Russell Wee Angry Scotch Ale Coming in March

SURREY, BC – This week’s newsletter from CAMRA Vancouver reports that Russell Brewing will be releasing the latest beer in their Brewmaster’s Series next month:

This time its a scotch ale, dubbed Russell Wee Angry Scotch Ale. The boys at Russell have brewed this malty scotch ale with Canadian two-row, crystal, chocolate, and a touch of peated malt, and lightly hopped it with Willamette. Look for it in bottles in mid March.

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Moosehead Breweries and Boston Beer Company Announce Distribution Deal

TORONTO, ON – At a news conference today in Toronto, Boston Beer Company Founder Jim Koch and Moosehead Breweries President Andrew Oland announced a five-year distribution agreement that will see Moosehead and its subsidiary, The Premium Beer Company, assuming Canadian distribution of Boston Beer’s portfolio including its flagship brand Samuel Adams Boston Lager.

Previously distributed in Canada by Sleeman Breweries, Boston Lager will be available in all ten provinces via Moosehead/Premium, and will be offered in both bottles (355 ml) and kegs (30 and 58.6 litre). Popular seasonal beer Samuel Adams Summer Ale will follow this summer, also in bottles and kegs, with other seasonal offerings and variety packs being considered for future release. All Samuel Adams beer sold in Canada will continue to be brewed by Boston Beer in the United States.

Moosehead Breweries and Boston Beer Company are the largest independent and fully domestically-owned brewing companies in Canada and the U.S.  respectively, with Moosehead being owned by the Oland family since its founding in 1867.

Northern Breweries Property Sold, May Become New Brewery

SAULT STE. MARIE, ON – Both The Sault Star and SooNews.ca are reporting that the former Northern Breweries plant in Sault Ste. Marie has been sold to a new company, and may be reopened as a new brewery at some point in the future.

At one point a large co-operative of breweries located in five towns and cities in Northern Ontario, the company had shrunk to a single brewery in Sault Ste. Marie before shutting down in 2006. The property was seized by the city due to unpaid taxes, and this week, a sale of the building to a group of local businessmen was approved.

According to reports, the sale price was $511,000, with the proceeds being split between the municipal, provincial and federal governments as payment towards various liens on the property.

No details have been released about the identity of the new owners, and their plans or timelines for restoring operations at the plant.

Picaroons Maple Cream Ale To Be Released Next Week

FREDERICTON, NB – Picaroons Traditional Ales will be releasing this year’s edition of their winter seasonal Maple Cream Ale on Monday, March 1st.

It’s described by the brewery as follows:

This brown cream ale is conditioned as a lager and brewed as an ale. The result is a beer that is well-endowed with rich malt flavours and the bitter/sweet accent of pure New Brunswick maple syrup.

Maple Cream Ale will be available at Alcool NB Liquor stores throughout the province, starting with Fredricton on Monday, and reaching other areas through the rest of the week.

La Korrigane To Return To Business

QUEBEC CITY, QC – La Korrigane, a brewpub that previously operated in Saguenay, Quebec, will soon be returning with a new location in Quebec City.

Founded in 2004 by John Foster as part of the Cafe Bistro Victoria in the La Baie borough of Saguenay, the first La Korrigane closed in 2007 along with the restaurant. It’s now being revived by Foster’s daughter, Catherine Dionne-Foster, who intends to stick primarily with the English-style ales that the original brewpub specialized in.

If all goes as planned, La Korrigane will be opening in March in Quebec City’s burgeoning Saint-Roch neighbourhood.

Old Yale Brewing Up For Sale

CHILLIWACK, BC – Owner and brewmaster Larry Caza has put Old Yale Brewing up for sale.

Those interested can contact Caza at 604.819.5200 or dryhop@hotmail.com for more information.

Bear Republic Sues Central City Over Red Racer

SURREY, BC – beernews.org reports that Bear Republic Brewery of Healdsburg, California has filed a lawsuit against Central City Brewing of Surrey, BC, alleging that Central City’s Red Racer brand constitutes trademark infringement on their Racer 5 IPA and Red Rocket Ale brands:

In the lawsuit […] Bear Republic says that at this year’s [Great American Beer Festival], a representative was approached by two different people asking about its Red Racer beer in cans. Bear Republic also points to an article penned by Massachusetts-based beer columnist, Norman Miller, in which he repeatedly confuses the Red Racer and Red Rocket names. […] The lawsuit was filed in late January with a Massachusetts court, a state where Central City and Bear Republic products are both available.

The lawsuit also notes that it was an (unnamed) Ohio brewery owner that phoned Bear Republic, mentioning the similarities between the two breweries’ marks as well as “the similarities of words, fonts and colors” used between them, that first made the brewery aware of Central City Red Racer products.

Bear Republic reportedly filed a cease and desist order in mid-December, which Central City rejected in early January, leading to this lawsuit. It remains to be seen if Central City will fight these claims in court, or it a settlement will be negotiated.

Garrison Brewing Ultimate Brew-Off 2010

HALIFAX, NS – Details have been announced for the second annual edition of the Garrison Brewing Ultimate Brew-Off homebrewing competition.

Entrants will produce a 5 gallon/20 litre batch of this year’s chosen style – Belgian-Style Witbier – and submit it for judging & prizes. The grand prize includes a day with Garrison’s award-winning brewmaster Daniel Girard brewing a full batch of the winning recipe to be released in bottles as a limited edition seasonal, and there are also prizes from contest sponsor Noble Grape.

The registration deadline for entries is February 28th, with samples due for judging by March 15th. For more details, see the Ultimate Brew-Off website.

Fires Strike Two Newfoundland Breweries

ST. JOHN’S, NL – Two small and unrelated fires struck a pair of Newfoundland breweries this weekend, although both of them luckily caused little damage and no injuries.

At the Quidi Vidi Brewery, the owners arrived to survey the damage caused by a violent storm that hit the area overnight on Friday and into Saturday, and found a small fire smoldering in their warehouse. It was quickly put out, and seemed to be unrelated to the storm.

Also on Saturday, firefighters were called to YellowBelly Brewery, a brewpub in downtown St. John’s, with reports of smoke filling the three-floor structure. It was traced to a small fire in the restaurant’s pizza oven, which was doused before any major damage occurred.

Driftwood Naughty Hildegard ESB Now Available

VICTORIA, BC – Driftwood Brewing have just released their newest seasonal beer, Naughty Hildegard ESB. The label describes it as follows:

Brewed to honor Hildegard Von Bingen, a 12th century Benedictine nun who allegedly was the first to record the use of hops as an ingredient in beer. While this is open to debate, we like Hildegard’s style and we can’t imagine a beer without hops. This extra special bitter has lots of hops- Hildegard would be proud. We are! Cheers Hildy!

Naughty Hildegard ESB is available now via retailers in Victoria, and will be released in Vancouver on Monday, February 8th.