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Friday Wrap-Up – News from TrailWay, Schoolhouse, Sunset Heights, Boxing Rock, Big Spruce, North and more!

Posted by acbbshawn on 2016-09-23
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: Annapolis Cider Company, Atlantic Canadian Craft Brew Fest, Big Spruce Brewing, Bogtrotter Craft Brewery, Bore City Brewing, Boxing Rock Brewing, Cask Beer Throwdown, Escarpment Laboratories, Garrison Brewing, Hell Bay Brewing, Lazy Bear Brewing, North Brewing, PEI Brewing Co., Propeller Brewing, Schoolhouse Brewery, TrailWay Brewing. Leave a Comment

Happy first Friday of Fall! Lots of seasonal beers, ciders, and meads have been released this week, so let’s get right to it!

• TrailWay released Rype, their newest American Pale Ale, earlier this week at the brewery. This pale and hazy hoppy ale was brewed with a portion of Rye malt, giving a “noticeable, yet subtle” rye presence in the background. Hopped with Mosaic, Comet, and Topaz (with the high majority being used in the whirlpool and dry hop additions, keeping the IBUs in the low-20s) for plenty of juicy and tropical aromas and flavours, this one will join the regular lineup at TrailWay, with possible hop substitutions in the future. In addition, look for their kettle-soured hoppy beer, Sour 1, to be tapped later today. Hopped with Citra and Galaxy, this 5.0% ABV beer will be available at the brewery today and at select tap accounts in the region shortly.

• Schoolhouse has released the latest version in their locally-hopped series, Big Red Schoolhouse. This take features Galena and Centennial, harvested from Elleslea Farm out of Sheffield Mills, NS. Both varieties were added to a hopback, which the beer passed through twice, first on the way to the boil kettle from the mashtun, and again from the kettle to the fermentor. At 6.5% ABV and 80 IBUs, the brewery describes the finish as having a “mouth-puckering hop bitterness”. Some of the beer has been kegged, with the rest going into 650 mL bottles. Look for it on tap at a few of Schoolhouse’s tap accounts, and their next growler night, October 6th in downtown Windsor (assuming there’s any left!). As well, a special cask of the beer will be pouring at the first session of tomorrow’s Cask Beer Throwdown (more on that in the events section below).

• Good news for Sunset Heights Meadery fans in Fredericton – many of their brands have been bottled and were available for sale at two ANBL stores (York Street and Brookside Mall) as of last Friday afternoon. Sales have been high over the past week, with different varieties of their Still Meads, Sparkling Queens, and Pollen Angels all being available for purchase; drop in both stores (or check online inventory) to see what’s still available. Luckily, this won’t be the only time bottles are available through ANBL, as more release dates will be scheduled for the near future.

• The latest Boxing Rock / Big Spruce collaboration beer, a blueberry Berliner Weisse – was released this week. For the Love of Grimace is made up of a simple grist of half-and-half Pilsner and Wheat malt, and was kettle-soured with the Big Spruce Lactobacillus in-house culture. After being boiled and fermented, it was aged for two weeks on 250 lbs of wild organic blueberries from North of Nuttby Farm. Featuring a beautiful purple colour, it weighs in at 3.9% ABV. This beer will only be available on tap and in growlers, but should make it to better bars across the province, as both breweries in Shelburne and Nyanza are sharing the wealth.

• Boxing Rock also teamed up with the crew at North Brewing recently, and are ready to release Year 4 of their Many Hands collaboration beer. This year’s batch once again features locally-grown and freshly-picked hops, namely Cascade, Crystal, Goldings and Willamette from Wallace Ridge Farm in Malagash. The hops were added in the “first wort” (as the kettle is filled with wort after draining from the mash tun), and then not again until just 10 minutes left in the boil, to preserve the essential oils in these freshly-harvested hops. New this year is the use of locally malted barley from Horton Ridge Malt & Grain, namely 100% Munich malt, which undergoes a higher kiln temperature than traditional Pale or 2-Row malts, thus displaying enhanced colour and flavour character. This 5.7% ABV celebration of local farmers and producers will be available starting tomorrow at both the Boxing Rock and North breweries for growler fills, and their local accounts and Farmers’ Market tables.

• And look for the re-launch of Boxing Rock’s The Darkness Cascadian Ale shortly, which will be available in 355 ml bottle six-packs at the NSLC beginning next week. The 6.5% black, hoppy ale will also see release on tap and in growlers very soon.

• After months of trials, Big Spruce is now putting their own farm-isolated yeast to the test. What first began as 50 samples collected from in and around the farm brewery, with the help of Guelph’s Escarpment Labs, they narrowed down the yeasts to those that produce, and could tolerate, alcohol. From those, a few mini batches were prepared to check the taste and aroma characteristics, with the ultimate Saccharomyces cerevisiae winner being chosen. Originating from a wild pin cherry on their property, the yeast is currently chugging away on a batch of wort, with the beer seeing wide release in the fall. And there has been lots of development across the road from the brewery, as the location of their 20 barrel (2400 litre) production brewery is being built and assembled now. Follow along on their Facebook page.

• Lazy Bear Brewing in Smiths Cove, NS have released their own harvest beer this week, Binecraft Pale Ale. From 40 hand-harvested and -picked bines of Cascade hops grown by the Hudgins family in Aylesford, the wet hops were added late in the boil, preserving the freshly-harvested aroma, plus a dash of citrus. The yeast chosen for this brew, Midwestern Ale from Yeast Bay, lent some subtle esters to the final beer, enhancing the bright fruit experience. Drop by the brewery during their Thursday night Growler Nights to enjoy the fruits of their labours, and look for it on tap in HRM at Battery Park and for fills at Harvest Wines soon.

• Halifax’s Garrison Brewing has a pair of beers returning this week and next. Released for Halifax Oktoberfest, Hammerschlagen is also available now at the brewery for samples and growler fills. This ‘Fest-style lager is 5.4% ABV and a light 14 IBUs, highlighting an amber colour from the crystal and caramel malts, and the typical toffee, bready, and dark fruit flavours and aromas from them. Also at the brewery are 650 ml bombers of the Sweet Rye’d Harvest Wheat Ale, brewed with bog myrtle.

• And returning next week is Garrison’s Double Jack Imperial Pumpkin Ale. Brewed with loads of Cinderella pumpkins from the Dill Farm, and additions of the spices found in pumpkin pie recipes the world over (allspice, cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg). The 8.0% ABV copper-coloured beer is lightly hopped to 30 IBUs to allow the spicing, crystal malts, and light sweetness to shine through. Pair it with your turkey, pumpkin pie, or on its own, this beer is a fun seasonal release for fall. Look for it to be released at the brewery and private stores next Thursday.

• Annapolis Cider Company has released their first Ice Cider, Harvest Gold. This type of cider is typically produced by cryoextraction – the juice is frozen and then allowed to slowly thaw; the “run-off” is, as a result, extremely concentrated and sweet. This is then fermented, and usually results in a high-alcohol cider… in the case of Harvest Gold, 10.5% ABV. The alcohol is hidden quite well, however, as the resulting cider “still retains plenty of sweetness and acidity”; think of this one as a dessert cider, similar to ice wine. It’s available now in 200 mL bottles ($19.95 each), and only at the cidery in Wolfville.

• There’s a brand new cask pouring at the PEI Brewing Co. – The Mayor is described as an easy-drinking, 3.8% ABV Saison that has been spiced with garden-fresh basil. With “lots of fruity esters and a spicy aroma, with notes of black liquorice and fresh-cut grass”, according to the brewery, it won’t last long, as per usual for these special cask releases. Get to the brewery’s taproom now for a taste!

• Moosehead has confirmed that they have secured a location for their new small-batch brewery, scheduled to open in 2017 in conjunction with their 150th anniversary. The new facility will be located on Water Street, adjacent to Pugsley slip at the bottom of Princess St. in Uptown Saint John. Two small-scale brewing systems will be located in the 10,000 square foot space, which will allow the brewery to “explore new product development and new brewing techniques”, according to a recent press release; a tap room and retail area will also be housed in the space. This should mean more beer along the lines of the special releases that have popped up over the last few years, especially at events such as the Fredericton Craft Beer Festival.

Another busy weekend; here are a few of the events worth checking out including the Tatamagouche Oktoberfest, depending on where you are in the world:

• A reminder that the Cask Beer Throwdown is happening at Olympic Centre tomorrow, September 24th. Featuring two sessions (12-3 and 5-8), guests will get a chance to try a whole slew of beers served via gravity pins and hand pumps. The entrance fee includes access to the event, a take-home glass, and your first 12 beer sample tickets. Session One (12-3pm) breweries include: Big Spruce, Boxing Rock, Garrison, Good Robot, Propeller, Schoolhouse, Sober Island, and Tatamagouche. Session Two (5-8pm) breweries include: Big Spruce, Gahan House – Halifax, Garrison, Good Robot, Hell Bay, North, Sober Island, and Spindrift. Food courtesy of Bramoso Gourmet Pizzeria, The Food Wolf, and T DOGS will be available as well. Grab your tickets now!

• Also happening tomorrow is the 2nd annual Atlantic Canadian Craft Brew Oktoberfest, at the Moncton Lions Club. Featuring 20 breweries, cider houses and meaderies from Atlantic Canada, there are three ticket types available, each including unlimited samples: regular tickets include a custom tasting glass and entry from 7:30 pm-10 pm; the VIP session, which begins a half hour earlier; and a VVIP session which begins at 6 pm and includes a special glass, industry panel discussion, and guided beer tasting. Tickets can be purchased online ($58, $68, and $75 for regular, VIP, and VVIP, respectively). Proceeds will go to support the United Way.

• And one final reminder for tomorrow – new Fredericton brewery Bogtrotter will be holding their official launch. Their three core beers have been pouring at several establishments over the past week, and are now available in 16 oz bottles at the Oromocto ANBL. Starting with a tasting at the ANBL Train Station from noon – 3 pm, then on to Graystone from 4-6 pm, before finishing off with a Meet the Maker event at the James Joyce from 8-10 pm. There’s no charge to attend any of the events.

We’ve got a few more parting shots this week:

– Bore City has confirmed the name of their new DIPA – Tipsy Giant will be pouring at the Atlantic Canadian Craft Brew Oktoberfest, with one keg likely to make it to one of their Moncton licensees, soon. For those of us who are missing out, fret not – Tipsy Giant will most likely be joining the regular Bore City rotation. For more details on the beer, check last week’s post.
– Hell Bay has brought back their Black IPA, Black Flag IPA; brewed with dark malts and Demerara sugar (to add a touch of rum flavour), the beer is hopped with Chinook and Ahtanum to 55 IBUs. Weighing in at 6.1% ABV, it’s available on tap at the brewery now and should pop up at select accounts, soon.
– Propeller Pumpkin Ale is back, in both 6-packs and 500 mL bottles, as well as on tap; brewed with a combination of real pumpkin flesh and spices, it comes in at 5% ABV.

Friday Wrap-Up – News from Tatamagouche, Port Rexton, Bore City, Maybee, and more!

Posted by acbbchris on 2016-09-16
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: Battery Park, Big Spruce Brewing, Big Tide Brewing, Bogtrotter Craft Brewery, Bore City Brewing, Fredericton Cider Festival, Gahan House (Charlottetown), Gray Stone Brewing, Mama's Brew Pub, Maybee Brewing, Port Rexton Brewing Co., Railcar Brewing, Red Rover Craft Cider, Roof Hound Brewing, Tatamagouche Brewing, TrailWay Brewing, Upstreet Craft Brewing. Leave a Comment

Happy Friday everyone! Another busy week, so let’s dive right in!

• It’s been a busy few weeks at Tatamagouche Brewing, and they’re ready to share the fruits of their labour! Yesterday, they released their first kettle sour beer, brewed in collaboration/conspiracy with Big Spruce. I’m In Love is a 4.0% ABV Berliner Weisse, featuring 70kg of ground cherries added after primary fermentation was complete. The resulting beer has quite a tropical feel, with melon and cantalope notes, aided by light additions of Mandarina Bavaria and Mosaic hops (to 13 IBUs). This beer will be a draft-only release, so grab a growler at the brewery, or a pint at better watering holes in the province. And we have it on good authority that this will not be the last TataWeisse release; we’ll keep you up to date with future releases.

• Launching at TataBrew today, is the third in their Barrel Aged Belgian Golden Strong series of beers. The Blackberry and Cherry spent an extra month in its barrel, as compared to the earlier releases of the Raspberry and Strawberry and Ginger versions. As such, this release, while still clocking in at 7.8% ABV, does show more barrel (vanilla and oak) and fruit (the eponymous blackberry and cherry, but also subtle sherry) characters. As with the other two releases, there are only a dozen cases of this beer available, so be sure to drop by the brewery this weekend to avoid disappointment.

• Tata’s Lagerhosen will be back next week, just in time for next weekend’s Tatamagouche Oktoberfest. The 4.5% ABV lager will be available in cans, as well as growler fills and of course on tap. They are running a contest on Facebook for swag, tickets to Oktoberfest, and a case of beer, so be sure to check it out! And we’ve spotted a new brew in the works with Battery Park, slated to be released at Tatabrew tap-takeover there on Thursday, October 6th, where a grand total of 14 Tatabrew beers will be featured on tap, along with one cask. Keep it dialed here for the details on this West Coast-inspired beer when available!

• The Port Rexton Brewing crew have been busy lately, and will be launching a brand new beer (to both them, and to the Rock, we reckon), a Gose. This 4.0% German-inspired beer features hand-picked and freshly-cracked coriander seed from the gardens and greenhouse at nearby Fisher’s Loft Inn. And in more exciting PRB news, they made their first delivery into St John’s this week: two kegs of T-Rex Porter were delivered to The Adelaide Oyster House Wednesday evening. Expect there to be more deliveries to town when supply allows it.

• Bore City has brewed up their very first Imperial IPA – with a grist made up mainly of 2-row, there’s a decent amount of flaked grains to boost the body (and add haze), and just the tiniest amount of CaraMunich malt. Hopped and dry-hopped with heavy amounts of Equinox, Galaxy and Topaz, those of you lucky enough to try this currently-unnamed DIPA can expect big blasts of citrus and tropical fruit. Fermented with a blend of English and American ale yeasts, it weighs in at 8.5% ABV and 75 IBUs. Your best bet to try this delicious-sounding beer? Next Saturday’s (Sept 24th) Atlantic Canada Craft Brew Oktoberfest in Moncton; tickets are still available here.

• As wet-hopped-beer season continues, Maybee Brewing recently brewed their first, a SMaSH featuring all Maris Otter malt and freshly-harvested Columbus hops from Southan Farms. A hop variety that has been around for years, Columbus offers a pleasant mix of dank, earthy, and resinous aromas and flavours, which should be amped up even more when used fresh. Expect this one to come in between 5.5-6% ABV, and to hit taps in the next week or so. It will also be released in 473 mL cans, which will be available exclusively at the brewery in Fredericton.

• Florenceville-Bristol’s Railcar Brewing has a new brew available at the brewery, and another following soon. Their Biggar’s Extra Special Bitter is an English ESB brewed with 2-row, Munich, Crystal 40 L, and Chocolate malts, and hopped entirely with English Goldings. At 6.2% ABV and 47 IBUs, it’s available now for growler fills and pints. Brewed recently is a Smoked Vanilla Whisky Porter; this 9.9% ABV monster features a combination of roasted and smoked malts, as well as 8 lbs of blackstrap molasses. In addition, whisky-aged oak chips and 35 vanilla beans were added in secondary. Finally, the beer was dry-hopped with Goldings. Look for this one to become available on tap at the brewery within the next couple of weeks.

• We reported last week on TrailWay‘s first sour beer, which was kettle-soured with a Lactobacillus blend from Escarpment Labs. That beer is nearing completion, and should be available sometime next week. We can now confirm that it will be a ~5% ABV hoppy sour ale; it was “generously whirpool-hopped” with Galaxy, and further dry-hopped with Citra. With the IBUs kept extremely low (high bitterness can easily clash in sour beers), expect a quite tart beer with loads of tropical fruit on the nose and palate.

• There’s another new brew on tap at Mama’s Brew Pub, an American Wheat Ale named Atlantic Great White. Featuring a simple grist of 50% each of 2-row and Wheat malt, it was hopped with the tropical/citrus Amarillo variety. Crushed coriander was also added in the boil, followed by fresh apples and oranges in secondary. Easy-drinking at 4.9% ABV and 17 IBUs, this one is – as always – available only at the brewpub for pints and tasters.

• After several months delay, Fredericton’s Gray Stone Brewing has finally received and commissioned their 11.5 hL (10BBL) brewhouse. As such, they’ve been brewing like mad this week, with at least three batches currently on the go, including their first wet-hopped beer – American Harvest IPA – which will be brewed this coming Sunday. Bittered with freshly harvested Summit to an approximated 85 IBUs, according to the brewery, the beer is expected to come in at 6.5% ABV. They are also putting out a call for any interested parties growing hops on their property to drop them off at the brewery by closing-time on Saturday, to be used in the brew in the flavour and aroma additions. Look for the first in-house-brewed releases to come late September/early October. Congratulations!

• With the return of fall comes the inevitable return of pumpkin beers. Last year, Upstreet released their Gravedigger, which is returning with a couple of changes: this year’s batch weighs in at a slightly-lower 6.5% ABV (compared to last year’s 7.5%), and exhibits slightly less graham cracker character in the flavour. The beer will officially launch tonight with the Gravedigger Ghost Tour and Beer Release, with a Ghost Tour starting at Captain Jack’s Bar & Grill at 6pm, and ending up at Upstreet at 8pm to join the party in full swing. And big congratulations to them for winning Startup Canada’s Social Enterprise Award, recognizing them for making a difference in, and helping to build, their community.

• And in an interesting mesh where wet-hopped-beers-meet-pumpkin-ales, Big Tide has brewed up their Indian Beach Pumpkin Ale, which features additions of real pumpkin, and is wet-hopped with freshly-harvested Cascade from Dunhams Run. As always, the beer also has cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and clove added to boost the pumpkin pie presence, resulting in an interesting flavour combination for this ~5% ABV brew. They have also brewed a wet-hop version of their FogBound Hemp Pale Ale, swapping out Cascade for Dunham Run’s Hallertauer and Nugget. Look for these beers to hit the taps at the end of the month.

• Charlottetown’s Gahan House has just released the details of this year’s Home Brew Challenge. Amateur brewers from the Island are encouraged to brew up their best Winter Warmer by November 18th, when it will be judged by a panel of beer experts. The winning brewer will then get to brew her/his recipe with Gahan’s Brewmaster Trent Hayes (plus a cash prize!), and will be launched in 2017. Register via email by September 30th, and more details are available on their Facebook page.

We’ve got lots of things for you to do this weekend, including the Hops ‘n’ Brats event tonight, and Halifax Beer Run and Halifax Oktoberfest tomorrow.

• It’s a busy weekend for new Nova Scotia breweries! Trider’s Craft Beer is launching today in Amherst. Their retail location at will be open at noon for growler and merchandise sales, and again tomorrow 12-10pm. In case you missed it, check out the Profile of Trider’s we released earlier this morning.

• In Mahone Bay, Saltbox Brewing is officially opening the doors of their taproom and retail shop tomorrow, September 17 at 10 am. In addition to merchandise and growlers of their four core beers, their taproom will be open to embibe onsite. Lobster Jo’s Food Truck will be set up to keep folks happy too. Joining Saltbox on tap will be a few beers from Boxing Rock, Firkenstein, and Good Robot, plus ShipBuilders Cider. Learn more about Saltbox in an upcoming Profile post, and drop by 363 Main Street to take part in the fun!

• Continuing through Sunday is the annual Harvest Jazz & Blues Festival in Fredericton. Red Rover is opening a couple of pop-ups where they’ll be selling about six different ciders; they’ll also be accompanied by various beers from Maybee and Grimross. One will take place one the balcony of the Fredericton Region Museum today from 4pm – 12am, and the other will occur on the Isaac’s Way patio tomorrow from 12am – 2am. Cover charge is by donation, with all funds going to the Fredericton Region Museum.

• Drop by Digby’s Roofhound Brewery for Games Night this Saturday. Pitchers of RH beer are discounted by $5, and there will be some special treats available that evening. The fun kicks off at 8pm.

• The Newfoundland and Labrador Artisanal and Craft Beer Club is hosting an Oktoberfest at the Bella Vista September 30th. Featuring four German beers and digestif, and food to pair with it, this will be sure to give you a taste of the country. Learn more and register your spot with Matthew by Sept 27th.

• A reminder that the second annual Fredericton Cider Festival is in two weeks, Saturday, October 1st. Held at Brewbakers downtown, there will be unlimited 4 oz samples of more than 25 different varieties of cider, with local cideries such as Red Rover, York County, Gagetown Cider Company, and Scow being the main stars of the show. Tickets are still available ($56.50, tax included), which get you a tasting glass and samples from 1:00-3:30 pm; VIP tickets, which allow for early entry at noon, are sold out.

• Mark your calendars! Bissell Brothers and Orono Brewing Company will be taking over the taps at Stillwell the weekend of Dec 10-12. These great Maine breweries are killing it in Portland and Orono, respectively (and the rest of the state), and are bringing their great beers North for us to enjoy. Stay tuned for the exact date/time details, as well as teasers of which beers will be available.

Looks like a nice couple of days coming up for the last weekend of summer; get out there and enjoy them (with some craft beer, of course)! In closing…

– PEI Brewing Co. have brought back a pair of seasonal favourites: Harvest Time Lager and Pumpkin Beer.
– For those who like it in the can, Propeller Brewing has expanded their tinnie offering to include the Pilsener and Pale Ale, joining their popular IPA. Cans are available at both their Gottingen and Windmill locations.
– Pump House SPCA IPA is available again, with a portion of proceeds going to the Greater Moncton SPCA.
– Keep an eye out for the first kegs of Fredericton’s Bogtrotter beers in the wild: kegs of Muddy Mayhem IPA, Osprey’orange Pale Ale were delivered to Gray Stone Brewery last night, and will likely be tapped this weekend. To learn more about Bogtrotter, check our Q&A with them, and be sure to visit the James Joyce for their Meet the Maker event next weekend.

Friday Wrap-Up – News from Nine Locks, Propeller, Red Rover, Garrison, and more!

Posted by acbbshawn on 2016-09-09
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: Atlantic Canadian Craft Brew Fest, Bad Apple Brewhouse, Beau's Brewing Co, Christmas Brewery Tour, Garrison Brewing, Halifax Oktoberfest, Maybee Brewing, Moncton Beer League, Nine Locks Brewery, Picaroons, Port Rexton Brewing Co., Propeller Brewing, Red Rover Craft Cider, Roof Hound Brewing, Snooty Fox, Spindrift Brewing, TrailWay Brewing, Trider's Craft Beer, Uncle Leo's Brewery, Upstreet Craft Brewing, YellowBelly Brewery. Leave a Comment

Happy Friday, everyone! Here’s hoping that you’re all fully recovered from the beautiful Labour Day weekend we just had; as usual, the local beer news just keeps on truckin’…

• There’s a new beer on tap at Nine Locks – Cream Ale is a special one-off brewed just in time for the end of summer. This amber-coloured brew is “smooth and full-bodied”, according to the brewery, featuring caramel notes and a “subtle hop finish” provided by the two English varieties, East Kent Goldings and Fuggles. At 15 IBUs, the beer finishes only mildly bitter, and is quite easy-drinking at 5.2% ABV. No cans for this one – it’s available only on tap at the brewery for growler fills, until it’s gone!

• Propeller has released their latest One Hit Wonder, Tea Rex Ale. Described as an unfiltered Black Tea-Infused Ale, the beer was infused with organic Assam black tea from DAVIDsTEA, and then further dry-hopped (dry-tead?) with it. Black in colour, with a creamy brown head, the beer was hopped with Ahtanum to 47 IBUs; the hop also provides “bright, distinct notes” in the flavour, to go with the molasses undertones. At 6% ABV, the brewery is describing it as “smooth and approachable”; they also recommend drinking this beer from a tea cup! As with all OHW beers, it’s available on tap at both Prop Shop locations for growler fills, and it will likely appear at select beer establishments in the HRM.

• Red Rover has a brand new cider that will be released next Wednesday, created specifically for local restaurant/bar The Snooty Fox. Made with wild blueberries and tart cherry juice, this 7% ABV cider will be on tap exclusively at the Snooty in celebration of the annual Harvest Jazz & Blues Festival beginning next week in Fredericton. They need your help in naming it, however, and are holding a contest with the Snooty, so send in your best name to win some great prizes! The winner will be chosen on Tuesday. And in other Harvest-related cider news, Red Rover will also be re-releasing The Blues, a 7% ABV cider made with wild blueberries. This one will be available for flagon fills at the Cider House, and on tap throughout the city; if the response is good (which it definitely was last year), The Blues could be bottled and sold at ANBL stores in the near future.

• As they gear up for the revelry of the Halifax Oktoberfest events later in the month, Garrison brings us two fall beers this week: a return engagement and an all new twist on a classic style, both featuring rye. First brewed with Beau’s All Natural Brewing in 2014, the Sweet Rye’d Harvest Wheat Ale features both wheat and rye malts along with Munich and pale in a 6.0% ABV copper-coloured brew. Hopped to 40 IBUs with Cascade, Citra, and Columbus, it also features bog myrtle (Myrica gale) provided by Beau’s. It is available for purchase in six-packs now at the NSLC, and shortly at the ANBL.

• New to Garrison’s lineup is a familiar concept to those who appreciate well shots at dive bars. A brew conceived of during this year’s Seaport Beer Fest, Rye & Ginger IPA takes on a Canadian favourite mixed drink in a beer-centric way. Featuring the grainy spiciness of rye malt, the body yields light caramel, toffee, dark fruit and a kick of ginger. The lemon slice on the rim is provided by the citrus punch of Centennial hops, which also provide a touch of earthy balance. At 6.4% ABV and 56 IBU, it’s solidly in the sweetspot for modern IPAs. Light-amber and hazy in colour, it has a dry, warming finish that should be perfect for crisp fall evenings. Even better, it provides a chance to toast your university days in a more grown-up and refined way. Find it in 650 mL bombers at NSLC and private NS stores, as well as through the ANBL growler program this weekend.

•  Digby’s Roof Hound Brewing has been open for a month, and now fans from both near and far can enjoy their beer in a few more venues. This week they launched growler fills at the brewery, allowing patrons to grab a 0.95 or 1.89 L fill of their Little Pup Pale Ale, Rooftop Rye-It Rye Amber, Wasted Days Peanut Butter Chocolate Wheat, and newly launched Big Brown Roof Hound, the 7.0% ABV Brown Ale with raisins and brown sugar, after which the brewery is named (full story here). And for those not able to make a visit to the taproom to enjoy the beer, food, and ambiance, owner Les Barr has delivered a few kegs of beer outside of town. Look out for the tapping of BBRH at Dartmouth’s Battery Park, Halifax’s Stillwell Beer Bar, as well as the Capital Pub in Middleton in the coming days.

• TrailWay is doing some experimenting at the brewery, as they recently began brewing their first go at a kettle-soured beer. Details are slim at the moment, but we can confirm they pitched a strain of Lactobacillus from Escarpment labs, with the goal being to sour the wort to the desired level, before boiling and fermenting the beer afterwards. Expect this one to come in at about 5% ABV; we’ll release more specifics as they become available.

• YellowBelly has the third iteration of their East Coast Cream Ale currently pouring at the brewpub in St. John’s. Originally a collaboration beer created with Australia’s Top Shed, the latest beer is “slightly lighter in body”, and was allowed to spend a longer amount of time in secondary, to smooth out the flavours even more than the two previous brews. It comes in at 5% ABV, and should be available in bottles by next Wednesday. In addition, bottles of their Southern Shore Foggy Porter are now available at the brewery, and select St. John’s NLC locations.

• Picaroons has brewed up a new beer at their General Store location in Saint John – Hippie IPA is a 6.3% ABV SMaSH beer featuring Maritime Malt, and Nugget hops grown and harvested at Lunahops in Cornhill, NB. Fermented with an American Ale yeast strain, this small batch will be tapped this Sunday, September 11th at 3 pm at the General Store (where it will likely be available exclusively, for pints and growler fills); live music from Earthbound Trio will accompany the release. And keep your eyes open for a unique beer brewed with BioNB for their Sept 30th “Innovation at the Station” event at the York Street Train Station, celebrating 20 years of operation. Tickets are free, but advance registration is suggested.

• We also have all the details on this year’s release of Picaroons’ Harvest Ale. A 5.5% ABV “golden amber ale” (British Pale Ale) brewed every year, there are usually three or more batches brewed, each featuring a different hop variety or varieties that is/are grown in Atlantic Canada. For this season, there will be three larger batches: one using all Mt. Hood hops from Wallace Ridge Farm (Nova Scotia); one using all Willamette from My Father’s Farm (PEI); and one using all “wild hops” from Moose Mountain Hops (New Brunswick). As always, all the details on the farm and hops used can be found by checking the four-digit code on your bottle, and looking it up online. The beer should be released sometime in the next couple of weeks.

• Spindrift is bringing back The Abyss, their Schwarzbier, which will be available in cans next week. The gravity is bumped up slightly to 4.8% ABV after a light tweak to the recipe, and fans of the black and lightly roasted lager will be happy to be able to grab it again. It launches at the brewery Thursday; private stores and NSLC outlets will follow in the near future.

We’ve got a few events to tell you about this week, and don’t forget to check out our Calendar Page, as we keep it as up-to-date as possible with all of the events going on in the region, including next weekend’s Halifax Oktoberfest fun.

• A reminder that the launch of Trider’s Craft Beer is happening tomorrow, September 10th at Sociables Pub in Springhill. Tickets are still available in advance, or pay on entry at 8pm. Meet the folks behind Trider’s, and your first pint is included in the ticket price. Trider’s storefront at 46 Anson Avenue will be opening September 16th, and they will be taking part in the Rocktoberfest at the Amherst Fire Hall October 1st.

• September 10th also marks the last Urban Beer Hike lead by the Moncton Beer League for a while. Meet at the Laundromat Espresso Bar at 1:45, and visit five spots for food and beer along the way. Tickets are still available, so be sure to check it out!

• For those in PEI (or up for a little drive), be sure to drop by Upstreet Brewing tomorrow for the launch of a brand new beer. Lager Quest came about when an Upstreet fan won a silent auction supporting the Red Cross’ efforts in Fort McMurray. Winner Gavin Hall helped pick the style of the brew, was put to work making it with Brewmaster Mike Hogan, and will have the honour of the first pour in the taproom Saturday at 3pm. Drop by for the fun, and there are more details here.

• The next Moncton Beer League event is September 24th, Atlantic Canadian Craft Brew Oktoberfest, being held at the Lions Club on Mark Avenue. Close to 20 breweries from around the Maritimes will be in attendance, pouring their wares to benefit the United Way. Tickets are still available!

• New Brunswick Beer Tours has their next event planned, and it’s set up in true festive fashion! The Christmas Brewery Tour is scheduled for Saturday, December 17th; it will follow a similar format as in previous tours, with four brewery visits. Each stop includes a minimum of four 4 oz beer samples, as well as the chance to meet and chat with the people behind your favourite Fredericton beers. The fun starts at 11:30 am at Grimross, followed by stops at TrailWay, Mama’s Brewpub, and another soon-to-be-determined location, before finishing off at the King Street Ale House for one final beer (or more!) at 4:30 pm. Tickets are available now, and are $67.50 each.

As a favourite university professor of mine always used to say – that’s it, that’s all, there ain’t no more! Ok, maybe a couple more short things…

– Bad Apple Brewhouse‘s latest release is Son of a Pitch, a 7.1% ABV Double IPA. It is available exclusively at the brewery and Stubborn Goat. And congratulations to Jeff and Kari on getting hitched in Vegas this week!
– Maybee Brewing‘s Long Carry Brett Red, their Roseway Red aged on Brettanomyces, is now available in 750 mL, cork and cage bottles, exclusively at the brewery for now.
– Port Rexton Brewing has announced their new hours for September, which will see them closed on Wednesdays, and remain open all other days 2-10pm. And they will be gearing down for the season on Saturday, October 29th, so be sure to drop by the brewery in the next 8 weeks to grab a taste of the Bonavista Peninsula!
– Uncle Leo’s is releasing their Harvest Ale today, brewed with malt from Horton Ridge Malt and hops from Bramble Hill Farm. It will be available at the brewery, their table at the New Glasgow Farmer’s Market tomorrow, and on tap at better beer bars in the province.