Brewsings

"You think we want to do this? We don't, its our job. There is a lot of things we would rather be doing. We are given an area, and told what to do and we do it. The consequenses to anybody is not our concern. " So I was told by more of our blue uniformed NYC officers of the peace yesterday as they combed around looking for whatever infraction may have been lurking in some obscure corner or dark, unavailable hideway. It was said sternly, matter-of-factly, as if to indicate that his position was so far above and away from my own that he couldn't possibly relate to my position, like as if he were talking to a microbial organism or better yet a prison inmate. Its funny in a way. The completely protected from instability unionized people go after the unprotected ones who know nothing but instability. To be an entrepreneur is really to accept the unknown. What does tomorrow bring? Will business be good or bad? Will some important piece of equipment fail, will fines and taxes be levied inexplicably? Polar opposite to be sure, from the unionized, best benefit package available civil service positions that in the end provide for the public much in the way of civil disturbance, if that public be business owners who dabble in the food and beverage arena. Alas, it is as it is. At some point you would think that you have left their crosshairs.

I have naught to say of beer for the moment, save that the Calvados barrelled JW Lees Harvest Ale was really interesting, tasty and worthy. Still some left if you haven't had the opportunity. Not something that was to be drained nearly as quickly as had been originally anticipated. Although bestowed with the finest beer selection of anywhere in the city, Hop Devil Grill is not a beer geek hangout, but more of a weekend hipster joint. More later.

The liver gets no rest yet. Last night at the Spotted Pig amidst friends new and old Fullers Vintage was on cask and lo and behold, it had just squeaked through customs in time for a 3 O'clock debut in the big apple, one of only six firkins of 12% ale stored for a long, long time in Glenmorangie Scotch whiskey barrels. Strangely enough it was told the same night by John the brewer that Glenmorangie Scotch whiskey is stored in the barrels of its younger brudda American Kentucky bourbon. Who'da thunk it? So, at this strength one can't imbibe too much, heck even Alex Hall, the famous Gotham Imbiber hisself was watching it. It was cloudy, reddish amber and reeking of whiskey and tasting of it too. Spotted pig grub was all around thanks to our esteemed friends from Fullers and their grand importer, Distinguished Brands.
So, Spotted Pig has already earned the Michelin Star early in their career, and they are a pub! I don't claim to know the story behind their glory but we had figs in pigs last night, and I didn't like 'em. Neither did I dig the duck's egg, and the weird calimari with beans. Why didn't they cut the squid? Weird food and a bit too upscale for the tastes of most around as lots of eats went uneaten. Not to say I didn't overload on calories but that was weird nonetheless. Afterwards the crowd careened over to a dark and shallow lair know only as AnotherRoom. We were pining for the Hop Devil but that wasn't to be. Today I paid the price for my vice.

Did you ever have a beer taste-a-thon? Thats when you and some of your friends get together with the most obscure and sometimes downright weird beers you can get, then all sit around listening to music, eating cheese or what-not and opening bottles. The last really great, super insane one I did was a few years ago in New Jersey with a bunch of guys who are core members of the beeradvocate.com website. Man, we must have opened 200 different bottles. I think I even have a few pictures around somewhere of our finished bottle heap. Anyway, thats what I am most likely doing this Friday with a couple of friends. I am trying to put together my selection now. Also resting my liver until then. I'll let you know how it turns out.

Ultimate fighting. Do you ever watch that on TV? I thought I was pretty much done with television myself. Countless minutes spent clicking away at the remote in search of something worthy of distracting myself left me feeling frustrated and ripped off. Then, one day, I come upon two guys kicking the shit out of each other and ever since I have been hooked. OK, OK, maybe its true that extreme fighting satisfies some kind of primordial savagery deep in my heart, but on another level it is the ultimate competition. Mano a mano. No holds barred. All your weapons at your disposal, and the gloves you wear are there to protect your nuckles, not your opponents nose. And, while its true that it can be exceedingly violent on occasion, the officials are generally excellent and err on the side of caution. They know when a guy has truly lost a fight and they stop it at that point. Case in point: Last night I saw a fight stopped in the 15th second of the first of five five minute rounds. I couldn't tell myself, but one of the fighters was punched in the face and he was dropped right there essentially. The ref stopped the fight then and there, and it wasn't until I saw several replays that I understood it was the right call. It didn't seem like that hard a hit, and this guy was huge, but I guess it made the right connection because I saw the energy literally drain from this guys knees. Of course, that wasn't the most entertaining of the fights, but interesting nevertheless. The thing is that in ultimate fighting, all fights are different based on the styles of fighting these guys are most comfortable with. Some guys its like a kickboxing match, other times its like a wrestling competition. Better yet, you get the combo fights where one guy is a striker and the other a grappling fujitsu specialist. Anyway, for gratuitous violence, if you are into that kind of thing, Time Warner Cable carries it almost every night now.

Well, we are still licking the NYC's Finest inflicted wounds, and now I hear that the venerable Zum Schneider is suffering a similar struggle to survive. I know it hasn't been easy for these guys because last year, during the day no less, this German restaurant cum beerhall was checking IDs at the door. I didn't have mine with me, and they wouldn't even let me in for a coke and some grub, and I ain't' no spring chicken. They are directly across from the police station on Avenue C. You'd think that neighborhood cops would see things for what they really are and not go in for blind ambition. Anyway, I kind of credit Zum with the gentrification of Avenue C. Five years ago, who amongst us would even have dreamed of moving to Avenue C? It was a terrifying, terrible neighborhood. Now that the neighborhood has changed for the better thanks to pioneers like Sylvester, the building wants him out so they can replace him with a Starbucks or something of the like. Doesn't this country remember that it was founded in saloons? Nowadays, you need to buy the building. Still, in NYC who can touch this real estate? And, I think the days of rapidly escalating property prices are coming to an end, so who would want to at this point? Yeah, I think we are living in a bubble. I am still, to this day, smarting from the bubble in tech stocks so if you don't think it can happen, lots of people never thought the Nasdaq could be pared the way it was. Cheers.

Buenos Dias. I'm feeling a little Latin today, know what I mean? I just want to spice things up a bit. Today's query will involve buses. Not the ones in computers, the ones you ride. Here in NYC, most people I know prefer to ride the subways. If something is not near a subway, they won't take the bus as an alternative. My analysis is comprehensive in regards to my support of buses and why, outside of midtown during the rush hour, buses are frequently the better alternative.

First, buses go where subways don't. For example, a bus stops right in front of The Hop Devil Grill on St. Marks Place if you are coming from the West Village. One also stops a block away on First Avenue if you are coming from downtown, all the way down by J&R. The same bus, which goes all the way up into Harlem, comes back down again on 2nd Avenue which is conveniently only two blocks from Hop Devil Grill, and on the way up to Harlem you can stop at 74th and First Avenue and be just a short walk to David Copperfield's House of Beer. Speaking of David Copperfield's, buses also stop right in fron of it. The M31 bus goes along 57th Street all the way to York Avenue, a block east of 1st Avenue, and then turns north up York. As long as it isn't rush hour traffic, this is one hell of a convenient bus. What I'm saying is that even if you take the L train in from Williamsburg to go to Copperfield's, why not get off at the first Manhattan stop on 1st Avenue and take the bus up rather than getting off at Union Square and taking the subway up Lexington Avenue, a long way from York, really.

I am not even close to being finished with this here polemic on the virtues of bussing. Lets say your legs aren't in that good of a condition. When was the last time at subway train bent down to make it easier for you to climb the stairs? Speaking of stairs, sometimes with subways you are getting exercise you neither want or need. Buses, a few short stairs and you can swipe your yellow metro card and then surf into the back to grab a seat as the bus lurches into traffic. Buses are also healthier. You can open the sliding windows and grab some fresh air if you happen to be sitting next to someone who obviously consumes garlic sandwiches between meals. And, buses never, ever stop between stations with lights turned off while a neighboring commuter practices his or her flatulence disguised by the dark. With a bus, not only can you open the window, you always know the guilty offender by that funny look they have on their face as they look off into space.

Speaking of safety, I think people have negative bus connotation as the result of watching terrorist suicide bombers blow them up in Israel on TV. Gruesome as the topic of terrorism is, have you ever seen a bus blown up in a town that has subways? When subways are available, terrorists always choose them over buses for maximum terror. Think London recently or the sarin gas situation in Tokyo a number of years ago. I could go on, and I might come back and edit this post, but for now, as I head to work, think about, and like the big man say's, he's always happy to see ya.

So, my good friends at the Ale Street News put on a "do" at the Chelsea Art Museum. $87 per head to drink a great variety of wonderful Belgian ales, and to scarf up some delightful food ala Mr. Tim Schaeffer of New Jersey beer chef fame. I hope I got the spelling right, 'cause I don't have the lastest Ale Street News to consult. Now the Ale Street News is in the business of putting on beer events, right here in my city. I saw that coming, that I have to be honest about. Mr. Jack Babin is very enterprising and deserving of credit; that was a successful event. All kinds of beer luminaries were around. Mr. Doug Feingold who I never did find, Garrett Oliver of Brooklyn Brewery, even Mr. Michael Jackson, the Beer Hunter himself was there. Canadian Beumont showed up, as well as Rob Tod from Allagash in Portland Maine, known for brewing some of the best Belgian styled beers here in the USA. The list continues to go on, and it was prime schmoozing for anyone in the beer world. And, there were beers there that should be available now, such as the Urthel Hop It and the Imperial Triple I tried. Dammit, I should have wrote down who made that beer because at current it escapes me. Anyway, without writing a full scale newpaper article about it the location was interesing, the venue was very nice, particularly if your health permitted frequent stair climbing, and there was even passed h'orse deurves (I know I made a mockery of the French spelling, hope the checker gets it) which I hungrily scarfed. A wonderful experience. Live music as well! Jack, you da man. Who can compete with that level of detail?

So, its interesting how our government works. Cops with their attorneys come in and serve you with papers, and then proceed, pretty much at gun-point, to lock up your place. Chains, locks and, well they get your keys too. The last thing is the paper rendition of a perp walk. On the front of the place they quickly, as if they might be caught in process of a criminal act, proceed to tape hundereds of pages of documents to the front of the place. Essentially to humiliate the business, or maybe its like a warning marker. They then rapidly leave the area. Wish I would have fimed it. Can't really understand the motivation. Anyway, documentation is completely boilerplate, the only changes are the names and ages of the officers involved, and the type of beer they have alleged they purchased under-aged.

Look, thats their job. I don't fault the cops for making sure places don't sell alcohol to those under the age of 21. My personal and, shall I say philosophical diffucutly with the whole thing resides in the word "intent". The police want the public and the courts to close a business permanently because that business, according to all their paperwork, is knowingly and intending to sell liquor illegally to minors. Nothing could be further from the truth. In the case of the Hop Devil Grill, not only are the bartenders well trained, but they are approached frequently to discuss the importance of not serving minors. Not so much from a public safety perspective, thats true, its really for a personal safety from the police perspective, but the fact remains that if a beer was sold to an underaged police officer, it was against all efforts by those responsible for the business, and if anybody committed a crime, it was the bartender. The 'tender broke the rules of the establishment, therebye breaking the rules of the state. However, the bartender didn't "intend" to do this really. As a human, he got lazy and was fooled. He was tricked. Should said bartender have been checking IDs? Hell yes, but neither the bartender nor the establishment "openly sold alcoholic beverages to minors with the intent to break the law", as the police want you to believe, nor is the establishment a "public nuisance".

Now is your ultimatum, Mr. Businesspeople: You either pay us $8,000 now, in addition to all the business you have lost for the past three days, or you can fight this in court 10 days from now. Sorry, no appeal allowed. Oh, yes, and stipulations. Lots of stipulations. Unbelievable, never before heard of stipulations. State courts are next. They can exact all they like from the business. Rights? You say you have rights? hahahahahahahahaahahaah. No you don't.

Some of you perhaps attempted to enter the Hop Devil Grill last night. You probably noticed that the doors were bolted shut, and that the police had taped up all kinds of rubbish on the front. You are probably wondering why. Well, I apologize, but I can't help you with that. To be honest, I always pride myself on running a really tight ship. During the past three months, however, the police have successfully fooled three of our bartenders into serving cadets who weren't 21 years of age yet. As many of you know, and I know many more don't, we are not the type of establishment that should even be having problems of this type. However, it is part of the system. Almost makes me feel as if I am in 1970s era Moscow. The cops pick you out. They target you, and over the course of a couple of months send maybe 200 underaged cadets in for a beer. Most of the time, the bartender does his job and asks for the ID. Once in a while, his defenses, for whatever reason, are down, and he serves the cadet a beer. They need 3 occurances for the NYC Police Dept. attorneys to make a case. And, its not a real case.You get to go to Kangaroo Court. You are not allowed to defend yourself, you can't see your accusers, and you have no recourse but to pay thousands of dollars. Of course our attorney loves this. He gets paid $3,000 for doing essentially nothing. Nevetheless, since you are a business you must be represented by an attorney. Cool system, huh? Welcome to America. We'll reopen in a couple of days, perhaps $20,000 poorer. Sorry for the hassle. We did everything possible to avoid this. The bartenders themselves, I am sure, will each attest to the fact that we take checking IDs very, very seriously. Still, I don't blame them, I really don't. If the police want to bamboozle you, they eventually will. What they do is they'll send in a cop, plain clothes of course, maybe around 50 years old. With him is an Asian woman, for example, who is really 19 or 20 years of age. She'll have quite a bit of makeup on, and she'll be dressed to look much older. She'll order the beer. The bartender looks at the whole picture, and it seems natural, and he will serve them. Of course, they let him off because in a criminal case of this type the cop will have to show in court, and they never do, so the judge ALWAYS dismisses the case against the bartender, the only one who actually comnmited a crime, however innocently. However, the State Liquor Authority doesn't need any proof, just some complaints. This is how they make money. So they nail you for a few thousand dollars for each incidence the police report to them. Next, the city gets in on the case and exacts a few more thousand dollars. Sounds criminal, doesn't it? It is. But in our system, it isn't.

One would think that beer, a beverage consumed for thousands of years, would be relatively free from the world of politics. Not. The beer world is rife with both international and national politics, and worst of all, the office kind of politics. Why do you think that is so? I think its because people, not happy to just be, let their baser inner "id" control their actions. They will use anything at all to politicize. Tell me y0u have never been on the losing end of office politics and I can tell you that you are probably a very good politician. Anyway, I was reading my good friend Alex Hall's "Gotham Imbiber", and I was thinking about big beer companies. Alex is against them, and he thinks they try to create barriers to entry against the little guy. I am sure he is right about that. The nature of capitalism, isn't it?

Take Guinness for example. Many of you may not be aware that Guinness is owned by a very, very big liquor and beverages conglomerate. The name is Diageo, and familiar names like Johnnie Walker, Bailey's Irish Cream and Cuervo Tequila are part and parcel of what they own. You may also not know that the Guinness you drink here is most likely made in Canada, not Ireland. So, why all the clamor for Guinness among the Irish, particularly today, St. Paddy's? Branding, my friends, its all in the branding. Overall unbelievablly good marketing. So, is there going to be Guinness at Hop Devil Grill tonight? Hell yes. Is David Copperfield's going to serving up the Harp? Why the heck not? People want these beers, it makes 'em feel Irish, and we want to keep out of the global politics. So, even though Murphy's and Beamish haven't been able to make a dent into the Irish Stout market, and I don't really care if you like Guinness or not, after all, its a perfectly decent beer, do something different tonight. In between your Guinnesses, try an O'haras Stout from the Carlow Brewing Co. At least its genuinely Irish, and pretty damn tasty at that.

Man, New England has some of the best brewers in the country. Hartford Connecticut's Thomas Hooker Beers were just awesome. Paul Allen, master brewer up there, is also an awesome guy. I really enjoyed hanging out with him. It can be incredibly enjoyable to sit with a brewer drinking his beer and discussing the brewing, the beer business and just plain old life itself. So on tap, still at David Copperfield's, you can find their Blonde, the Doppelbock, the IPA, Blonde and even a drop of the cask ale might be left. Thats because while there was a crowd out for them, it wasn't a huge crowd. Man, I wish I could sit here and blog a little longer, I wanted to talk about Stone Coast, but work calls again! See you all later.

Yo. Its been weeks since I have last blogged. I guess maybe I should set myself up some deadlines. What else can compel me to sit in front of my computer with a tall glass of Pu-erh tea and hurl my thoughts onto the screen before me? Anyway, for some reason I decided to start blogging a bit, although I should actually be doing some real work. You know, the kind that may actually accomplish something and perhaps even make some money?
So I'll begin with a random thought I have been having repeatedly every morning when I shave. That is that we must be close to technological perfection with shaving instruments. The Mach 3 I have is remarkable at shaving my fact closely, quickly and painlessly. However, it never has been very good on the neck. I don't know why, and I don't shave up for fear of irritation, and I recently discovered a shaver that is perhaps superior to the Gillett Mach 3. Introducing Schick's new 4 blade razor. Its called the Quattro. I don't know anything about the engineering behind these, but I remember prior to that beautiful morning in Japan's Nara several years ago, when I met those cute Japanese twin girls handing out the new Gillette designs, shaving, at least for me, was fraught with fear of nicks and cuts. Now? Almost never. Please let me know if you agree with me here.
Tommy Keegan and Jeff the brewer at Keegan's Ales came down to the Hop Devil Grill last night with five different beers. Three were from the regular lineup, which includes the Hurricane Kitty IPA, Mothers Milk Milk Stout and Old Capital Golden Lager. Two others were experimental. There was the Rye, a hazy golden amberish concoction heavy on the rye and cascade hops. Tommy wasn't that happy with it, but I think there is still some left on tap at HDG if you want to give it a go. My friend John thought it was excellent. Suffering from a bit of a cold, I don't think my opionion would be valid. So, I ain't gonna give it. We all liked the Hurricane Kitty, named eponymously for Tommy's grandmother who resides in Long Island. As for the evening, Tommy and Jeff were seen scarfing tacos and yukking it up with the usual coterie of beer afficianados. I enjoyed long conversations with them, but since they just got distribution in NYC through Manhattan Beer distributors, I suggested they walk around the place and talk beer with the folks. Rebecca was stunningly efficient behind the bar as usual, and stunning, as usual, and Holly and Isabella roamed the floor depositing tacos and Keegan flights throughout the evening. I really need a pocket camera and not my usual clunker so I can share all of these fun evenings with all of ya'll who can't make it. Next up: Smuttynization tonight!

Yo. Its been weeks since I have last blogged. I guess maybe I should set myself up some deadlines. What else can compel me to sit in front of my computer with a tall glass of Pu-erh tea and hurl my thoughts onto the screen before me? Anyway, for some reason I decided to start blogging a bit, although I should actually be doing some real work. You know, the kind that may actually accomplish something and perhaps even make some money?

So I'll begin with a random thought I have been having repeatedly every morning when I shave. That is that we must be close to technological perfection with shaving instruments. The Mach 3 I have is remarkable at shaving my fact closely, quickly and painlessly. However, it never has been very good on the neck. I don't know why, and I don't shave up for fear of irritation, and I recently discovered a shaver that is perhaps superior to the Gillett Mach 3. Introducing Schick's new 4 blade razor. Its called the Quattro. I don't know anything about the engineering behind these, but I remember prior to that beautiful morning in Japan's Nara several years ago, when I met those cute Japanese twin girls handing out the new Gillette designs, shaving, at least for me, was fraught with fear of nicks and cuts. Now? Almost never. Please let me know if you agree with me here.

Tommy Keegan and Jeff the brewer at Keegan's Ales came down to the Hop Devil Grill last night with five different beers. Three were from the regular lineup, which includes the Hurricane Kitty IPA, Mothers Milk Milk Stout and Old Capital Golden Lager. Two others were experimental. There was the Rye, a hazy golden amberish concoction heavy on the rye and cascade hops. Tommy wasn't that happy with it, but I think there is still some left on tap at HDG if you want to give it a go. My friend John thought it was excellent. Suffering from a bit of a cold, I don't think my opionion would be valid. So, I ain't gonna give it. We all liked the Hurricane Kitty, named eponymously for Tommy's grandmother who resides in Long Island. As for the evening, Tommy and Jeff were seen scarfing tacos and yukking it up with the usual coterie of beer afficianados. I enjoyed long conversations with them, but since they just got distribution in NYC through Manhattan Beer distributors, I suggested they walk around the place and talk beer with the folks. Rebecca was stunningly efficient behind the bar as usual, and stunning, as usual, and Holly and Isabella roamed the floor depositing tacos and Keegan flights throughout the evening. I really need a pocket camera and not my usual clunker so I can share all of these fun evenings with all of ya'll who can't make it. Next up: Smuttynization tonight!

Yo. Its been weeks since I have last blogged. I guess maybe I should set myself up some deadlines. What else can compel me to sit in front of my computer with a tall glass of Pu-erh tea and hurl my thoughts onto the screen before me? Anyway, for some reason I decided to start blogging a bit, although I should actually be doing some real work. You know, the kind that may actually accomplish something and perhaps even make some money?

So I'll begin with a random thought I have been having repeatedly every morning when I shave. That is that we must be close to technological perfection with shaving instruments. The Mach 3 I have is remarkable at shaving my fact closely, quickly and painlessly. However, it never has been very good on the neck. I don't know why, and I don't shave up for fear of irritation, and I recently discovered a shaver that is perhaps superior to the Gillett Mach 3. Introducing Schick's new 4 blade razor. Its called the Quattro. I don't know anything about the engineering behind these, but I remember prior to that beautiful morning in Japan's Nara several years ago, when I met those cute Japanese twin girls handing out the new Gillette designs, shaving, at least for me, was fraught with fear of nicks and cuts. Now? Almost never. Please let me know if you agree with me here.

Tommy Keegan and Jeff the brewer at Keegan's Ales came down to the Hop Devil Grill last night with five different beers. Three were from the regular lineup, which includes the Hurricane Kitty IPA, Mothers Milk Milk Stout and Old Capital Golden Lager. Two others were experimental. There was the Rye, a hazy golden amberish concoction heavy on the rye and cascade hops. Tommy wasn't that happy with it, but I think there is still some left on tap at HDG if you want to give it a go. My friend John thought it was excellent. Suffering from a bit of a cold, I don't think my opionion would be valid. So, I ain't gonna give it. We all liked the Hurricane Kitty, named eponymously for Tommy's grandmother who resides in Long Island. As for the evening, Tommy and Jeff were seen scarfing tacos and yukking it up with the usual coterie of beer afficianados. I enjoyed long conversations with them, but since they just got distribution in NYC through Manhattan Beer distributors, I suggested they walk around the place and talk beer with the folks. Rebecca was stunningly efficient behind the bar as usual, and stunning, as usual, and Holly and Isabella roamed the floor depositing tacos and Keegan flights throughout the evening. I really need a pocket camera and not my usual clunker so I can share all of these fun evenings with all of ya'll who can't make it. Next up: Smuttynization tonight!

Seems the Hop Devil Grill is on a "tear" these days. The ripping, streaking kind, not the weepy, wishy-washy type. Lots of great events. Just had the Weyerbacher night this past Wednesday, and we were fortunate to have Chris Wilson, one of the Weyerbacher brewers on hand. Always fun to see what really goes on in the brewery. Also, one of the Hop Devil Revelers, Glenn, was convinced by his daughter to take the long drive into NYC from their NJ digs. This was fortuitous for anyone else attending, as Glenn brought some vintage Weyerbacher Imperial Stouts. The best was the 1999 Rasberry Imperial, which tasted beautiful. Not that the new one on tap wasn't good, but after seven years in the cellar this beer really matured nicely. Rasberry nose, chocolatey, fruity complexity and nice full mouth-feel. Thanks Glenn.

Mike the bartender has secured a range of Bear Republic brews, and NYC will be fortunate again to have some Racer X on tap, in addition to Tribute Brown and a new one, Ricardo's Red Wheat. As well as the Hop Rod Rye, Racer 5 and Red Rocket. Call it Rare Bear Night.

Now, I don't want to be accused of a lack of patriotism, albeit thats the last refuge of a scoundrel according to some, but who the hell goes quail hunting? Don't mind me, but I have lived in Texas and other semi-rural locales in these here United States and I've never been invited on a hunt of that type, and well, I fell kind of left out in the cold, know what I mean?

One of the things about blogging is that you want to remain topical. For instance, if you are a political blogger, you want to keep the discussion mainly political. A beer blogger should be always discussing beer. Therein lies the difficulty for the beer blogger. In order to maintain enough fodder to write about I would necessarily be an alcoholic, wouldn't I? Fact is, I can't be an alcoholic. Its too tiring. I prefer to keep my drinking time a safe distance from my sleeping time. If I have severak beers and then fall asleep the quality of rest is weak, and is then followed by a dragging day of ineffectuality. Nope, can't have it. Want to do too much all the time. So, I also have other interests. Movies, books, etc. Music and art, not so much for some reason. Its not that I don't like either of those two studies, I just haven't ever put a lot of time or focus into them. Books, however, are a different story. I sleep with them. What lacks in eroticism I make up for with hours in bed holding a book up until my forearms drop from the pain. Right now I am trying to decide who is the better literary artist; Saul Bellow or John Updike? Indeed, do either of these, or Faulkner have anything really in common? All three rank right up there with the grand masters, but perhaps Bellow is best if pure whimsy is what you respect, a very, very intellectual whimsy, kind of like a Woody Allen of prose. Not for everybody, but for those who find something of value here, some rich stuff. Updike, maybe a bit more of an F. Scott Fitzgerald type, but much more serious and modern. Don't forget the sex either. Anyway, I continue to work through the work of both these guys. When I am lazy, its Updike, and then Bellow when I feel some strength. For now.
I prefer the hoppier Barley Wine for now as well. Not all the time, but I have sampled the Old Horizontal and Bigfoot as of late, and I prefer the Bigfoot. Sixpoint's Grand Crue is also delightful, but at 3 times the price of Bigfoot I prefer the Bigfoot, particularly, althought Ilike the Grand Crue, the attempt to be Belgian isn't hitting the right notes at all. Its a strong barley wine, tasty, well made, but what strain of yeast is being used? Is it really Belgian, and if so, why so well masked?

Last night they entered by the dozens, they did. And what, you may ask, did they come for? Why barley wine of course. And that pin (mini-cask) of Sixpoint Grand Crue. Don't miss the Crue folks, I am telling you. Its the stuff. Belgian? Wellllll, not all that Belgian if that is what you are expecting, but pretty damned good. Hats off to you Shane Welch, you made a heavy alcohol, heavy hops big beer in the Struis fashion and its damned good. Now if we can only get the pricing down to something approaching reasonable and we are talking business here. Joe behind the bar, finally opened his bottle of insanity. That was a bit after we consumed the Thomas Hardys 2004, so I was beginning to feel just a bit insane after that. Lessee here: Grand Crue, Bigfoot, Thomas Hardy and Insanity. That'll do it to you. Woke up this morning and wondered why there was an empty bag of potato chips on the floor. I hate the munchies more than anything else. See you in the gym.

I just received my latest Stone e-letter. For those of you not all that plugged into the beer world, most of you, this company, Stone, is very impressive in several ways. First, they grew very fast and it wasn't the usual personality think like with Sam Calagione from Dogfish Head or Garrett Oliver at Brooklyn Brewery. In fact, I can't even think of the name of one of their brewers, however I do know Greg Koch, their CEO. This company made their way with strong marketing and good beer. Stellar beer? That is hard to say, but I'd say no, just really good beer, and unique marketing associated with the stronger ones. So, September they are celebrating 10 years of crazy growth. In addition to being ambitious, these guys are well funded. They are opening a huge new restaurant and brewery in Esondido California, a bit of a drive away from their previoius digs in San Marcos, right outside of San Diego. The scale of the new restaurant is massive, and I have to respect anyone for going big. You get economies of scale that way.

So, what with the new brewery, as well as the restaurant, I have to guess they spent in excess of 10 million dollars. A hefty chunk of change for anyone. Thats a big undertaking, and I wish these guys all the success in the world. Ya see, I lost my train of thought. In a perfect world no-one would interrupt me while writing. I was going to mention how they rolled into New York with 12 Stones as 12 O'clock on the 12th of some month at the now and forever closed Blind Tiger that was on Hudson Street downtown. That was cool marketing. Not expensive marketing, but cool marketing and they had the entire area all aflutter over their entree into the greatest market for beer of them all. Everyone else goes to Philly first; these guys did it right. If you want to start a trend, you go to Paris, London or New York, right? Not Talahassee for crissakes. Then they had the Arrogant Bastard promos. Be the most arrogant bar in the country by selling the most Arrogant Bastard Ale next month! After participating in the first such promo, I laughed at myself and marvelled at what a cheap and effective promo this probably was for them. Stone is just great. Have one today.

I am learning more and more about Chinese tradition. Did you know that its almost Chinese New Year? Head on down to Chinatown this weekend for some seriously tasty food. Did you also know that prior to the New Year, its traditional for the Chinese to clean all the dirt from their homes. Remind you of any other people? The Jewish people search their homes for chametz (leavened bread) prior to Passover. Fascinatingly similar. Another interesting thing I discovered is that Chinese mustard, the kind in those little packets you get from take-out or delivery is remarkable like English Coleman's mustard. In fact, I think its the same stuff! Probably came here from that British colony, Hong Kong. I think a lot of our early Chinese immigrants hailed from there, hence the widespread use of Cantonese in Chinatown as opposed to the Mandarin spoken mainly in Flushing.

Eric Asimov has written a piece in the New York Times extolling the virtues of 0ne of our favorite beverages, barley wine. Eric and Florence Fabricant, another restaurant writer for the Times taste a range of different ones from likes of Avery, Southampton, Flying Dog and Anchor Brewing. They then rank them. Garrett Oliver and Phil Markowski join them in a multimidia taping if you care to listen. Check out the dining and wine section in this weeks issue at nytimes.com. Its nice to see mainstream media finally giving beer the credit it is due as a great alternative to wine. Particularly something as beer-geekish as barley wines.

Saturday night at David Copperfield's we'll be presenting a variety of barley wines, old ales and imperial types with that in mind. Couldn't get a lot of them, but we did get some Victory Old Horizontal and Bigfoot barley wine from Sierra. We also have Heavyweight Perkuno's Hammer, Lagunitas Hairy Eyeball and other big brews. Some bottles of Thomas Hardy's 2004 vintage, and Calvados barreled J.W. Lees Harvest Ale also avalable. Its cold outside, drink strong beer today.

I don't mean that it really sucks, but it isn't all that great either. When I was a kid, there were pizza places everywhere, and then there was the ubiquitous small Chinese takeout joints. Many of them have been replaced by sushi houses, many of them serving up fish of dubious quality. Nevertheless, each and every sushi place has lots and lots of people opening up their wallets nightly for $30 dinners. Its not all that bad a deal for a restaurant owner when you think about it. 50 cents of fish and rice gets me $3 -$4 a piece. Some places even do the 50% off specials all the time. They can afford to given the fabulous margins. Don't get me wrong. Once in a while, raw fish, done well, can be tasty. But it has to be of the very best quality. As a food afficionado who has been to Japan, LA, Vancouver and more, I think I know my raw fish, and most of the stuff people I know rave about ain't all that good. A lot of these so-called sushi chefs were trained for a couple of weeks how to make some hand rolls and now they are off to the races. All I am saying is watch yourselves. Where all that fresh fish comes from I don't know, it sure wasn't available 15 years ago. There, I ranted a bit about sushi, and I am sure I will be hearing about it later. Y'all will defend your raw fish festish to the end. Well, its less healthy than you think. You got carbs from the rice, fat from the Avocado, and an excess of sodium from all that soy sauce. And beer tastes a lot better than sake.

Me, I like Italian, Chinese and hot wings in that order. Last night I was in Corona, Queens and I had dinner at the Parkside restaurant, and Italian place that has been there for 25 years. Great food, good experience. Recommend.

Is it cool for me to movie-blog? Why not? I rented 8-millimiter starring Nicholas Cage the other night. Man, that was a nail biting, edge of your seat suspense thriller with some cool and disturbing twists. Cage was his usual, brilliant self, and Joaquin Phoenix also was good. Deep into the psycho porn world as a private investigator, Cage gets himself into some serious shit. Won't give away the whole plot, but get yer ass to the local movie renter and pick it up. You won't regret it.

You know, there is a decent demand for really unusual Belgian beers. The great Saisons like Fantome and the incredible sours like Cantillon. Both of these are imported by the Shelton Bros. and shipments from Europe are infrequent. Moreover, sometimes the brewery isn't even making the beers that are in great demand, and therefore, venerable tap houses such as Hop Devil Grill, Spuyten Duyvil or David Copperfield's list them on the menu, but are just completely out of stock. Speaking for all of them I have to say that it takes time and effort to change the menu to reflect a recent reality. Sorry about that, but that is how it goes. For example, even popular beers that are always available are sometimes unavailable. Try Samuel Smith Nut Brown, a classicly great brown ale available only in the bottle stateside. Haven't been able to get it for weeks. Frustrating, isn't it?

I walked past the New York Health and Raquet Club in my neighborhood earlier this morning. Its one of those designs that have the sweaty members on display on those elliptical type machines working away. Not saying that I wouldn't or don't work out on one of them, as I need to stay in condition like anyone else, but don't you find it weirdly amusing that these people can be viewed on the street. Most of us prefer to sweat in private, don't we? I mean among other sweaty people, not a guy walking along sipping coffee from a cup while clutching a freshly baked bagel in his free hand. One thing is for certain: that bagel shop has a lot more members than the gym.

Last night I had the Anderson Valley Winter Solstice for the first time at the Hop Devil Grill. Very interesting beer with a vanilla thing going on. I recommend you try it. In the Belgian Room we put up the La Rulles Cuvee de Noel. Man does that pack a punch of alcohol warmth and grand flavorific complexity. Pass the cigars.

OKay, its finally gotten to me. I feel its now my time to speak out on this timely issue. Politically correct? What the hell does that mean? Does it mean that I have to walk on eggshells for the rest of my life? It would seem so. Look, models can't admit they party, brewers can't say they make better beers, and hey, you can't say that "my bar has a better selection of beer" without some beer website (names withheld to protect the guilty) condemning you for all the cyberworld to see. What the hell is all that about? I don't know, quite frankly, but I hereby reject this correctness. Why do I have to walk on friggin' eggshells I ask you? Matter of fact, you can't even be in a "un-cool" neighborhood without getting grief. Screw politics. I ain't a Republican, a Democrat or an Independent. I am me. I got my quirks. Idiosyncrosies. So, what, you don't? David Copperfield ain't no magician, he's a fictional character conjured by Charles Dickens. Hop Devil? That's from an old legend developed in old Europe Dick Cheney, maybe even Belgium. Go to the city of Ghent, and you can find the Hop Duvel, a very nice pub indeed. Its no more a beer than High Life is. Just ask the guy who owns two High Lifes in Manhattan. One of them just closed down. It was on the corner of 1st Avenue and 72nd Street. closed due to my other pet peeve, the unrealistic price of Real Estate which happens to be all too real. Anyway, HopDevil ale is some nice beer made by Victory Brewing Co. in Downingtown, PA. Did you know that there is a Victory Cafe on 2nd Avenue??? Its been around for years. Good place to get brunch. I encourage responses to this gripe of mine. Or should I call it a mini-rant?

Football and beer go back a long, long way. I actually don't even know why it got started. Did the Romans drink beer at the coliseum? Maybe. There certainly was beer to be had back in those days, and maybe imbibing beverages while speculating on the outcome of sporting events. Whatever its origin, we choose to embrace it. However, as Emeril Lagasi likes to say, lets take it up a notch with better beer. I can't even get myself to drink Budweiser or Coors or anything like that anymore. My taste buds don't accept no Buds to coin a term. Hop Devil Grill is having a Superbowl Party Sunday, February 5th. Complete with tailgate we plan to serve great Buffalo wings and other Superbowl party munchies our kitchen creates. Our kitchen makes good food, so expect some tasty stuff. In addition, unlimited craft beer throughout the game, even if we go into overtime! That means you can drink as many Arrogant Bastards, Lagunitas IPAs, Heavyweight Perkunos Hammers, whatever you want! Whatever is up. Look at our tap list on the website and see if you can't find anything that strikes your fancy. All for $40. If that isn't a deal, I don't know what is. There is a big screen TV as well for your viewing pleasure!

I want to congratulate us all for getting past 2005. Not to say that as a year it didn't have some cool features, but I have to think that 2006 will be much better than 2005. Any year that ends with a transit strike in New York City isn't a year I want to repeat.

The strike was crippling. New York can't move without mass transit. Its obvious. Just think: if you can shut down the buses and subways, our economy grinds to a halt. I mean it. A neighborhood bar & grill like Hop Devil winds up slow every night of the strike because all of you can't get there or are just too exhausted from walking 3 miles home in the cold. I could really, physically see the effects front and center. Thats scary.

So, in the meantime, what's been going on? Well, we had the guys down from the Olde Saratoga Brewery with some real special beer. I am quite impressed with the brewery, despite its somewhat tainted past. People remember the time several years ago when the Mendocino beers were being produced at a very low quality. Hell, I remember that myself. Sent a couple of kegs right back to the distributor as I recall. Well, times change, and more importantly, brewers sometimes change at breweries. Mr. Paul McErlean has brought the quality up quite a few notches and not only are the Mendocino products very tasty now, but quietly Olde Saratoga has become the contract brewer of choice from some of this country's most venerable and respected brewing companies. That said, I highly recommend you getting over to try some of the new Mendocino Winter 2005. Its a Double IPA, so be prepared for a mouthful of hops. Good backbone to this beer however, and it stand straight up. Nicely done Paul. Interestingly enough, while this beer is Californian, its not at all available on the West Coast because Paul made it and the west coast beer from Mendocino is actually made in Mendocino, CA. I think.

Prefer barleywine? Yeah, me too. OK, its a good time to sample a vertical tasting of the Talon barleywine, and compare what a year sitting in a cellar can do to the flavors. Personally, I like the age. Mellows the roughness, but others tell me they prefer the newer version. Its up to you. Check it out. Man, I wish I could just sit here and type forever, but I am getting a crick in my neck. Probably either my chair or my posture. I have so much to say as regards beer, however, that I keep going.

Events: Like 'em? We have a number of things coming up. Bartender Mike Burmil is arranging a dizzying array of things to do, starting with Weyerbacher coming up with a crazy list of their sickest beers. NO! I don't mean sick in a bad way! I mean these beers are over-the-top outstanding! Rasberry Imperial Stout. Bourbon barreled barleywines. Insanity. The beer! Old Heathen and Quad. Now you get my meaning. Join the brewer. He'll be there. Have some beer for Heathen's sake.

What else? Well, Bill has been in the kitchen working out some new stuff. Something definitely E. Village. Howabout Taco Tuesdays? $1 for the best friggin' taco in the whole city. Chicken, beef or veggie. Tuesdays only. Tacos and beer? Fuggedabout it! You'll have a hell of a time.

Mr. Enrique Suarez put on a hell of a 'do last night at the Hop Devil Grill. Not only was the beer on tap: Ephemere Cranberry, Blanche de Chambly and Trois Pistoles very, very tasty, but Rick turns out to have a depth of really cool Unibroue information and legends and folklore. If I didn't have to move my car I would try and remembrer some of it, but instead I'll rip out a quick report and get the real deal from Rick later to provide my reading public (y'all) with some fun beer trivia. Olde Saratoga is next week. Its not to be missed, that I promise you. Brewmaster Paul McErlean is bringing up the good stuff! 2004 and 2005 Mendocino Winter, one a Robust Porter and the next a Double IPA!! Also the 2 years of Talon Barley Wine which should be mighty tasty after taking "best-of-show" at TAP New York earlier this year. Finally, some 5766 Miraculous Jewbelation, a He'Brew from Schmaltz. Don't think this stuff is any good? Well, wrong again! Pacific Brew News had a Winter Beer tasting and it came out on top! Check this:
So, we'll see you next Wednesday for some really good beer.

After a smoking cask festival and the holidays, David Copperfield's again will astound with a Rogue selection that'll attract hopheads from all around. Nine different Rogues, yet to be completely established. Suffice it to say that there will be Rogue's on tap and on cask you have never, ever seen or tasted before. Is Rogue the best brewery in the world? I think so most of the time. If a bit expensive. Well, gotta go. NYC's finest will tag me with a ticket if I hang any longer. cheers

Well, I am surprised to be honest. Dark Star, at least for me, stole the show with their Imperial Stout. I still can't believe its 10% ABV. Very smooth, roasty and full, but not in the kick you in the face way Southampton's Impy Stout was last cask festival. You have to try some. On the beer engine upstairs. In the newly dubbed "VIP Room" we have another eight casks up. Sixpoint Rebellion is a nicely hoppy red ail. Blue Point makes a wickedly hoppy pale, and the oak-aged in bourbon barrels Old Howlin' Bastard Barley Wine is very unusual indeed and a rare beast to have on cask. Go easy with it. I was inebriated before I knew it. Respect beer. Really!

Chelsea has their Hop Harvest Hoppy Holiday ale and Cream Stout up, but as of last night they weren't quite ready to tap. Same as the Victory Storm King Stout. Thats the lineup. Jimmy Kunes will be there tonite to entertain us with his soulful voice and ripping guitar licks. That alone is worth coming out for. No cover, not tonite or tomorrow.

So I get the new copy of Norton Antivirus, and quickly proceed to install it on my computer. The last version expired, and I want to keep my virus definitions up to date, know what I mean? Well, next thing I know I am having all kinds of weird dialogue boxes pop up and I can't shut them down and continue working on anything. I make the desision to uninstall my new Norton installation and proceed thusly. Reboot the computer when all is finished and whaddya know? Windows no longer opens. So, after wasting copious hours of frustration, I decide to reinstall Windows. I get through the file copying portion of the install process when all of a sudden Windows is asking for files in the 386i filder on the disk. It no longer recognizes the CD ROM drive. OK, lo and behold, I have my handy dandy gigabank in the USB port on the monitor. I kick out to DOS and find it reads that for some reason. So, I grab the CD and the gigabank, go to my girlfriend's computer and proceed to copy the entirety of the Windows Installation CD onto the gigabank. A few hours later this thing is back to its less than optimal but acceptable self. Three year old Gateway. I am trying to think when I will upgrade to a new computer, gut I haven't seen anything technologically that would be the catalyst for that kind of a move. Any thoughts?

Another year and another opportunity to thank all the brewers, distributors and consumers of beer. After all, this has become my livelyhood. What do we have for cask-conditioned beer coming up? Six Point Rebellion, Blue Point Bourbon Barrelled Old Howlin' Bastart, Blue Point Pale Ale, Dark Star this and that (haven't got word yet), hopefully something from Southampton and from Victory. No Stones. Word is that ain't going to happen. They just finished a huge new brewpub in California and a new brewery, so those guys have their hands full. I have something else coming in from England, and you can expect a Middle Ages or two, and that'll be it. All told, a pretty damn good cask ale selection the way I see it. So, albeit somewhat inebriated at the moment, thank you all very, very much for another very beery year. Cheers.

Last night we had 5 Sixpoint taps all lined up next to each other. Otis Oatmeal Stout, SMP, Sweet Action, Bengali Tiger IPA and Righteous Rye.

The Oatmeal Stout was solid, so these guys are wending their craft like they haven't before. The newly reforumulated Sweet Action was the winner of the evening. At just 5% ABV you can drink more than one pint of this. Its somewhat honey golden in color with a big head that leaves extended lacing on the glass. Good body, crisp, nutty flavors with a real biscuity thing wrapping up the finish. I think Shane finally hit the nail on the head with this one and should be quite successful with it. I for one won't mind having it on the rack on occasion.

So, despite the rain quite a few beer enthusiasts showed up to taste the new nectar. It was good to do a beer event at David Copperfield's as we haven't for a while. Next up is the cask ale festival Dec. 1st to 4th. Jimmy Kunes has agreed to sing and play again, so we couldn't ask for better, can we? So far one cask has arrived. Something weird from Europe. Man do I prefer American made when it comes to cask ale, however.

Another thought on beer festivals in general. First, everyone who goes the the greatest beer festival of them all, the GABF (Great American Beer Fesival) in Denver, knows not to go on a Friday night for expample, unless you want to be involved in an over-crowded party atmosphere.

So, if you are a major beer aficianado, go to the earlier session which is guaranteed to be less crowded. Another good reason to go to the early session is that the best beer will still be there!

Speaking of great beer, Sixpoint is having a "do" at David Copperfield's tonight. Be there!

For the record, Alesmith never showed. Highly disappointing. On the other side of that coin however was one hell of a cool festival. Were there mistakes made? Yes, there were. The floor layout was done stupidly, and I'll take credit for that. Should have gotten some consulting on it because I never expected people to stay in those bottlenecks the entire night getting hammered. I know what not to do next time. Lots more to say, and I hope to get back into it later today with some pics for you all. Have to get to work now, unfortunately.

Here is a cute one I found:

May your blessings outnumber
the shamrocks that grow,
And may trouble avoid you
wherever you go.

***
For every wound, a balm.
For every sorrow, cheer.
For every storm, a calm.
For every thirst, a beer.

***
He that buys land buys many stones.
He that buys flesh buys many bones.
He that buys eggs buys many shells,
But he that buys good beer buys nothing else.
***
Champagne costs too much,
Whiskey's too rough,
Vodka puts big mouths in gear.
This little refrain
Should help to explain
Why it's better to order a beer!

Ahh, beer. Is so good for you.

Well, its all over. New York has got to be the weirdest city on the planet. So I am up at David Copperfield's where Halloween is pretty much a normal Monday. Nay, maybe a bit better than a normal Monday. However, we bought several bags of Nestle Crunch (cause I love 'em) to hand out to kids, and barely any came by at all, despite the fact that Kim, Frannie and the rest of them were all dressed up cute as can be. I go down to Hop Devil Grill, and they are all out of candy. Went through like 10 bags of stuff, and the kids keep marching in. Rents in both areas are through the roof, so I can't quite figure out what is the difference between the upper east side and the lower east side, except the obvious visual aspects.

I have to teach a chef about beer tonight. Can you think of anything more fun? Unfortunately, we won't be pairing with haute cuisine, mainly because I am doing the dirty work at David Copperfield's where we do casual food, nothing fancy. Good stuff it is, but nothing over the top. Can you believe the Spotted Pig made Michelin 1 star? It got the same rating as Babbo, one of fave restaurants. Is Babbo that good? Yes, make reservations today! Nobody can fit into the Pig so I expect I may never dine in that dinky dive. So, my plan? La Chouldette Framboise to start. Basically to show the chef that beer ain't what she thinks it is. Then on to something more, shall we say, intersting? I have Oude Gouze from Drie Fonteinen, which is a nicely tart lambic aged in oak. Too much? Perhaps. I also have the Aecht Schlenterla Rauchbier Marzen as another eye opener, and finish with some Rogue Chocolate Stout perhaps? There is no easy way, but I am confident she will leave knowing something entirely new culinarlily speaking. Did I mention that the brewer and owners of Rodenbach are meeting at Hop Devil Grill on Friday? Well they are. If you come by I bet they buy you a Grand Cru!

BELGIUM -Monks at the abbey of St. Sixtus of Westvleteren agreed to be interviewed by USA Today in an effort to stop the illegal exportation of their beer to the US and other countries. Westvleteren 12 was ranked the best beer in the world this summer by Ratebeer.com and since then, customers regularly disregard the monk's wish that the beer not be resold. The bottles do not have labels when they leave the brewery and the monks make it clear that buying their product anywhere but at the abbey gate where it is sold in strictly limited quantities does not help the Trappist cause.

I titled this World Series for no particular reason. I'm a fan of the hometown team, so is there any incentive for me to watch Chicago and Houston? I guess the same incentive for me to watch the Superbowl, whoever is playing. Any reason for a party. Been too busy with beer festival activity to blog lately, as well as time consuming personal stuff. Thanks for that comment regarding the USB. Turns out that I need a new monitor anyway. My Gateway extended warranty just ran out and whaddya know? My monitor is having difficulty firing up after three years. This 19 inch LCD cost me $900 back then, a new one from Dell, still only 19 inches, will cost me $300 this time around. Gotta love the forward march of technology. I have to assume this is the only reason inflation is reported to be not very serious because everything else seems to be going up in price.

Well, my pictures never showed. Maybe I have to read more blogger instructions, but it seems as if it should be pretty easy. You browse, choose and upload, according to the tool bars. However, it hasn't worked up to date. I have to write the html in Dreamweaver and then copy and paste to make it work for some reason, otherwise the html just isn't right. Since time is always of the essence these days, it seems as if I can write and post and thats about it.

Beerwise, what can I tell you? Middle Ages Dragon Slayer Stout at David Copperfield's and Hop Devil Grill, as is Bornem Triple from Belgium. Lots of great European beers to be at Brewtopia however. Dark Star casks, a bucket-load of cool options from Belgium, France, Germany, Japan and the UK thanks to the guys at B. United International importers. Maybe we will barely miss Dan Shelton and friends. These guys have one of those quaint love affairs with Brooklyn anyway, so they can do the next Brooklyn gig instead. Go Matthius! So, we will have a World Series of beer instead, and my title for this post is beginning to come together. Back to beer. Rogue is just the best. John's Lockerbox beer, Schwartz, a German style black lager, is just friggin' perfect. Beautifully balanaced as only Rogue can do, its somewhat creamy on the palate, roasty in a subtle way with just the right hop balance. Man is it drinkable. The best German Schwartz I have ever had, however leaning toward a doppel just a bit. On tap at David Copperfield's and Hop Devil Grill.

New Orleans seems to be reviving. I noticed the DBA website is updated and they have live music tonight on Frenchman Street. If you are in New Orleans, give these guys a visit. A really, really nice bar with a superb selection of craft brewed beers. BTW, craft brewed beer is definitely on the ascendance. Check out Anheuser Busch. They have a new pumpkin beer called Jack.

Ever read the Gotham Imbiber? Its a small publication you can find in establishments that have good beer here in NYC. Think Blind Tiger, Gingerman, Hop Devil Grill or DBA. You don't have to pay for it, the advertising covers the issue. I have agreed to do a piece on GABF for the next issue. As you can see, I have always wanted to be a writer so here is my chance. Speaking of writing, I appreciate the writing of other's. Right now I am reading "I am Charlotte Simmons" by Tom Wolfe. Its something I picked up at the airport for the ride home from Denver. Really riveting stuff. Stylistically quite beautiful prose. Now, the only other book I have read from Tom Wolfe was his famous "Bonfire of the Vanities", also recommended. They made a movie out of it in the 80's starring Bruce Willis and Tom Hanks. The movie was really horrible, so that is probably why I haven't picked up another Tom Wolfe novel up until now. Not to mention he isn't nearly as prolific an author as the lady who writes those Harry Potter stories. . . . . Now, lets see if I can upload some pics of GABF and Denver.

OK, I have the rundown on the winners right here, and whether you agree or
not, from what I have been told these blind judgements are taken very, very
seriously. Congratulations to our local competitors Brooklyn Brewery and Southampton
Publick House:

Category: 1 Non-Alcoholic (Beer) Malt Beverage - 5 Entries

Gold: O'Doul's Amber, Anheuser-Busch, St. Louis, MO

Silver: Sharp's, Miller Brewing Co., Milwaukee, WI

Bronze: O'Doul's, Anheuser-Busch, St. Louis, MO

Category: 2 American Cream Ale or Lager - 17 Entries

Gold: TAPS Cream Ale, TAPS Fish House & Brewery, Brea, CA

Silver: Genesee Cream Ale, High Falls Brewing Co., Rochester, NY

Bronze: Special Export, Pabst Brewing Co., San Antonio, TX

Category: 3 American-Style Wheat Beer - 21 Entries

Gold: Triumph Honey Wheat, Triumph Brewing Co. of New Hope, New Hope, PA

Silver: Pyramid Crystal Weizen, Pyramid Breweries, Seattle, WA

Bronze: Shiner Dunkelweizen, The Spoetzl Brewery, San Antonio, TX

Category: 4 American-Style Hefeweizen - 31 Entries

Gold: Easy Street Wheat, Odell Brewing Co., Fort Collins, CO

Silver: Faller Wheat Ale, Rock Bottom Brewery - Seattle, Seattle, WA

Bronze: O'Fallon Wheat, O'Fallon Brewery, O'Fallon, MO

Category: 5 Fruit and Vegetable Beer - 51 Entries

Gold: Belgian Red, New Glarus Brewing Co., New Glarus, WI

Silver: 9th Street Market Tuscan Orange, Anheuser-Busch, St. Louis, MO

Bronze: De Zuidentrein Frambozenbier, Flossmoor Station Brewing Co., Flossmoor,
IL

Category: 6 Herb and Spice Beer - 57 Entries

Gold: Temptation Bock, Miller Brewing Co., Milwaukee, WI

Silver: Jack Whacker Wheat, Tommyknocker Brewery, Idaho Springs, CO

Bronze: Avatar Jasmine IPA, Elysian Brewing - TangleTown, Seattle, WA

Category: 7 Coffee Flavored Beer - 26 Entries

Gold: Kona Moon, Six Rivers Brewery, McKinleyville, CA

Silver: Double Espresso Stout, Barley Brothers Brewery & Grill, Lake Havasu
City, AZ

Bronze: Arctic Rhino Coffee Porter, Midnight Sun Brewing Co., Anchorage, AK

Category: 8 Specialty Beer - 20 Entries

Gold: Wild Rice Ale, Black Diamond Brewing Co., Concord, CA

Silver: Neptune's Nemesis, Rocky River Brewing Co., Rocky River, OH

Bronze: Pullman Brown Ale, Flossmoor Station Brewing Co., Flossmoor, IL

Category: 9 Rye Beer - 23 Entries

Gold: Rocky Mountain Rye, Smuggler's Brewpub, Telluride, CO

Silver: Crazy Jackass Ale, Great American Restaurants, Centreville, VA

Bronze: Catch Her In the Rye, Olde Auburn Ale House, Auburn, AL

Category: 10 Specialty Honey Lager or Ale - 22 Entries

Gold: George's Fault, Nodding Head Brewing Co., Philadelphia, PA

Silver: Midas Touch Golden Elixir, Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, Milton, DE

Bronze: Ella's Epidur-Ale, Flossmoor Station Brewing Co., Flossmoor, IL

Category: 11 Experimental Beer (Lager or Ale) - 37 Entries

Gold: Mexacali Smoke, Rocky River Brewing Co., Rocky River, OH

Silver: ESG Extra Special Gonzo, Flying Dog Brewery, Denver, CO

Bronze: Samuel Adams Millennium, Boston Beer Co., Boston, MA

Category: 12 Wood- and Barrel-aged Beer - 75 Entries

Gold: Cherry Stout, New Glarus Brewing Co., New Glarus, WI

Silver: A Butt of Gibraltar, Rock Bottom Brewery - South Denver, Englewood,
CO

Bronze: Hout, Ballast Point Brewing Co., San Diego, CA

Category: 13 Cellar or Unfiltered Beer - 24 Entries

Gold: Copper Hill Kölsch, The Cambridge House, Granby, CT

Silver: Honolua Lager, Maui Brewing Co./Fish & Game Rotisserie, Lahaina,
HI

Bronze: Tuppers' Hop Pocket Pils, Old Dominion Brewing Co., Ashburn, VA

Category: 14 Smoke-Flavored Beer - 23 Entries

Gold: Alaskan Smoked Porter, Alaskan Brewing Co., Juneau, AK

Silver: Second Hand Smoke, SandLot Brewery at Coors Field, Denver, CO

Bronze: Rauchator Dopplebock, The Fort Collins Brewery, Fort Collins, CO

Category: 15 German-Style Pilsener - 35 Entries

Gold: Pinch Hit Pilsner, SandLot Brewery at Coors Field, Denver, CO

Silver: Trumer Pils, Trumer Brauerei Berkeley, Berkeley, CA

Bronze: Triumph German Pilsener, Triumph Brewing Co. of New Hope, New Hope,
PA

Category: 16 Bohemian-Style Pilsener - 43 Entries

Gold: Pallavicini Pilsner, Pug Ryan's Brewery, Dillon, CO

Silver: Triumph Czech Pilsener, Triumph Brewing Co. of Princeton, Princeton,
NJ

Bronze: Vermont Lager, Otter Creek Brewing/

Wolaver's Organic Beers, Middlebury, VT

Category: 17 Monchner-Style Helles - 30 Entries

Gold: Hauptstrasse Helles, Fredericksburg Brewing Co., Fredericksburg, TX

Silver: Saint Arnold Summer Pils, Saint Arnold Brewing Co., Houston, TX

Bronze: Sudwerk Lager, Sudwerk Privatbrauerei Hübsch, Davis, CA

Category: 18 European-Style Pilsener - 24 Entries

Gold: Pine Mountain Pils, Deschutes Brewery, Bend, OR

Silver: Most Beer Judges Are Bone Heads, SandLot Brewery at Coors Field, Denver,
CO

Bronze: Pilsner - 500, Prescott Brewing Co., Prescott, AZ

Category: 19 American-Style Light Lager - 25 Entries

Gold: Old Milwaukee Light, Pabst Brewing Co., San Antonio, TX

Silver: Coors Light, Coors Brewing Co., Golden, CO

Bronze: Keystone Light, Coors Brewing Co., Golden, CO

Category: 20 American-Style Low-Carbohydrate Light Lager - 4 Entries

Gold: Pig's Eye Lean Light Beer, Pig's Eye Brewing Co., St. Paul, MN

Bronze: Mountain Light, Smoky Mountain Brewery, Knoxville, TN

Category: 21 American-Style "Light" Amber Lager - 7 Entries

Gold: Sam Adams Light, Boston Beer Co., Boston, MA

Silver: MoJo Lager, Starr Hill Brewing Co., Crozet, VA

Bronze: Shiner Light, The Spoetzl Brewery, San Antonio, TX

Category: 22 American-Style Lager - 15 Entries

Gold: Stag, Pabst Brewing Co., San Antonio, TX

Silver: Rainier, Pabst Brewing Co., San Antonio, TX

Bronze: Milwaukee's Best, Miller Brewing Co., Milwaukee, WI

Category: 23 American-Style Premium Lager - 19 Entries

Gold: Pabst Blue Ribbon, Pabst Brewing Co., San Antonio, TX

Silver: Olympia, Pabst Brewing Co., San Antonio, TX

Bronze: Miller High Life, Miller Brewing Co., Milwaukee, WI

Category: 24 American-Style Specialty Lager - 20 Entries

Gold: Barmen Pilsner, SandLot Brewery at Coors Field, Denver, CO

Silver: Melvis Easly's Special Lager, SandLot Brewery at Coors Field, Denver,
CO

Bronze: Ice House, Miller Brewing Co., Milwaukee, WI

Category: 25 Vienna-Style Lager - 27 Entries

Gold: Rocktoberfest 2, Rock Bottom Brewery - Long Beach, Long Beach, CA

Silver: Genesee Red Lager, High Falls Brewing Co., Rochester, NY

Bronze: Schild Brau Amber, Millstream Brewing Co., Amana, IA

Category: 26 German-Style Märzen / Oktoberfest - 50 Entries

Gold: Michelob Marzen, Anheuser-Busch, St. Louis, MO

Silver: Sudwerk Marzen, Sudwerk Privatbrauerei Hübsch, Davis, CA

Bronze: Dogtoberfest Octoberfest, Flying Dog Brewery, Denver, CO

Category: 27 American-Style Amber Lager - 44 Entries

Gold: Old Scratch Amber Lager, Flying Dog Brewery, Denver, CO

Silver: Steam Engine Lager, Steamworks Brewing Co., Durango, CO

Bronze: California Lager, Schooner's Grille & Brewery, Antioch, CA

Category: 28 European-Style Dark / Münchner Dunkel - 20 Entries

Gold: Munich Dark, Capital Brewery Co., Middleton, WI

Silver: Triumph Dunkel, Triumph Brewing Co. of New Hope, New Hope, PA

Bronze: Black Mountain, Barley's Casino & Brewing Co., Henderson, NV

Category: 29 American-Style Dark Lager - 9 Entries

Gold: Leinenkugel's Creamy Dark, Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Co., Chippewa Falls,
WI

Silver: Shiner Bock, The Spoetzl Brewery, San Antonio, TX

Bronze: Darth's Dark Lager, Redwood Brewing Co., Flint, MI

Category: 30 German-Style Schwarzbier - 21 Entries

Gold: E.J. Phair Schwarzbier, E.J. Phair Brewing Co., Concord, CA

Silver: Kings Peak, Uinta Brewing Co., Salt Lake City, UT

Bronze: Schwarzbier, Hereford & Hops Brewpub, Wausau, WI

Category: 31 Bock - 27 Entries

Gold: Mad Brewer Maibock, Church Brew Works, Pittsburgh, PA

Silver: Goat Rancher, SandLot Brewery at Coors Field, Denver, CO

Bronze: J.W. Dundee's Pale Bock, High Falls Brewing Co., Rochester, NY

Category: 32 German-Style Strong Bock - 25 Entries

Gold: Samuel Adams Double Bock, Boston Beer Co., Boston, MA

Silver: Sled Dog Doppel Bock, Wagner Valley Brewing Co., Lodi, NY

Bronze: Detonator Doppelbock, Big Horn Brewing Co./RAM - Indianapolis, Indianapolis,
IN

Category: 33 Golden or Blonde Ale - 46 Entries

Gold: Kiwanda Cream Ale, Pelican Pub & Brewery, Pacific City, OR

Silver: Boscos Famous Flaming Stone Beer, Boscos Brewing Co. - AR, Little Rock,
AR

Bronze: All Nighter, Chicago Brewing Co., Las Vegas, NV

Category: 34 German-Style Kölsch / Köln-Style Kölsch - 39 Entries

Gold: Bottom's Up Kölsch, Rock Bottom Brewery - Campbell, Campbell, CA

Silver: Claire de Lune, Moon River Brewing Co., Savannah, GA

Bronze: Kentucky Light, Alltech's Lexington Brewing Co., Lexington, KY

Category: 35 English-Style Summer Ale - 24 Entries

Gold: Colorado Trail English Ale, Backcountry Brewery, Frisco, CO

Silver: Sandbagger Gold, Montana Brewing Co., Billings, MT

Bronze: Green Flash Extra Pale Ale, Green Flash Brewing Co., Vista, CA

Category: 36 Classic English-Style Pale Ale - 24 Entries

Gold: Michelob Pale Ale, Anheuser-Busch, St. Louis, MO

Silver: 5 Barrel Pale Ale, Odell Brewing Co., Fort Collins, CO

Bronze: Samuel Adams Pale Ale, Boston Beer Co., Boston, MA

Category: 37 English-Style India Pale Ale - 32 Entries

Gold: Sierra Nevada IPA, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., Chico, CA

Silver: Squatters IPA, Utah Brewers Cooperative, Salt Lake City, UT

Bronze: 1800, Minneapolis Town Hall Brewery, Minneapolis, MN

Category: 38 American-Style Pale Ale - 74 Entries

Gold: Pale Nectar, Firestone Walker Brewing Co., Paso Robles, CA

Silver: Oak Creek Pale Ale, Oak Creek Brewing Co., Sedona, AZ

Bronze: Ironbound Ale, Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant #1, Wilmington, DE

Category: 39 American-Style Strong Pale Ale - 69 Entries

Gold: Dysfunctionale, Piece Brewing Co., Chicago, IL

Silver: Racer, Bear Republic Brewing Co., Healdsburg, CA

Bronze: Hoptical Illusion, Blue Point Brewing Co., Patchogue, NY

Category: 40 American-Style India Pale Ale - 102 Entries

Gold: Castle Rock IPA, Santa Barbara Brewing Co., Santa Barbara, CA

Silver: Torrey Pines IPA, Oggi's Pizza & Brewing Co., San Clemente, CA

Bronze: I.P.A., AleSmith Brewing Co., San Diego, CA

Category: 41 Imperial or Double India Pale Ale - 59 Entries

Gold: Pliny the Elder, Russian River Brewing Co., Santa Rosa, CA

Silver: Hop 15, Pizza Port Solana Beach, Solana Beach, CA

Bronze: Eldridge Grade White Knuckle Double IPA, Marin Brewing Co., Larkspur,
CA

Category: 42 American-Style Amber / Red Ale - 60 Entries

Gold: Amber Waves Ale, Capitol City Brewing Co., Arlington, VA

Silver: Sunset Amber Ale, Oggi's Pizza & Brewing Co., San Clemente, CA

Bronze: Hoppus Maximus, Thirsty Dog Brewing Co., Independence, OH

Category: 43 Imperial or Double Red Ale - 25 Entries

Gold: Shark Attack, Pizza Port Solana Beach, Solana Beach, CA

Silver: Tongue Buckler, Ballast Point Brewing Co., San Diego, CA

Bronze: Imperial Red, Eugene City Brewery, Eugene, OR

Category: 44 Bitter - 30 Entries

Gold: Alaskan Boogie Bitter, Alaskan Brewing Co., Juneau, AK

Silver: Firehouse ESB, Upstream Brewing Co., Omaha, NE

Bronze: Saint Arnold Amber Ale, Saint Arnold Brewing Co., Houston, TX

Category: 45 Extra Special Bitter or Strong Bitter - 55 Entries

Gold: Boscos XXX Pale Ale, Boscos Brewing Co. - TN, Memphis/Nashville, TN

Silver: Alaskan ESB, Alaskan Brewing Co., Juneau, AK

Bronze: Tinderstick ESB, Big Time Brewing Co., Seattle, WA

Category: 46 Scottish-Style Ale - 25 Entries

Gold: Royal Oak Red, The Royal Oak Brewery, Royal Oak, MI

Silver: MacPelican's Scottish Style Ale, Pelican Pub & Brewery, Pacific
City, OR

Bronze: Laughing Lab Scottish Ale, Bristol Brewing Co., Colorado Springs, CO

Category: 47 Irish-Style Red Ale - 27 Entries

Gold: Irish Red, Diamond Bear Brewing Co., Little Rock, AR

Silver: Amber Ale, Starr Hill Brewing Co., Crozet, VA

Bronze: Cleary Red, Hereford & Hops Brewpub, Wausau, WI

Category: 48 English-Style Brown Ale - 52 Entries

Gold: Nut Brown Ale, Long Valley Pub & Brewery, Long Valley, NJ

Silver: Alice B. Brownie, Big Horn Brewing Co./CB-Potts - Westminster, Westminster,
CO

Bronze: Dawn Patrol Dark, Pizza Port Carlsbad, Carlsbad, CA

Category: 49 American-Style Brown Ale - 37 Entries

Gold: Bitch Creek ESB, Grand Teton Brewing Co., Victor, ID

Silver: Doryman's Dark Ale, Pelican Pub & Brewery, Pacific City, OR

Bronze: Ellie's Brown Ale, Avery Brewing Co., Boulder, CO

Category: 50 German-Style Brown Ale / Düsseldorf-Style Altbier - 26 Entries

Gold: Devon Altbier, John Harvard's Brew House #2, Springfield, PA

Silver: Green Flash Ruby Red Ale, Green Flash Brewing Co., Vista, CA

Bronze: Dusseldorf Altbier, Gilded Otter Brewing Co., New Paltz, NY

Category: 51 South German-Style Hefeweizen/Hefeweissbier - 54 Entries

Gold: Top Heavy, Piece Brewing Co., Chicago, IL

Silver: Weathervane Weissbier, Jarre Creek Ranch Brewery, Castle Rock, CO

Bronze: Wild Pitch Hefeweizen, SandLot Brewery at Coors Field, Denver, CO

Category: 52 German-Style Wheat Ale - 27 Entries

Gold: Boscos Hefeweizen, Boscos Brewing Co. - TN, Memphis/Nashville, TN

Silver: Weizenbock, Chicago Brewing Co., Las Vegas, NV

Bronze: Ich Bin Ein Berliner Weisse, Nodding Head Brewing Co., Philadelphia,
PA

Category: 53 Belgian-Style White (or Wit) / Belgian-Style Wheat - 42 Entries

Gold: White Beer, Allagash Brewing Co., Portland, ME

Silver: Alabaster Wit, Oaken Barrel Brewing Co., Greenwood, IN

Bronze: Nit Wit, BJ's Restaurant & Brewery – Chandler, AZ/Boulder,
CO

Category: 54 French-Belgian-Style Saison - 24 Entries

Gold: Saison de Brooklyn, The Brooklyn Brewery, Brooklyn, NY

Silver: Southampton Saison, Southampton Publick House, Southampton, NY

Bronze: Stillwater Rye, Montana Brewing Co., Billings, MT

Category: 55 Belgian- and French-Style Ale - 19 Entries

Gold: Matilda, Goose Island Beer Co., Chicago, IL

Silver: Biere de Garde, Capitol City Brewing Co., Arlington, VA

Bronze: Oro de Calabaza, Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales, Dexter, MI

Category: 56 Belgian-Style Sour Ale - 24 Entries

Gold: Kriek De Hill, Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant #3, Wilmington, DE

Silver: Supplication, Russian River Brewing Co., Santa Rosa, CA

Bronze: Gueuze-Lambic, Upstream Brewing Co., Omaha, NE

Category: 57 Belgian-Style Abbey Ale - 46 Entries

Gold: Abbot 12, Southampton Publick House, Southampton, NY

Silver: Tripel de Ripple, Brugge Brasserie, Indianapolis, IN

Bronze: Abbey Belgian Style Ale, New Belgium Brewing Co., Fort Collins, CO

Category: 58 Belgian-Style Strong Specialty Ale - 47 Entries

Gold: Belgian Strong, Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant #3, Wilmington, DE

Silver: Belgian Abbey Ale, Maui Brewing Co./Fish & Game Rotisserie, Lahaina,
HI

Bronze: Grand Cru, Allagash Brewing Co., Portland, ME

Category: 59 Robust Porter - 54 Entries

Gold: Black Sand Porter, Kona Brewing Co., Kailua-Kona, HI

Silver: Porter, Snipes Mountain Microbrewery & Restaurant, Sunnyside, WA

Bronze: 3 Threads Porter, Far West Brewing Co., Redmond, WA

Category: 60 Brown Porter - 27 Entries

Gold: Our Porter, Long Valley Pub & Brewery, Long Valley, NJ

Silver: Old Grind Porter, Etna Brewing Co., Etna, CA

Bronze: Prince William Porter, Moose's Tooth Brewing Co., Anchorage, AK

Category: 61 Classic Irish-Style Dry Stout - 15 Entries

Gold: Dark Starr Stout, Starr Hill Brewing Co., Crozet, VA

Silver: Seaside Stout, Pizza Port Solana Beach, Solana Beach, CA

Bronze: Sacrilicious Stout, Rochester Mills Beer Co., Rochester, MI

Category: 62 Foreign (Export)-Style Stout - 23 Entries

Gold: Black Bear XX Stout, Alameda Brewhouse, Portland, OR

Silver: Organic Chocolate Stout, Bison Brewing Co., Berkeley, CA

Bronze: Black Hole XXX Stout, Chelsea Brewing Co., New York, NY

Category: 63 American-Style Stout - 17 Entries

Gold: Shakespeare Stout, Rogue Ales, Newport, OR

Silver: Black Magic Stout, Oggi's Pizza & Brewing Co., San Clemente, CA

Bronze: Pipeline Stout, Moose's Tooth Brewing Co., Anchorage, AK

Category: 64 British Stout - 56 Entries

Gold: Lasto's Oatmeal Stout, BJ's Restaurant & Brewery - Jantzen Beach,
OR/

Lloyd Center, OR/Clear Lake, TX

Silver: Oatmeal Stout, Gella's Diner & Liquid Bread Brewing Co., Hays, KS

Bronze: Black Pearl Stout, Main Street Brewery, Corona, CA

Category: 65 Imperial Stout - 42 Entries

Gold: Siberian Night, Thirsty Dog Brewing Co., Independence, OH

Silver: Yeti Imperial Stout, Great Divide Brewing Co., Denver, CO

Bronze: Got Rocks Russian, Big Rock Chop House, Birmingham, MI

Category: 66 Strong Scotch Ale - 34 Entries

Gold: High Road Scotch Ale, Walking Man Brewing, Stevenson, WA

Silver: Wee Heavy, AleSmith Brewing Co., San Diego, CA

Bronze: Caber Tossed Wee Heavy, Oggi's Pizza & Brewing Co., San Clemente,
CA

Category: 67 Old Ale/Strong Ale - 30 Entries

Gold: Nemesis, Big Time Brewing Co., Seattle, WA

Silver: Triple Exultation, Eel River Brewing Co., Fortuna, CA

Bronze: Shorty's Revenge, E.J. Phair Brewing Co., Concord, CA

Category: 68 Other Strong Ale or Lager - 24 Entries

Gold: Wheat Wine, Smuttynose Brewing Co., Portsmouth, NH

Silver: Double Bastard Ale, Stone Brewing Co., San Marcos, CA

Bronze: El Robusto Porter, Papago Brewing Co., Scottsdale, AZ

Category: 69 Barley Wine-Style Ale - 47 Entries

Gold: Sierra Nevada Bigfoot Barley-Wine Style Ale, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.,
Chico, CA

Silver: Hot Pot, Glenwood Canyon Brewing Co., Glenwood Springs, CO

Bronze: Old Ruffian Barley Wine, Great Divide Brewing Co., Denver, CO

2005 Large Brewing Company and

Large Brewing Company Brewer

ANHEUSER-BUSCH, St. Louis, MO

DOUG MUHLEMAN

2005 Mid-Size Brewing Company and

Mid-Size Brewing Company Brewer

SIERRA NEVADA BREWING, Chico, CA

STEVE DRESSLER

2005 Small Brewing Company and

Small Brewing Company Brewer

SANDLOT BREWERY AT COORS FIELD, Denver, CO

TOM HAIL

2005 Large Brewpub and

Large Brewpub Brewer

IRON HILL RESTAURANT & BREWERY #3, Wilmington, DE

MARK EDELSON

2005 Small Brewpub and

Small Brewpub Brewmaster

PELICAN PUB & BREWERY, Pacific City, OR

DARRON R. S. WELCH

OK, I have the rundown on the winners right here, and whether you agree or not, from what I have been told these blind judgements are taken very, very seriously:

Category: 3 American-Style Wheat Beer - 21 Entries
Gold: Triumph Honey Wheat, Triumph Brewing Co. of New Hope, New Hope, PA

Category: 9 Rye Beer - 23 Entries
Silver: Crazy Jackass Ale, Great American Restaurants, Centreville, VA

Category: 10 Specialty Honey Lager or Ale - 22 Entries
Gold: George's Fault, Nodding Head Brewing Co., Philadelphia, PA
Silver: Midas Touch Golden Elixir, Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, Milton, DE

Category: 13 Cellar or Unfiltered Beer - 24 Entries
Bronze: Tuppers' Hop Pocket Pils, Old Dominion Brewing Co., Ashburn, VA

Category: 15 German-Style Pilsener - 35 Entries
Bronze: Triumph German Pilsener, Triumph Brewing Co. of New Hope, New Hope, PA

Category: 16 Bohemian-Style Pilsener - 43 Entries
Silver: Triumph Czech Pilsener, Triumph Brewing Co. of Princeton, Princeton, NJ

Category: 21 American-Style "Light" Amber Lager - 7 Entries
Silver: MoJo Lager, Starr Hill Brewing Co., Crozet, VA

Category: 28 European-Style Dark / Münchner Dunkel - 20 Entries
Silver: Triumph Dunkel, Triumph Brewing Co. of New Hope, New Hope, PA

Category: 31 Bock - 27 Entries
Gold: Mad Brewer Maibock, Church Brew Works, Pittsburgh, PA

Category: 38 American-Style Pale Ale - 74 Entries
Bronze: Ironbound Ale, Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant #1, Wilmington, DE

Category: 42 American-Style Amber / Red Ale - 60 Entries