Garrison Brewing Takes over Ducky's on November 21st

Garrison Brewery, one of  Nova Scotia's largest craft brewers, takes over the taps on Saturday November 21st from 7:00 to 9:00 PM at Ducky's in Sackville NB. There will be 17 beers to sample and there is no cover charge for this event. However, for $10 you can purchase a 13 oz branded Belgian style beer glass that includes 5-5oz drink tickets. If you reserve your glass before Saturday (there is a signup sheet at Ducky's) you will receive an extra 2 tickets and as an added bonus only for those with the branded glass you can purchase additional 5 oz pours for $2.25. 

Bad Apple Brewhouse Tap Takeover at Bar Stillwell

Been waiting for this for months since Jeff from Bad Apple Brewhouse told me about it, going to be a lot of fun. Hope to see you there.

Here is tomorrows tap and cask list

1. Cider 7.7% ABV
2. Summer Slurper Session Ale 5% ABV
3. Dry-Hopped American Pale Ale 5.7% ABV
4. East Coast Beer (Sea Salt, Carmel & Dulse Aged on Cedar) 6% ABV
5. Mother Pucker Sour Ale 4.8% ABV
6. That's Falcon Teamwork IPA 6.7% ABV
7. White Side Up White IPA 6.5% ABV
8. Mosaic DIPA 8% ABV
9. Impresser DIPA 10.2% ABV
10. Black & Tackle Russian Imperial Stout 9% ABV
11. Hopscotch Barrel-Aged DIPA 10% ABV
12. Barrel-Aged Black & Tackle Russian Imperial Stout 11.6% ABV
13. Smokehouse Lager (100% Smoked Malt Ale) 6.7% ABV
14. American Pale Ale 5.7% ABV
15. Cask Ale TBA

There are three session with a very few tickets left to the 12 and 8 PM session and the 4 PM is sold out. Contact Stillwell to check availability

Big Spruce Tap Takeover at Lion & Bright to Spruce up the Planet

Lion & Bright at 2534 Agricola St. has announced a tap takeover coming this Earth Day, April 22, 2014. In their love of local they are partnering with Big Spruce Brewing in support of the Ecology Action Centre. Lion & Bright tells me that partnering with Big Spruce was logical as they have the same philosophies and are on tap regularly at the bar.

The evening starts at 6:00 PM and goes until close with DJ Goldilocks until 9:00 PM and Modern Grass, a local bluegrass band, playing after that. There is no cost to get in and $1.00 will be donated for each pint bought.

The chef will be preparing special menu items for the evening that promise to be very special. The beers that Big Spruce are bringing Kitchen Party Pale Ale, Cereal Killer Oatmeal Stout, Ready Yer Knot Regatta Red Ale, Bitter Get'er India Black IPA, You Spin White Round Wheat IPA, the last keg on earth of The Whole 9 Yards Scotch Ale and the cask is Glenmorangie infused Cereal Killer. 

Picaroons Tap Takeover at Stillwell Beer Bar - March 15, 2014

Stillwell hosted their second tap takeover on Saturday, this time it was Picaroons ruling the 12 taps and 3 casks to boot. The sold out event crowd was loud but well behaved at the Barrington Street watering hole. Picaroons brought many of their staples as well as a couple of seasonals including their newly released Maple Cream Ale. On cask was Timber Hog, Yippee IPA and Afterglow Aphrodisiac. I got to sample The Maple Cream Ale, is is a very sweet maple ale and the Ember Ale Smoked Porter with a lovely smoked goodness. On cask I had the Timber Hog stout and Yippee IPA, both were a slightly different experience from the regular bottled versions I have had and were good.
What makes the tap takeovers great for me is not only the beers but talking to the brewers. I had a great chat with Picaroons Head Brewmaster Andrew Estabrooks who is an awesome guy.
Well done Stillwell, keep up the great work.

Stillwell Beer Bar - Tap Takeover January 18, 2014

     I went to Stillwell Beer Bar's first Tap takeover featuring Boxing Rock Brewing and Big Spruce Brewing. Ten dollars got you an awesome custom snifter glass to keep and your first drink. I arrived just before noon to find a small line of ultra-passionate beer nerds. As we waited and peered in the window the noon gun roared which was followed Chris MacDonald knocking on the door and asking to be let in. 
     There were six taps for each brewery with Boxing Rock bringing Hunky Dory Pale Ale, Many Hands Imperial Pale Ale (collaboration with Bridge Brewing), Temptation Red American Red Ale, Vicars Cross Imperial IPA, Crafty Jack English Brown Ale, U-889 Russian Imperial Stout with Coffee and Vanilla Beans and Big Spruce Spruce bringing Kitchen Party American Pale Ale, Tim's Dirty American IPA (recent competition-winning IPA), Organic Conspiracy Imperial IPA (collaboration with Crannóg), Blackout Conundrum Bucket Sparged Pale, Bitter Get'r India Black IPA, and Cereal Killer Oatmeal Stout. To top off the afternoon there were 4 casks to choose from with Boxing Rock providing Vicars Cross and Crafty Jack and Big Spruce bringing Kitchen Party infused with Bowmore and Blackout Conundrum.
     It was a great event giving my an opportunity to try Organic Conspiracy, Many Hands (again I thought this one was gone), Blackout Conundrum (love the story with this one) and the cask offerings which bring a different experience this the beers. 
     Beyond the beers themselves the brewers were there for chats including Emily Tipton and Henry Pedro, owners of Boxing Rock and Jeremy White of Big Spruce as well as Tim Gregory whose recipe is now Tim's Dirty American IPA. As the afternoon wore on many of the brewers in metro came in for a drink, always good to check out the competition especially when it is delicious craft beer. 
     Nothing much else to say other than a good time was had by all, great service from the Stillwell staff and I even squeezed in a Diner Burger. 
     Lets hope this happens again soon.