Phillips Dirty Squirrel Hazelnut Brown Ale

VICTORIA, BC – Phillips Brewing have just released the latest batch of their seasonal Dirty Squirrel Hazelnut Brown Ale:

The Dirty Squirrel Hazelnut Brown Ale offers sweet, earthy flavours. It’s hazelnuttier than a Nutella sandwich on hazelnut bread with a side of hazelnuts. You have to act fast to catch this Squirrel. It’s available for a limited time at cold beer and wine stores, as well as here at the brewery.

To mark the launch, they’re having a “quick and dirty mingler” at the brewery today (Tuesday November 10th) from 4PM to 6PM PST. In addition to sampling the beer, they’ll have a dirty joke contest, so bring your best and filthiest joke and you might win a prize.

Granville Island Lions Winter Ale

VANCOUVER, BC – Granville Island Brewery have announced the release of their winter seasonal beer, Lions Winter Ale, for another year:

Lions Winter Ale combines premium Crystal, Vienna and Munich malt with aromatic specialty Wilamette, Czech and German Spalt hops, which give the beer a rich and robust body. The vanilla-like finish of this robust ale is a great excuse to get out of the cold and enjoy this beer made from the finest natural ingredients.

Lions Winter Ale is available now at select bars and stores in and around Vancouver.

Wellington Russian Imperial Stout Returns

GUELPH, ON – After a limited run of cans earlier this year, Wellington Brewery is bringing back their Wellington Russian Imperial Stout in another limited batch later this month.

Described as “a full bodied stout that is patterned after the highly fortified Russian Stouts that were exported from the U.K. to Russia in the 1800s,” Wellington Russian Imperial Stout will be available in 473 ml cans exclusively at the brewery store starting on November 18th.

Great Lakes Winter Ale and Hops For Hunger

TORONTO, ON – Great Lakes Brewery will be launching this year’s edition of their Winter Ale later this month. As in previous years, this strong ale brewed with spices and flavourings including cinnamon, honey, ginger and orange peel will be available at the brewery store and select LCBO outlets.

Also back this year is the brewery’s Hops For Hunger campaign. From December 1st to 22nd, Great Lakes will donate food to the Daily Bread Food Bank for every purchase made in the brewery store. The heavier the purchase, the bigger the donation, with a goal to beat the 2000 lbs of food donated last year,

Vancouver Island Hermannator Ice Bock

VICTORIA, BC – Vancouver Island Brewery have released this year’s edition of their winter seasonal, Hermannator Ice Bock. It’s described by the brewery as follows:

The Ice Bock has a silky mouth feel that is created by a slow fermentation process, and then aged at near freezing temperatures for 10 weeks. Using a signature blend of chocolate and caramel malts creates a dark chestnut coloured beer with a full body and rich malt flavour. At 9.5% alc by volume, Hermannator delivers a smooth, but assertive mouthfeel with hints of plum spiciness. A warming brandy like finish rounds out this outstanding winter beer.

Hermannator Ice Bock is available now at select Victoria-area liquor stores in limited quantities.

Hop City Brewing Debuts With Barking Squirrel Lager

BRAMPTON, ON – Hop City Brewing, a new division of Moosehead Breweries, was quieted launched early last month with the release of their first beer, Barking Squirrel Lager.

While owned by Moosehead, Hop City is being operated as a separate entity, although brewing is taking place in the Brampton facility where the operations of Moosehead-owned Niagara Falls Brewing moved a couple of years ago.

Tasting notes on Barking Squirrel Lager provided by the brewery:

A 5% lager with a rich burnt orange color with subtle noble hop aroma. Medium body with pleasant hop bitterness. Smooth and drinkable with slight hop aftertaste and finish.

Barking Squirrel is available now at a number of bars throughout Ontario.

Beau’s Tommy Gun APA

VANKLEEK HILL, ON – Beau’s Brewery in collaboration with the Beer Shack homebrewers club have released Tommy Gun APA (American-Style Pale Ale) as their latest seasonal offering.

Launched this past weekend at the Cask Days festival at Volo in Toronto, Tommy Gun – which is sub-titled “CABA CABA Hey!” in honour of both the Canadian Amateur Brewers Association and The Ramones – was developed by Ed Koren & Louis DeBourbon of Beer Shack, and brewed by them along with Beau’s brewmaster Matt O’Hara, using 5 organic malts and 2 varieties of organic American hops.

Tommy Gun is available now at the brewery and at select bars and restaurants in the area.

Beau’s also has some plans for the future, including expanded distribution, and a new unique package for their flagship Lugtread Lagered Ale. More details on these plans will be announced here as they’re revealed.

Lighthouse Winter Ale

VICTORIA, BC – Lighthouse Brewing Company have just released their first seasonal beer, Lighthouse Winter Ale.

The beer is described by the brewery as follows:

Lighthouse Winter Ale is brewed in the English tradition of the “winter warmer”. We begin with a generous quantity of Maris Otter malt, enriched with the finest UK specialty malts, producing a luscious, silky-sweet character and striking copper/amber hue. German Noble hops provide a delicate balance on the palate, and add spicy complexity to a predominantly malty aroma. Mashed at a slightly higher temperature, and cellar-aged at the brewery, this full bodied, rich, and warming ale is the perfect companion through the chill of the holiday season.

Lighthouse Winter Ale is available in two forms: a 5.6% version on draught in select bars in Victoria and area, and a 6.5% version in a limited run of 2000 bottled six-packs.

Black Oak Celebrates 10 Bitter Years

ETOBICOKE, ON – Black Oak Brewery hits the 10th anniversary mark on November 18th, and to celebrate, brewmaster Adrian Popowycz has crafted a special anniversary beer called 10 Bitter Years.

According to brewery owner Ken Woods, “It is a strong beer coming in at 8% and is made with reverse osmosis water, malt, hops & yeast. I’ll leave it up to you to decide what style of beer it could be.”

10 Bitter Years will be available in mid-November in bottles at the brewery, and in limited draught release at several bars in Toronto.

Ontario Craft Brewers Discovery Pack No. 3 Coming Soon

TORONTO, ON – The third edition of the Ontario Craft Brewers Discovery Pack, featuring beers from six different member breweries of the OCB, will be coming soon to LCBO outlets throughout the province.

This edition will feature six canned beers, and while the contents haven’t been officially announced, the leaked image seen to the right indicates that Muskoka Cream Ale, Great Lakes Devil’s Pale Ale and Nickel Brook Organic Lager will be three of the six included.

The OCB website further notes that Trafalgar Brewery, Wellington Brewery and Neustadt Springs Brewery will be the other three breweries in the package, although it’s not clear which of their beers will be included. Further details will be announced here when they become available.

Update – Nov 4th: The OCB have announced that the other three beers in the package will be Trafalgar Paddy’s Irish Red, Neustadt Lager and Wellington County Dark Ale, and that the package will be in stores starting on November 13th.