Day 322 Drink: Hayman & Hill 2008 Meritage

Hayman & Hill produces its Monterey County Metritage using 47 percent cabernet sauvignon, 24 percent merlot, 14 percent cabernet franc, 13 percent malbec and 2 percent petit verdot. David Hayman and Dennis Hill source grapes from around California to make a variety of quality wines at value prices.

Hayman & Hill 2008 Meritage is a deep red color with a slightly sweet nose. The flavor goes in a different direction. There is good fruit depth, a persistent spiciness and a hint of smoke. Even with plenty of flavor, the wine is not heavy and can match up well with a variety of foods.

Day 321 Drink: Boulevard Nutcracker Ale

Boulevard Brewing has been a craft brewing beacon in Kansas City since 1989. The operation is one of the largest Midwest craft brewers, shipping beer to 20 states. Boulevard does not have a brewpub, but does offer free tours as long as you make a reservation. Check out www.boulevard.com.

Boulevard Nutcracker Ale is a 5.8 percent alcohol by volume holiday brew. The beer is a dark copper color with a thick off white head. There is plenty of malt in this beer, which takes control even with 38 IBU offered up by spicy Chinook hops. This is a drinkable and rewarding holiday seasonal.

Day 320 Drink: Joel Gott 2008 815 California Cabernet Sauvignon

Joel Gott named the 815 wine for the August 15, 2003, birthday of his daughter, Lucy. Gott sources grapes from around California for this wine.

Joel Gott 2008 815 California Cabernet Sauvignon pours a bright garnet red. The wine has a fresh fruit nose, with a hint of cedar. The flavor has a good balance of flavors, with dark cherry, cigar and oak notes each taking a turn. Mild tannins are present in a smooth finish.

Day 319 Drink: Shooting Creek Farm House Stout

Shooting Creek Farm Brewery takes its name from a creek that runs down the eastern flank of the Blue Ridge Mountains. In 2004, Brett Nichols and Ray Jones began exploring the idea of starting a farm brewery in Floyd County, Virginia. Inspired by the traditional beer making methods and recipes brought to America by early European settlers, they honed their skills and fomulas, making small batches of Colonial farmhouse ales and wild-fermented farmhouse ales.

True to its name, Shooting Creek Farm Brewery grows many of the ingredients used in its beers, including hops, flint corn, pumpkins, honey, habanero peppers and herbs. They also use organic ingredients grown near the brewery using ecologically responsible practices.

Shooting Creek Farm House Stout pours a jet black color with an exploding thick tan head. The aroma has a nice roasted grain lead with some mocha notes. The flavor is a solid stout structure, offering some creamy touches, perhaps a little maple sweetness, with a hint of the oatmeal used in the grain bill.

Day 318 Drink: Devils Backbone Danzig Baltic Porter

Devils Backbone Brewing is located in Nelson County, Va., along the Blue Ridge Mountains. Founded in 2008, the brewery was selected as Small Brewpub Champion Brewery at the 2010 World Beer Cup. A pretty impressive accomplishment for a brewpub in operation for less than two years.

Devils Backbone Danzig Baltic Porter won the gold medal at the 2010 World Beer Cup and a silver medal at the 2009 Great American Beer Festival. The beer is a dark brown color with a thin tan head. The aroma is very rich, with dark fruits, roasted grains and some molasses. The flavor has dark chocolate, a slight touch of vanilla, balancing hop bitterness and a great long lasting finish.

Day 317 Drink: Alaskan Winter

Alaskan Brewing traces its roots back to the early days of the U.S. craft brewing movement. The brewery was founded in 1986, when most American beer drinkers did not have easy access to fresh locally brewed beer. The brewery quickly established a reputation for brewing flavorful beers. Its flagship brew, Alaskan Smoked Porter has won more medals at the Great American Beer Festival than any other beer.

Alaskan Winter Ale is an English olde ale that pours the color of a new penny with a wispy white head. The beer is 6.4 percent alcohol by volume and has a hoppy aroma with a twist, more than a ton of Sitka spruce tips from Gustavus, Alaska, are added to the brew. If you have been exposed to some other Alaskan brews you might expect their winter seasonal to be thick and dark. This beer does the job more with finesse than brawn. A good sweet malt base is clearly the backbone of this ale, with the hops showing in mid-drink. The spruce tips arrive on your tongue at the end of the flavor profile and linger.

Day 316 Drink: Liberty School 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon

Liberty School is a family-owned Central Coast winery in Paso Robles, Calif. The Hope family planted wine grapes here in 1978 and in the early 1980’s started selling cabernet sauvignon grapes to Caymus Vineyards for a second label, Liberty School. In 1996, the Hopes established Treana Winery and acquired the Liberty School label.

Liberty School Cabernet Sauvignon is made from a blend of grapes from about a dozen vineyards. The wine matures in French and American oak, about 10 percent of it new, for about 12 months.

Liberty School 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon is a dark purple color and has an attractive fruit forward aroma. The wine is a combination of dark cherry, oak, cocoa and hints of smoke. A great value and a nice match with hearty meals.

Day 315 Drink: Foothills Seeing Double IPA

Foothills Brewing was established in Winston-Salem, N.C., in 2004. The brewery makes six year-round brews, 11 seasonal beers and a number of highly sought after special releases.

Foothills Seeing Double IPA is a 9.5 percent alcohol by volume brew that was Foothills first high gravity effort. The beer pours a nice cloudy golden yellow with a firm medium sized head. Great citrus aroma. At 126 IBU, you get all of the hops you will want from this beer. There is also a good amount of malt present, too, lingering in the finish.

Day 314 Drink: Kahlúa Peppermint Mocha

Kahlúa is the world’s number one selling coffee liqueur. Kahlúa originated in Mexico in 1936 and is made with 100 percent Arabica coffee beans grown in the foothills of Veracruz and blended with a sugarcane spirit.

In recent years, Kahlúa has launched special flavor offerings for the holiday season. Kahlúa Peppermint Mocha will be available for about three months, through the end of December.

Kahlúa Peppermint Mocha is a 40 proof liqueur that pours a coffee brown color and has a peppermint nose. The flavor is a sweet combination of coffee, peppermint and a touch of chocolate in the finish. A nice holiday flavored drink perfect for the end of a meal.

Day 313 Drink: The Naked Grape Pinot Grigio

Grape Valley Wine Co. is located in Modesto, Calif., and is a trademark of the E. & J. Gallo Winery. Grape Valley markets four non-vintage varietals from California under The Naked Grape brand, a pinot grigio, chardonnay, pinot noir and cabernet sauvignon.

The Naked Grape Pinot Grigio is a pale straw color and has a soft note of pear for an aroma. The winemaker used pinot grigio as the primary grape, blended with gewurztraminer, viognier and riesling. The flavor is light, with a decent level of acidity.

Day 312 Drink: Harlem Kruiden Liqueur

Haarlem is a town outside of Amsterdam, Holland. Harlem Kruiden Liqueur is a Dutch spirit named for the town, even if the name is anglicized.

The ingredients in this liqueur are a secret combination of herbs and the makers urge you to serve it ice cold. So there is a shooter component to this drink, along with cocktail options.

Harlem Kruiden Liqueur is 80 proof and pours a cola-like color. The nose is a slightly sweet medicinal mixture of aromas. The flavor is sweeter than you would expect when compared to other herbal liqueurs. The dominant note is orange peel, with a sweet edge and a finish that has a balancing bitterness.

Day 311 Drink: Citadelle 2010 Reserve Gin

Citadelle Gin is distilled in France using pot stills that are normally used to make Cognac. The gin uses 19 different botanicals and comes in a standard and reserve vintage variety.

Citadelle 2010 Reserve Gin is an 88 proof spirit aged for several months in old oak casks. It has just a slight hint of color, but the aroma is a full on floral and spice assault. The botanicals really come through in the flavor of this gin. I don't pick up much wood, but the distillery says the flavor is mellowed a bit.

Day 310 Drink: Plantation Grande Reserve Rum

Plantation Rum is distilled in Barbados, Jamaica, Panama, Grenada, Trinidad, Guyana and Nicaragua and aged for a period of time, then shipped to France where the cellar master at Cognac Ferrand transfers the liquid to small French oak casks.

Plantation Grande Reserve Rum is aged for five years in ex-Bourbon barrels in Barbados, then shipped to France. The 80 proof rum has has a sweet nose. The flavor is pretty complex for a 5-year-old rum. Nice oak and vanilla upfront, tropical notes and a faint nutty finish.

Pints for Prostates 2011 European Beer Trip

Early response to the Pints for Prostates 2011 European Beer Trip has been extremely positive.

BeerTrips.com, which has been providing unique beer travel experiences to European and North American destinations since 1998, has put together a special trip from Sept. 9-19, 2011, to the Czech Republic and Germany that will benefit the Pints for Prostates campaign. The nine night beer lover’s dream trip includes brewery tours, escorted pub crawls, guided city tours, special meals and more in Prague, Bamberg and Munich. The trip will include special tours of famous breweries along the way, such as Pilsner Urquell, home of the original pilsner beer, and the Andechs Monastery Brewery in Germany. The tour will arrive in Munich in time to enjoy Oktoberfest 2011.

BeerTrips.com is offering this special Pints for Prostates group tour to Europe on a limited basis. A total of 14 slots will be sold for this tour at $2,895, plus air. This BeerTrips.com itinerary was included in The National Geographic Society's book, The 100 Best Worldwide Vacations to Enrich Your Life. Details on this trip can be found at www.BeerTrips.com.

The tour will be hosted by Pints for Prostates founder and beer journalist Rick Lyke. Lyke has been writing about beer, wine and spirits for 30 years and has previously visited each of the cities on the tour. Pints for Prostates is a 501(c)3 charity that reaches men through the universal language of beer with an important health message.


Pints for Prostates will raffle a trip for two for the special trip. For a $10 donation for a single ticket, $25 donation for three tickets or $50 for seven tickets, consumers will be entered to win the trip that includes:

• The BeerTrips.com Prague, Bamberg and Munich trip for two Sept. 9-19, 2011
• Roundtrip Airfare for Two from the Continental United States
• Nine Nights in Fine Centrally Located Hotels
• Brewery Tours
• Oktoberfest 2011
• Escorted Pub Crawls
• Guided City Tours
• Breakfasts Daily/4 Beer Dinners/3 Beer Lunches
• Train & Private Coach Transportation

The total value of the trip for two is estimated at $7,500. The drawing will be held on July 31, 2011. The prize is non-transferable. No cash substitute will be offered. The winner and their guest are responsible for obtaining passports and all trip related costs not outlined above. You must be 21 years old to enter. Details on how to enter the raffle are available at www.PintsforProstates.org.

Day 309 Drink: Pierre Ferrand Ambre Cognac

Pierre Ferrand is located in the heart of Grande Champagne, considered the Premier Cru de Cognac. The chalky soil and climate make it the perfect location for growing grapes to make Cognac. The distillery makes a range of Cognacs, starting with Ambre up through the Collection Privee, a selection of aged brandies.

Pierre Ferrand Ambre Cognac is a slightly amber tinted golden color. It has a floral nose with a vanilla base. The base flavor has pear skin, apricots and solid oak around the edge. This is a nice Cognac to have as an digestif or for mixing in a cocktail.

Day 308 Drink: Olde Mecklenburg Bauern Bock

Olde Mecklenburg Brewery is a small craft brewery located to the south of Uptown Charlotte, N.C. The brewery makes classic German lagers, with an emphasis on freshness and the subtle balancing of malt and hops. The brewery always has two year round beers on draught -- a Bavaria-style lager and a Dusseldorf inspired alt -- in its beer hall-style tap room and is building a pretty respectable collection of seasonal brews.

Olde Mecklenburg Bauern Bock is the latest edition to this seasonal collection. A "country bock" the beer is meant to fit in the space between Mecktoberfest and Yule Bock on the brewery's menu. The 7.5 percent alcohol by volume beer pours a rich mahogany color with a thick tan head. The beer has an attractive malt nose. Bauern Bock is rich with plenty of malt, but not too sweet. There is a slight roasted grain note to the background which helps balance the beer. A very nice seasonal for Fall weather.

Day 307 Drink: Glen Garioch Founder's Reserve

Glen Garioch is a Highland maker of single malt Scotch whisky. The distillery is located in the town of Oldmeldrum, which is 18 miles outside of Aberdeen. The distillery was founded by John Manson in 1797.

Glen Garioch Founder's Reserve is a light golden color and offers an aroma that combines slightly sweet butterscotch and nutty tones. The flavor is oak forward, but as you linger over the drink there is some sharp ginger, vanilla and green apple that emerges. This Scotch finishes very dry.

Day 306 Drink: Ledson 2009 Carneros Chardonnay

Steve Ledson is a fifth generation Sonoma farmer who founded Ledson Winery and Vineyards in 1993. Ledson Winery & Vineyards produces more than 70 wines annually.

Ledson 2009 Carneros Chardonnay has a buttery nose that has a touch of mango and tropical aromas. The flavor is full of fruit. Nice demure citrus notes, more mango and peach. Great food wine.

Day 305 Drink: Czechvar (Budweiser Budvar)

České Budějovice in Bohemia is the Czech Republic city that lays claim to the Budweiser trademark. Since 1895, Budweiser Budvar has been made in the city. A long running legal battle means that in the United States the beer is labeled Czechvar.

Czechvar is a great example of how Czech brewers use the Saaz hop. When combined with Moravian barley malt you quickly come to understand why the Czechs adamantly claim that the pilsener style is the best lager in the world.

Czechvar pours a crystal clear golden color with a light hoppy nose. The flavor is more clean than crisp, but it is pleasant. A nice proportion of malt to hops. Nothing overpowering, but a great session beer for a sunny Fall afternoon.

Day 304 Drink: 21st Amendment Fireside Chat Winter Spiced Ale

Franklin Delano Roosevelt was the 32nd president of the United States. While running for the office during height of the Great Depression a key campaign plank he ran with was repeal of Prohibition. FDR delivered on this promise as President. During his four terms in office he also delivered a series of Fireside Chats, radio conversations with the American people that addressed everything from the economy to World War II.

The 21st Amendment Brewery takes its name from the Constitutional amendment that ultimately repealed the misguided Volstead Act. It is fitting that the brewery puts an image of Roosevelt on the label of its winter seasonal.

21st Amendment Fireside Chat Winter Spiced Ale is a 7.9 percent alcohol by volume brew that pours a nut brown color. The 45 IBU are surrounded by a solid malt base. The spices are in the background of this brew and emerge as the beer warms a bit. Cinnamon and nutmeg are the two primary flavors I picked up, with another flavor I found it difficult to identify.

Day 303 Drink: Finlandia Grapefruit Fusion Vodka

Finlandia Vodka is made from pure glacial spring water and six-row barley grown in Finland. Finlandia uses the peel and pulp of pink grapefruits in the 100 percent natural flavoring of Finlandia Grapefruit Fusion Vodka.

Finlandia Grapefruit Fusion Vodka is a crystal clear vodka. The nose is exactly what you smell when you break open the peel of a fresh grapefruit. The flavor delivers a very true fresh citrus experience. Tart, yet with sweet fruit around the edges. A very nice cocktail mixer.

Day 302 Drink: Stone 09.09.09 Vertical Epic

Stone 09.09.09 Vertical Epic is a Belgian Strong Dark Ale that weighs in at 8.6 percent alcohol by volume. It is part of the Vertical Epic series from Stone.

Stone 09.09.09 Vertical Epic pours a dark, Coca Cola like color with a relatively thin tan head. Nice sweet malt aromas with a touch of chocolate come from the glass. The beer has an interesting flavor profile. Cocoa, dried figs and some good hop notes meld together. In the finish you get a bit of oak, vanilla and some roasted grains.

Day 301 Drink: Kathryn Hall 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon

Craig and Kathryn Hall purchased the Bergfeld winery in St. Helena, Calif., in 2003. Craig made his fortune as a Texas businessman and Kathryn is a former U.S. ambassador to Austria.

There has been a winery at the Napa Valley location since 1885 and the Halls have poured a considerable investment into the property since taking it over.

Katherine Hall 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon is a bright garnet color. This wine is at least 85 percent cabernet, with merlot and cabernet franc blended in for extra complexity. Berry nose, smooth, but assertive flavor. Cabernet character is balanced with both tannin and fresh fruit evident.

Day 300 Drink: Franciscan 2006 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Franciscan Winery got its start in the Napa Valley more than 30 years ago with a 240 acre plot in Oakville.

Franciscan 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon pours a lovely purple color with a fruity bouquet. The wine is made with 86 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 12 percent Merlot and 2 percent combination of Cabernet Franc, Petite Verdot and Malbec. The first whiff from this wine was a little horsey, but it quickly opened to reveal the grape. Very nicely structured. Good dark fruit tones, nice oak spice and a full round finish.

Day 299 Drink: Medusa 2006 Pig Pen Zinfandel

Medusa is a California winemaker that focuses on single vineyard old-vine Zinfandel. The operation combines the talents of some well-known wine names, including Rob Mondavi Jr., Lydia Mondavi, Patti McKiernan and Geoff Whitman.

Medusa 2006 Pig Pen Zinfandel is a smooth and flavorful zinfandel, leaning towards the lighter side for this grape. Inviting floral aroma that reminds you of summer. Full berry flavor, with a slight hint of cedar and a mild earthiness.

Day 298 Drink: Saint Germain Brut Blanc de Blancs

Chateau Saint Germain is not in the Champagne region, so the sparkling wine it makes in Saint-Emilion in Bordeaux cannot be called a "Champagne." But the wine is made using traditional methods and it represents a great value.

Saint Germain Brut Blanc de Blancs is a non-vintage sparkling wine. It is a fairly straight forward wine, with a dry character, hints of apple and a crisp finish.

Day 297 Drink: Paulaner Wiesn Bier

Paulaner is one of the Munich breweries that operates a giant tent at the annual Oktoberfest celebration. The event dates back to 1810, when Prince Ludwig von Bayern and Princess Therese von Sachsen-Hildburghausen were married in an area called the "Wiesn," which means meadow.

Paulaner says Wiesn was previously only available at their Oktoberfest tent, although I think I recall having a Paulaner Oktoberfest previously in the U.S. In any regard this is a very tasty brew. Good solid malty aroma, elegant golden color and a substantial head. The flavor is smooth, with a bit of spice to the hop. Overall an enjoyable lager with something extra.

Day 296 Drink: Stone 07.07.07 Vertical Epic Aged in Red Wine Barrels

Stone 07.07.07 Vertical Epic is a Belgian Strong Pale Ale that was brewed in 2007 as part of an annual release by the brewery of special beers that started in 2002 and will continue to 2012. Each of the beers is designed to be capable of aging for a number of years.

Stone 07.07.07 Vertical Epic Aged in Red Wine Barrels is a hazy pink orange color with a classic funky nose. This beer displays a great combination of a Belgian ale and the impact of a unique barrel selection for the aging. The red wine is clearly present in the finished product. A nice fruit base that includes some finishing citrus notes. Three plus years after it was brewed this is a pretty tasty brew.

Day 295 Drink: Stone 12th Anniversary Bitter Chocolate Oatmeal Stout

Stone Brewing celebrated its 12th anniversary in 2008 by brewing a special brew that was actually a combination of two recipes. One was an oatmeal stout created by Jeremy Moynier and the other was an imperial stout brewed by Jake Ratzke that used Oaxacan chocolate. The outcome is pretty special.

Stone 12th Anniversary Bitter Chocolate Oatmeal Stout is a 9.2 percent alcohol by volume pitch black brew with a moderate tan head. The beer has a cocoa and coffee aroma. The flavor has an immediate bitter dry chocolate flavor at the start. It rounds out a bit, but is a big roasty and bitter meal of a drink.

Day 294 Drink: Stone San Diego County Session Ale

Greg Koch was in Charlotte recently as part of a Stone Brewing "Total Tap Take Over" promotion, where they had all 40 taps at Duckworth's, one of the growing number of craft beer bars in the city. I did not get to go to the event due to my travel schedule, but I did have the chance to stop in at the bar and still found 20 of the taps still going strong.

Stone San Diego County Session Ale is a collaboration brew created bu Ballast Point Brewing’s Colby Chandler, Stone’s Mitch Steele and Kelsey McNair, a homebrewer.

Stone San Diego County Session Ale is a 4.2 percent beer that is meant to be consumed with friends during a afternoon or evening session. The beer is a bright golden color with a frothy head. The brew is very aromatic. Plenty of citrus, leaning towards grapefruit in this one. A very enjoyable beer.

Day 293 Drink: Gosling's Family Reserve Old Rum

Gosling's has been making rum since 1806. Gossling's Black Seal Rum is a liquid symbol of Bermuda. A family business for two centuries, Gosling's is the leading export from the island nation.

Gosling's Family Reserve Old Rum is a rich amber color and has an attractive maple nose. The flavor is big and rich. Sweet baking spices, plum and some wood pushes forward. Not a light rum for a fruity cocktail, this one should be sipped and savored.

Day 292 Drink: Caretaker 2008 Pinot Noir

Caretaker 2008 Pinot Noir is a Central Coast California wine that is sold at Trader Joe's.

Caretaker 2008 Pinot Noir has a light floral aroma and pours a purple garnet color. The wine has a delicate body, with hints of black cherry and raspberry. Very smooth and drinkable. Not the biggest red you will ever taste, but pretty nice to go along with a roasted chicken.

Day 291 Drink: Glenfiddich Ancient Reserve 18 Year Old Single Malt

Glenfiddich means "Valley of the Deer" in Gaelic. The distillery was established in 1886 in the Scottish Highlands.

Glenfiddich Ancient Reserve 18 Year Old Single Malt is an 86-proof Speyside whisky that has been aged in ex-Oloroso sherry and Bourbon whiskey barrels. It is an inviting tarnished brass color, with an enticing herbal nose. The flavor opens with mellow wood, a touch of fruit and some toffee in the finish.

Day 290 Drink: Spaten Optimator

What can you say about a brewery that can trace its roots back to 1397? Plenty, since the brewery is one of the mainstays of the Munich brewing scene. The Spatt family gave the brewery its name when they took control in 1622. Spaten's fame was secured when, as the smallest brewery in Munich, Gabriel Sedlmayr, master brewer for the Bavarian Royal Court, acquired the brewery in 1807.

Spaten Optimator is a classic doppel bock. It pours a lovely amber brown color with a tan head and malty aroma. The 7.2 percent alcohol by volume brew has a nice roasted malt flavor with a delicious sweet finish. The beer is perfect for a chilly fall night.

Day 289 Drink: Rogue Chocolate Stout

Rogue Chocolate Stout was originally created for export to Japan. Rogue Chocolate Stout was released in the U.S. for Valentine’s Day in 2001.

Rogue Chocolate Stout pours dark brown with a mocha colored head. The beer has a roasted grain and chocolate nose. The flavor is dominated by a powerful 69 IBU, with a nice depth of flavor provided by a combination of barley, oats and chocolate. An interesting take on stout.

Day 288 Drink: Deschutes Hop Trip

Deschutes Brewery brewers walked three hop fields in the Willamette Valley to select the Crystal Hops used to brew Deschutes Hop Trip. The fresh hops loaded in the morning were added to the brew kettles by the afternoon. Six pounds of hops per barrel were used to craft this beer.

Deschutes Hop Trip is a fresh hop ale that is 5.5 percent alcohol by volume and 38 IBU. The beer pours an amber gold with a thick tan head. The aroma has plenty of citrus and the flavor is a dramatic grapefruit and pine mixture that rolls along for quite a distance. A hop lover's delight.

Day 287 Drink: Sierra Nevada 30th Anniversary Ken & Jack's Ale

Sierra Nevada Brewing is in the middle of a year-long celebration of its 30th anniversary by brewing four collaborative beers with historical figures from the craft beer movement.

The third installment is a barley wine created by Sierra Nevada's Ken Grossman and Jack McAuliffe, founder of defunct New Albion Brewery, recognized as the first of the new wave of American microbreweries.

Sierra Nevada 30th Anniversary Ken & Jack's Ale pours a dark mahogany color with a big hop nose from the 100 percent Cascade hops used in the brew. The beer is a classic American barley wine. Plenty of hops, a touch of malt running throughout and a good hint of the alcohol. This one will be able to age for a couple of years.

Day 286 Drink: Cantina Zaccagnini 2007 Montepulciano d'Abruzzo

Cantina Zaccagnini is a family winery that makes wine in the Abruzzo region of Italy, east of Rome.

Cantina Zaccagnini 2007 Montepulciano d'Abruzzo pours a rich garnet color with a dark cherry aroma. The wine has plenty of ripe fruit, hints of cedar and tobacco. The tannins are present and help dry the palate, but are silky and do not dominate the overall body. Nice wine to go with a good pasta dinner.

Day 285 Drink: Southern Tier Pumpking

Southern Tier Brewing is located in Lakewood, N.Y. The company has grown rapidly since being founded in 2002 and its beers have shown up in a variety of markets across the country. It operates the Empty Pint taproom at the brewery and offers Saturday tours.

Southern Tier Pumking is a 9 percent alcohol by volume imperial ale. The beer pours an orange golden color with a moderate head and has a muted spice aroma. The flavor has hints of pumpkin pie, with nutmeg and a bit of vanilla. There is some roasty quality to the brew and perhaps a touch of oak.

Day 284 Drink: Duck-Rabbit Whiskey Barrel Aged Milk Stout

The Duck-Rabbit Craft Brewery specializes in making dark beer at its North Carolina brewery. On Saturday at the World Beer Festival in Durham, the brewer's hospitality area located high in the stands near the right field foul pole featured a real treat, a keg of Duck-Rabbit Whiskey Barrel Aged Milk Stout.

Duck-Rabbit Whiskey Barrel Aged Milk Stout pours a thick black color with a thin tan head. There is a sweet aroma to the brew that is a cross between the roasted grains and Bourbon notes. The flavor is an explosion of great stuff. It has a silky mouthfeel that is punctuated by dark chocolate, berries, vanilla and the sweet edge of the Bourbon.

Day 283 Drink: Zipfer Heller

The Zipf Brewery in Austria traces its roots back to 1858.

Zipfer Heller is a crystal clear light yellow lager that pours with a proud white foam. The beer has a slightly sweet nose, but a crisp hop gives the flavor a crisp, cleansing character. There is just a hint of some grain that comes through. Overall, it is light, dry and a good drink to accompany a light lunch.

Day 282 Drink: Fullsteam Hogwash Hickory Smoked Porter

Fullsteam Brewery is a Durham, N.C. beer maker inspired by the agricultural and culinary traditions of the South. The brewery says it wants to produce distinctly Southern beer using local goods such as heirloom grains and Southern botanicals. This means making beer with sweet potatoes, corn grits, summer basil, scuppernong grapes, persimmon, paw paw and rhubarb.

And while the young brewery says it still has a ways to go, the vision is to craft a year-round, sustainable, scalable and distinctly Southern beer brewed with 100 percent local ingredients.

At the World Beer Festival in Durham tonight I had the chance to sample several of the brewery's beers. They are first class and suggest that Fullsteam will be one of the beers to try from the southeast in years to come.

Fullsteam Hogwash Hickory Smoked Porter is a amber brown color with a rocky tan head. The beer has a very inviting smoky nose. The flavor has a nice malt base that delivers a wonderful smoked bacon flavor. The brewery house-smoked malted barley over hickory to achieve an interesting twist on a smoked porter. This brew would stand up nicely to anything coming out of Bamberg or to other domestic smoked brews.

Day 281 Drink: Panil Barriquee Batch #11

Birrificio Torrechiara is located just south of Parma, the northern Italian city best know for its famous aged hams. The Panil name has been associated with a family winery for several generations, but now beer is their top product.

Panil Barriquee Batch #11 was made in 2009 pours an amber color with purple around the edges. A firm tan head hangs around nicely for a barrel-aged brew. This is a nice entry level sour. Pleasant citrus and a bit of oak, but not over powering. There is some background notes that remind you this was aged in ex-Cognac barrel. A nice bottle to split.

Day 280 Drink: Alamos 2009 Torrontes

Alamos wines are sourced from some of the highest altitude vineyards in the world. The Andes block weather systems from the Pacific Ocean and the climate in the vineyard areas is dry. Vineyards were planted in the region in the 1850s by the French, but it was not until the 1990s that wines from the region were widely discovered by U.S. consumers.

Alamos 2009 Torrontes comes from the high-altitude Salta vineyards in northwestern Argentina. This wine pours a bright straw color with a citrus and pear nose. The grape has a good amount of fruit with crisp acidity. Peach, floral notes and citrus come forward throughout a long flavor profile.

Day 279 Drink: Black Market Brewing Rye IPA

Andrew Marshall had been homebrewing for nine years before launching Black Market Brewing in Temecula, Calif., in 2009. The brewery would earn some quick recognition, taking home a gold medal in the rye beer category at the Great American Beer Festival.

Black Market Brewing Rye IPA pours a gold color with a slight amber tint and a full rocky head of foam. The ale has a pronounced floral aroma from the Amarillo and Cascade hops. The flavor has a forward mix of citrus and pine, with some background spice notes from the rye, which makes up 21 percent of the grist.

Day 278 Drink: The Black Grouse

In 1896, Perthshire grocer and wine merchant Matthew Gloag created a blended whisky. This was common practice among shopkeepers at the time around the United Kingdom. He decided to name his whisky after an iconic Scottish bird, rather than himself. The Famous Grouse Brand was born.

The Black Grouse is a new brand extension from the distillery. It was originally release a couple of years ago exclusively through duty free shops at major international airports. The Scotch is a medium golden color and has a rich peat nose. The flavor has solid smoke content, reminiscent of Islay malts, that lingers and becomes a mellow reminder of a good dram. There are some hints of berry and perhaps a bit of port in the background.

Day 277 Drink: BlackBeard Spiced Rum

Destileria Serralles produces the DonQ brand in Puerto Rico, which is the number one selling brand on the island where the lion's share of rum consumed in the U.S. is distilled.

BlackBeard Spiced Rum is new from Serralles. I will admit to not being a huge consumer of spiced rums -- they tend to be a bit over the top for my palate, so I was not entirely sure what to expect when I cracked open the sample they shipped to me.

BlackBeard Spiced Rum pours a rich amber color and has an inviting vanilla nose. There is a slight sense of cinnamon in the middle of the flavor profile on this rum, but for the most part BlackBeard is carried along by the vanilla notes, with a bit of toffee in the finish. This is a pleasant drink that should go well in a variety of cocktails.

Day 276 Drink: Terrapin Rye Pale Ale

Terrapin Beer Co. was born in Athens, Ga., in 2002. The company launched with a single beer, Terrapin Rye Pale Ale, that it started brewing on a contract basis. Just six months later the beer ended up taking the gold medal at the Great American Beer Festival.

Terrapin Rye Pale Ale pours a golden color with a rocky white head. The aroma has a nice floral and citrus note. The flavor has some good hop spice and a nice amount of malt overall. Well designed and layered flavor.

Day 275 Drink: Great Divide Hoss Rye Lager

Great Divide Brewing has been around since 1994. The Denver-based company has won 16 Great American Beer Festival medals, including a bronze in 2009 for Hoss Rye Lager.

Great Divide Hoss Rye Lager is a 6.2 percent alcohol by volume beer that pours a rusty brown with a thick tan head. The aroma has some good malt undertones with just a hint of citrus. The body has a nice malt biscuit flavor with some spice in the background.

Day 274 Drink: Adriaen Brouwer Dark Gold Ale

Brouwerij Roman has been around since 1545 and is located in Oudenaarde, Belgian. It is a family run brewery -- 12 generations have been making great beer. I guess kids in this family have an idea of what they will be doing when they grow up.

Adriaen Brouwer Dark Gold Ale is named for the painter. It pours a brown red color with a head that starts strong, but fades. There is a slightly floral note to the nose with a hint of toffee in the background. The flavor is malty, with hints of apple and a bit of raisins.