we’ve got a new iteration of Hop Trip from Garrison to tell you about. This version features Simcoe hops, to bring out some piney notes for the fall season. Showcasing citrus and grassy notes on the nose and some tropical, woody hop flavours, this IPA weighs in at 6.2% ABV and 35 IBU. Grab some cans this weekend at the Garrison retail shops, NSLC and ANBL. 

Back in New Brunswick, the team at O’Creek Brewing have released two new offerings, just in time for the weekend. First up is Foggy Pale Ale, their take on a New England Pale Ale. Coming in at 5% ABV, expect flavours of pine, citrus and tropical fruit. You can find it on tap this weekend at CAVOK, Tide & Boar and BarBu. Next up is the nanobrewery’s first take on a gose. Coming in at 4.5%, Anything Goes features the traditional additions of salt and coriander, and a refreshing fruity twist thanks to some raspberry purée. Grab a pint while you enjoy the sunny weather this weekend at Euston Park Social or New Maritime Brewing. 

Our government-mandated cider content this week comes from PEI, a cider that’s the direct result of an event that impacted the entire Atlantic region. Double Hill Cidery is releasing Dorian, a dry, sparkling cider at 5.4%. This cider is a great representation of the local support that many Islanders showed Double Hill by bringing in loads of orchard and backyard apples to help replace the apple crop that the cidery lost due to Hurricane Dorian last September. They rounded this out with their own Dabinett cider apples to get the flavour profile on point. Double Hill said it very well themselves, “By naming it Dorian, we pay homage to the awesome power of nature and to the community spirit of the place we live in, Prince Edward Island.” This one-time delight is only available via their online shop for direct delivery, but be aware, they ship anywhere in Canada!

And finally in terms of releases this week we’re sticking with PEI, where Montague’s Copper Bottom Brewing wins the prize for “shamefully late email of the week.” Described by the brewery as, “inspired by some of the greats from Vermont,” Juno leveraged the now-classic Vermont Ale yeast to produce an NE IPA with a pillowy-soft mouthfeel and notes of pineapple, peach, and tropical citrus. Low in bitterness at 30 IBU and weighing in at 6.5% ABV, the grist was largely PEI-grown 2-row malt and wheat, with some flaked oats added for body. Hit with recent darling of the hop industry Galaxy, and one of the darlings of the mid-2010s hop industry, Amarillo, expect plenty of juicy hop character as is de rigueur for the style. Find it at the brewery today in cans to go or pints to stay, or look for it to arrive in a couple of weeks at PEILCC locations and Bishop’s Cellar (does anyone else’s brain put an echo on that?).

Just one event to tell you about this week, fingers crossed you’re in the Saint John region and able to attend!

Uncorked Tours in the Saint John City Market is celebrating their Grand Opening tomorrow, and we’re all invited! After opening their tasting room in the market last month, they are taking over the entire North Market Street as a pedestrian way/massive patio, so that more folks can attend, and be physically distanced. Starting at 1 PM tomorrow, Jeremiah Clark from Moonshine Creek Distilling will be mixing up tiki-inspired cocktails on the patio, and Caribjam Steel Vibes will be playing sets 1 – 3 and 5 – 7 PM. As for beer, they’re keeping it super-local, celebrating the brewers of Saint John and KV, with Big Tide, Hammond River, Long Bay, Loyalist City, Picaroons General Store on offer. Plus “End of Summer” Buckets of beer from Brasseux d’la Cote! Oh, and local wine too, worry not! Lots of details are available on their FB Events page. Congratulations to Gilliane, Nat, and the whole Uncorked Family!