Here are the latest articles from the Beer and Brewing site at BellaOnline.com.

Becoming a Beer Judge - A Woman's Personal Journal - Phase 3
It occurred to me that our BJCP exam was only a few weeks away.  A vague feeling of panic set in, as I began to comprehend the complexity of what I was learning.
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Gluten Free Beer - Tasting Panel Gives Thumbs Up
Dr. Steve Ford is awesome! Such is the opinion of hundreds of diagnosed Celiacs who had endured years, or decades, without beer.
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Victory Brewing Emerges with Doppelsticke Alt - Ten Years Alt
Ten Years Alt, an iridescent, traditional, chestnut-copper beer, brewed to commemorate the tenth anniversary of Victory Brewing, seizes center stage as the first Doppelsticke Alt to be brewed in the United States.
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Beer Fox Tip of the Week:

Take a tip from Alcatraz Brewing Company Restaurant and Brewery, a San Francisco Eatery at Circle Centre Mall, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA. Brewmaster Omar Castrellon and Executive Chef Daryl Birkholz are entering the world of leaner cuisine.

Offering San Francisco style Tapas plates of fresh and seasonal foods - crab cakes, spring rolls, spinach and artichoke dip, fresh fruits and vegetables, and other distinctive cuisine - Alcatraz Brewing is on the cutting edge of America's changing dietary choices.  Presentation is of utmost importance and the newer fare will be served on uniquely shaped dishes of white, paired with special beers that Omar is brewing.  Glassware will fit the style of beer.

Kudos to the "forward thinking" Castrellon and Birkholz for their keen sense of beer style!

Beer Fox Laugh of the Week:

An Irishman who had a little too much to drink is driving home from the city one night and, of course, his car is weaving violently all over the road. A cop pulls him over.

"So," says the cop to the driver, "where have ya been?" "Why, I've been to the pub of course," slurs the drunk. "Well," says the cop, "it looks like you've had quite a few to drink this evening." "I did all right," the drunk says with a smile.

"Did you know," says the cop, standing straight and folding his arms across his chest, "that a few intersections back, your wife fell out of your car?" "Oh, thank heavens," sighs the drunk. "For a minute there, I thought I'd gone deaf."

Beer News:

You may be curious to understand why, despite the flat sales in the macro beer market, sales of microbrews are enjoying a 7.1% increase, with no decline in sight.  The big guns are having a hard time with this one.

Suffice it to say that people like diversity.  Even when they fall into the habitual rigors of social life, they are still open to changing tastes...something different from time to time.

A keen observer will also notice that the age population of the country is shifting a bit.  As people enter into the second half of their life, their tastes become more sophisticated.  They have a bit more money to spend, and they love the idea of delving into the world of sophisticated beer, complete with special glassware, in line with the Belgian idea of "a special glass for a special beer."

Many restaurateurs are keenly observing this trend.  Beer menus that read like small guidebooks are being prepared for the mature palates of their patrons.  Wait staff employees are being educated on the nuances of craft beer, while beer dinners educate the public on pairings that work.

Cheers to craft beer!

Craft Brew of the Week Award:

Arctic Devil Bourbon Barrel Barleywine - Midnight Sun Brewing, Anchorage, Alaska, USA
Style:  English Barleywine

Ruby auburn highlights flicker in the glass, showing off a complexity of color as an ambient translucence calls you to meet the devil.  An eggshell white head fizzes up to emit aromas of vanilla, bourbon, oak, figs, raisins and whiskied cherries, enticing your spirit to surrender to the temptations of this wily brew.

Caramel, figs and an English hop character pull insistently on your tongue, while plums and dark fruits merge with tones of cognac, taking you on a wild ride to the halls of euphoric limbo.  Dominates the spirit in a spectacular finish!

Cheers!

Please visit Beer.bellaonline.com for even more great content about Beer and Brewing. To participate in free, fun online discussions, this site has a community forum all about Beer and Brewing located here -
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Carolyn Smagalski, Beer and Brewing Editor
http://Beer.bellaonline.com