New Beer Friday, Pre-KBS Edition (March 29)

Goofing around with Mitten Brewing's Jason Warnes

By Chris Siciliano

The Founders KBS release date for retail outlets like Siciliano's is Monday, April 1. In other words, April Fool's Day. As your favorite retailer of craft beer and just plain decent human beings in general, we promise not to pull any "cute" pranks concerning our supply of your favorite barrel-aged imperial stout. That is, if you contact us by phone or Facebook on Monday, we will not tell you we're sold out when we're not, and we will not tell you we still have some when we don't. We're neither dumb nor cruel enough to toy with your emotions when it comes to KBS.

For the record, this is everything we can tell you right now about our impending KBS delivery: (1a) We know we're getting some (1b) We don't know how much we're getting (2a) The KBS will be here on Monday, April 1st (2b) We don't know what time (3a) Once it arrives, it will not last long (3b) We don't know exactly how long it will last (4a) We do not hold KBS or any rare beers for people who call ahead (4b) We know that's not a perfect policy (4c) It's the fairest policy we can think of (5a) There will be a limit to how many bottles you can purchase, again, for the sake of fairness (5b) We don't yet know what the limit will be (5c) It all depends on how much we get (5d) Please see point (1b) for more information on how much KBS we're getting.

If this exhaustive list somehow failed to answer a question you have about our Founders KBS supply, please don't hesitate to call Siciliano's at 616-453-9674. The store will open at 8 a.m. on Monday. We will post the news to our Facebook page when KBS arrives, providing we have time. In the interim, we suggest you check out these excellent new beers.

New and Returning Beers at Siciliano's

• Bells Oberon, $1.69/12oz - "An American wheat ale made with European ingredients. Belgium wheat malt and Czech Saaz hops provide a spicy, fruity balance to this seasonal ale" (source).
• Lagunitas Undercover Investigation Shutdown Ale, $1.99/12oz - "We brewed this especially bitter ale in dedication to all the world’s would-be astronauts, in remembrance of the 2005 St. Patrick’s Day Massacre on the Brewery Party Grounds and also in joyous celebration of our 20-day suspension that following January. Do the crime. Do the time. Get the bragging rights. Cheers!" (source).
• Odd Side Ales Citra Pale Ale, $1.99/12oz - "This light and crisp ale is sure to capture your taste buds. Not quite a pale ale not quite an IPA. This is our flagship beer which is brewed exclusively with citra hops. The aroma is an intoxicating bouquet of grapefruit, tropical fruit, lemon, and pine" (source).
• Sam Adams Longshot, $1.99/12oz - "Samuel Adams is proud to announce that the annual quest for exceptional homebrews has yet again returned a wide spectrum of flavorful beers that continue to impress. Connecticut resident Zack Adams’ Magnificent Seven and California resident James Schirmer’s Beerflower Wheat triumphed over nearly 1,000 competing homebrews to become the 2012 Samuel Adams LongShot American Homebrew Contest winners. In addition to James’ and Zack’s winning brews, Samuel Adams also honors Employee Homebrew Winner Dave Anderson ’s Strawberry Lager. All three winning brews will be bottled and available nationally in the 2013 Samuel Adams LongShot Variety Six-Pack" (source).
• Ommegang Iron Throne, $9.29/750ml - "A blonde ale brewed with robust amounts of pils, honey malt, aroma malts and red wheat" (source).
• Ommegang Gnomegang, $16.99/750ml - "This delectable blonde ale is a co-creation of two famed farmstead breweries: Brewery Ommegang and Brasserie d’Achouffe. It employs five fine malts, two noble hops, and both of the distinctive Chouffe and Ommegang yeasts. You’ll enjoy the smooth drinkability, fruity aromas and flavors, and warming finish" (source).
• Hofbrau Maibock, $1.99/12oz - "By tradition, the first barrel of Maibock is tapped in the Hofbräuhaus in the last week of April, in time for the merry month of May. The success story of Munich’s oldest bock beer goes back as far as 1614. With its powerfully aromatic flavour and its alcoholic content of some 7.2% volume, Hofbräu Maibock marks one of the high points in the beer-lover’s calendar!" (source).
• Ace Honey Cider, $1.99/12oz - "A totally unique alcoholic beverage with a distinctive taste and rich brown color. Ace Apple Honey has a pronounced honey bouquet with a smooth texture and dry finish" (source).
• Fullers Bengal Lancer, $5.09/17oz - "Bengal Lancer is an exciting, classic India Pale Ale from Fuller’s. Brewed to 5% ABV (5.3% in bottle), this ale has been inspired by the history and character of this traditional style of beer. Bengal Lancer has returned to pumps for an extended period between Autumn 2011 and Spring 2012. The beer is pale in colour, full-bodied with a distinctive hoppiness that marks it out as a true India Pale Ale" (source).
• Vicaris Tripel Gueze, $17.89/750ml - "mix of Vicaris Tripel and Boon lambic" (source).
• Victory Swing Session Saison, $1.79/12oz - "It’s a lively jazz rhythm, a vigorous sway, a change of view or even a roll in the proverbial hay. Now it also means the welcome jolt of joy you’ll experience upon your first sip of this session saison. Bracing, but benign, this Belgian style ale enlivens any experience with a spicy, aromatic start, citrus snap and fresh finish. Swing into spring with taste!" (source).
• Heavy Seas Black Cannon, $1.99/12oz - "While the style is an oxymoron, this ale is an variation of our "Loose Cannon" IPA with an obvious dark note" (source).
• Heavy Seas Big Dipa, $6.69/22oz - "Big DIPA – Double IPA, is the first in the Heavy Seas Special Edition Series due to be released in mid June. Hopped 3 times in the brewing process, Big DIPA has an earthy hop aroma. In keeping with the Heavy Seas philosophy we’ve made a big beer with a surprising balance. The best part is that you’ll hardly notice it’s 10.6% ABV (est). The label artwork was created by Kurt Krol, one of our brewers who also helped to develop the recipe" (source).
• Atwater Maibock, $1.79/12oz - "A traditional german helles bock, golden in color and brewed with only the finest imported malt and hops. The distinct malty sweetness is balanced by a pronounced hop finish. Brewed to Welcome the Spring Season" (source).
• Shorts Publican Porter, $2.19/12oz - "Rooted from the original purveyor of integral ale. Beer Type: Imperial London Porter" (source).
• Epic Brainless on Raspberry, $6.69/22oz - "Hints of raspberry bubble gum flavors from the Belgian yeast and fresh raspberries tease the pallet in this Brainless® offering" (source).
• Epic Hopulent IPA, $6.69/22oz - "Hopulent IPA is a big beer with lots of complex malt flavor and excessive hops. This beer will have changes to the grain bill and seasonal hop changes. The character of Hopulent IPA is over the top, too much of everything—a real HOP HEADS DELIGHT!" (source).

KBS Retail Release 2012 | Video

Last year, WZZM 13 stopped by Siciliano's for our KBS release.

Here's the story they did.

Cheers!

Update: Siciliano's Homebrew Party, Tickets Going Fast!

Homebrew glory
manifest in medal form

By Steve Siciliano

On Saturday, May 11th over 150 people will be gathering in and around the enclosed pavilion in Johnson Park to take part in the 10th Annual Siciliano’s Homebrew Party. As in years past, those attending this annual celebration of the enriching hobby of homebrewing will be receiving an armload of wonderful gifts, will enjoy a delicious meal prepared by Three Men and a Grill and will be treated to live entertainment provided by local music legend Jimmie Stagger. All this for the ticket price of $35.00! Medals for the annual Siciliano’s Homebrew Competition will be distributed after dinner and at that time the competition’s 2013 Best-of-Show winner will be announced.

The homebrew party has certainly evolved over the years. I particularly like how it has become a mini outdoor festival that showcases hand-crafted meads, ciders and wines in addition to the shared offerings of bottled and kegged home brew.

Please remember that space is limited and tickets for the party must be purchased in advance, either in person at Siciliano’s or by calling the store at 616-453-9674.

Hope to see you there!

Siciliano's 2013 Homebrew Competition: Enter Now!

Important update! Be sure to check your spam folder for your confirmation email if it does not appear in your inbox after registration.

By Greg Johnson

Now that the competition is upon us, I would like to detail our new online registration process. On Monday, March 25th, homebrewers will be able to submit their entry information on the website, which can be found here: www.beerstofear.com. Individuals who have entered beers for previous Homebrew at the W.E.B. and Michigan Beer Cup competitions will be able to use their already existing log in information. Those who are new to the website will need to register with the website before submitting an entry.

Once registered and entry submission is open, a “+” button should appear on the “Entries” on the homepage of the competition portal. To submit a beer, click on the “+” button. A submission form should appear on the webpage asking for information regarding the Entry Name, Assistant Brewer, and BJCP Style. Fill out all applicable information and select the BJCP style that most appropriately fits the beer being entered. In Categories 20-23 (except 22-A Classic Rauchbier), the form will ask for any Special Ingredients and the Base Style of the beer being entered. Providing relevant information will help the judges with the evaluating the entered beer, hopefully, helping the performance of that beer in the competition as well. After all the information is inputed into the form, select the "Add New Entry" button then select the "Finished" button.

The beer should be listed under the “Entries” tab on the website. There, select the check box next to the beer and click on the printer icon underneath. This will download the bottle ID labels which can then be printed out and attached to the bottles with rubberbands.

Once the registration process has been completed and bottle labels printed off, entries can be dropped off at the store or mailed directly to the store along with the $5 entry fee (cash or check only). Mail entries to:

Siciliano's Market
Attn: Greg Johnson
2840 Lake Michigan Dr NW
Grand Rapids, MI 49504 

Deadline for submissions is April 14th or the moment we hit 250 total entries. Click here for more details. But if there are any questions about the registration process, please do not hesitate to contact me (Greg) at greg@sicilianosmkt.com or call Siciliano's Market directly at (616) 453-9674.

Good luck!

New Beer Friday, "Spring? Ha!" Edition (March 22)

The Bossman submitted the following mini essay a few days ago and we thought it a rather fitting preamble for this week's New Beer Friday, especially with the final paragraph.

Two new beers at Siciliano's

By Steve Siciliano 

T.S. Eliot states in the opening line of The Wasteland that "April is the cruelest month." I don’t know where Eliot was living when he wrote his famous poem about disillusionment and spiritual emptiness, but it probably wasn’t Michigan.

April in Michigan can certainly be capricious—it can tempt us with a few days of tropical warmth then smack us back to the chilling reality of a northern spring. April in Michigan can also be devious—it can bring us tornados or ice storms, monsoon rains or quickly disappearing, lead-heavy snow falls. But April doesn’t give us a solid week of twenty degree temperatures, bone-chilling winds and relentless lake effect snow squalls. No, the distinction of being the cruelest month in our part of the country goes to March.

When the weather we had this past week comes in November we diffidently accept it. When it comes in December the spirit of the holidays assuages it. In January and February we stoically endure it. But in March, when we are deathly sick of winter and are longing for spring, it simply deflates us.

A few nights ago Barb and I went to Founders. Winter was raging outside and there was no joy on the peoples’ faces. The scene reminded me of the dark hopelessness in the blank stares of the people in Van Gogh’s “The Potato Eaters” (see below).

Later that evening I stood on the back yard deck and lit my pipe. I noticed how the black starkness of the trees contrasted with the slate-grey of the sky. I looked at the big flakes of falling snow and at the high, brown tufts of the ornamental grasses swaying against the unbroken expanse of white. I saw a bright red cardinal land on a branch of a barren maple. “Beautiful,” I caught myself saying.

March in Michigan is indeed the cruelest month, but since in our lifetimes we have only so many Marches allotted to us, we might just as well find something we can appreciate about them, a comforting pint of ale, for instance.

New (and Returning) Beers at Siciliano's

• Boulder Mojo Risin', $3.29/12oz - "Only 120 precious barrels were brewed, adding more than half a ton of extra malt and twice the amount of Amarillo hops, so prepare your self for a full sensory explosion. The double dry-hop addition elevates the grapefruit-like aroma and flavor to an outrageous intensity, while the added malt raises the alcohol level from 7% all the way to 10% by volume" (source).
• Silly Barrel Aged Scotch Silly, $14.09/750ml - "Scotch Silly aged for six months in Bordeaux oak barrels" (source).
• Troubadour Stout, $14.59/750ml - "Imperial stout, refermented in the bottle,roasted malt and strong bitter finish, contains barley malt" (source).
• Castle Brewery Bacchus, $5.69/12oz - "A typical Flemish beer with a pleasant wine-like taste and a rich past. This dark brown beer, which is matured in oak casks, has a slightly acid aftertaste" (source).
• Bellegems Bruin, $10.09/750ml - "Originally called "Ouden Tripel", this ancient West Flanders Brown beer has found a new élan as a regional specialty under its current name: "Bellegems bruin". The main ingredients of our Bellegems Bruin are malted barley, wheat, hops, water, and caramelized malts. These are used to brew a bottom-fermented beer. Blending this beer with lambic beer aged in oak for 18 months results in this specific West Flanders Brown beer. Its typical flavour is characterized by a well-balanced, hardly noticeable sourness. This first flavour impression is soon followed by a second pleasant discovery: a slight bitterness followed by a hint of sweetness" (source).
• Paw Paw Black River, $1.79/12oz - "Black River Oatmeal Stout is a very smooth slightly chocolaty stout. Pleasing mild roast, rich bitterweet chocolate and chocolate ice cream flavor. Terrific mouth feel, clean & drying in the finish. For the stout drinker this is a must try" (source).
• Paw Paw Saint James, $1.79/12oz - "This session brew was crafted to be a true palate pleaser without compromise. English pale and caramel malts surrender their burnished golden hues and soft sweetness to the beer, while German-style Munich malt provides a delightful toasted malt complexity, and roasted oatmeal contributes its silky smooth texture and nutty flavor" (source).
• Theakston Old Peculiar, $1.99/12oz - "Its initial sweetness is, apparently, 'of roasted and vinous notes with a subtle bitter aftertaste'. Strong fruitiness, often with banana notes standing out, is derived from Old Peculier’s fermentation process" (source).
• New Holland White Hatter, $1.79/12oz - "Belgian Style White Pale Ale An innovative hybrid of styles landing between white ale and India Pale Ale. White Hatter brings spice, hops, and fermentation notes together flavorfully. Pairings: seafood, fennel, mushrooms" (source).
• Left Hand Good JuJu, $2.09/12oz - "Fresh ginger kisses the lithe malty body, copulating with the hop in this pale ale ancestor. Emancipate yourself from the dead of winter, none but the vernal equinox can free the light. A refreshing frivolity. Hey mon. Shuccha fwangaa! Better a witch doctor than a trouble maker. Quit yor’ bitchin’ an’ get to witchin’" (source).
• Dogfish Head Life & Limb Rhizing Bines, $9.59/750ml - "Rhizing Bines is a collaborative IPA using the best of both coasts: Carolina-grown red fife wheat and Dogfish Head’s continual-hopping from the East and Sierra Nevada’s estate-grown caramel malt and Torpedo dry-hopping from the west" (source).
• Epic Double Skull Doppelbock, $4.79/22oz - "Originally brewed as liquid bread by fasting monks this Doppelbock is rich and filling. Crisp and delicious for the winter months" (source).
• Shorts Hopstache, $1.99/12oz - "American Pale Ale dominated by citrus flavors and aromas. Focusing on hop varieties that offer the most fruity and floral characteristics with the addition of grapefruit concentrate" (source).
• Arcadia Whitsun, $1.79/12oz - "Brewed in the style of a mid-19th century English Festival Ale, this unfiltered wheat beer displays a translucent orange color topped with a creamy, white head. Wheat enhances the mouthfeel of the beer and produces pleasant bread-like notes while Michigan honey provides a caramelized sweetness in the flavor profile. This beer is spiced with orange peel and coriander and small amounts of three hop varieties perfectly counterbalancing the sweetness" (source).

Masterpiece of the Week

"The Potato Eaters" by Vincent Van Gogh

Cheers!

Tuesday Review: Cardhu 12 Year Single Malt Scotch

$39.99/750ml

By John Barecki

Cardhu 12 Year Old Single Malt Scotch is allegedly the creation of the first female malt producer in Scotland. Helen and John Cummings sited their first still at Cardow farm on Mannoch hill, which sits high above the river spey. According to local and family tradition, the distilling process was carried out by Helen and, after her death, her son's wife Elizabeth Robertson took up the reigns and carried on the pioneering work.

Cardhu 12 Year is no stranger to many whisky drinkers, being one of the main single malts in Johnny Walker blended whisky. The distillery went through only a couple of changes in its past. It survived WWII, functioning on a smaller scale because of barley rationing and yet still went on to become a very popular dram. In fact, in the early 2000s, stocks were being depleted quicker than they could be replenished. In response, Cardhu's parent company Diageo decided to replace the single malt with a blended malt, but the "pure malt" label angered consumers so much so that Diageo decided to pull this packaging from the market for fear of blemishing the single malt designation.

This malt is bottled at 40% ABV (80 proof). Now, the last two whiskys I sampled came in at around 92 to 96 proof, so the initial big boisterous alcohol punch seemed somewhat muted on this one. At first pour I noticed a mouthwatering character, fresh sweet barley, light herbal qualities and just a touch of smoke. It was almost too smooth on the palate, with soft fruity citrus and vanilla followed by a lingering light rhubarb sweetness that finished with a well-rounded dryness, punctuated by another touch of smoke at the end.

This is an enjoyable, easy-drinking single malt, with a well rounded "light" collection of flavors flourishing throughout. If you are looking for that high quality, everyday sipper this one hits it on the head, and at $39.99/750ml, it is not going to strain your budget.

Monday Musings: Calder Plaza AHA Big Brew Event

By Steve Siciliano

I think it’s fitting that what is shaping up to be one of the largest AHA Big Brew Days in the sixteen-year-history of this national event will take place May 4th at the Calder Plaza in downtown Grand Rapids. The Calder Plaza has been the site of numerous ethnic and community festivals over the years and each summer it becomes the central venue for the city’s annual Festival of the Arts. The homebrewers who will be gathering at the plaza to celebrate the culture of homebrewing are also a part of a strong, proud and vibrant community, and the end results of the activity that binds this particular community together—home-produced, hand-crafted beer—can certainly be considered fermented works of art.

Like the members of the area’s ethnic communities, West Michigan homebrewers are proud of their accomplishments and are eager to share their community’s unique culture and rich heritage with others. This ultimately is what the Big Brew on the Calder will be all about.

IMPORTANT UPCOMING DATES 

• Tickets for the 10th Annual Siciliano’s Homebrew Party will go on sale Monday, March 25th. Please remember that the capacity of this popular event is limited and tickets go quickly. Click here for more information on this year’s party and seminars. 
• March 25th is also when we will begin accepting entries for the 2013 Siciliano’s Homebrew Competition. This will be the first year for online registration. Click here for more information.

New Beer Friday, Ides of March Edition

By Chris Siciliano

This Sunday is St. Patrick's Day, and we all know what that means—green attire, Irish beer, the occasional nip of Irish whiskey. And though Buzz readers are mostly beer enthusiasts (dare I say purists), there is nary a one of us I'm sure who has not let green-dyed beer cross his/her lips while celebrating the holiday at some college dive bar or kegger. I know I have. Go on, judge me if you have to.

But did you know another holiday with its own signature drink is separated from St. Patricks Day by a mere 24 hours. March 15 is the Ides of March, a date of religious significance for ancient Romans and also the day that Julius Caesar met his demise at the hands of 60, count 'em, 60 senatorial conspirators. Et tu, Brute?

It's on this day—and perhaps only this day—that you should mark the assassination of a 2,000-year-old Roman emperor by tippling the drink that bears his name, the Bloody Caesar. With clamato and vodka, tell me, how can you go wrong?

On second thought, here's a list of beers that might be more appealing than a big glass of tomato-clam juice.

New Beers at Siciliano's

• Eerie Brewing Mad Anthony APA, $1.89/12oz - "American Pale Ale: Balanced malt and hop flavor, a great showcase of American Hops. Pale Amber" (source).
• Eerie Brewing Misery Bay IPA, 1.89/12oz - "Light to medium maltiness with an explosive blast of hop flavor. Light Amber" (source).
• Eerie Brewing Drake's Crude Oatmeal Stout, $2.39/12oz - "Malt bonanza of roasted, and chocolate malt flavors, with a silky smooth finish" (source).
• Eerie Brewing Railbender Scottish Style Ale, $1.89/12oz - "Erie Brewing Company flagship beer features a deep malt flavor, caramel sweetness lingering in a soft hop flavor" (source).
• Eerie Brewing Presque Isle Pilsner, $1.69/12oz - "Excellent malt flavor fronted and followed by German and American Hops, Truly refreshing. Light Gold" (source).
• Eerie Brewing Fallenbock Oktoberfest Lager, $2.39/12oz - "Robust, roasted, chocolate malt flavor, followed with a clean and crisp finish. Chocolate Brown" (source).
• Robinsons Old Tom with Chocolate, $4.59/12oz - "With a distinctive ’natural’ milky sweet chocolate palate balanced by underlying hop and roasted malt characters, Chocolate Tom is a superior, rich and warming speciality beer with a dark mahogany colour" (source).
• Robinsons Old Tom with Ginger, $4.59/12oz - "Ginger Tom is a richly flavoured dark oak coloured ale with distinctive aromas of peppery spice and sweet ginger" (source).
• Hitachino Sweet Stout, $5.39/12oz - "A perfect mixture of coffee, chocolate, and roasted flavors in the nose and on the palate. No bitterness, but sweet notes throughout to the very finish" (source).
• Wintercoat Vildmoseol, $20.29/750ml - "Don't try to pronounce this one without at least one under your belt! This beer was brewed for the Lille Vildmose nature center in northern Jutland. The area is characterised by peat bogs, which inspired this brown ale with its subtle notes of peat-smoked malt, the fresh, spiciness of bog myrtle and the bittersweet fruitiness of rowan berries. These 3 ingredients harmonise beautifully with the other malts and hops used. A wonderful beer to drink with game and lamb - and it does justice to pickled herring as well!" (source).
• Porterhouse Oyster Stout, $4.29/12oz - "Brewed with fresh oyster. A smooth drinking aromatic stout with a discernible but unidentifiable aromatic aspect. Not suitable for vegetarians. This gently flavored stout has a roast malt character, full body and an aromatic character from the Goldings hops. Fresh oysters added during the brewing process, lend a discernible yet unidentifiable note" (source).
• Morland Old Golden Hen, $1.79/12oz - "Crafted by the master brewer of "Old Speckled Hen", this light golden beer, delivers both flavour and refreshment. Brewed using the finest pale malts, and the rare Galaxy hop to give a light golden colour, subtle tropical fruit notes and a deliciously smooth finish" (source).
• Meantime Coffee Porter, $4.59/12oz - "Our first formulation of this beer was the first UK brewed beer to carry the Fairtrade logo, and although we have reformulated it to create an even better blend better the malt and roast coffee flavours and can no longer get enough coffee in each bottle to qualify for Fairtrade status, we are still using the same Faitrade Araba Bourbon beans from Rwanda’s Abuhuzamugambi Co-operative. At the Meantime Brewing Co we love flavour, so it wasn’t exactly difficult for us to see how the scents and aromas of coffee and barley would create a perfect match like just like mint and lamb, toffee and banana, peaches and cream, peanut butter and jam. Serve lightly chilled with as many chocolate truffles as your conscience allows" (source).
• Innis and Gunn Irish Whiskey Cask, $2.79/12oz - "It all began in October 2011 when Innis & Gunn’s Master Brewer and Owner, Dougal Sharp, filled four hundred rare oak barrels, previously used to mature whiskey from a famous Irish distiller, with their specially brewed stout. As the beer matured the flavor seemed to improve more and more and come into its own as time passed. After aging the beer for sixty days, and using a three-step maturation process, it was finally ready to be released" (source).
• Schlenkerla Doppelbock, $4.29/17oz - "While for the classic 'Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier' traditionally beech has been - and still is - used, the malt for "Schlenkerla Oak Smoke" is kilned with Oak wood. The resulting Schlenkerla Oak Smoke Malt has a smoother and more multi layered smoky note than the intensely aromatic Beech Smoke Malt. The hence complex smokiness in the "Schlenkerla Oak Smoke" is paired with the multifaceted bitterness of finest Hallertau aroma hops. With 8% alcohol and amber color it matures for months in the deep brewery cellars underneath Bamberg into a special treat for smoke beer lovers" (source).
• Schlenkerla Weizen, $4.79/17oz - "Schlenkerla Smokebeer Wheat is an ale with light smoky aroma. As Bavarian wheat beers, it is being brewed with a mixture of both barley malt and wheat malt. The portion of barley malt is hereby a classic Schlenkerla smokemalt, while the wheat malt remains unsmoked. Served unfiltered with its natural haziness, Schlenkerla Wheat reaches its full aroma through bottle fermentation with fine top fermenting yeast" (source).
• Petrus Dubbel Bruin Ale, $3.59/12oz - "Petrus Double Brown Ale is a top-fermented dark beer. Brewed with pure spring water and carefully selected hops and malts. The dark beer with its subtle and slightly caramelized flavour is preferably served cool" (source).
• Dogfish Head ApriHop, $2.59/12oz - "A strong IPA brewed with real apricots and finished with whole leaf Willamette and Cascade hops" (source).
• Arbor Phat Abbot Tripel, $2.29/12oz - "This traditional Belgian-style triple is strong, fruity, and slightly sour. It starts with a big malt presence, followed up by a pronounced candy sugar sweetness, and balanced with a spicy hop finish. A must-try. Ask your server for a taste!" (source).

Video Time Capsule of the Week

Want to see how different Siciliano's looked 6 years ago?

Check out this video that Josh Leo, aka wanderwestmichigan,

made way back in 2007. My how things change!

Visit Josh Leo's YouTube page for other videos featuring West Michigan.

Cheers!