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| Now that's a beer belly. |
As soon as I unlocked the door a cherry-red Subaru pulled into the parking lot. An old man with a long white beard got out, hitched his pants up over his considerable midsection, crossed his arms behind his head and had a good stretch. Before walking into the store he replaced his wire-rimmed spectacles with dark glasses and put a red-plaid Stormy Kromer on his head.
“What can I help you with,” I asked.
“Am I the only one here?” he whispered looking around.
“Yes,” I said. “I just opened.”
“Good,” he whispered. “I’m looking for Michigan beer.”
“Well you’ve come to the right place.”
“That’s what I hear,” he whispered and pulled his hat further down on his forehead.
“You don’t have to whisper,” I told him.
“Of course not,” he said. “Can you show me where your Michigan section is? I’m afraid I’m in a bit of a hurry and I’ve got a long drive ahead of me.”
“Where are you from?” I asked him.
“North,” he said.
“Up north?” I asked.
“Way north.”
“The U.P.?”
“Farther.”
“Canada?”
“Farther yet,” he said.
“Farther than Canada? And you came all this way just to get Michigan beer?’
The old man looked at the five case stack of Breakfast Stout that was sitting in front of the sales counter and smiled.
“Yes I did,” he said. “Merry Christmas to me.”
*Originally published December 12, 2014.
New and Returning Beer
- Short's Twist of Cain, $1.99/12oz - "Twist of Cain is a pitch black lager with notable aromas of roast, molasses and hints of sweet chocolate. Intense flavors of rich sugary malt and dark fruit resonate with a big coating sweetness. Coupled with a cocoa like bitterness, all of the flavors seem to linger equally and dry the palate" (source).
- Shorts Juicy Tree, $1.99/12oz - "Juicy Tree is an experimental India Pale Ale made with blue spruce tips, juniper berries, and cranberries. Big aromatics of piney evergreen and sweet berries tingle the senses. After some slightly tart and tangy flavors up front, a harmonious balance between pleasant fruit sweetness and bitter pine is reached. A sizable malt bill, ample hop additions, and the floral qualities of American Ale yeast, all contribute to symmetry of this beer" (source).
- Southern Tier Creme Brulee, $9.29/22oz - "Caramelized sugar, vanilla, custard, nicely sweet and balanced, rich and milky " (source).
- Avery Dugana, $6.99/22oz - "Lupulin Rapture Incarnate! As fervent devotees of hops, we found ourselves on a quest to create a transcendental IPA capable of quenching our voracious lupulin desires. Our mantra became “unity of bitterness, hop flavor and aroma.” Enlightened, duganA IPA was born: A brutally bitter, dank, piney and resinous ale designed for those seeking a divine hop experience" (source).
- Avery Vanilla Bean, $13.79/22oz - "A double dose of vanilla derived from both fresh Bourbon barrels and the trio of Tongan, Ugandan, and Mexican whole vanilla beans is complemented by the essences of chocolate, caramel and molasses to round out this luxurious silky stout" (source).
- Atwater Tunnel Ram, $2.19/12oz - "A noticeably strong, rich, and very malty German-style lager" (source).
- Praire Artisan Ales Coffee Okie, $11.39/12oz - "Okie is an imperial brown ale that we aged in bourbon barrels, and we’ve taken that barrel aged base and added our favorite blend of roasted coffee. The intense coffee flavors are complemented by notes of caramel, toffee, and vanilla resulting in a boozy, sweet and aromatic experience" (source).
Video of the Week | Vivant Flash Mob
This kind of thing should happen more often.
Cheers!
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