Beer & Ale

Though the weather for most of this month has been what we crave in July, typically October is my favorite month. Why? Well, I do love that traditional seasonal change, the crisping of the air, the leaves, etc . . . You start to see the autumnal shift in your diet -- apples, potatoes, good oysters. Maybe you start drinking a little red wine. And, lest I forget, football season and the World Series. The best beer in the world for those things--Oktoberfest, naturally--a rich, amber beer with a strong malty character.

I found this interesting Japanese beer on the shelf in Whole Foods. The label, a watercolor of people working the rice paddy, was enticing. It's also a good indication of the beer, which is made from rice. Koshihikari is, according to Wikipedia, a popular rice strain in Japan. The beer is indicative of its origins. It's light in body, texture and flavor. If it's hopped, it's only gently, as there's just a slight grainy whiff of citrus to the beer. It will be too light for most American drinkers, but with some delicate sashimi, it would be lovely.

Drink Tables

Though it was a spring release, there's still Lagunitas "Sirius" Cream Ale to be had. Go out and get some immediately - it's likely one of the most delicious beers that will pass your  lips this year.

Not really, but it's quite amazing that two huge, historical and prominent brands have recently been sold to European firms. First, Budweiser, the King of Beers, goes to InBev of Belgium. Now Chateau Montelena goes to the Bordeaux house Cos d'Estournel.

This is the beer we drank through Vietnam. Interestingly, there it was called 333, not 33. According to one blog I found, 33 is the original name, and it was the communists who, after taking over in the ‘70s, appended the extra 3.

Ever since I was 15 and traveling through France and Britain with my family, I've loved European dry, alcoholic apple cider. This is probably because my parents wouldn't let me drink beer, scotch or (much) wine, but they would let me get the occasional buzz off cider. While there, I developed an affection for the dry, crisp apple-y taste of the stuff.

A friend alerted me to this astonishing development in the world of beer: Happy Tail Ale, the first beer for dogs. It's nonalcoholic, fortified with glucosamine (for the joints) and Vitamin E, and it's beef-flavored. Hell, if it weren't for the nonalcoholic part, I'd probably drink it myself.