August 12th, 2010
GATINEAU, QC – Quebec beer magazine/website Bières et Plaisirs is presenting the second annual Journée Québécoise de la Bière (Quebec Day of Beer) this coming Saturday, August 14th, 2010.
As with last year’s inaugural event, breweries around the province will be giving brewery tours and hosting tasting sessions, and brewpubs will be offering various specials on food and drink.
The full list of participating breweries and brewpubs, along with the events/specials they will be offering, is available on the event website.
Categories:Beer Events· Quebec
August 9th, 2010
SQUAMISH, BC – Howe Sound Brewing has launched a new limited summer seasonal, Howe Sound Bumbleberry Ale.
The beer was made using “a puree of blackberries, blueberries and raspberries in a wheat beer,” and is described as “a 5% wheat ale with a dry tart taste. A great light summer refreshing fruit beer to be enjoyed in the summer heat and sun splashed evenings.”
Howe Sound Bumbleberry Ale is available now on tap at the Howe Sound brewpub.
Categories:Beer Releases· British Columbia· Seasonal Beers
August 6th, 2010
CALGARY, AB – Big Rock Brewery and WestJet Airlines have announced that Big Rock Grasshöpper wheat ale is now available on all WestJet flights that offer bar service.
WestJet has supported local food businesses for some time, offering sandwiches and wraps from popular local delis and restaurants across the country as part of their buy on board menu. This partnership marks the first time that a regional brewery is represented in their beverage selection.
Grasshöpper is available for $6 a can on all WestJet flights of 2 hours or greater, with Molson Canadian and Coors Light being the other two beer options.
Categories:Alberta· Brewery News· National
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
August 2nd, 2010
FREDERICTON, NB – Alcool NB Liquor (ANBL), the provincial liquor agency in New Brunswick, has recently launched MyWorldOfBeer.com, an online resource for beer drinkers in the province.
The main focus of the site is the beer review feature that allows registered members to rate beers that are available at ANBL outlets, as well as those available outside of the province.
The site also features news on new beer arrivals and promotions, tips on beer and food pairing, and a “Beer 101″ section that provides information on everything from ingredients and brewing methods to the history of beer and brewing in various countries around the world.
Categories:Beer on the Web· New Brunswick
July 30th, 2010
CALGARY, AB – Wild Rose Saison, the newest seasonal release from Wild Rose Brewery, is being launched today, with a special cask of the beer set to be tapped at the brewery Taproom at 4:00 PM.
The beer is described as follows:
The Wild Rose Saison has a hazy orange hue and expresses the crisp, citrus character and classic dryness of the style. With an unexpectedly smooth mouthfeel, the earthy, yet fruity aromatics are influenced by the addition of Belgian yeast as well as Saaz and East Kent Goldings hops. This Saison is further spiced with the addition of ginger (Zingiber officinale) and grains of Paradise (peppery seeds from the Aframomum melegueta plant).
Wild Rose Saison will be available only on draught at select restaurants and bars in Alberta, as well as at the Wild Rose Taproom.
Categories:Alberta· Beer Releases· Seasonal Beers
July 28th, 2010
NORWICH, UK – The winners of the World Beer Awards 2010 as presented by tastingbeers.com have been announced, and several Quebec breweries are amongst the winners. The award winners were chosen from over 500 beers submitted from 27 countries, and selected by an esteemed panel of judges featuring beer journalists and experts from around the world.
Unibroue did especially well, taking several World’s Best and The America’s Best categories, and also placing their Unibroue 17 in the overall Top 5 for the competition. Other Quebec breweries netting awards were Les Trois Mousquetaires, Le Trou du Diable and La Voie Maltée.
Here’s a complete list of all of the award-winning Quebec beers:
World’s Best Dark Ale – Strong Dark: Unibroue 17
World’s Best Pale Ale – Blonde / Golden: Unibroue La Fin Du Monde
World’s Best Stout & Porter – Porter – Baltic: Les Trois Mousquetaires Porter Baltique
World’s Best Wheat Beer – Fruit: Unibroue Quelque Chose
The America’s Best Dark Ale – Strong Dark: Unibroue 17
The America’s Best Pale Ale – Altbier: Les Trois Mousquetaires Sticke Alt
The America’s Best Pale Ale – Blonde / Golden: Unibroue La Fin Du Monde
The America’s Best Pale Ale – Strong / Extra Special: Le Trou du Diable Buteuse Brassin Special
The America’s Best Stout & Porter – Porter – Baltic: Les Trois Mousquetaires Porter Baltique
The America’s Best Stout & Porter – Stout – Strong: La Voie Maltée Criminelle
The America’s Best Wheat Beer – Fruit: Unibroue Quelque Chose
The America’s Best Wheat Beer – Spiced: Unibroue Blanche De Chambly
The America’s Best Wheat Beer – Strong: Unibroue Don De Dieu
Categories:Beer Awards· Quebec
July 28th, 2010
VANCOUVER, BC – The next limited seasonal release from Granville Island Brewing, the summer favourite Raspberry Wheat Ale, is due to be released very soon.
In a press release from the brewery, the beer is described as follows:
This crisp Raspberry Wheat Ale was created with the flawless combination of malt, water, hops, yeast, and the perfect amount of Fraser Valley raspberries. With a refreshingly light, fruity taste, this craft-brewed ale provides unique summertime refreshment.
Granville Island Raspberry Wheat Ale will be available in 650 ml bottles at select lower mainland BC Liquor stores and in the Granville Island brewery retail store. 50 cents from each bottle sold will be donated to the Weekend to End Women’s Cancers.
Categories:Beer Releases· British Columbia· Seasonal Beers
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
