Labor Day Weekend Mixology

Sure, Labor Day weekend often involves beer. Your blogger will be tailgating at the football game on Saturday, enjoying a cold one or two. But we need to give proper respect to the cocktails that work well for cookouts and every part of the holiday weekend.

The Paloma

One of Mexico's favorite drinks, this simple combo of tequila, lime juice, salt and grapefruit soda tastes best when everybody makes their own. Just set up a small table with Patron Silver tequila, ice, a bowl of halved limes, a few bottles of Jarritos or Squirt and a dish of salt. It couldn't be easier.

Use 2oz Patron in a highball glass, squeeze in the lime, and fill with the soda.

The Basil Fizz

If you're throwing a party a bit earlier in the day, consider serving this concoction. While you might not normally think to top bourbon with Champagne, the wine's acidity actually plays beautifully with the whiskey's inherent sweetness.

Into a champagne flute, pour
1oz Woodford Reserve Bourbon
4oz Alfred Gratien Brut champagne

Aperol Spritz

Add a touch of sophistication to your barbecue (without actually expending any more effort) by whipping up this classic Italian aperitif. It combines bubbly prosecco, the slightly bitter, low-alcohol herbal liqueur Aperol and club soda. And that's it. Just be sure you have enough food on hand—the drink is extremely effective at stimulating the appetite.

The coral-hued Aperol Spritz is one of the most popular aperitifs in Italy, and for good reason. Low in alcohol, aromatic with citrus and slightly bitter, Aperol pairs seamlessly with chilled Prosecco to whet the appetite. Meeting friends for an after work Spritz is a long-established Italian tradition—and one that’s easily replicated anywhere.

Fill a Collins glass with ice. Add
4.5oz Mionetti Brut Prosecco
2.5oz Aperol
1 lime wheel
1oz club soda

Three simple and delicious cocktail options for Labor Day weekend, or anytime. Cheers!

Hooray Weekend!

We're paying a small tribute to our friends at Red Stripe with that headline. It's Friday, so our blog post is, as usual, a grab-bag of information you need to make it through the weekend.

Store Events

We have so much going on at both stores that we devoted yesterday's blog post to the subject. Please click here for that post, which covers upcoming events at both stores. If you're only interested in knowing about the events at the Lawrenceville store, please click here. For the Woodbridge store, please click here.

New Products

Meletti Limoncello achieves the perfect balance of sweetness and freshness by combining alcohol, sugar, and lemon peel. Meletti selects only the finest lemons from Sorrento’s coastal groves. The lemons are harvested in mid-October and quickly brought to Meletti’s distillery to create a pure and natural citrus liqueur with no coloring or stabilizing additives. A rich, full mouth feel with inviting aromas and flavors of fresh lemons that are pronounced but not harsh, and balanced by a delightfully sweet finish. According to Italian tradition, Limoncello is the elixir of life. Folklore holds that this liqueur had healing virtues capable of curing everything from bad breath to a bad love life.

Troegs Hop Knife Harvest Ale recognizes the meticulous, time-honored tradition of hand-harvesting hops at the peak of maturity. Our HopCyclone process creates an inward spiral of hop dispersal during fermentation, releasing a bounty of citrus, resin and tropical aromas.

Hop Knife works well with strong flavors like garlic, onion and ginger. Pair with bold fatty cuts of meat or spicy Thai dishes that use curry, coconut milk and lemon grass. 6.2%ABV, 87 IBU's.

This seasonal ale is only available for a short time.

Domaine Jean Bousquet Cabernet Sauvignon Tupungato 2012. This is an intense reddish purple wine with aromas of blackcurrant, and tobacco. In mouth it presents berries and spices, toasty and mineral notes. The end is long with fine tannins and hints of mocha. This wine has a very elegant style with a good intensity and a nice finish.

Wine Spectator rated this 90 points. "This concentrated red shows a savory side to the dark cassis and black cherry puree notes, with hints of underbrush, tarry mineral and mocha lining the long finish. Drink now through 2016."

Only $13.96 in the Bottle Club®.

Next week, look for the arrival of Fulton's Apple and Pumpkin Liqueurs. These are also seasonal favorites that will be around for a limited time. It's still summer, but if you want these on your Thanksgiving table, you should grab a bottle soon!

Ripped from the Headlines

A Champagne Bottle Model Gets Her Own Cuvée. Lanson International is adding some more sparkle to its Champagne portfolio. Fashion model Adriana Karembeu, the brand ambassador of the Lanson-owned Chanoine Frères Champagne Tsarine, is launching her own cuvée, Tsarine by Adriana, a bubbly boasting “exceptional freshness and lively lemon aromas.” Made in collaboration with Chanoine cellar master Isabelle Tellier, Karembeau’s Pinot Noir-based Champagne comes in a spiraling gold bottle inspired by the architecture of Russia's onion domes.

Tsarine by Adriana will be available exclusively at British-owned Crazy Bear Group restaurants and hotels beginning Sunday until December, when the $450 bottles will be available at retail. The former Victoria’s Secret model will kick off the launch at the Oxfordshire Stadhampton Garden Party benefiting Macmillan Cancer Support.

No word on whether this will be available in New Jersey.

Courtesy Wine Spectator.

Have a great weekend!

Save the Dates

Because we've recently added a number of new events to the calendar at both stores, we thought this would be a good time to highlight everything in one space.

We'll start with a Labor Day note. Our stores will be open from 9am to 6pm on Labor Day, which is Monday, September 7. We will be open our regular hours otherwise.

Events in Lawrenceville

We start the weekend with our Friday wine tasting, 4-6pm. On Saturday, look for a Don Julio Tequila tasting and etching.

There will not be a scheduled tasting over the Labor Day weekend. We'll return to our regular weekend wine tastings the following weekend.

Customer Appreciation Weekend will be September 18-19-20. There will be a variety of events throughout the weekend, including a tasting of Elysian Brewing on September 19. On Sunday, we're hosting the Eagles Kickoff Event, from noon-2pm. We'll have free hot dogs and a visit from the Bud Light Girls. Since the Eagles game is 4:15 that day, the timing is about perfect.

Click here for the full Event Calendar in Lawrenceville. You'll see scheduled tastings going into December.

Events in Woodbridge

Look for our regular wine tasting schedule this weekend, 4-6pm Friday, and 1-3pm on Saturday. Click here for the tasting menu.

We will be extra-busy on Labor Day weekend. Look for a wine tasting that Friday, September 4, from 4-6pm. It's then our turn for the Don Julio tasting and etching on September 5, from 2-4pm.

Then, if you're not going away for the weekend, stop in Sunday, September 6, for free hot dogs, courtesy of Bud Light. Look for the food truck in our parking lot.

We'll have our regular wine tasting on the following weekend, which will wrap up with a special after-hours event on Sunday, September 13.

As we've noted previously, one of our employees was seriously injured in a hit-and-run incident in Edison a little over a month ago. Click here for a news story from nj.com.  Roman Stefaniw, our employee, was hospitalized for quite some time, and the medical bills are gigantic. To help Roman and his family, we're hosting a benefit/art class on September 13. The details are still being finalized, but you can stay current by clicking here.

Outside of Joe Canal's, Roman is a singer/songwriter, BMX rider and artist. Click here for his website.

Our full Event Calendar also includes a two-day Oktoberfest and Ladies Night Out. Click here for that calendar page.

Looking for This?

We'll stay away from the internet memes today and do some straight reporting on some of the newest products that we've received.

We've been reminding you about the way that beer seasons change sooner than nature's seasons. This week's deliveries were another confirmation of that, just in case you needed that. With Labor Day being two weeks away, you're almost out of time to get a summer seasonal beer.

Warsteiner Oktoberfest Special Edition. A truly German import brewed according to the German Purity Law, as are all Warsteiner beers, in limited quantities especially for Oktoberfest celebrations. This special edition has a well-balanced, mild and smooth taste with a uniquely soft, hoppy aftertaste and 5.9% alcohol.  So bring a bit of Germany with you to your next Oktoberfest celebration and bring a Warsteiner Oktoberfest Special Edition.

B. Nektar Kill all the Golfers. A Mead with black tea and lemon juice. Essential Elements - Gallberry honey, black tea, lemon juice. Appearance - Deep gold with a lacy white head that dissipates into a thin white rim. Aroma - Floral honey followed by robust black tea and sweet, rich lemon peel. Experience - Rich honey contributes a mild sweetness followed by bitter black tea and notes of sour lemon. Full-bodied with a tannic, dry finish and a fresh tobacco aftertaste.

Whether you're a mead devotee, or just interested in trying something that is at once new and old, we have the right mead for you.

Jameson Caskmates. We've seen craft beer aged in whisk(e)y casks, whisky finished in wine barrels, and now we have something new. What happens when Jameson Original is aged in oak casks that have been seasoned with craft Irish stout? The answer lies in this limited release Jameson Caskmates. Experience the culmination of this collaboration before this experimental edition whiskey is gone.

When the Jameson Master Distiller met the Master Brewer from Franciscan Wells for a drink, a plan was hatched to send a few Jameson casks to their brewery down the road for them to age their craft Irish stout. The time came for the casks to return home and our Master Distiller saw an opportunity which piqued his curiosity. He re-filled the stout-seasoned barrels with Jameson Whiskey, and Jameson Caskmates emerged; a whiskey that retains all the triple distilled smoothness of Jameson Original, with a truly unique finish. The subtle suggestion of hops, cocoa and coffee are signposts that it has bumped shoulders with stout; however, Caskmates is undeniably a member of the Jameson family.

Nose: The initial aroma of freshly mown Hay is complimented by a crisp Orchard Fruit character, Green Apples and Pears along with a twist of Lime Zest. Mild Pot Still Spices appear, deepening from Green Tea to Hazel Nut and Milk Chocolate. The lingering Hop influence combines effortlessly with Toasted Oak and Barley Grains to form a solid base.

Taste: As expected, there is the initial sweet mouth coating typical of the Irish Pot Still Whiskey inclusion. Then the effect of the Beer Cask finish becomes apparent with the subtle touch of Hops and Cocoa Beans. Some Marzipan and Charred Oak add to the complexity.

Finish: Long and sweet with Milk Chocolate and Butterscotch.

Hoppin' Frog Mean Manalishi Double IPA. Explore the extremes of hops, and experience all of their bitterness, flavor and aroma with this Double I.P.A. An extreme, super-assertive and satisfying amount of American hop character is balanced with a toasty, caramelized, intense malt presence. 8.2% ABV, 168 IBU's.

We get so many new products every week that it's impossible to mark every one. Please ask the store staff for assistance in locating our newest products.

It's Crafty

Allagash Brewing Company started in 1995, as a one-man operation in a small space on the outskirts of Portland, Maine. Founder Rob Tod had worked in a brewery setting before and recognized a void within the craft brewing movement. While both German and British styles had become prevalent throughout the U.S., the ever-creative Belgian-styles were very difficult to find. Through his travels, Tod had sampled many of these unique beers and felt that the flavors and traditions of Belgium needed to be shared with the American drinking public. He designed a small 15-barrel brewhouse, gathered the finest array of authentic raw materials and began his quest towards the production of traditional Belgian style ales. Rob sold his first batch of beer in the summer of 1995.

Allagash brews a unique variety of traditional and experimental Belgian-style beers made with a dedication to craftsmanship and quality. All of the bottled beers at Allagash are bottle conditioned. This means that just prior to bottling; a fresh dose of yeast is added, along with a measured amount of candi sugar. After bottling, the beers are moved into a temperature controlled cellar, where the yeast will actually begin a new fermentation in the bottle. This new fermentation naturally carbonates the beer, and greatly enhances the traditional Belgian character. It is a long, expensive and traditional process... but we think it is worth it.

Hugh Malone is a blend of both Belgian and U.S. brewing traditions. This limited release Tribute Series beer combines the intense characteristics of American aroma hop varieties with the delicate esters of a Belgian style yeast. It is brewed with a blend of Pilsner Malt and Raw Wheat and fermented with the Allagash house yeast strain. Each year, the brewers work together to choose specific hop varieties, in order to impart the right balance of citrus, fruit, pine and spicy notes. We add a portion of hops to the sweet wort in the kettle, a technique known as "first wort hopping." As the boil begins a generous amount of Chinook and Warrior hops are added for bittering, followed by aroma hops (Centennial, Cascade and Ahtanum) in the whirlpool. During secondary fermentation in our conditioning tanks, we dry hop the beer, which instills a hoppy aroma with notes of pine and grapefruit. The dry hopping is done with Cascade, Centennial, Galaxy and Azacca hops.

Dry hopping. Safely.

This 7.8% ABV ale has a malty palate and a pronounced bitterness. It has a pleasant dry, hoppy finish. It wall pair nicely with Hanger Steak, Pommes Frites and Sharp Cheddar Cheese. Best enjoyed within six months.

With our Tribute Series beers, we honor and give back to organizations in our home state that make a positive impact in our greater neighborhood. Allagash will donate $1 from every 4-pack of Hugh Malone Ale to community gardens and others supporting sustainable agriculture.

This is a Limited Annual Release. Available in 4-pack, at $12.59.

David's Deuce

As a category, cocktails thrive year 'round. Of course, there are seasonal cocktails, but there's always something that you can return to, time and again. That's illustrated by the number of classic cocktails we see all around.

We turn, as we often do on a Monday, to our resident mixologist, Woodbridge Assistant Store Manager David Rudd. He has some tasty recipes today.

Vodka Sling

The simplicity of classic cocktails is what gives them such timeless elegance. The Vodka Sling is an example of such simple elegance. In a tumbler glass, dissolve a spoon a sugar in a spoon of water. Add a few ice cubes and the juice of ½ lemon. Stir in 2 oz. of Sir Reginald's Swill Vodka and finish with a dash of Angostura™ Orange Bitters. Garnish with a fat flamed twist of orange.

If you're not familiar with Sir Reginald's Swill Vodka, it has a light body and, although very smooth, it has a zesty citrus bite. It is 100% gluten free and is highly recommend by the staff at our Woodbridge store.

Rum Swizzle

I’m not giving up on swizzles until summer is over! This classic combines citrus and spirits into something between a julep and a sno-cone for grownups. Fill a Collins glass ¾ full with crushed ice and add 4 parts Appleton VX Jamaican rum, 2 parts fresh lime juice, and 1 part simple syrup.  Swizzle together and top to heaping with more crushed ice.  Finish with a dash of Angostura bitters, a pinch of fresh nutmeg and a sprig of mint.

                                                                 Watermelon Margarita

This is not one of David's recipes, but might be next summer.

Ingerdients
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup water
3 strips orange zest
2 cups seeded watermelon
3/4 cup Camarena Silver Tequila
1/4 cup lime juice
salt or sugar, to rim glass (optional)
1 lime, cut into wedges
crushed ice, as needed

Directions
Bring 1/2 cup sugar, water, and orange zest in a small saucepan to boil, stirring constantly. Simmer until sugar is dissolved, about 3 minutes. Remove simple syrup from heat and allow to cool completely.

Place watermelon in a blender or food processor. Pulse until pureed.

Stir watermelon puree into a large pitcher with simple syrup, tequila, and lime juice.

Place a small amount of salt or sugar into a saucer. Rub edge of margarita glasses with a lime wedge to moisten. Lightly dip the rim of the glass into the saucer to rim the glass; tap off excess salt or sugar.

Fill rimmed glasses with crushed ice; pour margarita mixture into glasses and garnish with lime wedges to serve.

Friday Grab Bag

Although Labor Day is as late as it can be this year, September 7, it's still only two short weeks away. Please note that both of our stores will be open 9am-6pm on Labor Day, and we will be open normal hours for the balance of the weekend.

In-Store Events

Yesterday's blog post featured the upcoming events at both stores. Click here for that post. For events in Lawrenceville only, please click here. For Woodbridge only, please click here.

New Products

Earlier in the week, we talked about the end of the summer beer season and the start of the autumn beer season. Your blogger generally prefers the Oktoberfest-style beers, but not the cold weather. As before, if you want any of the remaining summer brews to enjoy over the Labor Day weekend, you should grab them this weekend.

Flying Dog Dogtoberfest Marzen. Brewed with 100% imported German ingredients, it will cut spice while pulling out sweetness. Flavor notes: Full-bodied caramel sweet with a light toasted and crisp, clean finish Pairs with: Mexican and Pepper Jack cheeses; sweet Asian sauces; spiced desserts; German foods. 5.6% ABV, 30 IBU's.

Nebraska Brewing Black Betty Russian Imperial Stout. Black as night and every bit Imperial, this RIS was originally launched to tremendous accolades.  Aged in Whiskey barrels, this barrel aged version meshes the rich chocolates and the coffee-like aromatics with the sweet whiskey nose and drying character of the oak.  Slightly behind on the palate are the hops, held in restraint by the wonderfully full mouth-feel and broad flavors brought on by the perfect blend of so many malted barley varieties. Ready to enjoy now and perfect for extended cellaring.

Available in 750ML bottles. 11.3% ABV, 67 IBU's.

Ripped from the Headlines

Apologies, but we were off-line for a while due to a power issue. Time to get this posted, so we'll skip the news.  Enjoy the weekend.

Update Your Calendars

Over the last few days, we've added several events to the schedules for both of our stores. We thought we should bring those events to your attention, so you can plan accordingly.

Events in Lawrenceville

For this weekend, we'll host our regular wine tastings. The hours are 4-6pm on Friday, and 2-4pm on Saturday. Next weekend, we'll have a regular wine tasting on Friday, but we're hosting a Don Julio Tequila event on Saturday, August 29.

Looking into September, we will not have a scheduled wine tasting over Labor Day weekend. Please note that both stores will be open from 9am to 6pm on Labor Day, September 7.

We're hosting a tasting of Elysian Brewing beers on Saturday, September 19, 2-4pm.

On Sunday, September 20, we're hosting an Eagles kick-off event, from noon-2pm. Stop in for free hot dogs and a visit from the Bud Light Girls. The Eagles have their home opener that day, at 4:25.

Save this date: Saturday, October 3. We're hosting a dinner event that features Neshaminy Creek Brewing. Some of the details are already posted here.

Also on our schedule, from late October through early December, are tastings of Shock Top Pumpkin, Bud Light Cran-Brrr-Rita, and Stella Artois. As always, please click here for the full Event Calendar.

Events in Woodbridge

For the next few weeks, we're sticking to our regular wine tasting schedule. Our hours are 4-6pm on Friday, and 1-3pm on Saturday. The new events start with a very special after-hours event on Sunday, September 13.

You may be aware that one of our staff members, Roman Stefaniw, was seriously injured by a hit-and-run driver last month, while he was riding his bike in Edison. Click here for the most recent news from nj.com. Outside of Joe Canal's, Roman is an artist. Here he is, with one project:

As you might imagine, Roman's medical bills are enormous. To help Roman in his time of need, we're hosting a benefit, after hours on 9/13. We are still finalizing some of the details, but we wanted to announce the event as soon as we could. Click here for more information on the event.

We're hosting a two-day celebration of Oktoberfest, 10/3 and 10/4. On October 3, it's an all-day Growler event. We're tapping eight different seasonal kegs at the Growler station, and there will be tastings all day. On October 4, it's an after-hours celebration of German wine, food and beer. For more information about the Sunday event, please click here.

We'll wrap up the month with our annual Ladies Night Out, after hours on Sunday, October 25. Details will be posted shortly.

And please click here for our website's full Event calendar.

The Good Stuff

Not every wholesaler is closed this week, and we've also gotten some beer deliveries, so we ought to take a look at our newest arrivals.

A quick aside: our store hours on Labor Day will be 9am-6pm.

You don't have to pay close attention to beer seasons, because we do that for you. We all know that, according to the calendar and the weather, there's still plenty of summer left. However, that's not at all true of our summer beers and ales. With Labor Day arriving late this year, if you want to mark the unofficial end of summer with a summer brew, you ought to start shopping now. There just aren't many choices left.

On the other hand, the end of the summer beers means the start of the autumn beer season. Oktoberfest beers, pumpkin beers and ales and other fall seasonals are now available. Not everything is currently in stock, but the process is underway. In fact, yesterday's Bottle Club® email featured Sierra Nevada's first-ever Oktoberfest beer, brewed in collaboration with a German brewery.

Saucony Creek Maple Mistress Ale. In the autumn of 1720, Captain Jack Rachman and his pirate-mates were celebrating their victories in typical hard-drinking tradition. Suddenly a British Navy sloop surprised them. The drunken pirates hid below deck, leaving Captain Jack’s mistresses Anne Bonney and Mary Read to defend the ship. The women shared a reputation as “fierce hell cats,” but the British Navy eventually overtook the pirate ship. Captain Jack and the pirates were sentenced to hang. Anne visited her lover in his cell before his execution, and instead of loving words her scathing comments live on throughout history, “Had you fought like a man, you need not have been hang’d like a dog.” Their legacy inspired us to brew an equally ferocious Imperial Pumpkin Ale brewed with pirate rum spices. We added a touch of autumn flavor with roasted butternut squash and natural maple syrup.

San Matteo Gavi DOCG. A delicately balanced white wine that is characterized by its remarkable freshness. It goes with all the starters and all types of fish. Excellent as an aperitif. Made from 100% Cortese.

This wine offers an intense scent of white flowers, pear, mineral notes and of green almond. On the palate, you'll get a soft first impression, with crisp acidity and freshness, very well balanced.

This will be great for those final summer sunsets, at only $12.96 in the Bottle Club®.

Nebraska Brewing Wick for Brains Pumpkin Ale. Wick for Brains is our classic and painstakingly produced Fall Pumpkin Ale.  Instead of simply using spice, we use real pumpkin which lends a sweetness and pumpkin flavor not found in many Pumpkin Ales. Wonderful pumpkin pie spice intertwined in an Amber Ale creates a pumpkin sensation which is elegantly crafted.  Notes of Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Clove, Ginger and Allspice blend perfectly in this seasonal Ale. There are many Pumpkin Ales out there crafted by some wonderful breweries – we feel that ours stands among them and in some cases – stands apart. Available in cans only.

Calera 2012 Jensen Vineyard Pinot Noir. Beautifully integrated eccentric aromas of cherry, raspberry, red licorice, charcuterie and fine saddle leather lead into a soft round mouthful of black raspberry, rhubarb and a hint of steak blood. This wine is a fascinating combination of deep, tart fruit, tension from mineral and a savory, soy accent. This wine will gain even more complexity with time. Rated 95+ by Vinous Media. We have a small quantity available, for $84.99 in the Bottle Club®. Organically farmed and certified by CCOF.

We've also received similarly small amounts of the 2012 Calera Pinot Noir from their Reed and Ryan Vineyards. All of these are allocated wines, so speak with a manager to see what we have left in stock.

Green Flash Green Bullet Triple IPA. With the aim of finding new and unique ingredients, we honed in on New Zealand grown Pacific Gem and Green Bullet hops to create this adventurous Triple IPA. Green Bullet leaps onto your palate with bold, spicy pine and citrus flavors including tropical notes of mango and pineapple. The aggressive yet well-balanced finish will stun the senses of even the most skilled hop hunter.

Brewmaster notes: "Appearance—Deep amber, honey color with off-white beer foam. Aroma—Super pungent pine and evergreen hops with tropical notes of mango and pineapple. Flavor—Tongue-gripping bitterness, pine and pineapple flavors with a back note of honeyed malt character. A long lingering New Zealand hop finish shows how intense the Green Bullet really is."

Limited availability. 100+ IBU's. 10.1% ABV.

That's seven fresh reasons to stop in at Joe Canal's.

District 7

In yesterday's blog post, we talked about the new flavors of summer. District 7 Chardonnay brings us many familiar flavors, value-priced in the Joe Canal's tradition.

                        Vineyards

The cool climate estate vineyards, located just outside of the town of Greenfield, are blessed with a climate that is perfect for growing top quality Chardonnay. With morning fogs that often linger until mid-day, the intricate fruit flavors have time to develop while preserving crucial acidity. These just-right conditions place Monterey on par with the best growing regions of the world.

Winemaking

Upon arrival at the winery, the grapes were gently whole-cluster pressed, chilled, and racked clean to a refrigerated stainless steel tank. The juice was slowly fermented at a cool temperature to enhance the varietal aromatics. We strive for a rich yet refreshing flavor profile, achieved through a combination of stainless steel and oak fermentation. The result is a fresh and vibrant wine that allows the natural flavor of the grape to shine.

Tasting Notes

Each vintage, District 7 strives to craft a Chardonnay that strikes a perfect balance between rich and refreshing. Through the judicious use of oak, they seek to complement, not detract from, the gorgeous tropical fruit flavors that are the hallmark of District 7. This 2012 vintage has aromas of tropical fruit and butterscotch that lead into a lively blend of pear, pineapple and citrus flavors. It is a versatile wine with food, pairing particularly well with grilled seafood, roast chicken, or your favorite salad.

Available in the Bottle Club® for only $10.96.

New Flavors of Summer

Because it's "shutdown week" (for our wholesalers, not us), we have a chance to discuss some of the products that we've recently received, but that we have not been able to feature. Some of our favorite brands have introduced new products, and they are always worth reviewing.

Patrón Citrónge Mango. The sweet and smooth Patrón Citrónge liqueurs are a Simply Perfect addition to any cocktail. Their newest flavor is clear & smooth with a refreshingly crisp mango taste.

The clear color gives an aroma of fresh, sweet mango. On the palate, you'll get more mango with hints of citrus, pineapple & peach. The long-lasting finish leaves you with even more juicy mango.

This is a delicate blend, made from high quality Ataulfo mangoes cultivated in Mexico. It's perfect for culinary as well as cocktail recipes, giving drinks and sauces a unique, exotic twist. 35% ABV. $21.99.

How about a Mango Mojito?

1oz Patrón Silver
1/2oz Patrón Citrónge Mango
1 cut lime
1 oz simple syrup
6-8 fresh mint leaves
club soda
lime wedge for garnish

In a tall glass, muddle mint leaves, lime and simple syrup. Add a cup of ice and Patrón Silver, Patrón Citrónge Mango and top with club soda. Stir gently. Garnish with a lime wedge.

BACARDÍ® Tangerine™ Flavored Rum is infused with rich tangerine flavors to create a tangy and fresh taste, inspired by the brand’s Caribbean heritage. BACARDÍ Tangerine is a BACARDÍ original flavor that’s great as a shot drink or mixed with fruit juices and soda water for a refreshing drink that’s full of flavor.

This is available in the 1 liter size only, at $20.99.

Try a BACARDÍ Tango.

Tangy, smooth and sweet. The BACARDÍ Tango tastes like summer in a glass with the simple combination of orange juice and BACARDÍ Tangerine.

1 part BACARDÍ Tangerine
3 parts orange juice
Fill a highball glass with ice. Pour in ingredients and mix well.

Slaughter House American Whiskey. The Spirit: An irresistible American Whiskey with endless layers and an everlasting finish, procured by Dave Phinney.

After spending 9 years in American oak, the spirit was further matured in our Papillon barrels which added perfumed aromatics and rounded out the mouthfeel. The spirit was then tamed with pristine water originating from a natural hillside spring found on Dave’s property 2000 feet above the Alexander Valley in California.

The Profile: Intense and inviting with caramelized sugar, baking spices, dark fruits, butterscotch and vanilla notes. The palate is smooth, ultra rich and layered. The finish is impressive with honey, toast and loads of caramel.

Only $41.99 in the Bottle Club®. We prefer this with a small amount of chilled, bottled water.

Cheers!

Grab Bag Friday

We have a pretty full agenda today, with plenty to share with you in this post. Over time, we have had people wonder about our work environment. It's easy to understand what it's like to work in our stores; you see our team every time you shop. But the crew at the main office? That's a mystery. So we thought we'd share a glimpse into our work space. This is in our break room:

Who wouldn't want to work here?

Events in Lawrenceville

We have our regular wine tasting schedule this weekend. The times are 4-6pm today, and 2-4pm tomorrow. Click here for the tasting menu. We'll maintain that normal schedule through the Labor Day weekend. We will not have any scheduled tastings over that weekend.

As we were assembling this post, the following new tastings were added to the calendar:

• Saturday, September 19th 2-4pm- Elysian (Customer Appreciation Day-look for additional promotions)
• Friday, October 23rd 5-7pm- Shock Top Pumpkin
• Saturday, November 14th 2-4pm- Cranberrita
• Saturday, December 5th 2-4pm- Stella Artois

That's all in addition to the Eagles kickoff event on Sunday, September 20. Click here for details on that event.

Events in Woodbridge

We will also have our regular wine tasting schedule this weekend, 4-6pm today, and 1-3pm tomorrow.

Whether you can truly call this an event or not, we're changing the traffic pattern in our parking lot. This will happen within the next week or so. We'll update you here and in social media, but please exercise extra caution in the parking lot over the next couple of weeks, allowing everyone to get comfortable with the new pattern.

New Products

Angel's Envy Bourbon, Canal's Family Selection. Our CFS choices continue to grow. A CFS spirit comes from a barrel that is hand-selected especially for us. On the nose, you’ll detect notes of subtle vanilla, raisins, maple syrup and toasted nuts. The palate reveals vanilla, ripe fruit, maple syrup, toast and bitter chocolate. The finish is clean, with a lingering sweetness and a hint of Madeira that slowly fades.

$44.99 in the Bottle Club®.


2009 Bodegas Tobia Oscar Tobia Reserva. 92 points from Wine Advocate. "The 2009 Oscar Tobia Reserva is Tempranillo with 5% Graciano aged for 26 months in a mix of French and Hungarian oak barrels, but shows much more traditional and serious with the wood neatly folded into the wine, with cigar box aromas and notes of red and black fruit, cinnamon and vanilla and developing some hints of leather, forest floor and truffle. The palate reveals a medium-bodied wine, with clean flavors and a remarkable finish. Great value, Bravo! Drink 2014-2019.

Only $16.96 in the Bottle Club®.

Renieri Toscana Invetro 2010 IGT. 90 points from Wine Spectator. "A brawny red, featuring tobacco-tinged black cherry, plum and floral notes. Backed by a solid spine of tannins and bright acidity, with tea and earth accents on the finish. Sangiovese, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink now through 2018."

Only $14.99 in the Bottle Club®.

Ripped from the Headlines

Wheaties Beer. But you can only get it in Minnesota. Click here for the story.

Have a great weekend!

One Stop Shopping

Although the calendar meme tells us that it's Thirsty Thursday, we know that you like a little something to eat while you're enjoying the wine, beer and spirits that are available in our store. Since we all like the convenience of one stop shopping, Joe Canal's stock a wide range of food items that you may not know about. Your blogger is here to introduce you to those other products.

DIY

We support the home brewer community. You can find several different Brooklyn Brew Shop kits in our stores. Beer has been made for thousands of years, and up until prohibition in the US, it was just another part of keeping a house. Almost everyone made beer or at least had a friend that did (possibly because it was safer than water in a lot of places).

We think you should brew because there's nothing better than inviting friends over, giving them a beer, and saying "I made this!" It's carbonated. It's alcohol. It's beer, and because you used fresh, whole ingredients and brewed it the way people have for centuries, it's really good beer.

Cold Case

Not the old TV show, but the best way to present and preserve cheese, meats and spreads. Wine and cheese, of course, is a classic combination, but craft beer and whisk(e)y also happen to pair exceptionally well with cheese, meat and spreads.

While stock varies between our two stores, you'll find roughly two dozen different cheeses on hand at any given time. Our selection typically includes Cheddar, Gouda and Parmesan, along with other varieties like:

Cheese case in Woodbridge

Cotswold is a variation of Double Gloucester, which has been supplemented with chopped onions and chives for added flavor. The taste of Cotswold is creamy, buttery, sweet and mild yet full-flavored like cheddar. The savory taste of chives and onions gives it that extra zing. This variation of Double Gloucester pairs well with beer, Zinfandel or Shiraz and is popular as a pub cheese in England.

Maytag Blue cheese is ripened over six months during which it develops a dense, crumbly texture and semi-sharp flavor. Every bite of Maytag melts in the mouth releasing a slightly tangy flavor with a lemony finish. With its pungent odor, the cheese might not suit everyone’s tastes. The cheese tastes delectable when crumbled into salads, crackers or melted onto a burger. Try it with glass of ale or lager.

Cheese case in Lawrenceville

Morbier is a semi-soft cow’s milk cheese named after the small village of Morbier in Franche-Comté. The cheese has an ivory color, and it is a bit soft and fairly elastic. It gets immediately identified because of its black layer of tasteless ash, which separates horizontally in the middle.

Together with 45% fat, it is protected by AOC designation. Morbier has a rich and creamy flavor with small eyes or holes. Sometimes, the cheese leaves a slightly bitter aftertaste and has strong aroma as well. Try this cheese with Gewurztraminer or Pinot Noir.

Prima Donna. Firm and slightly oily, a bit of salt in the finish. The only cheese that approaches Parmigiano Reggiano in sales. This is essentially Gouda made with starter cultures that are typically used in northern Italy.  These cultures result in a sweeter cheese than you would typically find in Holland. Pair with most beers or red wines.

Sweet or Hot Abbruzze Sausage, salami and other meats are also available in the cold case.

Roasted Garlic & Herb Cheese Spread. Rub-a-dub dub, this little tub. Savory herbs join garlic and onion in a cheddar-based spread that’s anything but short on flavor. Our classic recipe in its mild edition, Garlic & Herb Spread delivers a generous dose of your favorite flavors in a snackable little tub! Like all of the spreads we carry, these also go well when scooped with a Di Bruno Bros. Crostini.

Olives. Whether you use them as a cocktail garnish, cook with them or just pop 'em, we've got them vacuum-packed and ready to go.

Hot Stuff

BLiS Blast Hot Pepper Sauce is a secret blend of chipotle, arbol and cayenne chilies aged for up to a year in seasoned oak barrels that once held Kentucky bourbon, BLiS maple syrup and Founder’s Kentucky Breakfast Stout. The result is a complex hot sauce with a kick of chilies combined with hints of chocolate, maple, hops, garlic, vanilla, wood and spice in one giant blast of umami. In Lawrenceville only.

In other postings, we'll talk about pickled items, chips and pretzels, mixes and more. We know that plenty of additional great and delicious products are being added to our current stock, so stay tuned! For now, putting this post together has gotten us hungry, so it's blogger snack time.