on the shelf
top JULY pICKS
beer
WRITTEN BY Michael Sweeney
When he’s not writing, Matt Sorrell can be found slinging drinks at Planter’s House in Lafayette Square or bartending at events around town with his wife Beth for their company Cocktails Are Go.
StieglBrauerei zu SalzBurg gMBH’S Stiegl-radler grapefruit
tequila caBeza AvAilAble At: Randall’s Wines and Spirits, multiple
AvAilAble At: The Wine & Cheese Place, multiple locations,
locations, shoprandalls.com; $38.99 try it: As the base for a traditional tequila concoction like a Margarita or a Paloma
Six roW BreWing co.’S SunSHine SloWdoWn
From The 86 Co. in New York City – that also brought its Fords Gin, Cana Brava Rum and Aylesbury Duck Vodka to the St. Louis market this year – comes this 100-percent estate agave blanco tequila. Tailor-made for mixing, the spirit has some agave sweetness up front that darkens and finishes with earthier flavors. Like all 86 Co. spirits, it comes in an ergonomically friendly bottle designed with bartenders in mind. The spirit has already garnered honors, earning five stars in Diffords Guide and a gold medal and exceptional rating from the Beverage Testing Institute.
Blue Hanger no. 7 Blended Malt ScotcH WHiSkey
Style: American Cream Ale (5.5% abv)
ProvenAnce: Scotland (45.6% abv)
AvAilAble At: Randall’s Wines and
AvAilAble At: The Wine & Cheese Place, multiple
Spirits, multiple locations, shoprandalls. com; $8.49 (four-pack, 16-oz cans) PAiringS: Italian sausage• Sharp Cheddar
locations, wineandcheeseplace.com; $99.99 try it: Neat, or perhaps with a touch of water to loosen things up
The dog days of summer are upon us, and it seems we all tend to slow down amid this sticky summer heat. Six Row Brewing Co. knows this, and comes to the rescue with a light American-style cream ale that is not too bitter or too heavy. This is a hybrid beer that mimics some of the aspects of a lager (crisp and slightly malty), but lets the ale yeast shine, giving it some fruity characteristics as well.
kona BreWing co.’S caStaWay ipa Style: American IPA (6% abv) AvAilAble At: Schnucks, multiple locations, schnucks.
com; $8.19 (six-pack, 12-oz bottles) PAiringS: Mango-glazed chicken• Emmenthaler I had the opportunity to visit Hawaii for the first time this winter, and it’s just as magical as everyone proclaims. Luckily for those of us who have been and are aching to go back, we can enjoy a bit of Hawaii here on the mainland with beers made by Kona Brewing Co. The Castaway IPA showcases galaxy, citra, simcoe and millennium hops, which provide a fruity, tropical aroma and flavor.
JULY 2014
ProvenAnce: Arandas, Jalisco, Mexico (43% abv)
Style: Radler (2.5% abv)
I’m typically the kind of guy who wants his beer unadulterated. But after my first sip of Stiegl-Radler Grapefruit, I changed my tune. This beer is a 40-to-60 blend of Stiegl Goldbrau and grapefruit soda. The beer plays second fiddle to the soda, and helps provide a wonderful base that keeps this beverage from getting too sweet. This makes for a spritzy summer beer that’s perfect for sipping while backyard barbecuing or while just taking it easy.
feastmagazine.com
WRITTEN BY Matt Sorrell
The creator of stlhops.com and founder of St. Louis Craft Beer Week, Michael Sweeney is also the craft beer manager at Lohr Distributing.
wineandcheeseplace.com; $8.99 (four-pack, 16-oz cans) PAiringS: Fruit salad• Monterey Jack cheese
34
spirits
This blended Scotch whiskey is the latest from Berry Bros. & Rudd, a venerable London institution that is the U.K.’s oldest wine and spirit producer. This Scotch series takes its name from one of the store’s customers back in the 18th century who always wore striking blue ensembles and was dubbed Blue Hanger. The company sources many different whiskeys to create the Blue Hanger blend, which is crafted in small batches. Look for notes of peat, citrus, vanilla and a bit of fruit.
Breuckelen diStilling 77 WHiSkeyS ProvenAnce: Brooklyn, New York (45% abv) AvAilAble At: The Wine & Cheese Place, multiple locations, wineandcheeseplace.com; $42.99 try them: Neat, or with a cube or two
This artisan distillery started operations in 2010 in Brooklyn, New York, and currently has two whiskeys available, one made from wheat and the other made with corn and rye. Both of these spirits use locally sourced, organic New York grains and are aged in new American oak barrels, with the rye-corn combination getting a little bit more time in wood than the wheat. The results beg to be tasted on their own merits. However, I’m thinking the rye-corn whiskey – with a mash bill of 85 percent rye and just 15 percent corn – would be a pretty good candidate for a Manhattan.