It’s an exciting week of beer news for all who eschew the usual bland brews from ACM and the big-box retailers. But first things first. Thanks go out to Alan Sprints and Hair of the Dog brewery for the Matt Commemorative Ale and everyone who purchased it.

This week:
The Flemish Primitives are back: Surly Bird and Pin Head! Two strains of wild Brettanomyces yeast are used to ferment the malts, lending a distinctive earthy character in both resulting brews. No less interesting are the labels, which depict scenes from Heronymous Bosch, a Flemish painter. $11.79/25.4oz.

From Norway, we’ll be featuring the Nøgne Ø #100, a killer barley wine-style ale with 10 percent ABV, and 80IBU’s for a stupendously hopppy knockout punch! Inside: Maris Otter barley, wheat and chocolate malts, as well as Columbus, Chinook and Centennial hops and English Ale yeast. Stoke up the fire! $8.79/16.9oz.

And let’s not forget Belgium, where the people at Mikkeller continue to bring us some very unusual brews. This week, it’s the Beer Geek Brunch, an imperial oatmeal stout, brewed with civet droppings (yes, you read that correctly). These little animals have a taste for the finest coffee beans (Vietnamese ca phe chon, the world’s most expensive coffee). What they leave behind is incorporated into this stout. 10.9 ABV. Feeling brave? $14.39/12oz.

Up next: Haandbryggeriet Norwegian Wood, a spiced and smoked ale. The malts are roasted on an open fire and the ale is flavored with juniper twigs hand harvested in nearby forests. $8.99/16.9oz.

And finally, my pick of the week: De Struise Black Albert, Russian Imperial Stout, 100 (!) IBU’s and 10 percent ABV. From the No. 1 brewery in the world, this stout pours black, with a complex aroma of coffee, roasted malts and immense power in the mouth with a lingering sweet/tart bitterness. All I can say is, “Wow!” 100% Belgian ingredients, brewed in Maine by the Struise brewers. $9.99/12oz. Very limited quantities – you snooze you lose!
 
Tasting schedule this week:
• Friday, March 13 at 5 p.m. – Cave de Pomerols Picpoul de Pinet ‘08, with seafood accompaniment.
• Saturday, March 14 at 5 p.m. – Mike Iannucco from Gravel Road will be pouring Terrai ‘07 Garnacha and El Castro de Valtaille Mencia ’06.
• Sunday, March 15 at 5 p.m. – Amy Paul from Mitchell Wines will be pouring Branchini Pignoletto ‘07 and Nugan Chardonnay, ’06.

Put some excitement into your life!