Oktoberfest beer

This German style of beer, originally from Munich, is also refereed to as Marzen. Because it was brewed during the cold month of March left to ferment and stored in cellars through the summer, it was usually consumed during September and October.
This Bavarian lager has an average alcohol content of 5%abv which is a bit stronger than its cousin from Vienna (beer). Color can range from golden yellow to dark orange. It has a slight toasty flavor from a small percentage of Munich malt in the grist, with a full body and it’s lightly hopped with local noble varietal like Hallertau and Ttnanger to create a balance with malt flavor and smooth bitterness.
Handcrafted beer is also taking a position in this market and breweries like Sam Adams, Leinenkugels, Avery and Left Hand from Colorado are duplicating this German style over American soil.
At the store we also carry German Oktoberfest beer from Paulaner, Spaten and Hofbrau.
I like to pair these beers with dishes with any kind of grilled pork (sausage) or red meat.
It is the season and these delicious brews are here!

Felipe Cueto

Fruit and Soil

Fruit and Soil

When it comes to white and red wines, there are quite a few distinctions in every variety and the regions the grapes have been raised. Both varieties can express a character in wine purposely to tell the climate conditions in which the fruit was developed and its territory.

Scenario: If I would like to travel around the world and make my first stop in a state in which the US offers a variety of climates that is volcanic for the soil, California would be the state. The wines from this region have a fruitier characteristic such as cherries, strawberries, plums, etc., which does not mean the wine maker adds this type of fruit in the process of fermentation. The wine is telling us where the grapes were grown by the color, aroma, and flavor.

The color in a wine has always been produced by aging and by the skin of its fruit. Therefore the weather has been exposed from hotter regions so it will show a red and somewhat dark orange color blend almost giving the impression of a red sunset in the desert.

In Europe, wines have a different character than New World wines because most of the soil has clay, limestone (a layer of sedimentary rock), etc. that gives the wine from this region a mineral characteristic and earthy notes offering more sophistication and elegance as well as fruit notes that are present. Just think about when it rains on the ground and then water makes contact through your nostrils, that’s “earth” and this term can also be used to describe some wines that make the same wonderful effect.

At West Vail Liquor Mart we carry wines from most regions across the planet and our staff has being trained to help you choose the wine that you are looking for any special occasion.

Felipe Cueto

New Beers for the Summer!

Now that the busy 4th of July weekend is over, we can settle into a nice relaxing summer mode. What better way than with some of the new summer beer offerings at The West Vail Liquor Mart. Here is a list of the new beers that we have to offer, most of which are brewed specifically for the summer season:

BEER FROM COLORADO:

Avery: Joes American Pilsner: As the can says, This aint your grandpas pils. An American variation on the classic Pils style, this brew is bitter and dry with a nice floral finish that comes from the German Hops. 4.7% Alcohol By Volume (ABV). $8.99/6pk cans.

Blue Moon Honey Wheat: A Belgian Whit style (a spiced white or wheat beer) that uses clover honey and orange peel in the recipe. 5.2% ABV. $8.49/6pk bottles.

Breckenridge Summerbright: An American wheat ale brewed with lemon and orange peel. 4.5% ABV. $9.49 6pk/bottles.

Estes Park Longs Peak Raspberry Wheat. One of our favorite fruity summer beers. 4.2% ABV. $9.49/6pk bottles.

Great Divide Rumble: Never one to follow the crowd, Great Divide offers this fantastic oak aged I.P.A. as their summer specialty. 7.1ABV. $10.49/6pk bottles.

New Belgium Somersault: Replacing the Skinny Dip as their summer seasonal this year, the new Somersault is a refreshing light ale brewed with apricot. Rather than being fruity, this beer has a rather dry finish. We are told the Skinny Dip will be back again next summer. 5.2% ABV. $9.49/6pk bottles.

ODell Lupulin: An extra pale ale with lots of hops. A lighter take on the I.P.A. style. 6.5% ABV. $10.99/6pk bottles.

Ska Mexican Logger: The Durango, Colorado brewery’s take on the classic Mexican Lager style. 4.2% ABV. $9.49/6pk cans.

Steamworks Colorado Kolsch: An American take on the German Kolsch style from Cologne, Germany. This light, clear and slightly malty ale hails from Southwest Colorado. 5.7% ABV. $10.49/6pk cans.

Tommyknocker Tundrabeary: A very fruity offering from the brewery in Idaho Springs, Colorado. 4.7% ABV. $10.49/6pk bottles.

Upslope Craft Lager: New to the High Country. The Boulder based brewery’s lager is very refreshing on a hot summer day. 4.8% ABV. $9.49/6pk bottles.

BEER FROM OUTSIDE OF COLORADO:

Alaska Brewing White: A whit style ale from way up north, brewed with spices.
Alaska Summer Ale: Another light ale in the German Kolsch style.
Each is 5.3% ABV. $9.49/6pk bottles.

Boulevard Zon: The Belgian influenced brewery from Kansas City’s take on the whit beer style. 4.4% ABV. $8.49/6pk bottles.

Deschutes Twilight Ale. A light ale brewed with select malts and featuring a floral hoppiness due to the Amarillo hops used in the brewing process. 5.0% ABV. $8.99/6pk bottles.

Leinenkugels Berry Weiss: A wheat ale that adds honey and blackberry to the recipe. 4.7% ABV. $8.49/6pk bottles.
Leinenkugels Summer Shandy: A blend of beer and lemonade with a touch of honey added. A sweet summer sipper. 4.2% ABV. $8.49/6pk bottles and $14.99/12pk cans.

Kona Brewing Wailua Wheat: A wheat ale brewed with passion fruit. 5.4% ABV. $9.99/6pk bottles.
Kona Longboard Lager: A session lager from the Hawaiian Islands. 4.6% ABV. $9.99/6pk bottles.

Maui Coconut Porter: A favorite at the Great American Beer Festival. This is a nice summer porter, not too heavy, with just enough coconut added to remind you of the beach on a hot day. 5.7%ABV. $10.99/4pk cans.

Sam Adams Summer Ale: Another wheat based ale, brewed with lemon peel and grains of paradise. Part of our Beer of the Month program for the month of July. 5.3% ABV. $9.29/6pk bottles. $6.99/6pk during the month of July.

Shocktop Raspberry: An American wheat beer brewed with spices and essence of raspberry. 5.2% ABV. $8.49/6pk bottles.

Sierra Nevada Summer: A pilsner style lager that features a light sweetness and floral hoppiness. 5.0% ABV. $9.49/6pk bottles.

Here are a few selections from our bomber section:

Bruery Orchard White: The California brewerys whit style beer brewed with lavender. Super light and refreshing. 5.7% ABV. $9.99 for a 750ml bottle.

J.K. Scrumpys hard cider: A delicious cider and staff favorite. Just water and apples and yeast in this bottle. No additives or preservatives. Organic and gluten free. 6.0% ABV. $8.99 for a 22ounce bottle.

ODell Hivaranno: The brewers at Odell took a page from the Belgian tradition by collecting wild yeast from the area around the brewery in Fort Collins to brew this unique ale that blends a citrusy hop flavor with an exotic fruity character created by the wild yeast, with a touch of oak barrel added. A Hivaranno was a seasoned mountain man who had lived many years in Indian Country. 9.5% ABV. $16.99 for a 750ml bottle.

Odell Freik: Odells take on the Belgian Lambic style, blending the raspberry flavor of a Framboise and the cherry flavor of a Kriek beer. Aged in oak barrels, this is a fantastic summer beer. 6.5%ABV. $18.99 for a 750ml bottle.

Twisted Pine Le Petit Saisson: The Boulder based brewerys take on the classic Belgian Farmhouse style. A great compliment to a variety of dishes. 5.5% ABV. $8.99 for a 22 ounce bottle.

Reissdorf Kolsch: A light summer ale, imported from Germany. Very refreshing! 4.8% ABV. $3.99 for a 17 ounce bottle.

Sam Adams Utopias: Perhaps the strongest beer out there at 27% ABV. Resembling more of a port than a beer, this rare offering is ruby black in color and has very little carbonation. The beer is a blend of batches, some aged up to 18 years in various wood casks. Single use bourbon casks from the Buffalo Trace Distillery, Sherry casks from Spain, Madeira casks from Madeira and Port casks from Portugal, as well as brandy and cognac casks all contribute to the rich fruity flavor of this beer. This beer comes in a unique numbered limited edition ceramic bottle. 27.0% ABV. $199.99 for a 750ml bottle. Very Limited.

Weihenstephaner Vitus Weizenboch: Notes of banana and clove stand out in this excellent example of the classic German style. 7.7% ABV. $3.99 for a 17 ounce bottle.

Stop on in to the West Vail Liquor Mart and let our staff help you pick out your perfect summer beer!

Chip Bartsch
Beer Buyer
West Vail Liquor Mart

2008 Oregon Pinot Noir

I think people always wonder how important vintage (year) really is when they are drinking wine. Some may think this is taking it too far and deliberating between vintages might be over their head. Oh, that is just for wine snobs, it does not matter to me that much. Maybe some do look into it a little too much; but most not enough. There are definitely some wine regions that are affected heavily vintage to vintage (Oregon, certain regions in France, etc.) and some not as much (California, South America, etc.). This is a very general statement and of course you can have consistency from the first and bad years from the second, but I would definitely pay attention to the first a little more.

For example, the 2007 vintage in Oregon. Although there were some producers making some good wine, the vintage as a whole was not so hot (not a weather reference!) This is what Patricia Green said about the 2007 vintage in the Willamette Valley, Of the eight vintages we have farmed, harvested and bottled here at Patricia Green Cellars this will likely be the most difficult one to WRITE about. Why? Well, it was far from a textbook vintage, no doubt many of you have seen an unusual number of Oregon Pinot Noir Roses on the market and maybe have experienced some less than thrilling Pinots from the vintage. It is always easy to write that whatever you have to sell is the best vintage ever or the best vintage since… but there is a line you can cross where people simply do not believe what you have to say if it runs to much counter to their actual experiences. There is no question that the 2007 harvest was tough. It rained and it rained more than just a little bit at times when we really do not want it to rain at all. There were sleepless mornings when at 3:30 AM you lie there wondering why you ever put your life, beliefs and financial future in the hands of Mother Nature. The first 26 days of October (we finished picking on the 26th) were some of the most gut-wrenching and harrowing days we have spent deciding what to do and waiting to pick fruit that we have endured in a long, long time. It was definitely a tough vintage that ended with a lot of wine Willamette produces would not want to represent their region. If you see a smoking deal on your favorite producers pinot, you might want to take a closer look at the vintage. It is not that anyone is trying to rip you off, it is just that their confidence in their wine from that vintage might not be there. If a sale looks too good to be true; it probably is.

Now let us look at the 2008 vintage. Great ratings from Parker to Spectator, a perfect growing season, and a really psyched group of winemakers. Michael Etzel, of Beaux Freres said, "Everyone seems to be interested in Oregons 2008 vintage. Wine Spectator is rumored to have given it a 100-point vintage in the next edition. It all began with the growing season of 2008. The flowering was just right. Not too good and not too loose and we're guessing, about a 50 to 60 percent success in the flowering, which produces nice small clusters that are loose enough to allow berry expansion. Finished cluster weights were 85 grams, unlike 2007 with cluster weights of 135 or so. The growing season was moderate, not too much heat, rain or cool days. This permitted the grapes to get fully ripe seeds, stems and the skin of the grape. The week of Sept. 1, we had rain all weekend. Then the warm fall season began. The rain was just enough to give the plants that shot in the arm to carry on the ripening process. We began picking young vines on Wednesday, Sept. 29. Everything was picked by Oct. 18. Ferments were native and behaved very well. They aged well and now, two years later, they are showing what a good childhood will do for later development."

When a winemaker has a great growing season it is easy for him or her to make better decisions. In Oregon you really have to worry about rain during harvest, like what happened in 2007. When you are concentrating on saving your grapes, it is hard to focus on making spectacular wines. But when nature aligns; it does all the work and decision making for you. It is easy to make the right choices because the perfect grapes do not make bad decisions. It is easy to notice the difference when tasting 2008 vs. 2007. Like I said, I have had some good 2007s but almost every single 2008 I have come across I have liked.

When people ask me what is good wine, I usually respond; if you like it then it is good. What you like and what I like may be completely different. But there is something to be said about unanimous liking or disliking. If 2008s are all the craze; check them out because not everyone can be wrong. You can kill yourself trying to buy only wines with the top scores and coming from the best vintages. By educating yourself, you can really help your wine buying decisions and hone in on what you will really enjoy.

Nick Agnew
Wine Buyer
West Vail Liquor Mart

Classic Summer Cocktails

Lets face it. Most of us are busy during the summer in Vail. Even so, you still want to have friends over for the fireworks, barbecue, pool party, or hanging out in the hot tub. It could be the July 4th holiday, vacation with friends and family, or just weekends in your backyard. So, how do you make your party fun while keeping it easy so you can enjoy yourself, too?

The best answer is to keep it simple. Yes, simple can mean just putting out some wine and beer and calling it good, but to put some pizzazz into your party you really should consider some fun and easy to make summer cocktails. Think about Cosmopolitans and Margaritas. If you stay with these classics you can keep it simple. You can always ask friends to lend a hand by playing bartender during your party (some people love this role), or better yet make a few pitchers of your favorite cocktails before your party. Below are two simple to make classic drink recipes for your summer party in Vail.

If you need help with your beverage alcohol needs this summer please stop in to the West Vail Liquor Mart in West Vail and we will be glad to help. We even sell bartender books, shot glasses, and everything you need to make your summer party in Vail a hit!

Classic Cosmopolitan:
3.5 oz Vodka
(Grey Goose, Ketel One, Svedka, or Absolut are quality vodka brands)
1 oz lime juice
Splash of Grand Marnier
Splash of Cranberry
Lime wedges for garnish

Basic Margarita:
1.5 oz Tequila
(Hornitos, Milagro, and Espolon all come in either silver, reposado, or anejo styles)
.5 oz Grand Marnier or Cointreau orange liqueur
.5 oz sweetened lime juice
3 oz sour mix
Note: put in a little Agave Nectar to make your margaritas really stand out.

To make pitchers of these drinks just keep the ratios about the same. Do not be afraid to experiment and add your own personal touches. Have fun!

Special Events and Weddings

West Vail Liquor Mart provides their expertise in planning and beverage selection for specials events and weddings.

Planning: Let us help you with a recommended mix of beer, wine and liquor. We'll discuss your guests, menu, hours, theme and special requests.

Other items: We can also provide ice, mix, soda, bottled water, lemons, limes, keg taps, keg tubs and more.

Venues: Donovan Pavilion, Eagle-Vail Pavilion and Lazy J Ranch allow you to purchase your beverages and spirits from West Vail Liquor Mart. This will save you considerable dollars over hotel and restaurant liquor prices.

Delivery: We offer free delivery to private residences and venues. Your beverages will be delivered at your preferred time. Cold items will be cold so they will be ready to serve.

Returns: We will accept any returned beverages purchased at West Vail Liquor Mart within 4 days of your special event. The items must be unopened and resellable.

Let us help make your next event special and memorable!

For more information on planning your next event, contact Laurie Mullen at 970-476-2675 or lmullen@westvail.com.

Crazy Mountain Brewery

There's a new beer in the Valley. Well, not really because Kevin Selvy, the owner and brew master of Crazy Mountain Brewery, had been brewing his recipes in Avon long before he moved to his new location in Edwards. He only had two varieties on the market at the time; his flagship brew Amber Ale and a Wit (Wheat), and they were only available on tap in local bars and restaurants.

Before Christmas, Kevin opened his brewery which proudly produces his high quality hand crafted beers. This brewery also claims the title of the highest elevation brew canning line in North America, and we are honored to have this Amber Ale on our shelves. It was in everybody's mouth, the fever; they made the mountain go crazy. Customers came in the store thirsty for the highly noticeable blue can on a green holder which is 100% recyclable. Our first batch of Crazy Mountain was gone in less than two days!

In his small Edwards location, Kevin is able to manage space and build his brewery into welcoming neighborhood-style bar that has a single wooden picnic table covering the majority of the tasting room. For only 4 dollars a pint, you can try one of the 6 different styles that are available only at the brewery: Saison, Pale Ale, Winter, Belgium, IPA and Stout. And of course, the Wit and Amber Ale are also available.

If you are a hop head, the IPA is the one that you need to go for. Floral up front, a hint of malt and bitter in your palate, (87 IBU), this beer is an explosion of hops with a long finish. I also really enjoyed the Winter Ale; this one had more malt notes to it. The caramel and hops at the end are not heavily charged. It is a great balance.

Crazy Mountain beers are on the hoppy side. Selvy throws 20 pounds of hops in his Amber Ale on a 17 & a half barrel brewing system. This brown colored ale is nutty and crisp in your palate and finishes bitter, (27 IBU).

If you're in Edwards, stop and say hello. You can find them behind Subway off the first roundabout next to I-70. You will love their friendly neighborhood environment and refreshing brews.

Or, stop by the West Vail Liquor Mart for a 6 pack of Crazy Mountain Amber Ale at $9.99.

Felipe Cueto

West Vail Liquor Mart