New Beer Friday, BBQ Edition (November 20)

Artwork on the walls of Main Street BBQ

Preamble by Steve Siciliano

If you live in the environs of Beer City USA and are passionate about barbecue you’ve got to be excited about the fact that there are now a number of restaurants in GR that are serving up authentic Q.

Slows, Two Scotts Barbecue, The Grilling Company and Horseshoe Smokehouse have opened their doors within the past year and are garnering rave reviews. With the recent opening of Main Street BBQ in Lowell, area barbecue aficionados now have another place to go to satisfy their smoked meat cravings.

Barb and I stopped at Main Street this past Monday after conducting a winemaking seminar at the Englehardt branch of the Kent District Library. Located in a building that once housed the Moose Lodge in the heart of Lowell’s historic downtown business district, the nicely appointed restaurant features wood floors, exposed wood ceilings and an open kitchen. The whimsical paintings of cows and pigs hanging on the brick walls lend a nice comedic touch. The restaurant has a good selection of liquors and wines and over twenty brews and hard ciders were on draught at the time of our visit.

Both Barb and I had the pulled pork sandwich and we both thought it was excellent. The extensive menu features seven sandwiches, ten full dinners and a good variety of sides and appetizers.

More art from the walls of Main Street BBQ

New and Returning Beer

• Deschutes Chasin' Freshies, $6.69/22oz - "Like fresh powder, it’s a seize-the-moment thing. This year we’ve chased down Lemondrop hops from the Yakima Valley in Washington. At harvest, we rush the hops from the vine to our kettles to ensure we capture the purest, juiciest essence of the hop flower in every beer. Enjoy the bright, bold aroma and flavor that comes but once a year" (source).
• Dogfish Head Higher Math, $10.19/12oz - "Higher Math has forward notes of cherries, pineapple and stewed fruit, with late notes of cocoa. It has a lingering sweetness and a notable warmth from the alcohol" (source).
• Shorts Queen Bee, $2.39/12oz - "Queen Bee is an Imperial Amber Ale full of sweet fruity aromas from the skillful blending of malt, hops, and floral northern Michigan Star Thistle honey.  Crystal clear and bright in appearance, this beer is rich and full of flavors of honey and malt, which create a wonderful balance and a flavor reminiscent of hard candy.  Generous hop additions add to a perfectly timed dry and warming finish" (source).
• Atwater Winter Bock, $1.79/12oz - "This malty, sweet, dark amber colored German-style bock beer is brewed with imported malt and hops. Its uncommon smoothness and impeccable taste make it the perfect companion for a cold night" (source).
• Southern Tier Krampus, $7.79/22oz - "St. Nicholas, aka Santa Claus, is a magical figure, the bringer of gifts and an icon of holiday spirit. Forgotten by most is his evil side kick and enforcer of ‘the list’. European tradition says while St. Nick is busy delivering presents to good little boys and girls, Krampus hands out punishments to the bad. A fanged, goat-horned bully, the Christmas Devil uses sticks and chains to beat the naughty children. Dark malts and aromatic hops create the diabolical spirit of this brew. It is finished with lager yeast and aged cold for no less than 30 days. This Imperial Helles Lager will warm even the darkest hearts. This season, replace the cookies with a bottle of Krampus. If he happens to pay a visit, toast to him with this devilish brew" (source).
• Blackrocks Gnomas, $3.09/12oz - "Our Highest ABV beer to date! An English Style Barleywine coming in at 10%. The malt hits you up front with dark fruits and caramel, then balanced off with Topaz hops. Drink this guy around a fire. Store some in your cellar for the future, the Gnomas is great with some age" (source).
• Dark Horse Thirsty Trout Porter, $1.99/12oz - "Thirsty Trout is a rich, robust American Porter.  Dark brown in color with medium to heavy body and hints of light roast.  Aromas of chocolate leave way to a full mouthfeel and somewhat sweet finish to make this porter a desirable companion" (source).
• Saugatuck Snow Wizard, $1.79/12oz - "An Oak Aged Imperial Brown Ale with tons of oaky, woody flavors. The base brown malt profile provides a huge caramel, coffee and chocolate body with minimal hop bitterness match perfectly with the complex flavor profile of the oak chips" (source).
• Stone Sorry Not Sorry, $9.49/22oz - "Stone Sorry Not Sorry is a part of the brewery’s ongoing collaboration series, brewed with St. Louis, Missouri’s 4 Hands Brewing and Yakima, Washington’s Bale Breaker. Sorry Not Sorry is an Imperial IPA brewed with peaches" (source).

Video of the Week | Bell's Christmas Ale

Bell's Christmas Ale is available now at Siciliano's ($1.89/12oz)

Cheers!