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

Green Beer is Verdi Verdi Good for You
It is no surprise that the creative brewers at Dogfish Head chose a title like "Verdi" to represent the complexity of their limited edition early Spring beer.
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Glengariff County Cork Stew
The Beer Fox says, "A taste of the Irish! Delicious aromas contribute to an aura of home-style comfort during leisure cooking time."
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Is Nigerian Guinness Gluten Free?
At this time of year, everyone in America claims to be Irish, with Guinness Draught and Guinness Extra Stout being the frontrunner of choice for most beer-drinkers...
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Top Ten List - How to Use a Macro Lager
So what does a craft beer enthusiast do when they discover a forgotten, half-used case of macro-brew in the back of their garage?
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Michael Jackson Tutors Beer Tasting at University of Pennsylvania Museum
Michael Jackson, authoritative British beer expert and world-famous author, is always in the midst of great discoveries and new launches.
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Beer Fox Tip of the Week:

When pairing beer with food, match the flavors, body and texture. Pair light beers - Belgian wit or Weissbier - with lighter, crisp foods; Full bodied beer - Doppelbock or Russian Imperial Stout -  with heavier foods;  Sweeter beer - Oatmeal Stout, Mead or Scottish Ale - with sweeter foods; Sour ales - Berliner Weisse or Flanders Red ale - with salads and seafood; Bitter beers - India Pale Ale, Foreign Extra Stout or ESB - with foods higher in fat content.

Beer Fox Laugh of the Week:

A lawyer and a blonde are sitting next to each other at the bar. The lawyer leans over to her and asks if she would like to play a fun game. The blonde, drunk and dozing, just wants to take a nap, so she politely declines and rolls over to the window to catch a few winks.

The lawyer persists and explains that the game is really easy and a lot of fun. He explains: "I ask you a question, and if you don't know the answer, you pay me $5, and visa-versa."

Again, she politely declines and tries to get some sleep.

The lawyer, now somewhat agitated, says, "Okay, if you don't know the answer you pay me $5, and if I don't know the answer, I will pay you $50" figuring that since she is a blonde that he will easily win the match.

This catches the blonde's attention and, figuring that there will be no end to this torment unless she plays, she agrees to the game.

The lawyer asks the first question: "What's the distance from the earth to the moon?"

The blonde doesn't say a word, reaches into her purse, pulls out a five-dollar bill and hands it to the lawyer.

Now, it's the blonde's turn. She asks the lawyer: "What goes up a hill with three legs, and comes down with four?"

The lawyer looks at her with a puzzled look.

He takes out his laptop computer and searches all his references. He taps into the digital cellphone via infra-red wireless connection to his modem port and searches the Net and the Library of Congress. Frustrated, he sends E-mail to all his co-workers, friends, clients, and suppliers that he knows. And then some. All to no avail. After over an hour, he wakes the blonde and hands her $50. The blonde politely takes the $50 and turns away to get back to sleep.

The lawyer, who is more than a little miffed, wakes the blonde and asks, "Well, so what IS the answer?"

Without a word, the blonde reaches into her purse, hands the lawyer $5, and goes back to sleep.

Beer News:

The top 30 Beer Brand Performers of 2005 Ranking has been released by Information Resources, Inc., the world's leading provider of market information for the retail and adult beverage industry.  Of the top 30 brands, 18 were high end brands, including 13 imports and 5 craft/micros.
This is in line with the latest research showing that consumers will pay bigger money for "designer" brands.

The 5 micros in the list:  New Belgium Fat Tier Amber Ale, Widmer Hefeweizen, Samuel Adams Seasonal, Sierra Nevada Pale Ale and Shiner Bock.

Growth of the brands listed in the Top 30 was 4 to 5 percent higher than the entire beer category as a whole.

Craft Brew of the Week Award:

Hop Wallop - Victory Brewing Company, Downingtown, Pennsylvania, USA
Style:  American Double IPA

A gargantuan, creamy white head sits like a thunderhead atop the slightly hazy, golden amber body, flecked with tiny particles of yeast.  Citrus rises up to meet the nose, with pine, spruce, pineapple and an herbaceous character.

Your senses awaken with its smooth texture as it floats across your lips and palate, alerting you to the delights of grapefruit, spices, firm malt and sharp pine.  An IPA lovers' IPA!

Cheers!

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