Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Spirits Weekly Webinar: Craft Beers

By SOMDATTA SENGUPTA

Craft beers are as American as apple pie.

These beers are usually produced in a specialized brewery and are brewed with great care to achieve distinctive taste and flavor. They are also produced for a specific target audience who prefer that style. Craft beers are never mass-produced but there might be exceptions. The largest American craft brewery is Samuel Adams.

With brewpubs, microbreweries and restaurants, the craft beer scene is New Jersey is hot and happening. My three favorite brewpubs in the state — Harvest Moon (New Brunswick), Triumph (Princeton) and Basil T's just down the road in Red Bank, serve some great selections. The food to go with beer isn't bad either, with Basil T's Italian grill ranking pretty high on the culinary scene. I highly recommend trying a "growler" at your nearest brewpub because we have a lot of new varieties brewing in the Garden State (Check out the Garden State Craft Brewers Guild) and there will surely be more than one that will knock your socks off.

But if you are not feeling adventurous enough to venture out, and just want to relax at home and chill, we highly recommend that you drop by Spirits Unlimited Middletown and grab your favorite craft brew. We have a huge selection and can almost guarantee you will find what you are looking for. In case we don't have it on our shelf, just ask us to get you your beer of choice. We will do our best to keep you happy and "chill'n!"

On that note, I would like to present to you our expert on beer, Jonathan Wurm, the Imports and Crafts Account Manager with MillerCoors. Today he will share with you some aspects of the Leinenkugel Brewing Company, one of the seventh-oldest brewery in this country. Like every microbrewery, there is a story behind Leinenkugel as well, a lore that takes you back in time to 1867, to the era of the lumberjacks in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin.

Family-owned and operated, Leinenkugel beers are handcrafted and bring home the adventures of the Northwoods in Wisconsin. Between four seasonals and year-round brews this self-described "old-world Germanic brewery" has won many awards, and will win your heart as well.

About Me

This blog is designed, edited and published by Somdatta Sengupta for Circus Liquors Inc. Content is supervised by Stuart Keats, Manager of Liquor Operations for Circus Liquors Inc. Site header created by Denise Reinle. Graphics support provided by Phyllis Vivoli. Content support provided by Mike DeNiro. Store Manager for Spirits Middletown is Ray Kimble. He can be reached at (732) 957 9700. For questions, comments or more information, write to Spirits Middletown at spiritsmiddletown@gmail.com. For placing orders or any form of assistance with your fine wine, beer or other party planning requirements, call the store directly at (732) 957 9700.