New Beer Friday, Jeff Carlson's Big Win Edition (May 26)

Preamble by Steve Siciliano

A Kolsch brewed by Jeff Carlson has taken top honors in the Fourteenth Annual Siciliano’s Homebrew Competition. The Grand Rapids resident and longtime member of the Prime Time Brewers homebrew club was presented with the prestigious Siciliano’s Cup last Saturday at the Fourteenth Annual Siciliano’s Homebrew Party at Johnson Park. The competition’s top prize also includes a $500.00 gift card from Siciliano’s Market and the opportunity to brew the award-winning recipe at Trail Point Brewery’s seven-barrel system.

Joining Carlson in the Best of Show round in the competition’s judging on April 20 were West Michigan homebrewers John Britt, Mike Finnochio and James Lewis.

“It’s a thrill to win the Cup,” Carlson said after the awards ceremony last Saturday at the Homebrew Party. “This is a tough competition and to win Best of Show is very gratifying. Today I tasted the Best of Show round beers that were brewed by John and Mike and they were outstanding. I think I might have had a little luck on my side.”

While this is the first time Carlson has won a competition with one of his hand-crafted beers, he has garnered numerous accolades for his homemade cider. He has won the American Homebrewers Association Cider Maker of the Year award five times and this year five of his cider entries were awarded medals in the Chicago Regional and are moving on to the Nationals.

This is the second year in a row that a member of the Grand Rapids-based Prime Time Brewers has won the Siciliano’s Cup. Jeremy Gavin won the award last year with a Dark Czech Lager.

New and Returning Beer

• Bee Ryder Mead Orange Grove, $20.89/375ml - "Mead fermented with Florida orange blossom honey, vanilla, clove, and cinnamon" (source).
• Bee Ryder Mead Always Maple In The Banana Stand, $24.19/375ml - "Mead fermented with local wildflower honey, bananas and maple syrup" (source).
• Anchor Blackberry Daze IPA, $1.79/12oz - "Blackberry Daze IPA™ is a synergistic union of blackberries and hops. Because the blackberry was once wildly rampant in California, it is our ideal choice for this singular Anchor brew" (source).
• Blackrocks Honey Lav, $1.79/12oz - "This is our summer seasonal beer. An American wheat brewed with Michigan honey and full lavender flowers. A fresh and flavorful ale with a great balance between the floral lavender and sweet honey" (source).
• Griffin Claw Nawt A Cawp, $3.59/16oz - "A bitter, moderately strong American pale ale that uses its clean, supporting malt to showcase its hop character" (source).
• Central Waters Barleywine, $4.09/12oz - "An American Barleywine Ale aged in used oak Bourbon barrels, this beer develops rich flavors that deepen over time" (source).
• Central Waters Brewhouse Coffee, $5.49/22oz - "A coffee lover’s delight! A wonderful stout infused with coffee that is specially roasted for us by Emy J’s (www.emyjs.com) in Stevens Point, WI" (source).
• Prairie Birthday Bomb, $8.99/12oz - "Birthday Bomb! was conceived to celebrate three wonderful years of experimentation and fun loving flavors like the current incarnation with caramel sauce. Made in house by our brewers with nothing but black gloves and a propane tank. The rest is the complex mix of hops and malt with a healthy dose of the signature coffee and spices. You know exactly what we’re talking about" (source).
• Stillwater Yacht, $2.59/16oz - "Canned beer has made a serious return in the craft brewing world. Prior to this resurgence, the only beer found in cans were industrial lagers. So as a nod in both directions we present an elegantly crisp and hoppy new world lager. The light and refreshing pilsner malt body delivers an abundance of floral, spice, and grass driven hop flavors and aroma. Perfect for those luxurious cruises through the Caribbean" (source).
• Stillwater On Fleek, $2.89/12oz - "Big, overhyped imperial stouts, amirite? This one on fleek tho. The most amazing collaboration ever with Casita Cerveceria" (source).
• Evil Twin and Two Roads Geyser Gose, $2.89/16oz - "Two Roads and Evil Twin sourced local ingredients during a trip to Iceland for this collaboration including: Icelandic moss, rye, herbs, sea kelp, skyr (Icelandic yogurt) and birch-smoked sea salt to create a Two + Evil twist on a gose beer; a sour wheat-style ale with a hint of smoke, light lemon color, dry finish and thirst quenching appeal" (source).
• Evil Twin Aurantiaco, $2.89/12oz - "Ale Brewed With Blood Orange Added" (source).
• Evil Twin Nomader Weisse, $2.89/12oz - "Nomads; constantly moving, 'round and 'round; sometimes settle, if just for a bit. Perhaps the muse moves one to brew a sharp and clean session beer, one inspired by the Berliner-weisse of old, and the nomad rests. Enjoy this beer, here, there, perhaps north of Madison Square Park, in lovely New York City. Wherever you are, this beer was made nice, simply for you" (source).
• Mikkeller Beer Geek Breakfast, $3.99/16oz - "An oatmeal stout with 25.0% oat-based ingredients and a nice touch of gourmet coffee. A beer that goes extremely well with breakfast" (source).
• Mikkeller California Dream, $2.99/16oz - "Hoppy Pilsner" (source).
• Mikkeller Waves Bolger, $2.99/16oz - "American IPA" (source).
• Green Flash Ideal Belgique, $12.89/750ml - "Our Belgian-style Dark Ale is inspired by traditional Abbey ales to deliver the richest roasted malt flavors. Dual-yeast fermentation, spicy hops, and the addition of Muscovado brown sugar provide increased complexity and depth of flavor which effortlessly combine to present a delicious, balanced brew with a velvety smooth texture that pleases the palate" (source).
• Green Flash Divine Belgique, $12.89/750ml - "Rich, pale malt flavors provide a solid base for zesty Czech Saaz and Styrian Golding hops. Monastery Ale Yeast lends a fruity, spicy profile reminiscent of classic, Trappist ales—a time-honored monastic brewing method. Our Trippel is a luscious, fiery, golden brew—a contemporary Green Flash interpretation of the historic Belgian style" (source).
• Green Flash Blonde, $1.79/12oz - "GFB has an approachable flavor with hints of honey and orange peel complemented by a mellow malt character" (source).
• Ridge Hop'd, $1.99/12oz - "Hop’d uses three varieties of hops to impart a bright citrusy flavor to this dry gem" (source).
• Ridge Porch Sittin, $1.99/12oz - "Perfect for a fall evening of “porch sittin’,” this cider is comprised of a blend of vanilla and cinnamon that comforts you like a warm blanket.  Enjoy warm or cold with caramelized cinnamon sugar on the rim of your glass" (source).
• Short's I got 5 on It, $1.99/12oz - "I Got 5 On It is a medium-bodied American India Pale Ale brewed with five different hop varieties.  A blend of earthy and sweet citrus hop aromas softy rise from this hop forward brew.  Bready malt and fruity tangerine flavors lead into a prominent bitterness that resonates pleasantly and finishes dry" (source).
• Short's Nicie Spicie, $1.99/12oz - "Northern Michigan spiced wheat ale. A 50% mixture of premium two-row malted barley and malted white wheat makes golden wheat ale balanced with Ahtanum and Cascade hop varieties. This ale is spiced with fresh grated lemon and orange rind, coriander, and black peppercorns. It’s truly a fermented wonder of the Short’s Brew formula family" (source).
• Short's Melt my Brain, $1.99/12oz - "Melt My Brain is an experimental Golden Ale brewed with coriander, juniper berries, limes and blended with tonic water to create the tasting experience of drinking a gin and tonic cocktail.  Delicate aromas of citrus and pine flow into bold bright flavors of sweet lime with a slightly sticky bitterness.  Refreshing and clean, a tasty tonic effervescence provokes the palate for more" (source).
• Rochester Mills Nawt A Cawp, $3.59/16oz - "Imperial IPA" (source).
• Ommegang Behind the Knee, $9.99/750ml - "When fans last gripped their glasses at the end of Game of Thrones' sixth season, the great houses of Westeros were on the brink of an epic conflict. Cersei had ascended to the Iron Throne as the first queen of Westeros, Jon Snow and Sansa Stark had just reclaimed the North, and Daenerys Targaryen had set sail for the Seven Kingdoms. To commemorate the coming mêlée in the Emmy® Award-winning show’s epic seventh season, Brewery Ommegang and HBO Global Licensing are excited to announce a new beer in their collaborative series: Bend the Knee Golden Ale" (source).
• Deschutes Cultivator, $17.19/22oz (1 per) - No commercial description.
• Goose Island Lolita, $9.29/12oz - "Lolita is a pink rose colored Belgian style pale ale fermented with wild yeast and aged on raspberries in wine barrels. Aromas of fresh raspberries, bright jammy fruit flavors and crisp, refreshing body make Lolita ideal for beer drinkers fond of Belgian Framboise" (source).

Video of the Week | Beer City Whisky

Doesn't sound like this will be available at retail outlets (aka Siciliano's),

but do visit our pals down at Long Road for a taste!

Cheers!

New Beer Friday, Buyer and Cellar Edition (May 19)

By Steve Siciliano

After a pleasant drive through the rolling hills and blossoming orchards of northern Kent County this past Tuesday, my wife Barb and I decided to check out Cellar Brewing Company's new digs in downtown Sparta. We're glad we did. Solid beer, well prepared food and a comfortable taproom made for an enjoyable late afternoon visit to this nicely appointed brewpub located in the heart of west Michigan's fruit-growing region.

Cellar Brewing's new facility is only a short distance away from the old, but in terms of a comfortable and inviting space the two locations couldn't be more different. The old location was windowless, dark and somewhat gloomy. The new facility is bright and airy and has a large, triangular-shaped bar situated in the middle of the large taproom. Patrons can look down through a glass wall at the basement brewhouse, two large windowed garage doors face the street and five gleaming 10-gallon fermenters are lined against one of the walls.

Guests also have the option of enjoying head brewer Adam Mill's excellent beers and chef Nathan Ingersoll's solid cuisine in another large and nicely appointed dining space adjacent to the taproom.   The facility offers cider and a large selection of wine, and owner Chuck Brown plans on having locally produced Bier Distillery spirits available in the near future. Visit Cellar Brewing Company's website for hours and additional information.

Cellar Owner Chuck Brown and Steve Siciliano

New and Returning Beer

• Bell's Pooltime, $1.89/12oz - "Pooltime Ale is a refreshing Belgian-inspired Wheat Ale with light clove notes. The truly distinguishing feature is the use of 100% Montmorency tart cherries grown in the Traverse City region of Michigan. These cherries add a subtle tartness and bright counterpoint to the other flavors, enhancing Pooltime’s fruity character and making it the perfect beer for all summer activities" (source).
• Brewery Vivant Devastation, $6.59/16oz - "Devastation is a curious experiment of what happens to hops when aged in wood. Tree Bucket, our Belgian inspired DIPA, is aged in freshly drained bourbon barrels until the balance of hops and wood is just right. This hedonistic pairing of huge mango aromas from Citra hops and rich vanillin from charred wood will make your wonder why it's dark beers that get the barrel time" (source).
• Founders Doom, $3.89/12oz, $11.99/750ml - "Doom may be impending but that doesn’t mean you have to fear it. A collision of worlds, the intense hop character of our imperial IPA mingles with the warm vanilla and oak notes imparted from time spent in our favorite bourbon barrels. Like all good things, Doom comes to those who wait" (source).
• Grand Armory Mother Schmucker, $2.09/12oz - "A blonde ale with 100 pounds of raspberries added to the fermenter. Try pairing with Nutter Your Business for a Grand Armory PB&J! Or as we like to call it, "Nutter Your Business, Mother Schmucker"" (source).
• Sierra Nevada Hoptimum, $1.29/12oz - "Our brewers selected the finest, most flavorful hops, pushed them beyond their limits and forged them into this all-new triple IPA. This reimagined Hoptimum is our hoppiest beer yet, providing a blend of tropical and citrus hop aroma that delivers a refined yet aggressive character" (source).
• Sierra Nevada Ovila White, $2.29/12oz - "The monks at the Abbey of New Clairvaux hold themselves to a higher standard. So when they challenged us to create a beer that transcends all others, our brewers blended Old World tradition with modern-day mastery to deliver the perfect expression of Belgian witbier worthy of a goblet but comfortable in a pint" (source).
• New Belgium La Folie 2017, $15.99/22oz (1 per) - "La Folie, French for "the folly," is a beer steeped in New Belgium brewing tradition. This wood-aged, sour brown spends one to three years in big, oak barrels, known as foeders. And when the beer finally hits the glass, La Folie is sharp and sour, full of green apple, cherry, and plum-skin notes. Pouring a deep mahogany, the mouthfeel will get you puckering while the smooth finish will get you smiling. Not a beer for the timid, La Folie is a sour delight that will turn your tongue on its head. Find out why it's considered one of the best sour beers around" (source).
• Deschutes Hop Slice, $1.79/12oz - "A trio of hops come together in this crisp session IPA. Brewed with Meyer lemon, Hop Slice balances floral hop notes and a subtle citrus kick. Malt: Pale, Honey malt, C 60, Munich. Hops: Galaxy, Azacca, Amarillo" (source).
• Right Brain Spinal Tapper, $1.79/12oz - "A medium bitterness IPA using only Calypso hops, a new crossbred variety from the West Coast. Expect an earthy hop flavor accented by subtle notes of pear and green apple and showcasing a beautiful copper/orange color similar to that of Oktoberfest style beers" (source).
• ROAK Beach Lord IPL, $1.69/12oz - An India Pale Lager.
• Avery The Reverend, $3.29/12oz - "A divinely complex and beautifully layered beer with hints of dark cherries, currants, and molasses, complemented by an underlying spiciness. Sinfully smooth considering the high alcohol content" (source).
• Ommegang Pale Sour, $3.29/11.2oz - "A beautifully clean and balanced sour beer that drinks like a fine white wine, Pale sour pours a bright golden hue with a brilliant white head. The flavor is an elegant interplay of subtle sweet malt, and clean lactic sour. With a soft mouthfeel, a delicate body, and a bright clean finish, Pale Sour Ale is eminently drinkable" (source).

Video of the Week | La Folie

The history of New Belgium's sour program.

Cheers!

New Beer Friday, Big Brew Day Revisited Edition (May 12)

Preamble by Steve Siciliano

The sun was just coming up when I pulled into Trail Point's parking lot last Saturday but homebrewers were already busy setting up tents, pots, propane burners, mash tuns, gas grills and portable kegerators at their designated brewing stations.

After helping our handyman Rod unwind fire hoses and offload buckets, immersion chillers, PVC pipe, a sink, garden hoses and the six manifold Scorpion wort chiller, I left the setup of the chilling and cleaning stations in Rod's capable hands, grabbed two power strips and two long extension cords and walked over to where Barb had placed the brewing teams that needed electric. “You guys are here early,” I shouted to the Rivertown Homebrewers.

Steve Morren looked over at me and smiled. “Of course. It's Big Brew Day.”

In 1988 the United States Congress decreed that the hobby of brewing beer be added to the list of National Days and in that same year the American Homebrewers Association (AHA) created The Big Brew Day as a way for homebrewers to gather and celebrate the national recognition of their hobby. AHA Big Brews are now held each year at hundreds of venues around the country on the first Saturday in May.

Five years ago Siciliano’s Market sponsored its first Big Brew Day and the event has since become one of West Michigan’s most popular public homebrewing celebrations. Last Saturday twenty-five teams of dedicated hobbyists brewed batches of Beer City Oated Pale Ale at the Trail Point location and a steady stream of visitors were able to sample a wide variety of homebrewed, hand-crafted beer.

When Barb and I approached Trail Point owners Gary Evans and Jeff Knoblock about the possibility of hosting a Big Brew event at their brewery they immediately said yes. Gary and Jeff are both former homebrewers and they recognize the importance of staying in touch with the homebrewing community.

It was late morning before I had the time to sample my first beer — an excellent Flanders Red that Rich Lord brought to the event. I tasted many great home brews that day, many of which were awarded medals at this year's Siciliano's Homebrew Competition.

Shorty before 1 p.m. I crawled up on the bed of my truck, grabbed the microphone and asked the assemblage to gather around in preparation for the simultaneous, country-wide toast. I kept an eye on the time while sipping on one of Nick Rodammer's excellent hand-crafted brews.

“Here's to the life enriching hobby of homebrewing,” I shouted into the microphone at the top of the hour. It was wonderful knowing that all across the country thousands of homebrewers were cheering.

New and Returning Beer

• Batch Brewing Handsome Stranger, $13.19/750ml - "Hibiscus Saison. Floral. Slightly Tart. Balanced" (source).
• Batch Brewing Second to Last Word, $13.19/500ml - "Our tribute to the classic Detroit cocktail. A kettle sour brewed with gin botanicals from Two James distilling. Served with a cherry and lime rim" (source).
• Evil Twin Mission Gose, $2.289/12oz - "Effortlessly cool, popping up up in a cultish fashion and constantly on a tasty mission. This is mission Gose: our take on a old-fashioned and slightly odd German style beer that is with good reason trending as the tastiest right now. It’s tart, salty, low in alcohol and probably the most refreshing beer you’ll have. Perhaps enjoy this beer in a restaurant with a mission near you. Wherever you are we made it stylishly good and exclusively well balanced just for you" (source).
• Evil Twin Geyser Gose, $2.89/16oz - "Our first ever collaboration brewed with Jeppe from Evil Twin. Two Evil twist on gose with ingredients sourced from Iceland including Icelandic moss, rye, herbs, sea kelp, skyr and birch smoked sea salt" (source).
• Evil Twin Falco, $2.59/16oz - "What makes a great leader? First of all a perfectly balanced blend of qualities, the ability to stand out,be authoritative without overpowering. Sho courage and endurance, you will lead the way and set the standards. Very important, be appealing and refreshing to the people. This stereotypical portrait applies whether referring to politics, religion or maybe even this outstanding IPA" (source).
• New Holland Tasmanian Hatter, $1.79/12oz - "Tasmanian Hatter brings you flavors from the region of the Tasman Sea. Hops from Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Northwest combine to present bright, tropical flavors of mango and citrus, beautifully framed with biscuity malt character" (source).
• Short's Slurm, $1.99/12oz - "Slurm is a hazy, juicy New England style India Pale Ale. Light orange in color with a prominent haze, Slurm has aromas of pineapple and mango. Big tropical fruit flavors hit you up front and carry through to the finish. This easy drinking, medium-bodied New England style IPA has a slightly bitter, dry finish" (source).
• Southern Tier Nu Skool, $1.69/12oz - "We spent over a year prototyping R&D versions of Nu Skool. This final version is one special beer. It is an IPA with a slight malty sweetness, but overall balanced & brimming with tropical, fruity, spicy, piney & citrus character. To contrast our IPA, which most closely resembles a traditional English IPA in malt & hop bills, we wanted to brew an India Pale Ale in a new way. West Coast brewers have been brewing lighter, more “Americanized,” yet still full of hop character & our brewers wanted to try their hand by brewing their take" (source).
• Jolly Pumpkin Isla Estrana, $14.29/750ml - No commercial description.
• Jolly Pumpkin Bière de Mars, $14.99/750ml - "A sustaining beer that is brewed to comfort in the gusty ides of March and welcome in a wealth of warmer weather" (source).
• Jolly Pumpkin Clementina, $14.99/750ml - "Brewed with clementine, yuzu peel, lime peel, pink Himalayan salt, and coriander" (source).
• B. Nektar Death Unicorn, $8.19/500ml - "Hard cider with black currant" (source).
• Ommegang Brunetta, $3.29/12oz - "A new collaboration beer coming from Ommegang and Liefmans.  This is Brunetta and it is an Oud Bruin ale that will hit 5%-AbV" (source).
• Odd Side Grapefruit Wheat, $1.99/12oz - "A wheat beer brewed with grapefruit" (source).
• Odd Side Wheatermelon, $2.19/12oz - "The perfect summer treat. A wheat ale brewed with tons of fresh cut watermelon" (source).
• Odd Side El Dankerino, $2.49/12oz - "West Coast IIPA" (source).
• Odd Side Lemon Party, $1.69/12oz - "No commercial description" (source).
• Kona Lemongrass Luau, $1.69/12oz - "Ale brewed with ginger with lemongrass and ginger added" (source).
• Arcadia Berry Vice, $2.09/12oz - "A sweet, tart refreshing fruit wheat beer fermented with red and black raspberries as well as blueberries. Hazy fuchsia in color topped by a white head with a hint of pink, this beer looks as sweet as it tastes. Aromas of raspberries, blueberry skins and bready malt match its slightly dry flavor while wheat malt accentuates the tartness of the berries. Its medium-light body and effervescent carbonation make it a perfect summer refreshment" (source).
• Rochester Mills Ninja Turtle Milkshake Stout, $2.39/16oz - "Our efforts toward continuous improvement have paid off with the latest batch in the Flavored Mikshake Stout series. Complex layered notes of chocolate, caramel and toasted pecans mix with the familiar taste of the original Milkshake Stout and raise the decadance of this dessert beer. Ninja Turtle pours jet black with an off white to tan colored head" (source).

With Special Guest Star

We were pleased and honored to have this special guest show up
at our Big Brew event. See you next year!

Cheers!

New Beer Friday, Perdomo Special Craft Edition (May 5)

Perdomo Special Craft Series

Preamble by Steve Siciliano

Warm weather will soon be here and I'm looking forward to evenings on the deck sipping beer, smoking cigars and watching my crazy dog chasing fireflies across the backyard. Those summer evenings on the deck will be even more enjoyable this year because I'll be pairing my premium, handcrafted beer with premium, handmade cigars blended specifically for the craft beer enthusiast.

Offered in three distinctly different blends, The Perdomo Special Craft Series is a premium line of cigars that Tabacalera Perdomo recently created to complement the aromas and flavors found in various styles of craft beer.

The Special Craft Series Connecticut features a creamy Connecticut wrapper, a sweet Nicaraguan binder from the Jalapa Valley and rich, aromatic Nicaraguan fillers from the Condega Valley. The mild to medium-bodied cigar pairs well with pilsners, wheat beer and cream ales.

The Special Craft Series Sun Grown is blended with a spicy-sweet Cuban-seed sun-grown wrapper from Jalapa, a rich Nicaraguan binder from Condega and robust Cuban-seed Nicaraguan fillers from the Esteli Valley. The medium to full-bodied cigar pairs well with amber ales, pale ales, IPAs and malty lagers.

The Special Craft Series Maduro features a dark, oily Cuban-seed Nicaraguan Maduro wrapper from the Jalapa Valley, an aromatic Nicaraguan binder from Condega and Cuban-seed Nicaraguan fillers from Esteli. The cigar is medium to full-bodied and pairs well with stouts, porters and brown ales.

Each blend of the Special Craft Series is offered in the following four sizes.

• Robusto 5 ½ x 54
• Epicure 6 ½ x 54
• Churchill 7 x 54
• Gordo 6 x 60

All four sizes of each blend will be in our walk-in humidor by early next week. They will also be available for purchase at the Homebrew Party on Saturday, May 20 at Johnson Park.

Just a reminder that if you're planning to attend the Homebrew Party and would like a commemorative t-shirt, you must purchase tickets by Tuesday, May 9. Tickets are $45.00 and can be purchased by phone (616-453-9674). Shirtless tickets may still be purchased after the May 9 deadline for $40.00.

New and Returning Beer

• Moonlight Meadery Sensual, $15.99/375ml - "This award winning recipe is a showcase of honey that is aromatic, flavorful, and deliciously sweet with a long lasting smooth finish" (source).
• Moonlight Meadery Red Dress, $15.99/375 - "This little number is sweet and sexy, just the right balance between the honey and the red currants. Enjoy this with a variety of complex dishes, like Durban curried chicken (a South African favorite), Moroccan lamb or Beef stew" (source).
• Against the Grain Kamen Knuddeln, $4.59/16oz - "Originally brewed as a conceptualization from our friends at the Nachbar....This historical anomaly is one of the only styles of beer indigenous to the USA and it was originally brewed right here in the Bluegrass!  Much like our more beloved and covet cousin sour mash bourbon, this ale is brewed in the manner of 'souring the mash'.  First we start with a blend of grains similar to your favorite spirit, barley, rye, and corn and we start the sour mash.  In that process, we are able to achieve a deliciously complex tart flavor that plays with the spiciness of rye, while finishing with a dry crispness from the corn.  Moderately hopped to balance the sweetness of this Kentucky Common, one will get notes of dry fruit, sweet tarts, and hints of tannin from a very small amount of barrel aged character" (source).
• Evil Twin A is for Apricot, $2.89/12oz - "Gose-style ale brewed with salt and apricot added" (source).
• Prairie Apricot Funk, $11.39/500ml - "The beer in question is Apricot Funk, a 7.5 percent ABV sour ale that was brewed late last year before conditioning on apricots for “quite some time.” This is the second time Prairie has bottled a fruit beer with the Funk moniker, after Cherry Funk (7.5 percent ABV) was released in 2013" (source).
• Stillwater On Fleek, $2.89/12oz - "Big, overhyped imperial stouts, amirite? This one on fleek tho. The most amazing collaboration ever with Casita Cerveceria" (source).
• Stillwater Extra Dry Saison, $2.59/16oz - "Brewed with rice and designed to mimic the subtle and drinkable flavors of sake, this low alcohol saison is the softer side of Stillwater" (source).
• Dark Horse Smells Like a Safety Meeting, $2.19/12oz - "S.L.A.S.M. is our most Aromatic IPA. This India Pale Ale is very reminiscent of the hop’s cousin in the Mulberry family. Lots of hop aroma with just the right amount of bitterness as we like to keep balance around here. Between the secret blend of the most DANK hops we can get our hands on and a "more than healthy" dose of double dry hopping, this beer can be announced to the nose from across the room that someone is definitely having a Safety Meeting" (source).
• North Peak Double Diabolical, $2.39/12oz - "North Peak Diabolical IPA has hops from nose to tail. This IPA is unfiltered and dry-hopped with Michigan grown Chinook and Cascade hops. It has a smooth malt character and citrus pine aroma" (source).
• Stone Enjoy by 5/29, $2..99/12oz - "Our all-important, hop-driven quest to deliver the most devastatingly fresh IPA on the planet facilitated a paradigm shift in 2012 with the launch of Stone Enjoy By IPA. Not only did we brew this beer with more than 10 different hops, we brewed it specifically NOT to last. Acclaimed for its groundbreakingly short shelf life, this intense double IPA brought forth a whole new concept of what constitutes “fresh” — guaranteeing fans the ultimate level of hoppiness" (source).
• Petoskey Cranium Crush, $2.39/16oz - "This unique ale has actual waffle cones added into the mash. Very slight hints of this ingredient can be picked up in the finished beer. More prevalent are the fruit notes from the addition of fresh raspberries added during fermentation. the low IBU makes this an easy drinking ale" (source).
• Weyerbacher Finally Legal, $4.29/12oz - "Finally Legal is a big stout brewed with Munich malts, smoked malts, cocoa nibs, cocoa powder and vanilla. Rolling in at 13.5% ABV, Finally Legal has rich chocolate flavor with hints of vanilla and a touch of smoky bacon. As if that’s not enough, we blended this tasty brew with its bourbon barrel aged counterpart before packaging it for your enjoyment. Available NOW at The Tap Room and throughout our distribution area" (source).
• Great Divide Claymore, $1.99/12oz - "Named for a medieval Scottish sword, CLAYMORE SCOTCH ALE is our tribute to the legendary “Wee Heavy” beers of Scotland. This malty, deep-ruby beauty features lots of caramel sweetness, a reserved hop profile, and a subtle warming character. Unlike its namesake, this beer only requires one hand, but it’ll still make you feel like nobility" (source).
• Great Divide Titan, $1.99/12oz - "A big, aggressively hopped India Pale Ale brewed for hop disciples. It starts out with piney hop aromas and citrus hop flavors, and finishes with a nice rich, malty sweetness that is balanced with crisp hop bitterness" (source).
• Great Divide Hercules, $3.49/12oz - "HERCULES DOUBLE IPA is not for the faint of heart. It is, however, fit for the gods. HERCULES delivers a huge amount of hops from start to finish. Its hefty backbone of nutty, malty sweetness balances its aggressive hop profile" (source).
• Great Divide Yeti, $3.49/12oz - "YETI IMPERIAL STOUT is an onslaught of the senses. It starts with big, roasty malt flavor that gives way to rich caramel and toffee notes. YETI gets its bold hop character from an enormous quantity of American hops. It weighs in at a hefty 75 IBUs" (source).

Video of the Week | Dark Horse

Now available at Siciliano's!

Cheers!

May Brew of the Month: Max Spencer's Flux IPA

By Max Spencer

Spring is upon us, ladies and gentlemen. Weather is not the only herald in this time of transition—the beer we brew and drink also reflects the changing of the seasons. I love to brew and drink stouts, quads and barleywines during the winter — and while they still have a place in my heart during the warmer months, I begin to crave different fare. IPAs tend to be a year-round choice for many beer drinkers, but nothing makes me itch for an IPA quite like spring weather. There is just something about the emergence of fresh greenery, kind-of-warm weather and sunlight that ignites my thirst for hoppy goodness.

In honor of that thirst I brewed an IPA with a fun assortment of hops. I chose Galaxy as my core hop for bittering and aroma additions. Galaxy is an Australian hop known for imparting flavors of passionfruit, peach and citrus. Along with Galaxy I added Wai-iti and Citra hops as aroma additions. Wai-iti is a New Zealand hop which gives flavors of peaches and other stone fruits. Citra is a hop most brewers and beer drinkers are familiar with, providing tropical fruit and citrus flavors.

The finished product was a beautiful deep gold. The nose was rife with fruity goodness — including a healthy dose of peach, citrus and tropical fruit tones. On the palate, I detected more of the passionfruit and peach with a background of citrus and tropical fruit supported by a pleasant dry malt character. The finish was pleasantly bitter and dry with lingering fruitiness. I enjoyed this beer immensely. This malt build has quickly become my go-to for IPAs, and really showcases the hops without being chewy or too overbearing.

All Grain ($45.50)

• 12 lbs. Golden Promise
• 1 lbs. Golden Naked Oats (or Carahell)
• 0.75 lbs. Melanoidin Malt (or Gambrinus Honey Malt)
• Mash @ 154 for 60 minutes
• 0.5 oz. Galaxy @ First Wort (60 minutes)
• 0.5 oz. Galaxy @ 30 minutes
• 1 oz. Galaxy @ 15 minutes
• 1 oz. Galaxy @ 0 minutes
• 1 oz. Wai-iti (or Vic’s Secret) @ 0 minutes
• 1 oz. Citra @ 0 minutes
• 1 oz. Galaxy Dry Hop for 4 days
• 1 oz. Wai-iti (or Vic’s Secret) Dry Hop for 4 days
• 1 oz. Citra Dry Hop for 4 days

Vital Statistics

• OG: 1.066
• FG: 1.010
• IBUs: 66
• SRM: 7.1

EXTRACT ($50.99)

• 9 lbs. Light LME
• 10 oz. Caramunich I
• 7 oz. Gambrinus Honey Malt
• 8 oz. Corn Sugar
• 1 oz. Galaxy @ 60 minutes
• 0.5 oz. Galaxy @ 30 minutes
• 1 oz. Galaxy @ 15 minutes
• 1 oz. Galaxy @ 0 minutes
• 1 oz. Wai-iti (or Vic’s Secret) @ 0 minutes
• 1 oz. Citra @ 0 minutes
• 1.5 oz. Galaxy Dry Hop for 4 days
• 1 oz. Wai-iti (or Vic’s Secret) Dry Hop for 4 days
• 1 oz. Citra Dry Hop for 4 days

Vital Statistics

• OG: 1.068
• FG: 1.010
• IBUs: 59.7
• SRM: 8

Variations

I used OYL-052 for my yeast — Omega’s “Conan” DIPA strain. Their DIPA strain produces esters that taste like peaches and complemented the hops well. You can also use Safale 05 for a dry yeast, or any other American ale strain that you prefer. An additional option is Wyeast 1318 London Ale III, which many people are using for New England style IPAs.