America’s bizarre trade war on Canada means that many U.S. wines, spirits, and beers disappeared from our stores recently, with a host of local beverages filling the void. That’s a boon, as East Coast creations hold their own with the world’s best.
When you’re finding your new favourites, there are so many good options that it’s hard to know where to start, so we offer this opinionated guide to some of our favourite Atlantic Canadian drinks, focusing on recent award winners.
Deep roots
Decades ago, a handful of visionary vintners saw the potential for Nova Scotia to create wines that would rank with the world’s best. Facing long odds and much skepticism, they built a thriving wine industry. The Lieutenant-Governor’s Award for Excellence in Nova Scotia Wines annually honours their labours.
2024’s winners include Brut Réserve (a light and zesty chardonnay from Blomidon Estate Winery in Canning), the 2020 Gaspereau Reserve Riesling (complex, oaky, and unusually dry for the style) from Gaspereau Vineyards, Lightfoot & Wolfville Vineyards’ 2018 Brut and 2021 Brut Rosé (both brilliant, vivacious, and shockingly flavourful), and 2022 Chardonnay (crisp minerality with a smooth finish, thanks to eight months in French oak) from friendly little Planters Ridge Winery in Port Williams.
Rum is Nova Scotia’s favourite spirit. In Lunenburg, Ironworks Distillery produces Ten, a traditional rum aged for a decade in bourbon barrels. Nuanced, with notes of toffee and vanilla, best served neat. Ideally in front of a roaring fire by the ocean.
Nova Scotia also boasts many award-winning craft breweries. Church Brewing in Wolfville recently won Best Beverage at the Restaurant Association of Nova Scotia’s annual awards, while Shelburne’s Boxing Rock claimed Brewery of the Year at the 2024 Canadian Brewing Awards. At Church, we recommend the crisp and refreshing Blonde ale, while Boxing Rock’s boozy Vicar’s Cross Double IPA is essential for lovers of big hoppy flavour.
Beer country
New Brunswick is also fecund beer territory, with brewers working in a variety of styles to make beers that ranked among the country’s best at the Canadian Brewing Awards.
Diggin’ Oat Stout (full-bodied, with roast coffee notes) from Grimross Brewing in Fredericton and Mild Sedation (malty, crisp, and clean) from Long Bay Brewery in Rothesay both took gold, in the Oatmeal Stout and Low-alcohol Beer categories respectively. Tiki Bar (tart and crip) from funky little Tire Shack Brewing in Moncton also won gold for German-style Sour Ale.
Near Fredericton in McLeod’s Hill, Sunset Heights Meadery has almost single-handedly created the East Coast mead scene, producing a dizzying array of flavours and styles under its Pollen Angels label. Queen’s Nectar carbonated mead (light and sweet without being cloying) is a perennial favourite. Sunset Heights has won dozens of regional, national, and international awards, and is Canada’s top ranked meadery on the Untappd beer-rating app.
Island extremes
With its proud agrarian heritage, it’s no surprise that P.E.I. has embraced craft cider. Pommeau de l’Ile from Red Island Cider in Charlottetown is the Cadillac of Island ciders, aged in Hungarian oak and weighing in at a whopping 18 per cent alcohol by volume, warm and sweet, more like an icewine than a traditional cider. It won the Best-in-Class award for Fortified Cider at the prestigious Great Lakes International Cider & Perry Competition.
At the other end of the spectrum, P.E.I. also has a treat for teetotalers. Libra Pale Ale (tropical and crisp) from Upstreet Brewing in Charlottetown is likely to be the tastiest alcohol-free beer you’ve tried. It won bronze in the No- to Low-alcohol Beer category at the Canadian Brewing Awards. Editor's note: Since this article published, Upstreet Brewing has gone out of business.
On the eastern side of the province, the town of Montague boasts two breweries that also won at those awards. Proper Pub Ale from Bogside Brewing delivers exactly what the name promises (nothing showy; a perfectly executed straightforward, malty sipper) and earned silver in the English Bitter category. Meanwhile, Copper Bottom Brewing took bronze in the American-style Black Ale category for Eclipse (aggressively, and delightfully, hoppy).
World beaters
The folks at Newfoundland Distillery Company are justifiably chuffed over last year’s Double Gold Medal win and Best of Class finalist selection at the San Francisco World Spirit Competition. Their Newfoundland Whisky isn’t just a spirit, it’s a statement, marrying Old World techniques with local ingredients, likely the first ever commercial use of Newfoundland barley. And it works: its distinctive smoothness and vanilla notes wowed a panel of 70 judges who gave it 97 out of a possible 100 points.
The Rock’s brewing scene continues to draw plaudits as well, giving us two more Canadian Brewing Award winners. Under Da’Sea (full bodied, notes of chocolate and coffee) from Dildo Brewing Co. (stop tittering, that’s the town’s name) won silver in the Imperial Stout category. And in Deer Lake, Sou’Wester (zingy and light) from Rough Waters Brewing earned bronze in the German-style Sour Ale category.
Where to buy
Many of these drinks are made in small batches, and the selection in stores changes constantly. For the best variety and price, local devotees buy direct from producers. Most sell at farmers markets, have their own shops, or peddle online with various shipping and delivery options.
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