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

2 adds

Just a couple adds:
+ Hofstetten Hochzeitsbier von 1810 (an Austrian "Oktoberfest" style brew)
- Narragansett is back in 16oz cans!

Cheers,
Jeff

Rogue Whiskey and Adds

I am proud to say that Vermont can be added to the list of states that have Rogue's Dead Guy Whiskey! It's sold through our Liquor Outlet side and retails around $35 for a 750mL bottle. It's made with the same 4 grains that are used to brew their Dead Guy Ale and is "Ocean Aged in Oak for 1 Month." We got in 24 bottles and they will most likely go fast, especially with Halloween just around the corner. Who doesn't want to sip on some Dead Guy for All Hallow's Eve?

In other add news:
+ Woodchuck Pumpkin Cider (Super limited run)
+ Stone/Ballast Point/Kelsey McNair "San Diego County Session Ale" Collaboration
+ North Coast "Acme" IPA 6 packs

Come and get some!
Cheers,
Jeff

Adds and Trappist glassware

New brews and new news:
+ Victory Moonglow Weizenbock
+ Victory/Stone/Dogfish Head Saison du BUFF (this is the version brewed at Victory)
- Brooklyn Oktoberfest 6pks
- Southern Tier Pumking 22oz
+ Abita Pecan Harvest 6pks
+ Abita Amber 6pks

And a little news about the Saison du BUFF trilogy: We've already got the Stone version, the Victory one showed up today, but the Dogfish Head one will not be making its way up to the Burlington area. It is however going to be available in limited parts of Vermont South of here. The problem is that it is a very limited batch for DFH and they only had so much to go around. You might be able to contact g.housen distributing for information as to where you can go buy it, but I personally don't have that info. Sorry for the bad news -- but at least we got the Victory and Stone ones!

And we finally managed to score a very small amount of Trappist glassware! Stop by and check out the fancy glassware cabinet at the front of the store.

Cheers,
Jeff

Big weekend, lots of ADDS!

When it rains, it pours - but unfortunately, it still hasn't rained for real yet! This heat be damned, we're making our coolers work double time to keep the beer cold!

Lots of new goodies for this holiday weekend:
+ Dogfish Head Bitches Brew (Imperial stout) 750mL
+ Mikkeller Simcoe Single Hop IPA
+ Charlevoix Dominus Vobiscum Tripel .5L
+ Weihenstephaner Festbier 6 packs
- Southern Tier Harvest 6 packs
- Allagash Fluxus 2010, Victor 2010 and Victoria 2010 releases
+ Original Sin Cider 6 packs

And I'm proud to introduce to Vermont one of Florida's finest microbreweries: SAINT SOMEWHERE from Tarpon Springs, FL. We're secured three of their fine, Belgian-style brews:
+ Saint Somewhere Pays du Soleil (Saison with Palmetto berries and whole Hibiscus flowers)
+ Saint Somewhere Saison Athene (Saison with chamomile, black pepper and rosemary)
+ Saint Somewhere Lectio Divina (a cross between an Abbey Dubbel and a Saison)

And all of them are bottled with a dose of wild yeast for a little funky deliciousness!

Loving life!
Cheers,
Jeff