New Beer Friday - December 23 Edition

By Chris Siciliano

A fine selection from MI Beer Cellar

This week marks the first time NBF is filed from a remote location—the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains in Western North Carolina. Being the holidays and all, it’s a safe bet this editor is not the only one traveling to see family beyond Michigan’s borders. So, wherever you’re going and whomever with, the staff at Siciliano’s would like to wish you safe and happy travels.

In other news, they tell me it’s been a slow week for new beer (if nothing else!) back at Siciliano's. We’re going to take advantage of the lull to amend an earlier oversight. About a month ago we received delivery of Michigan Beer Cellar’s complete bottle line-up, and yet somehow failed to report it here. Sure is lucky New Year’s Eve is so close—we resolve now to never make the same boneheaded mistake again.

New (and Returning) Beer 

• Michigan Beer Cellar, $1.89/12oz – A microbrewery, small winery, and artisan distillery located in Sparta, MI. Visit their website for hours, directions, and entertainment schedule. Varieties include:
• Top Secret American IPA
• Black Magic RyPa
• Michigan Golden Blonde
• Summer Sunrise
• Uncle Krunkle's Dunkelweizen
• Brit's Best English Style Ale
• Headknocker Scotch Ale
• Ommegang Seduction, $16.49/750ml - "Beautiful, rich and smooth, roasty and malty throughout, Seduction offers balanced chocolate-cherry notes, a bit of caramel sweetness, and a long, slow finish. Seduction is welcoming and warm-hearted, gently hopped and harbors no bitterness, leaving only a lingering glow" (source).
• Short's Publican Porter, $2.19/12oz - An imperial porter, it "appears a solid, dark black color with a cocoa-hued layer of foam sitting atop it. It has a great roasty aroma that carries over to the taste...sharp roastiness, some dark coffee and definitely a bit of dark chocolate. This is a good one." As reviewed on Beer Advocate, 12/22/11.

Something Special

While a good beer is the perfect drink for any occasion, it’s always fun to try a little something different, port or sherry for example, especially around the holidays. See below for the Boss’ write-ups on these two fortified grape-based beverages. Who knows, you might just discover you’re next go-to drink.

• A short course in port 
• A short history of sherry 

Picture of the Week

Orangecello, homemade by our web guys for the holidays.
Looks great, fellas.

Cheers!