Friday, April 18, 2014

Maritime Beer Report - April 18, 2014

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.