Friday, November 22, 2013

New Beer Friday, Michigan Micro Caps Edition (Nov 22)

By Chris Siciliano

Part game, part search engine
Good news, folks. Our pals down at Fusionary have released a major update to their popular Michigan Micro Caps mobile application. In addition to preserving the challenging gameplay that made earlier versions a hit with thousands of users, the updated app offers new location-based search functionality to help Michigan craft beer enthusiasts discover more of what they love: Michigan craft beer.

With new location-based functionality, users can employ their current location to find nearby breweries, or enter a zip code or city name to locate remote breweries, or they can browse the brewery directory by alphabetical order. Users can also search for breweries within one of eight sub-regions, including Detroit, Traverse City and Grand Rapids.

From our experience, the Michigan Micro Caps game provides the most up-to-date, complete directory of Michigan breweries available, including recently opened and soon-to-open establishments as well as all active breweries, microbreweries and brewpubs. Each entry on the list provides a portal to the brewery’s Facebook page, Twitter page, website, phone number and its location on a map.

In short, Michigan Micro Caps is not just a game. It’s a tool that every beer fan who travels the state looking for new craft beer experiences should have on his or her phone. Speaking of "craft beer experiences," that reminds us—here's all the latest to hit the shelves at Siciliano's.

*Michigan Micro Caps is available for both iOS and Android devices. Visit the Micro Caps website for more information and to download.

New & Returning Beers at Siciliano's

  • Angry Orchard Crisp Cider, $1.59/12oz, $1.89/16oz - "This crisp and refreshing cider mixes the sweetness of the apples with a subtle dryness for a balanced cider taste. The fresh apple aroma and slightly sweet, ripe apple flavor make this cider hard to resist" (source).
  • Sam Adams White Christmas, $1.69/12oz - "As crisp as the first snowfall of the year, this unfiltered white ale is blended with holiday spices including cinnamon, nutmeg, & orange peel. The familiar citrus and wheat characters of the ale are complimented by the warmth of the spices for a festive brew that’s perfect for the season" (source).
  • Sam Adams Merry Maker, $7.19/22oz - "This rich dark gingerbread stout entices with the aromas of the holidays.  The flavor of gingerbread comes alive, beginning with the smooth sweetness and heartiness of dark roasted malts and a touch of wheat.  But it’s the intensity and spices of cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, & ginger that add a wicked kick for a jolly playful brew full of merry mischief" (source).
  • Delerium Noel, $6.49/11.2oz - A Belgian strong ale.
  • St. Bernardus Christmas, $12.99/750ml - "St. Bernardus Christmas Ale is the youngest descendant in the illustrious family of delicious Abbey Ales by Brewery St. Bernardus. This specialty beer of 10% alc. vol. is characterized by its deep dark colour, with a creamy, thick head and a full, almost velvety taste with a fruity nose. It's a seasonal ale, brewed annually for the holiday season. The long winter nights are perfect moments to savour this ale with or without friends and to enjoy its unique, complex taste and after-taste" (source).
  • Saugatuck Neopolitan Stout, $2.59/12oz - "Dark roasty notes balanced with creamy flavors of chocolate, strawberry and vanilla" (source).
  • Thirsty Dog Cerberus 10 Dog Ale, $3.39/12oz - "This beer is made with one grain and 4 Belgian yeasts, a deceptive golden color, and a malty palate lend complexity to this Belgian Trippel Ale" (source).
  • Scaldis Noel, $19.59/750ml - "This is a sweet beer with a pleasant flavour of hops. Indeed, for Bush de Noel, the brewer uses a traditional process which consists in placing hops flowers in the vats where the beer rests for four to six weeks by which time it will have reached full maturity, giving it a very distinctive taste" (source).
  • Left Hand Warrior IPA, $6.69/22oz - "Brewed only once a year with fresh hops hand-picked in Longmont, CO and Warrior hops straight off the vine from Yakima, WA. Warrior is brewed using a unique style called “Wet Hopping,” which requires only hops that are no more than a day from the vine. “Wet Hopping” imparts only a mild aroma, but an exceptionally fresh unfiltered hop flavor" (source).
  • Epic Escape to Colorado, $4.29/22oz - "Epic Brewing has been making high-strength beers in the land of low-strength (Utah). Rather than expand their operations there, they chose to open a 2nd brewery in a more encouraging state, Colorado. This is their first batch of beer brewed here in Denver. Big, fruity hop aromas" (source).
  • Atwater Shaman Porters, $2.89/12oz - "Atwater's newest Lager! A Porter traditionally brewed in the baltic region. We use the finest ingredients including Munich, Chocolate, and Black Malts along with German Hops to create the smoothest Porter you have ever tasted. Shaman's Porter will thwart any tricksters or evil spirits" (source).
  • Avery Old Jubilation, $1.99/12oz - "Our winter strong ale has a gorgeous mahogany hue, a hint of hazelnuts, and a finish reminiscent of mocha and toffee. No spices, just a perfect blend of five specialty malts. Cellarable for 2 years" (source).
  • Epic Big Bad Baptist, $11.99/22oz - "It’s Big, it’s Bad, Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Stout, with Coffee and Cocoa Nibs" (source).
  • Left Hand Fade to Black Volume 5, $2.09/12oz - "This Rye Ale boasts a deep dark brown body with an off white head. This dark brew envelopes your nose with aromas of dark coffee, maple wood and hints of dark agave nectar. The flavor is an intense evolution that starts off with nut bread flowing into molasses followed by a taste of licorice. This lands on spicy rye notes all before being washed away by earthy hop, leaving behind a slight black pepper sensation. So put away the bathing suit, pop a bottle of this black beauty and watch summer fade way" (source).
  • Big Sky Ivan the Terrible Imperial, $16.49/750ml - "Big Sky Brewing’s Ivan the Terrible Imperial Stout is brewed according to the traditional style using English hops and the finest American malt. Its aroma and flavor balances well between esters of dried fruit and roasted cocoa with a slight bourbon presence. Ivan was aged for a minimum of three months in American oak Buffalo Trace Bourbon barrels" (source).

Picture of the Week

Now this is bacon! Pork belly, cured & smoked
by the boss' brother, Mark Siciliano

Cheers!

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