Showing posts with label beer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label beer. Show all posts

Wednesday, July 13

2 Samplings

Stop down the next two days for a taste of what we have to offer.


First up we will have Jessie from New Belgium Brewing.
Thursday July 14th from 4-6PM



Second we will host Ken and Jay from Hay River Pumpkin Seed Oil.
Friday July 15th from 4-6PM

Tuesday, December 7

Brew News - December 2010

All Beer, All the Time!
BREW NEWS!

1.) New/Seasonal Beers
2.) Wisconsin Hops Resurgence
3.) BrewFarm Glass Giveaway
4.) What We're Drinking

1.) New/Seasonal Beers
click beers below for a brewery description
Lift Bridge Chestnut Hill 6pk
Tyranena Down & Dirty Stout 6pk
Summit Winter Ale 6pk
Capital Winter Skal 6pk
Point 'Whole Hog Series' Six-Hop IPA 4pk
New Glarus Coffee Stout 6pk
New Glarus 'Unplugged Series' Apple Ale 4pk
Bell's Christmas Ale 6pk
Hinterland Luna Coffee Stout 4pk
Hinterland Winterland 4pk
Goose Island Christmas Ale 22oz
Goose Island Matilda 22oz

2.) Wisconsin Hops Resurgence
Wisconsin used to be hop heaven as far as annual production goes, back in the 1800s and early 1900s. How could we not be with the plethora of breweries operating in the state at that time? Unfortunately greener pastures were found on the west coast and other regions of the world where higher production yields were able to be met, and there went the entire hop growing industry. Luckily for us, hops farms in Wisconsin are coming back with a vengeance. Thanks to efforts from the Wisconsin Hops & Barley Cooperative, Gorst Valley Hops, Wisconsin Brewers Guild, all of the local craft breweries, and everyone else encouraging local food (beverage) systems. Hops are back baby!

Check out these links for more info on the WI hop movement:
A nice article from Beer Advocate.
Wisconsin Brewers Guild
Gorst Valley Hops


3.) BrewFarm Glass Giveaway
You may or may not have known that we did a giveaway in November for 2 Dave's BrewFarm 20oz glasses. Well, we did. The Beer Dudes would like to congratulate William for being the lucky recipient. We plan on doing free giveaways whenever we can, so stay posted for future opportunities.

4.) What We're Drinking
Boy is it hard work trying all of the beers that we sell down at JLF. Since Drew and I are encouraged to do so...we only thought it wise to share what is currently in our own fridge.

Drew's recommendation: Capital Winter Skal
Jordan's recommendation: BrewFarm Matacabras

As always...CHEERS!
Jordan (on behalf of the Beer Dudes)

Thursday, November 4

Brew News - November 2010


Here's our November edition of Brew News at Just Local Food...

1) Winner of our latest give-away
2) Upcoming Give-away
3) Current Sales
4) New and Seasonal Beers
5) Beer Dudes Picks



1) Winner of our latest give-away
We had a winner for our New Belgium Fat Tire Cruiser Bike give-away contest! Frank W., a long-time regular customer at Just Local Food came out on top in the drawing for the latest version of New Belgium's Cruiser Bike. Thanks for all the entries!














2) Upcoming Give-away
Our next beer-related give-away will feature (2) "British-sized" pint glasses from Dave's Brewfarm. These are not the puny 16oz. version of a pint glass, but rather
the "imperial" 20oz. beer vessels. Not too much, not too little, but just right...

You can get your name entered in the drawing with the purchase of a 6pk of Brewfarm Matacabras or a 12pk of Brewfarm Select Golden Lager. We will hold the drawing near the end of November.



3) Current Sales
We've got a couple of beers on sale, but don't wait to get them as they'll sell quickly:
- Northwoods Floppin' Crappie 6pk cans $4.99 (save $1.40)
- New Belgium Skinny Dip 12pk bottles $9.99 (save $7.70!) - this one will only last about a week!

4) New and Seasonal Beers
As usual, we've got a bunch of new and re-released seasonal beers to welcome us into the colder parts of fall and winter. With these brews in-hand, it almost makes the chill disappear...

- Point 2012 Black Ale
- Bell's Hell Hath No Fury, Bell's Expedition Stout
- Tyranena's Dirty Old Man Imperial Rye Porter (Aged in Rye Barrels)
- New Glarus Back Forty Wisconsin Bock
- New Belgium 2° Below, New Belgium Lips of Faith: Biere de Mars
- Brau Brothers Hundred Yard Dash Fresh Hop Ale
- Lift Bridge Farm Girl Saison


5) Beer Dudes Picks
Jordan and Drew, the beer dudes at Just Local Food, do regularly test our products for quality control purposes. That, and we really do love beer! Here are our "picks" for the month on what we're currently drinking/what really impresses us:

Jordan: Brau Brothers Rubus Black Imperial Blackberry Porter (750 mL bottle)
Drew: Brau Brothers Hundred Yard Dash Fresh Hop Ale (6pk bottles)













Raise 'em up!

Drew and Jordan, the Beer Dudes

Tuesday, October 5

October 2010 Brew News

October 2010 Brew News

Welcome back to another installment of Brew News.

1. October Sales!
2. New Beers on the Shelf
3. Oktoberfest Beers

1. October Sales!
For the month of October, we will be running 3 sales.

Dave's BrewFarm Select 12 pack for $10.69
BrewFarm Matacabras 6 pack for $8.19
Northwoods Floppin' Crappie 6 pack cans $4.99

2. New Beers on the Shelf
We have been adding quite a few new products over the last 6 months.

Here is a smattering of them...
Seasonals/Limited Releases
*Furthermore Fallen Apple
New Belgium Hoptober
*Brau Brothers Rubus Black 22oz
New Belgium Lips of Faith La Folie 22oz
New Glarus Unplugged Abt

Year Round
Brau Brothers Pale Ale
Brau Brothers Pilz
Brau Brothers Scotch Ale
Pabst Blue Ribbon
Old Milwaukee
Horny Goat Red Vixen
Horny Goat Honey Blonde
Horny Goat Exposed
Potosi Good Ole Potosi
Potosi Snake Hollow IPA
Potosi Cave Ale

*Jordan recommends that you don't wait to try these beers because they will be gone soon.

3. Oktoberfest Beers
We stocked up with a ton of local Oktoberfest beers this year.
Unfortunately we sold out of Summit and Bell's already.

What we still have...
Tyranena, Capital, Leinenkugel's, New Glarus' Staghorn, Point, and our own pre-mixed 6 packs.

Stop in while you can still get them.

As always,
Cheers,
Jordan & Drew a.k.a. the BEER DUDES

Tuesday, August 24

Sand Creek Sampling Friday!

Sand Creek Brewing Co Sampling
Friday August 27th
4PM-6PM

Drop in and try some of Wisconsin's
best craft beer. Nikki will be pouring
Wild Ride IPA, Hard Lemonade, &
One Planet Ale.

This classic India Pale Ale is wonderfully
hopped for a strong start, a smooth finish,
and a fine amber color.

Our summer classic! We make our Sand
Creek Hard Lemonade with real fruit juices
and cane sugar to create a sweet, delicious
concoction that we like to think is better
than the rest. Ask your local retail outlet to
order some today!

from ratebeer.com...
This is a hearty natural multi-grain ale with
a touch of Wisconsin Honey added for flavor.
Smooth, satisfying, lightly hopped.

Thursday, August 19

Horny Goat Beer Sampling!

Stop down to Just Local Food this weekend for a sample (or two, or three) of the tasty brews from Horny Goat Brewing Co.

The folks from Horny Goat will be pouring samples from 3PM-6PM on Saturday, August 21st.

We currently carry 3 brews from the Horny Goat line-up: Red Vixen Vienna-style Lager, Honey Blonde Lager, & Exposed Belgian-style Saison.

Support craft Brewed beer from Wisconsin!

Tuesday, July 20

Day in the Valley This Saturday!

Saturday, July 24th -Just Local & Jazz88- Day in the Valley! We invite you to join us for a Day in the Valley, a day long tour celebrating four innovative, sustainable and local food/agriculture projects in the beautiful Chippewa Valley of Wisconsin. The tour is Saturday, July 24th and will start at 10:30 a.m. at Piney Hill Farm CSA in Glenwood City and then journey to Dave's Brew Farm in Wilson, Bullfrog Fish Farm in Menomonie and wrap up with Dinner and Jazz at The Creamery Restaurant and Inn in Downsville, WI. There is no cost for the day but attendees will be responsible for their lunch and dinner costs. RSVPs for the tour are requested by e-mailing Zac & Kevin Barnes at zac@justlocalfood.com and KevinB@Jazz88fm.com



   

Monday, May 24

Pre-Memorial Day Sampling

It happened! Thanks to all of the vendors for making this event possible and thank you to all of the patrons that made this event great. What an AWESOME food community we have!

Our 1st Annual
Pre-Memorial Day Sampling

Thursday May 27th, 4PM-6PM

Stop by to meet our vendors, taste some great samples, and get inspired for your long weekend celebration. We'll be out in the parking lot and in the store.

Dave's BrewFarm (Wilson, WI) - Matacabras & BrewFarm Select

Angry Minnow Brew Pub (Hayward, WI) - Oaky's Stout, River Pig Pale Ale, Honey Wheat


Maiden Rock Apples (Maiden Rock, WI) - Grandaddy's Apple 2-Pepper Chutney

Gingerbread Jersey (Augusta, WI) - Various Cheeses (Fresh Curds for sure)

Werlein Farm (Mondovi, WI) - Hamburgers


Golden Hills Bison (Osseo, WI) - Bison Burgers

Tuesday, April 27

What's New?

New Products Galore!!!
Stop down and check out what's new!

In the cooler...
Reed's Raspberry Ginger Ale
Unpeeled Spicy Mojito Kombucha (St. Paul, MN)
Unpeeled Ginger Brew Kombucha (St. Paul, MN)
Sweet Leaf Raspberry Iced Tea
Knudsen Tropical Recharge 32oz
Knudsen Mango Fandango Spritzer (New Size)
Knudsen Black Cherry Spritzer (New Size)
Vita Coco Coconut Water (alternated w/Taste Nirvana)
Taste Nirvana Coconut Water (alternated w/Vita Coco)
Organic Valley Probiotic Berry Yogurt (WI, MN product)
Rice Dream Refrigerated Rice Milk 64oz
Angelica's Garden Organic Sauerkraut (Elmwood, WI)
Angelica's Garden Organic Kim Chi (Elmwood, WI)
Salsa Lisa Real Hot Salsa (Minneapolis, MN) (alternated w/other Salsa Lisa varieties)
Salsa Lisa Tomatillo & Green Chile Salsa (Minneapolis, MN) (alternated w/other Salsa Lisa varieties)
RP's Pasta Traditional Egg Rigatoni (Madison, WI)
Holy Land Greek Nan Bread (Minneapolis, MN)
Holy Land Garlicky Pita Bread (Minneapolis, MN)
Tofurky Oven Roasted Deli Slices (alternated w/other Tofurky products)
Westsoy Seitan
Rosewood Soft Tofu (Ann Arbor, MI)
Lisanatti Soy-Sation Cheddar Style
Ma Baensch Marinated Herring in Wine Sauce 24oz (Milwaukee, WI) (New Size Option)

In cheese...
Gingerbread Jersey Shredded Mozzarella (Augusta, WI)
Gingerbread Jersey Shredded Cheddar (Augusta, WI)
Crave Brothers Fresh Mozzarella 16oz (Waterloo, WI) (New Size Option)
Widmer's Cheese Cellars Mild Brick (Theresa, WI)
President Brie Log (Belmont, WI)

In beer...
Goose Island Bourbon County Stout 22oz (Chicago, IL)
Goose Island 312 Urban Wheat (Chicago, IL)
Furthermore Thermo Refur (Black River Falls, WI) (single bottle only)
Milwaukee Brewing Co. Louie's Demise Immort-Ale (Milwaukee, WI)
Summit Maibock (St. Paul, MN) (seasonal)
Bell's Oberon (Comstock, MI) (seasonal)
Bell's Consecrator Doppelbock (Comstock, MI) (seasonal)
Leinenkugel 1888 Bock (Chippewa Falls, WI) (seasonal)
Sand Creek Hard Lemonade (Black River Falls, WI) (seasonal)
Capital Platinum Blonde Doppelbock (Middleton, WI) (seasonal)
New Glarus Moon Man No Coast Pale Ale (New Glarus, WI) (seasonal)
New Glarus Totally Naked Lager (New Glarus, WI) (seasonal)
New Glarus Road Slush Stout (New Glarus, WI) (seasonal)

Monday, February 8

Brew News FeBREWary 2010

1. New/Seasonal Beers - feat. Matacabras and Thermo Refur
2. Northwoods/Walter's Sampling Feb. 18th & Sand Creek Sampling Feb. 19th
3. Meet Your Brewer

4. Discount Beers & Pre-mixed IPA 6packs


1. New/Seasonal Beers - feat. Matacabras and Thermo Refur
We are starting to hit BOCK and DOPPELBOCK season. Look forward to many great selections slipping into the store through the rest of winter and on into spring. Also there are a few new selections coming out of Dave's BrewFarm and Furthermore that deserve a special nod. a snippet of what is new at JLF (with descriptions from the Brewers' themselves)


New Glarus Cabin Fever Honey Bock

Cool days draw us close to the warmth of home fires. This is the season to sip away the chill and embrace quiet evenings with friends and family. You hold a Wisconsin Style Honey Bock, easy going and more approachable than its traditional dark German cousin. Bock beers have existed in Wisconsin for over 150 years. This pale bock is brewed with an exclusive blend of Wisconsin two row barley that balances seamlessly with our special European hops. Naturally sweet Clover Honey was added in the kettle accenting warm flavor notes on your tongue.

Whether you reminisce the passing summer sun or thrill to squeaky steps through drifting snow one thing is certain about winter in Wisconsin, this too shall pass.


Dave's BrewFarm Matacabras (coming soon)


In Spain, MATACABRAS is “the wind that kills goats.” In Wisconsin, it's the first in a series of wind-themed specialty beers from the BrewFarm.

In our part of the Upper Midwest there’s nothing like a brisk north wind to get your attention. So when we stumbled upon the name of this wicked Spanish breeze, we decided to brew up something that would likewise stop folks in their tracks.

We brew for flavor and for the overall “beer experience,” and our results are often curious and always distinctive. This strange new ale is no exception. Like its name, it is dark, mysterious, and difficult to translate into a familiar category. The deep hue and creamy body might suggest one style, but the floral aroma and Trappist-inspired flavors say another.

It is dark, yet not heavy; complex, yet balanced; strong, yet very smooth ... and unusually satisfying.


Furthermore Thermo Refur (coming soon)

With all its complexities, this ale is at its core a play between two basic characteristics of beer: good and evil. On one side, there are the smart,clean flavors of bright hops (40 IBU's) and stimulating black pepper, and on the other side, there are the dark, dusty flavors of our unique yeast blend. It's like this: We took an elegant, classic wheat yeast from a good neighborhood and sullied it with questionable characters from the other side of the tracks: two brettanomyces yeasts - one known for odd fruity flavors, the other for carrying subtle barnyard notes - and a lactic acid bacteria which produces sour but exciting qualities. We added this dysfunctional family to a heavy grain base (yielding 8.1% ABV), which leans on malted wheat with just enough black malt to give a color backdrop for the late addition of organic red beets. The deep red of the beet pushes the dirty-brown base color toward a funky purple hue, while the simple sugars reinvigorate fermentation.

At its freshest, the influences of the once-wild-but-produced-in-a-lab-to-avoid-a-poaching-fine organisms ride beneath the hops and pepper. As the beer ages, look for the spices to mellow and the bad influence of the microscopic thugs to continue to corrupt the flavor profile.

2. Northwoods/Walter's Sampling Feb. 18th & Sand Creek Sampling Feb. 19th
Patrick from Northwoods will be stopping by Thursday, February 18th from 4-6PM to sample out Walter's and Floppin' Crappie. Please stop on down and sample a bit of Eau Claire history in a can.

Mark from Sand Creek Brewery will be dropping in for a sampling on Friday, February 19th from 3-5PM. Stop on in for a sampling of Oscar's Chocolate Stout, Wild Ride IPA, English-Style Ale, or any of the other numerous beers being crafted at this amazing brewery.

3. Meet Your Brewer
We are starting a new segment in our monthly newsletter called Meet Your Brewer. This section will allow us to interview the folks that bring us that refreshing beverage called beer. We will be chatting with Brewers, Owners, Sales Reps, Distributors, you name it, in order to better connect you the customer to the people that make the product happen. Below is a small piece of a future video post featuring David, owner/brewer/sales rep, of Dave's BrewFarm. Look forward to a full interview in our March edition of Brew News.



4. Discount Beers & Pre-mixed IPA 6packs
Just a reminder to y'all, we have a discounted single beer section in the bottom right-hand corner of the beer case. Here you will find various overstocks, seasonals done and past, and beers that got the ax in favor of something new and fresh. Either way, you, the customer, gets a great price on great beer. Thanks for helping us keep our case as fresh as possible!


Also, we have hand picked some pre-mixed IPA 6packs for your pleasure. These bad boys pack a serious punch of hops. Starting next month we will be featuring bocks and doppelbocks in the pre-mix 6 section.

As always, CHEERS!
Jordan

'Beer. Now there's a temporary solution.' ~Dan Castellaneta

Tuesday, January 5

Brew News January 2010

BREW NEWS - JANUARY 2010

Information to maximize your delight of beer in the new year!

1. Beer Blowout Sale: Single Bottles
2. Pre-Mixed 6pk: IPA's/Pale Ales
3. Beer Enjoyment Tips: Pouring
4. Seasonals/New Beers

1. Beer Blowout Sale: Single Bottles
We strive to ensure that all of our beers are as fresh as they can be (while acknowledging that some become better with age). We also like to have a wide variety of single bottles available to you, the customer, so you can mix & match as you please. This means we need your help! Look for a special discounted section of single bottles in the beer cooler. Let's all "take one for the team" and drink through some of our backstock...








2.
Pre-Mixed 6pk: IPA's/Pale Ales
This month's Pre-Mixed 6pk will include India Pale Ales (IPAs) and select Pale Ales. Look for these specially-marked 6pks below the single bottles racks. Raise your hand (er, glass) if you love hops!

3. Beer Enjoyment Tips: Pouring
There are many ways to enjoy beer, and it all starts with how its poured (which you should always, ALWAYS do!). First, choose the right glass for the style of beer you have. This varies with each beer - certain shapes can help hold and/or increase the aromas of the yummy ingredients within. Second, pour the beer so you get a nice foamy head at the top of your glass. About 1-1.5" is about right. This is important and sometimes necessary for the overall aroma of your beer. Lastly, SMELL your beer before drinking. Appreciate it. LOVE IT. Remember, the more you smell, the more you taste.
Don't belive it? Take a pull from the bottle, then pour in a glass & sip. Notice the difference?




4. Seasonals/New Beers

  • Furthermore's Makeweight is back in for the season. Check out this wonderfully unusual blend of three styles of pale ales. Our limited supply is what we have for the rest of the year!
  • Central Waters Hop Harvest comes in a handy 22oz. bomber bottle. Feel good about drinking this wet-hopped ale that uses Wisconsin-grown hops and barley
  • JLF is now the first place in town to have Walter's Premium Pilsener available in 12pk cans. Take pleasure in more of this Eau Claire original, brewed at Northwoods Brew Pub
  • Look forward to another fine beer from Dave's Brewfarm available at the end of January. Here's what David has to say about Matacabras: "Named after Spain’s famed 'goat killing' northerly wind, this tempestuous brew has a maelstrom of flavors swirling within it. Robust American hops and rye make this deep, dark ale an experience to savor."












"Sometimes when I reflect back on all the beer I drink I feel ashamed - Then I look into the glass and think about the workers in the brewery and all of their hopes and dreams. If I didn't drink this beer, they might be out of work and their dreams would be shattered. Then I say to myself, 'It is better that I drink this beer and let their dreams come true than be selfish and worry about my liver.'"
-Deep Thought, Jack Handy

Prost!
-The Beer Dudes (Drew and Jordan)

Monday, December 14

Dave's BrewFarm Beer Sampling and other tidbits...

We had a great time with David from Dave's BrewFarm down at the store sampling BrewFarm Select on Friday, December 18th from 4-6 PM. We also enjoyed meeting the wonderful folks behind Blue Collar Jams pairing their amazingly balanced habanero jams with this crisp and refreshing beer.

We also have some other exciting news. In the last few weeks we set up a new account with a small Wisconsin based distributor that is going to give us access to some New Products and New Everyday Low Prices on several staples we already have. To mention a few...

New Products

Salsa Lisa Mild/Medium Salsa (refrigerated)
Salsa Lisa Hot Salsa (refrigerated)
Salsa Lisa Roasted Chipotle Medium Salsa (refrigerated)
Alexia Mushroom Bites (frozen)
Alexia Mozzarella Stix (frozen)
Oikos OG Greek Yogurt Vanilla (refrigerated)

New Everday Low Prices

Mt. Sterling Feta $5.69->$5.39
Crave Brothers 8oz Fresh Mozzarella $3.79->$3.49
Crave Brothers Farmer's Rope $7.89->$4.99
GT's Kombucha (all varieties) $4.59->$3.99
Tofurky Slices (all varieties) $3.99->$3.49

Look for more prices to drop as we order more product, including brand lines Tofurky Vegan Products, Mt. Sterling Goat Cheeses, President Cheeses, and Crave Brothers Cheeses to mention a few.

Tuesday, December 1

Brew News December 2009

Welcome to another installment of Brew News!

1. New Products
2. New Beer Shelving
3. Sampling w/David of Dave's BrewFarm
4. Empty 6 Packs?

1. New Products
We have picked up several new and seasonal products recently. Stop down and check them out, they make great gifts/treats to share for the holidays.

Capital Eisphyre 4pk - limited release, 1st time since 2006
Summit Winter Ale 6pk - seasonal
Bell's Rye Stout 6pk - limited release
New Glarus Snowshoe Red Ale 6pk - seasonal
Sand Creek Hard Lemonade 6pk - back again from a brief hiatus
New Belgium Trippel 6pk - new to us, year round
New Belgium 2 Below 6pk - seasonal
New Belgium Fat Tire 12pk - new to us, year round
Dave's BrewFarm Select 12pk - new product on the market (on sale for $10.99)
New Belgium 1554 22oz - new to us, year round
Finnegan's Irish Amber 6pk - new product on the market

2. New Beer Shelving
A few weeks back we installed new beer shelving with the help of Matt, Chris, and Don from Park Ridge Distributing. The old shelves had many noticeable problems leaning 6 packs, shelves set to closely (inhibiting the ability to get your favorite 6 pack), 15 plus years of broken beer bottles and grime, and sharp edges covered in duct tape. The new (to us) shelving is much cleaner, adjusts easily, and is set perfectly for all those local beers we stock. Thanks for bearing with the old unit and please check out the fully stocked new one.

Thanks again Matt, Chris, and Don for the many hours of help installing!

3. Sampling w/David of Dave's BrewFarm
We are in the scheduling stages with David at this point. Look forward to a BrewFarm Select sampling in the third week of December. If you can't wait, stop down and buy a 12 pack and do a sampling of your own. Pairs well with burgers, pizza...actually this beer goes with everything.

Check out this old post for more info on Dave's BrewFarm.
Beer Advocate Review
Leader Telegram Article by Joe Knight

4. Empty 6 Packs?
We have a stock pile of empty 4 and 6 packs that needs to be dwindled. If anyone would like hundreds of them for a crafting project (think of that beer lover this holiday season) or some other functional use, let us know. If your idea is to the liking of Drew and I, we might even throw in a free 6 pack for taking them off of our hands.

Cheers to Beers,
Jordan (on behalf of The Beer Dudes)

"If you ever reach total enlightenment while drinking beer, I bet it makes beer shoot out your nose."
-Deep Thought, Jack Handy