boston liquor store – Page 6 – Mystic Wine Shoppe

Brewery Spotlight: Night Shift Brewery

What happens when you take three friends, a love for beer, and an interest in homebrewing? You get Night Shift Brewery of Everett, MA. Founded in 2012 through love and passion, three friends brought their homebrewing to life. In 2007 they began homebrewing in their apartment kitchen. They were desk workers by day, homebrewers by night. They called themselves “Night Shift Brewers“.

Night Shift offers a wide variety of delicious brews year-round. First up, is The Crew. This group of beer is their core crew of brews on tap year-round and consist of –

Whirpool- New England Pale Ale
Santilli- American Indian Pale Ale
The 87- American Double IPA
One Hop This Time- Rotating single-hop IPA series
Morph- Rotating IPA series
Nite Lite-Craft Light Lager

Next is the a group of seasonal brews called The Rotators. This group is their smaller-batch, limited release offerings crew. They may not always be available, but when they are, they’re worth picking up a pack or two.

Awake- Porter aged with coffee
Bennington- Oatmeal stout brewed with dutch-processed cocoa and maple syrup
Furth- German-style hefeweizen
Matisse- Classic Saison

Looking for a great sour beer? Try their Mixed Fermentation Sours, which are fermented exclusively in stainless steel tanks with both lactobacillus and brewer’s yeast to achieve a high level of complexity and refreshing tartness.

Ever Weisse- Aged with Strawberries, Kiwis, and Hibiscus. Available: March-May
Rickey Weisse – Aged with Raspberries and Limes. Available: June-August
Mainer Weisse- Aged with Blueberries and Cinnamon Sticks. Available: September-November

Last but not least, is their Special Guests beers. These brews are a specialty group, that are only released every once in a while. Regardless how often they’re released, they’re sure to be worth celebrating. Night Shift has a long list of “Special Guests” so here are a few of our favorites:

Cul-De-Sac – Cream ale dry hopped with Amarillo
El Lechedor- Horchata-style milk stout aged in bourbon barrels with poblano peppers, vanilla, nutmeg, and cinnamon
Marilyn- Barrel- Aged blonde barleywine-style ale
Pfaffenheck- German-style pilsner

Night Shift also offers so many great opportunities to try their beer. Check out their online event calendar, which is filled with tastings, food trucks, and tours. They also hold private events in the taproom. With summer right around the corner, Night Shift is the perfect brew to bring to any get-together, BBQ, or with just a few friends. It’ll sure to be a crowd pleaser.

Stop into Mystic Wine Shoppe and check out all the Night Shift beers we have available!

May 14, 2018/by Eric Faiola

Bello Rosato!

Summer is the time of the year that I come alive. Having grown up in India, on a beach in Goa no less, I am still accustomed to sunny days and warm ocean breezes. Right now, I feel like a bear emerging from hibernation, as the crocuses finally pop up and the forsythia celebrate the changing season with bright yellow sprays of color.

And speaking of celebrating, what better way to cheer on the warmth, the long, lazy days and heat of the sun on your bare skin than to chill down a beautiful bottle of rosé and throw the windows open for the fresh air. That is exactly what I have been doing with a dry, refreshing bottle of Castello di Bossi Rosato. Just saying the name of the wine makes me happy.

The Castello di Bossi Rosato, made from 70% Sangiovese grapes and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, uses the maceration method to gain some color from the red grapes. That means that it spends approximately 3 hours in contact with the red skins of the grape before the juice is pressed off and fermented separately. There are two other methods for making rosé wines. One is just to blend in some red wine to add color. This is generally not allowed in most wines that want to be labeled as quality wines. The second is to use a technique called “Saignée”, which means to bleed off. In this method, some of the wine in a red wine fermentation is bled off after a short period of time to be fermented separately as rosé, which leaves less juice and more skins in the main vat to concentrate the flavors of the red wine. This technique is used in places like Bandol in Southern France where the grapes may not have ripened enough or in places like Napa Valley, where vintners want to make richer, more extracted wines.

This Rosato is a dry, dusty, wonderfully aromatic wine full of bright cherries and cranberries and hints of fresh, wild herbs. On the mouth, it has a bright acidity on the open with a fruity, yeasty lingering finish. One of the secrets to enjoying a good wine is to appreciate what comes before and after as much as the actual taste. You should smell it, swirl it, smell again. As the volatile compounds are released, they tease you with elusive scents that change from second to second. When you finally taste it, you are invariably surprised because the nose did not reveal all of its treasures. And then, for a really good wine, you can just enjoy the lingering aromas after you have swallowed it. Sometimes that is even the best part of the whole experience. This wine gives you a similar experience. Each part of the tasting gives you a different impression and a different experience. And you realize after each sip that the process was so enjoyable that you want to experience the whole thing again.

Serve this wine well chilled – in an ice bucket – with a plate of caprese salad and prosciutto, a light pasta with fresh vegetables and herbs, grilled chicken sausages and sage-scented butternut squash soup (like we did!) or a creamy mushroom risotto…you will be in heaven.

Thanks for reading, Seema

May 10, 2018/by Eric Faiola

Monthly Brewery

Brewery of the Month: Harpoon Brewery

It’s almost that time of year again! Warm weather, blue skies, sandy toes, BBQ’s with friends and family. Summer is quickly approaching and what better way to kick it off than with Harpoon’s Summer Ale’s?

Harpoon was born in 1986 by three friends, Dan Kenary, Rich Doyle and George Ligeti. They all shared the same love: drinking beer. They realized that beer choices were limited and they quickly wanted to change that. The first Harpoon Ale was brewed in 1987 in a transformed warehouse space on the Boston waterfront. Here, the three friends took their love and passion for beer and created local craft brews for everyone to enjoy. The rest is history.

What’s better than enjoying good times with good friends than cracking open one of Harpoon’s summer brews? One of the hardest parts of the craft beer world is deciding which brew to choose. We know- it’s a make or break decision, so we’ll help you try to decide which one is perfect for your occasion. If it were up to us, we’d have them all.

Camp Wannamango: This pale ale brewed with mango begins with a subtle tropical aroma of passion fruit and mango. Golden-copper in color, it has a light body, slight hop bitterness, and malty sweetness, and finishes with a kiss of mango.
Hibiscus Cider: Hibiscus flowers give the cider its festive, effervescent deep pink hue, as well as a floral tartness that complements the sweetness from the freshly pressed apples.
Citra Sea: Citra hops provide a juicy citrus character in this grapefruit peel-infused IPA. The malt blend adds depth and a touch of sweetness and gives the beer its bronze hue and medium body. The finish is all citrus, all day. This IPA is easygoing and ripe with citrus flavor
Midsummer Fling: features a bright golden color, light mouthfeel, and citrusy aromas and flavors derived from the combination of Citra hops, elderflower, and lemongrass
Summer Beer: Their version of the traditional German Kölsch-style ale. This beer, which is light and refreshing, appears to resemble a lager rather than an ale. The body is soft and delicate with a dry, crisp finish.

Still unsure of which summer ale you want? Don’t fret, Harpoon also offers a Summer Vacation Mix Pack. Boston’s Harpoon Brewery has been a standout in the local craft game for years. Stop by Mystic to browse our Harpoon selection, and sit back, relax and crack open a cold one.

April 24, 2018/by Eric Faiola

Pairings, Wine

Crab Salad & Sparkling Wine

The warmer weather is slowly arriving and the Sophora NV Cuvee Sparkling Wine and crab salad (see below for recipe) combo is the perfect combo to welcome spring!

Sophora NV Cuvee Sparkling Wine Tasting Notes: Don’t confuse NV – non-vintage – with lower quality. Non-vintage just means that the wine in the bottle has been blended with a “reserve wine” during the second fermentation to create a house style. This wine is scrumptious. When the distributor came by with it for a tasting, I was blown away and asked to take it home that evening to share with my true love. And even my beloved, who for the past 23 years has professed indifference to sparkling wines, loved it. It is rich and full-bodied, being a combination of 52% Chardonnay and 48% Pinot Noir, with the best of both grapes. Crisp acidity, fruit forward off-dry taste and a round, soft mouthfeel aided by the very fine bubbles. Had I not known better, I might have guessed it was a champagne and twice the price. This wine will pair perfectly with an endive and crab salad.

Crab Salad in Endive Leaves

1/2 lb. crab meat, all cartilage removed
Dressing:
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise
- 1/3 finely diced celery
- Grated zest of 1 lemon plus 1 or 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh chives
- 1 tbsp fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped
- Salt, ground black pepper and cayenne pepper to taste
12 to 18 Belgian endive leaves
To Make:
- In a large bowl, combine the mustard, mayonnaise, celery, lemon juice, chives and parsley. Add the crab meat and mix in gently. Season to taste. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. When ready, scoop some crab salad into individual endive leaves and arrange on a platter.

April 17, 2018/by Eric Faiola

Monthly Cocktail

Our Mother’s Day Cocktail

New to Mystic Wine Shoppe is the fancy and oh so drinkable, Pommery POP Rose Champagne 4-Pack. These fun champagne bottles make a lovely Mother’s Day gift as well as the perfect addition to any spring celebration. We love these little Pommery Pop bottles not just because they’re adorable, but they’re also delicious, bright and lively.

Host a Mother’s Day Brunch with POP!

We think Pommery Pop Rose Champagne would make a killer addition to your Mother’s Day brunch… So, this month’s cocktail is more of a ‘make-your-own’ cocktail bar. Check it out and get some inspiration for your Mother’s Day gifts and celebrations.

What you need:

Setting up a Pommery Pop Champagne Bar is really one of the easiest options you can offer your guests. Not only do you not have to make the drink, but guests can customize their drink the way they want it.
We purchased fresh juices (OJ and apple juice) and fresh fruit (strawberries and blackberries) to create a nice display for our guests to choose from. You can use whatever juice or fruit you would like at your bar!
Thinking about feeding your guests? We recommend some delicious baked french toast and/or quiche to go with the champagne bar.

Feeling inspired for Mother’s Day?! Enjoy your day and don’t forget to stop into Mystic Wine Shoppe to grab all your champagne, rose, beer and liquor needs.

Thanks for reading –

Mystic Wine Shoppe

April 12, 2018/by Eric Faiola

Beer, Monthly Brewery

Brewery of the month: Cisco Brewers

Located on the beautiful island of Nantucket, Cisco Brewery is a must-see when visiting the famous New England Island. Guests are invited to sip their delicious Cisco beer, enjoy wine from their sister company Nantucket Vineyard, sample liquors from their second sister company, Triple Eight Distillery, and take a tour! It’s truly a great experience.

Can’t make it to the island? Stop into Mystic Wine Shoppe and shop Cisco Brewery products!

How Cisco Brewers was born: Cisco Brewers was founded by Randy and Wendy Hudson. Wendy started home brewing with some friends while living in California, but in 1992 she returned to the island and met Randy. Instantly, she not only knew that Randy was her soul mate, but that he would make a great brewer. And so she bought him a beer kit.

When Randy and Wendy started selling beer, the entire operation-except the cold room, which was cooled by an air conditioner-was outdoors in the backyard. Wendy always called the original setup a “nano-brewery” because although they dreamed about it, they certainly were not yet a “micro.” Many people thought it looked like they were making moonshine and they were right! Cisco Brewers had the distinction of being America’s Only Outdoor Brewery.

While Cisco has a wide range of beers to try, we’re going to highlight their Classics collection:

Whale’s Tale: An amber English-style ale that has a nice balance between hops and malt. It’s the most popular of their beers and the most versatile in terms of pairing with food or people.
Sankaty Light Lager: A light American Golden Lager. This delicious creation is light-bodied with tremendous balance and distinct hop character. At 3.8% alcohol and 126 calories, this light beer has true flavor and body while being easy to drink and easier on the waistline.
Indie I.P.A: This beautiful red-orange ale has a full malty body balanced by a fruity apricot/grapefruit nose. Mounds of dank Summit hops in the whirlpool and dry-hop additions provide a delicious finish to this East meets West-coast ale.
Grey Lady Ale: Named for the often-foggy island where it is brewed. This wheat beer is fermented with Belgian yeast and brewed with fresh fruit and spices. A unique ale that emits a complex, earthy nose and a soft, mid-palate maltiness with hints of tropical fruit. Dry and spicy.

Interested in learning more about Cisco Brewers? They offer tours and tastings for all three of their business’. The tour price includes a tasting glass and you will be able to sample two wines from Nantucket Vineyard, two beers from Cisco Brewery and two spirits from Triple Eight Distillery. Come out and enjoy their Nantucket haven- just prepare yourself in case your mind blows up from all the awesomeness.

April 11, 2018/by Eric Faiola

Wine

A Personal Journey

When I began studying wine several years ago, I really just wanted to know the difference between a Rhone and a Burgundy, a Napa Cabernet and a Bordeaux. I did not have any grand ambitions. However, as I progressed through the classes, I realized that wine brings so many subjects together – you have to pore over detailed maps to memorize appellations, you have to know the different character imparted by schist or slate or loam or limestone, you have to study how many hours of sun each zone averages to know which grapes are likely to ripen well or over cook in which areas. You have to smell your way through the world – what is the difference between black berry and black currant? What does acacia or hawthorn smell like? is there a difference between lemon, lime and grapefruit smells? Or apples, pears and quince? You also have to study the various ways that wines are made – when are they harvested and by machine or hand? How are they crushed? How is the juice handled before fermentation? What temperature do you ferment at and which strains of yeast do you use? Then there are complicated processes for filtering, fining, additional malolactic fermentation, blending, aging, bottling…

It is astounding how complicated the process is and how much of a bargain wine is at almost any price that we pay these days.

Wine is a second career for me – in the my previous life, I worked in international development and traveled the world. I have been to Mali and Malawi, Albania and Macedonia, India and Indonesia, Nepal and Mongolia. After having children, this sort of travel became impossible and it took me years to find something that was as absorbing and challenging, not to mention something that would give me enough of a reason to take time off from spending all my time with my children.

Who knew wine could be that thing? The more I learn about the wine world, the more I realize there are depths and nuances that I would never have guessed. Something relatively new to me has been the world of Wine-as-fundraising. The wonderful thing for me is that it brings my previous life – working with the poor and vulnerable – together with my new life – learning and teaching about wine. Therefore, the wine I am discussing and we will taste in the shop this week is a wine for a cause.

Thanks for reading, Seema

April 9, 2018/by Eric Faiola

Weekly Wine Pick, Wine

Wine, Wisdom and Baseball

As opening day for the Red Sox approaches, I can tell the fans are getting excited. The problem is and I have to be honest, I am not a baseball fan. I know people LOVE the Red Sox and I appreciate that – I am a fan of wines and would totally fan-girl over some famous winemakers, give critical commentary on their raw materials, their decisions for how to make wines, how to label them, when to release them. And most philosophical, I think people find real depth when thinking of and speaking about baseball – similar to the Truth that is said to lurk in every bottle of wine. The link between the two seems inevitable.

Photo by: CBS Boston

Being a complete novice though at baseball, I began researching this game that so absorbs and thrills fans. The wisdom among its famous is quite real. For example, some guy named Bob Feller said, “Everyday is a new opportunity. You can build on yesterday’s success or put its failures behind you and start over. That’s the way life is, with a new game everyday and that is the way baseball is.” Those truly are words to live by. I also loved Tommy LaSorda saying, “There are three types of baseball players, those who make things happen, those who watch things happen and those who wonder what happened.” Again, this is a very profound life lesson.

But perhaps the person most credited with folksy wisdom in baseball appears to be Yogi Berra. And these seem to be his best quotes:

• “When you get to a fork in the road, take it.”

• “It gets late early around here.”

• “A nickel ain’t worth a dime anymore.”

• “The future ain’t what it used to be.”

• “Ninety percent of this game is half mental.”

• “I really didn’t say everything I said.”

• “You can observe a lot just by watching.”

• “Half the lies they tell about me aren’t true.”

• “If you don’t know where you’re going, you might end up someplace else.”

• “Love is the most important thing in the world, but baseball is pretty good too.”

But to go with all this wisdom, one needs the right wine. What better choice than the Red Sox Club Series Cabernet Sauvignon? Wine consumption grew 40% between 2000 and 2013 and baseball club series labels are sold in many stadiums these days – meaning people are drinking wine at baseball games. Beer is losing its supremacy. This wine is bold and structured, the perfect wine to go with meats off the grill – burgers, ribs and sausages. As a Cabernet Sauvignon, it is not as heavy as some others making it more approachable in the summer heat. But perfect for those “I’m-expecting-it-to-be-warm-but-it’s-still-cold” spring days. It has all the black currant you expect from a Cab but also some subtle hints of chocolate and tobacco, with a nice fruity finish. It is the perfect gift for a baseball fan on opening day!

Enjoy, Seema

March 28, 2018/by Eric Faiola

Posts

Crab Salad in Endive Leaves

Host a Mother’s Day Brunch with POP!

What you need: