Wednesday, October 31, 2018

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.

Monday, October 29, 2018

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 


BreweriesGoldSilverBronze Total
Tatamagouche Brewing4217
2 Crows Brewing1225
North Brewing0314
Big Spruce Brewing0123
Uncle Leo's Brewery 2002
Breton Brewing2002
Grimross Brewing1012
Pump House Brewery0112
Garrison Brewing0112
Casa Nova Fine Beverages0112
Les Brasseurs du Petit-Sault0022
Trider's Craft Beer1001
PEI Brewing1001
Upstreet Craft Brewing 1001
Riverdale Orchard Cidery1001
Chain Yard Urban Cidery1001
Four Rivers Brewing0101
Nine Locks Brewing0101
Meander River Brewery0101
A. Keith's Brewery0101
Boxing Rock Brewing 0011
Oland Brewery0011
Yip Cider0011


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

Thursday, October 25, 2018

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. 

Thursday, October 11, 2018

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.

Wednesday, October 10, 2018

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

Tuesday, October 2, 2018

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