55 Degree Wine

MARCH BEER MADNESS

We’re cleaning out the beer stock, one bottle at a time!

Sunday March 14th

5pm – ’til the beer runs out

By-The-Glass

Kasteel (Belgium 11.0% ABV)

Belgian Tripel Rich and full; caramel, raisins, and pear; malty

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Pinkus Organic Hefeweizen (Germany 5.1% ABV)

Hefeweizen Golden cloudy with banana and clove notes

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Abita AndyGator (Abita Springs, LA 8.0% ABV)

Helles Dopplebock Dry finish with slight sweet flavor; fruity

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Dupont Avril (Belgium 3.5% ABV)

Biere de Table/Saison Spicy, hoppy and light; sweet tartness

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Carnegie StarkPorter (Sweden 5.5% ABV)

Baltic Porter Roasted malts & barley; dry fruit & molasses; clean

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Duchy Organic Ale (England 5.0% ABV)

English Bitter Malty & rich; strong barley character; medium body

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Weihenstephaner Vitus (Germany 7.7% ABV)

Weizenbock Spicy, peppery with hints of toasted caramel

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Unibroue Trois Pistoles (Canada 9.0% ABV)

Strong Dark Ale Slightly sweet; roasted malts & dark spices; smooth

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Oro de Milano Riserva Speciale (Italy 8.2% ABV)

Brown/Amber Ale Double malt with spicy flavors and full body

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Lindeman’s Peche Lambic (Belgium 7.7% ABV)

Lambic/Fruit Ale Golden color; crisp orchard peach; aromatic

Posted in Sunday Beer Tasting |

Abbey’s & Trappistes

Welcome to Belgium…land of the monastery and brewery.  Monks have been brewing ale for eternities in support of their respectful village and monastery.  They have been perfecting these recipes for centuries and now we get to enjoy.

“Op uw gezondheid!” (Cheers in Flemish)

Sunday March 7th

5pm sharp

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Maredsous Blonde (abbey)

Belgian Pale Ale ……6.0% ABV

The abbey’s very first beer.  Gently hopped with a slightly dry and soft malty finish.  So refreshing, the monks at the abbey drink this daily at lunch!

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Bornem Tripel (Abbey)

Belgian Tripel ……9.0% ABV

Golden shining and a soft mouthfeel.  This classic abbey triple has a full body and a hoppy dry long finish.  This bottle has the potential to be aged as well!

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Westmalle Tripel (Trappist)

Belgian Tripel ……9.5% ABV

Clear and golden, this Trappist tripel is soft and creamy in the mouth but has a bitter touch carried by the fruity aroma.  Considered the “Mother of all Tripels”.  The current recipe is over 50 years old!

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St. Feuillien Brune (Abbey)

Dubbel ……7.5% ABV

With a dominant liquorice and caramel flavor, this ruby brown ale has a malty and slight bitterness.  The water for the brew is taken from an natural spring under the brewhouse.

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Koningshoeven Quadrupel (Trappist)

Quadrupel ……10.0% ABV

Coming out of the Netherlands, this Trappist monastery has been brewing since 1884.  Brewed with 4 times the amount of malts to obtain the proper starches/sugars, this is a dark and rich ale.

$15 to taste all 5 beers

Posted in Sunday Beer Tasting |

Battle of the IPA’s

From Belgium to England and all the way to the US, these hoppy delights all have a different twist of character.  IBU stands for “international bittering units” which is a measurement of the bitterness of the beer.  Bitterness is caused by the hops used during brewing.  Cheers!

SUNDAY 2/28/10

5pm

$13 to taste all 5 beers

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Poperings Hommel Ale

Belgian IPA ……7.5% ABV

From locally grown Gold and Hallertau hops, this beer has twice the bitterness of other Belgian ales.  Hommel is the local word for “hops” and this village takes pride in growing their own!

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Urthel Hop-It

Belgian IPA ……9.5% ABV

In homage to the American Northwest IPA’s, she used only European hops. Full and heart-warming Belgian style IPA.  It’s very hoppy, spicy and fruity and bottle conditioned.

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Meantime

English IPA ……7.5% ABV

Jam packed with English Fuggles and Goldings, the beer is brewed with as many hops as we can physically get into the copper.

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Avery Dugana (93 I.B.U.)

American Double/Imperial IPA ……8.5% ABV

Out of Boulder, CO, this limited release brew is brewed with Chinook, Centennial, and Columbus hop varieties.  Dank, piney and resinous.  Sound familiar?

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Green Flash Imperial IPA (101 I.B.U.)

American Double/Imperial IPA ……9.4% ABV

San Diego-style IPA, as it has come to be known by many, is super-hoppy, high gravity, yet highly quaffable ale.  Intense hop flavors and aromas from a unique blend of Summit and Nugget hops.

Posted in Sunday Beer Tasting |

Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales

Brewing out of Dexter, Michigan, this artisanal mircro-brewery takes pride and focuses on open-fermentation, oak aging, and bottle-conditioning.  Cheers!

Sunday Feb. 21st

5pm – 11pm

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Bam Biere

Farmhouse Ale ……4.5% ABV

An artisan farmhouse ale that is golden, naturally cloudy, bottle conditioned and dry hopped for a perfectly refreshing balance of spicy malts, hops and yeast.

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Bam Noire

Dark Farmhouse Ale ……4.3% ABV

Dark, smooth, delicious. Aromas of worn leather and cool autumn nights. Notes of sweet plum and toasted raisin, hints of coffee and cacao. Lingering tart and refreshing finish.

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La Roja

American Wild Ale ……7.2% ABV

An artisan amber ale brewed in the Flanders tradition. Deep amber with earthy caramel, spice, and sour fruit notes developed through natural barrel aging. Unfiltered, unpasteurized and blended from barrels ranging in age from two to ten months.

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Oro de Calabaza

Biere de Garde ……8.0% ABV

Brewed in the Franco-Belgian tradition of strong golden ales.  Spicy and peppery with a gentle hop bouquet and the beguiling influence of wild yeast.

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Maracaibo Especial

Belgian Strong Dark Ale ……7.5% ABV

A rich brown ale inspired by the enigmatic monastic brews of Belgium, and the mysterious mist shrouded jungles of the tropics. Brewed with real cacao, and spiced with cinnamon and sweet orange peel for a sensual delight.

$14 to taste all 5 beers

Posted in Sunday Beer Tasting |

AleSmith Brewing Company

Brewing out of San Diego CA, this artisanal mircro-brewery specializes in a variety of handcrafted styles!  Cheers fellow Californians!

$18 to taste all 6 beers

Sunday Feb. 7th @ 5pm

Anvil ESB

Extra Special Bitter ……5.5% ABV

The first beer produced when the brewery opened, and still remains the flagship ale.  Malty and slightly hoppy aroma with caramel flavoring using imported English hops.

IPA

American IPA ……7.25% ABV

Medium-full bodied IPA with a huge hoppy dosage.  Sweet malty flavors with a lingering dry finish.

Horny Devil

Belgian Strong Pale Ale ……11.0% ABV

Using Belgian candi sugar and authentic Trappist yeast strains, this ale gets and additional flavoring from the added coriander seeds.

Grand Cru

Belgian Strong Dark Ale ……10.0% ABV

Using Belgian dark candi sugars and Trappist Monastery yeast, this rich and complex ale has a tangy hoppiness and medium dry finish.

Old Numbskull

English Barley Wine ……11.0% ABV

A West Coast style barleywine.  Huge malty profile with an aggressive dose of domestic hops.  Deep amber with caramel notes and a tantalizing complexity.

Speedway Stout

American Double / Imperial Stout ……12.0% ABV

Brewed with an additional dosage of Ryan Bros. Coffee for a little extra kick.  Roasted chocolate and caramel malt flavors entice the full bodied warmth of this stout.

$18 to taste all 6 beers

Posted in Sunday Beer Tasting |

SAMUEL SMITH’s OLD BREWERY

“Beer-By-The-Glass”

Sunday Jan 31st  5pm

Enjoy a glass from Yorkshire England’s oldest brewery, founded in 1758.

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$6 per GLASS

India Ale (5.0% ABV)

English IPA Dry woody and bitter; herbal and earthy hops

Tadcaster Bitter (3.8% ABV)

English Bitter Lightly malted, slightly bitter with a fresh citrus aroma

Old Brewery Pale Ale (5.0% ABV)

English Ale Mildly sweet with caramelized fruits; herbal hops

Nut Brown Ale (5.0% ABV)

English Brown Ale Grassy malts; slightly bitter hops, hints of toffee

Winter Welcome Ale (6.0% ABV)

Winter Warmer Hints if butterscotch and spicy figs; sweet malty

The Famous Taddy Porter (5.0% ABV)

English Porter Roasted barley & full bodied; cocoa and molasses

Oatmeal Stout (5.0% ABV)

Oatmeal Stout Fruity & musty; milk chocolate and mild earthy hops

Organic Raspberry (5.1% ABV)

Fruit Ale Sweet & funky; tart raspberries; super dry

Organic Apple Cider (5.0% ABV)

English Apple Cider Dry & lightly sweet, from organic English apples

Posted in Sunday Beer Tasting |

Allagash Brewing Company Beer Tasting

Brewing out of Portland, Maine, these guys know how to diversify each of their batches!

Sunday January 24th

5pm-10pm

Interlude 2009

American Wild Ale ……9.5% ABV

Brewed using Belgian farmhouse yeast and their own Brettanomyces yeast strain, this brew is aged in Merlot and Syrah oak barrels.

Tripel Reserve

Belgian Style Tripel Ale ……9.0% ABV

This golden hued ale is marked by passion fruit and herbal notes in the aroma, with subtle suggestions of banana and honey surfacing from its deep and complex palate.

Victor 2009

Belgian Strong Dark Ale ……9.0% ABV

Brewers decided to use red chancellor grapes for this batch. Over one hundred pounds of were crushed on site and added directly to the mash.

Grand Cru

Belgian Style Quadrupel Ale ……7.2% ABV

Allagash’s winter seasonal. Brewed each year in limited quantities. It has a full, yet refined malty palate and a gentle fruit and spice aroma.  Part of their “cellared” line.

Four Ale

Belgian Style Quadrupel Ale ……10.0% ABV

Allagash Four is brewed with four malts, four hops, four sugars and four Belgian yeast strains.

$16 to taste all 5 beers

Posted in Sunday Beer Tasting |

The Dark Side

Expose your palate to some of the darker, richer and malty ales from our store! Tastes and by-the-glass available!!!!

Sunday January 17th 5pm-10pm

Moinette Brune

Belgian Strong Dark Ale             Brasserie Dupont, Belgium……8.5% ABV

The name Moinette is derived from “moëne”, the ancient French word for swamp, in reference to the area where the brewery grounds are situated.

St. Feuillien Brune

Dubbel          Brewery Van Eecke, Belgium……7.5% ABV

Since 1873, the Friart family has been brewing various lines of beer, including this Tripel.

Scaldis Refermentée

Belgian Strong Dark Ale          Brasserie Dubuisson, Belgium……12.0% ABV

In operation since 1769, the brewery has an appearance of a small chateau, deep in the heart of oak and poplar groves.  This particular ale is perfectly suitable for cellaring.

AleSmith Grand Cru

Strong Dark Ale Ale Smith Brewing Co., San Diego, CA…10.5% ABV

Fermented using yeast which originated in a Trappist monastary.  A darker type of Belgian candi sugar gives it more color and a richer flavor.

Trois Pistoles

Strong Dark Ale           Unibroue Brewery, Quebec, Canada 9.0% ABV

Founded over 300 years ago, Trois Pistoles gave birth to several legends, including one about a sailor who dropped his tumbler overboard and exclaimed, “Trois Pistoles!”

Posted in Sunday Beer Tasting |

The Pale Side

Sunday  5pm-10pm

Expose your palate to some of the more pale, hoppy and blonde ales from our store!

Moinette Blonde

Belgian Strong Pale Ale                     Brasserie Dupont, Belgium……8.5% ABV

The name Moinette is derived from “moëne”, the ancient French word for swamp, in reference to the area where the brewery grounds are situated.

Poperings Hommel

Belgian Strong Pale Ale          Brewery Van Eecke, Belgium……7.5% ABV

The brewery was rebuilt following the French Revolution under the slogan of “Revolt all you want, but we still need beer here”.  “Hommel” is Belgian for hops.

Urthel Hop-It

Belgian Strong Pale Ale          Urthel, Belgium……9.5% ABV

This Belgian was in inspired of the brewmaster’s visit to the American Northwest and is her rendition of an American Craftbrewed IPA.

St. Feuillien

Tripel Brasserie St. Feuillien, Le Roeulx, Belgium……8.5% ABV

Since 1873, the Friart family has been brewing various lines of beer, including this Tripel.

Manoir du Parc Authentic Cider

French Apple Cider        La Brique, St. Joseph, France 5.0% ABV

A very dry blend of three different apple varietals from the Contentin region in Normandy, blessed by the maritime breezes of the English Channel.

Posted in Sunday Beer Tasting |

New Year, New Beer!

Ring in the New Year with some of the great ales from our store!

St. Bernardus Wit

Witbier           Brouwerij St. Bernardus, Watou, Belgium ……5.5% ABV

This traditional Witbier (Wheat beer) has been developed by Master Brewer Pierre Celis, the Godfather of Hoegaarden. Bottle conditioning gives this beer its specific taste.

Brugse Zot

Belgian Pale Ale          Brewery De Halve Maan, Belgium 6.0% ABV

The only beer that is actually brewed and lagered in Brugge (Bruges), the fierce medieval town in Flanders, the Venice of the North, one of the three most beautiful cities in Western Europe.

Petrus Gouden Tripel

Tripel                     Brewery Bavik, Belgium ……7.5% ABV

Petrus is derived from the Latin name for Saint Peter.  This tripel uses three times the amount of malts to brew its higher alcohol content.

McChouffe

Belgian Strong Dark Ale          Brasserie D’Achouffe, Belgium……8.0% ABV

A dark earthy hued strong and spicy ale. Belgian style interpretation of a Scottish Ale.

Lindeman’s Lambic Kriek

Lambic        Lindeman’s Brewery, Belgium 4.0% ABV

In origin, this sweet-acid drink was obtained by adding fresh black cherries to a barrel Lambic of 6 months young.

$15  for the flight

Posted in Sunday Beer Tasting |