We think we have a few secrets here in the Maritimes (New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island, Canada). Small cities, great access to clean air and outdoor fun, lobster. I would add to that… some of the best beer you’ll find anywhere.

My favourite local beer is Picaroons (http://www.picaroons.ca).  I don’t know whether Picaroons is technically a craft beer or a micro brewery beer. And frankly I don’t really care. There’s a saying about art (something like – “I don’t know much about art, but I know what I like”). The same kind of applies to my knowledge of micro vs. craft beers. But I know I love this one.

Picaroons has a number of varieties. My “go to” summer choice is Dooryard, an Organic wheat beer (see below). It has a slight cloudiness to it and when you add a slice of lemon, the flavour explodes.

[Backgrounder… it’s likely you’ve never heard the word dooryard.  In short, many folks in my neck of the woods use it as a synonym for driveway but here’s a proper definition (from the Carelton County New Brunswick Colloquialism dictionary… Dooryard \’dor-yard\ n – The exterior area of a home surrounding the most commonly used entryway, typically the driveway area; “Buddy does a good job of plowin’ out th’ dooryard.” A logical extension of “barnyard,” “back yard” and “front yard,” it is likely that this compound word grew out of a necessity to distinguish working areas from living areas. In a practice common to the region, homes were attached to barns and other out-buildings; dooryard identifies the exterior area of a home not given over to farming. A household word in parts of New Brunswick, dooryard is seldom heard elsewhere.  End of Back Story]

In the fall, I go back to two of Picaroons’ oldest (and I’m pretty sure original) beers – Best Bitter and Irish Red. Both of these are substantial ales with nice hoppy flavours. And if you love hoppy, try Yippee IPA! I’d be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy a nice stout in the winter like Guinness or St. Ambroise Oatmeal Stout (from Montreal). But I also like Picaroons’ Dark & Stormy Night. And when Spring Hits, I look for their Blonde Ale… tasty.

But today, when we were supposed to feel remnants of Hurricane Bill (and didn’t save for a few minutes of rain and wind), it was all about Dooryard.  There are lots of little gems out here in eastern Canada, especially in my home province of New Brunswick, also known as the picture province.  One of them is Picaroons… the best Canadian beer you’ve “now” heard of.