Village Green by Modern Brewer

All posts tagged Village Green by Modern Brewer

Happy Friday and welcome to what looks like the first decent stretch of weekend weather this summer (at least for us crazy cats in HRM). We’ve got a bunch of new releases, a handful of events, and what seems like a record number of job postings heading your way. Sit back, relax and crack open your favourite local beverage as we bring you up to speed on all things beer/cider related in Atlantic Canada. 

In case you missed the news, big changes have been happening during the last twelve months for Good Robot Brewing, and we wanted to give you an update. We’ve previously mentioned their plans to open a production facility in Elmsdale, and as they celebrated their Seventh Anniversary in May, they were also packaging their last cans at their original Robie Street location (more on that in a second). Having now moved their brewing equipment off Robie Street and out to Industrial Way, the new facility has offered the capability of new equipment and capacity. One of those new pieces of equipment is a mash filter. Taking the place of a lauter tun (or the combo mash/lauter tun most often seen in local craft breweries), it allows quicker separation of wort from the grain, and more efficient recovery. Neat! They have also added an upgraded canning line, including a tunnel pasteurizer to help keep product shelf stable These additions, as well as more and larger fermenters, will allow them to brew up to 10 times their current capacity, allowing them to expand their reach further outside of Nova Scotia. And while specifics are still under wraps for now, they are interested in partnering with other breweries or drink manufacturers to allow them an opportunity to co-package/brew when capacity allows, giving the opportunity for others to create or scale up production on Good Robot’s facilities. More on that as we learn!

As mentioned above, with the move of the main production facility to Elmsdale, they have also moved their canning line. To mark the end of an era on Robie Street, they set aside the last can of Creature Feature IPA to come off the line, and are auctioning it off for charity. You can bid on the can here (the auction closes June 24th), and all of the proceeds will go to Blk Women in Excellence, their most recent Goodwill Beer partner. Bid early and bid often! Learn more about it here.

And finally, with the expansion to Elmsdale, they will be opening both a retail space and Beer Garden in the coming months, and are adding to their team of misfits. Check the Job Posting info below to learn more, and you may even have a chance to join our pal Kellye Robertson, who has joined GRBC’s Brewing Crew. Congratulations, Kellye!

Delta Force Brewing is back with a third contribution to the Make Peace Not War beer project. Joining the Dry-Hopped Farmshed Sour, Valley Lager and Farmshed Tripel are two more releases, a Farmshed Kvass and a Goose-Shake IPA. The Kvass is a lager beer/kvass hybrid with obvious bready notes due to the Kvass element. This beer is 6.0% and 25 IBU and available in 500ml bottles.

Goose-Shake is an IPA packed with gooseberries, with additions of lactose and vanilla to up the sweetness. This one is also 6.0% and is 17 IBU, also in 500ml bottles. 40% of all proceeds are being donated to Red Cross efforts in Ukraine for this series of beer. Learn more about the beer and project, and order yours today from their website! They’ve also got two beers back in stock, the Operation Sommar Dry Stout and Operation Barrow English IPA. 

Back with a new release out of Cornwall, Village Green has a new IPA out. Delightful! Is an IPA with a blend of classic American “C” hops (Chinook, Centennial, Columbus, Cascade and maybe even some Citra?) and a lovely British yeast to play on all the malt and hop flavours. This 6% IPA is available now from the brewery in cans and on tap.

One of the benefits of being located so close to our ‘Murican neighbours is the opportunity to make a quick trip across the border to sample the vast selection of beers that are available. Up until recently, the pandemic had put a kibosh on this, leaving fans of New England classics like Allagash White high and dry. If you count yourself in that category, you’ll be pleased to hear that Atlantic Canada is getting a new take on the Belgian Witbier with Propeller’s release of White. Available starting today, Prop’s take on the style comes in at 4.8% ABV and 30 IBUs. Expect the hallmark style notes of orange and coriander in what is sure to be a patio favourite. Cans are available now at Prop’s three retail locations, via their online store and at a handful of private stores across HRM.

Lunenburg’s own Shipwright Brewing proudly presents Day Sailor! This new release is a 4.5% easy drinking, crisp, clean Golden Ale, named after a relaxing pleasure-craft. It’s available now in cans and on tap for pints and growler fills from the brewery. 

Be sure to keep an eye on what they’re putting together next door (the old Big Red’s Restaurant), an addition to their existing taproom and brewery. They’re going to expand production, food offering and also a private booking space on the top floor. Stay tuned to their social media for updates. 

The crew at Unfiltered Brewing brings back a fan favourite this week with a banger. Here It Comes is a Double IPA (classic Unfiltered!) featuring Chinook hops. Chinook brings a wonderfully delicious citrusy flavour and aroma to this 7.5% DIPA. All of the hops in the batch are from Duke25, a Nova Scotia- and Quebec-based hop producer. This is available today in 473ml cans, growler fills and pints from Charm School. 

Next up, another returning beer, but this time out of Port Rexton Brewing. Last available in 2018, Flight of the Mango is back! This is a fruited ale made with mangue purée and lactose added. The beer is big on mango for aroma, taste and some nice sweetness throughout. This beer is 4.5% and available from the taproom for pints and also in cans from the brewery and St. John’s retail shop on Saturday. It will also be widely available across Newfoundland next week.  

In cider news, Kentville’s Maritime Express has joined a few other producers in our region in marrying up gin and cider for a refreshing herbal kick. Going the route of ageing the cider for six months in French oak that had previously held Compass Distillers’ gin, you should find this one smooth and crisp, with aromas of fresh apple and juniper. On the palate you might sense some cotton candy and pine as well. This one packs a bit of a punch at 8.3% and has been bottled in 750ml bottles; we suspect this is a limited batch, so if you’re interested it’s best you get to grabbing some.

Up in Bay Roberts, NL, Baccalieu Trail Brewing Co has been busily working away on a top secret project for months, but with the first delivery hitting store shelves, they’re ready to blow the covers off the thing. Inspired by the importance of tourism to the NL economy, BTB partnered up with four unique restaurants in four unique tourism regions in the province to create four sessionable beers that celebrate the beauty and history of Newfoundland. This isn’t just about brewing up some beers and naming them, the label artwork is designed to highlight the attractions of each region, and there’s a QR code on every can that you can scan to be taken to a portal where you can explore those attractions and see food menus for the partner restaurants. The four beers are available as a four-pack, with a very reasonable asking price of $21.50, taxes in. It should be available Island-wide in the next week or so, from many of your favourite craft beer sources. We don’t have information about the beers, but that will be part of the fun for those who grab themselves a set. We can, however, tell you that the partner restaurants are The Old Store Café in Norris Point, Ragged Rocks GastroPub in Bonavista, The Quay Restaurant in Brigus, and The Hub of the North Restaurant and Suites in Greenspond. Whether you’re a Newfoundlander who would like to explore your home province a little more or a visitor looking for beautiful and historic places to go, we suggest grabbing yourself a pack and doing some virtual exploration while you sit and sip!

Let’s give you a few reasons (and ways!) to celebrate this weekend…

After months of planning and preparation, Boxing Rock’s new Test Kitchen and Retail Shop is opening today! Located at 2790 Windsor Street in Halifax, the Test Kitchen shares space with Local Source Market, and will feature a retail space for bottles, cans, and merchandise, as well as growler fills (remember those?). They will also be doing small batch brewing here, testing out new recipes and collaborating with the community to keep bringing you the good stuff. Drop by today after 11 AM to check out the new space, fill up your lifetime-discount orange growler, and if you sign up for their loyalty program, you will be entered into a draw to win one of your own! Plus you’ll have the chance to vote on what you’d like to see brewed on their 100 litre system.

Folks close to the QV Gut can rejoice, as the Quidi Vidi Wharf is opening today for the season. Open 12 – 9 PM daily, from now until Labour Day, visitors can grab beer from Landwash’s slick beer trailer, and pair it with food from Johnny & Mae’s, Quidi Vidi Fish & Chips, and QV Sweet Spot too! And for those not in the gut, there is a shuttle to/from the wharf all day, every day, with hourly runs from the Pedestrian Mall/Alt Hotel, right to the Sugarloaf parking lot (and every 20 minutes to the Dominion on QV Lake).

There’s a fun little tap takeover this Saturday if you’re around St. John’s. The sweet folks from Chain Yard Cider are visiting Bannerman Brewing and bringing 4 of their favourite ciders to share on the rock. They’ll have four ciders on tap (Pink Tartan, Hazy Fraisy, Hopped Up and Foundation) and also some packaged products for sale (King’s Saison, Espionage and more!) at the brewery, as well. 

We mentioned 2 Crows’ The Agenda Grapefruit and Basil Radler last week, but wanted to remind you of the Rhinestone Cowboy-themed release party happening Saturday. From 1 PM, Cafe Aroma Latino will be popping up in the taproom Latin-inspired dishes, with DJ EFFA keeping the party going spinning Honky Tonk tunes from 7 PM until close. Dress up in your favourite outfit and get on down to party!

All this reading making you thirsty to get into the beer biz? We’ve got a bunch of options for you to look at this week.

Montague’s Copper Bottom Brewing is hiring a Production and Operations Manager to join their team. They will be responsible for overseeing the planning, brewing, storage, and shipment of beer across the province (and beyond). While not directly brewing, this person will be helping with planning, forecasting, and making sure everything is running smoothly! Check the link to learn more and apply!

In Cornwall PEI, Village Green is hiring folks to help out in both front and back of house. If you are interested in slinging beer to thirsty patrons, and/or helping to can up beers for folks to take home, this is the right job for you! Especially if you love beer, and are looking to learn more and get your foot in the door. Fire them an email to learn more and apply!

Half Cut Brewing is opening their own taproom on the North Side of Fredericton this summer, and they are looking for folks to sling some beer! Opening in July at 67 Main Street, the taproom will have seating both inside and out, a dozen taps, and also share space with 11th Mile’s Coast Line Pizza, providing Detroit-style pizza and salads. Interested folks should get in contact to apply!

With their big move to Elmsdale, Good Robot is hiring folks to work both in retail and the beer garden. There are about ten openings between the two positions, and you should check out their Indeed postings to learn more and apply!

With school winding down, it is scholarship season for many folks and North Brewing is accepting applications for their 2022 Diversity & Inclusion Scholarship. Always advocating and working to be an ally for their community and the wider brewing and craft beer community, this scholarship is wide ranging for any students entering programs related to the brewing industry. The scholarship includes the monetary reward but also guaranteed summer employment at North for the duration of their education. Applications are open until the end of July, so check out the link here and share with any friends and families with students that can apply!

If you’re in Bay Roberts (or know someone who is nearby!) Baccalieu Trail Brewing Co. is seeking a responsible and friendly individual to be a Beertender for the summer. If serving beer to friendly folks is up your alley, you have until June 14th to apply. 

The successful applicant will enjoy serving craft beer to thirsty customers while receiving competitive tips/pay, and working at an awesome brewery in Bay Roberts!

If interested, send a resume via email and a short sentence or two detailing why you’d be the perfect fit for Baccalieu Trail Brewing Co. Or, just drop off a resume in person at the Taproom. 

And a couple last quick mentions afore ye go:

The 902 BrewCast fellas sat down with Michelle Tham, a Certified Cicerone, while she was in Halifax recently, to learn about her lightbulb moment beer, why she hates describing beer as “hoppy”, and how she is using her beer education to travel across the country (and beyond). Grab the latest episode on the 902BC website or in your favourite podcatcher.

Speaking of 902 Brewcast, one of our favourite sources for beers of all kinds is Bishop’s Cellar on the Halifax Waterfront (if you don’t understand the connection there, you should definitely listen to the podcast!). Of course they stock all kinds of tasty beers, ciders, and meads from around Nova Scotia and the rest of the Atlantic Provinces, but they are also a source for beverages from the rest of Canada and beyond, providing us with a chance to sample quality products here at home. This week they’ve got some treats from Germany, largely lagers, in the form of AyingerJahrhundert, an Export Helles, Pinkus Müller Altbier, a “pale” (and slightly tart) Altbier, Pinkus Müller Ur-Pils, an unfiltered German Pils, SchanzenbräuHelles, and Schanzenbräu Rotbier, a red lager. Grab yourself a mixed pack of those and some brats ‘n buns and you can have yourself a proper Deutsch treat!! We’d also be remiss if we didn’t mention they’ve got Serpent Brewing’s Mexican Mole Porter in stock!!

Happy Friday, loyal readers. The signs of summer are everywhere around us. Temperatures in the region are creeping up to 30 degrees, patios are springing up on sidewalks, sessionable crushers are rolling out of tanks, and in the surest sign that the colder months are behind us, the Leafs are about to choke their way to another early exit. With a later release this Friday (we blame the fact that it’s Friday the 13th…), what better time to grab a beer, and get caught up on all of Atlantic Canada’s newest releases and events. Appreciate you sticking around and checking out the news!

Let’s kick things off with a brewery that hasn’t graced the pages of this blog in some time, Loyalist City Brewing, who are embracing the low-alcohol trend with the release of On Call IPA, a 2.5% ABV micro IPA. Special attention went into assuring that despite the low ABV, this one still packs plenty of hop aroma and flavour. Citra and Mosaic hops were used to create notes of stone fruit and citrus, with plenty of balancing bitterness at 35 IBUs. This one is available for a limited time, on tap at the brewery and better beer bars around New Brunswick.

Over in Antigonish County, Half Cocked is rolling out their first ever lager with Ozzy Dunkel, named in honour of the ever popular taproom dog, Ozzy the German Shepherd. This take on the classic German style comes in at 5.4% ABV and features sweet malt notes of biscuits and caramel, along with a hint of black tea. Ozzy Dunkel is available at the brewery for pints and fills, and may get in Halifax County for those imbibing there..

Let’s make a quick jump back to New Brunswick for our next new release, L’érablière 2.0. CAVOK partnered with Chateau Scoudouc Maple to create an amber ale that saw an addition of maple syrup, before being aged on oak chips. The resulting 7.7% ABV ale is available now for pints, growlers and crowlers. And find it at their spot at Cap-Pelé, which is now open for the season! Beach lovers rejoice!

Propeller is mixing things up this week with the release of Saison, their take on the Belgian-inspired style. Expect notes of lemon and spice from the Belgian yeast (with a bit of citrus twist added to send it even higher), with the fermentation also creating lots of carbonation and a dry finish. Cans of the 5% and 20 IBU Saison are available today through Propeller’s online store, their three retail locations, and at the private stores across Halifax.

Up in Nyanza, Big Spruce is celebrating this beautiful May weekend with the release of Stunt Dubbel. The big winner from their 9th Homebrew Challenge held earlier this year, winning brewer Karl Penney made the trip to Cape Breton and helped the Big Spruce Crew turn his 20 litre batch into more than a thousand! As you could probably guess from the name, this is a Belgian Dubbel in style, a malt-forward and super-smooth beer, featuring aromatics and flavours of caramel, toasted brown bread, and even a hint of milk chocolate. The belgian yeast contributes some light pepper spiciness and banana fruity esters, rounding out the 7.2% ABV beer. Available on tap and in cans, whether your travels take you to the brewery, otherwise you can order for HRM or Canada-wide delivery. It’s joined by returning favourite Day 6 with Brett Blueberry, Big Spruce’s tongue-in-cheek ode to Day 6 with Brent Bambury, full of NS-grown Organic blueberries and fermented with the wild Brettanomyces M yeast, for a fruity, funky, full-featured beer.

Tomorrow in the Annapolis Valley, Sea Level Brewing is releasing their Myria IPA in support of the Brew for Ukraine efforts. Ukrainian for “Dream”, Myria borrows the recipe from Pravda Beer, leveraging some great hops to maximise tropical and citrus notes that are reminiscent of passion fruit, melon, peach, and citrus on both the nose and palate. As supplies of this 6.5% ABV beer are limited, cans are available exclusively at the brewery retail store, with the remainder pouring only in their taproom, at 9146 Hwy 221 in Sheffield Mills. Be sure to drop by this weekend to take in the beer, the sights, and the lovely weather!

Up next is an aptly named collaboration between Newfoundland’s Dildo Brewing Company and Church Brewing out of the Annapolis Valley. Sweet Whistlin’ Jaysus is the brainchild of head brewers and former co-workers, Steve Crane and Kyle Jeppesen. Using techniques and ingredients from multiple styles led them to label this 4.6% ABV lager as an Austro-Mexican Lager. The grain bill features a base of Vienna malt, with additions of CaraVienna and corn; Spalter hops were used exclusively, along with an extended fermentation and conditioning with Dildo’s house lager yeast. Keep an eye on both breweries’ social channels for release and retail details. 

Cornwall’s Village Green is back with a new version of their Weird Clouds IPA series, this one features Amarillo, Strata and Azacca hops. Look for notes of peach and berries that complement the notes of fresh dinner rolls from the malt. We’ll also mention that last weekend saw the release of Lil’ Hazy, a 4.2% ABV New England Style Pale ale. This one featured ample late boil and dry hop additions of Citra, Strata and Mosaic hops, providing lots of tropical fruit and citrusy notes. 

Plenty to tell you about at Serpent Brewing, with several new beers and events to keep you busy this weekend. First up, the beer! Last week, they released Espiritus, a 12% Mexican Mole Porter. Their resident designer of labels and murals in the taproom, Mónica, wanted to bring a taste of her hometown of Mexico City 5000 km Northeast to Spryfield. Using authentic Mexican chocolate, spices, and peppers, she prepared a mole, which went into the beer at the very end of the boil of the base Porter, to bring out even more chocolate, as well as pleasant warming from the peppers and spicing. Previously available exclusively on tap, there are bottles of this heavy hitter available at the brewery now. 

Joining Espiritus are three decidedly more restrained beers alcohol-wise, but every bit as flavourful. Dreamer is a 6.0% Raspberry Witbier, where the Brew Crew leverage their yeast and familiarity from their White Mountain Witbier, with the raspberry puree complementing the wheat character, with the beer fermented a touch cooler to keep its esters restrained. Nova Blue is also 6.0%, and just like Dreamer, is best described as a fruited witbier, with locally-grown blueberries lending their flavourful juices to enhance the aroma and taste of the beer. The latest of the Beer Creation Series, where the first boosters of Serpent were able to choose a beer recipe and release it commercially, with beer fan Bob calling the shots on this one.

And finally in new beers is the next in their Beer Creation Series, a small batch beer named Fight Trail. Those of the two wheel variety may recognize the name from a popular trail in the Spryfield area, where Serpent regular Mitch spends lots of time. The beer is a British Golden Ale, that spent some time lagering as well, to mellow out just a touch. Wanting a beer “to crush after crushing the trails”, the 4.7% beer is simple yet complex enough to enjoy while throwing back a couple. A little light for the style, and Simcoe in the dry-hop may not be CAMRA-approved, but these help to keep it interesting and tasty.

All of these beers are on tap, with many also available to go in bottles, from the brewery who are celebrating the opening of their patio this weekend. Dominic’s Cucina Wood Fired Pizza will be slinging pies from 2:30 PM onward, and Nick Hamlyn will be playing live from the patio 3 – 6 PM. Sunday, they will be playing Music Trivia, and you can check out the many events they hold throughout the week!

Three years ago (May 11, 2019 to be exact!) the fine folks at Bannerman Brewing opened their doors and on Saturday May 14th, they’re throwing a big birthday bash at the brewery. Here are some of the highlights from the delicious East Duckworth venue:

  • BEER! Surf’s Up is being re-released on tap only, a tropical blue sour that sold out very quickly. Also, 30% off of pints of all of their core beers that were available 3 years ago. 
  • Island Time, their original launch DIPA, is also available again as of last Friday. This is available widely in cans and at 8% it’s tropical, easy drinking, smooth with nice orange and tangerine flavours. 
  • FOOD! Best Friend Burger is setting up shop all day to serve their smash burgers for dine-in service. Also, they’ll have dinosaur shaped nuggets. 
  • MUSIC! The Dandelion Few will be around from 3pm until 5pm with some deadly tunes. Don’t worry, there’s no cover, so swing by if you can.

That about covers it. They’re very excited to welcome everyone back, have people in person and pay homage to some of their core beers. 

A pre-COVID staple that many of us looked forward to was the great, the bold, the strong, Péché Day! The annual celebration of the Dieu du Ciel! world class ale is finally back in Halifax and Moncton. Saturday May 21 is the day and Bar Stillwell will host in Halifax and Tide & Boar will host in Moncton. Five offerings of Péché Mortel will feature this year, with Bourbon 2021. Tajumulco 2022, Kumquat 2022 and Dulce de Leche 2022 will join the classic offering. Check out the full details here from DDC. 

All this reading making you thirsty to get into the beer biz? We’ve got a couple of options for you to look at this week.

2 Crows Brewing is taking part in the Canada Summer Jobs Program, and hiring full-time Driver / Packaging Assistant to join the mix. The position is for those 19-30 years of age, and they would love to have those from under-represented-in-beer communities apply for the position. Check that link for full details on the position and how to apply!

Speaking of Packaging, those living in Newfoundland, or willing to move there (and why wouldn’t you??), should check out the FB post and details from Dildo Brewing Company, as they are hiring a full-time Brewer’s Assistant/Packaging Technician to help around the brewhouse. While no brewing specific skills are required, a willingness to learn, and work, are key. Plenty more info on their Facebook and via email!

Hey, you’ve made it to another Friday! Glad to hear! You’ve definitely earned a beer or two, so let’s cut the small talk and give you the scoop on the latest releases and events happening in the area!

Let’s kick things off with a few hazy IPAs from Fredericton’s Trailway Brewing. First up is a new release, named in honour of some skilled bowling at the brewery’s Drome location. Bonus Money showcases Falconer’s Flight, El Dorado, Vic Secret and Sabro hops, leading to notes of pineapple, stone fruit, mango and some subtle coconut from the Sabro. Cans of the 5.5% ABV IPA are available now. Trailway is also releasing another batch of Hot Sky Eclipse, their 6.6% ABV IPA that showcases the Australian Eclipse hop. This year’s version saw extra hop additions, earning itself the DDH (double dry hopped) moniker. Expect lots of citrus notes with a hint of pine needles and Juicy Fruit gum (the taste is gonna move you). 

Let’s cross over to Newfoundland, where Landwash and Dildo have teamed up for a fun “Home and Home” collaboration, and now available at both breweries and across the Avalon. Friendly Shores is a 5.6% ABV Amber Ale, that spent some time in each brewery on Amburana wood and vanilla. This “Brazilian Oak” is known to impart savoury and lightly spicy notes, which is complemented by the vanilla, imparting lots into this malt-forward ale. As it was brewed at both spots, it’s available in house and to-go in both Mount Pearl and Dildo, as well as in cans at NLC and Marie’s Mini Mart locations surrounding and between the two participating breweries now.

We mentioned it in our International Women’s Day 2022 feature at the beginning of the month, and now it is a reality, Landwash has released their Brave Noise Pale Ale. Brewed on Pink Shirt Day in late February, the 4.8% Hazy Pale Ale is part of a global movement working towards descrimination-free spaces to produce and enjoy beer. As part of the international collab, Landwash has included a link to their Code of Conduct right on the can, and will be directing proceeds to The Craft Beer Safety Network, supporting marginalized communities in the beer industry. Be sure to grab a four-pack of cans today to help support folks already in, or looking to join, the industry!

For Landwash’s partner in Friendly Shores, this was not Dildo’s only new release this week either, as they’ve released a higher-ABV version of Dildo LagerDry Ice Lager is 6.0%, achieving that extra bit of oomph by using an enzyme to help the yeast chew up every little bit of sugar in the wort, leaving the beer bone dry, with a touch of warming from the higher alcohol. Available at the brewery, their St. John’s retail store, as well as the various gas stations/convenience stores on the East Coast. And back on tap and in cans is 1933 IPA, a 7.0% bitter beer brewed in honour of the giant squid caught in Dildo in its eponymous year. Don’t let this one pull you down to the deep!

The Modern Brewer is up to his usual tricks this week with two new releases at Cornwall’s Village Green. First up is Azacca Gold. This 3.8% session pale ale uses Marris Otter and English Crystal malts in a nod to English pale ales, but takes a more American approach on the hop side with a big whirlpool addition of Azacca hops. The result is a light note of toasted bread from the malt, and some citrusy and stone fruit notes from the hops. If you’re looking for a bit more oomph, check out Other Coast, their take on a West Coast style IPA. This one comes in at 6.9% ABV with plenty of bitterness and hop character from Chinook and Centennial additions. Other Coast and Azacca Gold are draught-only releases for now, so you’ll have to hit up the taproom to try them out. If you’re looking for a to-go option, they’ll be canning another release of their 4.6% Cream Ale, featuring Tettnanger hops, later this week.

Tatamagouche Brewing has the latest release in their Intertidal Series this week, shining the spotlight on singular hops in a variety of styles. The latest is Nugget West Coast Pale Ale, leveraging some BC-grown Nugget in a hop-forward beer featuring big notes of orange rind, with a hint of pine, all on a balancing malt base. Available on tap and in cans at the brewery now, you can place an order for pick-up, delivery, or Canada-wide delivery, and of course check out your favourite NS watering hole the next time you’re in for a pint with your Schmoopie.

In a decidedly different vein is the newest from Dartmouth’s Lake City Cider, Raspberry features local raspberries from Noggins Corner Farm, pressed and fermented on their own, before blending with local apples to bring some lovely apple notes and a touch of acidity to this 6.0% beautifully pink expression. Available in cans and on tap at their spot on Portland Street, and for home delivery in HRM seven days a week!

Jumping back to Nouveau-Brunswick, Flying Boats Brewing is promoting one of its Test Pilot series beers to the full-time lineup. Blood Orange Pixe IPA starts off within some west-coast inspiration and additions of Chinook, Citra and Amarillo giving a resiny hop profile  It then sees the addition of natural blood orange oils to amp up the citrus notes. The 6% ABV IPA is now on-tap and in cans at the taproom and will soon see wider provincial distribution through ANBL. 

We’ve got a combination beer release and party to announce this week, bringing two PEI breweries together for a fun collaboration. Bogside Brewing hosted Moth Lane in the brewhouse previously, and are now ready to release Party Line, a 6.0% ABV Extra Pale Ale. Thanks to local malts from Shoreline Malting, the neutral base beer allows the aromatic hops to blast through, with big aromatics and flavours of mango and pineapple, and supremely quaffable. Cans are available now at the brewery, and may we suggest timing your visit to Montague tomorrow, as you’ll be able to enjoy $5 pints of PL all day, $23 6-packs, live music 3 – 5 PM from Blizzard Goat Band, before the brewery opens up for the Cloggeroo Vibrations and Librations event with Brandon Howard Roy @ 9PM (ticketed event).

Moncton’s Tire Shack Brewery has a couple of somewhat divergent beers to talk about this week, a new release and a returning favourite. First up, the new one is a New Zealand Pilsner, bright and crisp and sure to make you think of patio days to come. Dubbed Good as Gold, it was hopped with Nelson Sauvin, Motueka, and Rakau, all Kiwi varieties, of course. Lower on the hop bitterness end and higher on hop flavours, particularly some light tropical citrus notes, than traditional Old- and New-World Pils styles, it comes in at 5% and is available on tap, for fills to go, and packaged in cans.

The return engagement this week is a reflection on the time of year here in our part of the world. Waffle Sauce brings together the wonder that is Grade A dark maple syrup with the classic British-influenced American style that is ESB. With 25kg of syrup provided by local neighbour Briggs Maples, you can expect a 5% ABV brew tilted towards the malt side, with a hint of maple flavour. You can also find this one at the brewery in all formats to stay or go.

Another place you can no doubt try both of these beers, however, is in Fredericton at The Joyce this weekend, as they’ll be hosting a tap takeover (remember those?!) of 12 different Tire Shack beers. For those who haven’t made it to Moncton to try some before as well as those who already know, this will be a great chance to enjoy some “out-of-city” brews. The Tire Shack Team will also be on-site tonight from 5 – 8 PM to chat about beer and answer any questions you might have. Check out the Fb event page for all the relevant details!

A couple more quick hits before we sign off this week…

Big Spruce is rereleasing Hoom Is Where The Heart Is, their take on an English Bitter, just in time to start enjoying a few pints outdoors around their massive custom fire pit. The sessionable 4.9% ale showcases hops harvested from their onsite hop yard and also uses 40% Organic Pale Malt from Horton Ridge. Cans and pints are available now in Nyanza and for shipping/delivery via their online store. 

The mysterious team at Delta Force has a new batch of Baurenhofschuppen with Brett, their spin on a German Marzen, with Brettanomyces added to amp up the complexity during fermentation. They are offering bottles as part of their current IPA sale, giving you the chance to snag 3 bottles of Baurenhofschuppen along with 3 of their Operation Stronghold IPA. Check out their online store for all of the details. 

Looking to join an expanding brewery in PEI, have we got the news for you!

As the weather warms and the visitors start crossing the bridge, things are heating up in Borden-Carleton, and Lone Oak wants to be ready! They are looking to add to their awesome team at their home location, as well as their Brewpub on Milky Way in Charlottetown when it opens its doors later this spring. Hiring for both Front and Back of House, there is something for everyone to find their groove, so send them an email to learn more and apply!