New Beer Friday - January 20 Edition

By Chris Siciliano

Well folks there's good news and bad news. The bad news is that Siciliano's took delivery of only one new beer this week. The good news is that it's a doozy, one of the most anticipated releases of the year. Of course we're talking about Bell's Hopslam ($2.99/12oz), that delicious double IPA which finds itself so often at the center of hopular debate—is it the best India Pale Ale, imperial or otherwise, made in the United States, or even in the world?

Legions of Slam fans say yes. The brewery just says this, and it's enough: "Starting with six different hop varietals added to the brew kettle & culminating with a massive dry-hop addition of Simcoe hops, Bell's Hopslam Ale possesses the most complex hopping schedule in the Bell's repetoire. Selected specifically because of their aromatic qualities, these Pacific Northwest varieties contribute a pungent blend of grapefruit, stone fruit, and floral notes. A generous malt bill and a solid dollop of honey provide just enough body to keep the balance in check, resulting in a remarkably drinkable rendition of the Double India Pale Ale style" (source).

If Hopslam alone can't satisfy your weekly New Beer Friday cravings, we have a few more beer-related tidbits to share with you.

NBF Notes

• On Wednesday our friends at Vander Mill in Spring Lake, MI posted this on our Facebook page, and it's worth repeating: "We just finalized our microbrewing license and will be coming out with a line of beers this spring! We intend to showcase our new beer at the upcoming Winter Beer Fest at Fifth Third Ball Park next month. All of our beers are going to compliment our business. For example, yesterday we brewed a Belgian Golden Strong Ale with 20% of the fermentables being cider and should come in around 10% abv. Look for more fruit based beers like this in the future. That's fruit....NOT FRUITY...big difference!" Sounds great, Vander Mill, be sure to keep us in the loop.
• Siciliano's staffer Doug "The Chug" Dorda is leading two "Introduction to Homebrewing" seminars at this weekend's Great Fox Brew Ha Ha at the DeltaPlex. Doug's first talk is Friday at 6pm and his second is 3pm on Saturday. If you or someone you know is at all interested in learning the basics of homebrewing, this is a great way to get started, especially with all the other activities going on. Can't make the Brew Ha Ha but still interested in learning to brew? Stop into Siciliano's anytime and a member of our staff will be happy to answer any/all questions. 
• Last Friday one new beer came in too late to make it to the list. That beer was New Holland Night Tripper Imperial Stout ($8.19/22oz), "an Imperial Stout brewed for a Fat Tuesday release. Dark, mysterious and poetic, Night Tripper’s abundance of roasted malts, combined with flaked barley create a rich, roasty beer with deeply intense and lush flavors. Night Tripper’s layered, nuanced tones invite intrigue and reward a curious palate. Beads and masks aren’t required, but are encouraged" (source).
• The Buzz' crack team of investigative journalists recently discovered several skids or never-before-seen cans in Vivant's brewhouse. Sources tell us the cans in question will soon be filled with Kludde, Vivant's popular Belgian Strong Dark Ale. Look for it in the coming weeks at Siciliano's.

A Kludde awakening

Quote of the Week

"I had to run into Meijers yesterday and I was so nervous having that case of Hopslam in my backseat that I made sure to hide it under my laptop so nobody would steal it."

~Eric Hoffman, via Facebook

Eric Hoffman with the Hopslam in question

Cheers!