De Molen goodies...

Some more De Molen beers have arrived....

Order De Molen online now



De Molen Hel & Verdoemenis...$8.99 / 11.2oz

Rated 99/100 Ratebeer

 

Translation: Hell & Damnation

Brewed with brown malts, an English traditional specialty malt, we created an Imperial Russian Stout that has won prizes at festivals across Europe from Sweden to Italy. It’s big (10% ABV), black, roasted and complex. We are convinced that not trying this ale will be a mortal sin to your taste buds and beer experience.

Style Imperial Stout
ABV 11,9%
EBC 308,9
EBU 99,

De Molen Heaven and Hell....$8.99 / 11.2oz
Heaven & Hell Imperial Stout

10.2% ABV

Brewed August 26, 2010

Bottled October 5, 2010

This beer will aged 25 years

50 cases made of this batch.

Each bottle finished in red wax.

Rated 99/100 RateBeer
Twice the amount of dark roasted malts used, massive Imperial stout. This is a mad one. Black brown colour with a thick and creamy tan head that can be added to as you wish if you give the bottle a swirl. Give this beer time to breathe and blossom into something truly stunning. Chocolate and alcohol are right there at the front but do not at all overpower the gorgeousness that is underneath. Full of leather, vanilla, amazing wooden notes, beautifully floral character from the hops, thick Belgian chocolate, much character. The flavour of crazy wooden tartness. An extremely bitter finish seems to come out of nowhere and is what really makes this quite unique. Superb width in the mouth and coats the whole palate beautifully.




De Molen Bommen and Granaten....$9.99 / 11.2oz
Bombs and Granades - Barleywine
Rated 94/100 RateBeer

Brewed Jan 2010

Bottled Feb 2010

This beer will age for 25 years

This batch produced 50 cases

"With 15% ABV is was more than obvious that we had to name this dessert beer Bombs and Grenades. The use of champagne yeast has had it’s effect on both flavour and body. There’s plenty of fruit like orange, tangerine and sweet apples. It’s powerful and full bodied but still easy going. Although the name would suggest otherwise it’s our favourite amongst the female clientele yet also highly appreciated by the other sex." -- De Molen

Grand Teton 2011 Coming Home!!

Order Grand Teton online.  

2011 Grand Teton Coming Home  Holiday Ale...$9.99 / 750ml

This Belgian-Style Golden Ale is rich in flavor and is designed to be a smooth and soothing sipping beer. Deep blonde in color, Coming Home 2011 uses rich malts balanced by a special Belgian yeast strain which adds notes of soft, peppery, clove-like spice character to the beer. Belgian candi sugar is used during the brewing process to give this ale a clean, easy drinking appeal. True to the Belgian tripel style, it carries deceivingly soft alcohol aromas. Don’t let the innocence fool you, this holiday ale is one to be respected. It will delight when shared with your favorite people during the holiday season and can also be cellared to warm you on any cold winter’s day. This beer should age gracefully and can be cellared for a year or more. Enjoy Coming Home 2011 with cajun crab cakes or your favorite holiday game bird, whether it be roast turkey, pheasant or duck. For dessert we suggest a delicate creme brulee or an apricot-amaretto tart. 

ABV: 9.0% 

ABW: 7.2% 

IBU's: 42 

SRM: 3.7 

OG: 18 degrees Plato

Mt. Veeder at an incredible price!!!!

Available online

Amazing price!

2008 Mount Veeder Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon....$19.99
Compare to $40 at MtVeeder.com

Half price of what the winery is selling it for!

Tasting Notes:
85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9 % Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot, 1 % Malbec, 1% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Syrah
Deep ruby red in color. Bold cassis aromas with ripe layers of black plum and dark cherries, complemented with complex notes of clove, molasses, bay, and vanilla. Full and dense mouthfeel with rich, velvety tannins. Flavors of blackberry, cocoa, tobacco, mocha, and cassis fill the palate with generous body and supple texture.
Winemaker Notes:
Our Mount Veeder vines speak a language all of their own. Becoming uent in that language, fully understanding all of its subtleties and nuances, is the trick to making great wine from mountain vineyards. Over the years, we have come to know the contours, dips, and ridges of the mountain—and the sequence of ripening that is the key to it all.
A Mount Veeder harvest is a Zen-like art of moving across a three dimensional chessboard. Take the uphill side of the vine only, or the downhill side, or just the north, south, east, or west section. We pick only what’s ready and at peak avor and ripeness. It’s a complex endeavor, and needs to be carved with precision, matching areas of the block that are at the same level of ripeness, and leaving other areas to mature another week or more.

info from the winery

Buffalo Trace Limited Releases!!

We got in a little more of some rare Buffalo Trace Bourbons

Very Limited!!

Single Oak Project

Experimental Collection

in stock now at our Forsyth location

Allagash Collaboration....

We have the De La Senne and Allagash Collaboration in stock now...

Order Online

Allagash Collaboration De La Senne Very Speciale Belge...$4.99

"The "Speciale Belge" beer style was created in 1904 for a brewing contest that was organized by the Universities of Belgium. The goal was to improve the quality of Belgian beer. The winner was a new style, called "Belge". Due to the success in the contest, a number of brewers decided to brew the style and called it "Speciale Belge".
A "Speciale Belge" is pale amber in color (slighly darker than a pilsner) as brewers tried to copy the color of pilsner in a top fermenting ale. Later the color became darker as pilsners became very common to prove that the style is something special." - B.United Importer describing the Belge style

Our next barrel arrived of Buffalo Trace

In stock now at Rock Hill and Forsyth...

also available online

Our second barrel of Buffalo Trace --- 

The "Single Barrel Personally Selected by The Wine and Cheese Place" Buffalo Trace has arrived!! 
Everybody loved our first barrel -- come taste our second barrel and see what you think....

This used barrel will be filled with 2nd Shift Cat Spit Stout....

read more

Breakfast Stout is back

Another batch just arrived - no limit anymore

In stock now.
 -- order online now

Founders Breakfast Stout...4pk
ABV = 8.3% and 60 IBUs
"The coffee lovers consummate beer. Brewed with an abundance of flaked oats, bitter and imported chocolates, Sumatra and Kona coffee, this stout has an intense fresh roasted java nose topped with a cinnamon colored frothy head that goes forever." -- Founders
"You’ve got to love coffee to truly appreciate this phenomenal brew. Brewed with an abundance of flaked oats, bitter and sweetened imported chocolates, Sumatra and Kona coffee. We’re actually not sure if this is some type of coffee cake or a beer. Either way you can drink this ale with a fork. Breakfast Stout has an intense fresh roasted coffee nose topped with a cinnamon colored frothy head that seems to never fade and makes you wish breakfast could last forever. "
Rated 100 percentile on RateBeer (over 1,100 ratings)
Rated A on BeerAdvocate (over 1,100 ratings)

Another Missouri brewery now bottling....

2nd Shift Brewing bottles now in stock , 

Also online

2ND SHIFT BREWING

New Haven, Mo.

"Welcome to the home of great beer. 

We did it! We finally got the beerification process started, and it only took 4 years, so start asking your favorite publican for us.

We are a micro that will be making beer that is big on flavor and aroma, the way beer should be. There will be several styles and a continuing line of seasonal and special beers that will be produced throughout the year." - 2nd Shift Brewing

A new one from 2nd Shift in the bottle.

2nd Shift Hibiscus Wit....$8.99 / 750ml

Hibiscus Wit...it's all over the place

Heres what I've been goofin around with for a while. I love belgian wits on hot summer days (or freezin your butt off days). Anyway I took a witbier and threw in a bunch of hibiscus flowers from Egypt and made the stuff even better. 5.2%

2nd Shift Liquid Spiritual Delight Ale...$9.99 / 750ml

LSD is a 7.5% stout that is a chewy, chocolaty and a joy to behold. We will be putting it and some of our other beers in 750ml bottles by the end of the month.

2nd Shift Brewing Unicorn Killer Saison....$9.99 / 750ml

UK2 is a new version of UK1 using different spices that I can't freely talk about without getting in trouble from the powers that be... let's just say this one doesn't have fresh unicorn milk like the first one did. It's gonna be around 6.5% ABV

Choklat!!!!!

One of Southern Tier's hottest beers is here!!!

In stock at Forsyth

Order Southern Tier online


Southern Tier Choklat
the ancients called it 'food for the gods'

The Popol Vuh, the sacred book of the Maya, unfolds a complex web of mystery around a beverage known as xocoatl (ch-co-atle). At Southern Tier, we’re not surprised that hieroglyphs of the ancient Maya depict chocolate being poured for rulers and gods. Even through the many voyages of Columbus, the mystical bean remained nothing more than a strange currency of the native peoples.

Moving through centuries, the circular journey of cacao has been realized in our brewing house, encompassing the complexity of the darkest, bitter-sweet candy together with the original frothy cold beverage of the ancient Maya to bring to you our Blackwater Series Choklat Stout. We have combined the finest ingredients to tempt your senses & renew the power & interrelation of history in every bottle.
9.1% abv • 195º L • Imperial Chocolate Stout • 22 oz / 1/6 keg
2-row barley / caramel 60 malt / barley flakes / chocolate malt / bittersweet Belgian chocolate / kettle hops: chinook & willamette



info from their website

Henriot Rated 93 Champagne!!!

Amazing Champagne....

Henriot Brut Champagne Souverain NV........$39.99

Compare to $50 Wine Spectator
Firm and toasty, with hints of tropical fruit mixing with notes of quince, lemon zest, smoky mineral, ginger and white pepper. This finds a balance between its fresh, lively character and a sweet, juicy component, ending with a long, mouthwatering finish. Drink now through 2021. –AN
Rated 93/100 The Wine Spectator

El Nido 2009s have arrived...

This wine has a great track record...

2009 El Nido Clio Jumilla....$42.99
70% old vine Monastrell sourced from a vineyard planted in 1944
30% Cabernet Sauvignon from a vineyard planted in 1979

Here is the info on the 2008 vintage --
"The 2008 Clio is made up of 70% old vine Monastrell sourced from a vineyard planted in 1944 and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon from a vineyard planted in 1979. The alcoholic fermentation is in oak followed by malolactic fermentation in new barrels and aging for 24 months in new French and American oak. A glass-coating opaque purple color, it exhibits an expressive nose of pain grille, underbrush, brier, mineral, blueberry, and blackberry fruit leading to a plush, opulent wine with great density, savory flavors, and a lengthy finish. In spite of its size, it is surprisingly light on its feet and can be approached now. However, it will evolve for 3-4 years and offer prime drinking from 2014 to 2023."


Here is the amazing track record of scores from The Wine Advocate
2008 - 94

2007 - 94

2006 - 95
2004 - 97

2003 - 96

2002 - 93

2009 El Nido El Nido....$129.99

Not reviewed yet....but 2009 vintage for Spain appears to be the best since 2004.
Here is what The Wine Advocate said about the 2008
"The 2008 El Nido is a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Monastrell also aged for 24 months in new French and American oak. It gives up a bit more aromatic complexity with ramped up concentration and volume. In the glass, notes of blueberry, blackberry, exotic spices, and pepper lead to a plush, silky, 60-second finish. Give this behemoth 6-8 years to become civilized and drink the Clio cuvee while you are waiting."
Another amazing track record -- has not scored below 96 points for 7 years!

2008 - 96

2007 - 96

2006 - 97

2005 - 98

2004 - 99

2003 - 97

2002 - 96

De Proef Flemish Primitive Wild Ale (Surly Bird)

De Proef Flemish Primitive Wild Ale (Surly Bird)...$10.99

There are 6 different labels and six different versions of this beer. All are similar. 

SURLY BIRD -  (45 IBU’s, extra finishing hops)

Commercial description: Fermented three times with two different yeasts, including a strain of brettanomyces - the "wild yeast" of lambic brewing. Pale golden color with an enormous rocky white head. Brett and spicy aromatic notes, with a malty-juicy note on the palate. Finishes with Brett and dry hop notes. April 2003 selection - Michael Jackson’s Rare Beer Club. 94 points - World Beer Championships

Rated 94/100 RateBeer

Rated A- BeerAdvocate

Available online

New Limited Nebraska beer....

Order Nebraska Online

Nebraska Brewing Apricot Au Poivre Saison....$19.99 / 750ml
Rated 96/100 RateBeer

(Papillion, NE) – Nebraska Brewing Company is pleased to announce the release of the first full production bottling of its Reserve Series Apricot au Poivre Saison.

Barrel Aged Apricot au Poivre Saison is an artful interpretation of a Belgian-style Saison created with Apricot puree and lightly spiced with Black Pepper. Six months of additional aging in third use French Oak Chardonnay barrels imparts a deliciously unique character not found in other Craft Ales. The delicate flavors and aromas of oak, apricot, chardonnay, and pepper intertwined in the barrel to achieve a flavor profile that is simultaneously complex and delightful.

This Reserve Series Beer was originally conceived as a seasonal beer and later introduced into a third use barrel in anticipation of added character that would enhance and not overpower. The end result is Nebraska Brewing Company’s 5th entry into an elevated realm of Craft Beers that require great skill, patience, and a little luck. Previously, this Craft Beer had been bottled and released primarily within the Brewpub with a few cases being distributed in select locations.

Paul Kavulak, President of Nebraska Brewing Company stated: “Our Reserve Series line of barrel aged beers provide our enthusiasts with some of what we consider to be our best. Since their inception, each brand within the series has been able to achieve and maintain a level of superior quality, diverse tastes, and fantastic complexity.”

Kim Kavulak, Vice President & General Manager of Nebraska Brewing Company adds: “The release of our Reserve Series Beers has come to be a highly anticipated event. With this being the first ever full batch release of BA Apricot au Poivre Saison, we believe consumers will be extremely satisfied.”
Nebraska Brewing Company was formed in November of 2007 and has established itself as a Midwest Innovator of quality Craft Beers and artisanal Barrel-Aged Products. Building on a reputation for quality, flavor, and creativity – Nebraska Brewing Company strives to be a stand-out in an ever growing field." -- Beernews.org

Nebraska Brewing Company is proud to be a locally owned and locally operated brewpub in Papillion, Nebraska. Small, independent, and pushing the envelope.

Fantome flies in stock..

Order online

Fantome de Noel....$12.99

Fantome La Dalmatienne.....$12.99 / 750ml

First time we have seen this one, cannot find too much info on it.  On BeerAdvocate, they list two different ones -- one with Black label and white dots and the one we got has the white background with black dots?

Today's nightmare --

FouFoune or Lou Pepe Gueuze

sold out

1 bottle per person (one or the other)
When you order, put in your first choice and then add your second choice.   I will go down the list of the first 12 people and each will get 1 bottle.  If your first choice is out, you will get the second choice.

After it goes live and  you click the link and see nothing, that means it is sold out and I have "turned it off".

• We only have 6 bottles of each  1 bottle per person.  
• Just because you get your order in is no guarantee, I will need to confirm.  Our system has no way of automatically stopping at 12 orders.
• 
  
• Your confirmation will say something like your order has been reviewed and waiting for product.  You will then get another email telling you that the beer is ready for pick up at the store when it does arrive in the next few hours.

A couple of NEW Mikkeller beers...

Order Mikkeller online

Sour from Mikkeller

"These monks are mad, they are raging.  They are on their way to punish the one who spiked their sweet Quadruple with a blend of Sour Ale.  Psst - it was Mikkeller who did it..." -- Label

Mikkeller Sur Monk....$11.99 / pint
9.99% ABV

"The newest Mikkeller beer is a Belgian hybrid between two classic beers. The Sour Monk is a sweet quadruple and an extremely sour and spontaneous fermented lambic. The result is best described as sweet and sour. Sour Monk is related to the Rodenbach and other red and brown beers from Flandern.
The label, which portrays 3 sour monks in an old car where the back seat passenger is holding a lighted Molotov cocktail out the window, is yet another fantastic design by Keith Shore." -- Mikkeller

Mikkeller Porter....$8.99 / pint
"The next Mikkeller beer in line is a porter called Porter. It is brewed at Amager Bryghus, bottled in half liter bottles and adorned with another label by American artist Keith Shore.

This porter might be the most delicious beer Mikkeller has brewed in 2011. So soft, smooth, sweet and black, so inviting, delicate and habbit-forming we are having second thoughts even releasing it. If you go just half as crazy as the people who have already tried it we will have a massive addiction epidemic on our hands.

Mikkel even suggested drinking the whole batch himself, because as he said, Porter is so good it hurts him to see other people drink it. After some consideration we have decided to release it in one month." --  Mikkeller

Some returning Mikkeller beers...

Mikkeller makes some of our favorite beers and some of the best in the world.

"The story of Mikkeller is the story of two homebrewers that in a few years went from hobby brewing in the kitchen to national and international recognition...Already in Mikkellers first year as a brewery (2006), the two creators, Mikkel Borg Bjergsø and Kristian Klarup Keller, were named Danish brewery of the year and the fifth best brewery in the world by http://www.ratebeer.com/." -- Mikkeller

Mikkeller It's Alive!....$12.99 / 750ml

"It's Alive! is Mikkellers answer and tribute to the trappist beer Orval. It's Alive is an easy-to-drink beer, with a lot of hops. The colour is amber, the foam is high, white and dense. The potent Brettanomyce culture makes It's Alive continue to develop in the bottle." -- Mikkeller

A new batch is here. 
Mikkeller 1000 IBU.....$12.99
"...Because – believe it or not – this beer is actually very well balanced. Residual sweetness contrasts nicely with the bitterness from hop and the result is a beer, that is much easier to drink than what you would assume.
The name IBU 1000 refers to the theoretical IBU of this beer. There are physical limits to how much bitterness beer can soak up. For the benefit of those especially interested in the process of brewing we can tell you that 6½ kilogram of alpha-acid extract was used og 10 kilograms of simcoe-pellets per 1000 liters beer! This means that ”easy to drink” is only for the hardcore hopheads...." -- Mikkeller's Website







Order Mikkeller beers online -- click here to order online.



Here is a video from Mikkeller's website about the 1000 IBU

Old Rasputin Barrel Aged

Another case arrived

North Coast Old Rasputin Barrel Aged XIV....$19.99 / pint

Russsian Imperial Stout Aged in Bourbon Barrels

We have another 12 bottles -

Watch for more info later on these..

Schlafaly Bourbon Barrel Aged Quad for The Wine and Cheese Place

The label for our first Collaboration has been approved!!!!!

The beer has been in barrel since August 5 of 2011.  With the label approved and the bottles ordered, we are hoping to bottle late January or early February 2012 when then beer will have seen 6 months in the barrel.  Stay tuned!  Remember, there will only be abougt 20 cases of 750ml bottles made (or about 240 bottles).  Talk about limited production!


We will announce the release and how to purchase bottles here on our blog or  
Like us on Facebook  or
Follow @TWCPBeer

Here is a look at the label......

The Wine and Cheese Place is extremely excited to have our first label approved....

We have recently been selecting and purchasing our own barrels of Bourbon.   We taste through a number of barrel samples and then choose which barrel we like the best.   The Bourbon distillery then bottles the Bourbon for us with our own label and normally would clean and ship the barrel to us for display.  But, we thought, why waste this perfect vessel for display purposes, why not use it to age a delicious beer?  We asked the Bourbon distilleries if they would not wash, clean, or do anything to the barrel and just ship it to us as is -- they all said yes!   The Wine and Cheese Place Barrel Aged Collaboration Series was born.

The first in the series is with Schlafly -- St. Louis' original craft brewery.... 

The Wine and Cheese Place Collaboration #1 with Schlafly  
The St. Louis Brewery, Schlafly, paved the way for craft breweries in St. Louis.  Without Schlafly, the booming St. Louis Craft beer scene that we are currently experiencing would not be happening right now.   When this Collaboration Series first germinated, I approached Dan Kopman of Schlafly first because of everything they have done for us and for St. Louis beer scene.  Dan and Schlafly were on board and the wheels were in motion on the collaboration series.

Click here to read more about our barrel aged series.

4 Hands Brewing Co. labels getting approved...

St. Louis' next brewery to open and start bottling will be 4 Hands!!

3 labels just got approved.  4 Hands plans on opening in the next week!

Check out pictures from the tour a took awhile back - click here

We are happy that 4 Hands will also be barrel aging one of their beers for us.  We should be putting the beer in barrel in then next week or so. -- read more 

Bargain Chardonnay....

Alfredo Roca Mendoza Chardonnay....$12.99

100% Chardonnay * No Oak * Fresh and Delicious!

The Roca family has been producing wine in Mendoza for 4 generations, and currently farms nearly 260 acres in San Rafael, the southernmost province of Mendoza. At altitudes of 2,300 to 2,600 feet above sea level, Roca's vineyards produce distinct, cool-climate wines of singular quality.

Tasting Notes: Offers vibrant pear and apple aromas. Has a touch of richness, but thankfully lacks fat, buttery flavors.

Serve With: Excellent on its own, but can stand up to richly sauced poultry, seafood, or creamy pasta dishes.

Grateful Dead Steal Your Face Red Wine Blend

Grateful Dead fans -- great holiday gift...

2009 Grateful Dead Steal Your Face Red Wine Blend....$11.99 / 750ml  
To capture the essence of the live energy of Grateful Dead’s Steal Your Face, Winemaker Mark Beaman chose to meld several varieties into one. Just as the band members would segue through various musical styles, this wine’s far-reaching flavors melt seamlessly from one to the next. In honor of the band’s famous improvisational concerts that have brought joy to so many, this wine celebrates Mendocino County’s bounty of diversity and freedom of experimentation.

Tasting Notes 25% aged in seasoned French oak and 75% in redwood uprights for 20 months, this distinctively unique mix of Syrah, Petite Sirah, Zinfandel, and Grenache tastes of black cherries, peppered back with a velvety vanilla and caramel finish.

Imbue Vermouth

Available online now

A new Vermouth - 

Imbue Bittersweet Vermouth...$26.99 / 750ml
What is Imbue?
imbue Bittersweet is a raised glass to the beautiful aperitif wines that have been hand-crafted for hundreds of years. This vermouth seeks inspiration from the classic old world style but adds bountiful Northwest flair. Each batch begins with fine Oregon Pinot gris, the white varietal for which the Willamette Valley has become best known. After many months spent in American and French oak barrels, imbue is macerated with a collection of botanicals and finished with a touch of artisan Oregon brandy.

The name "Bittersweet" reflects our desire to achieve perfect balance - looking to the classic "blancs" for sweetness but rounding the palate out with a backbone of beautiful bitterness. imbue Bittersweet is best enjoyed as an aperitif served on the rocks with a twist or as the base in dozens of creative craft cocktails.

Click here for some recipes

Beer from Brazil

A couple of beers from Brazil

Bohemia Brasil Beer...$10.99 / 4pk 

The first Brazilian made beer

Bohemia is the first Brazilian beer. Created in 1853, it retains to this day its original characteristics of superior quality and unique taste, which can only be provided by the most traditional of the Brazilian beers.

Bohemia is the best rewarded beer in Brazil due to its longevity in the market and its exceptional and unquestionable quality. In the course of 150 years, Bohemia has been faithful to its main characteristics: aroma and flavor. Its Master Brewer dedicates to the alchemy of this original recipe since 1853.

Bohemia is a truly unique product, with a strict and superior quality standard. Bohemia holds the reputation of being Brazils best Pilsen beer. In addition it is among the top four best selling beers in Brazil along side Nova Schin, Skol and Brahma.

Skol Beer...$9.99 / 4pk

Pilsner Beer from Brazil

Skol is a clear and crisp pilsner beer. It goes down smooth, with a perfect amount of carbonation to give it a little bite and just enough flavor.

Skol is Brazil's best selling beer brand. Whether it is an advertisement on the beach, or a vendor selling ice-cold cans on the streets, Skol is one of the most popular beers in Brazil.

Skol Brazilian pilsner beer is served in most restaurants, bars and clubs in Brazil. In Australia you can drink Skol in most Brazilian BBQ restaurants, boutique and premium bars in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. DRINK IT ICE COLD !

A new Fee Brothers Bitter

Fee Brothers Black Walnut Bitters - new!!

Taste: Pretty dead-on black walnut taste with a strong, astringent bitter component at first then a slightly sweet finish. Other very nut-like notes, such as hazelnut and also a fair amount of unsweetened chocolate or cocoa.

Final Thoughts:.One of the best bitters they have come out with in awhile, very intresting, complicated and full of promise. I really look forward to playing with this in a number of drinks to see how it plays out. Really outstanding value for the money - a nicely made product at a very cheap price - refreshing !

This product is the *only* black walnut bitters commercially available in U.S. 

Review from Spirits Review

We have a large selection of Fee Brothers Bitters including Orange, Lemon, Cherry, Rhubarb, Peach, Grapefruit, Mint, Chocolate....

Plus a new batch of the Barrel Aged Bitters has arrived!

Sauce does a feature on a couple of new liquors...

Drink This Weekend Edition: Small-batch spirits to make the drink scene bright

December 9th, 2011

In the wide world of alcoholic beverages, the word “small” is in big-time fashion. Tiny wineries and microbreweries are cropping up across the country, offering drinkers some tasty tours of avenues off Main Street. In the case of spirits, the explosion of small-batch, artisan distilleries gives drinkers the opportunity to explore myriad expressions in practically every spirit category. Case in point: Pinckney Bend and Dry Fly, two distilleries new to the St. Louis scene.

Located in New Haven, Mo., about 50 miles west of St. Louis, Pinckney Bend Distillerylaunched its first product last week: a small-batch gin made with American grain and infused with the flavors of nine certified organic botanicals, each distilled separately. Distillery co-owner Ralph Haynes explained the decision to limit the number of botanicals. “If you load them up, things can become muddled,” he said. “Our goal was to create a gin that merged the dominant juniper more gracefully with citrus, to create crisp layers of flavor, without losing focus.” Thus Pinckney Bend dialed back on the juniper and coriander and kicked up the citrus with sweet and bitter orange and lemon peels.

Pinckney Bend gin is one of the few Missouri-made gins on the market and joins Spirits of St. Louis gin as one of only two made in the region. In addition, the craft distillery partnered locally with 2nd Shift Brewing, also in New Haven, for its grain mashing and fermentation.

Also new to the region: Dry Fly Distilling, a craft distillery in Spokane, Wash., which produces a line of vodka, gin, whiskey and bourbon using only locally grown grains and botanicals. The company was founded in 2007 but its products finally arrived in St. Louis this September. The vodka, made of winter wheat, tastes of butter and has a smooth, creamy texture. Dry Fly gin is infused with the flavors of six botanicals – juniper stands out, as do licorice and lavender. It’s a lively gin and a nice expression of a spirit that is meant to be mixed, so be sure to try this one in a classic gin martini. Dry Fly’s 100-percent wheat whiskey, aged for 18 months in new American oak casks, is a superb sipper. Sniff caramel and butterscotch and savor the soft taste of ripe stone fruit and a dash of warm cinnamon. Dry Fly Washington bourbon, the first-ever commercially produced bourbon from Washington State, just hit the area market.

So, how can you track down a bottle of these new-to-The Lou spirits this holiday season? You’ll find Dry Fly and Pinckney Bend on shelves at The Wine and Cheese Place in Clayton. A 750-milliliter bottle of Pinckney Bend gin retails for $23, while the Dry Fly gin and vodka both clock in at $33. Dry Fly whiskey sells for $50 and the bourbon is $65. If you enjoy these offerings, keep an eye out, because more are on the way. Dry Fly Brand X, a whiskey made from triticale (a rye-wheat hybrid grain) and aged in French oak, should arrive in fall 2012. Also look for a Pinckney Bend malt-based whiskey to debut next summer.

New Lips of Faith....

In stock now -- reserve online

New Belgium releases two new Lips of Faith in St. Louis...

New Belgium Lips of Faith FRESH HOP IPA...$7.19

ABV =7%

IBU = 79
"A truckload of fresh hops on a midnight run from Washington State to Northern Colorado made it to our kettles just in time. Fresh Hop IPA is a citrus punch of the green stuff: Amarillo, Centennial and Cascade hops straight off the vine. This brazen and deliciously bitter IPA pours deeply golden with the slight haze of a really hoppy beer. The fresh hops poke you right in the nose and the liquid hits your tongue with a sharp blast, finishing light and dry. This is the hop harvest, in a glass, just for you."

New Belgium Lips of Faith Prickly Passion...$11.99
Prickly pear and passion fruit mingle together for New Belgium’s return to farmhouse ales. Prickly Passion Saison is truly a beer for Belgian inspiration. The combination of passion fruit and prickly pear juices with the tropical esters of a traditionally earthy Saison yeast create a wonderfully broad and reaching mango-like character. Ostentatiously amber, this Prickly Passion Saison is sure to provoke the palate with a passionate prick, turn that bottle over and take a sip.

The Balvenie Tun 1401 - very rare

Rare Scotch...

reserve it online

The Balvenie Tun 1401 Batch 3...$219.99

Previously only available at The Balvenie Distillery in Speyside, Scotland, Tun 1401 Single Malt Whisky by master blender David Stewart has made it way to the US in limited quantities. The hand-picked selection of The Balvenie rarest whiskies—some going as far back as the 1960s—are combined and rested for four months in the wooden blending tank named Tun 1401. The resulting single-malt whisky is deeply spiced with plenty of brown sugar flavor, menthol-like salinity and a richness that makes it smooth straight out of the bottle despite the high alcohol. —Lou Bustamante

Wine and Spirits Magazine