MBR Beer News for August 19, 2016 NB/PEI Edition

Here is all the beer news that matters for New Brunswick and PEI for August 19th 2016. 

You can now order cold brew coffee on tap at Upstreet Craft Brewing. They just installed a new nitro tap and have teamed up with Receiver Coffee to offer the new option. Upstreet's Block Party goes tomorrow from 12-8 at the brewery. There will be an inflatable rock climbing wall, virtual reality demos, super-sized beer garden great food, great beer, brewery tours, lawn games, pop-up barber shop, and community art project.

Bar Le Coude is having a launch of the first beer produced on the premises, from Acadie-Broue and brewmaster , Patrice Godin. It is on Thursday, September 8 from 5 PM to 7 PM to check out the new beers. 

Beckwith Road Brewing sold out their first offerings really fast. Look for Campfire Amber Ale will be available soon in the Moncton area. 

Another brewery has cropped in Fredericton. Bogtrotter Craft Brewery has all the licences to start selling right away. The brewery will start selling to tap accounts only much like Trail Way did and expand later on. Look for more details soon.

Les Brasseurs du Petit-Sault is giving their bottles of La Kedgwick pilsner a makeover for a limited time as part of Alcool NB Liquor's "Protect our rivers" program. A portion of sales of this special label will go to New Brunswick Atlantic salmon conservation groups. In stores next week.

First City Brewery just did a batch of strawberry rhubarb blonde that is 6 % ABV. They have a bunch of other beer on the go. 

Mama's Brew Pub has a new Blueberry Wheat at the brewpub now. It has 80 pounds of blueberries added in secondary ffermentation. A nice refreshing summer beer.

A special message from Picaroons "Folks, we need to tell you something. We've had some 'trouble in the brewhouse' and are now left with a very limited quantity of: THE TRAGICALLY HOP'd Pale Ale. This beer, in all seriousness, is our own little tribute to the greatness that is The Tragically Hip and their final show this Saturday August 20th that is bringing so many people in this country together. This beer will exclusively be at the Fully Completely In The Square beer garden + at The Brewtique in Downtown Fredericton, AND at the Picaroons General Store in Uptown Saint John, this Saturday August 20th. While Supplies Last. Let's all celebrate one of the greatest gifts this country has ever had - THE HIP! (The Beer deets: We've simply tRaGiCaLlY dry-hopped a 4.5% alc./vol. pale ale with silly amounts of Vic Secret, Galaxy, Summit, Sapphire, Topaz, and Warrior Hops.)"

Railcar Brewing have made six special kegs of beer to put on tap starting Friday for pints / growler fills until they are gone. It's no secret that the Tragically Hip is one of Mitch's favorite bands. Saturday they are streaming their last concert upstairs at A.C. Sharkey's Pub. Donations will be taken at the brewery Saturday all day for the Gord Downie Fund for Brain Cancer Research and will be matched by Railcar. Here are the kegs that are Railcar's tribute to the Hip:
New Orleans Is Sinking Stout 7% ABV
Fifty Mission Cap IPA (50 IBU's) 5.5 % ABV
So Hard Done By IPA 6 % ABV
Three Pistols IPA (Dry hopped with 3 hops) 5.8% ABV
Locked In The Trunk Of A Car IPA 6.2 % ABV
Watermelon Wheat Kings 5% ABV

PEI Beer Festival is in two weeks on September 2nd and 3rd. It has grown quite a bit this year hosting over 100 beers from over 30 breweries. Tickets available now. 

That is it for this week, I am on vacation for a couple of weeks so look for new posts after Labour Day with the weekly reports starting again on September 9th. Enjoy the tail end of summer and make sure to enjoy responsibly.

MBR August 19, 2016 - Nova Scotia Edition

Welcome to the August 19th Nova Scotia edition of the Maritime Beer Report. 

Big Spruce Brewing is have another Big Pig Roast on September 4th from Noon to 5:00 PM. They are filling the parking lot with a massive tent, live music, and 2 x 90 lb roasting pigs from Forever Green Organics Farm and they say everyone is invited. Cruisin' Cuisine Food Truck will be here to help them slow roast the pigs, and they'll also prepare a number of locally inspired sides to go with it.

After an explosion and a conversion from gas to electric in the brewhouse Downeast Beer Factory is set to brew this week end. Look for their beers to start flowing in early September.

Gahan House Halifax brewer Kyle Jeppesen has been incredibly busy since taking over the role in May. His current releases on tap are:

Maritime Brine - Gose 3.8% ABV
The Barberrian - Red Ale with Cherries 5% ABV
Summer House Beer - Dry Hopped Hefeweizen 4% ABV
Crosscurrent - APA with Simcoe and El Dorado 5.5% ABV

His releases coming out next week :

New batch of Crosscurrent APA - 5.5% ABV
Night Vision - American Porter 6.2% ABV

This week he brewed the unique historical style Sahti. Taproot Farms helped collect juniper branches in the valley. These were used in the mash to impart juniper character that is traditionally found in Sahti. This beer contains a large percentage of rye and will weigh in at 7% ABV when finished. More details soon.

Lastly if you are interested in keeping up to date on Gahan House beers Kyle has just created an instagram account jep_brews.

Garrison Brewing say Honey Lavender Ale is back. The summertime seasonal clocks in at 6.5% ABV and 16 IBU and is brewed with English lavender harvested from Meander River Farms and wildflower honey from G.G. Smeltzer & Son in Shubenacadie. The strong ale features flavours of malt and honey and aromas of apple pie, honey, and lavender with a subtle flowery finish. It has a sweet honey aftertaste with a light bitterness from the lavender. Available now at the brewery and private stores in 650 ml bottles.

The Auction House's next ‎Beer Academy‬ will be in session Wednesday, August 24th at 7:30 PM with George's Island Brewing hosting this round of beer and knowledge.

Hell Bay Brewing has brought back two of its old favorites. OPA (Oatmeal Pale Ale) returns to bottles and R.I.P. (A) at the brewery retail or on the deck.

North Brewing has a new beer out tomorrow that sounds gnarly dude. Lawrencetown Blonde, a collaboration with stoked surfers Dean Petty and Ian Jackson. Artwork Jill Jackson featuring Anchor Coffee.

Roof Hound Brewing has sold out of  Little Pup Pale Ale and now has Rooftop Rye-It. It is a  4.8% ABV and 30 IBU beer to wash down all that awesome looking food.

Propeller Brewing has released its latest One Hit Wonder simple called  1-hop. The unique flavour of this brew comes from a focus on the one-hop approach using Mandarina Bavaria. By letting the distinct essence come through from this single hop, the brew master lets the hopping do the talking. They describe it as a robust IPA with orange and citrus notes that burst on the palette making for a nice, yet bold taste experience. The 6.6% ABV 56 IBU beer is available at both brewery stores to give it a try.

Saltbox Brewery will be open on Saturday August 20th from 10 AM to 4 PM. They will have several styles for you as well as t-shirts and hats.

Unfiltered Brewing is taking the Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation to court over a fee that they consider an unconstitutional tax. The fee that is in question is the Retail Sales Mark-up Allocation that the NSLC levies on craft brewers. This fee, that is referred to as the remittance tax by craft breweries, is 50 cents for every liter they sell directly or gives away as a sample. In their filing, that was shared on twitter, they said they paid $24,000 in their first year of operation and says this fee is unconstitutional and equates to a tax that the corporation does not have the authority to levy and collect. The case is scheduled for September 6th at 11:00 AM at the Lower Water Street courts.

I was at the Ladies Beer League Preview Party with 2 Crows Brewing last night. It was a sold out affair with the owners serving about eight beers through the evening. I had a great time and the beers were a hit. I particularly enjoyed the Belgian Sour and Porter. They told me they are still running on schedule with their brewing gear arriving in about a month. 

That is it for this week, I am on vacation for a couple of weeks so look for new posts after Labour Day with the weekly reports starting again on September 9th. Enjoy the tail end of summer and make sure to enjoy responsibly.

Unfiltered Brewing Sues the NSLC

(Halifax, NS) - The embattled liquor agencies in the Maritimes have one more fight on their hands. Unfiltered Brewing in Halifax is taking the Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation (NSLC) to court over a fee that Unfiltered considers an unconstitutional tax. 

The fee that is in question is the Retail Sales Mark-up Allocation that the NSLC levies on craft brewers. This fee, that is referred to as the remittance tax by craft breweries, is 50 cents for every liter they sell directly or gives away as a sample. This fee has been in the news over the last year and I spoke to it in a blog in April called How can Nova Scotia be more Craft Beer Friendly. The fee is 150% higher for breweries than wine or spirit producers and despite promises to harmonize the fee among industries it has never happened. The Craft Brewers Association of Nova Scotia (CBANS) holds that the money would be better suited being reinvested in equipment and jobs rather than being absorbed in to the NSLC's general revenue. 

In Unfiltered's filing, that was shared on twitter today, they said they paid $24,000 in their first year of operation and says this fee is unconstitutional and equates to a tax that the corporation does not have the authority to levy and collect. 

The case is scheduled for September 6th at 11:00 AM at the Lower Water Street courts. 

MBR August 12, 2016 - New Brunswick/PEI Edition

Here is the Agust 12th edition of the beer report for New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island.

Beckwith Road Brewing has finally got its beer in to the wild. Aunt Martha Blonde Ale and Boston George Pale Ale are on tap at the Tide and Boar Gastropub in Moncton. They hope you can try it and tell you what they think.

Bore City Brewing has a new beer to help celebrate the Acadian Festival this week. Fricot - Belgian pale ale was brewed with potatoes and savoury herbs. (For those not acquainted with Fricot it is a chicken stew with dumplings. vegetables and herbs) Look for at Laundromat Expresso Bar this week end until it is gone. The beer is 7.1% ABV, 39 IBUs and 0 % chicken.

After many months of waiting Steve Russell formally announced that Foghorn Brewing will open this fall. The brewery currently under construction at 47 Clark Road will house a 7 BBL brewhouse. Andrew Estabrooks, formerly of Picaroons and currently on contract at Les Brasseurs du Petit-Sault, has taken an ownership position and will be the head brewer for the start-up. Look for a full report as Foghorn gets closer to opening. 

Johnny Jacks Brewery are are adding bottles as an option in the near future. They are beginning bottling by hand with a forced carbonation but are looking forward to very soon having some special edition bottle conditioned Johnny Jacks beer.
The bottles will end up at the ANBL stores in Oromocto, Fredericton and Saint John. First beer to hit the bottles is their flagship Trench Fighter IPA. 
Other news at Johnny Jacks is they are ordering two 1.5 BBL fermentors to increase capacity. They also say "Right now we have no upcoming plans for Growler fills, but hopefully in the future." 

Fredericton Poutine Festival Fall 2016 has put its tickets on sale for the November 12th at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Fredericton There are three sessions with one being family friendly and the other 19+ events. 
The events include all you can sample 15 different poutine with the second two sessions having one of the following ticket options:
Regular: 4 - 4oz Beer/Cider/Mead samples plus a tasting glass (or 4 non Alcoholic beverages)
Beer Experience: 12 - 4oz Beer/Cider/Mead samples plus a tasting glass

Moncton Beer League still have tickets for the next Urban Beer Hike on Saturday, August 20th. Walk to five beer bars in downtown Moncton where you will sample craft beer and food along the way. Buy tickets now.

Have a great week end and enjoy responsibly. 

MBR August 12, 2016 - Nova Scotia Edition

Here is all the Nova Scotia Beer News that is happening for August 12th. 

The beer for Ladies Beer League's 2 Crows Brewing Preview Party on August 18th have been released. They are:
- Oat Pilsner. 4.8% ABV, 28 IBU. Clean, crisp, slightly spicy/floral hop presence, grainy texture from a good proportion of malted oats.
- Table Beer. 3.8% ABV, 13 IBU. Citrus, grapefruit, low bitterness but big hop aroma, refreshing.
- Wild Northeast IPA. 7.8% ABV, 62 IBU. Fuzzy, juicy, tropical, fermented with a blend of wild and 'clean' yeasts.
In addition to this list there will be other special brews available to sample.
Tickets available now. 

Big Spruce Brewing has a couple of new enticing beers out. Complexified, a Baltic Porter that was barrel aged for 4 months, 50% in Buffalo Trace Bourbon barrels and 50% in Glenora Single Malt whisky barrels. It was then blended, carbonated, and kegged. It sounds delicious but you will have to go to the brewery to get some. 
The other beer is Dawn Wit Berries, a Belgian Strawberry Wit. It was fermented on Escarpment Laboratories Fruity Wit Yeast, and conditioned on 150 lbs of organic strawberries from Wings of Dawn farm in NS. Sounds like an awesome summer beer at 4.8% ABV and 17 IBUs.

Garrison Brewing has Halifax Oktoberfest, happening September 16th and 17th at the Salter St parking lot.
Friday, September 16th from 6:30 PM to 11 PM, they are hosting Hops ‘n’ Brats with twelve breweries from across the province. Attendees can sample while enjoying sausage-themed food and live music! Entry is $24 which includes 8 sample tickets and a souvenir sample cup. 
Saturday, September 17th is the Traditional Halifax Oktoberfest. Gates will open to the public at 11 AM with traditional German food, games, and of course delicious Garrison beer all night long. Tons of stuff happening for more information can be found at www.hfxoktoberfest.ca

Good Robot Brewing has released The Fermenter Has Been Drinking - Creampuff Caspar Milquetoast Ale. It is an American Stout that comes in at 6.7% ABV 60 IBUs. The genesis of the beer happened from the kettle burner dying during a brew of Tom Waits creating the new beer. Get is now at the brewery

The Nook and Cranny Brew Pub has a new cider to sip on their patio. Summer cider is now pouring and made with juice from New Zealand apples, and fermented with a Champagne yeast. Available now.

North Brewing has a new beer out today. It is Horton Single Malt - Belgian Specialty Ale and is 7% ABV. Brewed with 100% Horton Ridge vienna malt and dry hopped with cascade hops. 

A lot of people tell me they have a hard time finding Sober Island Brewing beer in the area. Those problems will be remedied in early 2017 with the arrival of their 7 BBL brewhouse that they are expecting by mid-December.

Tatamagouche Brewing is continuing its Giant Series this week with four new beers.  They made a Belgian golden strong earlier this year that they aged in barrels and then added fruit to each. One barrel had raspberries, one had strawberries and ginger, and one had cherries and blackberries. There are very limited amounts of each of these. All of the new beer will be on tap at the brewery for samples but very small amount of each. They are also finally ready to release their 8.4% ABV bottle conditioned Belgian tripel as well as a barrel-aged version of their Baltic porter. 
The new Giant beers are being released as follows:

Wednesday August 10th - Barrel Aged Baltic Porter
Thursday August 11th - Raspberry Golden Strong
Friday August 12th - Strawberry & Ginger Golden Strong
Saturday August 13th - Tatamagouche Tripel

But wait there is more, Cellar slammer was released again this week for Growler fills, cans, kegs and a cask on Saturday at brewery.
The Food Wolf Food Truck will also be on site Friday from 2 PM to 8 PM and Saturday from 3 PM to 7 PM cooking up a versatile menu including Asian (Korean, Taiwanese, Sichuan) cuisine, locally sourced meats and vegan comfort foods.
The Giant Series are all in 650 ml bottles and a few kegs for special occasions and watch for the Cherry & Blackberry Golden Strong to be release over the next couple weeks. 

Unfiltered Brewing brought back a favorite today. All Falc'd Up DIPA is made with two-row malt and the 7c version of Falconer's Flight hops making for a tropical-fruit/citrusy hop-bomb. It is a 7.5% ABV and 100+ IBU beer available now for growler fills and by the pint.

Wayfarers' Ale Society has released its fourth beer. The EPA is an English pale ale that it is 5% ABV and described as flavourful and hoppy with a low bitterness. Now on tap at the brewery. 

The NSLC will be hosting Unibroue’s Cicerone Sylvain Bouchard at the Port store on August 26th for an exclusive 17 Grand Réserve 6-litre bottle launch event. He will share the secrets of the taster’s art and teaches how to master beer and food pairings.
Attendees will have first access to the opportunity to purchase a 6 l bottle of 17 Grand Reserve. This beer is the largest format and most expensive beer that the NSLC has carried to date and only 32 bottles will be available for purchase. Samples of  Port-exclusive Unibroue beers will be provided to attendees alongside food pairings:
- Éphémère Apple
- Blonde de Chambly
- La Fin du Monde
- Maudite
- Unibroue 17 Grand Réserve
Tickets are $35 + HST and can be purchased at The Port with only 30 tickets available.

Thanks for following along this week and as always, enjoy responsibly.

Sailing the Seas Brewing Beer

I recently traveled on Carnival Cruise Line's newest ship the Vista. There are new features on the ship but the one of most interest to me is the addition of a brewpub in the Red Frog Pub. The Red Frog Pub has a laid-back Caribbean vibe and serves up the pub fare and drinks. After appearing on the Carnival Magic it is slowly being added throughout the fleet and has a collection of the region’s beers, including Thirsty Frog Red, a contract brewed draught beer especially for Carnival.

Colin Presby

The Red Frog Pub is currently on 10 ships with Vista being the newest and is the result of a unique collaboration between Carnival and Concrete Beach Brewery, a brand of Alchemy & Science which is a subsidiary of The Boston Beer Company.

The Carnival Vista has the first ever brewery at sea in North American based ship and has a unique 3.5 hectolitre glass brewing system. The brewmaster is Colin Presby who hails from Pennsylvania and has 6 1/2 years of professional brewing under his belt. The goal is to have three Red Frog beers on tap in addition to the Red and will be changing as he brews. On my trip there was the Thirsty Frog Red, Thirsty Frog Caribbean Wheat, Frisky Frog Java Stout and Thirsty Frog Port Hoppin' IPA.

A typical brew day starts at deck 0 where Colin mills his grain back into the bags after which he hauls it to the brewpub on deck 5. He brews double batches to fill one fermentor and that takes most of the day.

Colin says Carnival has given him a lot of autonomy but the job description is still writing itself but there is still a lot to figure out like how can he as a one man show take a vacation. Part of this may be solved when the Carnival Horizon arrives in March 2018 which will also have an onboard brewery. Having 2 breweries may allow a three brewer rotation among the ships. One thing he notes is being extremely organized having everything you need to do your brewing because there is no borrowing from another brewery or rush order at sea.

On sea days they offer a "brewery tour", for 12.95 you get a small group guided tasting with the brewer of the 4 Red Frog beers on tap, a Q&A with the brewer as well a small look behind the scenes and a certificate. You sign up for this at the bar with your name and sail & sign card.

If cruising and small batch beer tickle your fancy the Vista has it going on.

 

Foghorn Brewing Blows into Rothesay this Fall

(Rothesay, NB) - After many months of waiting Steve Russell formally announced that Foghorn Brewing will open this fall. The brewery currently under construction at 47 Clark Road will house a 7 BBL brewhouse. Andrew Estabrooks, formerly of Picaroons and currently on contract at Les Brasseurs du Petit-Sault, has taken an ownership position and will be the head brewer for the start-up. 
Look for a full report as Foghorn gets closer to opening. 

Johnny Jacks Brewery Bottles to Hit ANBL Shelves

(Oromocto, NB) - Johnny Jacks Brewery are are adding bottles as an option in the near future. They are beginning bottling by hand with a forced carbonation but are looking forward to very soon having some special edition bottle conditioned Johnny Jacks beer.
The bottles will end up at the ANBL stores in Oromocto, Fredericton and Saint John. First beer to hit the bottles is their flagship Trench Fighter IPA. 
Other news at Johnny Jacks is they are ordering two 1.5 BBL fermentors to increase capacity. They also say "Right now we have no upcoming plans for Growler fills, but hopefully in the future."  

Tatamagouche Brewing continues Giant Series

(Tatamagouche, NS) - Tatamagouche Brewing is continuing its Giant Series this week with four new beers. 

They made a Belgian golden strong earlier this year that they aged in barrels and then added fruit to each. One barrel had raspberries, one had strawberries and ginger, and one had cherries and blackberries. There are very limited amounts of each of these. All of the new beer will be on tap at the brewery for samples but very small amount of each. 

They are also finally ready to release their 8.4% ABV bottle conditioned Belgian tripel as well as a barrel-aged version of their Baltic porter ( only 15 cases). 

The new Giant beers will be released as follows:

Wednesday - Barrel Aged Baltic Porter

Thursday - Raspberry Golden Strong

Friday - Strawberry & Ginger Golden Strong

Saturday - Tatamagouche Tripel

But wait there is more, Cellar slammer will be released again this week for Growler fills, cans, kegs and a cask on Saturday at brewery.

The Food Wolf Food Truck will also be on site Friday from 2 PM to 8 PM and Saturday from 3 PM to 7 PM cooking up a versatile menu including Asian (Korean, Taiwanese, Sichuan) cuisine, locally sourced meats and vegan comfort foods.

The Giant Series are all in 650 ml bottles and a few kegs for special occasions.

Watch for the Cherry & Blackberry Golden Strong to be release over the next couple weeks. 

Shiretown Beer Reopens

 (Charlo, NB) - After ceasing operations about a year ago Shiretown Beer has reopened. Currently people can go to the brewery at 363 Chaleur St in Charlo to purchase beer directly in their 500 ml bottles Tuesday to Saturday from 1:00 PM to 8:00 PM. 

They currently have Blonde Du Quai, Sirens T’ale and Cartier’s Columbus I.P.A. They are aiming to be in some stores on the 15th of August eventually going to be in all of the ANBL stores from Bathurst to Saint-Quentin. 

Their Big Brown Ale is currently being made and should be ready and bottled up just in time for availability in stores. The brewmaster is currently considering making “Black Current Wheat” as his next batch. Welcome back. 

MBR August 5, 2016 - NB/PEI Edition

Welcome to the beer report, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island edition, for August 5th. 

Two cousins, Mark and Mitch Symes, have opened New Brunswick's latest craft brewery. Beckwith Road Brewing Company (BRBC) is in the Moncton area and will start on a 1/2 BBL system with Mitch doing the brewing and Mark handling the sales and marketing. 
BRBC will be producing three American style beers initially including Boston George Pale Ale a 6.3% ABV and 66 IBU that Mark describes as a well balanced ale, a Blonde and an Amber. At time of writing they are awaiting listings from ANBL to sell the beer they have ready to go. 
The name of the brewery in an homage to the multigenerational (5 generations) 1000 acre farm that is north of  Moncton, there is plans to use the farm for ingredients for the brewery starting over the next several years. 

Big Axe Brewing is attending Seaport Beer Fest this week end and are bringing three special beers to debut. Purple Maize pilsner (5.2% ABV) made with Peruvian Purple Corn, Chaga Porter (5.4% ABV) made with local chaga mushrooms and the new Sea Buckthorn Golden Sour Ale (4.8% ABV). The new ale described as slightly sour yet refreshing and bitter is made from the native berries the have many medicinal properties. 

Today is Big Tide Brewing's 7th anniversary. Join them this weekend for a pint of 7 malt 7% Anniversary Amber Ale, Brewed with plenty of Local Cascade and West coast Willamette hops. 

Picaroons Traditional Ales says Pride Sally Pride Apricot Ale is back and now on tap at the Picaroons General Store in Uptown Saint John, in tribute of Saint John Pride, and will be on tap at the Brewtique in Downtown Fredericton starting this Sunday August 7th to kick off Fredericton Pride Week 2016.

Shiretown Brewing have resumed operations after being idle for the last year. Currently people can go to the brewery at 363 Chaleur St in Charlo and purchase beer directly in 500ml bottles from Tuesday to Saturday from 1 PM to 8PM. 
They have Blonde Du Quai, Sirens T’ale and the I.P.A Cartier’s Columbus available for now. They are aiming to be in stores on the 15th of August just in time for the Acadian Celebration and will be in all of the ANBL stores from Bathurst up to Saint-Quentin. 
Big Brown Ale is currently being made and should be ready and bottled up just in time for availability in stores. The brewer is currently thinking about making “Black Current Wheat” as their next batch.

Trail Way Brewing have a new session ale called Luster. Described as hazy, bright, with tropical-juicy hops and full-bodied with a pillowy mouthfeel with little to no bitterness, and is a super sessionable 3.7% ABV.  Trail Way says motivation and inspiration for this one were all the intensely flavoured New England hop-forward ales. On tap now at the brewery.  

Upstreet Craft Beer has released Island Hopspitality in honour of IPA Day yesterday. It is a California-style west-coast IPA brewed through the union of Maritime Malt with Australian and New Zealand hops. It is a 6.5% ABV and 50 IBU beer and is on tap now at the brewery. 
The Upstreet Block Party returns for its second year, bigger and better than before. Last year this was Upstreet's biggest event and they want to make this one even more memorable and fun!.
They have an awesome lineup of bands, some new activities provided by Art in the Open, the Charlottetown Fire Fighters Association, and the Confederation Centre of the Arts, a new inflatable rock climbing wall, virtual reality demos and a new super-sized beer garden. 
Returning from last year is the great food, great beer, brewery tours, lawn games, pop-up barber shop, and community art project. Following the Block Party they will be hosting an after party in the tap room featuring a couple of the best local DJ's. Details on facebook now.

Moncton Area Beer League are hosting another Urban Beer Hike on Saturday, August 20th at five beer bars downtown Moncton where you will sample craft beer and food at each stop on this walking tour. Tickets are on sale now.
Tickets are available for Atlantic Canadian Craft Brew Oktoberfest on September 24th. Sample local Atlantic Canadian craft brew and food while supporting United Way of Greater Moncton and Southeastern NB. Regular session 7:30-10 PM and VIP session available 6-10 PM with industry panel discussion and guided beer tasting in a special Munique style glass.

It's time for another meeting of the Saint John Ladies Beer Club. This time they'll be visiting the Saint John Ale House, where they'll hear from their staff about the amazing variety of beers they serve. The Saint John Ale House has the biggest beer menu in the city, so this event is not to be missed .

There will be a series of pairing events that will be held at Britt's pub + eatery during the next few months. Local beer, wine, and industry expert Craig Pinhey will collaborate wtih Britt's very own Executive Chef Jim Hayes to create special menus and tastings for you to enjoy. Their first event will be a 5 Course Beer + Food Pairing on: 
- August 10th - Britts Uptown 
- August 11th - Britts at Golf Rockwood
They evenings start at 7:00 PM but please note that space is limited. You can fegister at either location or by phone at 506.214.5335 and the cost $49 + tax per person.

Have a great week end and enjoy responsibly.

MBR August 5, 2016 - Nova Scotia Edition

Welcome to the Nova Scotia edition of the Maritime Beer Report for August 5th 2016. 

Ladies Beer League  says to bring your taste buds and get ready to give feedback because 2 Crows Brewing is set to open in downtown Halifax this fall, and LBL has been given an exclusive opportunity to share their lineup before they open and it is all in support of Feed Nova Scotia.
You'll get to meet the owners Mark, Kelly and Jeremy in an intimate setting, sample their three flagship beers and a few surprises Jeremy cooks up.
Tickets are available now at eventbrite and at the event there will be boxes to collect non-perishable food items as well.

Big Spruce Brewing has started its 2016 expansion of its new 5000 square foot facility. More beer soon. 

Big Spruce Brewing have teamed up with Boxing Rock Brewing to brew a call-to-action summer seasonal craft beer that begs the question, should I support my province and its' thriving craft beer industry, or should I let my money go to big international companies that care mainly about the bottom line, and less about the communities they supply to?
Shame on You IPA is described as a summer slurping aromatic super bomb that's packed with copious amounts of late addition hoppy greatness. 
They call it the un-premium beer and hope that this beer raises awareness for those that sell beer in Nova Scotia. Nova Scotia Craft Beer should be recognized so that beer buyers that want to keep their beer money here in the province, aren't fooled into thinking they have.
It released yesterday at both breweries and will debut in Halifax at the Boxing Rock table at Halifax Seaport Beerfest today and then at finer NS craft beer serving establishments this week end.

Garrison Brewing released Daniel's latest and craziest concoction, Peanut Butter Honey Ale. The ale is based off our Roggen Dunkel with real peanut butter and honey blended in. The 5.3% ABV beer is a micro-release and is on tap for sampling only for an extremely limited time.

Good Robot Brewing is having a tap takeover at The Seahorse Tavern Saturday August 20th with Dub Kartel and PINEO & LOEB. Beer deals and BBQ all night long. $10 cover doors open at 10:00 and show begins at 10:30.

Lazy Bear Brewing is making their Sissiboo Stout. It is finished with the medium roast Tobiatic Wild blend from Sissiboo Coffee Roasters. Look for the 5.5% ABV and 32 IBU beer soon.

The Nook and Cranny Brew Pub has created a new IPA. It's an off orange colour and dry hopped with Motueka and Centennial. Brewer Ryan Blaikie describes it as "Nice and citrusy with a dry finish".

Roof Hound Brewing had a soft opening on Wednesday evening and is now open daily from 11:00 AM until Midnight Daily (subject to change). The new brewery at 2580 Ridge Road in Hillgrove near Digby Nova Scotia has a tap room and 40 seat restaurant.
Owner Les Barr who was a contestant on the latest season of MasterChef Canada is bringing his take on craft beer and food to the area. A look at Roof Hound's Instagram page will show their food exceeds standard pub fare and is closer to edible art.

Saltbox Brewery was selling samples at the Mahone Bay Heritage Boat Yard Festival last week end and had a soft opening at the brewery and sold out on Saturday. The are now busy working on their full opening that will be around Labour Day week end. 

Unfiltered Brewing released Deity DIPA in honour of IPA Day 2016. Deity SMaSH DIPA uses two-row and Columbus hops and rolls in at 7.5% ABV and 100 IBUs. It is a sister beer to the hugely popular Double Orange Ale also produced by the brewery that uses Citra hops instead.
Unfiltered describes Deity as "Massively juicy and with a spicy, herbal nose". Growler fills and pints starting at noon today at the brewery.

Annapolis Cider Company has released their newest "Something Different", Sour Cherry. This cider is 7.3% ABV and $11 per refill. $0.50 from each refill will be donated to Camp Brigadoon. They will donate enough to cover the entire cost of sending a child to camp. Stop by soon and try the Sour Cherry before it's too late.

Thanks for all the support you have given me and as always enjoy responsibly. 

Unfiltered Brewing releases Deity DIPA

(Halifax, NS) - In honour of IPA Day 2016 Unfiltered Brewing is releasing a new beer. Deity SMaSH DIPA uses two-row and Columbus hops and rolls in at 7.5% ABV and 100 IBUs. It is a sister beer to the hugely popular Double Orange Ale also produced by the brewery that uses Citra hops instead. 
Unfiltered describes Deity as "Massively juicy and with a spicy, herbal nose". Growler fills and pints starting at noon today at the brewery.

August 4th 2016 is IPA Day

Since 2011 the first Thursday of August has been declared IPA Day. Initially a social media driven celebration it has evolved into a major day on the beer calendar around the world. The India Pale Ale is a diverse style with many different interpretations and variations around the globe and is worthy of a style that unites craft brewing. 
IPA Day is today and there are several great IPAs in our region and Unfiltered Brewing is releasing a special DIPA in honour of the day. 
To participate in IPA Day just enjoy a good IPA and it you want to share on a large scale go to twitter and instagram and share you photos with the hashtag #IPAday . Cheers.

Roof Hound Brewing opens in Nova Scotia

 (Hillgrove, NS) - Roof Hound Brewing will be opening Thursday August 4th from 11:00 AM until Midnight. It will be open these hours for the short term at least and may change. The new brewery at 2580 Ridge Road in Hillgrove near Digby Nova Scotia will also have a tap room and restaurant. 
Owner Les Barr who was a contestant on the latest season of MasterChef Canada is bringing his take on craft beer and food to the area. A look at Roof Hound's Instagram page will show their food exceeds standard standard pub fare and is closer to edible art. 
Roof Hound is the second brewery to land in the area following Lazy Bear Brewing in recent months. 
Congratulations Les on making your dream come true. 

Beckwith Road Brewing Rolls into NB Craft Beer Scene

(Moncton, NB) - Two cousins, Mark and Mitch Symes, have opened New Brunswick's latest craft brewery. Beckwith Road Brewing Company (BRBC) is in the Moncton area and will start on a 1/2 BBL system with Mitch doing the brewing and Mark handling the sales and marketing. 
BRBC will be producing three American style beers initially including Boston George Pale Ale a 6.3% ABV and 66 IBU that Mark describes as a well balanced ale, a Blonde and an Amber. At time of writing they are awaiting listings from ANBL to sell the beer they have ready to go. 
The name of the brewery in an homage to the multigenerational (5 generations) 1000 acre farm that is north of  Moncton, there is plans to use the farm for ingredients for the brewery starting over the next several years. 
Mark spent three months exploring craft beer across North America to bring best practices to his brewery, They hope to make a world-class beer in Moncton and give its customers an outstanding experience.
Watch for updates on their facebook on when and where their beer will be available and a Grand Opening Party in the fall.