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Porter vs. Stout

What is the difference between stouts and porters?

Since the dawn of drinking beer, this question has perplexed many, but the answer is both complex and simple. Porters were first brewed in 18th century London and were made to be a dark, medium bodied, malty beer with lots of hops to balance it out. As the Porter became more popular, brewmasters started to experiment with their recipes making stronger Porters with higher alcohol. So traditionally, Stouts are just stronger Porters. In fact, Stouts used to be called Stout Porters. However, nowadays the answer isn’t as easy.

Many breweries make Porters that are stronger than Stouts and Stouts that are weaker than Porters. The one difference that most brewers still seem to agree on is that Porters are made with malted barley and Stouts are made with unmalted roasted barley giving Stouts that rich coffee flavor. However, brewers also continue to blur the line between these distinctions making Porters with unmalted roasted barley.

So is there a difference between Porters and Stouts? The best way to answer that would be to say kind of and sometimes. Ultimately the only thing that matters is how the beer tastes and the modern beer world is in no short supply of delicious Stouts and Porters. Don’t worry about the silly distinctions and drink up!

February 20, 2018/by Eric Faiola

Holidays, Spirits

Valentine’s Day Gifts You’ll Love

We know that Valentine’s Day can be a tad bit stressful. From not knowing if flowers, candy, or champagne are the right gift to knowing if you should plan for a night-in or a night-out, there are a lot of decisions to make. We can’t help you with all the details, but we can help you find a great bottle of champagne or sparkling wine to cheers your loved one to. Check out our recommendations (below) that will impress any valentine out there.

We also have great gift baskets for sale too!

Gruet Brut Rosé: A beautiful garnet in color, this Rose NV has a delicate, fine mousse and rich, fruit flavors. This full-bodied sparkler starts with floral and berry aromas which introduce flavors of cherry. raspberry and wild strawberry, finishing delicately with zesty acidity.
Francis Coppola Sofia Blanc de Blancs: Fruity and refreshing, Sofia Blanc de Blancs is a rare blend of Pinot Blanc, Muscat, and Riesling. Mellow flavors of apples and pears are topped by a hint of citrus and honeysuckle. Elegant in character, this wine is lightly textured and vibrant through the finish.
Royal Provence RivaRose: A gorgeous bottle of Provence rosé with a fine and elegant sparkle. The nose offers up a fresh, soft scent of strawberry, raspberry and a little cherry. The mousse is mouth filling and fine. Flavors of red berries and a little spice. Delicious and refreshing.
Flama D’Or brut: Fresh and pleasant. Well balanced, good structure and well integrated carbonic elements. Pleasant aftertaste of medium intensity, where the aromas of nose and mouth are repeated harmoniously.
Li Veli PRIMEROSE: Bright pink with salmon and raspberry reflex; fruity bouquet, with delicate red fruit and flower notes; in the mouth it is balanced, pleasant and full, with a fresh acidity. Fruity aftertaste.

Looking to make Valentine’s Day extra special with a certain little question? Pick-up an extra special bottle to celebrate with –

Cristal Brut: White peach and acacia blossom aromas accent the flavors of poached apple, gingersnap biscuit, pastry cream and spun honey in this harmonious Champagne. The satinlike mousse caresses the palate, while firm, focusing acidity drives the lasting finish. Drink now through 2030.
Dom Perignon: Dom Perignon only creates vintage wines; it is an absolute commitment. Only the best grapes of the most exceptional years are used, making each vintage distinct. It is the perfect embodiment of the Power of Creation – an act of creation that elevates the mind and enlightens the world.

Stop by our Champagne Tasting on Feb. 13th and try a few of these delicious champagnes. Thanks for reading!

February 8, 2018/by Eric Faiola

Monthly Brewery

Brewery Spotlight: Mayflower

We’re spotlighting The Mayflower Brewing Company this month. They are a craft beer microbrewery located in historic Plymouth, Massachusetts. Founded in 2007 by a tenth great grandson of John Alden.

Mayflower brews and packages all of their beer at their brewery in Plymouth and uses only traditional brewing methods and ingredients. Their product line includes a set of year-round beers that honor traditional English ales, seasonal beers that celebrate our New England weather, and small batch releases that gives them a chance to try out new ideas.

Core Brews:

New World: latest take on this classic beer style. We use pale barley and wheat grains to create a light malt backbone and add a blend of four resinous hops from the Pacific Northwest to produce bold fruit flavors and aromas with mild bitterness.
EvoLupulin: The malt backbone remains consistent with 100% German Pilsner malt, while the hops focus on providing robust flavor and aroma with mild bitterness.
Daily Ration: hoppy American session ale with mild bitterness and a light malt base. Three varieties of aroma hops create a hop profile that is all citrus, with notes of grapefruit and tangerine.
Golden Ale: is crisp and dry with a slight malt flavor and a subtle hop spice. This straw-colored ale offers easy drinkability for the novice yet plenty of flavor for the discriminating connoisseur.
IPA: balances a powerful hop profile with full malt flavor to create a smooth brew with well-rounded bitterness. Four varieties of American hops lend a delightful piney flavor and fruity aroma.
Porter: is a rich, complex brew that is smooth and full-flavored. Five varieties of malted barley provide notes of roasted coffee beans and bittersweet chocolate with a hint of smokiness.

The best part is that they have a brand-new tasting room and retail store that is open and is family (and pet) friendly. You can try a full range of their four different beers, grab a pint of your favorite brew and enjoy the company of your friends and colleagues. They also offer a variety of branded apparel and bar items to show your love for Mayflower, as well as growler fills and packaged beer for you to take with you and enjoy away from the brewery.

Check out their website for more details, and check out the Mayflower Brewing selection that we carry here at Mystic Wine Shoppe.

January 29, 2018/by Eric Faiola

Wine

Winter Wines We Love

Let’s face it, we have three more long months of cold weather. Yes, it’s cold out but there is plenty to celebrate this winter! To start with, the Patriot’s could be in the Superbowl (fingers crossed), secondly, the Winter Olympics start in February and lastly, cold weather equals more snuggle time with your loved ones. Yup… our (wine) glass is definitely half-full and we hope yours is too!

To help you fill that cold winter glass we’re sharing some great winter wines that are not only affordable, they’re delicious. Enjoy!

Gabbiano Chianti Classico Riserva: A limpid, full ruby red color. The nose is fine, wide, with excellent fruity notes on a sweet and spicy background. A vigorous body with excellent tannins well in balance with the freshness given by the acidulous nerve. Fine, elegant and complex.
- Pairing perfect with roasted red meats rich in spices, game with rich sauces; interesting with aged cheese.
Bogle Phantom: Phantom, Bogle’s mysterious apparition of ripe berry and relentless spice, returns to haunt wine lovers. Full of concentration and intensity, this wine will tease, tantalize and linger long after the last sip is gone. Wild berries and black pepper are framed by the influence of oak aging with baking spices and a hint of toasty vanilla.
Rombauer Zinfandel: This classic California Zinfandel is dark purple-ruby, with a bright crimson hue. On the nose, concentrated aromas of blackberry and raspberry meld with clove and spice. Lush flavors of blackberry, cherry, licorice and vanilla flood the palate, followed by touches of pepper in the background. Plush and round tannins and great length make for a fresh and enticing finish.
The Prisoner: Features enticing aromas of Bing cherry, dark chocolate, clove, and roasted fig. Persistent flavors of ripe raspberry, boysenberry, pomegranate, and vanilla linger harmoniously, for a smooth and luscious finish.
LAB Red Wine: Very aromatic with notes of ripe black and red fruits. In the palate, juicy plums and dark berry fruit flavour with plenty of fresh yet fine tannins that take over at the finish, along with flavours of spice and liquorice.
Dry Creek Vineyard, Olde Vine Zinfandel: During harvest, their Old Vine Zinfandel lots always show a distinct aroma and flavor profile. Once bottled, the perfumed nuances and dried herbal components shine through. At first swirl, bay leaf and white pepper leap from the glass balanced by deep layers of plum and cocoa. The complexity of our Old Vine Zinfandel lies in the spicy notes that are unique to these historic properties. Refined and balanced, the wine integrates seamlessly on the palate offering a broad array of currants, black cherry, raspberry and toasty oak notes.
- Blend: 78% Zinfandel, 19% Petite Sirah, 3% Carignane
Broquel Malbec: Intense purple red color with ruby hues. Aromas of fresh red and black fruits, floral notes, and earthy minerals, with an elegant touch of smoke. Rich and spicy on the palate providing a long and pleasant finish.
- Ideal to serve with grilled red meats, stews, pasta with mushroom sauce and cheeses.
Decoy Merlot: This lovely expression of Sonoma County Merlot offers lush layers of black cherry, cassis, and cranberry, along with notes of cocoa and leather. On the palate, refined tannins underscore the wine’s velvety mouthfeel, while excellent acidity adds poise and length to the vibrant red berry flavors.
- Blend: 92% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 2% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Petite Sirah
Crios Malbec: Has a beautiful reddish/purple color as most good Malbecs do. The aromas are a mix of freshly crushed black cherries and toasty/smoky oak—just enough to frame the exuberant fruit. On the palate, the flavors of cherries and spice are obvious, and the jammy fruit quality just keeps coming on strong, with hints of spice and sandalwood lurking in the background.

We hope you get a chance to stop into Mystic Wine Shoppe to enjoy these lovely winter wines. Cheers to three more months of winter! Don’t forget to join us for our weekly beer and wine tastings.

~ Your friends at Mystic Wine Shoppe

January 16, 2018/by Eric Faiola

Monthly Cocktail

Cocktail of The Month: Hot Toddy

The weather this past weekend could not be COLDER! So naturally, we wanted to make this month’s cocktail a warm and toasty concoction. The Hot Toddy is a cocktail that people have come to love, especially since it’s supposed to help reduce cold symptoms. Our team loves making their Hot Toddy with Rowan’s Creek Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey, which has notes of sweet caramel and vanilla to round out the cocktail.

Hot Toddy Ingredients:

Hot water (3/4 cup)
Lemon slices or lemon juice (2 tbsp)
Honey (2 spoonfuls is a good amount)
Rowan’s Creek Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey (1 1/2 ounces)
Cinnamon sticks (optional)

How to make:

Heat up water in a teapot
Blend together Whiskey, honey, lemon and hot water in a safe mug
Add in cinnamon sticks
Enjoy!

How do you make your Hot Toddy? Here is another great recipe using tea and another using apples.

Thanks for reading, The Mystic Wine Shoppe Team

January 7, 2018/by Eric Faiola

Beer, Monthly Brewery

Lord Hobo Brewery Co.

Happy New Year!! We’re starting 2018 off on the right foot with our Brewery Spotlight on Lord Hobo Brewing Co. Their beers are proudly brewed in Woburn, MA and they bring the New England Beer experience to thirsty fans everywhere. We love carrying their lineup at Mystic Wine Shoppe and hope you’ll try them out and visit their tap room soon.

Lord Hobo Brewing Co. opened the tap room doors to the public in June of 2015 and was founded by Daniel Lanigan, a well-known craft beer restauranteur. Beer lovers… If you haven’t already tried their brews, you’re going to want to. Lord Hobo puts beer on a pedestal using only quality ingredients to make these acclaimed brews.

They’re currently a BYOF (bring your own food) venue; featuring local restaurants and Food Trucks every Friday and Saturday. So, if you want to tour their brewery, sample their beers in the tap room, or to grab a bite to eat, it’s a great spot to visit with your kids and dogs!

We hope you’ll try out the array of beers we carry by them at Mystic Wine Shoppe:
• BOOMSAUCE IPA
• Hobo Life Session IPA
• STEAL THIS CAN IPA
• Consolation Prize Double IPA
• GLORIOUS Galaxy Pale Ale

Cheers!
-Mystic Wine Shoppe

January 2, 2018/by Eric Faiola

Holidays, Spirits, Wine

Our Holiday Gift Guide

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! But it can also be stressful and leave you not knowing what to give to everyone on your list. To help reduce your stress, we’ve come up with a Holiday Gift Guide that should help you find the perfect gift for everyone.

Scotch & Whiskey:

Whistle Pig | The Boss Hog IV: This the IVth edition of The Boss Hog, The Black Prince, is a tribute to the great spirits of Europe. This is the first Rye Whiskey ever finished in Armagnac casks, straight from France. The result is extraordinary. A fine balance between American power and French sophistication. There’s nothing else like it. Learn More
The Dalmore | 18 Years Old: Dalmore’s stunning 18-year-old Highland malt is as rich, fruity and spicy as you could ever want from a Dalmore. Kudos to Richard Paterson for creating another veritable chocolate orange of a whisky – a surefire hit, and great for the colder months. It is aged for 14 years in American oak, followed by three years in Matusalem sherry butts, before a final year in sherry butts. Learn More
The Dalmore | Cigar Malt: Dalmore Cigar Malt was discontinued in mid-2009, causing uproar among all right-thinking, cigar-smoking whisky fans. This dram used to sit above the 12, and below the 15 in terms of both the price-point, and the age-profiles of the whisky that went into the blend, but the new version is a little different. Learn more
Johnnie Walker Sampler Set: Includes 4 bottle sampler (200 ML each) of the best of Johnnie Walker. Including Johnnie Walker Black, Johnnie Walker Gold Reserve, Johnnie Walker Platinum and Johnnie Walker Blue.
Johnnie Walker Blue | Small & Large: Their rarest blend. This isn’t a whisky for beginners. It’s challenging and an acquired taste, but like the finest rewards in life is worth it. Blue Label is made from a few exceptional whiskies with powerful flavors. Each bottle is precious.
The Macallan Rare Cask Highland Single Malt Scotch Whiskey: Crafted to showcase complexity and depth, Rare Cask is drawn from the broadest spectrum of casks, 16 different types, ever identified by the Master Whisky Maker.

Fines Wines:

Double Back | Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley: This wine is a blend of McQueen, Bob Healy and Lefore vineyard fruit, aged 22 months in 73% new French oak. Alluring aromas of macerated cherries, scorched earth, coffee, barrel spice and dark chocolate are followed by supple, focused, concentrated dark-fruit flavors. It brings some tannic heft that will benefit from time in the cellar.
Caymus Special Selection | Cabernet Sauvignon 2012 | Napa Valley: Exhibits a delicious, up-front core of juicy dark berry, blackberry, black licorice and creamy, toasty, vanilla-scented oak. Appropriately tannic and structured, this is made in a style you can drink now or cellar for up to a decade. Drink now through 2026.
Revolver Wine Company | The Stash Cabernet Sauvignon 2013 | Napa Valley: Very limited production – only 50 cases produced of this sought-after wine. Cedarwood, spice box and black currants seduce the nose followed by a pallet of powerful layers of rich fruit and dashes of vanilla. 18 months of 100% French oak aging. ‘The Stash’ will truly enjoy a bit of decanting when served at a young age.
Silver Oak | Cabernet Sauvignon 2012 | Napa Valley: Notes of dill, herb and vanilla bean-scented oak lead to an elegant array of dark berry, herb, cedar, gravelly earth and underbrush flavors. The tannins cling a bit, but this is an enjoyable and approachable youngster, with a track record for aging. Drink now through 2028.
Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars Artemis | Cabernet Sauvignon 2014 | Napa Valley: Opens with inviting aromas of dark cherry and berry fruit, cassis, sweet vanilla and a hint of olive. On the palate, the wine has a smooth entry with a rich mouthfeel and lingering aftertaste of black cherry and dusty cocoa. Blend: 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, 1% Petit Verdot
Antica Cabernet Sauvignon | Cabernet Sauvignon 2013| Napa Valley: A beautifully elegant, stylish Cabernet Sauvignon from the Antinori outpost in Napa Valley, their 2013 has a dense ruby/purple color, a beautiful, sweet kiss of pure blackcurrant fruit, licorice and forest floor. Full-bodied, but with creamy texture, sweet, beautifully integrated acidity, tannin and alcohol, this is an impressively well-crafted wine that’s drinkable now, but should evolve nicely for another 15-20 years.
Opus One | Red Blend 2014 | Napa Valley: The 2014 Opus One exudes subtle aromas of fragrant florals, fresh garden herbs and forest floor that give way to a concentrated blend of red cherry, blackberry and black currant. Fine-grained tannins offer a velvety texture and complex structure that builds to a long, vibrantly fresh finish with a touch of mocha. Enjoyable now, the wine will delight for years to come.Blend: 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Petit Verdot, 6% Cabernet Franc, 5% Merlot, 2% Malbec
The Mionetto Prosecco Brut DOC | Varied Sizes: Tasty prosecco with an intense fruity bouquet and a hint of golden apples. It is very dry, fresh, light in body and well-balanced.This wine is perfect alone as an aperitif or as a delightful complement to appetizers such as prosciutto or mild cheeses. Excellent as a base for Bellinis and other sparkling wine cocktails.

All scotches and wines can be found at Mystic Wine Shoppe. Please stop in this holiday season and grab the perfect gift! We also have great gift baskets and charcuterie boards available for purchase, as well. Thank you!!!

December 15, 2017/by Eric Faiola

Events, Spirits

3rd Annual Scotch Tasting Recap

Our 3rd Annual Single Malt Scotch Tasting took place last Thursday, December 7th, and what a success it was! Guests sampled 6 delicious scotches and enjoyed hors d’oeuvres made to pair perfectly with sipping scotch. The Arlington Advocate stopped by to talk with our guests and we look forward to seeing the story in the paper this week. Thank you to everyone who stopped by!

See all the photos below –