Nine Locks Brewing Launches Campfire Collection NEIPA

(Dartmouth, NS) - Nine Locks Campfire NEIPA (6.5% ABV and 40 IBU) has just about all the hops they could muster. Cloudy, golden and bursting with flavours of passion fruit, apricot, mango and red apple… with a counterpoint of zesty citrus. Campfire NEIPA delivers rich, pallet-filling body followed by a malty, sweet finish.

The Campfire Series will have seven releases that will each be a different style of beer. The releases will be super limited batches, sold in retail store only. Nine Locks is using them to test new products and push the boundaries of what they have previously brewed. They’ll be released throughout 2021. The brewer will be keeping an eye of feedback and any that perform exceptionally will be brought back as a seasonal or permanent listing.

The idea of Nine Locks was conceived fireside and this series name is a nod to their history as well as a way to connect the brand back to the outdoors which brand promoted. The can design is new for this series and is a nod to camp patches we collected as youth. 

Rock Bottom Leaving and Nine Locks coming to Spring Garden Road

(Halifax, NS) - After ten years on Spring Garden Road Rock Bottom Restaurant and Brewery has announced its permanent closure. It was a great place in a great spot but never really found the success it should have had. The space will be taken over by Nine Locks Brewing. The new second location will have all available Nine Locks Beers on tap as well as retail for take away and the brewhouse will be used to brew beers for Your Father's Moustache (YFM) and act as a test brewery for new and different beers. The food choices will be scaled back and be a limited selection from YFM. Look for it to open late summer.

While I was chatting with owner Shaun O'Hearn, He mentioned changes coming to YFM as well, the last renonvations bumped the taps behind the bar to 30 which carried Nine Locks Beers and a variety of Molson products, he says they are going to still have Nine locks showcased but will be adding craft beers from around Nova Scotia, The Maritimes and beyond, hoping to have special beers not available elsewhere in Halifax that you can enjoy in their restaurant. YFM will be reopening in a couple of weeks with the changes coming soon.

Nine Locks Returns a Popular Blonde

Photo by Nine Locks
Brewing 

(Dartmouth, NS) - Nine Locks Brewing returned its popular seasonal Apricot Blonde today for a limited time. The beer is described as light, crisp, effervescent, and quenching with a hint of apricot. The North American-style Weizen brewed with Canadian wheat and barley is available at the brewery as well as The Port by NSLC now. 
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Nine Locks Brewing releases One Foot On The Wagon Session IPA

(Dartmouth, NS) - Nine Locks Brewing released One Foot On The Wagon Session IPA that they say is brewed to go down easy, clocking in at 4.2% ABV and 40 IBU. All the hop flavour and aroma you need, with less alcohol, their session IPA is brewed to go down easy. Generous additions of Amarillo and Ahtanum hops, both in the whirlpool and dry hop, provide floral, grapefruit, and peachy notes without over the top bitterness. Light body and a refreshingly spritzy finish. 
It’s the first beer in their Signature Series where brewer Jake Saunders gets to be a little more creative and create some new styles outside their core brands and seasonals. These will be get-them-while-you-can releases, limited batches and will be available for growler fills and in cans. You can also expect to see very limited quantities at the private stores in Halifax and on tap for limited engagements at select bars & pubs in Dartmouth and Halifax. 

Nine Locks Brewing Releases its Vanilla Porter Seasonal

Photo from Nine Locks Brewing 

(Dartmouth, NS) - Nine Locks Brewing says its Vanilla Porter is back at the brewery and select private stores. Nine Locks describes the beer as 'Delicious, easy drinking, London style porter with a smooth touch of Vanilla. 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".  The 5.0% ABV  and 25 IBU beer is available now. 

Nine Locks Brewing brings back Harvest Pumpkin Ale

(Dartmouth, NS) - Nine Locks Brewing have released their seasonal Harvest Pumpkin Ale. The beer is a dark amber ale with a full body and residual sweetness with the pumpkin and spices combining to give a unique flavour to this offering. A malty backbone provides mouth fullness balancing the crisp spicing on this 5.2% ABV and 12 IBU ale. Available now at the brewery and coming in October to the NSLC. 

Nine Locks Brewing releases Fathom DIPA

(Dartmouth, NS) - Nine Locks Brewing has released Fathom DIPA. Epic orange-gold hazy Double India Pale Ale has intensely hoppy aroma with citrus, melon, and floral components leads to a mouthful of resinous oily orange and stone fruit. Finishes soft and dry and is 8.0% ABV.

Nine Lock Brewing Over Doubles Capacity to Meet Demand

(Dartmouth, NS) - As I mentioned back in May, Nine Locks Brewing has recently over doubled capacity by adding three 60 BBL fermentors to its current two 40 BBL and three 20 BBL tanks. The expansion also included a 60 BBL bright tank and four 10 BBL holding tanks. 
The demand for beer from the brewery that opened almost five months ago required this expansion but also allowed them start brewing seasonals and one offs right away. The first seasonal will be out this Friday, look for Watermelon Blonde (5% ABV and 12 IBUs) a fun, summery ale in cans and growler fills.

Nine Locks Brewing opens for business

 (Dartmouth, NS) - Nova Scotia's newest brewer opened for business this week. Nine Locks Brewing, the name an homage to the Shubenacadie Canal system nearby, opened its new facility at 219 Waverley Road. The 7000 square foot facility currently includes their 20 BBL DME brew system, five fermentors and retail space. 

They have an IPA and ESB currently available for growler fills at the brewery. A Porter and a Dirty Blonde will follow shortly to round out their offerings for the time being. The canning line is due to start later this month, the cans are due to be sold at the brewery, private stores as well as the NSLC. The latest I have is that the NSLC will carry single cans of the IPA and ESB as well as a four packs of the IPA.

The retail store is open Monday to Saturday from 12:00 PM to 9:00 PM and Sunday 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM. 

Dartmouth from craft beer have not to craft beer have lots

Dartmouth seemed to have been left behind as across the harbour Halifax rode a craft beer wave that grew and grew. Let me first go back a dozen and a half years to get a little history.

Back in 1998 when Nova Scotia craft brewing was still quite small Maritime Beer built a very large brewing facility and restaurant on Windmill Road. Unfortunately it declared bankruptcy in 2000 and the assets eventually were purchased by Sleemans later that year. The plant operated for several years until it was shuttered in 2013 and the brewing gear sent to Collective Arts Brewing in Hamilton.

Shortly before the Maritime Beer facility was shut Propeller Brewing opened it new production facility on Windmill Road. This made them the lone craft brewer in Dartmouth until they were joined by Spindrift Brewing in Burnside in September this year with its production facility, retail store and tap room. 

Earlier this month North Brewing moved its 5 BBL system to Battery Park Beer Bar, their collaboration with Brooklyn Warehouse. They also put in fifteen taps at Battery Park of which thirteen pour Nova Scotia craft beer for Dartmouthians as well as an outstanding small plate menu. 

More good beer coming it 2016, Nine Locks Brewing is opening at 219 Waverley Road in Montebello with its 20 BBL facility, 6 flagship beers and a retail store in January. Harold MacKay, who was a major player in Maritime Beer, is bringing  Downeast Beer Factory a production brewery with a taproom back to where he started at 612 Windmill Road. 

So needless to say Dartmouth has quickly become a beer city in the Nova Scotia  craft beer revolution.