Brew Hops & Wine Stops

Showing posts with label What's New. Show all posts

It was something that those of us in the wine business should never do, and I was guilty. I was attending a series of seminars, master classes, tastings and dinners in South Australia before heading out to visit some of the regions. On my last evening in Adelaide I attended a gathering, along with several hundred other wine experts from around the world. Australia was putting its best foot forward and free-pouring a wide selection of hundreds of its best wines. There were several stations of the most delicious food on hand. Owners, winemakers and sales people were there to meet with us, talk about their wines, and of course pour copiously. I met many fine and interesting folk – wine people are generally a passionate and friendly bunch – and in the course of the evening I was guilty of overindulging slightly. Somehow I ended up at a bar drinking beer with the band who entertained us that night – a folky roots group somewhat akin to Mumford and Sons (though they didn't want to hear that).

The next morning was the grand wine tasting. About 200 wineries were in attendance, ready and waiting to pour wine in the largest wine forum ever undertaken in Australia, and there I was, not – shall I say – at my best. Quickly I did something else that wine tasters should not do. I downed two or three espressos. After picking on some food and tasting a few wines I began to feel fine.

It was at this point that I approached a table of wines from Howard Vineyard and asked to taste. The pourer was a friendly guy named Tom Northcott who I soon learned was the executive winemaker at the winery. As soon as I tasted, my senses jerked to attention. I was immediately drawn to the purity of the fruit and the finesse of the wines. They had an elegance that was right up my alley and I was hooked.

Howard Vineyard is a family-owned winery in Adelaide Hills producing estate-grown wines. The land was purchased in the late 1990s and the brand was established in 2005. There are two well-situated vineyards with northwest-facing slopes which offer good exposure to the sun, and red loam soils which provide good drainage as well as a mineral structure to the wines. The Nairne vineyard is ideal for cool climate reds and the Schoenthal vineyard, being at a higher elevation, is used for whites and Pinot Noir.

ABC Fine Wine & Spirits is happy to offer two wines from Howard Vineyard:

Clover Shiraz: “The rich palate displays blackberries, olives, white pepper, blueberry and spice, followed by smooth French oak and perfectly balanced tannins. This wine will benefit from careful cellaring and is best decanted thirty minutes prior to serving.” – Winery Notes (Gold Medal from Wine Showcase Magazine)

Picnic Sauvignon Blanc: “Another take on Hills Sauvignon Blanc that treks a clever path towards the more lemon and citrus end of the spectrum but not forgetting its telltale passionfruits and lightly scoped tropical fruit salad elements as well, all cast with lovely tangy acidity and a lift of musk-like spice.” – Tony Love’s Top 100 Wines 2014 (Four Stars)

Both wines are excellent examples of the overwhelming quality to be found in the wines of Australia, as well as irrefutable proof that an under-the-weather taster can still sometimes choose well. Don’t hesitate to try them!

Bill Stobbs, ABC ABC Fine Wine & Spirits wine supervisor

Follow me on Twitter @abcwinebills

Say “hello!” to one of the newest wines we will be carrying at ABC…OS 16^th St Bridge. Very excited about this one because, honestly, who could say no to a Cab Franc predominant wine for under $20? I know I can’t! Cabernet Franc is one of my favorite “underdog” grapes. I say that because in France it’s used in Bordeaux blending but doesn’t ever get a chance to stand on its own. Now, take that same underrated grape, plant it in Washington State, and watch the beauty flourish! Lucky for me, OS Winery has taken this blending grape and run with it. The latest incarnation for my adored Cabernet Franc is OS 16^th St Bridge, Columbia Valley, Washington, and it makes me VERY happy. All the things I love about Cab Franc come out in OS’ signature style. Cab Franc is very particular in smell, almost like a spicy perfume as it opens, with flavors of Bing cherry, and -I‘ve got to say it- pink peppercorn. If you ever have a chance to bite into a singular kernel of the pink stuff you’ll realize it’s softer than black pepper, and has a similar feel to a solo grape.

Here’s what Great Northwest Wines had to say about it:

“Rob Sullivan and his daughter, Peggy, recently launched this label as a tribute to the historic South Park Bridge that was closed for several years. This release is devoted to Cabernet Franc (79%) and supported by Cabernet Sauvignon (11%) and Merlot from acclaimed vineyards such as Champoux, Elephant Mountain, Sheridan and Two Blondes. Cab Francophiles will embrace this for its aromas and flavors of Bing cherry, red currant, bell pepper, oregano and thyme. It carries a lighter body with graphite-like tannin and violets in the finish, and the responsible profile of lower alcohol lends this to suggested servings with Italian-themed pastas, Cajun dishes, grilled chicken, roasted pork and white cheeses.”

They (Great Northwest Wines) gave this wine an excellent rating and so do I. My favorite expression of this wine came straight from the website:

“With great acid and tannins for structure, the Bridge spans across your palette with dark cherry flavors, then opens in the mid-palette to bright red fruit and smokiness, finishing of raspberry and vanilla complete the journey, yearning for another trip across the Bridge.”

I think it’s time you took your trip!

Kathleen Anderson, ABC Fine Wine & Spirits North/West Florida Wine Supervisor

Follow me on Twitter @ABCwinekat

I love sparkling wine and with the holiday season still in our rearview mirror, I have many pleasant memories of the sound of popping corks. I'm an equal opportunity wine drinker so...Champagne, Cava, Prosecco, Franciacorta...I find a way to enjoy all incarnations of one of my favorite styles of wine.

I made a New Year's resolution to squeeze more enjoyment out of life in 2015, and a part of that includes drinking more bubbly. As I said, I find pleasure in all forms of sparkling wine, but more and more I find the wines of Franciacorta to be some of the most enjoyable, best-bang-for-your-buck wines in our stores.

For those not familiar with Franciacorta, it is a sparkling wine from the Lombardy region of Italy. More specifically it comes from a series of hillside towns to the south of Lake Iseo in the province of Brescia. Franciacorta was awarded DOC status in 1967 and then achieved the DOCG classification in 1995.

Grapes for the production of Franciacorta are strictly regulated. The permitted varieties are 85% Chardonnay, 10% Pinot Noir and 5% Pinot Blanc. Non-vintage Franciacorta may not be released until at least 25 months after the harvest, of which 18 months must be in contact with the yeast in the bottle. Vintage Franciacorta may not be sold for at least 37 months after harvest, of which 30 months must be in contact with the yeast. Essentially Franciacorta is a sparkling wine produced just like French Champagne only with stricter quality regulations.

Ok, so why write about sparkling wine in January? Well why not? Drinking bubbles almost always brings a smile to my face, so why limit our consumption to the holidays? Additionally my favorite wine from Franciacorta, Bellavista, underwent a complete redo in it's packaging and I wanted to reassure our guests.

The new packaging sports a new name and bright orange color scheme. The name "Alma" ("soul" in Latin) was choosen because Bellavista Brut Cuvée ($34.99) reflects the soul of the Franciacorta region and the Bellavista winery. For those who were familiar with the old lable, I assure you this is the same great sparkling wine. If you have never had a bottle of Bellavista, it's time to get acquainted with a wine that is sure to help you celebrate 2015 and put a smile on your face.

Paul Quaglini, ABC Fine Wine & Spirits wine supervisor

Follow me on Twitter @abcwinepaulq

ABC is happy to add two great South African wines to our portfolio from A.A. Badenhorst Family Wines: Secateurs Chenin Blanc and Secateurs Red. Winemaker and co-owner Adi Badenhorst, who trained in Bordeaux, the northern Rhone and New Zealand before becoming winemaker for nine years at Rustenberg, purchased 60 hectares in the Swartland in 2008 and set about making natural wine in the traditional manner.

Once something of an ignored area in South Africa’s Western Cape, the Swartland has grown in stature over the past decade and has become one of its most interesting appellations. A beautiful but sometimes wild, sometimes forbidding area it is now the home of The Swartland Revolution (‘We came, we saw, we revolted’) of which Adi Badenhorst is a founding member. The idea of the Revolution is to showcase the wines of the area. Despite whatever stylistic or philosophic differences the winemakers of the Swartland may have, all will agree that it offers a true sense of place which can be enjoyed and detected in the wines.

Old bush vines

Most vines in the area are bush vines, which is the original and most natural way of planting. With no trellis support, only pruning, the vines flourish in the wilderness and produce wines that have great character and depth, wines that are meant for enjoyment even more than idolization. When asked what he likes most in wine Adi replies, “Just that it quenches your thirst. Wine that you can drink and that can last and change in the glass. You must feel nourished after drinking wine. You mustn’t feel confused by wine.” Pretentious is the last thing that Adi Badenhorst is.

Secateurs Chenin Blanc is beautifully simple and delicious. Crisp and vibrant with pleasant citrus aromas and a dry finish, it is the perfect white wine for our Florida weather.

Secateurs Red is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignan, Cinsault and Grenache. Badenhorst’s vines are unirrigated, biologically farmed as much as possible and fermented in traditional concrete tanks. The 2011 Secateurs Red was awarded 91 points by Wine Advocate. (Though when asked his view on wine scoring Adi replied, “I don’t know. I’m no good at maths so it doesn’t work for me. If it’s more than 10, I get a bit nervous!”)

Breakfast with Adi Badenhorst

I had the pleasure of staying at Adi Badenhorst’s Kalmoesfontein farm in the Swartland a while back, along with our ABC Director of Wines Brad Lewis and a small group of wine specialists. It was, as you might expect, a very happy and laid-back time, with the emphasis on enjoying the wines in good company, in pleasant surroundings and with great home-cooked food. Somehow it seemed wrong to discuss the wines too deeply, as wonderful as they were. The farm was a real ‘home’ – with Adi and his beautiful family making us perfectly at ease, and neighbors stopping by to join the festivities (and to watch the rugby game). But my prime memory was after everyone else had gone to bed, sitting up until late at night with Adi, drinking that delicious South African Rooibos tea and talking about – not wine so much – but good books, life philosophies, the pleasure of collecting vinyl records and our mutual affection for Hergé’s Adventures of Tintin.

I don’t think I need to say more about the wines. Try them. Enjoy them. Oh, and “Long live the Revolution!”

Kalmoesfontein Farm

Bill Stobbs, ABC Fine Wine & Spirits wine supervisor

Follow me on Twitter @abcwinebills

There is some debate whether mead is considered beer or wine. It is a basic alcoholic beverage consisting of three ingredients: water, honey and yeast. It is the oldest alcoholic beverage known to man, outdating both beer and vinifera wine. Mead is actually closer to wine, but is in its own category, honey wine. Why am I writing about it you ask? Well it just so happens to be carried by beer distributors in my area. Meaderies add ingredients found in beer like hops and grains to give their meads a beer-like taste. Meads are good for the holidays and can be heated and mulled with spices for a sweet and soothing quaff by the fire. Chaucer’s offers a pack of aromatic mulling spices with each bottle for the perfect package. B. Nektar adds quality fruit juices and hops to their different meads with humorous names like Zombie Killer, Kill All the Golfers (a nod to Caddy Shack) and Necromangocon.

A few days ago, a representative for a local beer distributor gave me the opportunity to sample an assortment of meads from the highly rated Moonlight Meadery of Londonderry, New Hampshire. First up was Sensual, their traditional mead made with the three main ingredients. It has wildflower honey giving it a delicate, sweet taste with an elegant grape must like finish. Next was Kurt’s Apple Pie, according to the website, made with local apple cider, Madagascar-bourbon vanilla and Vietnamese cinnamon. This one was very tasty with complex flavors of apple cider and velvety vanilla. Next was Fling with strawberries and rhubarb offering a fresh, sweet strawberry taste cut by the bitter, almost hop-like rhubarb. Last was Desire. This one was my favorite with a blend of blueberries, black cherries and black currants. Desire is actually Moonlight’s flagship mead and has a beautiful dark fruit taste that is not cloying.

I like to think of mead in the more beer end of spectrum in the non-literal sense with its beer-like packaging and different beercentric flavors. Blue Dog Meadery offers Green Color, a sparkling mead in four pack cans. I have noticed a lot of fruit varieties similar to lambics.

So if you want to try something a little different for the holidays other than eggnog and apple cider, pick up a bottle of your favorite mead and mull yourself into spice heaven.

Adam Shugan, ABC Fine Wine & Spirits beer consultant - Gainesville

Follow me on Twitter @abcbeeradams

Reputation and trust are two of the most important qualities to consider when we think about bringing a new wine on board.There are literally thousands of producers from all corners of the world that would love to sell wine to us thirsty Americans. At ABC Fine Wine & Spirits we are fortunate to have some of the most reputable, highly rated and trustworthy producers in our portfolio.

Located in Tuscany, La Calonica, owned by the Cattani family, is at the top of my list of producers that emulate excellence. Founded in 1973, the La Calonica estate has become one of our best sources for great quality wine. The property extends for about 45 hectares between the towns of Montepulciano and Cortona.

Montepulciano is famous for producing one of Italy's most iconic red wines, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. La Calonica produces a highly rated Vino Nobile and Vino Nobile Riserva available in our stores.

The lesser known Cortona side of the property produces equally impressive wines. The Cortona DOC title was just created in 1999 despite centuries of winemaking tradition.The Cortona DOC produces many traditional Sangiovese based wines but also excels in the production of international varieties.

When I speak of international varieties, I'm including both red and white grapes.I have always been a fan of La Calonica's Don Giovanni Sauvignon Blanc. Despite our admiration of this wine we never introduced it to you, our guests, because let's face it...most of us don't shop for Italian Sauvignon Blanc.

So how do we get this delicious Sauvignon Blanc to you? Two of our most popular Italian wines come to us from La Calonica. Capanne Vecchie Sangiovese Cabernet and Capanne Vecchie Sangiovese Merlot have been best sellers in our stores for years. We are now proud to announce their sister Capanne Vecchie Bianco as the newest addition to our portfolio. The Capanne Vecchie Bianco is produced from the estate Sauvignon Blanc with the addition of traditional white Tuscan varietals. It shows a nose with lightly grassy notes, melon and white peach in a long complex finish. Trust and reputation!

Paul Quaglini, ABC Fine Wine & Spirits wine supervisor

Follow me on Twitter @abcwinepaulq

One of the more fascinating occurrences of the wine world arises when a country suddenly finds that it possesses a grape variety that has caught the world’s attention and interest. We think of Australian Shiraz, New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, South African Pinotage and Argentinian Malbec. Also coming on strong right now is Chilean Carménère.

“What?” you say. “I tried Carménère fifteen years ago and didn’t like it at all. A cheap wine that tastes like bell peppers.”

Well, I say, there have been developments. A renaissance in fact. And quality Carménère is well worth a second try.

The story of Carménère is a strange one. It is one of the most ancient of grape varieties, originating in Spain but gaining prominence in the Médoc and Graves regions of Bordeaux, where along with Cabernet Franc it was the most planted red grape variety until the mid-18^th century when Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot began to take over. The name ‘Carménère’ comes from the French word ‘carmin,’ meaning crimson, which refers to the color of the leaf before it falls. Today Carménère is almost extinct in Bordeaux. Most of it was destroyed when Phylloxera struck Bordeaux in 1867. When, in its aftermath, replanting began, the variety was difficult to find, and because it was a problematic grape to grow, it was largely forgotten. The six red grapes allowed in Bordeaux suddenly became five.

This is where the story of Carménère takes a strange turn. Just before Phylloxera attacked the Old World, a number of Bordelaise vines were shipped to Chile, where Phylloxera never invaded. The problem was, because they look so much alike, the Carménère was thought to be Merlot or a Merlot clone. So for well over a hundred years Chilean Carménère was sold as Merlot. It wasn’t until 1994 that a French ampelographer finally identified the grape as Carménère.

Imagine the dilemma! This was right at the height of the Merlot craze, and just as the Chilean wine industry was beginning to emerge in the international market. Desperately, the marketers began to sing the praises of ‘Bordeaux’s lost grape variety’ now to be found in Chile. But as the Carménère was still being harvested and vinified like Merlot, the marketing was usually better than the wine itself and interest in the grape declined.

Now, however, time has passed and a lot of study has been made of this fascinating variety. It was discovered that Carménère needs about 2-3 more weeks of hang time than Merlot to ripen properly. And that it needs to grow in a moderate climate that doesn’t get too hot. And that it requires little rainfall or irrigation, as too much water brings out those unwanted herbaceous characteristics. Under these conditions the quality of the wine improved vastly.

Carménère is perhaps the deepest, darkest, purplest of all red grapes. At its best it is a medium-bodied wine with smooth tannins and somewhat spicy fruit with hints of cherry, smoke, dark chocolate, tobacco, leather and soy.

A recent mid-priced arrival at ABC offers an excellent example. Casas del Bosque Reserva Carménère 2012 from Rapel Valley in Chile is among the best Chilean Carménères I’ve come across. Rated 90 points by Stephen Tanzer the wine “exhibits heady notes of black pepper, black cherry with just a hint of fresh rosemary. In the mouth an initial attack of red plum, sweet tobacco and cinnamon gives way to just a touch of red bell pepper. Ripe tannins and fresh acidity combine to give good balance and length.”

Definitely a wine to try and to enjoy!

Bill Stobbs, ABC Wine Supervisor

Follow me on Twitter @abcwinebills

I thought that this morning would be the perfect opportunity to preview one of our newest cigars that should be hitting our humidor shelves soon, La Aroma de Cuba Robusto. This new addition is one of many that we will be introducing from Ashton Cigars, a company known for its consistency and quality. In an age where many cigar makers are focused on bringing out new items each year and creating a “what’s new” culture in the industry, Ashton focuses on making sure that they maintain the high level of quality that cigar lovers have come to expect from them. It is one of the few booths at the IPCPR Trade Show that one will not be bombarded with a dozen or so new cigars, newly found rare tobaccos or fancy line extensions.

One of their great lines is the La Aroma de Cuba. This one recently went through a few changes and is now being made by famed cigar-maker and master blender Jose “Don Pepin” Garcia in his Estelí, Nicaragua factory. The La Aroma de Cuba was once a Cuban cigar that was produced in the 19^th century. Today, its Cuban seeded Nicaraguan tobacco helps pay homage to those roots.

The first thing that grabs your attention on this stick, other than the gorgeous wrapper, is the ornate band. It's classic, elegant and a perfect representation of how the cigar tastes.

I get some nice spice notes to start the cigar, though the pepper isn’t as intense as one would expect from a Nicaraguan filled stick. The coffee and cocoa make an early appearance, thanks to the Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper, and along with some toast and woodsy flavors make the smoke very creamy. Although the pepper notes are intensified on the retrohale, as they usually are, the black pepper notes are otherwise blended nicely with the other flavors.

As I am enjoying this cigar for breakfast, the strength is coming off as medium to full-bodied, but I think that as an after-dinner smoke this would back down to a solid medium. As I wind down the cigar, I detect more cocoa and sweetness, but a quick exhale through the nasal passage quickly gives me a dose of hot pepper. I didn’t get any drastic changes in flavor as I smoked this cigar, it was just a solid combination of the flavors mentioned above throughout the smoke with sweetness picking up at the end.

I strongly suggest this smoke to seasoned veterans as well as new smokers as there is enough to satisfy both palates. Now, if I only had an omelet filled with cheese, spicy sausage, and jalapenos, my morning would be perfect. Wow, I may have just decided what I will be having for Sunday brunch.

Long Ashes,

Chris Gwaltney, ABC Fine Wine & Spirits North Florida regional manager, Certified Tobacconist and Cicerone Beer Server

Follow me on Twitter @abccigarchris.

No, I haven’t hit my head…well, not lately anyways. Chardonnay in Bordeaux, YES!! Anytime you think you have a wine region figured out, Bacchus throws you a curve ball, and that is exactly what happened to me this week. I was doing a little research on a completely different subject and came across a story on Clos Dubreuil of St. Emilion and found that indeed, Chardonnay was being produced in Bordeaux. All these years of trying to explain to people that only specific grapes (wines) can be made in certain areas in Europe and why that is and yada, yada, yada as their eyes begin to glaze over, then something like this comes around and we're back to square one. So this is what I found out about Bordelaise Chardonnay:

Benoit Trocard is the managing director of Clos Dubreuil--his family has many holdings throughout the Right Bank, including wines from Pomerol, Bordeaux Superieur and now in Lussac, where the Chardonnay is planted. Trocard has politicked for some time to grow this white grape that was not permitted by the AOC, France's governing body for wine. The allowable grapes up to now in Bordeaux are Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Sauvignon Gris, Muscadelle and some very small plantings of varieties like Ugni Blanc, Folle Blanche and Columbard. Dubreuil Chardonnay, as it is labeled, is for now a small 100 cases of production from less than a hectare of vineyards, but is planned to go to over 300 cases in the future. Lussac, which is just north of St. Emilion, has soils comprised mainly of limestone and clay. The Dubreuil Chardonnay sees about 10 months of aging in 50 percent new French oak barrels and sells for around $60 a bottle. An early review of the wines goes like this…"2013 Dubreuil Chardonnay, Debut vintage of this 100% Chardonnay. From the team at Clos Dubreuil, the wine pops with lemon, orange and grapefruit aromas. Zippy, but a bit short in the citrus finish.”

And though this is mostly an experiment for now, Benoit Trocard feels that if this area is capable of producing quality Chardonnay, then he sees no reason why it shouldn’t be allowed. French wines with screw tops, bottles carrying the varietal name on the label--it’s as if French wines are entering the modern world. Who knows what's next, Ch. Lafite in a box?? There I go, hitting my head again!

Ken Amendola, ABC Fine Wine & Spirits wine supervisor

Follow me on Twitter @abcwinekena

Château Cantemerle 2010, Haut Médoc, is quite possibly one of the best values in the outstanding 2010 vintage in Bordeaux; Robert Parker calls it “a major sleeper of the vintage” and “a modern-day version of their legendary 1949.”

Rated 94+ by the Wine Advocate, this wine should be on every wine collector’s list. This is the kind of wine worth cellaring and enjoying over many years to come.

The following review is from Robert Parker:

The wine needs a good 7-10 years of cellaring and should keep for 30 more years, but this is the finest Cantemerle I have encountered in my professional career of tasting young vintages (dating back 34 years now). Stunningly deep ruby/purple, with a beautiful nose of spring flowers intermixed with perfumed raspberry and blueberry notes, it exhibits a sort of cool-climate character. Broad, rich and intense on the palate, the wine has plenty of tannins, but they are sweet and well-integrated. Everything is delicately entwined into this beautiful, medium to full-bodied, dense purple wine, which shows stunning character and a prodigious potential for development. This is definitely a major sleeper of the vintage and even better than I thought from barrel. With its 2010, this classified growth located in the southern end of the Médoc may well have made a modern-day version of their legendary 1949. 94+ - Wine Advocate

Château Cantemerle is located in the Haut-Médoc appellation of Bordeaux, in the commune of Macau. Its long history dates back to the 12th century, when the château was part of a military fortification line defending the shores of the Médoc; wine has been made here since at least the 14th century.

The estate comprises 94 hectares planted with 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot, with 30 years average age of the vines.

Cantemerle was the last château included in the Official Classification of 1855; its absence from the classification map featured at the 1855 Exposition Universelle de Paris, created some controversy.

It has been included on all listings dated 1856 and later. This was the result of an intense lobbying effort by Caroline de Villeneuve-Durfort, the owner at the time, who had supplied documentation to the brokers originally responsible for the price-based 1855 classification. The absence of Château Cantemerle from the original list is explained by the fact that the negociants didn’t have sufficient price information on their wine, despite the fact that Cantemerle has been traded on Place de Bordeaux since 1854.

The 2010 Château Cantemerle, Haut Médoc is available in select ABC Fine Wine & Spirits stores for only $47.99. Quantities are limited, don’t let it get away!

Atanas Nechkov, ABC Fine Wine & Spirits wine supervisor

Follow me on Twitter @abcwineatanas

As anyone who has stepped outside can tell you, summer is here. The humidity is around 100%, the mercury in the thermometer is above 90 and there are plenty of kids in summer camps. The folks at Sierra Nevada have just released what I can playfully call "camp for adults." Yes, I am talking about the 2014 release of their Beer Camp Across America. This is a mixed 12-pack of beers brewed at their original Chico, California, brewery and at their new Mills River, North Carolina, location.

Every beer in the 12-pack is brewed in collaboration with another well respected and highly acclaimed brewery. This is not a new concept for Sierra Nevada as they have released Beer Camp collaborations for the last few years. But they were nothing like this.

$25 for a 12-pack of beer may raise eyebrows initially, but when you consider what is inside, it really is a bang for the buck. The styles of beer in the 12-pack run the full gamut from milk stouts, IPL, ESB, dark ale, Belgian-style blonde, pale ale and Scottish ale, just to name a few. What still has my jaw on the floor as a Floridian are the breweries in this 12-pack that have no other presence in our state. A few of the breweries in the pack include Firestone Walker, New Glarus, 3 Floyds, Russian River and Allagash.

Sierra Nevada is hosting a series of beer festivals around the country this summer to celebrate the release and showcase plenty of other breweries. If you can’t make one of their festivals, make your own. Pick up a 12-pack and some small sample glasses. Invite some friends over and sample the beers, try some blind, make people guess what they are, have a food and beer pairing contest with the beers. These beers will not be around for long, so hurry up and jumpstart your own summer beer camp today.

Note: This is not available in all ABC locations and many have already sold out. Talk to your beer consultant to find out if your ABC will be getting any!

Evan Kaye, ABC Fine Wine & Spirits regional manager and beer consultant

Follow him on Twitter @abcbeerevank

Subscribe to: Posts ( Atom )

Brew Hops & Wine Stops

Elegant and Pure – The Wines of Howard Vineyard

The new 2014 vintage of Picpoul de Pinet from Château Petit Roubié is now in stores!

Under the Bridge

New Design, Same Great Wine

Know your Carménère

Piglets for Turkey Day

Winter Beers to Keep an Eye Out for this Season

Back to Basics Winemaking and The Swartland Revolution!

Another Pig Tale

Mead: Beer or Wine?

A New Wine From a Trusted Friend

Carménère: The Strange & Mysterious History of Bordeaux’s Lost Grape

It's Harvest Time at Nicolis Winery!

La Aroma de Cuba

Chardonnay de Bordeaux?

Uncork for a Cure!

Why is this Root Beer and Ginger Beer in my Craft Beer Store?

The Buzz of Lake County

Château Cantemerle 2010 now at ABC Fine Wine & Spirits

Beer Camp is Here