POSTPONED: VWS Premium Saké Tasting

The Victoria Wine Society has postponed the premium saké tasting scheduled for this Monday, January 30. It will be rescheduled for a later date in March.

Product Spotlight: Purple Cowboy & Other Cool New Wines

We may tend to favour craft beer in these blog posts, but we also like to talk up the cool wines we carry—most of which you won't find in provincial liquor stores, and many aren't in other private stores. And you gotta love a California (Paso Robles, no less) cab sauv called Purple Cowboy!

NEW WINE
Bleasdale Shiraz (Australia)
Purple Cowboy Trail Boss Cab Sauv (CA)
Terrapura Carmenere (Chile)
Yali Sauv Blanc (Chile)

BACK IN STOCK
Amaro Ramazzotti (Italy)
Graham Beck Cab Shiraz (Australia)

A Big Day For IPAs (and Double IPAs)

Man, it's your lucky day if you're into big, hoppy beers! We just received two new-to-the-store offerings from a Las Vegas brewery/brewpub called Tenaya Creek. And, of course, we had to bring in their IPA and Double IPA, right?

In addition to those two, Granville Island's latest seasonal is their Imperial/double IPA. And lest it get overlooked in all the heaps of hops, Paddock Wood's tasty Black Cat Lager (aka black lager or schwarzbier) arrived, too.

Tenaya Creek Hop Ride IPA 650ml (Las Vegas)
Tenaya Creek Monsoon Double IPA 650ml (Las Vegas)
Granville Island Double IPA 650ml (Vancouver)
Paddock Wood Black Cat Lager 6-packs (Saskatoon)

BACK IN STOCK
Brooklyn Brown Ale 6-packs (Brooklyn)

Craft Beer Spotlight: He'Brew Bittersweet Lenny's R.I.P.A.

If you're a craft beer die hard, there's something intriguing about a beer that claims on the packaging to be "brewed with an obscene amount of malts and hops." Yep, that's He'Brew's Bittersweet Lenny's R.I.P.A., a "rye-based double IPA" and we have 4-packs of this beast chilling in our fridge.

But that's not the only beer news. Check out the great new arrivals this week, especially some hearty offerings from Ayinger.

NEW BEER
Ayinger Weizen Bock 500ml (Germany)
Ayinger Celebrator Doppelbock 330ml (Germany)
Hoyne Devil’s Dream IPA 650ml (Victoria)
Lindemans Faro 330ml (Belgium)
Lucky Buddha Beer 6-packs (China)


BEER BACK IN STOCK
Brooklyn Sorachi Ace 750ml (Brooklyn)
Pyramid Thunderhead IPA 650ml (Seattle)

NEW WINE
Fonseca 2009 Vintage Port 375ml (Portugal)

Craft Beer Spotlight: Hoyne Brewing

Lots of exciting new local beers to talk up. Former Canoe brewmaster Sean Hoyne has struck out on his own and just released his first two beers, Hoyner Pilsner and Down Easy Pale Ale. We're fans of both, particularly the crisp, full-bodied and well-hopped pilsner.

Also new is the latest Big Flavour Series release from Lighthouse, Belgian Black. Great packaging, great beer.

NEW BEER
Innis & Gunn Rum Cask 330ml (Scotland)

BEER BACK IN STOCK
Bear Republic Hop Rod Rye 650ml (California)
Estrella Damm Inedit 750ML (Spain)
Howe Sound Father John’s Winter Ale 1L (Squamish)

NEW WINE
Chateau Cailleteau Bergeron Grand Vin (2009 Bordeaux)
Chateau Feret-Lambert Grand Vin (2009 Bordeaux)
d’Arenberg The Love Grass Shiraz (Australia)
De Toren Z (S.Africa)
Spy Valley Gewurztraminer (New Zealand)

WINE BACK IN STOCK
Beso de Vino Old Vines Garnacha (Spain)
Spy Valley Sauvignon Blanc (New Zealand)
Tantalus Riesling (Okanagan)

SPIRITS BACK IN STOCK
AnCnoc Single Malt Whiskey (Scotland)

Tix Available for Victoria Wine Society Premium Saké Tasting, Jan 30

The Victoria Wine Society is doing something a little different with its last tasting event of the group's fiscal year. They will be tasting an extensive flight of premium sakés from Japan. The tasting takes place at Ambrosia Event Centre, 638 Fisgard St. at 7pm on Monday, January 30. Guest speakers include Barbara Mills and award-winning drinks writer Adem Tepedelen.

The Lineup will include:
Wind Water Man Junmai (Kazeyo Mizuyo Hitoyo) – Fukumitsuya, Ishikawa Prefecture
Haru (spring) Junmai Ginjo – Daishinsyu, Nagano Prefecture
Mizu Basho (water flower) Junmai Ginjo – Nagai, Gunma Prefecture
Mizu Aoki Honjyozo Nagai, Gunma Prefecture
Kagatobi Gokkan Junmai – Fukumitsuya, Ishikawa Prefecture
Tanigawadake Super Dry Junmai – Nagai, Gunma Prefecture
Kozaemon House Junmai – Nakashima, Gifu Prefecture
Kuro Obi DoDo Yamahai Junmai – Fukumitsuya, Ishikawa Prefecture
Kozaemon Junmai Daiginjo – Nakashima, Gifu Prefecture
MizuBasho 2003 Vintage Junmai – Nagai, Gunma Prefecture
Kozaemon  UME SHU - Nakashima, Gifu Prefecture

Cost is $40 for members and $50 for nonmembers. To register for the tasting, payment must be received in advance to reserve a space, and there will be no exceptions, as availability is limited. For membership renewals and tasting fees, stop in and see us here, or at the BC Wineguys Cadboro Bay Rd store at 2579 Cadboro Bay Rd (250-592-8466).

Craft Beer Spotlight: Brooklyn Black Ops

Here's a recent arrival that you won't want to miss out on. Black Ops is Brooklyn Brewery's super-rare, oak barrel-aged Imperial Stout. Only 1200 cases of this incredible beer are made annually and we are incredibly lucky to have gotten our hands on one case. Black Ops comes in beautiful 750ml bottles, capped off with Champagne corks. This is an age-worthy beer that if properly cellared will continue to gain in complexity. Ratebeer.com members rated it a perfect 100. At $33 a bottle it's not cheap, but it's definitely in line with a bottle of fine wine that you'd share with someone.

BEER COMING SOON
Rogue Ales Voodoo Doughnut Maple Bacon Ale 650ml (Oregon)

NEW BEER
Phillips/Garrison Mash-Up Baltic Porter 650ml (Victoria)

BEER BACK IN STOCK
Bear Republic Racer 5 IPA 6-packs (California)
Granville Island Winter Mingler 12-packs (Vancouver)

WINE BACK IN STOCK
Jaume Serra Cava Cristalino Brut Nature
KWV Full Cream Sherry (S. Africa)
Oxford Landing Shiraz (Australia)
Tinhorn Creek Gewurztraminer (Okanagan)
Tinhorn Creek Pinot Gris (Okanagan)