Zack Cobb

Beer Department: Get To Know A Style : Altbier

Until fairly recently, Altbier was a supremely obscure style of beer, mostly relegated to the city of Dusseldorf in western Germany. In recent years however, Altbier has experienced a bit of a resurgence here in the U.S. thanks in large part to the ever growing popularity of Alaskan Brewing Company’s Amber Ale, which is brewed in the Altbier style. This trend has even swept up other craft brewers. 50 West produces a darn fine altbier called Alternate Route.

Wine Department: It’s Beautiful in the Central Garden of France in Springtime!

By T.J. Askren

Through my many travels through different wine country, nowhere has a sheer beauty and massiveness that strikes me more than Loire Valley. I was fortunate enough to visit the playground of Kings and Queens a few years back, and this is when my love for French white wine was cemented. Traveling from one end of the massive growing region to the other, I was struck by the vast difference in terroir that each application showcases.

One Chip Challenge Jungle Style!

You might be hip to the One Chip Challenge making its way around social media, but if you want to try it yourself you might run into a little issue. It was a limited run so Paqui ran out of them! Never fear though, we have a Jungle Jim’s solution!

Supplies

Paqui Ghost Pepper Chips – These bad boys are hotter than hot, but this is the One Chip Challenge so we’re going to need to kick it up even further.

Flufa Flutes Feuilletees Au Fromage – A Gourmet Cracker That Will Impress

If you are looking for a delicious, one-of-a-kind cracker to go along with a cheese board look no further. These baked crackers from Switzerland are made with swiss cheese. There is a lightness to them that will remind you of the most delicate buttery croissant infused with baked cheese. I recommend you try these with softer, buttery cheeses or an earthy cheese as they will pair well with the lightness of the cracker.

You can find Flufa Flutes Feuilletees Au Fromage at both Jungle Jim’s Cheese Shops for $3.99 for a 125g package.

From the “Farmhouse,” To Your House – Vento d’Estate

This is one of the many hidden gems of the Italy case you can find in The Cheese Shop. Vento only came into being about 20 years ago when (as legend has it) Antonio Carpenedo and his wife were driving behind a hay truck and the scent was so pleasant that they stopped the driver, bought some of his hay, and started covering one of their wheels of cheese to age it.

Today,

Beer Department: Cellaring Beer

Everyone knows that certain wines can benefit from age, with some wines taking decades to reach their peak. What is less known, and even less understood, is that beer can benefit enormously from proper cellaring. While many people want to begin cellaring beer, the prospect of starting and maintaining a cellar can be overwhelming. So let’s break it down step by step and get you on the road to enjoying cellared beer!

WARNING: Cellaring beer is a fun and interesting hobby that rewards patience and experimentation.

Wine Department: From the Morlet Family with Love – All You Need is Love (from the Napa Valley)

By Kevin Keith

Luc Morlet gained notoriety as the winemaker for famed California winery Peter Michael, and was of such instant renown that winery owner Sir Peter Michael has allowed Luc the ability to spread his wings and be involved in many other projects – something Sir Peter had not done with previous winemakers. Since 2006 Luc has been primarily concerned with his eponymously-named winery, Morlet Family, as well as continuing as consulting winemaker to Peter Michael,

Demos on Demand: Shrimp Pho

Lemon Blue – THIS Is The Blue Cheese You’ve Been Looking For

So there are a lot of recipes that pop up when you Google “lemon blue cheese.” Unfortunately, all of these recipes have them coming together in a dish.

The blue cheese that we carry is a true marriage of these two ingredients. The lemons themselves are fermented and pressed into the cheese to allow the lemon flavor to soak into its already porous texture. But, if we’re being honest, the “blue” elements of the cheese are what you want with a blue.

Hot Ones Hot Sauce Brings The Heat to the Hot Sauce Department!

One of the… hottest phenomenons to hit the internet in the past couple of years is Hot Ones, put together by the mad geniuses at First We Feast. The premise is deceptively simple: a person of some notoriety is asked questions as they eat wings with hot sauce that gets increasingly hot as the interview progresses. Each of the hot sauces is “featured,” and then… the hunt begins.

Not long ago, we decided to devote some space to the hot sauces featured on Hot Ones,