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Saturday, December 3, 2016

Stone 14th Anniversary Encore Emperial IPA


Stone 14th Anniversary Encore Emperial IPA...$7.49 / 22oz
We went to England this past spring as self-styled “IPA Hunters” on a mission to learn more about the confusing and often contradictory history of India Pale Ale—to look for some certainty where those before us have found mostly mystery and mercantilism. While our success in this pursuit is open to debate, there can be no question that we returned home inspired by the ghosts of Burton and by the experience of poring over 150-year-old brewer’s logs handwritten in (India?) ink. Stone Brewing Co., after all, traces its lineage back to the British Empire’s brewing history: We make ales, and all of our original offerings used traditional British styles as a jumping-off point. If this seems a roundabout way of letting you know that, yes, we are in fact brewing another IPA to mark our anniversary, well, so be it.

This one, however, promises to be different! From the imported white malt to the “Burtonised” water to the rare yeast strain to the most pungent hops Kent has to offer, we used all British ingredients to brew our “Emperial” IPA.* While we may have brewed Stone 14th Anniversary Emperial IPA with our own distinctively modern, San Diego-style touch, what good is history if you can’t rewrite it to suit your tastes?

In this case, our tastes called for highly intemperate quantities of Target, East Kent Golding and Boadicea hops, bestowing upon this dry-bodied ale a powerfully spicy, earthy aroma. On the palate, peppery hops assert themselves early and often, with malt sweetness making a brief appearance before being beaten back by a long, complex, and decisively bitter finish. What better way to contemplate the fate of empires past, present, and future?

*Um, except for our filtered Colorado River water, of course.

Ezra Brooks Bourbon Cream Liqueur


Ezra Brooks Bourbon Cream Liqueur...$11.99 / 750ml
Ezra Brooks® Bourbon Cream perfectly marries natural cream and bourbon whiskey for a rich, creamy flavor that is the perfect choice for the colder months of the year.

Kavalan ex-Bourbon Single Cask Strength Malt Whisky





Kavalan ex-Bourbon Single Cask Strength Malt Whisky...$179.99
Only 166 bottles produced
58.6% ABV
Selected for Missouri Whisky Enthusiasts
Kavalan ex-Bourbon Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky
Kavalan ex-Bourbon is a delightfully complex, multi-dimensional single malt whisky, with vanilla, fruit and coconut highlights. Matured in hand selected American ex-Bourbon casks, the whisky is available at cask strength and non chill-filtered hence retains the fuller flavour of the natural single malt whisky.

Booker's Small Batch Bourbon Bluegill Creek Small Batch




Booker's Small Batch Bourbon Bluegill Creek Small Batch...$43.99
“I’m pleased to share the fourth release in the Booker’s Bourbon 2016 Batch Collection, Batch 2016-04, also called “Bluegill Creek.” This batch honors my dad, Booker Noe, and one of his favorite pastimes – fishing for bluegill. When I was selecting this batch, the hot and humid Kentucky summer weather reminded me of the days Dad and I spent together on the water. We used to go down to the creek and sit for hours, hoping to reel in some bluegill to fry up for dinner. When my son Freddie was a boy, Dad took him fishing too, and I know it’s a tradition that will continue to live on. I guess you could say fishing for bluegill runs in our family, so it seemed like a natural fit to name a batch in honor of one of Dad’s favorite pastimes.

I know Dad would enjoy “Bluegill Creek” for its signature flavors of robust vanilla true to every Booker’s batch. If he were here today, he’d sit down by the water with a glass of this bourbon in one hand and a fishing pole in the other.
— Fred Noe, Beam Family’s 7th Generation Master Distiller

LABEL INSPIRATION
Booker’s “Bluegill Creek” batch is made up of barrels from four different rack houses and five different production dates. It is bottled at 128 proof and was aged for 6 years, 5 months and 28 days. It was unseasonably warm even by Kentucky standards on the day that I selected the barrels for this batch, and it brought me back to the hot summers that my Dad, Booker Noe, and I spent together fishing for bluegill. When selecting this batch, I wanted something that could be enjoyed in the summer heat while staying true to Booker’s Bourbon standards, and I think Dad would be proud of how “Bluegill Creek” turned out.

This batch would make a great Kentucky Tea, which was one of Dad’s favorite ways to enjoy his Booker’s and includes a healthy splash of water in the glass, which really opens up the flavors and aromas of the liquid. “Bluegill Creek” contains the robust flavors of vanilla that Dad always looked for when selecting batches of Booker’s, and I know he would be proud to have a batch of his bourbon named after one of his favorite pastimes.
-- Fred Noe, Beam Family’s 7th Generation Master Distiller


BATCH INFO
Age: 6 years, 5 months, 28 days
Proof: 128.0

TWCP Single Barrel Smooth Ambler 11 Year Old


 Sold out now 

Smooth Ambler Old Scout TWCP Single Barrel 11 Year Old...$51.99
Aged : 11 years old
ABV: 48.5 %
Barrel # 3802
Yield only 181 bottles

11 year old barrel with a high rye content of 36%, this fine whiskey has exceptional taste and smoothness. Non chill filtered, non carbon filtered. It’s strong, but deliciously drinkable like all of Smooth Ambler’s offerings. Bold, sweet-spicy flavors with subtle apple, cherry and tobacco aroma.
60% corn, 36% rye, 4% malt – a ‘high rye’ bourbon

Russian River Collab at the Growler Station


New to the growler station - 
Russian River Collaboration Pils!!



Firestone Walker Collab 
          with Russian River Brewing
STiVO - Keller Pils

94/100 Ratebeer overall
99/100 RateBeer in its style

INTRODUCING “STiVO,” A CRAFT PILSNER LOVECHILD
After a lengthy courtship, Russian River Brewing Company and Firestone Walker Brewing Company:

STiVO—an immaculately conceived mashup of their respective craft pilsners, STS and Pivo.

A collaborative beer made by Russian River owners Vinnie and Natalie Cilurzo and Firestone Walker’s Brewmaster Matt Brynildson

Both brewers say that STiVO is as much a testament to personal friendship as professional collaboration.

“This beer has 10 years in the making,” said Brewmaster Matt Brynildson. “Vinnie and I respect each other immensely as brewers, but more important, we’re good friends.”

Brynildson noted that when the Cilurzos built their brewery, Vinnie Cilurzo would call regularly seeking technical input. Conversely, when Firestone Walker established its Barrelworks wild ale facility, the brewing team leaned on Cilurzo for his expertise. Cilurzo even gifted his original bottling line to Barrelworks. In 2014, when Russian River was undergoing a brewhouse expansion, Firestone Walker temporarily brewed Pliny the Elder to help keep the taps flowing (“That was the ultimate collaboration,” Brynildson said). Both brewers are also founding members of Hop Quality Group.

“It had to be inspired…”

Naturally, over the years, pressure began to mount with regard to a potential collaboration brew. “People have been asking us for years about a collaboration beer, but we never wanted to force it,” Brynildson said. “It had to be inspired.”

That inspiration finally struck when they began discussing the idea of a collaborative pilsner to commemorate the 2016 Firestone Walker Invitational Beer Fest.

“Neither Matt nor I started out as pilsner brewers when we each got our start in the craft beer industry, but it’s a style we are both passionate about,” Cilurzo said.

Added Brynildson, “I think people were expecting us to come out with something like Pliny The Elder-meets-Double Jack on steroids, or some extreme barrel-aged beer. But it ultimately came down to us wanting to make the type of beer we personally like to drink when we’re hanging out.”

The result is STiVO, a happily arranged marriage of the STS and Pivo recipes. “Our water philosophies and malt profiles were already essentially the same, and our yeast strains were pretty similar, so it really came down to how we wanted to handle the hops, and the overall weight of the beer we wanted to make,” Brynildson said.

“Although many pilsners from around the world have influenced me, none give me more inspiration than Pivo,” said Cilurzo. “Blending our two pilsner recipes to create this special brew for the 2016 Firestone Invitational seemed only natural. Natalie’s and my friendship with Matt and the Firestone Walker family is at the very heart of this beer.”

Cilurzo and Brynildson ultimately split the hops down the middle between Pivo’s German Saphir hops and STS’s Alsatian Aramis hops, both of which belong to the new wave of European hop cultivars.

“These hops are more similar than they are different, and they blend really well together,” Brynildson said. “They don’t taste like fruity American hops, but they’re not like Old World Hallertau hops, either. They’re perfect for this idea of a new age hoppy pilsner.”

Cilurzo and Brynildson also bumped up the front-end malt for a slightly higher gravity and a resulting ABV of 6.3%, a distinct notch above the 5.3% of STS and Pivo while still remaining dry and super drinkable. Also, like STS, STiVO was racked to kegs unfiltered and will be presented in the classic keller style, naturally carbonated and slightly hazy.

As Brynildson put it, “STiVO is the desert island beer that Vinnie and I would share if ever we were thrown off the boat together.”

Thursday, December 1, 2016

Troullier Tandem 94 points from the Wine Advocate




The only bad thing about these new releases from Gilles Troullier is that they’re made in tiny quantities. -- The Wine Advocate


2014 Troullier Tandem Cotes Catalanes...$25.99

(lowest price on Wine-Searcher is $31.99)A fabulous value, the inky colored 2014 Cotes Catalanes Tandem comes from Maury and offers classic notes of chocolatey dark fruit, licorice, graphite and bouquet garni. Full-bodied, rich and layered, with a big mid-palate and no shortage of texture, it makes the most of this cooler, difficult vintage and will drink well for 5-7 years.
Rated 94/100 The Wine Advocate

Gilles Troullier made the highly rated wines for Chapoutier's Bila Haut for over 10 years. Now he has started his own project.

Left Hand Smoke Jumper




Left Hand Smoke Jumper...$8.49 / 22oz
Here in Colorado we are blessed with abundant natural beauty. Smokejumpers are those fearless wildland firefighters who specialize in parachuting into the wilderness so that we can continue to enjoy it. Smokejumper Imperial Porter is a tribute to them – a twenty-one degree plato porter made with barley malt hand- smoked by our brewers. Roasty brown in color, the long lingering smokiness wraps around flavors of molasses, toasted malt and an earthy hoppiness. Here’s to smoke in your glass, not in the woods.

Smokejumper is the official beer of The National Smokejumper Association. www.smokejumpers.com.

FRIDAY NIGHT TASTINGS AT BALLWIN

Friday - December 2nd

FRIDAY NIGHT TASTINGS AT BALLWIN.
Every Friday from 5-7. We will be tasting a featured winery/region. 


This week is Bordeaux time!!

VINTAGE BORDEAUX TASTING!!!!
2012 LaTour Martillac  $45.99 
From the Jean Kressmann family, Latour-Martillac has made major strides in quality in both white and red wines for well over 10-15 years. The 2012 has a dense ruby/purple color, and better integration of oak is apparent in this medium to full-bodied wine that shows lots of plum, blackcurrant, licorice and subtle earth. It is medium to full-bodied, with ripe tannin and a long finish. It is another successful 2012 from Pessac-Léognan, one of the top appellations in this vintage. Drink it over the next 15-20 years. 90 PARKER

2006 Quinault l'Enclos $33.99
The 2006 Quinault l’Enclos exhibits the elegant style that Raynaud has achieved in every vintage over the last decade. Sweet black raspberry and currant fruit along with hints of spring flowers and smoky oak are followed by a round, gentle, restrained wine revealing outstanding purity, medium body, and a fine finish. While it is not as prodigious as the 2005, it is a strong effort for the vintage. 90 PARKER

2005 Potensac $41.99 
A superb value for Jean-Hubert Delon, the 2005 Potensac has a deep ruby/purple color, a classic bouquet of sweet red and black fruits, as well as gorgeous texture and purity. Medium-bodied and concentrated, this wine behaves like a Medoc cru classe. Moreover, it will age very well for 10-15 years. Very impressive! 90 PARKER

2006 Cantemerle $45.99 
The 2006 Cantemerle was the "surprise package" of the blind tasting at Farr Vintners' horizontal. It has a conservative nose with rosemary and undergrowth scents that open nicely in the glass, but retain a sense of classicism. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannin, lightly spiced red berry fruit, sage and white pepper, quite persistent on the finish, which feels very pure. What an outstanding 2006 Claret - a Cantemerle that punches well above its weight. Tasted April 2016. 92 PARKER

Don Melchor scores big!!




2012 Concha Y Tory Don Melchor...$88.99

Wonderful aromas of black olives, meat and currants. Hints of fresh mint. Full to medium body, with sublime tannin texture that feels like the finest silk. A finish that lasts for minutes. Palate has amazing energy, richness and freshness. A great wine. So layered and balanced. 93% cabernet sauvignon and 7% cabernet franc. Drink or hold.
Rated 98/100 James Suckling

Suave and refined, with rich, dense flavors of dried berry, dark plum, rose petal and bramble. Offers fine-grained tannins and accents of green olive. Finishes with hints of hot stone, dried beef and white pepper. Complex. Drink now through 2022. 7,400 cases made.
Rated 95/100 The Wine Spectator

Templeton Rye 10 Year Old


Very limited release
Templeton Rye 10 Year Old Special Reserve..$129.99 
TEN YEARS STRONG.
Templeton is, and always has been, a railroad town. During Prohibition, local bootleggers would smuggle Templeton Rye aboard livestock trains bound for Chicago and Al Capone. As the years passed, the world around Templeton changed, but the railroad is still here and so is The Good Stuff. Featuring a smooth body and a long finish, the Templeton Rye 10 Year is a testament to the people and the strong community spirit of Templeton, Iowa. For the last decade they’ve lived at the heart of our brand, and like the trains chugging through town, that’s never going to change.
All bottles will be sold in a commemorative box and hand-numbered. Only 6,080 bottles will be available for this one-time bottling, highly allocated collector’s item.

Rodenbach Limited Edition


RODENBACH IS FINALLY BACK!
We have not seen this in 20 years it seems like.


Rodenbach Limited Edition 2012....$19.99 / 750ml
Rodenbach, the exceptional Flemish red-brown sour ale of mixed fermentation, takes on its unique character by maturing in handmade oak vats, some over 150 years old. This exclusive limited edition Vintage by Rodenbach is the result of two year aging
process in Vat Number 170, resulting in our finest ale produced. Enjoy this unparalleled sweet and sour palette with a complex aftertaste

Stone Xocoveza Charred Bourbon Barrel Aged

SOLD OUT



Stone Xocoveza Charred Bourbon Barrel Aged....$16.99 / 500ml
STONE XOCOVEZA MOCHA STOUT AGED IN BOURBON BARRELS
2016 SERIES BATCH NO. 03
The base beer is the recipe of 2014 Stone Homebrew Competitionwinner Chris Banker, an intensely flavorful milk stout brewed with cocoa, coffee and spices to mimic the flavors of Mexican hot chocolate.

Time spent in bourbon barrels gave an already complex beer even more complexity and flavor intensity, layering additional caramel-like and vanilla flavors on top of those already present. Aromas of rich coffee and dark chocolate are followed by nutmeg and cinnamon; a lush, heavy mouthfeel laden with charred oak and toffee engulfs the palate on the first sip. Lingering pasilla pepper and soft oak flavors persist through an exceptionally long finish in this intensely rich and satisfying beer.

Wednesday, November 30, 2016

New Clase Azul Mezcal and Anejo Tequila



Clase Azul Mezcal...$219.99
Handcrafted for
Magical memories
Mezcal Clase Azul made from wild Cenizo Agave, grows wild in the State of Durango where the extreme climate, the rich minerals of its soil, and the source of natural springs in the area, give particular force and complexity to its notes, making it an entirely different mezcal than what is produced in the rest of Mexico.  They do not buy their juice, the own and produce it.

In addition, its unique and colorful top is hand-crafted by artisans belonging to the Wixarika or Huichol culture.  Each piece that a Huichol artisan creates, using beeswax, resin, a needle, and individually placed beads, in a special way represents their roots and their traditions that race back to ancient times.  In this instance, combining images that together reference the origins of mezcal.







Clase Azul Anejo...$419.99 
Clase Azul Añejo “Edición Indígena Mazahua” (or Mazahua-Edition) is the fruit of two worlds that meet. It symbolizes the union of authentic Mexican indigenous roots (represented by the unfired clay) with European glazing techniques, result in a combination of history, art, and the highest quality tequila all making Clase Azul Añejo a truly exemplary expression.

Tuesday, November 29, 2016

Prager Limited Gruner Veltliners






2015 Prager Grüner Veltliner Smaragd Wachtum Bodenstein...$63.99
Wachtum means “Growth” or “Cru”. 

Planted in 1998 with 110 diverse genotypes and several rootstocks, the golden-yellow colored 2015 Grüner Veltliner Smaragd Wachstum Bodenstein displays a deep, yet very clear and pure, fascinatingly aromatic bouquet of ripe fruits and crushed stones. Full-bodied, complex and very salty, this is a rich and highly elegant as well as intense Veltliner with great tension and a stimulating grip and salinity in the finish. Great complexity and length.
Rated 96/100 The Wine Advocate




2015 Prager Gruner Veltliner Federspiel Hinter Der Burg...$29.99

Hinter der Burg is an important “calling card” wine for the winery and showcases Prager’s stylistic signature of aromatic complexity coupled with power and nervosity. High-density planting and long hang times ensure ripeness and power while practices such as allowing leaves to shade the fruit allow for vibrant aromatics of grasses, herbs and wildflowers.
Tasting Notes
This is a clear brilliant lemon colored white wine with notes of peppery arugula and watercress on the nose, along with zesty lime ring, kumquats and wet slate. The palate has similar flavors of Daikon radish, kumquat, lime, white grapefruit, peppery watercress and tangy clementine. This is a high quality wine with balance of acidity and long length.

90 Point Foxglove Chardonnay



The Wine and Cheese Place

Great Value in California Chardonnay
2014 Foxglove Chardonnay...$12.99
Made by some of the best Chardonnay winemakers in California, Jim and Bob Varner, the value-priced 2014 Chardonnay released under the Foxglove label sports a light gold color to go with exotic notes of pineapples, melon, citrus blossom, spice and hints of green herbs. Supple, forward and straight-up delicious on the palate, with no hard edges and a clean, classy profile, it's a steal at the price and will drink nicely for a year or three.

Rated 90/100 The Wine Advocate

Saugatuck Brewing Stout Pack

In stock now at Forsyth

Saugatuck Brewing Stout Pack...$18.99 / 12 pack

Includes 3 bottles of each...
  • Beam Me Up Stouty Coconut Stout: A light bodied rich stout with intense coconut flavor and aroma
  • Darker Than Your Soul: Time to unleash your dark side. Darker Than Your Soul Stout is a smooth and creamy stout with huge flavor and dark body. Brewed with de-husked malts to minimize bittering and increase taste
  • Neapolitan Milk Stout
  • Blueberry Maple Stout




Public House Brewing Six Degrees Chocolate Porter



Public House Brewing Six Degrees Chocolate Porter....$8.99 / 6pk
Six Degrees Chocolate Porter is a robust porter brewed with cocoa nibs that provide subtle dark chocolate notes on the nose to soften the roastiness of this classic English style. This malty dark ale features a lightly burnt, black
malt character with a subtle hint of sweetness in the finish. Overall, this ale leaves you with complex and flavorful roasty characters that are balanced with dark chocolate flavor.


There’s nothing more seasonal than knocking the snow off your boots, huddling up with a blanket and enjoying a beer with the majestic Missouri winter landscape in clear view. This chocolate-infused porter is just the beer for that moment. Customers will imagine themselves lighting a fire and warming up with this roasty seasonal.

Uinta Rise and Pine Hoppy Dark Ale


The Wine and Cheese Place


Uinta Rise and Pine Hoppy Dark Ale...$8.49 / 6pk cans
Juniper and piney hops build the framework for this bold dark ale. With its assertive bitterness and smooth malt finish, this beer stands tall above the rest.

Stone Double Bastard Bigger Longer Uncut

The Wine and Cheese Place


Stone Double Bastard Bigger Longer Uncut...$8.49 / 22oz
ARROGANCE. DOUBLED. BARRELED. SERVED STRAIGHT UP.
100% AGED IN ISLAY SCOTCH WHISKY BARRELS
My arrogance has metamorphosed into a peatier, haughtier, boozier, doubler, more “er” of everything version of itself. Unlike the malted substance, which abetted my materialization, you don’t have chiseled iceberg chunks or fizzy, sugary pop sugar crystals at your disposal to cut me or soften the unbridled intensity of my righteous state that is liquid arrogance. Go ahead. Try me. This Islay whisky barrel-infused ale could put a lion’s mane on a hairless cat.

Rogue Promise Gone Aw-Rye IPA



The Wine and Cheese Place




Rogue Promise Gone Aw-Rye IPA...$6.49 / 22oz

STYLE: Rye IPA 


FOOD PAIRING: Beef, Spicy
TASTING NOTES: This red rye IPA has a subtle kick from the Rogue Farms rye up front, full malt body throughout, and plenty of hops in the finish. We all enjoyed it and know you will too.
11 INGREDIENTS: 2-Row, Munich, Rogue Farms Dream Rye, 40, C75 & C120 Malts; Rogue Farms Liberty Hops, Centennial & Simcoe Hops; Free Range Coastal Water & Pacman Yeast.

Rogue Yellow Snow IPA - now in cans!!


The Wine and Cheese Place

Rogue Yellow Snow IPA...$9.49 / 4pk 16oz cans
STYLE: India Pale Ale 

FOOD PAIRING: Beef, Spicy

TASTING NOTES: Pale golden in color with a hoppy fruity aroma. Big hop flavor up front complemented by medium body and hoppyness mid-palate. It finishes with a characteristic, lingering bitterness.

8 INGREDIENTS: CaraFoam, Melanoidin, 2-Row & Rogue Farms Dare™ & Risk™ Malts; Amarillo Hops; Free Range Coastal Water & Pacman Yeast

New Holland Cabin Fever




New Holland Cabin Fever....$9.49 / 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"

Ska Euphoria is back for the season

When this was first released a few years back, I remember it was crazy, people were fighting for it!  We could not keep it in stock.  We were buying 20+ cases at a time.



Ska Euphoria Pale Ale....$8.99 / 6pk cans
FRESH Euphoria


"This seasonal beer is brewed in the Do It Yourself (DIY) spirit along with our friends from Bayfield at the Venture Snowboard Factory. An India Pale Ale, the Euphoria is crafted with piles and piles of Golding hops to provide a unique spicy finish. Great for after hitting the slopes.

Anarchic enlightenment: (1) Brewed in strict accordance to D.I.Y. methodology, the beer of choice for epic powder days. (2) brewed and bottled by ska brewing company, durango colorado using the finest hops, yeast, malted barley and san juan waters.
-- Rated 94/100 in its style on RateBeer

Straffe Wild with Brett




Another 20 cases arrived at this great price!

"Best by end of 2019" - lots of life left in it!
2015 Straffe Hendrik Triple Ale Wild....$5.99 / 4pk
Was $18.99 / 4 pack
Straffe Hendrik Wild is only once a year bottled.
Straffe Hendrik Wild is a wild version of the famous Straffe Hendrik Tripel. This traditional beer is re-fermented with "Brettanomyces' yeast, which creates separate fruity flavors that harmonize with the rich use of aromatic hop varieties. The wild yeasts give the beer a longer shelf life and flavor natural evolution over the years. The beer has a longer aging in bottle before it can be released. Only after three months in the cellars is completed, the fermentation of the wild yeasts and the young beer drinkable. However, the beer continues to evolve in the years following. The bitter hop aromas become softer, while the wild yeasts continue to work and are fruity and floral aromas.

Firestone Walker Velvet Merlin




Limited release


Firestone Walker Velvet Merlin Oatmeal Stout...$9.99 / 6pk
A decadent oatmeal stout. Velvet Merlin offers robust cocoa and espresso aromas with subtle American hop nuances. Rich dark chocolate and roasted coffee flavor with a creamy mouth feel and wonderfully dry finish create the perfect balance in this full-bodied stout. Ideal for sipping in the winter months or at the end of a meal.

style: Oatmeal Stout
abv: 5.5%
ibu: 27
malts: Maris Otter, 2-Row Pale, Roast Barley, English Dark Caramel, Medium Caramel, Carafa Malt, Oats (15%)
hops: 100% US Grown Fuggle Hops