MBR July 28, 2017 - New Brunswick/PEI Edition

Welcome to the final Maritime Beer Report for New Brunswick and PEI. 

Les Brasseurs du Petit-Sault are celebrating their 3rd anniversary at the Petit-Sault Beer Garden, starting at noon from August 2nd to 6th. They have got a few surprises that will be revealed over the week end. 

Celtic Knot Brewing has two more beers on tap for growler fills at the new brewery. For Shore - Session IPA and Monkey Town - mango pale ale are on this week end.

Loyalist City Brewing announced the next release in their summer beer series. Peach Giant is an unfiltered berliner weisse that is literally packed to the brim with fresh peaches. Peach Giant is a tart German style Berliner Weisse that pours a hazy orange pint with a persistent white head that gives off a tremendous peach aroma. The sweet flavor and aroma of peach is complimented by a light doughy sweetness from the mix of German wheat and pilsner malt used in the mash. The mash is soured using their house strain of four different lactobacillus species resulting in a complex and refreshing sour profile that compliments the stone fruit flavor. After the initial fermentation has completed, they pile as much peach as they can into the fermentor and allow it to referment before cold crashing and kegging. The result is a light bodied sessionable summer beer that is bursting with peach flavor and aroma.
Brewed with 100% natural ingredients and left unfiltered this beer is best enjoyed fresh.

Railcar Brewing will be open Saturday July 29th from 10 AM to 10 PM, stop by and check their new space out. Coffee will be on and they have some sweet treats available, sample some of their ales.

First Town Craft Beer Festival is happening on September 23, 2017 at the Best Western Plus Hotel and Conference Centre in Woodstock, NB. There will be over 20 craft beer, cider and mead vendors to try. Covered Bridge Chips will be there with a variety of flavors to sample. The River Restaurant will be serving up BBQ Delights for purchase.
General admission tickets are available for two time slots: 1:30 PM - 4:30 PM and 7:00 PM - 9:30 PM. Tickets are $55.00 each, taxes included, and include a souvenir 4 oz tasting glass with a designated driver ticket available for  $15.00 that includes unlimited soft drinks.VIP Tickets are also available that gets you in an hour early, larger tasting glass and a short brewers education on the brewing process. Tickets are for sale now on eventbrite. 

Look for Hammond River Brewing to open next week after a short delay from their original date. 

Thanks for all the support. 

MBR July 28, 2017 - Nova Scotia Edition

Welcome to the final Maritime Beer Report for Nova Scotia. 

2 Crows Brewing released three beers this week all limited to glasses and flights only. Little Lightning is a golden mild brewed with Chris McDonald and Ever-Wood is a DIPA conditioned on white wine oak, brewed in collaboration with Everwood Ave Brew Shop. The third beer released yesterday is Swan Fan Makkum, an APA, that has been absolutely loaded with Simcoe, Belma, Citra, and Hallertau Blanc hops and clocks in at 5% and 13 IBU. It is super juicy, bright, citrusy, and peachy. This particular was brewed for all the Tall Ships coming into town this weekend, as part of the Tall Sips celebration. The beer is named after a tall ship that our co-founder Mark worked on as a teenager, that was owned by his uncle. At the time, Swan Fan Makkum was the largest brigantine in the world, and it has since been sold to the Italian Navy where it is used as a training ship. The Tall Ship 'Wylde Swan', which is in Halifax this weekend, was also once owned by Mark's family. Might as well drink a beer to celebrate.

Chill Street Fresh Beer and Cider Market will be celebrating their Grand Opening weekend from July 28th to the 30th. It has been a month since they opened the doors. There will be a BBQ, entertainment, beer and food sampling, in-store specials and prize giveaways. There will be a short official ribbon cutting on Saturday, July 29th at 1:00 PM.

Good Robot Brewing says their Beta Brewsday next Tuesday will feature King in the North (End), a Game of Thrones-themed Black IPA brewed by staff members Chris Jonarchy and Kelly Costello. The 4.5%ABV and 55 IBU Black IPA features Simcoe, Chinook hops and Horton Ridge 2 row and Maris Otter malt. 

Propeller Brewing continues their cask nights tonight at 5 PM with Cascade American Pale Ale naturally carbonated and dry hopped in the cask with Nelson Sauvin and Falconer's Flight hops. There's only 20L so show up early before it's all gone. 

Unfiltered Brewing hits two this week end and they will be celebrating on Saturday. Look for 

• Commissar RIS bottles for sale (both Friday and Sat)
• Flat Black Jesus Nitro Stout on tap
• 1-1-9 Barley Wine (2015 barrel aged) on tap
• Double Orange Ale DIPA on tap
• Exile On North Street IPA on tap
• Sour MF Cherry Sour on tap
• Deity DIPA on tap
• Play With Fire Smoked Black Lager on tap
• Daytimer Dry-hopped Berliner Weisse on tap
• Twelve Years To Zion DIPA on tap
• Hoppy Fingers APA on tap
• Special menu from 6 pm

Thanks for all the support. 

MBR July 21, 2017 - New Brunswick/PEI Edition

Welcome to the July 21st edition of the report for PEI and New Brunswick. 

Copper Bottom Brewing announced the first of three initial beer offerings. Their "Centennial Stock Blonde Ale" is a clean, refreshing ale made with the Town of Montague in mind as they celebrate their 100 anniversary this year. They worked with local artist Richard Toms (www.rtoms.com) on the label. The beer will be 5% ABV and of course feature centennial hops. 

Upstreet Craft Brewing says De Novo 2 is back and better than ever. This special 6% farmhouse saison is Upstreet's anniversary beer. It's a limited 750ml bottle-conditioned beer made using Maritime malt, a sacch and Brett yeast blend, and New Brunswick Golding hops. Available now. 
They are also releasing Rainbrew, their collaboration beer with Pride PEI. This strawberry lavender saison is a limited 5% brew that incorporates every colour of the rainbow:
Red - PEI Strawberries
Orange - Crystal Malt
Yellow - Yeast
Green - Saaz Hops
Blue - Good ol' H20
Purple - PEI Lavender
Beer is being released on Monday July 24th at 7 PM at the brewery. 

Picaroons Traditional Ales released Pivot 4. In this batch they decided to showcase Citra and Simcoe. There's some really nice citrus and pine aromas coming off this one. It's drinking crisp, citrusy, a tad bitter, and a little dry. They are making their way out now to taps and shelves. 

Have a great week. 

MBR July 21, 2017 - Nova Scotia Edition

Happy Friday, kind of a slow news week but we are not empty handed. 

Garrison Brewing launched It’s Rhubarb Saison today. They say "It’s Rhubarb Saison! is a refreshing wheat beer in the saison-style. The clean, tart character along with a pale orange hazy colour and juicy acidity will hit the spot on a hot summer day wherever people relax."
It is the ultimate in crowdsourcing as it is brewed with rhubarb collected from fans across the province. It is clocking in at 5.1% ABV and 0 IBU. It is available at the brewery for samples and growler fills, as well as some taps beginning this week end.

Another week, another release at Good Robot Brewing. Shocking Pink v. 3 is now on tap and available for growlers and grunters. It is a Goseface Killah radler with the same concoction of Pink Lemonade and Fruity Oasis, Queen of Tarts David's Tea blends, this time with fresh, unsprayed beets from Elmridge Farms. Shredded and cold-steeped.
Their Beta Brewsday on Tuesday next week is Wit's Up Doc? by Dominique Jure and Kelly Costello. A extra healthy beer with pilsner malt, wheat malt, flaked oats, tettnang hops and carrots (grated and added to the end of the boil). It is a light 3% ABV and 14 IBU that they say "will be a refreshing dose of vitamin E for soggy summer evenings".

Stillwell Brewing had an update this week to let us know what is happening. They say things are progressing as expected with the styles they are creating but while we are waiting they made a hoppy, unfiltered pils that has been slowly maturing over the past 11 weeks. It's almost ready to go but will be a hose beer at Bar Stillwell and Beergarden only. Watch for release information. 

Tatamagouche Brewing has a couple of new releases and a bit of bad news. First up, Fog lights is a north east IPA coming in at 6.4% ABV uses huell melon, azacca and amarillo hops with Foggy London yeast from escarpment labs. Brewer says "Hazy!" as we would expect.

Next is Guava Heist Berliner Weisse is a sour wheat ale that comes in at 3.6% ABV. It is aged on organic guava and Tata says "Really tropical. Tart and lemony".

Lastly they had an issue with the yeast on the Main Street mayhem IPA that came out recently. A lot of off flavours, including the smoky medicinal, have developed over the last week. As a result they have pulled all of the beer that is left from private stores as well as their store. 

Off Track Brewing hopes to be the first craft brewer in Bedford when the open this fall. Partners Allan MacKay, Matt Scott and Jon Saunders are all from the area and wanted to open their brewery in Bedford. After a great struggle to come up with a name that worked for the brewery, Off Track seemed to fit after many of their planning meetings seemed to go that way. The brewery has begun renovations at the 275 Rocky Lake Road location with its brewing equipment due to arrive in September.
The new brewery will be 5 BBL with 4 fermentors and 4 brite tanks and will have a growler fill station as well as space for serving tasting flights onsite. Their initial focus will be getting kegs of their beer into the local market as soon as possible when they open. 
Allan MacKay, who will be the head brewer and has been home brewing since 2008, says the initial offerings will be a Kölsch, Stout, Wheat and a Pale Ale with seasonal one offs as they proceed. 
Watch for a more details around September or October on the start-up.

Screening of Sociable!!, A Nova Scotia craft beer documentary will be screened at Roof Hound Brewing on Saturday at 9 PM. There will be a $5 cover at the door with all proceeds going to the film makers SOCIABLE!! who will be there to chat with. Special guest brewers from Lunn's Mill Beer, Heritage Brewing, and Schoolhouse Brewery will be there with a keg of their finest. 

Have a great week and whatever you do make sure to plan ahead. 

MBR July 14, 2017 - New Brunswick/PEI Edition

Where is the summer going, we are half way through July. If that makes you sad here is some beer news to cheer you up. 

Red Rover Craft Cider released another Summer Series today. Barrel Reserve # 1- Is a  dry still cider that was oak aged and conditioned in bourbon barrels for over 6 months. This cider is corked and waxed capped, perfect for aging. Very limited supply of 250 750ML Bottles. It is 7.2% ABV.
Barrel #2 will be released in two weeks time.

Loyalist City Brewing released the second edition in their summer beer series. Stonehammer Saison is a french style saison double dry hopped with Mandarina Bavaria hops. The saison is a crisp and refreshing French saison brewed with a blend of wheat and pilsner malt. This unfiltered farmhouse style ale pours a hazy golden yellow with a persistent white head that gives off an unmistakably tangerine aroma from the Mandarina Bavaria hops. The beer has a natural spicy and fruity flavor from the blend of belgian and french yeast strains used in fermentation complimented by a soft wheat malt character. This light bodied and well carbonated beer is crisp, refreshing, and flavorful. Brewed with only grain, yeast, hops, and water this beer has loads of natural character.

Maybee Brewing says they now have the 750 ml cork and cage bottles of Orion Belgian Quadrupel at the Maybee Brewery only. The 11.5% ABV Belgian Dark Strong is naturally conditioned with Briggs maple syrup and has a complex flavour of molasses, brown sugar maple and awesome.

The Pump House Brewery says now on tap is their Raspberry Wheat summer seasonal. It is a German style wheat beer bombarded with 70 kg of raspberries. This is a beer for the raspberry connoisseur - delectably tart and refreshing. It's a Raspberry Bomb and is 5.6% ABV. 

Pump House now has a growler fill station open every day from Noon to Midnight. I am waiting for details and will relay them when I get them.

Next Thursday is the De Novo II Release Party at Upstreet Craft Brewing from 6 PM - 9 PM. 

NBexplorer, an experiential tourism development company out of Moncton, New Brunswick, is announcing the launch of seven new experiential tourism products this summer. Justin Mury, CEO and Chief Ambassador partnered with local businesses and individuals to create high quality, premium experience that celebrates New Brunswick experiences, culture, and people.

1. Moncton Urban Beer Hike

2. A Taste of Chocolate

3. Memramcook Valley Fat Tire Bike Tour

4. Soap Making Experiences

5. The Land, Our Food and Ourselves

6. Picnic in the Park

7. Chocolatier for the Day

See attached for more information or visit www.nbexplorer.com 

Have a great week and see you next week. 

MBR July 14, 2017 - Nova Scotia Edition

We are a couple of weeks into summer and out local brewers are busier than ever. 

On July 20th Nine Locks Brewing will be at Battery Park Beer Bar for a Tap Takeover. They will be bringing:

• ESB - This classic English pub ale has a burnished copper colour with an aroma of toast, honey, and pear. A broad malt body featuring kilned coffee and toffee. East Kent Golding and Fuggles hops give this English style ale a subtle spiciness, which compliments its strong malt backbone. Pairs perfectly with crispy appetizers and of course, fish & chips. 5.6% ABV / 35 IBUs
• IPA - Big, bold, and bitter! India pale ale was fashioned to survive the long voyage from England to India during the British colonization. Citrus, tropical fruit, pine, and floral hop flavours and aromas overpower the malty sweet body. First wort hopped, hop burst, and then dry hopped, our flagship IPA pairs perfectly with all things spicy or cheesy, and poultry or fish. 6.9% ABV / 70 IBUs
• PORTER - Delicious easy drinking London style porter. Dark brown with a restrained chocolate biscuit character derived from a combination of black and chocolate malts and roasted barley. Aromatic and medium bodied with a toasty toffee finish. Pairs well with grilled steaks and chocolate desserts 5% ABV / 25 IBUs
• SPICED ALE - A dark amber ale with a full body and residual sweetness, the spices combine to give a unique flavour to this sessionable offering. A malty backbone provides mouth fullness balancing the crisp spicing. 5.2%ABV / 12 IBU
• CREAM ALE - Smooth, full-bodied amber ale. Tight white head on top of a mildly fruity beer. Caramel notes preside with a subtle hop finish.Traditional English hops provide both mild bitterness and hop flavour. Nitrogenation provides great cascade and aids the smooth palate fullness. 4.8% ABV / 15 IBU
• SCOTCH ALE - Reminiscent of the Scottish ales of the 1700s and 1800s this strong, dark beer with ruby highlights is deeply malty. A smooth body exhibiting caramel with hints of dark grains leads to a crisp finish. 7.1% ABV / 22 IBU
• CHOCOLATE STOUT - This chocolate stout is smooth, dark and full-bodied. Chocolate dominates the palate with notes of coffee and roasted grain. Hopping with East Kent Goldings provides a balanced finish. 6.1% ABV / 28 IBU
• BREWER’S CHOICE - 100% Horton Ridge malt, Belgian chocolate and Black Cherries combine to give a mix of fruit and chocolate on the palate and a lingering finish.  5.6% ABV / 14 IBU
• SMaSH and GRAB - All wheat malt with 100% Amarillo hops gives this hazy blonde a defining grapefruit palate finishing with a characteristic wheat beer astringency. 5.8% ABV / 22 IBU
• GINGER RYE - This dusky red ale is full-bodied, with subtle caramel notes and a restrained ginger presence on the palate. The finish is long combining the cereal astringency of the rye and wheat with the assertive spiciness of the ginger. ABV 5.6% / IBU 15
• FATHOM DOUBLE IPA - Fathom is an epic, orange-gold, hazy, double India pale ale brewed for hop heads and hop novices alike. It’s not fashioned to kill anyone with hops, rather to give the best hop experience possible. It has an intense hoppy aroma, featuring citrus, melon, and floral components leading to strong orange and stone fruit flavours that finish soft and dry. First wort hopped, hop burst, and two-stage dry hopped. We’re not talking over-the- top bitter, but instead, an incredibly flavorful and easy to drink, memorable pale ale. 8.0% ABV / 90 IBUs
• GINGER GLEN - Ginger rye aged in single malt Glenora barrels for 3 months. The ginger aroma is followed by a palate dominated by the single malt with a base of rye and ginger. 5.7% ABV / 15 IBU
• DUBBEL BARRELED - Belgian Dubbel with blood oranges aged for 4 months in Buffalo Trace Bourbon barrels. Citrusy aroma gives way to a mouthful of Bourbon with hints of spicy orange as the mouth empties.

Good Robot Brewing has their third SMaSH beer coming out. It is SMaSH Meowth and features Rakau hops. The American IPA 5.5% ABV and 45 IBU and you can find it at the brewery.
Beta Brewsday next Tuesday will feature a beer brewed by Erica Fraser. Sour Mumma Bloomfield is a hopless, malt-forward herbal beer that has naturally gone sour and strangely tastes a bit like apple pie even though there are no added ingredients in it to make it taste that way.

Unfiltered Brewing has brought back Double Orange Ale DIPA back for fills and pints today. The beer is 7.5% ABV and 100+ IBU. 

Unfiltered Brewing and Beau's Brewery of Eastern Ontario brewed a collaboration beer. EPH Bomb Double IPA will be the 8th release in Beau's Ottawa 2017 series, interpreting Canada's 150th from coast to coast, through beer googles. They will be raising funds for Parker Street Food and Furniture Bank (www.parkerstreet.org) with this release. The limited-edition 9% ABV and 75 IBU beer will be available in Halifax: 

• At the NSLC in early-mid August
• On tap at Beau's booth during Seaport Beerfest
• At Beau's Brewery Stillwell Beer Garden 10-Tap Takeover on Thursday Aug 10th

Schoolhouse Brewery have released their first summer seasonals. Summer Break is a Witbier weighing in at 4.9% ABV that is a mixture orange peel and coriander were added to PEI grown malted wheat from Horton Ridge and Maritime Malt. Pouring as a pale haze, this smooth wheat beer is all that’s good about summer. Coriander and orange play together in the background before a dry finish leaves you wanting to relive Summer Break. 

Propeller Brewing has been extremely busy as they roll past their 20th anniversary. The currently have Sacramento Common out. Rich, amber coloured ale, utilising lager yeast fermented at ale temperatures. Bold toast and caramel characteristics, light fruits and lingering hop bitterness. Northern Brewer is the traditional hop of The California Common style and it is used solely in this ale. It weighs in at 5.5% ABV and 39 IBU. 

Released on Wednesday was Hopfenweisse. A fusion of a German style wheat beer with a new world IPA. Aromas of tropical fruit, passion fruit, banana, and gooseberry are evident as this brew has been generously late-addition-hopped with Simcoe and Nelson Sauvin.  Carbonation is lively with a hazy golden yellow color and medium body.  Bitterness is subdued by fruity and tropical flavours with a slightly dry finish.It is a 5.8% ABV and 48 IBU beer.

They also "Refreshed" their DIPA and will show the first installment of Propeller's new branding and will be on shelves next week with Propeller's Double IPA. New labels & bottle capson 650 mL bottles and has 300% more dry-hop.

2 Crows Brewing has a big release tomorrow morning. They say Crosswired, their first foeder aged beer is juicy, funky, winey, a bit tropical, notes of crushed gooseberry and stone fruit with underlying bright tannin/oak Calvados (brandy+apple+vanilla+fruity) character. They are releasing cans and it will be on tap in their tap room. They are also releasing a small amount of cans for sale at the private stores in Halifax. 

Big Spruce Brewing announced they brewed a new seasonal beer, one they have been conspiring for some time with their new friends at Ocean Tracking Network. Tag! You're It! will be a light bodied, super juicy, late addition IPA that features boat loads of Mosaic and Citra hops.

They are donating $0.50 of every can sold, whether it be at their brewery or via the private beer and wine stores, towards research geared at protecting endangered ocean species. Expect a release date late July or early August.

Boxing Rock Brewing released Tropic Thunder tropical stout at Rock Head Wine & Beer Market, Bishop's Cellar, and Harvest Wines and Spirits. You'll also find it on tap at The Brooklyn Warehouse. It's also available at Liquid Assets at the Halifax Stanfield Airport. It is fruity, slightly sweet and refreshing and comes in at 6% ABV with a hint of orange peel in the finish. This beer was a finalist in the Black Box Challenge by brewer Jason Currie. Get it while you can.

Hell Bay Brewing have brought back RIP(A), the IPA straight from Hell. The small batch beer is a healthy 7.2% ABV and  85 IBU that is loaded with hops. Limited quantities.

Saltbox Brewery has a refreshing summer beer at the brewery. Backyard Rhubarb is now on tap with very limited quantities.

Chain Yard Cider introduced Ginx its newest cider. Juniper berries, jonagold and spy apples play on your palate in this delicious cider Featuring Ironworks gin, organic lime juice and Nova Scotia apples. Pouring now in their tap room.

Have a great week end and see you next week. 

MBR July 7, 2017 - New Brunswick/PEI Edition

Happy July, hope you all had a great week and here is what I know for this week. 

Les Brasseurs du Petit-Sault says participants at the 12th annual Roch-Voisine/Knights of Columbus 1932 celebrity golf tournament for the La fondation Bob Fife will be able to get their hands on a very limited edition beer. Bob Fife is their 100% local haskap ale. The event will take place August 7th and 8th at the Club de Golf Fraser Edmundston Golf Club with a number of high profile celebrities. Funds raised go to providing hot meals in school to underprivileged kids. The ale is 4.25% ABV.

Grimross Brewing has released Braunschweig(Brunswick) German Pils. This light but complex beer checks in at 4.5% ABV and is perfect for these hot summer days. It's on tap at the Brewtique and Taproom now.

Hammond River Brewing has a few more hoops to jump through and unfortunately they'll need to delay the scheduled of July 10th opening by a few days.Watch for updates.

Johnny Jacks Brewery released Farmhouse Ale in stores now. It is their take on a saison.

Trailway Brewing released Seeing Ekuanot this week. This is another installment in their single hopped IPA "seeing" series. Ekuanot is a super interesting and flavourful hop with complexity that really makes this beer drink like it has multiple hop varieties in it. This one though was different from any of their other hoppy brews in that about half of the dry hop was lupulin powder. Lupulin powder is concentrated lupulin separated from whole cone hops. The lupulin contains resins and aromatic and flavourful hop oils. The result is massive flavour and aroma without the vegetative and astringency that can be introduced when dryhopping at these rates with pellets or whole cone. Find it at the tasting room in Fredericton only this week.

Have a great week and I will be back real soon. 

MBR July 7, 2017 - Nova Scotia Edition

Happy July to everyone, I hope you all had a great long week end and here is the beer news for July 7th. 

2 Crows Brewing are going to release Crosswired, the first beer out of the fouder and they are canning it. The beer is a wild yeast + wine yeast hybrid that was described as funky, earthy, winey and tropical. Look for it around July 14th.

20 Years ago this month Propeller Brewing shipped its first keg of craft beer to Victor Syperek at the Economy Shoe Shop. Propeller is celebrating their two-decade milestone with a day long deluge of free concerts on Gottingen Street in Halifax’s North End. It all kicks off at The Local and will wrap up 12 hours later in the Marquee Ballroom…both operations headed by – you guessed it – Vic Syperek. That’s what they call "full circle”. The event will see 12 acts over 12 hours across three locations – all to raise money for the North End Community Health Centre.
Shows will take place at The Local and Seven Bays (both on the same block as Propeller’s brewery) all afternoon on Saturday, July 8. Talent will include: The Town Heroes, Ghettosocks, Jessie Brown, MAJE, Mike Bochoff Band, Jody Upshaw, KXNG WOOZ and many, many more.  Skratch Bastid & Zora The Sultan will close out the night with a ticketed show at the Marquee Ballroom.

Lunn's Mill Beer released Canada Day SMaSH IPA this week. The 6.2% ABV and 80 IBU beer is a Hop forward Dank and Tropical SMaSH (Single Malt and Single Hop) double dry hopped with Mosaic.

Rare Bird Craft Beer says their Maple Ale is now available at the NSLC's The Port on Clyde Street in downtown Halifax. Rare Bird brews their Maple Ale using 100% Nova Scotia maple sap instead of water to create a distinct beer that you can enjoy.

Roof Hound Brewing is bringing back Wasted Days Chocolate Peanut Butter Wheat beer that includes 10 kg of peanut butter 

Salty Dog Brewing has released Rhubarb Wheat on tap! This is a limited release brew, so get it while you can. Bring in your growler for a fill or it is available on tap at The Nook and Cranny Brew Pub and Sauced Wood Fired Pizza.

Chain Yard Cider released Lime-Stone Sessional. A great patio sipper at 4.8% ABV with lots of citrus and stone fruit notes. 

Events 

Barbecues and Beers for Cool Dog Rescue is hosted by Unchained Kitchen, Garrison Brewing and The Other Bean: sandwich and coffee bar on Monday, July 10 from 7 PM - 11 PM. The event is at 6220 Quinpool Road in Halifax and will have Garrison taking over the taps and Unchained Kitchen working the grill. Barbecue and beers all in the name of a good cause! $30 ticket will get you two rounds of Garrison's finest and a smorgasbord of Unchained Kitchen's BBQ fare.

On July 13th there will be a Craft Beer Festival at the Whycocomagh Waterfront Centre. There will be beer, food and live music. Craft Breweries attending are: 

• Big Spruce Brewing 
• Breton Brewing
• Boxing Rock Brewing
• Gahan House Halifax
• Garrison Brewing
• Tatamagouche Brewing

Food Trucks attending:

• Cruisin Cuisine
• Laura's Pretzels
• Little Asia
• Sam's Point Oysters

Tickets are $20.00 and includes sample glass and 10 drinks tickets with additional drink tickets costing $1.00.

Have a great seven days and I will be back with a new report. 

MBR June 30, 2017 - New Brunswick/PEI Edition

Happy Canada Day, here is the latest beer news. 

Upstreet Craft Brewing‎ had to delay the release De Novo II. They say the bottle conditioning process is a complicated one, particularly with beers involving brettanomyces (aka Brett). They say it needs a few more weeks in the bottle before it is released. The new release date is July 20th. 

Hammond River Brewing has announced its beer bar and patio is scheduled to open it's doors on July 10th. watch for me details coming soon. 

Long Bay Brewery opened its doors today at 82 Marr Road in Rothesay for growler fills. They are slinging Bantam APA 5.5% ABV and Chalice Belgian Ale 6.5% ABV. 
Retail Hours for this weekend:
Friday, June 30 ..... 12 PM to 10 PM
Saturday,July 1.......12 PM to 10 PM
Sunday, July 2........12 PM to 10 PM
Monday, July 3.......12 PM to 10 PM

Picaroons Traditional Ales has Sir John's Special Eh'le, their coast-to-coast Canada 150 collaboration with their family of open fermenting brewers,July 1st at the The Picaroons Roundhouse, The Brewtique in Downtown Fredericton, The Picaroons General Store in Uptown Saint John, and The 5 Kings Restaurant & Picaroons Brewhouse in St. Stephen. The classic English Ale is low in alcohol, high in flavour, prominently featuring the fruity characteristics of their signature Ringwood yeast, along with some earthy hop notes, on a complex toasty malt backbone. Coming in around 4.5% ABV. 

Trailway Brewing released a brand new Double IPA. Adore has Citra, Amarillo, Ella, El Dorado  hops and comes in at 8% ABV. Cans are at the brewery now. 

There is a Canada Day Craft Beer Garden at 3 PM July 1st at Water Front Park in Moncton being hosted by Moncton Craft Brewers Collective.  
The official beer list is:
Verger Belliveau Orchard
     - Scow cider
Acadie-Broue 
     - Gose
Tide and Boar Gastropub
     - Cask ALe Sour Otis Cherry with extra Cherries in the Cask
     - DDHPHPPIPA(Double Dry Hopped Pow Hand Pillow Plant India Pale Ale)
      -Peach Ale Shake
      -Vanilla Ale Shake
      -Method IPA
Bore City Brewing
     -Marecage Saison
     -Equilux American Pale Ale
Flying Boats Brewing
     -Picnic Train Witbier
     -Stage Coach Amber Ale
     -Dixie Clipper IPA
Celtic Knot Brewing
     -Monkey Town Mango IPA
      -Ryetious Rye IPA
The Pump House Brewery and Restaurant
     -Cadian Cream Ale
     -Crafty Radler

Have a great and safe Canada Day and see you next Friday.

MBR June 30, 2017 - Nova Scotia Edition

There is a lot of information this week, here is all the beer news for June 30th 2017. 

Saltbox Brewery says for Canada Day Weekend, June 30th to July 2nd they have hot tubs at the brewery. Partnering with Bay Tubs of Mahone Bay, it's an opportunity for the customers to truly relax at the brewery.

Unfiltered Brewing have brought back RSMA Mosaic SMaSH DIPA this week end for pints and growler fills. Really Serious Mosaic Ale? Retail Sales Markup Allowance? They say you pick. It is 7.5% ABV and 100+ IBU.

Boxing Rock Brewing's birthday is July 8th and of course they are having a party at the brewery. Their party schedule:

• 1 PM-3 PM: Drop in axe throwing ($15) with Birthday boy Adam!
• 1:30 PM-3:30 PM: Finest Kind BBQ and corn boil!
• 3 PM: Shelburne's Tall Ship beer name announced!
• 3 PM: CAKE!!
• Washer toss and beer pong, 2 for 1 tours, and music throughout the day!

Owners Emily Tipton and Henry Pedro wanted to do something special to commemorate Canada’s 150th birthday, and celebrate Southwest Nova Scotia. They thought nothing could be better than naming a special beer for this special place. A portion of Dark as Keji sales are being donated to the Friends of Keji Cooperating Association, which support the Dark Sky Education programs at the park. Since the launch of Dark as Keji Black IPA a few short weeks ago, well over one thousand dollars has been set aside to be donated.
There will be a Canada 150 event at the brewery, where Boxing Rock will offer samples of Dark as Keji as well as beer ice cream floats (root beer for the kids!) and food specials from the Finest Kind Food Company. Look for the special Dark as Keji packaging at NSLC stores around the province, as well as at the Boxing Rock’s brewery store in Shelburne.

Good Robot Brewing says Leave Me Blue Kentucky Common is back on tap this week. Red Moon Landing Red IPA is back next week but they replaced Vienna malt with Pilsner. This one weighs in at 7.1% ABV and 48 IBU.
Beta Brewsday will be on Wednesday next week with the release of Re:Drella, a SMaSH with Red X malt and Ella hops, sitting at 6.5% ABV and 28 IBU. Brewed by Dan Hendricken and Kelly Costello.

Garrison Brewing launched a new beer called “Sour to the People” which is currently available in the brewery for growler fills and samples, and will be at licensees later this week/early next week. The Strong Sour Ale was soured with Lactobacillus in the kettle to bring its tart character.  It has green apple, stone fruit (peach) and sweet malt aroma along with its nice green apple & lemon flavors. The sour is 6.5% ABV and 0 IBU.

Ladies Beer League is brewing up a black wheat beer at Brightwood Brewery this week. They are currently thinking of a name. Look for this beer coming out this summer.

The wait is over, FirkinStein Brewing are opening their new location at 673 King Street in Bridgewater. They are opening on Saturday for growler fills and samples. Look for the hours to be posted soon on social media.

Another screening of Sociable! Craft Brewing in Nova Scotia documentary is coming up at Roof Hound Brewing on July 22nd at 9 PM. 

Spindrift Brewing have released Blood Orange India Pale Lager this week. It is in cans and available for growler fills at the brewery and will be in private stores ASAP. This IPL has an addition of pure blood orange with tropical and stone fruit hop flavours that are amplified by the blood orange and dry hopped with Mandarina Bavaria and Citra.

Come out to celebrate what Wayfarers Ale Wharf has to offer. Their full menu will be available, along with an all day BBQ on the newly renovated Wharf with picnic tables

The $25.00 ticket includes:

• A Wayfarers Ale Society souvenir glass
• One 0.95L growler of your choice
• Free samples of their crafted ales
• A tour of the brewery (12 PM,2 PM,4 PM,6 PM)
• BBQ will include sausages, and Angus burgers! Vegetarian options are available.

Annapolis Cider has their latest 'Something Different' out. Strawberry Rhubarb is a 6.3% ABV sparkling cider crafted from a blend of their signature cool-fermented dry apple cider with the fresh juices of local hand-picked ruby-red rhubarb, garden strawberries and finished with a touch of fresh-pressed apple juice. The result is a pale-rose tinged cider with bright notes of juicy strawberries paired with the bold zing of tart rhubarb, a classic summer combination that is crisp and refreshing. $0.50 from each refill of Strawberry Rhubarb will be donated to Blue Route NS. This is a province-wide project to develop safe, well-connected bicycle routes, which will make it easier for Nova Scotians to get around the province on two wheels.

Battery Park says their patio taps will be filled with the four Canadian Brewing Award gold medal winning Nova Scotian beers on July 1st. This will be your only chance to try them all in one place. There will be North Brewing's Gus' 65 m Belgian Blonde and Glenora Barrel Aged Midnight,  Boxing Rock's Stayin' Alive Bock, and Uncle Leo's Voh's Weizenbier. The beers will be start pouring Saturday at opening and stay on through the long weekend while supplies last.

Have a great and safe Canada Day week end and I will be back next Friday. 

MBR June 23, 2017 - New Brunswick/PEI Edition

Welcome to the first beer report on summer 2017.

The Gahan House says brand new on tap is their first Hard Root Beer, The Daily Dose. It is 6.5% ABV. 

Upstreet Craft Brewing will release De Novo II on Thursday, June 29 from 6 PM - 10 PM. It is also the company's second anniversary.
De Novo II is a hand-bottled farmhouse saison, a special Belgian style beer with no two alike. Known for its complex flavours with a dry finish. They used a simple ingredient list of Maritime malt, a sacch and brett yeast blend from a lab in Ontario and New Brunswick Goldings hops. These contribute light candy and funky flavours, with just enough bitterness and hops. Over time, the brett will continue to consume the remaining sugars, making the beer even more dry and funky.

Big Axe Brewery have a brewed a great summer beer. It is a wild fermented strawberry sour that is slightly acetic and offers complex sourness. Now at the brewery. 

Big Tide Brewing are jumping in a little late but are brewing LaTour Acadian Nut-Brown / Bière Brune-Noisette Acadienne. They didn't quite make the official launch date of June 9th for this international initiative, but wanted to participate nonetheless. So they made a malty, 6.5% ABV interpretation. Look for it on tap and in growlers next week.
This style was created to celebrate the 170th anniversary of the creation of the poem ''Evangeline, A tale of Acadie'' which was an epic poem of the American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, written in English and published in 1847.

Loyalist City Brewing announced the launch of “Pink Dwarf”, the first in their summer sour series of beer. Pink Dwarf is a tart and refreshing Berliner Weisse brewed with all natural tart dwarf cherries and a blend of German wheat and pilsner malt. This unfiltered german style wheat beer pours bright pink with a thick persistent white head that gives way to a sour cherry aroma reminiscent of cherry pie. The natural tartness of the dwarf cherries is complimented by a house blend of four different lactobacillus strains that compliment the fruit flavor and add complexity to the finished beer. With a light body, high carbonation, and a wonderful cherry flavor complimented by a subtle doughy malt backbone, this beer is the perfect summer patio beer. This beer will be available at local bars starting this week end.

Maybee Brewing released a new beer this week. Old Growth ESB was made with organic Horton Ridge floor malted pale malt and NB grown Goldings hops from Southan farms. Old Growth is 5.5% ABV and 45 IBU.

Picaroons Traditional Ales released PIVOT #3. Relying heavily on Mosaic and Equinox hops this time around, PIVOT #3 features really complex fruity characteristics over it's simple pale malt bill. Coming soon to The Picaroons Roundhouse, The Brewtique in Downtown Fredericton, The Picaroons General Store in Uptown Saint John, The 5 Kings Restaurant & Picaroons Brewhouse, and at Alcool NB Liquor locations around the province. http://picaroons.ca/pivot/

The Pump House Brewery says that now available on tap at the restaurant is Wheat Beer Hefeweizen coming in at 5.2% ABV. 

Have a great week and see you next Friday

MBR June 23, 2017 - Nova Scotia Edition

Welcome to the first report for the summer of 2017.
Propeller Brewing is celebrating 20 years of craft beer in Halifax's north end with a block party on Gottingen Street. On July 8th they are hosting a day of free concerts on Gottingen. They are taking over the Seven Bays parking lot from 2 PM to 8 PM with the 100% Nova Scotian talents of The Town Heros, Jessie Brown, Dammien Alexander & The Sonic Cinema, The Mike Bomhoff Band, Jont & The Infinite Possibility, Tommy Green Jr and DJ Scout spinning between sets.

Unfiltered Brewing released Sour M.F. today. It is a 6.2% ABV kettle-soured wheat beer refermented on tart cherries (a *lot* of tart cherries). Acidic, refreshing, and bright, it has a big cherry bouquet and a lightly spicy finish. They say an exceptional warm-weather beer and available now at the brewery.

Sober Island Brewing releasing a new summer seasonal, it's their rye seasonal but owner Rebecca Atkinson says it is different this year. Kirby's Canoe is a 5.7% ABV ale with a rye content of 11% and is dry hopped with Bramling Cross and Willamette. They say it is bright with a berry hop character and will be available next Wednesday at the brewery, Henley House, working on getting into growler fill stations and of course local watering holes.

Brewer Stefan Gagliardi said he just tapped a new seasonal at the Keith’s Brewery. Highlands Scottish Pilsner is their take on the traditional European style. They brewed the Pilsner with a blend of Scottish Golden Promise malt and Pilsner malt. The beer is bright yellow, 5.5% ABV, 20 IBU. and lagered for 63 days.

FirkinStein Brewing are releasing a new pale ale tomorrow. Sasamanana has a little tartness from cranberries and a mouthfeel of bananas. It will debut to the public at the Bridgewater Farmers Market on Saturday

Gahan House in Halifax now has crowlers available in the cooler. They currently have:

• Crosscurrent APA (seasonal)
• Impatience Sour Brown (seasonal)
• Captain Falcon's IPA (seasonal)
• Beach Chair Lager
• Sir John A's Honey Wheat Ale
• Blueberry Ale
• Vic Park Pale Ale
• Island Red
• Iron Bridge Brown Ale
• Sydney Street Stout
• 1772 IPA

They also now have Flavour of the Monk, the winning beer from our Homebrewer's Challenge, on tap at the pub.

Horton Ridge Malt House is having its Grand Opening tomorrow to celebrate the taproom and microbrewery. Horton Ridge will have a selection of Nova Scotia craft beer on tap including some of their own which you'll only find there. Local singer/songwriter Caleb Miles will be on hand to play some tunes starting at 6 PM as well as Let's Eat Beer food truck will be serving up beer infused menu items all day, with all proceeds going back into Atlantic Canadian charities. There will also be door prizes, music, food, washer toss, mega jenga, tours and of course - beer.

North Brewing launched their collaboration with North end Runners today. Little Beast is a 4% ABV lagered ale that is the ultimate after run beer. They will also have the return of a White Lightning today.

Stillwell Brewing received the latest bit of French oak to round out their cellar: The got four 600L Pineau des Charentes puncheons that they say are still wet and straight from Cognac.

Tanner & Co Brewing is planning to open in August on Angus Hiltz Road in Chester Nova Scotia. Owner and brewer Dan Tanner brings a wealth of knowledge from the restaurant industry, is a sommelier as well as having five years of homebrewing experience. Tanner and his partner Peggy Locke plan to be producing a core group of ales including a lightly hopped pale ale, as well as a lighter Dampfbier and darker Roggenbier.
They’ll be doing different beers and experimenting also around the German beer roots with a Cabernet Franc Stout and Chardonnay Hefeweizen that they produced last year with grapes grown in their onsite vineyard.
Mr. Tanner, a Lunenburg native, will be brewing on a 3 BBL system with sales coming from keg sales and Farmers Markets. Longer term there may be onsite growler fills at the brewery but not initially.

Tidehouse Brewing has 2 Many Birds out today. It is a dry, hoppy crushable saison hopped with Perle, Amarillo and Pacific Jade You can find this at the Stillwell Beer Garden, Battery Park Beer Bar and in very limited quantity at the brewery for growler fills.

Townhouse Brewpub & Eatery first opened their doors on July 4th, 2012. For their 5th birthday they are throwing a party. Festivities will commence with Happy Hours and raw oyster bar ($2/oyster!) from 4-6 PM. There will be cakes with one at 5:30 PM and 9 PM, extra special local food and beer pairings ,and a performance from Jacques Mindreau's wild and wonderful West coast musical ensemble, OQO featuring Nightingale at 9 PM.

The NSLC released its year-end results for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2017. The result showed a decrease in earnings ($239.2M) and total volume there was a slight increase in sales ($611.8M). 
Overall total beer sales shrank about 1% to $276 million or just over 45% of total sales at the provincial agency and Nova Scotia Craft Beer growth continuing at stellar rate with sales growing by 34.2% to $10.2 million. 
The NSLC says there are now 18 local breweries products on their shelves, up from three four years ago and one of every four beer listings in their stores is a local craft beer.

Other items of note are:

• NS Craft Beer surpassed NS wine made with local grapes last year
• Nova Scotia ready-to-drink products, which are largely ciders, had a strong year with sales increasing by 83.7% to $2.9 million
• Nova Scotia commercial beer sales coming in at $160.9 million

NSLC Announces 2017 Year End Results

Have a great week end and as always enjoy responsibly. 

MBR June 16, 2017 - New Brunswick/PEI Edition

As we finish the last full week of spring, here is the beer news for this week. 

Big Tide Brewing have Zippy Pale Ale now on tap. Zippy Pale Ale is an American Pale ale and is 4.6% ABV and 43 IBU from Cascade and Summit hops. Dry hopped with citrusy cascade for a refreshing summer beer.

Les Brasseurs du Petit-Sault released an new  Acadian Nut Brown Ale, La Madoueska. The 6% ABV beer is part of the a group of beers released. 

Distillerie Fils du Roy is marking the 170th anniversary of the poem "Evangeline" by Henry Longfellow by releasing two new beers. Évangéline is an Acadian Nut Brown Ale that is 7% ABV and Gabriel, a Dark Spruce Ale that is also 7%. The brewer suggests blending the two beers. 

There will be a new microbrewery opening in Bathurst this coming winter. Four Rivers Brewing will be located on Murray Avenue in the former Toyota dealership building in November or December. The beer will be produced and brewed on site in a state of the art brew house and served in a newly built tasting room. The brewery is a family business formed by René Legacy, his two sons, Chris and Stephen, and his brother-in-law René Landry. The brewery and taproom hope to create about a dozen jobs when they open. 
Follow them on Facebook and Instagram ( @four.rivers.brew) over the next few months as they work toward opening their brewery. 

Graystone Brewing released Wild Child, a refreshing, light bodied radler with subtle citrus from real grapefruit. It is 4.5% ABV and 5 IBU and is available in pints, Crowlers and Growlers.

Maybee Brewing has a new beer out this week. Introducing Orion Quadrupel, a Belgian Dark Strong beer conditioned with Briggs Maple Syrup. This heavyweight rings in at 11.5% ABV and is available now 

Picaroons Traditional Ales is part of  a Canada 150 collaboration project with some other breweries in Canada that they have a very special kinship with. That kinship being that they produce beer using traditional open fermentation and direct fire Peter Austin brewing systems. Along with Granite Brewery in Nova Scotia, Golden Lion Pub & Brewery in Quebec, Granite Brewery in Toronto, Ashton Brewing Company and Clock Tower Breweries in Ottawa, and Four Mile Brewing in BC, they brewed a coast to coast collaboration ale to celebrate Canada 150. The Fathers of Fermentation are calling their brew Sir John’s Special Eh’le.

Trailway Brewing released a fruit bomb this week. Seeing Citra is a 6.7% ABV IPA made exclusively with, you guessed it, Citra hops. Available at the brewery now. 

Thanks for checking in this week, have a great week. 

MBR June 16, 2017 - Nova Scotia Edition

Happy Friday, here is the beer news for June 16th. 

Propeller Brewing has launched The Gottingen Small Batch series that is an evolution of the One-Hit Wonder series. Moving forward, the "Gottingen Small Batch" series will be rolled out on a regular (monthly) basis highlighting styles of beer that often go overlooked in the mainstream beer market. They want to explore more beer styles by bringing forward a greater variety of true-to-style (but rarely seen) beers. The first Gottingen Small Batch release is a simple summer India Session Ale entitled "Gratitude". It is a 4.5% ABV and 56 IBU beer hopped with Centennial, Moose Mountain Cascade and Amarillo. 

Good Robot Brewing as their Shocking Pink, their Gose radler, out and on tap.  is on tap as of today. Looking ahead there are two new brews next week, First up is Beta Brew "Cream Team" brewed by Kelly Costello and Doug Kehoe: A cream ale at 6.56% ABV and 15 IBU with a nice sweet, honey, straw aroma, slightly lemony flavour and grassy aftertaste. Creamy mouthfeel, of course. Warrior, tettnang and willamette hops. Next up is SMaSH Pale Ale #2: Pacifica (Name TBD) is a 4.7% ABV and 24 IBU pale ale showcasing the pacifica hops. 

Garrison Brewing is hosting Backlot Bash, featuring The Sheepdogs, ECMA winner Port Cities, Juno Award winner Garret Mason and local favourites the Royal Volts, on Saturday. It is in support of the Ecology Action Centre. Before the concert they will be hosting Red Racer’s Sprinter van on their brewery patio from 1-4 PM. They have been travelling across Canada on their Celebration Tour, stopping by breweries on their way. Daryn Medwid, Gary Lohin and James Hume will be there from Central City pouring samples of  Garrison's collaboration, the “New” Scottish Ale which is part of the Red Racer Across The Nation Collaboration 12-pack commemorating the country’s milestone birthday. Speaking of that “New” Scottish Ale, it is now on tap at the brewery for growler fills and samples, and will be making its way to some accounts shortly. The 5.7% ABV and 38 IBU beer has nice smoked aroma with caramel & hints of berry-like fruits. Dominant caramel flavour with pleasant smoky character and low-medium bitter finish.

Chill Street Fresh Beer and Cider Market opened for business this week in Elmsdale. They opened with four products Unplugged Pale Ale, Skinny Dippin' Apple Cider, Honey I'm Home Honey Brown Ale and Hants Down Pilsner. They are open 10 AM to 10 PM Monday to Saturday and Noon to 8 PM on Sunday. 

Gahan House - Halifax has a couple beer updates for their waterfront brewpub. The final keg of Barrel Aged Golden Ale with Brett was tapped this week. It was aged for 8 months in Hungarian Oak and is 5% ABV. They also just released the second batch of Impatience Sour Brown Ale, aged on Morello cherries and raspberries. It's a dark ale, yet still very thirst quenching. 

Granite Brewery is part of a National Brewing Collaboration for Canada's 150. The Fathers of Fermentation are doing a Unique, Canadian Brewing Collaboration to Celebrate the 150th Anniversary of the Signing of Confederation - Sir John’s Special Eh’le.
A truly Canadian concept, 7 microbreweries and brewpubs from across Canada are collaborating to produce the first handcrafted national beer brewed from Coast to Coast. This liquid treasure will be available at the following breweries as of July 1, 2017:
Granite Brewery, in Halifax NS 
Picaroon’s Traditional Ales of Fredericton NB
Golden Lion Brewery, Lennoxville Que. 
Granite Brewery, Toronto Ont.
Ashton Brew Pub, Ottawa Ont 
Clock Tower Brewing, Ottawa Ont.
Four Mile Brewing Co, Victoria BC

North Brewing released a Barrel aged Headline Milk Stout as a limited bottle release. The beer was aged in barrels for 5 months and conditioned in the bottle just shy of 2 months. 

Roof Hound Brewing announced a new Kettle Sour. It is called Thyme to Grow A Pear Blueberry Kettle Sour and is 4% ABV. Find it at the brewery this week end.

Salty Dog Brewing collaborated with My Home Apparel to create Home Brew Session Ale. They say this light, fresh, 3.5% ale is perfect for summer sipping. They are also hosting a pop-up at My HOME Apparel this Saturday afternoon from 12-4, with samples, music and half-price growlers. 

Schoolhouse Brewing are celebrating their grand opening tomorrow. Their "Graduation" will start at 11 AM and continue throughout the day until address and speech by the Principal at 7 PM. Over the day, they will be having the biggest tournament of Four Square that Nova Scotia has ever seen, washer toss, some music and food and, of course beer. After the address they have The Basin Brothers, Tony Wood Trio & Special Guests along with some hot eats from some of the finest food trucks in the province.

Tidehouse Brewing has Birthday Sauce now available. It is a classic IPA with a good hit of bittering, pine & orange notes and clocks in a 6.5% ABV. 

Have a great week and I will be back next week.