New adds and Closeouts!

Happy Halloween Weekend everyone! Got a few new goodies and some bad-ass additions to the Steals & Deals Room!

New:
+ Scaldis Noel 250mL bottles (12%, no spices!)
+ Scaldis Prestige 2009 750mL
+ Trout River Knight Slayer Imperial Stout 6 packs

And for super-awesome Deals:
- Rogue Double Dead Guy 2008 & 2009 750mL's...1/2 price!
- Rogue Imperial Younger's Special Bitter 750mL black swing-top's...1/2 price!
- Stoudt's Heifer-in-Wheat 6 packs $4.99 + dep.!!!

And although it's not beer, it's got bubbles:
- Yellow Tail Sparkling Rose $4.99! (Reg. $10.99!)

Have a happy, scary, relaxing, ridiculous, spooky, lazy, confusing, pretentious and satisfying Halloween weekend!

Cheers,
Jeff

PS> Monday marks the Vermont arrival of Stillwater Artisanal Ales - go to The Farmhouse Tap & Grill for the official kick-off party on Monday night!!

Lawson's Finest Liquids

It's 8pm on Wednesday night and I just received 2 cases of Lawson's Finest Liquids to coincide with the event at The Farmhouse (HOP-TOBER). I'm putting it out in the lock-up right now and it'll have to be first-come first-serve, one bottle of each per person just to spread the love around to more people.

+ Lawson's Knockout Blonde
+ Lawson's Big Hapi Black IPA

Come and get it!
Jeff

Weekend Update

Hello everyone out there in cyberspace and thanks for reading! I've had a lot of you stop by lately and thank me for keeping up this blog - but I want to thank you for reading it! Glad to know I have so many readers! Cheers to all of you!

We got a few things back in stock this weekend and one new add:
+ Otter Creak Alpine Black IPA6 and 12pks
- Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout
- Lots of local winter variety packs are now in stock

And we received 30 cases of Dogfish Head 60 and 90 Minute IPA's - some of you might have noticed that there has been a dearth of DFH products lately and this is due to the brewery being over-sold and not being able to keep up with demand. Our supplier managed to get a special truck sent up with a little bit of these beers on it for us and hopefully by the time they sell through, DFH will be back in the groove. Both are super fresh being bottled only a couple weeks ago. If you've never had 90 Minute this fresh - you absolutely must try it! Splendid!

A couple other beers have been having supply issues so if you see a spot that's been empty every time you come in, it's probably due to lack of supply not lack of attention. I order everything that we're out of twice a week in an attempt to fill up those empty spots.

Have a great weekend!
Cheers,
Jeff

Lake Placid is Back!

To all of you who take the ferry across the lake to get good ol' Lake Placid brews - stop by the Bevy first! We just got our first shipment of beers from them in over 2 years! Right now we've got the Ubu Ale and their IPA (formerly "Frost Bite Ale") in 6 packs but hope to get more varieties soon. I'll keep you posted!

Cheers,
Jeff

Adds a-plenty

Got a lot of goodies this weekend, including a refill for the "Steals & Deals" Room.

Two from last week that I missed and both are Charitable Brews:
+ Harpoon Grateful Harvest Cranberry Ale 6 packs ($4 per case go to the VT Food Bank)
+ Abita S.O.S. ("Save Our Shores") Pilsner 22oz

And from this week:
+ Gavroche 750mL & 4 packs (my review on BeerAdvocate)
+ 3 Monts Grande Reserve 750mL (my review on BA)
+ Silly Saison 4 packs
+ Scaldis Peche Mel 11.2oz singles (now on draft at Bluebird Tavern! A must have!)
+ Wittekerke Framboise 6 packs
+ Troubador Magma Tripel IPA 4 packs
+ Harviestoun's Ola Dubh Special Reserve "16"
+ Marston's Pedigree English Pale Ale 16.9oz
+ Hop Ruiter 750mL (private label beer for Vanberg & Dewulf brewed at Schelde Brouwerij)
- Allagash Hugh Malone 2010 release 750mL

And for you sour beer fans: two breweries that have been gone from our shelves for over 2 years will be coming back very soon. Don't want to spill the beans yet, but you'll be excited!

Cheers!
Jeff

PS> Go drink that Peche Mel at Bluebird Tavern...seriously good stuff!

Hill Farmstead's Autumn Harvest Festival

This Saturday I made the 72 mile trek from Burlington up to Greensboro Bend to attend Hill Farmstead's Autumn Harvest Festival along with many other dedicated beer drinkers. As I'm driving out the dirt roads to the brewery, I'm starting to wonder how many people are going to make this long drive on an over-cast and chilly day. Not a single car on Taylor road in front nor behind me. But as I round the last bend and crest the hill, I see about ten cars parked in the clover-laden field. "Oh good!"



"I should have worn boots," passed through my mind as a I off-road up to the beer tent. I get my HF wine glass and tickets and rocket right over to the Edward cask conditioned with home-grown Cascades - what a great way to take the chill off!

As I mingle about, we're all shivering and shaking hands - some folks drove up from New Jersey to visit, a lot from New Hampshire and Massachusetts too, and of course the VT contingent of hardcore craft supporters. It's all smiles and toasts, a glass of Ephraim (triple IPA, or IIIPA as I'm going to start dubbing it) and I'm convinced to buy a $20 growler of it. We take turns waiting in the growler line, holding each other's places while glasses are refilled and we get to know each other a little bit.

I chatted with Anders Kissmeyer while sampling the three versions of Fear & Trembling - yes, a philosophy reference - and decided that although I love bourbon-barrel brews, I agree with him that the French Cabernet barrel is my favorite. I love the red berry notes swirling around with the black smoke and cream-like carbonation. All thoughts of wearing boots and long pants have long since faded from my mind.

A quick glance at the local purveyors of meats, cheeses and stews, but I've got business to do and must get back to Burlington to work the closing shift at the shop. I thank Shaun for his hospitality - he is perhaps the epitome of a Generous Host - tried a bit of the Phenomenology of Spirit collaboration dark saison (yes, another work in philosophy) and had to pack up my purchases and make the long drive back.

Besides the high level of craft in the Hill Farmstead beers, what I was most impressed with was how casual the event was. There was a bluegrass band plucking away and people from far and wide mingled at HF's first-ever bottle release, politely conversing, laughing and shaking hands with perfect strangers. This is how Vermont does business.

It was hard to pull myself away from the idyllic scene, but people back in B-ton need beer tonight and some one has to sell it.

Cheers,
Jeff

For my reviews of Hill Farmstead's beers, check out BeerAdvocate.com (username SFLpunk).

Two adds:

Two newbies for the weekend:
+ Buffalo Water Bison Blond 6 packs
- Sierra Nevada Estate Harvest 750mL's (This year's release is certified Organic and is SUPER limited).

Hope to see some of you tomorrow morning up at Hill Farmstead for their Autumn Celebration!
http://beeradvocate.com/events/info/35798
http://hillfarmstead.com/wpblog/about/upcoming-special-events/

Cheers,
Jeff