Steve Siciliano's blogging is one tough act to follow- Round 1
Preamble by Dan Sipka
It's been just over three weeks since taking the reins of the store from Steve and Barb, and what a wild ride it has been. Kati returned from her epic European adventure to find me, my father-in-law and Tiffany anxiously waiting for the State of Michigan to grant our liquor license and allow us to open up. As luck would have it, as soon as we got the green light to sell, our credit card machines went down. Tiff spent the next couple hours on a ladder in the back of the store trying to make sense of the jumble of wires, routers and telephone lines. Fortunately, the wiring guess work and a couple rounds of resetting machines seemed to do the trick and we were back in business.
While we overcame the initial challenges of opening up following the official sale of the market, we are still waiting for the State to wrap up their audit of transferred tobacco inventory so we can re-open the humidor. But despite these roadblocks, we remain focused on the future and could not be more thrilled to be running such a special store.
We've gotten to celebrate a few birthdays these past few weeks, which is even more fun when chances are high you may be gifted a bottle you've been eyeing. Connor turned 21 and Beckett recently left the 21 club. I also celebrated my birthday this month, which was marked by immense gratitude and excitement for life and what's to come from this chapter.
Speaking of new chapters, Barb gave us a glimpse into how her and Steve's latest chapter is shaping up. About a week after the sale, she sent me this picture of Steve. These two couldn't be more deserving of retirement, and it makes me smile seeing that they're already off to a great start.
But is he actually catching fish or a just a buzz? Maybe both?
New and Returning Products
450 North Cherry Chocolate Cheesecake, $9.29/16oz-Cherry Chocolate Cheesecake Sundae XXL is conditioned on Sweet Cherry, Cherry Ice Cream, Chocolate, Cream Cheese, Graham Cracker & Vanilla Cream
450 North Rainbow Sherbert, $9.29/16oz-Rainbow Sherbet XL is conditioned on Raspberry, Orange and Lime.Rainbow Sherbet XL is conditioned on Raspberry, Orange and Lime.
450 North Superman, $10.89/16oz-Superman Cone XL is conditioned on Blueberry, Marshmallow, Black Cherry, Strawberry and Vanilla
Bells Fighter Flight, $19.99/12pk
Oberon Mini Kegs, $21.99/5L
Fair State Corporate Sellout Move, $4.39/16oz- This IPA collab with Cloudburst Brewing features hand-selected Citra, Citra Cryo, Idaho 7, and Columbus Cryo. Enjoy waves of pineapple, lemon-lime pithiness, a hint of a pinecone here and there, and some delectable floral and marmalade dankness
Fairstate Bread Retention, $3.29/16oz-Bread Retention is a dry-hopped Saison brewed in collaboration with Fonta Flora (Nebo, NC). For this beer, which we fully expect to smash all sales records, we sourced locally-grown Bloody Butcher corn and raw wheat, and combined them in an ultra-hype anachronistic mashing process. From there, we added the choicest hops, fermented sans temp control with our favorite Saison yeast, dry-hopped it lightly, and then naturally conditioned it
Fat Orange Coat Some in My Head, $5.69/16oz- New England style IPA with a variety of fruit notes, hopped with Citra, Mosaic, Simcoe and finally Apollo to create a slightly bitter but creamy finish.
Oddside S'mores Bean Flicker, $2.19/12oz-Coffee Blonde Ale w/ Smores Flavoring
Rhinegeist Cloud Harvest #8, $2.19/12oz-Whangamata marks the eighth entry into our Cloud Harvest series, a rotating roster of Unfiltered Juicy IPAs. Taking its name from a coastal beach on the North Island of New Zealand, Whangamata soars with juicy hop flavor. Amarillo, Citra, Galaxy, Pacific Sunrise, and Cascade hops impart waves of tangerine, berry and mango notes
Superstition Blueberry Spaceship Box, $25.69/750ml-Blueberry Spaceship Box, the top rated hard cider in the world, has been poured on tap from Thailand to Copenhagen, at festivals from California to Florida, and now you can have it in your living room. If you have never tried Blueberry Spaceship Box, it is a spectacular blend of sweet and tart, of apple and blueberry, and it is at home when served as a bubbly apéritif or paired with anything from the grill.
Superstition Bottom Time Guava, $7.89/16oz-Superstition Bottom Time Guava
Superstition Bowling In Heaven, $41.19/375ml-Banana & Peanut Butter Mead with Smoked Sea Salt Aged in a Bourbon Barrel
Superstition Cuban Mojito Crisis, $7.89/16oz-Mojito-Inspired Sparkling Session Mead with Mint, Lime & Honey
Superstition Peanut Butter Jelly Crime, $42.99/750ml-We did it. We put a peanut butter jelly sandwich in a bottle. Some would say that this is a crime against all that is decent in the world of craft beverages, but this Peanut Butter Jelly Crime has yet to receive judgement from you, a distinguished member of the jury. So carefully examine all of the evidence provided by the prosecution, and consider the alibi of the defense, as you decipher the multifaceted complexity of the case. As you enjoy PBJC, don't forget the toast!
Superstition Super Bee, $42.99/750ml- Trojniak style mead is a classic polish beverage. Made with honey from a small local producer:Bee Dudes. Made with pure ironwood honey.
Three Floyds Legendary Shader, $2.29/12oz-A traditional Bavarian-style Hefe Wiesse from space, with notes of banana, clove, and bubblegum
Toppling Goliath Camp Shandy Shore, $3.59/16oz-Sun on your skin, fresh air, and a crisp beer in hand. Camp ShandyShore is the perfect addition to all of your summer plans
Toppling Goliath Radiant Haze, $3.59/16oz-Mellow out as you bask in the radiant haze of Amarillo, Citra, mosaic & Sabro hops. open your third eye & follow this hazy IPA on a tropical trip with notes of orange & mango
Untitled Art Juice Drops Peach Nectaron, $5.49/16oz-India Pale Ale with Nectaron hops, peach juice and peach flavor
Untitled Art Pixie Stix Citrus, $4.89/16oz-
Untitled Art Rocket Popsicle, $4.89/16oz-Hard Seltzer with Nostalgic Natural Flavors
Vander Mill BA Totally Roasted, $4.09/16oz-Bourbon barrel-aged hard cider with pecan, vanilla and cinnamon