Category Archives: Beer

The 12 beers of Christmas: Silent nights and Great Divide

20 Sunday Dec 2015

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Between applying the final tinsel to the tree and tracking down last-minute gifts, you deserve a little down time, and definitely an ale or two. Today, we’re wrapping up Total Wine & More’s “12 Beers of Christmas” series by sharing our final six selections.

If you missed Part I in this series, click here to see our first six selections.

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Photo credit: Great Divide Brewing Co.

Great Divide Brewing Co. of Denver, Colorado, has received a lot of attention, and for good reason. With over a dozen Great American Beer Festival medals to the brewery’s name, it’s no surprise that Great Divide’s Hibernation Ale scored a 94-point rating from Draft Magazine. An English-style Old Ale, it has a malty richness that’s balanced by a complex hop profile. It’s a great beer that’s even better on a cold, winter evening.

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It’s no surprise that Shiner Holiday Cheer holds a place in the hearts of our Texas staff. A Dunkelweizen, it offers hints of Texas peaches and pecans as well as caramelized malts, which makes it a crowd favorite at a holiday get-together.

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Nearly 2,000 miles away in Petaluma, California, Lagunitas Brewing Co. cooked up a mistake that’s become a fan favorite. Brown Shugga’ began as a happy accident, a result of the brewery attempting to save a batch of their Olde GnarlyWine by mixing in copious amounts of brown sugar. Incredibly drinkable, Brown Shugga’ is true to its name to the very last drop with a caramel malt flavor accompanied by notes of dark fruit, toffee and, of course, brown sugar.

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For our next selection, we’re traveling across the Atlantic to the United Kingdom. In addition to its festive, vintage-inspired label, Samuel Smith’s Winter Welcome Ale holds a Gold medal from the World Beer Championships and offers a lovely caramel malt flavor that will have you singing “’Tis the season” in no time.

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Woodchuck Winter Chill Cider is a winter warmer of a decidedly different, but delightful and seasonally appropriate stripe. Aged in French and American oak barrels, it offers a rich apple flavor with hints of vanilla and oak.

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Photo credit: Widmer Brothers Brewing Co.

For our final beer, we’re heading to a place that’s celebrated for its craft beer scene. Portland, Oregon, is home to many fine breweries, including Widmer Brothers Brewing Co., which helped popularize the Hefeweizen beer style in America in the late 1980s. Widmer Brrr Seasonal Ale is a bold and hoppy Red Ale with caramel and chocolate malts that produce a malty sweet flavor and smooth finish. It’s a beer deserving of a carol or two.

Take a break from decking the halls to deck out your beer fridge! Shop our winter beer selection in-store or online.

Recipes from a galaxy far, far away: Part I

19 Saturday Dec 2015

Posted by in Beer, Cocktails, Rum, Spirits

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It seems J.J. Abrams has caused a disturbance in the you know what. However, according to reviews and nearly universal fan approval, it’s all for the better. Like many of our customers, we’re heading out this weekend to watch the new movie and catch up with some of our favorite characters.

And we couldn’t think of a better way to commemorate such a momentous occasion than with cocktails that celebrate the entire series, even the ones that weren’t fan favorites.

We collaborated with mixologist and rebel leader Beautiful Booze to use the force and create an out-of-this-world set of inspired cocktails.

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Paradise on a Desert Planet

Thanks to its two suns, we can’t imagine what summers were like for Luke on his home planet. That’s why we whipped up the cool and refreshing Paradise on a Desert Planet.

To mix up this recipe, you will need:

1 1/2 oz. George Ocean Rum

1 oz. condensed milk

1 oz. lime juice

3 oz. orange juice

Orange slices and graham cracker rim, for garnish

In a cocktail shaker, add ice, rum, condensed milk, lime juice and orange juice. Shake mixture forcefully*. Rim glass with graham crackers. Pour mixture into serving glass and make sure to make one for Luke.

*This cocktail needs to be shaken very hard to mix up the condensed milk

Yield: 1 serving

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Cantina Cooler

Whether you’re flying solo or meeting friends to listen to a great house band, the Cantina Cooler is the perfect choice to start your adventure off right.

1 1/2 oz. Veil Vodka

1 oz. cranberry juice

1 oz. lime juice

½ oz. simple syrup

Top with a lager beer

Fresh cranberries, for garnish

In a metal shaker add vodka, cranberry juice, lime juice, and simple syrup. Shake and strain mixture over crushed ice, then top with beer (we recommend a Helles Lager, but just about any lager will do).

Yield: 1 serving

If you enjoyed getting a taste of the galaxy, make sure to check back coming up for more recipes.

The 12 beers of Christmas: Reindeers and Red Ales

17 Thursday Dec 2015

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If you’re looking for a cold one to get you into the holiday spirit, Total Wine & More has rounded up a dozen of our favorite Christmas beers. Today, we’re sharing the first six.

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Anchor Brewing Co. has been producing its Christmas Ale, a perennial favorite, since 1975. The top-secret recipe changes every year, as does the tree on the label. For 2015, this spicy dark brown ale offers richness and complexity that exemplify the best qualities of a winter warmer. This beer always stands out on our shelves thanks to the hand-drawn label, which for this release features the Deodar Cedar, or California Christmas Tree, a fitting choice given Anchor’s San Francisco home.

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From Turbodog to Purple Haze, Abita has been crafting great beers for years. Like Anchor’s, Abita’s Christmas Ale recipe changes from year to year. However, you can always count on this special dark ale to offer a level of malt-driven spiciness that pairs well with holiday staples like gingerbread.

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Although there may not be snow on the ground, a white Christmas is in reach thanks to Samuel Adams’ White Christmas, a refreshing Belgian-style white ale that offers notes of fruit and coriander.

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If you’re looking for something a little hoppier, you won’t be disappointed with Santa’s Private Reserve from Rogue Ales. Boasting an 89-point rating from Beer Advocate, this double-hopped Red Ale has a lovely roasted malt flavor that’s perfect for the season.

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We couldn’t discuss winter beers without mentioning Belgian breweries, which routinely produce some of the very best. World-renowned Huyghe Brewery, which is most closely associated with its flagship beer Delirium Tremens, offers up a fantastic Belgian Strong Dark Ale in the form of Delirium Noël. A smooth and creamy beer, it has delightful flavors of caramel, dark fruit and spice ideal for evenings spent in front of a roaring fire.

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Our sixth beer needs no introduction for many beer lovers, thanks to its outstanding reputation. St. Bernardus Christmas Ale, which hails from Watou, Belgium, is the quintessential Belgian Strong Dark Ale with delicious flavors of molasses, apricots, licorice and marzipan. It would be the perfect stocking stuffer for any hopivore.

Click here for the unwrapping of the final six beers in our 12 beers of Christmas series. In the meantime, stop by our stores or shop online to spread some hoppiness and cheer.

Here’s to Repeal Day

03 Thursday Dec 2015

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This Saturday, December 5, marks the 82nd anniversary of Repeal Day, which brought an end to the 18th Amendment and 13 years of Prohibition in the United States. At Total Wine & More, we believe there’s no better way to celebrate such a momentous occasion than with cocktails that defined the era.

Like most drinks, the true origins of the French 75 are murky. Named after the French 75mm field gun of World War I, the cocktail first appeared in U.S. print in 1927 in “Here’s How,” one of the few mixology books to be published during Prohibition. While debate continues over when the cocktail first emerged, historians and mixologists largely agree that its modern form was first shaken up at the famed Harry’s New York Bar, which despite its name is actually in the Second Arrondissement of Paris. It achieved notoriety in the states after appearing at the Stork Club, one of New York’s legendary speakeasies.

Harry’s New York Bar opened in 1911 and has been attracting famous clientele ever since. Past patrons include Ernest Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald. Photo Credit: Time Out

A gin and champagne cocktail, the French 75 may have earned its name because its “kick” was akin to the recoil of an artillery gun. However, the recipe has been refined over time, so you don’t have to be a battle-hardened soldier to appreciate it.

Photo Credit: Liquor.com

French 75

Pour the gin, lemon juice and simple syrup into an ice-filled cocktail shaker. Shake well, strain into a chilled flute glass and top with Champagne.

Like the French 75, the Bloody Mary was born and bred within the mahogany walls of Harry’s New York Bar, which remains one of the world’s most revered drinking establishments.  By 1920, Russians fleeing the Russian Revolution had started to settle in Paris and began sharing their love for vodka. Ferdinand “Pete” Petiot, the bartender at Harry’s, began looking for ways to bring a little flavor to this flavorless spirit. He decided to experiment with canned tomato juice, which had recently made its way over from America. The resulting drink was first christened “Bucket of Blood” by American singer Roy Barton, in honor of an infamous gambling den and speakeasy in Chicago.

The evolution of “Bucket of Blood” into the mildly more appetizing “Bloody Mary” remains unclear, but Bloody Mary recipes began appearing in print by 1946. While the Bloody Mary may be one of the world’s most complex cocktails, it’s a drink that’s well worth the time and effort.

Photo Credit: Liquor.com

Bloody Mary

  • 2 oz. tomato juice
  • 1½ oz. vodka
  • 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
  • ¾ tsp. freshly grated horseradish
  • 3 dashes hot sauce
  • Pinch salt
  • Dash freshly ground black pepper
  • ¼ tsp. lemon juice
  • Celery stalk, for garnish

Combine tomato juice, vodka, Worcestershire sauce, horseradish, hot sauce, salt and pepper over ice in a highball glass. Then pour the drink into a second highball glass. Pour the drink back and forth between glasses several times to ensure the ingredients are properly mixed, and then lightly spray lemon juice over glass. Garnish with celery stick.

Get into the spirit of Repeal Day and stop by Total Wine & More or shop online to get everything you need to mix up some Prohibition-era favorites.

What did the Pilgrims drink?

20 Friday Nov 2015

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Only two contemporary accounts of the first Thanksgiving dinner in 1621 are known to exist. They describe the wild turkey bagged by the Pilgrims and the venison brought by members of the Wampanoag tribe. But neither answers the critical question: What did the Pilgrims drink?

There was no California Pinot Noir for the first revelers – there wasn’t even a California. Yet despite their Puritanical inclinations, the Pilgrims certainly would have been interested in having alcoholic beverages on hand. In the early 17th century, potable water was hard to come by. Beer, cider and spirits, with alcohol levels that kept bacteria at bay, were safe choices.

Pilgrims packing for the journey on the Mayflower, which would last 66 days, had been urged to bring provisions including beer, cider and “aqua-vitae,” or distilled spirits. It’s hard to imagine those kegs and bottles weren’t drained by the long trip, the grueling winter and the busy spring and summer setting up the Plymouth Colony.

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So historians assume the Pilgrims got to work brewing fresh beer. Early crops of barley, a critical ingredient in the standard recipe, did not thrive. But the settlers “were a resourceful lot and would have found ways to make fermented drinks from whatever they had available from the land,” notes Rob Hill, a Certified Cicerone™ and author of the Total Wine & More “Guide to Beer.” Happily, native pumpkin – perhaps known to the settlers as pompion – was available in abundance. Pumpkins are filled with fermentable sugars, so for Pilgrims pumpkin was not a flavoring (as it is in most modern pumpkin ales) but a substitute for malts in the brewing process.

Also growing wild around the Cape Cod settlement: apples. Cider had been a popular drink in Europe for centuries by the time the Pilgrims pushed off for North America, so they knew just what to do with the crab apples they found. Apples could be pressed into fresh juice, which could be made into hard cider. (Later, they found a way to further distill cider into the spirit applejack.)

Close up of apples in wood crate in apple orchard

It turns out the Pilgrims were quite the trendsetters – their table included beers and ciders that, almost 400 years later, are modern seasonal favorites. A pumpkin beer has the perfect autumn flavors to complement Thanksgiving dinner. And the refreshing effervescence and acidity of dry hard cider means it’s still a great choice to accompany a rich Thanksgiving meal.

The pilgrims didn’t have cranberry sauce (sugar was a scarce commodity) and they didn’t have pie (wheat flour, for crust, would come later), but it’s likely they enjoyed beer and cider at their first Thanksgiving. Visit Total Wine & More to find pumpkin beers and ciders that’ll add a bit of history to your 2015 feast.

Celebrate Fall With Our Favorites

29 Thursday Oct 2015

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The official start of fall heralds much more than the arrival of everything pumpkin spice. The change of seasons brings with it specialty beers and ciders that we look forward to every year.

A true celebration of Germanic brewing tradition, this year’s Sierra Nevada Oktoberfest is a collaboration between the California-based brewery and Brauhaus Riegele of Augsburg, one of Germany’s oldest family-owned breweries. The beer, which boasts a deep golden hue, gets its rich and complex malt flavor from the use of traditional German Steffi barley.

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However, fall truly begins with the release of Shiner Oktoberfest. A craft brew favorite that’s received national acclaim, Shiner Oktoberfest won a Gold medal at the renowned Great American Beer Festival—and for good reason. Upon pouring, you’re greeted with aromas of sweet malt with hints of burnt sugar and earthy hops in the background. The beer offers a clean finish and nice balance with sweet roasted malt flavors countering touches of hop bitterness.

At Total Wine & More, you’ll find many other Oktoberfest standouts from Samuel Adams to Harpoon, as well as other specialty styles that come but once a year. Southern Tier Pumpking Ale’s 90-point rating from Beer Advocate is well deserved. Big flavors of pumpkin pie, nutmeg and cinnamon are bolstered by the rich and creamy nature of the beer. It’s truly autumn in a bottle. Other illustrious members of our Pumpkin Ale selection include Dogfish Head Punkin Ale, Shipyard Pumpkinhead Ale and Blue Moon Harvest Pumpkin Ale.

Naturally, no discussion of our fall favorites is complete without mentioning cider, which has experienced a meteoric rise in popularity over the past several years. We offer a variety of fruit ciders from apple and pear to pineapple, apricot and yes, pumpkin. In addition to popular favorites like Angry Orchard and Woodchuck, we have many other great domestic ciders from Ace, Austin Eastciders and Hornsby’s, as well as a fantastic international selection.

So give fall a proper welcome by stopping by any of our locations to stock up on the season’s very best offerings.

Trick-or-Treat at Total Wine & More

25 Sunday Oct 2015

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Halloween may still be a week and a half away, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get a head start on trick-or-treating. We’ve selected some of our favorite beers and wines that will satisfy all types of candy cravings. After all, there’s nothing more terrifying than an empty bar.

1. Lindemans Framboise

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The hopivores at DRAFT Magazine gave this Lambic a 91-point rating, so it comes with credentials, which also include a gold medal at the 2013 U.S. Open Beer Championship. With a refreshing raspberry flavor and perfect balance of sweetness and acidity, this Lambic is truly candy for beer lovers.

2. Young’s Double Chocolate Stout

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Young’s award-winning Double Chocolate Stout is for those whose Halloweens often end with piles of candy bar wrappers. A combination of chocolate malt and real dark chocolate means this beer lives up to its name. Upon opening, you’ll be met with aromas of dark chocolate, mocha, caramel and vanilla, which are followed by delicious flavors of roasted malt and chocolate.

3. Cherry Kijafa

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This Danish apéritif is rich and smooth, boasting a lovely tart cherry flavor that puts those trademark cherry lollipops to shame. If you’re looking to enjoy a pre-Halloween treat, add this cherry wine to club soda and serve over ice for a frightfully refreshing cocktail.

4. Red Decadence Chocolate Wine
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As the name suggests, this wine is truly decadent with flavors of black cherry, blueberry, plum and, of course, dark chocolate. A flawlessly balanced sweet wine, we couldn’t think of better company when catching up on our favorite horror movies.

5. White Ghost Cocktail

Sometimes, there’s nowhere to rum. George Ocean Coconut Rum, one of our new favorite spirits, takes center stage in our White Ghost cocktail, which will satisfy even the most discerning poltergeists. With the inclusion of banana and orange liqueur, the drink’s flavors are reminiscent of the taffy candies we’ve come to know and love.

Wine and Beer Classes for July: Take Your Knowledge to the Next Level!

30 Tuesday Jun 2015

Posted by in Beer, Class, Educational Class, Tastings and events, Wine

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The kids may not be in school in July, but that doesn’t mean the adults can’t head to class and brush up on their knowledge. Wine and beer knowledge, that is!

Join us this month for the following beer and wine classes! Also, don’t forget about the Caymus livestream wine tasting featuring Owner Chuck Wagner and Family on July 11th either. Click here for more details on that event.

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July Beer Class: Brewery Spotlight Featuring Samuel Adams

July 16 or 17 (depending on class location). Seats are $15 per person.

Register online for your local class by clicking here.

Join us for a brewery spotlight event featuring Samuel Adams. Attendees will enjoy a step-by-step appraisal of a wide variety of beer styles as well as cheese pairings. Reserve a seat now and get ready to learn about beer from one of America’s favorite breweries.

* Food will not be served in CT or MN classes due to state restrictions

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July Wine Class: A Blind Wine Tasting – Undercover Vines

July 23, 24 or 25 (depending on class location). Seats are $20 per person.

Register online for this class by clicking here.

Back by popular demand, this fun and thought-provoking class will offer attendees the opportunity to blind-taste eight delicious wines. Learn how to develop tasting skills as you identify unlabeled wines by qualities such as color, acidity and aromas. Wines will be paired off and tasted blind for all to compare. Each pair will be crafted from identical grape varieties grown in different parts of the world. Which wine will be declared the winner? Only you can decide!

Austin, Texas Grand Opening Week Two – Supporting the Hill Country Conservancy and Tasting Events

28 Thursday May 2015

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What a first week we’ve had in Austin! We hope everyone who stopped by last week enjoyed checking out our new store in Sunset Valley. However, we’ve still got more Grand Opening events and other great reasons for you to stop by this weekend too.

Stop by the store May 28-30 and join us in supporting the Hill Country Conservancy — Total Wine & More will be donating a portion of our proceeds to the Hill Country Conservancy! We’ll also have more Grand Opening tastings and events starting on Friday, May 29th at 4 PM CDT. Join us for wine tastings with Fiesta Winery, Haak Vineyards & Winery, and McPherson Cellars. Craft beer fans can also join in on the fun with beer tastings featuring South Austin Brewery, Grapevine Craft Brewery, Firestone Walker, and Infamous Brewing Company. We will also have giveaways and other in-store events like spirit tastings and engraving events with Nue Vodka, Deep Eddy Vodka, Qui Tequila, and Woodford Reserve. Plus wine class giveaways and more — stop in and explore our incredible selection of local products, craft beers, wines and spirits.

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Make sure to “Like” us on Facebook to stay up to date on all the upcoming events and latest product arrivals at our newest store in Texas.

Already planning on joining us for our Grand Opening events? Share your experience on social media with the hashtag #totalwineGO. Our social team will be sharing the very best experiences and photos on our social accounts.

An Exclusive Virtual Tasting Event with Ken Grossman, Founder of Sierra Nevada Brewing Company

30 Thursday Apr 2015

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It’s that time of year! The Total Beer Experience is back, and we want you to join us and #DiscoverBeer. To make joining us all the more delicious, we have a very special event this year that’s perfect for any level of craft beer fan.

On Friday, May 8th from 5-6 PM PST we’ll be hosting a live-via-webcast tasting in select stores with Ken Grossman, founder of Sierra Nevada Brewing Company.

Not that familiar with Ken? You should be! He’s a legend in the craft beer industry.

Back in 1976, Ken began building a small brewery in the town of Chico, California. He was determined to brew outstanding ales and lagers. On November 15, 1980, Sierra Nevada Brewing Company brewed their first batch of beer. Today, Sierra Nevada Brewing Company is considered by many to be the top craft brewery in the United States. With an inspiring combination of tradition and innovation, Sierra Nevada continues to push the boundaries of craft beer.

Guests at this event will enjoy cold beer (some are new, some are classics) as well as pizza. See below for a list of beers at this event.

Featured Beers:

  • Sierra Nevada Pale Ale
  • Sierra Nevada Nooner Pilsner
  • Sierra Nevada Hop Hunter IPA
  • Sierra Nevada Torpedo Extra IPA

The best part is, this exclusive event costs only $5 to join. That’s right, just $5! We’re not crazy. It’s all for the love of beer.

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If you would like to join us, click on the store link below that is closest to you and register for that class online via Eventbrite. 

Got a question for Ken? Post it in the comments! We might just ask it live during the broadcast for you.

Arizona
Glendale Goodyear Scottsdale
California
Arden Brea SoldOut Folsom  SoldOut Laguna HillsSoldOut
Northridge SoldOut Palm Desert Rancho Cucamonga Roseville
Thousand Oaks
Minnesota
Bloomington Burnsville Roseville (Rosedale) Woodbury
Nevada
Henderson Reno
New Mexico
Cottonwood Uptown
Texas
Arlington Plano (East) Plano (North) Lewisville
San Antonio (The Rim) San Antonio (Del Norte)
Washington State
Bellevue Federal Way Lynnwood Olympia
Puyallup Seattle (Northgate) Spokane Valley Spokane
Tukwila Vancouver