Filed under: Beer , Happy Hour , Europe We all know that drinking and driving don't mix. However, in certain circumstances, drinking and tourism make for pretty great bedfellows. The next time you're in Amsterdam , make sure that you check out the old Heineken brewery - known grandiosely as " The Heineken Experience ". The theme park/brewery tour/marketing junket is the pleasant antidote to the hustle and bustle of the famous Dutch city. During the hour-long tour, you'll learn the history of the Dutch beer company over the last century as told through the very memorabilia that has propelled the business from a small-time family operation to one of Northern Europe's best known (and loved!) beer makers. Like any good theme park, there's something for everyone at The Heineken Experience - video games, computer simulations, and my personal favorite - the beer hall, which pours fresh from the tap brew. As a note of personal endorsement, I've always believed that beer in green bottles just tastes better - or as they would say in the Netherlands - het bier in groene flessen proeft beter! Permalink     Email this     Linking Blogs     Comments

Filed under: Beer , Raves & Reviews , America Since I am not a beer connoisseur, I tend to fall victim to marketing. Shopping the other day, I picked up the Lazy Days Pale Ale because it seemed so appropriate for the very warm weather we're having now. Spring is turning gradually into summer, and its name, the words "refreshing pale ale," and the image of relaxing on a beach seemed perfect.

Filed under: Beer , Science , Newspapers , Europe A recent medical conference in Brussels featured discussion of the health benefits of beer, which supposedly range from improvement of heart health and fighting osteoporosis to protecting against type II diabetes and staving off cancer, according to The Publican . The chairman of the discussion was professor Jonathan Powell of the Medical Research Council human nutrition unit in Cambridge. According to a story in The Times , Powell said that many of the health benefits attributed to wine are actually related to the alcohol itself. The Times article goes on to report on findings that beer may also help create a healthier balance of good and bad cholesterol. As you might expect, most of these findings are associated with beer drinking done in moderation. Permalink     Email this     Linking Blogs     Comments

Filed under: Wine , West Coast , Farming , Fruit , America Yesterday, the Chronicle food section focused on organic foods . Today, their wine section does the same, looking at organic wines and why they are so difficult to find . Many vineyards grow certified organic grapes, but the wines themselves are not organic. The reason? The USDA prohibits added sulfites in organic wines.

Filed under: Beer , Food Oddities , Food Gadgets , Italy For those of you swooning over Nicole's recent  post about kitchen bling, maybe you can do a bit of penance here with this Pope John Paul II bottle opener ... a.k.a. "The Popener."

Filed under: Beer , South America , America , North America Friday is Cinco de Mayo.  Do you know what that means? If you replied, "that the Applebee's next to the on-ramp had better pull down all those remaining 'St. Patrick's Day' and 'Kiss Me I'm Irish' streamers," you'd be wrong (although they probably should).

Filed under: Beer , Business , Newspapers , Europe Brewers in Europe may soon have to provide complete lists off ingredients on their beer bottles, according to a recent BBC News story. The European Commission hopes to have reworked many labeling standards, including those for alcoholic beverages, by the end of the year. While this might not be a big deal to breweries in Germany, where beer can legally only contain water, hops (right), yeast and malted barley or wheat, plenty of other breweries use chemicals that, while safe, may sound less than appealing to consumers. Propylene glycol alginate , for example, is a chemical derived from algae, used to maintain a thicker head on a beer. Personally, I'd be glad to know a little more about what else is in my beer. I'm sure others would too. Permalink     Email this     Linking Blogs     Comments

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Filed under: Beer , Raves & Reviews , Italy Several months ago, I did a beer taste test , so that I could teach my fairly green beer-palate. Since then, I've been trying different beers to see if I can find something out there that I like.

Filed under: Beer , Magazines , Raves & Reviews , Lists Forbes' resident wine and spirits guy, Nick Passmore, recently posted a list of 20 of his favorite beers. The list, which it seems can only be viewed via a clunky slideshow, has a decent scattering of English and German imports, as well as some American craft brews. Passmore does a good job of making a roster of beers that aren't terribly hard to find. Still, don't expect to see them at your local gas station. Lists like these are bound to leave something out and upset someone. So, while I wasn't surprised to see an ale by Chimay, I was a little surprised it wasn't the blue label. My qualms aside, this is a decent place to take a few notes if you're looking to explore the beer aisle. Permalink     Email this     Linking Blogs     Comments