Tag: liquor store

Nothing quite inspires a good session like a hot day.  Whether it’s post lawn mowing or just enjoying the afternoon the thirst provoked by the hot sun needs to be satisfied and beer can really hit the spot.  With beer shelves packed, top to bottom, with tasty libations how do you really choose what to treat your taste buds with when thirst and volume are diving the urge? More importantly, how do you choose when the shelves are packed, top to bottom, with today’s best offerings of high abv, intensely flavored brew? Flavor is so important and your sunny afternoon just will not be as satisfying as it could be without a beer that meets your standards.  Complicating matters, it is not just your standards that must be met, but the importance of not sipping yourself into a stupor when blue skies and summer temperatures are beckoning you to continue sipping throughout the evening. Continue reading Session Time…

Okay, so it is a bit late to still be toasting 2010 and I am well aware that the play on words is lame at best, but the New Year has brought with it some delectable new beers which I will remain excited about for some time. There has been a slight rearrangement in the beer aisle – shifting the countries around a bit. We always need more space for Belgian beers and American brewing is stronger everyday. It is Scandinavia, however, that is flowing onto the scene. For many years the Scandinavian offerings here were quite limited but the potential was clear even with the lone representation being Sinebrychoff Porter. This porter is incredible. At one time there were vintage stamped bottles on the shelf from 1997 – a testament to age-ability and quality (also quite amusing to see a vintage sticker next to a ‘best before’ date). Sinebrychoff remains the only Finish beer on the shelf for the time being, but is now backed up by highly delicious offerings from its Scandinavian neighbors: Norway, Sweden and Denmark. Continue reading Happy New Beer!

It is about the time of year when I start to hear the frustration and sometimes disgust from many customers about the curtailing of the summer beer season.  Oktoberfest brews are available as of now.  Although I resist ordering them at first (as I am doing now) I am soon forced into it so that I can have the variety that is available before they sell out.  Crazy, right? To think that I have to order O-fest supplies when August has barely begun to make sure inventory is complete for the season burns me up.  Summer is but 1/3 over.  Consumers are rightfully frustrated by retail seasons being far from real seasons, but it is not retailers at fault – it is suppliers.  As much I love Oktoberfest beers (my favorite seasonal indeed) I hate the premature end of summer in the beer world.  Competition for draft lines and many consumers’ distaste for purchasing a beer named October after October has passed have driven suppliers to madness in the summer.  This year summer seasonals were released before the first day of Spring and as we find ourselves finally enjoying the heat of the summer they are stripped away from us.  As ludicrous as I find retail seasons to be I have to admit that in my opinion summer beers pale in comparison to Oktoberfest beers (no pun intended).  I much prefer the hardy lager when the weather is cooler and fall is in the air but at least the quality is there, besting many summer styles.  So, forget about the name and the implication that summer is coming to a close.  Autumn isn’t here until September 22nd even though the beer with its namesake is.  Just enjoy the brew while you can because this season will also be closed before its time.  Long time favorites are Berkshire Brewing, Victory, Hofbrau and Ayinger.  Soon to be on the shelves.

The birthday of our great nation has passed and the celebration of independence from tyranny and taxation without representation is 233 years old.  Taxes are a necessity that we all share distaste for and when they get out of control we are driven to protest and dumping chests of tea into the harbor.  I would never suggest that we pour the nectar that is our beer anywhere other than into a glass, but the feelings of revolt must be alive in many of us at this point.  The lovely state of Massachusetts has raised sales tax 25% to 6.25% and has lifted the exemption for alcoholic beverages.  Get ready to see that sales tax at the register every time you pick up your favorite brew anywhere in MA after August 1st.  It is important to note that tax on alcohol already exists in MA.  Alcohol has always been taxed in MA, in the form of excise tax. This tax is largely overlooked as it is embedded in the prices, which are generally high relative to other states, and not otherwise seen by consumers. We are soon to be double taxed on alcohol! I propose revolt in the form of buying.  Okay, I certainly would prefer if that buying happened at Colonial Spirits, but no matter where you go get ready to stock up on your favorite beers and make it happen before August 1st.  Towards the end of July Colonial Spirits will have plenty of sales to help you beat the tax man and help you stock up on what you want.  Great new stuff is here like Dogfish Theobroma and Stone 13th Anniversary and Smuttynose Baltic Porter.  Get these, and more, while it’s 6.25 % cheaper!

An increasing number of legitimate brews are becoming available in cans.  The newest addition to Colonial Spirits is Brooklyn lager in a 16oz can (6-packs $11.69+dep).  Also recently added is Butternuts with canned Hefe, Pale and IPA.  Admittedly there isn’t a huge can selection but I commend the effort and love the thought of canned beer.  That may sound a bit crazy to some but it really is an excellent vessel for beer.  It may not be the best to drink from but that is why breweries make really cool glasses and give them out at tastings.  I’ll guess that most of you would advocate for draught brew.  A glass from a keg is the best right? I generally think so.  Note that a keg is simply a giant can.  Cans offer complete protection from light, ale and beer’s worst enemy, as well as convenience.  Portability can be critical at times – I am thinking about hiking, the beach the movie theater.  It mostly boils down to quality though.  Cans travel well and store better.  Cans are easy to keep cool and don’t shatter when the log you are splitting falls on them.  The abovementioned Brooklyn cans are great for yard work as the extra 4oz yields valuable extra minutes before you have to go inside for another.  Check out Oskar Blues as well.  From this CO brewery you can get a nice pale ale, a strong scotch ale, a pilsner and even some pricey offerings that will surprise you (Imperial Stout and Imperial IPA).  Hopefully we will see more on the shelves soon.

I like barley based drinks.  Ale and Beer are undoubtedly my favorite, but I do enjoy my whiskeys.  So what’s up with beer? All kinds of things, really, but I am thinking about drinking it right now.  The sun is high in the sky, it is past noon and I am thirsty.  More so, it is the flavor that I seek.  Hops are on my mind and, with any luck, will soon be on my palate.

I am basically prepared to drink almost any ale or beer at almost any time.  My preferences change with the weather, though.  Ask me what I am into right now…  IPA.  IPAs are good all throughout the year however the spring green and warm days usually get me particularly driven towards the piney fresh scent and rich bitterness of a fine IPA.  Sierra Nevada’s Southern Hemisphere Harvest ale in the 24oz bottle just arrived and, if you are lucky, the Torpedo is sometimes available.  FYI, Sierra Torpedo was dramatically oversold by the brewery.  A strong marketing effort left demand high and supply low.  Naturally I think that it all should have been sent to Colonial Spirits and we could be enjoying it in abundance right now.  Other classic favorites I am currently enjoying are Victory Hop Devil and Smuttynose IPA.  Newer treats are Green Flash West Coast IPA and Lagunitas Hop Stoopid.

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