Friday, July 31, 2015

Beer Tasting 4 - 7pm Friday, July 31

Your Host:
Scott Valley
Charter Oak Brewing Company
New Canaan, CT




 

1687 Brown Ale . . . $9.99/6pbtl
This American Style Brown Ale and its distinctive brown label was first introduced by the brewery in June of 2012. The American style is somewhat unique because so many of the brown bodied beers are of an English style, which tend to be sweeter. The 1687 Brown Ale pours a rich dense brown shade with a faint roasted and tasted aroma. The brewery uses both malted and roasted barley in the beer and a total of seven types of barley allow for a wonderfully complex taste, yet well balanced. Of particular surprise is just how clean this beer finishes, leaving no residual on the tongue. Interestingly enough, the 1687 Brown Ale also enjoys a very light mouth feel and at 5.5% ABV it enjoys a year round spot at the bar.


Wadsworth IPA . . . $10.49/6pbtl
Our Wadsworth India Pale Ale , and its bold red branding, is a well balanced brew; at 6.5% ABV, plenty of select malted barley, and an aggressive dose of premium hops, we think you will enjoy the taste and nose of this style. Charter Oak's IPA pours with a full head of foam and a rich amber shade. As you bring your glass up to your mouth, one can not help but enjoy the aroma of the citrus and pine from our fresh, finishing hops. Indeed, a familiar nose for most American India Pale styles. Once the liquid reaches your tongue, our hops are loud and clear and as this IPA reaches the back of your palate, the hops only become more flavorful and intense, although we brew this to yield a full backbone of malted barley to hide all the bitterness. Having said this, our IPA is not too bitter and one could argue, with all the hoppiness of this this well balanced style, it is a beer that can be savored all night long.


Royal Charter Pale Ale . . . $9.99/6pbtl
The Royal Charter Pale Ale, with its elegant green label, was introduced in October of 2012 and is the second of four core Charter Oak Brewery beers. This west coast styled beer pours a distinctive amber shade and enjoys a nice head of foam. The Royal Charter Pale Ale beer enjoys a citrus nose and is designed to be a sessionable beer. The beer starts off a well-balanced ale with plenty of malt backbone and the hops become 'alive' on the back end. Unlike the typical west coast styles, the intensity of this full flavored hop does not become any more robust with each sip or pint, but rather remains stable. At 5.5% ABV and a full taste, this Ale could soon become your favorite.


Lights Out Stout . . . $7.29/22oz
This is a robust, yet well balanced, Stout with hints of chocolate, coffee, toffee, and Carmel and a solid roasted barley back bone. It pours a dark black with a full head of tan foam and enjoys a dominate chocolate and coffee aroma. From your first sip, there is no mistake that this style has plenty of fresh hops; however the full malted barley backbone hides any hint of bitterness. This is a well balanced Russian Imperial Stout with a generous ABV at 9.1% and full flavor.




COCKTAIL TASTING
SATURDAY 4:00-7:00pm


Spiked2

A fun blend of spiked seltzer amped up with Broken Shed Premium Vodka. A refreshing drink for these hot summer days, and with some power to it!

LEAVE THE LIGHTS ON




Sounds easy right?

Isn’t it just a matter of not flipping the switch when you leave?

Well, yes, sort of…

This is more of a metaphorical switch in your brain. It is the one that gets turned on when you are introduced to a great wine (Beer or Spirit also I suppose). It is that moment when you say ah hah! 

With our long history of being a teaching and learning store we have seen the switch flipped to the on position many times. It is usually an unexpected moment that happens after some time of being introduced to many different wines and beginning to understand your own palette and a wine makers intentions.

If you are a regular customer at Harry's, you will recognize that a portion of our more tenured staff has graduated our program in the past couple of years and has now been replaced by eager young students that are anchored by William, Patrick, and Scott who have decades of experience under their collective belts. The learning curve is massive at our store and the first year can be a bit overwhelming for the newer staff but with some open ears, an open mind, and a passionate palette, The lights will come on.

Recently, in an attempt to take one of those staff members to that moment where the switch flips, at her request to try something “new”, I opened a bottle of Laurona 2008 from Monsant in Spain to taste with Rachel. It is a wonderful bottle with some age and good structure along with layers and layers of flavor and texture. The wine is composed of very old vine Grenache and Carignane grapes combined with younger Cabernet, Merlot, and Syrah vines. The resulting wine is a contemplative wine that doesn’t break the bank.

Rachel didn’t get the forewarning that there was a test that accompanied her request. The good news is that through watching her and tasting with her over time, I knew it was one she would pass.

Step 1.
Pull the cork and get some clean glasses – Check!

Step 2
P - Ok Rachel, Tell me about the wine. What are you Seeing? Smelling? Tasting?

R - Wait, I’m telling you?

P - Yes. This is where all the practice comes to use. Tell me about the wine.

So she did…

R - Looks dark in the glass, Some earthy, farmy stuff on the nose… Dark fruit… not much more.

P - Good. Lets taste.

R - Not much fruit, big tannins, good acidity, It’s good but it has a bitter thing on the finish and I don’t know how much I like it.

P - Good. Now we wait…

What I hadn’t told her was that the reason that we were tasting this particular bottle was because I was familiar with what was about to happen. This wine had been sleeping in that bottle for a good number of years and by pulling the cork, she had gently nudged it awake. Now it was just going to take a little time and air to get this little beauty to show us how much stuffing it had tucked away.

I suggested to her that this one might need a little time before we knew what it was going to do. I am not sure she believed me but she did exercise a bit of patience and her curiosity had her going back to it every few minutes and she continued to swirl it in her glass as she gently coaxed it awake.

R – I think I like this now… There is more fruit and layers showing now. That bitter thing is gone. The tannins are softening. It doesn’t taste like the same wine.

The switch was flipped.

For the next hour or so we talked about the region. We talked about the effects of aging and why the wine was changing so much. The wine got better. The passion grew deeper. The connection to her palette and her confidence understanding of the wine in her glass was set.

Experiences like the one we had that night drive the passion that is already there. It is fuel to the fire and each of the members of our staff have the drive and passion inside of them. It is our job to pull the cork and let that passion breath so it will open up and develop. It really is a great experience and that part of our job is very rewarding.

The only problem is that the more experience our staff gets and the more this drive and thirst for more continues to grow, the shorter the time that they will be with us. You see, William is the anchor and he owns the place so you can’t have his job. Patrick is in the same situation so the room at the top begins to get crowded. If we do our job right, their thirst continues to grow and the need for more does too.

Our job then becomes to help them find a new job where all they have learned on staff can be utilized and expanded on. Maybe a job in another shop as the top dog like in Greg’s situation. Maybe as a salesperson at a wholesaler or importer like Christelle and a few others. When you go to a wholesaler the game changes a bit. There is a lot of pressure on certain brands, quotas to meet, and a lot of digging in the portfolio for great finds to introduce customers like us to.

My advice…

With all the pressure to meet those quotas and to sell certain brands.

Leave the light on, you never want to lose that driving passion

-Cheers

Saturday, July 25, 2015

Wine Tasting - Saturday 1-4, July 25

Your Host:
Bonnie Nather
Eder Brothers



Schramsberg Mirabelle Brut Rosé
. . . $27.99
90pts, Wine AdvocateThe Mirabelle Brut Rosé is a specially crafted blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from Schramsberg's select cool-climate vineyards. Pinot Noir lots, including a few fermented with skin contact, provide brightness of berry fruit and body, while Chardonnay lots lend length and zest to the palate. Additional flavor depth and aromatic complexity results from the blending of base wine lots aged in barrels and tanks for one or more years. The finished Brut Rosé exhibits fresh, elegant and toasty aromas that lead into lively and delicious fruit flavors on the palate.

Ponzi Pinot Noir Rosé 2014 . . . $19.99
Wild strawberries, crushed rose petal, lavender and pink peppercorn lead to a palate reminiscent of watermelon salt water taffy, amaretti cookie and red currants. The bright and briny acidity is perfectly balanced with a touch of fruit sweetness.


Sonoma Cutrer Sonoma Coast Chardonnay 2013 . . . $21.99 Fruit aromas of Golden Delicious apple, Bosc pear and white peach are accented with toasted nuts, oak spice, a hint of vanilla and a touch of butter. This wine has the signature Sonoma-Cutrer balance between elegance and richness for a medium-bodied, mouth-filling wine. The creamy richness is balanced with a bright acidity and highlighted with flavors of apple, pear and lemon zest.

Groth Cabernet Sauvignon 2011 . . . $49.99
The 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon is big and lush with huge gobs of fruit in the aroma and flavor. The texture of the wine is soft and supple, typical of Cabernet Sauvignons grown in our area of the Oakville AVA. The sweet vanilla character derived from 22 months in the barrels blends well with the black cherry and blackberry flavors and aromas of the wine.

Friday, July 24, 2015

Beer Tasting 4 - 7pm Friday, July 24


Your Host:
Kevin
Relic Brewing Company

Plainville, CT




Fletcher . . . $9.99/4pbtl
Very hoppy pale ale with blend of american hops including simcoe, mosaic, columbus and summit.

Damiana . . . $9.99/4pbtl
This dark saison is crisp and balanced with notes of chocolate roast and raisins, a blend of authentic yeasts adds a layer of delicious spice.

Ryddle . . . $7.99/22oz
American farmhouse "funky" rye with Brettanomyces yeast.

Tropicale . . . $9.99/4pbtl
IPA with orange blossom honey and lots of late hops.



 

COCKTAIL TASTING
SATURDAY 4:00-7:00pm


La Caravedo
- Pisco Sours
Pisco sours are the classic welcome cocktail all long the west coast of South America. In Peru, the spirit is more than the base for a mix drink. It is a point of national pride, finely crafted and innately bonded with the land.

This drink is tart, refreshing, and will add an exotic twist to any party or gathering! 
 

Thursday, July 23, 2015

Spotlight on IPLs



 IPAs have dominated the American craft beer market for years with a loud, celebrated, and very American fashion.

India pale lagers are their lesser known, younger cousin. Similar personality, different family. Still big and bold, but a little more straight-laced and collected at the same time.

Lagers are fermented at colder temperatures for a longer period of time and produce cleaner, crisper beers. Ale yeast goes through a quicker, higher temperature fermentation resulting in spicier, more estery and complex beers. Like India pale ales, IPLs put the bold, hoppy aromas and bitterness at the forefront, but because the lager yeast, creates a drier, more crisp and clean brew (they're not quite as elaborate as their ale counterpart).

The cleaner lager yeast provides a back drop for hops to shine. While the BJCP still doesn't consider IPL a category of its own, the style still upholds some of its own characteristics. The primary difference between an IPL and a hoppy pilsner is the use of more aggressive, pungent ale hops. IPLs are an example of the merging of stylistic categories, and also the constantly evolving hop market.

New hop varieties are constantly being introduced to the market. They offer new characteristics which lend themselves to exploration. IPLs are a hybrid, a mutt of the craft beer world, and an example of its progression.

Here are a few of my favorite IPLs you can find on the shelves at Harry's 

Otter Creek Citra Mantra, 5.75% abv
Otter Creek Brewing Company, Middlebury, VT
Citra Mantra is a spring seasonal release from Otter Creek. It's single-hopped with 100% Citra hops. Citra hops are a modern American hop that are known for their strong floral and citrus aroma and flavor. They're a pungent, distinctive "impact" hop. Citra Mantra is tropical fruit and tangerines without the cloying. Pilsner, Munich, and Vienna malts.
 

Thomas Hooker Defiance Double IPL, 7.7% abv 
Thomas Hooker Brewing Company, Bloomfield, CT 
Defiance is an imperial lager, boasting almost 8% abv. Despite the higher alcohol content, it finishes clean and smooth. Hopped with Citra and Azacca hops. Pilsner, Carahell, and Vienna malts.

Fathom, 7% abv 
Ballast Point Brewing Company, San Diego, CA 
Ballast Point is a major player in the game. They're most commonly known for their Sculpin IPA which is loaded with tropical fruit flavors. The lager yeast tones down the fruit in Fathom and pushes citrus and pine up front. Dry hopped with Ahtanum hops. Munich and Vienna malt base.  

Hoponius Union, 6.7% abv 
Jack's Abby, Framingham, MA
Perhaps one of my favorites. Jack's Abby only brews lagers. Hoponius Union uses a blend of classic American, West Coast IPA hops for a big tropical fruit and citrus aroma. The nose follows through on the taste with a clean finish.

Saturday, July 18, 2015

Cocktail Tasting - Saturday 4-7pm July 18

COCKTAIL TASTING
SATURDAY 4:00-7:00pm


Taste a variety of uniquely styled cocktail that share one common thread, "Joseph's Virgin Mary". Gin, Vodka, Aged Rum, and Anejo Tequila are all uniquely adapted to this fast growing mixer. Stop in and kick your taste buds in to high gear!
 
Joseph's Virgin Mary - Bloody Mary's..... $8.99Owner and "concotor" Joseph Rebecco joins us to taste his legendary and locally made Bloody Mary mix. His dream, decades in the making is coming true. Joseph describes himself as a temporarily unemployed bartender after he politely refused to share his recipe with the owner of the establishment where he worked. Now, self employed, he shares his infamous concoction with you.

Wine Tasting - Saturday 1-4, July 18



Your Host:
Tim Huminski
Best Valley Wines


 


 Raimun Verdejo 2014 . . . $9.99
Bright straw-yellow color. Powerful tropical fruit aromas with hints of hay. Expressive. Long round texture on the palate, fresh and balanced by good acidity, and a pleasant slightly bitter finish.


Weingut Kremser Grüner Veltliner 2014(1Liter) . . . $12.99
Fresh lime and green apple notes, brioche nose, crisp with pleasant acidity.


Chateau Lamothe White Bordeaux 2014 . . . $14.99 Classic white Bordeaux, beginning with a traditional blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, and Muscadelle this zippy white boasts floral aromas and bright citrus fruit flavors. The palate is round and fresh, with a long finish.

Baron de Funes Red 2013 . . . $8.99
Full medium-bodied, dry. Deeply colored in the glass with aromas of ripe brambleberry fruit and a hint of pepper. The palate is dense and rich with black fruit and smooth tannin.