New Beer Friday - October 28 Edition ~ The Buzz: Siciliano's Market News & Notes

Last week we dedicated NBF to the Michigan Hop Alliance in appreciation of their hard work over harvest time. This week they respond by filling our coolers with ounce after ounce of Michigan's finest hops. Eleven total varieties arrived on Wednesday, everything from Cascade to Magnum to Willamette hops, some organic, some available only in pellets, and some available in both pellet form and leaf.

Scroll down to see the full list of Michigan hop varieties currently in stock. You'll pass on your way the names and descriptions of the seven newcomers to Siciliano's beer department, a group that happens to include one of most "celebrated" winter seasonals in the craft beer world.

New (and Returning) Beer

Sierra Nevada Celebration Fresh Hop Ale, $1.59/12oz - This beer is "wonderfully robust and rich...dry-hopped for a lively, intense aroma...brewed especially for the holidays...perfect for a festive gathering or for a quiet evening at home" (source).
Left Hand Fade to Black Volume 3, $1.99/12oz - This beer showcases "dried fruit flavors entwined with smoky pepper and licorice." The heat from the chilis "creeps up on your tongue and throat, finishing in an herbal smoke ring flourish" (source).
Arbor Brewing Jackhammer English Style Old Ale, $2.29/12oz - "This strong ale has a clear alcohol presence, a complex fruity palate, and a dry, spicy, rather assertive hop counterbalance in the finish. The Michigan Microbrewery and Brewpub Guide calls it, 'an excellent, true-to-style beer with a subtle yet distinct chocolate covered cherry quality'" (source).
Arbor Brewing Phat Abbot Dubbel, $2.29/12oz - "A dark, rich Belgian abbey style ale made with Trappist yeast and dark Belgian candy sugar for a more traditional, malty trappist character." The taste is "deep mahogany with a rich, complex palate. Toffee, toasted malts, dried dark fruits, and sweet candy sugar balanced by a subtle earthy, woodsy quality and spicy hops" (source).
New Holland Cabin Fever Brown Ale, $1.79/12oz - "Robust in character yet smooth in delivery, Cabin Fever is a roasty brown ale and a hearty, comforting companion for long, mind-bending winters. Its rye, roast and raisin notes play off a subtle caramel sweetness and culminate in a dry finish. Excellent with roasts, stews, caramelized onions and snowfall" (source).
Big Sky Powder Hound Winter Ale, $1.69/12oz - "At 7.2% ABV, Powder Hound Winter Ale gives just the right amount of warmth, balanced by its rich taste and generous dose of Hallertau, Palisade, and Amarillo hops" (source).
Brau Brothers Hundred Yard Dash Fresh Hop Ale, $2.59/12oz - Bunches and bunches of wet hops are added at first wort, through the brewing process, and finally at conditioning through dry-hopping. Brau Brothers boasts Minnesota's largest hopyard, with eleven varieties spread out over the eastern acreage. Harvested only minutes before use, multiple hop varieties contribute a complex blend of hop bitterness, flavor, and aroma. Our unique soil and terrain produce unequaled hops and contribute to a one-of-a-kind ale. Notes of grass, herbs, and green tea are evident and are indicative of a truly authentic wet-hopped beer" (source).