Breweries in N.S., Boston raise glass to century-old connection with new beer

Two craft breweries on opposite sides of the U.S.-Canada border have teamed up tocreatea beer that honours thecentury-old friendship between Halifax and Boston.

The abbey-style ale is acollaboration between Big Spruce Brewing ofBaddeck, N.S., and Boston-based Harpoon Brewery that began last year when the two businesses connected following a Christmas tree lighting ceremony in the Massachusetts capital.

Everyyear, Nova Scotia gifts a tree to Boston, to show the province's gratitude for thehelp Bostonians provided after the Halifax Explosion on Dec. 6, 1917.

Caused by the collision of two wartime ships one of which was carrying explosives the blastkilled about 2,000 people, wounded another 9,000 and flattened a wide swath of the city. In the hours after the explosion, Boston sent a group of medical experts and supplies to lend aid in Halifax.

The taste profile of the beer called From Nova Scotia With Love is a history lesson in itself.

"Fermented on a Belgian yeast to note the fact that there was a Belgian ship involved in the explosion," said Jeremy White of Big Spruce. "It was also brewed with a little bit of spruce tips to kind of give it that quintessential Big Spruce touch, Nova Scotia touch, if you will."

Nova Scotia hasdedicatedthis year'stree to health-care workers in honour of their response during the explosion and their work during the COVIDpandemic.

In recent years, the send-off and lighting of the tree has been met with great fanfare and celebration. This year was much quieter, however, due to the pandemic.

Charles Storey, president of Harpoon Brewery, saidthe collaboration allows people from both sides of the border to learn an important history lesson about the relationship between the twoport cities.

"People know that there's this giant Christmas tree and it's beautiful and maybe that it comes from Canada, but they don't really know the back story," Storey said. "As soon as people learn the back story, it provides such a profound connection."

In a year that has been difficult for many, White said highlighting compassion is important.

"Good beers should have a good story behind them," White said. "We've kind of piggybacked on a wonderful one here."

The beer is available across the United States and Canada.