August 17th, 2010
REGINA, SK – Each spring, the Ale and Lager Enthusiasts of Saskatchewan (ALES) homebrewers club presents the Canadian qualifier for the National Homebrewers Competition at the Bushwakker Brewpub in Regina.
One of the perks of taking the “Best of Show” award at the competition is the chance to have your beer brewed for commercial release at Bushwakker, and this past week, the 2010 winner was tapped for the first time.
The winning beer is a Vanilla Porter created by Josh Hudson, a member of ALES. It will remain on tap at Bushwakker while quantities last.
Categories:Beer Awards· Beer Releases· Brewpub News· Saskatchewan
August 6th, 2010
VICTORIA, BC & KAMLOOPS, BC – A pair of new brewpubs are set to open soon in British Columbia.
In Victoria, The Moon Under Water Pub Brewery is aiming to be open by late September or early October. In a recent profile in Monday Magazine, owners Bonnie and Don Bradley reveal that the establishment – which is named after the famous essay by George Orwell which describes his dream pub – will be true English-style pub, featuring bar service only, and food that is “locally sourced, impeccably fresh and of high quality.”
The beer at the Moon Under Water will be brewed by Don and nephew Ron Bradley, with a permanent line-up of three English-style ales, all at a “session ale” strength 4.5% or less and with strong hop profiles in keeping with the style popular in the Pacific Northwest. The bar will also feature a number of other locally brewed beers, as well as local wines and a good selection of whisky.
Also opening soon will be The Noble Pig Brewhouse, located in the Thompson Hotel & Conference Centre in downtown Kamloops. According to its Facebook page, it will be “an unpretentious neighborhood spot (with) a welcoming, comfortable atmosphere”, and a menu that “combines house made craft brewed beer and a unique beer fusion cuisine”, as created by brewer David Beardsell and chef Darcy Bolger respectively.
Categories:Brewpub News· British Columbia
August 5th, 2010
VICTORIA, BC – Last week saw the launch of two new beers at Spinnakers Brewpub, Canada’s oldest brewpub which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year.
The first is Our Emily Summer Ale, brewed in honour of celebrated artist and writer Emily Carr. Spinnakers owner Paul Hadfield described the beer to the Victoria Times-Colonist:
“It’s very light, very pale and very typical of the German-style beer that would have been around Victoria during Emily’s time,” said Hadfield. “With just 3.9 per cent alcohol — about half [the strength] of what we’re used to making — it’s a summer ale that’s meant to be quaffed.”
Our Emily Summer Ale is available in 650 ml bottles at BC private liquor stores, and on tap at the Brewpub.
Also unveiled last week was Lion’s Head Cascadia Dark Ale, a beer made by Spinnakers especially for the Lion’s Head Pub in Robson, BC.
And plans are set for the Spinnakers Fall Firkin Festival, taking place on Sunday November 21st form 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM, and featuring at least 20 casks from around BC and elsewhere.
Categories:Beer Events· Beer Releases· Brewpub News· British Columbia
July 27th, 2010
DUNCAN, BC – The Cowichan Valley Citizen reports that the Craig Street Brew Pub in Duncan, BC has been given approval to expand operations into a nearby building and develop it into a bottling microbrewery, bakery and catering operation.
Owner Lance Steward tells the paper that he “hopes to break ground on the operation by fall, and be selling beer in about four months.”
Steward initially plans to bottle and sell the four regular beers from the brewpub line-up – Arbutus Pale Ale, Cowichan Bay Lager, Mt. Prevost Porter and Shawnigan Irish Ale – and may add others to the line-up later.
In terms of jobs, the report notes that “Steward expects to put three new employees in the brewery, another in the bakery, and as many as six or seven new employees in the catering business, depending on how rapidly it grows.”
Categories:Brewery News· Brewpub News· British Columbia
July 21st, 2010
SASKATOON, SK - Brewers Chloe Smith and Cédric Dauchot have recently incorporated Shiny Penny Brewery, with plans to open a brewpub in Saskatoon. It will be some time before the opening happens, though, so in the meantime, they’ve teamed up with Paddock Wood Brewing to release their first beer, Saskatchewan Wheat Ale:
This Belgian style witbeer (think Hoegaarden) is spiced with orange peel and coriander. Hazy by design, make sure to swirl the yeast in the bottom of the bottle for full effect before pouring into a glass to enjoy.
In addition to this “private label” release, Paddock Wood has two other seasonal beers available now:
Bramling Cross is a British style ordinary bitter with 4.5% ABV. It features a nice malt base of Maris Otter with layers of Bramling Cross hops. This UK hop has prairie roots as it is the result of the male hop Kent Goldings being crossed with a wild Manitoba female.
Named after the theatre located in London which featured the Bard’s plays, Blackfriars Ale is our take on what a brewer might have done in London in the 17th Century. It has several layers of variously toasted malts, British hops to balance, and 7.5% ABV.
All three beers are available now at the brewery retail outlet, and Blackfriars is also available at the Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan Festival.
Categories:Beer Releases· Brewpub News· Saskatchewan· Seasonal Beers
June 25th, 2010
BANFF, AB – As first mentioned back in April, the owner of Jasper Brewing, Brett Ireland, has expanded into a second brewpub.
Banff Avenue Brewing opened on June 11th, with a line-up of beers that includes the Kölsch-style Banff Ave Blonde Ale, Czuggers Pilsner, and their flagship Head Smashed IPA, along with several other selections.
The pub also features an extensive food menu including salads, burgers and other entrees, and a number of gluten-free options for celiacs.
Categories:Alberta· Brewpub News
May 25th, 2010
VANCOUVER, BC – Monday, May 24th was the final day of service at Dix BBQ & Brewery, a decade-old landmark in Vancouver’s beer scene.
Combining house brewed beer with authentic hardwood-smoked barbecue, Dix was described in the latest CAMRA Vancouver newsletter as “a mainstay of our local craft beer community.” It was also one of the first venues in Vancouver to support cask ale, with a weekly cask night each Thursday and a semi-annual Cask Festival each summer and winter.
To commemorate the closure of Dix, a cask of brewmaster Derrick Franche’s IPA will be tapped this coming Sunday at The Whip Restaurant & Gallery for their weekly Real Ale Sunday event.
Categories:Brewpub News· British Columbia
May 14th, 2010
HALIFAX, NS – Today sees the launch of the latest hop-heavy creation of brewmaster Greg Nash at the Hart & Thistle Brewpub in Halifax.
Dubbed Hop Ness Monster, the beer is described by Nash as follows:
At 11% ABV with calculated theoretical IBUs of 533 the Monster is NOT to be messed with. Pummeled with 11 lbs/bbl of hops there’s little doubt ‘Messie’ is the hoppiest beer to ever have been brewed in this country. Brewed with hop pellets as well as whole hops throughout each stage of the brewing process the beer is a testament to just how wonderful these glorious flowers can be – it’s been mash-hopped, 1st wort-hopped, hop-bursted and dry-hopped (again and again) with more hops stuffed in there wherever I could fit them. Hell I ate a hop cone when I brewed it just for shits and giggles.
Hop Ness Monster will be tapped today at 5:00 PM.
Categories:Beer Releases· Brewpub News· Nova Scotia
April 19th, 2010
HALIFAX, NS – The Hart & Thistle Brewpub will be tapping the latest edition in brewmaster Greg Nash’s SMaSH (Single Malt and Single Hop) beer series inTuesday, April 20th at 5:00 PM.
Double Citra SMaSH is a 7.5% double IPA brewed with all Citra hops and Canadian Pale Ale malt. According to Nash, it’s “mash-hopped, 1st-wort-hopped and dry-hopped with massive amounts of the new Citra cultivar”, resulting in a calculated bitterness of 131 IBU.
Following in mid-May will be Hop Mess Monster, described as “a Triple IPA, the likes of which this country has never seen [...] clocking in at a deliciously insane 533 calculated IBU’s and 11.0% ABV”.
Categories:Beer Releases· Brewpub News· Nova Scotia
April 16th, 2010
SURREY, BC – Big Ridge Brewing, part of the Mark James Group of brewery restaurants, has been closed since late March, and is now getting set to reopen in mid-May in a new and larger space just across the street from its original location.
According to a tweet from @bccraftbeer, brewing has started for the new location, including Harvest Lager, Old Sullivan Porter, Clover Ale, Chimney Hill Wheat and Rodeo Red.
Categories:Brewpub News· British Columbia
