BEER TRAVELERS

I won’t double post, so instead here’s a link to the “review” of CAMRA’s Good Beer Guide West Coast USA I wrote at Appellation Beer.

The capsule review: Buy it.

Wireless Internet connections on the road willing, and time, semi-regular posting should resume here May 21 or so.

As I’ve explained at Appellation Beer that’s when we begin a 14-month road trip. It’s not a beer-focused journey, but beer will be seen, consumed and discussed along the way.

However, when Mark Silva tagged me in the 4×4 meme he pointed here. On the off-chance you came looking for my four (including “four writers who changed journalism for me”) I decided to make that the first post at The Slow Travelers.

Just kidding. Once you get past the sticker shock Manhattan has plenty to offer a beer drinker.

It all becomes easier to with the rollout of the website Beer Menus - Find Great Beer in New York City. That’s where, as I type, are beer listings for 177 bars and 1210 beers.

So you are wondering where you can find Smuttynose IPA and how much it costs? Pretty easy.

What’s on tap a Zum Schneider? Schneider Weisse for a $6 draft - is that a good price. Click on the beer and see where else it is available.

Of course the list isn’t perfect. No Blind Tiger, for instance, and it is only Manhattan. And what about the keg that blew at noon? Cool nonetheless.

The Wellington Arms in Watford has banned Chancellor Alistair Darling for his “tyrannical, anti-pub” budget.

Licensee Warren Baker has written to Darling to tell him he is no longer welcome and has put up a poster, which states “We hereby give notice that Alistair Darling, Chancellor of the Exchequer, is barred from this pub until further notice..

The Wellington Arms is one of hundreds of pubs taking direct action against the Chancellor as part of a national campaign supported by pub industry bible the Morning Advertiser.

Additionally, Rob Hayward, British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) chief executive, said: “Alistair Darling has just launched the £6.50 pint in time for the London Olympics. This will escalate pub closures, which are already at record levels “Government is punishing all beer drinkers rather than tackling the minority of drunken hooligans.”

The Chicago Tribune reports that Goose Island Beer Co. will close its original brewpub at 1800 N. Clybourn St. will close at the end of the year due to the firm’s inability to renew its lease. The brewpub began operations in 1988, with a separate production brewpub following in 1995.

The company announced it Wrigleyville Brewpub at 3535 N. Clark St. will remain open, as well as its Fulton Street Brewery at 1800 W. Fullton St.

There’s been discussion among Chicago beer enthusiasts that the Clybourn location may be saved.

If you are going to open a multi-tap in Michigan it should include a lot of Michigan beers, right?

Hopcats in Grand Rapids includes 22 Michigan beers in its 48-tap lineup. I might like more, but it’s not my business.

There’ll also be a 49th tap for limited-edition cask beers.

And another nice touch:

An in-house brewing operation is slated to open in February featuring one-off beers created by local brew masters. The first brew is expected to be created by John Haggerty, of Holland-based New Holland Brewing Co.

Since I’m old enough (and then some) to have children visiting this place, I might not have smiled as broadly at this one as you: “The sole macrobrew on tap will be reserved for the lawn mower tap, which will feature beers your dad might have cracked open after cutting the grass. On opening day, that tap will feature Old Milwaukee.”

Pints range from $3 to $7.

Let’s call The Beer Guppy’s Guide to Southern California another piece in the puzzle, and hope that author Jay Sheveck doesn’t quit with just one.

Another piece because this gives us one more regional guide to places that serve quality beer. As you can tell by the title, it’s for Southern California. It’s quite a bit different than the format Lew Bryson established for guides east of the Mississippi. Since followed rather closely by Paul Ruschmann and Maryanne Nasiatka (Michigan) and not so closely by Andy Crouch (New England). And also different than books about Illinois and Wisconsin breweries or the Brewpub Explorer of the Pacific Northwest.

[The quick aside here. If these regional guides had existed in 1994 we never would have set out to compile the Beer Travelers Guide, and sure has heck wouldn’t have done an update. We’ll soon been headed back for an extended stay on the road, and may even write about a few beer joints along the way, but there will NOT be a third edition.]

Jay Sheveck’s book is different first of all because it looks like a magazine, with an 8 1/2 x 11 format and 100 pages. Open a page and you’ll think utilitarian. Generally three entries to a page, lots of information, not a lot of prose. Icons for everything (backed up by information).

For instance, let’s turn to Page 58. Old Baldy Brewing (in Upland) occupies the middle column, Seven house beers are listed, seven seasonsals, just a bit of information about the brewhouse itself, some about the pub itself, regular events, easy-to-read hours and a bit of history. And at the bottom the icons tell you about live music, outdoor seating, if you can find hand-pumped beers, etc.

Sheveck says he spent five year researching the book and it shows. He plans four more books like this one. (Or four more pieces for those of us who see the United States as a giant beer puzzle).

He’s included 300 microbreweries, brewpubs, alehouse, restaurants, retailers, homebrew organizations and beer events (beyond the basic events at breweries and pubs).

More information is available at www.BeerGuppy.com.