Maritime Beer Report - December 12, 2014

Hello and welcome to the December 12th edition of the Maritime Beer Report. 

Big Axe Brewery released details on their newest Imperial Pale Ale Wrath of Putin Imperial Pale Ale. This ale is golden amber colour and is brewed with Centennial and Golding hops from Southan Farms. The ale is double hopped to give it a strong hop flavour, aroma and a bitterness of 75 IBUs and has a malty sweetness which provides the perfect balance. It weighs in at 7.5% to get you nice and toasty during the cold season.

Distillerie Fils Du Roy has been distilling great spirits for a few years now in the Acadian Peninsula of New Brunswick and recently got gear to brew. They have all the approvals and licences except the one to sell in New Brunswick from ANBL. They say this may not happen until the next board meeting in February 2015.They are very positive and hopeful.
In the meantime they released notes on their Caraquet Flyer Biere de glace (Ice Beer). Apparently during the brewing process it is partially frozen with the ice crystals removed making a stronger beer. This process sounds similar to a German Eisbock beer. I will pass on any information I get on their status.

Something I am a huge proponent of is the Community Supported Breweries (CSB) and Railcar Brewing is offering this  for Christmas. For 125.00, 250.00 or 500.00 you support the brewery and get an array of great perks, it is a super gift for a beer lover if you have the means. Get more details at the brewery or on Railcar's facebook page.

Shiretown Beer says that its Honey House Ale made with Charlo's Buckwheat Honey is available at the brewery this week end.

Garrison Brewing Company released its Spruce Beer today. In addition there is a logoed glass for sale and a limited addition gift box. There is a barrel aged edition of last years spruce beer coming out very soon as well.

Rock Bottom Brewpub announced that Brewmaster Jake Saunders has joined their team to eventually take over from Greg Nash when he leaves.

Sea Level Brewing releases its High Street Wee Heavy Scotch Ale in time for Christmas. From Sea Level "A dark ale with a malty aroma followed by a sweet caramel taste with hints of roasted, and toasty flavours. A very approachable easy drinking ale that’s only available when the weather sucks." It is a warming 6.4% ABV. Look for it on tap where fine craft beer is served and in cans at the Halifax bottle shops and select restaurants around Nova Scotia.

Tatamagouche Brewing Company spilled the beans on their holiday brew that is available now at the brewery and at The Ladies Beer League's brunch at Bar Stillwell on Sunday. Say hello to Maple Squash Ale, brewed with Red Kuri squash from Waldegrave Farms and maple syrup from Acadian Maple. This festive ale is 5.1% ABV and is sweet with a hint of spice.

Enjoy whatever you decide to do this week end and as always enjoy responsibly. 

Maritime Beer Report - November 21, 2014

Hello and welcome to the November 21st edition of the Maritime Beer Report

Les Brasseurs du Petit-Sault are having a bit of fun on their facebook page. They are releasing a new beer next week and are adding pieces to a puzzle to let their fans try to guess what it is. All that has been revealed so far is that it is Christmas related, it will be 7.3% ABV and is going to be legendary. More details next week.

Grimross Brewing Company kegged off the last batch (Ben's Country Cousin) at Picaroons Brewtique. They say their beer will still be available at Picaroons Brewtique until theyopen in mid to late December at 600 Bishop Drive in Fredericton. 

Hammond River Brewing are staying busy after the brewer took a vacation. They brewed Switchback Brown Ale with the next two planned brew sessions will be the Too Hop To Handle Double IPA and a new Chocolate Coconut Porter called Into The Dark.

Picaroons Traditional Ales says Feels Good Imperial Pilsner is back but in the latest batch they used some leftover local hops from their harvest ales. Traditionally the hop profile is only Saaz hops, though in this batch there's Nugget, Centennial, and Magnum.

Railcar Brewing Company says they are working on a Spiced Gingerbread Ale that will feature some oak chips soaked with spiced Sailor Jerry's Rum. That will be a great treat. Also after running out of beer for a few days there should be Brown Ale back on tap soon.

Shiretown Beer currently has five beers available at the brewery. They include their three year round beers, the Venezuelan Express (porter) and Black Currant Wheat. In addition they have a Hop Hash Strong Wheat Ale in the tank. They say u it is a 6.2% ABV with medium bitterness that is hopped with Southan Farms Hop Hash. The hop hash is made up of the farms Golding hops. The grist bill is half wheat malt and the other half is made up of prairie 2 Row, Munich, Vienna, Caramunich and topped off with toasted wheat. 

Trail Way Brewing Company was busy as they prepare to open for business. This week they were brewing up a batch of imperial brown ale that they are calling Grizzly Oak. Brown that they say "like a grizzly and to be aged for some time on oak. Should be quite complex".

Staying with New Brunswick the ANBL has added another store to its growler program. Sackville is now offering three taps to fill growlers during select hours. This week is Picaroons Winter Warmer, Muskoka Cream Ale and Le Trou Du Diable L’Amère Indienne.

Boxing Rock Brewing Company introduced The Darkness Cascadian Dark Ale today at local bottle shops and the brewery. They say "a true India Pale Ale, albeit with an unexpected colour, it's hoppy, bright, and packed full of big flavours ... pours with almost stout-like black inkiness, capped with a nice tan head. First sensation is the hop forward presentation from copious amounts of late hops, and dry hops. It's followed by a gorgeous roasty body with a hint of wheat chewiness, fruity middle notes and then backed up by bracing bitterness in the finish". It is available in 650 ml bottles and has a 6.5 % ABV. 
They also announced they are on tap in New Brunswick at The King Street Ale House in Fredericton, Tide and Boar Gastropub in Moncton, Lemongrass Thai Fare in Saint John, Ducky's in Sackville, Laundromat Espresso Bar in Moncton and 540 Kitchen & Bar in Fredericton.

Garrison Brewing had a busy week. First they released the 2014 Winter Warmer into the NSLC and private stores. In Nova Scotia it is going to be in six packs and they tell me New Brunswick in 500 ml bottles. They also did their annual trip to Meander River Farm to get spruce boughs for Spruce Beer, look for it soon. One other note, Kellye Robertson, the assistant brewmaster is leaving to be brewmaster at mysterious soon-to-be opened craft brewery in Halifax in 2015. She won the Garrison 2012 brew-off with  Kellye  R's Wild Rye'd IPA,

Granite Brewery is now brewing Darkside Black IPA today and should available within two weeks. This is a healthy 6.75% ABV.

North Brewing Company has finally released their newest seasonal Belgian Milk Stout. It is in 750 mL swing tops, growlers and next Thursday in 650 mL "bombers" at Bishop's Cellar. They say that the "warm roasted malt character is complemented with a smooth body and a subtle belgian yeast character.

Rock Bottom Brewpub says Mr. Nash has created a wonderful Rauchbier that will be hitting the taps tomorrow at 4 PM. Say hello to Smoke & Mirrors. 
From the blog "Our classic Bamberg-style Rauchbier was brewed with over 80% of the malted barley being beechwood-smoked, the remainder being Munich malt. It's a blend of smoke and malt with balance and intensity completely complementary of one another. A true lager with Märzen-like qualities sporting a malty, toasty richness and an almost bacon-like smokiness (mmm bacon), it's delicious. Finishes malty and lightly sweet with moderate, balanced, hop bitterness. It weighs in at 5.3 % ABV and 21 IBUs.

Rogue's Roost Brew Pub has a new beer on tap from Jake. The Double IPA is 8% ABV and 85 IBUs. It's hopped with Falconer's Flight, Cascade, Galena, and a touch of Saaz. It's got just enough  malt backbone to support it's massive late and dry hopping. Finish is dry for a quenching pint with lingering bitterness.

Fredericton Craft Beer Festival and reLiSH have partnered to bring you Burgers n' Beer Fredericton 3.0 on November 27th.. This evening event will pair beer and cider with delicious sliders prepared by the fine chefs at reLiSH's new Fredericton Uptown location. Included are 10 - 4oz beer or cider samples each paired with 5 unique slider and a custom tasting glass. This time there will be a special bonus, Fredericton Craft Beer Festival 2015 tickets go on the next day but if your at this Burgers n' Beer event you get to buy them that night plus you will get 10% off them. And speaking of Fredericton Craft Beer Fest, tickets go on sale November 28th at 10 AM online via eventbrite plus they will be at the Sunday Market.

Staying on beerfests Saint John Beerfest will be on April 11th and tickets are on sale now. Great time to grab some for stocking stuffers

On May 11-17, 2015, the Craft Brewers Association of Nova Scotia will be initiating the inaugral Nova Scotia Craft Beer Week. The week will feature many interesting beer events, with a flagship event taking place on Saturday, May 16. This will be a great opportunity to try many delicious local craft brews, meet their makers, and truly celebrate one of the best things happening in the province. Watch here for more details.

Next Friday, November 28th, is Canadian Beer Day. Join in the fun from coast to coast. to coast and raise your glass - post and share photos using the hashtag #CanadianBeerDay on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. 

That is all for this weeks entry, thanks for taking the time check out this week's beer happening and until next time, enjoy responsibly.

Maritime Beer Report - October 31, 2014

Hello and welcome to the October 31 edition of the Maritime Beer Report

Big Axe Brewery are preparing for a busy weekend and ANBL growler fills next week but had time to get a new beer on tap. From Big Axe "Partidgeberry Belgian Ale is light to pale gold in colour, it weighs in at 5.6%.  Brewed with pefect combination of fall spices like corriander, real oranges, partidgeberries from Newfoundland and Saaz hops. Addition of partidgeberry lends this beer mild but complex tartiness and mild berry, clove and cinnamon aroma" .

Les Brasseurs du Petit-Sault has given me a few details on their new amber ale. It is coming next Thursday, Nov. 6th for growler fills and on tap in bars and restaurants locally but will be bottled next January, as part of their regular offer. The name is a secret until it is released next Thursday, but they say it's in the same spirit as Bob and Blanche. They describe it as "amber ale, with up front caramel notes, toasted bread aroma, hints of toffee, roastiness and fruitiness. Well rounded with balanced bitterness. Made with local specialty malts, it has 27 IBUs and 5.5% ABV."

Hammond River Brewing and the Saint John Ale House will be hosting the first annual Hammond River Brewing homebrew competition soon. What is available right now is that it will be a BJCP certified event, entry deadline will be January 16th, it will be open to all NB homebrewers, and the style will be category 21b (Christmas/Winter Specialty Spiced Beer). More details soon

Picaroons Traditional Ales will start releasing Winter Warmer tomorrow and there will be a launch party with Shivering Songs pals on Wednesday November 5th. They also busy this week brewing Feels Good Imperial Pilsner. 

The Pump House Brewery says that Glenn's Barley Wine is on tap at The Pump House Restaurant & Brewery at 5 Orange Lane in Moncton. They say get down early as it won't be on for long and only while supply lasts. The Limited Edition Stonefire Ale officially dropped yesterday at The Pump House Restaurant location and again thay say to make sure you get down to pick up your bottles while supplies last. If you don't get to Moncton and live in Nova Scotia I heard they shipped a pallet down to NSLC of 576 bottles, it should be in stores sometime next month, watch my twitter feed for a heads up.

Railcar Brewing finally opens tomorrow. To celebrate they are taking 10% off all merchandise tomorrow. They will have Railcar Red, SMaSH IPA and their Artisian Brown ready. The space isn't 100% finished but it's well on it's way. Stop in and share their vision.

Shiretown Brewing's new Porter the "Venezuelan Express" is now on tap at the King Street Ale House in Fredericton! This Porter has tasty coffee, chocolatey, roasted notes with nice clean finish hopped with a local unknown hops. It has an ABV of 5% and about 25 IBU's approximately.

A new brewery is coming soon to the Fredericton North area. Trail Way Brewing popped on twitter this week and watch for a full report about the brewery when they have a chance to send me the details.

Authentic Seacoast Brewing Company says their award-winning Rare Bird Craft Beer Pumpkin Ale is now available for sale in Dartmouth at Harvest Wines and Spirits, Bishop's Cellar in Halifax, Cristall Wine Merchants in Bedford and the Rare Bird Pub in Guysborough. 

Big Spruce Brewing brewed their 200th batch and decided to bring something back, because fans all asked for it so many times this summer. The Whole 9 Yards should be ready in a few weeks.

Boxing Rock Brewing Company is having a party tomorrow from 12 to 3 PM at the brewery 78 Ohio Road in Shelburne. There will be a BBQ and other snacks starting at 12. First come, first served. they are having free tours and free samples. Check for details on their facebook page

Garrison Brewing Company announced that The Klingon Empire has landed and taken over Garrison Brewing to produce a dark and spicy Klingon ale. Warnog Roggen Dunkel invades just in time for Hal-Con Sci-Fi/Fantasy Convention The style is hybrid German - Dunkelweizen with a rye twist - so darker with chocolate notes & all the great taste a true weizen yeast brings. It is a 5.5% ABV beer.

Meander River Farm has a new beer on . Smokey Chipotle Porter is brewed with cherry smoked malt and infused with chipotle peppers, this brew has rich dark chocolate notes with a nice hop balance, full smokey flavour and a subtle bite of spice on the finish and comes in at 7.2% ABV. 

Rockbottom Brewpub had a smoked lager on this week, a classic rauchbier to be precise. It is brewed with 82% of the grist as beechwood smoked malt, the remainder being Munich malt. It's also laced with a healthy dose of Hallertau Tradition hops. It was preview of the main batch that will soon be hitting the taps. It is a 5.3% ABV beer.

Schoolhouse Brewery had a great announcement that their flagship beers "The Chequers" and "Principal Ale" as well as their "Hants County Hop Series" will be featured at Bar Stillwell this coming week end. They will  also have its Hants County Goldings, Hants County Galena, Hants County Zeus, Hants County Zeus and Galena on, they come in 20-30 IBUs and  4.5% ABV.

Tatamagouche Brewing Company launched their newest beer, an India Black Ale named DREADNOT, after a ship built in Tatamagouche in 1877. This beer is 7% and is partially hopped with Malagash grown Cascade. Dreadnot is a bold IBA with pronounced citrus and floral hop aromas. The debittered black malt lends a dark hue, with hints of roastiness while generous amounts of Waimea, El Dorado, and Malagash grown Cascade provide citrus flavours with subtle pine characteristics. They also say they have a very small quantity available this time around, but looking to brew it again in the new future. It is available only in growlers this time, and in a few licensees: The Stirling Room (Tatamagouche), Stubborn Goat, Bar Stillwell, and Lion and Bright.

I hope everyone has a great and safe Halloween and until next time enjoy responsibly.

Maritime Beer Report - October 17, 2014

Hello and welcome to the October 17th edition of the Maritime Beer Report.

PEI Brewing Company says Blood Orange Tangerine IPA has made a come back and is now on tap. In case you don't remember this is an American IPA with a 6.5% ABV and 50 IBUs.

Big Tide Brewing Company announced new this week, the Darkening Imperial Stout. They say it is "Rich, malty and sure to warm you up at 8.2 ABV. Brewed with 2 row and pale ale malts, lots of chocolate malt and some caramunich. About 70 IBUs from Goldings and Willamette hops".

Hammond River Brewing released that their newest beer, an Imperial Vanilla Porter is now available at select taps in the Saint John. It weighs in at 8.1% ABV. HRB had three new recipes that they are looking at brewing. They are a bold American Brown Ale, a hoppy Black IPA and a Coffee Porter using all local Java Moose coffee beans. They ran a poll on their facebook page to leave it up to fans to choose which one they brew. The winner is the American Brown Ale called "Switchback". They say it won't be your typical American Brown as it will be mash hopped, dry hopped and should be about 62 IBUs and 6% ABV.

Railcar Brewing Company is pleased to announce they will be open regular hrs and be able to fill growlers starting November 1st. They will have their Artisan Brown Ale and their Railcar Red ready for fills that Saturday. They also say they will fill any clean growler from any brewery. Prices are 1L for $5.00 and 2L for $10.00. Mitch also just worked out a Peanut Butter Porter recipe. This is an all organic recipe that features peanut butter, maple syrup, pale, caramel, and chocolate malts with fuggle hops.

Shiretown Beer's Runnin Down the Road Brass Ale is back. Packing a grapefruit aftertaste, but not big "pink" grapefruity taste more like straight regular grapefruit. Hopped entirely from Shiretown's own hops (unknown) grown on the Leslie property. Small quantity available at the brewery. 

Big Spruce Brewing has announced their second annual Home Brew Competition and is open to all Nova Scotia homebrewers. This year's style is BJCP 6D which is American Wheat or Rye. The competition is open now and beers are due November 24th at either the brewery or at a Halifax drop-off location and judging will take place the following weekend.
The winning brewer will be invited to brew their beer at Big Spruce in time for launching at the Local Connection Halifax Craft Beer and Local Food Event on January 15th, 2015 and in general release after that. I will release more details as I get them, getting brewing.

Gahan House - Halifax released their new seasonal ale. Hopgoblin is an imperial red ale, weighing in at 8.4% ABV, is now on tap.

Garrison Brewing Company shared that they are barrel-aging Spruce Beer and Grand Baltic Porter. The barrels started their journey at Wild Turkey with a stop at Ironworks Distillery. Stay tuned for more information and release dates.

Hell Bay Brewing Company released another batch of the R.I.P.(A.) this week in growlers and kegs. No details but Mark says limited quantity.

Rockbottom Brewpub is releasing Ultimate White IPA on Saturday Oct 18th at 4 PM. This latest brew is a hybrid of sorts; a redux of their Ultimate White IPA. From Greg Nash's blog "IPA meets Witbier. Brewed with malted barley, wheat, oats, coriander, bitter orange peel and plenty of hops: bright and fresh with hop forward citrus notes, coriander and orange cut through making their presence known - it's almost like orange soda plowed with hoppy goodness. Hybrid deliciousness for your glass." Rock Bottom is pairing this up with Cyra Belbin's famous deep-fried Mac'n Cheese bites. This beer comes in at 5.7% ABV and 8 IBUs. 

Looking forward to tomorrow's Nano tap takeover at Stillwell. This iteration is probably what I looked forward to the most as these beers I report on but rarely or never get to try. 

Speaking of Stillwell's they released today that they collaborated with Boxing Rock Brewing on their Anniversary Beer. It is called Merci Biere and it is a strong ale weighing in at 8.4% ABV. Look for this one at Stillwell on November 16th and in private stores after that.

That is all for this week, take care and until next time enjoy responsibly.

Maritime Beer Report - October 10, 2014

Hello and welcome to the October 10th edition of the Maritime Beer Report

Pumphouse Brewery released a status update on their Stonefire Stienbier, it is going to be released on October 31st and is a limited addition, be on the look out for that one in the Maritimes.

The long awaited opening of Railcar Brewing Company is now here. Mitch happily announced on his facebook page that they are now fully open for business.

Shiretown Beer released that its Siren's T'ale was being brewed with Southan Farm's Golding hops. Look for Batch #146 to sample this wet-hopped one-off.

Stillwell's New Brunswick Nano-brewery Tap-takeover line-up on October 18th has been released. It is all subject to change but as of right now it looks like Hammond River Brewing, Les Brasseurs du Petit-Sault, Railcar Brewing, Big Axe Brewing, Acadie-Broue, Grimross Brewing and Red Rover Brewing. There are tickets available for both sessions but you are too late to get in on the t-shirt.

Rare Bird Craft Beer Pumpkin Ale that won gold at the Atlantic Canadian Beer Awards should be released next week. I will release more details as I get them.

Big Spruce Brewing has a couple of seasonals on at the brewery this week end. The Das Sprucebier Octoberfest Ale that I mentioned last week and Smoking Jack It. They say "we brewed this with 58 kg of our own organic, on farm produced pumpkin. We hot smoked the pumpkin for 5 hours and then incorporated it into the mash. This beer conditioned on Cinnamon, Nutmeg and Cardamom that we had soaked for 72 hrs in a bottle of 15 yr old Flor de Caña Centenario rum.....oh and that made it into the beer too!"

Boxing Rock Brewing Company announced that they are planning a fall party for November 1st at the brewery and to stay tuned for details. They also teased that they brewed a new fall seasonal. All they are saying is that it is an amber with a very special hop that they believed to be unobtainable.

Hell Bay Brewing has its Honey Blonde beer out in bottles. It is a light refreshing ale with a sweet honey finish that is lightly hopped with a light body. They go on to say that it is a North American style beer and has a bit of sweet, with hints of citrus, which makes this beer light and refreshing. The  beer is unfiltered, unpasteurized and contains no preservatives. It is a 5% ABV and 17 IBUs.

North Brewing has a new beer coming out. It is a Winter Saison. I tried it last week end and it has pepper and ginger as the predominant spices, it went very nice paired with the duck. It was also leaked that they are working on a milk stout, so some exciting new beers coming.

Thanks for joining me again this week, have a great Thanksgiving and until next time enjoy responsibly.

Maritime Beer Report - June 20, 2014

Hello and welcome to the Maritime Beer Report for June 20, 2014

PEI Brewing Company released Landing Day Lager last week. This is an all malt lager hopped with a couple of New Zealand hops. They use Kohatu in the boil and dry-hopped with Motueka. It  is currently available on tap at the PEI Brewing tasting room and at Gahan House pub. This one is a 4% ABV.

Big Tide Brewing announced they are starting brunch next Saturday June 28th and Sunday June 29th from 10 am to 3 pm. They also announced that the new Princess Street Imperial Ale is on tap, weighing in at 7.5% ABV.

Les Brasseurs du Petit-Sault released that this morning, their brewers Jason Dionne and Gavin Anderson started brewing the very first batch of blonde ale, Bob LeBoeuf! It will be available early next month.

After enjoying great success over the last year Grimross Brewing revealed they are getting commercial space on Bishop Drive for the brewery and retail. I am excited to see where this will take them. 

Picaroons Traditional Ales are still looking for volunteers for the PICAROONS' BREWER'S BASH, though the list is getting full so if you are interested send an email to volunteer@picaroons.ca soon.

Pump House Brewery announced that Nick Lowe is their winner for Name Our IPA with 4 ALARM (Hop Blaze) IPA. So now it has a name and Congrats Nick.

Shiretown Beer said their Big Brown Ale is making its way to the ANBL which is good news. They also sent me the notes for their IPA "Hop's on for nowhere". They say "A toasted marble swirl of Cara & Prairie malt toting a Waimea type temper packin Green Bullets with a comforting earthy orange finish. It is a North Shore IPA that has a ABV of 5-5.5% and 75 IBUs.

Authentic Seacoast Brewing Company shared that The Rare Bird Pub opened today. They look forward to welcoming friends new and old for great Guysborough harbour views and Rare Bird Craft Beer.

Bad Apple Brewhouse released more locations where you can get Mosaic Double IPA. You can try it on tap at Stillwell Beer Bar, Lion and Bright, and The Stubborn Goat. It is also available while it lasts at the Private liquor stores in HRM.

Granite Brewery was brewing the Honey Ginger yesterday. It should be ready in about a week.

North Brewing Company put their first batch through the new fermenters this week and it was BIPA. They also told me they are doing a California Common this summer, it has been one style Josh wanted to takle since the brewery opened.

Tatamagouche Brewing Co.opened this week, they are now open every day from 10 am to 6 pm. Their first two brews are Hippie Dippie Pale Ale, an unfiltered ale with ahtanum hops that lend floral and spicy hints with an earthy pine aroma, and Butcher Block Red, it gets its flavor from el dorado's fruity whole hops and the bitterness of roasted barley. Hippie Dippie is 5% ABV and Butcher Block is 6% ABV. 

Uncle Leo's Brewing is releasing their summer beer this week end, a German Wheat Beer called Vohs Weizenbier. It is a German Wheat beer named for their friends and neighbours Matt & Brenda Vohs of Piper's Landing Restaurant in Lyon's Brook. They were also Uncle Leo's first customer to put them on tap. The Vohs Weizenbier is a nice, summer beer with notes of cloves and banana. It is light in taste, 5% alcohol with a cloudy appearance. It is an unfiltered beer so that it retains all its flavour. It is available at the store today and select taps around the province.

Stillwell Beer Bar's Garrison Brewing cask takeover event is tomorrow at 2 PM. The 12 casks have been released and some are very interesting to say the least. The full list can be seen here.

The Ladies Beer League turns One tonight at the Wooden Monkey in Dartmouth. Drop by and have some special cask beer from North Brewing, Garrison Brewing and Big Spruce Brewing. It is pay as you go and they will also be selling LBL swag.

Thanks for joining me again this week and until next time enjoy responsibly.

Maritime Beer Report - March 7, 2014

Hello and welcome to the March 7th edition of the Maritime Beer Report. 

PEI Brewing released they are bringing a barrel aged honey wheat to Fredericton Craft Beer Festival as a treat.

Celtic Knot Brewing reminds us that The Laundromat in Moncton always has Celtic Knot beer on tap and they will be releasing a limited edition Oak Bourbon version of the Dark Passage very soon.

Hammond River Brewing had two new fermenters arrive which will double their capacity. Hopefully this will help them keep up with demand.

Picaroons Traditional Ales are bringing Yippee IPA, and Plaid to the Bone on tap to the Fredericton Craft Beer Fest and three casks. Those casks being: Parcel Of Rogues, Maple Cream Ale, and Ember Ale Smoked Porter!
Also O.B. WON is now on tap at the brewtique. This was Joe Goodine's winning beer from last falls NB Home Brew Challenge, Go get this winning brew while you can.

Shiretown Beer says that their Honey Wheat now available at the brewery! Made with Charlo Honey House Buckwheat Honey!! This one comes in at 5% ABV.

Hell Bay Brewing Company Dunkelweizen will be released this week and will be available at the brewery in growlers, and the Argyle in Halifax will have it on tap. Dunkelweizen, the darker, smoother cousin of the Hefeweizen .This beer is a well carbonated wheat beer with a light – medium body. Lightly hopped, with hints of banana and clove, and complex malty flavours ranging from chocolate to caramel. This beer is unfiltered and slightly hazy as traditional wheat beers are meant to be, and desirable for the style. It has a IBU of 16 and ABV is 6%.

Sea Level Brewing has finally released their El Rojo Diablo Double IPA. It is a bold hoppy brew layered with intense herbal aromas. Its bitterness is balanced with a tropical fruit maltiness. It comes in with an ABV 7.666% and an IBU of 88. It is at the Port Pub, in Halifax on tap Stillwell Beer Bar and on the shelf at the brewery in 1 litre growlers.

One last note, The Townhouse Brewpub & Eatery in Antigonish is open again from their winter break.

That is all for this week, I will be at Fredericton Beer Fest if you happen to see me say hi. Until next week enjoy responsibly.

Maritime Beer Report - December 6, 2013

Hello and welcome to the December 6, 2013 edition of the Maritime Beer Report.

Congratulations to Joe Goodine of Moncton NB for winning The New Brunswick Home-brew Challenge. The finalist were Marc Levesque (Busy Day Bitter), Kynan Hughson (Raging Grampa), Mark McGraw (The Bitter End), Jake Saunders (British Bulldog Bitter), Brian Steeves (Broadway Bitter) and Joe Goodine (OB Juan).

Picaroons' THE "12 BEERS OF CHRISTMAS" are coming back. Starting next Thursday, December 12 , at THE BREWTQUE in Downtown Fredericton, they will be releasing a different festive brew each day, for 12 days. They will announce the day's beers everyday at 12 NOON, and the beer will be ready for your Growlers starting at 3 PM. Sounds fun.

Pump House Brewery ‏have released on tap their seasonal Nor'Easter Beater Winter Warmer. Dark amber color, big malt presence, subtly spiced with clove, nutmeg, cinnamon and 7% A.B.V. 

Shiretown Beer said their Siren T'ale will be in a ANBL store near you in the near future. 

Authentic Seacoast Brewing is spreading holiday cheer across Nova Scotia this month with free Rare Bird Craft Beer tastings in select NSLC stores, check their facebook page for times and locations. The Full Steam Stout has been making its way to private stores this week and the released their pumpkin seasonal will be available real soon. Exciting times in Guysborough.

Big Spruce Brewing's released a Home Brew Challenge Update "We received 17 sets of samples! Judging will be this Friday Dec 6th, with an announcement shortly thereafter to confirm the winner. Thanks to all that participated, and see you for the release of this exciting beer at the Craft Beer and Local Food Festival in Halifax on Jan 16th" 

Garrison is saying the Spruce Beer is bottled and will be out on December 13th in their retail store.

Hell Bay Brewing is now available at Harvest Wine & Spirits and Cristall Wine Merchants in Halifax, great news for us local fans.

Rogue's Roost 1st Brew Master Monday was held this week to a great crowd. It was a chance to sample all their beers, with an opportunity to talk and ask questions with their brewmaster. It didn't appear to be publicized too well but I hope i can let you know when the next one is. 

Cam from Schoolhouse Brewery reported enjoying a beer with master brewer Greg Nash from Rockbottom Brewpub at the soon to open Bad Apple Brewhouse near Berwick. I emailed the Jeff at Bad Apple for some information and will pass it along if I hear anything.

Sea Level Brewing announced its much loved HIGH STREET WEE HEAVY SCOTCH ALE is in the making. An ale with a complex malty body and a slight hint of smokiness in the finish.

Finally this week Yardarm Holdings who is negotiating opening a new brewery in Bayport has applied to also have a distillery at the site of the former Riverport and District Elementary School. It would be nice to see more movement in this project but for now I will keep watching it.

That is all for this week, send all your news tips to toddthebeerdude@gmail.com and until next time, enjoy responsibly and take care.

Maritime Beer Report - November 8, 2013

Hello and welcome to the November 8th, International Stout Day, edition of the Maritime Beer Report.

Big Tide Brewpub in Saint John has the Tidal Wave Double IPA  on tap again coming in at around 9% ABV.

Big news for Hammond River Brewing, they just received it's Provincial Brewer's License so let the brewing begin.

Shiretown Brewing now has available at the brewery Choke Cherry Wheat, Five Rivers golden ale, Siren's T'ale and of course Blonde du Quai. The choke cherry is their base wheat recipe made with local choke cherries, woody with tannins up front with a nice clean finish. Siren's t'ale is their new, bitter sweet red ale slated for release in stores this coming December. Five Rivers is a golden ale full body with subtle hop sweetness. Go get 'em.

Grimross Brewing has a new beer in the fridge, the "Pugnacious Porter" coming in at 6.2% ABV. I don't have the details on it but I am sure it is another hit.

Pumphouse brewery released the Schwarzbier lager on tap yesterday, nice chocolate and coffee flavors  and a 7% ABV.

Two big items for Authentic Seacoast Brewing Company. First they were picking pumpkins on the weekend to make some Authentic Seacoast Brewing Company Rare Bird Pumpkin Ale and, drumroll please, they shipped their Rare Bird Pale Ale to the NSLC this week for a launch later this month. I can not wait, I had a great time visiting them last summer and they told me then it should be in NSLCs by Christmas and sure enough.

Garrison brewing have a couple of interesting items this week. Their Citra One Hop IPA is making her last appearance on their retail draught line and they have Black Raspberry on tap at the retail store. The Black Raspberry is 25% raspberry Wheat and 75% Martello stout. 

Boxing Rock Brewing have released their new seasonal, Crafty Jack, an English Brown Ale with a rich, roasty malt profile and classic English hop flavours. It is a smooth and easy drinking at 4.2% ABV. They hope to have some in bottles next week.

The Devour Craft Beer Film Festivalis at Paddys Brewpub in Wolfville from Nov 13 to Nov 17. It is 5 Days of Celebrating Craft Beer with 3 Great Beer Films . Tickets are $10 and includes finger food buffet, pint of craft beer, brewery tour and screening of three great beer movies. Check out the face book page for all the details.

Rogues Roost announced that their Porter is now on tap. Dark, smokey and a little peat with about 5.5% ABV.

Ladies Beer League has confirmed their Cask-Conditioned Ales for their event on November 17th:
- Hell Bay Brewing - Dark Cream Ale
- Propeller Brewing - Dry-hopped IPA
- Garrison Brewing - Winter Warmer
- Picaroons Brewing - Smoked Porter
- Big Spruce Brewing - Glenora-infused Stout
- Boxing Rock Brewing - English Brown Ale
- Bridge Brewing - Belgian Apricot IPA
With the evening sold out and the afternoon almost it is safe to say we will see another one. Watch here for a special report on the event by local blogger Krista Spurr.

Looking for something to do in Fredericton on Sunday, look into the Fredericton Poutine Festival. The evening Session is 19+ only with all you can sample poutine, non-alcoholic beverages, 4 - 4oz beer samples - Regular Ticket or 12 - 4oz beer samples - beer experience ticket. There will be at least 15 Craft Beer to choose from: Picaroons, Pumphouse Brewery, Grimross Brewing and McAuslan Brewery.

Lastly in honor of International Stout Day Mothers Pizza on Agricola in Haliax is making a Garrison Martello Stout beer dough. Drop in for lunch and try it out.

That is all for this week thanks for listening. I am off next week so join me in two weeks time for the next report, until then enjoy responsibly.

Beer Review - Shiretown Brewing Blonde du Quai

It has a dark straw color and has 5.5% ABV with a thin head that quickly dissipates. It was slightly cloudy with a medium mouth feel and light carbonation. It is unique aroma with floral hints. The taste is earthy. grassy and a little sour. It is a very different beer. It is available throughout New Brunswick at ANBL stores.

Maritime Beer Report - October 18, 2013

Hello and welcome to the October 18th edition of the Maritime Beer Report. Big Tide Brewing said this week that the Pumpkin Ale is gone for now but a new batch has already been brewed so not to worry. Celtic Knot now has all four of its beers in rotation at both The Laundromat and The Tide & Boar. Speaking of the Tide and Boar they are having a dinner that will feature reserve beers from, The Brooklyn Brewery, Goose Island Brewery, Belgium, and Celtic Knot. All of the beers have been paired with a special menu created by our Chef Michel Savoie. Cost of the beer dinner is $100 per person (this includes Tax and Gratuity). and is limited to only 16 people. Call the Tide and Boar. Grimross Brewing was having a hard time keeping up with demand this week with its new Belgian Rye IPA. The newest addition to the family is avalable now the The Brewtique on 422 Queen St. It is described as having sweet hop aroma Robust Rye with its spice forward flavour and maltiness. Something I would love to see in HRM, Picaroons announced there will be a Tap Takeover next Friday, October 25th in Wilser's Room at The Capital Complex, as part of PRE-POP! 12 TAPS - all PICAROONS. Starts at 5PM. Also anyone wishing to get into the New Brunswick home brewer challenge you only have until the end of the month to register. Shiretown Brewing now has Five Rivers Golden Ale, Black Currant Wheat and of course their Blonde du Quai all available at the brewery! The Gahan House posted on their page this week that a new seasonal brew using locally grown hops is coming! Come check it out in 2 weeks and no hints Authentic Seacoast Brewing Company Rare Bird Craft Beer and Big Spruce Brewing are at the Celtic Colours International Festival this week. Got to love the local support. Cooperative Imperial IPA is being produced by Big Spruce Brewing and Crannóg Ales at the Big Spruce Brewery in Cape Breton. Brian MacIsaac and Rebecca Kneen are visiting from Crannóg Ales in Sorrento, BC. They came armed with hops from their certified organic hop yard to contribute to a collaboration Imperial IPA that we will brew exclusively with hops from Canada's only two certified organic on-farm breweries. Look for it soon Nova Scotia. Bridge Brewing has new hours starting this week! Open till 9pm Friday and Saturday. Open Sunday 12-6pm. Interesting that Bridge is going in the opposite direction from other brewtiques who are reducing hours. Boxing Rock Brewing Co. after being open for a few months is finally having GRAND OPENING and they want you to be apart of the celebrations! It will be next Saturday, October 26, 2013 between 12-6 at 78 Ohio Road in Shelburne, NS. The official ribbon cutting will take place at 12:15pm with tours at 12:30, 1:30, 2:30, 3:30 and 4:30. There will also be tastings as well as pumpkin decorating and face painting, apple cider and lemonade for kids! To make reservations for tours please call 494-9233 ext. 3 Tuesday-Saturday from 12-6 and they are recommended, as tour space is limited
Garrison Brewing has kicked off the 2014 Home Brew-Off with submissions for due late February. This year's style is Weizen (15 A in the 2008 BJCP Style Guidelines ). Garrison says to remember that Weizen should be aromatic, highly-carbonated & hazy! Bottle conditioning is key... Hart and Thistle Brewer's Blog reports their new beer is Dank & Stormy Double IPA. Juicy, malty, fruity, hoppy, dank, candied deliciousness. It comes in at 8.2% ABV and 83 IBUs. Meander River Farm will be at the Harvest Craft Fair at Horton High School this Saturday, tomorrow, from 9-4. Be sure to come check out their lavender, hops and home products.

I got to go to the Stubborn Goat this week to sample some food and beer. I was in good company there and had a great night talking the dare I say ber elite from HRM. The folks were there from Stillwell, Propeller, Halifax Club, Garrison, Ladies Beer League, Premier and avoiding chores. After nearly one million dollars the space on Grafton Street is awesome. The beer menu is varied and extensive. This is going to be a great place to grab a bite and a pint or several. It opened tonight at 6 PM and I am sure it will be a success.

Speaking of the Stubborn Goat, this is where the Ladies Beer League cask event is being help on November 17th. Check out the LBL facebook page for all the details, I hope we see more of these.

That is all for this week so until next time enjoy responsibly.

Maritime Beer Report - October 11, 2013.

Happy Thanksgiving and welcome to the October 11th 2013 edition of the Maritime Beer Report.

Grimross Brewing Belgian Rye IPA will be ready in a day or two They will tweet when we are bottling so follow them on twitter.

Shiretown's latest "Five Rivers" golden ale is now available at the brewery. It comes in at 5.0% ABV and about 25 IBUs.

Picaroons has some fresh out of the barrel, Oak Aged Best Bitter on tap now at the brewtique.

Bridge Brewing says it looks like tomorrow will be the last day for the Many Hands Wet Hopped Imperial Pale Ale. Until next year. Good bye till we meet again.

Big Spruce Brewing now has Bitter Get'er India and Regatta Red joining Kitchen Party and Cereal Killer on tap at Maxwell's Plum. This is their first Bitter Get'er India tap, their first off-Island Regatta Red tap, and their first 4 tap location in NS. Four beer sampler plates will be available. I say yes please :)

Garrison Brewing's 3rd "ONE HOP" has landed. Garrison's says "East Kent Goldings" (E.K.G. for short) is a British hop variety, more gentle & smooth than her predecessor - Citra. With floral & fruity flavours & an earthy nose, you won't be disappointed". EKG is now available in the retail store, NSLC & all private stores in Halifax. EKG will also be available in New Brunswick by the end of the week.

The Winemaker vs Brewmaster Dinner at The Halifax Club with Blomidon Estate Winery & Propeller Brewing Company in a head to head taste-off is next Friday the 18th. To reserve your seats or for more info call Adam at the Halifax club.

Rockbottom Brewpub's new offering is a sour saison called Synaptic Illusion. The blog describes it as "Berries, fruit and spice with a little bit of funk and a whole lot of tart; a little farmhouse ale with a serious wallop of refreshing flavour and acidity". It comes in at 5.0% ABV and 7 IBUs.

Congratulations are in order for Uncle Leo's. The Huffington Post named Uncle Leo's one of Canada's 11 best new breweries!

As reported last week Sea Level Brewing's Hoptoberfest that was on tap at the Port Pub made it way to cans this week at the brewery and as of today to Harvest in Halifax. Get it fast because this one won' be around for long.

Had a chat with Lucas from Boxing Rock Brewing and asked what was coming this fall, looks like a English Session will be coming soon so look for that one.

The Ladies Beer League announced a cask event that will be open to all beer lovers, men and women, coming up on November 17th at the Stubborn Goat Gastropub. It will feature unique, one-off, cask-conditioned ales from seven different maritime craft breweries. There is an afternoon (1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.) and evening session (5:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.). The $35.00 ticket includes 7 oz. samples of each cask and a chance to vote for the 2013 Cask-of-the-year!  Tickets go on sale online this Sunday, October 13th on eventbrite. 

LOCAL CONNECTIONS HALIFAX's Craft Beer and Local Food Celebration has released the final two rooms. Room 6 is THE PLAN B KARAOKE EXPERIENCE Every good celebration needs solid karaoke. The room will be hosted by Plan B and comedian Bill Wood (plus other guests), and will be the place where your wildest dreams will come true. Local Source will be feeding hungry patrons while Boxing Rock (Shelburne) and Hell Bay (Liverpool) whet your whistle.

Room 7 is SAUSAGE FEST JUNIOR For those who have been reminiscing about last August's Sausage Fest, or for those who simply missed all the festivities, we're dedicating this room to you! The food host will be announced shortly, but we already know that you will be able to enjoy fresh brews from Big Spruce (Baddeck) and Uncle Leo (Lyonn's Brook).

One last item there will be a home brewer's contest to lead up to the Craft Beer and Local Food Celebration. Details coming soon. Interested? Stayed tuned.

Have you heard about Valley Beerfest 2014? Haven't heard of it? All NS craft beer, watch for details in The Pub Magazine or here on the Beer Report.

A new blog to check out is from Christiane Jost about her setting up a new microbrewery in Tatamagouche NS Tatamagouche Brewster

That's all I have for this week, until next time enjoy enjoy responsibly.

Maritime Beer Report September 20, 2013

Hello and welcome to the September 20th edition of the Maritime Beer Report

Another harvest beer has popped up. Bigtide Brewing Co. ‏in Saint John has a new Indian Beach Harvest Ale made with local fresh hops!

Picaroons announced this week the launch of its Harvest Ale(s) will be Thursday Sept. 26th from 4PM-7PM,  at the Alcool NB Liquor Train Station, on York Street in Downtown Fredericton. Go have a FREE taste of this 100% fresh locally hopped Pale Ale, and learn about your hops, your farmer, and your beer.

Shiretown Brewery "Runnin Down the Road" is coming soon with Wild Charlo Hops! Also Shiretown's Blonde du Quai Beer available in all Moncton & Dieppe NB Liquor stores and in Fredericton at York St. & Prospect. 

Pump House Brewery ‏posted a picture of Glenn is transferring his Russian rye ale, into Glenora casks for conditioning. 

Barnone Brewing IPA will be avialable next week in the brewery.But to those going to Kegs Corks and Oysters in Summerside Saturday they will be there for its first tapping.

Big Spruce Brewing announces a new tap at Ceilidh's Pub in Dartmouth. This week they were alse dry hopping some Kitchen Party with some hops grown for us by the folks at Southan Farms in NB.

Garrison Brewing Harvest Wheat is here! Now pouring at the brewery this is an unfiltered wheat beer with a German spin is the perfect kick-off to Halifax Oktoberfest! Don't forget tomorrow is Oktoberfest tomorrow, they are tapping a keg of 3 FIELDS HARVEST!

Hell Bay Brewing announced fall/winter hours this week Tues. - Sat.: 12pm -5pm and closed on Sunday and Monday

Propeller Brewing now has Nocturne Dark Lager available in 500ml bottles at our retail stores in Halifax & Dartmouth. Growlers were ready this afternoon.
   NOCTURNE: ART AT NIGHT is a fall festival that brings art and energy to the streets of Halifax between 6 p.m.-midnight. The 2013 event will take place on Saturday October 19th. The completely free, sixth annual event showcases and celebrates the visual arts scene in Halifax. Nocturne, designed and planned by volunteers, is an opportunity for everyone to experience the art of Halifax in a whole new light. 
   The beer is a Munich Style Dark Lager inspired by Nocturne: Art at Night. The brew features deep mahogany hues with a clean lager nose. The flavours are rich and malty, accompanied by traditional German Noble hops gently asserting themselves while balancing the malt profile. The long aging period or "Lagering" and low bitterness make this brew very smooth and drinkable. Proceeds from each beer sold will be donated to Nocturne Halifax! 
   Propeller also tweeted that it had its first brew in at the Dartmouth brewery yesterday and guess what, it is an IPA

Sea Level Brewing HOPFAZUPFA I.P.A. its next seasonal creation is on its way.

That is all for this week, please enjoy resposible and we'll see you next week