Siciliano's Market News, February 25 Edition

This week's list of new and returning products follows a few words about the February blues

Preamble by Steve Siciliano

In the "Waste Land", T S Eliot’s ponderous and, perhaps to all but the most erudite tweed clad English professors, almost indecipherable Modernist poem, the author begins his enigmatic, 434-line opus by declaring that April is the cruelest month. Why Mr. Eliot laid this disparaging moniker on a period of time usually associated, in the northern hemisphere at least, with regeneration and rebirth continues to be debated, but I would suggest that when it comes to slapping such an inglorious label on a particular month February, in my humble opinion, would be a more suitable recipient.

Getting through February with a modicum of sanity intact has always been a challenge for me. The grey pall that descends on west Michigan in early November has a cumulative negative impact on my psyche by the time the second month of the year rolls around. I find it easier to slough off prolonged blasts of winter in December and January. By February I'm less inclined to dismiss the minor foibles of my fellow humans. The mole hills of daily life often transmute into mountains. As W B Yeats poetically put it in "Lapis Lazuli", Every discolouration of the stone/Every accidental crack or dent/Seems a water-course or an avalanche...

Barb and I usually try to get out of Dodge for a week or so to break the February blues but this year the pandemic put the kibosh on that. Thankfully we have gotten through this dreary month without strangling each other and with most of our faculties intact.

In a few days February will be in the rear view mirror. The days are getting longer. The sun is inching higher in the sky. The frozen landscape will soon be thawing. We have almost made it through the long grey tunnel of winter. Greens, blues, reds and yellows stand silently marshaled on the near horizon waiting for Mother Nature to release their marching orders.

Featured Wines of the Week

Colossal reserva, 2016, Portugal, $12.99/750ml- With an intense ruby colour, this wine presents itself with a great concentration in the nose. Extremely rich aroma with predominance of red ripe fruits and some floral notes, well integrated with notes of spices coming from the aging in French and American oak barrels. In the mouth it shows great complexity with notes of plums and blackberries. The finish is rich and elegant. (Source)

Praia, vinho verde, Portugal, $10.49/740ml-citric color, young and balanced, it has asmooth, delicate aroma, characterized by notes of freshfruit.In themouth it presentsa fresh and vibrant taste.It’s greatness lies in its simplicity and versatility. (Source)

LaLuca, Prosecco, Italy, $13.99/750ml-

VARIETALS: 100% Glera NOSE: Orchard Fruit TASTE: Creamy, off-dry style with flavors of apple and pear with subtle sweetness. (Source)

Try it with one of our new Hero fruit nectars!

Wandering Poet, Junmai Ginjo sake, Japan, $38.29/720ml-Notes of banana and ripe honeydew with a clean, crisp acidity that highlights its light-to-medium body. The lingering finish moves from juicy fruitiness to green, herbal notes making it a great food companion.Pairs well with many vegetables like asparagus, artichoke hearts, broccoli rabe, green salad, and brie cheese. (Source)

Buy three or more bottles of wine get 10 % off.

"It's our mission at Siciliano's to sell quality wine at affordable prices

Featured Spirits of the Week

Pearse, 7yr distiller's choice, Irish whiskey, $26.29/750ml- A blended 7-Year-Old Irish Whiskey of grain and malt whiskeys predominantly aged in Bourbon barrels with a small amount of Sherry barrel aged whiskey in the mix. This Irish Whiskey contains our own single malt. On the nose this specially blended Irish Whiskey gives fresh citrus notes with subtle spices and dried fruits giving a light fruit cake finish. On tasting Pearse Distiller’s Choice you will experience a smooth, warm, light oak flavour with hints of green grape evolving to caramelised pear. As Pearse Distiller’s Choice develops you will savour a hint of cocoa and dried fruits, finishing with notes of stewed apple, clove and custard. (Source)

Pearse, 12yr Founder's choice Irish whiskey, $33.69/750ml- On the nose this Irish Whiskey ripens with orchard fruits of white peach, apple and a tingle of spiced pear that come together to produce herbal and pine notes. Hints of lemon, dried orange and a touch of honeysuckle can be experienced from this Irish Whiskey. Pearse Founder’s Choice has a medium to long finish, is deliciously silky smooth and leaves you with warm notes of ginger and clove. (Source)

New and Returning Products

Aslin Blackberry Raspberry Gose, $4.69/16oz - This is our base Gose conditioned on Blackberries & Raspberries. (Source)

Aslin Bringing Extra Sexy Back, $4.69/16oz - DIPA dry-hopped with Mosaic. So lusciously smooth and soft it feels sensual. Sweet berry, ripe peach, & mango, all wrapped up with a perfect dank finish. (Source)

Aslin Full Basic, $3.29/16oz - A Dark Czech Lager with lovely roasted qualities, smooth caramel, and soft nuttiness. Hints of chocolate, hazelnut, and a wafer-like flavor. This one is clean, with light carb, for a super smooth finish. (Source)

Aslin Nuances of Meaning, $3.79/16oz - India Pale Ale that is solely hopped with Citra & Mosaic. The result is a beer with huge aromatics of grapefruit, berry, mango, & naval oranges. The flavor has notes of clementine, peach, berry, and a balancing grassy bitterness. (Source)

Aslin That's The Facts, $3.29/16oz - Pilsner - Bohemian / Czech

Bell's Flamingo Fruit Fight, $1.99/12oz - This Fruit Fight started when two flamingos walked into a bar... it is brewed with passionfruit and lime zest, resulting in a tart blend of tropical, citrus flavors and aromas. (Source)

Eastern Market House Gose, $3.49/16oz - Our easy-drinking house beer was brewed with coriander seed and pink Himalayan sea salt leading to a gose that is bright, tart, crisp, and oh so refreshing. (Source)

Eastern Market Margarita Gose, $4.79/16oz - Brewed with lemons, limes, oranges, and pink Himalayan sea salt, this gose goes perfectly with tacos and relaxing at the market after a hard day’s shopping (Source)

Jolly Pumpkin Biere de Mars, $3.99/16oz - A sustaining beer that is brewed to comfort in the gusty ides of March and welcome in a wealth of warmer weather. (Source)

New Belgium Dominga Mimosa Sour, $1.99/12oz - No commercial description

Perrin Hard Restart, $2.49/12oz - Brewed with Saphir and Nelson Sauvin hops, expect this lager to have a moderate bitterness with notes of citrus and bright grape acidity on the aroma. (Source)

Pigeon Hill Donut Stop Believin', $1.99/12oz - Cream Ale

Prairie Plum Cunundrum, $3.29/12oz - Brewed with blackberries, black currants & plums.

Rockford Little George, $2.39/12oz - Brewed with a bounty of Columbus and Simcoe hops for a hop complexity of bright citrus and herbal piney flavors. Our intention with Little George is to showcase the wonderful hop characteristics of those varieties within a smooth, clean malt body while maintaining an appropriate balance between the hop’s bitterness and the higher level of alcohol. (Source)

Sam Adams Just the Haze NA, $1.79/12oz

Short Fuze Creamsicle Goodness, $4.89/16oz - Creamy, silky, smooth mouthfeel surrounds your taste buds with sweetness and an explosion of hops. Made like our hazy ipa to start but added a hefty amount of milk sugar to sweeten it up a bit. We then add orange peel and tangerine puree to replicate the flavors of a creamsicle. (Source)

Short Fuze German Chocolate Cake, $4.39/16oz - Stout made to replicate the flavors of a nice big piece of German chocolate cake. Big thick flavors of chocolate, fudge, and hints of coconut on the finish. (Source)

Short Fuze Peanut Butter Cup, $4.39/16oz - Stout with peanut butter lactose and chocolate. Make to replicate a Reese Peanut Butter cup. (Source)

Short Fuze Sunday Morning Stacks, $5.29/16oz - With this wheat wine we tried to replicate the flavors of a fresh stack of pancakes on a beautiful Sunday morning. Flavors of maple syrup, cinnamon, and wheat from the grain bill make this one "easy like Sunday morning". (Source)

Short Fuze Tropical Hurt Locker, $4.39/16oz - Sour ale with lactose. Fruited with raspberry and passion fruit. (Source)

Short Fuze Worms and Dirt, $6.39/16oz - Made to replicate the classic dessert "dirty cake or worms and dirt". We added oreos, gummy worms, vanilla, and chocolate. (Source)

Shorts Slurm Lord, $2.59/12oz - Slurm Lord is a double New England style India Pale Ale brewed with oats and a blend of Citra, Azacca, Amarillo, Galaxy, and Mosaic hops. We're excited to say that the brewing of Slurm Lord employs the largest dry hop to date in SBC history! Deep orange in color with a permanent haze and a minimal head, a glass of Slurm Lord resembles a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice. Aromas of dank passion fruit, mango, and pineapple are accompanied by bold flavors of citrus. This medium-bodied India Pale Ale is incredibly juicy from start to finish. A final sip leads into a slight, warming bitterness. (Source)

Southern Tier Strawberry Dream, $3.99/16oz - Barley, oats, and milk sugar boil and twirl together with fruity, tropical hops only to mingle and cool with - of course - more hops. The mixture is then conditioned and finished with strawberry and vanilla. Enjoy a bursting aroma, a creamy mouthfeel and rich notes of citrus and strawberry. (Source)

Waypost Biere de Coupage, $9.39/500ml - From the French farmhouse brewing tradition, this Bière de Coupage is created by blending young beer with mature beer. In this case, we took a 100% Brettanomyces fermented saison, aged in oak for 14 months, and blended it with a fresh, mixed fermentation saison. It was then dry hopped with Ariana hops for a stone fruit, honeyed characteristic. (Source)

Stay safe. Please wear a face covering in indoor public spaces. Spread kindness not germs!