In recognition of the recent formation of the Ontario Hop Grower’s Association, a non-profit association of 28 organic and conventional growers in the province, the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs has announced plans for the 1st annual Great Ontario-Hopped Craft Beer Competition(GOHCBC).

Open to commercial brewers and students in their graduating year of accredited Ontario Brewmaster courses, the competition will challenge brewers to create beers using exclusively Ontario-grown hops. The beer style chosen for this inaugural edition of the competition is American IPA, with entries to be judged based on the Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP) guidelines for the style.

Interested participants must register for the competition by December 31st, 2012, and samples must be delivered or dropped off by February 20th, 2013. Judging will take place on February 21st during the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Convention at the Scotiabank Convention Centre in Niagara Falls, Ontario.

Full competition rules and other details are available on the GOHCBC website.

[This article co-published with Canadian Beer News]

Whistler Brewing has a new wheat beer for the summer called the Pineapple Express. As many brewers are running at full capacity for the summer months, this seems to be last of the new ‘seasonal’ releases… but there’s still some new products hitting the shelf.

Pacific Western has introduced a new organic lineup called Scandal Brewing. They’ve launched with an Ale and a Lager.

Russell Brewing is celebrating their 17th anniversary with a Barrel Aged Scotch Ale. I’m a huge fan of their award-winning Wee Angry Scotch Ale, so I look forward to trying this one!

Tin Whistle Brewing recently celebrated their 1000th brew. Seventeen years ago they were the only brewery in the South Okanagan, and they’re still going strong. The owner told the Penticton Western News that they were looking for a new location so they can expand and start canning as well.

Molson’s Six Pints Specialty Beer Company has released a “Hand Picked 6 Mixed Craft Pack”. Molson has been strangely silent on the marketing front, but the box says:

Two pioneers in Canadian craft brewing have joined forces to bring you this signature selection of distinctive flavours. HAND-PICKED 6 unites three West Coast-inspired ales from Vancouver’s Granville Island Brewing and three traditional European lagers from small-town Ontario’s Creemore Springs Brewery. It’s a unique collaboration that lets you discover some of our country’s finest award-winning beers.

The “Hand Picked 6″ is currently available at the LCBO as well as BC Liquor stores. There’s already some discussion on the Bar Towel Forum. I like it.

Halifax is a great town, with a really great pub scene. Cass reported on a few of the establishments back in 2006. Two noteworthy additions are the Hart & Thistle and the Rockbottom Brewpub, both under the hand of Greg Nash. Nash trained at the American Brewers Guild and then spent some time in California before returning back home to the Maritimes, where he has become known for his hoppy creations.

The Hart & Thistle is located at the Historic Properties. It’s right on the waterfront and has one of the best patios in town. They offer a few craft brews and usually have a couple of their own on-tap. While I was there they had the Hop Rock Candy Mountain, which you can read about at The House of Nash. I had a few drinks, and just as I was leaving I crossed paths with Nash. He said he was brewing at the Rockbottom the next day, and that I was welcome to join him.

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