01-07-2025
The 5 best beers I imbibed in Nova Scotia
The summer is offseason for a football writer like me. But beer season never stops, even if you're on vacation in the Maritimes.
Paying attention to minor league hockey growing up in Rhode Island made me aware of the southeastern corner of Canada. Between that, some recommendations from acquaintances and a general appreciation of its Wikipedia page, I landed in Halifax for a four-day summer stay up north. With me were my family (i.e. children who could be indoctrinated to say things like "dudes rock" as we jumped into 51 degree water), a few friends, their families and the general desire to explore the area's non-Moosehead beers (I love Moosehead. It was the fancy beer I bought when I had a little extra money in college. But I can get it in Wisconsin, so...).
Because my brain is broken in a way that's unable to completely shut off work (or remember things without documentation), I kept a log of all the best things I drank while in Nova Scotia. This is not an exhaustive list. I had four days there and I'm certain I missed so many great things. But I did get to try a fair amount of what the province has to offer.
Here's what I liked most.
Propeller Brewing Company's Galaxy IPA
This was a bit of luck. Propeller is on tap across Halifax, but its taproom happened to be less than a block from the hotel where I stayed my first night. The beers were all solid -- not incredible, but competently made expressions of classic craft brewing styles. The Galaxy IPA was fruity, tart and full-bodied. It gave off lots of citrus that weaved into piney hops. It's pretty good.
The vibes at the bar however? IMMACULATE.
While we encountered friendly people across Nova Scotia, the folks at Propeller were among the nicest. A music bingo host got us all caught up after joining the game late (and helping us win a generous prize of more beer). The basement arcade was packed with beer drinkers hanging out and watching Terminator 2 on a projection screen, collectively losing their minds every time Linda Hamilton messed someone up or Arnold Schwarzenegger rattled off a one-liner. The bathroom left me with this wisdom:
It was my first night in Halifax and I had found my people. Good beer, too.
Nine Locks Brewing Company's Frig Off IPA
It only felt right to try a Frig Off while within driving distance of where Trailer Park Boys was shot. This hazy IPA, tilted upward in tribute to the late John Dunsworth (a sensei in the world of acting drunk and pouring concrete). It also came with a fresh caught 1.5-pound lobster for about $40 USD, which felt like a good deal. Nova Scotia's got something for everybody.
The Frig Off pours with a hefty, slow-fading head that unleashes waves of bitter citrus ringed by juuuuust a little bit of sugar. That bitterness gives way to an exceptionally smooth hazy ale. The hops settle in toward the back as the current that carries everything along; prevalent but not overwhelming. The fruit weaves through a velvet texture to create a layer of complexity and a clean finish. This was my favorite beer of the trip.
North Brewing Company's Malternate Reality New England IPA
North Brewing Company's Timberlea Taproom was a godsend -- halfway between our rental house and downtown Halifax and a reliable center for good food and excellent beer both on tap and to-go. Everything in my flight was a "B+" or better, ranging from an array of pale ales to a German lager.
The Malternate Reality and Pleasant Disposition each got the call to live, briefly, in our house fridge before getting crushed on a dock by at least one person who "doesn't really drink pale ales." The smell on the Malternate was a bit more sour than I expected, delivering a heap of tart orange up front. But that gives way to an almost sweet hoppiness that folds in just enough malt to give you a wonderfully balanced beer. It's not quite as crushable as the Disposition is, but it's not supposed to be.
That came against the backdrop of a smooth, almost creamy texture loaded with bubbles that lingered even as the can warmed. While it may not melt your face off with its hops, there's a rewarding braid of flavor that make this a beer I'll seek out whenever I'm in Canada.
Lightship Brewing Company's Dynamite Trail
A trip to Lunenberg introduced us to some tall ships, brightly painted houses and a pair of local breweries. Shipwright had a lovely location overlooking the docks, what looked like some pretty legit pizzas and an array of OK-to-good beers. Lightship, located about 100 meters of Atlantic Ocean away, had similarly gorgeous views and better beers.
This was headlined by a pair of flavorful, crushable easy drinkers. The Dory Racer pale ale was light but loaded with fruit flavor. The hops were softer than expected, but between a little malt and a 4.5 percent alcohol by volume (ABV), this was a wonderful sit-by-the-water-and-drink-three beer.
The Dynamite Trail hefeweizen, however, was exactly what I wanted. Currents of clove and wheat bubbled up from the depths of my glass, hitting all the notes I want from a hefe. There was a rich flavor with those almost-banana cloves and a richness that bordered on sweet. It was a wonderful warm weather slugger or a rainy day sipper, equal parts poundable and deep. There's a lot going on here, and all of it is delightful.
A Caesar
My knowledge of Caesars was limited to Jared Keeso productions -- mostly Letterkenny but probably a few moments in Shoresy as well. It's pretty dang similar to a bloody Mary, but with clam broth (Clamato) mingling with the tomato juice to create a snappier, thinner and easier-to-drink cocktail. This is exactly what I needed in the mornings; an eye-opener that lacks the soup-esque density of a bloody.
The Clamato was a tough sell at first, but it paid off. Maybe it's recency bias, but I'm gonna say it. Caesars are better than bloody Marys.
