The Regional Guide to Canadian Craft Breweries

The Garrison Brewing Company, located in Halifax, Nova Scotion, started operation in 1997. When I first visited the Garrison web site I was struck by the military imagery: cannons, black and white images of men in military regalia. The Garrison logo appears to be a fortified turret. Then I realised that the name "Garrison" is a reflection of the naval history of Halifax. In fact, Brian Titus, who is the driving force behind The Garrison Brewing Company came to brewing from a career in the Canadian Navy. Garrison started out focusing on a single brand, the malty Irish Red Ale. The success of the Irish Red allowed Titus to expand the selection to include four standard beers, two rotating specials and a seasonal ale. The four standards include Tall Ship Amber, Nut Brown Irish Red and Raspeberry Wheat. The current specialty brews are the Martello Stout and Jalapeno Ale (Mmmmm.) The current seasonal Ale is the Canadian Brewing Awards Siver Medallist, Khybeer Moka - a blend of the Nub Brown Ale and locally roasted espresso! For more information about Garrison's terrific selection of distinctive beers, visit www.garrisonbrewing.com.

If you're looking for a good reason to make the trip to Halifax, Nova Scotia, look no further. The Propeller Brewing Company has been producing fine English style ales since 1996 thanks to the hard work of John Allen. In the early 1990's Allen was a prop-master in the film industry which, at the time, was burgeoning in Halifax. During his down-time, Allen was an avid home-brewer who happily shared his product with friends and neighbours. Over time he realized that he was getting more satisfaction from his brewing endeavours than he was from his day-job. From the Propeller Story at www.drinkpropeller.ca, "in 1997, with ample help from a real-life supporting cast of family and friends, John Allen opened the Propeller Brewing Company, and proclaimed himself “Brewmaster for Good.” Some of Propeller's well-crafted ales include: the chocolatey tasting Porter, the Sharp Angus hemp ale, and two ales bearing the Propeller name - Propeller Extra-Special Bitter and Propeller Pale Ale. According to Stephen Beaumont's The Great Canadian Beer Guide, Propeller Pale Ale is a "decent quaffing ale" and Frank Magazine declared it "magnificent! Propeller Pale Ale will fill your palate with the languourous summertime aromas of an English hop yard". I've never had the opportunity to smell an English hop yard, but I'm sure it's an experience I wouldn't soon forget. The London Style Porter won silver awards at both the 2002 World Beer Championships and the 2003 All-Canadian Brewing Awards.