New Adds (Zoe is here!)

Got some new goodies this weekend!
+ Maine Beer Co. Zoe ("Happy, Hoppy Amber")
+ McKenzie's Original, Green Apple and Black Cherry Cider 6pks
+ Cisco Sankaty Light Lager 12 pk cans
- Cisco Whale's Tale Pale Ale 12pk cans
- Harpoon IPA & Summer 12pk cans
+ Sam Adams Latitude 48 ^Deconstructed Variety 12pk (5 new Single Hop IPA's)

And the Steals & Deals Room is still packed to the rafters for Graduation parties! Newly added:
+ Dundee's Irish Red Lager 6pks - $3.69 + dep.!

Cheers!
Jeff

Free Pint Glass Friday this week with Harpoon!

Come in this Friday night for Free Pint Glass Friday with Harpoon! We'll be sampling their brand new 100 Barrel Series Oak Aged Dunkel, the brand new Leviathan Barley Wine, as well as their IPA, Munich Dark, Chocolate Stout and Winter Warmer. 5pm-8pm (12/10/10)

And just in case you can't wait to try them this Friday for FREE, we've already added the following to the Beer Room:
+ Harpoon 100 Barrel Series Oak Aged Dunkel
+ Harpoon Leviathan Barleywine Ale

See you Friday!
Cheers,
Jeff

Adds and Seasonals

Newly added to our lovely shelves:
+ Harpoon Triticus Dark Wheat Wine Ale 4 pks
+ Magners Cider and Magners Pear 19.2 oz
- Rock Art Pumpkin Imperial Spruce Stout
- Southern Tier Creme Brulee Stout 22oz
- Wolaver's Pumpkin 6 pk
- Lots and lots of Oktoberfest beers including Spaten, Otter Creek, Harpoon and others

Back in stock after being MIA:
- Orkney Skullsplitter
- Orkney Dark Island

Cheers,
Jeff

The Perks of Reading

Hello there folks! As I've said before, reading has its perks! If you'd like to go to the Harpoon Championships of New England BBQ this Sunday, July 25th from Noon-5pm at their Windsor, VT brewery, just give me a call at the shop and I'll put some tickets aside for you! These are tix to get you in the door, but the food and beer are sold a la carte by the various contestants and Harpoon respectively. I had some friends go last year in my place and they had a blast! Said they ate THE best BBQ they'd ever had!

To learn more, please visit the events page on the Harpoon Brewery website.

If you'd like some, call 802-655-2620 and ask for me.
Cheers,
Jeff

Another "First," a new "Steal" and new adds

I don't mean to make you jealous, but as I write this I'm sipping a Saison Rue from The Bruery. No, it's not available in Vermont, sorry. Picked it up at Julio's (see previous post). Super tasty, A+ really. Read my review on BeerAdvocate.com.

So we're first in the state AGAIN with a new brew:
+ Ass-Kisser "Kick Ass Ale" Double IPA 22oz (brewed at Rarh Brewing in Texas)

Other adds this weekend:
+ Harpoon 100 Barrel Series Pott's Landbier 22oz
- Achouffe Houblon Chouffe 11.2oz bottles
- more Ommegang/Liefmans "Zuur" collaboration

And the newest "Steal" and/or "Deal"
- Otter Creek Pale Ale 6 packs $3.99 + deposit!!!!

And as Tracy Morgan once said, "Stay word."
Cheers,
Jeff

New Beer and New (Again) beer guy

So this weeks "adds" involve the return of my main-hombre Carl to our beer department as well as some nice beverages. Carl is "wise beyond his beers," impressively knowledgeable about rare, exotic and ridiculously hard-to-come by brews and I'm glad to welcome him back to the team for the Summer months! You can't miss him - dude's super tall!

As for new beer adds:
+ Rogue Imperial Younger's Special Bitter 7 ounce bottles (OR)
- Harpoon Big Bohemian Pilsner (MA & VT)
- Kriek de Ranke (Very Limited, Belgium)
- Duvel 4 packs with a Duvel tulip glass! (Belgium)
- Stoudt's Heifer-in-Wheat (PA)

And back from MIA:
- Negra Modelo 6 packs (Mexico)
- Heather Ales Historic Ales Variety 4 pack (Scotland)

Stop by and say "Hi!" to Carl this weekend! He doesn't know I'm writing this about him, so maybe it'll confuse him if everyone just suddenly knows his name!....

Cheers,
Jeff

New Beers

...Insert funny/relevant opening comment here...

Now, on to the good stuff:
+ Brooklyn Sorachi Ace 750mL (Single Hop Saison with Sorachi Ace hops)
+ Harpoon IPA & Summer 12pk Cans!!!
- Shipyard Prelude 5 gallon logs - CLOSEOUT - Priced to Move!

Still got plenty of "Steals & Deals" including kegs, 6 packs and lots of good wine (think "K" Milbrandt Syrah for less than half price!)

Stop in and stock up for the Holiday Weekend!
Cheers,
Jeff

Happy American Craft Beer Week!

Oh, yes good patrons of Craftily Constructed Creations of Carbonated Concoctions, 'tis American Craft Beer Week once again and time to show your support for those who Artfully render your delicious libations.

Now this is no mere ploy to get you to come in and shop, oh no! dear friends and brew-patriots! This is a call for all of you to reach out to your favorite craft brewers and give them a slap on the back, a high-five, a hoot, a "Like," a "Tweet," and to say thank you to them for what they do! They are truly artists, struggling against the giants to get their hand-made beers into your glass.

So this week, make it a special point to order a Hill Farmstead, a Rock Art, a Trapp Lager, an Otter Creek or a Wolaver's, a Magic Hat, a McNeill's, perhaps a Trout River or Harpoon, an elusive Lawson's, a Switchback or a pint of Long Trail. Make a trip to the Alchemist, the Bobcat Cafe, Three Needs, American Flatbread Burlington Hearth, Madison or Norwich Inn, the Shed or Vermont Pub. Or if you live in the Burlington area, stop in the brand new Farmhouse Tap & Grill and sample a number of these fine Vermont-brewed craft beers all (responsibly) in one sitting!

I tip my hat to all you Publicans, all you Brewers, all you who make Vermont one of the best beer states in this nation! Happy Craft Beer Week!

Cheers,
Jeff

http://www.americancraftbeerweek.org/

New Adds and Glassware

It's been a while since I've done a Glassware post. I've been working hard to get in more rare and unique stemware, goblets, tulips, snifters and other brewery endorsed vessels and they're finally coming in. Here's a list of some notable glasses:

+ Ayinger Celebrator Dopplebock
+ Dogfish Head snifters
+ Pinkus .5L Hefe glass
+ Ayinger .5L Willibecker glass
+ Kwak 1/4 yard with stand
+ Lindemans Lambic flutes
+ Lawson's Finest Liquids pilsner glass (Limited)
+ Unibroue .5L Willibeckers
+ Stiegl .5L glasses
And of course, many more! Check out the glassware cabinet up front between the registers.

As for the beer room:
+ McNeill's Tartan Ale
+ Scaldis Triple 750mL
+ Harpoon 100 Barrel Series Single Hop ESB (Delta hops)
- Rochefort "10" is back in stock
- Schneider beers back in stock
- Schlenkerla beers back in stock

And if you haven't heard, we're running some AWESOME sales on some tasty items! A couple of the beers in the Rare & Vintage Cabinet are on sale including the remaining bottles of BrewDog's Atlantic IPA and Scaldis Prestige de Nuits. But the biggest sale of all right now is on SIERRA NEVADA 6 PACKS! $6.99 plus deposit...oh, and yeh, it includes Torpedo!

See you soon.
Cheers,
Jeff

VT winners in World Beer Cup

I just want to send out our congratulations to The Alchemist, Lawson's Finest Liquids and Harpoon for bringing home medals in the World Beer Cup! The Alchemist nailed a Gold Medal in the Gluten Free Beer category for their "Celia Saison." Harpoon was awarded a Silver Medal for their UFO Hefeweizen in the American-Style Wheat Beer with Yeast category. And Mister Sean Lawson himself grabbed Bronze for his Maple Tripple in the Specialty Beer category.

Congrats to all the winners (but especially the Vermont ones)!

Cheers,
Jeff

Links:
WCAX
World Beer Cup
Lawson's Finest Liquids Blog

Southern Tier rules the world!

Well, I bet that subject got your attention. And rightly so. Southern Tier has proved to be one of the best breweries to come out of NY state, release one exceptional brew after another. This week we have been blessed with two Never-before-seen-in-Vermont heavy hitters:
+ Southern Tier jahva (Coffee Stout)
+ Southern Tier Oak-Aged UnEarthly (oak-aged Imperial IPA)

Both of these are limited releases and won't be around for ever. Don't make the same mistake that a lot of people did with the Ken & Fritz Ale and put it off 'til the weekend. (The Sierra 30th is all gone, by the way...sorry!)

Also just added to ye olde Beere Roome:
+ Lucifer 750mL (Brewed by Het Anker, the same folk who craft Gouden Carolus!)
+ Harpoon Leviathan Imperial Red Ale 4pks
- Allagash Odyssey (Jan. 2010 release)

And coming soon, a limited crack at Samichlaus Classic 2009!

Cheers,
Jeff

New Vintage Brews and others

The Rare & Vintage Cabinet is all full up at the moment! I had to make room for 6 new vintages of George Gale & Co. Prize Old Ale: 2005, 2003, 2001, 2000, 1998 and 1996! Just wonderful. And we're the only store to stock any! Most of these are extraordinarily limited, so don't hesitate too long. The older vintages tend to sell-out first.

Also added this weekend:
+ Southern Tier Back Burner Barley Wine Ale 22oz (Limited Run)
+ Genesee Bock Beer 12pks

And a big thank you too all those who showed up to the Harpoon Tasting last night! A rousing good time had by all! More tastings coming up, check the main website for dates and times.

Cheers,
Jeff

Adds

Newest digs (+) and Seasonals (-):
- Southern Tier Gemini 22oz (50/50 blend of Unearthly Imp. IPA and Hoppe Imp. Extra Pale)
+ Manchester Brewing Over-Regulated Ale 22oz (Very Limited!)
+ Long Trail Pale Ale (new brew!)
- Long Trail Coffee Imperial Stout (2010 release)
- Wolaver's Pat Leavy's All American Ale (2010 release)
- Harpoon Celtic Ale
+ Budweiser Select "55"
+ Margaritas by Mike's (Lime, Raspberry and Peach flavors)

And we cornered the last of the '09/'10 Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout in Vermont for your drinking pleasure!

More to come!
Cheers,
Jeff

New, oh yeh.

Some tasty additions to the Beer Room:
+ Widmer Cherry Oak Doppelbock (US)
+ de Glazentoren "Cuvee Angelique" (Belgium)
+ Hitachino Red Rice Ale (Japan)
+ Baladin "Super Baladin" (Italy)
+ Harpoon 100 Barrel Series Ginger Wheat (US)

New Vintage and re-stocks:
- Stone Double Bastard 2009 22oz and 3L
- Stone Sublimely Self-Righteous (Black IPA)
- Berkshire Brewing Cabin Fever

And some recent releases from the Beer Cave (located in the "Rare and Vintage Cabinet"):
+ Stone Double Bastard 2008
+ Stone Old Guardian 2008

Cheers,
Jeff

It's Harvest time!

The pumpkin beers are already flowing and today we started to receive Harvest and Wet Hop beers! Harvest/Wet Hop beers are brewed once a year, right after the harvesting of this year's hop crop to showcase the freshest hop flavors and aromas possible. These beers have recently been dubbed Wet Hop to differentiate them from other "harvest" (small "h") beers that are simple fall amber ales. The term refers to the practice of using wet, un-dried hop flowers or cones in the brewing process. The hops are picked, overnighted to the brewery in refrigerated trucks, and the beer is brewed within about 24 hours to capture the most flavor. The process must happen rapidly because hops are fragile and succeptible to mold and rot if not handled properly (read as "dried quickly").
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My favorite example of the style arrived Friday:
+ Sierra Nevada Harvest Wet Hop Ale 24oz

Coming soon:
- Harpoon 100 Barrel Series Wet Hop 22oz

Other arrivals:
+ Southern Tier Harvest (a big, hoppy ESB) 6 pack
+ Ayinger Oktober Marzen 500mL
+ Sam Adams Coastel Wheat 6 pack

I love fall!
Cheers,
Jeff

Tax-Free and new brews

Hey all, just a reminder that the VT tax-free holiday applies to alcoholic beverages and you will save the 6% sales tax on any beer, wine and liquor purchases made today, Saturday, Aug. 22nd! Stop in and stock up for the rest of the summer barbecues, parties and general merriment.

New in this week:
+ Long Trail Imperial Porter 22oz
+ Harpoon "Leviathan" Saison Royale 4 pack
+ Shipyard Pumpkin-head
+ Otter Creek Oktoberfest
+ Wolaver's Pumpkin

Cheers,
Jeff

New DFH and others!

Firstly and forthwith I'd like to start by announcing that we have a Blow-out Sale going on right now on about 500 cases of beer! 6 packs of Widmer Drop Top Amber, Shipyard Prelude, Long Trail Hefeweizen, Harpoon Brown Ale and Shipyard Prelude 12 packs are all on sale at rock-bottom prices! We've also got a killer deal for you on Rogue Yellow Snow IPA and Double Dead Guy 1/2 barrel kegs! Stop by or call for details.

Added to the Beer-Room today:
+ Dogfish Head (DE) Chateau Jiahu 750mL
+ Dogfish Head Theobroma 750mL
+ Duboisson (Belgium) "Scaldis" Refermentée 750mL
+ Bard's Gold Gluten-free beer 6 packs are back!
+ Rock Art (VT) American-Belgo IPA 22oz

Plus we re-stocked on Old Rasputin XII, Stone 13th and Sublimely Self-Righteous!
Cheers,
Jeff

A few new ones

Hear-ye beer-ye! All rise for the honorable Judge Nübrew!

+ Harpoon (MA & VT) Leviathan Big Bohemian Pilsner 4 pks
+Long Trail (VT) Pollenator 22oz (It's back after a long hiatus for their 20th Anniversary!)
+ Witkap Pater (Belgium) "Dubbele" 4 pks

Returned from MIA status:
+ De Ranke (Belgium) XX Bitter
+ Dieu du Ciel! (Quebec) Peche Mortel
+ Sierra Nevada (CA) Torpedo Extra IPA 6 pks

New glassware:
+ Carlsberg gold-rimmed pilsner
+ Moinette chalice (limited)
+ Shock Top Wheat beer glass

You may be seated.

Cheers,
Jeff

Limited glassware

Howdy folks! Just wanted to tip you on some limited specialty glassware that we got in recently. Some of these are really hard to come by without going to the brewery, so don't hesitate!

+ Rock Art "Vermonster" tulip
+ Dogfish Head snifter
+ Harpoon "100 Barrel Series" gold-rimmed tulip
+ Erdinger .5L dimple stein
+ Piraat tulip

Drink in style!
Cheers,
Jeff

Craft Beers at The Tavern in Essex Jct.

I recently sat down with Chris Benjamin, Food & Beverage Director for The Tavern and Butler’s Restaurant at The Essex Resort, to discuss what role craft beer is playing in the N.E.C.I. restaurants. Since the beer laws changed last summer, The Tavern has added a slew of new world-class brews to their menu and has made some interesting and bold changes.

Of their eight taps, only one of them is a macro, four are dedicated to Vermont-made beers, one is a nitro-tap, and one is open for the “Beer of the Month.” This month’s beer is North Coast’s “Pranqster,” a Belgian-style golden ale. The draft tower is stacked with lots of great options right now: Stone IPA, Switchback, Trout River Rainbow Red, Harpoon UFO, Long Trail Ale, and one of my personal favorites, North Coast “Old Rasputin” Russian Imperial Stout…on the nitro-tap!

Chris said they made a decision about 3 months ago to replace Guinness with Old Rasputin on their nitrogen-pushed line, and have run with it since then. The change has not been welcomed by all, though. “We’ve gotten a lot of angry comment cards,” he said. Jess, one of their bartenders chimed in, “We’ve had people threaten to not come back until we put Guinness back on.”

It’s a hard call for a bar to make: Do we keep a beer on one of our limited taps because it’s high quality and a fantastic beer even though we could easily sell more of another, mass-marketed beer? No decision has been made at this point, but I would really recommend going out there and having some Rasputin soon - It’s almost a religious experience on nitro-draft.

Despite the controversy over that nitro-line, Chris says they’ve been doing really well with their new “Specialty Beer” bottled offerings. The American Craft beers in large format bottles have been outstripping the imports about 5 to 1. Sierra Nevada Pale Ale 24oz, Allagash White Ale 750mL and Stone Brewing Smoked Porter 22oz are big sellers.

To help educate and guide their customers with choosing which beer will pair best with their Asian Shrimp Tacos or Beef Bourguignon, The Tavern has developed a Specialty Beer Menu. The menu offers pictures of the beers, reviews, ratings from BeerAdvocate.com and RateBeer.com, as well as suggested pairings. Chris and his team are seriously dedicated to matching beverages and food. The Tavern and Butler’s Restaurant both offer a huge wine list, over 800 bottles, and the servers are trained to offer pairing suggestions, a skill that easily translated to their new craft beer portfolio.

Our conversation inevitably shifted to how the beers are handled, and Chris assured me that all their beer glasses are hand-washed by the bartenders to avoid soap residue. Currently, if you order a beer, “Drifter Pale Ale please!” you’ll be served a full pint. You can request a 12oz pour if you’re of the mind, but those are your options. On one hand, it’s great because I don’t think I’ve ever seen a full pint of Old Rasputin before, especially not for under $6! On the other hand, the pint is not a great vessel for fully enjoying the bouquet of Pranqster. We talked about adding specialty glassware to the bar, and Chris said he’s considering going in that direction.

And despite the huge success with beers like Switchback and Stone IPA, which has been on tap since the beer launched in Vermont over a year ago, Chris says there are lots of obstacles in this area. “The Burlington crowd is mostly a martini and mixed drink crowd. And with 800 wines,” it’s tough sometimes to get people to pay attention to the beer. He thinks some of this has to do with the competitive pricing in the Burlington area. In Montpelier, it would be no problem to charge upwards $6 for a pint of microbrew, but up here, people just won’t have it. Good for customers, hard on the business. And this is really what makes questions like “do we keep Old Rasputin even though Guinness would outsell it?” even harder.

So what can you do? Head out to The Tavern at The Essex Resort (formerly The Inn at Essex), and check out some of these great new brews! I highly recommend the Asian Shrimp Tacos paired with a pint of Stone IPA, or the Long Trail Ale Battered Fish & Chips with what else but a pint of Long Trail, and have a 12oz pour of Old Rasputin for dessert. Tell ‘em Jeff from The Bevy sent ya.

Cheers,
Jeff

The Tavern is operated by The New England Culinary Institute and is located inside The Essex Resort & Spa, 70 Essex Way, Essex Jct., VT 05452. Call (802)764-1489 for more information.