A Taste of Wilton June 20, 2011

On Monday, June 20, we participated in “A Taste of Wilton”, a gathering of local vendors offering up a taste of their businesses. We presented guests with a diverse sampling of beach-friendly items including four wines, two beers, and a super easy, super delicious mixed cocktail.

The wines tasted were:
2008 Otto’s Constant Dream Pinot Noir - A delicious fruity Pinot Noir from New Zealand
CalNaturale Chardonnay - An un-oaked, crisp Chardonnay packaged in 1 liter sized tetra-packs
Cliff ‘The Climber’ Cabernet Sauvignon- A full-bodied, smooth Cabernet Sauvignon packaged in an travel friendly astra-pouch
2010 Domaine Houchart Rosé - A lovely Rosé with smooth fruity flavors from Provence, France.

The beers tasted were:
Brooklyn Summer Ale - A nice, light “dinner ale” perfect for Summertime
New England Sea Hag IPA- A rich, full-bodied IPA packed with flavor

And the mixed cocktail was:
Coco-Loco Coolata - made with UV Coconut Vodka and Pineapple Juice, topped with a maraschino cherry

We are very happy to have participated in this fun event and had a great time!

Beer Review: Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA

Dogfish Head has an impressive portfolio of craft beer ranging from IPAs and belgian-style ales to a collection of rarities that includes their very own 'Bitches Brew' and their infamous 'Red & White' beer brewed with Pinot Noir grapes.

Their 90 Minute IPA is available year round in 4 packs. It is bright copper in color and has a thin head that sticks to the glass. Aromas of pine, citrus and an enticing caramel sweetness are found on the nose. There are bitter herbal notes with underlying tones of citrus and sweet malt as well as a generous amount of hops on the palate. It has medium weight and excellent carbonation. All around a great brew, Cash gives it two paws up!

Kona Wailua Wheat

Aloha! Hawaii's Kona Brewery has a great line of year round microbrews as well as a great selection of seasonal beers. Lucky for us, Kona Wailua Wheat is in season!

Kona's Wailua Wheat is a shining example of what flavored wheat beer should be. Medium straw in color, with aromas of tropical fruit on the nose. A light body with nice crisp carbonation. The passion fruit and citrus flavors felt natural, they were not heavy or artificial tasting. The tart fruit flavors are balanced by a generous amount of sweet hop. I can not get enough of this unique beer, definitely one of my favorites!

Craft Beer... In A Can?

As the weather increasingly becomes more tolerable we find ourselves venturing outside to spend quality time in the sun. And like mother always said, it is important to apply sunscreen and stay hydrated. A cooler or backpack full of refreshments is a beautiful thing. But glass bottles can be heavy and cumbersome. No one wants to hike with the extra weight or risk broken glass on a boat. So what is one to do, nothing of quality could possibly be packaged in aluminum... right?

The answer to this question is yes, it certainly CAN! (Haha, see what I did there?)

Craft beer in a can, some consider this blasphemous... But there is a revolution taking place on the production lines of top craft breweries. The selection of canned beer has grown over the past 5 years to include a myriad of styles to suit any taste preference. Breweries like Cisco, Magic Hat, Oskar Blues, and New England are packaging their top sellers in cans, making them environmentally and travel friendly. A common misconception surrounding canned beer is that it tastes like metal. This can not be further from the truth. The inside of cans are sprayed with a protective coating so beer never touches aluminum. And unlike bottles, cans protect beer from premature spoilage due to light exposure and oxidation. Cans also become cold faster and stay cold longer.

Consider the aluminum can your new best friend, a faithful companion that will travel with you wherever you go. Grab a six pack, slap on some sunscreen and embark on an epic adventure!

A few of our my favorites include:
Magic Hat #9: A great summer brew, perfect for the beach! Light, crisp and refreshing. It tastes like a Pale Ale but drinks like a Hefeweizen.

Butternut’s Pork Slap: This Pale Ale really hits the spot. It is crisp and refreshing with a medium-body. It has a soft touch of citrus on the finish. It is brewed with a hint of ginger to give it a distinctive kick.

Oskar Blues Old Chub: This traditional Scottish Ale is silky smooth bursting with flavors of coffee, cocoa and a touch of smoke. Brewed with a considerable amount of malted barely, this dark ale is a crowd pleaser.

New England’s Sea Hag IPA: This rich, full-bodied IPA packs a ton of flavor into a 12oz. can. Sea Hag is an awesome IPA with a great hop character.

Widmer Brews

In 1984 two brothers followed their dream and opened Widmer Brewery. Their shared passion for craft beer has translated into the production of many delicious European and American style beers. Located in Portland, Widmer Brewery offers a variety of brews including: Nelson Imperial IPA, Pitch Black IPA and their signature unfiltered Hefeweizen.

Widmer Nelson Imperial IPA has a strong hoppy characteristic matched with a hint of sweet malt. This imperial IPA will go well with an assortment of grilled meats. I recommend pairing it alongside a juicy buffalo burger with pepper jack cheese.

Their Pitch Black IPA is brewed with black malt, resulting in a bitter flavor similar to that of a dark stout. This unique beer pairs well with food that can hold its own. It would be perfect to serve with a thick cut of steak or spicy BBQ ribs.

The brothers’ most popular and decorated brew is a traditional Hefeweizen. This unfiltered gem is crisp and refreshing with a slight hint of citrus. It is an exceptional mate for grilled swordfish or Indian food.

City Steam's Naughty Nurse

Watch the big game with a few Naughty Nurses. City Steam’s Naughty Nurse is an easy-drinking brew with a crisp, medium body. It is a Pale Ale made in an English Bitter style. It has a rich amber color with citrus and floral aromas. It tastes of sweet roasted malts with a slightly spicy finish. Do not let the name lead you astray, these nurses are quite nice!

Beer Review: Rogue's Dead Guy Ale

BeerAdvocate gave this beer an A- rating, stating Dead Guy Ale is “An all around prize ale”. We could not agree more with the "Bros" from BeerAdvocate! Rogue’s Dead Guy is a deep honey color with malty aromas. It is a smooth and medium bodied ale made from a blend of four malts and two styles of hops. It has a rich hearty flavor profile that is balanced by a slight hint of sweetness on the finish. It is available in 22 oz bombers and 64 ounce growlers. Our staff cannot get enough of this delicious brew!

Sam Adams Beer Lover's Choice 2010

On Saturday representatives from the Samuel Adams brewery visited our store and gave our customers a taste of two possible new additions to the the Samuel Adams line of beers. Customers filled out a ballot and voted for the beer they liked best. The beer that receives the most votes will be added to the Samuel Adams line and distributed next year. This year’s contenders included a Belgian I.P.A. and an American Rye Ale. The Belgian I.P.A. (Choice A) had a roasted sweet malt character with a hoppy, bitter finish. The American Rye Ale (Choice B) was medium-bodied and deep red in color. It had spicy citrus notes on the nose and finished strong with sweet malt flavors. I asked the representatives what the overall fan favorite was for the day and they told me the tally was close. The staff seemed to favor the American Rye Ale over the Belgian I.P.A. It will be interesting to see which one shows up on our shelves within the year.

Summer Seasonal Beer Review

Today I shot an image of one of our first Fall seasonal beers for our website. After the initial shock of Summer ending wore off I came to my senses. Summer isn’t over quite yet, but according to the beer calendar it is. Distribution of Summer seasonal beers has stopped this week. And while I can live without a few of them, like Saranac’s Summer Brew, there are others I am not sure I can live without. A couple of my favorites this Summer were Kona’s Wailua Wheat and Rogue’s Somer Orange Honey Ale. Kona’s Wailua Wheat is extremely refreshing. It has a light hint of citrus and passion fruit, perfect for hot summer evenings. Rogue Somer knocked my socks off with flavors of orange and honey accompanied by a sweet malt character. An excellent match for barbecue or chicken. There is no doubt I will stash a few of those away for a taste of Summer when it gets cold out.

Now is the time to stock up on your summertime favorites, they will not be around for much longer!

World's Strongest Beer

Beers with high alcohol content are making their way across the Atlantic to the United States. Strap yourselves in, these high octane beers are built for speed and are not for the weak. Breweries boast numbers ranging from 12% to a remarkable 41% alcohol.

A history textbook worthy war has been waged over who can brew the strongest beer. The Scottish brewery BrewDog and the German brewery Schorschbrau both showcase an unwavering determination to snag the title of the “World’s Strongest Beer”.

At the moment, BrewDog has the title with their “Sink the Bismarck!” containing 41% alcohol. Not far behind is Schorschbrau’s “Schorschbock” containing 40% alcohol. Both breweries have beers with a matched 32% alcohol; BrewDog’s “Tactical Nuclear Penguin” and Schorschbrau’s original “Schorschbock”.

As for now, we hope to be seeing BrewDog’s “Sink the Bismark!” and “Tactical Nuclear Penguin” on our shelves soon. In the mean time feel free to prepare yourself with BrewDog’s “Tokyo” containing 18.2% alcohol or their “Devine Rebel” containing a modest 13.2%.