Showing posts with label events. Show all posts
Showing posts with label events. Show all posts

Tuesday, November 22, 2016

Turkey Corner

So the title of this post was a little predictable. We write 10 or more major subject lines and/or titles every week, and sometime we just run out of creativity. We don't, however, run out of great new craft beer. Here's a look at some of our freshest deliveries.

Owl's Brew The Blondie and (That's My) Jam. Owl’s Brew is the first ever "tea crafted for cocktails." It is one of the only products on the market that is fresh-brewed and bottled. We brew the product in Vermont in large kettles, where it is handcrafted in small batches, and then sweetened, packed, and bottled.

Owl’s Brew was founded by two female tea-drinking boozers (always in moderation). We were looking for a sipper that was lighter, fresher, funner. We were tired of our go-to vodka cran. While an easy bar-call, there was too much sugar, and a serious lack of hydration. It didn’t take us long to think of a product that offered endless flavors, that was light and fresh - our favorite non-boozy sipper - tea!

(That's My) Jam is an amber ale blended with brewed Darjeeling tea, hibiscus flower, fruit juices, and agave sugar. The Blondie is wheat beer brewed with spices and blended with black tea and citrus juices.

Sixpoint Global Warmer. No one can deny the beer climate is changing. Extreme bittering patterns and massive flavor oscillations are the new normal.

Experts have determined that IBU levels of beers have been rising at an alarming rate and the Mad Scientists have concluded that this will have a lasting impact on our Beer Climate. Take, for instance, the Winter Seasonal. The snow-covered cabins and bucolic winter scenes have melted down. Now, beers are inundated with spices and infusions, torrential downpours of hops flood our tastebuds, and cloying beers coat our palates like oil slicks.

We present the Global Warmer, an authentic Mad Scientists creation based upon an original recipe.  The objective is simple—create awesome liquid and draw attention to the rapidly changing beer climate. Naturally, the beer doesn’t conform to existing style guidelines, because the Mad Scientists brew to their own tastes. This undefinable formulation demonstrates the potency of changing recipes, but does so with nuanced flavor from malt, hops and yeast. Toasted malt expresses rich depth to remind you this is a winter brew. But the citrus hop character and 70 IBUs of incandescent herbal spiciness shine throughout—a new sort of winter warmer for a changing globe.

The Global Warmer is 7% ABV with 70 searing IBUs. After a nose characterized by big hop character, an ample, coating bitterness rushes the palate. The malt is a pleasant contrast; it’s soft and complex, with notes of biscuit and toasted caramel. And the malt presence is deep enough that you’ll detect dark fruit and even mild hints of chocolate as your brew warms.

Heavy Seas Winter Storm. Winter Storm may be Hugh's favorite beer in the Heavy Seas catalogue. Our winter ale draws on hops from the West Coast and the UK for its pronounced bitterness. A mix of pale and darker malts give it its tawny color and its bigger body. True to the style, Winter Storm's aroma is nutty malts and earthy hops. This is a perfect fall beer, especially because of its warming qualities. 7.5% ABV, 50 IBU.

Pair with Brie or Havarti cheese, pan-seared steak, barbecued pork.

Because of Thanksgiving, there wasn't much new to report this week. As always, please ask about allocated items that might not be on display.

Events update: Look for a Victory Brewing tasting event in Lawrenceville next Friday, 12/2, from 4-6pm. Also on 12/2, at the same time, there will be a Weyerbacher tasting in Woodbridge. To keep up with events in Lawrenceville, click here. To see the Woodbridge event calendar, click here.

Friday, September 16, 2016

Double Anniversary Celebrations this Month!

Both our Woodbridge and Lawrenceville stores are celebrating their birthdays in a big way this month, starting THIS WEEKEND at Lawrenceville! 

We've got tastings, giveaways and other great events, so check out the flyers below and be sure to visit jcanals.com for more information!

 
Click here for the full weekend event schedule at Lawrenceville!
 
Woodbridge's celebration starts on Wednesday, September 21st.
 
 
Click here to visit the event page on our Woodbridge site.  Be sure to  take note of our 10th Anniversary After-Hours Gala, happening Sunday, September 25th!
 
 
 
 
 

Friday, August 26, 2016

Your Weekend Events!

It's a special weekend at our stores!  Visit the Events Page at Lawrenceville for details on special
tastings we have for you this weekend featuring vodka, rum, premixed cocktails and more!

At Woodbridge, on Friday from 4 - 6 and Saturday 1 - 3, we've got these great wines on the table.  Don't forget that you can save $1.00 with the in-store coupon for Preferred Selection wines and spirits!

Acre Twenty One - Harvest Blend Red
Here's a tasty Washington red blend, made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah and Cabernet Franc. It's dry, fruit-forward, with berry and spice flavors and a smooth finish. A great pizza-pasta wine at an attractive price.
Price: $14.99 / Bottle Club® Price: $9.97

Dr Volkmar - Kabinett
A pleasing bouquet of apple, peach & citrus fruits followed by a medium-bodied palate with ripe fruit flavors. Enjoy on its own or with white meats.
Price: $13.99 / Bottle Club® Price: $7.97

Dr Volkmar - Spatlese
A fragrant swirl of apricot, peach, tropical fruit & citrus notes followed by round & supple palate ending in a long finish. Enjoy with strong cheeses or Asian Cuisine.
Price: $15.99 / Bottle Club® Price: $9.97

Trompeur - Napa Chardonnay
Medium-bodied with an enticing bouquet of fresh citrus, melon and tropical fruits, framed with hints of spice, vanilla and a touch of butter. This elegant Napa Chardonnay can be enjoyed on its own, or paired with white meats, seafood or Asian Cuisine.
Price: $24.99 / Bottle Club® Price: $16.97

And you'll especially want to stop by fron 4 - 6 on Saturday for a special evening of Wine Tasting and delicious food!  Enjoy Faust wines and the Fork in the Road food truck.

Thursday, August 11, 2016

A Wild & Crazy Weekend!

Join us this weekend at our Woodbridge and Lawrenceville locations for a great time!

Visit our events page at Woodbridge or our events page at Lawrenceville for full information!

Here are the wines we're pouring for you this weekend at Woodbridge!  Also sampling on Friday will be our friends at Magic Hat and their awesome craft beer.

Block 478 Pinot Noir
Medium-bodied wine with both sweet and savory notes, plenty of fruit-forward flavor, and a degree of finesse that proclaims, "Special occasion!"
100% Pinot Noir. Aromas & Flavors:  Savory, Sandalwood, Cedar, Red Cherry and Assorted Red Berries.
Regular Price: $16.99 / Bottle Club® Price: $12.96

Block 478 Chardonnay
The Santa Barbara County Chardonnay was picked early to get the acidity and excellent citrus and honey flavors. We wanted to keep as much of the fruit flavors as possible so the wine has only received a little bit of malolactic fermentation and no oak. The wine has such a rich mouth feel we didn't think it was necessary to try and add anything to distract from the natural acid, fruit and round quality of the wine.
Regular Price: $15.99 / Bottle Club® Price: $11.96

Viamora Pinot Grigio
Straw yellow in color with a pleasing bouquet of tree fruits, wild flowers and acacia. The light-bodied palate is straight forward and simple showing hints of citrus, tree fruit and mineral notes. Enjoy on its own, or serve with seafood, salads or poultry dishes.
Regular Price: $10.99 / Bottle Club® Price: $6.77

Chateau la Terriere - Beaujolais Villages
A deep garnet with purple highlights . Expressive nose, featuring pretty fresh red fruits and violets.  Fruit forward with beautiful freshness and lively, supple tannins and a slightly spicy finish. A very friendly wine.
Regular Price: $14.99 / Bottle Club® Price: $11.96

And at Lawrenceville, we've got a whole lot happening!  On Friday, we'll be pouring the following wines:

Block 478 Cabernet Sauvignon
Medium-bodied wine with both sweet and savory notes, plenty of fruit-forward flavor, and a degree of finesse that proclaims, "Special occasion!"
100% Pinot Noir. Aromas & Flavors:  Savory, Sandalwood, Cedar, Red Cherry and Assorted Red Berries.
Regular Price: $22.99 / Bottle Club® Price: $15.96
Rombauer Chardonnay
Enticing aromas of bright citrus and melon are layered with spice, vanilla and a touch of butter. Vibrant flavors of mango and guava meld with vanilla and soft spice on the creamy, rich palate. The finish is juicy and satisfying with refreshing acidity that makes you crave another sip.
Regular Price: $33.99 / Bottle Club® Price: $29.99
Viamora Pinot Grigio
Straw yellow in color with a pleasing bouquet of tree fruits, wild flowers and acacia. The light-bodied palate is straight forward and simple showing hints of citrus, tree fruit and mineral notes. Enjoy on its own, or serve with seafood, salads or poultry dishes.
Regular Price: $10.99 / Bottle Club® Price: $6.77
Chateau la Terriere - Beaujolais Villages
A deep garnet with purple highlights . Expressive nose, featuring pretty fresh red fruits and violets.  Fruit forward with beautiful freshness and lively, supple tannins and a slightly spicy finish. A very friendly wine.
Regular Price: $14.99 / Bottle Club® Price: $11.96
And don't miss out on the festivities on Saturday, beginning at 9am with a special tapping of Sunday Morning Stout for a limited amount of growler fills!  We'll also be sampling Heineken and Kir Rose cocktails, beginning at noon, and from 1pm - 3pm WPST will be here broadcasting live!

Thursday, August 4, 2016

Tastings Galore!

We just updated our event calendar pages with a ton of great tastings!

Check out our upcoming Woodbridge events here, and our Lawrenceville events here.

August in Woodbridge is all about craft beer! Come out and taste some Magic Hat, Two Roads, Brooklyn and more!  We've also got tastings featuring our selection of the new Magic Moments Vodkas and a Bartenders Cocktails tasting!

In Lawrenceville we've got a full day of fun on August 13th, featuring a live broadcast from WPST, a Heineken tasting, and a Kir Rose cocktail tasting that will be sure to delight any cocktail enthusiast!  Also in August we've got Blue Point Brewing, VDKA 6100 and more!

Always be sure to keep an eye at jcanals.com as well as Facebook and Twitter for the latest and greatest happenings at Joe Canal's Woodbridge and Lawrenceville!

Friday, July 15, 2016

Mid-Summer Classic

If baseball's All-Star game can be the Mid-Summer Classic, why can't this blog post claim the same title? It's not like they're the NFL, with their trademark on the term "Super Bowl". Anyway, the point of this blog post is to keep you informed, so let's roll out some information.

Events in Lawrenceville

Astute blog readers will note that we did not do an Events post yesterday. We just had that travel info to share instead.

It's a simple events weekend at our Lawrenceville store. We'll have our standard wine tasting today, from 4-6pm. Tomorrow, we're offering samples of Palm Breeze Sparkling Alcohol Spritz, from 11am-2pm.

Palm Breeze Sparkling Alcohol Spritz is from the Mike's Hard Lemonade team. Ruby Red Citrus contains the taste of fresh-cut citrus and grapefruit with a light carbonation. Pineapple Mandarin Orange is a blend of pineapple and orange, and pairs well with ginger. And don't miss the Palm Breeze Hummer in the parking lot!

Events in Woodbridge

So many people get to leave work early on summer Fridays, we decided to start our wine tasting early as well. Our wine tasting will run from 1-3pm today. Click here for the tasting menu.

Another reason why the wine tasting is early is because we're offering samples of The Botanist Islay Dry Gin, from 4-7pm today.

If you use gin in any cocktail, you owe it to yourself to experience something delicious and different..

For this, "The Botanist" Artisinal Islay Gin, we use nine of the classic gin aromatics - orris root,
cassia bark, coriander seed, etc - and augment these with a heady harvest of 22 local botanicals, hand-picked by our expert foraging team from the windswept hills, peat bogs and Atlantic shores of this Hebridean island of Islay.

Saturday also brings a "twofer" tasting. We start with our regular wine tasting, from 1-3pm. Click here for the tasting menu. Up next, scheduled for 4-6pm, is a tasting of fresh beer from New Jersey's Forgotten Boardwalk Brewing Co.

                                                               New Products

Magic Moments Grain Vodka. How does Magic Moments make it possible for you to embark on such lovely flights of fantasy? By choosing only the finest grain, triple-distilled to create a smooth and crystal liquid that's more than a just a drink...it's a moment of magic in every sip!

Nose : Clean and Fresh with subtle aroma of neutral grain spirit
Palate : Delicate and Neutral taste
Finish : Crispy and short finish

We're now stocking the unflavored Magic Moments vodka, as well as the Apple, Chocolate, Ginger-Lemongrass, and Peach flavors. Each variety is only $9.99 in the Bottle Club®.

Avery Raja. Brazenly bitter. Dashingly dry-hopped. Raja is an audacious addition to our lengthy lineage of intrepid IPAs. Hops for all! All for hops! Double IPA, 8% ABV. Limited availability.


Cocktails On Us

Part of our summer session with NJ.com on Facebook. The link will be available later today on our Facebook page as well. This recipe is courtesy of David Rudd, Store Manager for our Woodbridge location.

Seargeant Pepper
1 oz pineapple juice
1 oz lime juice
1 oz orgeat
1 oz cumin/pepper simple syrup
4 oz Hixson gin
1 pinch cayenne

To make the simple syrup:
1 tablespoon whole cumin seeds, toasted, 5 whole peppercorns and 1/2 cup each sugar and water. Simmer for 15 minutes.  Strain and chill.

Combine ingredients in a shaker with large ice cubes and shake vigorously for 15 seconds. Strain into a coupe or martini glass. Garnish with a pineapple.

Ripped from the Headlines

Will low or zero alcohol beer reach the predicted 20% of sales in less than 10 years? Click here for the story in Fortune.

A Personal Note

As your blogger for the last three years, I've enjoyed sharing a wide range of information with you. Our company has made some changes, and we're moving back to the Joe Canal's location in Lawrenceville. A new blogger will occupy this space as of Monday, with free rein to make this an even better project. Cheers!

Friday, June 24, 2016

Finally Friday

We hope you're ready for the weekend. With great events and low sale prices, we're ready as well.

In-Store Events

Click here for a list of what's on our agenda for this weekend, and that includes an early start. Please note that this is the final weekend that the Sailor Jerry Harley Davidson will be on display in our Woodbridge store. There is, of course, still plenty of time to enter the drawing for the motorcycle give-away. Inquire at Customer Service. No purchase necessary to enter the drawing.

We don't have the exact time yet, but NJ.com will be back at our Woodbridge store today to record another "Cocktail of the Week" video segment. As soon as we have the stream available, we'll post it to our Facebook pages and link it here. Our Cocktail of the Week, courtesy of Woodbridge Store Manager David Rudd, is the Monkey Mule.


Ingredients
2 oz. Monkey Rum with Toasted Coconut
4-6 oz. Gosling's Ginger Beer
Fresh Lime

Directions
Fill a copper mug with ice and build cocktail. Pour in the Monkey Rum and top with the ginger beer. Squeeze a slice of fresh lime on top and serve. That's simple and refreshing!



New Products

River Horse Hippotizing IPA. Our American IPA is a cross between the West Coast and New England styles. It’s brewed with a pale malt profile to allow the hops to shine through, then dry hopped with over two pounds per barrel worth of Mosaic. This is a great amped up IPA for hop lovers. 7.5% ABV.

Poggio Siresa Amarone. An elegant wine with enticing aromas of black cherry, ripe plum and hints of mocha. The palate is full-bodied and concentrated with refined ripe dark fruit flavors balanced with spice and velvety tannins, which ends in a long finish. Enjoy with rich meats, game dishes or pasts with meat sauce. From the Veneto region. Only $49.97 in the Bottle Club®.

                                                   Ripped from the Headlines

Pitman, NJ had been a "dry" town for over 100 years. Not anymore. Click here for the story.

Single Malt Scotch On Pace For All-Time High. With all its top brands in growth mode, the single malt Scotch whisky category looks poised to mark a major milestone this year and cross 1.5 million cases in U.S. volume for the first time. Overall, the single malt segment climbed 7% in the U.S. last year, according to Impact Databank, capping a run in which it has grown by about 50% since 2010, and nearly tripled since 2000.

A look at the top single malt players in the U.S. shows a rising tide lifting all boats. Each of the top six single malt brands in the market (The Glenlivet, The Macallan, Glenfiddich, Glenmorangie, The Balvenie and Laphroaig) displayed solid progress in 2015, combining for an average growth rate of nearly 10%. Among the standout performers were Glenfiddich and Laphroaig, which posted gains of 16% and 14% respectively.

Data courtesy of Shanken News Daily.

Have a great weekend!

Thursday, June 23, 2016

We're Keeping Busy

We're busy planning events, that is. Here's what's coming up at Joe Canal's in Lawrenceville and Woodbridge, including some just-announced events.

Oh, wait. Before we get to that, please note that this is the last full weekend before the 4th of July holiday 3-day weekend. take advantage of our sales and coupons to save even more money as you stock up for any holiday parties that you might host or attend.

Also, this is the last weekend for the Sailor Jerry Harley-Davidson display in our Woodbridge store. There's still plenty of time to enter the drawing, as the Harley is not being given away until the end of the summer. Ask about entering the drawing at Customer Service. No purchase is necessary.

Events in Lawrenceville

It's a relatively low-key weekend in Lawrenceville. We'll have our regular wine tasting on Friday, from 4-6pm. On Saturday, look for a Strongbow Hard Cider tasting, from noon to 2pm. Hard Cider is a refreshing addition to your cooler, so if you haven't yet tried Strongbow, here's you chance.

The newest addition to the Lawrenceville schedule is a tasting of Palm Breeze Sparkling Alcohol Spritz. The flavors of Palm Breeze Pineapple Mandarin Orange and Ruby Red Citrus are light, refreshing and perfect for girl time!

Click here for the complete Event Calendar in Lawrenceville.

Events in Woodbridge

One new addition to our calendar helps us start this weekend a little early. Stop by on Friday, 1-3pm, for the Netflix and Chill Tasting, with Charles Smith Wines.

A premier winery from Washington, the Charles Smith portfolio includes Kung Fu Girl Riesling, Boom Boom! Syrah, and many others. During the tasting, enter to win a $50 Netflix gift card (no purchase necessary). That's how you start a weekend. Click here for details.

We will host our regular Friday wine tasting as well, from 4-6pm. Click here for the tasting menu.

On Saturday, we begin the end of the Sailor Jerry branded Harley Davidson display with a tasting of...Sailor Jerry Spiced Navy Rum. That will run from 1-3pm. Don't forget to ask about the drawing to win the motorcycle.

We close the month of June on Thursday with a return of the Dark N Stormy tasting. Sample the cocktail, as well as the Dark N Stormy cake, made locally by Silvato Bros. Bakery in Woodbridge.

As usual, there are tons of events already on our schedule. Click here to access the full Event Calendar for Woodbridge.

Thursday, June 16, 2016

The Best Laid Plans

At Joe Canal's in Lawrenceville and Woodbridge, we work hard to be able to claim that we host the best store events in New Jersey. And while we have fun with these programs, we want you to enjoy them as well. Here's what we're up to.

Events in Lawrenceville

The weekend starts today in Lawrenceville. Today, we offer you an opportunity to acquire a really unique gift item. From 3:30-5:30pm, stop in to create a custom, personalized label for your bottle of Josh Cellars wine. We carry four different Josh Cellars reds, along with two different whites, so there's sure to be a selection for the person you're gifting.

National Cucumber Day was June 14th, in case you missed it. To continue the celebration, we're offering samples of Hendrick's Gin Cucumber Lemonade on Friday, from 4-7pm. Hendrick’s wondrous botanical signature consists of flowers, roots, fruits, and seeds from the world over. They function to complement and set the stage for our delicious duet of infusions: rose petal and cucumber.

Saturday will be a full day at the store. We start with a tasting of Bud Light Lime-a-Rita Splash, from noon-2pm. Lime-A-Rita Splash is a refreshing take on the traditional margarita, but with all the great taste you’ve come to love from Bud Light. It’s made with a careful mix of barley malt, non-malted cereal grains and subtle hopping before undergoing a uniquely special filtration process. It’s then blended with the classic taste of Bud Light Lime, and additional ingredients, to give you that refreshingly easy-to-drink margarita flavor. Lime-A-Rita Splash offers the same great taste as Bud Light Lime-A-Rita, but with a lower ABV rate, so that you can enjoy those margarita moments more often!

From 1-3pm on Saturday, we have a tasting of Sailor Jerry Spiced Navy Rum. The Sailor Jerry recipe is based on the tradition of sailors improving the flavor of their on-board rum rations.  Generally there were two ways to take the edge off rum. One was to age the liquid in wooden casks, which sailors rarely bothered with. The other way was to blend in spices. This is what most sailors did and it's what we do. This tasting is in conjunction with the Sailor Jerry Harley Davidson promotion. The branded Harley is on display at our Woodbridge store until the end of June, and it will be given away via a drawing at the end of the summer. No purchase is necessary to enter the drawing. Details are available at the store.

We wrap up Saturday with a Father's Day favorite: custom engraving of bottles of Johnnie Walker Blue Label. We'll have an engraving machine in the store, ready to put your message right on a bottle of an amazing whisky. That's available from 1-4pm.

Click here for a complete listing of all of the Lawrenceville events.

Events in Woodbridge

And the weekend also starts today in Woodbridge. Please stop in for a tasting of Shiner beers, from 4-6pm. Until the recent hype over the introduction of New Belgium to New Jersey, Shiner was the most in-demand, out of state craft beer.

On Friday, first look for a tasting of Ommegang, from 3-6pm. Included in the sampling is Nirvana IPA, one of their newest releases.

The Friday fun continues with a special gift wrapping and sampling of The Macallan Single Malt Scotch, from 5-7pm. This is another great option for Father's Day.

It's almost anti-climactic, but we are having a wine tasting on Saturday, from 1-3pm. Click here for the tasting menu.

We have plenty of great events coming up. Click here for our full schedule.

Friday, June 10, 2016

Made it to the Weekend

In our world, the week went by pretty quickly. Maybe our rum tasting yesterday helped a bit (more on that below). We just hope things slow down over the weekend. Speaking of the weekend...

In Store Events

Yesterday's blog post detailed all of this weekend's events at Joe Canal's in Lawrenceville and Woodbridge. Click here for that post. Did you know there's a Harley parked inside our Woodbridge store? That's discussed in yesterday's blog post as well.

New Products

Monkey Rum. The office staff got a break from the routine yesterday, as we all got to sample the two new rums. The Coconut, pictured here, smelled like summer, as the toasted coconut aromas were prominent. The Spiced Rum features molasses and exotic baking spice notes.

Monkey Rum is distilled 100% from Caribbean Molasses. Angostura, Trinidad, our source of rum, distills using column stills that allows the blender to draw off a lighter, clean, rum base that we then age for up to three years. Both rums are barrel aged in ex-Jack Daniels American Oak barrels, up to 12 months for the Coconut, and 2-3 years for the Spiced.

Our Toasted Coconut rum features a natural toasted coconut flavor, with smoked hickory notes blending well with the fresh coconut flavors. Our Spiced Rum features cinnamon, blended with vanilla and buttery caramelized flavors. There is a hint of the same toasted coconut flavor on the spiced which adds a superior finish and smoothness. Only $24.99 in the Bottle Club®.

Luigi Einaudi Barolo Terlo Vigna Costa Grimaldi 2010. 94 points from James Suckling, Vinous Media and Wine Enthusiast. James Suckling: "A wine with dried berry and orange peel character. Full body, chewy tannins and a fresh finish. This is very tannic for the vintage but intense and muscular. Old style in many ways but wonderful in every sense of the word. Try it in 2017."

93 points from Wine Advocate: "The 2010 Barolo Terlo Vigna Costa Grimaldi shows a tight and austere personality with defined aromas of bold cherry, blackberry, leather, cola and licorice. This single-vineyard selection sees 18 months in barrique with an additional 30 months in botte grande. That oak imprinting is definitely present but woven within the greater texture of the wine. Pretty nuances of wild cherry appear on the close adding a sense of freshness and brightness."

92 points from Wine Spectator. "Shows power and muscle in a svelte profile. Rose, cherry, licorice, tobacco and black tea notes combine with vibrant acidity and dusty tannins. Well-balanced,
presenting hints of leather and underbrush on the finish. Best from 2018 through 2035. 725 cases made." $64.99 in the Bottle Club®. Limited availability.

Greenhouse Sauvignon Blanc. The light and tropical flavors of a Sauvignon Blanc are as much a part of summer as any other wine. Greenhouse is pale straw in color with green highlights. Citrus fruits jump out of the glass, with aromas of lime, grapefruit and tropical fruit mingling with a hint of freshly cut grass. The palate is crisp, with mouthwatering acidity and flavors of lemon, lime, grapefruit and pineapple. Pair with shellfish, white fish or salad. From the Central Valley of Chile. Only $6.97 in the Bottle Club®.

Demented Brewing Wrath. This is a Russian Imperial Stout, from a new brewery in Middlesex, NJ. Currently available only at our Lawrenceville store.

Wrath, our big bold Russian Imperial Stout aged in bourbon barrels peaks at 11% ABV. Expect rich roasted flavors to shine through the alcohol and bourbon to sweep across your palate. Pair this beer with a nice meal or share it with a friend, but be warned of its Wrath!

Father's Day Gift Ideas

Father's Day is next Sunday, and we have plenty of gift ideas for you. For information on personally engraved bottles and other unique gifts, click the link to yesterday's blog post, which is near the top of this page.

There are a number of other special gift items, like this Father's Day edition of Knob Creek Bourbon. If you're pressed for time while shopping, just ask any store associate for assistance.

Have a great weekend!

Thursday, June 9, 2016

Let's Do This

Our claim is that we have the best store events in New Jersey, and we back up that claim every week. The newest supporting evidence came in this week, and looks like this
You may already know Woodbridge Store Manager David Rudd, but this isn't about him. He's standing behind the Sailor Jerry Spiced Navy Rum branded Harley-Davidson motorcycle that was delivered to the Woodbridge store just three days ago. Here's a look at some of the detail
This will be on display until the end of June, then it will visit a couple of other locations in New Jersey. You cannot buy this beautiful, brand-new motorcycle, but you can enter to win it. The drawing to select the winner will be held in early September. Stop at the Customer Service desk in our Lawrenceville store or our Woodbridge store for details on entering the drawing. No purchase is necessary.

Events in Lawrenceville

We're doing our usual Friday and Saturday wine tastings this weekend. The Friday hours are 4-6pm, and the hours are 2-4pm on Saturday. Click here for the tasting menu.

As we've mentioned previously, personalized messages on bottles are outstanding gift items, and we have three different sessions scheduled between now and Father's Day. The first is this Saturday, June 11, from 1-4pm, where your message can be etched onto a bottle of The Macallan. If you prefer giving a personalized bottle of wine, stop in next Thursday, June 16, 4-6pm, where custom-made labels can be added to selections of Josh Cellars wine. Your final engraving opportunity will be on Saturday, June 18, 1-4pm, on your purchase of Johnnie Walker Blue Label.

Before the end of June, we'll have tastings of Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum, Hendrick's Gin Cucumber Lemonade, Strongbow Cider, and Bud Light Lime-a-Rita Splash. We've also just added a tasting of Palm Breeze Alcohol Spritz on July 16.

Please click here to see the full Events Calendar for Lawrenceville.

Events in Woodbridge

We ease into the weekend with a wine tasting on Friday, from 4-6pm. Click here for the tasting menu. On Saturday, look for a Sailor Jerry Spiced Navy Rum tasting, from 1-3pm. That's definitely a good time to check out the Sailor Jerry Harley display. We close Saturday's events with a special bottle engraving session, 6-8pm. Click here for details on the engraving event.

Stop in for beer tasting next Thursday (Shiner) and Friday (Ommegang). Also on the 17th, look for special gift wrapping event for The Macallan.

Just added to the calendar (for June 30) is a repeat of the Gosling's Dark N Stormy tasting, complete with the Silvato Brothers Dark N Stormy cakes. Click here for details. Another new event is a tasting of The Botanist Dry Islay Gin on July 15. Your blogger just finished a bottle of The Botanist, and we strongly recommend you see what this gin is all about.

Please click here for the full Events Calendar in Woodbridge.

Friday, June 3, 2016

Savor the Summer

Your blogger is kind of old-school in his view of the summer. It lasts from Memorial Day weekend until Labor Day, no matter what the calendar says. Since that means this is a summer weekend, we hope you'll get out of the house and and enjoy New Jersey.

At the top of our list, of course, is a stop at Joe Canal's. We have an assortment of tastings and events at our stores this weekend, so we've given you plenty of reasons to include Joe Canal's on your errand list. Click here for a listing of this weekend's events.

New Products

Fegley's Blueberry Belch. An American style fruit beer. Each 15 barrel batch of Blueberry Belch is made using 360 pounds of 100% real fruit. This unfiltered fruit ale is not-too-sweet, and oh so refreshing! A fantastic summer beer perfect for sipping on the porch. Great fruit aroma, with a blueberry flavor that follows throughout, combined with a satisfying breadiness. And its satisfying carbonation brings back the great flavor again...and again...

Beautiful copper pink color. Rich spicy aromas of blueberry-raspberry cobbler a la mode and wafers with a crisp, lively fruity-yet-dry medium-to-full body and a zesty green apple, toasted baguette, and mossy river stone accented finish. A refreshing, light, clean quaffer.

Serve in a Pint Glass. Pairs with burgers and fries, wings, hot dogs, cole slaw, bbq, poultry and salads. Earthy cheeses like camembert and fontina, and goes extremely well at a brunch with pancakes, bacon, and eggs. 4.2% ABV, 10 IBU.

Brinley Gold Shipwreck Vanilla Rum. Blended with natural Madagascar vanilla. Sweet, creamy, natural vanilla taste.

Brimstone Hill's cannons protected the beautiful island of St. Kitts and her valuable sugarcane for hundreds of years. Many a ship met her demise off of the Caribbean coastline, including a British troopship during the Battle of Frigate Bay in 1782. Brinley Gold Shipwreck Rum is blended to match the old rums "spiked" with exotic spices and flavors that drifted ashore from distant lands. Handcrafted on the beautiful yet treacherous island of St. Kitts, our mission is simple - to make the best tasting flavored rum in the world.

In addition to Vanilla, we carry the Coffee and Coconut rums, plus the Coconut Cream. And here's a taste of summer for you: Vanilla Creamsicle

2 parts Brinley Gold Shipwreck Vanilla Rum
3 parts fresh orange juice
Top with a splash of milk or cream

SeaGlass Pinot Grigio. SeaGlass Pinot Grigio beautifully showcases Santa Barbara’s unique coastal terroir. Pretty aromas of lemongrass, grapefruit and honeysuckle lead to lush flavors of ripe pear, apple and hints of tangerine. Clean and crisp with traces of minerality on the palate, this wine has mouthwatering acidity and a light, tart finish making it especially food-friendly. SeaGlass Pinot Grigio is a natural with all kinds of seafood and lightly spicy Asian fare.


Ripped from the Headlines

A new organization is trying to develop standards for the Cider industry. Click here for the story.

Looking for a wine theme park? Visit La Cité du Vin. In France. Click here.

Have a great weekend!

Thursday, June 2, 2016

Weekend Events

Take full advantage of the warm weather and longer days by stopping at Joe Canal's to find your new favorite beer, wine or spirit. We have a weekend (and more!) full of tastings and events for you. If you're heading to the shore (or the beach!) on Friday, fill up at our store before filling up at the gas station.

Events in Lawrenceville

We kick off the weekend with our regular Friday tasting, from 4-6pm. You can sample from four different wines that are all great companions for this season. Click here for the tasting menu.

On Saturday, we have something of a two-in-one event. We have a tasting of several outstanding Beringer wines, with complimentary engraving on certain wine bottles. With Father's Day coming up shortly, this is one very thoughtful gift option. Click here for Saturday's tasting menu.

Our newest event, just booked in this week, is another opportunity to personalize a gift. On Thursday, June 16, you can create a custom label for your bottle of Josh Cellars wine. Click here for details.

There are about 20 different events on our schedule right now. Click here for the full Event Calendar.

Events in Woodbridge

It's also a very busy weekend in Woodbridge. On Friday, we have our regular wine tasting, from 4-6pm. We also have a group of wines that are perfect for summer. Click here for the tasting menu.

Look for a tasting double-header on Saturday. Up first is the Hendrick's Gin Cucumber Lemonade sampling. Hendrick's Gin is unofficially taking over the official National Cucumber Day, so see what this is all about on Saturday, from 1-3pm.

From 4-6pm on Saturday, stop in for a sample of Leinenkugel's beer. In May 1867, the Leinenkugel family brewery was founded in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin by Jacob Leinenkugel. He was a family man driven by an iron work ethic, and he knew that his German family heritage would play an integral part of his brewery’s success. Today, the sixth generation of Leinenkugels continues to brew some of the same family-inspired recipes that Jacob poured his heart and soul into.

The weekend wraps up on Monday, as we take the slightly-delayed delivery of that Harley-Davidson motorcycle. Enter to win that cycle at either store.

We're recently added Ommegang and Shiner tastings to our already-packed Event Calendar. To see the full schedule, please click here.

UPDATE: Save the date! We've just scheduled a tasting with Forgotten Boardwalk at our Woodbridge store on July 16. This event will include a specialty tapping of Forgotten Boardwalk's commemorative 100 Years Later Imperial IPA.

Friday, May 27, 2016

After This, Close the Computer

It's a holiday weekend and the unofficial start of summer. You have our permission to shut the computer down after reading this and leaving work, although your boss may think differently. From this morning's commute to the office, lots of people have already started their weekend, so maybe our permission wasn't even needed.

If you need some ideas for the weekend, click here for staff suggestions.

For both Joe Canal's in Lawrenceville and Joe Canal's in Woodbridge, our weekend hours are as follows:
Friday, 5/27: 9am-10pm
Saturday, 5/28: 9am-10pm
Sunday, 5/29: 9am-7pm
Monday, 5/30: 9am-6pm
That means regular store hours today, tomorrow and Sunday, with holiday hours on Monday.

In Store Events

Click here for yesterday's blog post, where we went in-depth on our upcoming events.

New Products

Knob Creek Bourbon, Father's Day Edition. We have some in-store engravings on the schedule, but nothing for bourbon. The metal plate on the bottle indicates the barrel number, along with a "Happy Father's Day" note from Fred Noe. This single barrel bottling is 120 proof, and was aged for 9 years.

Color: Our darkest and deepest amber and henna color
Taste: Deep and complex flavors of vanilla, nuts and oak
Aroma:Robust vanilla and caramel notes; slightly smoky
Finish: Long and full; perfect for easygoing sipping

Available in limited quantities.

Cline Cellars Cashmere Black Magic. Cashmere Black Magic is an alluring blend of grapes that were spirited away from ancient vines rising up from the dark, rich loam. You’ll be spellbound by the resulting libation with its notes of dark berries, chocolate, hints of black pepper and plum. Experience the dark delights of Cashmere Black Magic.

With the inaugural vintage of Cashmere Black Magic, we set out to build upon the fine, balanced flavors of our enchanting Cashmere Red blend and create a wine that was dark, rich and satisfying.

Food Pairing: Incomparable with grilled meats flavored with big sauces.

Flying Dog Numero Uno Agave Cerveza. This beer was originally released in the summer of 2014 as part of our Brewhouse Rarities series. It's the artisanal answer to the easy-drinking, south-of-the-border light lagers. Flaked maize makes up one third of the malt bill and highlights the distinctive corn and cracker flavor traditionally found in Mexican lagers. Agave is added at the end of the boil and the lime peel post-fermentation to impart a distinct, zesty character and a crisp, clean finish. Drink up; there's no beach required. 4.9% ABV, 20 IBU.

Looks like a little something for everyone today. Have a great weekend; please celebrate responsibly, and honor those who sacrificed for our freedom.

Thursday, May 26, 2016

Staying Local? Hitting the Road? Stop Here First

We're not really sure when the weekend getaway starts this year. A radio report this morning said that many people started their Memorial Day holiday this past weekend. If you've got the time off available, why not? If you're hitting the road this weekend, we'll give you reasons to stop in at Joe Canal's as you travel to your destination. If you're staying local, we think you'll want to stop in as well.

Events in Lawrenceville

There are no scheduled events in Lawrenceville this weekend, other than the usual amazing sales. That being said, there's always a chance for an unscheduled tasting. Just stop at our Customer Service desk to inquire.

Next weekend, we'll have our regular wine tasting on Friday, with a special Beringer wine tasting/bottle engraving on Saturday. Click here for details. An engraved, personalized bottle can be a very thoughtful gift for Father's Day, college graduation, or for no occasion at all. In addition to the Beringer engraving, look for engraving for The Macallan on June 11, and Johnnie Walker Blue Label on June 18.

On or about June 1, we'll begin accepting entries for the Harley-Davidson drawing, being held at the end of the summer. Scroll down for more details.

To see the full schedule of events in Lawrenceville, please click here.

Events in Woodbridge

We're sure that the holiday weekend starts today at our Woodbridge store. Stop in between 4-7pm for a tasting of HABARITA cocktails. HABARITA habanero craft margarita mixes are made with real fruit juices and natural flavors. Our sampling will include the Original flavor, as well as Peach and Watermelon.

On Friday, we're offering samples of Dark 'N' Stormy cocktails, made with Gosling's Dark Rum and Gosling's Ginger Beer. In addition to the cocktails, you can also sample Silvato Bros. Bakery's Dark N' Stormy cakes.  The cakes will be available for only $7.99/each.

We are scheduled to take delivery of a brand-new Harley-Davidson on June 1. It's not ours to keep, but we're going to help give it away. The Harley will be on display in our store throughout the month of June, then it will be on display in only three other stores before being given away at the end of the summer. No purchase is necessary to enter the drawing.

We'll also be busy next weekend. Things kick off on Friday, with our regular wine tasting, from 4-6pm. On Saturday, we have a special tasting to note Hendrick's Gin's unofficial takeover of the official National Cucumber Day, which is June 14, along with the entire cucumber celebration season. Sample Hendrick's Gin Cucumber Lemonade, from 1-3pm. Saturday then wraps up with a Leinenkugel's  tasting, from 4-6pm.

To see the full schedule of events in Woodbridge, please click here.