FREDERICTON -- A new Fredericton tourism initiative is giving people the chance to support local businesses while enjoying some of the city’s finest beers.

The ‘Taproom Trail’ was brewed up by Tourism Fredericton, giving beer and cider lovers the perfect excuse to sip their way through New Brunswick's capital city.

“The map lists all 11 different craft breweries and cideries on there, and when you visit each one you’ll get a stamp to kind of guide you along the way,” explains Stacy Russell, manager of Fredericton Tourism.

After earning stamps from six different taprooms, beer lovers will win a free bumper sticker.

If they visit eight taprooms, they'll received a limited-edition t-shirt.

And for the brave souls that visit all 11 locations, they'll be entered for a draw to win a free weekend at the 2021 Fredericton Craft Beer Festival.

Russell hopes the initiative keeps bringing business to breweries in the brisker fall and winter weather, even after COVID-19 created some challenges for the project.

“Craft brewers in Fredericton and really, all around the province, are known for their collaborative nature,” explains Russell. “They’re all working together and they’ve all worked together to provide a safe operations plan to be able to ensure the safety of their staff, as well as any of their patrons.”

Picaroons Brewing Company is just one of the breweries along the Taproom Trail, and owner Sean Dunbar is delighted to be involved in the COVID compliant event.

“Essentially it’s self-directed, so it can be one person, it can be bubbles. You’re outside for the most part. You don’t really have to interact as a group in order to participate in the event, so it’s been really popular with people,” explains Dunbar.

Visitors are also encouraged to snap photos for social media, using the hashtag #FredTapTrail.

Tourism Fredericton says this is just one of the ways they hope to encourage visitors and locals alike to get out and explore the city, and that success will follow the Taproom Trail.