March 12, 2009 Food & Drink » Beer Guide

Article Tools

click to enlarge

Author Archives

By the books: Seattle Central Public Library

Seattle's central library is a world-famous mix of daring architecture and the city's creative voice. What can Halifax learn from their success?
- by Andy Murdoch
- Mar 4, 2010
More »

House beers

Local brewies often prepare one-off blends of beers for bars and restaurants around town. They are worth searching out.

by Andy Murdoch

For the diehard beer hunter always looking for a new taste, there is a decent selection of blended house beers poured out in bars and restaurants across the city.

Propeller currently has the most specialty blends on tap in and out of the city. "It's not practical to do a single batch of beer for a place, so we do blends of existing beers," says John Allen, owner of Propeller Brewery on Gottingen. "It's difficult and challenging from a production point of view, but we like doing it."

There's the amber Opa at Opa (1565 Argyle), Brooklyn Dark at the Brooklyn Warehouse (2795 Windsor), Menz Pale Ale at the Menz bar (2182 Gottingen), the Knot Ale in Lunenburg's Knot Pub, the Kilted Frenchman (Bayport, South Shore) and the amber Horsepower is their biggest seller at The Seahorse (1665 Argyle).

Brian Titus, president of Garrison Brewery, has made a dozen house blends over the years, but Garrison offers only two house beers on tap now. Jamieson's Dark (Jamieson's, 5 Cumberland Drive, Dartmouth) and the Split Crow Select (Split Crow, 1855 Granville), a blend of the Irish Red and the Tall Ship Amber.

Instead, Garrison does Firkin Fridays at Maxwell's Plum (1600 Grafton). Every week they brew enough beer to fit in a small wooden cask, called a firkin. They crack the firkin open with a mallet and pour pints straight from the cask. Yon firkin is crackede at 3:30 and runs out quickly. It costs $2.95 per glass.

Finally, there's Brewdebaker's Tap & Grill (612 Windmill Road) attached to the Sleeman's Brewery. This is the one place to get Sleeman's 20th Anniversary Ale, Sleeman's Red and Clear, their low-carb beer.

Comments (2) RSS

Showing 1-2 of 2

Add a comment

Cracka didn't get the point. Peculiar is brewed by the Granite Brewery for anyone to have (it used to be only for their brewpub to have). It is probably still available at the Lion's Head and the Spitfire Arms in Windsor. The above beers are custom brews or blends (most are blends) packaged under a house name for a restaurant or bar that wants a bit of a special thing. Often it can be an indicator that that establishment cares about beer more than another. Of course, now that I said that - the Sleemans Anniversary Ale does not belong here. It is on tap at Maxwells too, and not just at Brewdebakers.

Posted by Brewnoser on March 12, 2009 at 9:23 PM | Report this comment

Mr. Murdoch, you missed one important brew - the Peculiar from The Henry House. Does this not warrant being on the list?

Posted by cracka on March 12, 2009 at 10:38 AM | Report this comment

Latest in Beer Guide

BEER GUIDE »

Hot beers

posted by CRAIG PINHEY, Jul 29/10

New brews are trending from fruity to hop monsters, but the biggest trend is experimentation. comments 1

BEER GUIDE »

Beer and food

posted by MELISSA BUOTE, Mar 11/10

Gourmet beer pairings are all the rage, but nothing beats good ol’ pizza and beer comments 3

BEER GUIDE »

Hops Warrior

posted by CHRISTINE BEEVIS, Mar 11/10

For 10 years, brewer Greg Nash has brought extreme beers to local breweries and drinkers. Now, he prepares to open his own Halifax brew pub. comments 6

BEER GUIDE »

Green beer cheer

posted by HOLLY GORDON, Mar 11/10

It comes once a year, gets you out of work (sometimes) and generally has you pretty sloshed by the end of the day. Too bad it ends in an unnaturally coloured mess. comments 2