This week's list of new and returning products follows a few words about my tattered old wallet
Preamble by Steve Siciliano
I like to think that I’m pretty observant but sometimes when I see things a lot I have the tendency to not really “see”them. A few examples—the tufts of grass pushing up through the cracks in the driveway, the trellis in the backyard that needs painting, the weeping cherry trees crying out for a good pruning. I just don’t notice some things until my very observant wife points them out to me. Of course whenever she does I thank her profusely.
The same thing applies to my clothing. I really don't notice the ash burns from my pipe on my T-shirts and the frayed collars on my flannel shirts until Barb suggests it's time they be retired. When I brush her off they invariably go missing. So far she hasn't said a word about my tattered old wallet.
I'm not sure how long I've had that old black trifold. Twenty years maybe, Hell it could even be thirty. A couple of weeks back I cracked it open t.o make sure I had the necessary items for an upcoming trip. I stuck my driver's license and health insurance card back in their places but tossed out the plastic coated fishing license from 2018, a laminated card I'm supposed to flash ( which I never do) whenever an x-ray machine detects my titanium hips, and a water damaged business card from some fishing guide whose name and phone number were mostly illegible. I used to have a bad habit of keeping my wallet in my pants pocket while negotiating the rivers. After taking a few cold water wader filling dives I now leave it in the truck.
I briefly considered buying a new wallet but decided against it. I'm not sure why I even need a wallet because I keep my wad of bills in a rubber band and I can just as easily stow my divers license and insurance card next to the cash. But I've had that old wallet a long time and it just feels comfortable on my left hip. As I get older I'm finding it harder to discard things like holey T-shirts, frayed flannels and tattered old wallets.
Featured Wines of the Week
Confidencial, reserva red, 2016, Portugal, $11.99/750ml- This wine shows great diversity of complex aromas, such as red fruits and vanilla. Medium body in the mouth, it reveals again sensations of red fruit, harmoniously integrated with wood notes and fine tannins provided by ageing in 250 litres oak barriques. In the aftertaste, develops smooth and rich flavours, some acidity and complexity, overcoming ripe fruit, chocolate and wood notes. Its dryness and persistence, combined with its fine elegant tannins, put in evidence its great gastronomic and evolution potencial. A wine to keep. (Source)
Cuvee des 3 Messes Basses, Ventoux, Rose, France, $12.99/750ml- Clean fruity and floral bouquet with hint of acid drop when aerated. A fresh and fleshy dry rosé with a crisp mouth, supple and light, with expressive perfumes of red fruits and berries. (Source)
Puerto Viejo, Sauvignon Blanc, 2017, Chile, $9.99/750ml-
Appearance: Bright, pale yellow with green highlights. Nose: Intense nose of citrus and green apples, with a faint hint of grass. In Mouth: Crisp mouth entry; light bodied, with a very fresh finish.
(Source)
Buy three or more bottles of wine get 10 % off.
"It's our mission at Siciliano's to sell quality wine at affordable prices."
Featured Spirits of the Week
Ha'penny, Irish Whiskey, $26.29/750ml-
Composition Features
Port Pipe finished Malt • First fill Bourbon Barrel Malt • Sherry Butt Grain • Double Charred Barrel Grain
Nose: Rich aromatic nose of oak wood spice with hints of nuttiness. Dried berries with touches of sweet tropical fruits, vanilla and cinnamon.
Palate: A dry but rounded mouthfeel with peppered wood spice. Dried apricot sweetness develops into a fusion of marzipan, demerara and praline. Smooth balance of vanilla, creme caramel, hints of orange citrus & dark fruits with a lingering oak spice finish. (Source)
Romate, Brandy De Jerez solera reserva, Spain, $13.69/750ml-
Romate Solera Reserva Brandy is distilled in the distinctive solera cask system and aged two and half years in American oak casks, earning the title Reserva. It was created in the tradition of Cardenal Mendoza and also will carry the prestigious appellation Brandy de Jerez. It is smooth with a pleasant, oaky bouquet reminiscent of sherry. It is ideal served in the traditional brandy snifter as well as in cocktails. (Source)
Pusser's 15yr Rum, Guyana, $57.89/750ml- Forbes magazine called it the “Single Malt of Rum,” we call it “Liquid History.” Pusser’s True-Aged 15 Year Rum is crafted in small batches. It is a superb, coveted and limited 15 year aged rum that continues to win awards and accolades amongst peers.
ORIGIN: Guyana
COLOR: Dark Amber
NOSE: Classic Demerara Sugar, Molasses Dried Fruits, Island Spices and Caramel
BODY: Full and Round. Ideal for sipping
FINISH: Warm, Smooth, Long and Memorable
(Source)
New and Returning Products
Arbor Oktoberfest, $2.19/12oz - Our festive amber lager is brewed with ample Pilsner and Munich malts, creating a rich, hearty beer that’s balanced by a clean bitterness and a crisp, dry finish. Prost! (Source)
Brewery Vivant Pumpkin Tart, $3.79/16oz - Traditionally Belgian brewers have been inspired by their local agriculture. Living in the midst of Michigan’s rich agricultural heritage our Vivant brewers find it quite natural to be inspired in this same way. This rustic beer is brewed with real pumpkin and a hint of spice, perfect for the anticipated crispness of Autumn. Using a kettle souring technique, our brewers blend just the right amount of tartness into this farmhouse pumpkin ale. Raise a glass to the bounty of the harvest! (Source)
Drafting Table Peach Brewlius, $3.79/16oz - This Milkshake IPA is a peach creamsicle-inspired ale brewed with lactose, malt, oats, and wheat, and fermented with peaches and vanilla. Enjoy the classic hoppiness of an IPA with soft, creamy fruited finish. (Source)
Great Lakes Hazecraft, $1.99/12oz - 3, 2, 1... we have haze! A cloudy cosmos of Azacca, Lemondrop, and Simcoe hops awaits exploration. (Source)
Greyline Green Jackalope, $3.29/12oz - Yeast coast IPA
Lord Hobo Sante, $3.79/16oz - Belgian IPA
Oddside Oddtoberfest, $1.99/12oz - Our take on an Oktoberfest beer. Clean, smooth, malt, lager. (Source)
Rockford Little George, $2.39/12oz - Imperial IPA
Shorts Most Excellent Stellar, $2.59/12oz - Most Excellent Stellar is a Double IPA brewed with exclusively Amarillo hops. Copper colored with a large white heard and beautiful lacing, this beer carries huge citrus aromas. Well balanced from the simple malt bill, grapefruit flavors are the star of this beer. Medium bodied and finishing slightly warm from the alcohol, Most Excellent Stellar is an exemplary big brother to Stellar Ale. (Source)
Untitled Art Dry Hop Kiwi Sour, $4.99/16oz - Berliner Weisse style ale with kiwi puree
Untitled Art Malted Milkball Stout, $4.89/12oz - Sweet stout
Upland Modern Tart, $2.19/12oz - This beer is one of a series of experiments in the process of kettle souring: fermenting wort in the kettle with lactobacillus prior to boiling to create a clean crisp acidity without introducing bacteria into our cellar. Mixed fermentation sour beers and kettle sours alike often include generous amounts of fruit to compliment the refreshing tartness contributed by acid-producing bacteria. However, sour beers of all kinds tend to be thoroughly fermented and dry leaving very little of the sweetness that we are accustomed to when eating the fruit itself. Because sugar works as a flavor enhancer and can amplify the taste of fruit in a beer, we decided to add some residual sweetness to a tart apricot beer to give the drinker a more bold and authentic taste similar to the apricot itself rather than a muted version of the flavor that results after fermentation. To achieve this, we add a small amount of lactose (milk sugar) into the kettle during the boil. Because the ale yeast used in primary fermentation cannot ferment this type sugar, a slight residual sweetness will remain after fermentation. The beer is dosed with a small dry hop addition that adds a fruity complexity to compliment the apricot. The result is a beer that delivers the full experience of biting into a fresh apricot with both the acidity and sweetness of the real fruit and a background of tropical flavors from Citra and Mosaic hops. (Source)
Upland Oktoberfest, $2.19/12oz - No season is as synonymous with beer as autumn, when the most storied beer festival of them all, Oktoberfest, takes place in Munich, Germany. Since 1810, this celebration of good food, good company, and, most importantly, good beer, has most prominently featured Marzen-style lager-so much so that many refer to the beer simply as Oktoberfest. Our version is an authentic representation of a classic style, rich and malty without sacrificing any of the smooth, crisp character that defines true German lagers. It has a deep copper color complemented with notes of caramel and toffee. A blend of three German hop varieties provides perfect balance and a clean finish to this autumnal favorite. Bronze medal winner at the 2008 BTI World Beer Championships. (Source)
Upland Viking Slang, $3.79/16oz - Viking Slang is an Imperial Hazy IPA brewed with Nordic Kveik yeast. Kveik (pronounced “kuh-vike”) is a family of yeast used to ferment traditional Nordic Farmhouse Ales. This unique yeast contributes a rich tropical flavor and aroma that fits perfectly with this style. Flavors of tropical fruit, and citrus give way to more subtle stone fruit, and dried fruit leather. Pouring golden orange with a lingering fruity, sweet finish. Pair it with a plate of red curry or spicy pad thai. (Source)
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