Welcome to the first Maritime Beer Report of summer 2016
Big Spruce Brewing is serving an experimental blonde ale they "conspired" with Boxing Rock to make at their brewery. Wigged Out is a crisp, light, late addition ale.
Boxing Rock Brewing has a bunch of beers out this week. First off they are re-introducing Bottle Blonde. It's malty with that spicy hint of something in the background you just can't put your finger on. The 5% ABV beer is available at select taps and coming to the NSLC soon.
They made another batch of Oban Heather Ale since the batch sold out in just a couple of weeks. Made with loads of Golden Promise Malt, it has a perfect malty biscuity base to showcase the 35 kg of Scottish Heather flowers they put into the brew. To balance all those heady floral notes of the Heather, we added lots and lots of wildflower honey from our producer up in the Annapolis Valley, and just a hint of peat smoked malt.
Lastly they brewed the first runner up in their Black Box Challenge. Hop Springs Eternal White IPA was made in collaboration with home brewers Mark Reid and Sean Ebert. It is made with over 30% wheat in the malt bill, and hopped generously with Columbus, Cascade, Willamette and New Zealand Pacifica hops. This creates a blend of flavours right up the IPA alley, while the wheat makes a great mouth filling base for it. To top it off quite an obscure yeast strain is used to ferment it, giving the beer some fruity notes that perfectly compliment the fruity citrus and pine notes in the beer. It is 5.6% ABV and available at the brewery and privates.
Downeast Beer Factory is celebrating its Grand Opening tomorrow June 25th. They are launching their Fiddlers Irish Red Ale and Game Changer IPA. The event is in support of Children's Wish and will run from 11:00 AM - 2:00 AM and $5 from every bill will be donated.
FirkinStein Brewing says Nor'easter will be available in 500 ml bottles for the first time for the market tomorrow along with growler fills.
Garrison Brewing says they are going to have our own tap-takeover at the brewery with 6 extra specialty beer on tap. That means they will have at least 15 different Garrison beers on tap including their Cider. In addition they will have maple bacon cupcakes from Blue Bird Bakery.
The Canada Beer Run in Halifax will be happening on the Saturday of Oktoberfest, Sept 17th. 500 runners will begin at Garrison Brewery and run around the city stopping at different breweries and ending their run to celebrate at the Oktoberfest.
Granite Brewery says Honey Ginger is back on for the summer. It is a light pale ale (4.75% ABV) with hints of honey and ginger. It is available in growlers at the brewery.
Propeller Brewing released its latest beer in its One Hit Wonder Series. June Bock is a Maibock Style beer that is 6.8% ABV and 35 IBUs. Propeller describes it as "bright golden colour, moderate bitterness with a slight floral hop". It uses Hallertauer hops, Two Row and Pilsener malts and Munich wheat. Available for growler fills only at the breweries shops.
Tatamagouche Brewing has released Horton Ridge Malt and Grain Co. SMaSH (single malt and single hop) now on tap and growler fills. The 5.4% ABV has Horton Ridge Pale Malt and Amarillo hops get it while it lasts.
Big Tide Brewing says that coming soon is Barrelled Life Braggot (barley wine and black honey mead). They brewed this with Dunhams Run Winery in December 2015 and have been waiting patiently for six months while it ages in a hot Frontenac oak barrel. At 10.2% ABV, this rich, deep copper coloured brew has a nose of caramel, honey and the warmth of alcohol. Silky smooth on the palate. It will be available in house at the pub soon and also at Dunhams Run on the Kingston Peninsula.
Fans of Brasseurs du Petit-Sault in Nova Scotia rejoice. 864 six-packs of Louis XVII Amber Ale has been shipped to the NSLC for a seasonal listing. Look for it on shelves soon.
Distillerie Fils du Roy has created a cranberry beer only available on the Miscou Island at the Terrasse à Steve. The name of the beer is the Gougou.
The gougou appear in the literature on the first exploration of Samuel de Champlain who mentioned the Gougou during his voyages.
Here is the text from Samuel de Champlain:
“… there is an island where a terrible monster resides, which the (autochthon) call ‘Gougou,’ and which they told me had the form of a woman, though very frightful, and of such a size that they told me the tops of the masts of our vessel would not reach to his middle.”
And he goes on…
“… and they say that he has often devoured and still continues to devour many (autochthon); these he puts, when he can catch them, into a great pocket, and afterwards eats them; and those who had escaped the jaws of this wretched creature said that its pocket was so great that it could have put our vessel into it. This monster makes horrible noises in this island. … When they speak of him, it is with the greatest possible fear, and several have assured me that they have seen him.
First City Brewery is in the process of moving locations to right beside the Peel Pub on Union St. They say it is not much bigger than their current location but all around a better spot for them. The plan is to be able to offer growler fills through the Peel Pub once up and running. They hope to be able to brew the first batch at the new location within a week or two.
Gray Stone Brewing is officially opening at 221 King Street on Canada Day, Friday July 1st, 2016 that was conceived 11 years ago and following 3 years of hard work.
The new location will house the 10 BBL brewery where Gray Stone will brew its small batches of hand crafted, west coast style ales as well as lounge, patio and taphouse. .The tap house has 24 taps which will have Gray Stone's offerings as well as showcasing 20+ of New Brunswick's craft beer.
Join them Canada Day from 11:00 AM to midnight for a full day of delicious New Brunswick beer, summer foods and games.
Grimross Brewing has signed an agreement to take an additional 4000 sq.ft. adjacent space at 600 Bishop Drive in Fredericton, NB, doubling its footprint to 8000 sq.ft. This expansion is necessary to accommodate the growing demand for the taproom and need for more space in their brewery and warehouse. The current space is getting a little cramped as they increase the number of fermenters, which means more fermenters, more grain, more kegs and more cans. This new space will allow them to expand warehouse space and dedicate more space to increasing production.
Owner Stephen Dixon explained that the expansion will happen in two phases with phase one focusing on expanding the taproom and warehouse space. We regularly host music talent in our taproom and the new space will allow for bigger acts and more customers. Phase two will see more fermentation capacity and patio overlooking a very scenic marshland.
Mama's Brew Pub released "Raspberry Wheat" brew for the summer. It is a 4.8% ABV German Heffe with 30 pounds of raspberries added in secondary. The grain is 2 row and Torrified wheat, rice hulls as a filter, bittering hop was East Kent Golding from Southan farms in NB. Dry and delicious.
Maybee Brewing's Grand Opening Party is tomorrow from 6:00 PM - 11:00 PM at the brewery.
The weather looks fantastic for the first week end of summer. Whatever ou decide to do if drinking is involved, enjoy responsibly.