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Winter Warmers for the Discriminating Beer Drinker
Your mind enters darkened hallways…catacombs…winding concrete stairways that melt into darkness…an archway surrounding heavy oak doors that open into your beer cellar.
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art54621.asp

Winter Warmers - 20 Must Haves for the Beer Cellar
This winter, share your valued Winter Warmers with friends and lovers. Replenish your selections early in the season, while supplies are abundant and variety is yours for the asking.
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art54619.asp

Beer Hunting with GPS
To the beer enthusiast, the joy of the hunt magnifies under the guidance of all those satellites, orbiting at 7,000 miles per hour and powered by solar energy. All that power to help you find beer!
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art54587.asp

Beer Fox Tip of the Week:

Winter Beer Festivals are great fun and add excitement to the doldrums of cold or inclement weather. Don't act like a novice! Prepare for these festivals like the pros. You will have more fun, and I won't have to deal with you screaming in my face when you've pushed beyond your limit.

1. Prior to the festival, get a good night's sleep. Actually, get several good nights of quality sleep. This will raise your tolerance.

2. Eat. Before, during, and after. Include foods that are high in fats that will absorb the alcohol.

3. Drink more water than you think you need. Before, during, and after. This will help to detoxify the body. Despite all that liquid beer, the alcohol causes dehydration. Be kind to your body.

4. Don't smoke. It dulls the senses, and you will not be able to accurately taste or smell the variety of beers available to you at the festival. If you can't taste it, why bother?

5. Design a game plan. Festivals offer so many beers, and your palate can suffer mass confusion. If you want to truly enjoy the fest, plan. Some recommendations:
- Horizontal tastings of all the same beer style from different breweries.
- Choose three styles, going from lightest body and flavor to heaviest. Taste several light bodied beers from several breweries(first hour), then move to those with medium body (next hour), and on to those with full body (last hour).
- Limit yourself to a terrior: all German styles, or Belgians, or British, or West Coast, or East Coast, or Wisconsin Beers. You get the idea.
- Taste all beers with high IBU's. Hophead heaven!
- Taste all high ABV beers, but drink more water and eat more high fat foods.
- Explore the differences between beers with low SRM's (pale straw to light golden in color). Just because they are pale in color doesn't mean they are low in alcohol. This is a great session-lesson.
- Taste beers that are unavailable in your area. You may decide to move!

6. Build your tolerance before the festival so your body gets used to handling alcohol. Pay attention to your threshold. Ask others for their opinion. You may not think you are under the influence, but you may be slurring.

7. Find a designated driver, or plan to stay overnight. NEVER drink and drive without testing your alcohol level. Don't step a millimeter outside the guidelines! Your alcohol-meter may show fluctuations, so play it safe.

Beer Fox Laugh of the Week:

Bob was in trouble. He forgot his wedding anniversary. His wife was really ticked-off.

She told him "Tomorrow morning, I expect to find a gift in the driveway that goes from 0 to 200 in 6 seconds AND IT BETTER BE THERE !!"

The next morning he got up early and left for work. When his wife woke up, she looked out the window and, sure enough, there was a gift-wrapped box in the middle of the driveway.

Confused, the wife put on her robe, ran out to the driveway, and brought the box back in the house.

She opened it and found a brand new bathroom scale.

Bob has been missing since Friday.

Beer News:

8th Annual Big Beers, Belgians & Barleywine Festival - January 10 - 12, 2008 - Vail Marriott Mountain Resort & Spa, Vail, Colorado, USA - Features Brewmaster's Dinners, Commercial Tasting Event, Homebrew Competition, and Seminars presented by Doug Odell, Sam Calagione, Tomme Arthur, Julia Herz, JoAnne Carelli-Stevenson, Peter Bouckaert, Will Meyers, and Adam Avery. For tickets and information:
http://www.bigbeersfestival.com/beer_festival_tickets.htm

2008 Great Alaska Beer & Barley Wine Festival - January 18th & 19th, 2008 - William A. Egan Civic & Convention Center, Anchorage, Alaska, USA - Special guests are Sam Calagione of Dogfish Head Brewery and Tom Dalldorf, Celebrator Beer News. For tickets and information:
http://www.auroraproductions.net/beer-barley.html

Celebrator Beer News sponsors the Ninth All About Beer Brew Cruise Sailing through Alaska - Friday to Friday cruise: August 22 - 29, 2008 (with optional pre & post cruise nights in Seattle). - A 7-night Alaska Hubbard Glacier Cruise round trip from Seattle, WA
To book or for more information contact: Michael Weil Magic Happens Travel & Cruises 1903 N Harrison Ave. Suite 201 Cary, NC 27513 919-678-9800 / 800-824-4968 travel@magichappens.com or http://www.magichappens.com

Craft Beer of the Week Award

Firestone Walker Eleven - Firestone Walker Brewing Company, Paso Robles, California, USA

Style: American Strong Ale - 11% ABV

Its deep mahogany-walnut body supports a lean tan head, while aromas of bourbon, toffee, oatmeal, and vanilla captivate your attention. On the tongue, bourbon notes warm the tastebuds, and open up to caramel, espresso, black chocolate and figs. Silky smoothness slides with a viscous caress within the mouth. A masterpiece!
 
Cheers!

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Carolyn Smagalski, Beer and Brewing Editor
http://Beer.bellaonline.com

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