Oct 30, 2008

Saison-Brett - Smokestack

Sold Out!

Boulevard Smokestack Series
Saison-Brett...$11.99 / 750ml

"Commercial Description: Unofficially known as The "George Brett" - a reference given at the Ommegang BCTC festival in 2006. George Brett is a baseball Hall of Famer who played in Kansas City, Boulevard's hometown, and the festival is held in the same town as the MLB HOF, hence the mildly humorous play on words."
Rated 98/100 percentile on www.ratebeer.com
Rated "A-" Excellent on www.beeradvocate.com
Very limited--this is the highest rated beer from Boulevard
This is one of the best beers made in Missouri and it is a very limited production. Make sure you get some bottles in your beer cellar because this will improve in the bottle.

(only 12,000 bottles made and each one numbered)

Oct 29, 2008

Lion and Amarcord Breweries


Lion Brewery from Sri Lanka
Lion Stout...$9.99 / 6pk

"Commercial Description:The 8.0 per cent abv, bottle conditioned beer is brewed from British, Czech and Danish malts with Syrian hops and an English yeast strain. All the ingredients are transported along precarious roads to the brewery located 3,500 feet above sea level."
Rated 96 by www.ratebeer.com


Lion Imperial Lager...$9.99 6pk
8% ABV
"Lion Imperial Lager from Sri Lanka is specially brewed to acheive it's high alcohol content. The finest natural ingredients deliver a rich, smooth taste and refereshment. Enjoy it's bite." -- brewery


Lion Lager...$9.99 / 6pk
"We've been brewing Lion Lager in Sri Lanka since 1881. Lion Lager is made from the very best ingredients - it's malty, refreshing, and natural tasting. This is a beer of character for people of character. " -- brewery




Amarcord Brewery from Italy
Amarcord La Tabachera...$5.79 / pint
"Amarcord Double Brown Ale is a designer beer created for real ale aficionados! It is characterized by the amber-colour of traditional ale and by the distinctive flavour obtained from the use of select premium malts. 10.0% Alc. Vol."-- Brewery




Amarcord Prima Donna...$9.39 / 6pk
"Prima Donna Special Lager is a classic lager noted for its unique aroma and its unsurpassed hoppy flavour. It is characterized by a brillant golden color, a compact head, and its fresh, thirst-quenching qualities. 4.7% Alc. Vol" -- brewery




La Mi Dona...$5.79 / pint
"Amarcord Double Pale Ale is a unique, intensely flavoured, pale, top-fermented beer. It is characterized by golden nuances, a compact head and a satisfyingly rich finish. 6.0% Alc. Vol." -- brewery




La Putena...$5.79 / pint
"Amarcord Double Red Ale is a unique, intensely flavoured brown ale. It is characterized by a rich bland of complex Spring malt with mellow Saaz hops.6.5% Alc. Vol." -- brewery

Goose Island--

In stock now at Forsyth!


2008 is here...
Goose Island Bourbon County Stout...$17.99 /4pk
Goose Island Bourbon County Stout...$4.99 /12oz btl
(the price went up a little, but we decided to keep the price the same as last year)




"I really wanted to do something special for our 1000th batch at the original brewpub. Goose Island could have thrown a party. But we did something better. We brewed a beer. A really big batch of stout—so big, the malt was coming out of the top of the mash tun. After fermentation, we brought in some bourbon barrels that aged the stout. One hundred days later, Bourbon County Stout was born. A liquid as dark and dense as a black hole with thick foam the color of a bourbon barrel. The nose is an intense mix of charred oak, chocolate, vanilla, caramel and smoke. One sip has more flavor than your average case of beer. It overpowers anything in the room. People have even said it's a great cigar beer. But I have yet to try a cigar that can stand up." --Greg Hall, Brewmaster




Rated 100 on www.ratebeer.com
Rated "A" on www.beeradvocate.com (455 reviews)

Oct 28, 2008

Bell's big release time!!

In stock now at Forsyth, Rock Hill, and Provisions

Bell's Expedition Stout...$15.49 / 6pk
"The darkest beer we make; this Imperial stout contains double the malt and five times the hops of our Kalamazoo stout and is perfect for cellaring as its complex character will evolve over time." -- brewery
Rated 100 percentile on www.ratebeer.com



Bell's Third Coast Old Ale...$13.99 / 6pk
"A barley wine with deep amber color, the brandy of ales. This beer has vintage character and will mature in the bottle at cellar temperature for years." -- brewery
Rated 99 percentile on http://www.ratebeer.com/


Bell's Cherry Stout...$13.99 / 6pk
"A rich and powerful beer with tart cherry appeal, make this a fine stout." -- brewery
Original Gravity: 1.082
Alc. by Vol.: 7.0%



Bell's Double Cream Stout...$10.99 / 6pk
"Sweeter and smoother than Kalamazoo Stout. A beer for special winter occasions. Great with chocolate desserts." -- brewery
Original Gravity: 1.075
Alc. by Vol.: 6.1%



Bell's Winter White...$9.39 / 6pk
A Wheat Ale brewed with American Wheat and a proprietary blend of Hefe and classic Belgian-style yeasts. A refreshing winter alternative created from the subtle fusion of two classic flavors." -- brewery






Also just in...


Samuel Smith Winter Warmer Vintage 2008/2009
$9.39 / 4pk
$3.99 / pint
"Throughout history, beer of somewhat higher alcohol and richness has been enjoyed for the winter holidays, when old friends get together to enjoy the season. Wassail, a festival to celebrate winter and the beer that goes with it, predates the Christian era. Winter Welcome is vintage-dated with a special label each year. Serve in a traditional tankard for the holidays.
Honey-amber-colored, creamy head of small bubbles, floral aroma and delicious malt flavor with great finesse." -- importer

Oct 24, 2008

Colorado winter beer seasonals! - limited


Great Divide Hibernation Ale...$8.19 / 6pk
(Denver)
"Great Divide’s award-winning Hibernation Ale is Colorado’s original strong ale – it has been our winter seasonal each year since 1995. Since that time, Hibernation has become the most sought-after winter beer in Colorado. Hibernation’s massive flavors are so intense that it requires over three months of aging each year. Each summer, while our brewers are still spending their weekends in flip-flops and shorts, they prepare for July’s Hibernation brewing schedule.
We cellar Hibernation until late October, when it reaches the peak of perfection. This lengthy aging process gives Hibernation its revered malty richness, complex hop profile and hearty warming character, which is perfect right out of the bottle or cellared for longer periods of time. Hibernation is a lively treat that really beats the winter chill. This scrumptious, collectible, and imminently cellarable ale is only available for six weeks each year, from November 1 to December 15. Hibernation Ale is the perfect gift or accompaniment to your winter festivities." -- Great Divide



New Belgium 2 Below Winter Ale...$7.69 / 6pk
(Fort Collins)
"Pull on your wool socks and crack open a 2 Below Ale. This tasty winter warmer started life as a small batch beer brewed for the Al Johnson Uphill Downhill – a telemark ski race in Crested Butte, Colorado. The Uphill Downhill celebrates the exploits of Al Johnson, letter carrier extraordinaire, who delivered mail by ski in the late 1800’s. Dry hopping during fermentation creates a floral nose with a hint of pepper and spicy, subtle undertones. 2 Below provides a bright, hoppy palate and a cheery warm afterglow." -- New Belgium

Avery Old Jubilation Ale...$8.79 / 6pk
(Boulder)
Beer Style: English Strong Ale
Hop Variety: Bullion
Malt Variety: Two-row barley, special roast, black, chocolate, victory
Alcohol By Volume: 8.0%
IBU's: 30

"Our winter strong ale has a gorgeous mahogany hue, a hint of hazelnuts, and a finish reminiscent of mocha and toffee. No spices, just a perfect blend of five specialty malts. Cellarable for 2 years." -- Avery
2006 - Best of the Rockies/Southwest - US Beer Tasting Championship - English Old Ale



Flying Dog K-9 Cruiser Winter Ale...$8.49 / 6pk
(Was Denver, now brewed in Maryland)


"The psycho in the pack...K-9 Cruiser is a dark, sweet and malty winter warmer that will captivate any adventurous craft brew drinker. A true Flying Dog original, K-9 Cruiser is the perfect brew to warm you up in those cold winter months.

Ideal Drinking Occasion: After you have pulled your first backside 180 and lived to tell the tale." -- Flying Dog

Oct 21, 2008

Upcoming new releases!

A few people have been asking about some ETAs. These should arrive at The Wine and Cheese Place around these dates.


New Belgium 2 Below Winter Seasonal has just arrived!

I have also been told some bad news from our friends at Glazer that we will not get any Sierra Nevada Chico Harvest ale in St. Louis. They are also out of the Sierra Nevada Harvest Wet Hop. We have some left at our stores. Just a few cases.


These dates are not set in stone, but here it is...
Sierra Nevada Celebration--Oct 31

Bell's Cherry Stout--Oct 28
Bell's Double Cream Stout--Oct 28
Bell's Expedition Stout--Oct 28
Bell's Winter White--Oct 28

(Unfortunately, Bell's Christmas Ale will not make it to Missouri this year, registration with the state did not make it on time.)

Ommegang Chocolate Indulgence--Nov 04

Anderson Valley Brewing--October 29

Southern Tier Choklat -- Due in November

Samuel Adams CHOCOLATE Bock -- due the first week in November.
(I am told only about 20 cases for St. Louis. This one will be very limited.)

Oct 20, 2008

Some more very exciting news...

Very limited beers in stock at Forsyth only right now!



Achel Trappist EXTRA...$15.99 / 750ml


This is one of their hardest to get....
"Huge, copper-colored, bottle-conditioned ale, still hot off the presses, Achel Trappist Extra is the latest from the tiny brewery at the St. Benedictus Abbey at Achel, in the Northeast of Belgium. At this year's World Beer Championships in Chicago, the Extra was easily the best of the many Trappist beers tasted, scoring 97 points and an "Exceptional" rating. You will find this a very satisfying beer, with just a little malt sweetness, dried fruit flavors, warm sherry notes, and a brisk balancing backdrop of fresh hop bitterness.
Achel is by far the smallest of Belgium's six Trappist monasteries, and one of only two in which the monks themselves still take a hand in the daily operation of the brewery. We think you'll agree that the care and time that a little hands-on brewery devotes to its beers makes all the difference." -- importer




One of the most sought after Mikkeler beers is in stock now!
Mikkeller Beer Geek Breakfast...$11.99 / pint


"Ask any beer geek . . . . a hearty, complex stout is the tastiest way to begin the day. This unique mix of an oat and coffee stout creates an intense, full-bodied beer that is surprisingly balanced and full of new taste adventures with every sip." -- importer


Rated 100 percentile on ratebeer.com




Kerkom Bink Tripel...$13.99 / 750ml
Here at last is Bink Tripel.
"Look, it’s a big bottle! Not so easy to misplace. And people are saying already that Bink is the best Tripel of Belgium – earthy, deep, complex, but light in color and on the palate, as befits the style, and it packs a very healthy wallop of whole fresh hop aroma. The Kerkom brewery is a shrine to the noble hop, and the brewer, Marc Limet, is the guardian of the eternal flame at a time when most Belgian breweries have forgotten that hops ever existed. So it is no surprise that this beer is purported to be the hoppiest of Tripels. Actually, Bink Tripel isn’t quite hoppy enough for us – not yet. But since things only get hoppier and hoppier at Kerkom as time goes by, we are content to drink, and wait. As Marc says, “ it's getting better all the time . . .” -- importer



Drie Fonteinen Brewery -- Belgium
"Drie Fonteinen is the only remaining traditional geuze blender in Belgium, using only 100% spontaneously fermented lambik beer, aged in oak casks, with no artificial sweeteners or other additives." -- importer

3 Fonteinen Oude Kriek...11.99 / 375ml
"Perhaps the best sour cherry beer in the world. Positively loaded with real cherries, which are added whole into slowly fermenting oak casks." -- importer



plus more of these...
Nogne Imperial Stout

Nogne IPA

Haandbryggeriet Dark Force Extreme Imperial Wheat
(new batch -- #116)

Haandbryggeriet Norwegian Wood

Oct 16, 2008

New beer

In stock now at Forsyth. New and limited!

Southern Tier Cuvee 1 ... $11.99 / 22 oz
"ALE IMPRESSIONS: Light copper color, slight malt flavor with mild bitterness, dry finish with subtle hop aroma. FRENCH OAK IMPRESSIONS: Qualities of toasted coconut, almond biscotti and toasted almonds with a taste of honeysuckle. 11.0% abv" -- brewery

This is the first in a series
#1 aged in French Oak - in stock now
#2 aged in American Oak -- coming
#3 is a blend of both -- coming






Bateman's Combined Harvest...$4.99 / pint
"A complex brew made from wheat, rye, and oats as well as barley. The colour is deep glowing bronze/gold, with a tight, white head. Toasty and grainy aromas on the nose. The palate is smooth and full with an initial sweetness that is quickly overtaken by a gentle hop bitterness and crispy fruit acidity." - importer




Oct 14, 2008

New Beer...

Just a quick note--the Great Divide Fresh Hop -- is DELICIOUS and almost gone.
The distributor is out, so whatever is left at your favorite beer shop (hopefully TWCP) is all there is for the year. We have some at all 4 locations!



Sam Adams Hallertau Imperial Pilsner...$9.49 / 4pk
Now Available at Rock Hill and Clayton

I have heard great things about this new release!
"Yes, we're a little obsessed with hops. Every autumn for over twenty years, Jim Koch has traveled to one of the oldest hop-growing regions in the world, the Hallertau region of Bavaria in Germany, to hand-select Noble Bavarian hops, including the Hallertau Mittelfrueh variety. This special variety is considered to be one of the best in the world, prized for its unique taste and aroma. Samuel Adams® Hallertau Imperial Pilsner is a celebration of these extraordinary hops. This beer is one of the hoppiest in the world, without being overly bitter. With the first sip, you will experience an explosion of some of the world's finest hops. And we mean “explosion” in a good way. Brewed as a showcase for the hops, this bold brew highlights the spicy, citrus flavors and aromas of the Hallertau Mittelfrueh hops that are abundant in the recipe. The intense hops flavor is balanced with the slight sweetness from the malt. The brew remains pleasantly well-balanced from beginning to end, due to the quality of the hops, and continues to always be, well, "hoppy," providing hop lovers with an amazing beer drinking experience." -- Brewery



Very limited beer-we only have 1 case available.
(just at Forsyth)

De Dolle Oerbier RESERVA 2007...$6.99 / 11oz
"De Dolle Oerbier Reserva is a specially matured version of De Dolle Oerbier. This version of De Dolle Oerbier is matured for 18 months in Bordeaux wine casks. Oerbier means original, from the spring. This beer has been brewed in small scale (5 gallons) at home in a copper wash kettle, by two brothers who were students at the time. They took over an old brewery which was out of business and said: "If we don't remake the brewery alive, nobody will!". It was also a unique opportunity to create some interesting brews, so why not try it ?


Therefore we want and will do the main work ourselves and keep the scale of the brewery like it was. Since then, the brewery and its beers have been an inspiration source for a lot of brewers. Oerbier is brewed from no less than 6 malts. Poperinge Golding hops in flowers and a special yeast which makes it a little tart, especially with aging. At the brewery we have excellent cellars which have a constant temperature of 8°C and allow Oerbier to age at its best. After a couple of years Oerbier tastes like it should have been blended with wine … Oerbier has been refermented in the bottle and contains a layer of yeast, having vitamins B. NAT en STRAF on the glasses means WET and STRONG, a warning for the 7.5 vol. alcohol content. The little person on the glasses is the Oerbier man, a simple creature who holds a brewers fork in his right hand, symbolizing the work and science, but looking to the other side, the result of all this, the glass of (Oer)beer. The artwork on the poster is a wallpainting found in Spain, (Altamira) and is considered by art lovers as being the best prehistoric art work (30.000 years BC). On the other hand we have Oerbier started in 1980, going on with the tradition." -- importer

Oct 11, 2008

GABF

Great American Beer Festival 2008
Colorado Convention Center
Denver, Colorado









The biggest beer festival in American brought a line of people that wrapped around the whole convention center 6-8 people wide. We arrived 45 minutes before the start and walked and walked to find the end of the line. Once the doors opened though, the line moved fast--we were inside in about 45 minutes.











Inside it was 400 breweries and 1,800 beers to taste and a ton of people. The largest lines appeared at Lost Abbey, Dogfish Head, Russian River, New Glarius, Oskar Blues, Three Floyds and Stone. Very limited beers and not available in Missouri at this time.









A picture of super brewer, Garrett Oliver, of Brooklyn Brewery pouring some of his fantastic beers and a picture of the Dogfish Head booth. I concentrated on trying the many sought after beers that we cannot get in St. Louis. Beers we eventually hope to bring in to our stores in the future. There was also a lot of people in line to try the Boulevard Smokestack Saison-Brett.








Friday we went to visit to a few breweries in the area. We had a great tour at Left Hand Brewery and saw the whole operation. They were in the process of smoking the malted barley (great aroma) for their Smoke Jumper Porter to be released this November. They only make this beer every other year and you will be able to get it this year at TWCP stores.
We also took a tour of the revolutionary brewery Oskar Blues and met the owner Dale, yes of Dale's Pale. Oskar Blues is the first craft beer to produce their beer in cans. They just installed a state of the art canning system which many other breweries are checking out. Watch for many other craft breweries following their lead and canning their beer. We just started receiving New Belgium Fattire in cans a few weeks ago. Oskar Blues is the place to work, they have a basketball court and batting cage inside the brewery for the employees. It was an amazing place. Check out the palates of empty cans waiting to be filled.












Wynkoop Brewery
We also had a great lunch at Wynkoop Brewery and a tour with Charlie Berger who used to be at Missouri's own O'Fallon brewery and is now brewing at Wynkoop. We tasted many of their great beers including the Obamanator -- which they brewed for the Democratic Convention.



You can check out all of the winners on

Another Signature Ale

This is another collaboration with De Proef (see previous post)
At all four of our stores now!!!

Collaboration with Tom Arthur, the head brewery,
at The Lost Abbey and Port Brewing.


De Proef Signature Ale...$13.99 / 750ml

"A unique collaboration with noted San Diego brewer Tomme Arthur. A complex hybrid of aggressively hopped west coast IPA, combined with traditional Belgian brettanomyces fermentation. Strong citrus hop notes followed by hints of sourness and delicate spice and a long fimish. July 2007 selection - Michael Jackson's Rare Beer club. 94 points - World Beer Championships." - importer


Original Gravity: 1076
IBU's: 45-50
ABV: 8.5%

Oct 7, 2008

Some new ones...

New Beers that just arrived at Forsyth.

Eggenberg Doppelbock


BFM Abbaye de Saint Bon Chien 2006 Vintage
(we also have the 2007 on the shelf)
"Boldly treading the boundary between port, wine and beer, l'Abbaye de Saint Bon-Chien is a unique ale aged in wooden casks which have been used for several years before to age Merlot, Merlot Cabernet, Whisky and then Grappa. It manages to merge into L'Abbaye all the complex aromas of a vintage red wine along with the delicate harmony and flavors of the wood and its former contents. This process requires close monitoring of the beer's evolution. The final version is blended from different casks, to ensure optimal balance, complexity and enjoyment! A mere one thousand bottles have been earmarked for the US market in 2006. [Thus named in fond memory of Bon-Chien, the late brewery cat, deceased in June 2005, whose antics were very popular with brewery visitors]" -- importer


Left Hand Blackjack Porter
"A traditional London style beer, our Black Jack Porter highlights chocolate malt and Kent Goldings hops. Its slight initial sweetness quickly yields to the distinctive roastiness of the chocolate malt. The Kent Goldings hops perfectly balance the malt, making it very smooth, with a surprisingly clean finish." -- brewery



Arcadia Imperial Stout
"Black as coal in color, this bottle conditioned Stout has a velvety rich and sweet malt aroma. After pouring, a dense brown head gives way to a big, full-bodied and creamy texture that has flavors of roasted coffee and black currants, blending perfectly with the malt. A generous amount of hops add balance and complexity to this extraordinary stout that will continue to improve with age. A worthy beer to cellar and enjoy throughout the year." -- Brewery



Dansk Mjod Viking Blod
"Mead is probably the oldest known alcoholic beverage in the world. From Europe to Australia mead has been a popular drink, dating back to long before Viking Times....Our products are brewed based on a recipe from about year 1700, and the ingredients are pure and 100 pct. natural - guaranteed free from additives of any kind. Honey is the major and most important item in the recipe." -- brewery


De Dolle Oerbier
This is their fall seasonal
"Oerbier means original, from the spring. This beer has been brewed in small scale (5 gallons) at home in a copper wash kettle, by two brothers who were students at the time. They took over an old brewery which was out of business and said: "If we don't remake the brewery alive, nobody will!". It was also a unique opportunity to create some interesting brews, so why not try it ? Therefore we want and will do the main work ourselves and keep the scale of the brewery like it was. Since then, the brewery and its beers have been an inspiration source for a lot of brewers. Oerbier is brewed from no less than 6 malts." -- importer

Oct 3, 2008

Great bottle opener

Be-Open Bottle Opener
(white or black)...$8.99

Be-Open Bottle Opener
(stainless steel)...$14.99


The easiest beer opener, plus it removes the cap without damage to the cap. Great for cap collectors. The cylinder fits over the top of a capped bottle, and by pressing down the cap is removed.




Check out the demo:

Demo of the opener

Oct 1, 2008

Lowest prices...

Liquor Department
Price check!!
We pride ourselves on our selection and service, but our prices are the lowest in town also. We keep the lowest prices on wine, liquor, beer and cheese. It is the same product, why overpay?
.
(prices checked 09/21/08, prices subject to change)
.
Dewars 1.75ltr....our price...$35.99
(Schnucks...$42.49)
.
Johnnie Walker Red 1.75ltr...$39.99
(Schnucks...$46.79)
.
Grey Goose Vodka 1.75ltr...$54.99
(Schnucks...$64.99)
.
J & B Scotch 1.75ltr...$34.99
(Schnucks...$42.99)
.
Chivas Regal 750ml...$23.99
(Schnucks...$30.99)
.
Tanqueray Gin 1.75ltr....$37.99
(Schnucks...$46.99)
.
Budweiser 6pk bottles...$4.79 / 6pk
(Schnucks...$5.59)
.
Veuve Clicquot NV Brut Champagne...$41.99
(Schnucks...$60.99)
.
Think of how much you would save if you bought a bottle or two every week. We know everyone is in a hurry, so we want to make the trip worth it for you. If you are having a party, you can save hundreds of dollars. Shop us first and save! We appreciate your business.