Howling Monkey -- Great Design for a Defunct Beer

One of the stupid things about beer is that it often seems like the same person who brewed it also designed the unpleasant labels or wrote the mind-numbing copy.

Clearly, that is not the case with Howling Monkey.


Look at that magnificent monkey! He is hilarious! And quite dashing.

Beer should always be this handsome.



Word on the street is that Howling Monkey is no longer a beer. Instead, its an energy drink with an inexplicably confusing website. Oh well.

(h/t bad banana blog, who also happens to be the best person to follow on Twitter.)

Brooklyn: A Beer Maven in a Beer Haven

New York, New York...Frank Sinatra sings in the background.

Not sure Sinatra knew much about beer, but I'll tell you what, Brooklyn is where it's at for beer lovers! Although surely all beeroughs (get it? Burroughs?) have excellent beer options, BK knocked my socks off.

Started out on Friday night with my friends Ateesh & Jeremy at Lucali, quite possible the best pizza I had had on this earth, and a jaunt to Brooklyn Social (a neat bar in the style of a speakeasy). Where I ordered nary a beer, but rather a fancy ole cocktail with some well cut ice. After being simply shellshocked by the quality of food and drink Shideh and Ateesh at High Dive. Yes, it sounds lame. But it is on the contrary! Because there I got one of my favorites (not to be found in Atlanta): Bear Republic Race 5 IPA. A delightful experience with wonderful friends, I left totally satiated.

And all around Park Slope I saw cute bars with great beers on tap--4th St Pub, Pacific something something, I was amazed.

Saturday afternoon my friend Jenny and I found BierKraft after stopping in Nunu Chocolates for what was definitely the best chocolate I have ever had in my life. When I say found, I mean we were trying to get there all along, because I had heard rave reviews about this specialty cheese, chocolate and beer place. They have 22 or so beers on tap, and I got a pint of the delicious Blue Piont Brewing Co. Hoptical Illusion on cask (in these genius homemade casks!--see left). Yum yum. From Long Island. Then some boutique window shopping and a few hours later, it was dinner time again.

Justine and I then headed out to an amazing bar on her corner called Washington Commons where I got the delicious, delicious Otter Creek Imperial IPA. So perfect! And later a Cape Ann Fisherman's IPA- more normal but still good.

But it's not all Shangri-la in Brooklyn--our beloved Avery Maharaja that sells for about $7 or $8 in ATL was on sale for $14! Wow.

All weekend and I didn't even drink a Brooklyn Brewery Beer! Suffice to say: I found my gift for our Beer Club Secret Santa in BK!!

Love at the Pub Book Trailer

One of the best bars around here (or around anywhere, really) is the Brick Store Pub. It's much more than a watering hole -- it was a catalyst for the renaissance of Decatur and the inspiration for a book, Love at the Pub.



Brick Store is hosting a block party for Love at the Pub on December 10th from 5 - 10. Apparently you get a free pint when you buy the book. Sold!

h/t Decatur Metro

Paste Magazine Rates the Top 25 Breweries of the Decade

Our neighbors, friends, and fellow Brick Store Pub enthusiasts over at Paste Magazine have compiled the top 25 breweries of the decade.

Where did they get it right? Where did they get it wrong?

I'll tell you where they got it waaaaaay wrong -- Samuel Adams Imperial White as their favorite beer from the 15th best brewery. It's the worst beer I've tasted.

Boy, does this guy do some good PR

If you need to get a message out, talk to our own Lain Shakespeare. Just yesterday, as I was preparing for a lecture and listening to the local NPR station, guess whose mellifluous voice comes over the airwaves: yes, that's right, our own Lain Shakespeare. Have a listen as he discusses the controversial Disney movie, "The Song of the South," on City Cafe with John Lemley.

It's been a while, but this was so on point...

So I've been buried under a stack of papers to grade (and am getting another stack this afternoon), but I surfaced just in time to find this amazing post...

And I'll actually get on that post about Italian beer sometime soon.

How 'bout that Cusqueña?

I feel an obligation to do a post about Peruvian beer situation. First of all, you know, they do a lot of chicha here--but I have yet to experience the alcoholic version, I have only consumed a fruit style version which was delicious. HOWEVER, lucky for this readership (??), I have had Peruvian Cusqueña beer, skipping the lager and going straight to Cusqueña Negra (BA describes it as "Premium Dark Beer").

Well it gets a "C" rating, which is maybe even a little generous. Since I think it is pretty nasty (and very very malty and sweet), I'll be on a beer respite for the few weeks I am here.

Here are some of the comments people give it "Unfortunately, the head fades quickly." "Smells like beer, kind of a chemical smell with a little lemon." "This thing is far too sugary to be appetizing, with sickly-rich notes of high fructose corn syrup and a hint of dark roasted barley" and I have to agree. This is a pretty rotten beer.

But hey, we don't come to Cusco and Peru to drink beer do we? There's a reason why Pisco Sours are much more famous than Cusqueña beer. As they say in Costa Rica, "Huacala!!" (as in "Nasty!")!