Delicious Craft (Eco) Beer: Bridge Brewing Company

Andrew and I are what you may call "beer snobs". Yep, I have to say we have discerning taste in beer. Drinking beer is like drinking wine. You gotta start really basic and easy (like fruity whites), drink lots until you can't taste the flavour anymore and eventually, you will learn to appreciate the deliciousness of the beauty called beer.

(Working four summers at a microbrew pub as a bartender also helped this appreciation. There was nothing funnier than watching the Americans hop off the Ferry, down a pint of Canadian micro brew and start slurring: "Y'all have funny lookin' money!". But then, I got my kicks where I could...).

Part of being eco-hip and all is buying local. Bonus if the local beer is also brewed sustainably!

Local beer does NOT equal Alexander Keiths (also, Keith's is gross icky beer and not worth your money). Investing your money back into small, independent and local business assures that your money is going directly back into the community with minimal shipping and production emissions.

(Love their logo! So rustic)

Last weekend, Andrew and I discovered our new FAVOURITE beer in Halifax... (drum roll:) Bridge Brewing Company. It's a new, I would say Nano, craft brewing company in the North End (Agricola and North St, near Gus' Pub). (Interestingly, a testament to the "small town" feel of the maritimes, even in it's biggest city, my best friend H is also friends with the owner's sister...)

(Yep, that's the owner, my friend's-friend M's brother!)

We're naming Bridge Brewing a 'Nano' craft beer brewing as they currently offer 3 styles of beer and brew about 300 litres a day. They only sell in "growler's" of 750ml, which is the perfect 2 beer amount. A small $ deposit means that you can refill your growler at cost of the beer as often as you'd like. They are phasing out the most gorgeous clay growlers (we're keeping one just for posterity) as they are more delicate (we discovered this today- just be sure not to be like Andrew, and hold them in your lap instead of allowing them to roll on the car floor), but the glass ones are just as fun. Refillable growlers equals less waste and better for the environment.

(the gorgeous clay growler chillin' next to the sleek glass growler)

Not only do they offer delicious beer in the coolest growlers in town, but Bridge Brewing Company's goal is to be ZERO EMISSIONS. Yeppers, they source all their power from Bullfrog Power and their spent grain goes to TapRoot Farms. It's clear from their site that should they be able, they plan on continuing to expand wherever possible on making their brewing production as environmentally friendly as possible.

Our favourite brew is "Gus", with the "Farmhouse" a very close second.

(self explanatory)

'Gus' is named after an infamous local North End pub: "Gus' Pub" (and coincidentally, it's the only place where you can get "Gus" on tap in Halifax- Andrew: "I would just sit at the bar, my eyes closed, and smile with eternal happiness"). Gus is a light, Belgium style beer that is filled with deliciousness: a hint of citrus with the lovely surprise of spice at the end. Yum!

(Farmhouse, all poured and ready to enjoy!)

'Farmhouse' has an amber look with a fruity aroma, large flavour with a hint of hop and bitterness. It also has more of a kick at 7.5% alcohol content.

They also currently have a dark beer, that we've never tasted. However, it would be a good bet that it is equally delicious.

If you're in the city, I highly recommend a quick stop to Bridge Brewing Company for a few growlers. If you're reading this as Come From Aways (not from the Maritimes), check out your closest city for micro and nano craft brews. You won't be disappointed!