New Beer Friday, Beer Fest Success Edition (March 6)

Beer fest tokens circa 2013

By Steve Siciliano

I’m sure I’m not the only Grand Rapidian who’s happy that February is in the rear view mirror. According to the National Weather Service, the average temperature in the environs of Beer City USA last month was 13.3 degrees, making it the coldest February in GR’s recorded history. Even in mild winters February can be a hard month to slog through in West Michigan. Unless, of course, you’re one of those hardy folks who enjoy skiing, snowmobiling, fishing on frozen lakes or going to outdoor beer festivals.

Judging from the positive comments I heard last Sunday morning from festival attendees who stopped by Siciliano’s to stock up on Michigan beer on their way out of town, the Tenth Annual Michigan Brewers Guild Winter Beer Festival was another huge success. The frigid temperatures last weekend may have done nothing to cool the enthusiasm of these diehard craft beer lovers but they did make dispensing beer rather difficult. It’s a good thing that we had plenty of replacement parts on hand at the store so that the breweries could keep the suds flowing through constantly freezing and consequently breaking kegging systems.

Just a reminder that general registration for the 12th Annual Siciliano’s Homebrew Contest will open on Monday, March 9 at 8 a.m. and will close Sunday, April 12 at 10 p.m. The window for entry registration will open Monday, March 23 at 8 a.m. and close Sunday, April 12 at 10 p.m. Complete details can be found on the competition web site. Once your entry is registered you will be able to print entry forms and bottle labels directly from the site.

New and Returning Beer

• Arcadia Whitsun, $1.79/12oz - "Brewed in the style of a mid-19th century English Festival Ale, this unfiltered wheat beer displays a translucent orange color topped with a creamy, white head. Wheat enhances the mouthfeel of the beer and produces pleasant bread-like notes while Michigan honey provides a caramelized sweetness in the flavor profile. This beer is spiced with orange peel and coriander and small amounts of three hop varieties pleasantly counterbalances the sweetness" (source).
• Rogue Rooster Sauce, $14.39/22oz - "ROGUE Sriracha Hot Stout Beer, made from Huy Fong original hot chili sauce and sun ripened Rogue Farms ingredients, is ready to drink with soups, sauces, pasta, pizza, hot dogs, hamburgers, chow mein, or anything you'd like to wash down with a spicy kick" (source).
• Odd Side Project Mayhem, $2.59/12oz - "Belgian IPA" (source).
• Dogfish Head Aprihop, $1.99/12oz - "A strong IPA brewed with real apricots and finished with whole leaf Willamette and Cascade hops" (source).
• GreenBush Indespensible, $2.19/12oz - "Indispensable, our 8.4% IPA with mandarina hops is now on tap" (source).
• GreenBush 400 Divine Rabits, $1.99/12oz - "This heavenly brew is sure to satisfy all who you offer it to… and by all, we mean ALL. Two or twenty, be sure to keep enough of this Agave Nectar Wheat Ale on hand lest you anger the gods" (source).
• Great Lakes Chillwave, $3.29/12oz - "Hop-forward with a balanced blend of Mosaic and Nugget hops" (source).
• Saugutuk Back Yard IPA, $1.79/12oz - "A refreshing IPA, light-bodied with a hoppy burst of flavor. This 4.5% ABV Session IPA is ‘the perfect beer if you like to do stuff" (source).
• Leinenkugel Grapefruit Shandy, $1.49/12oz - "Weiss beer brewed with honey with natural flavors added" (source).
• Leinenkugel Summer Shandy, $1.49/12oz - "Beer with natural lemonade flavor" (source).
• Boulder Shake, $1.89/12oz - "Our twist on the traditional robust American Porter, Shake Chocolate Porter is dark black in color with rich, sweet aromatics and flavors of dark chocolate, coffee and caramel. This unique brew blends five different grains, including Chocolate Wheat, that along with cacao nibs create a devilishly delicious chocolate finish with a velvety mouthfeel" (source).
• Abita Spring IPA, $1.69/12oz - "Spring IPA (March-May) is a West Coast-style IPA with an up-front intense hop flavor and aroma. Amarillo and Centennial hops give the brew a rich and resinous flavor of citrus and spice. This bright pale ale has a malt sweetness that will give way to a pleasant bitterness. It pairs well with Mexican or spicy Szechwan Chinese food. Spring IPA is a nice accompaniment for cheeses with strong flavors, like sharp cheddar or goat cheese" (source).

Reminder of the Week | Bread-Making Supplies

Remember, folks. Siciliano's is now carrying bread-making supplies!

Cheers!