Holiday Beers and Winter Warmers

The late fall and holiday season is an exciting time in the beer world. As the weather turns colder and the days grow shorter, people begin to forgo the fruity, lighter wheat beers and shandies for heartier brews that offer something special in flavor, and perhaps the warmth of a little extra kick in strength. Just as it might not seem very refreshing to drink a dark, malty 9% ABV beer while lounging in the August sun, a wispy 4.8% wheat beer just may not cut it when trying to get warm around a December fire after a big day on the slopes. And that's one of the great things about beer. It can be made to suit almost any taste or situation, and its ability to be adapted is limited only by the imagination of the brewer.

The tradition of heartier, stronger and often spicier brews can be traced back to ancient traditions based around the winter solstice. Cultures in Northern Europe celebrated the solstice as Yuletide, and brewed special beers for the occasion. Medieval England celebrated with a drink called "lambswool", a Christmas Ale made with roasted apples, nutmeg, ginger and honey. Later came "wassail", a Danish influenced tradition of hot ale that spread throughout England. Originally a general toast to your health, wassail became a popular tradition during the Christmas season in England, and is associated with caroling and holiday celebrations. Wassail and other traditional winter warmers were ales meant to be consumed warm or hot. They were either lightly hopped, or not hopped at all, as hops do not stand up well to being heated. Instead a variety of spices were used to offset the malty sweetness of the beers, and to give them their unique flavors suitable to the colder winter weather. One British tradition was to float toast on top of the hot ale for added flavor. And so the practice of brewing a special beer for Yuletide and Christmas became common from home brewers to commercial brewers and monasteries as well. Spices such as nutmeg, cloves and cinnamon, higher malt content for a fuller body, and higher alcohol content, are the hallmarks of these special holiday offerings.

The homogenization of the beer industry worldwide during the middle of the 20th century was not a good time for holiday beer. The consolidation of commercial breweries, popularity of lighter, mass produced lagers and decline in the number of home brewers contributed to make holiday brews seem like a thing of the past. Wassail just wasn't cool anymore. But as the craft beer revolution that began in the late 70's brought a renewed interest in beer styles and brewing traditions, the proliferation of Christmas and holiday beers has had a resurgence. Anchor Brewery in San Francisco came out with their "special ale", otherwise known as Anchor Christmas in 1975. Coors has been brewing its Winterfest since 1985. Belgian style beers lend themselves particularly well to holiday beers, as added spices go well with the candied sugar and wild yeasts already prevalent in their styles. Give the St. Bernardus Christmas Ale or Delirium's Noel a try. Today it seems like most breweries offer some kind of holiday beer or winter seasonal. Some favorites here in Colorado are Breckenridge's Christmas Ale, Avery's Old Jubilation, New Belgium's Frambozen, Odell's Isolation Ale and Hibernation Ale from Great Divide. Upslope Brewery began brewing a Belgian double with secret spices, weighing in at a hearty 8.2% for the holidays this year. And holiday beers are not just limited to Christmas brews. The Schmaltz Brewery of New York and San Francisco celebrates the Hanukah Season with its own gift pack of special releases, complete with menorah.

From American style lagers to spicy Belgian's to barrel aged stouts and porters, there is no shortage of seasonal holiday beers for you to try. So stop on in and treat yourself to a little something special for these cold winter nights. You deserve it!

Happy Holidays!
Chip Bartsch
Beer Buyer

Bordeaux

Bordeaux-
Bordeaux wine is one of the great wine regions of the world. Bordeaux is located in the Southwest of France where the Gironde River empties into the Atlantic Ocean. Although it can sometimes feel intimidating, like all other wine regions in France there is a clear system to understanding. Bordeaux is really one of the original blending regions. Unlike Burgundy, Bordeaux allows for a winemaker to really change his or her cuvee from year to year using multiple varietals. The reasons for these changes are because of the different ripeness levels one desires to achieve with each varietal. Bordeaux is one of the very vintage sensitive wine regions of the World and luckily we have had two very excellent vintages back to back with 09 and 10.Although they do grow quite a bit of white wine in Bordeaux (Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon primarily) we are going to focus on the red wine production.
There are five classic red Bordeaux grapes that are allowed to be grown: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, Petit Verdot, and Cabernet Franc.
Bordeaux is primarily split into two main sides; Left Bank and Right Bank (Gironde River) and within these two sides there are many different communes
Right Bank- Pomerol, St. Emilion, Bordeaux Superieur, Cote de Bourg and Cote de Blaye- These wines tend to be Merlot driven.
Left Bank- Haut Medoc, Medoc, St. Estephe, St. Julien, Margaux, Pauillac, Graves, Sauternes- these wines tend to be Cabernet driven. (Graves/Sauternes is mainly focused on white and dessert style wines)
Unlike Burgundy with its negociants, Bordeaux wine production is done from single properties or Chateaus. Some Chateaus are obviously situated better than others. So in 1855 the French wine lawmakers categorized the best into 5 distinct Grand Cru groups called growths. 1st growths, 2nd growths and so on… if you didn’t make the cut in 1855, sorry. Haven’t reclassified anything since; by the way Pomerol and St. Emilion did not even make it into the discussion so they did their own thing a little later on.

Here are some wines currently available from the distinguished 09 vintage…

Ch. Teyssier- Wine has been here since the 1700’s. It is one of the larger Bordeaux producers with the 2009 vintage yielding over 15,000 cases. Recently the estate has changed ownership and the new team has transformed the wine and the estate. They have renovated the estate, vineyard, winery, barrel cellar, and the approach; taking a more modern stance on the wine. Eighty-five per cent Merlot with the remainder being met by Cabernet Franc, the wine originates from the communes of Saint Sulpice de Faleyrens and Vignonet. Most of the soil type in these regions is sand which is common on the right bank of the Gironde. The wine now can be approached young, out of the bottle but still possesses potential to age. $44.99
Robert Parker POINTS 89-91: This is a big production cuvee of 15,000 cases from a vineyard whose terroir is not considered to be particularly good. Consequently, it is always fascinating to see how much character proprietor Jonathan Maltus is able to extract. The 2009 Teyssier possesses a dense ruby/purple color as well as smoky barbecue notes intermixed with creme de cassis, black cherries, and earth. Ripe, generous, and medium to full-bodied, it should drink beautifully young yet age for 10-12+ years.
Ch Beaumont- Beaumont is located in the Haut-Medoc on the left bank of the Gironde River. The wine is composed of 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 46% merlot and 1% Petit Verdot. It has a production of about 42000 cases. This region of Bordeaux is famous for its Cabernet Sauvignon and the Garonne Gravel Ridges that make up the soil are assumed to be some of the best in the world for this varietal. The 2009 vintage was fruity and dark, absent of some the herbaceous notes that can sometimes be associated with wines of this region. Ripe tannins allow for a smooth finish and this wine can be enjoyed now or cellared for 10-15 years. $29.99
Clos des Moiselles- This is a great little Cotes de Bourg, which is northeast of Bordeaux itself. There are a lot of value driven wines coming from this region and Bordeaux Superieur. This wine is composed of 45% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Malbec grown on clay and limestone soils. This wine is dark and ruby in color and is a wine meant to be enjoyed sooner than most Bordeaux style wines. With a touch of oak ageing this is a great alternative to Bordeaux being that it is ready to drink and value driven. $19.99

Enjoy Bordeaux,
Nick, Buyer.

Finding the wine you Want

Finding the wine you want!

Sometimes picking out a bottle of wine can be very intimidating. Let’s say you don’t necessarily drink wine regularly or you may be visiting someone who seems to be very particular in their wine choices. Just settling for a good label or consistently going back to a wine you feel comfortable with is just not fun or beneficial. You will never put your finger on exactly what you like if you do not try, try and try. Sometimes you will fail, but that is part of the process. You are constantly dialing in on the flavor profile that pleases you the most. Wine knowledge is exponential, the more you know, the more there is to know.
Here at the West Vail Liquor Mart we have our wine separated in a few different ways. All of our domestic wine (California, Oregon, Washington, etc.) is split up by Varietal. For those of you who are not familiar with the term varietal, it is just referring to the type of grape used to make the wine. For example; Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Pinot Noir are all types of varietals. All of our international wine is separated by region. Chilean wine is in the section labeled Chile, Australia with Australia. A lot of the New World wines (Australia, New Zealand, South America, U.S.) have the varietal listed on the label. Most Old World wines (France, Italy, and Spain) do not necessarily list the type of varietal, which can make these wines more difficult to discern. Specific regions in these Old World wines tend to have guidelines which require them to use certain varietals in certain regions. For example; Burgundy is a region in France and Red Burgundian wine is made with Pinot Noir, White Burgundian wine is made with Chardonnay. So we also try and separate the wines by region as well; that way you know what general flavor profile is offered. The French wine is broken up into Burgundy, Bordeaux, Alsace, Rhone, etc. The Italian and Spanish wine is generally broken up by region as well.
So none of this really helps you find the wine you were thinking of. How do you even know what type of wines you really like? This goes back to the intimidation thing. A lot of wine terminology can be difficult and quite frankly stops people from going any further. You may know you like Chardonnay and hate Pinot Grigio and that is how you always make your decision; always Chardonnay. But why not try some Grenache Blanc, or maybe try some White Burgundy (which is Chardonnay!). Wine is not made to be academic; it is made to be enjoyed. One of my favorite things about drinking wine is choosing it. The process that goes into making a decision about what wine to drink is fun. Some questions I ask myself are: Will I be eating with this wine? If so, what kind of cuisine? What is my price point? Not all of us can drink top shelf wine every evening. Producers realize that and make a ton of great affordable options. I have really been enjoying wines from the south of France, the Languedoc to be specific, and Spain recently. I feel that there is a lot of great quality for value prices coming out of these regions. If you are a California Cabernet drinker and have become frustrated with some of the pricing, why not branch out and try some Malbec or Cabernet from Chile or Argentina. Our staff at the West Vail Liquor Mart is very knowledgeable when it comes to wine so please use us to help you. As I have educated myself on wine I have found many gems along the way. Like I said the more you know, the more there is to know. Please do not be afraid to ask a question or try something new.

Enjoy the process,

Nick, buyer W.V.L.M.

New Products and Seasonals in the Beer Department

December is upon us, and the anticipation for the real winter to begin is becoming unbearable for many. However, the beer world keeps chugging along, and is in full winter holiday mode. Here is a list of the new and seasonal products now in stock in West Vail Liquor's beer department. Stop on in and help quench your thirst for winter weather with our new selections!

Holiday Gift Sets:
Boulevard: 4 twelve ounce bottles (Double Wide IPA, Tank 7 Farmhouse Ale, Long Strange Trippel and 6th Glass Quadruple) with a nice glass goblet. $19.49.

Chimay: 3 eleven ounce bottles (red, white and blue labels) with the classic Chimay chalice. $19.99.

Gulden Draak: 6 bottles (330ml) of pure Belgian bliss along with a special goblet. 10.5% ABV. $41.99.

Gulden Draak mixed set: 3 bottles of Gulden Draak and 3 bottles of Gulden Draak Quadruple along with a special goblet. 10.5% ABV. $41.99.

He'Brew: 8 different bottles of beer, plus a tasting glass and candle set. $29.99.

Lindemans: One bottle of Framboise and one bottle of Pomme (apple), each 375ml, along with a festive fluted glass. $14.49.

Petrus: Well known for their stand out Belgian sour ales. This set contains an 11oz bottle each of: Blonde, Double Bruin, Goulden Tripel, Speciale, Oud Bruin and Aged Pale. $41.99.

Sam Smith: The classic Yorkshire Brewery. A 17oz bottle each of their IPA, Nut Brown and Oatmeal Stout along with a British pint glass. $10.99.

Seasonals:
Alaska Winter Ale: Made with spruce tips for a truly unique alpine flavor. 6.4% ABV. $9.99/6pk bottles.

Anderson Valley Winter Solstice: Rich, complex and slightly sweet. 6.9%ABV. $11.49/6pk bottles.

Avery Old Jubilation: A bold and malty warmer from one of our favorite breweries. 8.3%ABV. $10.99/6pk bottles.

Bear Republic Racer X: A big double IPA. Zoom Zoom! 8.3% ABV. $9.49 for a 22oz bottle.

Boulder Never Summer: Dark caramel malts and lots of hops are featured in this beer from Colorado's oldest micro-brewery. 5.9% ABV. $9.49/6pk bottles.

Breckenridge Christmas Ale: A Colorado favorite! 7.4% ABV. $9.49/6pk bottles, or $18.99 for a 5 liter mini-keg. Great for parties!

Bridgeport Old Ebenezer: Bridgeport was not a scrooge with these ingredients. A rich, malty brew. 6.4% ABV. $8.99/6pk bottles.

Colorado Cider Company Old Stumpy: A premium cider aged in chardonnay barrels. 6.95% ABV. $14.99 for a 750ml bottle.

Delirium Noel: One of our most popular holiday beers. A Belgian treat! 10% ABV. $14.49 for a 750ml bottle.

De Rank Pere Noel: An exceptional Belgian ale brewed with spices for the holidays. 7% ABV. $16.99 for a 750ml bottle.

Deschutes Abyss: The legendary barrel aged stout is back in very limited supply. 11.1% ABV. $14.99 for a 22oz bottle.

Deschutes Jubelale: A festive winter brew from the northwest. 6.7%ABV. $8.99/6pk bottles.

Firestone Walker Velvet Merlin: A delicious oatmeal stout from the award winning California brewery. 5.5% ABV. $9.99/6pk bottles.

Full Sail Wassail: A true winter warmer at an affordable price. 7.2%ABV. $7.49/6pk bottles.

Gouden Carolus Noel: A favorite seasonal Belgian holiday beer! 10.5% ABV. $22.99/4pk bottles.

Great Divide Hibernation: A malty beer indeed! 8.7% ABV. $10.49/6pk bottles.

He'Brew Jewbelation Sweet 16: 16 malts, 16 hops, 16% ABV. Wow! $9.99 for a 22oz bottle.

Huvila Arctic Circle Ale: A unique beer from Finland. Rich and hearty with a slight touch of spruce. This beer is something a little different and delicious! 7.3% ABV. $9.99 for a 17oz bottle.

JK Scrumpy's Winter Solstice Cider: One of the most delicious items we have! Taste the goodnes...it won’t last long. $6.9% ABV. $9.99 for a 22oz bottle.

Lagunitas Brown Shugga: A new staff favorite. This slightly sweet brown ale is yummy! 9.9% ABV. $10.99/6pk bottles.

New Belgium Snow Day: Made with Midnight Wheat. Lighter bodied than many of the winter seasonals. 6.2% ABV. $8.99/6pk bottles.

New Belgium Frambozen: A brown raspberry ale. Now this is the way to make a fruity beer! 6.5% ABV. $10.49/6pk bottles.

New Belgium Lips of Faith: Coffee/Chocolate Stout: Lots of coffee in this one! 9% ABV. $7.49 for a 22oz bottle.

Odell Isolation Ale: A malty winter warmer. 6.1%ABV. $10.99/6pk bottles.

Odell Friek: An oak aged ale with cherries and raspberries. Great to share with dessert. 6.5%ABV. $18.99 for a 750ml bottle.

Odell Mountain Standard: A big rich double black IPA. 9.5%ABV. $10.99/4pk bottles.

Ridgeway Bad Elf and Criminally Bad Elf: Two British holiday selections exhibiting the classic English biscuit and malt flavors. The Criminally Bad Elf is the same recipe as the famous Thomas Hardy ale. Bad Elf: 6% ABV. $6.99 for a 17oz bottle. Criminally Bad Elf: 10.5% ABV. $8.49 for a 17oz bottle.

Ridgeway Lump of Coal: A bold, toasty stout, and way better than an actual lump of coal in your stocking! 8% ABV. $7.99 for 17oz bottle.

Rogue Santa: A hoppy holiday offering from the Oregon brewery. 6% ABV. $7.49 for a 22oz bottle.

Rogue Yellow Snow IPA: A crisp, hoppy IPA in the west coast style. 6.5% ABV. $14.49/6pk bottles.

Sam Smith Winter Welcome: Let's get this winter rolling! 6% ABV. $4.69 for a 17oz bottle.

Sierra Nevada Narwhal: A big Imperial Stout. Yum! 10.2%ABV. $9.99/6pk bottles.

Sierra Nevada Celebration: A fresh hop delight! 6%ABV. $9.49/6pk & $16.49/12pk bottles.

St. Bernardus Christmas Ale: An ale brewed with spices from one of Belgium's most famous abbey breweries. 10% ABV. $14.99 for a 750ml bottle.

Straffe Hendrik Heritage 2011: A special release quadruple ale, aged for over a year in oak barrels in the cellar of this historic Bruge brewery. Rare and ageable. $28.99 for a 750ml bottle.

Stone Double Bastard: Double the recipe, double the goodness! 11.2% ABV. $8.99 for a 22oz bottle.

Upslope Christmas Ale: A Belgian double style ale brewed with spices from the Boulder brewery. 8.2% ABV. $3.99 for a 16oz can.

New Products:
Budweiser Project 12: Bud put out a challenge to its brewmasters to come up with something different, and this mixed 12 pack has the top four resulting creations. Some nice variations on your traditional Bud! $15.49/12pk bottles.

Brunehaut Amber: They say it's gluten free, but you wouldn't be able to tell the difference from a standard Belgian Amber. Tasty! 6.5% ABV. $13.99/4pk bottles.

Crabbies Ginger Beer: Unique and super refreshing served over ice. Imported from Scotland. 4.8%ABV. $10.99/4pk bottles.

Crazy Mountain Boohai Red Ale: The newest offering from our local brewery features New Zealand hops in a classic red ale. 6% ABV. $9.99/6pk cans.

Crazy Mountain Cara de Luna: The boys and girls at the brewery got their bottling line working, and this is the first in their series of 22 ounce bombers. A surprisingly smooth black ale. 5.5% ABV. $4.49 for a 22oz bottle.

Crazy Mountain Hookiebob IPA: A bright hoppy IPA with a nice bitter finish. 6.7% ABV. $4.99 for a 22oz bottle.

Elevation Apis IV Quadrupel with Honey: A nice big Belgian style from the little town of Poncha Springs, CO. 10.7% ABV. $10.49 for a 750ml bottle.

Full Sail LTD #6 Lager: A hearty dark lager with notes of coffee and chocolate. 7% ABV. $7.49/6pk bottles.

Magic Hat - #9, Circus Boy & Heart of Darkness: One of the east coasts favorite breweries is finally shipping to Colorado. The apricot lager, hefe-weizen and stout each comes in a 6 pack at $8.99.

Rogue Old Crustacean Barleywine: A big strong beer in a unique ceramic flip top 750ml bottle. 11.5% ABV. $19.99.

Rogue Roguenbier Rye: Rogue's newest offering in their Grow Your Own series, where the ingredients come from their own farms. 6.6% ABV. $7.49 for a 22oz bottle.

Sam Adams Hop Tour: A mixed 6 pack with two bottles each of the Noble Pils, Lattitude 48 IPA and Whitewater Wheat IPA. $9.49/6pk bottles.

Sam Smith Organic Chocolate Stout: Rich, foamy and chocolaty. An adult milkshake! 5% ABV. $3.99 for a 17oz bottle.

Shocktop End of the World Midnight Wheat: A dark version made with Midnight Wheat, chocolate malt, chili and spices. 6% ABV. $8.99/6pk bottles.

Straffe Hendrick Tripel & Quadruple: If you are looking for something special, this could be for you. Two fantastic brews from De Halve Maan Brewery in Bruges, Belgium. The Tripel is the best I've ever had! Each is 11.2% ABV. $21.99/4pk bottles.


Chip Bartsch
Beer Buyer

Wines of the Loire Valley

Wines of the Loire Valley

The Loire wine region spans from the Atlantic coast near the city of Nantes along the Loire River to just southeast of Orleans in North/Central France. There is actually 87 little sub appellations in the Loire. Its winemaking history dates back the 1st century and these were the most esteemed wines in France during the high middle ages. The Loire is pretty far north, almost on the boundary of where grapes can be grown; but the river provides a few extra degrees; making pretty ideal conditions for some of these cool climate varietals.

Regions within the Loire Valley; coordinating grapes and characteristics:

Sancerre and Pouilly Fume-
White- Sauvignon Blanc mainly (If you see wine labeled Pouilly-sur-Loire the grape is probably chasselas) Sauvignon Blanc in Sancerre is probably the most recognized wine of the Loire region. Traditionally Sancerre has a little more racy acid; grapefruity flavors while Pouilly Fume is a bit more full bodied and rich in texture. The two areas are on opposite sides of the Loire River about 16 km apart. Limestone soil interspersed with silex flint give these Sauvignon Blanc’s a unique flavor profile.
Red- Only white wine is produced in Pouilly Fume but Sancerre produces white, red and rose. Pinot Noir is the grape used in Sancerre Rouge. These are usually pretty light pinots with characteristics similar to Burgundian Pinot Noir.

Chinon- Cabernet Franc! Some of the most distinct and famous Cabernet Franc regions of the world! The wines raspberry hues are accented by good fresh red fruit flavors and dominated by a distinct touch of graphite. The wines of Bourgueil are Cabernet Franc as well but tend to be a touch bigger; firmer tannins. Traditionally served chilled?

Muscadet- Melon de Bourgogne? This is the westernmost region of the Loire, buts up to the Atlantic Ocean at the mouth of the Loire. Melon de Bourgogne has no relation to the Muscat grape. These wines are a great pair with shellfish, arguably one of the best shellfish regions of the world. The wines are light and fresh and tend to be bottled sur lie: Straight from the tank, no fining or filtering. This gives them a bit of a fuller body and really accentuates the freshness. Yum.

Vouvray/Touraine- Chenin Blanc, S.B., Gamay... little Chard, little Pinot, little Malbec. This is probably the most diverse region within the Loire. Vouvray is definitely the most recognizable and is made exclusively Chenin Blanc. The range from sweet to bone dry and should be labeled as such on the bottle. Touraine is primarily known for gamay (red) and Sauvignon Blanc.

Saumur- Sparkling wine? Located around the town of Angers, the Saumur region is known for their rose’s made primarily from Cabernet Franc and Anjou Blanc made from primarily Chenin Blanc. Believe it or not Saumur, the Loire Valley, is the third largest sparkling wine producing region in France. Most of the sparking wine is made from Chenin Blanc, rather than Pinot Meunier, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir.

If you are thinking of getting of the beaten path with your French wine selections, the Loire Valley offers multiple options to fit any palate. Enjoy.

Nico, Buyer, West Vail Liquor Mart

Thanksgiving Wines Make the Meal

West Vail Liquor Mart's Thanksgiving wine suggestions to complement your special dinner.

Pinot Noir: A traditional favorite and pairs nicely with most flavors.
- Migration $39.99
- La Crema $24.99
- Van Duzer $17.99
- Pinot Project $14.99
- Mark West $11.99

Syrah/Shiraz: This red easily pairs with the flavors of the holiday meal and adds intensity and peppery notes.
- Landmark $29.99
- Molly Dooker $25.99
- Milbrandt Syrah $14.99
- Woop Woop $13.99

Zinfandel: A heartier red with deeper flavors that works well with turkey and side dishes.
- Seghesio Sonoma Zin $22.99
- Cline Ancient Vines $15.99
- Gnarly Head Old Vine $12.99

Pinot Grigio: A light, crisp white wine known for its delicate flavors. It works well with the heavy, buttery flavors.
- Elk Cove $18.99
- Santa Margherita $25.99
- Van Duzer $13.99

Chardonnay: A perennial favorite with many meals. Can be crisp and acidic or buttery and creamy.
- Kistler $74.99
- Chalk Hill $44.99
- Ferrari Carano $24.99
- Simi $17.99
- Milbrandt $12.99

Riesling: This wine can be moderately sweet or bone dry. Great with any dish that has a little spice.
- Donnhoff Estate $19.99
- Dr. Loosen $14.99
- Kung Fu Girl $14.99
- Milbrandt $12.99

Gewurztraminer: A white wine that can be dry or sweet. It pairs nicely with flavorful side dishes and also desserts.
- Weinbach $27.99
- Trimbach $24.99
- Chateau St. Michelle $11.99

Champagne & Sparkling: A bubbly sparkling wine that works well as a starter or with dessert. Pairs easily with most foods.
- Perrier-Jouet Grand Brut $54.99
- Nicolas Feuillatte Brut $39.99
- Gloria Ferrer Blanc de Noir or Brut $19.99
- Domaine Ste. Michelle $14.99

Dessert wines: A special offering after a big meal or in place of dessert. Also a nice gift for the chef.
- Loosen Erdener Auslese $35.99
- Dr. Loosen Beerenauslese 187ml $24.99
- Mad Cuvee 500ml $24.99

Visit West Vail Liquor Mart at www.westvail.com or 970-476-2675 or 2151 N. Frontage Road, Vail CO

British Beer

A recent trip to Birmingham, England gave me a great opportunity to explore the beer culture there, and to learn more about the history and current state of British beer. The tradition of brewing in Britain is as important to the history of beer as that of Belgium and Germany. Britain is famous for two things in the brewing world: ale, or more specifically cask ale, and the British pub.

Cask Ale is the heart and soul of British beer. Unlike bars in America, where kegs are received in serving condition, and poured through taps that use carbon dioxide, British pubs serve beer from casks that mature in their cellars. Traditionally secondary fermentation happens in the casks. Carbonation occurs naturally, and beer is not refrigerated or pasteurized. Cask ale is drawn to the taps through hand pumps, so no CO2 is used at all. Therefore it is important to have a good cellar master who knows how long to mature the beer in the casks and when to begin serving it. Traditional ales are typically between 3.6% and 4.5% ABV (alcohol by volume).

British pubs are iconic and known for being cozy "2nd homes" where people gather for communal drinking and socializing. Ales are traditionally the drink of choice, and each pub is unique in its own way. One of Britain's main tourist attractions are its pubs.

The history of beer in Britain began with Anglo Saxons who colonized the islands and brought beer with them in the 4th century. Brewing became wide spread in homes, which eventually led to ale houses and on to the public houses or pubs. Originally ale was the term for un-hopped beer. Flemish immigrants brought hops with them and these drinks were distinguished from ale and called beer. Over time the terms became interchangeable as almost all contained hops. Monasteries helped spread the craft and standardize the brewing process. But after the monasteries were wiped out by Henry the VIII, Britain's history of beer took a different course than that of Belgium. As was the case throughout Europe, beer in Britain was seen as a source of clean water, safer than the often contaminated water from rivers during the middle ages, and also as a source of nutrition. A source of British pride, beer was considered an important way of making the population strong and healthy.

The Industrial Revolution brought larger breweries into play as the city centers grew, and the departure from the tradition of small local brewing began. Competition helped lower prices and increase the idea of large scale brewing. During this time breweries were pioneers in steam power, coke smelting, microbiology, and the growth and streamlining of transportation systems. The main style of beer enjoyed during the Industrial Revolution was porter, deriving its name from the porters that carried goods throughout London. Harwood's brewery in London is credited with perfecting porters. Strong porters became known as extra stouts, and Arthur Guinness brought this style back to Dublin, perfecting the Guinness stout. Whitbread, Truman and Barclay also were famous for brewing porters during the mid 1800's.

IPA's (Imperial Pale Ales) began as a tiny fraction of the beer market in Britain. They were originally intended for the growing British empire in India, and were made hoppy and strong to survive the long voyage to India, which also conditioned the beers. George Hodgson's brewery in London was the first to produce these beers for the East India Company to export. But a falling out with Hodgson led the East India Company to approach brewers in Burton on Trent, who had a good reputation for producing sweet Burton ales for export to Russia and the Baltic region. As the Russian market dried up, brewers in Burton on Trent concentrated on brewing IPA's. Samuel Alsopp copied Hodgon's ales, and it was discovered that the combination of minerals and salts in the Burton water, filtered through layers of gravel, was superior to the water in London for brewing, and produced a much better beer. The brewing of IPA's in Burton on Trent took off, and it became one of the most important brewing centers of the world during the 1800's. IPA's eventually became popular in Britain itself after the glass tax was repealed in the 1850's. Drinking through glass allowed the Brits to see the impurities in the porter style, and gave rise to the popularity of the clearer IPA. But the IPA's in Britain were initially expensive and hard to get, as they needed to be matured for long periods of time in order to replicate the conditioning that took place on the ships to India, and could only be brewed during the cooler months when wild yeasts were less active. Advances in microbiology and refrigeration allowed increasing amounts of the beer to be brewed for the masses in Britain. When the taxation reforms of 1880 came into place, and beer began being taxed based on its original gravity, the ABV of beers plummeted and weaker pale ales, also known as bitters became the beer of choice for the working man. The common thread of all of Britain's beers, from porters and stouts to India Pale Ales and eventually the weaker bitters, was that they contained live yeasts during secondary fermentation, which gave the beer natural carbonation, and complexity and depth of character. The lager revolution that swept the rest of Europe during the late 1800's, and eventually the world throughout the first half of the 20th century, was resisted in Britain; partially due to the fact that refrigeration in Britain was slower to establish itself, and also out of a strong sense of national pride in their traditional ales.

By the 1960's, lagers dominated the world scene, and although they were still not widespread in Britain, the Brits became increasingly familiar with lagers as air travel increased, and they became more familiar with the beers they saw overseas. Heineken began large advertising campaigns in Britain during the 1970's, and the breweries in Britain started merging into larger outfits that began to steer away from the traditional cask ales toward mass produced, filtered ales that were pasteurized and used CO2 instead of the natural carbonation. By then there were 6 big breweries in Britain that dominated the scene and were increasingly brewing beers other than the traditional cask ales that were the backbone of Britain's brewing history. Much like in the U.S., small independent breweries were quickly becoming a thing of the past. The large breweries dominated the pub scene, each owning its own string of pubs in which only their beer would be sold.

In March of 1971, four men from the northwest of England got together to form an organization called CAMRA, in an effort to battle back against the domination of the big breweries. CAMRA stands for Campaign for Real Ale, and real ale was defined by the group as being "beer brewed from traditional ingredients, matured by secondary fermentation in the container from which it is dispensed, and served without the use of extraneous carbon dioxide." During its early and intermediate stages, CAMRA was seen as having an almost militant attitude toward brewing and acceptable ales. Its members were often looked upon as beer geeks who were behind the times out of touch with the hip new lager scene. The negative image persisted through the 80's and into the 90's. Around the turn of the millennium, the Progressive Beer Duty was passed to give tax breaks to small breweries. This, combined with the boom of the craft beer scene in the U.S., has started a new revolution in British brewing, bringing back small independent breweries that combine a reverence for the tradition of cask ales with the innovation of the times. U.S. hops and wood barrel aging have become increasingly common, and currently Britain has a thriving craft scene of its own. CAMRA no longer holds the negative image it did during the 70's and 80's, and today CAMRA is seen as an important part of preserving the heritage of cask ales as well as traditional British pubs, while at the same time helping to promote the newer small breweries and beers that have sprouted throughout Britain. Freehouses, pubs that are not owned by major breweries and are allowed to sell whatever beers they please, have become increasingly common.

Today's beer scene in Britain is thriving, and there are many pubs that serve traditional cask ales which are inspired by the new trends in modern craft brewing. Some contain American hops, others are barrel aged, and many come from new small breweries that have sprouted in the last decade. Most still are comparatively low in alcohol, in the 4% to 5.5% range ABV. Ales are still hand drawn, and the glasses fill with an explosion of bubbly beer that quickly reduces to an inch tall head, resulting in a creamier mouth feel than many carbonized American counterparts. The beers are served at cellar temperatures, mid 50's degrees Fahrenheit, and the warmer temperature brings out so many unique flavors. In general, bready and biscuit flavors prevail, with a touch of sweetness that is balanced by a hoppiness that is not as over the top as the new breed of American ales. Unlike some well known American lagers, these ales do not have to be super cold to taste good and refreshing. A visit to a specialty beer store was one of the highlights of the trip. We found a good selection of Belgian, German and even some familiar American beer, but the seemingly endless variety of bottle conditioned beers from Britain was fantastic, and really emphasized the healthy state of the craft beer scene there. Soon we were back in the pubs. Sitting back on a cushioned chair in a cozy British pub, sipping unique hand drawn ales, and taking in the sights and sounds of the local crowd is something that all beer drinkers should experience at some time in their lives.
Cheers!

The main styles of beer (all ales) that Britain is famous for bringing to the world are:
Pale Ales: A wide category ranging from light summer ales, to fruity and malty ales to the bitter IPA's.
Bitters: Mid brown in color and well balanced between citrus and biscuity notes with a dry finish.
Porters and Stouts: Dark in color with roasted, chocolate or coffee flavors.
Milds: Dark, but low in alcohol, exhibiting mocha flavors but still light and refreshing.
Old Ales and Barleywines: Strong, over 7% ABV and often aged for complexity.

Much of the information on the history of beer in Britain was gleaned from the amazing book: The Oxford Companion to Beer, edited by Garrett Oliver. It is a must have for anyone wanting to learn more about beer.

Chip Bartsch
Beer Buyer
West Vail Liquor

Storing & Aging Beer

One of the questions we get here at West Vail Liquor Mart is whether we have a particular beer available at room temperature, rather than cold in our cooler. The question often comes from someone who plans to travel with the beer or is in a situation where the beer will not be kept cold for a while. Maybe it will sit in a car while the person is at work. We have actually had customers refuse to buy beer unless it is warm. The theory is that allowing beer to go back and forth from warm to cold causes skunking and other off flavors, which leads to this discussion on storing and aging beer.

According to the web site craftbeerusa.blogspot, Possibly the most widely circulated and believed myth surrounding beer is with regard to temperature. Fluctuations in ambient temperature do not adversely affect beer any more that any other foodstuff. Garrett Oliver, Brewmaster at Brooklyn Brewery and editor of The Oxford Companion to Beer puts it this way: Much has been made of the idea that rapid temperature changes will ruin beer, but this is not generally a real concern.

Most of the beer brewed in the world is intended to be consumed right out of the brewery and is not meant to be aged. It is at its best when young and fresh. Some beer, such as stronger brews with higher alcohol content, can be aged. In either case, proper storage of the beer is important. According to Garrett Oliver, Whereas aging is a practice designed to confer specific benefits upon beer by applying conditions that will produce positive changes over time, storage is largely concerned with preventing negative change over shorter periods. Proper storage will preserve a beers shelf life and help it reach the customer in peak condition.

The biggest enemies of packaged beer are heat, light and oxygen. Beer, like food, lasts longer if it is kept cold. Heat speeds chemical reactions, thus making beer and food age faster. The longer it is kept at a cool temperature, the longer it will last. Going back and forth from cold to warm will not affect the taste of the beer, just like it will not affect the taste of a sandwich, but the longer it is left at room temperature, the shorter its shelf life will be. Most breweries recommend that their beer be kept cold, and encourage retailers to rotate the beer displayed at room temperature to keep it from aging too quickly. Excessive heat will cause a beer to age very quickly and therefore should be avoided.

The skunky taste that some mistakenly associate with repeatedly warming and cooling beer actually comes from exposure to light, or more specifically, the chemical reaction that occurs when light comes in contact with the hops in beer. According to The Oxford Companion to Beer, Certain compounds in hops are light sensitive and when exposed to strong light a photo-oxidation reaction takes place, creating the intensely flavor-active compound MBT one of the most powerful flavor substances know to man. It is a smell and flavor resembling that of a skunks spray. Beer in this condition is commonly said to be light struck. Strong sunlight can produce the reaction in a matter of minutes. Bright fluorescent lights produce the reaction over a period of days and weeks. This is why most bottled beer comes in brown bottles, as the darker bottle keeps out more light. Beer that comes in green bottles or clear glass is more prone to becoming skunky. Cans keep all light out and are therefore the best at preventing skunky flavors. Some breweries have begun chemically altering hops to reduce this reaction. These chemically altered hops are called tetra or hexa hops, and are said to be less susceptible to becoming light struck.

The third enemy of beer is oxygen. Oxygen can react with many compounds in beer to affect it negatively. Beer that has been oxidized will become stale and taste leathery, papery or have a wet cardboard note. Oxygen works hand in hand with temperature to degrade beer. The warmer the temperature at which it is stored, the higher the rate of oxidation. A beer that has a shelf life of 4 months when kept cold may only have a shelf life of three months or less when stored at room temperature. The risk of oxidization is another reason some breweries are canning their beer, as the sealed cans prevent any oxygen from getting in. Pry off bottle caps can let small amounts of oxygen in and twist off caps allow even more oxygen to come in contact with beer. Some breweries go so far as to seal the top of their finer bottles of beer with wax to prevent oxidation.

While most beer is meant to be consumed right away, some beers will take on added depth and complexity when aged. This can be true of a maltier beer that is higher in alcohol, of Belgian style beers such as lambics that rely on wild yeast for their unique flavors, and for other bottle conditioned beers. A higher hop bitterness can also be a factor, as the hops work to preserve the beer, but that fresh hop smell and taste will fade and take on a tea-like quality over time. Generally darker beer with higher levels of residual sugar will age better, however that is not always the case. Beer with wild yeast such as a lambic, and bottle conditioned beers such as a Belgian trippel, where the yeast is left in the bottle to continue to work its magic will also take on added qualities over time. There is no hard and fast rule, and many consumers will experiment by buying two bottles of a certain beer, drinking one now and saving the other to see how it tastes after being aged. Unlike wine which has a cork that can dry out and is thus set on its side to age, it is generally agreed that beer should be stored upright when cellared. This allows the sediment and yeast to collect at the bottom of the bottle where it can be left when the beer is poured. Cellared beer should be kept at temperatures around 52 to 55 degrees, and should be kept in a dark area.

So for most of the beer that we sell at West Vail Liquor, we recommend that it be refrigerated and consumed in a relatively short period of time in order to enjoy it as the brewer intended it to taste. Letting beer go back and forth from warm to cold without extremes will not harm the beer, but excessive heat and light will. We strive not to order more beer than we can sell in a relatively short period of time, and we rotate our beer for freshness. We keep as much of our stock as possible in the cooler, and rotate our display stacks of beer into the cooler regularly in order to preserve the shelf life. And we have a great selection of beer that can be cellared as well. Please let us know if you ever have any questions about the beer we sell. We love it as much as you do!

Chip Bartsch
Beer Buyer
West Vail Liquor Mart

Summer Cocktails

Summer is a great time to enjoy a wide range of refreshing seasonal cocktails.

Experiment on yourself or a close, trusted beverage consultant before serving to party guest. Listed below are a few of our favorite tried, true and trusted recipes.


Mount Gay Mojito
Easy to make, easier to enjoy.
Shake 6-10 mint leaves in a glass with ice
Add 4 parts Mount Gay Silver Rum
Squeeze 1 whole lime
Add 1 TBSP Sugar or Agave Nectar
Add 1 part Mojito Mix (we like Freshies or Master of Mix)
Shake well and top with club soda ;
Garnish with a mint sprig and you are off to the islands.


Grey Goose Cosmo
-Trendy, Refreshing and Dangerous
3 parts Grey Goose Orange into a cocktail shaker with ice
Add 1 part Cointreau
Add 1 part Cranberry Juice
Squeeze ¼ lime
Shake well, strain into a martini glass & garnish with an orange twist;
Delicious sophistication at home.


Espolon Margarita
-Heaps of great Marg recipe’s but this one always hits the mark
4 parts Espolon Silver or Reposado in a cocktail shaker
Squeeze 1 whole lime
Optional Add 1 part marg mix (Freshies)
1 part Citronge Orange Liqueur
1 part agave nectar
Shake well, pour over ice into a salt rimmed glass and garnish with a lime;
Baja beaches in the backyard


Dark & Stormy
Easier than a broad reach in the bay
1 part Goslings Dark Rum over ice
3 parts Ginger Beer (not ginger ale!)
Squeeze a lemon wedge;
Let someone else take the helm and get ready to make another

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

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 and Eagle-Vail Pavilion 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.

Certified Organic, Biodynamic or Sustainably Confused?

What is organic wine?
Organic winemakers don't use chemical fertilizers. Therefore, the grapevine is forced to develop a more extensive root system in search of nutrients. As a rule of thumb, the bigger the root system, the more flavorful the grape.

Certified Organic:
The wine adheres to national standards, certified by the U.S. Department of Agriculture USDA.

Organically Grown: The grapes were grown organically.

Biodynamic: A nature-attuned agricultural method that predates the organic movement by several decades. Increasingly popular for growing grapes.

Sustainable Agriculture:
Another way of saying that nothing is wasted in the process. Byproducts are used as compost.

Some of our favorite organic wines at West Vail Liquor Mart:

Our Daily Red $9.99
Santa Julia Malbec $9.99
Luzon Verde $10.99
Cono Sur Cab/Carmenere $11.99
Cono Sur Pinot Noir $11.99
Bonterra Wines-all varietals $14.99+
Frog's Leap Sauvignon Blanc $22.99
Frog's Leap Chardonnay $29.99

Laurie at 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

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 is 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.

West Vail Liquor Mart