Picaroons’ Latest Brew Showcases Local Farms
FREDERICTON–Picaroons have been big supporters of the nascent hops farming industry across the Maritimes, and now for the first time, their Harvest Ales will feature seven different locally grown hop varieties, drawing from all three Maritime provinces.
Sean Dunbar, owner of the Fredericton-based company, calls hops and barley farmers “the backbone of brewing.”
“The fact that Atlantic Canadian farmers can produce all the ingredients necessary for beer in our own backyard is a huge opportunity.”
Picaroons’ My Harvest website shares profiles of some of their hops growers from New Brunswick, P.E.I. and Nova Scotia.
Every batch of the “Who’s Your Farmer” Harvest Ales is being brewed with Maritime-grown malts and hopped with a different hop variety from a different Maritime farmer.
New Brunswick’s contribution to the batches will come from Southan Farms in Wicklow, and Moose Mountain Hops in Maplehurst.
Dunbar said he’s committed to keeping his beers as local as possible, and that means supporting the region’s farmers.
But while supporting a growing industry is laudable, many loyal Picaroons fans will want to know how it tastes.
The brewery said the Harvest Ales will sport a golden amber colour, and be smooth with a slightly sweet undertone. Each of the ales will also have a unique taste that will vary according to the hop type, and the farm it came from.
“Locally hopped beer tastes more fresh and alive,” said farmer Bob Fitzgerald, owner of Lunahops in Cornhill, New Brunswick.
“Plus, the hops really stand out when they’re grown an hour away from where the beer is brewed.”
On the side of each bottle will be a batch code. By going to picaroons.ca/myharvest/ and matching the bottle to the batch code, you can learn more about the hops in your hand and the farmers that grew them.