North Brewing

[BBrianBoogie]

I don't think anyone has been unsupportive here, not sure what you're driving at. Belgian styles are not easy to brew really well, and there's a reason discerning beer drinkers have so much respect for the best that the country has to offer. I'd love nothing better than to have reported that a local brewery was making exceptional Belgian style beer, but that's not the case yet. Maybe that will change, maybe it won't, but it would be cheap and phony to not be honest. I just don't buy into the "everyone gets a gold star" mentality that's so prevalent these days. Any brewer worth his salt wants to continually improve, and feedback is a big part of that. I hope the brewery stays around, and like I said before I wish them the best of luck.

[Graham.C]

I don't think anyone has been unsupportive here, not sure what you're driving at. Belgian styles are not easy to brew really well, and there's a reason discerning beer drinkers have so much respect for the best that the country has to offer. I'd love nothing better than to have reported that a local brewery was making exceptional Belgian style beer, but that's not the case yet. Maybe that will change, maybe it won't, but it would be cheap and phony to not be honest. I just don't buy into the "everyone gets a gold star" mentality that's so prevalent these days. Any brewer worth his salt wants to continually improve, and feedback is a big part of that. I hope the brewery stays around, and like I said before I wish them the best of luck.

well said. Critique makes anyone better.

I will try any local craftsman (beer, cheese, wine, sausage, etc) once, and likely their whole line, plus seasonals. If the product isn't quality, once is a fair deal IMO. I agree we need more breweries but we need good beer too.

I haven't tried my sample yet so my comments are not directed at bridge brewing, just my general mentality.

[Brewnoser]

I was there and got one bomber if each before they ran out. Later that night I went to Gus' and had a great burger and poutine (with sriracha sauce) and a pint of the pale on tap. It's a nice basic but in exciting Belgian style ale. Stronger than a singel. But not too alcoholic. It didn't burn with the hot sauce.

The farmhouse was a bit under attenuated or had too much crystal type malt. It was a bit cloudy which, combined with a back of tongue spur sharpness suggested some unhappy microbiology.

BBB seems to have it right as far as I'm concerned. It's an ok start but they have left themselves room to improve.

Not sure I like the fake stone like bombers. Just as soon have a growler like the others (I feel the same about Sea Level).

The beer at Gus' made for a special meal. Very happy to have that option available to me right in my hood.

[benwedge]

Not sure I like the fake stone like bombers. Just as soon have a growler like the others (I feel the same about Sea Level).

It was probably a smart move for starting out, since they're going full-tilt trying to meet demand. Maybe when things stabilize they'll consider filling your growler (of any size? Get a leg up on Propeller?) or start offering their own full-size ones. I like having that size as an option, I try to avoid drinking a 64oz (1.89L for KMcK) to myself too often.

[benwedge]

Does anybody on twitter ever say anything even remotely critical?

You need to follow me and monochromegod. I'm not nearly as critical of things as he is though.

[CorneliusAlphonse]

Not sure I like the fake stone like bombers. Just as soon have a growler like the others (I feel the same about Sea Level).

It was probably a smart move for starting out, since they're going full-tilt trying to meet demand. Maybe when things stabilize they'll consider filling your growler (of any size? Get a leg up on Propeller?) or start offering their own full-size ones. I like having that size as an option, I try to avoid drinking a 64oz (1.89L for KMcK) to myself too often.

I had heard they would fill other breweries growlers for something like $12, but maybe that changed due to popularity?

[chalmers]

He's mentioned on Twitter that the plan is to fill other's growlers, but not yet.

[KMcK]

Not sure I like the fake stone like bombers. Just as soon have a growler like the others (I feel the same about Sea Level).

It was probably a smart move for starting out, since they're going full-tilt trying to meet demand. Maybe when things stabilize they'll consider filling your growler (of any size? Get a leg up on Propeller?) or start offering their own full-size ones. I like having that size as an option, I try to avoid drinking a 64oz (1.89L for KMcK) to myself too often.

1.9 L for significant figure Nazi.

I have some 341 ml 'growlers' they could use.

[Graham.C]

I have some 341 ml 'growlers' they could use.

When did growler become a synonym for big bottle? I always thought a growler was a big jug with a long history and bomber was a relatively new term used for a 750ml.

[mr x]

Growlers.
http://www.greatcanadianbeerblog.com/20 ... wlers.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[CorneliusAlphonse]

Growlers.
http://www.greatcanadianbeerblog.com/20 ... wlers.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

i like the Junction Craft Brewing growlers. 2 L swing top, thumb hole... i'll have to grab one or two next time i'm in toronto

[mr x]

http://www.halifaxnewsnet.ca/Business/2 ... et%0D%0A/1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Another craft brewer has opened its doors in Halifax. Bridge Brewing Company, located on Agricola Street in the North End, sold its first batch Jan. 23 and has already made its mark on the local beer scene.

Peter Burbridge, founder of Bridge Brewing Company, said this is a dream of his finally realized.

"I always had the idea that I wanted to start my own business and originally I thought it would be in the coffee industry," Burbridge said inside the storefront area, with wood panels on the wall and a red saloon style door. "So I decided to do an MBA at Dalhousie and learn something about business."

During his time at Dalhousie, Burbridge began working at Java Blend Coffee Roasters, which inspired him to start his own business.

"I didn't want to leave Halifax and I didn't want to open a business that would compete with Java Blend, so I went with my other passion, which is home brewing," he said. "After looking into the industry I noticed it's kind of exploding right now and I thought Halifax was ripe for a nice small scale local brewery."

He had the recipes, he had the business plan, all he needed was a partner to help with the actual brewing.

In comes Josh Herbin, who worked in the brewing industry before. Herbin had also worked in agriculture, including growing hops, one of the key ingredients of making beer. The two met, thanks to mutual friends, and eventually became business partners. Burbridge said things fell into place once they started collaborating together.

Now the two are making and selling beer together and the only issue so far seems to be keeping up with demand.

"I think there's a big enthusiasm for craft beer, a lot of people are excited by the trend and in the first day we sold out of everything in three hours," Burbridge said. "Then on Thursday we did about the same volume over five hours."

The two brewers have two tanks, which makes two beers.

"One is Gus' 65 metre ale, we're doing that with Gus' Pub, which is 65 metres down the road, and that's is where the name comes from," Burbridge said. He described it as a light refreshing Belgian-style blonde that's crisp and citrusy. It's available in growler form in store and at Gus' Pub, just up the street.

"Our other beer is the farmhouse ale, another Belgian-style. That one's a little bigger at 7.5 per cent (alcohol)," he said, adding that it's got a good malt sweetness that is balanced out by a unique yeast strain they're using.

The farmhouse will also be available at the store and on tap at the Brooklyn Warehouse, a local restaurant.



A day in the life of a craft brewer

Josh Herbin is the primary brewer at Bridge Brewing Company. He described the process of making the two signature beers.

"On a brew day I come in around 8 in the morning and I'll check on the beers that we have fermenting at the time and if I have to cool anything down or heat anything up I get that started," Herbin said. "I sanitize the equipment and then I'll check with Peter that we're happy with that recipe and that we're making the right batch.

"We have quite a few different malts that we're using here, some are Canadian and some are import malts. I'll mill the grain for our recipe, which usually works out to 50 to 60 kilos a batch right now. I just started my hot water cycle, so I'll start mashing it in. I mix the grain with the water at just the right temperature and kind of make a tea and let that steep for about an hour and then just go through the brewing process.

"This system is a side-by-side one, two brews at the same time staggered an hour apart to fill one of the tanks, which takes about seven hours to get through the whole process, so along the way I'm also cleaning the tanks and getting it all ready, it's a lot of multi-tasking."

[Jayme]

I went to Gus' on Saturday for a buger & beer, but not surprisingly, they were sold out of the beer. What was kind of interesting though, is the bartender did NOT seem impressed with Bridge Brewing. He said they have only had one keg so far to sell, and the second/third they brought by 'did not work'. Perhaps user error, but G also mentioned when he picked up the two growlers we tried, they were having issues of tapping a new keg and it foaming all over the place. It's too bad - hopefully they can sort these sort of rookie mistakes out before losing the Gus' account. They are in desperate need of good (or even mediocre) beer.

[mr x]

Have they got nothing in there at all there for craft beer? Not much excuse for that anymore...

[Jayme]

I'm pretty sure they don't... There is some sort of house beer, but I'm 98% certain it's that same house beer by labatt that several bars around town have. You're right though, there is no excuse.

[pet lion]

Gus has Propeller Bitter (for some time now) and IPA (more recently added) available in bottles.

[Jayme]

My bad. I gave the fridge full of bottles a good look over and didn't see those. I thought I asked too, but perhaps not.

[KMcK]

I have some 341 ml 'growlers' they could use.

When did growler become a synonym for big bottle? I always thought a growler was a big jug with a long history and bomber was a relatively new term used for a 750ml.

Those two litre glass jugs are now called firkins.

[Dirt Chicken]

Have they got nothing in there at all there for craft beer? Not much excuse for that anymore...

They have propeller in bottles

Sent from my SGH-T989D using Tapatalk 2

[Graham.C]

I have some 341 ml 'growlers' they could use.

When did growler become a synonym for big bottle? I always thought a growler was a big jug with a long history and bomber was a relatively new term used for a 750ml.

Those two litre glass jugs are now called firkins.

I thought a ferkin was a small keg, but bigger then a pony/quarter barrel.

[Jayme]

I do believe calling a 2L jug a firkin was a joke...

You're right that a firkin is a small keg, but it is a quarter barrel. I think it comes from some Dutch word that means 4th. The term Pony, I believe, is the American term for a firkin.
Also, bombers are considered to be 22oz or 650mL. 750mL bottles are called 'quarts'... even though they are not actual equal to either a US or Imperial quart. Go figure...

[TimG]

Also, bombers are considered to be 22oz or 650mL.

Hmmph, didn't know that. Most folks seem to do 750ml..

[Jayme]

True story. Canadian breweries seem to lean towards 750mL, but the vast majority of US breweries use 650mL/22oz.

[CorneliusAlphonse]

Also, bombers are considered to be 22oz or 650mL.

Hmmph, didn't know that. Most folks seem to do 750ml..

Propeller does 650.

[Jayme]

Propeller does 650.

Yeah that's true too - they used to do 750mL and switched to 650mL at some point without asking me. haha