Day 11 Drink: Crispin Honey Crisp Artisanal Reserve

Crispin Cider is a relatively new brand founded by Joe Heron, the man behind Nutrisoda, which he created and then sold to PepsiAmericas. There are four varieties of Crispin on the market, all using west coast apples. The makers recommend pouring them over ice, which is a departure for most traditional ciders.

Crispin Honey Crisp Artisanal Reserve is made with organic honey. It pours a cloudy straw color, with a slight effervescence and a fresh apple nose. The texture is smooth with a moderate sweet palate. Refreshing and fairly clean. Goes well with roasted chicken or as a cocktail pour.

Day 10 Drink: Witte Noire Imperial Amber Wheat Ale

Belgian brewer Dirk Naudts founded the De Proefbrouwerij in 1996. The relatively new and small craft brewery uses a 9-barrel brewhouse and twists traditional recipes. Witte Noire Imperial Amber Wheat Ale was created by SBS Imports President Alan Shapiro and Naudts as a companion to De Proef's La Grande Blanche Imperial White Ale.

Witte Noire is a rich brown ale that has a thick tan head. The wheat used in the brew softens the flavor profile, while there is a good level of caramelized malt sweetness and some lingering spice notes. Smooth, yet flavorful, the ale would go nicely with a smoked turkey or roasted pork loin.

The 7.5% alcohol by volume beer retails for around $10 per 750 milliliter bottle.

Day 9 Drink: Stubbs 2006 Chardonnay

Tom and Mary Stubbs originally planted chardonnay and pinot noir grapes in 1996 in Marin County, Calif., to sell to other winemakers. Before long the couple decided they should launch their own label of organic wines.

Stubbs 2006 Marin County Estate Grown Chardonnay opens with a citrus aroma and has a nice lemon and mango flavor profile. The wine has a good level of acidity. Oak shows itself, but does not over power the fruit.

Day 8 Drink: Lost Coast Tangerine Wheat Beer

The Lost Coast Brewery and Café opened in 1990, the result of a dream by Barbara Groom, a pharmacist, and Wendy Pound, a family counselor, to run their own brewpub. Since then, the Eureka, Calif., brewery has expanded, adding a production and bottling site nearby the original brewpub that still operates in a 100-year-old building. You can get their beer in more than 20 states.

Lost Coast Tangerine Wheat Beer is a cloudy orange-gold color with a thin white head. There is a prominent orange zest nose and a solid level of citrus in the flavor profile. A very refreshing 5 percent alcohol by volume beer.

Day 7 Drink: Post Road 2006 Penny Black

Post House Vineyard is located along South Africa's False Bay coast in the Stellenbosch region. The first experimental batches of wine were made on the estate in 1996 and it began commercial production a couple of years later.

The winery gets its name from a post office that was once on the property and Penny Black is named for the first stamp printed in the world.

Post Road 2006 Penny Black is a rich purple-black blend of Shiraz, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petite Verdot. The wine has a light, fresh nose and the first taste offers hints of fig, light tannins and a good hit of pepper. Good and firm, but not too heavy.

Day 6 Drink: Dark 'n Stormy

I had not had one of these cocktails in years, but spied a can of ginger beer on the back bar a Tommy Bahama's in Sarasota and figured it might just take the chill out of the Florida night.

The Dark 'n Stormy is pretty much the official drink of Bermuda and the local rum, Gosling's, has slapped a trademark on the name. It is easy to make and darn satisfying.

In a cocktail glass, fill with ice, add 2 ounces of Gosling's Black Seal Rum and top with Gosling's Stormy Ginger Beer. Garnish with a lime wedge. Stir the ingredients and you are set to go.

Day 5 Drink: Red Chair NWPA

Deschutes Brewery in Bend, Ore., is one of America's finest craft brewers. If you doubt this fact, just match up a few of their beers against a few of your favorites. There is a consistent level of performance from the Deschutes brewhouse that deserves respect.

Early this week a six pack arrived from the brewery. Three bottles of Cider Cone Red and three bottles of Red Chair NWPA. (The photo here is from the original release of the Red Chair brand before they started to accurately tag it a "Northwest Pale Ale.")

The announcement was that Cinder Cone Red was being retired and it was being replaced by Red Chair, which is named after an old chairlift operating at Mount Bachelor. Red Chair NWPA will be a seasonal January to May release from the brewery. It has a rich amber gold color, with plenty of aromatic hops as you pour the brew. The 6.4 alcohol by volume beer is a crisp 55 International Bittering Units that are fresh and carry a bit of newly cut pine and citrus flavor notes. Enough flavor to satisfy fans of Cinder Cone Red and make a few new friends along the way.

Day 4 Drink: The Balvenie Madeira Cask 17 Year Old

The Balvenie Distillery has been making single malt Scotch whisky in Speyside since 1893. Age expressions in whisky comes in all formats, 12, 18 and 21 being among the most popular when it comes to Scotch makers. The folks in Banffshire have decided that 17 years old is the magic number for The Balvenie.

David Stewart, the master distiller at The Balvenie has been making whisky for 47 years. His collection of 17-year-olds includes single malts aged on everything from new oak to rum casks. The latest, released in 2009 was first aged on ex-Bourbon barrels and then transferred to casks that had previously held Portuguese Madeira wine.

The Balvenie Madeira Cask 17 Year Old is an 86-proof spirit that has a new penny copper color and opens with a slightly fruity nose. The flavor profile is smooth and long. Hints of vanilla, apricot and a passing maple note play out as you sip this single malt. Perfect for a January day.

Day 3 Drink: Moylan’s Ryan Sullivan’s Imperial Stout

Ryan Sullivan's Imperial Stout was created in 1996 to honor the bagpipe player who appears at Moylan's Brewery & Restaurant in Novato, Calif., every St. Patrick's Day to play tunes to mark the holiday.

Moylan’s Ryan Sullivan’s Imperial Stout is black as a moonless night. A rich mocha head stays thick throughout and the malty aroma is very inviting. This beer gets its rich complex flavour from a total of nine different malts and has enormous flavors: roasted sweet malt base, touch of vanilla, espresso, fig and hint of cocoa in the finish.

True to it's imperial stout roots, Ryan Sullivan's weighs in at 10 percent alcohol by volume.

Day 2 Drink: Finca La Linda 2007 Bonarda

Finca La Linda 2007 Bonarda from the Mendoza region of Argentina is made with 100 percent of a grape that is typically used for blending in South America. Don't be concerned if this is your first "Bonarda" experience, you won't be alone.

La Linda 2007 Bonarda is a ruby red wine with a mild alcohol nose. Dark fruits dominate the flavor. Plums and ripe raisins open to a moderate amount of tannins. It has a good level of oak and even a slight smoke in the finish. A good match for a steak or pasta with a hearty red sauce.

The wine is 14 percent alcohol by volume and an affordable $11 per bottle.

Day 1 Drink: Aspall Cuvee Chevallier Double Fermented Cyder

Tired of Champagne already in 2010? You might want to give Aspall Cuvee Chevallier Double Fermented Cyder a try.

Produced by Aspall Cyder House of Suffolk, England, which dates back to 1728, and imported by SBS Imports of Seattle, Washington, Aspall Cuvee Chevallier is a sparkling cider produced from apples higher in acid and lower in sugar content, so it has many of the tart characteristics of classic Champage. There is a slight musty apple note to the nose and the cider has a straw yellow color. Nice crisp finish that will go well with many meals.

Aspall Cuvee Chevallier is sold in cork-finished 750 milliliter champagne-style bottled, so you may be tempted to try to fool your friends. The 11 percent alcohol by volume cider sells for around $16 a bottle.

Tuesday Tasting: 14 Beers for the Season

Tuesday Tasting is a regular feature of Lyke2Drink that explores some of the best beers, wines and spirits on the market. This week we sample some seasonal treats from the beer world.

Whoever invented the idea of special beers for the holidays and winter season is owed a huge debt by generations of beer drinkers. The idea of a special treat for beer drinkers that is simultaneously a gift for the holidays, a great match for celebratory feasts and a way to ward off the cold weather is truly a Christmas miracle.

Just a few years ago these seasonals were relatively rare, but now most craft brewers offer either a holiday beer or a winter warmer -- some do both. Even though they are more common, they are no less special. I try to sample as many as possible each year. Some are old favorites, while a few first-timers join the fold each year.

Here are 14 I've already managed to try this year:

Samuel Adams Winter Lager: Amber lager with a moderate tan head. The brew contains cinnamon and other spices, but these flavors are fairly muted. Still the beer has a nice healthy body and attractive malt character. A good beer to go with food.

Affligem Noel Christmas Ale: This beer is 9 percent alcohol by volume brew pours a warm brown color with a tan head. Nice caramel nose that opens to a rich flavor bed of fruits, and a slight touch of dark chocolate, brown sugar and even sweet breads in the finish.

Bateman's Rosey Nosey Christmas Ale: Amber color with a thin head. Slightly fruity nose with a classic British ale flavor profile.

Blue Moon 2009 Grand Cru: The good folks at MillerCoors made this one for the semi-rare "blue moon" making its appearance in the night sky right at the end of 2009. Cloudy yellow with a very nice creamy white head that stays put throughout. Slight citrus note with a flavor that finishes refreshingly dry.

Full Moon Winter Ale: Part of Blue Moon's seasonal line up, this 5.6 percent alcohol by volume brew was actually on draft at Bank of America Stadium, a welcome relief from watching the Carolina Panthers. Chestnut brown color and firm tan head. Mild malt aroma and a medium bodied brew. The brew is not as malty as the first sip might lead you to believe, with hops balancing out the overall flavor.

Highland Cold Mountain: This North Carolina winter warmer was tasted on draft and was brighter than I recall past vintages. This beer has a nice amber color and spiced flavor profile. It actually has an almost birch beer like finish that is there and gone.

Left Hand Fade to Black Foreign Stout: This 8.5 percent alcohol by volume beer is a dark black with slight ruby hues around the edges. Nice roasted notes with hints of licorice, coffee and smoke. Very nice.

Leinenkugel's Fireside Nut Brown: Copper colored brew with an off white head. This 4.9 percent alcohol by volume beer has a fairly light body and smooth character. Roasted malt influences mute out the hops.

New Belgium 2 Below Ale: Two Degrees Below is a nice golden-colored ale with a lacing white head. At 6.6 percent alcohol by volume it is a great fireside brew. The beer has a good level of hops, but it's overall mouthfeel is smooth and refreshing. Nice balancing roasted malt in the background.

Olde Mecklenberg Jule Bock: This small brewer in Charlotte bottled a limited run of this German-style bock for the Christmas season. A amber brown color it has a slightly malty nose and smooth, slightly sweet flavor profile.

Pike Auld Acquaintance Hoppy Holiday Ale: This 5 percent alcohol by volume ale is a light amber color. The beer has a nice malty nose and opens with a slightly spicy flavor with citrus notes. The beer is a little thinner than I remember it from the past, but it is refreshing.

Shiner Holiday Cheer: Brewed with peaches and Texas pecans this is a dunkelweizen that has been krausened. A 5.4 percent alcohol by volume brew, the peaches come through very nicely and give this brew a festive feel.

Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale: One of my all-time favorite brews from the folks in Chico. At 6.8 percent alcohol by volume the beer is relatively tame by today's big beer standards, but it is plenty powerful to meet the chill in the air. Great aromatic hops that linger throughout the flavor.

Winterhook Winter Ale: The folks at Redhook have created a glowing mahogany hued ale with a tan head that comes in at 5.9 alcohol by volume. Nice roasted malt character with a slightly nutty finish.

Brewing Up a Christmas Miracle

The good folks at Rock Bottom Brewery & Restaurants around the country have a great holiday tradition of partnering with local charities and feeding people down on their luck a good hot meal on Christmas day.

Last year they hosted 10 of the "Miracle" events their locations and ended up feeding 6,200 people, including the homeless, people out of work and those with no other place to go.

With the economy being what it is, the need this Christmas was even greater and Rock Bottom with the help of volunteers helped out in communities across the country. Check out the news reports of events in Minneapolis and Boulder. No one was turned away and everyone had a chance to celebrate the holiday.

Boulder SourFest Planned for February 27th

In the July issue of All About Beer Magazine my inaugural "Next Beer" column asked the question "is sour the new bitter?" The premise of the column is to look at trends popping up across the brewing world that might soon end up in a glass in your hand.

It's clear that some hop heads are looking for the next sensory experience. Sour beers have been a staple of classic Belgian brewers ands a wave of American breweries now have barrels quietly aging in the corners of brewhouses.

The trend has caught the attention of the folks at Avery Brewing, and they have announced plans to host the Boulder SourFest on Feb. 27 from Noon to 5 p.m. in the Avery barrel-aging room in Boulder, Colo.

The goal is to have at least 35 different sour brews from breweries across the United States pouring ale at the event. Sour ales get their flavor profile from Lactobacillus, Brettanomyces or Pediococcus yeast. Avery is promising that many of the brewers responsible for these beers will be on hand.

Tickets for the event, priced at $35, will go on sale on Dec. 22nd on the Avery Brewing website.

English Whisky About to Hit the Market

It's been more than a century since the last distillery in England sold a whisky. On Wednesday that streak will end.

St. George's Distillery by the River Thet in eastern England has been aging whisky for three years and will release the first bottles this week. Three years is the required aging time to officially become a whisky and the spirit eclipsed that mark in ex-Jim Beam Bourbon barrels in late November.

The people behind this whisky have been growing malt for Scottish distillers and decided in 2005 to establish a distillery. They coaxed a former Laphroaig distiller -- Iain Henderson -- out of retirement. It was a big deal in 2007 when Prince Charles showed up to officially open the distillery.

The English Whisky Co. will market peated and plain whiskies. Initial shipments are being sent to Japan, Singapore, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and Canada. The company hopes to open the United States marketing during 2010.

Pork and Liquor

The $787 billion economic stimulus that President Barack Obama and the Democrat controlled Congress put in place was criticized earlier this week by Republican Sens. John McCain and Tom Coburn for having at least 100 wasteful projects.

Even though the Congressional Budget Office estimates the stimulus helped to create 1.6 million jobs, the two lawmakers said that at least $7 billion of the $217 billion already spent was either wasted and mismanaged.

Among the projects McCain and Coburn singled out as a poor use of taxpayer funds was a $390,000 State University of New York at Buffalo study of young adults who drink malt liquor and smoke marijuana, and a $219,000 study by the National Institutes of Health looking into whether female college students are more likely to have sex after drinking.

Tuesday Tasting: Three Whiskeys Worth Sipping

Tuesday Tasting is a regular feature of Lyke2Drink that explores some of the best beers, wines and spirits on the market. This week we sample some great whiskeys that are perfect for holiday giving.

No matter what your spirit preference is, the holidays are an exciting time. Special gift packs, rare bottlings and vintage offerings abound. This is especially true for fans of Scotch and Bourbon. The Lyke2Drink offices have had some very nice samples arrive in recent weeks. These are bottles that you might want for yourself, but they make truly exceptional gifts for friends and business associates.

Lagavulin 1993 Distillers Edition: I've long been a fan of this Islay distillery. The smoky peat found in the "standard" Lagavulin 16 year old is just as intense in this 86 proof special bottling. This Scotch is double-matured in Pedro Ximenez Sherry wood casks, which gives the single malt a touch of fruitiness to go along with the sea spray and vanilla notes. This one has a very long finish. It retails for $110 a bottle.

Evan Williams Single Barrel 2000 Vintage Bourbon: This whiskey is a vanilla bomb. At 86.6 proof this one has been aging in Bardstown since March 2000. A very smooth, almost creamy Bourbon with honey, a touch of caramel and vanilla from the nose to finish. Balanced with just the right amount of spice. At under $30 a bottle this is a great whiksey value from Heaven Hill Distilleries.

Old Forester Birthday Bourbon Vintage 2009: This Bourbon was distilled in 1997 and has a corresponding 97 proof. Nutty, spicy and sweet. There is a European truffle quality that comes through with dark chocolate, cherry and a hint of citrus, then a woody finish. A great $40 gift.

Pints for Prostates Video from the Denver Rare Beer Tasting

Pints For Prostates | Denver Rare Beer Tasting 2009 from Redtail Media on Vimeo.

The talented folks at Redtail Media in Long Beach, Calif., donated their time and skills to shoot a video during the Denver Rare Beer Tasting to help support the Pints for Prostates campaign.

Check out some of the many craft beer legends that donated exotic beers to the event and took the time to urge men to get regular prostate health screenings and PSA blood tests.

The Guardian's 10 Best Brewpubs in the U.K.

According to The Guardian, an English newspaper, there are now 500 microbreweries around the United Kingdom and the trend reflects a counter balance to the much reported "death of the British pub."

The Guardian recently issued a list of the top 10 U.K. brewpubs. The list has received some passionate feedback from readers.

One eyeopener is there are no London brewpubs on the list. The closest is around 40 miles away. When I stop to think of trying to construct a list of the top 10 brewpubs in the U.S. it would be difficult seeing one from New York, Los Angeles or Chicago cracking that elite ranking. Piece Brewery & Pizzeria in the Windy City probably has the best credentials and wins its share of awards, but perhaps there is something about big cities and brewpubs that we share with the British.

The Guardian's Top 10 U.K. Brewpubs

1. The Masons Arms in Headington, Oxford
2. Fox and Crown in Old Basford, Nottingham
3. The Brunswick Inn in Derby, Derbyshire
4. Sair Inn, Linthwaite, West Yorkshire
5. The Moulin Arms in Perthshire, Scotland
6. Swan on the Green in Maidstone, Kent
7. Burton Bridge Inn in Burton upon Trent, Staffs
8. Dark Star Brewery – Evening Star Brighton in Brighton, Brighton and Hove
9. The Watermill in Ings, Cumbria
10. The Old Cannon Brewery in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk

BrewDog Releases 32 Percent ABV Brew to Claim World's Strongest Beer Title

The title of world's strongest beer is now claimed by a brewer from northern Scotland.

BrewDog, located in Fraserburgh along the North Sea, has released Tactical Nuclear Penguin, which the brewery says weighs in at 32 percent alcohol by volume. At a near Scotch-like 64 proof, the beer replaces Germany's Schorschbock, which is a 31 percent alcohol by volume eisbock.

By way of comparison, Samuel Adams Utopias is 27 percent alcohol by volume and recognized as the strongest in the U.S.

To reach the high alcohol level the brewery stretched out the fermentation process using extremely low temperature. A 330 milliliter bottle of Tactical Nuclear Penguin will cost nearly $50. Don't worry about having to pick up a $300 six pack, since only 500 bottles have been produced.

BrewDog has had a number of running battles with government regulators since coming on the scene in 2007. They have used these fights to gain valuable publicity. The newest beer is a "cynical marketing ploy" according to Alcohol Scotland.

Tuesday Tasting: Seven Lucky Beers

Tuesday Tasting is a regular feature of Lyke2Drink that explores some of the best beers, wines and spirits on the market. This week we taste seven unique brews from around the United States.

Dogfish Head Sah'tea: The folks in Delaware must have worked a few long days coming up with the ingredients for this one. Black chai tea, rye, juniper berries, cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and black pepper. Wood-fired rocks caramelize the wort and a German weizen yeast is used in achieving a 9 percent alcohol by volume level. And somehow it all works. Cloudy gold color. The tea is clearly there and spice notes ring through. You should try this brew at least once.

Duschutes The Abyss 2009 Reserve: This imperial stout has a "Best After Date" on the label, but I had to open the bottle and give it a try. This is one big, black, beautiful brew. At 11 percent alcohol by volume this beer is imposing in many ways. The beer is brewed with licorice and molasses, with a third aged in ex-Bourbon barrels. The whiskey comes through in just the right amount and there is certainly sweetness from the molasses. It would be interesting to taste this beer in a couple of years.

Life & Limb: Sometimes collaboration beers don't live up to expectations. That's not the case with this 10 percent alcohol by volume beer from Sierra Nevada and Dogfish Head. A beautiful brown color and wonderful hoppy nose. Both maple and birch syrups are used, and the malt really balances out the brew overall. The yeast is a blend of house varieties from both breweries. Good dark fruit notes that mark this as a sipping beer. The brewers also released a small beer -- 5 percent abv -- from the second runnings called Limb & Life.

Nogne O/Jolly Pumpkin/Stone Special Holiday Ale: A three-way collaboration that combines Michigan chestnuts, white sage from southern California and Norwegian juniper berries. Dark colored ale that has some holiday spice scents. The malts give this a nice heft and long lasting flavor profile.

Pike Entire Wood Aged Stout: Pours black as night with a tan head. Dark chocolate, roasty notes wrapped around a brew with attractive vanilla and Bourbon flavors. The hops in this one don't take a back seat. A very big brew.

Redhook Treblehook Barleywine: This limited edition brew pours a nice reddish brown color with a thin off white head. The dry hopping of this beer comes roaring through in the aroma and flavor, balanced by a good amount of malt. It drinks smoothly, especially for a 10.1 percent alcohol by volume beer.

Widmer Brothers Reserve Cherry Oak Doppelbock: This is a new beer that is part of the new "Brothers Reserve" series. Good looking brown bock with a firm tan head. If you are looking for big fruit, this is not your beer. However, I enjoyed the subtle nature of the dark sweet and red tart cherries. More of a background note than a lead element. The oak really serves to mellow out this beer. I found it opened after a few minutes and as it warmed I detected more body than originally showed itself.

A Big Gulp of Wine from 7-Eleven

There are 7,850 7-Eleven store in the U.S. and they sell $127 million in wine annually. Soon they will be marketing a private label wine -- Yosemite Road -- for $3.99 a bottle.

The convenience store chain plans to sell its exclusive chardonnay and cabernet sauvignon, which is made in California. Stores in the United States and Japan will carry the wine. 7-Eleven has 36,000 company owned and franchised stores in 15 countries.

The company says the new wine follows the success of the 7-Select store brand launch and reflects consumer trends brought on by the economy.

The wines will be made by The Wine Group in California. That company is behind the budget priced Glen Ellen and Corbett Canyon brands.

CNN Vital Signs Features Pints for Prostates

During the Livestrong Global Cancer Summit in Dublin, I had the chance to sit down with Dr. Sanjay Gupta to talk about Pints for Prostates and how we use the universal language of beer to reach men with an important health message. CNN also sent a crew to Colorado for the Denver Rare Beer Tasting and Great American Beer Festival.

The interview started airing internationally today. You can check it out here:

Tuesday Tasting: Prager 2004 Royal Escort Port

Tuesday Tasting is a regular feature of Lyke2Drink that explores some of the best beers, wines and spirits on the market. This week we head to Napa Valley to sip a great port.

A few months back a couple of bottles arrived at my door from Prager Winery & Port Works in California. I have to admit that I don't regularly drink port and, in the heat of the North Carolina summer, I decided to place the bottles in a wine rack and wait for cooler weather. The time has come to crack open one of the bottles.

Prager 2004 Royal Escort Port is a dark ruby red 19 percent alcohol by volume wine that is made from 100 percent petite sirah grapes grown in the Napa Valley. If you like port, you will love this wine. There is plenty of body to Royal Escort. Good dark cherry and plum notes open to a nice balancing acidity. Royal Escort is bright and approachable.

This port will clearly stand up well for a number of years of aging, but I really found the fruit-forward nature of the wine at this stage to be very attractive. You may want to buy too bottles, one to try now and one to lay down for a few years for a special occasion.

Beer Tap TV Covers Denver Rare Beer Tasting

Erik Boles and the fine people at Beer Tap TV have posted an interview they did at the inaugural Denver Rare Beer Tasting last month. Check out this video to see how they are helping the Pints for Prostates campaign reach men through the universal language of beer.

Is Cheap Whisky a Scottish Birthright?

Living in Scotland means that you can get a decent bottle of Scotch at your local supermarket for under $12. That may all change because of a Scottish government plans to combat binge drinking and it has distillers upset.

A plan would set minimum per drink charges for alcohol sold in supermarkets. That would mean that supermarket-brand Scotch would increase in price to $18 a bottle, effectively raising the price to what some branded Scotch labels sell for at retail.

Whyte and Mackay, a 160-year-old distiller, says the new minimum pricing plan would have a major impact on its volume. Distillers are upset because discussions about minimum pricing have focused on supermarket lost-leader sales of beer, cider and flavored malt beverages.

The Scottish government is expected to finalize a proposal during the next few weeks. Distillers are pointing out that Scotch amounts to around 20 percent of the country's exports and a proposal that damages the industry would harm the overall economy.

Rock Art Brewing Should Send Flowers to Monster's Lawyers

Be honest. How many of you had heard of Rock Art Brewery in tiny Morrisville, Vermont at this time last week?

This small brewery was plodding along like many of the craft brewers in this country. Making some pretty good beers, building a loyal following of beer geeks and fighting for shelf space against companies that can afford to run ads during weekend football games.

Then some lawyers from Hansen Beverage Co., which markets Monster Energy Drinks, decided to come to the rescue. You see Rock Art has been selling a brew called The Vermonster for the last couple of years. Hansen says that could confuse consumers and Hansen says it has plans to launch an alcoholic drink under the Monster label. They say they have to defend their trademark.

Jackpot. The good folks at Rock Art Brewery are suddenly real life Davids in a battle against a big time Goliath. In addition to Monster, Hansen also markets Hansen Natural Sodas, Energade sports drinks and Rumba juice drinks. In 2006, the company signed a deal for Anheuser-Busch distributors to handle its line up. Manufacturing is handled by a series of independent bottlers under license.

Twitter has been twittering. There is a Facebook boycott against Monster picking up steam. And just about every beer blog in North America is jumping on the story.

It just may be that Rock Art will have to knuckle under because the legal fight would drain resources they just don't have. Hansen literally has more lawyers than the Rock Art folks have employees. That's the way the legal system sometimes works in the U.S.

But the public relations system sometimes works in an opposite and remarkable fashion in this country. Rock Art Brewery has gained more in attention than they could have hoped for in the next 10 years if the Hansen lawyers had just left things alone.

I'm willing to bet that Vermont bars are ordering as much of Vermonster as Rock Art can ship. Can a bigger distribution deal be far behind? God bless the lawyers.

Another Reason to Hate Beer Pong

I've never been a big fan of drinking games. Even in my younger days I really just did not get the point. I've always considered drinking to be more of a social event than a competition.

I never did the beer funnel thing. I remember being pressured into participating in a couple of games of quarters, but I kept thinking about where that change had been. Pretty gross. And chugging just never did it for me. That's why the current fascination with beer pong just is lost on me.

Now Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, N.Y., has given me all the reason I ever need to just say no to beer pong. The school has announced that several students have contracted the H1N1 flu after a weekend beer pong competition.

Dr. Leslie Lawrence, medical director at RPI's health center, is asking students not to share drinking cups. That should pretty much end beer pong at RPI, unless the students come up with an endless supply of plastic cups so they can switch them out after each successful shot.

The kids at RPI are pretty smart. The question is are they smart enough to listen to Dr. Lawrence?

Cask Ale Sales Rebound in Great Britain

It has been more than a quarter century since cask ales sales in Britain enjoyed a year over year increase, but that might change in 2009.

In the first half of 2009, British consumers downed 2.3 million more pints of cask beer than they enjoyed during the same time period in 2008. You have to go all the way back to 1982 to find the last annual rise in real-ale consumption.

The Cask Ale Report, commissioned by the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA)and some brewers, showed sales reached 825,000 barrels during the January to June 2009 period. The report said 660 breweries now make cask ale, the highest number in 60 years.

The improving picture is good news for the troubled British pub segment. Forty percent of real ale drinkers visit a pub at least once a week, compared with just 23 per cent of non-cask drinkers. The report also pointed out these customers tend to spend more during each pub visit.

Real ale requires careful handling by pub operators. The beer undergoes a second fermentation in the cask and is not injected with carbon dioxide. CAMRA was formed as a consumer movement in reaction to national brewers in England discontinuing traditional cask ale brands in favor of easier to distribute lagers.

GABF: Recap of a Great Fest

I intended to get to this a bit earlier, but it has been busy in the Lyke2Drink world for the last week or so...The Great American Beer Festival has come and gone for another year. It is sort of like Christmas. You start thinking about it months in advance, you make plans to visit old friends, you pack up and run the travel gauntlet, and then everything happens so quickly that when it is over you are left drained and wishing that you had an extra day or two before going back to work.

A few random thoughts on America's grandest beer bash:

Records Are Made to Be Broken: A ton of records fell at this year's GABF. The most impressive to me are the 3,362 beers entered in the medal competition. That's a 16 percent jump in just a year. A total of 51 breweries were first timers this year.

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More Categories = More Fun: The GABF competition featured 78 categories (+ the Pro Am category) in 2009, up three from the previous year.

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More Elbow Room: The GABF added 46 percent more space to accommodate more brewers and more attendees this year. It was hard to find the additional space of Friday or Saturday night. Still, a good idea.

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Farm to Table Pavilion: The Brewers Association hosted a food and beer matching event in a quiet corner of the Colorado Convention Center on Thursday and Friday evenings. It was a good chance to get away from the noise of the GABF and a reminder of the fact that beer can play an upscale game that trumps wine in many respects.

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What Happened to the Time?: This GABF was a bit more of a blur this year for me because of all of the activity that went into launching the Denver Rare Beer Tasting and having a stand alone Pints for Prostates booth at the event. The Brewers Association graciously donated the space and volunteers Mark Sohasky, Dan Rabin, Darrin Pikarsky, Chad Henderson and Charles Willet helped me staff the booth. We had the chance to talk with a bunch of men about the need to get regular prostate health screenings, while at the same time raising funds for the Us TOO International Prostate Cancer Education and Support Network. The lucky winner of the kegerator drawing was Ben Carlisle of Vestavia Hills, Alabama, a new homebrewer attending his first GABF.

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Big Kick Off: Once again Great Divide Brewing was the place for brewers, media and beer hangers on Thursday afternoon. The traditional kickoff of the GABF marathon was a chance to see old friends and drink some excellent house brews. If you find yourself in Denver, the Great Divide taproom should be on your list. This brewery makes a very solid range of beers that are worth your time.

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American Craft Beer Week: Mark it down, May 17-23, 2010. Check out www.AmericanCraftBeerWeek.org.

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Michelob Tasting: The Anheuser-Busch InBev folks had a nice gathering for the media at Earl's Restaurant. The mix of beer included commercial offerings, some brewery only treats to show flexibility (a very good Doppelbock and a pear brew) and a beer designed by the media. Rye-ter's Block was a beer by committee -- beer writers -- that was very drinkable.

Brewers Celebrate GABF Medal Wins

The Great American Beer Festival for 2009 is in the books. The activities wrapped up last evening at the Colorado Convention Center, but for the brewers the main event happened during the afternoon session, when medals were handed out.

There were 3,308 beers in the GABF competition entered by 495 brewers in 78 categories and the Pro-Am category. The beers were judged by 132 industry professionals from 10 countries.

Here is the complete list of winners from the Brewers Association.

The top five medal winning states were: Colorado (45), California (39), Oregon (22), Washington (13) and Pennsylvania (12).

Small Brewpub and Small Brewpub Brewer of the Year is Chuckanut Brewery of Bellingham, Wash., and Will Kemper.

Large Brewpub and Large Brewpub Brewer of the Year is Pizza Port Carlsbad of Carlsbad, Calif. and Pizza Port Brew Guys.

Small Brewing Company and Small Brewing Company Brewer of the Year is Dry Dock Brewing Company of Aurora, Colo., and Dry Dock Brewing Team.

Mid-Size Brewing Company and Mid-Size Brewing Company Brewer of the Year is Flying Dog Brewery of Frederick, Maryland, and Robert Malone.

Large Brewing Company and Large Brewing Company Brewer of the Year is Coors Brewing Company of Golden, Colo., and Dr. David Ryder.

Samuel Adams LongShot Winners Announced

One of the highlights of the Great American Beer Festival for the beer journalists at the event is the annual Samuel Adams brunch. It's a chance to have some quiet time with writers you know and respect, plus Jim Koch gets back to his homebrewing roots at the event.

The Samuel Adams American Homebrew Contest selects beers from two homebrewers and a Boston Beer employee's recipe to make up the yearly release of the LongShot variety pack.

This year's six pack is going to be one you need to try. Michael Robinson of New Hampshire has an Old Ale in the pack, Ben Miller of New Mexico contributes a Barleywine, and Jeremy White, an IT employee at Boston Beer, offers a Belgian-style Saison.

The LongShot pack is slated for release in April 2010.

Denver Rare Beer Tasting is in the Books

I'll leave it up to others to comment on the quality of the inaugural Denver Rare Beer Tasting to benefit the Pints for Prostates campaign, but I figured I'd post a few photos and offer thanks to all of the people who made the event a success.

First of all, 24 great breweries came through with a group of truly unique and exotic beers. You can check out the list of the brews that were served here. Part of the buzz from the event was created by the fact so many legendary brewers were on hand to talk with beer fans about the special beers being poured.

There were the volunteers, many of them home brewers with a real passion for beer, that made it possible to produce the event. The team at the Wynkoop Brewery received the beer over several days as it arrived from around the country and they provided excellent service as beer fans sampled the brews and enjoyed snacks.

Then there were the 450 beer fans who had the faith to buy tickets for a first time event and started lining up for the DRBT about an hour before the doors opened. There is no shortage of beer events in Denver this week, so it was great to have so many people turn out. Several told me they came to Denver from across the country just for this event, which is pretty impressive.

Then there were a host of folks who donated services to get the programs, signs, glassware and other items produced, including eTix, Harperprints, Image Navigators and Eric Mower and Associates. A special thanks also goes out to the Brewers Association, BeerAdvocate.com and Visit Denver for helping to promote the event, which sold out more than a month ago.

The biggest thanks of all go out to Daniel Bradford, publisher of All About Beer Magazine, and the entire team at the publication, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary. The amount of energy and expertise they put into the Denver Rare Beer Tasting made the entire event possible. Literally, without Daniel's tireless efforts the DRBT would have never happened.

In the end, the Denver Rare Beer Tasting helped raise the awareness of the brewing community and beer fans about the need for regular prostate health screenings and PSA testing. The funds raised at the event go to help the Us TOO Prostate Cancer Education and Support Network, a group that works with men with prostate cancer and their families. And, while there are plenty of good reasons to have a beer tasting, this is one of the best I can think of and why we are talking about doing it again next year.

Ready or Not: It's Beer Festival Time in Denver

There is excitement in the rather chilly air of Denver on the eve of the 28th annual Great American Beer Festival. The city is pretty much a giant river of beer for the next few days, with thousands of beer fans paddling through the rapids, outstretched hands holding tasting glasses in search of the next great brew.

To start things off, the first Denver Beer Fest is currently underway. This 10-day event is one of what will become two annual “Beer Weeks” for the Mile High City. The time leading up to and during the GABF has always been packed with beer related events, but the Denver Convention and Visitors Bureau decided to formalize things this year by serving as a hub for all things beer. There are dozens of tastings, dinners, tours and other events focused around beer. There is no possible way to participate in everything, but there is no excuse not to immerse yourself in the celebration.

The GABF is still the focus in Denver this week. The Brewers Association will break records with this year’s event. Paid attendance is expected to reach 49,000 people (plus volunteers, brewers and media) during the four sessions. Organizers say 46 percent more space in the Colorado Convention Center is being utilized to hold a record 457 brewers pouring 2,100 beers. The event is sold out, which is music to the ears of scalpers working the streets near the venue. If you are attending, please stop by the Pints for Prostates booth (D-1), not far from the Pro-Am beers and the GABF t-shirt sales area. We’ll be raffling a kegerator to raise funds to help fight prostate cancer and we will have information available about the disease.

The GABF medal competition will also set records this year. A total of 495 breweries from 48 states have entered 3,362 beers for judging by a team of dedicated industry professionals. Over the years GABF medals have helped establish the brewing credentials of some of America’s top craft brewers. Winning a GABF is a true point of pride for brewers. If you are trying to handicap likely contenders, check out this post from that chronicles the 2,987 medals handed out since the professional judging panels were established in 1987.

One of the happenings in Denver this week that I’m most excited about on several levels is the inaugural Denver Rare Beer Tasting. This event started out a few months back as a simple idea to bring together some of America’s best craft brewers to help fight prostate cancer. With the help of All About Beer Magazine, in cooperation with BeerAdvocate.com, this event brings the Pints for Prostates campaign to Denver in style. We are using the universal language of beer to reach men with an important health message.

The brewing community really stepped up for this event. We have 24 of the country’s most innovative brewers pouring some of the most exotic and hard to find beers on the planet. You can check out the beer list here and you will understand why the 450 tickets for this event sold out weeks in advance. There is even a waiting list of people who want to volunteer. All proceeds from the DRBT benefit the Us TOO International Prostate Cancer Education and Support Network, a 501(c)3 charity that helps men with cancer and their families.

Lyke2Drink will file several reports from Denver this week to keep you up to date on some of the happenings in and around Denver. We hope you will join us for the ride.

Release of 1,001 Beers You Must Taste Before You Die Set for March 2010

Amazon.com has already started promoting advance sales for 1,001 Beers You Must Taste Before You Die, which has a scheduled release date of March 23, 2010.

The book, edited by U.K. beer writer Adrian Tierney-Jones, is the result of contributions from beer writers around the globe. I put together the reviews for 24 of the American beers that will be featured in the book -- so just 2.4 percent of the final product, but I got to taste some world class brews in the process. I'm not going to name drop at this point, since part of the fun of getting this book will be to find out which beers were selected and which of your favorites are missing. This is one of those books that will start a few debates in various languages.

The thing about a book like this or any list that attempts to rank the best is that there is always someone left out. Even with the great team of writers for this book, there are certainly more than one or two great beers that did not make the cut. Sometimes it's because the editor feels that a particular beer is the 1,002nd beer to taste before you die. In other cases it might be because the brand is relatively unknown or the brewery is in a remote location. This book will not be out long before the beer message boards buzz with lists of beers that people feel were snubbed. That's half the fun.

According to Amazon, this 960-page hardcover book published by Universe will have a list price of $36.95. The early bird discount on Amazon is 34 percent, so you can get it for just $24.39. That's 2-cents per beer reviewed in the book. I'm certainly not that objective about the project, but I'd say it's certainly worth the price.

Celebrating Oktoberfest in Winston-Salem

Foothills Brewing in Winston-Salem, N.C., celebrated Oktoberfest today with an event that raised funds for Pints for Prostates and Save the Ta Tas.

I stopped in and had the chance to enjoy a rich Oktoberfest beer produced by the talented Jamie Bartholomaus and the Foothills team. This amber colored beer has a thin tan head and nice sweet aroma. Good light roasted malt notes and plenty of caramel touches to the finish. Perfect for the season.

The event included a number of contests, raffles and German food to go along with the Oktoberfest release. I brought back a growler to enjoy during tailgating tomorrow for the opening game of the NFL season for the Carolina Panthers.

Denver Rare Beer Tasting Brews Announced

The beer list for the sold out Denver Rare Beer Tasting has been finalized. The brewers donating beer to this event have gone out of their way, dug deep into private cellars and provided some real gems for beer fans to sample.

For those of you lucky enough to have one of the 450 tickets to this inaugural event, here's what you can look forward to enjoying on Sept. 25th:

* Alaskan Smoked Porter 1999 & 2008
* Allagash Fluxus 2009
* Bison Reunion '09 -- A Beer for Hope Double White Ale
* Samuel Adams Utopias 2009
* Brooklyn Wild 1
* Deschutes Double Black Butte Porter XX
* Dogfish Head Raison D’Extra 2006
* Foothills 23-year-old Pappy Van Winkle Barrel Aged Total Eclipse Stout
* Great Divide Old Ruffian Barley Wine 2008
* Harpoon 100 Barrel Series Glacier Harvest ’09 Wet Hop Ale
* Highland Big Butte Smoked Porter
* Jolly Pumpkin Biere de Mars Grand Reserve 2006 & 2007
* Lost Abbey The Angel's Share 2009 Brandy Barrel Finish
* Mich Brett
* New Belgium Trip II
* New Glarus Golden Ale
* Odell Crimson Shenanigans
* Oskar Blues Wet & Whiskeyed Gordon
* Rogue Ales John John Hazelnut
* Saranac Imperial IPA
* Sierra Nevada Barrel Aged Scotch Ale
* Stoudt Old Abominable Barleywine 2007
* Stone 2008 Old Guardian Barley Wine Aged in Red Wine Barrels
* Wynkoop Barrel Aged Berserker Mead

All money raised by the Pints for Prostates campaign goes to help the Us TOO International Prostate Cancer Education and Support Network.

Drinking Reduces Depression in Teenage Girls

Is beer good for teenage girls?

Just asking the question might earn you a trip to the local jail in some southern states. But, according to a brave researcher in Indiana, drinking might be the key to help teenage girls avoid depression.

Timothy Owens, a sociology professor at Purdue University in Indiana, conducted a study that found high school-aged girls who had drinks once or twice in the past month with their friends were less likely to report feeling depressed than peers who did not drink.

Owens said the reason appears to be having a drink or two gives the the teenage girls a reason to go out with friends to relax, have fun and interact. Building social relationships are extremely important to teenage girls and has a positive impact on how they feel about themselves.

Owens said the study results reflect occasional drinking and not binge-drinking or getting intoxicated on a regular basis.

Owens said the study also found little correlation between drinking by teenage boys and their emotional well-being.

The research looked at more than 1,000 high school students. The results are published in the Journal of Adolescence.

Tuesday Tasting: Great Stuff from Kentucky

Tuesday Tasting is a regular feature of Lyke2Drink that explores some of the best beers, wines and spirits on the market. This week we taste four new whiskeys from Kentucky.

They make whiskey in Kentucky. Very good whiskey. There are a precious few distilleries in the Bluegrass State, but they turn out some of the best brown spirits you will find anywhere. This is especially true when the distillers produce a special bottling or dig deep in their rackhouses for aged barrels.

Happily, I occasionally receive samples of these whiskeys for articles I am writing. Recently some samples arrived that were really extra special. In fact, one bottle might be one of the rarest whiskeys in the world.

Let me explain. A bottle of Rittenhouse Very Rare Single Barrel Rye, a 25-year-old rye, arrived for tasting. A 25-year-old rye by itself is a fairly rare whiskey. Then Larry Kass from Heaven Hill Distilleries contacted me to say a mistake had been made. My first thought was they might want the bottle back. Instead Larry told me that the bottle did not contain the contents of a single barrel, as promised on the label, but mistakenly contained a blend of barrel numbers one and three. So what I had instead of a great single barrel rye was an extremely small batch whiskey the distillery had not planned to release. Even better was knowing a second "correct" bottle was on its way.

Rittenhouse Very Rare Single Barrel Rye: Barrel #1, barreled on Oct. 11, 1984. Heaven Hill released 21- and 23-year-old expressions of this whiskey earlier in the decade. Glowing cherry wood color. Wonderful vanilla nose. For a 100 proof whiskey this is extremely smooth.

Rittenhouse Very Rare Blended Barrel Rye: Barreled on Oct. 11, 1984. Barrels #1 & #3. For an "error bottle," this is darn good whiskey. Pretty much the same color as the single barrel #1 whiskey. The vanilla nose is there, too, if slightly muted. This rye is smooth, but has more smoky characteristics.

Woodford Reserve Master’s Collection: This is the fourth release in this series and uses oak that has been seasoned for three to five years. At 100.4 proof you can certainly cut it with a little water, but you will at least take a small sip first. Dark mahogany color with a slightly sweet nose. Nice oak and dark fruit flavors. Finishes with a touch of spice.

Old Forester Birthday Bourbon: Distilled in 1997 and bottled in 2009 this 97 proof whiskey is the latest in the series started by in 2002. Nice glowing amber color and slightly sweet nose. The whiskey has big oak up front. As it opens follow up sips give hints of nuts and toffee, with a lingering cherry note around the edges at the finish.

Pints for Prostates Marks National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month with Nine Events Across the U.S.

September is National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month and the Pints for Prostates campaign will salute survivors of the disease at nine events taking place across the country.

The events, ranging from fundraisers at taverns to participation in beer festivals, are scheduled to take place in California, Colorado, Illinois, Massachusetts, North Carolina and Ohio.

“The mission of Pints for Prostates is to reach men in a friendly and non-threatening way when they may be willing to listen to a message about prostate health screening and PSA testing,” said Rick Lyke, a 48-year-old Charlotte, N.C., marketing executive and drinks journalist who had successful prostate cancer surgery in April 2008. “Pints for Prostates uses the universal language of beer to encourage men to take charge of their health.”

Each week 4,000 men in the U.S. hear the words: “You have prostate cancer.” The key for these men is detecting the disease in the early stages when treatment is nearly 100 percent successful. The grassroots Pints for Prostates campaign is focused on building awareness among men of the importance of regular health screenings and PSA testing.

“All men should start getting screened for prostate cancer when they reach 40 years old,” Lyke said. “The death rate from prostate cancer has declined in the last two decades because of improvements in testing and treatment. Still, thousands of men die needlessly each year because there is a lack of information sharing. Prostate cancer occupies the same social standing as breast cancer did in this country 30 years ago. Thanks to the pink ribbon campaign’s impact on early detection, scores of women have survived breast cancer. Men need to talk to other men and shake off the stigma of prostate cancer.”

As part of National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, Pints for Prostates is participating in the following events around the United States:

• Pints for Prostates at E.B. Flatts at 245 W. Main St., East Brookfield, Mass., from Sept. 1-30. A portion of the proceeds from sales will be donated to the Pints for Prostates campaign.

• North Star Craft Brewery at 3501 Iron Ct. in Shasta Lake, Calif., on Sept. 12 from 3:30-11 p.m. Live bands, food and beer. http://www.northstarbrew.com/homepage/NorthStarBreweryFestivals.html

• Foothills Oktoberfest at 638 W. 4th St., Winston-Salem, N.C., on Sept. 12th from Noon to 2 a.m. German food, a costume contest, games and raffle.

• Rocco’s Café & Pizzeria at 1925 N. Lincoln Ave. in Chicago, Ill., on Sept. 13 from 2:00-6:00 p.m. celebrating the success of the SEA Blue Walk, a joint venture between two 501(c)3 non-profit organizations, Us TOO International Prostate Cancer Education and Support Network and Wellness Place, Cancer Education and Support. http://www.ustooevents.org/site/PageServer?pagename=2009_Chgo_Splash

• Men’s Night Out for Pints for Prostates at The Pub in Polaris Fashion Place, 1500 Polaris Parkway, Columbus, Ohio, on Sept. 17th from 5:00-9:00 p.m. Beer, Scotch and Bourbon tastings, live music, food, silent auction and raffles. www.pubs4prostates.com.

• Pints for Prostates benefit at the Blind Lady Ale House, 3416 Adams Ave. in San Diego, Calif., on Sept. 20th from 11:30 a.m. to Midnight. A portion of the day’s sales and donations to a raffle for some great prizes will be donated to the Us TOO International Prostate Cancer Education and Support Network.

• Great American Beer Festival at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver, Colo., from Sept. 24-26. http://www.beertown.org/events/gabf/.

• Denver Rare Beer Tasting to benefit Pints for Prostates presented by All About Beer Magazine in cooperation with BeerAdvocate.com at the Wynkoop Brewery at 1634 18th St. in Denver, Colo., on Sept. 25 from 1:00-4:00 p.m. www.allaboutbeer.com/pints.

• Pints for Prostates benefit at the Olde Mecklenburg Brewery at 215 Southside Dr. in Charlotte, N.C. on Sept. 30th from 5:30-8:30 p.m. Beer sampling, brewery tours, food and live music.


About Pints for Prostates

Pints for Prostates, a campaign that uses the universal language of beer to encourage men to take charge of their health, was founded by prostate cancer survivor Rick Lyke in 2008. The grassroots effort raises awareness among men of the importance of regular health screenings and PSA testing by making appearances at beer festivals, social networking and pro bono advertising. All funds generated by Pints for Prostates benefit the Us TOO International Prostate Cancer Education and Support Network, a 501(c)3 charity that works to support, educate and advocate for men with prostate cancer and their families. More information is available at www.ustoo.org/pints. Pints for Prostates also has a presence on Facebook and Twitter.

Pub Crawl in Dublin

When I arrived in Ireland last Sunday I had a day to fill before the opening reception of the Livestrong Global Cancer Summit, so I decided to meet up with John Duffy, who writes The Beer Nut blog and is a fellow contributor to the upcoming book "1001 Beers to Try Before You Die" due out in the Spring 2010. John was good enough to take me on a pub crawl of some of his favorite spots in Dublin.

Our first stop was the Bull & Castle, located across the street from Christchurch Cathedral. Two fine beers at this stop were a cask conditioned O'Hara's Stout that was rich and Whitewater Brewery's Clotworthy Dobbin, a Belfast porter with a very nice caramel note.

We headed to the Porterhouse, a multiple location Dublin microbrewery founded in 1996. I founded the Wrasslers XXXX Full Stout at the Temple Bar location to be a rich classic dry stout. I then had an Oyster Stout to wash down an order of fish and chips. It was thick and creamy with hints of coffee. Later during my time in Dublin I made a stop at Porterhouse Central and enjoyed a rich Chocolate Truffle Stout that gave an immediate hit of 70 percent pure cocoa. Also the Porterhouse Plain Porter looks like a stout at first, but it gives off an amber glow. It has a rich roasted quality. This is a seriously good brewpub that should be on your itinerary if you are lucky to get to Dublin.

At our next stop, the Palace, we had a Franciscan Well Rebel Red, which was one of the better Irish reds I can recall having. Since we were in Ireland, I would kind of expect it to be a great example of the beer style. This Cork brewery did not disappoint.

Over a pint of Galway Hooker Pale Ale John tried to explain to me some of the rules of Gaelic football. I understood some of the rules, but frankly was lost on others. I was amazed that these skilled and fearless players don't get paid for getting smacked around on the weekend. There is certainly enough money flowing through this game between the full stadiums, television rights and jersey sales to pay the players handsomely. The scoring system, 3 points for a ball kicked into the goal and one point for one kicked through the uprights was easy to understand, but the way it is displayed on television is designed to confuse foreigners. The pale ale was fairly straight forward. No flaws, but compared to what you can get from dozens of U.S. micros, nothing outstanding. This brewery is about to expand and I'm sure it will add some interesting brews to its line up.

We hit Messrs. Maguire after a brisk walk and I had a half pint of the Plain. I was kind of amazed that the bar was pretty empty on a Sunday afternoon with both Gaelic football and soccer matches available on television. The beer was good and this place is worth a stop.

I enjoyed having John guide me to some of the better spots in Dublin on my first day. I went back to the Bull & Castle later that night for dinner and found the Guinness stew to be very tasty.

While attending the Livestrong Summit, a dinner one night took place at the Guinness Brewery. The Stout was obviously fresh and it was great to be able to enjoy one at the source. I also tried tastes two ales and a cider at the event, but the Guinness was my favorite, delivering a rich, smooth and roasty flavor.