What is Bikini Fishing?
With the The Pro Water Ski Tour coming to town this August, we have an imperative question to ask you: What is Bikini Fishing?
In conjunction with the Pro Ski Tour Event, (to be held at Juneau Park Pond), we will host a Bikini Fishing contest. Why not? This is clearly an awesome idea.
Only one problem though. We’re not sure what this new sport entails. Please detail your coherent response as a comment, and we will award a FREE CASE OF BEER to the person who is able to adequately describe this contest.
Lakefront Irish Style Stout
HOLY CRAP!! I’m like 40 min away from losing the “post 2 blogs in a week” bet! ..good thing I remembered! 
So its about that time of the year that the “Irish style” beers start coming out.. why not review one!
This one from Lakefront pours out nice and dark with a light brown head. Its got some good head retention and a lot of lacing. Its a great stout with a hint of smokiness to it. I’d talk about it more but then it would be after 9 when I post this..
SCORE!! I win!
Dark Horse Brewing “Cream Stout Too”
So I haven’t written a blog in a while. I haven’t written a blog about beer in even LONGER.. but on Saturday night while chatting with a friend a bet was made. I’ll spare you the details but it has something to do with 2 blogs, a week and a case of wine. I think he is relying on the fact that everyone at the party was cross eyed when we made the bet, and I think hes hoping I forget about it.. I’ll show him!
I walked into the cave to decide what I wanted to blog about and I came across the Dark Horse Brewing stuff and I thought “they make some great beer.. but aren’t very well known, lets do that” then I was about to grab their “Crooked Tree IPA” and made a quick change to their “Cream Stout Too” becuase… why not!
As I started pouring this it reminded me of the Goose Island Burbon County or the Oskar Blues 10-Fiddy, jet black and pours like motor oil. This slightly concerned me since I wasn’t planning on getting hammered on one beer. The chocolate brown head filled the glass but soon settled to a nice thin layer over the top.
I took a big drink and like the rest of their beer was glad I picked this one. Theres big flavors of roasted malt and LOTS of dark chocolate but its relatively quick for as thick as it pours and its not overly sweet. Also theres not a really bitter finish that you can get with some of the really big stouts.
Overall a very balanced beer and another solid entry form the folks at Dark Horse!
3.5/5 Blatzies
Wine Class Schedule
Blatz Market and Liquor Wine Class and Tasting Schedule
Wine Classes by Professional Wine Consultants
Certified Sommelier Nate Norfolk will be hosting wine classes on every third Wenesday, right here at the Blatz. You will taste at least six wines plus there is a power point presentation and snacks.
The cost of the class is $20.
Wednesday, January 20th
Six Great Grapes
New to wine, or just need a refresher course? In this class you will get to taste classic examples of the six leading wine varietals and find out about their history and rise to prominence.
Wednesday, February 17th
Port and Fortified Wines
The perfect way to warm yourself up in the dead of the winter, Port and other fortified wines have a centuries old history and were once the beverage of choice among the aristocracy.
Wednesday, March 17th
Bubbles, Bubbles, Bubbles…
Champagne may be the most popular sparkling wine, but there is whole world of other bubbles out there for all occasions. This class always opens minds and mouths.
Wednesday, April 21st
Syrah/Shiraz
One of the worlds greatest up and coming grape varieties is made in a variety of styles from its home in the Rhone Valley of France to Australia and more recently Washington state.
Wednesday, May 19
Chillin and Grillin
Summer really is the time for wine and this class will prove it. We will drink some summer sippers and patio pounders that will make you think twice about grilling with a beer in your hand.
Want $100 Gift Certificate? ..Of Course You Do!!
First of all I would like to thank everyone who participated in our August sales promotion. The winners got to try some great beers and meet people from some of the best breweries in the country. Since it was such a great success I figured we better do something else! ..Particularly since the results of that were better than that of any of the media I paid for AAAAAND it didn’t cost me anything. Not only that but “mainstream advertising” costs more than my frickin’ mortgage payment so when faced with the choices.. a) pay my mortgage or b) pay for some advertising, you can guess I take option A. So this time we’re going to switch it up a bit and its not going to cost YOU anything and its going to cost ME something! Seems fair right?!
So here it is… The two people who send in the most new customers to buy something, and sign up for our email list will each get a $100 Gift Certificate to spend at Blatz Liquor. I don’t care what they buy but I can’t put them in as a customer without a transaction, and I doubt people are going to go out of their way to buy a pack of gum. Here is all the need to say.. “I was referred by (your name here) and would like to sign up on your customer list.” At that point they can start referring too!
A few rules: They have to be NEW customers! The 2 winners need to bring in at least 8 people (Thats less then 2 a week). Also you DO NOT have to be with them when they stop in!! You saw the DO NOOOT part right? And it ends at 9 PM October 31st.
Free Stuff From 2 Of Your Favorite Milwaukee Businesses!
In the past weeks Joe (@ajbombers) and I (@blatzliquor) couldn’t help but notice how many customers we shared but not always on the same day. Seeing as how we are located so close to each other (I throw my empties at his front door) we decided maybe we just need to motivate you folks a little! soo… we hatched a little plan..
Blatz Liquor & AJ Bombers would like to present to you our “Burgers & Beers” program.
Now when you get your beer (wine/liquor) from Blatz Liquor and bring the receipt from that day to AJ Bombers you get a free side of sweet potato chips. If you go to AJ Bombers first and bring your receipt from that day into Blatz Liquor you get 2 free beers from our “build your own 6 pack cooler.”
Its pretty sweet we know.. but we’re pretty cool guys and figured there had to be a way to thank everyone out there for their continued support. What better way than free beer and free chips?!
Want to Come to the “Third Annual World Bevrage” Showcase?!
Monday September 14th from 4-8 pm I have been invited to Beechwood’s beer showcase. Its almost 100 beers to sample and is being held at the Harley Museum. I’ll get to meet the brewers and importers, and drink a lot of FREE BEER! I can almost hear people through the screen cursing me and calling me names for rubbing it in. BUT! I can bring 2 guests! So starting today August 1st through August 31st the two customers who spend the most will be invited to join me! All you have to do is sign up in our database at your first purchase and remember to tell whoever is working when you come in throughout the month to enter that transaction under your name. Pretty simple right?! Good! Now get in here and get a good head start. If you don’t already follow me on twitter you should, I’ll periodically update the standings there (@blatzliquor).
Point Nude Beach Summer Wheat
This time we grabbed a beer from the 5th oldest continuously operating brewery remaining in the United States, Point Brewery. You only have a few more weeks left to grab this guy, the brewery stops putting it out July 31st!
This is an unfiltered wheat ale that is well balanced using “au naturel” raw and red wheat, then finished with Yakima hops. Its got a pretty weak head but a nice golden color. Its a little light on the wheat beer side, you could definitely put several of them back in one sitting.
For the price its a good deal, plus you get a sweet label with a bunch of implied nudity!
Supporting Local Businesses
I actually wrote this a few months ago and never published it. A conversation with @lanora of Next Chapter Book Store sparked me to put it out there…
I’m going to take a moment and deviate from my normal light-hearted quick and easy blog posts to try to bring to light the power of YOU in YOUR community. Now before I go off on a big tangent here I’m not saying you don’t support your community if you shop at Target or Wal-Mart, obviously companies like those employee several people within the community. Anyway, I’ll get on with my actual point now!
Since I have been in business for myself I have taken on a much greater appreciation for where I shop and where the money I spend is actually going. The gas station up the block from my South Milwaukee store is never the least expensive, but I have met the owner, he lives locally and works at his station trying to make a living. Same with the guy who owns the Subway just up the block. Same as me.
Sometimes I feel like I’m the only person who knows what I’m going through and as I lock up the doors and go grab a beer at a bar that one of my friends owns, he is standing behind the bar I realize I’m not alone. Also I realize without each other we wouldn’t survive. Theres no way he can compete with the corporate bar giants the likes of “Bar Louie” and “Buckheads” and I can’t compete against Metro Mart/Pick ‘n’ Save. I never opened my store at “The Blatz” thinking “I’m going to bury the Metro Mart” or any other place that carries beer, wine or liquor. All of these businesses have their place, there will always be people that just want to grab a six pack while getting some groceries and people that want to go to a bar with impersonal or downright rude bartenders and pay $9 for a drink. I don’t fault people for that, in fact I myself participate in such activities every now and then. I just want people to think twice before they spend their hard earned buck.
I know several people that will tell me about buying beer or wine or liquor some where else and I ask them why and the response is typically the same, “I was there and it was only $10″. Now I can’t fault them for the “I was there..” part of the argument. I have not forbidden my friends or customers from ever shopping anywhere else. I’m not unreasonable, I would like to get as much business that I can from everyone, but I also know there are times I need gas and am nowhere near my typical gas station. Its the “it was only $10″ part of the argument that makes me want to jump up and scream! I feel like people don’t understand the impact and power of EVERY dollar they spend. Between Facebook, Twitter and my blog there is close to 1000 people that here me plug my store daily. If Half of those people came in once a week and spent their $10 at my store it would pay my rent. Those “only $10″ add up and mean a great deal to us little guys.
I don’t expect everyone to now only spend their money at locally owned stores. I just urge you to take a moment, get to know some of the local small business owners, if you have the 2 extra minutes it takes to go to their place do it. After you have made your purchase you can feel good about that dollar staying local and going on to be spent again locally.
Joe
Dogfish Head Palo Santo Marron Brown Ale
..this is attempt number 3 to post this blog and I have yet to figure out to copy it before I hit “publish” so its also going to be time number 3 writing it! *shakes fist at computer*
For anyone familiar with Dogfish Head brewery you know they don’t mess around when it comes to their beer. The Palo Santo (holy tree) Marron Brown Ale is no exception. It is aged in Paraguayan Palo Santo barrels that are typically used by wine makers. This Friggin’ beer is 12% ABV but you would never know it! You definitely get some caramel and vanilla flavors but the most interesting flavor comes from the wood its aged in. There are also some familiar flavors that you would recognize from a traditional brown ale. The $13.99 a four pack these guys cost is totally worth it, I don’t know how long I’ll be carrying it though so if you want it hurry down!