Zany Weather Corner

The weather has always been one of your blogger's favorite topics. it's easy conversation, since pretty much everyone experiences the weather. And in the winter, when there are days that we only venture outside to shovel sidewalks or scrape ice, coming back inside to a great craft beer is one of the simple pleasures.

If you shop at our Lawrenceville store, please note that we will be closed for inventory on January 17. That's our regular craft beer delivery day, so these selections will not arrive until Friday. That same format will repeat next week, but in Woodbridge, where the store will be closed on January 24. One final housekeeping note: Beginning Monday, January 16, Woodbridge will close at 9pm every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. The store hours will otherwise not change.

Ballast Point Manta Ray Double IPA. This new IPA rises above the rest. We’ve developed many IPA recipes in our R&D program, but right from the tank, our Manta Ray Double IPA was a winner. Aromas of fresh, citrusy tangerine, melon and light pine leap from the beer and linger over a smooth finish. Like its namesake, this brew can sneak up on you – a big beer without a bite. 8.5% ABV, 70 IBU.

Pair with Chinese Salt and Pepper Wings, Bay Blue Cheese, or Dungeness Crab

Cakes.

Oskar Blues Deviant Dale’s Imperial IPA (8% ABV, 85 IBU) was born at the cross roads, in a juke joint, as if Dale’s Pale Ale sold its soul to balance Deviant’s foreboding aromas of citrus, grapefruit rind and piney resins with a copper ball-of-fire color and inscrutable finish. The 2011 Great American Beer Festival Silver Medal Winner (American IPA Category) is the Devil incarnate with untold amounts of malt and hedonistic Columbus dry-hopping. Limited availability.

Yards Golden Hop IPA. This light-bodied IPA soars with the tropical notes of tangerine, mango and grapefruit from Mosaic and Amarillo hops and bright
floral and citrus undertones from Cascade in the hopback. 6.0% ABV, 55 IBU.

Golden Hop IPA's crisp melon and citrus flavors pair well with acidic, tomato-based foods like Italian cuisine. Try with bruschetta or Lasagne alla Bolognese. Cin cin!

Troegs Nugget Nectar. Not yet. Should be available to us in about 2 weeks.

Lagunitas Hop Stoopid. Now available in 6-packs. A Double-Barrel Dose of Malt and Hops. The beer with a guarantee built right into the name, this one is destined to blast through the flavors from the night before. Massively dry-hopped for your aromatic pleasure. 8% ABV, 102 IBU, and 99 points at RateBeer.

These bombers are also scheduled to arrive this week: Cascade Apricot, Founders Frootwood, and Green Flash Nuevo Tarte. Also just arrived (in 12oz 4packs) is Dogfish Head Olde School.

Cheers!