Six Pack Plus

If 13 baked items are called a "Baker's Dozen," then what do we call 7 craft beer selections? We don't know either, but we thought you'd want more information in this pre-Memorial Day week. Please note that we will have regular hours this Saturday (9am-10pm) and Sunday (9am-7pm), and holiday hours of 9am-6pm on Monday, Memorial Day.

We're offering money-saving coupons on two of the items we're featuring today. The Uinta Hop Nosh Tangerine is included in our weekly coupon page (Lawrenceville coupons are here, and Woodbridge are here). The Harpoon Big Squeeze coupon will be Tweeted on Thursday. Click here for the Lawrenceville Twitter feed, and click here for Woodbridge. We do follow back.

As of this writing, the first three selections below are available in both stores.

Harpoon UFO Big Squeeze Shandy. When we first started thinking of a UFO summer seasonal, we knew we had our work cut out for us. We loaded up the vans for the beach and spent days "researching" every combination of fresh fruit juice and beer we could think of until we discovered a combination that made our decision easy.

Sweet with a hint of tartness, UFO Big Squeeze Shandy is perfect for all of your summer adventures! 4.5% ABV, 13 IBU.

Appearance:  hazy, slightly orange, fine foamy head
Aroma:  clean citrus, some crackery notes from the wheat malt
Mouth feel: light bodied
Taste:  sweet malt, sweet / tart grapefruit        
Finish:  quenching, refreshing

Uinta Hop Nosh Tangerine IPA. Uinta Brewing Company takes a fresh approach to their signature IPA, Hop Nosh, introducing a Tangerine variant of the product. Uinta’s new seasonal twist on their top-selling product, Hop Nosh Tangerine IPA, is brewed with real tangerine juice adding a tartness that compliments the notable tropical hop characteristics of the classic Hop Nosh.

"The R&D process for this product was a fun one" said Isaac Winter, Head Brewer of Research and Development at Uinta. "We played with several fruit variants ultimately landing on tangerine as

the citrus flavors and aroma was harmonious with the natural characteristics of the new-world hop varietals used in this product. This beer is refreshing and tart, yet still boasts hop bitterness expected from an IPA."

Ballast Point Watermelon Dorado. Our Watermelon Dorado Double IPA is not one to back down from big flavors. Mash, kettle, and dry hopping blend to create a huge hop profile that is balanced with a blast of watermelon. The result is a refreshing brew that is all summer and no seeds. 10% ABV, 90 IBU.

Pair with Shrimp Po Boy, Pineapple Custard, or Asiago & Manchego Cheese.

Currently, the following two items are only available at our Lawrenceville store:

Kona Big Wave Golden Ale. Our brewers wanted to make a beer that went down easy after a day out on the water. Big Wave Golden Ale is just the ticket. Big Wave is a lighter bodied golden ale with a tropical hop aroma and flavor – a smooth, easy drinking refreshing ale. The use of caramel malt contributes to the golden hue of this beer and our special blend of hops provides bright quenching finish. 4.4% ABV, 21 IBU.

Big Wave is an excellent choice after a day of snorkeling, surfing or just hanging out. Its lighter body and bright hop aroma and taste makes it a natural to enjoy with seafood, poultry, salads and light pasta dishes.

Brooklyn Sorachi Ace. Named after the Sorachi region of Hokkaido, Japan, the Sorachi Ace hop was developed by a large Japanese brewery in the late 1970s. A cross between British Brewers Gold, Japanese "Beikei No. 2" and the famed Czech Saaz, it had a unique lemony, herbal scent, but this hop was deemed "odd" and ended up quickly banished to a laboratory.

In 2008, the Sorachi Ace hop was quietly revived by a family farm in Washington State. Less than a year later, we made it the star of its own titular beer. Originally a member of our limited Brewmaster’s Reserve series, Brooklyn Sorachi Ace is a beer we just couldn’t let disappear. Brooklyn Sorachi Ace is a classic saison, an unfiltered golden farmhouse ale, with a clean malt flavor and the quirky Sorachi Ace hop standing front and center. Dry-hopping releases Sorachi Ace’s bright, spicy aromatics to tickle the nose before ascending into a fine harmony between pilsner malt and playful Belgian ale yeast.

Brooklyn Sorachi Ace is sunshine in a glass, a shining example of the versatility of one of the world’s most intriguing hops. This beer is a superstar at the table, and we enjoy it with seafood dishes, fresh cheeses, poultry, barbecue, and even tomato-based pasta sauces. All by itself it puts on a great solo performance too, and we can honestly say that you’ve never tasted any beer quite like it. Go ahead, pour yourself some sunshine.

Food Pairings: Pork buns, fish tacos, shrimp, smoked salmon, sushi, prosciutto, curries, salads, grilled meats and fresh goat cheese.

And our final two beers are currently available exclusively at our Woodbridge store:

Fort Collins Red Banshee. A Red Alt Ale.
Aroma: Classic German Noble hops and caramel malt aroma.
Appearance: Dark ruby hue with foamy white head.
Flavor: Created with German malts for a rich, nutty sweetness, while Noble hops provide an herbal spiciness. A strong, bitter backbone balanced by an intense maltiness and moderate caramel notes.
Cooking tips: Homestyle dishes will enhance the caramel and toffee tones. Ideal for braising and roasting.

Pair with Cheddar mac & cheese or creme brulee. 5.3% ABV. 37 IBU.

Avery Vanilla Bean Stout. A double dose of vanilla derived from both fresh Bourbon barrels and the trio of Tongan, Ugandan, and Mexican whole vanilla beans is complemented by essences of chocolate, caramel and molasses to round out this luxuriously silky stout. 10.8 % ABV.