Something for Everyone - Cheers!
by James Robinson, Wine & Beer Specialist
The co-op’s beer and wine aisle is a bustling place these days, and it’s no surprise. The shelves are brimming with offerings from winemakers and brewers located just down the road and from around the globe, and there really is something for everyone.
Are you a sake drinker? If so, Aisle 5 is your aisle, as we feature a number of top-tier, hard to find, Omachi and Namazakes at a variety of price points. Namazake is unpasteurized sake, and Omachi is Japan’s oldest known sake rice strain. Omachi is an heirloom rice variety that hasn’t undergone genetic cross-breeding and it is widely agreed that Omachi sakes are deliciously complex, earthy and herbal. The shelf features the spectrum from sweet Nigoris to bone dry styles from Joto, Gozenshu Bodaimoto, Yucho Shuzo and Seikyo. We even offer a cedar barrel aged Omachi Taruzake from Choryo Suzo. Imagine a Taruzake served with cedar plank grilled king salmon.
Beyond sake, the Aisle 5 features twenty hard ciders – nine from the neighborhood, eight from Europe and two from Oregon. Styles vary and run the gamut from soured Basque ciders, dry and earthy offerings from both Brittany and Port Townsend, off-dry and sweet, fruit juice flavored ciders from Washington and Portland and the otherworldy, Floreal Cider, from Nate Ready and the Hiyu Wine Farm.
European beer lovers have much to celebrate with an ever growing and rotating selection from Orval, Scaldis, Rochefort, Rodenbach, Ayinger and Weihenstephaner. Seasonal favorites include Lindeman’s Peche, a Lambic flavored with peach juice, Lindeman’s Oude Kriek Cuvee Rene, a soured, cask-aged cherry Geuze, and the Ayinger Bavarian Pils. As summer turns to fall, stay tuned for the addition of darker beers and autumnal classics.
For drinkers sensitive to gluten, or for those with gluten intolerance, the aisle features seven options. We offer Seattle-based Ghostfish Brewery’s soured hibiscus Geuze, an India Pale Ale and the Meteor Shower Blonde Ale. In addition, we feature Portland-based Groundbreaker’s India Pale Ale and their seasonal blackberry ale. Groundbreaker is a dedicated gluten-free craft brewery.
For outdoor enthusiasts heading out onto the water or into the hills, alternative packaging options abound. With five canned wine options featuring Italian vermouth and organic grapes, and 13 boxed wine options, there is something for every palate and pursuit. For those that haven’t noticed, boxed wine has evolved and of the 13 available, 11 are organic and crafted with intent. We even offer an organic, skin-contact (orange wine) Italian Pinot Grigio in a box – how cool is that? On the high end, our top shelf box wine sells for around $34 dollars. However, at a three-liter pack size, that comes out to about $9 a bottle – not bad for a delicious daily drinker that has more than a 30-day shelf life.
And if that isn’t enough, there’s always the option to special order. Special orders can be submitted through the customer service desk or you can speak with me directly. With wine, co-op members can order single bottles or cases, although case purchases garner the most competitive pricing. For beer, special orders must be by the case as our distributors don’t sell partial cases.
I look forward to serving all our members and guest and relish the opportunity to track down that special bottle or brew. Cheers and see you on Aisle 5.
