Over the past 2 weekends, I have been to the Joe Canal’s Discount Liquor store on Rt. 38 twice; my first time alone, and this past Saturday with Ray. Between the 2 visits, we have purchased roughly $130 of beer.

Are you thinking we’re nuts? That we’re boozehounds? Au contraire! We have come across a veritable gold mine — a Mecca of craft beer — 15 minutes from our condo.

Sure, the craft beer section may only be 2 aisles and a couple stackouts of Victory and Flying Fish, but those 2 aisles nearly made me pee myself when I first stepped in. My first visit was regulated to only one aisle because I had nearly filled a cart. I had to put stuff back.

Between these 2 visits, we purchased 2 six packs — River Horse’s Brewer’s Reserve Double White (2W) and Buffalo Bills Orange Cream Ale; a four-pack of Heavy Seas’ Hang Ten; and the following bottles:

From the left: Weyerbacher’s XIII Belgian-inspired imperial stout anniversary beer; Southern Tier’s Imperial Cherry Saison; Stone’s 12th anniversary bitter chocolate oatmeal stout; Weyerbacher’s Twelve anniversary rye barleywine; Great Divide’s Yeti imperial stout; Brewery Ommegang’s Chocolate Indulegence 10th anniversary Belgian-inspired chocolate stout; Westmalle Tripel; Rogue’s Shakespare Stout; Ommegang’s Abbey Ale; Southern Tier’s Imperial Pumpking; Young’s Oatmeal Stout; Smuttynose’s Imperial Stout; and finally Rogue’s Morimoto Soba Ale.

Envious yet?

Of those bottles, we actually purchased 3 of the Stone anniversary beer, and we have at least half of the stash carefully put away to cellar. Even days later, we’re still amazed at what we found, and what we plan to buy in the coming months.

Ray totally let me get away with buying all these stouts; the third bottle of Stone is not pictured (we drank it) and the Ommegang Chocolate Indulgence is also not pictured because, um, I missed the word “stout” on the bottle. Stop laughing at me!

These are the Belgians; though the Chocolate Indulgence is more stoutish.

This is our collection of anniversary beers — minus the one Stone bottle that we drank. Ray will be talking more about these beauties on Friday.

Miscellany Comments Off