New Beer Friday, Klein Cider Mill Edition (Sept 25)

Preamble by Steve Siciliano

Just a reminder that on the next three Saturdays (starting tomorrow), we will be offering the free on-site use our fruit crushers and basket presses in the parking lot behind the store between the hours of 9 am and 2 pm. 


On Saturday, October 3, Klein Cider Mill will be selling fresh squeezed juice in our back parking lot  between the hours of 10 am and 2 pm. The price for Klein’s award-winning cider will be $3.50 per gallon and you must supply your own containers. Of course, as always, we will have containers available for purchase along with yeast, pectic enzyme and anything else you might need for making hard cider.

New and Returning Beer

• Liberty Punkin Pie, $1.99/12oz - "Pumpkin pie. No, really, it tastes just like pumpkin pie. This is our fall/winter seasonal beer that is on tap from September through February" (source).
• Epic Pumpkin Porter, $8.59/22oz - "This release of the “Fermentation Without Representation” Imperial Pumpkin Porter uses 100% Madagascar vanilla bean, and golden pumpkin pure along with Allspice, Nutmeg, Cinnamon, Ginger, Cloves! Rich and delicious" (source).
• Great Lakes Nosferatu, $3.19/12oz - "Often referred to as Burning River Pale Ale’s big brother, this stock ale is remarkably balanced for such a highly hopped beer. A rich deep blood red color makes this beer scary enough to be served every Halloween and a few other times of the year" (source).
• Abita Pecan Harvest, $1.69/12oz - "It may sound nuts, but most ales with nutty flavors or aromas are made without any real nuts. Abita Pecan Harvest Ale is made with real Louisiana pecans. The natural oils from the nuts give the ale a light pecan finish and aroma. It’s wonderful paired up with both red meats and seafood - and no suprise it’s great with nuts too. Abita Pecan Harvest Ale, crack one open for yourself today" (source).
• Odd Side El Dankerino, $2.49/12oz - "West Coast IIPA" (source).
• Odd Side Chocolat Koffe, $2.29/12oz - "If you’re a fan of chocolate stouts this is the one to try! A great mixture of thick, sweet, dark chocolate fudge, and light espresso bean undertones will immediately appeal to your senses. Your taste buds will dance when the creamy stout takes flight" (source).
• Odd Side I Want My HTV, $2.29/12oz - "Imperial Citra Pale Ale" (source).
• Anderson Valley Blood Orange Gose, $1.99/12oz - "Our Blood Orange Gose is a tart, refreshing wheat ale that is kettle-soured with lactobacillus and brewed with sea salt and coriander.  However, unlike traditional versions of the style, ours features liberal additions of blood oranges during fermentation.  This imparts tangy citrus notes that complement the champagne-like flavors, creating a complex and sessionable ale perfect for any occasion" (source).
• Victory Hoppy Quad, $10.49/750ml - "Bright and bold, the Trappist brewers who inspired this style of ale might marvel at the aromatic hints of citrus, resinous cedar and tropical fruit that flow from this special brew. Belgian-style fermentation and impressive American hops make this light bodied ale intense, inviting and entirely unique. Enjoy Hoppy Quad and Taste Victory" (source).
• Greenbush Demeter, $2.19/12oz - "Live in the now - that’s is what we always say when we have fresh hops, straight from a local Michigan grower. What a better way to enjoy the summer harvest?" (source).
• Greenbush Vanderbush, $3.49/12oz - "Belgian Style Trippel made with cider" (source).
• Goose Island Fulton Street Coffee Ale, $1.69/12oz - "Goose Island is proud to introduce Fulton St. Blend, a coffee ale aged with House Blend beans from our neighbors at Intelligentsia. Named for the street in Chicago that we both call home, Fulton St. Blend is a golden ale infused with rich coffee flavor and aroma" (source).
• Goose Island Oktoberfest, $1.69/12oz - "A dry, malty body delivers sweet dried fruit flavors complemented with an earthy bitterness" (source).
• Right Brain Naughty Girl Stout, $7.19/22oz - "Thin mint cookie, meet John Niedermaier A stout made with organic locally-grown whole leaf mint. She’s just back from a stint in the cooler for being too naughty. She might have mellowed out but this stout is still naughty at heart" (source).
• Blake's Apple Lantern, $8.59/22oz - "Experience the warming flavor of our handpicked apples balanced with the oven richness of pumpkin and molasses. Refreshingly crisp and perfectly spiced, our Apple Lantern brings you the taste of autumn that can only come from Blake's Orchard" (source).
• Vivant Pumpkin Tart, $3.39/16oz (4 per) - "That signature Autumn aroma of pumpkin, ginger, nutmeg and other warming spices greets your nose. While the sip signals pumpkin pie, an undertone of Vivant tartness lingers on your tastebuds. This beer was brewed to celebrate the Fall harvest and in the Fall ye shall drink it" (source).
• Coronado PunkIin Drublic, $8.29/22oz - "Here in the land of eternal sunshine, it can be difficult to differentiate between seasons. Palm tree fronds don’t change color and fall to the sand, though the mercury does drop a few degrees, it’s still as paradisiacal as Southern California lore would have you believe. So, from now on, count on this imperial pumpkin ale heralding in the fall season. Brewed with brown sugar, honey, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and a heaping helping of would be jack-o-lanterns, Punk’In Drublic delivers autumn’s trademark flavors along with a hint of West Coast character, whether enjoyed in a pumpkin patch or on the beach" (source).
• Green Flash Green Bullet, $3.09/12oz - "A full-bodied Triple IPA, Green Bullet combines New Zealand grown Pacific Gem and Green Bullet hops. Significant pine and citrus hoppiness hit the palate at first sip, accentuated by tropical notes of mango and pineapple, ending with a moderately aggressive, bitter finish" (source).
• Bell's Expedition Stout, $3.09/12oz - "One of the earliest examples of the Russian Imperial Stout in the United States, Expedition Stout offers immensely complex flavors crafted specifically with vintage aging in mind, as its profile will continue to mature and develop over the years. A huge malt body is matched to a heady blend of chocolate, dark fruits, and other aromas. Intensely bitter in its early months, the flavors will slowly meld and grow in depth as the beer ages" (source).
• Bell's Hell Hath No Fury, $2.79/12oz - "Originally conceived along the lines of a Belgian Dubbel, Hell Hath No Fury... Ale morphed during development into something entirely different. Blending a pair of Belgian abbey-style yeasts into a recipe more akin to a roasty stout, Hell Hath No Fury... Ale offers up warm, roasted notes of coffee & dark chocolate together with the fruity & clove-like aromas" (source).
• Grizzly Peak Humongous, $3.39/12oz - "ust the way Paul Bunyan likes it: a huge-bodied beer with big flavor that's as smooth as his axe blade. Humongous follows its traditional imperial red-roots with multiple hop additions, adding complexity and layers of bursting hop flavors. Columbus, Citra, Michigan grown Cascade, and Michigan grown Chinook hops impart 69.9 IBUs that give Humongous balance and poise. A deep amber color, this 9.6% ABV brew could even knock Babe the Blue Ox on his butt with its smooth hoppy goodness" (source).
• Brooklyn Brown Ale, $1.59/12oz - "Brooklyn Brown Ale, made exclusively with American ingredients, won Bronze medals at the Great American Beer Festival in the Strong Ale Category in 1991 and in the American Brown Ale Category in 1992. Brooklyn Brown uses pale, crystal, chocolate, and black malts to attain a complex creamy texture. It is more heavily hopped than its British forbears" (source).

Video of the Week | Blake's Hard Cider

Cheers!

New Beer Friday, The Sale Goes On Edition (Sept 18)

A Siciliano's exclusive —
See below for details!

Preamble by Steve Siciliano

I’d like to remind everyone that our annual homebrew and winemaking Customer Appreciation Sale is currently in full swing and will continue through the close of business on Sunday, September 20.



If you're already a homebrewer or winemaker, you're going to want to take advantage of the 15% discount on most equipment and supplies and check out the items on the deeply discounted list. If you're thinking about taking the plunge into these life-enriching hobbies, now's the time to do it as the beer and winemaking equipment kits are both heavily discounted.



Don't forget that we will be offering free German wieners, sauerkraut and draft root beer to all our great customers on Saturday, September 19. In the meantime, check out this week’s list of the new and returning beers that we have managed to squeeze onto the shelves of our still jam-packed store.

New and Returning Beer

• Exclusive to Siciliano's: Rockford Little George, $15.99/750ml - "Imperial or “double” IPA’s are intensely hoppy strong pale ales. The intention of this style is to showcase as much hop character as possible by keeping the body light and dry, allowing a balance of hop bitterness with the higher alcohol content. Brewed with a significant amount of Simcoe Hops for our hop head friends" (source).
• Exclusive to Siciliano's: Rockford Country Ale, $15.99/750ml - "A hybrid of beer styles inspired from the ideas of a French Biere de Garde and a Belgian Saison. It has a beautiful copper colored body with orange hues under a dense creamy white head. It’s pleasant, toasty malt forward profile balances nicely with fruity esters of pear and apricot before finishing with herbal and fresh cut hay-like notes. Rockford Country Ale is crisp, rustic and always unfiltered" (source).
• Crankers Cheery'O Dark Cherry Wheat Ale, $1.99/12oz - "A light clean crisp wheat ale with an organic cherry finish" (source).
• Shorts Ermagerdness, $1.99/12oz - "Ermagerdness is a light bodied golden colored American India Pale Ale with zesty tangerine and pineapple aromatics.  A simplified malt bill, along with some signature American hops, allows for an awesome burst of tropical fruit flavors up front.  It then shifts toward an interesting herbal tasting bitterness, which builds and lingers on the back of the palate" (source).
• White Birch Blueberry Berliner Weisse, $1.99/12oz - "Napoleon’s troops referred to Berliner Weisse as the “Champagne of the North” due to its lively and elegant character. Today this style is described by some as the most refreshing beer in the world. Our Blueberry Berliner Weisse is fermented with a great blueberry puree. This New England approach brings a refreshing blueberry flavor and aroma to a German classic. We feel our approach creates an authentic interpretation of the traditional “mit syrup” or with syrup method of serving this classic summer refresher. We hope you enjoy this unique year round beer" (source).
• White Birch Raspberry Berliner Weisse, $1.99/12oz - "Our Raspberry Berliner Weisse is fermented with a great raspberry puree. This approach brings a refreshing raspberry flavor and aroma to a German classic. We feel our approach creates an authentic interpretation of the traditional “mit syrup” or with syrup method of serving this classic summer refresher. We hope you enjoy this unique year round beer" (source).
• Perrin Gold, $1.59/12oz - "A crisp, refreshing, and always sessionable ale with a hint of bee hive sweetness and a light, clean, malt character. Urban Dictionary defines sessionable as: "the characteristic of an alcoholic drink which is suitable for a lengthy drinking session". Perrin Gold rocks 2 row barley, wheat and German Noble, Magnum and Hallertau hops" (source).
• Perrin Black, $1.69/12oz - "A sessionable, malty and evenly balanced Lager with hints of coffee, chocolate and a hint of a fall campfire" (source).
• Perrin 98 Problems, $1.89/12oz - "A serendipitous balance of North American and European specialty malts, paired with a lavish selection of West Coast hops; giving an intense, one - two punch to the uvula. Now with Amarillos! This beer is good for drinking" (source).
• Bell's 30th Anniversary, $3.09/12oz - "Flavors of dark chocolate and fruit meld to create a full-bodied, roasty stout. A fair amount of Polaris hops lend a brightness and a nice character that will help carry the beer in its early stages making it incredibly drinkable and interesting. Malt characteristics will continue to develop over time, so that beer drinkers who choose to cellar it can enjoy the beer for years to come" (source).
• Bell's Two Hearted, $21.49/12pk cans - "India Pale Ale style well suited for Hemingway-esque trips to the Upper Peninsula. American malts and enormous hop additions give this beer a crisp finish and incredible floral hop aroma" (source).
• Founder's Spectra Trifecta, $1.79/12oz - "Brewed in the traditional Kolsch style, which requires fermenting ale yeast at a colder temperature and gives the beer a clean finish without fruity yeast esters. This bright, golden beer is brewed with a trifecta of natural ingredients: earthy, floral and slightly sweet chamomile; a touch of citrusy lemongrass; and a hint of spicy fresh ginger. At 5.9% ABV and 20 IBUs, it’s delightfully refreshing" (source).
• Ommegang Rosetta, $1.79/12oz - "A 5.6 percent ABV Belgian-style ale “aged on cherries with other natural flavor added" (source).
• Weyebacher D'Tango Unchained, $15.09/750ml - "D’Tango Unchained is a Belgian-Style Dark Ale brewed with cherries (AKA Tango), which we then aged in oak barrels with Brettanomyces. The result is a 9.6% ABV deep amber brew with ruby highlights. Aroma has subtle hints of banana, along with tart cherry, soft vanilla and oak. Not overly sweet, tasting yields a nice, tart cherry and lingering malty flavors that finish dry" (source).
• Anderson Valley Pinchy Jeek, $10.79/22oz - "Malt beverage brewed with pumpkin and spices and aged in Wild Turkey bourbon barrels" (source).
• Victory Moonglow, $2.59/12oz - "This richly flavored, dark amber wheat beer features fruity and spicy aromas galore. Significant strength underlies the pleasant citric appeal of this bock beer. Brewed with over 50% malted wheat, this is a traditional Bavarian weizenbock. Full of the flavors of harvest fruit, this is the perfect Autumnal elixir" (source).

Video of the Week | Perrin in Cans

Perrin 12-oz cans now available at Siciliano's.

Cheers!

New Beer Friday, KDL Uncorked Edition (September 11)

Preamble by Steve Siciliano

The Kent District Library (KDL) has announced the reprisal this fall of its popular KDL Uncorked, a program of free winemaking classes, winery and cidery tours and discounted wine and cider tastings.

I will again be conducting the program's free winemaking classes at five different KDL branches. Dates, time and venues for the Winemaking 101 classes are as follows:

• Monday, September 21, 6:00 PM, Sand Lake/Nelson Township Branch 
• Thursday, September 24, 6:00 PM, Walker Branch
• 
Tuesday, October 13, 6:00 PM, Tyrone Township Branch

• Tuesday, October 27, 6:00 PM, Caledonia Township Branch

• Monday, November 16, 6:00 PM, Englehardt/Lowell Branch

Again, these classes are free of charge and no registration is required. Go here for a complete schedule of events for the KDL Uncorked program.

New and Returning Beer/Whiskey

• Brooklyn 25th Anniversary, $10.89/750ml - "We are saluting our beginnings with a special doppelbock version of the Brooklyn Lager we introduced in 1988. This beer is re-fermented in the bottle and will taste great today or years from now. The original was inspired by the beers of 19th Century New York and Vienna" (source).
• Brooklyn Coffee Porter, $24.49/750ml - "Brooklyn Intensified Coffee Porter starts as a big, chocolatey ale, ready to take on super powers. The first power is gained from months of aging in Kentucky bourbon barrels. The second arises from delectable beans harvested by our pals at Finca El Manzano Single Origin Coffee in El Salvador. The final power comes from Blue Bottle Coffee, who roast the coffee to perfection. Brace yourself for complex notes of dark chocolate, vanilla, oak, berries, and dried fruit, coming to intensify you" (source).
• Founders Breakfast Stout, $2.99/12oz - "The coffee lover’s consummate beer. Brewed with an abundance of flaked oats, bitter and imported chocolates, and two types of coffee, this stout has an intense fresh-roasted java nose topped with a frothy, cinnamon-colored head that goes forever" (source).
• New Holland Carhartt Woodsman, $1.59/12oz - "Celebrates craftsmanship and hard work. Locally-grown Cascade hops bring a brightness to this barrel-aged American pale ale. Malt sweetness and toasted oak combine for a smooth, refreshing finish" (source).
• Saugatuck Darker Than Your Soul, $2.59/12oz - "Time to unleash your dark side. Darker Than Your Soul Stout is a smooth and creamy stout with huge flavor and dark body. Brewed with de-husked malts to minimize bittering and increase taste" (source).
• Sierra Nevada Ovila Barrel Aged Dubbel, $20.99/750ml - "Belgian-style dubbel aged in wine barrels" (source).
• Goose Island Muddy, $3.39/12oz - "Brewed with molasses, brewer’s licorice, and Belgian dark rock candi sugar, The Muddy is an imperial stout with amplified sweetness for a taste as distinctive as the Chicago blues that inspired its creation" (source).

Video of the Week | Local Ingredients

Short's Brewing Co. visits a local barley farm.

Cheers!