Bad Apple Brewhouse Releases Allie’s Fearless IPA

(Somerset, NS) - A little over a year ago, Jeff Saunders from Bad Apple Brewhouse started chatting with Dale Jollota about creating a beer to honour her daughter’s memory.  Olivia Jollota passed away in 2012 at the age of 15, her mom Dale has created The Olivia Jollota Memorial Trust and has continued to honour her daughter by creating a high school scholarship at Prince Andrew High as well as many community donations for those in need, be it people or animals.  

With all of Olivia’s friend now in fourth year at university or four years in their new career, it seemed appropriate at this time to create a beer that was similar to her personality to share with her friends and public.  

This IPA has been brewed in dedication to Olivia (A.K.A. Allie).  It represents her fun loving, fearless, adventurous, spirited and larger than life personality.  This American style IPA is a different soul from the reincarnated IPA style.  Wet hops from GroupofSe7en give this IPA a big juicy, herbal, citric and fruity character.  Light bodied with a mild bitter finish. Jeff Saunders stated that the nose of the beer “was just like Five Alive” which is fitting as it was one of Olivia’s favorites.  

This is a limited release with only 400 custom screened bottles to be filled. These will be sold for $7.50 per bottle.  There may be a few kegs as well at select bars including Stillwell and Jamieson’s Irish Pub, with Jamieson’s donating $1.00 for each glass poured to The Olivia Jollota Memorial Trust. 

Breton Brewing Introduces Signature Series

(Sydney, NS) - Breton Brewing introduces Signature Series and the first beer Wild Bretton. Breton Brewing along with Brathair Brewing have teamed up once again to create something special. The winner of the 2018 Stillwell Open and the first in their barrel aged Signature Series, Wild Bretton is a Belgian Witbier co-fermented with Amalgamation Brett and aged in Chardonnay and Pinot Noir wine barrels.
This beer conveys a light body and a tart lemony finish while offering complex yet refreshing characteristics. Brewed with coriander and orange peel, Wild Bretton will be sure to capture your attention and comes in at 5.0% ABV  and 14 IBU.
The beer will also be available as part of the Breton Brewing Christmas Gift Bags. There are only about 500 bottles of each available, so quantities are limited. 

Propeller Releases Bourbon Barrel Aged Baltic Porter

(Halifax, NS) - Propeller Brewing Releases it's second in their Barrel Aged Series, Barrel Aged Baltic Porter, after releasing it's Barrel Aged Russian Imperial Stout earlier this year. The Bourbon Barrel Aged Baltic Porter is dark and complex, with roasted coffee and toffee aromas and hints of raisin and dark cherry. After a lengthy stay in oak bourbon barrels, its has aromas and  flavours of vanilla and caramel that are accentuated along with distinct bourbon influence. 

North Brewing Announces Major Expansion

(Halifax, NS) - North Brewing announced that it is expanding to a larger production facility at 899 Portland Street and will include a 5000 sq foot production space and 100 seat taproom with a full kitchen. 
In addition to a new space North Brewing is launching the “North Brewing Co. Conservation Initiative” (NBCI), a fundraising effort to acquire and protect ecologically significant land in Nova Scotia in partnership with the Nova Scotia Nature Trust. North Brewing is launching the NBCI with a beer named ‘Blanc’. “Blanc is a grisette fermented on Sauvignon Blanc grape skins from our friends at Benjamin Bridge,” said Josh Herbin, co-owner of North Brewing. “It’s a unique and beautiful beer.  We’re excited for people to try it and to learn more about what we are working to achieve with the NBCI. Fifty cents from each can of Blanc sold will be donated to the Nature Trust to kick off our larger fundraising efforts” said Herbin.
Construction at 899 Portland St. is scheduled to begin in December and the North Team is targeting a late spring/early summer opening for its taproom. North Brewing will be closing its Agricola Street production space and retail store in the winter/spring of 2019.  
Josh Herbin owner and head brewer said: “We will dearly miss working in the neighbourhood that raised us as a business, but are beyond excited to outfit a new space that will allow us more capacity and flexibility in production moving forward. When people come into our current location and see how little room we have to work, they are always amazed by the volume and quality of beer we are able to produce. Our new production location and adjoining taproom will allow us to consistently keep our core brands in stock, while satisfying our unending desire to experiment with one-off brews, wood-aged beers, and wild fermentations. We can’t wait to see you all there!”

13 Barrels Brewing Opens in Bathurst NB

(Bathurst, NB) - 13 Barrels Brewing has become the third brewery to open in the northern New Brunswick town of Bathurst. The name is derived from old Bathurst folklore from Prohibition Days when in the summer of 1920 Joseph Gammon, an upstanding Bathurst citizen who upheld the Prohibition Laws of the day, mounted a posse. They ventured up the Nepisiquit River and seized 13 Barrels of illegal alcohol thus keeping the town safe from the evils.
The new company is a family-owned business operated and managed by David and Margot Young who have extensive business and management experience. They have also been fans of locally produced craft beer for many years and have keenly watched the growth of the industry in New Brunswick over the past decade and believe Bathurst would be an ideal location to launch their brewery. 
13 Barrels Brewing Company will operate from a new 5100 square foot building on the waterfront with a 15 BBL system and a Tasting Room with a view of the harbour. 
Ben Doucet will take on the Head Brewer role and is a native of Bathurst and returns to his home town to manage brewing operations. Prior to 13 Barrels he worked at Picaroons Traditional Ales for the last five years.
Initially, the brewery will be producing four signature beers included an IPA, American Pale Ale, American Red and a New England IPA as well as specialty and seasonal brews coming in the future. Beer will be sold in the Tasting Room by the glass as well as in growlers and canned products for take-home enjoyment. 

Matchstick Beer Factory Opening Soon in Hampton

(Hampton, NB) - Matchstick Beer Factory is about to open in the town of Hampton, about 30 km outside Saint John. The nanobrewery will be run by a husband and wife team, Luke MacGregor and Heather Avery, with Luke doing the brewing and Heather taking care of the day to day.
The name came from the Flewelling Match factory that used to be on Saint Andrews Street in Hampton and with Luke's background in engineering he wanted the brewery to have an industrial vibe.
Luke has been homebrewing since 2006 but his earliest brewing was making root beer and cream soda when he was a kid. When asked why they wanted to open a brewery Luke said "Besides my love of making and drinking beer, the plans started when we moved to NB from NS in 2015. We bought an old house with a large garage/barn, and the planning began. I was on the road a lot for work, and have two young kids and a wife at home that still likes me, so I was thinking of ways to change jobs to stay home more. I've since moved on to a local job which has given me time to focus on the brewery at night once everyone else is in bed and on most Friday's, as well as a few hours on the week ends". 
Matchstick Beer Factory will be opening with a 1 BBL system from Blichmann, which when maxed out makes about 180L. Once revenue starts coming in they will double it to produce closer to 350L (almost 3 BBL), Fermenters are all 3 BBL and the bright tank is also 3BBL.
They are starting off brewing English and Canadian/American ales, starting with two beers. The first is the Matchbook Pale Ale, which is hopped with El Dorado, Mosaic and Amarillo, with heavy dry hopping to give it a nice fruit punch. The second is the Fired Up Red, which is a strong English style ale, with a hefty 8% ABV and with a bit of rye in the mash to give the huge malt backbone a bit of spice. They have a few other recipes that they'll start rolling out once they get a couple months under their belts, which include a rhubarb Hefeweizen (likely summer seasonal only), a Belgian blonde fermented with American yeast, and a few others. They will throw a few IPAs in there as well and they have a few other recipes that Luke is working on.
Look for their beers at the Match Factory Restaurant in Hampton and at Bootstrap Brew Pub in Quispamsis initially over the next week or so. 
Luke noted "...how helpful other breweries and home brewers have been in getting this operation going. I haven't met one brewer who didn't make time to show me their brewery, discuss suppliers, sell me old equipment that they've outgrown, give advice on my plan or offer help in any way. I grew up on a farm in NS, and the attitude of Maritime brewers has reminded me of the helpfulness we received on the farm from other farmers".
Matchstick Beer Factory won't be open to the public until they get a commercial space set up. Matchstick Beer Factory is operating out of their home and due to zoning regulations they can't have sales from their location. They are looking at commercial properties now, but won't realistically have anything set up until next summer at the earliest. 

Breton Brewing releasing Gingerbread Holiday Ale

(Sydney, NS) - Breton Brewing is getting into the holiday spirit by releasing Gingerbread Holiday Ale, a gingerbread inspired London ESB with hints of ginger and cinnamon. The ABV is 5.5% with an IBU of 35. They are very excited with the design on this can, as it features a snowy, winter-y scene that has the holiday's written all over it! This is a bit of a departure from their regular design. This beer will be sold in a Holiday Gift Pack that will have two 473 ml cans and a 16 oz glass (with a new design) for $14.39 and will be available at NSLC locations as well as the brewery. 

Sussex Ale Works Opens For Business

(Sussex, NB) - Sussex long known for dairy, its balloon festival and the gateway to Fundy now has a brewery and taproom. Rick Lockhart long time resident of the town is the owner and operator of Sussex Ale Works Inc.  
Mr Lockhart  used to work away in the mining industry, but after many years of working in almost every province in Canada and some overseas work, decided to come home and spend more time with his family.  He wanted to follow his passion for craft beer and open a craft brew pub on his own but lacked  the experience and know how to move into commercial brewing and operate a pub business.  He had heard of a new craft brew pub/coffee roaster business in Alma, NB about 60 km from Sussex.  He approached the owners of the Holy Whale Brewing Company and convinced them to hire him to assist in the build and operation of their brewery. 

Sussex Ale Works brewhouse is a 1 BBL, Stout Tanks and Kettles system with 4-1 BBL fermenters and a 2 BBL fermenter. Besides the licenced brewery it also  has a special facility licence for a taproom with a capacity for 40 patrons.  Future plans include applying for an agency store licence with ANBL, which when approved they will be able to fill growlers, with their own product for take away. Mr Lockhart plans on brewing specialty ales and lagers with some seasonal products using as many local ingredients as possible. 

They currently offer a great line up of local beers, ciders and sodas, in a comfortable and inviting environment for the people of Sussex and visitors to our area to come in and enjoy.  A lot of detail went into the construction of the taproom, with the help from Kim Jakobsen Design in Saint John, NB.  They have strived to repurpose as much materials as possible in the construction such as the used brick bar front and a well worn pew bench from the Holy Whale.  

Sussex Ale Works is now open seven days a week from 5 PM to 10 PM Monday to Thursday and Noon to 10 PM from Friday to Sunday at 597B Main Street in Sussex. 

Saint John Beer Lover Brews at Innis & Gunn

 (Saint John, NB) - Late last year, Innis & Gunn challenged Canadians to share their ideas for the brand’s newest limited-edition beer. Imaginations ran wild and thousands of flavour ideas poured in - but in the end, only one winning beer flavour would make it to store shelves. Don Guimond saw his creation, “Don’s Choice”, hit the shelves at ANBL.
The beer, a Black IPA with Coconut and Rhubarb, was brewed in February at the Innis & Gunn brewery in Scotland by Guimond and Innis & Gunn Master Brewer Dougal Gunn Sharp. Guimond won the trip to the brewery after Sharp chose his flavour idea to be the brand’s newest limited-edition brew as part of Innis & Gunn’s “Imagine & Gunn” competition. The program was created by the brewery to give fans a chance to collaborate with the Innis & Gunn brewing team on new innovations and Guimond is the first-ever Canadian winner.
Don’s Choice is available at all ANBL stores, and in select provinces across Canada for a limited time beginning in mid-October. The black IPA was brewed with chocolate and crystal malt to give it an amazing jet black colour. Flavours of coconut, tropical hops and rhubarb combine with the malts and the barrels for an unforgettable taste experience.

Congrats Don. 

Propeller Brewing Russian Imperial Stout Returns

Photo from Propeller Brewing

(Halifax, NS) - Propeller Brewing is bringing back their Russian Imperial Stout a bit earlier this year. This year it will be in cans starting November 2nd at both Propeller Shops and will be hitting the NSLC officially next week, but may start popping up in some stores this week. 
They do have an extremely limited amount of RIS in 650 ml bottles available, especially for those who may want to cellar it. Those will be sold exclusively in Propeller Shops, until they run out.
In addition it will, of course, also be available for growler fills and by the glass in the Tasting Room. Propeller describes its stout as "a dark, strong and bracing brew, with a deep, rich, black colour, the brew improves with age. The alcohol is well masked by intense hop bitterness, extreme roasted malt and dark fruit notes. Our Russian Imperial Stout weighs in at a whopping eight percent, with a deep, rich, black colour."

Spindrift Announces Bottle Series and Brand

(Dartmouth, NS) - Out of the Hold is a new family of brands under the Spindrift Brewing corporate umbrella. The releases will always be bottle conditioned, often barrel aged/fermented with bottle sizes varying some between releases with the most common size being 500 ml. Each release will have it’s own name and label and some of which will return in subsequent years and others just being one offs. Single releases will range from 400 to 2000 bottles to start. They will always be available at the brewery and often Halifax's private stores. The Out of the Hold program will begin to focus on relevant flavours, styles and brewing techniques, ranging from Imperial Stouts, to Sours, to Saisons. 
There are two releases tomorrow November 1st, two more on November 15th, and another on December 1st. The series will really kick into action in the new year when they are able to adhere to a true production schedule for the program.

Photo from Spindrift Brewing 

Releases tomorrow are 'Cherry Brett Beer' and 'Golden Brett Beer'. Both use our Pils as a base and have been aged extensively in French oak barrels previously used for red wine. Cherry Brett Beer was fermented with Brettanomyces bruxellensis, and conditioned on dark sweet cherry puree for many months. Golden Brett Beer was fermented with Brettanomyces bruxellensis Vrai. Both are carbonated to give elegant effervescence, they are great showcases of the two brett strains used.

2018 Atlantic Canadian Beer Awards Results

(Halifax,NS) - The fifth annual Atlantic Canadian Beer Awards were held on October 28th in Halifax with a Gala and Dinner at The Stubborn Goat Gastropub. The judging of 376 entries from 56 breweries and cideries had taken place the previous week end in Halifax. 

Atlantic breweries and cideries shared the 45 medals awarded in 15 categories as well as six special awards ( To see full medal counts see Table 1 and category details see Table 2). There were a few changes over previous years with a new Sour category being added as well as New Brewery and New Cider House of the Year. The People's Choice Award and Brewpub of the Year were dropped in this year's competition. 

The big winner of the evening was Tatamagouche Brewing taking seven medals and Brewery of the Year with 2 Crows Brewing nabbing five medals and Beer of the Year with their Forever Young. The inaugural New Brewery of the Year went to Four Rivers Brewing in Bathurst NB.

In the Cider category Riverdale Orchard Cidery from Bonshaw PE took New Cider House of the Year,  Cider of the Year for 2 Scots 3 Apples and tied with Chain Yard Urban Cidery for Cider House of the Year. 

It was another banner year for Atlantic craft and organizers are hoping for a bigger and better show next year. 

Table 1 : Medal counts 

Breweries	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
Tatamagouche Brewing	4	2	1	7
2 Crows Brewing	1	2	2	5
North Brewing	0	3	1	4
Big Spruce Brewing	0	1	2	3
Uncle Leo's Brewery	2	0	0	2
Breton Brewing	2	0	0	2
Grimross Brewing	1	0	1	2
Pump House Brewery	0	1	1	2
Garrison Brewing	0	1	1	2
Casa Nova Fine Beverages	0	1	1	2
Les Brasseurs du Petit-Sault	0	0	2	2
Trider's Craft Beer	1	0	0	1
PEI Brewing	1	0	0	1
Upstreet Craft Brewing	1	0	0	1
Riverdale Orchard Cidery	1	0	0	1
Chain Yard Urban Cidery	1	0	0	1
Four Rivers Brewing	0	1	0	1
Nine Locks Brewing	0	1	0	1
Meander River Brewery	0	1	0	1
A. Keith's Brewery	0	1	0	1
Boxing Rock Brewing	0	0	1	1
Oland Brewery	0	0	1	1
Yip Cider	0	0	1	1

Table 2 : Full Beer and Cider Category Breakdown

North American & European Style Lager
Bronze: Grimross Brewing  – Après Lager
Silver: Pump House Brewery – Oktoberfest
Gold: Grimross Brewing – Braunschweig Pils
Honourable Mention: 2 Crows Brewing – Refresh

German Style Specialty Ales

Bronze: North Brewing  – Little Beast
Silver: Tatamagouche Brewing – North Shore Lagered Ale
Gold: Uncle Leo’s Brewery – Altbier

UK Style Specialty Ales
Bronze: Pump House Brewery – Barley Wine Ale
Silver: Garrison Brewing  – Irish Red
Gold: Trider’s Craft Beer – Rod’s Red
Honourable Mention: Schoolhouse Brewery  – Scotian Export

North American Style Specialty Ales
Bronze: Oland Brewery – Oland Export Ale
Silver: Tatamagouche Brewing – Dry-Hopped Lagerhosen
Gold: Tatamagouche Brewing  – Giantess Barley Wine

Belgian Style Specialty Ales
Bronze: Les Brasseurs du Petit-Sault – Col. John Baker Dubbel
Silver: 2 Crows Brewing – House Funk Brett Saison
Gold: Tatamagouche Brewing – Square One

North American Style Amber/Red Ales

Bronze: Boxing Rock Brewing  – Temptation Red Ale

Silver: Four Rivers Brewing – Havre St-Pierre
Gold: PEI Brewing – Island Red Premium Red Ale

Fruit & Field Beer

Bronze: Les Brasseurs du Petit-Sault – Bonhomme Sept-Heures 
Silver: Big Spruce Brewing – Guava Get Me Some
Gold: Upstreet Craft Brewing – Rhuby Social
Honourable Mention: Alexander Keith’s – Hortonville Pumpkin Ale

Pale Ales

Bronze: Big Spruce Brewing – Kitchen Party Pale Ale
Silver: Alexander Keith’s – Cornerstone Edinburgh Pale Ale
Gold: Breton Brewing Co. – Seven Years Pale Ale
Honourable Mention: Lunn’s Mill Beer – Lunn’s Pub Ale

Stout / Porter
Bronze: Big Spruce Brewing– Cereal Killer Stout
Silver: North Brewing – Twinkle Pony Tiramisu Stout
Gold: Breton Brewing – Cocoa Envy Chocolate Porter
Honourable Mention: Pump House Brewery– Muddy River Stout

India Pale Ales
Bronze: 2 Crows Brewing – Second Situation
Silver: Nine Locks Brewing – Fathom Double IPA
Gold: Uncle Leo’s Brewery – Encore IPA
Honourable Mention: PEI Brewing – After Hours: Snowbird Juicy IPA

Experimental Beers
Bronze: 2 Crows Brewing – Dare To Dream
Silver: North Brewing – Des Pêches Rooib
Gold: Tatamagouche Brewing – Feronia

Honourable Mention: Big Spruce Brewing – Thrice

Wood & Barrel-Aged Beer

Bronze: Garrison Brewing – Barrel-Aged Wintervention
Silver: North Brewing – Midnight
Gold: 2 Crows Brewing – Forever Young
Honourable Mention: Propeller Brewing – Barrel Aged Baltic Porter

Sour Beer (*New Category 2018)
Bronze: Tatamagouche Brewing – Soaked
Silver: 2 Crows Brewing – Cool Kid
Gold: Tatamagouche Brewing – Bliss Mixed Fermentation Saison
Honourable Mention: Big Spruce Brewing – Hugs Bunny

Standard Cider & Perry

Bronze: Casa Nova Fine Beverages- Buddy’s Original Craft Cider
Silver: Casa Nova Fine Beverages – 1606 Good Cheer Craft Cider
Gold: Riverdale Orchard Cidery – 2 Scots 3 Apples

Specialty Cider & Perry

Bronze: Yip Cider – Blueberry Picnic

Silver: Meander River Farm & Brewery – Small Lot Rose Petal Cider
Gold: Chain Yard Urban Cidery  – Ginxberry
Honourable Mention: Chain Yard – Frostbite

Garrison Brewing releases “Hipster Viking” Atlantic IPA

Photo from Garrison Brewing 

(Halifax, NS) - Garrison Brewing releases “Hipster Viking” Atlantic IPA tomorrow, October 26th. This collaboration is from four breweries spanning three nations featuring original label artwork by award-winning and internationally recognized comic book artist Ben Bishop. The breweries included Mason’s Brewing (Brewer, Maine), Lone Pine Brewing (Portland, Maine), Gæðingur Öl Brugghús (Skagafirði, Iceland) and Garrison Brewing (Halifax, Nova Scotia).   
“We’ve often collaborated with brewery buds locally and nationally, but this time we got to go cross border” said Brian Titus, President of Garrison Brewing. “We’ve wanted to work with Chris from Mason’s for awhile and we knew Arni from Gæðingur was coming to Halifax. Throw in Tom from Lone Pine & there you have it – world peace through craft beer!”.  
Releasing just in time for Hal-Con, Atlantic Canada’s largest Sci-Fi convention “Hipster Viking” is an unfiltered Atlantic IPA at 6% ABV. The beer is hazy and golden in the New England style, with a dank, tropical aroma and flavour. The brew profiles new-age hops Mosaic, Ekuanot and Idaho 7. Hipster Viking releases Friday at both Garrison Brewing and Hal-Con, and next week at private liquor stores. 

Upstreet BBQ Brewhouse Opens in Dartmouth

(Dartmouth, NS) - The exciting PEI brewer Upstreet Craft Brewing in partnership with Chef Bill Pratt, Founder and Director of the Chef Inspired Group of Restaurants, opened Upstreet BBQ Brewhouse at 612 Windmill Road. The restaurant will be a traditional Southern BBQ experience including in-house smoked meats and jackfruit as well as pub fare and of course Upstreet beers brewed in-house. So far they have brewed Upstreet's 4 flagship beers including Rhuby Social, Commons, Do Gooder, and White Noize that are available as well Major Tom Sour will be available today and Neon Friday Tropic IPA tomorrow. They have the flagships on tap, plus a few more Upstreet beers, 4 flavours of East Coast Craft Soda, and a few guest taps as well.

Saltbox Brewery Announces $25,000 Research Grant

(Mahone Bay, NS) - Acadia University and Saltbox Brewery are continuing their partnership on a project to develop indigenous yeast strains suitable for making truly local beer. The amount of the research grant made by Nova Scotia Business Inc. (NSBI) is $25,000 to carry forward and further the work already done by the Saltbox/Acadia partnership.

Dr. Russell Easy and Dr. Allison Walker, Associate Professors of Biology at Acadia are leading the project for the University. Patrick Jardine, Director of Operations for Saltbox, is leading the collaboration for the Mahone Bay Brewery.

Mr. Jardine said, “We have made substantial progress in establishing ourselves as a serious craft brewery and research of this kind where we are the corporate sponsor adds to our growing expertise. We already make Blue Nose 1850, a beer made entirely with Lunenburg County hops. Now we can add local yeast strains to our brews to come up with products more rooted in the Lunenburg agricultural community” 

Dr. Easy of Acadia said “This is exciting news for us and we are very happy to continue this work with Saltbox. Research with a distinctly local focus reinforces the ties between the University and the community. It is very encouraging to have NSBI support for this work.”

For more information contact: Dr. Russell Easy Dept. of Biology Acadia University russell.easy@acadiau.ca, 902-585-1156

Behind The Beer at Schoolhouse Brewery

NSLive.tv asked me if I would like to chat with a brewer, well I love talking and beer so Hell yes I said. The result is Behind The Beer at Schoolhouse Brewery http://nslive.tv/btb1-schoolhouse/ . Check it out and let me know what you think 

morALE brewsters launches in Oromocto NB

(Oromocto, NB) - morALE brewsters is opening about 20 kilometres southeast of Fredericton in the town of Oromocto. The nanobrewery is a team of four serving military members and one military wife that includes Rémi Lévesque, Nicholas Matheson, Bruno Plamondon, Samuel Roy and Johanna Osborne.  They all come from different areas within Canada, NB, NS and QC, but some of them have been in Oromocto for over 15 years. 
In December 2015, Bruno and Rémi were talking about home brewing at work and Bruno suggested that it would be fun to gather a small group of craft beer fans to start brewing together. The plan was to experiment with different recipes with the idea/hope that if they come up with some good ones they could transition into a real side business.  By January 2016, they officially sat down and all five joined together.  In the summer of 2017 they were very happy with their recipes and they decided to get more serious equipment. The real reason was the reactions of their friends when they were sharing beers and their comments were so positive that it convinced them to try one step closer to a real brewery.
Currently, it is a nano brewery right in Jo and Rémi's basement and are able to offer is kegs only. Local pubs in the Oromocto area is where they want to be involved in the community.  Their first beer sold by the pint will be starting Friday August 31st 2018, and will be at Griffin's Pub in Oromocto, NB.  Being very new they want to start slow and make sure that they will be able to provide to those they offer product to. It is part of their dream to eventually have their own taproom in Oromocto, NB. 
morALE brewsters are starting with a cream ale (CORNFLAKE) because that seems to be the fan favourite and the perfect introduction for them. They have seven registered styles of beer available at this time, that they will soon be able to offer by the keg, to limited local pubs in the Oromocto area.  Those include a red IPA (RED OVER BLUE), an APA (HOPS HONOUR), a brown ale (BOOT CAMP), a milk stout (BUG OUT), a Belgium blonde (PTE BLOGGINS) and a seasonal wheat cucumber ale (9ner DOMESTIC).  They kept the list within classic styles that they were confident to reproduce with consistency.
They add "We are very excited about this venture and we are looking forward to meet all beer fans and brewers to share stories and fresh craft beer with!!!"

Boxing Rock Brewing Expands to Halifax North End in Unique Partnership

(Shelburne, NS) - Boxing Rock Brewing will expand both their brewing capacity and retail presence in HRM by partnering with the Local Source Market in the North End of Halifax. The unique partnership, “Test Kitchen” is located adjacent to the Local Source catering kitchen & bakery, and a Boxing Rock Bottle Shop is now open in the Local Source Market at 2530 Agricola Street.
"Creating a local food hub has always been the goal of Local Source, says owner Sean Gallagher. “This partnership is an extension of that goal, connecting customers to local quality products and producers. The Boxing Rock retail will offer customers their regular and limited release bottled products, as well as growler fills for seasonal beers and experimental batches brewed in the 1-barrel brewing system. “This was exactly the type of partnership we were hoping for when we looked to expand into Halifax,” says Boxing Rock Co-owner Emily Tipton. “Sean has been a great customer of ours for years through the Lion & Bright Café & Wine Bar. We share similar values around sustainability, growing the local economy and enhancing local food culture in Nova Scotia.” The Local Source Market is now operating on extended “growler hours”, (M-W 9-7, Th 9-8, F 9-9, Sat 10 – 9, Sun 10-6). The grand opening event for the new Boxing Rock Bottle Shop will be held on September 1st with an exciting gift for their first customers that day. 

The Harbour Brewing Company Opens in Musquodoboit Harbour

(Musquodoboit Harbour, NS) - The Harbour Brewing Company will be opening for business on July 28th August 1st at Noon at 7955 Highway 7 in Musquodoboit Harbour. Chris Downey, who you may remember from Nine Locks Brewing and Spindrift Brewing, has opened his own brewery.
They decided to open the 1 BBL nanobrewery in Musquodoboit Harbour because "that's where we live and because they are no breweries between Dartmouth and Sheet Harbour". 
They are starting out with an all ale lineup with the focus on first brewing our beers well before expanding the variety. Downey also adds "Our philosophy is to serve the local market, work with local suppliers and businesses when we can and produce beers the Eastern shore can be proud of".
The brewery is in the former Bear Den Cafe and will be serving beer on the deck as well as selling growlers and merchandise. 

Hop To It Brewing : More than Just the 19th Hole

A small craft brewer north of Moncton is currently serving a single customer in Irishtown but hoping like others to grow. I recently got to ask owner and brewer Luke Rasmussen of Hop To It Brewing a few questions about his operation and plans 

MBR: What made you want to open a brewery?
HTIB: I started getting into craft beer and wondered about the process of making it. I spent a few months researching equipment and how to use it effectively until I decided on what I want to try and do. The plan was to build my own electric brewing system and just brew for fun as a home brewer. After about 5 months of sourcing, buying parts and assembly, I had a mostly functioning brewery.
The subsequent months were spent making all manner of different beers as I tried to learn everything I could about the brewing process. The golf course across the street got word of my little adventure and offered a tap if I could get a license to sell.

MBR: "How hard could it be to get a license?"
HTIB: About 8 months of red tape hard.

MBR: How big is your brewery?
HTIB:The brew house is 21 Gallons and I have 2 different fermenters. One is 42 Gallons and the other is 14 Gallons each with a matching brite tank.

MBR: Do you plan on selling your beer beyond golf courses?
HTIB: Definitely, the seasonal nature aside, most average golfers are not going to a golf course to experience craft beer. It's just a bonus for a few that happen to enjoy both. Once I have a steady production schedule, I'd like to be on some of the rotating taps in the Moncton area.

MBR: When did you open?
HTIB: September 5th 2017 is when I poured my first commercial beer.

MBR: What styles of beer are you planning to make?
HTIB: Currently I make a kolsch-like beer and a pale ale with plans to make an IPA and a smokey beer in the near future.

MBR: Anything else you would like to add?
HTIB:I'm hoping to move to town sometime soon so I can have a constant water supply. Currently storing city water in 7 gallon jugs
I'm also looking into the possibility of canning some of my beer, although I will need some larger storage tanks first.

Thanks Luke for your time and you will find Hop To It on tap at Maplewood Golf & Country Club

Upstreet BBQ Brewhouse Coming to Dartmouth

(Dartmouth, NS) - Upstreet Craft Brewing is coming to Dartmouth and hoping third, or is it fourth, time lucky at 612 Windmill Road. They have teamed up with Bill Pratt of Chef Inspired Group, founder of Cheese Curds: Gourmet Burgers + Poutinerie and Habaneros Modern Taco Bar to name a couple, to create Upstreet BBQ Brewhouse. The new BBQ restaurant and brewery will be opening in September and they say to expect awesome authentic BBQ with Upstreet beer brewed in-house and, of course, the Upstreet experience that they have become known for. 

Uncle Leo's Opens Quayside Beer Garden in Pictou

(Pictou, NS) - Uncle Leo's Brewery have opened up a Craft Beer Garden in Pictou Nova Scotia called Quayside Beer Garden. It has spectacular views of Pictou Harbour on the pier next to the replica of the Ship Hector. It has 8 rotating taps of Nova Scotia Craft Beer and Cider as qwell as  Red and White wine from Jost Vineyards.  The beers for Quayside are posted on Social Media on its its own Instagram and Facebook accounts.

New Scotland Brewing Opens in Dartmouth

(Dartmouth, NS) - New Scotland Brewing opens Saturday July 14th at 91 Alderney Drive in the heart of Dartmouth Nova Scotia. Kevin and Scott Saccary, of New Scotland Clothing, as well as Mike Gillespie are the driving forces behind the new brewery. Mike will be the brewer on the 5 BBL onsite system and plans a wide range of beer styles to be available on their taps. The space will host a bar with 10-12 taps of their beer as well as other NS beer and cider producers, a retail section for merchandise as well as cans when they become available and a stage as music is very important to the owners, so expect lots of local talent there in the evening. 
They will have a Kolsch, IPA, Grapefruit APA, Scottish Ale and Stout available for opening as well as a very limited small batches of Strawberry Peppercorn Mead and Blackberry Chai Mead. The will also have live music Saturday with Willy Stratton. 

Lake City Cider Opens in Downtown Dartmouth

(Dartmouth, NS) - Lake City Cider opened its tap room, production and retail space at 35 Portland Street in the former Nieforth Furniture building. The bright clean space offers cans and bottles, a sampling bar as well and 1 litre swingtop growler purchases. 
The ciders are all made from Nova Scotia apples and currently have three ciders available, District 5, Nieforth Original and Darkside Dry. District 5 is a crisp clean cider coming in at 6 % ABV and available in 473 ml cans, Nieforth Original is a semi-sweet cider and is 6.8% ABV and is in 750 ml bottles and also in a 750 ml is Darkside Dry coming in at 7.5% ABV.
Lake City joins a thriving rival of Dartmouth's downtown following many restaurants and shops. Lake City Brewing will be joined by Brightwood Brewing in the same building later this summer making a unique partnership and space. 

Nova Scotia Craft Beer Full House Beer Fest [VIDEO]

The crew from NSLIVE.tv asked me to talk to a few brewers at the Craft Brewers Association of Nova Scotia's Full House. Here is a playlist of the the afternoon in three videos. Watch it with the whole family or listen to it like a podcast. 

Garrison Brewing releases “This Beer Is Toast!”

Photo from Garrison Brewing

(Halifax, NS) - Garrison Brewing released “This Beer Is Toast!” Saison, a unique brew made with day-old bread from various local, independent bakeries in support of Feed Nova Scotia. They used 250 lbs of plain, rye, multigrain & pumpernickel bread was donated by Birdies Bread Co., The Old Apothecary and Smith’s Bakery. Garrison partnered with Feed Nova Scotia because of their work with food insecurity in the community with $0.50 from each bottle sold being donated as a result.
“This Beer Is Toast!” is a 5.4% saison-style ale, deep gold with light fruity apple and bread-dough flavours and a refreshingly dry finish. The beer is available at Garrison Brewing and next week at private liquor stores.