Make Plans Now

As usual, it's going to be a busy weekend at Joe Canal's in Lawrenceville and Woodbridge. We thought this handy guide would be useful as you make your weekend plans.

One great gift idea, whether for Father's Day, college graduation or just because, is an engraved bottle of Scotch. That permanent message makes a special bottle even better, and we have engraving events coming up at both stores.

Events in Lawrenceville

The weekend starts fast in Lawrenceville, with two events on Friday. We'll have our regular wine tasting, from 4-6pm. Also on Friday, from 4-7pm, we have our bottle engraving for The Macallan.

Saturday might be the most event-filled day of the year. Here's how the day breaks down:

From noon-2pm, we've having a tasting of Not Your Father's Root Beer. Not Your Father's Root Beer is an Ale, brewed with spices. At 5.9% ABV, the silky, smooth and satisfying finish is unmatched in flavor. It appeals to craft beer aficionados as well as those who don’t typically drink beer but crave something unique.

Next, from 1-3pm, we have our Johnnie Walker Blue Label bottle engraving.

Since we're (sadly) not able to offer samples of the Blue Label, we move next to our regular wine tasting, from 2-4pm. Click here for the tasting menu, which features two reds and two whites that are amazing summer wines.

Saturday wraps up with the Founders Brewing Small Plate Dinner, in-store, starting at 5:30pm. As of this writing, two seats still remain available. Click here for details, or just confirm availability by calling the store at 609-520-0008.

We're currently putting the finishing touches on our Craft Beer Christmas in July. Details will be available shortly. And please click here for the full Event calendar.

Events in Woodbridge

Our weekend actually starts tonight, with a special tasting of Troegs beer, from 5-7pm. On Friday, we'll have our regular wine tasting, from 4-6pm. Click here for the tasting menu.

We go for something a little different on Saturday, with a tasting of Bruce Julian Bloody Mary mix. Bruce Julian Bloody Mary Mix is an all-natural, North Carolina-handcrafted, Southern Classic.  Finally, here’s a truly sophisticated mixer that starts out sweet and finishes savory, with just enough heat, and tastes like homemade every time. Try it on its own or slosh in a little vodka (we like tomato or cucumber flavor!); prime your glass with Bruce’s own rimmer; garnish with a piece or two of our Sassy Okra; and kick back: Our delicious blend instantly conjures a lazy Sunday morning on the porch, no matter where you happen to be doing your sipping.

Tasting hours are 1-3pm.

Five days of events wraps up on Sunday with our Johnnie Walker Blue Label bottle engraving, from 2-4pm.

Looking ahead, we have quite a few great events already scheduled, including a Weyerbacher beer dinner on July 31, and a Flying Fish beer dinner on August 14. Click here for the full Event calendar.

Beer Wednesday

Sometimes, we get tired of all of the alliterations floating across the interwebs. You know, Wine Wednesday, Thirsty Thursday, and so forth. Those are the times that we prefer to just make things up develop our own pithy sayings. And, voila, here we are.

Our beer deliveries are most often on a Monday, giving us time to work all of the information through our system. There are plenty of new arrivals not listed here, so please browse our beer aisles. Here's a look at some of the newest brews on our shelves.

Smuttynose Spank. From the Smuttynose website: Smuttynose is turning 21 on July 14, 2015, which seems like the perfect time to brew our first birthday beer. Since we’ve got a summer birthday and a beautiful farm where we can celebrate and enjoy beers in the sun; We’ve brewed Spank to fit that bill!

Gold in color, light in body and refreshingly dry thanks to our spicy, farmhouse ale yeast it’s perfect for summertime sipping. So grab a limited edition bottle, then go find your own summer celebrations, and drink a toast to us while you’re getting into mischief. We thank you for your support over the last 21 years and we look forward to at least 21 more. Happy birthday to us!

7.8% ABV. Very limited availability.

Also just in from Smuttynose: Smuttlabs Smuttwater, in bombers.

The Bruery Cuivre. The traditional seventh anniversary gift is copper, so we’ve named our 7th anniversary ale “”Cuivre”” which is “copper”” in French. Cuivre is our seventh anniversary ale, loosely brewed in the English-style old ale tradition using our house Belgian yeast strain and then blended using the solera method. A portion of each of our anniversary ales is saved in our barrels and blended in with the next year’s production, providing more complexity and depth of character that comes with age. Layered with complex flavors of dark fruit,vanilla, oak, and burnt sugar, Cuivre is a robust ale, surely the perfect beer to mark this major milestone.

Pair with osso bucco, whole roast duck, crème brûlée, buttery buttermilk pancakes.

Cuivre is an allocated item. Please call the store to inquire about availability. Also new from The Bruery: Trade Winds and Sour in the Rye.

Stone® Stochasticity™ Project HIFI+LOFI MIXTAPE. A beer that pays homage to a centuries-old tradition of combining new beer with aged “stock ales.” Freshly brewed beers of the day often were very smoky and bitter tasting, and were blended with older beer that had mellowed with age to produce more drinkable libations. This modern brew will showcase our brewers’ talents by blending a stock ale aged more than three months in oak foudres (large wooden fermentation vessels) with a fresh version of the same beer to create a perfect harmony spanning end to end on the taste spectrum.

The beer pours deep amber, with a creamy white head and a touch of haze. On the nose, there are strong fruity esters with light sherry notes, oak and toasted malt. On the palate, an oaky presence followed by a fruity, yeasty character. The malts shine mid-palate, combining with oak and a light berry fruitiness, followed by a dry, bitter finish. It's full-bodied, with a nice bitterness and astringency.

This Strong Ale Blend carries an 8.8% ABV.

New Holland Imperial Hatter IPA. Assertive dry-hopping provides an aromatic telltale nose, indicative of the robust, bitter symphony to follow. Bold hop character with lively grapefruit and citrus notes.

10% ABV. Pair with spicy heat, citrus and aged blue cheese. Available in Woodbridge only.

Into the Light

A "dark horse" is someone, or something, that seems to come from nowhere to succeed. We often use it discussing politics, and horse racing's Triple Crown was in the news this week, where a "dark horse" can be quite literal.

We're taking a look at a different Dark Horse. Actually, several different Dark Horses: Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Red Blend and Sauvignon Blanc.

At Dark Horse Wines, their passion is crafting bold wines that deliver the unexpected. They marshal the best agricultural and winemaking practices from around the world to guarantee the highest quality.

Their Winemaker, Beth Liston, believes winemaking is a treasure hunt. She is constantly experimenting with different grape varietals and new winemaking techniques. From bold Red Blend to smooth Chardonnay, her passion for creating exceptional wines that outperform their price is unsurpassed.

The 2012 Dark Horse Cabernet Sauvignon has bold flavors of blackberry and cherry supported by firm tannins, brown spice and a dark chocolate espresso finish. This Cabernet Wine was carefully aged to develop dark fruit flavors and dark roast aromas.

Dark Horse Cabernet is made from a blend of hand-selected grapes grown predominantly in the Lodi and Delta winegrowing areas of California's Sacramento and San Joaquin Valleys.

The 2012 Dark Horse Chardonnay has rich flavors of baked apple and pear, layered with toasted oak, notes of caramel and brown spice with a smooth, lingering finish. This Chardonnay underwent alcoholic fermentation with hand selected yeast and then a secondary malolactic fermentation to create a round, full mouthfeel.

The ripest fruit from the Lodi, Delta and Clarksburg areas were selected for their Chardonnay wine and we’re proud to offer it as the perfect complement to Dark Horse red wines.

The Dark Horse Big Red Blend has deep flavors of dark berry and black currant, supported by plush tannins, hints of dark roasted oak and a long finish. This Red Blend underwent alcoholic fermentation with hand chosen yeast to provide enhanced color, structure and fruit characteristics.

Dark Horse Big Red Blend is made from a medley of Malbec, Syrah, Tempranillo and Merlot sourced from Argentina, California and Australia. This blend dares to be bold, and serves as an exploration of some of the best varietals red wine has to offer.

The most refreshing wine from Dark Horse, the Sauvignon Blanc offers bright aromas of grapefruit and gooseberry lined with fresh green notes. Layers of citrus and melon flavors create a crisp taste with medium viscosity and a long, refreshing finish.

Winemaker Beth Liston selected these grapes from premier California vineyards. The dry and warm year of 2014 allowed just the right amount of sunlight on the berries, resulting in an ideal balance of flavor and acidity in the glass. The deliciously ripe citrus flavors and crisp minerality in this Sauvignon Blanc make it comparable to any New Zealand contender.

Each varietal is priced at only $7.99 in the Bottle Club®.

Welcome Back. Get to Work.

Your blogger is back at his desk after a long weekend, which included some time in various tasting rooms in Santa Barbara, CA. There are a couple of dozen tasting rooms in downtown Santa Barbara, and combined with being an ocean-front community, it's a great place to enjoy a weekend or more.

But back here in New Jersey, the deliveries seemed to increase. Let's review some of our newest arrivals.

Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon, 2013 vintage. The Caymus Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon has earned its reputation as one of the iconic brands. Caymus Napa Valley is more representative of a standard Cabernet of Napa Valley, and delivers big aromas and flavors that include cocoa, cassis and vanilla. Caymus prides itself on producing wines that are as approachable in youth as well at maturity.

Like all wines of this stature, availability is fairly limited. Priced at only $64.99 in the Bottle Club®. We always sell out of the Caymus, so we recommend getting your bottle, or bottles, as soon as you can.

Glenmorangie Original, 10 year, 1.75 liter. The original expression of our elegant, floral spirit and the real backbone of the Glenmorangie range. A ten-year-old single malt, Glenmorangie Original is produced by marrying the delicate spirit that emerges from Scotland's tallest stills, with first and second fill American white oak casks.

It is here, maturing for ten long years in a range of ex-bourbon casks such as our famous slow-grown and air-dried 'designer casks' from Missouri, that our raw spirit develops a perfect balance between sweetness and complexity. Resulting in a mature spirit that is soft, mellow and creamy. Perfect for enjoying at any time.

Aroma: The scent of citrus and ripening peaches is softened by the aroma of vanilla.

Taste: First, vanilla is detected on the tongue before it ripples along the palate bringing a burst of flowery fruitiness.

Finish: About a minute after tasting, you are left with a clean and salving aftertaste with hints of orange and peach.

Glenmorangie has been one of our most popular Highland Single Malts. This is a limited-time offering of the 1.75 liter size, priced at only $69.99 in the Bottle Club®.

Gancia Moscato, paired with Saurine Rose

Gancia Moscato. Something cold, sweet and bubbly is a great choice on hot summer weekends. We've just received our special purchase of Gancia Moscato, and both the price and taste will make this the season's go-to sparkler.

Gancia offers a clear and fragrant nectar, with millions of bubbles. Asti DOCG is the sweetness born of the land. Fresh and aromatic, thanks to the Moscato grapes, which elevate the fine and brilliant perlange and bring many emotions to the glass.

The bouquet is aromatic with hints of exotic fruit, sage and honey. On the palate, it's sweet, fruity and balanced like the grapes of origin.

Early Weekend Grab Bag

Your blogger will be unavailable for the next couple of days, so we're wrapping up the week a little early.

Events in Lawrenceville

This weekend features a modified wine tasting schedule. We're exclusively tasting wines from Josh Cellars, and there will be custom labeling available, making this a great gift opportunity. The tasting hours are expanded: 3-6pm on Friday, and noon-3pm on Saturday.

Please click here to see the full Event calendar.

Events in Woodbridge

It's a pretty big weekend in Woodbridge. We start with our regular Friday wine tasting, which runs from 4-6pm. Click here for the menu.

The main event, of course, is on Saturday. We're hosting a Skinnygirl Cocktails In-Store Bottle Signing with Bethenny Frankel, the founder of Skinnygirl Cocktails, Wine and Vodka, from 3-5pm. Please see our website for important updates.

Before we link to the full calendar, we want to note that one of the big events for next week is the Bridal Show and Wine Tasting on Wednesday, June 10. This in-store event is being produced by Elegant Bridal Productions. Please click here for more information on this fun evening.

Next week also includes a beer tasting and a Bloody Mary tasting. Yes, it's a week that you definitely want to make time to visit our store. Click here for the full Event calendar.

New Products

Pitagora Red Wine Blend. When Francis Ford Coppola’s grandfather, Agostino, was a child growing up in the small town of Bernalda in Southern Italy, he often played among ancient Greek ruins in nearby Metaponto, where thousands of years earlier stood a school run by the legendary Greek scholar Pythagoras — Pitagora in Italian. Known today for his mathematical theorem (a2 + b2 = c2), Pythagoras was more than a mathematician; he was a philosopher who sought new ways of understanding the world through mathematics, astronomy, and music theory.

Growing up in the footprint of this legend, Agostino developed a talent for mathematics and music, and his Pythagorean curiosity about the nature of how things work went on to influence each generation of the Coppola family.

With flavors of briary blackberries, juicy plums, and black currants, Pitagora is a robust red blend of Syrah, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Petite Sirah. Selected lots were aged in a combination of French and American oak for 15 months, with the blended wine aged for 12 months.

Limited availability, at $20.99 in the Bottle Club®.

Infinity Cabernet Sauvignon is produced in the Alexander Valley, which is part of Sonoma County, CA. It's a rich and profound Cabernet that has hints of cocoa and cassis in the nose with a superb intensity, and yet it is very elegant on the palate. Infinity shows well integrated tannins and a finish that is long, lingering and oh so satisfying.

Available for only $17.96 in the Bottle Club®.

Neshaminy Creek Highwater Hefeweizen. Our version of an authentic Bavarian wheat beer. Brewed with nearly 60% white wheat, Pilsen malt, and a touch of Munich for color and flavor, we ferment this beer with an authentic German Hefeweizen yeast that gives it a distinctive

fruity banana flavor and aroma matched with a light spicy clove finish. German Hallertau and Tettnanger hops are used exclusively in this brew making this beer as truly German and authentic as possible for a beer brewed outside of Munich. Extremely limited availability.

The Lost Abbey Red Barn Ale. This Farmhouse Ale traces its roots to the small rustic breweries of Southern Belgium. The word Saison comes to us from the French language and it means Season. Lightly spiced with Organic Ginger, Orange Peels, Black Pepper and Grains of Paradise, this brew promises to quench your thirst on the hottest of days.

AROMA: One of the most aromatic beers we make. It's rooted in an explosion of spices (notably the Ginger and Orange Peel) which are partnered with the phenols from our Saison yeast. The nose of the beer is overwhelmingly spicy and fruity from the spice additions. 

TASTE: The first sip always begins with a sweet malt expression that is immediately overwhelmed by the yeast flavors and peppery spices that we have employed. As the beer fades, a slight tartness pervades and develops in a slightly acidic finish making the beer that much more refreshing.

It's gift season. Father's Day and college graduations, for example. For a review of some of our great gift options, please click here.

See you Monday!

Beer Here!

"Beer Here!" is a familiar call for those who spend any time at a ball game. It's also the fastest way to describe the selection at Joe Canal's in Lawrenceville and Woodbridge. We stock an incredible array of craft beer, national brands and imports, and we're always ready to help you find the next big thing.

Today, we're introducing Not Your Father's Root Beer, from Small Town Brewery in Chicago. Small Town Brewery makes specialty beers that utilize unique ingredients with an unmistakable taste of nostalgia.

Not Your Father's Root Beer is an Ale, brewed with spices. At 5.9% ABV, the silky, smooth and satisfying finish is unmatched in flavor. It appeals to craft beer aficionados as well as those who don’t typically drink beer but crave something unique.

We have posted a coupon good for $1 off a six-pack of Not Your Father's Root Beer. Click here for our website coupon page.

Here's a quick look at some of the other beer arrivals this week (availability may be limited, so please call to confirm stock):

Green Flash Road Warrior Imperial Rye India Pale Ale. Our Imperial Rye IPA is brewed in the name of our Road Warriors—the sales team who tirelessly hit the streets, traveling from town to town and pub to pub sharing the Green Flash experience. Road Warrior™ charges full flavor forward. Columbus and Mosaic hops, rich crystal and spicy rye malts pave the way for Mosaic and Amarillo dry-hopping to boldly shine through in the finish. Raise a glass to those who never settle! 9% ABV, 80 IBU's.

Brooklyn Summer Ale. Summer in Brooklyn is all about following your impulses, winging it from beaches and barbecues to stoops and rooftops. Brooklyn Summer Ale is a refreshing, flavorful pale ale made to accompany you on all your warm weather adventures. 100% British 2-row barley brings its famed bready flavors, capped off with German and American hops to provide a snappy, clean bitterness and a bright, floral aroma. It's a sunny pale ale, Brooklyn style. 5% ABV. This is our final delivery of Brooklyn Summer in cans.

The Lost Abbey Avant Garde Ale. At the Lost Abbey, we pride ourselves on producing beers of the highest quality and distinction. Avant Garde is our commitment to brewing beers to no particular style. Some might want to label this as a beer brewed in the Biere de Garde tradition of Northern France. We would prefer to say it was brewed in the Avant Garde style of beers that will reward all those who seek the not so ordinary. Deep gold in color with hints of biscuits, caramel and fresh baked bread, this beer is sure to delight the senses and palates of consumers everywhere.

From the French word “Garde,” meaning something worth keeping, this Biere de Garde styled Farmhouse Ale is a most delicious companion to a loaf of freshly baked bread from the oven. Grab a seat on the porch, some soft cheese and a tree ripened apple from your grandmother’s old orchard. Relax and watch the evening arrive as the afternoon sun is consumed by the illuminating moon over the gardens. We brewed Avant Garde for you, our friends and families. Here’s to things worth guarding over. 7% ABV.

Aroma: An enticing blend of ripened orchard fresh fruit (green apples), and warm bread pulled just from the oven.

Taste: The beer starts off with an initial malt sweetness that fades into a firm but subtle hop presence. The lager yeast and cold maturation ensure a crisp smooth finish.

New items arrive on an almost daily basis. Some items are available only on a limited basis, so please double-check with the store before making a special trip.

(Not Just) Guy Gifts

With Father's Day approaching, and with college graduations happening as well, this is a good time to take a quick look at some of our gift options.

Johnnie Walker Blue Label is a classic Scotch whisky and a perennial favorite gift item. We will soon have an in-store engraving for Johnnie Walker Blue Label purchases. The engraving will be available at our Lawrenceville store on June 13, from 1-3pm, and on June 14, from 2-4pm, at our Woodbridge store. Since Johnnie Walker Blue Label usually lasts a long time, your thoughtful engraving will have an enduring presence.

Some people prefer a Single Malt Scotch. For those palates, we also have an optional bottle engraving event at our Lawrenceville store. Purchases of The Macallan are eligible for engraving on June 12, from 4-7pm.

Throughout history, documents and other items of importance would receive a wax seal to denote authenticity and authority. On June 20, from 2-4pm at both stores, you can have a wax seal gift tag. applied to your purchase of Dewar's Scotch, 12 years or higher. This is another great way to individualize a gift. Click here for more information.

Patrón Añejo, Canal's Family Selection is another great gift suggestion. And we have special gift wrap for this as well.

Patrón Añejo is, for good reason, perhaps the best known ultra-premium tequila. Patrón Añejo combines a variety of tequilas all aged in small white oak barrels for at least 12 months. Similar to winemaking, each vintage of Patrón Añejo is carefully blended to produce a smooth and sweet tasting tequila perfect for sipping. Each bottle is numbered by hand and crafted from recycled glass.

The taste is smooth and sweet, with distinct oak notes complimented by vanilla, raisins and honey, with a hint of melon. Only $50.99 in the Bottle Club®.

We know that the choices can be overwhelming, and there are also times when you need to get in and out of the store quickly. A Joe Canal's Gift Card is a nice option for those situations. Gift Cards are available in any denomination. Simply tell the cashier that you want a Gift Card, and they'll take care

of you right away.

Not Your Father's Root Beer is a brand-new arrival. Not Your Father's Root Beer is an Ale, brewed with spices. At 5.9% ABV, the silky, smooth and satisfying finish is unmatched in flavor. It appeals to craft beer aficionados as well as those who don’t typically drink beer but crave something unique.

We know that there are plenty of baseball fans out there. We have a limited amount of New York Yankees Cabernet Sauvignon (both stores), Philadelphia Phillies Red Blend (Lawrenceville only) and New York Mets Cabernet wines available.