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Creemore Springs Kellerbeer Returning on May 3rd

CREEMORE, ON – As first reported in March, Creemore Springs Brewery is bring back its popular seasonal Kellerbier for a second year, this time in larger quantities to help satisfy the overwhelming demand that led to it being an almost instant sell-out in 2009.

The beer is described in a press release as follows:

Kellerbier dates back to the middle ages in small artesian towns in rural Germany. This unusually hoppy beer comes right from the cellar and is naturally cloudy due to the vitamin rich yeast still present in the beer. Kellerbier is lower in carbonation and abundant with hop aroma and flavour. Small batch brewed, this unique beer uses only four natural ingredients and is then packaged unfiltered. Often served as an aperitif before dinner to stimulate the appetite, this surprisingly thirst quenching Kellerbier has a citrus and spicy finish imparted by fresh whole leaf hops and a lavish malt backbone.

Creemore Springs Kellerbier will be available as of May 3rd at a number of LCBO locations and at the brewery in 473 ml cans. It will also be available on draught at select bars and restaurants.

“I Am A Canadian Craft Brewer” Video

VANCOUVER, BC – To help promote Vancouver Craft Beer Week, taking place May 10th to 16th, the event organizers have produced a video in the style of the “I Am A Craft Brewer” short film produced by American craft brewers last year.

Entitled “I Am A Canadian Craft Brewer”, it features primarily brewers from British Columbia, but is also meant to honour the hard work and passion of small-scale brewers all across the country. Check it out below:

Big Rock Gopher Lager Coming In June

CALGARY, AB – Big Rock Brewery has announced the impending release of a new beer, Gopher Lager.

In a press release, the beer is described as an “all malt lager made with Alberta two-row barley, choice imported hops and a special lager yeast, leading to its clean, crisp flavour”. Quoted in the Calgary Sun, Big Rock spokeswoman Tara Nychkalo adds that Gopher will be “a lager with lighter flavour and will complement our products”.

Big Rock Gopher Lager will be released in June.

TAPS Magazine Announces New Staff Additions

TORONTO, ON – TAPS: Canada’s Beer Magazine has announced two new additions to their full-time staff, although both have been involved with the magazine for some time now. The full press release appears below:

TAPS: Canada’s Beer Magazine Expands Their Team

TORONTO ON, (April 20, 2010) – TAPS Media and TAPS: Canada’s Beer Magazine are pleased to welcome Troy Burtch and Kristina Santone to their team effective immediately.

TAPS Media, parent company of Canada’s only national beer publication, has hired Mr. Burtch as their National Director of Sales and Marketing. Troy will be in charge of managing and increasing TAPS Media’s national presence and expanding its already burgeoning list of national advertisers.

“We are happy to have Troy on board,” stated TAPS Media President, Rob Engman. “His passion and dedication for the beer industry is highly contagious. Troy is well respected in the beer community and we feel that his knowledge of the Canadian beer scene will serve him well in his new role at TAPS.”

Mr. Burtch has been involved in the brewing industry for many years. He covers the subject extensively on his Great Canadian Pubs and Beer Blog and through his Burtch on Beer Column for TAPS.

Kristina Santone is no stranger to TAPS Media, in fact she has been involved with the magazine over the past two years in a number of capacities.

In her new role as Assistant Editor, her main focus will be on maintaining and enhancing the quality of the magazine’s editorial content. In addition, Ms. Santone will be the direct contact for brewers during the Canadian Brewing Awards, from the registration and submission of samples to judging and organizing the awards gala. She’s excited by the expansion of the TAPS team and is looking forward to sharing her enthusiasm with brewers, advertisers and subscribers.

New Seasonal Beer & Mixed Pack Coming Soon From Wild Rose

CALGARY, AB – Wild Rose Brewery is getting set to add a new beer to their seasonal rotation. AF23 Pale Ale will be released on May 7th on draught only, and marketing manager Tina Wolfe tells the Calgary Sun that it will be “really hoppy, with nice big flavours”.

Also coming soon from the brewery is a Wild Rose Sampler 12 Pack, which will contain two bottles each of Velvet Fog, WRaspberry Ale, SOB, WRed Ale, Brown Ale and IPA. Launching around the same time will be 12 packs of Velvet Fog and WRaspberry Ale.

Beau’s/De Koningshoeven Collaboration Affected By Ash Cloud

VANKLEEK HILL, ON – Beau’s All Natural Brewing has announced that their planned collaboration with Dutch Trappist brewery De Koningshoeven has  been affected by the ash cloud from the Eyjafjallajökull volcano in Iceland that has caused flight cancellations to and from Europe.

Due to these cancellations, De Koningshoeven brewmaster Lodewijk Swinkels will unfortunately be unable to fly to Canada, and will not be participating in tomorrow’s brewing session at Beau’s in person as planned.

However, Swinkels will be communicating with Beau’s brewmaster Matt O’Hara via phone and email, and the brew will go ahead as a remote collaboration, allowing it to be available in May as originally intended.

Hart & Thistle Unleashes Latest SMaSH, With A Monster To Follow

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”.

New Limited Edition Beers From Red Truck Beer Company

VANCOUVER, BC – Vancouver food & culture website Scout Magazine reports that Red Truck Beer Company has just released one limited edition beer, with two more to follow next month.

Out now is Red Truck IPA, with availability limited to six Vancouver bars & restaurants – The Alibi Room, The Flying Tiger, The Village Taphouse, The Gramercy Grill,  St.Augustine’s, and Caffe Barney on Main – for the next four weeks.

Following in May will be Red Truck Pilsner, which will be released at Hoppapalooza in the Alibi Room on May 10th to celebrate the launch of Vancouver Craft Beer Week.

The next day, Red Track will be partnering with Au Petit Chavignol restaurant on an exclusive five-course beer dinner, featuring courses paired with the beers mentioned above along with their standard Red Truck Lager and Red Truck Ale, and the new limited edition Red Truck Stout.

Niagara College Brewmaster Program Launching This Fall

NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE, ON – The St. Catharine’s Standard reports that the brewmaster program at Niagara College first discussed last spring has been confirmed for a start date in Fall, 2010, and there is already a waiting list for the programs 24 spots.

Students taking the two-year brewmaster and beer operations management diploma will spend much of their time in the newly built, $350,000, 1,500-square-foot craft beer-making building, which will be constructed soon. Other courses will teach the 19-years-and-up crowd about beers around the world, how to evaluate the taste of suds and run a brew-based business.

The program will be taught at the College’s Niagara-on-the-Lake campus, which is already well-known for its wine making and culinary courses, making the beer program a logical fit.