The 2010 edition of Sugar Shack Ale is officially released today, and will be in the spotlight during the Maple in the County festival on March 28th and 29th. It’s described by the brewery as follows:

Brewed only in March with locally produced Vader’s maple syrup, this ale has a deep syrup-colour, and a flavour filled with early spring delights. With a bouquet of rich fruity aromas and maple goodness, this savoury beer has a thick, sweet body that is perfectly complemented by the moderately hopped finish. The careful carbonation results in a light and lofty mouth feel and makes every sip you take an inspiring experience.

The brewery also has another beer in the works, this one being a new beer with an old name. Loyalist Lager was first brewed by Barley Days several years ago during the initial transition from the brewery’s previous name (Glenora Springs) and ownership, but it was quickly dropped in favour of an all-ale line-up. Now the name is returning for a new lager crafted by Barley Days brewmaster Alex Nichols which is currently in the aging tanks, and will be released in time for the Victoria Day weekend in late May.

Fire Roasted Mocha Porter is brewed using Cafe Justicia, a fair trade and organic coffee from Guatemala, along with molasses and oatmeal. Railway City head brewer for Barbara Ziola describes it as having a distinct coffee flavour with notes of chocolate and a hint of sweetness.

Fire Roasted Mocha Porter is a limited edition winter seasonal available at the brewery in 500 ml bottles, and at select bars and restaurants in the St. Thomas/London area.

This new deal, which will continue to the end of 2012, will allow Brick’s various beer brands to be distributed in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland via each province’s government liquor corporation.

Neither Brick nor AMCA has announced yet which brands will be launched in which provinces, but it’s a safe bet that Brick’s flagship lager, Red Baron, will likely be one of the first to be introduced in the new markets.

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.

Released to LCBO outlets this week, just in time to capitalize on the increased beer sales expected for the upcoming Winter Olympics, the new Discovery Pack includes 341 ml bottles of Black Oak Nut Brown Ale, Cameron’s Cream Ale, Flying Monkeys Hoptical Illusion, Mill Street Coffee Porter, Old Credit Amber Ale and Wellington Special Pale Ale.

OCB Discovery Pack No. 4 retails for $11.95, and will be available while supplies last.

Rumours began spreading early last week that the Tiverton brewery was preparing to close, and on Friday, the Great Canadian Pubs and Beer blog quoted an anonymous source saying “they closed the doors officially yesterday. The staff were told late day Thursday.” Subsequent attempts to contact the brewery have been met with unanswered calls and full voice mail boxes.

If true, this will mark the second closure for Steelback, as it faced bankruptcy under original owner Frank D’Angelo before being relaunched in May, 2008 under new owner Jonathon Sherman (son of Barry Sherman, founder of  pharmaceutical company Apotex and main financier for D’Angelo’s company).

While Sherman oversaw a big change in direction for the brewery, including new packaging and reformulated brands, there was speculation in the industry that the negative legacy left by the D’Angelo version of the company would be difficult to overcome. The biggest evidence of this came last July, when the majority of Steelback’s workforce was laid off due to low sales.

If and when more information comes available, it will be reported here on CBN.

A west coast style pale ale, Canuck will soon be available on tap at several bars in Toronto and area, with a limited number of 650 ml bottles to follow in early February. The bottles will be available in at selected LCBO outlets as well as at the brewery store.

Canuck Pale Ale will also be served alongside an assortment of other Ontario craft brews in the Ontario Pavilion at next month’s Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver.

A blend of Hockley Stout as the “Black” and a newly created ale serving as the “Tan”, Hockley Black & Tan is described as “dark mahogany in colour, with notes of coffee, smoke and chocolate and hints of sweet grainy malt yet finishes crisp, light and dry.”

As with other Hockley Valley beers, the Black & Tan will be available in cans via the LCBO and at the brewery.

TORONTO, ON

In a press release regarding the warning, Minhas Creek states that the AGCO also raised an objection to the name of the beer, since “Ontario’s regulations prohibit selling or advertising a beer in association with a sport.” The release also notes that Boxer has been available in Western Canada since 2007 with no issue, and states that there appears to be a double standard at play, since “almost every beer brand in Canada …  is associated with all types of sports – from hockey to football to Olympics to Ultimate Fighting.”

While Minhas Creek owners Manjit and Ravinder Minhas have contacted their lawyer about the issue, it’s unclear at this point what further action, if any, the AGCO will be taking. The press release makes numerous references to the AGCO’s “objection” to the name and advertising, but there’s no direct indication that Minhas Creek have been ordered to change the name of the beer or remove it from the Ontario market.

This west coast pale ale is based on a couple of pilot beers we’ve been brewing over the past few months. We added a heaping amount of cascade hops at the end of the boil, then dry hopped it to give it that unmistakable hoppy aroma. It boasts a lingering bitterness and is complemented by a soft bready malt flavour.

Coastal Pale Ale will be released later this month, and will be available for a limited time on tap at select licensees, and in 650 ml bottles at the Great Lakes retail store.

In other Great Lakes news, a cask of their one-off Pompous Ass Ale (an English style pale ale with 4% abv) will be tapped sometime this week at the Victory Cafe in Toronto, and their monthly “Project X” night will be taking place this Thursday, January 14th at the brewery, with two new cask ales to be tapped.