We spoke with Monday Night Brewmaster Peter Kiley about Situational Ethics - Apple Brandy.

BC: What’s your favorite aspect of this beer (flavor, aroma, etc.)?
The barrel! The apple brandy just jumps out of the glass and fills the room with a beautiful aroma!

BC: Where does this beer’s name come from?
The name Situational Ethics comes from the idea that you become who you hang out with. Since the base beer is the only constant in this experiment, situational ethics really adapts itself to the barrel that it ages in and the adjuncts that we allow it to interact with. 

BC: Is this your “desert island beer?”
I would hope not... unless the end is near.

BC: What's a good food pairing for this beer?
Pretty much anything, as long as you get to take a nap afterwards. 

Read Review

Sometimes, you don’t feel like going to your local bottle shop, liquor store or watering hole to buy alcohol. When that is the case, the only respite is knowing that your favorite booze is only a click or tap away. This list of popular alcohol delivery services will have you swilling your favorite beverage faster than you can say “lupulin.”

There are myriad alcohol delivery websites and mobile apps, but many of them have limited coverage nationwide. Almost all of these sites are affected by often arcane local alcohol shipping laws, so be sure to check the shipping information section for each of these delivery platforms.

Without further ado, let’s delve into our list of popular alcohol delivery services in the USA.

1. Tavour

While many of the platforms on this list feature a vast swath of alcoholic beverage styles, Tavour sticks to what it does best: Craft Beer. And since we are The Beer Connoisseur, it is only fitting that we list Tavour as number one on this list as they do a terrific job of offering highly rated and hard-to-get craft beer via their mobile app.

CBD Living in Corona, California has announced the release of four flavors of CBD-infused sparkling water. Full details from the company are below.

CORONA, Calif.— US-based CBD brand CBD Living has announced the global launch of their brand-new product, CBD Living Sparkling Water. Each can of CBD Living Sparkling Water contains 25mg nano-CBD sourced from organic US-grown hemp and is available in four mouthwatering flavors: Orange Grapefruit, Peach Honey, Strawberry Lavender and Apple Ginger. Each flavor is also vegan, gluten-free and certified Kosher, and contains absolutely zero THC.

“When people hear the name CBD Living, they tend to think of CBD Living Water, as that was our very first product released back in 2014,” says CBD Living COO Sean McDonald. “With CBD Living Sparkling Water, we’re returning to our roots in the beverage industry. True to our pioneering company mission, we’re excited to introduce four unique flavors of CBD sparkling water that you won’t find anywhere else.”

CBD Living Sparkling Water is available in stores and online and is sold in single cans, cases of 12, cases of 24 and a 4-can variety sample pack.

CBD Living products are sold nationwide in over 5,000 stores. Click here to find a retail location near you. All products are also sold online, with free shipping to all US states on orders over $75.

For more information on CBD Living, please visit cbdliving.com.

Wellness beverage brand Aprch in Portland, Oregon has announced the release of CBD Sparkling Water. Full details are below.

PORTLAND, Ore.— Aprch is a new wellness beverage company inspired by adventure, integrity, health and the environment. Aprch blends pure sparkling water with good for you elements including broad spectrum hemp extract (CBD), key amino acid L-Theanine, and nutrient-rich vitamins to nourish the mind, body and soul. Available now in single-serve and four packs across the Pacific Northwest, Aprch CBD Sparkling Water is available in over 500 retailers and nationwide online at https://drinkaprch.com/.

Manufactured in Aprch’s private production facility in Portland, Oregon, the CBD-infused beverage is intended to be easily incorporated into daily routines as a ritual. Aprch mixes the characteristics of enhanced water, sports drinks, and sparkling water to create a dedicated wellness drink for people with active lifestyles, who want the benefits of vitamins, CBD, and recovery without THC, caffeine, sugar, calories or sodium.

Crook & Marker in Hamilton, New Jersey has announced a line of spiked tea and spiked lemonade. Full details are below.

HAMILTON, N.J. — Crook & Marker, the first fully USDA Organic alcohol beverage portfolio from the founder of Bai Brands, today announced the launch of a new line of Spiked Teas and Spiked Lemonades made with organic supergrain alcohol and zero sugar to deliver today’s consumers impossibly delicious taste without the regret of consuming excessive calories, artificial ingredients and loads of sugar.

Crook & Marker® Spiked Teas and Spiked Lemonades are available nationwide and come in two different variety packs with four all natural fruit flavors: Lemon Tea, Peach Tea, Raspberry Tea and Sweet Tea; and Classic Lemonade, Raspberry Lemonade, Blueberry Lemonade and Watermelon Lemonade.

“The hard tea and lemonade categories were long overdue for a makeover because of the current offerings’ reliance on sugar, calories and artificial ingredients to deliver flavor. With Crook & Marker Spiked Teas and Spiked Lemonades, we’re giving today’s consumers the bold, refreshing flavor and variety they want, with USDA organic ingredients they can feel good about,” said Ben Weiss, founder of Crook & Marker.

Virginia Distillery Co. in Lovingston, Virginia has announced the first release in its Courage & Conviction Series. Full details are below.

LOVINGSTON, Va. – “Always have the courage of your convictions,” was a phrase often repeated by Virginia Distillery Company’s late founder Dr. George G. Moore to reinforce the importance of believing in yourself and your ideas.

Dr. Moore’s vision and credo becomes a reality with the launch of the distillery’s first American Single Malt in the “Courage & Conviction” product line this month. As an ode to the company’s founder, the first batch of the flagship offering of Courage & Conviction is dedicated to Dr. George G. Moore.

Courage & Conviction whiskies are distilled on-site using 100% North American malted barley and mountain spring-fed water. The just-released flagship whisky is matured in old world sherry casks, traditional bourbon barrels and re-coopered cuvée wine casks which adds intensity and complexity to the spirit. Additional releases will feature individual bottles of each casks, slated for later this year.

Aged a minimum of three years, the American Single Malt line is produced at the distillery’s 100-acre property in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Nelson County, Virginia. The state’s pronounced temperature swings between winter and summer accelerate the maturation of the Courage & Conviction series.

Nine Pin Cider in Albany, New York has begun shipping its hard cider to over 35 states in the U.S. Full details of this decision are below.

ALBANY, N.Y. – Nine Pin Ciderworks, New York’s first farm cidery, has announced it is now shipping its hard cider products to over 35 states through a partnership with vinoshipper.com.

“We constantly receive out-of-state inquiries and we have had to disappoint countless fans. We’re pleased to now offer Nine Pin Cider throughout the United States with vinoshipper.com” said Alejandro del Peral, co-founder and cidermaker. “This is a great opportunity for out-of-staters to ship to themselves as well as for fans in New York State to send Nine Pin to their loved ones across America.”

Non-alcoholic sparkling cider, as well as Nine Pin merchandise, will be available to customers in select states that vinoshipper.com has not yet received approval for hard cider shipments for. New Jersey and Connecticut residents can still purchase Nine Pin Cider products at grocery stores and beverage stores as permitted.

Interested customers can place shipping orders through ninepincider.com. For more information about Nine Pin Cider, please visit ninepincider.com.

###

About Nine Pin Cider Works:

James Bay Distillers in Everett, Washington has announced the release of their 80-proof gin Gintrigue Barrel-Finished Gin. Full details from the distillery are below.

EVERETT, Wash. — James Bay Distillers, Ltd. has announced release of their 80-proof “Gintrigue Barrel-Finished Gin,” which is available for purchase at the distillery at Paine Field in Everett, WA.

This sipping gin begins with a light juniper and aromatic nose, followed by a complex blend of bourbon and cognac flavors from aging the company’s London Dry gin in barrels which held bourbon (4 years) and cognac (7 years).  This process imparts a medium toasted straw color to the gin.  Gintrigue Gin finishes with a return to the juniper and a lingering sweetness assisted by cassia and the barrels.

Gintrigue Gin is equally at home in a flavorful mule as it is in an Old Fashioned, or served over ice.   This release is featured as “Series 6.”  The gin was barreled in September 2019 and bottled in March 2020.  The company plans on a Series 12 in September 2020 and a Series 24 in September 2021, using the same barreling process.

The distillery is located at 3101 111th Street SW, Suite B, Everett, WA 98204 — between Paine Field’s two runways which service United and Alaska Airlines.  The company is in search of wholesale and retail distributors.

Rogue Spirits in Newport, Oregon has announced the release of canned craft cocktails on shelves nationwide. The offerings from the company are: cucumber lime gin fizz, grapefruit vodka soda, cranberry elderflower vodka soda and ginger lime vodka mule. Full details from Rogue are below.

Newport, Ore. (April 20, 2020) — Rogue Ales & Spirits, one of the original craft breweries and distilleries in Oregon, has expanded its product offering with the national launch of its sparkling canned cocktail line, the addition of a new Grapefruit Vodka Soda and a variety pack. This line of ready-to-drink beverages, made with Rogue Spirits and 100% natural ingredients, offers authentic, gluten-free, bar quality recipes in the convenience of a can.  

“Canned cocktails are a natural extension for our brand because we were already making award-winning spirits and have a lot of experience canning beer,” says Steven Garrett, VP of Business Development. “For us, it was all about making high-quality cocktails using Rogue Spirits as the base. Our four canned cocktail flavors are inspired by the most popular cocktails at our Rogue pubs.”

Moonstruck Chocolate Co. is a gourmet chocolatier based out of Portland, Oregon. We reviewed the confectioner's West Coast Brewery Collection, which features chocolate truffles with three notable West Coast beers among their ingredient lists.

Almost anything goes with chocolate. Strawberries? Divine. Pretzels? Luscious. Peanut Butter? Incredible. Since craft beers now have all manner of additions in their ever-expanding ingredient lists, beers have included chocolate as a popular adjunct in porters, stouts and plenty of barrel-aged creations.

However, what about vice versa? While a beer counting chocolate in its ingredient list is rather common, what about chocolates actually made with beer?

Moonstruck Chocolate Co. has answered this question with resounding and scrumptious success thanks to a wide-ranging selection of delectable chocolates in handsome boxes on a variety of themes – a few of which involve beer.

The Portland, Oregon-based gourmet chocolatier rolled out a scintillating selection called the West Coast Brewery Collection, which features three delightful chocolate creations made with three different West Coast beers.