Chocolate and Beer? Chocolate and Beer!

I know this is all very last-minute, and I didn't want to get anyone's hopes up until I had all the details, but it's official now: this Saturday from 3-6 pm at our Brookline store, we're having our second annual free beer and chocolate pairing event!

Jeff Wharton from Drinkcraftbeer.com will be demonstrating the delicious interplay of flavor profiles between some of our favorite craft brews and the amazing handmade chocolates on offer from Somerville, MA's own Taza!

Let's review: Chocolate. Beer. Free. Saturday. We'll see you there!

-Tom

21st Amendment

Section 1. The eighteenth article of amendment to the Constitution of the United States is hereby repealed.

Section 2. The transportation or importation into any State, Territory, or possession of the United States for delivery or use therein of intoxicating liquors, in violation of the laws thereof, is hereby prohibited.

Section 3. This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by conventions in the several States, as provided in the Constitution, within seven years from the date of the submission hereof to the States by the Congress.

While I didn't have anything to do with this legislation, I can now both drink because of it, and drink 21st Amendment (www.21st-amendment.com) beer in Boston! Check out this recent addition to our Beantown beer scene.

Religious Humor is Delicious

We welcome the Shmaltz Brewing Co. this Thursday in Brookline to pour some tasty beers heavy on the schtick! We will pour...

He'brew Origin: A luscious amber ale with pomegranate juice.
Bittersweet Lenny's RIPA: A brash double IPA with malted rye.
Rejewvenator 2009: A dark bock-esque brew blended with Date juice.

Stop by, your soul and taste will thank you. Free and open to the public, 5-7pm.

When it rains it pours

Currently entering into the system and shelving...

Cantillon St. Lamvinus
Cantillon Vigneronne
Cantillon Iris
Cantillon Gueze
Fantome Hiver (wait what? Fantome? seriously?)
Jolly Pumpkin Bam Noire
Jolly Pumpkin Obscura
Achel Brune
Ridgeway Bad King John
Nogne Dark Horizon
De La Senne Taras Boulba
High & Mighty Two Headed Beast
more....

Please come by today and tomorrow 5-7pm for beers and cider and Saturday 3-6 for beer and cheese. Cheers.

This is huge

Im still trying to catch my breath here but next week we have an incredible line up of events. If you didn't know the Craft Brewers Conference takes place next week in Boston (http://www.beertown.org/events/cbc/). This seminal event brings brewers and brew staff from all over the world to Beantown. What does that mean for us? Tastings with brewers! To celebrate craft beer we are hosting three tasting events next week, taking over the Wine Gallery Brookline all weekend.

Thursday 4/23, 5-7pm
Nogne O (www.nogne-o.com/)
Jolly Pumpkin (www.jollypumpkin.com/homepage.htm)
High & Mighty (www.highandmightybeer.com/)

Not only are we going to be pouring a huge array of brews from all three of these amazing breweries, but brewing staff will be on hand. Im talking Ron Jeffries, Will Shelton, and a whole slew of Nogne folks. If you don't recognize these names, show up and find out why you should.

Friday 4/24 5-7pm
Aspall Cyder (www.aspall.co.uk/)

Aspall makes a range of authentic and delicious ciders. Aspall ciders are always prepared entirely from whole fruit by the Chevallier family who have occupied the Aspall farm for over 300 years. Please come see what real rustic cider tastes like.

Saturday 4/25 3-6pm
Eat Local, Drink Local
beer and cheese pairing with our friends at www.drinkcraftbeer.com

Returning for their fourth installment at the Wine Gallery, these guys always draw record crowds. Whats not to like, free delicious beer, free gourmet foods? Follow the link below for a full article on beers offered and what to expect.

http://drinkcraftbeer.com/editorial/articles/eat-local-drink-local-beer-pairing-goes-green.html

So much beer, so much fun, so little time! Please stop by and feel free to call with any questions. Cheers!

New Arrivals...

So it will take a few weeks but we are adding an additional 200 or so bottles to our already oh so many bottles of beer on the wall. So far we've shelved...

Victory Wild Devil
Bruery Saison De Lente
Caracole Troublette 4pk's
Anderson Valley 20th Anniversary IPA
Legacy Oatmeal Stout
St. Bernardus Grotten Brune
Rock Art Hell's Bock
St. Feuillien Brune
Delirium Tremens 4pk's
and more...

Keep your eyes peeled for a whole lot more in the coming weeks. Cheers.

It's been a while...

I know it's been a while but I was out of town and blah blah blah...so welcome back to us all! We are pleased to welcome Sam Adams this week to pour their new Imperial Series along side the already (yes, already) released Summer Ale.

In addition we have some new arrivals and renovation under way. We are moving and expanding the food department and opening up some more space for our sudsy friends! We will keep you updated!

In Brookline 4/2/09
Sam Imperial White
Sam Imperial Stout
Sam Double Bock
Sam Summer

Weekly Update

We are thrilled to be pouring the new Brooklyn Local 2 in both Brookline and Kenmore this Thursday for you thirsty readers. In addition Brookline will be featuring the Local 1 and the Pennant Ale. Our Thursday tastings are always free and open to the public. If you have any questions please don't hesitate to call.

Brookline 5-7pm
Kenmore 6-8pm

Thanks to all who came out on Saturday for our Spring Grand Wine Tasting in Brookline, the event was a great success.

The Second Coming pt. 2

At long last we have received another, albeit small, shipment of Troegs Nugget Nectar 6-packs. Our distributor is limiting cases per account so unfortunately we don't have nearly as much as we'd like to offer. As promised since the beer is on the shelf the update is on the blog. Thanks for your patience.

Also this week we received some other tasty bottles:
Dieu Du Ciel Rosee d'Hibiscus
Dieu Du Ciel Peche Mortel
Great Divide Espresso Oaked Yeti
Southern Tier Oaked Unearthly
Brooklyn Local 2


Cheers!

The Second Coming

Next week is one of those rare Wine Gallery weeks when we DO NOT have a Thursday beer tasting. Fret not however, because Saturday, March 7, from 3-6pm is our annual Spring Grand Wine Tasting. Featuring over 100 wines, this delight is free and open to the public. To prepare however we are all tied up and worn out. So, no beer tasting 3/5 unfortunately. Sorry.

But....Thursday, March 12 we are thrilled to announce that Patrick Paulick from the Brooklyn Brewery will be on hand to pour the brand new Brooklyn Local 2. The beer is so new in fact, there's not even a page for it yet on their website. Please check it out with us on 3/12, 5-7pm. Cheers!

Tasting Updates

This week for your tasting enjoyment...

Brookline, 2/19, 5-7pm Otter Creek Brewing Co.
We will be featuring the well known and much loved Otter Creek Brewing out of VT. Did you know however they have a new brew master, new beers, and revamped favorites? Well come on down to learn all about it. We will pour Copper, Pale, Porter, and the new Imperial Stout.

Kenmore, 2/19, 6-8pm Mayflower Brewing Co.
We just can't get enough of the recently bottled IPA from Matt and company, and if we have our way, you won't be able to either.

For our Dedham fans we are still working out all the staffing and tasting kinks. The Super Stop and Shop next door has agreed to allow us to host tastings IN their store. We are super excited about bringing craft beer into such a large and populous venue. We will keep you all posted! Cheers.

Upcoming Events

Thursday 2/12 5-7pm, Brookline: Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
We are thrilled to host Sierra to introduce the brand new Torpedo Extra IPA and the 2009 Bigfoot Barleywine. In addition we will also pour Pale Ale, and the ESB (Early Spring Beer).

http://www.sierranevada.com/beers/torpedo.html

Check it out!

TBA - Harpoon Brewing Co. to pour the new Leviathan Belgian Quad and the new 100Bbl Honey Wheat.
TBA - Pretty Things to pour the new Saint Botolph's Town Rustic Dark Ale.
TBA - Brooklyn Brewing Co. to pour the new Local 2.

I will post dates as soon as they are confirmed. All listed events are for our Brookline store. Cheers.

Mayflower IPA

If you love America you are obligated to love a beer from Plymouth, MA, called Mayflower. If you love delicious beer you are also obligated to love a beer from Plymouth, called Mayflower. After a long, but required wait, Mayflower IPA is now available in 6-pack bottles! Previously a draft only beer, the crew at Mayflower now feel confident enough in their supply chain to produce enough of this sought after brew for bottles. We are happy. Enjoy!

Mayflower IPA 6-packs are on the shelf in Brookline for $10.99 and will be arriving in Kenmore and Dedham later today.

Sierra Nevada Celebration Liquidation!

Due to the imminent arrival of two new Sierra beers, and a fear of being stuck with product, our distributor has slashed prices on the Sierra winter seasonal, Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale. This rich and robust double IPA balances big C hops(cascade, chinook, centenial) with a touch of sweetness and fruit driven body. Mmmmm....fruit driven body.

6 packs were $8.99, now $6.49 while supplies last.

And if we piqued your interest about those NEW Sierra beers...we are hosting a tasting, Thursday, February 12, to pour the new Torpedo Extra IPA and the 2009 Bigfoot barleywine. Sometimes I wish they all could be California beers!

Troegs Nugget Nectar

I am sorry to say that we greatly underestimated the response to the new Troegs arrival Nugget Nectar. Despite knowing it would be the most popular, and despite ordering twice as much as any other Troegs beer, we still came up short. Sorry! So, for now we are unfortunately out of Nugget Nectar, but fret not you insatiable hop heads, we will get more and will post as much upon arrival. Until then, we are happy to make a suggestion should your need overcome your patience. Lastly, dont forget Troegs Hopback Amber, the brands flagship beer, little brother and inspiration for the Nugget madness. Cheers.

Troegs Brewing Co.!!!

We are thrilled to announce Troegs has officially hit Mass and our shelves. A family owned brewery of exceptional beers, we have been anxiously awaiting goods since the announcement of a Mass distribution deal. Well, wait no longer, the beers are here! We've got...

in Brookline:
Hopback Amber
Dreamweaver Wheat
Rugged Trail Ale
Pale Ale
Troegenator
Nugget Nectar

and will be pouring most of them tonight, from 5-7pm.

in Kenmore:
Troegenator
Nugget Nectar

in Dedham:
Pale Ale
Nugget Nectar

Beer Tastings, Thursday 1/15

This Thursday, somewhat inspired by the recent Asimov article in the NY Times about wood aged beers, we are hosting our own barrel beer tasting. Stop by Brookline any time from 5-7pm to sample of few of these complex brews and see, or more likely taste, the various ways wood can influence beer.

The enjoyment and challenge in navigating the barrel trend is finding those beers whose character is designed to include the added dimension or at least elegantly incorporate it. While anyone can fill a barrel, it takes an experienced brewer or cellar man to know when one should in the first place. Cheers.

Any questions? kmcmurtry@wine-gallery.com

Kenmore will be pouring Dupont Avec Les Bons Vouex. Did we mention how much we love this amazing beer yet? Oh we didn't? Stop by Kenmore 6-8pm to here Tom do so in person.

Any questions? tbreeding@wine-gallery.com

New Arrivals 1/11/09

Im pleased to report we just shelved some very cool and limited new brews. Over the weekend we received...


-Founders Imperial Stout
-Flying Dog Dog Schwarz (Wild Dog 750ml series)
-Flying Dog Canis Major Mixed 8-pack (thats right, a mixed 8 pack of 7oz bottles!?! Pack inlcludes two beers each of the Gonzo Porter, Double Dog DIPA, Kerberos Triple, Horn Dog barley wine)
-Stone / Jolly Pumpkin / Nogne O Special Holiday Ale collaboration
-Green Flash Grand Cru


And if you stopped by last week then we probably already raved about...

-Dupont Avec Les Bons Vouex
-De Dolle Stille Nacht


The weather may be harsh but these winter beers are so so sweet! Cheers.

Can you pass the free beer please?

We are back in full swing with beer tastings starting this Thursday, January 8. This week, and each and every coming week we will be pouring and professing the wonders of our favorite beverage. Already this year we have events lined up to unveil new beers from Harpoon, Sierra Nevada, and the Brooklyn Brewery. Please stop by and say hello!

Brookline: Brasserie Dupont, featuring Avec Les Bon Vouex and Avril.
Dupont presents opposite ends of the saison spectrum with these two unique brews, 5-7pm.

Kenmore: De Dolle Brouwers, featuring Stille Nacht.
A humbling winter experience, 'Silent Night' is not to be missed, 6-8pm.

If you need any more info don't hesitate to call or email. To receive a weekly email update for all our events just shoot an email to info@wine-gallery.com with the subject header 'Subscribe' and your name in the body.

Happy new year and welcome!

Well, the title says it all. Welcome to the beer blog for the Wine Gallery Brookline - Boston - Dedham. We figured it was time to put this forum together to let all of you know what's new, what's coming, what to expect and/or most any other thing we can think to print. We will be experimenting a bit with format, schedule, and frequency so please feel free to chime in directly on the blog or send us an email with any comments, questions, or suggestions. This blog is meant for all of you, our valued customers, so make sure it works for you! Cheers and happy new year!

general info: info@wine-gallery.com
manager, Wes: wnarron@wine-gallery.com
beer manager, Kai: kmcmurtry@wine-gallery.com