Taste Halifax shuttling beer lovers between craft breweries, pubs

Move over Harbour Hopper, there's a new ride in town.

Taste Halifax has started offering bus tours that shuttlepeople between local breweries and pubs on Saturdays.

Todd Beal, who writes a blog called the Maritime Beer Report, was part of a tour this weekend. He says he's seen similar tours across the United States and is glad to see Halifax catching up.

"It's been very exciting in Halifax with a whole bunch of new breweries opening, and more coming, the styles of beer is increasing and the flavours," he said.

"People are hearing about craft beer, they want to know about craft beer, they want to taste it and explore it."

Taste tests included

The three-hour tours are now offered a few Saturdays a month and the plan is to do weekly runs starting in May.

Susan Downey Lim of Taste Halifax says they've sold almost every seat of the three tours so far.

"We've been absolutely thrilled with the response from it," she told Radio-Canada.

Leslie Duncan of Moncton says the tour was a draw because she and her partner often try to seek out microbreweries when they travel.

Marc-AndrThriaultsays they joined the touras a "weekend getaway from our day-to-day routine."

Duncan saysthe venture should inspire other areas in the region to start promoting their local breweries.