Phillips Hop Circle IPA

VICTORIA, BC – The ever-prolific Phillips Brewing is about to release another seasonal beer, the alien-themed Hop Circle IPA:

More robust than Finagle’s Folly and twice as mighty as Pan-Galactic Gargle Blasters, Phillips new Hop Circle IPA is out of this world. We’re boldly going where no local IPA has gone before and we want you to come along. You don’t need a space helmet or intergalactic vaccinations, just a thirst for the most refreshing IPA this side of Rigel VII.

Hop Circle will be officially launched this Tuesday, April 20th at 4:20 PM with a release party at the brewery. Attendees are encouraged to “come dressed in your most interstellar space getup”, with prizes to be awards for the best costumes.

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Beau’s To Collaborate With Dutch Brewery De Koningshoeven

VANKLEEK HILL, ON – This Wednesday, April 21st, Beau’s All Natural Brewing will be welcoming Lodewijk Swinkels, brewmaster of De Koningshoeven Brewery in The Netherlands, who will join Beau’s brewmaster Matt O’Hara to craft a unique one-off beer. This rare event will mark the first time that a Canadian brewery has collaborated with one of the world’s seven Trappist breweries.

The partnership was arranged by the Dutch Embassy in Ottawa to marks the 65th anniversary of the Liberation of the Netherlands. The resulting beer will be officially launched during royal visit of Princess Margriet to Ottawa in May, and will be available exclusively at the House of Orange festival of Dutch and Canadian creative culture, taking place at Mercury Lounge in Ottawa on May 10th to 23rd.

Labatt Shutters Lakeport Plant Early, Boycott Being Urged

HAMILTON, ON – The Hamilton Spectator reports that Labatt Breweries quietly shut down the Lakeport Brewing plant in Hamilton last Friday, April 16th, two weeks earlier than initially planned:

Labatt spokesman Jeff Ryan said in an e-mail it decided to shut the plant early because work on transferring Hamilton’s production volume to London was ahead of schedule. Spokeswoman Catherine Pringle said the firm “didn’t feel there was a reason” to make the sudden closure public unless it was contacted by the media because it had spoken to the union and “all parties involved.”

In response to the closure, as well as Labatt’s plans to strip the plant of all equipment that would allow another brewery to take over the location, a number of bar owners and beer drinkers in Hamilton are calling for a boycott of all Labatt products. In addition, provincial NDP Leader Andrea Horwath has vowed to continue lobbying the governing Liberals to intervene with Labatt on behalf of the now unemployed workers.

Hop City Lawn Chair “Classic” Weisse Now Available

BRAMPTON, ON – At a media and industry event last week in downtown Toronto, Hop City Brewing officially launched their second brand, Hop City Lawn Chair “Classic” Weisse.

In a press release issued the day after the event, the beer was described as follows:

Lawn Chair “Classic” Weisse is a true Bavarian-style Hefeweizen beer with a light golden colour and naturally cloudy appearance. Made with a blend of two-row Canadian Malt, Canadian Wheat Malt, Canadian Carastan Malt, German Hops and Bavarian Wheat Beer Ale Yeast, beer drinkers are sure to love this truly local brew.

Like the previous Hop City beer, Barking Squirrel Lager, Lawn Chair “Classic” Weisse is a draught-only beer available at bars and restaurants throughout Ontario.

Alley Kat Brewberry Blueberry Ale

EDMONTON, AB – Alley Kat Brewing has just released a new summer seasonal beer, Brewberry Blueberry Ale.

Brewed using blueberries from the Canadian Fruitful Tree Company in British Columbia, Brewberry is described by the brewery as follows:

Brewberry blueberry ale is a wheat ale that is brewed with an addition of blueberries to the fermented beer. The result is a light straw colour ale with a very slight purple cast from the blueberries and carries a thick white head. The aroma is of fresh blueberries and this follows through to the fl avour. The finish is fairly dry and slightly tart. All-in-all, a great patio beer for those sunny Alberta summer days.

Alley Kat Brewberry Blueberry Ale is available now in six packs of 341 ml bottles as well as on draught, and can be found at premium liquor stores and select pubs and bars throughout Alberta.

Kichesippi Natural Blonde To Launch In May

OTTAWA, ON – Kichesippi Beer Co., a family-owned business founded last year in Ottawa, will be officially launching next month with the release of Kichesippi Natural Blonde.

An all malt pale ale being brewed at an established Ottawa brewery on a contract basis, Kichesippi Natural Blonde will be available exclusively in the National Capital Region, and only on draught.

The beer will be launched in the first week of May, with details to be posted on Kichesippi’s Facebook page and website.

Lighthouse Highland Championship Scotch Ale

VICTORIA, BC – In honour of the 147th Victoria Highland Games and Celtic Festival and accompanying World Heavy Events Championship, taking place on May 22nd and 23rd in Victoria, Lighthouse Brewing has just released Highland Championship Scotch Ale.

The beer, described as “a favourite for consumers looking for a full taste without a high alcohol volume”, is available now in select liquor stores in BC, and will also be pouring at the Festival.

Big Ridge Brewing To Reopen Next Month

SURREY, BC – Big Ridge Brewing, part of the Mark James Group of brewery restaurants, has been closed since late March, and is now getting set to reopen in mid-May in a new and larger space just across the street from its original location.

According to a tweet from @bccraftbeer, brewing has started for the new location, including Harvest Lager, Old Sullivan Porter, Clover Ale, Chimney Hill Wheat and Rodeo Red.

Picaroons Summer Beers Coming Soon

FREDERICTON, NB – Picaroons Brewing is preparing to release two summer beers in the next couple of months.

The first is the return of their Dooryard Summer Ale, which will come out on Earth Day, April 21st. It’s described as a combination of “the wheat beer traditions of Germany and Belgium with our English open fermentation process. The result is a vibrant, refreshing summer ale highlighted by gentle spice and citrus notes.”

Following on June 1st will be Melonhead, a melon-flavoured wheat beer that was available as a limited draught-only release last summer. This year, it will be available in bottles as well as kegs.

For more information on these and other Picaroons beers, check out Picaroons Pub, the brewery’s social media hub.

Media Coverage of Lakeport Closure Continues

HAMILTON, ON – While it’s been more than 2 weeks since Labatt Breweries announced plans to close down their Lakeport Brewing plant in Hamilton, media coverage has continued.

There’s been a flurry in the last couple of days in particular due to several parties – including Minhas Creek Brewing Company – approaching the city to express interest in taking over the facility, although Labatt is standing by their plan to remove all of the brewing equipment, rendering the plant useless to any competing brewing company.

Here are links to a few stories and articles that cover various aspects of the situation:

Calgary firm wants to buy Lakeport brewery (The Hamilton Spectator – April 12th)
Buyers lining up for Lakeport brewery (The Hamilton Spectator – April 13th)
Calgary siblings bid for Lakeport site (The Globe & Mail – April 13th)
Boxer beer in Hamilton? (The Toronto Sun – April 13th)
Labatt Lakeport move not competition violation: experts (The Hamilton Spectator – April 14th)
Suds battle starts to bubble (The Hamilton Spectator – April 14th)
The Labatt blues (The Hamilton Spectator – April 14th)