That's Random

Your blogger has plenty of things to inform you about, as we're still catching up from the pile that accumulated during our vacation.

Internet Orders for Store Pick Up

This feature is now live for our Woodbridge store. We expect a few hiccups as we start this, so please bear with us as we work to improve your Joe Canal's experience. The Store Pick Up process will allow you to securely place your order from your mobile device or computer and pick it up in the store. This is a great time-saving device. Please note that our usual procedures (such as age verification) will remain in place.

Mixology Monday

David Rudd is the assistant store manager in Woodbridge, and is our resident Mixologist. His featured cocktail for this week is the Black Hole Sun Cocktail.

"I really dig a brunch cocktail that has a little more moxie than a mimosa – which is just about anything (and this one has bourbon in it).  2 oz bourbon (go for Elijah Craig 12yr), ½ oz cold brewed coffee, ½ oz simple syrup, 2 dashes orange bitters, 1 dash Angostura bitters and 1 dash chocolate bitters.  Build in a cocktail glass with ice and garnish with a lemon peel."

#romansgotthis

We wanted to thank everyone who participated in our recent #romansgotthis after hours event in Woodbridge. In brief, one of our employees was seriously injured in a hit-and-run incident. With the support of the community, we recently held a fund-raiser, to help with his extensive medical bills. Below are pictures from the event.

Joe Canal's Night at Dad' Hat Rye Whiskey

Great whiskey is made within a short distance of our Lawrenceville store. Join us for this all-new event. Space is limited to 25 people!

The registration fee is $15, and includes:

The tour of the Dad's Hat distillery

A tasting of Dad's Hat whiskey

Cocktail (shorty pour)

Barrel tasting

Joe Canal's rocks glass

Sign up today by calling 609-520-0008! Please note that transportation is not included; you must get to and from Dad's Hat on your own.

It's Ladies Night!

On occasion, Joe Canal's in Woodbridge will hold an after-hours event that provides a focus that we just cannot offer during the course of a normal business day. Given that we normally close at 7:00pm on Sunday, that's the one night of the week that an after-hours event is possible.

Save the date: Sunday, April 27. It's the Ladies Night Wine & Art Show in Woodbridge, from 7:30pm to 9:30pm. There is a modest registration fee ($15 in advance, $20 at the door) to participate. All proceeds for registration fees go to Angel PAWS, a 501(c)(3), non-profit, all volunteer organization dedicated to relieving the suffering of and finding permanent homes for stray, abandoned and homeless animals. They are based in Colonia, NJ.

The evening will include a sampling of about 20 wines, light hors d'oeuvres, after-hours shopping, the art exhibit and sale, and more. There will also be cocktails available for purchase.  A portion of those proceeds will also go to charity. And the Ladies Night Wine & Art Show soundtrack will be supplied by WDHA radio!

This event will fill up quickly. To register, or get more information, please contact Debbie Miller Nelson at 732-726-0077 x310, or dnelson@joecanals.net.

Snow Grumble Grumble Snow

We don't remember moving to Siberia; that's our best explanation for this weather. Can we please trade this mess in for a warm summer day?

So if we're going to get you to come visit us, we'll make the trip worthwhile. In Lawrenceville, we have a free wine tasting today, from 4-6pm. The tasting menu is here. Also today, at 5pm, we're tapping Matilda, from Goose Island, our featured brewery in February, at the Growler station. You can find tasting notes and pricing information here. The scheduled events wrap up on Saturday, with another free wine tasting, from 2-4pm.

At our Woodbridge store, things are similar, but still different. Our free Friday wine tasting also runs from 4-6pm, and the tasting menu is here. At 6pm, while the wine team is cleaning up, our beer team steps up with a double tapping of Slumbrew, our Featured Brewery for February. We'll tap Trekker Tripel and Sittin' On Hop of the World. Tasting notes and pricing information can be found here.

The Saturday wine tasting in Woodbridge is a departure from our routine. The time is different (5-7pm), and the wines will be different than what we're tasting on Friday. We'll offer samples of four different wines from 90+ Cellars. 90+ Cellars offers Saturday night taste at a Tuesday night price. To see the full menu, with pricing information, please go here.

At Joe Canal's, we're committed to offering the best products at the best prices. And having the opportunity to sample products before you buy is one great way for you experience that. Because at Joe Canal's, the Good Times Start Here...For Less!

Raffle Prizes as an Antidote to Snow!

As we look out the office window mid-day today, we see it's finally gotten around to snowing. The weather report indicated that we'd get an inch or two of snow today, which shouldn't be enough to deter you from stopping in to Joe Canal's, New Jersey's wine & spirits Superstore.

In case you need an extra reason to visit Joe Canal's in Lawrenceville or Woodbridge, let me give you  five extra reasons instead.

Both Lawrenceville (2-4pm) and Woodbridge (1-3pm) will have their regular Saturday wine tastings. Click for the tasting menu at both stores. The menu at Woodbridge includes one of the Downton Abbey wines.

Today we're also continuing our pre-Big Game activities with 9:00pm raffle drawings at each store.

 

In Lawrenceville, the prize is this 32" TV. Sorry, but the beer is not included.








And in Woodbridge, the prize is this Sam Adams Fire Pit. That's pretty tempting, given the weather lately!








For our daily raffles, tickets are only collected on the day of the drawing, so the more days that you visit our stores, the more chances you have to win! No purchase is necessary to participate in the drawings. Follow the links for the complete prize list and Rules for Lawrenceville and Woodbridge.

Our fifth extra reason is today's specialty tapping in Lawrenceville. Our Big Game specialty tappings started a few days ago in Lawrenceville, and will begin on Monday, January 27 in Woodbridge. In Lawrenceville, today we're tapping Stone Double Bastard.

Tomorrow, each store will raffle off a Big Game catered party for 10. So there's a head start on your reasons to visit Joe Canal's in Lawrenceville and Woodbridge tomorrow!

What We Enjoy

Particularly from Thanksgiving through Christmas, the staff at Joe Canal's are asked for suggestions on the best wines, or other beverage alcohol items, to pair with meals, to serve as aperitifs, or as digestifs. And after we assist our customers, we have to make those same choices for ourselves. A few of our team members told us about their selections.

David Rudd, Floor Manager, Woodbridge: "We drank a no-frills, but delicious, Sangria made with a Carlo Rossi jug wine, fruit brandy, and as much sliced fruit as would fit in a five gallon bucket. We had a gorgeous red from Mercurey (Burgundy) with the turkey. After dinner we had some bottle-aged Dogfish Head 120, Fultons Harvest Apple Pie cream liqueur and a delicious absinthe concoction with lime, sugar and water that tasted like liquid fennel salad."

Mike Reardon, Receiving Manager, Lawrenceville: "We had the Dead Bolt red blend for Thanksgiving. We liked it so much that we'll probably have it again at Christmas. I also had some of the Innis and Gunn Holiday pack."

Lindsey Daly, Supervisor, Lawrenceville: "I'm drinking The Bruery Autumn Maple for Thanksgiving; its a delicious yam beer. For Christmas I'm going to drink mostly stouts; Left Hand Nitro milk stout, Terrapin Moo Hoo chocolate stout, and Founders Breakfast Stout. And we'll start Christmas morning with Bloody Mary's, made with Tito's vodka."

Yes, after we help you, we enjoy shopping where we work. Please ask us for suggestions. Our knowledgeable team members are happy to help.

New Joel Gott Wine in Woodbridge

If you've been shopping at Joe Canal's any time in the last year or two, you'll know how well our wines from Joel Gott have been selling. His 815 Cabernet Sauvignon is a top seller in the under $15 category, and we carry several other varietals, including Sauvignon Blanc and Zinfandel, at both stores.

We've just added, only at our Woodbridge location, Joel Gott's new Riesling, from the Columbia Valley in Washington State.

This Riesling has aromas of mandarin, key lime, stone fruit and honeysuckle. Bright acidity on the front of the palate is followed by a mouthwatering finish. The wine is dry in style with a small amount of residual sugar balancing the wine’s natural acidity. Pair with Thai or Mexican food. At only $11.49 in the Bottle Club, this is an outstanding value.

For the convenience of our Lawrenceville shoppers, our Customer Service team can have the Joel Gott Riesling transferred from the Woodbridge location.

As an aside, if you're traveling to Napa, save time for a lunch break at Gott's Roadside (formerly Taylor's Refresher). The simple roadside stand in St. Helena is a landmark, and they've added locations in the Oxbow Public Market (also in Napa), San Francisco (Ferry Building Marketplace) and Palo Alto (Town & Country Village). A burger with garlic fries and beer or wine sounds perfect right now.