2017 Winners of the Atlantic Canadian Beer Awards

The 2017 edition of the Atlantic Canadian Beer Awards were announced at a Gala earlier this evening, in front of a full house at the Stubborn Goat. 50 breweries and cider houses from across the Atlantic provinces took part, with a total of 321 beer and cider entered for consideration in 14 different categories. 20 judges from Nova Scotia and New Brunswick tackled the enormous variety of entries, with the following beers and ciders recognized for their performance. In case you’re wondering how you can get a sweet gig like this, check out the Beer Judge Certification Program, and sign up to be part of the study and exam group, run through the Brewnosers homebrew club. Now, on to our winners!

1) North American & European Style Lager

Gold: Boxing Rock Brewing Co. – Stayin’ Alive Bock

Silver: Moosehead Breweries Ltd. – Moosehead Lager

Bronze: Good Robot Brewing Co. – Extra BIG-ASS Beer

2) German Style Specialty Ales

Gold: Breton Brewing Co. – Stirling Hefeweizen

Silver: Tatamagouche Brewing Co. – North Shore Lagered Ale

Bronze: North Brewing Company – Little Beast

3) UK Style Specialty Ales

Gold: Pump House Brewery – Barley Wine Ale

Silver: Split Rock Brewing Co. – Alli’s Big Brown Ale

Bronze: Garrison Brewing Co. – Irish Red

4) North American Style Specialty Ale

Gold: Trider’s Craft Beer – Brew-Deau Cream Ale

Silver: Tatamagouche Brewing Co. – Giantess Barleywine

Bronze: Oland Brewery – Keith’s IPA

5) Belgian Style Specialty Ale

Gold: Big Spruce Brewing – S’Il Vous Plait

Silver: Les Brasseurs du Petit-Sault – Tante Blanche

Bronze: Quidi Vidi Brewing Company – Winter Ale

6) North American Style Amber / Red Ale

Gold: Sea Level Brewing Co. – Blue Heron Extra Special Bitter

Silver: Boxing Rock Brewing Co. – Temptation Red Ale

Bronze: Hammond River Brewing – Red Coat India Red Ale

7) Fruit & Field Beer

Gold: Alexander Keith’s Brewery – Hortonville Pumpkin Ale

Silver: Big Spruce Brewing – Guava Get Me Some!

Bronze: Tatamagouche Brewing Co. – Rushton’s Peach

8) Pale Ales

Gold: Breton Brewing Co. – Seven Years Pale Ale

Silver: Big Spruce Brewing – Kitchen Party Pale Ale

Bronze: North Brewing Company – Priority Pale Ale

9) Stout / Porter

Gold: Tatamagouche Brewing Co. – Two Rivers Baltic Porter

Silver: 2 Crows Brewing Co. – Midnight Mood American Porter

Bronze: Big Axe Brewery – Shakespeare Stout

10) India Pale Ale

Gold: Roof Hound Brewing Co. Ltd. – Big Stink IPA

Silver: Big Spruce Brewing – Tim’s Dirty American IPA

Bronze: Nine Locks Brewery – Fathom DIPA

11) Experimental Beer

Gold: North Brewing Company – Oh My Darlin’ Clementine Brett Pale Ale

Silver: Uncle Leo’s Brewery – Nachtical Illusion Schwarzbier

Bronze: Good Robot Brewing Co. – Damn Fine Coffee & Cherry Pie v3.0

12) Wood & Barrel-Aged Beer

Gold: Garrison Brewing Co. – Barrel-Aged Ol’ Fog Burner Barleywine

Silver: Big Spruce Brewing – Chardonnay Barrel-Aged Wild Wild Wit

Bronze: 2 Crows Brewing Co. – Bonanza! Calvados-Aged Wheat Wine

13) Standard Cider and Perry

Gold: ChainYard Urban Cidery – Foundation

Silver: Yip Cider – Russett

Bronze: Coastliner Craft Cider – Coastliner Original

14) Specialty Cider and Perry

Gold: Red Rover Craft Cider – Fall Cider

Silver: ShipBuilders Cider Ltd. – Sid’s Chai Apple Cider

Bronze: ChainYard Urban Cidery – Hopped Up

Brewery of the Year

Big Spruce Brewing (Nyanza, NS)

Brewpub of the Year

Paddy’s Pub (Wolfville, NS)

Cider House of the Year

ChainYard Urban Cidery (Halifax, NS)

Beer of the Year

Stirling Hefeweizen – Breton Brewing (Sydney, NS)

Cider of the Year

Fall Cider – Red Rover Craft Cider (Fredericton, NB)

People’s Choice Award – Cider

Original – Yip Cider (Long Reach, NB)

People’s Choice Award – Beer

Go Devil – Upstreet Craft Brewing (Charlottetown, PE)

Congratulations to all of the winners!

2017 Atlantic Canadian Beer Awards by the numbers:

296 Beer entries from 43 Breweries and Brewpubs

25 Cider entries from 7 Cider Houses

20 BJCP National, Certified, Recognized, and Novice Judges

8 dedicated stewards behind the scenes

18 hours of judging

1100 cups of beer and cider sniffed, swigged and sampled

35,000 steps (23 km) walked by the Judging Organizer over the course of 2 days (acbbchris)

49 Awards

1 Great Industry Worth Celebrating!