New Beer Friday, Raw Apple Cider Edition (Sept 22)

Preamble by Steve Siciliano

September is apple harvesting time here in West Michigan and that means there will soon be plenty of fresh juice available for beer and winemaking hobbyists looking to whip up a batch or two of hard cider.

This year two local cideries will be selling fresh juice on two separate Saturdays in the parking lot behind Siciliano's. We will be selling both Klein's and Vander Mill's cider for $3.50 per gallon. Please bring your own containers or feel free to purchase containers from us. Dates and times for the cider days at Siciliano's Market are as follows:

• Klein Cider Mill, Saturday, October 7. 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.
• Vander Mill Cider, Saturday, November 4. 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Go here for a good article on the process of making hard cider.

New and Returning Beer

• Brewery Vivant Velvet Stud, $3.49/16oz - "Full-bodied stout with a kiss of oak from its brief time in the barrel" (source).
• Grimm Sumi Cacao, $11.99/22oz - "Imperial Stout brewed with vanilla and cacao" (source).
• Mahr's Hell Lager, $5.79/500ml - "The beer that most people who come to Mahr’s love best is the basic Hell, a light-golden lager. A Hell, or Hellesbier, is a Bavarian specialty, not to be confused with the omnipresent Pils that nearly every brewery, from the far North to the Alpine South, has on offer. The Helles bier is squarely focused on malt – rich, sweet, Munich malt with an impossibly fresh new-mown hay flavor — and doesn’t have a whole lot to do with hops. (There are hops in there, but you don’t taste them much.) This is a deep and faceted beer, but not a challenging one. It is welcoming, satifying, and perfectly refreshing. The stuff in the bottle (which is unpasteurized, keeping flavor alive) will transport you straight to Germany. This Hell is pure heaven" (source).
• Pohjala Banger, $5.99/12oz - "A banging Imperial Stout brewed with prunes, vanilla and Habanero chillies" (source).
• Greenbush He Bee GB, $1.99/12oz - "English Pale Ale" (source).
• Odd Side Dank Frank, $2.59/12oz - "Imperial version of Dirty Dank Juice. Hazy NE style IPA" (source).
• Odd Side P.O.G., $2.19/12oz - "Passion fruit. Orange juice. Guava" (source).
• Odd Side Nut Bandit, $2.69/12oz - "Imperial Brown Ale with Hazelnut" (source).
• Alaskan Mocha Milk Stout, $8.99/22oz - "Inspired by the coffee culture of the Pacific Northwest,this sweet stout has an added chocolaty creaminess. Sweet Stouts have lactose added to provide residual sweetness and body because beer yeasts cannot ferment lactose. The cacao nibs added to this beer bring a hint of chocolate. The Guatemalan Huehuetenango was chosen for its mellow and earthy roast character" (source).
• Bells 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. Brewed with Belgian abbey-style yeast, Hell Hath No Fury … Ale is more akin to a roasty stout, offering warm, roasted notes of coffee & dark chocolate with fruity and clove-like aromas" (source).
• Bells Third Coast Old Ale, $2.79/12oz - "Third Coast Old Ale starts with a rich, caramel base, and finishes with a heavy hop bitterness. Sharply intense at first, it will age gracefully, adding complexity and subtlety in your cellar. Go ahead, test your patience" (source).
• North Peak Anniversary Barley Wine, $10.69/22oz - "American-style barleywine, brewed with lots of Michigan malts & hops" (source).
• Saugatuck Stout Variety Pack, $19.69/12pk - "It’s good to be stout with the new Saugatuck Brewing Company Stout Pack! 3 bottles each of Beam Me Up Stouty, Darker Than Your Soul Stout, Neapolitan Milk Stout, and Blueberry Maple Stout" (source).
• Great Divide Oatmeal Yeti, $10.79/22oz - "Much like its legendary predecessors, this Yeti is big, bold and dark.  The addition of rolled oats softens Yeti’s notoriously roasty backbone and the small amount of raisins added in the brew kettle create a unique dark fruit character.  Just as admired as those that came before it, Oatmeal Yeti Imperial Stout is a gentle beast" (source).
• Kentucky Vanilla Barrel Cream Ale, $2.59/12oz - "Kentucky Vanilla Barrel Cream Ale is our take on a classic American style of beer. We took a cold-conditioned cream ale, brewed with a hint of flaked corn and bourbon vanilla beans, and aged it in freshly decanted bourbon barrels for a minimum of two months. Kentucky Vanilla Barrel Cream Ale's medium body and 5.5% ABV make it the perfect barrel-aged beer for an all day event" (source).
• Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale, $3.49/12oz - "Our Kentucky Ale® is aged for up to six weeks in freshly decanted bourbon barrels from some of Kentucky’s finest distilleries. Subtle yet familiar flavors of vanilla and oak are imparted to this special ale as it rests in the charred barrels. Pleasantly smooth and robust, Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale may also be served as an aperitif or after-dinner drink. Launched in 2006, it has grown to become the flagship beer of the premier name in barrel-aged beers: Alltech Lexington Brewing and Distilling Company" (source).
• Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Stout, $3.79/12oz - "Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Stout® builds on the success of its barrel-aged brother, the beloved Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale®. Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Stout is brewed and aged with Alltech® Café Citadelle Haitian coffee and aged in world-famous Kentucky bourbon barrels. The result is a complex stout with dark-roasted malts, hints of caramel and vanilla and a lightly roasted coffee finish" (source).
• Nowhere in Particular Peachy Pants, $2.69/12oz - "It just wouldn't seem like summer without seeing people walking around in goofy colored pants. In deference of this time honored and strange tradition we decided to make a nice funky and sour peach beer. The use of Lactobacillus and Pediococcus invite a gentle pucker with a nice complex aroma. Come grab one of these bangin cans and enjoy it during a picnic or on a yacht or where ever it is that people wear peach pants" (source).
• Shorts Barrel Aged Black Cherry Porter, $10.99/22oz - "Bourbon Barrel Aged Black Cherry Porter is Short’s Black Cherry Porter aged in bourbon barrels for 9 months. This Short’s brew is fermented with Northern Michigan sweet black cherries and eight different malts. Combined, the ingredients provide the deep radiant flavor profile and create the dark opaque color. A slight purple lace from the fruit puree enticingly leads into smooth soft hints of roasted chocolate and pleasurable black cherry and bourbon flavors" (source).
• Victory Storm King, $2.59/12oz - "A thundering hop presence collides with massive espresso and dark chocolate flavors in our dense and full-bodied imperial" (source).
• Boulevard Barrel Aged Stout, $3.99/12oz - "Like India Pale Ale, the classic Imperial Stouts were originally brewed with high levels of alcohol and hops to withstand the rigors of a long sea journey, not to India but to Imperial Russia and the Baltic States. Our version is an over-the-top riff on the style, with a huge grain bill featuring several kinds of malted barley, wheat, rye, oats, and spelt. Robust grain and coffee flavors are counterbalanced by date and plum notes from the Scottish yeast. To add extra complexity and depth, this Imperial Stout is made up of a blend of freshly brewed beer and several barrel-aged beers, carefully balanced" (source).
• Boulevard Collaboration Number 7, $3.99/12oz - "Built on a base of two-row pale malt, Sonoran White Wheat, honey malt and corn grits, Collaboration No. 7 – Oak-Aged Lager showcases Riesling grape juice, peaches and lemon zest in a crisp lager hopped with Nelson Sauvin, Lemondrop and Hallertau Blancs. Following fermentation with the Ayinger lager strain, Collaboration No. 7 was briefly aged on Cuvee No. 5 Tank Staves, French oak staves that impart fruit, spice, toast and tannins similar to aging in a fresh/virgin French oak barrel" (source).
• Avery Ginger Sour, $13.79/22oz - "Verdant fresh ginger is artfully rooted in radiant tartness, peaking in the unmistakable burst and bite of this bright barrel-aged sour ale" (source).
• Lagunitas Sakitumi, $9.29/32oz - "Ale Punched with Sake Yeast and Rice" (source).
• Clown Shoes Pecan Porter, $11.79/22oz - "The sun begins to set in Mongolia. Genghis Pecan leads a group of wild turkeys with blindfolded juggling skills as he maneuvers atop a barrel floating down a river. Why? Who knows, but he’s not smuggling hobbits. This year’s version of Pecan Pie Porter might be the most impressive yet, at 10.5% ABV and aged in 100% bourbon barrels" (source).

Video of the Week | Hops!

Coming soon to a pint glass near you.

Cheers!

New Beer Friday, Sam's Famous Kapusta Edition (Sept 15)

Customers enjoy kapusta

Preamble by Steve Siciliano

It's tradition here at Siciliano's to treat our customers to German wieners and draft root beer on the Saturdays of our annual, week-long Customer Appreciation sales. There are many who would agree that nothing goes better with German wieners than homemade kapusta and for many years the kapusta that we served as a garnish for the locally sourced dogs was made by my late father Sam Siciliano.

Kapusta is the Polish word for cabbage and my father's version of this traditional Polish dish garnered universal praise. I'd like to think he came up with the kapusta recipe on his own but the more likely scenario was that he sweet-talked some lady who cooked in one of the Polish halls here in town into sharing it with him. I do know that he continually tweaked the recipe over the years and that his version of kapusta was decidedly unique.

Sam has been gone four years and there hasn’t been kapusta at our Customer Appreciation Days since his passing. This year my wife Barb and I decided it was time we revived that part of the tradition.

When I got home from the store last Friday Barb was already in the kitchen chopping onions and celery. I grabbed a big knife and a big wooden cutting board and began shredding the three big heads of fresh cabbage. I thought of my dad while I chopped. I could see him shredding the cabbage at the table in his small kitchen. I imagined him getting up every so often from his naps to stir and taste and tweak the seasonings. I remembered all the times I lugged the big roasting pan to my truck and how he would smile when I asked him how much of the kapusta he had eaten.

Barb and I got a lot of compliments for the kapusta last Saturday and more than a few customers asked if they could have the recipe. We made sure we told them whose recipe it was and that we were sure that Sam would would have been more than happy to share it with them. Here it is.

SAM SICILIANO'S HOMEMADE KAPUSTA

• 2 lbs sauerkraut, drained
• ¾ head of cabbage, shredded
• 1 ½ cup onion, diced
• 1 ½ cup celery, diced
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 15-oz cans chicken broth
• pork steak, pork roast or spare ribs
• 3 tsp brown sugar
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

• Saute onions, celery, garlic and pork in oil
• Add drained sauerkraut
• Add chicken broth, simmer 15 minutes
• Add bay leaves, salt and pepper
• Add shredded cabbage, simmer 1 hour
• Add additional brown sugar to taste
• Serve to friends with beer, brats, wieners, sausages and/or kielbasa

New and Returning Beer

• Arcadia Jaw-Jacker, $1.79/12oz - "This spiced amber ale is our celebration of the arrival of Autumn. Brewed with cinnamon, all-spice, and nutmeg (a riff on Grandma Davies’ pumpkin pie recipe), and additions of Caramel and Crystal malt for balanced flavor, drinkability, and a brilliant orange-amber color, despite the absence of pumpkin in the recipe. A refreshingly spicy, season brew" (source).
• Bell's Expedition Stout, $3.09/12oz - "One of the earliest examples of Russian Imperial Stouts in the United States, Expedition Stout offers immensely complex flavors crafted specifically with aging in mind. A huge malt body is matched with a heady blend of chocolate, dark fruit and other aromas. The flavors will slowly meld and grow in depth as the beer ages in your cellar" (source).
• Bell's Roundhouse, $1.89/12oz - "Substantial amounts of late-kettle hop additions and dry-hopping yields a heady blend of fruity aromas of pineapple, peach and citrus. Those aromas continue into a crisply bitter hop presence across the tongue, but the judicious use of toasted and caramel specialty malts prevents the hop intensity from overwhelming the palate. Locally sourced Michigan honey creates a smooth, dry finish that pulls everything together" (source).
• Port Brewing Mongo, $7.19/22oz - "Our flagship Double IPA, Mongo harnesses the flavor of Columbus, Cascade, Centennial, and Simcoe hops. Massive resinous aroma leads to citrus notes with a piney bitterness on the finish" (source).
• Port Brewing Whipeout, $4.79/22oz - "Brewed to celebrate anyone and everyone who has ever paddled out into the best wave of the day, only to blow it and Wipeout in a blaze of glory" (source).
• Boulevard Unfiltered Wheat, $1.69/12oz - "Boulevard Unfiltered Wheat Beer is a lively, refreshing ale with a natural citrusy flavor and distinctive cloudy appearance. This easy drinking American-style wheat beer has become our most popular offering, and the best-selling craft beer in the Midwest" (source).
• Czechvar Dark, $1.69/12oz - "Czechvar uses the noble Saaz hop variety, which contributes spicy and herbal aromas and flavours. Deep brown in appearance, with a thick, long-lasting head. Malt aromas are in the foreground, with notes of toasted nut, molasses, mocha and a hint of smoke. On the palate, it is full-bodied, with chocolate and coffee flavours" (source).
• Czechvar, $1.69/12oz - "The result of our careful selection of ingredients, our traditional brewing process and the care we take during production is Czechvar’s irreplaceable and inimitable flavour" (source).
• Lost Abbey Lost and Found, $8.39/750ml - "Lost and Found- Modeled after the great Trappist and Monastic beers that inspired the founding of our brewery. A richly deep garnet colored ale created from a blend of Domestic and imported malts. As part of our commitment to interesting brewing endeavors, Chef Vince created a special raisin puree for this beer. Malts, raisins and a fantastic yeast strain working in harmony produce a beer of amazing complexity and depth. Available in 750ml bottles and on draft at select inspired locations" (source).
• Lost Abbey Devotion, $8.39/750ml - "A lighter bodied beer that immediately makes an initial hop impression followed by a brief thinning layer of malt which is swallowed in the driest finish by a driven hop expression" (source).
• Southern Tier Rum Barrel Aged Pumking, $15.99/22oz - "rum barrel aged imperial pumpkin ale with notes of pumpkin pie spice" (source).
• Beards Deez Nutz, $2.89/12oz - "Smooth and chewy with nutty caramel flavors and a medium body" (source).
• High Water Campfire Stout, $10.19/22oz - "Stout brewed with graham crackers, molasses with natural flavor added. Campfire Stout evokes fond memories of wilderness and camping adventures. Notes of chocolate and graham cracker topped with a hint of marshmallow will leave you wanting s’more. Like any campfire experience, this beer is best shared with a warm circle of family and friends" (source).
• High Water Aphotic Imperial Porter with Coffee, $10.19/12oz - "Formally defined as the depths in water beyond which less than one percent of sunlight penetrates. Aphotic is a beer with a very dark side. Just one sip and you will understand the true depths of its darkness as the deep, luxurious layers of malt rich-ness tantalize and tease your taste buds. Cold pressed coffee adds a slight citrusy, earthy flavor with floral aromas" (source).
• High Water Breakfast Sour, $15.39/500ml - "Central Valley Breakfast Sour is aged in used wine barrels for one year with the finest fruit from the Central Valley of California. It is a bright and beautiful golden sour with an abundance of fresh pressed white grapefruit juice. The tart beginnings are rounded by the lusciousness from the pears and the delicate, exotic perfume of the lychee fruit. A pleasurable ale to enjoy with brunch or anytime of the day" (source).
• Stillwater Shoegaze, $2.89/16oz - "Distorted farmhouse pale ale" (source).
• Stillwater/Dugges Tropical Punch, $4.99/12oz - "Tropic Punch Ale is a joint effort with nomadic brewer Brian Strumke of Stillwater Artisanal. We brewed this sour ale with lactobacillus and let it ferment with plentiful mango, passion fruit and peach" (source).
• Stillwater/Dugges Cocoa Cacao, $7.19/12oz - "In collaborating with Stillwater Artisanal we always focus on distinct, clear, punchy flavors. This beer is no exception. Inspired by everyone’s favorite candy, this is a chocolate bar in a bottle" (source).
• Evil Twin/Jackie O's You're in the Jungle Baby, $4.99/12oz - "Imperial stout with Pasilla chili, honey, tangerine peel and cocoa nibs added" (source).

Video of the Week | Jaw-Jacker

Now available at Siciliano's.

Cheers!

New Beer Friday, Big Sale Reminder Edition (September 8)

Homebrew on home kegging system

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 10.

If you are already a homebrewer or winemaker, you're going to want to take advantage of the 15% discount on most equipment and supplies. You'll also want to check out the items on the deeply discounted list (see below). If you've been 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 9. See you then.

• BEER EQUIPMENT KIT/GLASS: Regular $105.00, Sale $75.00
• WINEMAKING EQUIPMENT KIT/GLASS: Regular $95.00, Sale $79.00
• BREWERS BEAST EQUIPMENT KIT/GLASS: Regular $135.00, Sale $95.00
• KEGGING SYSTEM/NEW KEG: Regular $289.00, Sale $225.00
• KEGGING SYSTEM/RECONDITIONED KEG: Regular $239.00, Sale $180.00
• ANALOG REFRIGERATION THERMOSTAT: Regular $75.00, Sale $65.00
• DIGITAL REFRIGERATION THERMOSTAT: Regular $115.49, Sale $89.00
• MASH/LAUTER TUN: Regular $125.00, Sale $100.00
• ITALIAN FLOOR CORKER: Regular $142.00, Sale $109.00
• PORTUGUESE FLOOR CORKER: Regular $63.00, Sale $50.00
• CHAMPAGNE FLOOR CORKER: Regular $152.00, Sale $119.00
• MILWAUKEE PH METER: Regular $85.00, Sale $64.00
• BARLEY CRUSHER, 7LB HOPPER: Regular $169.00, Sale $139.00
• BARLEY CRUSHER, 15LB HOPPER: Regular $189.00, Sale $159.00
• REFRACTOMETER: Regular, $49.00, Sale $40.00
• 8-GALLON BREWERS BEAST BREW POT: Regular $115.00, Sale $79.00
• 16-GALLON BREWERS BEAST BREW POT, Regular $175.00, Sale $129.00

New and Returning Beer

• Pux Cider Hornswoggle, $2.99/12oz - "Hard cider hopped with Mosaic and Jarrylo" (source).
• Pux Cider Luck, $2.99/12oz - "Barrel aged cider with tart cherry" (source).
• Pux Cider Ballyhoo, $2.99/12oz - No commercial description.
• Pux Cider Boondoggle, $2.99/12oz - No commercial description.
• Pux Cider Whippersnapper, $2.99/12oz - "Cider with ginger, cinnamon and pear" (source).
• MobCraft Bat$hit Crazy, $2.69/16oz - "Bat$h!t Crazy is a Coffee Brown Ale. Balanced milk sugar sweetness gives way to robust coffee flavors, sure to drive you Bat$h!t Crazy" (source).
• MobCraft Don't Worry Beer Hoppy, $2.69/16oz - "Beer Hoppy is a Session IPA with Simcoe, Centennial, and Amarillo hops that will have you wailin' for clear waters and sunny skies as the sweet melodies of reggae grace your ears" (source).
• MobCraft Hoppy Hoppy Pants Pants, $4.19/16oz - "Hoppy Hoppy Pants Pants is a dank, juicy Double IPA featuring some far out hops - Dr. Rudi, Jarrylo, Idaho 7 and Amarillo. This well balanced double will have you hoppin in your pants" (source).
• MobCraft Crimson Commander, $8.19/22oz - "Crimson Commander pours a foxy caramel hue and features a citrus and pine hop aroma followed by a clean bright pallet with a bitter and increasingly viscous mouthfeel. Its boozy character hides under malty hop forward tones making this beer a smooth 8.5%" (source).
• MobCraft Helles Ginger Bock, $8.19/22oz - "Imperial Helles Bock with ginger. Malty on the front end with a crisp ginger finish, moderate body with a smoothness unbecoming of its alcohol content" (source).
• MobCraft Mystique, $12.89/22oz - "Aromas of strong citrus and pine assault the nostrils followed by a nice bouquet from bourbon barrel. Flavor is noticeably malty with a slight sweetness that melds perfectly with the bitterness and strong dry hop flavors, finishing dry and oaky with not too much but enough bourbon on the backend. Although this beer is aged in barrels, it was dry-hopped post aging so drink fresh" (source).
• Goose Island Fest Bier, $1.79/12oz - "Brimming with notes of toasted malt and freshly baked rye bread. This light bodied German lager is clean and crisp with a fine noble hop character and mild earthy bitterness that is the hallmark of Hallertau hops" (source).
• Bell's Best Brown, $1.99/16oz - "A smooth, toasty brown ale, Best Brown is a mainstay in our fall lineup. With hints of caramel and cocoa, the malt body has the depth to stand up to cool weather, but does not come across as heavy. This balancing act is aided by the generous use of American hops" (source).
• Brewery Vivant Velvet Stud, $3.49/16oz - "Full-bodied stout with a kiss of oak from its brief time in the barrel" (source).
• Dark Horse Scotty Karate, $2.09/12oz - "For those of you who don’t know who “Scotty Karate” is… He is a local one man band who plays an amazing slurry of honky-tonk influenced, punk-country songs. (Check him out at www.scottykaratetime.com) A big bold musician deserves a big bold beer, that's why Scotty and our Scotch Ale are a perfect tribute to one another. Scotty Karate is brewed with cherry wood smoked malt instead of the traditional peat smoked malt offering up warming notes of coffee, caramel and sweet caramelized brown sugar. Scotty finishes earthy giving this beer a character all it's own, just like the man himself" (source).
• Green Flash GFB Blonde, $1.99/19.2oz - "GFB is a light, refreshing, crushable blonde ale with hints of honey and orange peel complemented by a mellow malt character" (source).
• Mountain Town Peach Gruit, $1.99/12oz - "This is a twist on our popular Sacred Gruit herbal ale. We added 100% pure Peach and Apricot juice for a unique, refreshing beer" (source).
• New Holland Baltic Anomaly, $2.59/12oz - "Much like the alien mystery found at the bottom of the Baltic Sea, this Baltic Porter boasts an anomaly of its own. Honey lends an extraterrestrial dimension to this earthly porter, balancing out the sweetness with a slightly dry finish" (source).
• Pigeon Hill Oktoberfest, $2.09/12oz - "This lightly hopped beer has a semi-dry finish that nicely complements its light to medium body. A light caramel and malty sweetness provide a pleasing smooth flavor" (source).
• Uinta Pit Stop, $9.49/22oz - "Brewed with apricots and an abundance of hops, this kettle-soured Apricot IPA entertains even the most sophisticated palates" (source).
• Uinta Cahoots, $13.79/750ml - "Aged for 18 months in Port Barrels, our Cahoots Flanders Red is ready to take flight. Brewed with rich caramel malt and fermented with a blend of wild yeast and bacteria, this brew has a complex finish with bright notes of cherries and raspberries" (source).

Video of the Week | Scotty Karate

Now available at Siciliano's.

Cheers!

New Beer Friday, Special Recognition Edition (Sept 1)

Sarah, General Manager

Preamble by Steve Siciliano

Whenever my wife and I get positive feedback about our business we acknowledge the kind words but quickly point out that it's really our employees who deserve recognition. Barb and I have been very fortunate to have had many dedicated and passionate people working for us over the years, and each in their own has been instrumental in helping us make Siciliano's the store it is today.

We feel that three of our long term employees deserve special recognition and for that reason we are giving promotions to Kati, John and Sarah. Effective September 11 Sarah will be our GM and Kati and John are being promoted to Assistant Managers.

I would like to take this opportunity to publicly thank Sarah, Kati and John for their years of dedication and service. Throw some kudos their way the next time you're in Siciliano's.

John, Assistant Manager

Kati, Assistant Manager

New and Returning Beer

• Vivant No Whistling, $9.99/500ml - A Belgian golden strong ale aged in a 1792 Bourbon barrel. Exclusive to Siciliano's.
• Vivant Pumpkin Tart, $3.49/16oz - "Traditionally Belgian brewers have been inspired by their local agriculture. Living in the midst of Michigan’s rich agricultural heritage our Vivant brewers find it quite natural to be inspired in this same way. This rustic beer is brewed with real pumpkin and a hint of spice, perfect for the anticipated crispness of Autumn. Using a kettle souring technique, our brewers blend just the right amount of tartness into this farmhouse pumpkin ale. Raise a glass to the bounty of the harvest" (source).
• Austin Brothers Milk Route Stout, $1.79/12oz - "Chocolate and roasted caramel coffee taste create the perfect balance in this milk stout" (source).
• Argus Apple Bomb, $2.79/12oz - "Apple Bomb is a demi-sec, or slightly sweet, full bodied cider that delivers a blast of fruit and finishes big with a tannic, fruity pucker. This is not a subtle cider, but a fresh apple explosion derived from a collection of fermentation techniques and patience. Cans and draft offerings available" (source).
• Freigeist Geisterzug Quince Gose, $8.19/500ml - "Based on Freigeist’s ancient spruced Gose recipe, Geisterzug Quince & Geisterzug Rhubarb feature all the complexity, funkiness, and body of the of the original but go one step further by adding tart & flavorful real fruit & vegetable during fermentation.  The resultant brews are incredibly lively, characterful, and thirst-quenching" (source).
• Prairie Vape Tricks, $2.89/12oz - "Sour ale aged on cherries" (source).
• Destihl Synchopathic Apricot, $2.79/12oz - "Dry-hopped sour ale with apricot" (source).
• Ballast Point Dead Ringer, $1.89/12oz - "Our Dead Ringer Oktoberfest lager is inspired by old-style Märzen brews customarily enjoyed during Bavaria’s world-famous beer festival. Thanks to an abundance of toasted malt and a lower hop bitterness, this dark reddish brown lager is loaded with sweet, caramel toffee flavors and aromas. All the taste and celebration of Oktoberfest packed into one bottle; no lederhosen required" (source).
• Dinkelacker Oktoberfest, $1.99/12oz - "A distinctive spicy, drinkable Märzen. Full salary and full-bodied in flavor, golden yellow in color. Original beer tastes just as before" (source).
• Avery Nuttiest Professor, $13.99/12oz - "This creamy and colossal peanut stout is nuts. But, our resident archaeologist, historian, brewer, and professor...he’s really nuts. Mad peanut science" (source).
• Short's Autumn Ale, $1.99/12oz - "Autumn Ale is an English-style Extra Special Bitter (ESB). It has a medium body, amber colour, and full flavor. This beer exhibits a wonderful balance of malty sweetness and earthy, herbal hop bitterness. Autumn Ale won a silver medal at the 2006 Great American Beer Festival" (source).
• Southern Tier Salted Caramel, $4.99/12oz - "Dessert beer brewed with Himalayan sea salt and notes of caramel" (source).
• Southern Tier Cold Press Coffee Pumking, $4.19/12oz - "Imperial pumpkin ale with cold pressed light roast coffee" (source).
• Epic Oak and Orchard Plum, $13.59/375ml - "Started in Foeders then aged in whiskey barrels with plum" (source).
• Epic Oak and Orchard Pinot, $13.59/375ml - "As a sister beer to the Syrah, is a Pinot inspired sour that features blueberry, boysenberry, cranberry, strawberry and plum. The fruity bouquet pops with red berries, French Oak and light cellar notes from the Brettanomyces. The beer is crisp and puckering with the tartness of unripe fruit and a complex vinous finish that any wine lover would admire" (source).
• Arbor Mackinac Island Fudge, $2.89/12oz - "Each small batch is brewed with 5 different malts , real fudge, milk sugar, and a light dose of hops for a deliciously rich and complex chocolate flavor that’s not too sweet or too heavy" (source).
• Arbor Violin Monster, $2.89/12oz - "A geographical approach to the werewolf legends results in the identification of a major werewolf area stretching from mid-Germany into the Netherlands and Belgium.  With this in mind, we have created a strong, dark, spiced using ingredients from those regions. Brewed with Midnight Wheat, warming spices, and a hint of brown sugar, the Violin Monster is black as night and packs a punch at 9.5%" (source).
• Black Rocks Honey Lavender Wheat, $1.79/12oz - "A great combination creating a delicious creamy easy drinker" (source).
• Revolution League of Heroes, $22.49/12pk - "The League of Heroes pack contains Anti-Hero IPA and a rotating selection of three Hero-Series IPAs. Each new iteration of the pack will contain one featured Hero-Series IPA that is debuting through the League of Heroes pack. Available at the tap room and retailers" (source).
• Sierra Nevada Narwhal, $2.29/12oz - "Narwhal Imperial Stout is inspired by the mysterious creature that thrives in the deepest fathoms of the frigid Arctic Ocean. Featuring incredible depth of malt flavor, rich with notes of espresso, baker’s cocoa, roasted grain and a light hint of smoke, Narwhal is a massive malt-forward monster. Aggressive but refined with a velvety smooth body and decadent finish, Narwhal will age in the bottle for years to come" (source).
• Stone Fruitallica, $8.99/22oz - "A tropical double IPA with a death metal kick to the codpiece" (source).

Video of the Week | Bell's Octoberfest

Now available at Siciliano's.

Cheers!