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Friday, November 27, 2009

More stuff just in...


In stock at Forsyth now...


Sierra Nevada Celebration....$2.79 / 24oz bottles!


Abita Christmas Ale....$7.49 / 6pk

"Christmas Ale (November – December) rounds out our calendar. Generally, this beer is a dark ale, however, the recipe changes each year, offering a unique product crafted with special care. Enjoy your holidays with Abita Christmas Ale. The spicy character is excellent with traditional holiday foods such as gingerbread or spiced nuts. Try some Blue cheese or a creamy Camembert with a Christmas Ale." --brewery

Some new Mighigan treats

In stock at Forsyth


New Holland Cabin Fever....$8.99 / 6pk
ABV = 6%
"Winter Seasonal - Cabin Fever is a roasty brown ale and a hearty, comforting companion for long, mind-bending winters. Its rye, roast and raisin notes play off a subtle caramel sweetness and culminate in a dry finish. Cheeses to try: Gruyere & Smoked Cheeses"








The hot style seems to be Wheat Wine
-- we are still waiting for the Boulevard Harvest Dance Wheat Wine

New Holland Pilgim's Dole...$7.29 / 22oz
ABV = 11.4%
Pilgrim's Dole - Wheat Wine
"Pilgrim’s Dole is a barleywine-style ale made with fifty percent wheat malt, or what we at New Holland call a wheatwine. Pilgrim’s Dole blends warming and slightly sweet flavors with a unique caramelized character. It would be an excellent accent to nutty dishes, fruit crisps or creme brulee.During the 14th century, the term “Pilgrim’s Dole” described the rations of bread and ale given to nourish wayfarers on their holy pilgrimage. At New Holland, Pilgrim’s Dole is brewed for the cultural explorer of today. It is a rewarding discovery on the road to enlightenment. Whether in a snifter or from your rucksack, Pilgrim’s Dole will enhance any experience and is certain to incite wanderlust and to fuel adventure.It is a barleywine-style ale made with fifty percent wheat malt, or what we at New Holland call wheatwine. Pilgrim’s Dole blends warming and slightly sweet flavors with a unique caramelized character." -- brewery



"Appearance: Poured hard in a pint glass, a surreal viscous cascading foam emerged out of no where … quite amazing to look at. From there it produced a thin tiny bubbled lace that was comparable to a good pint of Guinness. The deep tawny hue only showed a minimal haze. Smell: Wafts of alcohol and ripe fruit … suggestions of pineapple and raisins come to mind. Sweet to the nose. Taste & Mouthfeel: Creamy mouth feel and full bodied. Right off the bat I think of rum raisins, lots of sweetness not the palate but not cloying. A touch of rough spiciness from the wheat but not astringent, nice spicy bite from an alcohol and hop mix. Finishes with a lingering alcoholic spice and some residual sweetness. Notes: One of the most interesting strong beers I have had to date, tastes of a mellow English Barleywine though with a big wheat accent. Truly a great beer and a must try if you are in to strong ales of any kind."
--- Rated A- by Jason Alstrom of BeerAdvocate

New Holland beers also available online - click here

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Sierra Nevada...

Our Provisions location got in some
Sierra Nevada Celebration in 24oz bottles.
$2.79 / 24oz

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Southern Tier Winter Ales

In stock now at Forsyth

Southern Tier Krampus Imperial Helles Lager...$5.99 / 22oz
Are you naughty or nice?
"St. Nicholas, aka Santa Claus, is a magical figure, the bringer of gifts and an icon of holiday spirit. Forgotten by most is his evil side kick and enforcer of ‘the list’. European tradition says while St. Nick is busy delivering presents to good little boys and girls, Krampus hands out punishments to the bad. A fanged, goat-horned bully, the Christmas Devil uses sticks and chains to beat the naughty children. Dark malts and aromatic hops create the diabolical spirit of this brew. It is finished with lager yeast and aged cold for no less than 30 days. This Imperial Helles Lager will warm even the darkest hearts. This season, replace the cookies with a bottle of Krampus. If he happens to pay a visit, toast to him with this devilish brew. Merry Kramp-mas to all, and to all a good pint!" -- Southern Tier
9.0% abv. • 20º plato • Imperial Helles Lager



Southern Tier Old Man Winter Ale....$8.99 / 6pk

A liquid winter wonderland
"With the onset of winter, the brewer’s mind turns to providing warmth. For our winter seasonal, we offer a rich and complex amalgam of hops and barley that will put the feeling back in your toes and lift your spirits above the snow. OMW throws a deep and inviting hue with a thickness that clings to the glass and the warmth of an open flame. Because of its high alcohol content, Old Man is a heady brew that encourages sipping and pondering its essential richness. Drink it fresh now, or cellar a few bottles to see how this old man becomes wiser with age." -- Southern Tier

7.2% abv • 16.8ºL • Old Ale


Dogfish Head and Sierra Nevada

Dogfish Head and Sierra Nevada Collaboration

Bad news, only a few cases came to St. Lous and we only got BOTTLES. I allocated it out to my waiting list and saved 1 bottle for our Friday tasting.

I have not decided if we should taste it this Friday after Thanksgiving (or will too many regulars be out of town or forced in to family get togethers.)

Please leave a comment to vote on which Friday you would like to taste this rare beer.
Vote for which day to taste it:
Friday, November 27
Friday, December 4



Life and Limb....$12.99 / 24 oz -- Sold out!


Press release from Beernews.org

Sierra Nevada and Dogfish Head to release ‘Life & Limb’ Collaboration
Chico, CA (08/12/09)- This fall, independent craft brewers, Sierra Nevada Brewing and Dogfish Head, will release two collaborative beers. Limb & Life -a draft-only beer – will debut in October; with Life & Limb 24oz bottles and limited draft to follow in November.
The beers- Life & Limb, and Limb & Life-are dedicated to the family of beer drinkers and enthusiasts worldwide who continue to support the little guys, iconoclasts, entrepreneurs, and pioneers who risk life and limb to shape the vibrant craft-brewing community. Over the years, the two brewers-Ken Grossman and Sam Calagione-have become friends in the industry. They quickly realized how many similarities they share. Grossman’s history as a craft-brewing pioneer and his radical approach to brewing are echoed some fifteen years later by Calagione-through his boundary-pushing innovation and tireless promotion for the cause of craft beer.
Both men started out as home brewers obsessed with beer-making. Both share deep values of sustainability and responsibility. Both share the desire to pass their breweries on to the next generation, and both started out small-from humble beginnings-and built vibrant, creative, beer-centered and fiercely independent breweries, despite the long odds.Their mutual respect, admiration, and none-too-few shared glasses of beer led to the collaborative idea.
“I have gotten to know Ken through our years on The Brewers Association Board and at numerous beer events throughout the country. As a brewer myself, it is inspiring to see a person like Ken drive a beer-centric (as opposed to a biz-centric) brewery so far and so wide while sticking to his original ideals and integrating his family into the company. I have enjoyed talking (and drinking) beer with his children, especially Sierra and Brian who currently work alongside Ken at Sierra Nevada. The iterative process of conceptualizing and brewing this beer with Ken and all the folks at Sierra has been a joy. We have designed this beer to intertwine signature aspects of both of our breweries’ creative approaches-from sustainability to exotic sugars, from bottle conditioning to cellarability.
I hope Mariah, our amazing co-workers, and I can keep Dogfish on track with our beer-centric ideals for many years to come. I will know how successful we’ve been at this task if my children, Sammy and Grier, are able to share a bottle of 2009 Life & Limb with Sierra and Brian at a beer dinner or festival 15 years or so from now. I am hopeful that, as they toast each other, they can hold their heads up high knowing our two breweries were among many fine breweries that breathed LIFE into the colorful, diverse, and beautiful LIMBS of the American craft-brewing family tree.” – Sam Calagione, President and Founder, Dogfish Head Craft Brewery.
“Sam and I have spent many evenings laughing, arguing, and toasting glasses, talking about where we are in the business and where we’re going. As Sierra Nevada approaches our 30th anniversary, it’s inspiring to step back and see how far American craft beer has come. People like Sam and Dogfish help to push the boundaries of beer, and it has been fun working with him and the Dogfish crew. This is our first time working with maple syrup in beer on this kind of scale, and the first time we know of anyone using birch syrup. It has been an interesting and inspiring experience and will hopefully lead to big things.
As a beer, Life & Limb has so much meaning for me personally, and for the brewery. As our first collaborative release, we couldn’t have had a better partner. Our families are coming together in this beer, both literally and figuratively by using ingredients from our family “farms”-estate hops and barley from us; maple and birch syrup and exotic sugars from Sam-and by having the Dogfish family come to Chico to brew. As the bottled beer ages and changes over time, it will be great to see our families share this beer over anniversaries of their own.” – Ken Grossman, Founder, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
Life & Limb is a 10% ABV strong beer that defies style characteristics-brewed with pure maple syrup from the Calagione family farm in Massachusetts and estate barley grown on the Grossman “farm” at the brewery in Chico. The beer is alive with yeast-a blend of both breweries’ house strains-bottle conditioned for added complexity and shelf life, and naturally carbonated with birch syrup fresh from Alaska; it is the first beer we know of ever to use birch syrup in the brew. If stored under good conditions, this rich, full-bodied beer should age well for years. Life & Limb will be available in 24-oz. bottles and limited draft starting this November.
Limb & Life is a companion to the big beer-an acorn off the larger tree. It is a 5% ABV small beer-a low-gravity beer made using the residual sugar as “second runnings” from the first larger brew, fortified with American hops. This is a session beer. Its big brother is a sipper. Limb & Life will be a limited draft-only product, a prelude to the bigger beer, available in select bars and restaurants this October.
The two beers will be bottled at the Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., in Chico, CA and released through the Sierra Nevada distribution network.

Texas shipping...

Sorry, to all our Texas customers, we have been told by your legistators that we are no longer allowed to ship alcohol to your state.

Mighty Aphrodite is back!!

BACK IN STOCK! Another 96 bottles in stock now!

Available online now

Another very limited brew....



Dieu du Ciel Aphrodite...$4.99 / 11oz
Black ale with aromas and flavours of vanilla, dark chocolate, bourbon and roasted malt. The vanilla and cocoa marry nicely, without out-competing each other, to produce a surprisingly well balanced beer. This beer is mildly hoppy, but the cocoa introduces a touch of bitterness. Its colour may be intimidating, but it is a very smooth beer within reach of most beer drinkers. This highly appreciated dessert beer is brewed with organic fair-trade cocoa and first rate vanilla beans.
Rated A on BeerAdvocate.com
Rated 100 percentile on Ratebeer.com

"Aphrodite, known in Greek Mythology as the Goddess of Love, is an alias for another ale from Dieu du Ciel known as Aphrodisiaque. Beer reviews currently put it in the #52 slot at RateBeer" --- http://www.beernews.org/

Plus more of these great ones arrived (click on them to read more)

Dieu du Ciel Rigor Mortis ABT....$4.99 / 11.5oz

Dieu du Ciel Equinoxe du Printemps....$4.99 / 11.5oz

Dieu du Ciel Peche Mortel....$4.99 / 11.5oz
(becoming harder to get again)

2009 New Year's Eve Blue Moon

Now available online
Blue Moon Grand Cru Belgian White...$8.49 / 25oz
Limited Edition - in stock at Forsyth

A rare event.
"A blue moon is the second full moon in one month. And it happens only once every two years. This year, there's a blue moon on New Year's Eve, which hasn't happened for 20 years. So when the clock strikes midnight, raise a pint of Blue Moon beer to ring in the new year." -- Blue Moon


A rare brew.
"When we found out there was going to be a blue moon on New Year's Eve, we wanted to celebrate. So we brewed Blue Moon Grand Cru. This unique, limited-batch brew incorporates subtle hints of orange peel and coriander and delivers a warm, spicy finish. Granish it with and orange slice and celebrate." -- Blue Moon


"In Belgium, a Grand Cru is traditionally brewed for special celebrations. This holiday season, there's definitely something to celebrate: a blue moon on New Year's Eve. To honor this rare event, we've brewed a limited-edition Blue Moon Grand Cru in the U.S. " -- back label

Monday, November 23, 2009

Darbyste is back now...


Back in stock...

Blaugie Darbyste....$11.99 / 750ml

"A traditional style named for John Darby, preacher of temperance whose parishioners were oddly moved by a ‘soft drink’ they insisted was just fig juice . . .

The Blaugies Darbyste is a saison made with wheat and fermented with fig juice. A variant of the Belgian “Wit” or “Blanche” style, but a little drier and a lot more substantial and flavorful. In his Beer Companion, Michael Jackson notes the burgeoning interest in the Belgian style of wheat beers in the U.S. and elsewhere, and adds hopefully that “perhaps an acute traditionalist will bring back the use of figs as a fermentable material.”

The brewery at Blaugies has answered the call. According to Jackson, “The figs are not evident in the flavor, which is light, lemony and dry.” This is a great beer for summer – and the best “blanche biere” of Belgium. Very spritzy, as a saison should be - be careful popping the cork.

Darbyste is hand-brewed in small batches by the impassioned, gifted Blaugies brewers, a husband, wife, and son team. They’re very adventurous in recreating traditional beer styles - and are some of the nicest people you will ever meet. The family enjoys good food and beer, and consumes a lot of its own product for cooking and drinking.

We like the rougher, grainier malt texture of all their beers. They give you the feeling that the brewers put this beer in a bottle just a few days ago, especially for you." -- importer

Page 24 Noel

First time in the U.S.
Page 24 Biere de Noel....$8.99 / 750ml fliptop
"A saison Beer, brewed for the winter months, the Christmas batch is an Amber Beer, warm and convivial." -- their website


Read about the rest of Brasserie St. Germain Page 24 beers -- click here

Santa's Little Helper....

2009 is available online also


Mikkeller Santa's Little Helper 2009...$12.99
ABV 10.9%
I cannot find any notes on the 2009 yet, it is slightly less in alcohol than the previous two years which both said 11% on the label. The only other difference on the label is the tree is decorated and so is Mikkel's nose.




Here are notes from the previous two years...

2008 Vintage:

"Similar to the SLH07, the 2008 version is a big bold beer, brewed with water, malt (pale, special-B and chocolate), flaked wheat, dark candy syrup, dark cassonade, hops (northern brewer, hallertauer, styrian goldings and simcoe), spices (sweet orange peel, coriander seeds, cinnamon and cocoa) and yeast. The sweetness of the orange peel and malt is balanced by a fresh hop bite. What sets the '08 apart is less sweetness than 2007. Cocoa and cinnamon add bitterness, spice, and depth of flavor." -- importer


2007 Vintage:

"A dark strong Belgian ale brewed with: water, malt (pale, special-B and chocolate), flaked wheat, dark candy syrup, hops (northern brewer, hallertauer and styrian goldings), spices (orange peel and coriander seed) and ale yeast. This year’s version of Santa’s Little Helper is a real winter warmer. It is inspired by the Belgian Christmas beers, known for their thick warming body, light spices and balanced hop profile. Orange peel and coriander seed gives, along with the extreme fermentation temperatures, a massive mix of fruity nuances, which makes SLH07 an orgy of aromas and flavours. Merry Christmas!!" -- importer

O'Fallon Russian Imperial Stout

Update:
I talked to Brian Owens, "the mad scientist brewer" as Tony Caradonna calls him and he said the Russian Imperial stout was their test to see how high their yeast strain would go -- it hit 9.5%. He said that the Imperial Stout will be draft only, maybe late December. He did say that he has some of their Smoked Porter in Four Roses Bourbon Barrels to be released in January hopefully. And he repeated what Tony said, watch out next year. They have some great stuff "brewing", no hints yet though. The new stuff will be in bottles!!



Some exciting news for Missouri...
O'Fallon Russian Imperial Stout


I noticed that O'Fallon got a Russian Imperial Stout registered (so far, just draft) and found out from Tony Caradonna that we will see a lot of new stuff this year now that they have a license to produce higher alcohol beers! No word yet on what will be bottled. I will post when I get more information.





"We did upgrade our license. Lots of fun stuff coming in the new year!" --Tony Caradonna








Also back in stock--
O'Fallon Chocolate Cherry....$7.49 / 6pk
A dark wheat beer that tastes like a chocolate covered cherry…only better!
Style: Dark Wheat
Alcohol: 5.7% ABV
Bitterness: 10 IBUs
Color: 13.3 SRM
Grain: Pale, White Wheat, Caramel 40L, Chocolate
Hops:Cluster


Old Rasputin...

Thought we should also re-visit

North Coast Brews....


Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout...$8.19 / 4pk
Produced in the tradition of 18th Century English brewers who supplied the court of Russia's Catherine the Great, Old Rasputin seems to develop a cult following wherever it goes. It's a rich, intense brew with big complex flavors and a warming finish.
Vital Statistics
Style: Russian Imperial Stout

Color: Black
ABV: 9%
Bitterness: 75 IBU's



Rated 100/100 percentile on RateBeer
Rated A on BeerAdvocate




North Coast Old No.38 Stout...$8.19 / 4pk
Named for a retired California Western Railroad steam engine on the Fort Bragg to Willits run through the Redwoods, Old No. 38 Stout is a smooth, firm-bodied stout with the toasted character and coffee notes of dark malts and roasted barley.
Vital Statistics
Style: Dublin Dry Stout

Color: Onyx
ABV: 5.5%
Bitterness: 53 IBU's








Pranqster Belgian Style Golden Ale...$8.19 / 4pk
Belgian Ales represent the height of the brewers' art. Sophisticated brewing techniques, yeast blends and unique flavoring elements have elevated the beers of Belgium to the status enjoyed by wine in other countries.
PranQster follows in this tradition using a mixed culture of antique yeast strains that produce a floral nose, a full fruity flavor and a clean finish.





North Coast Le Merle Belgian Style Farmhouse Ale...$7.49 / 750ml
Le Merle is a rustic ale, pale in color, inspired by the rich brewing traditions of the Flanders region. Abundant hops and a Belgian yeast strain contribute exotic aromas of tropical fruit.
Vital Statistics
Style: Saison
Color: Straw
ABV: 7.9%
Bitterness: 26 IBU's
.
.
Other beers from North Coast's impressive lineup include:
Old Stock Ale
Acme IPA
Acme Pale Ale
Scrimshaw
Blue Star Wheat
Brother Thelonious Belgian Style Abbey

Sunday, November 22, 2009

Interesting new label...NC vs. De Molen

Here is the new label ------------->

De Molen has changed their Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout name to:
Disputin Russian Imperial Stout due to a dispute with North Coast. Follow what STLHops readers are saying.


De Molen apparently was forced to change their name and packaging....

This is written on the front label of De Molen Disputin
"This stout used to be called Rasputin, but the people who make a product with a similar name in California thought you were too dumb to tell the two products apart, and threatened to sue us for trademark infringement. Think about that when you're out looking for a way to spend your hard-earned beer money."
-- De Molen's new label

I can see that their could be some confusion espcecially with the coming of the North Coast Old Rasputin Anniversary in the cork finished bottles -- click here for a picture


Here is the old label (we still have some left, of the now collectible bottle) .

I have batch brewed on Feb 12, 2009 and bottled March 16, 2009 (480 bottles made)



We have De Molen "old label Rasputin" and other De Molen beers available online also
click here

Old time recipes....

Available online also

De Molen/Ron Pattinson SSS Triple Stout...$15.99

"SSS Triple Stout was a collaborative brew between brewmaster Menno Olivier and beer historian and respected blogger Ron Pattinson. The recipe is Pattinson's recreation of a triple stout from 1914 London. The original was brewed on July 8th 1914 right at World War I was beginning. Pattinson mentions that considering its strength, this original brew of SSS was very large - 230 barrels." -- importer




De Molen/Ron Pattinson London Porter....$15.99 / 750ml

"The Original Porter. Or a recreation, at least.

Beer historian, and respected blogger, Ron Pattinson collaborated with De Molen brewmaster Menno Olivier on this historic treat. It's a taste of what the "original porter", brewed by London's Whitbread Brewery, would be like without having to travel back to pre-WWI days. Whitbread was known to be one of the largest producers of porters during this time and brewed their original porter on August 1, 1914, only a few weeks before the outbreak of World War I." -- importer



"Pattinson also collaborated with Olivier on De Molen's Triple Stout, another historic reproduction. According to Pattinson, he chose these recipes because he wanted to:
-show what British beers were like before the dramatic changes of WWI
-demonstrate the relationship between British Porter and Stout
-show the defining characteristic of London Porter and Stout - the use of brown malt

Both beers were brewed in extremely limited quantities. Even Pattinson himself laments how difficult they are to get his hands on: he only received 6 bottles of each. De Molen shared the remaining 754 bottles with us.

Click here to visit Pattinson's blog, "Shut up about Barclay Perkins" -- importer

De Molen beers...

Thought it was time to re-visit De Molen beers...
Available online also

De Molen Donder Bliksem...$15.99 / 750ml

Double Dutch Ale

"Not to be confused with the Pilsener-style Dutch version (or the reindeer) the Donder and Bliksem found in America is labeled a "Double Dutch Ale" by the brewery. It might resemble an American Barleywine, if it weren't for its subtlety. We describe it as a "Dutch Dobbel Bok", but really this beer defies categorization.

Premiant and Saaz hops lend a mellow hop character to dominant malt flavors. Elegant and warming, but still packing a punch, this beer lives up to its name, which translates to Thunder and Lightening." -- importer





De Molen Pek & Veren Smoke Stout...$15.99 / 750ml

Brewer Menno Olivier tells us only this on his website:

"Ingredients: water, barley malt, peat smoked malt, hop and yeast."

8% ABV with peat smoked malt? Does he need to say more?






De Molen Storm & Averij Double IPA...$15.99 / 750ml
"The Dutch have always been a sailing nation. Our sailors were considered the best by many nations for centuries. But no matter how experienced they were and how hard they worked every ship caught in a storm had to lick her wounds when it was all over. Nowadays De Molen offers real men and women the opportunity to resist the storm of this Double IPA. Try it and discover how malts, yeast, hops and dry hopping can create a great bitter sweet mixture of orange, grapefruit and spices...

An Imperial/Double IPA: A hazy golden-orange colour with a rich firm white foam. Big fruity hop aroma with a little yeastiness of orange-peels, mango,pine-needles, peaches, hay and wet grass. Full-bodied with notes of yeast, blood oranges, mango, biscuits and orange-peels. Long orangey, juicy, bitter finish with touches of yeast and pine. Dry hopped with Czech hops (Premiant)."