In New Brunswick, CBC News reports that Happy Hopyard hops farm near Anagance has had requests for their first crop of organic hops from a number of breweries in the region, including Picaroon’s, Propeller and Garrison. They don’t expect they’ll be able to meet the full demand this year, but hope to increase their yield next year.

In Nova Scotia, the Halifax Chronicle-Herald reports that Garrison has brewed their first wet hop ale using hops from Happy Hopyard as well as two Nova Scotia farms – the Ross Farm Museum in New Ross, and Meander River Farm in Hants County. The beer should be ready for release in late September.

In Ontario, Heritage Hill Organics in Dalston has harvested what is believed to be the first commercial batch of hops in Ontario in almost 85 years.  The hops were picked last weekend with the help of staff from Duggan’s Brewery in Toronto, which will be one of the first breweries to craft a beer using the historic harvest.

If you know of any other hops being harvested or fresh/wet hop beers being made elsewhere in Canada, please feel free to mention it in the comments section below.

Photo from Chronicle-Herald website

It’s speculated that a small crack in the tank combined with a build up of carbon dioxide may have caused the accident, which saw over 32 thousand litres of beer lost. The force of the explosion blew through an aluminum loading door, and much of the beer escaped into the adjoining parking lot and road where a rainstorm washed most of it into the sewers.

Aside from one minor hand injury, no one was seriously injured in the incident, which also shattered several hundred bottles inside the plant.

While the articles don’t mention the brand of beer being brewed at the time, it’s noted as being “cream beer”, so it was likely a batch of Sleeman Cream Ale which is brewed at the Okanagan Spring facility for distribution in western Canada.

There’s been a flurry in the last couple of days in particular due to several parties – including Minhas Creek Brewing Company – approaching the city to express interest in taking over the facility, although Labatt is standing by their plan to remove all of the brewing equipment, rendering the plant useless to any competing brewing company.

Here are links to a few stories and articles that cover various aspects of the situation:

Calgary firm wants to buy Lakeport brewery (The Hamilton Spectator – April 12th)
Buyers lining up for Lakeport brewery (The Hamilton Spectator – April 13th)
Calgary siblings bid for Lakeport site (The Globe & Mail – April 13th)
Boxer beer in Hamilton? (The Toronto Sun – April 13th)
Labatt Lakeport move not competition violation: experts (The Hamilton Spectator – April 14th)
Suds battle starts to bubble (The Hamilton Spectator – April 14th)
The Labatt blues (The Hamilton Spectator – April 14th)

• Melissa Buote on beer and food pairings and the best pubs in Halifax.
• A profile of Hart & Thistle brewmaster Greg Nash (pictured) by Christine Beevis.
• Craig Pinhey’s investigation of the long lost recipes of Keith’s Brewery.
• A guide to St. Patrick’s Day festivities by Holly Gordon.

The Coast is distributed for free at many locations in and around Halifax.

As of February 1st, the film is available to subscribers of Rogers Cable, Cogeco, Videotron, Sasktel and Shaw.

TORONTO, ON

The first instalment was posted earlier this week, and features Szabo and Beaumont discussing several flavoured beers, including a tasting of Dieu Du Ciel!‘s Route des Epices.

According to Beaumont, four instalments have been filmed so far, with two on beer and two on wine, and future editions will be dependent on response to the first series.