Time for another quick beer news roundup before it all gets away on me. Some new beer, word of a new brewery and more beer events fill up this edition. So, let’s get right to it.

First up, tomorrow Alley Kat releases its latest Big Bottle single-batch, this time an Extra Special Bitter called The Bitter Truth. There is an open house at the brewery to celebrated its launch from 5:00 on. I am looking forward to this one, as in the rush to brew big, hoppy American-style pale ales and IPAs, the more subtle, balanced ESB has gotten lost. I am glad the Kats have given it a tip of the hat. Also from Alley Kat are rumblings that its next Dragon Double IPA will be out soon, to be called Black Dragon. Someone told me what the hop will be, but I can’t remember. But I do remember it is a classic American hop and they have never brewed with it before

Down highway 2, Wild Rose a week or two ago put out its latest seasonal, a Czech-inspired pilsner they call Foothillz Pilz. Sold in 650 ml bomber bottles they are available across Alberta. I haven’t picked up a bottle yet, but hope to soon, despite their poor spelling (just kidding). Wild Rose’s next seasonal will be intriguing Hop-Smashed In Belgian IPA.

Yukon Brewing confirms a keg or two of their The Megalomaniac Imperial Red will be making its way to Edmonton to be put on tap at the Sugar Bowl. Dates TBC, but I suggest popping in every two days or so just to be sure! I had a small sample of it at the Homebrewers’ Guild meeting earlier this week and it is quite lovely. Tastes like their Arctic Red on steroids.

What may be the most interesting news comes out of Manitoba. Canadian Beer News reports that owners of Winnipeg’s Luxalune Gastropub are breaking ground on a small estate brewery, which they plan to call Farmery Estate Brewery. The plan is to grow their own barley and hops, and to malt the barley on site, which is near Neepawa, about 200 km from Winnipeg. I suspect that given the scale, few of their beer will ever make it out of Manitoba, but the concept of a small-scale, self-reliant brewery is quite fascinating to me. I toured Crannog Ales a couple years ago and appreciated their efforts to be as zero-waste as possible, but they are not fully self-sustaining as their barley and some of their hops are purchased. I will keep my eye on this venture.

While in Manitoba, I should briefly mention that Fort Garry Brewing recently released the second in their new Brewmasters Series, Kona Imperial Stout. The beer will have limited release in Manitoba liquor stores. While I can’t speak to the quality of the Fort Garry series, it (along with Big Rock’s new Brewmaster’s Choice series) shows that the middle-sized brewers in Canada are feeling the need to re-connect to their craft roots. Whether that is good or bad depends on your perspective.

Finally, Urban Spirits Rotary is holding its second annual Hair of the Leprechaun Beer Festival on March 23 at Santa Maria Goretti Centre. It is not a huge event, but will have beer from a couple dozen breweries (names TBA), and all the proceeds go to charity, so you will be drinking for a good cause. Find more details on the event at their website or at Sherbrooke Liquor (who is a partner).

Okay, so that is it for now, I think. Please return to regularly scheduled drinking.