New Beer Friday, Staff Picks for Turkey Day Edition (Nov 23)

Preamble by Steve Siciliano

We have great news for anyone planning on giving the hobbies of beermaking or winemaking as Christmas gifts this year. Beginning on Black Friday, November 25, and continuing through the end of business on December 24, we will be offering deep discounts on our Brewer’s Best and Vintner’s Best equipment packages. These boxed kits are geared toward new brewers and winemakers and include the basic equipment needed to get started in these life-enriching hobbies.

Holiday pricing and complete descriptions of the beermaking and winemaking equipment packages follow.

Brewer’s Best Deluxe Equipment Kit, $75.00 (Regular Price $105.00) - "The complete equipment package. Contains everything a beginning brewer needs except boiling pot, bottles and caps: 6.5 gallon "Ale Pail" Primary Fermenter with Grommeted Lid, 6.5 gallon "Ale Pail" Bottling Bucket with Spigot, 5 Gallon Glass Carboy, "Home Beermaking" Book, Easy Clean No-Rinse Cleanser, Twin Lever Capper, Triple Scale Hydrometer, Siphon Hose and Shut-Off Clamp, Drilled Universal Carboy Bung, Liquid Crystal Thermometer, Lab Thermometer, Brew Paddle, Airlock, Fermtech Auto Siphon, Bottle Filler, Bottle Brush, Carboy Brush and Equipment Instructions" (source).

Brewer’s Beast Equipment Kit, $95.00 (Regular Price $135.00) - "The most complete equipment kit in the homebrew industry is now available from Brewer's Best®. The Brewer's BeAst includes everything your customers need to make the finest batch of beer (by using a Brewer's Best® ingredient kit, of course) in one box. Equipment kit includes: 6.5 gallon "Ale Pail" Primary Fermenter with Grommeted Lid, 6.5 gallon "Ale Pail" Bottling Bucket with Spigot, Easy Clean No-Rinse Cleanser, Auto-Siphon, 5 Gallon Glass Carboy, Plastic Paddle, Carboy Brush, Hydrometer, Liquid Crystal Thermometer, Bottle Brush, Black Beauty Capper, Econolock, Drilled Bung, Lab Thermometer, Bottle Filler, Siphon Hose with Shut-off Clamp, IO-Star, 20 qt. Brew Pot and Equipment Instructions. * Does not include bottles or caps" (source).

Vintner’s Best Equipment Kit, $78.00 (Regular Price $95.00) - "Contains 7.9 Gallon Fermenter with Drilled and Grommeted Lid 6 Gallon Glass Carboy Liquid Crystal Thermometer Easy Clean No-Rinse Cleanser Double Lever Corker Premium Corks (30ct.) Mix-Stir Triple Scale Hydrometer Econolock Drilled Universal Carboy Bung 5 ft Siphon Tubing Fermtech Auto Siphon Combination Bottle Filler Bottle Brush Equipment Instructions" (source).

Staff Picks for Thanksgiving

Beer Picks

• The Boss: Arbor Brewing Figjam Quad, $2.89/12oz - "QUADRUPLE with it’s warming alcohol, figgy undertones, dark dried fruit flavors of raison dates, hints of fresh baked bread, and a beautiful dry finish that leaves you wanting more" (source).
• John: Alaskan Brewing Winter Ale, $1.69/12oz - "Brewed in the style of an English Olde Ale, this ale balances the sweet heady aroma of spruce tips with the clean crisp finish of noble hops. Its malty richness is complemented by the warming sensation of alcohol" (source).
• Sarah: Vivant Stone Fruit Sour, $9.99/500ml - "Foeder Aged Weissbier with all-Michigan grown peaches, plums, apricots, and cherries" (source).
• Kati: New Belgium Accumulation, $1.69/12oz  - "Accumulation White IPA was inspired by the white beauty that falls each winter from our Colorado sky. Flurries of Mosaic and Amarillo hops bring soft fruit and citrus flavor, followed by a layer of bitter. Piled high in IBUs, Accumulation will make your winter brighter" (source).
• Matt: Big Lake Dark Star, $2.69/16oz - "A breakfast style stout brewed with Kona and Sumatra coffee aged on cocoa nibs" (source).
• Joe: Breckenridge Brewing Mango Mosaic, $1.99/12oz - "Mosaic hops naturally give off aromas of guava and mango, lending a unique sweetness to the hop character of this pale ale. To build upon the tropical attributes of the hops, we've added a healthy dose of mango. Mango Mosaic Pale Ale is a well-balanced montage of fruit flavors, fresh aromas, and refreshingly crisp goodness" (source).
• Max: Vivant Verdun, $3.49/16oz - "Our take on a classic French style. Malty, Rustic, and made with some French Hops. The perfect Fall beer" (source).
• Mark: Stone Brewing Xocovaza, $2.99/12oz  - "Harmoniously layered with cocoa, Mostra coffee, pasilla peppers, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and milk sugar, this beer is an insanely delicious take on Mexican hot chocolate. Thanks entirely to you and fan demand, it has gone from being a one-time offering to a yearly tradition too special to skip. Feel free to enjoy it long into the winter months because this festive beer will age beautifully and is definitely not exclusive to the holidays" (source).

Wine Picks

• The Boss: Poggio Anima Lilith Primitivo, $13.99/750ml - "This is a subtly floral expression of this this mighty red grape from Southern Italy. Rich purple in color, inviting aromas of spiced cherries and black fruits complement undertones of tobacco and dried plums. It is a full-bodied wine, warm and soft on the palate with flavors that continue to evolve into the finish" (source).
• John: Parducci True Grit Petite Sirah, $17.99/750ml - "A heady rush of fresh blackberry, dark chocolate, and white pepper with a caramel twist" (source).
• Sarah: Moutard Blanc De Blanc, $17.09/750ml - No commercial description available.
• Kati: Charles de Fere Cuvee Jean Louis Rose Brut, $10.79/750ml - "Jean-Louis Denois, the sixth-generation of a well-established Champagne producing family, decided to create his own sparkling winery in the town of Fère-en-Tardenois, just twenty miles outside of the Champagne appellation. Free of the confines of Champagne, Jean-Louis could refuse territorial limits, selecting cuvées from northerly vineyards for their freshness and elegance, together with cuvées from southern vineyards for ripe fruit, body and smoothness. He boldly believed that regions outisde Champagne also had the potential to create sparkling wines of superb quality. With France’s best cuvées blended to the winemaker’s style, Charles de Fère’s wines consistenly offer finesse, structure, and a complex harmony of flavors" (source).
• Matt: Donna Vinho Tinto, $6.99/750ml - No commercial description available.
• Joe: Albert Bichot Beaujolais Villages Nouveau, $9.99/750ml - "Beaujolais Nouveau is the name given to Beaujolais and Beaujolais Villages wines which are released almost immediately after harvest. Arguably the most famous expression of the Gamay grape variety, these light, fruity reds are usually the first of the year's harvest in France, and are released annually to huge international fanfare" (source).
• Max: Brengman Brothers Piccolo Dito Vermouth, $36.99 - "Flavors of orange peel and vanilla yield to chocolate tones, all underpinned by a backbone of astringent bitter herbs. Finishes sweet with a hint of oak though balanced with touch of bitterness" (source).
• Mark: David el Fin Perfume de Sonsierra, $64.39/750ml - "Notas afrutadas (fresa, grosella, regaliz) y aromas de café, torrefactos y tostados. Equilibrado y redondo en boca" (source).

Whiskey Picks

• The Boss: Pikesville Straight Rye, $49.96/750ml - "Dry and spicy, with honeyed rye and cloves" (source).
• John: Westland American Single Malt, $65.99/750ml - "Malted barley is the most complex and flavorful grain used to make whiskey. For centuries, single malt whiskies have been considered solely the domain of Scotland. But a new category of single malt is taking root. One that offers us the chance to make a mark in the world of whiskey. It must be led by your own ideas, done on your own terms and realized through your own hard work. Here in the heart of the Pacific Northwest, we are graced with world-class natural ingredients. Those ingredients inspire us to pursue our own unique American-style single malt to rival the finest whiskies in the world. With each expression we work to create something that both honors the traditions of distilling that we admire and adds something worthwhile at the same time. Something new and distinctly American. The character of our malt provides a wealth of flavor profiles for our whiskies. Regardless of the individual expression, every whiskey at Westland Distillery is underscored by our house style – a sweetness and ease on the palate accompanied by a fruity and complex but ultimately grain-focused finish worthy of its place in this new world" (source).
• Sarah: Highspire Pure Rye, $39.99/750ml - "Once vanished and now found. Highspire Pure Rye Whiskey was established in 1823 and considered one of America’s best known 100% rye whiskies. Lost during prohibition, Highspire Whiskey is now back and is still made with a 100% rye grain. We have taken original methodologies, added some contemporary craft and created a whiskey that once again stands apart from all others" (source).
• Kati: Ardbeg 10, $51.99/750ml - "Ardbeg Ten Years Old is revered around the world as the peatiest, smokiest, most complex single malt of them all. Yet it does not flaunt the peat; rather it gives way to the natural sweetness of the malt to produce a whisky of perfect balance. Named World Whisky of the Year in 2008" (source).
• Matt: Benchmark, $22.99/1.75liter - "The nose bears caramel notes with a delicate stone-fruit backdrop. A robust and sturdy palate with some fine leather notes mingling with dry tobacco, a touch of oak and a hint of dried cherries. The finish is smooth and calming" (source).
• Joe: Four Roses Single Barrel, $41.98/750ml - "A premium Single Barrel Bourbon with a taste you’ll want to savor again and again. Complex, full bodied and surprisingly smooth with a delicate long finish that’s unbelievably mellow. Contains hints of ripe plum, cherry and other fruits, mild spices, plus sweet aromas including caramel, cocoa, vanilla and maple syrup. Drink straight up or on the rocks" (source).
• Mark: High West Double Rye, $36.96/750ml - "Perhaps the spiciest American whiskey I have ever tasted, yet at the same time, quite tame and mellow. Complex notes of mint, clove, cinnamon, licorice root, pine nuts, and dark chocolate, with a surprising dose of gin botanicals throughout. A soft underbelly of caramel, sweet corn, and soothing vanilla provides an interesting counterpoint. Very easy-drinking, too (hard to believe it's 46%). Intriguing, and a must-try for rye whiskey aficionados - even if only to satisfy your curiosity" (source).
• Max: Bain's Cape Mountain Whiskey, $29.99/750ml - "Bain’s Single Grain Whisky is a double matured whisky produced from 100% South African Yellow Maize, you may call this corn. We first mature it in specially selected first-fill bourbon casks for a period of three years, we then transfer it to a second set of first-fill bourbon casks for a further 18 to 30 months to extract a full rich flavor like no other" (source).

Video of the Week | Highspire Pure Rye

Highspire Rye: Available now at Siciliano's!

Cheers!