Naturally, I have several local brews to recommend in the spirit of a clip from The Shepherd-Express, my hometown alternative press choice.

First, from New Glarus Brewing Company...

Spotted Cow: Cask conditioned ale has been a popular choice among brews since long before prohibition. New Glarus continues this spirit with a Wisconsin farmhouse ale. Brewed with flaked barley and the finest Wisconsin malts and a nod to our farmers with a little hint of corn.

Naturally cloudy, as the yeast remains in the bottle to
enhance fullness of flavor, which can not be duplicated otherwise.

Fun, fruity and satis...

Naturally, I have several local brews to recommend in the spirit of a clip from The Shepherd-Express, my hometown alternative press choice.

First, from New Glarus Brewing Company...

Spotted Cow: Cask conditioned ale has been a popular choice among brews since long before prohibition. New Glarus continues this spirit with a Wisconsin farmhouse ale. Brewed with flaked barley and the finest Wisconsin malts and a nod to our farmers with a little hint of corn.

Naturally cloudy, as the yeast remains in the bottle to
enhance fullness of flavor, which can not be duplicated otherwise.

Fun, fruity and satisfying, you know you’re in Wisconsin when you see the Spotted Cow.

(BTB sez if you drink too many, you'll get cow-tipped.)

Hometown Blonde: An Old World style pilsner, assertively
hopped with four premium hop varieties. Tettnanger, Saaz, Styrian Golding and Strisselpalt varieties all grace this German-style brew with the complex character you enjoy in a classic pilsner.

Expect to pour an elegant blonde glass of beer, crowned with a rich head of foam that resonates with our chorus of
hops.

Although delicate in appearance, Hometown Blonde has a
backbone, but of course in Wisconsin that is no surprise.

(As in life otherwise, too many blondes at once can get you in trouble, but what fun it is on the way.)

Now, from Milwaukee, this time to one of the granddaddy's of modern micro-brews, Sprecher Brewing. Founded in 1985, Sprecher wins many awards for their products, such as...

Special Amber: A delicate balance of toasted malt and fresh hops give this medium-bodied German-style lager an
intriguing, complex malt flavor. A creamy head, deep golden color and an impressive hop bouquet make this a very special beer.

Imperial Stout: Once brewed in Britain for the Russian Czars, this tremendously rich and th

Oops!

Imperial Stout: Once brewed in Britain for the Russian Czars, this tremendously rich and thick ale uses a profusion of burnt and caramel malts. A massive mouthful of dark roasted malt and coffee flavors finishes with hints of chocolate, caramel & licorice.

Now, on to the Lakefront Brewery, started just after Sprecher in 1987...

Cream City Pale Ale: Named after the pale yellow Cream City bricks which are only found in Milwaukee, the ale is a top fermenting amber-colored ale is brewed using generous amounts of malt and kettle hops. The trademark of this ale is its beautiful hop bouquet and taste that comes from a liberal dry ho...

Oops!

Imperial Stout: Once brewed in Britain for the Russian Czars, this tremendously rich and thick ale uses a profusion of burnt and caramel malts. A massive mouthful of dark roasted malt and coffee flavors finishes with hints of chocolate, caramel & licorice.

Now, on to the Lakefront Brewery, started just after Sprecher in 1987...

Cream City Pale Ale: Named after the pale yellow Cream City bricks which are only found in Milwaukee, the ale is a top fermenting amber-colored ale is brewed using generous amounts of malt and kettle hops. The trademark of this ale is its beautiful hop bouquet and taste that comes from a liberal dry hopping of the highest grade Cascade hops during the secondary fermentation. The malt firmness of this ale comes from the perfect mixture of two-row malted barley, carapils, and caramel specialty malts.

While there are many brews to choose from , the final one is the one from the clipped article itself...

Focktoberfest: Lakefront Brewery and the Shepherd Express honor Milwaukee legend Art Kumbalek with his own beer, a classic malty brew which displays a lightly toasted caramel color from its Vienna-malts and Hersbrucker hops. Smooth with a mild bitterness, this beer would have been perfect in October, but - as Art Kumbalek puts it, "What the Fock?"

So, let's have a great time, and leave very generous tips for the bartenders along the way.

Wow! My eyes glazed over while reading all those beautiful names and descriptions of beer. Mouth watering! How can anyone not love beer?? Beer's just such a wonderful thing! After a long hard day, what beats climbing into a hammock on a hot sunny day, with a cat in your lap and an icecold beer in your hand? Nothing! It's paradise!

I am a bit worried about the social "art" of beer drinking though. Through my travels, I have noticed, that more and more of the old "traditional" pubs, tavernas and bodegas are disappearing and being replaced with cafés, pizzarias and the likes. It's a dying tradition! (esp in a lot of European countries) To me the ol' watering hole is a vital place for social i...

Wow! My eyes glazed over while reading all those beautiful names and descriptions of beer. Mouth watering! How can anyone not love beer?? Beer's just such a wonderful thing! After a long hard day, what beats climbing into a hammock on a hot sunny day, with a cat in your lap and an icecold beer in your hand? Nothing! It's paradise!

I am a bit worried about the social "art" of beer drinking though. Through my travels, I have noticed, that more and more of the old "traditional" pubs, tavernas and bodegas are disappearing and being replaced with cafés, pizzarias and the likes. It's a dying tradition! (esp in a lot of European countries) To me the ol' watering hole is a vital place for social interactions etc. I love cafés, but they're just not the same as a watering hole.

My absolute favourite every day run of the mill beer has got to be VB, but for the more special beers, I'd have to say a Danish beer called "Blaa Nykoebing" takes the cake! (or the beer mug.) It's fabulous! Beer, just like anything else shouldn't be abused though, or it will be back to bite you with a vengeance. (Hangovers, alcoholism, etc) All in moderation, drinking beer is the most social, fun, relaxing and yummy thing to do! Beer is why God invented Friday nights!