A Picnic in the Loyalist City!

​As many Saint Johners know, when the good weather hits you have to take advantage. That's why when the good weather hits we here at Uncorked Tours find any excuse to get out of the office. Our most recent excuse was "research" for a new blog post. What we decided to do for this "research" was a quintessential Saint John picnic, one perfect for locals and travelers alike.

​The first step was deciding on what to pack for food. A quick look around the office led us to determine that we were going to have pick up some food. We pondered, "what to bring, what to bring." So many options. Do we go with sandwiches from Urban Deli, do we go classic maritime soul food with Deluxe, do we go with something ethnic and exciting from Taste of Egypt? Finally, it hit us, a salmon platter from North Market Seafood. We went with salmon cooked three-ways.  Cold smoked salmon, hot smoked salmon, and of course the candied salmon. How could we do an east coast picnic without representing seafood and maple syrup? 

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​Next was where do we go. That was easy, Martello Tower of course. Now that it is under construction it seems like many locals and travelers alike forget about Carleton Martello Tower. Built-in 1813 as a military fortification for the war of 1812,  overlooking the city and the Bay of Fundy, Martello Tower is the perfect backdrop to a picnic. (Bonus there was a cruise ship docked, adding something extra interesting to our view!)

​On our way to Martello Tower, we realized something tragic, what where are we gonna drink? After a quick discussion, we determined that none of us felt like being particularly productive for the rest of the day, so we decided on some craft beer. (Of course.) Here in Saint John, we are blessed and cursed to have so many amazing craft beer options. Blessed because they are all so incredible and there are so many choices. Cursed because they are all so incredible, there are so many choices, and getting a bunch of indecisive people to make a pick can be impossible. Ultimately we went with Loyalist City Brewing. Founded in 2016 and brewing out of their location on Water Street in Uptown Saint John. Loyalist City focuses on consistency, using quality ingredients, and a meticulous process. The outcome is one of the best craft brewers in New Brunswick today!

​We went with the Parrtown ESB, Irish Stout, and Three Sisters Pale Ale. All three beers were excellent and balanced. The Parrtown ESB, while it may sound intimidating what it actually is, is perfectly balanced and flavorful. Without being overwhelmingly "bitter".  The Irish Stout was better than any Guinness I've ever had and the Three Sisters Pale Ale was the perfect summertime beer with the hoppiness being perfectly balanced by understated notes of floral.