As we enjoy this beautiful holiday Monday we may wish to raise a glass to the woman responsible for this National long weekend. Her name is Queen Victoria…and until 2015 when Queen Elizabeth stole the title she was the longest reigning monarch in England. With a total of 63 years on the throne this must be viewed as a rather large accomplishment in a time when many people did not live past 40. The period of her reign was known appropriately as the Victorian Era which is hallmarked by strict standards of personal morality and dress.

Victoria was born on May 24th, 1819 and was the fifth in line to the throne. When all four of her brothers died without heirs she ascended to the throne following a rather sad and lonely childhood. She was an 18 year old Queen, married to her first cousin when someone tried to kill her during her first pregnancy! She went on to have eight children and many more assassination attempts all while ruling an empire until her death in 1901 at the age of 81.

Her legacy includes the gradual establishment of a modern constitutional monarchy and reforms to the voting system which increased the power of the House of Commons and reduced the rule of the house of Lords. This forever changed the role of the British Monarchy and informs the way in which the current Queen interacts with the Prime Minister. In 1867, Walter Bagehot wrote that the monarch only retained “the right to be consulted, the right to encourage, and the right to warn.”

What a lady. What a life.

Both Millstone locations will be CLOSED on Monday May 21st.

Remember, life opens up when you do. So pull up a barstool and have some fun.

Millstone Public House Dartmouth (902)461-8053 250 Baker Drive

Millstone Public House Bedford (902)431-8053 50 Gary Martin Drive

www.millstonepublichouse.com

On Sunday February 4th our little pub will turn 2 years old.  (Yes, we opened on February 7th, 2016 but it was on Superbowl Sunday so we’re rolling with that because it’s fun)  What an incredible first few years we have had.  Through a lot of learning curves, a few missteps and many wonderful days and nights we’ve grown into the community pub we dreamed of being.  We can not thank you enough for welcoming us into your lives and giving us the opportunity to employ 40 local service industry rock stars..it is a dream come true!  We invite you to come raise a glass with us in celebration of this 2 year milestone at the Millstone Public House.

We’d also like to invite you to come cheer on the Philadelphia Eagles and the New England Patriots as they battle for victory at the Superbowl.  So many have said the Eagles will take it this year…but then again the Patriots have their golden boy Mr. Bunchen 😉 .  The game will be played at both locations so pick your favourite Millstone and your favourite team and get in on the action.

If you want to know some things about the teams..click here.

Remember, life opens up when you do. So pull up a barstool and have some  fun.

Millstone Public House Dartmouth (902)461-8053  250 Baker Drive

Millstone Public House Bedford (902)431-8053  50 Gary Martin Drive

In a market populated with large and increasingly ornamental tap handles, the Unfiltered ones are easy to miss.  Unless of course you are a fan and then you know what to look for.  In a way the small, sleek, stainless steel pulls are a nod to the way the beer is made.  Totally without pomp or additives.

When I had the chance to tour the Unfiltered Brewery and speak with brewmaster Greg Nash, I asked him why he chose such a diminutive nub.  His reply, like his beer, was straight forward and with no BS. “For me, it’s not about anything but the beer.  It’s got to taste great.  No fluff.  No smoke and mirrors.”

Made of just four basic ingredients, Water, Barley, Hops and Yeast, the beer is live and, as the name would suggest, unfiltered.  This gives it a noticeably cloudy appearance but there are a few reasons to leave it “LIVE”, which is what beer is called before it gets filtered.  It turns out brewers yeast is one of the richest natural sources of Vitamin B complex.  Beer that has not been filtered is loaded with B vitamins.  Why does this matter you ask?  Well, it turns out B Vitamins are leached from your body when you drink alcohol and their departure contributes significantly to the depth of the next day’s hangover.  Drinking beer full of B Vitamins could both cause and cure that hangover in one delicious gulp.  Secondly, Live beer is more flavourful, has a stronger body and is higher in mineral content.  This richness allows the beer to taste great all on its own.  As Nash puts it, “The beer is au natural.  There is no f***ing sh** in it!”

Another noteworthy benefit of one brew in particular, is reduced Gluten content.  While they can not technically call the beer “Gluten Free” (due to the beer being made with gluten containing materials), one brew Exile on North Street has been tested at 10 parts per million.  The standard “Gluten Free” labeled food must contain no more than 20 parts per million, so you do the math.

“Everybody wants craft beer.  They want to eat and drink locally.  They want to know what they are putting in their body,” Nash explains. “It’s the way the world is going..slowly but surely.  For us it’s about the beer.  Making great beer from natural ingredients and doing what we do well.  From the Grain to the Glass it’s three weeks.  It has a shelf life.  It must be fresh.  It’s always going to be local and absolutely fresh.  Freshness is key”.

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We’re always pouring cold, fresh, Unfiltered Beer at the Millstone Public House.  Drop by and try it yourself.  Or, stop by the brewery on North Street in Halifax and see if you can’t get a word with Nash himself.  He’s quite a character..and he knows his beer!