Winter calls for Porter and Stout Beer

Cold brisk nights fit nicely in a bottle of dark heavy beer. Blustery, snowy evenings for beer drinkers to start pouring their Porters and Stouts have come. These are dark, malty, thick brews which typically hold a higher original gravity (OG) and alcohol content (ABV) than lighter beers. They are favored in the colder fall and winter months. Many companies produce these beers not all in the same fashion.

Historically, Porter was the first dark ale. It is said the brew was a mistake, by accidently burning the malts used to brew light colored ale. This "mistake" was passed to the "porters" of the brew house as their refreshment during a hard days work. Porters were the employees who delivered brew house's beer to the pubs. These blue-collared workers loved the stuff and soon it became so popular breweries decided to brew it purposely. Brewed with 100% brown malts and top-fermenting yeasts, the flavor was rich and bitter. Stout, as it has become known, was a strong or fuller style Porter, first named Stout Porter. The recipe has been rearranged since then. Using pale malt, black patent malt, and even bottom-fermenting yeasts brewers have come up with many different recipes to make their cold-weather warmer.

One famous style is Baltic porter. This is made using bottom-fermenting yeasts and a mixture of pale and black malts, the majority of which are pale. This beer is lighter and not as strong compared to other Porters. These beers would adhere to a lager-favoring palate. These Baltic porters can work great for a group a people trying to get into the dark beer, looking to try an easy approach to malty brews.

If you favor the big heavy black ales, look no further than American micro-brews for one of these malty beverages. Ranging from steam brewed contributions to and gear-oil thick heavyweights. These styles can fit nearly any meal or fight and game night. Used are the traditional top-fermenting yeasts and almost all roasted and black patent malts. Breweries seem to compete against one another for who will have the thickest, darkest, heaviest porter each year. Some of them use oak-aging, others give them devilish names, some are content to have the label's illustration of somebody draining his truck's oil into a glass. Whatever the name or label this is the true style of the original porter. Opaque, stormy, filling and willing to sit on your tongue til the sun's rise.

No matter which style porter you are looking for, please ask a West Vail Liquor Mart employee to help you choose one to best suit your need or mood. We have tried the lot of them in the store and love to pass on just enough information on how the beer suited us that night. So go work hard, ride harder then wrap up your night with a delicious porter.

West Vail Liquor Mart is proud to offer to you these great selections:

Avery's Czar Imperial Stout and Mephistopheles Stout
Backcountry Brewery's Peak One Porter
Great Divide's Yeti Stout and Oak-Aged Yeti Stout
Oskar Blues Ten Fidy Imperial Stout
Odell's Cutthroat Porter
Stone's Smoked Porter
Alaskan Brewing Company's Smoke Porter
Port Brewing's Old Viscosity
Green Flash Stout
Victory Storm King Stout
Deschutes Black Butte Porter
Guinness
Sam Smith's Taddy Porter, Oatmeal Stout
Blatika's #6 Porter

Dan Ryan

Experience the Harvest

In most vacation destinations there are ideal times to visit. In our hometown of Vail, most would agree that July is the perfect summer month and a powder day in March is the best of winter. After just returning from a trip to Sonoma, I realized that experiencing the harvest in full swing is by far the best way to see wine country and to fully understand the entire process of growing grapes to bottling wine.

We planned a trip to Sonoma, Healdsburg to be exact, with 3 other couples. One was our Wine Buyer at West Vail Liquor Mart, Dan Brewster and his wife Kimberly.

I would highly recommend renting a private home during any wine country trip. Having a home or condo allows you buy the wine you liked during daytime tastings and then enjoy it safely in your residence at night. We assembled plates of cheese, meat, nuts and crackers to compliment our wine while overlooking the beautiful vineyards off our deck. We stayed at Cecelia's Vineyard Villa. This home (see pictures above) was the perfect retreat for 8 people and was complete with a gourmet kitchen, large deck and hot tub, 2 living areas and a state of the art media room displaying the first of the McCain/Obama debates and therefore generating much discussion.

On to the wine, the starring player in any wine country visit. Tom, owner at West Vail Liquor, and Dan, Wine Buyer, started their business a few days before the rest of us showed up to distract them. They visited many vineyards including Benziger, Goldeneye (Anderson Valley), Landmark, Seghesio and Londer Vineyards and had many treasured "souveniers" to show for it.

Our larger group started our tour at Simi Vineyard. This is one of the oldest operating producers of wine in the area and was started by Pietro and Guiseppe Simi after first failing to produce gold and then vegtables. Guiseppe's daughter Isabella ran the vineyard for over 70 years! My personal favorite wine variety is Chardonnay and the Simi Chardonnay does not disappoint! Simi's Chardonnay ($17.99 at West Vail Liquor) has lively fruit flavors of pear, pinapple, peach and has a long, lively finish on the palate. I particularly enjoyed the Simi Cabernet Sauvignon ($24.99 at West Vail Liquor) which had nice cherry and fruit flavors.

If you are looking for a wonderful culinary experience, stop into the Oakville Grocery on the Healdsburg square (or the original store in Napa) for a delicious lunch, extra bottle of wine or supplies for your next wine and food pairing. They have the most incredible collection of cheeses, meats, olives, spreads, cookies (amazing molasses), local produce, deli and wines.

So, after a some time in Sonoma, we started yearning for a little recreation and less consumption. We started one day on our beautiful lawn with a private yoga class led by our own instructor, Wendi Buick. Another day we ventured out to Lake Sonoma for some lake kayaking, canoeing and some type of crazy water biking. Simply running or walking in this area is a treat with the views and aromas overloading the senses.

With the scenery, vineyards, culinary focus and recreational opportunities, Sonoma is the perfect place for a fall getaway.

Vino en Mendoza

When pondering the great wine regions of the world, Mendoza, Argentina might not exactly come to the forefront. Places like Burgundy, Tuscany and Napa Valley are more commonly known, and for some reason seem more accessible. Yet this vast region in Argentina is rapidly making a name for itself in the wine world, and rightfully so.

I recently visited Mendoza to check out the wine scene there, and I was very impressed. The region is constantly expanding and already filled with a myriad of top quality wineries. Argentina is currently the fifth largest wine producer in the world. In the past, most Argentinian wine has been manufactured for domestic consumption and the general consensus on the quality of the wine has been not great. Recently Mendoza has completely reversed this thought and is now producing some very big, high quality red wines that can stand next to any others worldwide.

It seems that all great wine regions have a standout grape in association with the area: Merlot on the right bank, Cabernet Sauvignon on the left bank in Bordeaux, Pinot Noir in Burgundy, Sangiovese in Tuscany, and so on. Mendoza has its shining star as well; Malbec. Malbec is traditionally a Bordeaux Varietal that was generally used for blending, very rarely seen on its own. Being that most of the clones brought to South America are from France, Malbec got mixed into the scene. Mendoza has a very unique terrior (essentially land, weather, slope, etc.) It sits at a relatively high elevation for growing grapes and sees a lot of sunshine, almost three hundred days per year. Along with this sunshine is a very arid climate that cools substantially at night, allowing for a slow ripening process. All these elements combined allow for the ideal environment for the grape Malbec. So not until the last twenty or thirty years have they really realized the potential for this grape in this terrior. And only in the last ten to fifteen have they really started to perfect it.

So now along with their outstanding beef, Argentina is producing the world's best Malbec, in my opinion. The best part about this, beef and Malbec happen to be a great pair. So if the opportunity presents itself, get down to Argentina and order up a big steak and an even bigger bottle of Malbec. It won't burn a hole in your pocket, trust me. And if you can't make it to Argentina, we have a ton of great Malbec from Mendoza available right here at West Vail Liquor Mart.

Cheers,

Nick Agnew

Port Brewing Hop 15

I just tried this beer called Hop 15 from Port Brewing and it blew me away. These guys brew in the San Diego area so I was expecting to get crushed by hoppy bitterness, I was wrong, and it worked out even better than I imagined. This beer is made up of fifteen different hops with a different one being added every fifteen minutes during brewing, and with an ABV of 9.7% you can see where I was coming from with my assumption. Don't get me wrong, there is still plenty of the bitter greatness that hopheads love, but it is perfectly balanced with smooth floral notes and a big full body. This is my new favorite brewery and I recommend checking out their website for more info. If you live in the Vail area stop by West Vail Liquor Mart to pick one up, you won't be sorry!


Matt Knapp
Beer Buyer/Manager
West Vail Liquor Mart

Adult Halloween Party Planning

Halloween is not just a time for young kids. It is also a great time for adults to put on that fantasy costume, invite your adult friends over and have a party. Planning a party for halloween is very easy. It comes with its own color scheme (orange and black), atomosphere (scary), and a costume dress code.

Because halloween in a perfect holiday for adults, it is also one of the biggest days to get together with your adult friends and throw a party. This also means you may want to have one or two halloween themed drinks or cocktails on hand to make the party more festive.

Here a a couple of easy suggestions:
1. Kahlua Black Cat
1oz Kahlua, 2 & 1/2oz of Smirnoff Vanilla Vodka, 1/4oz of Sambuca: Combine all the ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled with ice and stir until chilled. Strain into a martini glass and garnish with espresso beans.

2. Jagermonster
Fill a mixing glass with ice. Ad 1oz Jagermeister, 1oz Grenadine and fill with orange juice and serve in a beer mug.

Tequila 101

To truly understand tequila and really appreciate it's taste, you must first know several things about this unique spirit. The origin of tequila, how tequila is produced and finally the different flavors that are present as a result of the production. With a basic understanding of tequila, it will better enable you as a consumer to purchasing the right tequila for your next fiesta or when making a relaxing drink after work.

Tequila is actually a town that lies in western Mexico. This is where the liquor comes from and gets it's name from. Other regions around Mexico produce very similar liquors, (Mezcal, Sotol, Banacora) but they can't carry the title of tequila simply because they come from different regions in Mexico. Tequila is in the state of Jalisco where production of the spirit started more than 200 years ago.

The basis of tequila is the juices obtained from the hearts of the blue agave plants grown in the Tequila region. The hearts of the blue agave plants are referred to as the pina or pineapple. The blue agave has long bluish green leaves with sharp points. The large heart or pina is located at the center of the plant from which the juices are extracted. This juice is then twice distilled.

Tequila that is made with 100% blue agave will clearly mark it on their label as a standard of excellence. This is something to look for because tequila made with 100% blue agave has no additives such as flavoring, colorants, or fragrances. By definition, tequila must be made with only 51% blue agave juices. The other 49% can be made with adding neutral spirits and additives that are used as fillers. Jose Cuervo Gold is only 51% tequila and the rest is made by adding caramel coloring and spice additives to mellow the flavor.

After fermentation, all tequila begins as a Blanco tequila or Silver tequila. Blanco or Silver tequila is clear and transparent. It is usually bottled immediately after the distillation process and has no artifical additives. This style is strong in flavor and fragrance. Blanco tequila is traditionally enjoyed in a 2 ounce small glass known in Mexico as a caballito. In the states, we simply call them shots.
The next style of tequila is Gold tequila. This style is only 51% tequila and 49% neutral spirits and additives. Gold tequila is simply Blanco or Silver tequila that has been mellowed by the addition of colorants and flavoring, caramel being the most common of these. For most restaurants and bars, this is their tequila of choice for margaritas. These are not the best tequilas on the market but since the quality isn't the best, it's inexpensive for restaurants and bars to purchase.

Reposado tequila is Blanco tequila that has rested in white oak casks called, pipones, for more than two months and up to one year. The oak gives Reposado a mellowed taste, with a pleasing bouquet, and it's natural pale color. No flavors are added or artificial coloring. Reposado keeps the blue agave taste and is gentler on the palate than both Blanco and Gold tequila. This style is great for shots, sipping, and mixing. Reposado is the most versatile of the tequilas.

Anejo tequila also starts as Blanco tequila that is then aged in white oak casks for more than one year. The amber color and woody flavor are picked up from the oak, and the oxidation that takes place through the porous wood develops the unique bouquet and taste. This tequila, even though it spends more time in oak than Reposado, actually is not more mellow and soft on the palate. Just the opposite starts to happen. At first the oak mellows the tequila, but then once left longer than a year in oak, a lot of the oak and smoke of the barrels gets imparted into the tequila making it a more complex and dynamic tequila to drink. Anjeo tequila is normally sipped from a glass instead of taking shots or mixing it into a drink. If this tequila was mixed in a margarita for example, a lot of the tequila spice, the oak and smokey flavor would dominate the drink. Hence a lighter style Blanco or Reposado is recommended when mixing to help balance the flavor of the mixed drink.

That ladies and gentlemen is everything you need to know when shopping for your next tequila at West Vail Liquor Mart. Whether it's shots, sipping, or mixing, this tequila tutorial should better help you decide which style best fits your needs. Next time you are in, check out our selection of tequila and discover a whole new side of Mexico. Viva la Tequila.



Chris Kormanicki
West Vail Liquor Mart

Tavel Rose

Tavel is a region in France that soley produces rose wine since 1935. No wonder they are so good at crafting delicious rose wine. Tavel's rose is a one that stands out from the crowd. By blending Grenache, Clairette, Cinsault, Mourvedre, and Bourboulene, these grapes produce a wine that has an intense salmon-pink color, which is full of body, fruit, and fragrance. Once introduced to the palate, this rose provides a long, dry, crisp finish, with just enough vibrant pepper to keep you coming back for more. Tavel is un-oaked and ready to drink once chilled. This wine is best served with bright, zesty dishes, and seafood. Pick up the Chateau d'Acqueria at West Vail Liquor for only $19.99.
Wine Spectator rating: 88 pts.
-CK-

Best Bourbon Found at West Vail Liquor Mart

Rated the best whiskey in the world by the Beverage Tasting Institute in Chicago. The 20 year Pappy Van Winkle Family Reserve received the highest mark ever given to a whiskey, 99 out of 100.

Old Rip VanWinkle handmade bourbon is sought after by those who are true bourbon and whiskey affionados as well as those who just want the best of the best. The West Vail Liquor Mart currently has in stock the Old Rip VanWinkle 10 year 90 proof and 107proof, as well as Pappy Van Winkle's 15 year, 20 year and 23 year Family Reserves.

VanWinkle Bourbon hales from the town of Frankfort, Kentucky. Each barrel of Van Winkle bourbon is made with a whisper of wheat, rather than the less expensive rye grain employed by most other distillers. This use of wheat in the mash recipe gives VanWinkle bourbon whiskey a smoother and sweeter flavor which marries well with the extra aging time given our barrels in the warehouse. We find that our bourbons made with wheat age more gracefully than other bourbons made with rye.

According to the website of Van Winkle (www.oldripvanwinkle.com) the West Vail Liquor Mart is the only retail store to carry this best of the best bourbon outside of the Denver area and certainly the only store in the ski towns of Vail, Beaver Creek, Aspen or Snowmass.

Stop in the West Vail Liquor Mart located in West Vail for all your liquor needs and check out our great selection of bourbon whiskey and all other types of liquor for your party needs!

Bourbon: An American Original!

Fall is just around the corner and this year is a special one. Every four years the summer olympics and the elections force americans start to really reinvestigating our sense of national pride. All of the sudden you are completely involved in politics and are cheering emphatically for sports like swimming and gymnastics? Its fun to regain that passion for comradorie that is lost in a long and isolated winter. Simutaneously we are contemplating change, yet revisiting our roots. One root, that is with no doubt as American as Apple Pie, is a sour mash hailing from the Bluegrass state; Bourbon!

Bourbon has been a part of United States tradition since before we were fighting each other. It practically made Kentucky famous; that and the Kentucky Derby of course! (Bourbon plays a big role in the derby as well: Mint Julips!) For over 100 years
Kentucky Bourban has been an American Standard and still to this day has a huge National and International following. It is such a versatile liquor. It is great on its own or can be mixed in a myriad of ways. A lot of people ask; what is the difference between Bourbon and Tennessee Whiskey? Bourbon has a distinct difference from its rival. Regardless of what some may think both whiskeys are what you could call "Sour Mash." The actual difference between the two has to do with charcoal. Most all American Whiskey goes through some sort of carbon filtration process, the difference is Tennessee Whiskey usually goes through a longer filtering in which it passes through sugar-maple charcoal filled leaching vats. This distinction gave Tennessee whiskey its own label under U.S. law in 1941. Another misconception is that Bourbon is made only in Kentucky, which of course is not true. It's only requirements are that it be made in the United States, contain at least 51% corn and stay a minimum of two years in new charred oak barrels.

So to me, Bourbon is a much more approachable whiskey than its charcoal infused neighbor. The oak aging and gives it lovely notes of vanilla and caramel, making this whiskey a sweeter alternative. If you have ever had whiskey and just couldn't stomach the burn, resulting in you being turned off from whiskey all together; give Bourbon a try. You might be pleasantly surprised! Here at the West Vail Liquor Mart we carry a large selection of Bourbons including: Maker's Mark, Knob Creek, Jim Beam, Blantons, Bakers, Bookers and many more.

So if you are feeling extra American this fall, give Bourbon a whirl. Come November my allegience lies with a sour mash born and bred in Kentucky, and thats a party i am proud to belong to.

Nick Agnew

Wine and Cooking

I am often asked where we keep our cheap cooking wine by customers who are preparing a meal or dish that calls for wine. Since we do not have a "cooking wine" section at the West Vail Liquor Mart this often leads to another statement from consumers, "I am just cooking with it so what is the cheapest or least expensive wine."

If you have not noticed there has been a proliferation of high end food and wine events occuring all over the place. Just try to pick up any lifestyle magazine, such as Wine Spectator, Food and Wine, Bon Apetit, etc, and not find an advertisement for the latest and greatest celebrity chefs pairing food with their favorite wines. The sponsors of these events also tend to be of the luxury set: Mercedes, BMW, fine kitchen gagets, high end stoves and refrigerators such as Sub-Zero to name a few. Sorry for this digression, but I think it pertains to the overall question of why certain consumers will pine for the latest and greates of ingredients, sponsor products and such to cook with, and then seemingly develop an aversion to using quality wine when they are cooking?

OK, let's be honest not everyone is going to dump a bottle of $100 Nuits St. George Burgundy wine into their beef borgogne (although I think it deserves consideration). After all how would your Electrolux, Vulcan or Thermador range feel about a $5.00 bottle of Hearty Burgundy used on its state of the art cook top?

If you are going to go to all the trouble searching for the best ingredients and best appliances to prepare a meal your friends will go ga-ga over, you should also consider upgrading your wine ingredient. One of the best ways to create a great food and wine pairing is to cook with the same wine you will be serving with each course. Of course, it will cost some extra money, but after all is said and done it is your goal to create an experience for the senses and not just a meal. Next time, try trading up a bit in the wine ingredient category and I think you will like the results!

Tom Mullen
West Vail Liquor Mart

Absolut Los Angeles Goes the Green Way

The is the second in line of flavored vodkas from Absolut to give a portion of the profits to a worthy charity in the city it was named after. In this case, Absolut has produced a vodka inspired by the City of Angels and is donating $250,000 of profits to Green Way, a local LA based organization dedicated to improving the urban life in Los Angeles, including the active reduction of polluted water runoff that flows into the Santa Monica Bay.

This Absolut Vodka is all about LA, one of the most inspiring cities in the USA! The Acai, Acerola, Pomegranite & Blueberry flavored vodka blends well with the trend setting, forward thinking and environmentally concious spirit of Los Angeles. If any Vodka has gone green to help the environment Absolut Los Angeles is it!

You can find Absolut Los Angeles at the West Vail Liquor Mart in Vail, CO. Even when you are on vacation or holiday in the Vail Valley, you can support a green and environmentally good cause.

Try this Absolut Los Angeles Cocktail

Absolut Rising Star
2 ounces of Absolut Los Angeles
1 ounce cranberry juice
1 teaspoon Chambord Raspberry Liqueur
Lemon peel spiral for garnish

Tom Mullen

New Rubi Rey (Ruby Ray) Rum

Well it's is definitely summer in the Vail Valley and rum drinks are always popular this time of year. If you are looking for something new and cool to try, do not pass up the latest premium rum called Rubi Rey, pronounced (Ruby Ray). According to the makers of Rubi Rey it is an original single barrel finished white rum. Handcrafted in small batches, Rubi Rey is then aged and mellowed in white oak barrels on the coast of Northern Puerto Rico. Rubi Rey is then slow filtered for clarity, and single barrel finished for optimum character. The result is a uniquely delicious white rum of unprecendented smoothness and flavor.

Rubi Rey Liquid Kiss Cocktail
1&1/2 oz. Rubi Rey Rum
1 Part Fresh Oranges
2 Strawberries Smashed
1 Part Simple Syrup

Tom Mullen

Spanish Wines - Rising stars

3 great wine values from Telmo Rodriguez, a rising star in Spanish winemaking. All of the Rodriguez vineyards are biodynamically farmed.

Basa Blanco 2007 $11.99 A tasty blend of Verdejo, Viura and Sauv Blanc from Rueda. It is un-oaked and unpretentious. This great summer value has wonderful citrus aromas with a hint of mineral and lively acid that carries through to a mouthwatering finish. Buy 2 because you will be surprised how fast the first one goes down.

Dehesa Gago 2006 $14.99 100% Tempranillo from the Toro region and 100% delicious. A medium bodied red that is bursting with red fruit flavors and has a surprisingly rich, long finish. Stainless fermentation and no oak aging keep this wine fresh and ready to pair with just about anything off the grill.

Gazur 2006 $17.99 100% Tempranillo from Ribera del Duero. This wine shows a focused and concentrated array of dark fruit and a persistent note of spice. Gazur would be a great pair with most red meat or pork or even a riper type of cheese.

Dan Brewster, Wine Buyer

Oskar Blues Beer

This may well be the best beer ever put into a can. Gordon's is a cross between an Imperial Red and a Double IPA. It's namesake is Gordon Knight, one of the original Colorado micro-brewer's, war vet and firefighter. Sadly, Gordon passed in 2002 while fighting a wildfire outside of Lyons Colorado. This beer is a tribute to his life. Gordon's is available in four pack's of cans and costs between ten and fifteen dollars depending on location. Right now it is part of the West Vail Liquor Marts July beer of the month program featured at $10.49. I like this beer so much because it is very versatile, and can be simply drank or paired with just about any kind of barbeque. I highly recommend this for anyone who is looking for something new and interesting, as well as the hop-heads.


Matt Knapp
West Vail Liquor Mart
Vail CO 81657
Westvail.com
970-476-2420

Snow Queen Organic Vodka

This new vodka is a product from Kazakhstan and was recently awarded the USDA Organic seal of approval. The is the latest high end luxury vodka that comes in a frosted bottle (think of Grey Goose, Belvedere, Chopin and Rain to name a few other vodkas). If the frosted bottle has been overdone the label of the "Snow Queen" is something to behold. The Snow Queen bottle features...you guessed it an etched bottle of a very attractive "snow queen" with a low cut gown and ample cleavage standing with a gilded gold castle in the foreground. That is probably enough to catch your attention, but of course what matters most is what's in the bottle. Snow Queen is a premium five-times distilled vodka with a distinctively smooth, velvety taste. It is made with a unique recipe using only the finest premium wheat and the purest softened water from the snow capped mountains of Ala Tau.

The marketing for snow queen is on very hot roll as well, with spreads in Vogue, Glamour, Style, Playboy, GQ and many others. If your in Vail, Colorado stop in and pick up a bottle at the West Vail Liquor Mart.

Tom Mullen

Knappogue Single Malt Irish Whiskey

One of the fastest growing categories in the spirits world are what are commonly referred to as "brown goods". Brown goods generally comprise the whiskey segment: Kentucky Bourbon such as Jim Beam and sour mash like Jack Daniels. Although those two brands are power houses within the category there is unprecedented growth coming out of the Irish Whiskey category. Such products as Jameson and Bushmills are almost household names, but there seems to be a resurgence for high quality single malts, much like scotch single malts in the Irish Whiskey category. One such whiskey is Knappague Single Malt Irish Whiskey. Knappague is made exclusively from from malted barley. It is distilled in traditional copper pot stills and then carefully aged in oak casks. The current Knappague Whiskey available at West Vail Liquor Mart was distilled in 1995 then each cask was then individually selected and bottled in 2007. Unlike some of the heavier peaty single malt scotch this Irish Whiskey has more delicate flavors and body. Enjoy!

Tom Mullen

Bloody Mary with a Zing

Holidays and days off may have you thinking about a cold beverage a tad earlier in the day. This weekend, my thoughts turned to a spicy, refreshing Bloody Mary made with Zing Zang Bloody Mary Mix ($5.49 for 32 oz), Grey Goose Vodka ($28.99 for 750 ml) and healthy pour of V8 juice.

Eat your vegtables! It may be tough to get in your daily allowances for vegtables so you will be happy to know that Zing Zang Bloody Mary mix is comprised of 80% vegtable juice from 14 different vegtables and contains 9% solid spices. It is also low in calories.

Laurie Mullen
West Vail Liquor Mart

The Original Pilsener

Power in numbers, folks! Towns, communities, even groups of people can become powerful and influential when dissatisfaction is among them. This was the case in the town of Pilsen, Bohemia around 1838. Citizens were fed up with the quality level of the beers available to them. They decided to dump cask upon cask of their low-quality(albeit drinkable) ale into the streets. Soon after, in 1839, the citizens founded and built their own brewery. They wanted to brew beer in the bavarian style, which uses bottom-fermenting yeasts. The town hired reknowned Bavarian brewer, Josef Groll. His use of modern technology and new paler malts melded to produce the world's first golden beer. This new brew was very pale in color, high in hops, light bodied, and crisp with a bit of carbonation. The beer instantly became popular among the locals. The transportation and communication of the times made this brew widely available throughout Europe. This Pilsen style Lager soon after became imitated by breweries around Europe. In 1859 "Pilsen Bier" became a brand name. To emphasize the beers' origination in Pilsen, the brewery trademarked the name "Pilsner Urquell", meaning "of the source." Pilsen-style Lager enjoys recognition around the world. The most popular are brewed in Europe, but they can be found from all corners of the world. The West Vail Liquor Mart is proud to carry a fine selection of these great beers. From the Czech Republic: Pilsner Urquell and Czechvar. From Germany: Konig Pilsener, Saint Pauli Girl, Paulaner, Becks, Bitburger, and Warsteiner. From Holland: Heineken, Amstel, and Grolsch. From Belgium: Stella Artois. From Austria: Trumer Pils. From America: Victory Prima Pils, etc.

DR

Scotch in Summer?

Every high country Scotch drinker knows the perfection a glass of Scotch brings after a long winter day, tromping around out in the Mountains. The bliss that comes with sipping Scotch is not something that I can explain to you in words, you need friends, a fire and tired legs. But why is Scotch so overlooked in the summer months? Scotch truly is a forgotten pleasure in the summertime. Being in the mountains, our cool nights provide the perfect atmosphere for that silky glass of whiskey. One Scotch that I have always loved is Laphroaig, reigning from the Isle of Islay.
Scotch is basically broken into three categories: Lowland, Highland and Islay. To me, Islay Scotches are the most intriguing. Being isolated on this blustery island gives bold and distinctive characteristics to these whiskeys. A strong presence of Blue Peat smoke gives a warmth to this style of whiskey that is unique to only Islay. This is balanced with sweeter nuttiness of the barley used and is capped with the refreshing cleanliness of pure Islay stream water.
Laphroaig is one of the oldest distilleries on the island operating since the early 1800's. It was started by the Johnston family and soon became a local hit, eventually cementing itself in Scottish whiskey making history. You can go to http://www.laphroaig.com/ and take a virtual tour of the distillery and learn a little more about this historical site. Laphroaig offers Scotches in the 10 year to 40 year range. Although typically older Scotches are considered "better," all the whiskeys produced by Laphroaig are award winning and second to none. As quoted by the Laphroaig team, "In 2005 we were proud to be voted 'the best of the best' in the Champions of Whisky Competition." Most people in the mountains dream of caiparinhas in Brazil, or Mojitos in the Caribbean during the summer months. Warm weather and cool drinks are only natural when you are clouded by winter 8 months out of the year. Even with this style of thinking, I still dream of bringing the warmth of a seaside Scottish peat fire into my living room on a cool summers eve, or watching my glass of Laphroaig disappear with the sun over the horizon on the Western Banks of Islay!

Cheers,
Nicholas Agnew
West Vail Liquor Mart

Stolichnaya Blueberry Vodka

Whether you are cooling off by the water or grillin' and chillin' with family and friends, spirits add a dash of excitement to any summer occasion.

It was a cold and wintry day when all I could think of was warm air, a cool breeze, and a glass of Stolichnaya Blueberry Vodka and lemonade. The drink which many agree, tastes like summer in a glass. Stoli Blueberry Vodka has a natural fruit tastes, not artificial tasting like some other brands. When Stoli Blueberry is combined with lemonade, forget about it, the drink relaxes in your mouth with you. The sweet acidity of the lemonade combined with the fresh blueberry flavor of Stolichnaya truly is refreshing. A drink worthy of the name, "Summertime in a Glass".

Chris Kormanicki
West Vail Liquor Mart

Wedding and Party Planning in Vail, Colorado

Are you looking to plan a wedding in Vail, Colorado in the near future? The West Vail Liquor Mart can provide you with a free estimate of the types and quantities of liquor you will need for you big event. We work with many caterers and catering companies and can help you find the perfect wedding wine to match your caterers suggestions.

Part of the service we offer is free delivery to the most popular wedding venues in the Vail area: Donovan Pavilion, Lazy J Ranch, Eagle-Vail Pavilion, Singletree Pavillion are all great locations to have a wedding. If you are planning a wedding in a private home in Vail, Beaver Creek, Bachelor Gulch, Arrowhead, Singletree or any other neighborhood in the Vail Valley give us a call and we can help!

Tom Mullen
West Vail Liquor Mart
970-476-2420
tmullen@westvail.com

Kris 2006 Pinot Grigio

On May 1, 2008, we did a West Vail Liquor Mart staff tasting of the Kris 2006 Pinot Grigio. This is a light, crisp 100% Pinot Grigio wine that is ideal for the upcoming spring and summer season. The grapes are from selected vineyards in the Trentino-Alto Adige and Friuli region of Northern Italy.



It has a pale yellow color with hints of citrus, apricot, pear and almond. It will pair nicely with quiche, omelets, white meats, salmon or pasta.

A great value at $12.99!

Laurie Mullen
West Vail Liquor Mart