Latest news with #CraftBrewersAssociationofNovaScotia
CBC
27-04-2025
- Business
- CBC
New brew pays tribute to pioneer of Nova Scotia craft beer industry
Craft brewers in Nova Scotia are paying tribute to the man who helped kick-start the industry in the province with a new beer made in his honour. Kevin Keefe, who died in 2024, was the founder of Halifax's Granite Brewery, which was the first craft brewery in Nova Scotia when it opened inside Ginger's Tavern in 1985. The 2025 Together We Brew beer, a nod to the beers Keefe made at the Granite Brewery, is an English-style bitter that is "bready and full-bodied with a balanced bitterness," says the Craft Brewers Association of Nova Scotia. Joshua Council, a co-founder of Good Robot Brewing, which produced the beer in collaboration with dozens of other breweries that are members of the association, says it's nice to pay tribute to a man who had all the time in the world for him when he was starting out in the industry. "We wouldn't be here in this province if it weren't for the initial strides he made. So at a time when the [industry] is getting hit with some turbulence, economic conditions and so on and so forth, it felt right to pay homage to the person who made it happen in the beginning," said Council in an interview with CBC News on Saturday. He said Keefe had a lot to do with how Nova Scotians became open to the complexities of craft beer, drawing many people away from the traditional beer that was the norm and pushing them to develop more colourful palates. "He was serving to downtown Halifax in the gritty and grimy days of the late '80s and early '90s," said Council. "He brought this bold, strange English style with these weird techniques and this exotic open fermentation that very few breweries practise today or then and put it in front of people who were domestic drinkers who drank something familiar and somehow managed to convert them." Council said 6,000 litres of the limited-edition beer have been produced and the brewery is already down to the final 1,000 litres just a few weeks into the release. Debbi MacDonald, the executive director of the craft brewers association, said a small percentage of each sale will help fund scholarships and bursaries offered by the organization, including one that aims to get underrepresented populations involved in the industry. The beer is now available in liquor stores and taprooms across the province.
CBC
09-04-2025
- Business
- CBC
Beer in corner stores? N.S. considers expanding where alcohol is sold, say sources
The Nova Scotia government appears poised to announce changes to where alcohol can be sold in the province. Multiple sources tell CBC News that there have been ongoing conversations about expanding sales to convenience stores. Andrew Tanner, co-founder of Saltbox Brewing Company in Mahone Bay and president of the Craft Brewers Association of Nova Scotia, said members have heard from "some very credible resources" that an announcement could come as soon as the end of the month and changes could ready for sometime in the fall. Tanner said the association has not been consulted, but he's hoping that changes soon. "We're just awaiting with bated breath the call from the premier to say, 'Hey, we'd like to invite you to a meeting to talk about this idea,'" he said in an interview. Gov't 'always open to proposals' Karl Coutinho, chair of the board for Wine Growers Nova Scotia, said in an email that members of his organization have not been a part of any discussions nor have they heard anything, but they welcome the idea and would expect to be consulted if sale channels are to be expanded. In a brief interview, Mike Hammoud, Atlantic vice-president of the Convenience Industry Council of Canada, said he's heard rumours but has not been involved in any formal meetings. He declined further comment. "There's just too many uncertainties that are happening right now," he said. A spokesperson for the province's Finance Department said many people have expressed an interest in seeing beverage alcohol sold in more locations, particularly in rural areas, and in supporting Nova Scotia products. "We are always open to proposals and we're always listening to Nova Scotians," Rachel Boomer said in the statement. "We don't currently have any changes planned, but we'll let Nova Scotians know if and when we do." A spokesperson for the Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation referred questions to the provincial government. Ontario announced changes last year In Nova Scotia, alcohol is mainly sold at NSLC stores, agency stores in rural communities, at four private stores in the Halifax area and at sites owned by breweries, distilleries and wineries. The sales model is different in some other provinces, such as Quebec and Newfoundland and Labrador, where certain products are available in convenience stores. Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced plans last year to speed up the sale of beer, wine and ready-made cocktails in corner stores and additional supermarkets. Tanner said if sales are to be expected in convenience stores in Nova Scotia, his association would expect to be consulted. He said craft brewers would like to see centralized distribution so companies of all sizes have an easy mechanism to get on store shelves. He'd also like to see a requirement that shelf space must be filled with at least 50 per cent local craft products. Being able to expand sales options would create greater market reach throughout the province and increase the promotion of locally produced products, said Tanner. Public 'keen' to support local products Colin Macdonald is a director of Micco Companies. One of the group's companies is Harvest Beer Wine Spirits, which sells and distributes direct to customers. Micco also has a management contract for the four private liquor stores in the Halifax area. Macdonald said there were talks about expanded sales access in the province a few years ago, although he's not familiar with anything more recent. The government has not approached Harvest as a potential distribution option for expanded access, but Macdonald said they'd be open to it if the opportunity presented itself. "At this point, no, we haven't had any conversations with the government or NSLC," he said in an interview. The private stores Micco manages have a large selection of local products and Macdonald said that's proved popular with customers. "We've got some amazing producers of beer, wine and spirits in Nova Scotia," he said. "Especially now with all the things that are going on in the world, a lot of people are keen to try and support the local producers."
CBC
09-02-2025
- Business
- CBC
Trump tariff talk boosts N.S. craft beer business
Social Sharing Nova Scotia craft breweries have seen increased demand for their products since U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to impose tariffs on Canadian goods, but they wonder if the extra support will last. Andrew Tanner, president of the Craft Brewers Association of Nova Scotia and the founder of Saltbox Brewing in Bridgewater, said customers are making a point of visiting breweries and telling staff they're there to support local businesses. "We've been very lucky to have very loyal, local customers ... but I think the urgency of the support may perhaps wane a bit as this is not as fresh in people's minds," said Tanner. When it appeared the tariffs were going to be put in place, Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston ordered that the NSLC remove all American alcohol from its shelves as part of the province's response. However, because this order applied to products made, manufactured and/or produced in the U.S., this would exclude beers that people may perceive as American, such as Budweiser or Coors. That's because those products sold here are brewed in Canada. In Halifax, the Oland Brewery is part of the global beer company Anheuser-Busch InBev. It produces beers such as Budweiser and Bud Light. The company did not respond to a request for information about how many people the plant employs. Tanner said craft brewers in the province have always had a consistent message for residents. "Support the folks that are creating jobs in your local rural communities or Halifax and all that money is staying in the local communities,'" he said. "And … we're huge supporters of charitable organizations and fundraising events." According to the NSLC's second-quarter financial results, Nova Scotia craft beer sales represented 16 per cent of beer sales. Craft brewers looking for more shelf space at NSLC While there was a 4.1 per cent increase in local beer sales, "beer sales overall were flat," NSLC spokesperson Terah McKinnon wrote in an email. Tanner said brewers have been pushing for more shelf space at NSLC locations, especially given the market share has increased for local craft beer. McKinnon said the NSLC lists products by 35 local beer producers. "Over the past few years, the number of local beer producers carried in stores has continued to increase, as well as the number of listings and amount of shelf space dedicated to these products," she said. "These efforts ensure access to and representation of the products Nova Scotians want to buy." McKinnon said the NSLC works closely with associations and individual producers to provide coaching and support on how to do business with the liquor corporation and get products to market.
