New Beer Friday, February 8 Edition

A common stop in Hey Kevin's wandering

By Chris Siciliano

Before we get to talking beer, I have one small announcement regarding The Buzz. Starting with next week's edition of New Beer Friday, Siciliano's imaginary friend and one-time "advice" columnist Hey Kevin will be stepping in to write the weekly preamble (that's what we call this little intro thing). The arrangement will be temporary, lasting only as long as Kevin decides not to wander off into the wilds of Northern Michigan or rural Pennsylvania, which he has a tendency to do.

Why the change? No specific reason. Sometimes it's just makes sense to switch things up, especially in a long-running weekly series like New Beer Friday. A fresh perspective, that kind of thing. Speaking of fresh perspectives, here's Kevin's advice for men who are embarrassed by their love for fruit beer. It's fitting to refer to it now, given that at least one delicious fruit concoction appears on this week's list of new arrivals. Dogfish Head Noble Rot anyone?

New (and Returning) Beer

• New Belgium Dig, $1.69/12oz - "Sorachi Ace hops provides a fresh Spring zing with incredible lemon aroma. Nelson Sauvin is next in line with bursts of passion fruit, mango and peach. American favorites, Cascade and Centennial round out this crisp, clean Pale Ale. Dig in!" (source).
• Rogue Roguenbier Rye, $7.39/22oz - "Brewed using nine ingredients and is made up of 100% Rogue hops, barley and rye: Rogue Dream Rye; Rogue Black, Rogue Smoked, Rogue Caramel 40 and Rogue Barley Farm Dare and Risk malts; Rogue Hopyard Independent Hops; Free Range Coastal Water and Weizen Yeast" (source).
• Arcadia Barrel-aged Cereal Killer, $7.79/12oz (1 bottle/person) - "A 22-month aged barleywine, brewed in English-style tradition, full-bodied with robust malty flavors like caramel, toffee, molasses and dark fruit notes, subtle citrus finish from the hops. Cellar-aging evolves the flavor into a sherry-like aroma" (source).
• Arcadia Barrel-aged Imperial Stout, $7.79/12oz (1 bottle/person) - "A 22 month aged Imperial Stout with a rich mouth feel, aroma consists of dark roasted malts and blackstrap molasses with a hint of smoke, flavor notes of coffee, bittersweet cocoa, black licorice and hints of prune. A generous addition of hops provides complexity and an astringent finish" (source).
• Dogfish Head Noble Rot, $14.39/22oz - "A sort of Saison, fermented with Botrytis-infected Viognier and Pinot Gris grapes. This beer is brewed with Pils malt, organic Hard Red Winter Wheat malt, Warrior hops, Willamette hops, Liberty hops, Saison yeast and Botrytis wine must" (source).
• Dogfish Head 75 Minutes IPA, $13.19/22oz (1 bottle/person) - "Johnny Cask has entered the building! We’ve retrofitted a 15 barrel tank to perfectly produce a very special cask conditioned ale (so, we have a little time to play around during winters at the Delaware coast). This beer, known as Dogfish Head 75 Minute IPA is a blend of 60 and 90 Minute IPAs with a special whole leaf cascade dry-hopping session. Post-hopping the beer gest transferred into firkins and dosed with fresh yeast and maple syrup from the ole family homestead (actually the first batch will be re-fermented with maple syrup from the farm up the road from ours since ours won’t be ready until late March" (source).
• Dogfish Head Immort Ale, $4.09/12oz (1 bottle/person) - "Vast in character, luscious & complex. Brewed with peat-smoked barley, this strong ale is brewed with organic juniper berries, vanilla & maple syrup. It’s aged on oak and fermented with a blend of English & Belgian yeasts" (source).
• Sixpoint 3Beans, $3.59/12oz - "Take thou also unto thee wheat, and barley, and beans... and put them in one vessel. The beans of bygone brewers, united with cacao and coffee, to create a trinity of roasted, rich, and savory flavors" (source).
• Short's Goodnight Bodacious, $2.19/12oz (1 6-pack/person) - "Goodnight Bodacious rollicks back and forth between the maltiness of a barleywine and the hoppiness of an Imperial IPA. We call it a Double Black India Pale Ale because Double India Black Ale is not yet a recognized category of craft beer for labeling purposes. As you raise a glass, you’ll note that the color is of such unyielding blackness that it will block out even the brightest light of day. It’s also a beer with bite, thanks to our use of four different American hop varieties. Goodnight Bodacious lures you in with its rich, big body and a subtle, prowling bitterness that finally sends you to bed with a warming finish" (source).
• Short's Good Humans, $1.99/12oz - "Dry hopped double brown ale" (source).
• Sierra Nevada Estate Harvest, $8.99/22oz - "This is one of the only estate-made ales available in the world today. Produced with hops and barley produced on the premises of our brewery in Chico, this ale reflects the flavors of our surroundings in California’s fertile central valley. By growing out own ingredients, we ensure the finest two-row barley and the freshest hops on earth, from the field and into the brew kettle" (source).
• Widmer Brothers Omission Gluten-Free Pale Ale, $1.79/12oz - "Bold and hoppy, Omission Pale Ale is a hop-forward American Pale Ale, brewed to showcases the Cascade hop profile. Amber in color, Omission Pale Ale’s floral aroma is complemented by caramel malt body, making for a delicious gluten-free craft beer" (source).
• Widmer Brothers Omission Gluten-Free Lager, $1.79/12oz - "Omission Lager is a refreshing and crisp beer, brewed in the traditional lager style. Perfect for a variety of beer drinking occasions, Omission Lager’s aromatic hop profile offers a unique, easy-drinking gluten-free beer for those looking for a lighter and approachable beer style" (source).

Picture of the Week

Greg & Doug, obviously hard at work.

Cheers!