Our Story

RARE BIRD^® Craft Beer is handcrafted on the pristine shores of Guysborough, Nova Scotia, where Maritime brewing began in 1659. Authentic Seacoast’s brewery is proud to offer craft beers of rare character. With our brand-new portfolio of 6 unique beers, inspired by the birds and people of Nova Scotia, we’re proud to bring together the beauty of birds and beer. Celebrate nature with us, with the natural goodness of craft beer!

History

There have been many exciting moments along our journey as RARE BIRD^® Craft Beer has evolved over the years. Below, is a quick snapshot of where we began and how we came to be where we are today!

2005

RARE BIRD^® Pub opens on Main Street in Guysborough, Nova Scotia in a fully renovated historic building (1929). The RARE BIRD^® becomes a central hub for the community, with summertime ceilidhs and indoor musical acts! Known for its fish and chips, burgers and cold pints on the patio, the Pub was a hot spot! It was one of the first of four craft breweries in Nova Scotia.

2005

RARE BIRD^® Pub opens its micro-brewery offering a full range of brews on-tap.

2011

RARE BIRD^® launches its bottled beers and obtains NSLC listings with its original branding.

2016

After five years of design, development, construction and commissioning, Authentic Seacoast’s showcase Brewery & Distillery opens at 75 Ferry Lane, down the street from the RARE BIRD^®Pub. It becomes the first combined brewery-distillery in Canada!

2017

RARE BIRD^® Craft Beer becomes available in cans.

2021

Authentic Seacoast updates its RARE BIRD^® Craft Beer portfolio with updated recipes and expanded offerings, packaged in a more contemporary format. We build upon our original theme of rare birds, personifying distinctive Nova Scotia birds of rare character.

Birds and Bird Watching

We love birds! Years of participating in Christmas bird counts or travelling far and wide to add a new bird to one’s life list, or simply watching them in their natural habitat has been fun and led to a deep appreciation of the beauty that they bring to our lives. This can even be more fun with a beer in hand! Each of our unique 6 beers is named after special bird species! Here are some fun facts about them and a few links below where you can learn more!

Surf Scoter

are found throughout Canada, from coast to coast. The Surf Scoter is seen in rafts off Nova Scotia’s seacoast where they winter. They breed on freshwater lakes in Northern Canada. The male has a long, thick based, multi-coloured bill and prominent white markings on its nape and forehead. Females differ from the male by having two white cheek spots.

Bald Eagle

Unmistakable. This apex predator is famous for its white crown and tail, sharp eyes, large yellow talons and beak. They can live a long time - up to 38 years! This majestic bird flies with deep strokes and flattened wings. Its chief food is fish but will opportunistically scavenge. They’ve been seen stealing fish from ospreys in flight. Visitors to our brewery can often enjoy seeing our wild resident eagles fly by!

Piping Plover

(Endangered) Found singly or in small flocks, on drier portions of sandy beaches. You might see them vibrating the sand with their foot as a wave passes, to bring food to the surface to eat. Its bill is yellow with a dark tip in Spring, and all dark in Winter. It has a single neck band and yellow legs and feet.

Mourning Dove

This is one of the most common native birds in North America. It can be found in rural and suburban settings. Note its slim long body and tapered tail. Graceful, slender, their flight is fast and bullet straight. This dove nests singly and feeds in flocks. They collect seeds on the ground and fly to a safe perch to digest their meal. They’re also known for their coo-ing call.

Red Winged Blackbird

(Abundant) This bold and familiar bird, can be seen sitting on cattails and telephone wires. Glossy black males have scarlet and yellow shoulder patches that can puff up or hide depending on how confident they feel. They are highly polygynous, meaning males have many female mates, up to 15 in some cases. Males fiercely defend their territory during mating season. Wear a hat!

Black-Necked Stilt

(Rare in Nova Scotia) This delicate bird breeds in both fresh and saltwater habitats. Note its long neck, thin red legs and straight bill. Plumage is black above and white below. In flight, its wings appear solid black. It typically nests in loose colonies and eats mostly insects and crustaceans. This bird’s call is a series of loud piping notes.