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Friday Wrap-Up – News from Unfiltered, TrailWay, Propeller, Gahan House, North, Yellowbelly, Garrison, Big Spruce, and lots of events!

Posted by acbbchris on 2016-08-19
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: Beckwith Road, Big Spruce Brewing, Breton Brewing, Gahan House (Charlottetown), Gahan House Harbourfront (Halifax), Garrison Brewing, Halifax Oktoberfest, Hell Bay Brewing, Liquid Riot, Local Connections Halifax, Meander River Farm and Brewery, North Brewing, NSLC, Picaroons, Propeller Brewing, Saltbox Brewing, Shiretown Beer, Stillwell Beer Bar, TrailWay Brewing, Unfiltered Brewing, Unibroue, YellowBelly Brewery. Leave a Comment

Happy Friday everyone! Lots of news this week, so let’s get right to it…

• Leading us off today is a story from Halifax’s Unfiltered Brewing: they have filed suit against the NSLC, arguing that the “Retail Mark-Up Sales Allocation” the Crown Corporation is unconstitutional. When Unfiltered’s lawyers consulted the legislation to learn more about the mark-up, none could be found, and the NSLC has been unable to provide documents outlining the details. The $0.50/litre mark-up is applied to all NS-made beer that is sold or given away, whether or not it hits any NSLC retail stores. Unfiltered is claiming that the mark-up is in fact a tax, and that the NSLC is not legislated to collect it. They are requesting reimbursement for the more than $25,000 paid to the NSLC over the last 13 months, and that the mark-up be declared unconstitutional. This case has wide-reaching implications, as all of the more than 35 breweries in the province have been paying this fee for years, and would amount to many millions of dollars that could be at dispute. From the NSLC’s own spokesperson, $954,000 was collected in 2015, of which $50,000 was provided to the Craft Brewers Association of Nova Scotia (the association of 25 member breweries, but Unfiltered is not one of them). The scheduling of the suit is to be decided in early September, and we’ll be sure to keep you up to date with all of the news. The CBC has a good summary of the details of the suit.

• In new beer news, Fredericton’s TrailWay Brewing has dropped a new take on their fruit wheat beer this week: Haskap Wheat. With a similar base as their Raspberry Wheat, this beer features 40 kilos of locally-grown Haskap berries added after fermentation. The resultant beer is a hazy purple colour, with notes of blueberry, raspberry, and cranberry, on a pleasant wheat base. A very drinkable 4.3% ABV and 20 IBUs Wheat beer. And speaking of drinkable, their South Pacific-hopped Pale Ale D’under is back again, weighing in at 5.5% ABV and approximately 40 IBUs from late addition hops. Lots of tropical aromas come through from the hops, without a big bitter blast.

• Propeller Brewing has released their latest One Hit Wonder this week, and their Brewmaster apparently had a one-track mind when it came to this recipe! 1 Hop IPA is a 6.6% ABV and 56 IBUs beer, featuring nothing but Mandarina Bavaria for the hopping. As the name implies, this hop was developed in Germany, at the Hop Research Institute in Hüll, and is among the recent wave of aromatic hops (higher oil content) coming from Europe. The orange and citrus notes of the hop shine through on top of the robust body and significant bitterness. As with all of their OHW releases, this is only available in draft, or for growler fills at their two brewery locations. And while you’re at the brewery, be sure to check out Prop’s first can release. They have started with their flagship IPA, with cans now available at their retail locations, and will soon be rolling out to the private stores and NSLC shelves.

 • Gahan House Halifax has a few new beers on tap currently, and a brand new beer hitting the taps next week. Now on tap are: Maritime Brine, a 3.8% Gose with a light acidity and salt character, along with pleasant lemon character, with just enough hops (less than 10 IBUs) to keep it balanced; The Barberrian (which made its cask debut at the Seaport Beer Festival), a 5.0% ABV Red Ale aged on dried barberries and cherries, for a bright fruit flavour and aroma; Summer House Beer, a 4.0% Hefeweizen dry-hopped with Mt Hood for a hoppy-aromatic take on the style; and Crosscurrent, their 5.5% ABV American Pale Ale with El Dorado and Simcoe. On tap for next week is Night Vision, a 6.2% American Porter, using Magnum and Mt Hood hops (to about 30 IBUs), featuring “chocolate and graham cracker notes” as a nice contrast to their roast-forward Stout, according to Brewmaster Kyle Jeppesen. Be sure to follow along with his adventures on Instagram, to keep up-to-date on his brew days and what’s coming up on the waterfront. In fact, Jeppesen just brewed a Sahti, his take on the traditional Finnish brew, featuring locally-harvest juniper branches used in the mash, and a large percentage of rye malt.

• North Brewing is releasing a special beer collaboration brew today, Lawrencetown Blonde. This 4.5% ABV beer features 2-Row and Wheat malts, and lightly hopped with Cascade and Saaz to about 20 IBUs. Surfing friends of the brewery, Ian Jackson and Dean Petty (of Anchored Coffee) were also part of the brewday, label design, and recipe development. Ten litres of Ethiopian Yukro cold brew was added to the final beer, courtesy of Anchored, for a light roastiness to complement the peach, citrus, and light ginger aromas. And a nod to the surfers was a little but of Lawrencetown Beach sea water too! Ian’s wife Jill (of Jill+Jack Paper) designed the label, on the bottles which are available on both Agricola and Ochterloney today.

• Yellowbelly Brewpub in St John’s has released a new beer this week, Southern Shore Foggy Porter. This deep-ruby-coloured porter features a big roast character, notes of toast and smoke, and dry finish, thanks to the large percentage of roasted barley used in the recipe. Dry-hopped with Brewer’s Gold, Cascade, and Mosaic to enhance the nose with a touch of spice and fruit. This beer is Brewmaster Liam Mckenna’s tribute to “the finest sort of folks down the Shore who endure weather like no others, [and] will warm the cockles.” The 5.8% ABV, 45 IBUs, beer is on tap at the brewpub now, and may not make it into bottles, so best to drop by for a pint today!

• Garrison Brewing has brought back their popular Honey Lavender Ale today. The 6.5% ABV beer features lavender harvested from Meander River Farms, and its aroma is a pleasant partner to the malt and light honey character. Honey from Shubenacadie’s G.G. Smeltzer & Son helped to bump up the alcohol a bit, aiding the Maritime Malt and Wheat, and does offer a sweet aftertaste. A small dose of Citra hops helps to offset the beer at a light 16 IBUs. Bottles are now available at the brewery and private stores in HRM.

• Nyanza’s Big Spruce has brought back their kettle-soured IPA this week, JAC the SIPA. Featuring loads of Amarillo, Citra, and Simcoe hops added during a whirlpool after flame-out, this 6.0% ABV beer features a big aromatic blast of hops with a medium 54 IBUs. The acidic nature of the beer gives a pleasant refreshing sharp character, on a hot afternoon.

• Picaroons will be pouring a special beer this weekend, to celebrate The Tragically Hip‘s final concert (and Canada-wide phenomenon). The Tragically Hop’d Pale Ale is a 4.5% ABV Pale Ale with “silly” amounts of some special hops: Galaxy, Saphir, Summit, Topaz, Vic Secret, and Warrior, to 40 IBUs. The beer will be pouring exclusively at the “Fully Completely in the Square” event in Fredericton’s Officer Square, at the Brewtique, and at the General Store in Saint John tomorrow, August 20th.

Speaking of events, there are a whole bunch of them on our radar in the coming weeks. You can check out our Calendar of Events Page for the full listing, and subscribe to it by clicking here. And feel free to let us know about the neat events that we may have missed! We love to hear from you at ACBeerBlog@gmail.com.

• Mahone Bay’s Saltbox Brewing will be opening their retail location August 20 for growler and merchandise sales, 10-4. They will be selling their Dark Cream Ale, a flavourful 4.7% golden orange ale featuring notes of biscuit and toast and their IPA, a 5.4% dry-hopped hoppy ale, featuring notes of melon and strawberry. As they are still awaiting their 12 hl brewhouse to come online (much of it was delivered this week!), they will be concentrating on to-go sales, in both their own, or customer-provided (clean), grunters and growlers. Their current schedule is to be open for take away sales for the next few Saturdays until their launch at the end of September.

• The Upstreet Block Party is returning for its second year on Saturday, August 20th. Featuring plenty of activities, live music, food, and tours at the brewery from 12 pm on, they’ll also be unveiling a new “super-sized beer garden”! As the sun goes down, the party will move into the taproom at about 8 pm for more music (from two local DJs), food, and beer. Admission is free, just drop in anytime to join in the fun!

• On August 26th Quebec Belgian-inspired brewery Unibroue is sending their Beer Sommelier (and Certified Cicerone®) Sylvain Bouchard to The Port, NSLC’s new flagship location at 5485 Clyde Street. He will be helping to launch the release of the 6-litre 17 Grand Reserve Belgian Strong, with a food and beer tasting with several of their products (including Éphémère Apple, Blonde de Chambly, La Fin du Monde, Maudite, in addition to the 17) . There are only 32 bottles of this special beer, in a format best suited for sharing at a wedding or other celebration, and those in attendance will have the first chance at trying and purchasing them. There are only 30 tickets available to the 7-8:30pm event (on sale at The Port now), and we are holding a contest for your chance to win a pair of them! Post a picture to our Facebook page, and/or tag us and @Unibroue on Twitter or Instagram, with a picture your favourite beer and food pairing, and we will announce the winner in our Weekly Wrap-Up next Friday morning.

•  On August 26 & 27, Stillwell Beer Bar is hosting a tap takeover from Portland Maine’s Liquid Riot Bottling Co. Owned by the awesome beer-focused team behind Novare Res Bier Cafe, Liquid Riot brews a wide variety of beers and spirits on the Portland waterfront, and is bringing a great selection to Halifax. The fun starts Friday night at 6pm on Barrington, with a dozen sours, porters, wheats, and IPAs taking over the taps at the Mothership, and continues Saturday from noon at the Beer Garden on Spring Garden, with ten taps of LR goodness (five of which are exclusive to the BG). There are no tickets required for the fun, and there are only single kegs of many of the beers, so be sure and drop by early to avoid disappointment! Check out their Facebook Event page for the full line-up, because it’s too long and awesome to post it all here.

• On September 16th, Garrison and Local Connections Halifax are hosting Hops ‘n’ Brats, as part of Halifax Oktoberfest. From 6:30 to 11, they will be hosting a handful of NS breweries at the Salter Street parking lot, slinging beers and pairing them with a ton of locally-produced sausages. Your entry fee includes your first 8 samples, a token to take part in the beer-centric games, and a souvenir glass. New this year is the ability to trade 3 tickets for a full pour of your favourite brew. There will be a dozen breweries in attendance, including: Big Spruce, Boxing Rock, Garrison, Meander River, and Spindrift. Tickets are just $24+tax, and are available now.

• September 17th is the main event for Halifax Oktoberfest, with the party kicking off at 11am with traditional German food, music and games, with the evening session kicking off at 6pm with more food, dancing, and Garrison beer a-plenty. The Swell Guys and Die Brew-misters Oompah Bands will be providing music, and Scanway Catering will be serving up lots of sausages, spaetzle and schnitzel, as well as two whole roasted pigs. From 11AM to 5PM the event will be all-ages, admission is $5/adults and free for children. In the evening, the fun continues as a 19+ event with dancing, food, and games. An evening pass can be purchased for $16 which includes entry and one Garrison beer, or a $20 entry that also includes a commemorative Oktoberfest Halifax Stein. Full details are available here, and tickets are on sale now.

Wow, another big week! A few more notes that came in after our deadline:

– Gahan Pub Charlottetown have brought back Summer in New Zealand, the NZ-hopped beer with grains of paradise and a touch of lemon and lime zest, the winning recipe by Ryan Palmer in last year’s Gahan Homebrew Challenge.
– Congratulations to Breton Brewing on brewing their 100th batch of beer! They celebrated by…. brewing! More Stirling Hefeweizen coming soon.
– Hell Bay has brought a pair of favourites this week, with the O.P.A Oat Pale Ale and R.I.P. (A) IPA.
– After last weekend’s very successful launch, Beckwith Road Brewery has delivered their Campfire Amber at the Tide & Boar in Moncton, and will be going on tap very shortly.
– You can once again pick up Shiretown Beer at the ANBL! Drop by the Dalhousie and Charlo locations to grab bottles of their Blonde Du Quai, Siren’s T’ale and Big Brown Ale.

Apologies for the late posting this week, *someone* decided to take the week off, again! 😉

Friday Wrap-Up – News from Stillwell, Manual & Co, Propeller, YellowBelly, TrailWay, Annapolis Cider, and more!

Posted by acbbshawn on 2016-06-17
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: Alexander Keith's History Brewery, Annapolis Cider Company, Authentic Seacoast Brewing, Beerocracy, Big Spruce Brewing, Garrison Brewing, Good Robot Brewing, Gray Stone Brewing, Grimross Brewing, Horton Ridge Malt & Grain, Maybee Brewing, North Brewing, Propeller Brewing, Railcar Brewing, Red Rover Brewing, Stillwell Beer Bar, Tasting NB, Tatamagouche Brewing, TrailWay Brewing, Uncle Leo's Brewery, Unfiltered Brewing, Upstreet Craft Brewing, YellowBelly Brewery. 2 comments

Happy Friday, everyone! It’s shaping up to be a busy weekend in our region, so let’s dive right in!

• One of the most anticipated openings of the summer will be happening this weekend (maybe even today, if the weather cooperates). The Stillwell Beergarden location on Spring Garden a/k/a #BGonSG will be opening very, very soon. Featuring access from both Spring Garden and South Park, the bright red sea can features an expanded tap list of 10 beer and ciders, plus a pair of wines available at all times. While focusing on local beer is still the norm, look for special beers from elsewhere to be available, including DdC!. To keep fans of the Barrington Mothership happy, a small rotating selection of large-format bottles will be available for sharing, and there will be non-alcoholic options too, such as Propeller Sodas. While Chef Graeme Ruppel is holding court on Barrington, sous-chef Joe Martin(i) will be driving the food options on Spring Garden, with a rotating dozen-item menu, featuring everything from tacos to kofte, weiners to noodles, all cooked over wood and charcoal, for a backyard BBQ vibe. Keep an eye on Stilly’s BG webpage and twitter for today’s forecast of beer and accompaniments.

• In the same space as the Beergarden, Manual & Co will be running a Dairy Bar onsite with cool treats, pulled coffee shots, and more. Featuring new house-made soft serve and sundae options daily, they are also putting together their own popsicles and will feature cold-brewed coffee, served on a nitro tap. Open from 10-8 daily, follow along with their latest flavours and features on instagram and twitter.

• Halifax’s Propeller Brewing has released a brand new collaboration brew this week. Graceland Too is a White IPA, brewed with a little help from the crew from Barrie, ON’s Flying Monkeys. This 6.5% wheat beer features loads of hops for a solid bitterness and citrus aroma, complementing the weizen yeast characters, the same strain used in their Hefeweizen. The beer is available is bottles now at both the Gottingen and Windmill locations, and will see limited release in kegs and cask around the city. Due to the small batch size, it may not last long enough to make it to their growler filling stations, so be sure to drop by today for satisfaction.

• St John’s YellowBelly Brewery has released a new beer this week. Summer Wheat is a different take on their Wexford Wheat, featuring a different hopping bill, incorporating Sorachi Ace. That hop gives off notes of lemon, dill, and flowers, on a medium-light wheat character. At 4.5% ABV and 22 IBUs, it will be perfect for the coming warmer days. The beer is available on tap now, and due to the small batch size, will not be available in bottles.

• TrailWay has released a brand new beer, American Oatmeal. Brewed with a healthy amount of Flaked Oats, some Brown malt was also added to the grist to contribute to the roast character of the beer. It weighs in at 6.2% ABV and is available at the brewery taproom now, as well as select accounts in Fredericton. And while there, be sure to try out the new iteration of their Session IPA, brewed with a different hop schedule, featuring a mix of Australian and American hop varieties (including a sizable dry hop). 4.3% and about 40 IBUs. Finally, the taproom patio should be opening today, which offers plenty of additional, outdoor seating, to help keep up with the crowds that have been turning out for a pint or three! Milda’s Pizza will be in attendance from 4:30-8 today to keep you satisfied. And tomorrow will see the brand new Country Fried Wontons truck drop by to provide nourishment from 4:30-8:30.

• Newly-opened Annapolis Cider Company has a new cider on tap, Rhubarb Ginger. Freshly-pressed rhubarb and juiced ginger give this unfiltered 6.7% ABV cider a hazy look, and a tasty blend of aromas and flavours. This “Something Different” batch is the first in their plan of passing along $0.50 for every refill to a local charitable organization. This batch’s beneficiary is the Nova Scotia Nature Trust which is dedicated to protecting, forever, Nova Scotia’s most unique, rare and treasured natural areas through land conservation. Drop by Annapolis’ Wolfville location for a fill today!

• In tribute to this year’s OUTeast Film Festival in Halifax (June 16th-19th), Good Robot released a new beer, of sorts, yesterday. Shocking Pinks is a blend of their regular-lineup Goseface Killah Gose with pink lemonade and hibiscus tea. Described by the brewery as “tart, floral and fruity”, this 4.8% ABV blend is available now on tap at the Good Robot taproom, and at many of the OUTeast events over the weekend.

• Edmundston’s Brasseurs Petit-Sault has released their Summer 2016 seasonal this week. Lt. Ingall Cream Ale is 4.3% ABV light-bodied beer, with a nice aromatic punch from the use of Galaxy, in a quaffable package. The beer will be available exclusively at their Brewtique for pints and growler fills, and at next weekend’s Edmundston Jazz and Blues Festival.

• Tatamagouche Brewing is celebrating their Second Anniversary this weekend, with some special brewery-only deals and beers available. Starting today, they will be pouring their CBA-medal winning Two Rivers Baltic Porter, and a special cask of their Deception Bay IPA, conditioned on nectarines. Look for a special beer brewed with grist from Horton Ridge Malt to be released late next week. This SMaSH (Single Malt and Single Hop) features the Annapolis Valley’s Organic Pale Ale malt, and hopped with Amarillo. And in early July, keep an eye out for a Session IPA brewed with the crew from Halifax’s Bishop’s Cellar, featuring Mosaic, Hallertau Blanc and a small addition of Amarillo.

• We now have more details on the 1st Anniversary beer being released by Upstreet next Friday, June 24th, during their 1st Anniversary event weekend. A Belgian Saison (aka Farmhouse Ale), De Novo I was brewed with a simple grist of Maritime Malt, hopped with Goldings harvested in New Brunswick, and fermented with two yeast strains: a Saccharomyces strain, and a Brettanomyces yeast blend from Escarpment labs in Ontario. Weighing in at 6% ABV, the brewery describes the beer as having “light candy and funky flavours”, with a dry finish. The beer will be available in bottles and on tap exclusively at the Upstreet taproom, and will be released June 24th at 6 pm, at the beginning of the Anniversary Beer Launch & Vinyl Party. Tickets are still available for their Field Trip, starting Saturday June 25 @ 6pm, featuring stops at 5 locations, with samples at each, ending up at The Alley for bowling and beer and food and music.

• Halifax’s Unfiltered Brewing is bringing back two favourite hopbombs today. The Double Orange Ale (DOA) Double IPA is a SMaSH beer weighing in at 7.5% ABV and 100+ IBUs, getting its eponymous colour from a Nash-special technique, using only 2-Row malt and Citra hops. The Riddle of Steel IPA is slightly lighter, boasting 7.0% ABV and about 70 IBUs, in a West Coast IPA meets East Coast yeast. Both beers are available now for growler fills, at 4pm at Charm School next door for pints, and soon at beer bars in the region.

• Mill Street Brewpub has opened on the St John’s waterfront. Tied closely to the new Bier Markt location, they are brewing beer onsite, and supplementing the standard offerings from the Labatt-owned Mill Street line. We’ll have more details on the beers and brewhouse very soon.

• Congratulations to the crew from Beerocracy, whose crowdfunding campaign ended successfully early this morning! Look for this movie love letter to NB beer to be released in the fall in breweries, bars, and events around the province. To thank their great supporters, they have released a short movie, Ciderocracy, which will be featured in the film. Check it out now!

• In a story we mentioned in November, the small-batch brews produced by AB-InBev at their Alexander Keith’s Brewery on Lower Water Street in Halifax are now available. Brewing on a 20 hl system, Brewmaster Stefan Gagliardi has put together recipes inspired by the original beers brewed by Alexander Keith in the city. Studying as a Chemical Engineer, he turned his focus to beer a decade ago, working in Quality Assurance, and then managing the brewhouse in St John’s, NL. After a move to Halifax’s Oland Brewery as Quality Manager, he is now in charge of the Historic Keith’s Brewery production. Says Gagliardi, “Brewing is my creative outlet. I have always been inspired by experimenting with beer styles and interesting ingredients and will bring this passion to the original brewery. I am constantly inspired by the story of Alexander Keith’s brewery, and the local community and culture in Halifax. Alexander Keith’s has such strong roots here and that inspiration will never stop being part of the beer that is produced in this historic facility.” On what inspires the recipes, Gagliardi says, “We look at three points for inspirations – our heritage and history, local ingredients and finally great tasting and innovative ingredients. The great thing about the original Alexander Keith’s brewery is that it gives us the opportunity to develop small-batch brews that are new and exciting, and most importantly unique to the east coast. Innovation has always been part of our heritage and we’re excited to bring new flavours and styles to Nova Scotia beer lovers.”
Their flagship beer is Cornerstone Edinburgh Pale Ale, a 4.3% ABV, 30 IBU, brewed with a base of Golden Promise, and enhanced with a blend of Cara malts from Weyermann: Cara Red, Cara Malt and CaraFoam, for colour, flavour, and body. The hops chosen were UK East Kent Goldings, Fuggles, and Hallertauer Perle, for a traditional English Ale hopping schedule. Also available now is Alexander Keith’s Lunenburg Coffee and Cacao Stout, a 6.5% ABV full-bodied stout, featuring 5kg of Laughing Whale coffee in the mash, and 11 kg of cacao nibs directly in the boil. Golden Promise base malt, with Cara Malt, Chocolate, Special B and roasted barley lend the iconic colour and flavours.
The beers will be available the NSLC and ANBL in 6-pack and 650mL bottles, on tap at bars and restaurants around Nova Scotia, and for growler fills at the Historic Keith’s Brewery.

There’s lots going on in the next couple of weeks, let’s take a look!

• Big Spruce will be hosting their Farm to Fork Food Truck event all weekend. 12-7pm Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, the folks from Cruisin’ Cuisine Food Truck will be set up at the brewery with plenty of beer-pairing options. This weekend’s theme is lobster, with several dishes featuring the local crustacean. For those unable to partake, there are plenty of non-lobster options as well. There will be musicians in the tasting room daily, be sure to check the event page for more details.

• Authentic Seacoast is opening their new brewing and distilling facilities in Guysborough this Saturday. The multi-million dollar building houses the brewing equipment to produce the Rare Bird line of beer, as well as producing spirits under the Sea Fever Rum, GLYNNEVAN Whisky and Fortress Rum names. The festivities kick off at 2pm, with public tours and tastings from 3-5pm.  Juno award-winner Garrett Mason will be keeping the good times rolling, with a performance in the Rare Bird Pub, starting at 9pm. More details are available here. No word yet on hours of operation or tours going forward.

• For those in New Brunswick, drop by Railcar Brewing’s location Saturday, June 18th, for a Father’s Day Tasting event. From 6 to 8pm, enjoy five beers and take home a branded glass for only $20. Contact RC on Twitter or at their Curtis Road location (below AC Sharkey’s Pub).

• Now that their taproom is officially open for serving pints, Maybee Brewing is celebrating with an official Grand Opening party of Saturday, June 26th. Opening at 10 am for pints, and cans and growler fills to go, the real fun kicks off in the evening with the Chunky’s Food Truck, featuring Mexican food, on site from 5pm, plus live music starting at 6pm. Look for more details as they are announced on their event page.

• After the success of the last summer’s inaugural Tasting NB in Fredericton, this year’s event has been scheduled for Saturday, July 9th. Featuring an abundance of New Brunswick craft alcohol producers – including beer, cider, mead, and wine – the 3-hour (7 pm – 10 pm) outdoor event will once again be held at the Capital Complex, and will include at least 12 NBCAPA members, including Fredericton’s own soon-to-open Gray Stone Brewing. Tickets are on-sale now ($55 in advance; $60 at the door, depending on availability).

A few parting shots this week:

– Fredericton’s Grimross Brewery looking for part-time staff in the Taproom and Retail operations. Send them an email, or drop your resume at their taproom location.
– Red Rover also looking for staff, Sales Associates at their Cider House and Farmers Market stalls. Again, drop them an email for more details.
– Halifax’s North Brewing is releasing a small run of their Millie Beet Saison, a Stillwell collaboration beer. This time around, this 5.0% ABV brew will only be available in 750’s at the brewery and Battery Park location, beginning today, so drop by for a take-away.
–  Lyons Brook’s Uncle Leo’s released their very popular Voh’s Weizenbier late last week. This 5.0% Hefeweizen is brewed with a traditional weizen yeast, and lots of wheat, for an unfiltered beer reminiscent of this classic German style. As there are only a few bottles left at the brewery, your best bet will be to find it out in the wild at better beer bars, and RockHead, in Halifax and Pictou County, and at the Townhouse in Antigonish.
– Garrison’s Seaport Blonde is back at the brewery, and in the wild. This 4.0% Blonde features Columbus hops, and a light body from 2-Row and Wheat malts. It is available now in 6-packs at the brewery and NSLC, and growler fills.

Friday Wrap-Up – News from Shiretown, Big Tide, Bulwark, Nook and Cranny, Good Robot, Petit-Sault, and much more!

Posted by acbbchris on 2016-06-10
Posted in: Friday Wrap-Up. Tagged: Big Spruce Brewing, Big Tide Brewing, Brasseurs du Petit Sault, Bulwark Cider, Garrison Brewing, Good Robot Brewing, Halifax Seaport Beerfest, Lazy Bear Brewing, Maybee Brewing, PEI Beer Festival, PEI Brewing, Picaroons, Red Rover Craft Cider, Shiretown Beer, Sunset Heights Meadery, The Nook and Cranny, Upstreet Craft Brewing, YellowBelly Brewery, York County Cider. Leave a Comment

Happy Friday, everyone! We’ve got a handful of new beers and ciders, and several great events to announce, but let’s start with the return of a small brewery in Northern New Brunswick.

• Rumours have been circulating for several weeks, but we’ve been able to confirm that Shiretown, a nanobrewery in Dalhousie, then Charlo, NB that closed last summer, is planning to re-open this coming August. Owner/brewer Derek Leslie, who had been working as a sales rep for Picaroons in northern NB the past ten months, says that he has upgraded with a new, 2 bbl (230 L) brew system, about twice as large as what he had been using in the past. The new brewery will be located at 363 Chaleur St. in Charlo, with a storefront onsite. Shiretown’s three flagship beers – Blonde du Quai, Siren’s T’ale, and Big Brown Ale – will once again be in the regular lineup, with production focusing on bottles. The brewery’s former website and Facebook page are still currently offline, but their Twitter account still exists. We’ll keep you updated on Shiretown’s progress over the coming weeks!

• Big Tide is bringing back a previous favourite, Chocolate Amaretto Porter. Brewed with Pale Ale malt as the base, Chocolate Wheat malt and CaraMunich malts were added to increase complexity. In addition, after primary fermentation was complete, cocoa, vanilla, and Amaretto were added to the beer, resulting in a 5.5% ABV “slightly sweet” ale with a “biscuity flavour and a hint of almond”. Originally released once in 2015, brewmaster Wendy Papadopoulos was inspired by the flavours of biscotti (Italian almond biscuits) when putting together the recipe. Look for this one to be available at the brewpub sometime around the weekend of June 18th.

• Bulwark is releasing a new limited-edition cider today, Raspberry Cider. This red-coloured, “crisp and off-dry” beverage features the usual freshly-pressed apples from the Valley, and unites them with fresh raspberries grown on Bulwark’s winery property. Think of it as a follow-up to the cidery’s very popular Sour Cherry Cider from last summer, except this time it will be available in bottle format! Coming in at 7.5% ABV, bottles are available now at their retail shop, and hitting NSLC shelves within the next week, when it will also be available on tap at select accounts around the province.

• Truro’s Nook and Cranny is releasing a new beer at the restaurant today, a Rhubarb Wheat. More than 25 lb of locally-harvested fresh rhubarb was added to a 300 litre batch of wheat ale, for a light acidic bite to complement the smooth base beer. With a low bitterness and 4.7% ABV, this beer will be a hit as the days get a bit warmer, and the evenings even longer. As with all of their beers, they can be enjoyed by the pint, or sampler, at the bar, and in a growler to go.

• Good Robot debuted their latest CommuniBrew yesterday: Mikey’s Chocolate Orange IPA was brewed on GR’s pilot system by homebrewer Mike Orr during last month’s Open Brewery Day. The 6.6% ABV and 56 IBU IPA includes several rounds of hopping in the boil, whirlpool, and dry-hop, featuring Amarillo, Cascade, Amarillo, Cascade, Centennial, Crystal, Magnum, and Simcoe. During conditioning, a tincture of cacao nibs was added for a healthy chocolate nose and flavour. The result is like a Terry’s Chocolate Orange, with the chocolate complementing the citrus characteristics of the hops, on top of a solid beer with a smooth mouthfeel. As with all of the CommuniBrew releases, these are for sale on draught in the taproom only, and they do not last long, so drop by today!

• Petit-Sault has expanded their Brewtique and taproom, featuring the addition of a very large communal table that seats up to 24, with additional seating to accommodate 50+ patrons. There are now 12 taps in the taproom, some of which will be used to pour products from other local breweries and cideries. If you’re in the Edmundston area, be sure to stop in for a pint and growler fill! The brewery will be announcing their summer hours soon, allowing more time to visit and enjoy their beer.

• After a very successful release of their Gut View Amber, Lazy Bear Brewing in Smiths Cove, NS is ready to release their second beer, Bear Bones IPA. This is a beta version of a bigger batch coming soon, as they dial in the intricacies of their unique brewhouse. Look for a few more details on the beer when they post in their blog later today. Both beers will be available at tomorrow’s Annapolis Royal Farmers Market, 8:00-1:00.

• York County Cider has released another batch of their Ginger Snap blend after a brief hiatus. Made with 30 pounds of fresh ginger in a 700 litre batch, the aroma, taste, and zip of the eponymous ingredient complement the 6.5% ABV base apple blend. Blending the Ginger with their Blueberry or Hopped Cider is also a popular occurrence with the cider’s fans. It is available in growler fills and bottles, at their storefront at 418 York St.

• Fredericton’s Lighthouse on the Green re-opened to the public yesterday, in preparation for the summer season. Operated by the Crowne Plaza, the location will once again focus on food and craft beer, similar to when they first opened last summer. They have upgraded their bar to have a total of ten taps pouring, featuring Red Rover cider, Pollen Angels mead, and a rotating selection of beer from various New Brunswick breweries. Now that summer is finally here (kind-of), be sure to drop by and enjoy a local beer on the Lighthouse patio! They are open everyday 11am-sundown, and as it is an outdoor venue, check their Facebook page for closure in case of poor weather.

• And in a late addition to the blog, Maybee Brewing’s retail location has now received their taproom license. Enjoy samples and pints of their beer onsite, before grabbing a growler to go. Open 10-6 Mon-Wed, 10-8 Thurs-Sat, and 12-5 Sundays.

Now, let’s get caught up on events in our region:

• Nyanza’s Big Spruce Brewing is launching their Food Truck Fridays today at noon, by inviting the crew from Cruisin’ Cuisine to the brewery. As today is Day of Portugal, they are concentrating on famous dishes from that nation, made with local ingredients. Grab some fresh food with your samples and growlers from noon to 6pm, and enjoy the musical stylings of Asaph Deuce starting at 3pm. Big Spruce will keep the Food Trucks coming in for the rest of the summer, Friday through Sunday every weekend until October. Keep an eye on their Facebook page for the day’s visiting vendor.

• On Saturday, June 11th, Garrison is hosting their Backlot Bash!, in support of the Ecology Action Centre. Held in the parking lot of their new production brewery on Marginal Rd (about 100 metres from their retail and storefront location), the event features headliner July Talk, joined by Alert the Medic, The Brood and Three Sheet as amazing local opening bands. Tickets are still available, and Garrison beer, as well as local cider, will be served, with food trucks keeping people satisfied.

• This Sunday, June 12th at 12 pm, Good Robot will be hosting Mom Day Afternoon, giving local Moms a chance to have some time to themselves and socialize with other mothers. Massage therapists from Urban Retreat Massage Therapy Ltd. will be on hand, a baby/maternity clothing swap will be going on, and members of the Ladies Beer League will be there to talk all things beer. A late brunch will be served by The Coastal Cafe at 2 pm, and Caesareans – a Good Robot cocktail with Clamato and corn beer – will be pouring. No charge to attend, just pay by the beer/cocktail/massage/brunch.

• Upstreet has their first birthday coming up, and they’re putting on the Upstreet Birthday Weekend to celebrate! Held on Friday and Saturday, June 24th & 25th, there’s plenty going on:
– Friday, 6 pm: Anniversary Beer Launch & Vinyl Party – featuring the release of a limited-edition, 750 mL, bottle-conditioned anniversary beer, where it will also be available on tap at the brewery; guest DJs are welcome to bring in your favourite party records! Dancing will be welcome, but not necessarily required.
– Saturday, 6 pm: The Upstreet Field Trip – a tour of four of Charlottetown’s “finest eating establishments”, with food and Upstreet beer pairings, ending at the fifth stop, The Alley, for bowling and dancing. Your $65 ticket (available at link above) includes all of the above-mentioned, a special edition Upstreet Field Trip t-shirt, and free admission to…
– Saturday, 10 pm – Upstreet Birthday Party – happening at The Alley, the official birthday bash will feature live music from Halifax’s Party Boots, as well as a street magician, tarot card reader, silent disco, free bowling, a pinata, party games and more. Cover is $10 (unless you’re lucky enough to be on the Field Trip).

• The Shediac Lobster Festival is hosting their inaugural Ales & Tails event on Friday, July 8th at the Shediac Multi- Functional Centre from 7 PM – 9:30 PM. NB micro and nano breweries will be well represented with Flying Boats Brewing, Celtic Knot Brewing, Bore City Brewing, Acadie-Broue, Beckwith Road (pending license), Pump House, Brasseurs Petit-Sault, Maybee Brewing, Picaroons, Scow Cider and Moosehead Brewery. A lobster half tail and lobster samples will accompany a great evening of craft beer sampling from the breweries in attendance. Tickets (limited to 250) went on sale yesterday at the Shediac Co-Op, Jean Coutu and Sobeys locations. Check out the Festival’s website for more details.

• Tickets for Halifax Seaport Beerfest are on sale today. Being held at the Cunard Centre August 5 & 6th, the Fest will feature beers from producers big and small from around the Maritimes, as well as Quebec and Ontario, that are otherwise not available in the province. Approximately 300 beers and ciders will be available, though the final brewery and product list has not yet been finalized. Friday and Saturday evening sessions run 7:00-9:30, and a Saturday afternoon session runs from 2:00-4:30, with tickets costing $49 plus tax and fees. VIP tickets ($70 plus taxes and fees) will also be available for each session, giving visitors a special tasting glass and opener, as well as early entry to take part in a panel discussion and guided beer tasting. Designated Driver and Group Rates are also available. In addition to online ticket sales, they can be purchased at select NSLC and Ticket Atlantic locations (saving some fees).

• Tickets for the 2016 PEI Beer Festival, September 2 & 3, will also go on sale today. Being held at the Delta Prince Edward Hotel, there are three sessions for your tasting enjoyment: Friday 6:30-9:30, and Saturday 2:00PM – 4:30 and 6:30-9:30. Evening tickets are $40 plus tax and fee, while the afternoon session is $30 plus taxes and fee. While the general tickets are on sale today, they will be rolling out Designated Driver tickets shortly, as well as details on the preferred rate to stay at the Fest hotel. Discussion and a few more details are available on Facebook.

A few more beer notes before we sign off today:

– Picaroons has re-released their 506 Logger, this time in 6-packs of 12-oz bottles, the first time the brewery has packaged in this format. Coming in at 4.6% ABV and 15 IBUs, bottles are available at both Picaroons locations (Fredericton’s Brewtique and Saint John’s General Store) along with growler fills, with bottles also being found at ANBL stores.
– Yellowbelly has re-released their East Coast Cream Ale, an easy-drinking, 5% ABV pale beer that is a popular seasonal during the warmer months. It’s available now at the brewpub only, on tap and with a small amount of bottles, for a limited time.
– PEI Brewing has released a new cask this week: Lactic Soured Apricot Lager. A tart take on their 4.5% ABV lager, using Lactobacillus to sour the wort for a refreshing bite, along with apricot for a pleasant stone fruit character. As with all of their casks, this is for on-site enjoyment in their taproom only.