The Brewsquitos, a team of homebrewers representing Siciliano's Market, took top honors recently at the awards ceremony for the inaugural Home Brew League, a homebrewing competition organized and administered by Coldbreak Brewing Equipment. A total of thirty-two teams participated in the year-long competition with Siciliano's being one of four area homebrew shops sponsoring a division of eight teams in the event.
“We're honored to have taken home the inaugural Home Brew League championship, especially considering all the great teams we had to beat to win it,” said Brewsquitos captain Nick Rodammer. “The Siciliano's division in particular was loaded with talented teams which led to fierce competition during the entire season, so just making the playoffs was something we were very proud of."
In addition to having bragging rights and their names etched on the beautiful HBL trophy, team members will get the opportunity to brew their winning Black IPA recipe at Cedar Springs Brewing Company.
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| Congrats to Phil Pierce, Chad Bocian, Nick Rodammer, Paul Arends, Pat Tkacz and Andrew Brouwers! |
New and Returning Beer
- Elysian Superfuzz Blood Orange Pale Ale, $1.99/12oz - "Is a mind-bending whirl of the aromas and flavors of blood orange and Northwest hops" (source).
- Deschutes Swivelhead, $2.09/12oz - "This twist on a traditional red ale gets its herbal hop character from European varietals added in American quantities, with a light melon accent from Australian hops, all resulting in a malty brew without the roast that’s sure to turn heads wherever it’s shared" (source).
- Ommegang Fruition, $2.59/12oz - "A dry-hopped wheat ale with mango, kiwi and passion fruit." (source).
- Boulevard Hibiscus Gose, $1.69/12oz - "Our version of an unusual, yet resurgent, beer style. It pays tribute to the pleasantly sour, slightly salty wheat beers that originated in Goslar and became popular in Leipzig, Germany around the late 1800’s. A great introductory sour beer, Hibiscus Gose receives coriander and sea salt during boiling, then we steep dried hibiscus flowers at the end to create a vibrant pink hue (really, though, it’s pink!). The result is a tangy, sweet and sour ale with a refreshing citrus character" (source).
- Boulevard Changeling, $12.99/750ml - "Changeling is an enchanting blend of dark sour ales aged in whiskey and wine barrels that were inoculated with Brettanomyces and lactobacillus. It pours a deep ruby color with touches of gold at the edges of the glass. Leading with plum and toasty malt, the flavor transmutes into a soft tartness, with notes of earthy, funky Brett and a touch of lingering caramel to create a delicate balance" (source).
- Lagunitas Lucky 13, $1.99/12oz - "From the first day of the first mash of the first recipe in the first brewhouse in the first space to these coordinates on the cone of space-time; We have worked hard to walk in the footsteps of our hero brewers- Chico’s brewer of California’s Best Pale Ale, the Noble Brewer of the planet’s only legal Steam Beer, and Oregon’s Rebel Brewer from Newport. Now we have found our own voice as brewers but our admiration for the Great Ones has not dimmed one bit. If we walked well down the hero’s path, perhaps we too have been an inspiration for others. Beer is a Bronze Age business and we feel honored to leave our footprints on it’s path into history- at the same time leaving our flavors on your buds. Obey those Buds! Thanks for your trust over the years and we hope you enjoy this specially brewed Hi-Gravity Auburn offering" (source).
- Heavy Seas Smooth Sail, $1.89/12oz - "This is not your average summer ale. We've created the most refreshingly delicious American wheat ale. Brewed with lemon and orange peel, Smooth Sail finishes with a citrus kick. At 4.5% ABV you'll have your new pool beer. Available on draft and cans only, it's the perfect beer for trips to the park, hiking, or just sitting on the beach with your friends. A summer day. Kick back, relax, enjoy - a light breeze will take you to your happy place" (source).
- Heavy Seas Pounder Pils, $1.89/16oz - "Made with German malts and an plethora of European hops, Pounder Pils is an American interpretation of a classic European Style. Exhibiting a crisp malt backbone and an herbaceous hop profile, this Pilsner is quaffable and refreshing. This year-round offering is smooth and elegant showcasing a bright yet zesty botanical aroma. Named for the weight of their shot, the most common naval cannons were called "six pounders". At Heavy Seas, that means a six-pack of crisp, clean Pounder Pils" (source).
- Shmaltz Star Trek Klingon, $2.69/12oz - "Raise a goblet of Klingon Imperial Porter to the strongest warriors in the Galaxy. Discover the ruby undertones that pay homage to Klingon Bloodwine and fallen warriors who hold honor above life. “There is no honor in attacking the weak,” so take pleasure in besieging this 7.3% ABV Imperial Porter. But like this mighty elixir, Klingons also have a sweet side: Witness the wedding ritual where the gods forge two hearts so strong that once joined together cannot be opposed. (Just ignore the part of the ceremony where the groom swings his bat’leth at the bride!) A Klingon proverb states: “Death is an experience best shared,” and so is the first Star Trek limited release of 2017" (source).
- Odd Side Troll Toll, $1.99/12oz - "Session IPA brewed with lactose" (source).
- Anderson Valley GT Gose, $1.99/12oz - "Reminiscent of a classic cocktail, our G&T Gose showcases botanical flavors and aromas of lemon peel, juniper, lemongrass, and grains of paradise. With a juicy lemon-lime tartness and slightly peppery finish, we’ve given the gose style a unique spin that we’re sure you’ll enjoy" (source).
- Ballast Point Tart Peach Kolsch, $5.99/22oz - "Our Tart Peach Kölsch is a fresh take on one of our very first beers. The juicy aroma and flavor of ripe peach complements the subtle fruitiness from the Kölsch yeast in this bright, refreshing ale. Add a tickle of tartness to round out the senses, and you get a new brew that’s interestingly delightful" (source).
- Dogfish Head Romantic Chemistry, $2.59/12oz - "What you have here is a serious India Pale Ale shacking up and hunkering down with mango and apricots. At the same time! Romantic Chemistry is brewed with an intermingling of mangos, apricots and ginger, and then dry-hopped with three varieties of hops to deliver a tropical fruit aroma and a hop-forward finish" (source).
- Bell's Mars, $3.09/12oz - "Notes of tropical fruit, citrus, pine, lemon, lime and pineapple are all present in both the aroma and flavor. Hopped at a ratio of about 3.4 pounds of hops per barrel, the recipe for Mars was developed from a trial batch called Larry’s Latest Double IPA brewed in our original brewery located adjacent to the Eccentric Café in downtown Kalamazoo" (source).
- Blackrocks Lager Rhythm, $1.99/12oz - "American lager dry hopped with mosaic and bitter gold hops" (source).
- Founders Palm Reader, $1.79/12oz - "A tribute to our beautiful state, this refreshing ale is made with Michigan-grown Crystal and Zuper-Saazer hops. Derived from Saaz, a traditional noble hop hailing from the Czech Republic, these Zuper-Saazer hops, grown locally at Hophead Farms, impart intense and fruity aromas. Combined with the citrus notes of the Crystal hops and the simple malt bill, this beer is crisp, bright and delicious" (source).
- Founders Sumatra Brown, $3.09/12oz - "This bold, imperial brown ale gets its body from a team of malts including Caramel malt for sweetness, flaked barley for dense foam, a bit of Chocolate malt for its deep color and Aromatic and Munich malts to add even more depth. German and Perle hops add a touch of bitterness to balance the malty sweetness. The addition of rich Sumatra coffee takes this perfectly balanced imperial brown ale to a decadent level" (source).
- New Holland Dragon's Milk Reserve Mexican Spice Cake, $4.29/12oz - "This reserve blend is aged in bourbon barrels for three months, with toasted chiles, cocoa nibs, vanilla, and cinnamon added during aging" (source).
Video of the Week | Farmhaus Cider
In honor of GR Cider Week, enjoy this video from one the area's many fine cideries.
Cheers!
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