Hammond River Brewing Announces 4th Annual Homebrew Competition

(Rothesay, NB) - The 4th Annual Hammond River Brewing Homebrew Competition is intended to encourage creativity in home brewing and support the local home brewing community in the Maritimes. The competition is BJCP certified and participant’s beer will be judged according to the 2015 BJCP guidelines. This year’s competition will be a little different than in the past. Rather than limiting home brewers to a select couple of styles like previously, this year Hammond River is opening the Competition up to ANY European style. So if you want to brew a Belgian Blonde, Irish Stout, Biere De Garde, Weissbier, Czech Pilsner, English Bitter, etc, it’s all fair game this year. It just has to be a European style is all. Participants can brew up to three styles and the competition is open to all home brewers in the Maritimes.
Details and entry forms can be obtained at http://hrbrewing.ca/competition/

Hammond River Brewing Launches HRB Beer Club

(Rothesay, NB) - Hammond River Brewing is launching a beer club on October 20th. They say for $50 per year you will receive the following benefits over the next one year.

• For every pint purchased you will receive an additional 5oz taster of any HRB beer on tap.
• A punch card where you will receive a free Growler fill for every 10 Growlers filled.
• A 15% discount on all HRB merchandise (ie, ball caps, toques, t-shirts, hoodies, glassware)
• A bottle of beer of any new beer that comes off the HRB bottling line.
• Free flight of beer on your Birthday
• An HRB branded Belgian Chalice beer glass
• Your choice of an HRB Ball Cap or Toque
• An email newsletter with insider info and tastings on some special beers before they are released.

Swing by the brewery to purchase a Membership. 

Hammond River Releases Its First Bottles

(Rothesay, NB) - Quick on the heels of opening their new facility Hammond River Brewing (HRB) have released their first bottled product. Bottles of Hop Flash IPA (6.6% ABV) are now available for sale in the HRB Beer Bar as well as the KV and Uptown ANBL with other locations being added soon. 

Hammond River Brewing opens new plant in Rothesay

(Rothesay, NB) - After four years of brewing in neighboring Quispamsis Hammond River Brewing (HRBCo) opened its new 15 BBL brewery and taproom at 141 Old Hampton Road in Rothesay on Friday August 4th. The opening times are seven days a week at 11:30 AM and closes Sunday to Thursday at 9:00 PM and at 11:00 PM on Friday and Saturday. They had seven beers on tap at opening including:

• The Vegas SMaSH IPA (Galaxy Edition)
• Blood Orange Hefeweizen
• Gammie California Steam Ale
• Hop Flash IPA
• Red Coat India Red Ale
• Blueberry Ale
• Paisley Park Raspberry Berliner Weisse

All beers are available for growler fills in both the standard 1.89 L size and also a smaller 1 L size, with the exception of Paisley Park. The tap room has capacity for 12 beers on tap that will have HRBCo as well as guest taps. Additionally HRBCo has hoodies, t-shirts, ball caps, and 4 different sizes of glassware for sale.

HRBCo will also commence bottling at the new location and owner Shane Steeves hopes to bottle his first batch of beer in the next week, Hop Flash IPA. Bottles will be sold on site as well as ANBL stores when they approve the listings. 

Future plans include bottle conditioned beer as well as doing an extensive barrel aging program for certain beers. Shane also says his existing brewhouse will see the odd batch being brewed that wouldn't make sense on the large system. 

HRBCo is a top rated brewery in New Brunswick and joins Foghorn Brewing and Long Bay Brewery in Rothesay to become a beer destination in the province. 

Hammond River Brewing Announces First 4 Bottle Releases

(Rothesay, NB) - Hammond River Brewing have released details on their first four beers that will be bottled by them. Gammie California Steam Ale (a tribute to Shane's amazing Father that passed away in 2014), Hop Flash IPA, Red Coat IRA and Blood Orange Hefeweizen. 
HRB will be bottling in a 500 ml style bottle that is unique to this area and not being used by any other brewery in NB. Look for these on ANBL shelves across the Province and available for purchase at the brewery in a month or so. 

Hammond River Brewing releases White Walker White Stout

photo by
Nicholas Lowe Photography

(Quispamsis, NB) - Hammond River Brewing released its latest creation, a white stout called White Walker. This homage to Game of Thrones is brewed with Java Moose Foghorn coffee beans, fresh cacao nibs, Madagascar vanilla beans and lots of oats and barley. This 7.2% ABV and 37 IBU beer will look like a pale ale but have all of the taste and creamy mouthfeel of a stout. Brewer Shane Steeves says it is "a unique beer that was very fun to brew and will be on tap at Hammond River Brewing's tap accounts in the Saint John area very soon". 

Maritime Beer Report - September 18, 2015

Hello and welcome to September 18th edition of the Maritime Beer Report

Big Tide Brewing's head brewer says it is just about time for her favorite brewing day that uses fresh hops, and fresh pumpkin and soon their Indian Beach Pumpkin Ale will be on tap.

Les Brasseurs du Petit-Sault released Bonhomme Sept-heures Pumpkin Ale this week. They used more than 60 lbs of pumpkin and squash, 2 lbs of spices and all kinds of other good stuff. It clocks in at 8.6% ABV and is the strongest beer they have made. Available now at the Brewtique.

Hammond River Brewing Company were making the season's first Breakfast Stout. Oats, Java Moose Coffee, Chocolate, Cacao Nibs, Applewood Bacon smoked right here at HRB, and a few Eggs and Grits to top it off. This delicious 8% ABV Imperial Stout will be available soon.

Picaroons Traditional Ales says their 2015 Harvest Ales will start pouring next week. This year they have 7 different batches from 6 different local farmers, all made with a different local hops, all with the same local grain. Once again you will be able to find out about your Harvest Ale by checking out the batch code on the side of your label and going to http://picaroons.ca/myharvest/

Big Spruce Brewing says that its collaboration with Stillwell Gimme Citra is back. It is described as a nice hoppy beer and comes in at 4.7% ABV. Available now at the brewery and select taps.

Breton Brewing were busy this week brewing their first seasonal called Celtic Colours Maple Lager. Look out for this beer around Cape Breton during the Celtic Colours festival! The Maple Syrup they added came from Acadian Maple Products in Nova Scotia. 

FirkinStein Brewing started selling their beer this week. It is not available at bars yet but they have opted to start with home delivery in the Bridgewater, Mount Pleasant and Conquerall Mills areas. They are charging $8 for the bottle and $12 for the beer then you own the bottle and refills are just $12 after that. They're beer is called Nor'easter Ale and is a strong beer weighing in at 7.5% ABV.

Garrison Brewing says they got a boatload of Cinderella Pumpkins from their friends at Howard Dill's Pumpkin Farm in Windsor for the next batch of  their Imperial Pumpkin Ale

Good Robot Brewing is introducing the 5th addition to their lineup, Leave Me Blue Kentucky Corn Beer. In celebration of this on Sunday, October 4th, they will be hosting a good ol' fashioned hootenanny at the brewery complete with pig roast, bluegrass music and of course beers.

Sea Level Brewing notes that Hopfazupfa is back for fall. This is a 6% ABV American IPA. They are sad to announce that they are not making the New Scotland Heather Ale this year. They couldn't get enough heather & Randy won't compromise.

Tatamagouche Brewing released the next edition in their Giant Series, it is a Russian Imperial Stout coming in at 8.5% ABV. It is hopped with Pacific Gem and Chinook. Also Tatabrew is bringing back its award winning Lagerhosen and a new IPA called Deception Bay IPA that is a hefty 6.2% ABV.

Uncle Leo's Brewery says its Pictou County Harvest Ale made with fresh hops from Bramble Hill Farms. It is a 5.7% ABV limited quantity ale that is available in growlers only. 

Looking for something fun to do in Moncton next week end? Moncton Area Beer League is doing a beer hike that will visit five local watering holes for beer and food samples. Tickets are $49 to join in on the fun.

New Brunswick Beer Tour is running their River Valley Tour again on October 17th from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM . Join King Street Ale House owners Doug Williams, Eat New Brunswick and the Fredericton Craft Beer Festival as they explore NB Craft Beers and Ciders. Along the way you will have samples and food from King Street Ale House and visit and sample at three breweries.

Ever wonder what it would be like to practice yoga inside the serene walls of a brewery, backdropped by massive stainless steel tanks? No? Ok, well even if you haven't thought about it before, here is your chance to do that at Upstreet Craft Brewing on September 26th from 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM. For $15 you will get 1-hour practice and a glass of beer. 

Looking to expand your beer knowledge and get certified for personal or professional reasons? CAPS- Atlantic is offering two courses this fall. The Certified Beer Server course is designed to prepare students for the Certified Beer Server exam, the first level of certification in the Cicerone program. It is 1 evening a week for 4 weeks in September and October for $260. The Certified Beer Professional course is designed to prepare students for the Cicerone certification exam. It runs 1 evening a week for 10 weeks and costs $1240. Courses run consecutively, and can be taken individually or as a 14-week package. Check the website for registration forms.

Thanks for letting me share the news again this week, Until next week enjoy responsibly.

Maritime Beer Report - September 4, 2015

Welcome to the September 4th edition of the Maritime Beer Report.

Big Axe Brewery has released Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Ale. They say it is a delicious light brown ale with red hues and an aroma of strawberry ganache. They brewed it with a mixture of dark crystal malts and a great amount of toasted wheat to add a bit of complexity. A moderate amount of hops add a mild, fruity hop aroma that blends extremely well with caramel notes produced from Carabohemian malt. They used 10 lbs of strawberries from Hoyt's and some freshly picked rhubarb to create the Pie.
Strawberry Rhubarb Pie weighs in at 5.5% ABV and has a very mild 22 IBUs.

Hammond River Brewing is currently brewing the first wet hopped Harvest Ale batch of 2015. Lots of fresh hops grown right there at HRB will be added

Railcar Brewing Company says CSB time is now and available to purchase until the end of September. There are three levels $125, 250 and 500, each with great deals attached.

The first Fredericton Cider Festival will be on Saturday, October 24th. Brought to you by those behind the Fredericton Craft Beer Festival, the afternoon event will be held at Brewbakers in downtown Fredericton, and will feature unlimited tasting (4 oz pours) of up to 30 different ciders. With several local craft cideries attending as well as other big brands, there will be plenty of different offerings to sample! There are two ticket options: regular tickets $56.50 will get you a tasting glass and unlimited pours from 1-4 pm, while a limited number of VIP tickets $65.00 will allow for early entry at noon, plus a special information session on cider production. The event will be held outdoors on Brewbakers' partially-covered deck; a small food menu from the restaurant will also be available for purchase. Attendees can expect to see some extra-special products at the fest, quite-possibly including New Brunswick's first exposure to cask cider. Tickets available now on eventbrite. 

I was lucky enough to attend to great events in Moncton last night. I was at Pump House Brewing's production facility for this years Stone Fire Ale's kick off. As they did last year they dunked super heated rocks into the wort to create the unique flavors. The brewer tells me he change the recipe this year by switching up some malts to work better he hopes with the process. They plan on producing 4000 bottles again this year in the flip-top bottles. 
I also went to Flying Boats Brewing's launch at Laundromat Expresso Bar. Brewer/owner Marc Melanson saw all three of his kegs emptied in an hour and twenty minutes. The S-55 Special Mission Pale Ale (5.9% ABV 43 IBUs) and Empress Irish Red Ale (5.5% ABV 20 IBUs) were both great. Look for these beers in Moncton, Shediac and Sackville areas.

Garrison Brewing released its Tri-collaboration yesterday at Stillwell and the Beergarden. Not So Gentle Tickle IPA is a 7.0% ABV and 55 IBUs beer made with whole leaf Amarillo, Citra and Columbus hops in the kettle, whirpool and fermenter . It is described as having “a bold hop flavor with juicy, citrusy and fruity aspects". It is available for a limited time at the brewery in 650 ml bottles.

Propeller Brewing ‏noted that there was a very familiar and special aroma coming from their Brewhouse recently. Pumpkin Ale is on the way.

Unfiltered Brewing is releasing DOA (Double Orange Ale) today. It is a Citra SMaSH (single malt and single hop) Double IPA hits the taps @unfilteredbrews Friday at noon. Greg Nash says it contains NO oranges, it does, however, contain a boatload of citrus-y hop flavour and just the slightest hint of malt sweetness. It is a 7.5% ABV and 100+ IBU beer.

FirkinStein Brewing of Bridgewater says they will have beer very soon. I hope to meet with them in the next week or two to get all the details for you.

Staying with new brewery news, High Tide Brewing is opening a 15 BBL brewery in Truro. They are currently looking for a Head Brewer. I was talking to the owner and said he will meet with me next month to release details.

Thanks for checking out Maritime Beer Report, have a great long week end and as always enjoy responsibly.

Maritime Beer Report - August 21, 2015

Welcome to the August 21st edition of the Maritime Beer Report. 

PEI Brewing Company released a huge amount of news this week some of it new and some of it more details. First is some details on their cask program at the brewery, they say every two weeks, or less depending on volume, they'll have a new cask to try out. They say to expect some very interesting flavours and some things you may have never seen before.
They've still got the Galaxy hop version of our Vic Park Pale Ale available and say a Mandarina Bavaria version will be released shortly, watch social networks to find out when and where. They are also be releasing Vic Park in a 473ML can in September using the Citra hop variety. 
As I mentioned a couple of weeks ago they kept a fair amount of ReAnimator Bock and stored it away in some oak barrels. They will be releasing this as a 750ML premium seasonal in September. PEIBC also says their to look for their Pumpkin Ale, also slated to return in early September.  Finally their Transmitter Coffee Stout will also be returning this fall .

Les Brasseurs du Petit-Sault has released a new seasonal, John Stadig, an Orange-Ginger White Beer. They warn this 4% ABV limited release and won't last long. If you are wondering the back story on John Stadig, he was a famous counterfeiter in the 1930s from the Saint John River Valley who got caught and sent to Alcatraz. He's one of the few men who managed to escape from this famed prison. His remains are buried at the Connors cemetery in Upper Madawaska County.

Flying Boats Brewing is having a Launch Party on Thursday September 3rd, starting at 7 PM at the Laundromat Expresso Bar, 382B St. George Street in Moncton. Come join in celebrating NB's newest local Craft Beer brewery and enjoy a hand crafted Ales.

Grimross Brewing Company's new beer, a Belgian Dubbel has been released. It is amber brown, smokey caramel, with a warm finish and 6.8% ABV. 

Hammond River Brewing Company also has a brand new beer, it's a 10.4% Belgian Dark Strong Ale called Sterke Monnik. Look for this one and the return of Gammie in a few weeks.

A new brewery that I heard of recently popped up on social media yesterday in a big way. Maybee Brewery is currently building a 10 barrel operation at 559 Wilsey Road in Fredericton this fall,  They go on to say their beers will be available at ANBL stores in 16 oz cans, at some of your favorite craft beer bars in Fredericton, as well as at the Brewery taproom by the glass, growler, keg or can. They list five beers on their website, looks like hop and belgian loving brewery. Look for my Q&A with the owner Paul Maybee.

Uncle Leo's Brewery has its Winterschlaf back on, it is the Kolsch they had on last winter. It is 5.5% and 25 IBU.  Light, refreshing and crisp.

The Official Beers and Ciders for Sausagefest next month were revealed. 

Propeller Wind Swell Wheat - This American Pale Wheat beer is a brew that’s mild and approachable yet has a lot of personality. Ample additions of Cascade hops bring flowery, citrus & spice notes while the wheat added provides a silky smooth finish.

Garrison Hammerschlagen Brau - Named after the German game played at Halifax Oktoberfest, this “Oktoberfest Brau” is brewed in the traditional marzen style to create Germany’s most popular fall beer. Pleasant toffee like flavours, medium body and low hopping make this seasonal lager worthy of celebration. 

Bulwark Hopped Citrus Cider - Celebrating two of our native crops—hops and apples—Nova Scotia’s first hopped cider is a citrus-forward brew. It begins with a special blend of Annapolis Valley apples designed to tame the bitterness characteristic of dry hopped brews. Cascade and comet hop varieties combine with the apple base to create a light and refreshing cider featuring notes of lemon and grapefruit. 

Boxing Rock Kerfuffle APA - A fresh, bright, coppery gold pale ale with a balanced malty backbone and smooth bitterness to wash down your carnivorous sausage indulgences. Dry-hopped for extra punch, the hop character is like a south shore hurricane, building in intensity until it blows you away. Henry also added that this has 100% Canadian hops. 

I had the pleasure of visiting Kellye Robertson at Spindrift Brewing yesterday, look for a blog on my visit early next week. 

Thanks for joining me again this week and as always enjoy responsibly.

Maritime Beer Report - August 7, 2015

Hello and welcome to the August 7th, International Beer Day, edition of the Maritime Beer Report. First off I have been reporting the brews news for two years now and would like to thank you all for all the support.

PEI Brewing had a Kiwi IPA on tap for #IPADay and they say it was made by one of their Kiwis, Wax the logistics manager, in honor of our other Kiwi, Big Scotty. This IPA has freshly squeezed kiwi juice and is dry hopped with Citra and Comet. More on PEI Brewing in a moment.

Upstreet Craft Brewing launched their first seasonal beer on #IPADay. White Noize is a white IPA brewed with 50% wheat and generously hopped with Cascade, Centennial, Chinook and Columbus throughout. It weighs in at 7% ABV and 70 IBUs. The name is a tribute to the acoustical din of the tap room. 

Big Tide Brewing celebrated its sixth birthday this week. Wendy brewed their Anniversary Amber Ale again. This time using six types of malted barley an six hop varieties and hoping to get 6% ABV. It will be available shortly. They also launched the first collaboration between Big Tide an Hammond River Brewing, Rhubarbaric Saison. It was brewed with approximately 70 pounds of local rhubarb, pilsner and wheat malt and comes in around 7.1 ABV.

Distillerie Fils du Roy has a summer seasonal called La Messe Blanche. It is a 7% ABV weizenbock that has a great description on the facebook page. Looks like a very refreshing summer beer. The beer was made in the honor of Alexie Landry born in 1721 who officiated white masses, that is to say a mass without a priest for the people of Caraquet.

Picaroons Traditional Ales says Pride Sally Pride Apricot Ale will be back on tap starting this Sunday at the Brewtique and at the 2015 Fredericton Pride Festival Beer Garden in Downtown Fredericton. This is a 4.5% ABV beer and it is while supplies last. In honor of #IPADay they had 3 different dry-hopped Yippee IPAs on tap. One was Cascade & Tettnang, one with Saaz & Fuggles and one with Amarillo & Rakau. Picaroons is coming to Halifax and taking over the taps at Lion & Bright Café Wine Bar this Saturday after the Halifax Seaport Beerfest. They are also bringing a special guest HALF CUT Brewing Company.

The Pump House Brewery has Strawberry Wheat now on tap at the brewery in Moncton. Flavoured with local strawberries and a 5.2% ABV.

Big Spruce Brewing released two beers this week, a collaboration and a seasonal. First is Gimme Citra, a single hopped pale ale made with Stillwell Beer Bar. Big Spruce says "Outrageously aromatic, flavourful, and perfect for summer, this will be hitting Halifax yesterday. 36 IBU and 5.5% ABV. Available now at the brewery." Next up is Tip of the Spear Spruce Tip IPA. Also available now at the brewery.

Garrison Brewing was working on a collaboration today while the folks from Great Lakes Brewery and Metalman Brewing are in town

As I mentioned in the Spring, Rogues Roost will be closing by October 1 because its building is being redeveloped. The exact closure date is to be announced. This is sad news but PEI Brewing will be producing a Rogues Roost IPA that will be available in cans and sold in liquor stores across the Maritimes starting in September. Details being released soon.

Stutz Cider has released a new Wild Blueberry cider. It is made from fresh Nova Scotia Apples and Blueberries. It is available across Nova Scotia and is 6.5% ABV. 

Halifax Oktoberfest is looking for volunteers for the 2015 installment if you are interested email beer@garrisonbrewing.com for more info.

Ending with a sad note this week with some bad news from Barnone Brewing. Hugh Campbell, father and business partner passed away. He was a charming man and full of life when I met him. The family has my condolences at this difficult time.

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

Maritime Beer Report - July 17, 2015

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

PEI Brewing Company says their new Vic Park Hop Sessions is coming out soon. It is Galaxy hops this time. Stay tuned for release time.

Big Axe Brewery has released their new FireFly IPA and is on tap at the brewery. Medium golden in colour, this IPA has a prominent hop aroma with both floral and citrucy notes. Some of the hops used are Chinook and Galena. This refreshing IPA has lighter body than their Double Bit IPA. It weighs in at 5.7% and 50 IBUs and has a very clean and crisp finish. Also the first batch of 2015 Chanterelle Cream Ale is on tap.

Grimross Brewing announces  Hops Festival on Saturday, August 22 from 3:00 PM - 11:00 PM. It is a celebration of New Brunswick Hops, Micro's and Music. They are holding the event in the back lot of the brewery and there will also be food vendors on site. Tickets are $30 advanced or $35 at the door and each ticket gets your first 3- 5 oz. drinks and you will be able to purchase additional drink tickets at the event.

Hammond River Brewing Company is doing a collaboration brew with another NB brewery. This time they will be pairing up with Wendy from Big Tide Brewing in Saint John and brewing a Rhubarb Saison with fresh rhubarb.

The Pump House Brewery says it is summer and and its Raspberry Weizen time. A German style wheat beer bombarded with 40 kg of raspberries! This is a beer for the raspberry connoisseur - delectably tart and refreshing. It weighs in at 5.5 % ABV.

Savoie's Brewhouse says they should be listed shortly at ANBL and look for their beer on the shelves of select stores by months end.

Fredericton Craft Beer Festival announced Craft Beer and Hand Crafted Ice Cream event at King Street Ale House on Sunday, July 26 at 6:00 PM.

Sea Level Brewing is hiring a full time Retail Manager.This position will start part-time, and will lead to a full-time position by early August. Responsible for managing the retail shop, assisting with production, business communications, preparing and invoicing wholesale and retail orders, along with day to day operations. Please personally deliver resume to Randy at the brewery between 10am-4pm. 

Thanks for checking out the Maritime Beer Report again this week and until next time enjoy responsibly.

Maritime Beer Report - July 10, 2015

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

Big Tide Brewing Company put a new beer on tap called Marée Montante (Rising Tide) that is a Gose. It is the most recent collaboration with Patrice Godin from Acadie-Broue. A light 4.6% ABV sour mash, refreshing ancient German style ale. Lightly hopped, 15 IBUs and flavored with coriander and none other than straight from the Bay of Fundy salt water collected from Seely's Cove as the tide was rising. Won't last long, and available in-house only. 

Flying Boats Brewing says they will be serving at the Capitol Complex - Tasting NB event this Saturday. They are bringing Humpyard Steam Ale that has a nice malty caramel flavour balanced with Northern Brewer hops and a crisp finish taste that comes in at 5.8 ABV and 46 IBUs. Also Stove Pipe Gang Black IPA, which is a full flavor dark malt IPA with plenty of hops (4 varieties) including a dry hop for aroma. It comes in at 6.9% ABV and has 96 IBUs.

Hammond River Brewing was busy brewing  they're Hop Flash IPA and a brand new beer, a 10.5% Belgian Quad.

Boxing Rock Brewing Company put its new session ale out this week. Introducing Bottle Blonde Rye Ale. The description from Boxing Rock is as follows "It's malty. It's got that spicy hint of something in the background you just can't put your finger on. The hops are there and signal their presence but in a way that lets the malt come through. And with over 35% rye malt, it's different enough to grab your attention." Available now at the brewery and private stores.

Breton Brewing Company put on its third brew this week, Sons of Hector Brown Ale is now on tap at the brewery.

Garrison Brewing Company has a new session ale out, the Seaport Blonde is here now. A 4% ABV crafted light ale that they say is perfect for summer.

North Brewing Company has released its popular Halifax Common ale again this summer. Currently available at the brewery.

Rock Bottom Brewpub has a has a couple of beers to announce. They have a new Oatmeal stout on nitro tap. Raisin Hell is a dark, rich and chocolaty with coffee and cream notes and a bittersweet finish reminiscent of oatmeal raisin cookies. Aromas of roasted grains, vanilla and cheerios. This Traditional English Stout is brewed with steel cut oats, which provide a full, velvety body. It is 5.5% ABV and 35 IBUs. 
Also on Wednesday they'll launch the Ladies Beer League collaboration brew, Fizzgig. It is a big, bold, and hoppy Imperial Red ale that is a marriage of dark English crystal malts and bright punchy New Zealand hops. Ruby coloured with aromas of blackberry and cut grass. Long bitter lemon-lime finish. It is a hefty 7.5 ABV and 80 IBUs.

Finally Unfiltered Brewing ‏is brewing beer so look for it on the streets of Halifax later this month.

Thanks for joining me again this week. I am in the Nova Scotia bush for a week so next weeks blog will be delayed a  day or two. Until next time enjoy responsibly.

Maritime Beer Report - June 12, 2015

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

Congrats to Maritime Breweries who won medals at ‪the 2015 Canadian Brewing Awards. PEI Brewing Company won Gold in the Brown Ale category for their Gahan Iron Bridge Brown. Red Rover Brewing Company also won Gold for Cider with Herbs/Spices with their Experimental Brew - Fire. Muwin Estate Wines  got Gold in Specialty Ciders for their Bulwark Gold Traditional Craft Cider. Tatamagouche Brewing captured a Bronze for German Style Kolsch with North Shore Lagered Ale. Garrison Brewing also got a Bronze for Barley Wine with Ol’ Fog Burner. Lastly Les Brasseurs du Petit-Sault captured a Bronze in European Style Lager  with La Kedgwick. Congrats to all the brewers.

PEI Brewing Company says Island Red is now available in ‪‎Nova Scotia‬ at select NSLC locations. Let me know where you see it. 
They also say Vic Park Hop Sessions brew with the Citra hop variety is on tap now at the brewery - limited quantity - once it's gone, it's gone. This is a 5.7% ABV beer.

Upstreet Craft Brewing offered their first 50 memberships to their Mug Club this week and the went really fast. There is a waitlist to get yours when the start selling again. Their website is live now with beer listings and their first 18 tap accounts. 

Big Axe Brewery's Taproom grand-opening and belated 1 year birthday celebration is tomorrow June 13th at 1 PM. Big Axe taproom will be serving craft ales, cider and mead, the Southern Ukrainian grill  will be open from 5-7 PM and Julio's Garage playing 8 to 10 PM.

Hammond River Brewing says Blueberry Ale has returned this summer. From HRB "Brewed with all real Blueberries, this is one tasty and refreshing beer for the patio!" It is currently on tap at Saint John Ale House, Barrel's Head, and Bourbon Quarter.

Railcar Brewing says it is pleased to announce that in two weeks they will be offering bottles to go for sale at the brewery. Their IPA and Grapefruit Pale Ale will be available next weekend in bottles at the brewery. Listings submitted for Pale Ale and IPA to hit ANBL shelves soon. 
Railcar will be tapping a special keg of Peanut Butter Chocolate Porter tomorrow at noon. Only one keg available get your growler filled ASAP.

A brewery I heard about a couple of weeks ago in the Shediac area went on social media this week. Flying Boats Brewing launched a facebook page this week. They say they are working on the listings and recently kegged a 7.2% ABV Black IPA.

Garrison Brewing Company has their new brewery launch celebration tomorrow at the Back Lot Bash, tickets are still available. Also Seaport Beer Fest are now on sale, this is always a sell out so get them early.

Last week end I helped brew an Imperial Red at Rockbottom Brewpub with the Ladies Beer League. Look for Fizzgig coming to their taps in July.

Looks like after delays Stillwell's Beer Garden on the Halifax waterfront opens today. There was some negative press out this week but I for one think it will be a good addition to the waterfront area.

A little light this week. Thanks to Monica at Lion & Bright for the kind words and support of the blog. Until next week enjoy responsibly.

Maritime Beer Report - May 1, 2015

Hello and welcome to the May 1st edition of the Maritime Beer Report.

The Big Axe Brewing and Hammond River Brewing collaboration has a name. Ask for Two Rivers India Black Ale when it hits the bars.

Les Brasseurs du Petit-Sault have a new beer out today. La Kedgwick pilsner is now available at the Brewtique, next week at ANBL growler stations and this summer in bottles. 

Railcar Brewing is hosting He Said Beer She Said Wine on Saturday, May 23 at 7:00 PM. Join Brewer Mitch Biggar and his wife Sarah Nicholson as they pair 4 appetizers with a beer and a wine. You get to choose which is better and who wins this husband vs wife throw down. Tickets in advance due to food prep. $20.00 at the brewery.

Rare Bird Craft Beer has a Red Ale coming out on Monday but some NSLC stores put it out early so you are not seeing things.

Tatamagouche Brewing, Big Spruce Brewing & Propeller Brewing – have announced a one-off co-release to mark the upcoming inaugural Nova Scotia Craft Beer Week. Cerberus American IPA is a 7% ABV organic ale with the following description:
Cerberus is the 3 headed hellhound of Organic American-style India Pale Ales. Abundantly bitter and deeply aromatic, Cerberus combines late addition Centennial, Amarillo, Simcoe and Zythos hops in copious, lip-smacking quantities for a balanced complexity that will have you craving more. Cerberus will be released on May 9th, and will be available in a limited run of 650 ml bottles, as well in growlers at the three participating breweries.

Big Spruce Brewing is introducing the first ever lager in our brewery's history, She's Maibock. They added the zest of 40 lemons to the boil, and then again dry hopped this beer with lemon zest. It is 6.1% ABV and 30 IBU.  Available now at our brewery, and also at Stillwell, The Stubborn Goat, Lion & Bright, The Townhouse, and Governors.

Boxing Rock Brewing has released Sessionista 2015 and is what they like to call a "Fractional IPA". It's still bold, and malty, but it's also aromatic and hoppy. The first thing that hits you is that great nose of floral hops. Think lemon blossom, orange, and tropical fruit. Then flavours of biscuit, roasty caramel and toasted bread on the palate backed up by a tropical fruity hop middle with just the right amount of bitterness and finishing with a piney citrusy blast. It weighs in at a slightly higher 4% ABV than last years.

Good Robot Brewing released their opening beers for next week, First up is Tom Waits for No One,Stout. Available on tap at The Brooklyn Warehouse and in 64-oz growlers and 32-oz grunters beginning on Saturday, May 9th. Goseface  Killah Gose is the second beer in our lineup. Available on tap at The Wooden Monkey Restaurant, The Auction House and 2 Doors Down and in 64-oz growlers and 32-oz grunters. They are also looking for a retail clerk, want to work in NS newest brewery, drop a resume over. 

Hell Bay Brewing Company says their Dark Cream Ale is coming Monday May 4th to an NSLC near you.

The Nook and Cranny is asking you to "Name That Beer". They are excited to announce that one of new brewed onsite Nook and Cranny beer will be a Black IPA. And they want you to name it. Put your suggestion on facebook and the winner will get a $25 food voucher and one of their new N and C brewpub hats.

Sea Level Brewing announced their new seasonal, Acadian Cross Extra Pale Ale. 260 years ago this September more than 2000 Acadians were expelled from Grand Pre. The deportation cross was erected to commemorate the tragedy of the expulsion in 1755. It was brewed with Maritime Malt, and fermented with California ale yeast. Hopped with the Apollo hop, and dry-hopped twice in fermenter and once in serving tank. This is an unfiltered. 5.5% ABV. Available now in kegs and coming soon in cans and growlers.

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

Maritime Beer Report - April 24, 2015

Hello and welcome to the April 24th edition of the Maritime Beer report

Barnone Brewing announced a music event at the Brewery. It is a Music/Beer Pairing of the 'Island Sol' collaboration. It is $15 admission at the door and they say come early 7:00+  and 1st come 1st seated.

Big Axe Brewery and Hammond River Brewing had a collaboration Brew Day this week in Quispamsis. The result is a India Black Ale weighing in at 7% ABV and 77 IBUs. It will be available in both the Saint John and Fredericton areas in a couple of weeks.

I had a great chat with Andre from Les Brasseurs du Petit-Sault. Loads of great plans from the brewery. A few things to tempt your palate, look for their birthday party in June, their IPA returning, a new pilsner and perhaps a barrel aging program.

Trail Way Brewing Company says that after a nice long dry hop their collaboration brew "Sensible Nonsense Double IPA" is now in the bright tank. They also filled a couple special release casks. They added some bourbon soaked Spanish cedar to one cask and did a second dry hop in the other cask. Release date and further details will be announced early next week.

Big Spruce Brewing did a three way conspiracy this week with Tatamagouche Brewing and Propeller Brewing on a big new beer for NS Craft Beer week. Look for it May 9th.

Boxing Rock Brewing Company one-upped the last collaboration with a four way with Sea Level Brewing, Hell Bay Brewing and Gahan House Halifax's Karen Allen. Look for details on this one next month.

Garrison Brewing Company says Rum-barrel aged Grand Baltic Porter is back. Now in a 650 ml bomber bottle, It is $16.95 at the brewery and private stores now but is in very limited quantities.

Propeller Brewing Company says the launch for their next offering in the Lambic Style Series at Stillwell will be postponed until a future date. This unique bottle conditioned brew is dependent on nature and nature says it's not ready yet.

Tatamagouche Brewing Company released Sunrise Trail India Session Ale. It is 4.1% ABV beer that is amazing aroma and very refreshing. It will be available in growlers and 650 ml bottles.

Uncle Leo's Brewery says Vohs Weizenbier will be making its spring debut next week. This is a gold medal winner and one of my favorites from last year. 

This is the last report I will be mentioning Wrought Iron Brewing Company. The boys are changing their company name, logo and branding. From now on they will be know as Good Robot Brewing Company. They also introduced the first of their beers, Tom Waits for No One stout will be available on tap at The Brooklyn Warehouse next month and in 64-oz growlers and 32-oz grunters beginning on Saturday, May 9th.

It was a week of uber tank deliveries. New tanks arrived at Upstreet Craft Brewing, Breton Brewing Company,  Schoolhouse Brewing Company and Spindrift Brewing. Spindrift also released its branding and facebook page. 

That is all for this week. Thanks for your continued support and until next time enjoy responsibly. 

Maritime Beer Report - April 17, 2015

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

I love beer and I love food trucks, Upstreet Craft Brewing decided to follow other breweries and marry the two. They are looking for food trucks serving interesting locally inspired food to park at Upstreet Craft Brewing. Whether you, or someone you know, is currently looking for a space or looking to relocate to a new high traffic location, please contact them. 

Big Axe Brewery has their popular Maple Wheat Amber Ale available now. Brewed with 100% pure maple sap provided by Stone Family Maple Products from the historical Pokiok Sugary. Big Axe also turned one this week. They would like to invite everyone to celebrate with them in June,with the opening of our new Tap Room! 

Hammond River Brewing repeated as Gold People Choice Award at Saint John Beer Fest. Shane has a lot of hardware for a small brewery.

Picaroons Traditional Ales reminds people to send their high-res cat pictures in to their melonhead contest, deadline is one week away on April 24th. Dooryard Summer Wheat Ale is due to be released on Earth Day, April 22nd, look for it in all the usual spots. Picaroons decided to jump on the "ISA" train and have just finished brewing The Brick ISA, Imperial Scotch Ale that is. It is a low-hopped malt-forward brew with fruity esters all the while being blanketed by a subtle smokiness and alcoholic warmth. It is now on tap at the Brewtique in Downtown Fredericton while supplies last‬ 

Railcar Brewing Company is having a Craft Beer and Chocolate Pairing on Saturday, May 9 at 6:00pm in the tap room. Detail on facebook.

Trail Way Brewing Company seems to have a never ending new beer releases. They have a Black Hops One Black IPA they have kegged. The East Coast Beer Nerds have got credit for naming it. 

Big Spruce/ North Brewing/ Uncle Leos's/ Wrought Iron Brewing jointly brewed British IPA this week. The batch will be delivered to the "Race The Kegs" NS Craft Beer Week event in Halifax by sail boat. It was brewed with organic Pale Anglais micro malted barley from Malterie Frontenac, and heavily hopped with East Kent Goldings hop.

More details on the Boxing Rock Brewing and The Ladies' Beer League International Women's Day collaboration brew. Cinnamon Spin is a Robust Porter with a pile of cinnamon and molasses. Boxing Rock says it is "Big, dark, malty and roasty, with notes of coffee, chocolate, with the teensiest bit of fruitiness in the background, this is everything a Robust Porter should be, including its 6.5% ABV strength. We added two big forward features to this palette. Cinnamon and molasses. The combination is quite complimentary of the porter, and we think it's a winner." Because this beer was brewed in observance of International Women's Day, Boxing Rock are donating a portion of the profits from this beer to the Shelburne County Women's Fishnet bursary program and the Halifax Sexual Health Centre. It is going to be launched at Stillwell Beer Bar on Saturday April 18, at 6:30 pm. with bottles bottles and growlers available in the usual spots

North Brewing Company is expanding again with their biggest tank yet at 2400 L. This will help with better supply of their beers.

Propeller Brewing Company has a couple of beers out. They have a new One Hit Wonder called "All Tapped Out" with 6 hop varieties,  72 IBUs and  6.9% ABV. Available in growlers at the Prop Shops. They have a new seasonal out, Rye IPA hit the shelves at both Prop Shop locations this week in 650ml bottles and comes in at 6.8% ABV.

Rogues Roost release a new Double IPA this week. Not a lot of details but I am sure it is great.

Rudders Brew Pub released that Lager beer will be back on tap at Rudder's this summer. Lighthouse Lager 2.0 is in the fermenter and should be out in June.

Schoolhouse Brewery has a cool project planned. They say "We have seen our beer production from grain to glass now we are going to see our beer go from field to glass." The Southfield project says "one field one beer". They are using a two acre field to produce barley and hops for an authentic Bluenose beer.

Tatamagouche Brewing Company also expanded this week by adding more tanks in time for summer.

New brewery alert in New Brunswick, Scared Men Brewing is now getting financing together and will give more details this summer. They have a fundraiser going on Friday, May 15 at 7:00pm at the Pub Down Under in Saint John, New Brunswick. More details soon.

News for the waterfront, Stillwell Beergarden will be opening around the end of May to provide beer and food with a Nova Scotia angle. Look for details to come forward over the next month.

There are all kinds of events popping up for Nova Scotia Craft Beer Week, look for a wrap up in two weeks of all the events I can find.

That is all for now, until next time enjoy responsibly.

Maritime Beer Report - April 3, 2015

Welcome to the April 3rd edition of the Maritime Beer Report.

Barnone Brewing has been very busy, they released a fresh Sessions asking if we remember the Solstice last year and this one has Citra. They also had Black Eye IPA, Pale, IPA, and some American Wheat last night and was brewing 'La Vaca Loca' Milk Stout.

Gahan House Pub in Charlottetown has released Angus Ale in conjunction with its burger week. Angus Ale is an unfiltered pale ale, dry hopped so lots of citrus aroma. It is 5% ABV and an 25 IBUs.

PEI Brewing Company says Reanimator is available in 473mL cans in their retail store. In case you forgot it is a 8.1% ABV Bock.

Les Brasseurs du Petit-Sault released its  Lancaster KB882 amber lager this week in growlers. It is a 4.6% ABV lager. I mentioned this before as they honor a Lancaster bomber that has been in the town for 50 years.

Grimross Brewing Company introduces the Serendipity Series with its first offering of an Abbey beer. From Grimross "As a brewer, exploring new ideas and new recipes is half the fun of what we do. This is what our Serendipity Series is all about. Whenever the opportunity arises we will try new recipes, new ingredients, new techniques and processes in order to explore the world of beer and brewing... and we want to share them with you." For the first one they experimented with a new Malt from a micro-malterie in Quebec and a new Abbey yeast. It is a single Abbey beer, meaning it is lower alcohol and the ale the Monks would save and drink for themselves. Grimross ran a naming contest so we will see a name for this soon.

Hammond River Brewing as I reported, brewed their last batch of Breakfast stout for the season but put some of it on an oak barrel for aging, look for this barrel aged beer in a few weeks.

Picaroons Traditional Ales is once again asking for your cat. Cat picture that is, they are once again getting the Melonhead label ready and need your hi-res picture that they can use. Get all the details on their website and the deadline is April 24. There is also a special Easter treat at the Brewtique on Saturday April 4th. They have a keg of Irish Red dry-hopped with Golding Hops, a keg of Man's Best Friend dry-hopped with Tettnang hops, a keg of Blonde dry-hopped with Cascade hops and a keg of Yippee IPA dry-hopped with Amarillo hops.

The Pump House Brewery announced tickets for the expanded Atlantic Beer Fest are now for sale. Tickets are 55.00 for the Friday or Saturday evening session and 45.00 for the Saturday afternoon session. The oldest festival in the Maritimes grew from 600 beer fans in its inaugural year to 3000 last year with 60 breweries from across Canada, the USA and beyond. New this year is the Friday evening session and plans on adding a Belgium pavilion that will feature hard to find Belgian Beers along with Belgian food and all patrons of the festival will get a chance to win a once in a life time beer vacation to Belgium that includes visits to centuries old Trappist breweries.

Hell Bay Brewing Company celebrated its 4th birthday this week and say as a special thanks they will be sending Dark Cream Ale to a NSLC near you in early May. 

Meander River Farm says Ashdale Honey Brown is brewing and Lunch Box and Shack Wacky cider will be on tap this weekend in addition to a few growlers of Smokey Chipotle Porter left. They are open regular hours this Easter weekend.

Propeller Brewing says its latest One Hit Wonder, Peated Scotch Ale, is available for Growler fills right now. I hear it is quite good and at  7.1 % ABV it will warm you up on these cool Spring nights.

The Townhouse Brewpub & Eatery are closing for a 10 day break (April 4-13) while the owners get some R&R and explore Real Ale in the UK. Follow their adventures on facebook and stay tuned.

One last item, I see Bar Stillwell have a new beer out called Crush. It is an unfiltered lager with Nelsom Sauvin hops that comes in at 6.1% ABV.

That is it for this week, enjoy what is a long week end for most of us and until next time enjoy responsibly.

Maritime Beer Report - March 27, 2015

Hello and welcome to the March 27th edition of the Maritime Beer Report.

Upstreet Craft Brewing is looking for your help. They say they want to show the world how wise, quirky, insightful and hilarious Islanders are by printing “Islandism’s” under the cap of every beer they bottle and sell. They are calling it #UnderTheCap and they need you to help make it happen. Here’s how it’s going to work:
1) Dig deep in your brain to come up with the best Island phrases, advice, jokes, quirks or quotes you know. Try and keep it short.
2) Share your “Islandism” by commenting on Facebook or Instagram, or Tweet us using #UnderTheCap.
3) They will filter through the submissions and pick the best 250 to be featured #UnderTheCap.

Les Brasseurs du Petit-Sault are commemorating, in their special way, the old Lancaster Bomber that's been an icon at the Québec-New Brunswick border for over 50 years. The Lanc will be moved to a museum in Alberta this summer. The "special edition" beer is a marvelous märzen, an amber lager brewed with a different type of yeast usually used by the brewers. The "Lancaster KB882" will be available in limited quantity at the Brewtique as of  March 30th. It will also be available in select NB Liquor growler filling stations over coming weeks.

Hammond River Brewing was brewing the first summer seasonal, Hawaiian Pale Ale, brewed with fresh Pineapples. They also brewed season's last batch of Breakfast Stout. Lots of Coffee goodness from Java Moose, Oats, and Cacao Nibs. Even threw in a few eggs to make it complete. The home smoked bacon will be added once fermentation is complete. Finally 16 kegs of Switchback Brown Ale was delivered to the KV ANBL store for Growler fill ups starting yesterday.

Picaroons Traditional Ales' newest beer experiment has landed, Kelp on the Way.This dark and smokey ale has been brewed with a generous helping of real organic sugar kelp harvested off of the shores near St. George, New Brunswick, by way of Dr. Thierry Chopin of UNB Saint John. The Kelp is heavily blanketed by a strong malt backbone of roasted and smoked malts, and balanced out by a gentle hopping of Fuggles and Goldings hops. At 22 IBUs, and 5.8% ABV, it's like drinking a dark, malty, smokey beer, right after a cool brisk swim in the Bay of Fundy. It is available exclusively The Brewtique for Growler fills in Downtown Fredericton while supplies last.

Railcar Brewing Company is a little ahead of schedule and tell me they will be open tomorrow, Saturday, from noon to 10 pm for growler fills. Right now they will only have their Artisan Brown Ale on tap with more beers coming next week. Tasting room should be open in a couple weeks pending inspections.

Big Spruce Brewing was busy zesting 80 lemons and making the first ever lager in Big Spruce history. They're brewing a lemon zest infused Maibock today. It will be boiled and dry hopped on fresh lemon zest. Bavarian 2206 lager yeast is at the ready. Look for it during ‎NS Craft Beer Week‬ in May.
Another beer they are working on is a kettle soured, raspberry wheat coming this summer. It is described as tarty, fruity, complex and every bit what they are intending to brew for a very select and limited summer release. Big Spruce worked with Parks Canada, the Bell Museum, and the upcoming summer production of The Bells of Baddeck: The Alexander Graham and Mabel Bell Story to develop this beer based on a recipe right out of Alexander Graham Bell's notes. Lastly the collaboration between Big Spruce Brewing and Barnone Brewing, Island Conspiracy DIPA has been released and is now available in limited release.

Boxing Rock Brewing Company has released its La Rive Du Sud again, available in 650ml bottles and 1L growlers at their retail store in Shelburne and available in 1L growlers at the Halifax Seaport Market on Saturday. The Next Chapter Rye IPA is available at select ANBL stores, you lucky NBers get it while it lasts.

Garrison Brewing Company says get ready to ‪pucker up. Their newest one off, a Cranberry Hibiscus Wit, coming in at 4% ABV with a wonderfully tart flavour. Available on tap at the brewery.

Granite Brewery released their India Pale Ale last week end in growlers from their brewery on Stairs Street. It is a British style IPA, hopped with Cascade and East Kent Goldings that is a 5.4% ABV and 45 IBUs beer.

Meander River Farm says that back by popular demand, their Smokey Chipotle Porter will be on tap this weekend alongside our new release Cider. Cider you say. Yes they are releasing Nova Scotia’s newest craft cider this weekend at their retail shop in Ashdale. From Meander River “Craft cider, like craft beer, is very popular right now. At the farm, we’ve always used the resources that are available to us seasonally; our pigs to till the land, our hops for the beer, and our lavender for our home and bath products. We live in an area of Nova Scotia where apples are everywhere, so why not make something delicious out of them?” said Alan Bailey, brewer and proprietor of Meander River Farm & Brewery.
The cider is made from a blend of valley apples and has clear Nova Scotia apple and citrus notes. It is dry with a crisp finish. 6.5% ABV. There are 200 litres of cider available for growlers fills from this small batch, the first of many.
A recent expansion in brewery tanks has allowed Bailey to not only brew more beer, but also add this
new cider to the product line. By bringing in two additional conditioning tanks, Meander River Farm & Brewery’s capacity has increased from 15,000 litres per year to 45,000 litres per year, approximately 330 litres per batch. Bailey will double production this coming summer season and triple production by summer 2017."

Propeller Brewing Company says another 4000 HL per year of capacity added to their Dartmouth brewery. Two new fermenters, both are 135 hectoliters (close to 40,000 bottles worth of beer each for perspective). The custom designed tanks were purchased from ABT (Allied Beverage Tanks Inc.) The new tanks will give them much needed additional capacity as they move into "beer drinking season". Growth in the craft beer segment has been exceptional in Nova Scotia over the past few years and it doesn't look like it's going to slow in the near future. Brands like their IPA and Organic Ale are leading the pack for growth. This addition was planned for when they moved into their new facility in 2013 and is the second tank addition, they added a 68 HL tank in 2014 since moving to their new home on Windmill Rd.    

Sea Level Brewing are having their first Tap Takeover at The Board Room Game Cafe from March 25-28. They have 7 beers, including the newest batch of El Rojo Diablo.

Speaking of Tap takeovers, on May14th Bad Apple Brewhouse will be bringing a whole lot of beer and a cask to Toms Little Havana. I will bring the tap list when I hear it.

The Townhouse Brewpub & Eatery says every Friday they add a second house-brewed beer to the tap list, Terry's English IPA is on the second hand-pump tonight.

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