I was introduced very recently to a fantastic new website BeerMenus.com. This is a great resource for finding your favorite beer in bars and stores around New York City. Just search for your favorite beer and they will tell where to get it, map and all! If you would like to check out our selection take a look here!
-Steve
Thanksgiving is a day for gluttony and there is nothing wrong with that! I am not trying to dissuade people from drinking wine with their turkey, but there is also a lot of football to stay awake for. Not to mention keeping on your toes for all of those questions from your family about your career/love life/etc. that you need to embellish just enough to make it out alive! Here are four beers that will compliment all of your favorite Thanksgiving dishes. Also all of these beers are brewed by fantastic American Microbreweries.
First up is the Pennichuck Brewing’s Feuerwehrmann Schwarbier. Pennichuck is a small brewery from Milford, NH and they have been receiving a lot of acclaim as well as winning a Gold Medal at the International Beer Festival. I had the pleasure of meeting their Brewmaster who explained to me that the goal of the brewery, other than making fantastic beers, is to eventually donate a portion of their earnings to various charities to benefit firemen in need. This is a dark lager that has a nice maltiness while still retaining the sweetness of a lager. Many people are frightened by the idea of “dark beers” but this brew could surely help the less adventurous beer drinker put down their “beechwood aged” security blanket and learn to enjoy beer! A good beer to enjoy earlier in the evening with hors d’oeuvres or a cheese plate.
Next on the list is Doc’s Draft Hard Pear Cider from Warwick, NY. This crisp and refreshing cider contains 
the perfect blend of pear and apple that comes through loud and clear when you take a sip. I would recommend drinking Doc’s with your over-filled dinner plate. The subtle sweetness is the perfect partner for your turkey and mash potatoes.
Lastly we have Butte Creek’s Organic Pilsner from Chico, CA. Now the word organic is thrown around a lot nowadays and doesn’t always translate to a great product, that is not a problem for Butte Creek. This pilsner is light with a spicy hop aroma and a refreshing grassiness which makes you feel like you just spent a long day harvesting crops, even though you were actually just looking for those pants with the elastic waist band you bought specifically for Thanksgiving dinner. This is just what you need to clear your palate before your move on to the pumpkin pie.
So pick up a couple of bottles and have an awesome Thanksgiving. I am going to pass on to you the best piece of advice I ever received, stock up on the yams!
Steve
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Beer | Tagged: Beer, cider, football, thanksgiving, turkey | 
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Posted by greenegrocery
Creminelli Salame Tartufo is the softest, moistest salame I’ve ever had. Cristiano Creminelli moved from Italy to Salt Lake City little more than a year ago, and has been the talk of the salamieri community since he started production. We have started carrying his Tartufo Salame, and let me tell you, this is no faintly chemical mediocre ‘truffle essence’ - these are real truffles, and the result is a coarsely ground, rich, subtle-flavored masterpiece. Any salami fan owes it to themselves to try this out.
It goes nicely with Truffle Tremor by Cypress Grove, by the way, which was featured in Time Out New York recently. We have had that in stock regularly too; it’s a lovely ultra-creamy soft ripened goat cheese, imbued with tiny black flecks of truffles. Yummy! Come try ‘em both!
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Cheese, Food | Tagged: Creminelli, Cristiano Creminelli, Cypress Grove, Salame, Truffle Tremor | 
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Posted by fortcheese
Glenn here. I want to remind you of our third cheese and wine tasting that will feature four cheeses from our very own New York state. They just so happen to be the cheeses on our Thanksgiving cheese plate, which you can still order until Saturday. Here they are:
Old Chatham Sheep and Cow’s Milk Camembert, Old Chatham Sheepherding Co, Old Chatham, NY
Cave-Aged Tilset, Brovetto Dairy, Harpersfield, NY
Kunik Triple Cream– Nettle Meadow Farm, Warrensburg, NY
Honey Lavender Fromage Blanc– Nettle Meadow Farm, Warrensburg, NY
Friday, November 21 The Greene Grape (wine store) 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Hope to see you there!
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Cheese, Wine | Tagged: Brovetto Dairy, Cheese, Kunik, Nettle Meadow Farm, New York, Old Chatham | 
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Posted by fortcheese
Our annual Thanksgiving All-American 6 Pack is back! Once again we have picked 6 stellar American wines that will pair with any and all of your Thanksgiving dinner concoctions. You get 6 wines normally valued at $106 for just $90. That means you’re saving more than 15%! And they come in a nifty, convenient carrying case! Now that’s something to be thankful for!
Gruet Brut Rose NV - A sparkling rose from New Mexico, made from Pinot Noir, with a floral nose and notes of raspberry and cherry. On the palate, it is rich and fruity in a dry style.
Anthony Road Riesling 2006 - Representing the Finger Lakes region in upstate New York, this riesling is dry, with racy acidity and notes of lime and pear.
O’Reilly’s Pinot Gris 2007 - Clarity of color, peach, apricot and apple fruit, mineral notes, fine acidity and smooth mouth feel are found in this Oregon wine.
Fleur Pinot Noir 2007 - Ripe cherries, cranberry, a dash of white pepper and nutmeg set the stage for this ruby colored wine from Carneros, California.
Sobon Estate Zinfandel 2007 - Hailing from Amador County, CA, this certified organic Zinfandel has dark cherry and cocoa flavors with a bit of spice and a smooth, medium body.
Winesmith Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 - From Lodi, California, this is a rich, generous Cabernet with soft round tannins and a core of cassis braced by spice and earth.
Happy Thanksgiving
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Posted by bklynwine
Jada here, all refreshed from a weekend cheese-hunting in Vermont. I met Mike Putman at Thistle Hill Dairy, and after a very interesting tour involving meeting some contented cows, I purchased some Tarentaise, a complex and fabulous Gruyere-style natural rind raw cow milk cheese. It won first place from the American Cheese Society last year, and with good reason. It’s nutty, sweet and grassy, with a fully realized idiosyncratic flavor of its’ own. Come try it!
Also, try the new Neal’s Yard Dairy cheese Glenn just ordered - Berkswell, a raw sheep’s milk cheese. Both sophisticated and delicious, as we have come to expect from all Neal’s Yard Dairy selections.
Now that the holidays are rapidly approaching, Fort Cheese at Provisions has decided to offer a lovely and quick-to-pick-up assortment of local cheeses. Our Hudson Valley Cheese Plate To Go offers Old Chatham Camembert, Tilset from Brovetto Dairy in Harpersfield, N.Y. and Kunik Tripple Cream and Honey Lavender Fromage Blanc from Nettle Meadow Farm in Warrensburg, N.Y. It’s local, delicious and convenient. Done.
Come see us anytime, we love cheese talk!
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Posted by greenegrocery
Thanksgiving Pre-Orders
This year we are offering D’Artagnan Heritage and All Natural uncooked turkeys, Farmed Geese, and Capons. We are also thrilled to be able to offer pre-orders of the world famous Jive Turkeys. All orders must be placed by November 19.
D’Artagnan all natural Turkeys 12-16 lbs $5.99/lb.
D’Artagnan all natural turkeys are from Amish & Mennonite farms in Lancaster County. They’re raised on a 100% vegetarian, wholesome grain diet of corn and soy beans, with no animal by-products, antibiotics, growth stimulants or gluten. Their environment gives them free-range access to the outdoors where they benefit from natural sunlight and fresh air, both of which contribute to the overall quality and flavor of the birds. The result is a delightfully tender, moist turkey with superb taste.
D’Artagnan Heritage Turkeys 12-16 lbs $14.99/lb.
D’Artagnan Heritage turkeys are from Standard Bronze and Bourbon Red stock, which are slow-growing breeds that are raised in a free-range, sustainable environment. They are fed a diet of native grasses, seed san insects. No antibiotics or hormones are used and each bird is processed by hand to ensure top quality. The result is a superbly clean bird that yields a naturally firm and moist meat with authentic turkey flavor. A 12-16 pound bird will yield 10-12 servings.
D’Artagnan Farmed Geese 8-10lbs $15.99/lb.
Raised naturally on Amish and Mennonite farms in Lancaster County.
D’Artagnan Capons 9-11lbs $8.49/lb.
Free-range capons are even more flavorful than roasting chickens and turkey, and as easy to roast as a chicken.
Jive Turkeys $89.50 each
If you’ve ever tasted a deep-fried turkey from Jive Turkey, you know why the line at Aricka Westbrooks’ Myrtle Avenue store winds around the block. Turkeys are first come, first served and Aricka doesn’t take reservations. This year, however, she’s allotted us 150 of her delicious deep-fried birds to offer to our customers for pre-order. The birds are 10-12 pounds before Aricka deep fries them in peanut oil and come in a special oven-safe bag. Pop the bird in the oven and just an hour later you’ve got a delicious, tender, juicy bird ready to serve.
And, of course, don’t forget our famous All-American 6 Pack of wine to round out your meal! The folks at the wine store select six American wines to pair with your Thanksgiving feast for only $90 (that’s 15% off!)
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Posted by greenegrape
Just in time to lift your Spirits (a 6 ounce curl?) for Halloween, we invite you to stop in for a preprandial taste or two of magical potions before heading out for your tricks and treats. The party is from 5-7pm in Manhattan and from 7-9pm in Brooklyn - we hope you’ll find the time to spend a spell.
In honor of All Hallows Eve we’ll be pouring wine from around the world made from pumpkins! These special artisanal wines are made from organic pumpkins…nah, just kidding, no such thing. And anyway, Halloween screams out for spirits, not w(h)ines (unless you don’t get the candy you want).
We’ll be mixing up a couple of special elixirs with DH Krahn Gin as their base. Don’t care for gin? You might take that back after you try our Devil’s Whiskers, a libation the Wall Street Journal presented as the drink to serve when people say they don’t like gin. The potion involves gin, dry and sweet vermouth, blood orange liqueur and fresh squeezed orange juice. We can feel our skeletons shaking already.
How about a Green Goblin? Lime juice and lime marmalade cast a spell on the gin that is spooky and delicious.
We hope to see you on the scary night. Costumes and friends from beyond are welcome.
No Comments » | Spirits, Wine | Permalink
Posted by bklynwine
Though we have been spoiled by unseasonably warm weather for the last few weeks it is starting to feel like fall and I for one am pretty excited. Not only can I start wearing all those sweaters I got for Christmas last year again, I also get to enjoy some fantastic new beers!
First up we have Sierra Nevada’s 12th Release Harvest Wet Hop Ale. Wet Hop means that the same day that the hops are picked they are thrown into the brew kettle, most hops are dried before they are used. Though this beer is hoppy as all get up it is also incredibly smooth and not as intimidating as some of the darker American craft beers.
Not dark enough for ya? Alright then you should try Theakston’s Old Peculier. A dark, malty, and full-bodied ale from Marsham, England. Satisfyingly rich with a wealth of hard to identify flavors. This is a great beer to settle down with after a long day.
Lastly we have Samuel Smith’s Oatmeal Stout. Now before you try to pass this off as breakfast you should know that oatmeal stout does not taste particularly of oats. Though in the late nineteenth century oatmeal stout gained popularity because of the association of porridge with good health. Though this trend soon died out so did oatmeal stout. In the 1970’s the Samuel Smith Brewery took on the challenge and produced the first oatmeal stout in over 60 years. This is a great alternative to the more popular Dry Stouts, such as Guinness, the oatmeal stout has a thick body but is incredibly smooth and refreshing.
So next time you stop in pick up one or all of these fabulous beers and let me know what you think!
-Steve
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Posted by greenegrocery
This Friday, October 17th from 5 to 7pm in both the Brooklyn and Manhattan wine stores we will be pouring 3 organic mezcals from Del Maguey, an independent, family owned producer from Oaxaca (prounced wah-ha-kah).
Mezcal is very similar to Tequila. Both are Mexican spirits made from the agave (maguey) plant. Tequila, by Mexican law, may only be produced with blue agave plants from the town of Tequila and the surrounding region of Jalisco. Mezcal (translated “earth roast maguey hearts”), on the other hand, comes from Oaxaca, a region a few hundred miles to the south and is produced using a slightly different process. Once the agave, or maguey (pronounced: ma-gay), has fully matured the leaves are chopped off, leaving only the the large pinas, or pineapples. The pinas are cooked for 2 to 3 days in large rock-lined pits in the earth, then crushed to produce a mash. The mash is mixed with water and ferments for around 8 days. It is then distilled twice. This process gives the mezcal a smokier, earthier aroma and taste then its maguey relative, tequila.
Tasting Notes:
Del Maguey Crema de Mezcal - mixed with unfermented agave honey to boost the sweetness. A nose of pears and vanilla becomes more tropical on the palate while flavors of roasted nuts emerge.
Del Maguey Chichicapa Single Village Mezcal - a lighter nose than some with thirst quenching citrus notes, smoky flavors blended with mint and chocolate on the finish.
Del Maguey Tobala Single Village Mezcal - pear, guava, and spices on the nose blossom into mango and cinnamon and resolve in a smoke and white pepper finish.
No Comments » | Spirits | Permalink
Posted by bklynwine
