Lambic…

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THE VAS BLOG – INSIGHTS ON THE ART OF DRINKING

  Every week I sit down, and every week I am faced with a challenge that I find both fun and exciting.  What will I cover in my weekly blog post? Since my aim, and our aim here at Vas Foremost, is to provide maximum value and a superior experience in finding the beverage of your choice, I try to translate the best aspects of the experience you’ll have in our store to something interesting in text format.  Am I doing a good job?  This is for you to decide.  I always solicit comments and feedback, and I look forward to reading what you have to say, or hearing from you.   That being said, this week I sat down, and thought about what I wanted to write.  A few weeks ago I began to pull at the threads on the sweater that is flavored beer, and so I figured I’d yank really hard and start to unravel the world of lambics…

As we have discussed before, and as we show in the vast selection on our shelves, there is massive diversity in the world of beer. Lambic is an extremely distinctive type of beer – brewed only in the Senne Valley Region of Belgium. 

It is rare to find a pure lambic outside of Belgium.  An example of ”pure” lambic includes Cantillon, which is quite hard to find.  This year, in particular, their supply has been limited considerably by the unseasonable warmth experienced during 2011 in Belgium.  Most lambics that you’ll find distributed outside of Belgium are actually Gueze. Gueze is made by blending young (1 year old) and old (2 year or older) lambics together.  These are then re-fermented.  The first thing that you’ll notice when drinking Gueze is that it is quite sour and dry in taste.  A good example of this is Lindeman’s Cuvee Rene (750ml, $10.99)

Another variation of lambic that is seen quite commonly is fruit-flavored lambic.  There are several varieties, including Framboise (raspberry), Kriek (sour cherry),  Pecheresse (peach), Cassis (black currant), and Pomme (apple).  We carry all of these in the 750ml size for $10.99.  While still sour, the fruit makes the lambic less dry than its plain counterpart.

One of the things that I find so interesting about lambic is the complexity of the taste.  When drinking an unflavored Gueze, there is definitely a learning curve involved.  I still recall my first sip – my initial instinct was that I was drinking vinegar.  Once I got my tongue around the taste, I started to enjoy the taste for how massively different it was from any other beer I’d ever consumed.  The fruit varieties (Kriek is my personal favorite) are much easier to get into, so I’d suggest starting with these if you instinctively are adverse to sour tastes, and work your way up. 

That’s where I’ll cut things off tonight.  There’s plenty more I could say, but I’ll keep something in reserve for the next round.  I hope that everyone has a great weekend! As always, if you have any questions about anything I’ve written, or even general questions about anything else, please feel free to email me at george@vasforemost.com, tweet us: @vasforemost, or give us a call at (773) 278-9420.

Thanks again! See you all next week!

Love is a many-splendored thing…

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THE VAS BLOG – INSIGHTS ON THE ART OF DRINKING

 Hi everyone – This weekend and the upcoming weeks bring us several holidays.  Lincoln’s Birthday and President’s Day are certainly the big name holidays that are dominating everyone’s plans, right? I’m just kidding! When you were a kid I’m sure getting the day off for both of those holidays certainly was a big deal; however, these days there is probably something of a little higher priority occupying your mind.  I’m talking about Valentine’s Day, of course! 

Valentine’s Day is a day of romance, and there is something undeniably romantic about Champagne – specifically Pink Champagne. Picture in your mind Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr sipping Pink Champagne in An Affair to Remember.    

An Affair to Remember - Pink Champagne

I use Champagne in this sense to describe sparkling wine.  While certainly sparkling wine from the Champagne region of France is the most authentic, there are many options available.If you’ve ever consumed sparkling wine, then you know that taste-wise, it runs the gamut from bone-dry to very sweet.  Rose (or pink) sparkling wines are considered to be more robust than standard sparkling wines, and this makes them more versatile in terms of pairing with foods and desserts.  With this in mind, we’d like to help you with some ideas for a pink sparkling wine that will make your Valentine’s Day great.  A look at some choices include:

1. Moet & Chandon Nectar Imperial Rose ($64.99) – This is a higher-end choice, but certainly one that you won’t go wrong with.  This is probably the champagne that most people think of when watching the clip above. This is fruity and sweet without being overwhelming. Based on recommendations from Moet.com, the Nectar Imperial Rose goes well with entrees such as foie gras, or with fruit-based desserts.

2. Meinklang Pinot Noir Rose ($15.99) – This is a very unique wine.  It is produced using biodynamic fruit, and is fermented in egg-shaped concrete tanks.  For all the hype attached to the production, the actual product is remarkably good.  Fruity and sweet, but not syruppy. Definitely an excellent choice to accompany fruit or chocolate after dinner.

3. Santa Julia Brut Rose ($11.99) – A contrast to the choices above, this hits a drier note while still achieving some of the lightness that comes with being a rose.  Rather than going with a dessert, this is a great wine choice for during Valentine’s Day dinner, particularly if you are having lamb, or fish. 

4. Korbel Sweet Rose ($11.99) – Light, and very sweet.  If you are featuring something like chocolate-covered strawberries after dinner, this is an excellent choice.  Other good choices with this include items such as fruit pies, or tarts.   

That’s where I’ll end things for tonight.  I hope that everyone has a great weekend, and a wonderful Valentine’s Day. As always, if you have any questions about anything I’ve written, or even general questions about anything else, please feel free to email me at george@vasforemost.com, tweet us: @vasforemost, or give us a call at (773) 278-9420.

Thanks again! See you all next week!

 

Flavored Beer…Part One

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THE VAS BLOG – INSIGHTS ON THE ART OF DRINKING

 Hi everyone – another Friday has rolled around, and I am back to continue our weekly discussion on the art of drinking.  This might sound funny to some, but I take this statement seriously.  To do anything well, you need to have a passion for it.  At Vas Foremost, we have a passion for fine beverages, and a passion for sharing the knowledge of beverages.  The approach that we take to sharing with you, and the subsequent approach you take to consumption, are what lend a level of art to what we have going on here.

I digress…Last week, I filled you in on some beers that can make your Super Bowl viewing experience unique.  Tonight’s installment is devoted to beer, again, but with a twist.  We’re going to dive into the world of flavored beer!

Flavored beer is an interesting animal, and, to the uninitiated, will be unlike anything you’ve ever tasted.  There is a pretty wide variety of beers that fit in this category, including fruit flavored, smoke flavored, and food and spice-flavored. Rather than fling a ton of stuff out in one post, I will be featuring these in multipe posts over the next several months.

1. Wells Banana Bread (.500L, $5.49) The name is a little off-putting.  I was initially worried that there would be an aftertaste almost like banana flavored laffy taffy, and that the beer would have a very thick texture.  When you open the bottle, you’ll notice that the beer actually does smell like banana bread – this was a nice introduction to the drink.  The first sip reassured me that I wasn’t drinking liquid candy.  Wells states that the beer is brewed with actual bananas and some added banana flavoring, but they haven’t overdone it.  You definitely taste the banana, but it comes out as part of the ale instead of killing it or providing a horrible aftertaste.  

2. Young’s Double Chocolate Stout (.500L, $4.49, 4 pack cans, $10.99) We just covered a Wells beer, and since Wells and Young combined in 2006, it makes sense to roll on over to Young’s Double Chocolate Stout.    This is an other beer flavor that seemed iffy to me on my first try. I was really curious about how chocolately this was going to be.  “I really like chocolate milk”, I reasoned to myself, “let’s give this a shot…”.  First things first, I think what makes this combination work is that it’s a stout, a dark, heavier brew to begin with.   Young’s uses chocolate mash, and actual chocolate in the brewing process, and the result actually came out to me as a mocha – a slightly bitter chocolate/coffee flavor that went really well with the thickness typically associated with a stout.  This was not a sweet drink at all – my earlier rationalization about chocolate milk was way off base. This a great example of a non-fruit flavored beer that really stands up well. 

3. Samuel Smith’s Organic Strawberry Ale (18.7oz, $6.99) This is one of several flavored beers produced by Samuel Smith.  This is an ale, brewed with strawberry juice, and it is definitely sweet and packs a lot of strawberry punch.  If you don’t like the typical “beer” taste, then this is probably something you’d like, but for most folks, it’s simply too sweet to sit back and drink casually.  I would consider this more appropriate as an after-dinner type drink, in small doses, or even something that can be poured on ice-cream to make an interesting type of sundae.

That’s where I’ll end things for tonight.  I hope that everyone has a great weekend coming up! As always, if you have any questions about anything I’ve written, or even general questions about anything else, please feel free to email me at george@vasforemost.com, tweet us: @vasforemost, or give us a call at (773) 278-9420.

Thanks again! See you all next week!

 

Super Bowl 2012…

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THE VAS BLOG – INSIGHTS ON THE ART OF DRINKING

 George here – January is winding up.  As February approaches, what is arguably the biggest of all American sporting events is on the horizon.  I refer to the Super Bowl, of course.  Ever since football managed to supplant baseball to become America’s national pasttime, the Super Bowl has become a continually bigger deal.  I, for one, will never complain about this.  Whether you intend on watching the game for the contest itself, or just for the commercials, the Super Bowl is a great excuse to spend a Sunday night drinking, eating, and hanging out with friends.  Now, Budweiser is the official beer sponsor of the Super Bowl through 2014, but there are so many options besides this – and since the two teams playing are the New York Giants and the New England Patriots, I’m going to focus on beers from these places.

The Beers

Brooklyn Brewery – A clear choice for the New York representation on this list.  Brooklyn Brewery has a very wide selection in its portfolio, and we are very happy to offer several here at Vas Foremost, including the following: East IPA (6 pack, $9.99), Brooklyn Lager (6 pack, $9.99) and Winter Feast (6 pack, $9.99).

Brewery Ommegang – This Cooperstown, New York brewery specializes in Belgian-style beers, and provides a sophisticated note to typical beer offerings at Super Bowl parties.  We have several of Ommegang’s offerings, including their Abbey Ale (750ml, $9.29), which is a classic Belgian-style abbey ale.

Sam Adams – This one’s a no brainer, with their Boston Lager (6 pack, $8.69, 12 pack, $13.99) being the obvious “New Englang/Boston” beer choice, but Boston Brewing Company has added so much diversity to their offerings as of late that Patriot fans can’t go wrong here…

Among the many Sam Adams offerings, we’re proud to carry: Cream Stout (6 pack, $8.69), Boston Ale (6 pack, $8.69) and the Cherry Wheat (6 pack, $8.69.)  These three only represent a small sample of what’s out there.

Harpoon – Another must-have for the New England set.  Harpoon has made a big name for themselves with their IPA (6 pack, $9.99) and their UFO Hefeweizen (6 pack, $9.99). 

These are only a small sampling of what we have available, so feel free to email me at george@vasforemost.com, tweet us: @vasforemost, or give us a call at (773) 278-9420 if there are any other regional offerings you want to check on, or if you have any other questions in general.

Thanks again! See you all next week!

 

Snow…and Bell’s Hopslam 2012

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THE VAS BLOG – INSIGHTS ON THE ART OF DRINKING

 George here – it seems to be a theme that, as of late, every time I’m writing for you guys, it’s snowing.  That’s ok, though, because it’s Chicago, in January, and that’s what we’re supposed to have.

Anyway, as promised last week, tonight I’m here to talk about Bell’s Hopslam!  Hopslam (6 pack, $18.99) has been it in stock here January 11th, and the 2012 release has been a big hit with everyone I’ve talked to.   Hopslam is the Double-IPA in Bell’s repetoire, and, as a seasonal beer, has been keeping many folks waiting anxiously.  For weeks leading up to the release in January, the web was abuzz with rumor concerning when exactly it would be released.  Rest assured everyone, it is now here!

The beer, as its type implies, is pretty hoppy.  Going along with that is a relatively high alcohol content of 10%.  In spite of (or maybe because of this), it is an easy drink, and is not too bitter to handle.  

Often-times, beers get a big hype and build big expectations which they don’t deliver on.  This is not one of those beers.  I am an admitted Bell’s fan, and Hopslam lives up to what I expect from Bell’s. 

Before I sign off, I’d like to thank all of the folks who have commented to us on the blog.  I encourage all feedback – you can email me at george@vasforemost.com, tweet us: @vasforemost, or give us a call at (773) 278-9420.

Thanks again! See you all next week!

 

Winter in Chicago…

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THE VAS BLOG – INSIGHTS ON THE ART OF DRINKING

 George here – and I can happily say that, after a prolonged fall here in Chicago, it appears that winter is finally here.  Snow is on the ground, a chill is in the air, and Vas Foremost is here with plenty of good winter beers to help you relax after shoveling out of Chicago’s first major snowfall of the year! 

Earlier this week, after finishing my own shoveling, I lit the fireplace at home, grabbed some beers from the fridge, and fired up the laptop.  After some nuanced study of the subject at hand, some of my picks for great winter beers that we currently have in stock include the following:

Sam Adams Winter Lager (6 pack $8.69, 12 pack $13.99) – One of my personal favorites during the winter, Beeradvocate.com says of this brew: “Quite a complex brew, smooth and rounded palate. Spices are at a perfect level and the hopping of this brew is nearly perfect. This is a nice meaty lager that will help get through the cold months.”

 Bell’s Winter White Ale (6 pack $9.99) – I’ve had my share of winter weather in Michigan, and Bell’s is set to deliver with this great witbier.  Its color is a nice gold, and the taste is perfectly balanced.  A slightly hoppy touch and good carbonation add to the crispness of taste.   

Anderson Valley – Winter Solstice Seasonal Ale (6 pack $9.99) – A nice, smooth Ale with a creamy, caramel flavor and taste. The malts and hops are well balanced for an overall clean taste.

 

Bridgeport Ebenezer Ale (6 pack $8.99) – A rich, dark beer.  This is very smooth, and lightly carbonated.  For me, this really hits the spot as far as a winter beer goes, with a somewhat fruity, nutty tone, and a warm feel overall.

An honorable mention in this week’s post:  Bell’s Hop Slam (6 pack $18.99) We just got this year’s shipment this past week, and it’s been very popular so far.  I’m including this as a winter beer because it’s released in the winter. I’ll  be covering it in detail next week.

Thanks for checking in! I’ll see everyone here again next week!

To new beginnings…

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Blogs are somewhat ubiquitous these days.  Seemingly everyone has one, and everyone has an opinion.  It’s the democratization of thought, and it’s a good thing.  Vasforemost.com isn’t any different.  We have opinions on fine beverages, and we have the desire to spread the word on these to you, our friends, customers, and readers.  We also want to hear what you have to say.  Contacting us via emai comments@vasforemost.com, via Facebook, Twitter, or by stopping in to tell us something is not only appreciated, but encouraged.  We are your store!

 

Welcome to the new Vas Foremost site!

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We’re excited to introduce our new home on the internet! Please click around and enjoy the new site, and look for new features added in the coming weeks. You’ll find our weekly specials, listing of the kegs we offer, our monthly recipes, and much more.

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