This week's list of new and returning products follows a few words about fox, mayflies, browns and skippers
Preamble by Steve Siciliano
A family of Vulpes vulpes and a multi evening hatch of a brown species of Ephemeroptera were the talk of our section of the lake at the cottage this week. There's been numerous sightings of mamma and her three kits of late and in the mornings you had to brush dozens of mostly deceased mayflies off truck windows and deck furniture. The foxes are doing a good job of controlling the population of chipmunks while the swarms of mayflies coming off the lake set the table for some excellent evening fly fishing.
I've been hanging out in the northwest section of Lake County since the mid 60's and have never seen so many foxes. Black bear sightings are on the uptick as well. Por que? Who knows, but spotting one of the doglike critters scampering across the yard clutching a chippie in its mouth is a lot better and far less disconcerting than encountering a bird feeder ransacking bear.
One evening I hauled a lawn chair out to the dock and while hundreds of mayflies emerged from the water was treated to an hour of non stop action. At first I tied on a fly that "matched the hatch" but quickly discovered that the aggressive bass and bluegills would pretty much attack anything that skittered, popped or wiggled. While not quite the same as angling for trout in a northern Michigan river it was still a boatload of fun.
Speaking of angling in rivers I had pretty good week on the Little Manistee. One day I landed a couple of vividly colored browns and on the next tied into a silver hued rainbow. I had never caught a rainbow that silvery on the Little Man and only when thinking about it later surmised that it was a young steelhead. My son Chris, one of the most skilled and knowledgeable fly fishermen I know, verified my guess. "They're called skippers," he texted. "Juveniles that come back up river after only a year or so in the big lake."
On the same day I caught the skipper I tied into a huge brown while sweeping nymphs on the edge of a logjam. There were a few moments of rod pumping action before the lunker wrapped my 5X tippet around a submerged log and broke me off. So it goes on the Little Manistee.
Featured Wines of the Week
Bonny Doon, Vin Gris De Cigare, Rose, 2020, California, $16.29/750ml- a blend of 71% Grenache, 11% Cinsaut, 5% Clairette Blanche, 5% Grenache Blanc, 4% Mourvedre, and 4% Vermentino. This wine brings out characteristics of wild strawberry, peach, and guava with a wonderful creaminess and long finish. (Source)
Bonny Doon, Le Cigare Volant “ Cuvee Oumuamua”, 2018, California, $16.29/750ml- A blend of 53% Grenache, %35 Cinsaut, and 13% Syrah. This wine boasts flavors and aromas of juicy black berries with slight notes of liquorice and spice. (Source)
St. Ambrose, Shotgun Wedding, Strawberry Rhubarb Cyser “Draft Mead”, Michigan, $4.59/12oz can- Sweet strawberries, tart rhubarb, smooth honey, and crisp apple! Join this delicious union of flavor and experience at a St. Ambrose shotgun wedding party! (Source)
Treasure Hunter, 2018, Centurion, Proprietary Red Blend, California, $28.39/750ml- Centurion refers to a Roman general who commanded 100 troops. It would take at least that many men to carry his beautiful wine to the Emperor upon a successful campaign but just one man or woman to enjoy it. A heavy and bright as the legendary Roman Regimental standard this wine offers remarkable structure and grace surrounded by sublime red fruit and cocoa powder. Cassis, dark chocolate and cherry are entwined throughout and well-integrated into this divine blend. Oak and tannin offer a strapping core of fruit and sweet earth. Sleeker than a javelin and mightier than a double-bladed sword, Centurion is destined for greatness and is one of the more beautiful releaseswe have ever been honored to deliver. Rome may not have been built in a day and neither was this wine. Crafted from three of the finest vineyards inNapa, Centurion is fit for The Gods, but made for you.
45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 10% Petite Verdot, 10% Petite Sirah
(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
New and Returning Products
Bells Lemon Lime Flamingo Fruit Fight, $2.09/12oz-This Fruit Fight started when two flamingos walked into a bar... it is brewed with passionfruit and lime zest, resulting in a tart blend of tropical, citrus flavors and aromas. (Source)
Big Lake blueberry, $3.19/16oz-This beer is our light low Calorie Ale flavored with real blueberry. (Source)
Big Lake Hydra Haze, $4.39/16oz-A Hazy Double IPA featuring the HYDRA HOP from Hang'em High Hop Farm in Freesoil, MI. (Source)
Boulevard Berry Noir, $1.99/12oz-Pouring a deep purple with electric magenta foam, this brand-new, juicy ale features notes of blueberries and blackberries with a crisp tartness reminiscent of lemonade. (Source)
Boulevard Tiki Slam, $1.99/12oz-This bright, tangy beer delivers an exhilarating punch of juicy tiki vibes. Guava, pineapple, and orange combine to create an island escape, a harmony of fruit flavors with a thirst-quenching tartness to quell even the Fieriest tropical volcano. (Source)
Brew Detroit Space Shark, $2.99/16oz-An American IPA dry-hopped with Galaxy, Citra, and El Dorado. Medium-bodied with a nice balance of citrus/passion fruit aroma and flavor. (Source)
Brewery Vivant farmer's Hat, $4.69/16oz-New England Style IPA with Huell Melon, Citra, and Amarillo hops. Tastes of fresh cantaloupe, brite orange tropical goodness. (Source)
Elk Mango Wheat, $2.19/12oz-Wheat Beer
Equilbrium Fraktal Rakau, $4.89/16oz-We are happy to bring you a new label and our newest combination in the series that investigates the interplay between hops using a simple grain bill and our Fractal fermentation process. Fractal Rakau/Galaxy pours hazy with a bright yellow hue. Aromas of bright cantaloupe, honey dew melon, and mango lead into flavors of bright citrus, mango, stone fruit, fresh cut grass blades, candied plums, dark berries, and a touch of lime wrapped up in a creamy but firm finish. (Source)
Equilbrium This is Strata, $5.69/16oz-IPA - Imperial / Double
Equilbruim MC2, $5.69/16oz-MC² is Photon’s big brother. We literally took Photon’s hopping rate and squared it. This DIPA is our tribute to the amazing relationship that energy and mass are balanced, proportional to the speed of a photon squared. It pours a hazy tangerine color, releasing bright tropical notes of mango, pineapple, and apricot. MC² tastes like succulent mango juice loaded with chewy hop resins. It’s very drinkable for 8.0%; be careful, this one can sneak up on you. (Source)
Fair State Flavor Pop Technology, $4.19/16oz-We’re still having fun experimenting with the juicy, tropical side of hops through our hazy IPAs. “Flavor Pop Technology” is a fun phrase that one of our longtime friends (and now suppliers) uses to talk about the latest and greatest in aromatic compound research and hop application techniques. Fun! For this beer, we took Idaho 7 and a top-secret cryo blend, and we introduced them in a few different ways during fermentation to maximize the tropical vibes. We also used a cool-fermenting kolsch yeast to kick in a bit of a fruity character. The result is a super juicy and lightly sweet beer with big pineapple and banana runts notes. (Source)
Fair State Foamers Lime Lager, $1.79/12oz-Foamers Lime is our idea of a perfect summer day, in can form. It’s our favorite drinking beer, Crankin’ Foamers, with some really choice lime puree thrown into the mix. Bright, zesty, juicy, maximally crisp and drinkable. (Source)
Fair State Serious Leisure, $3.29/16oz-Guava, Lime, and Hibiscus sour for those days you need to get serious about not doing anything. (Source)
Graft Luminous Ascents, $4.39/12oz-Tastes like: Sour Orange Candy, Juicy Lemon Drops, Bitter Grapefruit Peel, Aromatic Bouquet of Orange and Yellow Citrus. (Source)
Graft Salt and Sand Margarita, $3.09/12oz-Gose Cider / Poolside Sipper. A mezcal margarita inspired cider with a range of citrus flavors and a touch of smoke on the finish. (Source)
Mitten Mango Gold, $1.99/12oz-A kettle-soured Wheat Ale made with real mango. Tart, refreshing, and tropical. (Source)
Old Nation Shandy, $3.19/16oz-Old Nation Shandy is a combination of our classic Helles Lager and lemonade from Guernsey Farms. Our companies teamed up to make a refreshing, simple and true to style summer lager. (Source)
Roak batido, $3.59/16oz-IPA - Milkshake
Shorts Power of Love, $2.59/12oz-Power of love is a truly unique pink colored Shandy created by blending Northwoods Gourmet Lemonade and a Wheat Ale brewed with raspberry and rosemary. Enticing sugary aromas intermix with appealing citrus and herb fragrances. Very sweet lemon flavors give way to a shock of tart raspberry before turning sharply dry, as if eating a piece of grapefruit. The finish is somewhat bitter and spicy, but quite satisfying. (Source)
Transient Something Strange, $3.79/16oz-IPA - Rye
Trip Grapefruit/Tangerine, $2.79/16oz-Hard Seltzer
Trip Lemon/Blueberry, $2.79/16oz-Hard Seltzer
Trip Mango/Mango, $2.79/16oz-Hard Seltzer
Urban Artifact Keypunch, $2.49/12oz-Our house Gose with key lime zest and key lime juice added to give it a tropical punch and a refreshing kick for an all around great summer beer! Only whole keylimes were used making this beer giving a bright citrusy kick to our most refreshing summer brew. (Source)