BC Beer: April 2012 Releases
With summer just around the corner, there's a few new wheat beers cropping up. The Okanagan Spring Brewery has their Hefeweizen, which does have some apricot flavour and a good dose of cloves. The Vancouver Island Brewery has the Beachcomber Summer Ale, which is also a traditional Hefeweizen, fermented with the [...]
BC Beer: March 2012 Releases
Russell Brewing has released their first barrel-aged beer: Nectar of the Gods Wheat Wine. I tried this at the 2011 VCBW before it hit the barrel, and IMHO, it was the best of show. This brew is 50% wheat malt combined with Pilsner and Munich to create a 10% wheat wine. [...]
Brewery Market Returns on March 18th
The Brewery Market returns for its final winter series instalment with an event entitled The Pints of March on Sunday, March 18th. This one features Toronto's Amsterdam Brewery and promises to be a great one. At the Brewery Market, Amsterdam will be debuting two beers from their new pilot system: 'Dam [...]
BC Beer: February 2012 Releases
Tree Brewing has released a new 'Occasional Rarity', Hop Head Black IPA. At 8.8% abv, this one's bigger than their Double IPA. Although it's packed full of flavour, the dark malts bring some balance and make it seriously drinkable. You'll currently find this at private liquor stores in BC, but in [...]
Garrison Brewery Feature Arriving in Ontario
The LCBO’s popular Brewery Feature program, which has spotlighted specific breweries such as Dieu du Ciel!, Fuller’s, Nørrebro Bryghus, and Rogue, returns on January 29th with Garrison Brewing of Halifax, Nova Scotia. Garrison Brewing, which has seen their Imperial I.P.A, HopYard Pale Ale and Oktoberfest released over the past couple of years through the LCBO, arrives [...]
BC Beer – January 2012 Releases
Last month I mentioned a few new breweries opening this year, but then Hoyne Brewing actually managed to get a few growlers out the door before Christmas! Now they've got their Pale Ale and Pilsner bottled, and it's starting to hit the Private Liquor Store shelves. Old Yale Brewing has entered [...]
Brew Year’s Day at Brewery Market – January 15th
Tomorrow is the Brewery Market's second event of their winter series, entitled Brew Year's Day. The event promises to celebrate winter in style, featuring only stronger alcohol beers from Great Lakes Brewery and Cheshire Valley Brewing. The beers on offer range from 8.5% up to 12% and include some brand new brews. [...]
Ontario Brewery of the Year? Many voices chime in
Based upon a post by Stephen Beaumont about who was his pick for brewery of the year in Ontario, this resulted in a poll right in our own Bar Towel Forums, which has led to further commentary by Troy Burtch on his Great Canadian Beer Blog. Give a read and be [...]
Canadian Beer News Dinner Series #2: Great Lakes Brewery & Chef Howard Dubrovsky
CANADIAN BEER NEWS DINNER #2: GREAT LAKES BREWERY and CHEF HOWARD DUBROVSKY at L.A.B. RESTAURANT Canadian Beer News is pleased to present the second event in the Canadian Beer News Dinner Series, an ongoing series of dinners that bring together some of Canada's top breweries and beer importers with outstanding chefs [...]
BC Brewing in 2011
It was another great year for brewing in BC. This year our brewers managed to take home 1/3 of the Canadian Brewing Awards! Howe Sound took home 7 awards (more than any other brewery), while Driftwood's Fat Tug IPA was named 'Beer of the Year'. Congratulations to all the winners. Here's [...]
BC Beer – December Releases
As the Winter Solstice is upon us, we've got a number of seasonal brews. The Christmas Beeracle has returned from Dead Frog, and this year they're donating a portion of the proceeds to the BC Children's Hospital. This bomber is a great little stocking stuffer, supporting an excellent cause. Dead Frog's [...]
‘Twas the Beer Before Christmas at the Brewery Market
The Brewery Market is returning this Sunday, December 18th with a very special event to celebrate winter and the holiday season. Entitled 'Twas the Beer Before Christmas, they will be welcoming back the Indie Alehouse as the featured brewery, and Indie is bringing a brand new beer brewed exclusively for the [...]
BC Beer – November Releases
The Driftwood Brewery has just released the first of their Bird of Prey Wild Ale Series. This Flanders Red "spent a year conditioning in a mix of American & French oak wine barrels. Tart & funky, this beer can be aged for a very long time, but will be enjoyed now!" [...]
International Stout Day
Following on the heals of the controversial IPA day (August 4th, 2011), we now have an International Stout Day. No it's not St. Patrick's Day, it's actually November 3rd, 2011. Some of the brewpubs in BC offer a fine stout, but if you're looking for a locally-produced, widely-distributed stout, your options [...]
Brewery Market Returns October 23rd
The Brewery Market, a unique beer event series which begun earlier this summer, makes its autumn and winter return tomorrow, Sunday October 23rd. This week's event is a triple-header of breweries - Black Oak, Cheshire Valley and Kensington Brewing, all featuring a different beer. To celebrate the Brewery Market's fall and [...]
BC Beer – October Releases
October is BC Craft Beer month and the BC Craft Brewers Guild has put together two sampler/mix packs. The beers showcased in the 12 bottle pack are Blue Buck, Sea Dog Amber Ale, Powder Mountain Lager, Dead Frog Nut Brown Ale, Hop Head IPA and Blackheart Organic Oatmeal Stout. The 12 [...]
Cask Days 2011: Cask-Conditioned Craft Beer Festival
Cask Days 2011 will take place on Sunday, October 30th, 2011 at the Hart House Quadrangle (University of Toronto Campus). As of date we are up to 100+ casks, 52 participating breweries from across Canada and 7 days of events. More information about the events surrounding Cask Days 2011 have been [...]
BC Beer – September Releases
Big Surf Beer Co. has quietly started brewing in Kelowna, BC. The owner is no stranger to the beer industry, having been a national sales manager for Labatt and currently owning two of the most craft-friendly pubs in Kelowna: Doc Willoughby's and the Old Train Station Public House. Big Surf is [...]
Celebrate Oktoberfest at the LCBO
Aside from the Autumn Beer release that is hitting the shelves now, beer lovers in Ontario can also look forward to a special, limited-time Oktoberfest beer release coming in the next week or so. Three beers are being released as part of this promotion: Garrison Oktoberfest Brau Samuel Adams Octoberfest Paulaner [...]
LCBO Autumn Beers Hit the Shelves
As part of the LCBO's ongoing Specialty Beer program, the following Autumn Beers begun hitting the shelves in the past week: Item # / Product Name / Alc./ Vol. / Size (mL) / Retail 237693 / Cannery Maple Stout / 5.5 / 650 / $5.80 254656 / Ayinger Celebrator / 7.2 [...]