New Beer Friday, Farewell Doug Edition (March 20)

Good luck, Doug!

Preamble by Steve Siciliano

It is with mixed emotions that I am prefacing this New Beer Friday with the news that long time staffer Doug Dorda is leaving Siciliano’s Market to take a position as a cellarman at Founder’s Brewing Company.

While I’m pleased that we can add another name to the list of former Siciliano’s employees who are working in the local brewing industry I’m also sorry to see Doug go. His excellent customer service, his knowledge of homebrewing and his passion for craft beer, fine wines and quality spirits have been instrumental in helping Siciliano’s Market maintain its status as one of West Michigan’s premier specialty stores.

I would like thank Doug for his efforts over the past six years and I wish him much success in his future endeavors.

Just a reminder that the window for entry registration for the 12th Annual Siciliano’s Homebrew Contest 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 website. Participants will be able to print entry forms and bottle labels off the site after registering their entry.

This year’s Best of Show winner will have the opportunity to brew a double batch of the winning recipe with 2012 contest winner and current pub brewer Russ Smith on Odd Side Ales’ one-barrel pub system. The BOS winner will also receive a $500 gift card to Siciliano’s Market in addition to having his or her name engraved on the prestigious Siciliano’s Cup.

Finally, we are returning to the popular Johnson Park on Saturday, May 16 for the 12th Annual Siciliano’s Homebrew Party. Tickets are $40.00 per person and will go on sale Monday, March 23. Tickets are limited and must be purchased in advance. Please note that party attendees will again be receiving T-shirts this year and we will be asking for sizes at the time you purchase your ticket. If you are purchasing tickets for a spouse, friend, family member or significant other, you will need to know the correct size. Please don’t guess.

New and Returning Beer

• Summit Hop Silo, $3.09/16oz cans - "Introducing Unchained #18, Hop Silo. Brought to you by Summit Brewer Eric Harper, it’s our first Double IPA. With an intense hop profile of citrus with herbal and pine undertones and a supporting backbone of imported UK malts. Available in 16 ounce cans (another Summit first!) and on draught at select bars, pubs and restaurants." (source).
• Sam Adams Tetravis, $11.19/750ml - "Its deep complexity begins with a molasses sweetness with notes of dark fruits like raisin and fig and develop further with an undercurrent of tart spice from its distinctive Belgian yeast for a truly transfixing brew" (source).
• De Proef Signature Ale, $17.19/750ml - "A stylish and artistic collaborative brewing effort that combines the enormous talents of Dirk Naudts, at Belgium’s De Proef Brewery, and Tomme Arthur of Port Brewing and Lost Abbey in southern California" (source).
• Odd Side Paranoia, $2.49/12oz - "An imperial IPA" (source).
• Weyerbacher Tango, $9.59/750ml - "Tango is a big, bold, Belgian-style dark ale brewed with 1,200 pounds of cherries! Tango pours a beautiful ruby color with a nice fluffy head, offering a very complex aroma of cherries and other dark fruits. The strong 750 ml glass bottle finished with a cork and cage allows the very robust bottle-conditioning responsible for Tango’s effervescence. Dark fruit flavors join the cherries to match up with the strong malt bill with the Belgian yeast adding its 2 cents along the way" (source).
• Green Flash Green Bullet, $8.29/22oz - "A full-bodied Triple IPA, Green Bullet combines New Zealand grown Pacific Gem and Green Bullet hops. Significant pine and citrus hoppiness hit the palate at first sip, accentuated by tropical notes of mango and pineapple, ending with a moderately aggressive, bitter finish" (source).
• New Holland Incorrigible, $4.79/22oz - "Incorrigible celebrates the beauty of mischief. Wild yeasts and bacteria run free in our sour-aging cellar, the House of Funk, creating vibrant sour and acidic character in this delicate, yet complex wheat beer. The refreshingly tart session beer will tease your palate with a subtle, layered nuance" (source).
• Sierra Nevada Hop Hunter, $1.69/12oz - "Hop Hunter IPA harnesses the complex flavors of just-picked hops through an all-new method of steam distilling wet hops before they even leave the fields. This revolutionary technique captures and intensifies the natural flavors, creating a unique and intensely aromatic beer. Our custom process gathers pure hop oil which, when combined with traditional whole-cone hops in the brew kettle and makes for an incredible IPA experience" (source).
• Sierra Nevada Nooner, $1.59/12oz or $18.39/12pk cans - "Gather your friends, pack the gear, and head out to wherever the day may take you. A midday go-to, Nooner is our take on the classic German-style pilsner—one of the original session beers. Nooner is easy drinking yet packed with the big flavor of spicy and floral whole-cone hops. Its brilliant golden color begs you to take a sip and sink your taste buds into an extremely welcoming beer, full of flavor and balanced by a crisp, dry finish" (source).

Early Sign of Spring | New Rosé Wines

• Pellehaut Rosé, $9.19/750ml - "Salmon pink color, slightly pale. Intense nose, very fragrant, characterized by cherry and strawberry which mix of floral notes. Beautifully balanced palate, fresh but not excessive acidity. A beautiful "Harmony" between 5 varieties each bringing their qualities" (source).
• Bargemone Rosé, $16.89/750ml - "Pale cherry color, the rosé wine of Bargemone offers aromas of flowers and red berries, which make it harmonious and balanced" (source).
• Villa Des Anges Rosé, $9.89/750ml - "A light-bodied wine, intensely crisp and vividly fresh, it offers complex aromas of strawberries and red currants, with a hint of quince" (source). 
• Lancyre Rosé, $18.09/750ml - "At Lancyre, rosé has its own special place, firstly because we enjoy it – and not just on summer’s evenings on the patio – but also because it’s a wine that needs attention, finesse and meticulous care. So we grow vines especially for our rosé on two plots of red clay for fruitiness and hard limestone for minerality" (source).

Infographic of the Week

View the expanded infographic on the Brewer's Association website

Cheers!