Sunday is the Superbowl and our Patriots are on the march for another trophy and set of rings. And with football comes a few tasty drinks. And no Sunday necessitates fine libations more than the Superbowl. We have some great beer sales going on right now in honor of the games which you should come and check out, but while you are here on Sunday we will also have the knowledgeable Ken Zuckerman here to pour out some of the most unique ciders in the store.
Spain has two regions for cider, Asturias and Basque, both in the north. While Basque sidras have a good name in the United States, Asturias produces the bulk of the countries sidras. Ken will be pairing select sidras from Asturias with some delicious artisan chocolates. He will be pouring two sparkling sidras, Riesta Guzman and Angelon. You might remeber these from when he did a tasting last time. While made of apples, these can easily replace any sparkling wine. Diamantes de Hielo by Grusifas is ice cider with a deep amber color. A great desert drink. Finally we will do a fan favor Sidra de Pera from Angelon.
Previously in 500ml, Jack’s Abby Kiwi Rising, their double IPL with freshly harvested New Zealand hops, will be in 4 pack cans. It’s an awesome beer, so to celebrate and spread the word, we will have them come in to taste all who pass with this fresh IPL. Jack’s Hoponius Union is becoming a staple brand for Massachusetts and their Excess IPL, a sister to Kiwi Rising, moves off our shelves constantly. New Zealand hops have a crisp and clean flavor, so paired with the light body of a lager, Jack’s Abby makes an easy drinking, flavorful IPL. Come join us Saturday December 3rd, 2-4pm.
We did this back in October and it was a lot of fun. So much fun that we decided to do it all over again. December 2nd, starting at 6pm, we will be opening bottles of Sofie and Matilda from this year as well as bottles of Lolita, Juliet, Halia, Madame Rose, and Gillian all from 2015. With wild ales like these, we found that giving them a year to sit and mellow out was the right call, so we’re doing it again. Keep an eye out for an email in which you can RSVP to. This was a fun, relaxed tasting in which we had some fun with some very nice, rather expensive beers. It is a great opportunity to try a $30 bottle of fruit added sour ale without paying the $30 price tag. It does hurt that instead of one, we will be tasting five.
For the second year in a row we will host the Goose Island Black Friday Bourbon Country release. This was a huge success last year and we don’t see why it won’t be again. We will be opening our doors at 9am on Friday, November 25th. Once the doors open, we will be funneling people into our tasting room where we will have the Barleywine, Coffee, and Brand Stout. It will be first come, first serve, so I would recommend getting here early. To put it in perspective, the first people showed up last year around 5:30am. We will have a limit on the Brand Stout, but it will be over a case. We have not decided the limits on the Barleywine yet, but due to the lack of stock on Coffee, we will be limiting it to one bottle per person. We will also have previous years’ Barleywine and Brand Stout for sale as well.
While waiting in line and walking around the store, we will be pouring samples of the 2016 Brand Stout, 2014 Brand Stout and 2014 Barleywine as well as be handing out free pastries. Hopefully everyone will not eat so much the day before that they cannot wolf down a few sweet treats.
We have begun our move to favoring local ciders and Harvard Cider Co. is one of the closest to the store. These guys haven’t been around for a long time, but they have already begun to establish a strong foothold throughout the state. We have been proud to carry a brand of cider that utilizes the orchards that can be found throughout this area. On November 19th, 2-4pm, Harvard Cider will be here pouring out their goods. Anchor is their straight forward cider that is at the heart of their brand. Paradise has been steeped with orange peel and grains of paradise. Missing Link has been dry hopped to add a bitter, hoppy bite. Harvard’s experimentation has produced ciders that deserve to make it into your cart. But just to give you that extra push, if need, we will be selling 4 packs of each of these ciders for $8.99, with the sale beginning for the tasting. Come out to check out the local cider makers and bring home some cider for your Thanksgiving or just everyday drinking.
Come try an incredibly diverse range of Spanish ciders paired with foods that bring out their unique earthy, tart and sour qualities. The “sidra” will be paired with an assortment of charcuterie such as cured meats, olives, earthy cheeses, and even a fig almond torta. Styles range from traditionals which are close to sour beer, sparklers reminiscent of Champagne, Prosecco & Albarino, to a wild yeast fermented pear and sherry-like frost cider. Except for the dessert frost cider, all the offerings are uncommonly dry, low in sugar and exceedingly refreshing.
No cost to participate, just bring an appetite for learning and discover why “sidra” is arguably the most food friendly and storied of fermented beverages, with a legacy dating back more than 3000 years! The tasting will be led by Ken Zuckerman of Ciders of Spain, a 20 year veteran educator in craft beer, artisanal food & cider.
Colonial Spirits
Colonial Spirits is the premier liquor store in the Greater Boston area. Visit the store on Rt 2A in Acton for the best selection of beer, liquor & wine in the area, or order online for shipping, delivery & in-store pickup. (Contact)
