New Beer Friday, First Big Snow Edition (December 15)

Preamble by Steve Siciliano

Before going to work last Sunday morning I paused for a few moments on the back deck. The first substantial snow of the season had covered up the monotonous hues of early December and had transformed the backyard landscape into a stark but lovely picture painted in tones of black and white. When I’m in the right frame of mind I can see beauty in the monochromatic shades of winter.

Unfortunately that right frame of mind lasts only until about the second week of January. By then I’ve grown weary of stark sceneries and I begin looking forward to the time when the yard will be painted with a palette of bright colors again.

The black and white photographs of Ansel Adams are nice to look at but I’d much rather spend time gazing at the blues, reds, yellows and greens of Monet, Gauguin and Van Gogh.

New and Returning Beer

• Brewery Vivant Wizard Burial Ground, $7.19/16oz - "Brewed once a year, this special quadrupel is aged in freshly drained bourbon barrels and disappears into the shadows for a full year of cellaring. This year's brew becomes next year's release. We've been wood-aging beers and experimenting with wild fermentation since we opened in 2010. We encourage those in search of funky flavors to join us at our annual Wood-Aged Beer Festival each Autumn to find out more" (source).
• Avery Tweak, $15.19/12oz - "Our very own Parker, of the cartoon and cat loving variety, created this cult classic character back in our 17th season. Appearing in several episodes under another stage name that was deemed inappropriate, our executive producers and editors decided that a name change and further character development— a 4-month hiatus in Bourbon barrels—were necessary to satisfy our most ardent and demanding viewers" (source).
• Ballast Point High West Barrel Aged Victory at Sea, $4.09/12oz (1 per) - "A 12 percent ABV imperial porter brewed with coffee beans sourced from Caffe Calabria, vanilla and peanut butter before being aged in barrels that previously held High West bourbon and rye. The porter has been aged in various brands of barrels and released in bottles over the years, including Woodford Reserve Bourbon Barrel-Aged Victory At Sea (12.2 percent ABV), Heaven Hills Bourbon Barrel-Aged Victory At Sea (12.2 percent ABV) and Rum & Rye Barrel-Aged Victory At Sea (12.4 percent ABV), among others" (source).
• Ellison Tailgate Crusher American Lager, $2.59/16oz - "Tailgate Crusher Light Lager 4.25% A pre-prohibition American light lager brewed specifically for hot Summer days and Fall tailgating. Brewed with barley/corn this lager has moderate hops and a smooth finish that makes you want to crush pint after pint" (source).
• Ellison Dawn Street, $3.29/16oz - "A tribute to the street that the brewery is located on, this hazy pale ale starts with a tropical aroma and then bursts forward with citrus and pine flavor. Deceptively easy to drink, this beer finishes clean and makes you ask, "where has this been all my life?" (source).
• Ellison Relativity, $3.29/16oz  - "A big late hop addition and big dry hop fills your mouth with a juicy, well-rounded nectar. This Vermont style IIPA is brewed with only Michigan grown hops and is surprisingly sweet and approachable" (source).
• Evil Twin I've Always Felt Closer to IPA's Than to People, $3.69/16oz - "Double dry hopped with Galaxy, Citra, Simcoe, and Falconers Flight hops" (source).
• Greenbush Delusion, $6.69/12oz (1 per) - "Our Imperial Cream Stout is aged in whiskey barrels for months for a mind-blowing experience. This concoction will make you ponder the randomness of the universe" (source).
• Incline Spiced Winter, $2.39/12oz - "Rooibos, cardamom, cinnamon, black pepper" (source).
• Lost Abbey Dead Man's Game, $17.79/375ml - "A blend of Rum Barrel-aged and Bourbon barrel-aged beer, Dead Man's Game begins with heavy aromas of bourbon and dates, leading to rich notes of caramel and cocoa, finishing with a sweet kick of rum and spices" (source).
• Lost Abbey Devil Went Down to Georgia, $17.49/375ml  - "Bourbon Barrel-aged Ale with Peaches and Black Tea" (source).
• New Holland Dragon's Milk Reserve Salted Caramel, $4.69/12oz - "An 11 percent ABV imperial stout brewed with salt and caramel as well as glacier and nugget hops before being aged in bourbon barrels for six months" (source).
• Ommegang Lovely Dark, $1.79/12oz - "Welcome to our winter seasonal – Oatmeal Stout, brewed to keep you company on a winter’s eve sitting beside a crackling fire, wit this fine beer in hand , the woods will always look Lovely, Dark and Deep, enticing you to a rendezvous with your winter dreams. Deep with roasty aromas, coffee with cream and chocolate notes, Ommegang House yeast imparts light fruit and spice character" (source).
• Right Brain Naughty Girl Stout, $1.99/12oz - "Thin mint cookie, meet John Niedermaier A stout made with organic locally-grown whole leaf mint. She’s just back from a stint in the cooler for being too naughty. She might have mellowed out but this stout is still naughty at heart" (source).
• Roak Hopgazer, $4.09/16oz - "Prepare to be assimilated. Ekuanot, Citra and Amarillo" (source).
• Short's Fload, $2.59/12oz - "FLOAD is a Dark American Sour Ale brewed with raspberries. Very dark in color with a red hue and mauve head, this beer smells of fresh fruit, sour raspberries, and a hint of chocolate. Leading with an intense raspberry tartness, FLOAD is complemented with a light chocolate malty backbone. The finish is dry with lingering sourness" (source).
• Short's Speedcult, $1.89/12oz - "Speedcult Black Lager is a dark, black-colored Lager with an alluring tan lace. Enticing aromas of cocoa and burnt marshmallows lead into big flavors of chocolate in this Lager. Speedcult Black Lager’s finish is clean and dry with a slight hoppy bitterness" (source).

Video of the Week | Tailgate Crusher

Now available at Siciliano's.

Cheers!