Avril Maxwell of New Zealand won the competition, now in its 13th year, and will now embark on a journey to more than 20 different countries as a Stella Artois ambassador, guaranteeing that every chalice of Stella Artois is poured properly and served just right.

The competition included a jury panel to select individuals who could display true dedication and perfection in the “Passion Test”, and saw contestants from 26 countries, converging in New York to compete for the nine step pouring ritual.

Global Marketing Manager of Stella Artois, Alexander Lambrecht, said: “The World Draught Master competition is integral to our ongoing quest to deliver superior beer experiences the world over, ensuring that Stella Artois is served with the same care, consideration and craftsmanship as has gone into more than 600 years of brewing…we (also) wanted to create a global conversation about the Stella Artois World Draught Master competition by inviting people into the event via live streaming and providing an opportunity for them to decide on what competitor embodied perfection.”

Maxwell’s trophy was designed by New York fashion designer Tim Hamilton as part of a unique collaboration with Stella Artois. Hamilton also created a limited edition chalice glass in honor of the World Draught Master 2009 competition.

Runners up included Joe Oppedisano of Canada (2nd), who also won Online Fans’ Choice award, and Alexey Shtukarev of Russia (3rd).

Rosenbaum’s winning stout is being brewed by The Boston Beer Company and served at Gillette Stadium for Patriots season this year. The next contest is going on now, and the deadline is December 18. The winner also gets a little chunk of change: $2,000.

“The first two pre-season games were hot summer nights, and they sold out the first night. And the first home game, which was also a warm day, it sold out as well. So that’s very gratifying,” said Rosenbaum, who holds Patriots season tickets. His stout is lighter than other stouts, but still holds all the depth of flavor that’s looked for. Sometimes when you drink a a beer, you’re tasting it for the next hour or so. Not the case with Rosenbaum’s, which adds to its popularity at the stadium.

Rosenbaum first became interested not so much in brewing, but in beers, when he studied in the UK during his time in college. He found he liked beers quite unlike the ones he could find in the United States, which were usually light and thin. He enjoyed a beer with a lot of flavor — multiple components coming together to form a more harmonious brew. “This was some time ago, but when I came back to the States, there weren’t a lot of imports so I just drank what I could find and was always looking for other interesting beers,” he said.

A few years ago Rosenbaum received a homebrewing kit as a gift, and brewed his first batch. “My first batch wasn’t horrible,” he says, “but it certainly wasn’t great either.”

Looking for guidance, he joined Brew Free or Die, New Hampshire’s oldest homebrew club, and slowly learned what he had been doing wrong with his first attempts at brewing. A few parts of the process had been left out in the brewing kit directions he’d received. There’s a whole list of things of what to do, or not do, so that off-flavors aren’t introduced to a batch of beer. “For example, you have to boil a batch and then cool it. And if you stir your beer really vigorously to cool it down and break the surface tension then you introduce cardboard flavors into your beer,” Rosenbaum explained. There are many rules like this in homebrewing, and each recipe has its own quirks.

It took him a few years of practice and four tries to get the batch right. Rosenbaum entered the third batch of his Oatmeal Stout into last year’s Patriot Homebrew Contest (which didn’t place), though he knew going into it that it wasn’t the beer he wanted it to be. “It tasted good but it was a little thin in the mouth,” he said. “I had decided to add a kind of bourbon flavor to it by adding whiskey that had been soaked in oak chips. So the flavor was good but it was a little… ” he makes a hand gesture to show ‘lacking,’ his palms turned upward to the ceiling.

It was his fourth batch that won. Rosenbaum’s winning brew is full-flavored and full-bodied. It’s rich without being indulgent, flavorful without being bitter. It’s malty and sugary at the same time, the deep black color of the brew paired nicely with a creamy head.

Currently, Rosenbaum is back in his kitchen, settling back into his brewing. His kitchen is more of a mad scientist’s laboratory. Cabinets open to expose large metal bins with grates in the bottom for percolation. Tubes are hooked up to faucets to let fermented brews flow out. He has two refrigerators, one for food, and one that holds three kegs of whatever brew he’s working on at the current moment. To challenge himself, he’s taking award-winning recipes as a base and tweaking them a bit here and there to create something totally new. “Even the smallest change can make quite a bit of difference,” he says.

A few weeks ago, Rosenbaum had an English Best Bitter in a plastic bin cooling on his front steps, the keg sitting in a vat of ice water. Since it’s still the fall season and temperatures still vary daily, a mechanized thermometer maintains the temperature by activating a fan if the vat gets too warm. The Bitter is intended to be a beer to drink several glasses of over the course of an evening, while not having to worry about getting drunk.

Winning the Patriot Homebrew Contest added quite a lot of excitement to his life, but Rosenbaum’s ready to try out new recipes. “I think it’s a great thing (Samuel Adams) does for others. They show a lot of support for the homebrewing community,” he said. “Their president, Jim Koch, started off as a homebrewer and created a whole company out of it. I don’t think he’s forgotten his roots, and it’s a great thing to see.”

The collection includes three oak-aged beers that were brewed and aged here in Boston. These join the Samuel Adams Triple Bock and very limited Utopia collection of aged beers. The collection is available at the brewery on Germania Street in Boston as well as select retail locations in Massachusetts, Hew Hampshire, Maine and Denver at $9.99 for a 750ml bottle.

The new beers are called New World Tripel, a cherry flavored American Kriek and Stony Brook Red,

“(The beers) are a result of years of experimentation by the brewers at the Samuel Adams Boston Brewery,” the company said in a statement. “The trio of brews have been aged in Eastern European oak barrels, originally used to age brandy in Italy, imparting a subtle sweet, toasty note to each beer. The barrels also allow a small amount of oxygen to slowly seep in to the brew, smoothing out the flavors in the beer.”

“For years, we’ve been playing with barrels at the brewery, aging small batches of beer in our Barrel Room. Before now, these beers have only been available at beer festivals or to a few lucky visitors to our Boston Brewery,” said Jim Koch, Brewer and Founder. “Our Boston Brewery is where every Samuel Adams style of beer is dreamed up and nurtured. It has been our hub of innovation since I started brewing here in 1988; I like to think of it as the ultimate brewer’s workshop.”

For an optimum drinking experience, the brewers at Samuel Adams recommend serving each brew in a traditional Tulip-style beer glass.

Samuel Adams New World Tripel: Pale gold in color, this ale is big, flavorful and complex. A special Belgian yeast strain adds tropical fruit and spice notes to the crisp dry ale, while Saaz hops add a subtle herbal note. (~10% ABV)

Samuel Adams American Kriek: The intense black cherry character in this beer comes from Balaton cherries, which were discovered in Hungary and are now grown in Michigan. These special cherries are prized for their depth of flavor. The tartness from the cherries is balanced by a rich, malty character with toasted oak notes added from the barrel aging. (~7% ABV)

Samuel Adams Stony Brook Red: This unique brew defies traditional beer style definition. The rich, malty brew combines notes of tart fruit from the yeast with a toasty oak character from the barrel aging. The long dry finish is almost wine-like. This is a beer that is satisfying on its own and also pairs well with many foods such as braised or roasted meats, beef stews and strong salty cheeses. (~9% ABV)

We could probably file this under “Obvious Science,” but officals at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in upstate Troy, NY have warned students that the sharing of cups during games of beer pong lead to the spread of disease, and especially of the spread of H1N1 this flu season. The same officials sent out a campus-wide email detailed a group of students who had all come down the virus after a weekend game.

Area schools are reporting many cases of the swine flu; RPI, a school of about 7,000 total students has reported 21 cases this semester so far.

(photo via)

The move comes as single-serve beer sales reached $3.2 billion in the industry.

“Our consumer research indicates these consumers see Corona as a reward. Our 24-ounce cans offer a new trade-up option for drinkers looking for a premium beer experience,” said Jim Sabia, executive vice president of marketing for Crown.

The company is already rolling out the Corona Extra 24-oz can in 26 markets, including Massachusetts. Corona Light will follow in a few weeks.

Bud Light Golden Wheat hits store shelves nationwide today. We’ve tried it, we like it, and there will be more on that later.

“Bud Light has the unique ability to introduce wheat beers to a broader audience of beer drinkers,” said Mike Sundet, senior director of Bud Light brands. “With the personality of Bud Light, Bud Light Golden Wheat appeals to light beer drinkers who seek a variety of flavor options from their beer.”

Busch recommends garnishing it with an orange or straight from the bottle.

“Bud Light Golden Wheat is not a craft beer, but captures the refreshment of the wheat beer style while remaining consistent with Bud Light’s product attributes that beer drinkers enjoy,” Sundet said. “Our Innovations and brewing teams have worked for almost two years developing Bud Light Golden Wheat from consumer insight and perfecting it to Bud Light standards.”

So let us know. Have you tried it? Seen the commercials? What do you think of Bud Light Golden What?

According to the Beverage Information Group, light and low-carbohydrate beer helped boost sales, particularly the launch of Bud Light Lime last year.

“The growth of the distilled spirits and wine industries continues to take market share away from beer industry, albeit at a slower rate in 2008 than previously,” the group said Monday in a statement.

Bud Light Lime, first thought of as a seasonal beer, helped the light beer segment grow more than 2 percent

“Ice” beer also saw an increase, gaining 4 percent.

Imported beer sales have been down since the recession began, the group said.

Authorities say Joseph Jimenez, 24, killed Scott Riley, 25, after they argued over the beer pong game Friday at a party in a suburb 15 miles outside Philadelphia.

The men took the argument outside, where authorities say Riley mocked Jimenez and taunted him into shooting him. Jimenez allegedly responded by pulling a .40-caliber and shooting Riley in the neck.

Let’s take a minute to discuss the ground rules of beer pong folks:

Number 1: A bounce counts as two cups. If you are an idiot and knock over your own cups defending the bounce, those cups are lost.

Second: Bitches blow. Nuff said.

3: No overthrow rule. That’s dumb.

Four: Re-rack at six, four, three, and two.

Fifth: If you and your partner sink the same cup at the same time, game over.

Now play nice, kids.

Sunday, we learned that MGD 64 has exploded onto the bar scene nationwide, and it’s 64 calories are available in draft everywhere.

Of course, that’s taking MillerCoors at their word. Please leave us some comments if you see it — or don’t see it — at your local house of refreshment.

The drafting begins this week. MGD launched nationally in bottles and cans in August.

MGD 64 has only 2.4 grams of carbohydrates per serving.

It’s also 2.8 percent alcohol by volume.

Sam Adams is currently the most popular beer with a name based on a historical figure. With “Brew-rack Obama,” Duncan Remage-Healey and Brian Gravel are looking to change that.

There are plenty of people who brew their own beer, but far fewer of these industrious individuals attempt to use people’s love for the beverage to try to make a difference in their community. That is just what Remage-Healey and Gravel, the people behind Thunder Boomer, are attempting to do with their operation, though.

Remage-Healey and Gravel both work for Habitat for Humanity, and both are lovers of beer. They have combined these two elements into one idea, where the brewing and distribution of beer can be used to earn money for more socially oriented and charitable purposes. The brewery-which has no official base outside of the member’s homes-has not quite reached that stage yet, but they are working towards the goal.

Gravel is well aware of the hurdles in front of them, in trying to combine the sale of beer with charity, and they also would need to try to focus on creating a beer to establish themselves with rather than spending their time experimenting on creating new products. That has not stopped the flow of ideas on how to use their brewing skills to the advantage of the community. Gravel mentioned that they could use profits from beer sales to fund small-scale community projects, such as revamping a plot of land and turning it into a park to play in, or a dog park for your canine companions.

The money does not necessarily have to come from sales either; as Gravel mentioned, donations would suffice in lieu of paying for what is essentially a beer tab if Thunder Boomer ale was used to cater a party or gathering. As the operation has been done entirely out of the pockets of Gravel and Remage-Healey, this does not seem like too much to ask when there is a greater good involved.

This socially conscious line of thinking has taken strong hold of the northeastern United States as of late, with the influence of a market ready to accept those trends seen everywhere you look, from grocery choices such as Trader Joe’s to what Gravel and Remage-Healey hope their as of now small enterprise can develop into. With this region and the rest of the country more and more aware of how their actions influence the environment around them, and how even doing the little things can make a significant difference, the time is right for Thunder Boomer to try its hand at a market that clearly exists-beer drinkers who also double as socially conscious individuals.

If you have purchased alcohol lately, or even if you have just walked by the windows or your local distributor, you know what kind of money is involved in the business. Now, if that money could somehow be injected into the community, not only would you improve your surroundings, but you would be doing your part to help simply by cracking open a cold one, and that’s a good feeling to have-one Thunder Boomer hopes to capitalize on in the future.

The pair has developed a beer in time for election season as well, and they have named it for their candidate of choice, Barack Obama. The double IPA was dubbed “Brew-Rack Obama”, a nod to the Democratic Convention’s nominee-he was anointed thus the night Thunder Boomer brewed and bottled the brew. Whether the bottles will be opened in celebration or in mourning will be seen this coming Tuesday evening, when the winner of the general election is announced and the next President known.

Keeping the name Brew-Rack Obama could pose a problem eventually with licensing, but for now, it’s a tribute put together by a pair who hold both their love of beer and charity dear to them-the hope is that there are enough people out there with the same mindset that can help these Habitat employees make a difference in a community they care about.

From the early days of George Washington’s home-brewed ales and James Madison’s attempts at creating a national brewery, patriots and early American leaders relied on beer for nutrition and inspiration.

In more recent history, Jimmy Carter’s brother, Billy, promoted his own brand of brew, Billy Beer, shortly after the Georgian peanut farmer was elected. During the last presidential election in 2004, polls found that Americans would rather have had a beer with George W. Bush than John Kerry.

Throughout the country’s existence, the humble hopped beverage has lubricated the wheels of democracy by sparking debate or resolving conflicts. And the beverage has come up in some pretty interesting ways this year on the campaign trail.

Senator John McCain faced criticism after the Associated Press highlighted the candidate’s extensive fundraising connections to Anheuser-Busch through his wife’s fortune and high-powered position in Hensley and Co., the nation’s third-largest A-B distributor. Although McCain’s financial connections to the brewing giant may be close, don’t expect the White House to replace the stemware with Pilsner glasses. McCain’s campaign manager Jill Hazelbaker told the Associated Press that he “very rarely, if ever, drinks alcohol.”

But who could forget Governor Sarah Palin’s now infamous appeals to “Joe Six-Pack”?

In August, Democratic candidate Barack Obama’s taste for beer was challenged during an interview on CBS’ 60 Minutes. During a discussion of his campaign’s attempts to court blue-collar voters, Steve Kroft, the interviewer, remarked to Obama, “You tried really hard to reach these people. You went and sipped beer, which I know you don’t particularly like.” Obama promptly told the reporter that he had a beer the previous night and then said, “Where does the story come from that…I don’t like beer? …C’mon, man.”

Though politicians may use beer as an image to appeal to the common person, some breweries and drinking establishments have long abided by the folk ethos of not combining politics and alcohol, while others embrace the mix. With the heightened energy of the upcoming election, many brewers and barkeeps around the country are getting into the spirit of the election season.

“What better way is there to celebrate the diversity of ideas and thoughts that come out every four years during our election process with something that goes way back to our founding fathers, that’s beer and ale,” said Wayne Mayer, director of marketing for the Half Moon Bay Brewing Company.

The northern California based brewery’s ALECTION lets customers “vote” for a candidate by buying either the “Obama Ale,” or the “McCain 2008,” re-labeled versions of their English-style light ale. Each week the results are tallied on the brewery’s website.

While encouraging their drinkers to show their preference for the candidates, the style of the beers themselves is the same.

“We did that for political reasons so no one could say that we were trying to favor one over the other,” explained Mayer.

Currently the Democratic candidate is in the lead “by quite a bit,” according to the brewery. When Blast contacted Half Moon Bay in mid-October, Obama had 4,991 bottles over McCain’s 1,274.

“We’ve seen a huge jump in our incremental beer sales,” said Meyer.

Unlike the real upcoming vote this November, Mayer jested, “This is the only election where you can vote early, often, and legally.”

Magic Hat Brewing Company, based in South Burlington, Vt., released a politically themed Participation variety 12 pack, containing a few of their normal offerings and a special pre-prohibition style “Participation Lager.”

“Beyond the political packaging and beyond the beer itself, which is also politically themed, we actually as a sales team go into our bar promotions and register voters,” said Krissy Leonard, spokeswoman for Magic Hat.

Magic Hat partnered with HeadCount, a non-partisan, not-for-profit organization to register people to vote. On the night before the election, the brewery is sponsoring a concert at the Highline Ballroom in New York City to benefit HeadCount featuring Robert Randolph, Joss Stone, and other artists.

Winter variety packs are now being shipped but there should be more of the politically-themed 12-packs in stores until Election Day, Leonard said.

Below the Mason Dixon line, the Flying Saucer Draught Emporium, a chain of beer bars, is conducting another presidential poll. Patrons at the bars can buy a pint glass for $5 bearing either Obama or McCain’s face drawn as a cartoon, which is counted as one vote.

With 13 locations in Texas, Arkansas, North Carolina, and other traditionally red states, some might find the current standings a bit surprising. Obama’s 11,420 bottles leads McCain’s 9,220 as of Oct. 28, according to the company’s website.

Fort Worth, Texas and Cordova, Tenn. are the Flying Saucer’s only locations where McCain is holding a lead.

In New York, one of the strongest Democratic support bases, Sixpoint Craft Ales located in Brooklyn created the “Hop Obama” in honor of the democratic candidate’s grassroots campaigning style.

“We were tossing it around as far back as late September last fall,” said Jeff Gorlechen, one of founding members of Sixpoint. “Then his campaign started steam rolling. At the time it was all word of mouth, and we identified with that.”

After Obama won the first few primaries, Gorlechen and the other four workers at the brewery decided to brew the ale.

While the brewers may admire the candidate, Sixpoint stopped short of fully endorsing him, as their label points out: “Although we do not intend this beer to be a direct Sixpoint endorsement of Obama, we do believe the delicious and refreshing quality it represents reminds us of the Senator’s successful grassroots campaign.”

There are “many parallels” between the rise of craft and micro brews and Obama’s style of campaigning, he said.

“There was no marketing, no advertising dollars behind it. It’s hard not to admire him,” explained Gorlechen. “In the last five years the craft market segments exploded. It kind of caught the major breweries off guard. I think [Obama] did the same thing when he won Iowa.”

Available on draft in N.Y. and Mass., Gorlechen described the Hop Obama as a hybrid ale “sort of like a British session ale, sort of like an amber, sort of an ESB [Extra Special Bitter]” that uses Scottish, English, and German malts and three different hops from the Pacific Northwest. Also, a part of the profits go to Get Out The Vote, an organization that registers voters.

Of the seven ales produced by Sixpoint, it is currently their second best seller and the brewery sold its stock of the beer faster than any other single batch released for the first time.

Although one of Sixpoint’s best selling products, some bar managers have refused to serve their beer because it is mixing beer and politics, he said.

The “Ale to the Chief” by Colorado’s Avery Brewing Co. has hit shelves in the 32 states. “Instead of an Imperial Pale Ale we’re calling it a ‘Presidential Pale Ale’ because it’s a democracy here, it’s not an imperialistic nation,” mused Matt Throll, beer manager for Avery.

This past spring, Adam Avery, the owner of the brewery, returned from a road trip with the idea of creating a politically themed beer.

Overall, the reaction to the “Ale to the Chief” has been positive, the Brewery said.

“We’ve only had one person call up and complain to say ‘leave politics out of beer,’” Throll said. “We had to tell them that beer has been a part of politics a long time, that’s just the way it is. We weren’t setting out to offend anybody, but of course that’s going to happen.”

“It was not necessarily pro any of the candidates but pro change,” said Throll

Avery’s brewmasters have another batch of “Ale to the Chief” underway for Inauguration Day.

In the Midwest, the St. Louis Brewery Inc., producer of the microbrew Schlafly, is selling posters and T-shirts with altered versions of their labels featuring the candidate’s images.

“I changed our Hefeweisen to  ‘Hefe-Biden,’ our Oktoberfest became ‘Baracktoberfest,’ and our actual flagship pale ale became ‘Palin Ale,’” explained Troika Brodsky. graphic designer for Schlafly Beer.

Two days before the Vice Presidential debate at Washington University in St. Louis, Brodsky learned that a church group would be screening the debate at Schlafly’s downtown brewery and restaurant.  To celebrate the debate, Brodsky made four custom tap handles and posters featuring altered ‘political versions’ of the brewery’s labels.

Although the other candidates’ names were easy to juxtapose with the labels, Brodsky said creating one for McCain was difficult. He settled on ‘McCain’s Maverick’ American Pale Ale.

“Its basically just parody,” he said. “They were a big hit, actually.”

Even though the church group holding the screening was “more conservative-leaning,” Brodsky said, “Still, the Baracktoberfest and the Hefe-Biden taps sold far more.”

Schlafly is now selling a limited number of Baracktoberfest and Palin Ale T-shirts on its website.

Beyond the tension and mudslinging of the election, it’s all in good fun, he said.

“The point of this is that everyone’s really exited about the election around here. We want to encourage that energy, encourage people to vote,” said Brodsky.

Plus we just love saying the name!

Leinenkugel’s Oktoberfest Lager is a distinct fall brand, brewed with three malts: Munich, caramel and a blend of two-row Pale malts.

We found the beer to be a great fall BBQ drink. It doesn’t remind you too much of the cold weather by filling and warming your stomach like some other season beers, but it’s definitely not the fruit-infused summer beers we’ve come to know and love. It’s Indian summer, early autumn, New England foliage (though they’re a Wisconsin company) beer.

Pair it with an everything hot dog and some cheese-flavored chips and pretzels.

Leinenkugel’s Oktoberfest is available in 6-pack bottles at supermarkets and liquor stores nationally and on draft at some bars and restaurant (we didn’t see any in Boston).

Six-packs retail at $7.99. Leinenkugel’s is currently available in 48 states. Oktoberfest is 5.1 percent alcohol by volume.

Here’s a little treat that definitely will fill your stomach:

Leinenkugel’s Oktoberfest-Infused Brew Brats

1 dozen brats
1 dozen brat buns
Leinenkugel’s Oktoberfest, to cover
1 medium large sweet onion, sliced
1 green pepper, sliced
1 yellow pepper, sliced
1 red pepper, sliced
2 ounces butter

Place brats in a Dutch oven with sliced onions, peppers and butter, cover the brats with Leinenkugel’s Oktoberfest. Bring to a boil and reduce to simmer until brats are cooked. Remove brats and set aside remaining beer mixture. Grill brats until golden brown and return to beer mixture until ready to serve. Serve brats on fresh brat buns with your favorite toppings (sauerkraut, onions, peppers, ketchup, mustard).

The Ball Corporation is supplying their new 16-oz. Alumi-Tek aluminum bottles to Miller Brewing Company for Miller Lite. 

It looks odd, but the resealable bottles have a wide-mouth opening, the company says they are quick to chill and are 100 percent recyclable.

“The great taste of Miller Lite gets even better when it’s enjoyed from our new aluminum pint,” said Grant Leech, vice president of marketing for Miller Lite.  ”This package drinks like a bottle and cools like a can to deliver an invigorating taste experience.”

The Miller Lite aluminum pint will be tested throughout much of the Midwest and South through the end of the year.  Test markets for the Miller Lite aluminum pint are Alabama, Arkansas, Dallas, Florida, Houston, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia and Wisconsin.

The Miller Lite aluminum pint is intended for off-premise retailers, with a focus on convenience stores.  The package will be sold as part of a nine-pack.

This is all in an effort to show off these new bottles, which the company hopes will have applications with soda, juice, energy drinks (definitely a good bet) and other alcoholic beverages.

St. Pauli Girl beer teamed with Maxim (we still say we’re better) to profile four finalists in their spokesmodel competition.

“This marks the first time in the 31-year history of the St. Pauli Girl spokesmodel that the beer has opened the selection process to the public and will let fans actually select the St. Pauli Girl,” the brewer said in a statement this week. “Voting will run through November 10, 2008 and the new St. Pauli Girl spokesmodel will be announced in January 2009.”

What are the qualifications? This year’s girl, Irina Voronina is 5′10″, super blonde, blue eyes and measures 35-25-36.

Tara Rice of Valencia, CA. Rice, a former Miss Teen California All American, is an actress and model who has appeared in magazines such as Maxim and films including “Austin Powers in Goldmember.”

Brooke Long of Chino Hills, CA. A model on the hit show “Deal or No Deal,” Long has appeared in films including “The Comebacks,” “Orange County,” “Gigli” and “Little Nikki,” on TV on “Entourage” and “Jimmy Kimmel Live” and in, FHM, Muscle and Fitness, Teen and ESPN Magazine.

Katrina Van Derham of Slovakia. An actress and model with an international flair, Van Derham has an extensive portfolio that includes appearances in Vogue, Marie Claire, Muscle and Fitness and FHM as well as on TV in “CSI” and “Monk.”

Jessica Hall of Quartz Hill, CA. An actress and model, fans might recognize Hall as a model on NBC’s “Deal or No Deal.” She has also appeared on TV on “Two and a Half Men,” “Fear Factor” and as a host on MTV, Playboy TV, Fox Sports Net and the TV Guide Channel as well as in the Adam Sandler movie “Click.”

You can see more photos and videos of the girls here.

Since St. Pauli Girl is a European import brew (and because of the sexy accent) I was partial to Katarina. Who do you like?

Reuters reports that Werner Dupont, a software developer, and Bart Geraets, an engineer, were inspired to create a video game  while drinking Belgian trappist beers and (we presume) getting the urge to break the seal afterward.

The game, called “Place to Pee,” lets “players” “slalom” down “ski slopes” or “kill aliens” by hitting specific “targets” on urinals.

It’s meant to be played competitively on two urinals. Sensors placed on either side of the urinals catch the pee, and score you accordingly.

“This thing had to be invented by Belgian people and that’s what we are,” they said.

A special paper cone allows women to play too. We don’t know how that works. We don’t want to.

Right now, it’s lime.

The Miller Brewing Company introduced Miller Chill in June 2007. The beer has done incredibly well — sales are about to surpass first-year expectations. According to Bloomberg Media, more than 325,000 barrels were sold in the first three months, allowing it to capture one percent of the US beer market-tremendous growth for an introductory product.

Anheuser-Busch just released Bud Light Lime. They intend to drive purchases amidst a struggling economy and stagnant beer sales. Just in time for summer barbecues, Anheuser-Busch is backing Bud Light Lime with a $35 million advertising campaign, MSNBC reports.

So how should beer companies react? Here are my recommendations for several well-known brands.

Bud Light Lime: You hopefully did the research and found that people like lime. Use your leverage as a mass-distributor to get your product to where people buy beer. Then advertise your lime beverage like crazy to get people to try it. A $35 million budget is a nice start. Drive sales up to make the investment worth it and then get out before sales tank.

Miller Chill: With another mass-market competitor entering, your brand will feel the pressure. So you have to make a decision. Do you pull out of the market, take your profit, and let Bud take the share? Or do you increase advertising and take on this new summer refreshment head to head? Not an easy call. I feel that you cannot just let Bud Light have the percent share of the market you worked hard to earn. You have done well this past year and with a little creative advertising, you should go challenge your largest competitor.

Coors Light: Stay out of the “lime craze.” You cannot win. First, you are too late to enter. You cannot compete after both Miller Lite and Bud Light have entered the arena. Second, you pride yourselves on “Rocky Mountain ice cold refreshment.” When people think about limes and beer, the most common association is Corona, which is a Mexican beer. The Rocky Mountain cold does not equate well with warm, Gulf coast beaches. A Coors Lime dilutes your unique positioning proposition.

Corona: Keep doing what you are doing, maybe step up advertising a little bit, but you are the import that owns limes. Lime plus beer equals Corona. What started as a seasonal beer is now the largest import beer in the United States. These other beers will fade and you will remain on top. Keep up the good work.

Guinness: Have no fear Guinness drinkers-your beer will not be changed. If there is one thing that will unite the Protestants and Catholics of Northern Ireland, it is a mutual agreement that fruit does not belong in thick, Irish beer. Your brew will remain unchanged.

We got our hands on some.

Skepticism reigned when I passed the twist-off bottles around the table at the weekly poker game, with looks of “what’s this stuff?”

Surprise followed.

“This is pretty good!” “Wow … not what I was expecting.” “Not bad.”

Even MadeHandPoker.com’s Mark Scalia took a break from his usual steady stream of Twisted Tea.

Bud Light Lime is a crisp, summery brew. It’s light and easy to drink like traditional Bud Light but subtly fruity and very tasty, unlike traditional light American beers.

It’s a corny notion, but the beer makes me feel like flipping a burger on the grill or roasting some corn on the cob the way a bucket of Corona’s or a tall glass of Sam Summer does. Bud Light Lime could turn itself into a successful picnic beer during the coming warm weather months.

The beer is a pleasant surprise and looks like it represents a growing trend among national brands to capture the kitsch of craft beer and popular micro-breweries. With the amazing popularity of Samuel Adams’ seasonal brew, Busch recently introduced its own collection of winter, spring, summer, and fall flavors.

Beer Chicken

Ingredients:

• One whole frying chicken
• 12 oz. can of beer
• Garlic powder, chili powder, pepper, white pepper

Mix the peppers and garlic and chili powders in a bowl. Rub seasoning mixture into the entire outside of the chicken.

Now the third best part: crack open a can of beer, any kind really, although I do encourage you to try all different types. Do something with half of the beer in the can. If using a pan, you can pour it in bottom-or just drink it.

Now the second best part: stick the half-full can (we’re optimistic because this is a proven good recipe) up the chicken. There are two possible orifices in the chicken-stick the can where you think it belongs.

Oven: stand the chicken upright on the can in a pan (possibly with leftover beer in it) and place in an oven. Roast at 425 for 45 minutes to an hour (depending on the size of the chicken). Lower the temperature to 350 to cook the rest of the way (again, depending on the size of the chicken). When the juices run clear, it is finished. Consult the package of your chicken for proper cooking times.

Finally the best part: carve and eat the chicken and remove the can if you wish. The evaporated beer will make the chicken extra-moist and delicious. Salt and pepper to taste.

Beer Hot Dogs

Already a match, the powers of these two favorites can be combined into this super dish.

Ingredients:

• 12 oz. can or bottle of beer (again, feel free to experiment)
• 1/2 bottle of ketchup
• 3-6 tablespoons of brown sugar
• White onion
• One (12-16 oz.) package of hot dogs
• Worcestershire sauce

Pour beer into a pot (don’t drink any this time) and bring to a boil. Cut hot dogs into small, bite-size pieces. Cut up the onion. Add three tablespoons brown sugar and onion to beer-dogs. Pour in a cup of ketchup and mix. Reduce heat to low and cover. Periodically stir. After 20 minutes, assess the beer-dog situation. The sauce should be thick and pasty; adjust ketchup and brown sugar content accordingly and also for taste. Simmer for 20 more minutes. Take off the heat and let sit, covered, for 10 more minutes. Serve in grinder rolls or any other way.

UPDATE: In response to reader questions, Miller 64 is 2.8 percent alcohol by volume, according to a spokesman for Miller Brewing Company.

Miller Brewing Company is rolling out its 64-calorie Miller Genuine Draft, “MGD 64,” which is a reformulation of the original MGD Light, and they are touting it as the lowest calorie beer on the market.

“MGD 64 is a sensible choice for consumers working hard to keep up with the pace of their life,” said Grant Leech, marketing director for the Miller Genuine Draft brand. “Whether they are out with a group of friends or taking a break at the end of the day, MGD 64 provides all of the great beer aroma and flavor consumers want but with about 35 percent fewer calories than the typical light beer.”The beer is being launched in a limited roll-out in the Midwest and some West Coast areas. Miller is saying they will also market MGD 64 to active places like health clubs and spas — pushing MGD 64 on the healthy beer drinker.

MGD 64 has 2.4 grams of carbohydrates per 12 ounce serving, which is just a bit less than Michelob Ultra’s 2.6 grams.

Miller offers the following comparisons:

• A 6 ounce glass of red wine contains 128 calories — twice the amount in MGD 64
• A 6 ounce gin and tonic contains 172 calories — almost three times as many calories as MGD 64
• A 6.5 ounce margarita contains 246 calories — nearly four times the calories of one MGD 64

“The math is pretty simple,” Leech said. “Differences such as those between MGD 64 and competitive light beers and other alcohol beverages add up pretty quickly. For consumers who want great beer refreshment that doesn’t slow you down, MGD 64 is the clear choice.”

According to Miller, MGD 64 was initially launched last summer in Madison, Wis. People liked it there, and they’re expanding it. But we’re not seeing it on the East Coast just yet

After going through a virus attack,

losing a hard drive,

fighting off hackers,

upgrading all my software,

installing fire-walls,

being threatened with being cut-off by my email provider,

and a host of other problems…

I have fixed my computer…

and NOW it works exactly the way I want it to!

In that year on Nov. 16, the governor of St. Eustatius – a Dutch island in the West Indies – ordered his fort’s cannons to pay tribute to an arriving American warship, the Andrew Doria. This risky and courageous act solidified the two countries’ friendship in history. Only months before, the United States had declared independence from Great Britain.

The Dutch salute was the first friendly act upon the new American nation from a foreign power. The British, angry at the Dutch for trading with the colonies, seized the island a few years later. The Dutch recaptured St. Eustatius in 1784.

So join the 8 million Dutch-Americans and celebrate the contributions you and your ancestors have made to the United States – beginning with the “first salute” in 1776 and continuing each day as the United States and the Netherlands work together to bring peace and freedom to the world.

If you need another excuse to drink, April 19th is Dutch-American Friendship Day. That’s when President John Adams, establishsied the first American Embassay at Fluwelen Burgwal 18 in The Hague.

“For adults who’ve never tried a pumpkin beer before, we’d encourage them to experiment with Jack’s,” said Florian Kuplent, brewmaster, Anheuser-Busch, in a statement. “Because the pumpkin and spice flavors are so well-balanced and subtle, Jack’s doesn’t overpower foods and makes for an ideal culinary experience.”

There are two fall beers I tend to order once the summer brews run dry. First and foremost, there’s Samuel Adams Octoberfest, the fall seasonal brew from the Boston Beer Company. It’s amazing, second among their seasonal beer only to Summer Ale, which takes the cake. Next, there’s Blue Moon Pumpkin Ale, which tastes a lot like Jack’s Pumpkin Spice. I’m ordinarily a steady Blue Moon drinker, but I’m not sold on their seasonal varieties. They’re fun to drink for a change, and I’ll buy a case out of drinking habit, but Blue Moon Pumpkin Ale tastes a little strong, and it’s just not as good as regular old Blue Moon.

That brings us to Jack’s. It’s very similar to Blue Moon Pumpkin Spice, but the flavor isn’t as overpowering. It’s very clean tasting for an ale, but goes down with a bit of a bite to remind you that you are drinking a beer after all.

Pumpkin beer is just something you have to try. It fits the season very well. It’s a beer that’s meant to accompany food, and Jack’s 5.5 percent alcohol by volume isn’t nearly as much alcohol as a white or wheat ale, some of which can potentially double that.

“Year after year this is one of our favorite beers to brew,” said Kuplent. “We hope beer drinkers who enjoy trying new flavors will sample this seasonal ale.”

Jack’s Pumpkin Spice Ale is available on drought and bottle. Other Busch seasonal beers include Winter’s Bourbon Cask Ale, Spring Heat Spiced Wheat and Beach Bum Blonde Ale.

Jack’s is brewed with two-row, caramel and carapils barley malts, a blend of imported and domestic Hallertau hops and domestic Saaz hops, according to a Busch statement. It is meant to be poured in a tall, fluted glass for full taste, “allowing its rich aromas to funnel straight to the nose” — if you’re into that sorta thing.

(ARA) – When it comes to gathering with friends and family, craft beers are becoming a prominent guest. Craft beer has enjoyed double digit growth over the past few years and shows no signs of slowing down.

As consumers tap craft beer for its robust varieties and flavorful offerings, American brewers are developing unique wheat brews that are further fueling the success of the category. While bolder, fuller-flavored German style beers have typically dominated craft beer selections, wheat (also called weiss or wit from its German and Belgian origins) beers have seen a sudden surge in popularity largely due to their lighter, refreshing taste.

The Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company, one of the largest brewers of specialty beers in the U.S., which offers four wheat beers in its portfolio of 11 specialty beers, said wheat beers are growing in popularity because of their crisp, drinkable style. “There’s nothing like relaxing with a refreshing wheat beer with great character,” said Jake Leinenkugel, fifth generation brewer and president of Leinenkugel’s. “Some wheat beers offer unexpected undertones of citrus or spice, which complements many dishes, from salads and shellfish to spicy fare such as today’s hot Asian cuisine.”

In addition to its Honey Weiss and Berry Weiss, Leinenkugel’s last year launched Sunset Wheat, which features a slightly fruity and citrus character, complimented by the gentle spiciness of coriander. The wheat brew, which was awarded a bronze medal at the World Beer Cup and the silver at the Great American Beer Festival in its first year, has quickly become the fourth fastest growing beer in the U.S. And, most recently, Leinenkugel’s rolled out its latest summer seasonal, Leinenkugel’s Summer Shandy.

Typically slightly lower in alcohol content and calories, wheat beers are drawing more women to the craft beer category. “Our female fans tell us they like the way our wheat beers are presented with sleek glassware and fruit garnishes such as orange or lemon slices,” adds Leinenkugel. “They want to trade-up for a differentiated product.”

Wheat beers are best served in an hour-glass shaped beer glass with room for an ample head. Leinenkugel’s, celebrating its 140th year of brewing, offers these tips for enjoying wheat beers:

1. Party for one — Sample a new style of brew with one at your favorite watering hole before springing for an entire case.

2. Keep it clean — Any minute particles left in a glass — dust specks, lipstick, traces of dishwater grease, or the slightest film — can interfere with the flavor of a beer.

3. Prep is everything — Put some cold water into the glass, shake it and drain it. Then hold the glass at a 45 degree angle and fill it carefully. Leave some remaining in the bottle and swirl it lightly to get all the yeast in suspension and then top off your glass.

4. Get a big head — The larger the foam head, the better because it releases the carbon dioxide in the beer and thus the flavor and aroma, it also keeps the beer fresh all the way to the bottom. At least two fingers of foam is ideal.

5. Sense the flavor — Experience the beer’s sting or effervescence with your first sip. As it moves back into your mouth you’ll begin to identify other flavors.

For more information about craft beers, recipes utilizing beer or pairing with beer, tasting tips and availability, visit: www.leinie.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

East:

Wachusett Brewing Company
Westminster , MA
“Quinn’s Amber Ale”
Named after one of Wachusett’s founders, Peter Quinn, this is the brewery’s spring release in honor of his Irish roots.

Paper City Brewery
Holyoke, MA
“Ireland Parish Golden Ale”
A blond ale with hops added at the end of fermentation for an extra bite. Central Massachusetts-based Paper City also produces “Riley’s Stout,” a traditional Irish Dry Stout.

Victory Brewing Company
Downingtown, PA
“Donnybrook Stout”
Taking its namesake from an annual horse fair in Dublin, this seasonal draft-only release uses British and Slovenian hops to give this take on Ireland’s traditional brew an earthy character.

Harpoon Brewery
Boston, MA
“Hibernian Irish Style Red”
Beantown-based Harpoon has offered this Irish red since 2001. The seasonal release takes its name from the Ancient Roman nickname for Ireland, “Hibernia”-or winter-as they were slow to adapt to the country’s climate.

Midwest:

Schlafly Brewing Company
Saint Louis, MO
“Irish Style Extra Stout”
A hoppy, though balanced, Extra Stout from a relatively unknown St. Louis-based craft brewery released in early February.

Boulevard Brewing Company

Kansas City, MO

“Irish Ale”

Available January through April, this red ale is made from six unique pale and roasted malts with a solid dose of Magnum and Saaz hops.

Goose Island Brewing Company
Chicago, IL

“Kilgubbin Red Ale”

A seasonal release brewed in honor of the Irish immigrants that settled on Kilgubbin Island, near Chicago, with malted rye added at the end of fermentation for a spicy finish.

Summit Brewing Company
Saint Paul, MN
“Great Northern Porter”
Carmel and black malts merge with Cascade and Fuggle hops to form a solid British-style porter, released year-round from Minnesota-based Summit.

South:

Abita Brewing Company
Abita Springs, LA
“Abita Red Ale”
Seasonal release by Louisiana-based Abita, producers of Purple Haze and Turbodog.

Blackstone Restaurant and Brewery

Nashville, TN

“St. Charles Porter”

Though taking after the British Porter style, this Nashville-produced beer was the bronze medalist in 2006 Great American Beer Festival’s Brown Porter category.

The Duck-Rabbit Craft Brewery

Farmville, NC

“The Duck-Rabbit Milk Stout”

Self-proclaimed “Dark Beer Specialists,” the 3-year-old brewery was the Bronze medalist in 2006 Great American Beer Festival’s Sweet Stout category.

Four Peaks Brewing Company

Tempe, AZ

“McCarthy’s Red”

8-time winner of the Phoenix New Times’ Best Brew Pub award, Four Peak’s releases this Red Ale throughout the spring. Be careful drinking this one; you may get blacklisted!

West:

AleSmith Brewing Company

San Diego, CA

“Speedway Stout”

One of the highest rated brews on Beeradvocate.com; this is an intense Stout with coffee and chocolate notes rounded off with a smooth, but powerful finish.

Walnut Brewery

Boulder, CO

“St. James Irish Red Ale”

Irish ale with a citrusy Cascade hop bite, this beer won the bronze medal in 2006 Great American Beer Festival in the Irish-style Red Ale category.

Moylan’s Brewery & Restaurant

Novato, CA

“Paddy’s Irish Style Red Ale”

Low hop content, massive barley notes, and caramel undertones are the hallmarks of this World Beer Championship silver medal winning beer.

In downtown Boston, where the city has celebrated St. Patrick’s Day since the mid-1700’s, Blast’s John Forrester gathered together a small group for an evening of Irish cuisine and beer. Beginning with pints of Guinness as Shepherd’s Pie was being prepared, the five guests sampled various Stout-based concoctions.

Guinness, by far Ireland’s most commercially successful beer, is often mixed with other types of beer and liqueurs. Both in the U.S. and in Ireland, the most common example is the “black and tan,” or “half and half”–one part stout and one part lager or ale, such as Harp and Bass. Another popular mix was the “black fog”–a few splashes of Chambord, a Black Current flavored liqueur, and Guinness.

Overall, the crowd-pleaser seemed to be the Black and Gold–half Stout and half alcoholic cider, such as Magner’s or Strongbow. There are, of course, countless other concoctions that will allow you to go beyond the standard pint of green-dyed Budweiser or traditional Guinness this holiday, so strap on that shamrock, throw on a green t-shirt, and start your own St. Patrick’s Day tradition this year.

“Craic” is an Irish term for a light-hearted evening filled with good food, drinks, music and laughter. While there are many ways to celebrate the holiday–breweries, bars and restaurants are all known to have events–try inviting some friends over for an intimate night of Irish food and drinks this St. Patrick’s day. Instead of the stereotypical corned beef, hash and green beer, here’s a unique dish from the land of Erin that is sure to help bring a bit of craic to your St. Patrick’s Day party.

The Blast Shepherd’s Pie

Serves 5-6

2 to 2 1/2 pounds potatoes, such as russet, peeled and cubed
3 tablespoons sour cream
1 cup milk
Salt and black pepper
extra-virgin olive oil

1 11.5 fl. Oz. bottle of Guinness Draught Stout
2 pounds ground beef

1 clove garlic
2 medium-sized carrots
1 large onion
2 1/2 tablespoons salted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 heavy dashes of Worcestershire sauce
1 cup frozen peas
1 teaspoon paprika or cayenne pepper

Hot sauce (optional)

Prep Work: Chop carrots, onions and garlic. Peel potatoes and cut into 1 to ž inch cubes.

Begin by boiling the potatoes with generous dashes of salt while you warm a skillet on another burner to cook the beef. While the potatoes cook, add a small amount of olive oil to the pan and the chopped garlic. When the garlic begins to smell fragrant, add the ground beef and cook for a few minutes. As the meat begins to turn brown, add salt, pepper and a third of the Guinness bottle. If so desired, add a dash or two of hot sauce as well. Once the beef is browned throughout, add carrots and onions, and stir often.

Keep an eye on the potatoes; when they’re tender, drain the water. Add milk and sour cream, and mash until mostly smooth. Once they’re at the desired consistency, cover and set aside.

To make the gravy, use another burner on medium heat and melt butter in a small skillet. Once the butter is liquified, add flour, chicken broth, salt and pepper, and the remaining 2/3 of the Guinness. As you’re making the gravy, preheat the broiler on a high setting. Stir constantly so that the gravy does not melt, and no lumps of flour remain. Let it thicken as it cooks for a minute or two, and then add to the meat and vegetables. Lastly, add peas to the meat.

Take out a rectangular baking pan with 3 to 4 inch sides, and fill with meat and vegetables. Cover bottom of pan evenly and then spread potatoes over the meat, forming a top layer. Sprinkle fine layer of paprika or cayenne over the top.

Place the pan away from the heat source in the broiler and cook until top layer of potatoes are browned.