(Halifax, NS) - Stillwell Brewing will be launching Stillwell Four at Bar Stillwell's 4th Anniversary Party on Saturday November 18th. This will also be the launch of Stillwell Brewing's farmhouse bottle program. The ale was brewed on May 29th and matured in a single sauvignon blanc barrel with oats, wheat and pils malt and a lower IBU to encourage acidity and to make room for barrel tannins and wine character, Stillwell Four will be available at the bar for on-site consumption, and then at the brewery on Gottigen Street the next day, November 19th, from noon til 4 PM for retail purchase. They don't anticipate this beer seeing any distribution beyond the bar and the brewery. Stillwell Four will come in 500 ml bottles and is 6.2% ABV.
Stillwell turns two today and in their short time in Halifax they have nurtured the craft beer culture and endeared themselves to our city. I had a chance to ask them a few questions late last week on their past successes and plans. MBR: Stillwell arrived at a time when the craft beer wave was building. Would you say that Stillwell not only rode it but also shaped in the Halifax area? Stillwell: It definitely was a bit serendipitous in terms of timing for our opening. We wanted to bring a great beer bar to our home town, but when we were scheming about it in the early days, there were some, but few options for craft beer lovers in the city. We imagined we were going to have to bring in a lot of out of province products to be able to create a balanced and exciting tap list. The growth of the beer industry in Nova Scotia over the last few years has been incredible, and there is so much more room for growth here. We definitely like to think that we're helping propel our industry forward in NS, but there are so many incredible brewers devoted to the craft that we're inspired by their successes as well. It really is a privilege to be a home base and canvas for those products to be highlighted. MBR: You have had so many successes and accolades in the first two years. Being so successful what is your motivations? Stillwell: Our goal was always to be the Nova Scotian beer hub, a place for brewers and beers to shine, and be at the forefront of new products, and experimental brews. We opened this bar to have a room we'd want to spend time in, a place to focus on doing one thing really well and that's the drink in the glass. The motivation for us is simple, because we seek out great beer in our spare time, it's a bit of a thrill to also be able to do that as a curator for our customers. MBR: You have had my great events, which one was your favorite? Stillwell: That's really tough, but if I had to pick one, I would say the Dunham and Jester King collaborative event. It's always really great to bring in new beer that has never been served in Halifax, but it was such an amazing experience to host representatives from both breweries and show them what the scene here is like. People were so in love with the products (myself included!) and to be able to actually pat the brewers on the back and say "thanks!" while enjoying such rare and incredible beer was a bit surreal. It was also one of the toughest to plan and execute so it was such a relief when it all came together! MBR: What does the future hold for the Stillwell gang? Stillwell: That's the biggest debate in our lives right now. We're really thirsty for more projects, but have so many ideas swirling around our minds that it's hard to decide what the right move is. We definitely want to get up to something, we just need to figure out what that is! The most immediate thing on our plates is the future of the Beergarden. If we're able to stay in the same location for next year, we would like to invest in more infrastructure, expanding our offerings, and broadening the customer experience. Waterfront Beergarden 2016 will be a bigger, bolder Beergarden if we get the site! MBR: What is your dream for a beer to have in the bar and for an event? Stillwell: We're really hot for Zwanze Day as a long term goal! I think being part of such a big global celebration would be an absolute riot. In a more local sense, Péché Day is something that's on our radar for early next year - that beer is so well regarded, and for such good reason. Highlighting world-class, Canadian beer is always a pleasure, and I think our customers would absolutely love it! Birthday party at Stillwell starts at 6:00 PM tonight with lots of great beers and foods including their own beer Two. Chris from Stillwell descibes it as a 4.5% "rustic farmhouse" beer inspired both by historical saison and modern American farmhouse brewing. Fermented with a mixed culture featuring several strains of saccromyces, brettanomyces and souring bacteria, the beer is complex yet refreshing. Hopped with saaz and sterling, the nose is peppery and fruity, and the finish of the virtually totally dry beer is crisp. It was a very experimental brew but they're extremely pleased with the results; it turned out just as we'd hoped it would. They're very grateful to Peter at North Brewing for allowing them to brew this beer at his brewery. The beer will be in both keg and bottled conditioned form, and bottles for retail will be on sale at North next week. Thanks Stillwell for a great teo years and cheers to many more.
Hello and welcome to the Maritime Beer Report. Les Brasseurs du Petit-Sault says their "royally good'' amber ale, Louis XVII is bottled and will be available in many NB Liquor stores over the coming days and they say if you don't see it on the shelves, ask for it. Hammond River Brewing and Saint John Ale House'sFirst Annual Home Brew competition was last week end. The winners were: 1st place Mike Hebert/Jason Dobbelsteyn (Rothesay/Quispamsis) 2nd place Marc Melanson (Moncton) 3rd place Liam Walsh (Quispamsis) Congrats to all the winners. Garrison Brewing Company has a couple of great items next week. On Friday there is a vertical tasting of Ol' Fog Burner from 2009 to date excluding last year (wasn't produced). Tickets are $25.00 ans it includes snacks and a special treat from Dee Dee's Ice Cream included. Participates also get first crack at the Cellar Saturday Stock. On Saturday they are opening up their cellar to sell some vintage ales and the new barrel-aged Spruce Beer. North Brewing Company announced a couple of new purchases to expand their production.They include a 1300L brite tank that arrived this week. They also have a 2300L fermenter coming in March. Great news for North fans. They are also hiring a retail management position. Apply with resume and cover letter to info@northbrewing.ca. Ladies Beer Leagueis once again collaborating with Boxing Rock Brewing Company for a beer release in March. This beer will be in support of two local women's charities in honour of International Women's Day (March 8). They'll put the Ladies Beer League touch on the recipe, but they would like you to have a say on what type of beer they brew. Check out their facebook page to do the survey. Stillwell Beer Bar are doing something special for Valentine's Day. They will be hosting Trou du Diable with 12 taps over 3 sessions (12-3pm, 4-7pm and 8pm), It will be by-the-glass pours from their barrel program and representatives from the brewery in attendance. $20 gets you your first pour and an awesome piece of glassware to keep - tickets can be purchased at the bar or reserved via tix@barstillwell.com. Thanks for joining me again this week and as always enjoy responsibly.
Hello and welcome to the November 14th edition of the Maritime Beer Report. PEI Brewing Company released details on their new Double IPA. They're calling it 8 Cord (as in cord wood), and it's an 8.5% ABV at about 80 IBU's. Colour is deep amber and aromas are pine, citrus, and tropical with a mild maltiness. Brewed with Canadian 2 Row, Munich and Honey malts, hopped with Warrior, Amarillo and Columbus in the boil, and dry hopped - twice of course - with Columbus, Amarillo, Cascade and Comet. Availability will be in PEI only at first in 473 ml cans and on draft at select locations. Picaroons Traditional Ales are officially a certified B Corporation. A B-corporation is a type of for-profit entity that wishes to consider society and the environment in addition to profit in their decision-making process. It differs from traditional corporations in its purpose, accountability, and transparency. Well done. Big Spruce Brewing released Statler & Waldorf, an American IPA brewed with only hops grown on their farm. They say coming to a tap near you and available at the brewery and this weekend at the Cape Breton Farmers' Market. It is 6.4% ABV. Hell Bay Brewing Company released 'Chocolat' today. It's a smooth chocolate wheat ale made in a brown porter style, rich chocolate aroma and flavour, with hints of roasted coffee and vanilla, along with a slight rum character, that was used to infuse the cocoa and vanilla beans! It is 6% ABV and will be available at the brewery in growlers and in selected bars and restaurants. Propeller Brewing gave me some hints on their next Lambic release coming around the holidays. They're not certain yet for an exact release date. However, I can tell you it is a Blackberry Version aged in oak barrels from Blomidon Estate Winery. Tatamagouche Brewing Company have a new one off. North Shore Lagered Ale. They say they are hanging onto the last taste of fall with this refreshing, lightly hopped brew. Uncle Leo’s Brewery are releasing a seasonal beer It is a milk stout called Uncle Leo’s Cream Stout. It will be 5% ABV and 23 IBU's. It's should be available tomorrow at the brewery for growler refills for now. They say they will be brewing it until the end of December. A new start-up brewery popped up on the radar this week. Wayfarers' Ale is looking to open in Port Williams summer of 2015. I asked to meet them them when they are ready to write a full report. For now this is their description from their facebook page "A company formed to provide a tax efficient way for persons interested in craft beer to invest in the craft beer industry in Nova Scotia. To that end, the company will invest the proceeds received through a public share offering under the CEDIF program in Wayfarers' Ale Ltd., a developing craft brewery, through the purchase of Wayfarers' Ale Ltd. Class A common shares". They have a couple of websites to check out if you want to learn more.
Sunday is the first anniversary of Bar Stillwell in Halifax. They are bringing back some favorites and debuting Red Rover Scrumpy Cider, Bad AppleBoxcutter IPA, their collaboration with Boxing Rock called Merci Bière and their collaboration with North Brewingcalled Nuppeppo. The Merci Bière is technically a super saison, or a strong farmhouse ale. It uses a portion of beech smoked malt, but the effect is pretty subtle and balanced, as well as dry and slightly tart. Nuppeppo is less subtle, it's a big, spiced black saison. It uses Tokyo Steak Spice, direct from Graeme's recipe book. Both beers are kind of food beers. Merci Biere will be available at the bottle shops the day after the party, and Nuppeppo will be available in growlers from North. In addition there is 4 casks and of course cake. All the fun starts at 4 PM.
Thanks for checking in again this week, until next week enjoy responsibly.
Hello and welcome to the July 4th edition of the Maritime Beer Report. PEI Brewing Companyreleased a beer late last Friday called VIC Park Pale Ale. It is now on tap only at PEIBC. They describe it as follows "effervescence and balanced bitterness make it a great summer beer" and this one comes in at 5.2% ABV. Big Spruce Brewing teased us with a picture of spruce tips a say it is "almost time to brew Tip of the Spear Spruce Tip IPA". This is an extremely delicious beer and if you get the chance to have some don't pass it up. It should be out in 3 or 4 weeks The Summerfest Blonde is being brewed by Garrison Brewing brewmaster Daniel Girard celebrating their sponsorship of the TD Halifax Jazz Festival. The beer was described by Tenille Goodspeed, Marketing Assistant at the Halifax Jazzfest, as "a light, crystal clear, refreshing beer that is just the thing to have at an outdoor festival" She also relayed that the beer recipe breaks down as about 10% wheat, 90% 2nd Row (Maritime) barley and a dash of Columbus hop with a IBU of 8 and a 4% ABV. Granite Brewery says the Honey Ginger Beer is back on for the summer. They say "It is a light pale ale with a hint of honey and ginger. It is available in growlers at the beer store". This beer is 4.8% ABV. North Brewing Companyshared that their beer dinner with the Harbourstone on July 10th was sold out, but have decided to add a few more tickets and expand the event. You can get tickets before they are gone on eventbrite. Propeller Brewing Companyhas a couple of items to relay, first is that as of today, July 4th, they will be raising prices to $10 for 1.89L Growlers and $6.50 for 1L Flip-Tops. They will continue to have Growler Wednesdays. They say the price increase is due to rising costs of raw ingredients such as malt, hops, and even water. I think we can all understand that. They also released news of their newest One Hit Wonder that is a Session IPA and is now available at the Prop Shop. They say "this dry hopped Pale Ale arrives weighing in at a modest 4.5% ABV. and 45 IBU's. However, due to ample late hop additions it packs flavourful hop kick". Tatamagouche Brewing Co.say they now have 650mL of our Hippie Dippie Pale and Butcher Block Red available at the brewery and the Truro Farmers Market on Saturdays. I noticed they are also hiring. If you are interested in joining Nova Scotia's newest brewery drop them a line. Lastly, tomorrow is the Stillwell takeover byBad Apple Brewhouse. when Jeff told me about this a few months ago I thought it was cool but really ambitious. I am glad it is coming to fruition. For more details see my post on my blog listing the 15 beers BAB is bringing. Thanks for joining me this week. Have a great week and I'll be here again next week so until then enjoy responsible.
Hello and welcome to the Maritime Beer Report for June 27th 2014
Big Axe Brewery is happy to announce that they are now licensed to sell by the glass on site. They currently have Chocolate Oatmeal Stout, Chanterelle Cream Ale and IPA back on tap.
Bad Apple Brewhouse announced a Tap takeover at Stillwell on July 5th. From Bad Apple's web page "Six months ago Annapolis Valley homebrewer Jeff Saunders got his brewing licence. From day one, Jeff has been brewing adventurous, bold, flavourful beers specifically for one event on July 5th. Beers aged on cedar, oak barrel-aged beers, a sour (a first at Stillwell), a 100% smoked-malt beer and much more. Twelve taps, 2 casks and 3 sessions - 12-3, 4-7, 8-11. $10 gets you a glass to keep and your first taste. Reserve your spot by contacting Stillwell."
Tatamagouche Brewing Co. announced they had a great opening week starting tomorrow they will be at the Truro Farmers Market on Saturdays with our 650mL bottles.
Stone City Ales is brewing a Imperial IPA collaboration brew with Big Spruce called Watchtower Conspiracy. Not sure if any will be available here.
Rogues Roost has a Hefeweizen, with a 5.4% ABV, on tap at the brewpub. Nice summer ale.
Thanks for joining me this time, hope you enjoy Canada Day and as always enjoy responsibly.
Here are the casks announced for Garrison Brewing's cask takeover event of Stillwell Beer Baron June 21st. Cask 1 Spiceman's Session Saison - Spiced Belgian-style Saison with Spiceman's Casia buds and Wild Voatsiperifery Pepper. Cask 2 - Christmas in June - Pale Spruce Ale with Meander River Farm'sLunch Box Pale Ale and Garrisons Spruce Beer. Cask 3 - Summit Buzz - Vanilla Expresso Brown with Spiceman's Vanilla Bean andJavablend K2 expresso. Cask 4 - Peanut Butter Jelly Time - PB&J Brown Ale with peanut butter and Noggins Farm Raspberries. Cask 5 - Some Like It Hot - Tall Ship Amber Michelada with Chef Graeme's own spicy michelada mix Cask 6 - Blueberry Raj - Spiced American Wheat with Acadian Maple Products Blueberry Juice and The Tea Brewey Masala Chai Cask 7 - Brand New and Already Bitter - XXXtra dry hopped IPA, GarrisonIPA with Citra and Amarillo hops. Cask 8 - Makin' Bacon - Maple Bacon Ale with Sugar Moon Farm'sMaple Syrup and Chef Graeme's own bacon rum. Cask 9 - Imperial Mystery ??? Cask 10 - Lovers Quarrel - Belgian-style Spiced Wit with Wild Camomile and rosehips. Cask 11 - My Thai Wheat - Thai/American Wheat with Pineapple , Mint and Kafir Lime Leaves from Pete's Frootique Cask 12 - La Moreno Loco - Chocolate Chili Brown with Alex's Chili Peppers and Rawthentic Cayenne Dark Chocolate & Cacao Nibs The first sip session is sold out and the session at 2 PM is first come first serve. Drop me a tweet and let me know what you think or if you see me there say hi and tell me.
Hello and welcome to the Maritime Beer Report for June the 13th, 2014. The Gahan House started pouring the newCranberry Wit this week. It was the winner of the first annual homebrewer's challenge and was created by Ryan Palmer and Lee Nicholson. Big Tide Brewing Co. wanted to celebrate the fact that they will soon be open for brunch, and the restoration of a nearby urban gem, and the beginning of camping season, Tin Can Coffee Porter will be on tap soon and it is brewed with local Java Moose coffee. They used the base recipe from their chocolate porter which is 2 row, chocolate, carafa and caramunich malts, and lightly hopped with nugget and Willamette hops. In the mash they used Java Moose dark roasted coffee and also added fresh brewed coffee at flame out. They were a little worried about bitterness so they added some vanilla to smooth it out but just a hint. It will be served unfiltered and will be about 5% ABV and about 45 IBU's. They also recently released a blueberry ale that is a seasonal favorite at Big Tide. It's a cream ale base with blueberry juice added. Brewed with 2 row and Munich malts. Lightly hopped with saaz hops and is about 5% ABV. There will be two new summer seasonal beers released soon at Hammond River Brewing. The first one is a Hawaiian Pale Ale and expect this one to be available within the next week at the normal local establishments. The Hawaiian Pale Ale is brewed with fresh pineapples and is a slightly hoppy pale ale. It's 56 IBUs and 5.8% ABV. The second one is a Blueberry Ale made with only real blueberries and no extract and should also be available within the next week. It's a mild 14 IBUs and 5.1% ABV. Since he uses real blueberries, it's slightly purplish in colour. Bad Apple Brewhouse shared news on their new beer the Mosiac DIPA and the story behind it. From Bad Apple "The name of this beer represents my sons affliction of Mosaic Down Syndrome, and also at the same time is a display of the not so common Mosaic Hops. The hops give the beer a unique and complex blend of floral, tropical, fruity notes. Making it an easy drinking DIPA at 8% ABV. By doing our part to help the groups who make life better for others we are donating all of the proceeds from this beer to the Down Syndrome Society of NS and also Camp Brigadoon." The beer is available now in multiple formats at the Brewhouse, and further abroad later. They issued a special thanks to the local support, as they gave the first bottle to representatives from Brigadoon Village and NS Down Syndrome Society. Garrison Brewing Co.released its popular Sugar Moon Maple and they say it is now available in their retail store and coming very soon the the NSLC, ANBL and four Halifax private stores! This strong ale comes in at 6.3% ABV Propeller Brewing Companysays you can now find six packs of their award winning Bohemian Style Pilsner at select NSLC stores. There are many events coming up over the next few months starting with a couple next week end. The Ladies Beer League is celebrating their 1st Beerthday party on Friday June 20th. There are asking everyone to join them The Wooden Monkey in Dartmouth at 7:30. They are bringing some cask-conditioned ale from their friends. Big Spruce is sending Double Dry Hopped All night Kitchen Party, North Brewing is bringing a Farmhouse Ale and Garrison Brewing has a Sticky Toffee Pudding Birthday Cake. It is pay as you go and they will have brand new LBL swag and merchandise for sale. Stillwell Beer Barreleased a few of the casks coming do the Garrison cask takeover event on June 21st. Cask 1 Spiceman's Session Saison - Spiced Belgian-style Saison with Spiceman's Casia buds and Wild Voatsiperifery Pepper. Cask 2 - Christmas in June - Pale Spruce Ale with Meander River Farm's Lunch Box Pale Ale and Garrisons Spruce Beer. Cask 3 - Summit Buzz - Vanilla Expresso Brown with Spiceman's Vanilla Bean and Javablend K2 expresso. Picaroons' Brewers Bashannounced the list of who is attending the July 12th event in Fredericton NB. In all there are 62 brewers attending from all ten provinces and one territory. For the full list check their facebook page or my blog. Harbourstone Sea Grill & Pour Houseis having another beer pairing dinner, this time with North Brewing Company. Six beers from North Brewing Co. will be paired with delicious and savoury creations from Chef Ted Young. Some teaser samples: Belgian Blonde paired with orange scented lobster dip with sweet potato chips as well as the Strong Dark Belgian with chocolate covered cherries with Mexican pot au creme. Tickets are on sale now through eventbrite. Tickets for Halifax Seaport Beerfest are now on sale. Tickets allows you to sample from 275 unique beers and ciders plus listen to great live music in a fun atmosphere. Delicious local food also available for $5.00 or under. New this year, both Saturday sessions will have a VIP option. VIPs will have one hour early access to the site, limited edition sampling glass, panel discussion and guided tasting with our guest speakers. Also new this year is a cask beer pavilion. Tickets are $45.00 to any of the three sessions or $50.00 at the gate. The VIP tickets will cost $65.00.
Thanks for joining me again this week and until next time enjoy responsibly.
Halifax Seaport BeerFest: Atlantic Canada’slargest beer festival is back for its 8th year in Halifax, August 8 & 9
Tickets on sale this Friday at 10am!
(Halifax, NS) - Halifax Seaport BeerFest: Atlantic Canada’s largest beer festival returns for its 8th annual “Beer on the Pier”. The event will take place at the Cunard Centre on Halifax’s Waterfront, Friday, August 8 and Saturday, August 9.
This year the festival will showcase exclusively craft beers, premium imports and ciders. Over 275 unique brands from 110 participating breweries, representing the best from local producers, national and 15 other countries.
Attendees have three sessions to choose from. The first session is Friday evening from 7 p.m. - 9:30 p.m., the second is Saturday afternoon from 2 p.m. - 4:30 p.m., and the final isSaturday evening from 7 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. New this year, both Saturday sessions will offer a special VIP option. A limited number of festival-goers will enjoy a panel discussion and exclusive beer tasting with special guests and visiting brewers’ plus early access to the festival floor.
Local Maritime beer features prominently in this festival and this year will be no different. "Last year saw an explosion of new Nova Scotia craft brewers and all came out to sample and talk with attendees,” said Brian Titus, festival co-founder. "With upwards of 10 breweries slated to open in 2014 there should be plenty of new local beers."
New to the festival this year is the Cask Beer Pavilion. Seaport BeerFest is pleased to partner with Bar Stillwell and Ladies Beer League to profile the amazing world of Real Ale/Cask Beer. Local brewers will create unique and tasty cask-conditioned beers to be tapped on site.
Once again, the Halifax Seaport BeerFest will profile a number of great beer regions and nations. The popular Irish Craft Beer Village will profile beers and ciders from some of Ireland’s best independent producers shipped direct from Dublin. Other great pavilions will include, Maine, Ontario and Quebec. There will also be an amazing selection of premium imports from Belgium, Germany, England and the Czech Republic.
This year, the event is proudly hosting two special beer guests. The first guest is Nick Pashley, author of Notes on a Beermat: Drinking and Why It’s Necessary and Cheers: An Intemperate History of Beer in Canada. Born 13.6 miles from the Harveys Brewery in East Sussex, Pashley is a longtime member of the Campaign for Real Ale (UK). He is also a founding board member of Toronto Beer Week and CASK! Toronto, an organization bent on promoting cask-conditioned ale.
Well-known for his erudition and sardonic wit, Pashley has written comic material for Dave Broadfoot and three governor-generals. He has also written a humour column for the University of Toronto Bulletin for fifteen years. A long-time resident of Toronto and a connoisseur of pubs and publishing, he now devotes his time to hosting literary events and writing his next book.
The second special guest is Stephen Clinch, co-founder and co-owner of Trouble Brewing and part of the second wave of Irish craft breweries pushing the boundaries of beer in Ireland over the last five years. Started in 2010, Trouble Brewing produces diverse and interesting beer styles, many of which have not previously been produced in Ireland. Trouble Brewing moved locations in 2013, expanding its brewery and continuing to produce outstanding beer from only natural ingredients. His love for beer is matched only by his love for sport. If he is not in the pub, sampling the latest brew, he is in a park somewhere playing soccer.
The Halifax Seaport BeerFest is also pleased to present local live entertainment during each session. DJ Stilldrunk returns to spin tracks on Friday evening, Saturdayafternoon features acoustic duo, Tyler Key & Trevor Conrad and Saturday evening will feature one of the hottest DJ’s on the East Coast, DJ Savory.
Local food vendors will be on hand offering mouth-watering and beer-friendly cuisine, including the Waterfront Warehouse Restaurant & Oyster Bar, Stubborn Goat Gastropub and Bramoso Gourmet Pizzeria. All food items are priced at $5 or less with gluten-free options available.
Tickets for the Halifax Seaport BeerFest go on sale this Friday, June 13 at 10 a.m. Tickets may be purchased at select NSLC locations throughout Nova Scotia. They may also be purchased through the Ticket Atlantic box office, by phone at 451-1221 (1-877-451-1221) and online at ticketatlantic.com/. All sessions are $45 per person in advance ($50 at the festival box office). VIP tickets (Saturday only) are $65 per person. Prices do not include tax and applicable surcharges.
New this year, a Festival Box Office at Cunard Centre will be open from noon until 10 p.m.on Friday and Saturday for cash sales only. Tickets at the onsite box office are limited as sessions do sell out.
The Halifax Seaport BeerFest welcomes back Prostate Cancer Canada Atlantic as the official festival charity, with a portion of net event proceeds helping to provide men and their families with support and information about prostate cancer. For more information, visit: prostatecancer.ca/
Hello and welcome to the Maritime Beer Report for May 23, 2014. PEI Brewing Company has been talking alot about their custom cask program this spring and had an interesting article on their website. From PEI Brewing "We barreled a bit of our wort today. 225 liters of Honey Wheat wort (unfermented beer) went into a former red wine barrel with Belgian Saison yeast. In about 30 days we’ll taste the fruits of our labours and see what we have. We’re expecting to have a dry, light-golden beer with lots of esters and spicy, fruity notes. Undertones of toasted oak and vinousness will add complexity and interest. Most of this beer will be used for our cask program. It might be dry hopped, aged on fruit, or spiced in a naturally carbonated cask – whatever tickles our fancy! Look for it at special PEIBC events or at our cask-friendly licencees like Stillwell in Halifax." Big Axe Brewery are on tap at Ducky's in Sackville NB with their Chanterelle Cream Ale. Ducky's tap selection of craft is outstanding, their tweets make me thirsty. Great news for Celtic Knot Brewing in addition to adding a couple of taps at Ducky's they declared demand requires them to order 3 new fermeters. Celtic Knot is also looking for a used large or medium freezer for the brewery. Pm them if you have one. Picaroons' Brewers Bash tickets are on sale now. Some details are out including that the ticket includes entry from 11AM-11PM, a custom 5oz tasting cup, and 8 beer tickets with additional tickets costing 1.00 each. There will be lots of food, lots of music and of course there will be lots of beer. More details soon and I will pass them along. Picaroons also relays that the EASTBOUND & DOWN IPA, their online collab-brew with Great Lakes Brewery, will be ready and on tap in Downtown Fredericton next week. Bad Apple Brewhouse now has on tap tomorrow their newest one-off limited edition Double IPA called The Impresser DIPA. It is hammered with hops and weighs in at 300 IBUs and 10.2% ABV. It is fermented on Conan Yeast and that makes this beer unique and definitely a one of a kind. Very limited quantities until it runs out. Coming up near Fathers Day they will have a Mosaic DIPA available. They still have barrel aged Russian Imperial Stout on tap which I had the privilege to help brew. Garrison Brewing released two beers yesterday. The Nit Wit new IPA in 6-packs. The new IPA has Citra, Columbus and Amarillo featured in this brew and comes in at 6.5% ABV and 50 IBUs. More on Garrison in a moment. At Rogues Roost the Dunkel WeizenBock is on tap. It is described as dark traditional German Wheat style that is rich and bready, with a soft banana and clove finish. 7.5% ABV. Sea Level Brewing released Apple Blossom Ale yesterday. They tell me it is made with pilsner malt, ale yeast, a New Zealand hop called "Nelson Sauvin" and infused with valley apples and blossoms. Look for it at the brewery and it comes in at 4.8% ABV. The Stillwell Beer Bar is hosting a Garrison Brewing Cask Takeover on June 21st. There will be 12 casks on the bar in 3s showcasing some exciting and creative one-offs. There will be a a "First sip session from 12 until 2:00 PM with tickets on sale now and a general session starting at 2:00 PM with tickets sold at the door.
One of Canada's most respected breweries, Le Trou du diable, will be taking over the Tide and Boar Gastropub on May 29th. Isaac Tremblay from Le Trou du diable will be on hand to help out with this great event. They will be featuring on tap Their McTavish Ale and an assortment of their bottled beer and of course a few surprises. I went to the Grand Opening of Meander River Farm and Brewery last Saturday. I was there between 10 and 10:30 and the crowds were steady. I wanted to talk to the Baileys but alas it was not to be. I settled to show myself around and drink a glass of the Lunch Box Pale Ale and pick up a growler. The ale is hoppy to be sure, watch for a review soon. I hear they ran out of beer and are dry for another week. When the juice is flowing again I will let you know. Thanks for joining me again this week and until next time enjoy responsibly.
Hello and welcome to the Maritime Beer Report for April 25, 2014. Hot on the heels of their Chanterelle Cream Ale and Double Bit IPA Big Axe Brewerystarted brewing a new seasonal, Maple Wheat Amber Ale with pure sap right from their property. Good news from Picaroonsthis week beside the release of their Dooryard organic wheat ale, the 2014 Brewers Bash is a go. Mark July 12th on your calendars and stay tuned for details. Bad Apple Brewhousenow have Smokehouse Lager on tap in the Brewhouse. From Bad Apple "A Rauchbier made with 100% Beechwood smoked 2-Row Barley. An enjoyable smokey,spicy copperish 6.7% ABV Growlers and Squealers only" Also the first batch of Barrel Aged Russian Imperial Stout will go on Tap next Friday May 2nd. It will be available in Squealers only ($10 fill) with 500mL Bottles ($8 ea) to follow very shortly after. There will be some Dry Hopped APA coming on board soon, along with a massive DIPA". Propeller Brewing released their latest beer yesterday, a Black IPA. I didn't get a lot of details but it has a 6.7% ABV and 83 IBUs. It is available at both Prop shops. Rock Bottom Brewpub's next Brewers dinner is April 29th. The menu is as follows Sauteed Sweet Potato Gnocchi and Roast Mushrooms & Brown Butter with 12oz Bigwater Brown Stout Braised Lamb Shank and Deadwood Wheat Polenta , Seasonal Vegetable and 12oz Jacktar Stout Unbaked Peanut Butter Cheesecake with Chocolate Sauce with 12oz Fathom IPA Three course menu with beer $35 + Tax & Gratuity. Sea Level brewing has released its next seasonal called The Southern Cross IPA. This I.P.A. is inspired by a funky New Zealand Hop and Crosby, Stills & Nash song called ‘Southern Cross'. It is layered with a resiny spiciness that gives way to a fresh squeezed citrus aroma with subtle pine notes. This beer will be available on the brewery’s shelves by next week and comes in at 6.5% ABV and 78.8 IBUs. Stillwell Beer Bar's 2nd release of Bellwoods Brewery is happening this Sunday. They say that Brettal Head All Brett Pale Ale, Lost River Baltic Porter and Hellwoods Russian Imperial Stout will be pouring from noon. Thanks for joining me again this week, until next time enjoy responsibly.
Hello and welcome to the April 18th, Good Friday, edition of the Maritime Beer Report.
The Gahan House crowned the winners of the first annual Home Brew Challenge. Congrats to Ryan Palmer and Lee Nicholson. They won with their Cranberry White Ale. This brew will be on tap at Gahan House in a couple of weeks.
Big Spruce Brewing grew a little this week. They added 2 x 10bbl unitank fermenters and hoped to passivate them on Thursday and then brew. There is still 1 more fermenter and 2 conditioning tanks to come. Jeremy is also brewing a 2nd batch of You Spin Me White Round Wheat IPA because as he puts it "you loved it!"
Boxing Rock Brewing Company and The Ladies Beer League released Alewife's Revenge last evening at The Stillwell Beer Bar. At 4% ABV it will a great session beer. It will be available in 1 l growlers at the Halifax Seaport Market on Saturday, and in 650 mL bottles at Bishop's Cellar, Premier Wine & Spirits, Harvest Wines and Cristall Wine Merchants. I had a glass last night and I quite like it.
Rock Bottom Brewpub have their latest beer on tap. Dubbed the mighty Thulsa Doom, it was spawned from the dregs of a tiny little can of Heady Topper. From Rockbottom "The yeast strain (VPB1188 known simply as 'Conan') is highly sought after and regarded for it's intensely fruity, apricot-like ester production and powerful fermentations. So we thought we'd have a time brewing up a DIPA with it. Local Brewnoser Rob Shortt harvested yeast from a can of the deliciously hoppy Vermont-born brew, cultured up a starter and ran it across the harbour to us. We continued nurturing and feeding the beast, growing it into a concentrated 50 L starter for the main batch of hoppy (Columbus, Simcoe, Centennial, Chinook) goodness." They also add that it was created with a nod to John Kimmich and team at Alchemist, brewers of Heady Topper. By the way it is 7.8% ABV and 100+ IBUs (calculated)
Rogues Roost said last Saturday that their Oatmeal Stout on! First time in 6 years so get it while it lasts.
I stopped it to Lion & Bright yesterday to talk to the owner Sean about this Tuesday's Tap Takeover by Big Spruce. The event starts at 6:00 PM and goes to close with a DJ until 9:00 and Modern Grass on after that. Entrance is free and $1.00 will be donated for each pint you buy for the Ecology Action Centres Greenbelt initiative and musicians will pass the hat. There is also going to me special menu items that night with recommended pairings. What beers are coming? Kitchen Party, Cereal Killer, Bitter Get'er and Ready Yer Knot of course with You Spin Me White Round and the last keg on earth of The Whole 9 Yards Scotch Ale. You want more? Ok, a cask of Glenmorangie infused Cereal Killer to boot. For more details I will have a blog post tomorrow.
For all the people affected by flooding in New Brunswick, my thoughts are with you. Until next week take care and enjoy responsibly.
Stillwell hosted their second tap takeover on Saturday, this time it was Picaroons ruling the 12 taps and 3 casks to boot. The sold out event crowd was loud but well behaved at the Barrington Street watering hole. Picaroons brought many of their staples as well as a couple of seasonals including their newly released Maple Cream Ale. On cask was Timber Hog, Yippee IPA and Afterglow Aphrodisiac. I got to sample The Maple Cream Ale, is is a very sweet maple ale and the Ember Ale Smoked Porter with a lovely smoked goodness. On cask I had the Timber Hog stout and Yippee IPA, both were a slightly different experience from the regular bottled versions I have had and were good. What makes the tap takeovers great for me is not only the beers but talking to the brewers. I had a great chat with Picaroons Head Brewmaster Andrew Estabrooks who is an awesome guy. Well done Stillwell, keep up the great work.
Hello and welcome to the March 7th edition of the Maritime Beer Report. PEI Brewing released they are bringing a barrel aged honey wheat to Fredericton Craft Beer Festival as a treat. Celtic Knot Brewing reminds us that The Laundromat in Moncton always has Celtic Knot beer on tap and they will be releasing a limited edition Oak Bourbon version of the Dark Passage very soon. Hammond River Brewing had two new fermenters arrive which will double their capacity. Hopefully this will help them keep up with demand. Picaroons Traditional Ales are bringing Yippee IPA, and Plaid to the Bone on tap to the Fredericton Craft Beer Fest and three casks. Those casks being: Parcel Of Rogues, Maple Cream Ale, and Ember Ale Smoked Porter! Also O.B. WON is now on tap at the brewtique. This was Joe Goodine's winning beer from last falls NB Home Brew Challenge, Go get this winning brew while you can. Shiretown Beer says that their Honey Wheat now available at the brewery! Made with Charlo Honey House Buckwheat Honey!! This one comes in at 5% ABV. Hell Bay Brewing Company Dunkelweizen will be released this week and will be available at the brewery in growlers, and the Argyle in Halifax will have it on tap. Dunkelweizen, the darker, smoother cousin of the Hefeweizen .This beer is a well carbonated wheat beer with a light – medium body. Lightly hopped, with hints of banana and clove, and complex malty flavours ranging from chocolate to caramel. This beer is unfiltered and slightly hazy as traditional wheat beers are meant to be, and desirable for the style. It has a IBU of 16 and ABV is 6%. Sea Level Brewing has finally released their El Rojo Diablo Double IPA. It is a bold hoppy brew layered with intense herbal aromas. Its bitterness is balanced with a tropical fruit maltiness. It comes in with an ABV 7.666% and an IBU of 88. It is at the Port Pub, in Halifax on tap Stillwell Beer Bar and on the shelf at the brewery in 1 litre growlers. One last note, The Townhouse Brewpub & Eatery in Antigonish is open again from their winter break. That is all for this week, I will be at Fredericton Beer Fest if you happen to see me say hi. Until next week enjoy responsibly.
Hello and welcome to the February 28th edition of the Maritime Beer Report Gahan House Brewery announced a slight change in its First Annual Home Brewer’s Challenge. "After talking with some of the home brewer’s we have decided to change the dates for the contest. This will allow everyone the proper amount of time to brew their beer to perfection. We are asking everyone to have their finished product handed into Gahan by 5:00 pm on Friday April 4th. From there we will narrow down the contest to the top 5 and the final judging will be done on Saturday Afternoon at 2:00pm on April 12th." Good luck everyone Les Brasseurs du Petit-Sault said on Wednesday that the countdown was beginning saying around 95 days until they open. Going to be an exciting time in Edmundston this summer. Bad Apple Brewhouse has been busy in more ways than one. First their Barrel Aged Black & Tackle will be ready soon and Double IPA coming on tap as well. I would also like to congratulate Jeff and The Brewers Wife on the news they are expecting another baby to help in the brewery. Big Spruce Brewing was busy brewing a Wheat IPA today with Aaron Spinney from Sawdust City Brewing. They are calling it "You Spin Me White Round Wheat IPA". I will keep you updated on availability.They also announced their second expansion and have procured 3 10 bbl fermenters and 2 serving tanks so that they can continue to grow and meet demand. Garrison Brewing started with 76 entries in their Home Brew Off and narrowed it down to 13 semi-finalists and then further narrowed down to just 4 stayed tuned for the here the winner announced on March 13th. Meander River Farm looks like they got some nice shiney tanks and fermenters in this week. Their project is really coming together nice this winter. Rogue's Roost have put their new porter on tap and tell us it is "Nice and dark and tasty" Ladies Beer League first event of 2014 is on March 25th they'll be screening "The Beer Hunter" at Lion & Bright Café Wine Bar, and will be featuring cask-conditioned ale from Uncle Leo's Brewery. Tickets cost $15 and include a pint of the ale and popcorn. Go to their brand spanking new website to get the details and buy tickets. I also see that their collaboration with Boxing Rock Brewingwill be released on Thursday April 17th from 7:00 pm - 12:00 am at Stillwell Beer Bar 1672 Barrington Street in Halifax. I am not sure what it is but I think it uses a lot of apples. Speaking of Stillwell Beer Bar they released the tap list for the Picaroons Tap Takeover on March 15th. The offerings are: Winter warmer Maple cream ale Ember ale smoked porter Timber hog stout 104th regiment brown ale Best bitter Simeon jones river valley amber ale Feels good imperial pilsner Plaid to the bone heather ale Blonde Yippee ipa Irish red
CASKS: Ember Ale smoked porter Afterglow Aphrodisiac Ale Parcel of Rogues session ale As of Friday there are 5 tickets left so hurry if you want one. Not to be missed. Fredericton Craft Beer Fest is about a week away and excitement is building. Here is the beer list of maritime breweries as of February 22nd and is subject to change (there are many other beers besides this list) North Brewing Belgian IPA Saison Strong Dark Belgian Big Spruce Brewing Bitter Get'er India Black IPA Cereal Killer Oatmeal Stout Uncle Leo's Brewing IPA Red Smoked Boxing Rock Brewing The Vicar's cross Double IPA Hunky Dory Pale Ale Temptation Red Ale Garrison Brewing Company Nut Brown Irish Red Ale Raspberry Wheat Hopyard Pale Ale Imperial Pale Ale Martello Stout Bad Apple Brewhouse Black & Tackle RIS American Pale Ale Shiretown Blonde du Quai Siren's t'ale Brown Ale Grimross Brewing Ben's Pale Ale Rye IPA Picaroons Maple Cream A Parcel of Rogues Ember Ale Afterglow Aphrodisiac Ale Mans Best Friend Dark and Stromy Night Best Bitter Pump House Brewery Fire Chief Red Ale Scotch Ale Special Old Bitter Ale (SOB) Cadian Cream Ale Premium Lager Blue Berry Ale Big Tide Brewing Simms Pale Ale Whistlepig Stout Red Rover Brewing Spring Cider Summer Cider Fall Cider Barnone Brewing IPA Pale Ale Sessions PEI Brewing Company Sir John A Honey Wheat Island Red Iron Bridge 1772 IPA Beach Chair Lager Blueberry Ale Sydney Street Stout Cask Ale Congrats to Adam Jones of Fredericton on winning the 2 VIP tickets to the FCBF 14 That is all for this week, take care and enjoy responsibly.
