Andy Snead brings back his monthly beer tastings at the Whole Foods Galleria in February with an emphasis on Barley Wines:

That’s right; the monthly beer series is back and in full swing with the ever popular style of Barley Wine! Ranging from sweet to bitter, these complex and high alcohol brews are just what you need to shake off the chill from Jack Frost. There will be examples foreign, domestic and seasonally available for you to experience. Perfectly paired snacks provided. Cheers!

This tasting will cost $25. The date is Thursday, February 11th and it runs from 6:30 – 8:00 pm. You can buy tickets online here.

Andy Snead continues his monthly beer tastings at the Whole Foods Galleria in May with an emphasis on Tripels:

In our third installment of the Belgian tradition, we delve in to the double fermented goodness, know simply as Abbey. These beers, brewed in the Trappist tradition are dark and rich with plenty of flavors. Dark fruit, toffee nuances and candy yeast abound in these strong ales. Perfectly paired light snacks provided.

This tasting will cost $20. The date is Thursday, June 11th and it runs from 6:30 – 8:00 pm. You can buy tickets online here.

Andy Snead continues his monthly beer tastings at the Whole Foods Galleria in May with an emphasis on Tripels:

Please join us as we continue our tour of Belgium with an in-depth, informative and tasty tour of Tripels. These rich and delicious brews are three times fermented and have a great depth of complexity and a rolling palate. Light and perfectly paired snacks provided.

This tasting will cost $20. The date is Thursday, May 21 and it runs from 6:30 – 8:00 pm. You can buy tickets online here.

The Boulevard Smokestack family just got a little bigger in St. Louis.  First we were treated to four beers ranging from Belgians to an American IPA.  Then the brewers at Boulevard decided to get a bit funky and busted out some Brett and Barrel-Aged beers.

But now they’ve gone dark on us, really dark.  Boulevard’s newest addition to the Smokestack series is the Imperial Stout.  This beer is a whopping 11% monster featuring a huge grain bill that includes malted barley, wheat, oat, rye and spelt.

This beer is now available at several retailers around the area including Whole Foods Galleria and The Wine and Cheese Place in Clayton and Rock Hill.

I know I’m very random about which new beer releases get their own post and which get just get put on the Friday Round-Up.  I’ll be honest, the reason is that there are just some beers I’m far more excited about than others.  That’s not to say those are beers aren’t important.  I’m just easily excitable about some beers.

Goose Island’s Bourbon County Stout is one of those that tickles my fancy.  It’s just a wonderfully complex beer that gets better and better with each sip.  This beer is perfect for these cool fall evenings to just sit back and savor.  Paul from the Wine and Cheese Place now has this year’s beer available for $17.99 a four-pack.  For added fun, visit Andy over at the Galleria Whole Foods and pick up four-pack of the 2007 and sample them side by side.

I often have people asking me about aging beers.  I’m happy to say this is one of the best examples of what giving a beer a little age will do.  You’d be remiss if you have a cellar and don’t have this beer in your collection.  Go out and buy some today.

So I’ve teased it in the forums a bit, but I thought I’d list some of the prize we’d have available for the STL Hops Anniversary Party!

New Belgium

• New Belgium Tulip Glasses
• 05, 06, 07 La Folie
• New Belgium Grand Cru
• 12 Pack of Fat Tire cans

Major Brands

• Avery Salvation
• Great Divide Hercules Double IPA
• Avery 14′er ESB
• Great Divide Titan IPA
• Avery IPA

Whole Foods

• 4 – $20 Gift Certificates

Amalgamated Brewing

• 2 – $25 Gift Certificates

Wine and Cheese Place

• Samuel Smith Imperial Pint Glasses
• Samuel Smith Pilsner Glasses
• Samuel Smith Tulip Glasses
• Spatan Illuminated Bar Sign

Missouri Beverage

• Old Rasputin Metal Sign
• Gouden Carlous Tulip Glasses
• Kapuziner Ceramic Pilsner Glasses
• Mahr’s Brau Mugs

Starr’s Liquors

• Sierra Nevada Harvest Wet Hop Ale
• Samichlaus 750ml
• Deus Brut des Flanders
• Boulevard Saison Brett

Stephen Hale

• 1995 Thomas Hardy’s Ale

Syberg’s

• 4 – $25 Gift Certificates

Some of these items will be door prizes, some will be raffles, some will be silent auctions. So bring some money along with you as this is for a great cause, Stray Rescue of St. Louis.

Andy Snead from Whole Foods Galleria posted on the STL Hops Forums that the Boulevard Saison-Brett is now available at the Whole Foods Galleria. I had some more of this beer while at the Augusta Bottoms Festival and it was still fantastic. It provides just enough Brett flavor to really make the beer funky without having too much of it overpower the entire palate.

I think this is one of those perfect beers to get people into beers featuring brettanomyces yeast without it being a funk bomb. I really wish this had come out earlier in the summer as I think it’s a wonderfully refreshing beer. Make sure to pick up your numbered bottle as I don’t expect this one to last long. I’d be very curious to see what some age will do on this beer.

Update: Andy informs me that what he thought was Saison-Brett was actually just Saison.  But Paul from Wine and Cheese Place seems to have gotten it in, so I expect Whole Foods to have it soon as well.