Some New Items Of Note

Last week we completely reset our coolers, which gave me space to add quite a few new beers into the store. Add to that the fact that we had a new brewery arrive in the state and there is plenty of beer news. We have also added a few new wines to the store in the past week.

Here is all the new beer:

Green Flash Brewing West Coast IPA - 98%Ratebeer, A- Beer Advocate
Green Flash Brewing Le Freak (an IPA/Belgian Tripel hybrid!) - 95% Ratebeer, A- Beer Advocate
Green Flash Brewing Barleywine - 95% Ratebeer, B+ Beeradvocate
Green Flash Brewing Hop Head Red - 96% Ratebeer, A- Beeradvocate
Sierra Nevada Glissade - B+ Beer Advocate

Some new to us items:

Skagit River Trumpeter Imperial Stout - 92% Ratebeer
Silver City Big Scotch
Silver City Red Ale
Silver City IPA
Westmalle Double - 98% Ratebeer, A- Beeradvocate
Westmalle Triple - 98% Ratebeer, A Beeradvocate
Flying Dog Gonzo Imperial Porter - 99% Ratebeer, A- Beeradvocate
Wandering Aengus Bloom (cider)
Wandering Aengus Wanderlust (cider)
Alaskan Stout
Scmaltz Brewing Hebrew Rejewvenator
Smaltz Brewing Hebrew Bittersweet Lenny's Rye IPA - 96% Ratebeer, A- BeerAdvocate
Allagash Confluence Ale - 96% Ratebeer, A- Beeradvocate
Dogfish Head Fort (An 18% ABV Raspberry infused beer!)
Dogfish Head Pangaea (brewed with an ingredient from every continent)
New Belgium Lips of Faith Le Fleur Misseur (a tribute to the great Orval)
Scuttlebutt Old No. 1 Barleywine
Ommegang Hennepin - 95% Ratebeer, A- Beeradvocate
Boulevard Bourbon Barrel Quad - 97% Ratebeer, A- Beeradvocate
Boulder Hazed and Infused IPA
Red Hook Copperhook
Red Hook Mudslinger
Great Divide Titan IPA - 97% Ratebeer, A- Beeradvocate
Weihenstephaner Hefe Weissebier - 100% by Style Ratebeer, A Beeradvocate
Weihenstephaner Korbinian - 96% Ratebeer, A- Beeradvocate
Scaldis Noel Premium - 95% Ratebeer, A- Beeradvocate
Haandbryggeriet Dobble Dram IPA - B+ Beeradvocate

I think that is about it for now. There will be more to come as I make more room to add more beer.

As for the wine, here is what's new:

Gilbert Cellars From Yakima, Washington:

I brought in a few of their wines to start with and they are all fantastic.

Unoaked Chardonnay - This wine sees zero oak and no malolactic fermentation, so the fruit truly takes the forefront on this beatiful Chardonnay. $18

Estate Gewurtztraminer - An off-dry version of Gewurtz, this wine has loads of lychee and spice with a touch of apricot like sweetness. An ideal wine for Indian, Thai, or Chinese food.

Allobroges - A southern Rhone inspired blend, this wine is named after the celtic settlers who lived in southern Rhone back in the day. A blend of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvedre this wine is a can't miss with loads of dark fruit and spice. $20

Cabernet Sauvignon - A big Washington Cab in the vain of those from Napa. Loads of blackberry, spice, cassis, sage, dark fruit, strawberry jam and cocoa will keep you going back for more. A steal at $32/btl!

Cabernet Franc - Rich and concentrated with plum, nutmeg, and an herbally spice character. Huge mouthfeel with dried fruit, spice dark fruit and flecks of minerality. $32

Frescobaldi Pomino Rosso

The Castle of Pomino, produces the Pomino Rosso DOC using the grapes Sangiovese, Black Pinot, and Merlot. Matured for 15 months in oak barriques and refined for a year in the bottle. The color is ruby red, the aroma is intense and vigorous, and the taste is velvety and persistent.

Tasting Notes
A medium ruby in color, Pomino Rosso is marked by a clean-edged bouquet releasing raspberry, red currant, and plum, that then make way for crisp mint and spicy nutmeg. The entry in the mouth is refreshing and clean, introducing fine balance on the palate and silky tannins.


I think that is going to be it for now. Gotta get back to work.

Don't forget to pick your Italy 101 tickets. We are about 50% sold-out.

You Asked For It, We're Finally Delivering!

Many of you have asked me when we will do a tasting, and now I finally have an answer. Tuesday, February 9th at Northwest Vintage in downtown Puyallup. http://www.northwestvintage.com. The following is a quick blurb about the tasting:

"Come join Small Vineyards wine educator, Tom Kelly, for a light-hearted, but informative, romp through Italy's most prominent regions. We'll explore the backroads of Tuscany, Piedmont and beyond, while discussing the differences between European and domestic winemaking. A sampling of 8 different micro-productions, light snacks, and (you guessed it) a couple of surprises will be provided."

This event will be held at Northwest Vintage in downtown Puyallup. Here is a link to their website. http://www.northwestvintage.com

The event will cost $35 per person for the food, wine, and education. I will also be offering a one-time discount on wine purchased that night. We will have order forms at the tasting that you will fill out and turn in to me, and I will fill your orders and have them ready for pickup at Tacoma Boys that Friday. You will not have to pay for your wine at the tasting, as you will not get the wine until that Friday, at which time you will pay for it.

I have had the pleasure of sitting in on many sessions with Tom Kelly, and amazingly even the most knowledgeable wine connoisseur walks away with some interesting tidbits they never knew. Tom has traveled extensively throughout Italy and he has the stories to prove it. The greatest atribute of Tom as a wine educator is his blatant lack of snobbery. Whether you are a seasoned wine expert or a beginner Tom will make you feel welcome with his old world style hospitality.

This tasting will be in a laid back classroom format, meaning everyone will be tasting and learning about the same wines throughout. This provides for the maximum amount of learning, and also makes Q & A much easier.

Northwest Vintage is a small wine bar in downtown Puyallup, that is cozy and classy at once. There is only room for 50 people so space (and tickets) are limited and on a first come first payed basis.

The tasting will start at 6:30 and run until 8:30.

Tickets will be sold at both locations, but if you want to buy a ticket at Tacoma Boys it will have to be in cash or money order. Please try to stop by when I am at the store to purchase you're tickets (Mon, Wed, Thurs, Fri, Sat 9-5). If you are unable to make it during those hours let me know, and I will arrange other means of you purchasing your tickets.

This is certain to be a fantastic time, and can easily serve as an early Valentine's day present to any wine lover.

We Have A Tasting Coming Up!

Stay tuned for more details, but we have moved past the planning stages and onto specifics. I will post more when all is finalized.

A Great Fine Beverage Magazine!

I had the pleasure of meeting Brian Kropf, the beer editor of a new-ish fine beverage magazine called The Mutineer. This national publication is actually a locally based company as the founder, Brian's brother Alan, is from Puyallup. Alan has quite the resume and has built one impressive magazine that is certainly worth a read. Check out their website for more details.

New Year Brings A New Schedule

Starting this week I will be working a different schedule. I will now be working 9-5 on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and an occasional Sunday. Sorry for the inconvenience, but outside scheduling conflicts have forced the change.