Wow! Bell's Amber Ale

I was planning on being lazy tonight and not reviewing this one until a later time, but I can't help myself, nor can I hold back from saying "Wow!" in the title.


At least let me be lazy tonight when it comes to the picture :(

Bell's Amber Ale is unquestionably amber colored, with sweet malts that show in the taste and smell.  I smell quality hops as well.  What I really enjoy about this beer is the obvious lack of filtration.  One look in your mug or pint glass and you'll see the aftereffects of mashing hops and barley;  the little guys that find their way through a strainer, and into a carboy for the joy of fermentation.

I got about a quarter to half-inch thick head that seems to be planning to stick around for good, or at least until I'm through with the beer.  The bottle shows the ABV as 5.8%; not too bad, definitely sessionable.  There's a little over a hint of an alcoholic taste coming through, nothing to fuss about.  The body is a solid medium, appropriate to the degree of sweet malts.  Every bar in the country should have this brew available.  I really stand behind this beer, not just in defense of microbreweries and the culture of better beer, but for the fact that it is extremely drinkable, and could definitely be appreciated by the most close-minded, light beer aficionado.  Bell's Amber Ale should serve as the gateway brew to better beer for the lowest common denominator of beer drinkers.

Mad Anthony: An Italian Tale

In the Shadyside of Pittsburgh, PA sits a medium-sized bar and restaurant called Bites & Brews.  My wife's brother used to work there, serving up hot panini sandwiches, and from what I hear, he also was slanging some pretty good pizza pies.

The place had a nice atmosphere.  I haven't been there in 3 years, but what I do remember is the extensive array of beers on tap and bottle.  Bites & Brews is the place where I tried Troegs version of a stout, something I couldn't finish because I was already 5-6 beers in on somebody's India Pale Ale (nothing against Troegs stout, it was very good).

For a few months, I spent a lot of time at Bites & Brews with my brother, Dylan, and a mutual friend, Anthony.  All three of us were on a micro-brew kick since our recent trip to New York, where we all had a great time visiting family and discovering the world of better beer.  If I remember correctly, I was probably driving into Pittsburgh from California, PA once a week, usually late in the week, nearing the weekend.

The times I couldn't make it out were still involving Dylan and Anthony spending bucks and throwing back beers at Bites & Brews.  After a few nights without me, Dylan shared a tale that makes me laugh to this day.

Anthony, our mutual friend that was, at the time, attending the University of Pittsburgh, had recently grown a liking toward a bottled brew called "Mad Anthony's APA (American Pale Ale from Erie Brewing Company, Erie, PA)."  He was obviously intrigued by the name, and probably found dark comedy in the fact that he shared the mood included in the title.

Bottle after bottle, Anthony savored a case in 3-4 nights.  The slot in the fridge was looking popular as the beer was disappearing.  Mad Anthony's APA was a hit!  Or was it?


Not mine.  I got it from Energyproductions.com.  Please, please, please don't get "mad!" 

After a few conversations with the bartender, Dylan discovered that our friend, Anthony, was the only one buying Mad Anthony's APA, and the only reason they kept in stock.  The myth of it's popularity was exposed, but it didn't make Anthony any bit madder, or maybe we just couldn't notice a difference.

Recently, after seeing the brew at the Beer Store, and then seeing singles of it at my local six-pack shop, I decided to pick one up for nostalgic purposes.  I ran up the stairs and evidently shook it up a little because as soon as I popped the bottle the brew started spewing out like it was "mad."

I poured Mad Anthony's APA into my 18-19 oz mug (Yeah, I measured and that's what I came up with) and got a solid head.  The brew is a nice cloudy amber.  The taste is pretty good.  Cloaked hops with minimal bitterness.  A good hoppy smell, very healthy lacing, and a medium body.  There's not much more that I can say.  Bottom line, I approve.  Have one yourself, hell, have another!  You won't be disappointed.

An Uneducated Review: Harpoon's Hefeweizen, UFO

I pulled it off!  This is the first Hefeweizen brew I've ever poured, and I did so with the right glass, a weizen.  To top it off I had a perfect pour, utilizing the method of turning the glass on top of the bottle, flipping the position, and slowly, but surely, letting the brew slide out of the bottle and into the glass.  I finished with the swirling of the last bit from the bottle and then proceeded to dump it on to the head.  Just like a pro!



A late picture is better than no picture.  I had to enjoy it a little before I took one!

I am unfortunately lost for an elaborative description, but I love this beer!  I'm extremely uneducated when it comes to Hefeweizen's, so here's what BeerAdvocate.com describes the style as:

"A south German style of wheat beer (weissbier) made with a typical ratio of 50:50, or even higher, wheat. A yeast that produces a unique phenolic flavors of banana and cloves with an often dry and tart edge, some spiciness, bubblegum or notes of apples. Little hop bitterness, and a moderate level of alcohol. The "Hefe" prefix means "with yeast", hence the beers unfiltered and cloudy appearance. Poured into a traditional Weizen glass, the Hefeweizen can be one sexy looking beer."

Okay, so the beer definitely has a cloudiness to it, something commonplace in wheat beers.  There is also a dryness to this beer that one should notice.

I really enjoy the body of this beer, somewhere around light-medium.  A bite is almost non-existent, just a slight tingle on the tongue and your through with that aspect.  The color is like a cloudy-pilsner, maybe a little more yellow.

The head retention is really good, constantly offering a fluffy foam that fails to ever remove itself.  The lacing is remarkable, like airplane trails in the sky.  Maybe I did better than I had anticipated when describing this beer, all I know is that it is an outstanding style of brew if Harpoon expressed its intended qualities.  Having another is the only way to find out, and in the meantime, maybe I should do some more reading.  Until next time, Cheers from The Light on Beer!

Saigon Exports Deserves a Glib Post

From Vietnam comes Saigon Export.  Rice is a utilized adjunct, creating a yellow, piss-like color.  This beer smells and tastes like Heineken, but an obvious difference lies between the IBU's, with Heineken having a lot more.


Don't let the lighting fool you: Saigon Export does not display the golden/amber color you're seeing.  It is a lot lighter, and a lot more yellow.

Saigon Export goes down friendly, but the beer is very bland, even more so than Heineken.  I'm guessing it is the Miller Lite of Vietnam.  The gold foil presentation that surrounds the neck and bottle cap is definitely out of place.  The head and lacing of this beer is just like any light beer from the U.S.  Yuppies could drink this and feel trendy.

I don't like this beer, but I don't hate it.  On a positive note, it shares qualities of a typical European beer.  There is a hop characteristic in the taste that I'm familiar with.  In that respect, it reminds me of Pilsner Urquell, Stella Artois, even Carlsberg or Grolsch, but every one of the beers I just mentioned are superior to Saigon Export.  Still, it has a good carbonation level, a nice feel, and a light body that, surprisingly, doesn't disappoint me.  And for a beer that lacks a lot of flavor, it doesn't really taste watered down.

In retrospect, I can't complain.  I bought an imported Export from Saigon that traveled a hell of a long way, and for one single it only cost me around a $1.93.  Not bad for an Import.

A Few Notes On Whitbread Pale Ale

 As usual, I found this at my local six-pack shop, Gun Town Beer.  My initial response to the smell and taste of a drop from the mouth of the bottle after pouring it into my mug was "Ughhh....frat-house beer."  After a thorough taste though, not so much.

Whitbread Pale Ale smells of sweet malts, is amber/copper in color, and pours out a nice white head with a semi-creamy, semi-thin lacing.  Head retention is very good.  I don't know the number, but the IBU (International Bitterness Unit) is probably low to mid-range.


Samuel Whitbread - 
See http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/BUwhitbread.htm for more information 

There is definitely a bready character that talks to the palate, kind of like a sourdough.  The body is a nice medium.  There seems to be more of a focus on malted barley than a focus on hops, but the ratio is agreeable.  The hops that do come out really shine in the feel of the beer, while adding just enough bitterness to the taste.

In addition, as a Yuengling Traditional Lager drinker, I appreciate Whitbread Pale Ale.  It shares some of Yuengling Traditional's characteristics in smell and body.  Yuengling fans will not be disappointed with this one from the late Sam Whitbread.

Without a doubt, Whitbread Pale Ale is a solid "session" beer.  Give this one a try (ABV is 5.70%, according to BeerAdvocate.com).

Props to The Beer Store: A Hibernation Story (Great Divide's Hibernation Ale)

A few weeks ago I saw a review on YouTube of a beer called Hibernation Ale, a Christmas brew from the Great Divide Brewing Company (Denver, CO). I was so intrigued that I decided to call The Beer Store (Locust Ave, Washington, PA) and see if they had it. I was told to call back in ten minutes, and upon speaking with the manager I learned that they didn't have it, but his beer rep could track it down.

After failing to receive a call back from the manager to say "Hey, it's in," I decided to call again after a few days (I was told that the beer would be in by Wednesday, two days from the day I agreed to the special order). The manager informed me that it would be in the following day. At that point, I decided on waiting until the following week to pick it up because I had already spent enough on beer the current week (Hibernation Ale was going to cost me around 41 dollars).

So, just this past Monday, I drove to The Beer Store in Washington, PA to pick up my special-order case of Hibernation Ale. "Sorry, we still don't have it." I was then told to expect a call the same day for more details, and that hopefully he would get it in on Wednesday (kind of like a repeat of the previous week).

I answered my phone on Wednesday, when a number I didn't recognize showed up for the second time in two days. It was the manager from The Beer Store: "Hey, man, I couldn't get the beer you wanted, but I tracked down a place that has it. They won't sell it to me, but you can pick it up yourself."

To my surprise, the distributor that had one case left of Hibernation Ale was just 6-7 minutes away and called Route 19 Beer & Cigar (McMurray, PA). Speaking with whom I would guess was the manager, I learned that he received the brew on accident, and to top it off, it was a vintage case, originally intended to be sold back in December of 2007! Mind you, this beer has a high ABV rate (8.1%), so "hibernating" for 2 years actually improves the beer. It doesn't render the beer undrinkable like a typical light beer. I left the store happy, even paying a little less than 41 bucks (Props to Route 19 Beer & Cigar for having this rare find, and props to The Beer Store in Washington, PA, for following through and respecting the culture of folks that appreciate beer, even though the task didn't directly improve their bottom line).


Not my pic, oh well :(


I shared the brew with a friend that night. We both were instantly impressed. The following is a summary of my thoughts on Hibernation Ale, which was poured into a pint glass:

Hibernation Ale is dark, dark beer. At 8.1% ABV, you have to watch out! Honestly, I drank 5 of these over the course of 6 hours, and I felt like crap the next morning. But, that's my fault, not the beer's. Respect beer, and respect yourself. I'd say 2-3 of these in one night and you'll be happy you stopped the following day.

A lot of dark coffee flavors show themselves in this brew, from the smell to the taste. Dark chocolate is very pronounced as well. I'd say that there is more of a dryness to this brew than a extremely showy bitterness. If you've read my previous post on Christmas brews, DO NOT practice my sure-shot method of tasting for alcohol. You'll regret it. But, a regular search for flavors and alcohol in this beer should suffice, albeit the alcohol taste isn't too overwhelming.

This beer almost smells of a sour, fancy coffee. There is a very odd malt character that hits my sense of smell, but I like it. From what I've read, this beer tends to be characterized as an English Strong Ale, or an Old Ale. It's won several awards, and from my own judgment, I'd say this beer deserves that kind of attention. If you find it, try it, but bare in mind it is only available from November to the middle of December, every year. Good luck, and cheers!

Merry Christmas to Breckenridge Brewery & August Schelle Brewing Company

Since it's the holiday season, I thought I'd not only pick up a few holiday brews, I'd also review a few along the way. Today's first Merry Christmas salutation goes to Breckenridge Brewery (Word is, its a brewpub that serves BBQ...awesome!) for their Christmas Ale.



Breckenridge's Christmas Ale is definitely a winter beer. It has a nice body, I'd say about medium-heavy, with about a medium tone in taste, almost leaning toward a darker quality, but a very nice balance which makes the beer unquestionably drinkable. The ale has a very appealing bitterness, or not too much to go overboard, and not too little to be dissatisfying. The alcoholic taste is very low-level, but definitely there if you try my sure-shot method of finding its character: hold the swig in your mouth and let it lay directly under your tongue, but take it easy on the amount or you'll be sorry you tried.

The smell of the brew offers a sweet maltiness with a hint of the alcohol coming out. The color of the head is off-white and the lacing is thin and dissipates. The beer itself is a solid amber, kinda close to Yuengling Traditional Lager. At 7.4% ABV, it's definitely a beer worth trying at least once. If I ever find myself in Colorado and am near the Breckenridge Brewpub, I'll be heading in for a few brews and some BBQ ribs. Merry Christmas, and here's to Breckenridge Brewery: Cheers, and drink well!

Moving on to Schell's Snowstorm, 2009: I'm reminded of the phrase, "Don't judge a book by its cover." My first consideration of this beer speaks volumes in relation to that phrase.



When I first looked at the label, I thought, "Hey, this looks like a typical, domestic, run of the mill lager." Wow, was I off! Out pours a dark porter and a delicious looking beer (I completely failed to read the label around the neck, "Baltic Porter"). Unfortunately, for not doing my homework, namely not knowing that it was a porter, I poured the beer into my mug wrong, but managed to shake up a decent looking head and I'm continuing to swirl as I sip. Personally, I'd say the pour for a porter should be somewhere in between a lager and a stout, so kind of down the middle, but a little down the side(Beer snobs are thinking "This guy doesn't know what he's talking about").

I'm earning a very thin layer of head with my swirl, but its there and the retention is pretty good. The taste offers a dark, burnt coffee flavor, with enough sweetness to form a contrast, culminating into a balance that is quite remarkable. The color of the beer is damn near pitch black, but I'll save the 100% category for the stout I run into that deserves it. The lacing is thin, but the head itself is darker than that of Breckenridge's Christmas Ale, similar to the foam of a fancy coffee. The body of the brew is generally medium-heavy, but just a tad bit heavier than Breckenridge's Christmas Ale. The bitterness of the brew is very close to that of Breckenridge's Christmas Ale as well (if only a little drier), so you could definitely pair the two as I have done.

This is a very drinkable beer, but I'm guessing 5-6 of these in a night and you'd be set. If you see it, definitely give it a try. The ABV is 5.8%, and its only brewed once a year. In fact, this brewery sends out a different style of brew with the name Snowstorm every holiday season. I like that idea. Here's to August Schell Brewing Company: Cheers, and drink well!

I'm Sold: Samuel Smith's Oatmeal Stout

My buddy has been telling me for a few weeks now about Samuel Smith's Oatmeal Stout. So, when I saw it at my local six-pack shop, I had to buy a few.

The two singles I bought were somewhere around $3.50 each, give or take a few dimes. They're bottled with a touch of class, with golden foil around the head and on top of the cap. The presentation just about matches the quality of the product, with the beer coming out on top.



Honestly, I don't know much about stouts, nor do I throw them down very often. My previous experiences with stouts involved Guinness (naturally) and some stout brew from Troegs, the exact name I can't remember. To take that back without using the backspace, this past fall I had some sort of double chocolate stout in a purple can, either 16 or 24 oz's (I enjoyed it out of a friend's fridge). I just saw it in the store last night...ahhh...I typed it in Google and found a picture. The brew is made from Young's. Moving on:

I poured the Oatmeal Stout by Samuel Smith (England) in my 16 oz mug (at least I think it's a 16 oz mug) using the straight down the middle pour that I'm under the impression goes without saying when dealing with a stout. I got a really nice head out of the bottle, and the smell is very nice. The head retention is remarkable. Mind you, I'm continuously swirling, but I'm about halfway through the beer and after letting the beer sit for over a minute, I've still got half an inch of head that is showing no signs of disappearing.

The taste is excellent. It offers flavor like a smoked beer (minus the salty beef jerky taste that I can't stand), roasted malts, black coffee, burnt caramel, with a balance that is stronger than any amount of bitterness that would show up, depending on the palate. Considering some of the stronger elements to this beer, it is pretty incredible that it fails to make me want to gag.

After enjoying two Oatmeal Stout singles from Samuel Smith, I not only am going to try another brew from Samuel Smith's Old Brewery, I'm going to explore more in the world of stouts.

Blue Point, Finally! (Hoptical Illusion)

So, just a few days after telling you that I can't find any Blue Point beers at local distributors or 6-pack shops, I walked into GunTown Beer around 10 PM and was close to grabbing a few singles of Saranac's (Matt Brewing Company) Black Forest, a Black Lager, and right in my line of sight were two options from Blue Point Brewing Company in Long Island, NY. Hooray!

The options were: Amber Lager or Hoptical Illusion (an Indian Pale Ale), a brew I had just heard about. I might be generalizing horribly, but I avoided the Amber Lager because I was in no way impressed by Leinenkugel's Classic Amber. I thought it was too earthy, like Dixie Jazz Amber Light, a brew I tried a few years ago in Gallipolis, OH, that was such an antithesis of my style that I brought the remaining 5 beers from the 6-pack home to a friend. He felt completely the same way about its taste.



The alcohol content in Blue Point's Hoptical Illusion is 6.8%, a level not entirely uncommon for IPA's, but higher than some (Sierra Nevada's IPA is 5.6% ABV, but the brewery also puts out a brew called Torpedo Extra Ale that lands at 7.2%, yikes!). Hoptical Illusion starts out expressing the usual Indian Pale Ale qualities, but halts right before your anticipation for aromatic hoppy flavor proceeds into the realm of expectation. The aromatic hoppy flavors that I'm used to, and I'm sure that you are used to as well, are no where to be found.

Hoptical Illusion is drinkable, and in some respects, enjoyable, but it lacks the well-known IPA flavor that is to be expected when up against IPA aficionados. And what's up with the stale, funky, caramel after taste at the end of my first beer? I just finished, seriously, as I'm writing this, and a strange Milky Way flavor from 1973 just showed up in my mouth. The aftertaste is even coupled with that odd and abnormal, almost indescribable taste that I'm prone to experiencing when throwing back a light, domestic, American Lager from one of the Big-3. Come to think of it, it may be a byproduct of fermentation in stainless steel conicals. The taste is like the foot odor of the beer world. Maybe my buds are just off. Hell, I'm going to have a few more. I still like the beer, and I'm happy to see Blue Point found its way into my zip code. It's just missing the element I think most Indian Pale Ale drinkers go to the particular style of beer for, and that's why I'm telling you, in case you're one of those folks. Still, it's worth a try. After all, I remember chatting with a guy at Krogers in Ripley, WV that disliked Harpoon's IPA because it was "flowery," obviously referring to the hops. All issues aside, here's to Blue Point: Let's hope they send out a few of their delicious Rye beers soon.

Dogfish Head's Shelter Pale Ale is Like Shelter From a Storm of Bad Beer

A quick jot describing my first time trying Dogfish Head's Shelter Pale Ale:



No, I didn't jot the picture down. It is an original, though:

Aromatic hop smell, with more style and flavor than your typical American Pale Ale. For example, take your typical American Adjunct Lager--which I still think is a solid beer--Rolling Rock. In terms of flavor, it is as bland as Heineken (though the two beers are very different), and the blandness is of course, to the point. The taste of the hops in Shelter Pale Ale is comparable to that of a common Indian Pale Ale, save a thinner and somewhat lighter body when compared to the preceding style, and a less robust hop presence. The head is there, but very thin. Still, it sticks around like it wants to be a part of the thick brews crew. Lace is all over the interior of my glass like it wants to get out. Pound for pound, the body is medium. The taste is light-medium, but the body is a solid medium. I usually judge the body type of a brew in two ways: the size of the taste in my mouth and the way it sits in my stomach seconds later, and this one doesn't make me feel like I'm wearing a Corona hat. Definitely medium. An awakening tingle on the mouth will alert your taste buds. The smell of the brew is distant from the senses, but definitely introduces you to what turns out to be a more profound combination of barley and hops. The most prominent element to this beer is undoubtedly the nature of its taste in regards to its upper-body. Upon your first bottle, it attacks the roof of your mouth in the same place that one usually burns themselves when enjoying a frozen pizza hot out the oven. After your firs bottle, though, that sensation is practically obsolete. The finish of a swig is enjoyable, and embodies the, somewhat sweet, hops and barley flavor. Delaware barley is evidently good stuff.

Definitely give Dogfish Head's Shelter Pale Ale a try. If you like Pale Ale's or Indian Pale Ale's, you won't be disappointed. See LOCAL CRAFT BREW 6-PACK SHOP

FYI: When I use the word sweet, I'm not talking about the sweetness of a fruit beer unless I actually am talking about a fruit beer. It means sweet for hops and barley, not sweet for blueberries. Now let those taste buds smile like you're drinking iced coffee! Cheers!

McSorley's IPA: A Pale Ale, Irish Style

I discovered McSorley's IPA (Irish Pale Ale, not to be confused with the more common, Indian Pale Ale) at my local 6-pack shop, Gabby's, in Canonsburg, PA (now called GunTown).



Taken from the website, McSorleysnewyork.com, "In early 1990's Stroh Brewery purchased the McSorley's brand and brewed it until being bought by those seminal suds-makers-Pabst Brewing Company." Despite the beer being brewed elsewhere, the label is nostalgic, with a depiction of an old Brewmaster or Bartender from the Old Ale House, which is still open to the public and serving up the brews by McSorley's.

The IPA brew has a medium-heavy body, with a very nice balance of sweetness and bitter hops, not hiding an alcohol taste to the undertone. The smell is somewhat the same, with a hoppy-sweet aroma. One could even say there's a somewhat sour taste to this beer, and whether or not that is good is up to you. Personally, I approve, because it's not overly sour, just a bit.

McSorley's IPA reminds me a little of a few of the beers put out by Blue Point Brewery in Long Island, NY, in particular, one of the rye beers (I've only had Blue Point at certain bars and restaurants and haven't found it at distributors in my area). The beer gives off a savory-sour-sweet complexity, perfect for those fond of that style. The finish is good, with the sweet-bitterness aspect of the taste standing out.

If you live on the east coast, you should have no trouble finding McSorley's offerings at your local craft beer 6-pack shop. Take my advice and go with their Irish Pale Ale. I haven't had the guts to pick up the Irish Black Lager, yet.

With or Without Lime, Dos Equis Amber is an Excellent Everyday Beer

Dos Equis Special Lager is a pretty popular beer.  From my observations, it's one of the few beers that the average drinker is okay branching out with and drinking on occasion (nearly as much as Corona or Heineken).  Personally, I don't really like it.  I'm about to offer a broad generalization, but to me, Special Lager tastes like a generic European Ale (in case you didn't know, Dos Equis is brewed in Mexico).  It's been years since I've had it, so I'll pick it up some time in the near future and put forward a better analysis.  Until then, let's talk about Dos Equis Amber: the superior Dos Equis brew.

I first had Dos Equis Amber at a Tex-Mex restaurant in Gallipolis, OH called El Toril. I was extremely impressed (with the beer, but the food at El Toril is great, too). I was also immediately hooked, and started seeing six packs of the brew at gas stations and six pack stores, previously not noticing the beer due to my unfamiliarity.



It wasn't long after sharing my new find with friends that I learned of some of their bad experiences with or utter aversions they had to the Amber version of Dos Equis.  I didn't quite understand it then, and still don't.  The friends of mine that do like Dos Equis Amber prefer it without a lime.  I've always ordered it with a lime at restaurants, and typically buy a lime when I plan on picking up a six pack, but I'm starting to appreciate and prefer the beer without the fruit.

Dos Equis Amber is, of course, a darker beer than the more popular Special Lager.  The Amber body is medium, with a smooth caramel-like taste (most likely a combination of corn and roasted barley), and offers enough hops to satisfy the palate, but doesn't act as the salient quality.  That's what makes Dos Equis Amber "special."  I see no reason as to why it shouldn't be labeled an everyday beer.  The balance in the taste of the beer, from the initial taste to the finish of a swig, is what merits such a placement in the realm of beers.  It's not heavy, it's perfectly medium.

The ABV (Alcohol By Volume) for Dos Equis Amber is 4.5%, or a little more than the going rate for large brewery, light beers.  This means you'll start to notice a head change about 2 beers in.  Honestly, that's all the ABV I'm looking for.  Heavily alcholic beers are respectable (see Great Lakes Brewing Company in Cleveland, OH), and a lot of them have outstanding flavor, but I personally wouldn't prefer to drink more than 4 or 5 in a night, and that's me being generous.  I don't drink beer everyday like I did in my early 20's, so I can't handle the intake of 12 light beers or more likely, the 8 full beers I used to put down.  I do, however, know what an everyday beer tastes like because, as I said before, I've been there.  For Dos Equis, I can enjoy a six pack with 3-4 glasses of water in between to replenish my body (alcohol is a damn thief!), and I'm fine the next morning.  Depending on where you reside, you can pick one up at your local 6-pack shop for anywhere between 7-8 dollars.  If the store charges more than that, they're trying to gouge you, and are evidently successful with other people.  Personally, I wouldn't pay it, but if you really want to give this one a shot (and you really should), feel free.  Trust me, if you thirst for beers with a medium body and a roasted barley flavor that's there enough to notice, you'll really like Dos Equis Amber.

Interesting Footnote: If you are ever in Gallipolis, OH, drive across the state line to Point Pleasant, WV (yes, the Moth-Man Prophecies hometown) and check out a Tex-Mex cantina called Panchos. It's cheap, the food is tasty, and they've got Dos Equis Amber in the fridge. The lime is up to you, but bet on them sticking one in the mouth of your bottle if you choose not to say anything when ordering.

The Light on Beer...

Welcome to my blog, "The Light on Beer."  As one who appreciates a variety of beers brewed all over the planet, I feel it is time for me to share my thoughts and opinions on one my most cherished pleasures: drinking beer.

Now, I'm sure some of you reading are thinking, "this guy is a drunk, cool!"  I'm sorry to upset you, but that is not the case.  Like a lot of folks, I do often drink past my limit, something I regret every time, but this blog and my admiration is aimed toward the quality of beers across the globe, the distinctness of different styles, and the subtle variations in the taste of beer that pull one from being categorized alongside another.  I'm not a snob.  I'm just a person who truly appreciates beer, beyond the effects it has on one's short-term judgment, and I don't think having one beer is a waste of calories, as a good friend of mine likes to suggest.  This is a blog for beer, combined with the hope that you'll give something other than a light, golden American Lager a try.  In other words, something outside of the lowest common denominator.

I'm not a machine, nor is this the only blog I run.  I also write about socio-politics in a blog called "Right Guy, Wrong Town"  (http://rightguywrongtown.blogspot.com).  I'm telling you this because I don't want you to expect me to be capable of providing a daily post (I don't drink every day, sorry).  I'm merely going to shine the light on quality beer, usually a brew I've tried out for the first time, or have indulged in again in the last few days.  But, if you're looking for a large concensus on a certain brew, and are interested in reading about beers you'll probably have a lot of trouble finding available at your local distributor, I suggest you check out Beer Advocate (http://www.beeradvocate.com).  It is an outstanding source for beer info, ranging from the alcohol content of a particular beer, to the subtle qualities described by articulate language.  I truly support the guys behind that website.  Still, if you're just looking to read about one guy's discoveries in the world of beer a few times a week, then I'll really be encouraged by the traffic you add to this blog because I plan to stick to it, and drink a few along the way.  Here's to you, and here's to beer (raising my air mug)!