It’s been about 5 years since I first started to learn about what beer really is. Before, beer was, well, beer. It was a golden-light color and was consumed ice cold, because that is how I was brought up.
In small towns all across our nation, beer is something that has one style and flavor, a side effect of countless hours of TV advertising and powerful branding campaigns by the big beer pushers. Of course, there was Guinness here and there, a beer that always scared some off because of it’s color (another staple of small-town mentality).
The same can be said for the type of cuisine that can be had in suburbia - the finest dining around wasn’t really that fine. So after working in a decent restaurant s for years, and developing a palette for good beer, I’ve turned into somewhat of a snob.
I like to eat fresh food and try new things, so everywhere I travel I tend to seek out different places to check out.
Most restaurant owners or managers put a lot of time in their menu, and I’ll be the first to say that’s where my first impressions of the place start. However, the beer selection available is where I really start making my decisions of the place.
For example, I took a trip to Vegas last year, and noted the beer selection in some of the casinos I went to. Most had the usually light beer bullshit, Corona, Heineken, and maybe Guinness. I flew hundreds of miles to see these lavish casinos where people were driving Rolls Royces, just to drink a Coors lite. You’ve got to be kidding me.
It took some time, but I did find an Anchor Steam at the hidden bar/restaurant that no one was really hanging out at. I couldn’t understand why the main bars at most of the casinos didn’t have anything decent - I expected to see some West Coast beers, but didn’t find any, which really just added to the fake-ness of the place. Supposedly there was some crazy micro-brew bar out there, but it wasn’t on the main strip.
The same can be said for some of the places I’ve eaten at - wonderful places that look nice and seem to be classy and sophisticated. All that goes down the toilet when I see your shabby beer selection.
Your food has to be awesome. The service has to be top notch as well. But for a snobby food lover like me, these things won’t necessarily bring me back; throw an amazing beer selection in, and not only will I come back, I’ll tell all of my friends to go there.
Many will say that restaurants have simple beer menus to cater to the masses, who drink these. These beers don’t complement the food at all. A good restaurant should always be trying to create an experience, and they should do that by introducing me to new foods, flavors, and of course, beers.
Make your restaurant stand out just a little bit by offering some different kinds of beers. It doesn’t have to be a huge selection, but any place that I see a decent brew or two on that beer list is going to earn points.
Just got word that the Boston Beer Co., makers of the Sam Adams line of beers, is lending a hand to craft brewers by 
As with many new hobbies there will be an initial start-up cost if you want to make a good attempt at making your own special brew. But luck for you the necessary materials needed can cost you as low as $40-$50. This is assuming you go out an buy a starter kit or the accoutrement’s individually. You could of coarse take a large glass carboy or a cleaned and sanitized 5 gallon pickle bucket and with some some elbow grease and a handyman attitude, you’ve got yourself a couple of fermenters.
When it was determined that the New England Patriots would be playing the New York Giants in the Super Bowl, Harpoon president Dan Kenary dialed up his friend Steve Hindy, president of Brooklyn Brewery, and arranged a wager. The wager: if the Patriots win the Super Bowl, Brooklyn will pour a keg of Harpoon IPA in their tap room and if the Giants win, a keg of Brooklyn Lager will be tapped in Harpoon’s Boston tap room.
Founded in 1986, the Harpoon Brewery distributes its locally brewed products throughout the Northeast. Harpoon’s line of craft beer features six year-round beers, and four special seasonal selections. In 2007, Harpoon introduced an all natural hard cider made from locally-grown, freshly pressed apples. For information on Brewery Tours and events, call 1-888-HARPOON or visit their website at 
Just a quick shout about the 
Award-Winning Long Island Microbrewer, Blue Point Brewing Company, will host the 4th annual BLUE POINT CASK ALE FESTIVAL on Saturday, January 26th, 2008 where it will tap the world’s largest cask filled with their custom, featured brew, Rye Hop Knot. The event is open to the public and record numbers are expected. 
“Garde Dog” Biere de Garde is unfiltered with a hazy, deep golden to light copper appearance. Brewed with domestically grown French Hops and German Pilsner Malts, it gives craft beer drinkers a very enjoyable, light-bodied, subtlety sweet beer with toasty malt undertones. Garde Dog is the perfect compleiment to lighter fare such as seafood, salads, cheese and Middle Eastern and Indian foods.
“Cerberus” Tripel is a bottle-conditioned strong Belgian Ale with slightly hazy appearance and mousse-like head. Brewing with Golding and Saaz hops and Pilsner and Aromatic malts yields a medium body and champagne-like carbonation. Cerberus pairs perfectly with turkey and other poultry, creamy cheeses, fruit pastries, desserts and crème brulee.
Although we missed it last year, the crew over here at CFWAY is anticipating this year’s Philadelphia Brew Fest! Tickets are on sale now. Here’s the details:
Gotta give a shout out to our reader Matt for forwarding this awesome news story. Seems that somebody in Dublin (go figure) 
It’s been a long long time since my last post — things have been super hectic for me and my schedule’s been really erratic — but I’ve found the time to talk about a topic that really urks me. You guessed it: big market beers and their endless budgets that are used to brainwash America (the title of this post should have given it away).
As I grow older and meet more people who drink beer, I become more and more surprised at just how much Americans are brainwashed by the big beer industry (I use the word “big” as in money not as in full-bodied). 
I can here everyone singing this song as they read this — I know I was when I wrote this section. Sad huh? Remember, Budweiser does NOT define beer and it’s beach wood aging doesn’t do all that they want you to think it does!
Same thing here with the last one, I know that you’re singing that damn song right now! The song talks about not changing while everything else around you does. The hook is that you should stick with your trusty Coors Original. Bad idea guys. Coors Original isn’t even on the list of the top 10 best selling beers in the US, but Coors wishes it was. Don’t let it happen!
These commercials are the successor to the ineffective Miller Lite Men of the Square Table commercials and are equally annoying. I love 
Business Week has a profile of 
We all love the changing of the seasons. The leaves change from wonderful shades of green to beautiful autumn reds, holidays abound with lavish gifts and scrumptious meals.