TORONTO, ON – The latest seasonal beer from Mill Street Brewery was released this past week at a trade and media launch at the Victory Cafe in Toronto.

Mill Street Schleimhammer Roggenbier is a traditional German rye beer, a style that is rarely seen in North America. Brewmaster Joel Manning described it to the Great Canadian Pubs & Beer blog:

The Roggenbier has 30% rye malt, 20% wheat malt and 50% barley malt. Of the barley malt it has pale 2-row, caramel and chocolate malt. The hops are German Magnum variety and it is fermented with a German Hefeweizen yeast. What I like the best about the Roggenbier is that for a beer with as much complexity as this, it is still “table beer” and has a simplicity that makes it sessionable. Good 15th century peasant fare!

Schleimhammer Roggenbier is available now at the Mill Street Brewpub in Toronto’s Distillery District and in other select bars and pubs in Toronto.

MONTREAL, QC – The third new beer launch in as many months from Molson Coors Canada took place this past week with the release of Molson M.

An article in Marketing Magazine describes the brand:

Molson M is brewed using a “micro-carbonization process” which involves injecting the beer with CO2 through “smaller, finer bubbles.”

“The injection of smaller CO2 bubbles makes it possible to preserve not only the taste of the hops but also the delicate flavours generated by the yeast during fermentation,” explained Karine Brunelle, brewer with Molson Coors.

Molson M is currently available only in Quebec.

Since Canadian Beer News is intended to be a news blog first and foremost, I generally take a fairly impersonal approach to the posts here, and save my personal opinions and thoughts for my other blog, Beer Beats & Bites. In this case, however, I think the importance of the topic justifies getting rid of my editorial anonymity for just a moment to make a personal plea.

This month, I’m participating in Movember, a campaign to raise money and awareness for prostate cancer, a disease that affects millions of men worldwide. Along with my many “Mo Bros”, I’m growing a moustache on my usually clean-shaven face, and trying to drum up donations for the cause.

This issue is especially important to me as my full-time job is in the data warehouse department at a cancer agency, where I deal with a frightening volume of cancer data and statistics on a daily basis. It’s estimated that 1 in 6 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime, and while a straight-up cure may not be within reach yet, there’s a lot we can do to help us get there, and to assist those men who are diagnosed in the meantime.

Wanna help? Click here to donate. At the very least, you’ll make me feel a little better about this ridiculous thing I have growing on my face.

[Press Release]

HALIFAX, NS – East Coast Event Management announced today that it will launch the Halifax Microbrew Fest & Conference on October 22 through 23, 2010 at Halifax’s World Trade & convention Centre. The show will bring together craft breweries, home brewers, industry experts, and beer lovers who tilt their mug in support of the Canadian craft brewery industry!

The Halifax Microbrew Fest & Craft Brewery Conference will take place on October 22 through 23, 2010, at the Halifax World Trade and Convention Centre. The Halifax Microbrew Fest and Craft Brewery Conference is the first to celebrate, and showcase the craft breweries and brewpubs of Canada. This two-day event includes a showcase of different beers brought in from around the country. Attendees are encouraged to sample, learn, and participate in seminars led by key figures in the beer industry. Events taking place during the show include local bands, the chance to win prizes through beer games, contests and interactive ways to learn about the brewing process and craft brewery industry.

Introducing a conference and festival specific to craft breweries, is a relatively concept new to Canada. Craft breweries are flourishing in Canada, especially along the East and West Coasts, Quebec, and Ontario. The market for beer and beer consumption in Canada is growing at a constant rate. More than 2 billion litres of domestic beer is consumed in Canada every year; we collectively spend more than $11 billion on beer consumption per year. However, due to Canada’s geography, and the fact that the production and sale of alcohol is something that is controlled at the provincial level, often these great craft brewed beers are only available in the regions they are produced. The Halifax Microbrew Fest is hoping to change this, and expand the industry throughout the East Coast and Canada.

There are over 150 craft breweries and brewpubs in Canada, mostly based in the West, Ontario, and Quebec. East Coast Event Management strives to increase awareness and knowledge to the East Coast regarding the Canadian craft brewery industry. This show aims to provide an exceptional opportunity that brings together craft breweries, brewpubs, key industry personnel, and their target market.

An anticipated 80 different vendors will be on hand to showcase their latest brews. Microbreweries wishing to exhibit can take advantage of the early bird discount rate. Vendors will consist of microbreweries and other vendors that will benefit from the anticipated 6,000 attendees.

Exhibitors will also benefit by the Craft Brewery Conference. This part of the event will provide networking opportunities between exhibitors and buyers to develop profitable business relationships, and promote affordable brewing education to improve beer quality and performance. Local and international media, Canadian craft breweries and brewpubs, and home brewers will be invited to attend the Conference. “This is an excellent opportunity to meet industry buyers, network with peers and talk to media”. It will bring everyone together under one roof” says Alexandra Baker.

East Coast Event Management was established in Halifax Nova Scotia, by two Dalhousie University students interested in the craft brewery industry- Arielle Figov (Bachelor of Commerce), and Alexandra Baker (Bachelor of Management). East Coast Event Management targets unique niche markets. The goal of the company is to offer exhibitors an excellent return on their investment, and to provide attendees with an informative and enjoyable experience.

HALIFAX, NS – Garrison Brewing are making a slight name change to their award-winning Imperial Pale Ale, and will now be calling it Imperial IPA.

According to brewery president Brian Titus, the original name “seemed to have caused some confusion”, and that “having to continually explain that this isn’t ‘…just some pale ale’ & ‘yes, we do make an IPA actually’ was starting to wear a little!”

All future batches of the beer will feature a redesigned label with the new name.

EDMONTON, AB – Alley Kat Brewing have brought back their popular seasonal beer Kilt Lifter Scotch Ale for another year, just in time for celebrating St. Andrew’s Day on November 30th:

Kilt Lifter is all about malt. It starts with an aroma of sweet malt with hints of toast and smoke. The flavour follows through with the malt showing lots of caramel and some hazelnut. Kilt Lifter finishes somewhat dry with a bit of hop bitterness and a slight warmth from the 7.5% alcohol content. It is brown in colour with flashes of garnet.

Kilt Lifter is sold in six packs of 341 ml bottles and is available at premium liquor stores throughout Alberta.

TORONTO, ON – Minhas Creek Brewery entered the Ontario market for this first time this week with the launch of Boxer Lager at Beer Store locations across the province.

Based in Saskatchewan and Manitoba, with brewing facilities in Monroe, Wisconsin, Minhas Creek markets a variety of brands in Western Canada and some US regions, with discount and budget brands being their main focus in Canada.

Boxer Lager is made with Western Canadian 2-row barley malted in Biggar, Saskatchewan, and is described as a “unique maltier-tasting beer that is preferred by most Canadians”. It’s available in 12 packs of 355 ml cans for $15.80 including taxes and deposit, the lowest legal price for beer in Ontario.

MONTREAL, QC – CBN’s Quebec correspondent Chloe Smith reports that the 20th anniversary of McAuslan Brewing will be marked with a new limited edition beer to be released later this month.

St-Ambroise Imperial Stout will be available in single bottles with a suggested price of $5.99. Only 9600 bottles have been produced, and distribution will likely be limited to Quebec, although that has yet to be confirmed.

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.

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.