New Beer Friday - June 8 Edition

By Chris Siciliano

Assuming my calculations are correct, today is the 53rd edition of New Beer Friday. That means we published the first NBF one year and one week ago today, give or take a day or two. And though our weekly list of new arrivals looked much different back then, lacking the features we've all become accustomed to, like basic beer descriptions, the foundation was in place for a resource we think—we hope—our customers look forward to and find useful every week.

If nothing else, we're pleased that New Beer Friday has remained relevant for this long, which, unfortunately, is more than we can say for at least one of the beers that appeared on the first edition. We won't name names. All we'll say is that some things, pizza for instance, are better served alongside beer rather than in it.

On with the show!

New (and Returning) Beer

• Founders Cerise, $2.59/12oz - "Using only fresh Michigan tart cherries, this beauty tantalizes with intense flavors combined with a no-hesitation malt bill. Adding fresh cherries at five separate stages of fermentation achieves the ultimate balance between tartness and sweetness" (source).
• Lakefront Cherry Lager, $1.69/12oz - "This light ruby-red beer pours with a thick, slightly pink head resulting from the ample amounts of real, juicy Door County cherries. Aromas of tart cherries lead into a nice spritzy cherry flavor, balanced by a subtle malty background and low hop bitterness" (source).
• Napa Smith Hopageddon Imperial IPA, $8.59/22oz - "Hopageddon is an end-of-the-world Imperial IPA with an intensely aromatic hop profile that defies expectations and will leave you wondering, "What just happened?" at 144 IBUs, Hopageddon flows with a gorgeous fiery orange color and showcases a distinct, full white head. The unique flavors from our obscenely extend dry-hopping and shockwave of bitterness lingers on the palate and leaves hopheads with a Post-ahopalyptic yearning for more" (source).
• Southern Tier Mokah, $9.29/22oz - "When empirical and creative impulses collide, the result is often timeless. The classic utility-art aesthetic of the coffee maker is an example of design and engineering working in concert. It is through similar cooperation that the simple bitter cocoa bean is transformed into a sweet treat. As scientists, our brewers utilize their materials to exacting standards. As artists, they couldn’t resist the temptation to combine the best flavors of two of our highly acclaimed Blackwater Series Imperial Stouts, Jahva and Choklat. Alone each is perfect, but together as Mokah, they are an inimitable expression of two of the world’s most sought after flavors" (source).
• Tri-City Brewing Loons Summer Ale, $1.79/12oz - "Loon’s Summer Ale is a smooth, clean, light blonde ale. This all-malt beer is perfectly balanced to provide a clean, clear presentation without the heavy cloudiness that is often found in summer wheat-beers. The hops that were selected accentuate the light malt flavor and provide a touch of bitterness. The unique yeast and hop combination give this beer a hint of citrus aroma with a delicate Belgium flavor that provides a refreshing, thirst quenching finish" (source).
• Avery Karma Belgian Pale Ale, $1.89/12oz - "We believe in Karma. We suspect most of you do, too. It truly is a global concept. Very simply put, "you get what you give." Inspired by this principle and the wonderful farmhouse and pale ales of Belgium, we've created Karma Ale, a decidedly fruity and estery ale, intricate in body and nose, all driven by a unique Belgian yeast strain" (source).
• Left Hand Smoke Jumper, $10.29/22oz - "A twenty-one degree plato porter made with barley malt hand-smoked by our brewers. Roasty brown in color, the long lingering smokiness wraps around flavors of molasses, toasted malt and an earthy hoppiness" (source).

Picture of the Week

Nearing the end of asparagus season
at the Fulton St. Farmers Market.

Cheers!