Merchant Du Vin
Merchant du Vin is the brainchild of Charles Finkel, who founded the company in 1978 after having established for himself an enviable reputation in the wine trade. Charles had witnessed the way in which hundreds of thousands of Americans had awakened to the rewards of fine wines during the 60’s and 70’s. It was his theory that a similar audience must exist for beers of distinction and he decided to put his theory to the test.
Charles identified two dozen classic styles of beer and set about to find the definitive styles of each. It was his idea that you should sell fine beer much as you sell fine wine. The secret to this, and the goal of Merchant du Vin, is to educate the consumer and arouse curiosity as to the differences among these classic styles. Merchant du Vin sets the strictest standards for the beers that bear their importing label. All Merchant du Vin beers are "authentic"—meaning they are naturally made, without chemicals, additives, or preservatives. Secondly, the beer must be an outstanding representative of its style and produced by a brewery of superb reputation. As a result of these standards, Merchant du Vin’s benchmark breweries appear on nearly every list of the top beers in the world. Some 10 years later, having established Merchant du Vin as the United States’ leading importer of fine beers, Charles expanded Merchant du Vin’s presence in the burgeoning domestic craft brew segment. He first purchased America’s oldest homebrew store, Liberty Malt Supply, and subsequently created The Pike Brewing Company at the base of Seattle’s historic Pike Place Market.
Ayinger Brewery
Brauerei Aying has a long-standing reputation for excellence in beer and hospitality. Although Ayinger Brewery was founded in a picturesque village 25 kilometers from Munich in 1878, the site of the Ayinger Gasthaus Brewery Hotel has been one of Bavaria’s most famous restaurants for more than 500 years. Ayinger beers are characterized by their delicious balanced maltiness (not found in beers of the major Munich breweries). Unlike the mass-market brewers, Ayinger uses a significant portion of locally-grown barley and wheat to produce their beers. In a land of wonderful breweries, Ayinger is considered a benchmark of excellence.
Ayinger Braü- WeisseABV: 5.2% |
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A delicious, lemon-scented wheat beer. This is an aristocratic beer with a champagne sparkle, a beautifully sustained head and a delicious, complex fruitiness of extra-dry champagne. Pale in color and tart in palate, this is a true brut beer. Experience as an aperitif or with veal sausage, pretzels, Dusseldorf mustard, vegetable pâté, crab Louis or Sunday brunch. |
Ayinger Ur-WeisseABV: 5.8% |
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An old-fashioned Bavarian dunkel (dark) wheat beer. Ur-Weisse is amber in color, dry in palate, very fruity and bursting with flavor. A complex beer with suggestions of soft fruit, apple and, in the finish, perhaps even cloves. Extraordinary as an aperitif, but tastes great with lemon chicken, hearty sausages, veal dishes, venison, boar and corned beef sandwiches. |
Ayinger JahrhundertABV: 5.5% |
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A delicious, malty, lager that was first brewed in 1978 for the 100th anniversary of the brewery. This light lager is a better complement to food than the higher hopped and more bitter pilsner style. Try this lager with Schwammerlsuppe (mushroom soup), herb pancakes, pike with sauerkraut, pork roast, sauer-braten, falafel or pot stickers. |
Ayinger Celebrator DoppelbockABV: 6.7% |
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A profoundly dark, rich elixir with a complex fruitiness of roasted malt and whole hop flowers with a semi-dry finish. It is ideal served with foods ranging from pastries and desserts, to roast goose or a filet with Dijon sauce. And those so inclined might enjoy a bottle with a fine cigar after dinner. |
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A dark lager with an inviting taste, created in a style which is the most traditional in Bavaria. Before light beers were introduced from the big cities, most village beer—like most village bread—was dark, toasty and flavorful. This beer is dark brown with a warm sweet aroma and a satisfying, malty taste with coffee-ish tones and a hint of fruitiness. It is considered one of the world’s best beers for serving with foods and is a perfect accompaniment to pasta with a meat sauce, potato dumplings, assorted delicatessen, freshly baked bread, egg rolls and spring rolls. Best of all, Altbairisch Dunkel is surprisingly easy to drink, even for the first time beer drinker. |
Ayinger's OktoberfestABV: 5.8% |
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A full-bodied, flavorful Märzen lager, brewed and lagered to celebrate Bavaria's famous Oktoberfest. This seasonal is served at German beer festivals in September and October with roasted chicken, pork and sauerkraut. The beer is a rich golden color with a slightly sweet, malty nose and a medium to big body. |
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A powerful and astonishing winter seasonal from one of the world's most respected breweries in the world, Ayinger Weizen-Bock is available again this year in the U.S.! The classic Bavarian weissebeer aroma suggests spice and cloves while its smooth body comes from both the wheat and the decoction mashing. The beer’s flavor offers the essence of the wheat harvest or fresh-baked bread and in the finish you will taste tropical fruit; cloves and banana. A memorable digestif or nightcap, Weizen-Bock is also a very nice match with apple strudel for dessert. |
Traquair House
Traquair House brewery was founded in 1965 by Peter Maxwell Stuart, 20th Laird of Traquair and is located in the oldest inhabited house in Scotland, once owned by the kings of Scotland. The brewery was originally an 18th century domestic brewery producing beer for the house and estate workers. It was disused some time after 1800 but the vessels and equipment remained untouched until it was rediscovered in 1965.
Traquair House AleABV: 7.2% |
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Barley wine-style "Scotch ale" produced in a tiny brewery at Traquir, the oldest inhabited house in Scotland. Traquair is a pure-malt ale that can accompany or replace pure-malt whiskey. The original 18th century recipe was discovered by Peter Maxwell Stuart, 20th Laird of Traquair, in the mid 1960’s. Traquair House Ale is reddish/brown in color and has a big, rich malt and chocolate nose. Chocolate notes develop more strongly as this beer warms, leading to an unusually dry finish for a beer of its considerable strength. This ale tastes great served with Stilton or other blue cheese. Can also accompany fruit and fruit tarts or as a morning pick-me-up with coffee and brunch. Excellent with fruit and cheese or as a winter warmer. |
Jacobite AleABV: 8% |
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This ale was originally brewed to celebrate the anniversary of the 1745 Jacobite rebellion and soon became a permanent addition to the Traquair House line of beers. The ale has a pleasant aroma of hops with a touch of coriander and a bitter sweet finish with hints of chocolate, winey fruit and coriander. |
Lindemans
In 1809, the Lindemans family, which owned a farm in Vlezenbeek near Brussels, decided to intensify their Lambic brewing activities during winter, when less farm work had to be done. That was eight generations ago and they’ve never stopped. Due to growing success, the brewery became more important and consequently, in 1930, farm activities ceased and Lindemans started the production of Gueuze and Kriek. In 1978, the brewery started the production of Faro after a period during which that style had almost disappeared from the market. Framboise was launched in 1980 and due to the success of the fruit-beers, two new beers were subsequently developed: Cassis (black current beer) in 1986 and Pecheresse (peach beer) in 1987. The family decided to build a new brewery next the old one in 1991 to meet the growing needs of the market without any loss of quality. Today the farm-brewery is totally occupied by the brewing installation, fermentation places, stock- and bottle places. Brothers René and Nestor Lindemans, assisted by their sons Dirk and Geert and export manager Tony Dillen, currently own the brewery.
Lindemans CassisABV: 4%
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This classic Belgian lambic is made with black currants, which have been used for centuries as an ingredient in beers and liquors in Belgium and Northern Europe. Lindemans Cassis is deep reddish-purple in color with an exceptional aroma, flavor and complexity. Cassis is fuller bodied and soft, while still being refreshing and crisp. Try it with venison, roasted pork tenderloin with rosemary cream sauce, scones, New York style cheesecake or fresh fruit. |
Lindemans Cuvee ReneABV: 5% |
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A vintage gueze lambic beer and the brewery's only traditional brew, in that it is filtered, pasteurized and has a sweeter taste. Cuvee Renee is pale amber-gold in color and medium-bodied with a strong soured aroma. Notes of grapefruit peel and wild yeasts are evident on the palate and full carbonation produces champagne-like bubbles with assertive flavors. This Belgian favorite is great as an aperitif in place of dry sherry or with mussels in white wine or flavorful cheeses. Traditionally Cuvee Rene is served in tall, thick tumbler with cubes of sugar to sweeten to taste. |
Lindemans PecheABV: 4%
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Golden in color and a nose that fills the room with fresh peaches, this beer is sparkling, crisp and offers a refreshing balance of fruit and acid. |
Lindemans FramboiseABV: 4% |
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Long before hops were common in most beers, various fruits and vegetables were used to season lambic beers. Lindemans Framboise blends the acidity of a lambic with the delicate flavor of raspberries. The undertones of fruity acidity counterpoint a sparkling, clean, natural taste in this classic brew. Framboise is especially good when paired with oysters or caviar and even better with desserts like chocolate, fresh raspberries, ice cream or creme caramel. |
Lindemans KriekABV: 4% |
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Brewed since 1811, this cherry lambic is rose in color and offers a bouquet of freshly harvested cherries. This beer is often served as an aperitif in place of dry sherry and is also a wonderful accompaniment to mussels in white wine or flavorful cheeses. |
Lindemans PommeABV: 4%
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Smooth and light bodied with the fresh flavor of real apples and a light green-apple tartness. This glowing gold, apple lambic is perfect with rich cream sauces, hearty soups, aromatic cheeses and spicy cuisine - supremely refreshing! |
Lindemans FaroABV: 4.5% |
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Lindemans Faro is made from barley malt, wheat, hops, and Belgian dark candy sugar; it is fermented by the numerous strains of wild airborne yeast that are found in the Lambic region – an area only 15 by 75 miles, southwest of Brussels, where all lambics are produced. Lindemans Faro shows a fruit and marmalade aroma, balanced by the subtle complexity and refreshing acidity of the many yeast strains in Lambic. The flavor starts sweet, with suggestions of brown sugar or orange marmalade, and finishes with some crispness and a green-apple tartness; the color is deep amber. |
Pinkus-Muller
The Pinkus-Muller brewery traces its origins to the family’s arrival in the Northern Germany town of Munster in 1816. At that time, Johannes Muller and his wife Friederika Cramer started a brewery and a bakery. Since their arrival there have been 150 breweries in Munster but only Pinkus remains. Today, the fifth and sixth generation of the family operate the famous Pinkus-Muller Pub/Brewery. So dedicated to quality is Pinkus, that they are the world’s first brewery to brew with only organically grown barley malt and whole hop blossoms.
Pinkus Muller Organic Münster AltABV: 5.1% |
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A pale golden color Altbier (German ale), characterized by an herbaceous aroma, delicate fruit-acid palate, and long dry finish. "A world classic," says Michael Jackson. |
Pinkus Muller Organic Hefe-WeizenABV: 5.1% |
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A Bavarian-style wheat ale that is very light in body and color. This filtered beer is crisp, dry, spritzy, and refreshing. |
Pinkus Muller Organic Ur PilsABV: 5.2%
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Brewed with organic malt and hops. It is pale gold in color, light to medium in body and dry and well-balanced with a clean hop and malt character. |
Orval
One of the finest and most storied breweries in Belgium is in the Notre Dame d' Orval monastery in Villers-devant-Orval, near Florenville in the Belgian province of Luxembourg. The Orval abbey was founded in the 1100s. In 1529, the Emperor Charles Quint granted the monks authorization to establish a foundry which would provide the necessary revenues for the repair of war damages. In the Middle Ages, Orval was famous for producing it's iron decorations as well as beer. The abbey was destroyed during the French Revolution. When Orval began to rise again from its ruins after more than 130 years, the enormous task of rebuilding the monastery required considerable financial means and a brewery was established to assume the role of the former foundry. The present brewery was completed in 1929.
Orval Trappist AleABV: 7% |
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Orval is brewed and bottle-conditioned at the Orval monastery in the pastoral Belgium countryside. It is fermented three times with three different malts and two types of hops to create its great character and complexity. This very distinctive beer was created in the 1930s and is usually attributed conjointly to two laymen, Orval master brewer Pappenheimer and a Belgian associate, Honoré Van Zande. The combination of production methods which they developed (including British-style dry-hopping) is unique, resulting in a beer whose characteristic aroma and taste owe more to the hops and to the yeast than to the malts. Orval is sunset-orange color, with a fruity and slightly acidic bouquet, firm body, profound hop bitterness and a long, satisfying finish. |
Samuel Smith’s
Samuel Smith’s is one of the few remaining independent breweries in England--the Old Brewery at Tadcaster was founded in 1758 and is Yorkshire’s oldest brewery. It is among the last to utilize the classic Yorkshire Square system of fermentation. Now in its fifth generation of family management, the brewery continues to maintain its rich brewing tradition. The yeast at The Old Brewery has not been altered in over a century. Only whole Kent hop flowers, which are hand-weighed by the master hop blender, are used and the brewing water is drawn from a well sunk over 200 years ago. First introduced to the U.S. market in 1978, Samuel Smith’s beers quickly became the benchmark ales for the emerging craft beer movement and the brewery was named as "One of the Top Ten Breweries in the World" for four consecutive years in the 1990s.
Samuel Smith’s Imperial StoutABV: 7%
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Russian Imperial stout was originally brewed in Great Britain to satisfy the Czarist courts, who were great connoisseurs of Champagne, caviar and the art of the table. Because it was transported across the freezing Baltic, Russian Imperial stout was brewed with a high level of alcohol. Samuel Smith’s Imperial Stout is a world class example of this style: rich and flavorful, with a deep chocolate color and scented and roasted barley nose. The complexity of malt, hops, alcohol and yeast allows this stout to easily hold its own in the company of cigars. Try this stout with espresso, Stilton cheese and walnuts, New York cheesecake, steak au poivre, caviar, Oysters Rockefeller or chocolate Baked Alaska. |
Samuel Smith’s India Pale AleABV: 5%
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The Samuel Smith’s version of an India Pale Ale has a restrained maltiness and an emphasis on the aroma and flavor of hops from England’s finest vineyards. This IPA tastes great with green chili and lime pickle, mulligatawny soup, pork with vinegar and garlic, chicken with a roasted coconut sauce, fish on a bed of potatoes, onions and tomato masala, prawns curry and duck risotto. |
Samuel Smith’s Taddy PorterABV: 5%
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Samuel Smith’s Old Brewery reintroduced authentic porter to the British beer scene in 1979 after an absence of more than 50 years. The Famous Taddy Porter is very dark, fairly full in body and has the intense, dry tangy character of roasted barley. It is wonderful with chocolate, Oysters on the half shell, Rockefeller or Cajun-style, clams, mussels, crab cocktail, lobster bisque and other shellfish, smoked mackerel pâté, veal with green peppercorns and porterhouse steak. |
Samuel Smith’s Nut Brown AleABV: 5% |
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A walnut-colored specialty of the North of England and one of the oldest English brewing styles, mentioned in literature in the 16th century. Samuel Smith’s Nut Brown is brewed at the old brewery and has a round, nutty flavor and a wonderful balance of roasted Crystal malt and aromatic hops. Try it with Stilton cheese, grouse and roasted game hen, barbecued duck, pepper steak; spicy food, paella, stir-fry, teriyaki, Thai food, Chinese food, creamy chicken and pineapple curry. |
Samuel Smith’s Oatmeal StoutABV: 5% |
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Originally a drink for lactating mothers, oatmeal stout was described as nutritional on early labels. Popular in the late 1800’s, the last oatmeal stout was brewed before the First World War until Samuel Smith’s reintroduced this style in 1980. Samuel Smith’s Oatmeal Stout is almost opaque in color, with an unusually silky texture and complex, bittersweet finish. Oatmeal Stout pairs well with pizza and salad, Italian foods, steamed clams, grilled ahi tuna, lobster with drawn butter, steak, ploughman’s lunch, crumpets, shish kebabs, vegetable ragout and eggs Florentine, dark flavorful bread and aged Stilton. |
Samuel Smith’s Organic AleABV: 5% |
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A delicately flavored golden ale in which subtle fruity esters from the Samuel Smith’s yeast strain interact with a background of maltiness and fresh hops. Organic Ale is wonderful with Dungeness crab salad, free range herbed chicken, hummus, smoked salmon and masala. |
Samuel Smith’s Organic LagerABV: 5%
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A full-bodied lager with lots of malt and hop character. A touch hoppier than many lagers yet perfectly balanced. Try it as an aperitif, or with Quiche Lorraine, Crab Louis, poached salmon, or grilled halibut. |
Samuel Smith’s Pure Brewed LagerABV: 5% |
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Samuel Smith’s is most famous for classic ales, but it also offers what is described as “England’s finest lager.” This all-malt beer is brewed in a separate brewhouse using bottom-fermenting yeast. It is rich golden in color and has a delightful floral bouquet. Try this lager with poached salmon with smoked salmon mousse and tomato salad. Chilled as an aperitif, or as an accompaniment to an alfresco buffet. |
Sam Smith’s Pale AleABV: 5%
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This pale ale captures the soul of beer. It has a fresh maltiness that reminds you that good beer is a product of the soil. A beautiful balance of malt and fresh hops. Rare roast beef with Yorkshire pudding, roast chicken, cheese, smoked salmon, Dungeness crab salad, sushi, New York steak and spicy foods are all perfect pairings for this beer. |
Samuel Smith’s Winter WelcomeABV: 6% |
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This holiday seasonal is very much in the tradition of such brews. The label, different each year, is always festive. The beer itself, some say, changes each time it is released, but it is always a strong, tasty ale, full-bodied and with the brewery's signature "nutty" and sherry-like aspects. Try this winter brew with roast goose, smoked turkey with oyster dressing, rack of lamb, candied yams, ham, fresh pears and apples. |
Samuel Smith’s Organic CiderABV: 5% |
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Bright straw-gold with excellent clarity, Samuel Smith's Organic Cider has a light body, with brilliant conditioning, a crisp clean flavor, and a dry finish. The bouquet is fresh apples, with a soft floral note. Tastes great with cream soups, rich dishes, or salad with vinaigrette dressing. Wonderful to clear the palate when served with concentrated or spicy foods; a classic companion to pork dishes. |
Samuel Smith’s Organic Strawberry Fruit AleABV: 5.1% |
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Strawberries offer a soft and subtle flavor, making the character of this fruit beer extremely sophisticated and refined. The smooth malt and aromatic strawberry flavors merge together in an elegant fashion with fresh, ripe strawberries shining through. Waldorf salad, scones or strawberries and cream all pair perfectly with this delicious organic fruit ale. |
Samuel Smith’s Organic Raspberry Fruit AleABV: 5.1% |
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This dramatic fruit beer has an intense, mouth-watering fruit character derived from the natural acidity of organic raspberries. Slow, complex fermentation lends structure and depth to this special fruit beer. Raspberry Fruit Ale has a smooth body with a soft raspberry note and a dry finish. Roast turkey and stuffing, spinach salad and fruit salad all bring out the best in this fruit beer. |
Samuel Smith’s Organic Cherry Fruit AleABV: 5.1% |
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High natural acidity makes sour cherries a perfect choice for creating an ultimate fruit beer. The vibrant cherry character of this ale is perfectly under-pinned by deliciously complex beer notes which result from the multiple yeast strains used for fermentation. |
Samuel Smith Yorkshire StingoABV: 8% |
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Vintage dated, Stingo will be available nationally each year around England’s “Yorkshire Day,” August 1st. Production of this fine ale is extremely limited. Stingo shows rich, superb flavors of toffee, raisin, dried fruit, and caramel; waves of flavor ascend and ebb leaving soft oak notes. Hops add a perfect enhancement to dramatic malt and fermentation flavors, but without pushing bitterness past the point of balance. Bottle conditioning produces soft carbonation, a fruity aroma and finish and allows Stingo to age and develop in the bottle. Serve Stingo alone as the ultimate digestif, or pair with beef, wild game, or demanding deeply-flavored foods like pickled fish or strong aromatic cheeses. Try with lamb, duck, smoked meats, or Kalamata olives. |
Green's Brewery
Green's was founded in 2004 to brew full-flavored beers without barley or wheat, so beer lovers with gluten intolerance, also known as celiac disease, could enjoy them. The beers are brewed at Andelot DeProef Browerij, in Lochristi, Belgium.
Green’s Discovery Gluten-free Amber AleABV: 6% |
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Free Amber Ale- Green's beer's are made with Millet, Rice, Buckwheat & Sorghum. Discovery is a medium-bodied ale with subtle caramel and nut flavor nuances and a refined, herbal hop aroma and finish. Serve this amber ale with fresh fruit, baked potatoes, rice dishes, chicken or fuller-flavored fish. |
Green’s Endeavor Gluten-Free DubbelABV: 7% |
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In the classic dubbel fashion, this brew has a hint of dark-sugar and toffee flavor; and a traditional Belgian yeast bouquet. Endeavor makes a fine aperitif, but is also great with traditional Italian antipasto, soft cheeses, gluten-free baked goods and Belgian-style "pomme frites." |
Green’s Quest Gluten-Free Tripel AleABV: 8.5% |
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Green’s Tripel Ale has a fairly light body for a beer of this strength. It has a spice and herb nose with flavors of candied fruit and an aromatic, long finish. It tastes especially good when paired with steamed asparagus, artichoke, squash, or other full-flavored, rich vegetables. Tripel Ale is also excellent with beef dishes or with wild game. |
Zatec Brewery
In 1261, the Society of Privileged Brewers was founded in Zatec; the beers they produced grew in popularity over the years and the cornerstone was laid for the current brewery in 1798. Production began at this 4-acre hilltop site, at the center of town, in 1801. In the late 1930s, before the German occupation of the area, the brewery shut down and the copper kettles were disassembled, removed, and buried in a field out of town - the brewers wanted to prevent the valuable copper from being confiscated for war material. After the war, the kettles were reinstalled and brewing recommenced in 1946. During the Communist era in Czechoslovakia (1948-1989), the Zatec Brewery was state-run; after the Velvet Revolution of 1989 it was taken over by a local operator. In 2001 careful restoration of the venerable buildings began. Zatec is a taste of history, a perfect match for food, and in fact the style of beer that is the original historical model for American light lagers - but with more body, aroma, and flavor. In an age of mass production, Zatec is a small independent brewery upholding classic Czech brewing traditions.
Zatec Bright LagerABV: 4.6%
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Zatec has a medium-bodied; natural, soft conditioning; hedonistic fresh herbal aroma with a flavor that is the best of fresh-baked bread, fields of grain, and spice, with a solid malt middle. A clean, sparkling and quintessentially thirst-quenching lager that is perfect with traditional Czech dishes like roast pork with dumplings and cabbage or breaded, fried cheese. The crisp effervescence of Zatec also makes it a great match with lobster, monkfish or even a strong-flavored oily fish like mackerel and it can cool the heat of spicy Asian cuisine. |
Zatec DarkABV: 5.7% |
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Made from local Czech two-row barley and local hops, Zatec Dark is produced via very traditional, labor-intensive means: a double- decoction mash, open primary fermentation, and 45 days of lagering before packaging. Fairly full-bodied, Zatec Dark has a clean malt flavor and aroma with pure notes of dark bread, caramel, and even a suggestion of toffee. |
