J'aime la bière

I was trading emails with my bro-in-law today, and I suggested the possibility of jointly creating a blog on beer. No, it wouldn't be an original endeavor, but given that it's a topic near and dear to our hearts, I think it's something I could personally benefit from. After all ... so many beers, so little time. Which is to say when I go to the store in search of new brews, I'd prefer to go off a recommendation.

Now, I've posted on the topic of beer in the past. And those who know me, know that both my wife and I are big into beer. Ironically, to date I've never attempted to brew my own. Always meant to, but best laid plans and all. Fortunately, that's all about to change. I recentlly re-connected with an old college buddy who worked the entertainment desk with me at Chez Collegian, and let's just say he knows his stuff, having brewed just about everything and everywhere (even Japan).

He probably doesn't realize what he's getting himself into, but he's going to take me under his wing, show me the ropes and in the process, likely create a monster. Needless to say, I'm excited to finally give it a try. For starters, I'm going to go watch him run through a batch. I'm also reading up on several recommended sources, so hopefully it won't be a totally hopeless effort once the time comes. Speaking of, the one deal I made with myself was to clean up the storage room in the basement before brewing. Part of that is out of necessity really -- unless I clean up, I'll have no space in the basement.

So, while we wait for this blessed day to arrive, I want to share with you a couple of things. First, is the current Flying Dog Brewery contest. Coloradans and select aficionados will recognize Flying Dog as the brewery that Ralph Steadman lends his talents to (his artwork adorns their labels); the late, great Hunter S. was a big fan as well (the Gonzo Imperial Porter was possibly the best local brew of the last year ... the good doctor would approve). The brewery is looking to the public to name its upcoming summer brew (yeah, it's still winter, but you know how planning goes). It's going to be a Belgian White (you had me at Belgian). So, if you're interested in putting pen to paper and have some creative ideas, submit your best. A basic understanding of Flying Dog's history and current selection of beers might help.

And finally, I discovered something interesting that I hadn't realize about Samuel Adams. While I knew it offered a broader selection of beers for a mass-market brewery, I didn't know it dabbled in special releases or big beers (extreme beers, as it calls them). Come to find out (courtesy of The History Channel's Modern Marvels: Brewing episode) that not only does the brewery churn out some unique crafts, it holds the Guinness record for the world's biggest beer -- 25 percent ABV. It's called Utopias, and you can take in all it's glory here. Don't ask me how to find one, as I haven't discovered the answer yet (short of paying some eBay hack $440).