Tough Topic: Should Kids Be In Bars?

Many bars and brewpubs have age limits for entry.  Owners and managers need to determine if having an age limit works for them.  Without this balance owners could be costing themselves revenue from the pro-kid camp or pro-kidless camp.

A bar is a bar is a bar.  If there is no food then your kid has no business being there.  If the establishment has food then personally I think kids should be allowed in the door.  Where you sit is another issue.  If an establishment has a dinning room and a bar kids belong in the dining room.

Some establishments have zero kid policies.  Establishments may be losing out on customers who want to bring their kids for lunch on a Saturday afternoon.  While on the other hand places with kids running rampant may be losing customers.  If they wanted screaming kids they could just go to Chuck E. Cheese.

Either way, bars and brewpubs need to find a balance, and restricting child entry to certain times and parts of the establishment are certainly appropriate.

Finally, if your kids are in an establishment running around screaming take them to Chuck E. Cheese.  When they are ready to behave bring them to the brewpub-you are going to need a beer.

What do you think?

Found it!

This is what we came all this way for.

Glassware: The Weissbier "Vase"

Hey you!  See that glass to the right?  You do?  Good!  That is not a stinking pilsner glass!  Got it?  Good!

Sorry for being aggresive, but I can not tell you how often people mistake a Vase a.k.a Weissbier glass as an appropriate vessel for pilsners.  The wide mouth allows for plenty of foam and thus aroma to hit the nose enhancing flavor.  As you raise this glass to drink the surface area further increases allowing for even more aromas.  The style has been around for sometime, but the flowing curve more than likely did not originate until the 1900's.

This glass is appropriate for wheat beers and wheat beers not pilsners.

Event Review: American Craft Beer Week

American Craft Beer Week (ACBW) is a way to set aside a special time to celebrate craft beer.  Personally I think every week should be beer week, but the powers that be decided we need a dedicated national time.  ACBW is not the same as your local city or state beer weeks, although usually they have the same goals.  


What is the point of ACBW?  
Honestly, I do not know the behind the scene reason.  The Brewer Association's website states ACBW is "an exciting opportunity for small and independent craft brewers and the community of better beer retailers to feature craft beer in their community."


Do not get me wrong, I love local beer weeks, but a national event just seems lackluster.  The establishments holding events should be featuring craft beer everyday.  There is no reason to wait until May to do so.  I  started thinking about this and determined it is not about getting a guy to try a beer or to hold events in breweries, although those are great things and part of ACBW.  I think what is really behind ACBW is a chance to pressure establishments to sell more craft beer and host related events.  It is really about a brewery rep walking into a bar and talking about this big national week and trying to get a Miller or AB product off draft and a craft beer on.  Believe it or not, there are still a lot of bars that will not ditch macro beer or open the door to craft beer.


For what it is worth, you should see a slight bump in the craft beer scene in your area May 16-22, 2011.  If you are reading this after May, note in your calendar that ACBW is always middle May.  Come back next week for a discussion of local beer weeks and how they can change your life, or at least get you drunk.


A constantly updated list of ACBW events.

Beer Review: Double Jack by Firestone Walker

I gathered my notes to write on Firestone Walker's Double Jack and then discovered that it is Chicago Tribune's Beer of the Month for February. Firestone Walker is a newcomer to the Chicago beer scene, but has been taking the beer world by storm over the last several years.  You may have tried products from Firestone Walker before as they are one of the brewers of Trader Joe's store-brand beers.  Named Mid-Size Brewer of the Year Firestone Walker by the World Beer Cup three times and twice named Brewing Company of the Year by the Great American Beer Festival.

Tasting Notes:
This Double IPA poured amber with some lacing.  Aroma of citrus, slightly sweet with a hint of pine.  Moderately carbonated this beer had a predominate hop flavor without going overboard.  A nice sweetness rounds this beer out.  At 9.5% be careful how much as you drink you cannot taste the alcohol.

Beer History: Writing & Building

Cuneiform for Beer

The first written language was called Cuneiform (3000 BC), and yes they had a symbol for beer.  Beer and barley were some of the earliest commodities that could be bought, sold or more likely bartered for.  It is believed that written language was created as a way to track the exchange of these commodities.  Ancient Sumerian peoples had more than 160 words related to beer.  Since the Agricultural Revolution, many other cultures have come up with their own words for beer.  Some of my personal favorites are beer, bier, pivo and cerveza.  But nothing beats the Egyptians that used the symbols for beer and bread to mean a meal.

The rise of written language allowed individuals to use commodities such as beer by being able track who was paid and who was owed.  Ancient beer was a vital source of nutrition.  Laborers building the pyramid were paid about a gallon of beer a day or about 231,414,717 gallons a pyramid.  Frequently the laborers were given a chit that was worth a certain amount of beer.  Very similar in concept to modern debit cards they could use the chit at the equivalent of a modern bar or store.

The tradition of paying in beer comes up throughout history, and today employees of breweries are still partially compensated with beer to drink both at work and to take home.  Beer has played an integral role in building society.

Keep checking back as I continue to look at beer in pivotal moments in history.

Tough Topic: Be Honest

As craft beer becomes bigger business, a few breweries become shady.  Some of the larger mass production brewers are making a line of more flavorful beer, but distancing themselves from the new brand to make it look like it is a hometown beer.  The two that come to mind right away is Landshark Lager and Leinenkugel's.

Landshark is really a product of Anheuser-Busch.  Landshark just uses Jimmy Buffet for branding.  Nowhere on their bottle or in any of their material is it obvious that Landshark is a product of AB.  In fact they have done such a good job covering this up that good.is created a beer map of the US.  In creating this map Good asked readers the following:

What is the most awesome, best tasting, sustainably brewed, independently owned, community-oriented craft beer brewed in your state?

Landshark is by no means independently owned and it is a shame the people of Florida don't know that.

A second brewery out there masquerading as a small craft brewer is Leinenkugel's.  Now I do enjoy one of their beers from time to time, but I do take issue with how they attempt to pass themselves off.  No mention of Miller on the bottle at all.  Check out their FAQ page.  See the spot where they claim to be a "regional brewery with limited marketing dollars." Bullshit.

Many consumers decide to drink craft beer for its' sustainability, or to support a local business in addition to a more flavorful beer.  I am glad to see some of these larger brewers are trying to produce more flavorful beer and there is some attempt to even give back to the communities where they are based.  But seriously folks, be honest about who you are.

Glassware: Stemmed Tulips

Stemmed Tulips are a fancy little glass.  Like  other specialty glassware they typically look more expensive than they really are.  The name is based on the silhouette of a tulip and is evident when you look at the glass in profile.  The glass has a wider bottom allowing beer to spread out and have more surface area to release aromas.  The middle of the glass curves in concentrating the aromas.  Finally, although I have yet to find someone else to say this, I think the the curved out rim on tulips actually bends your lip down and changes the way the beer hits your tongue.

Tulips are usually appropriate for Belgian and French beers especially Lambic, Gueze and Saison.

Brewery Review: Anheuser-Busch

St. Louis Brewhouse

Believe it or not, Anheuser-Busch might not be as bad as you think.  The whole operation gets a pretty bum wrap about their beer based on their flagship beers Bud and Bud Light.  Many find it appalling that rice is used in the brewing process.  I find it interesting that The Bruery can add rice to their beer to create a lighter flavor, but AB can not add rice for a lighter flavor.  Many of the beers in AB's Michelob line are actually pretty good.

People also do not realize the level of influence AB has in many of the most popular craft beers. AB has about a one-third stake in Goose Island and steaks of several others, most notably the Craft Brewers Alliance.  Many people from the South think Landshark Lager is a micro-brew.  Seriously?  When do craft breweries have enough cash to buy naming rights on an NFL stadium?  Think I am lying? Scroll to the bottom of their homepage and click the beeresponsible.com link.

Beer Bitch Loves The Horses

AB has played a big part in beer and popular culture.  How many cultural references have come from this brewery?  Clydesdales, Spuds McKenzie, frogs and the much loved and hated Whatzzzzzzzzzzzzuuuuuuuup.  Also, there are more serious issues in which AB has played a role from immigration in 19th century to prohibition in the 20th century to lobbying beer laws in the 21st century.

Pouring From A Finishing Tank

If nothing else AB is an excellent example of American manufacturing, even if owned by the Belgians.  If you are in St. Louis it would be a shame not to stop at the original brewery.  If you do go, it is worth signing up for the paid Beermaster tour.  This tour covers a bit more ground and you get to see more of the facility than you do on the free tour, plus there is a nice tasting glass for a souvenir.  I will say drinking Bud Light from a finishing tank doesn't taste half bad.

Beer Review: Honkers Ale by Goose Island

Goose Island's Honker's Ale for all intents and purposes was my first love of craft beer.  I used to be blown away by its' hops and when I have it now I laugh at how I used to think it was mind blowing.  I do not think Honker's is bad.  When I used to drink it all the time I had yet to have a 100+ IBU or any of the other powerful beers that now touch my lips.

Inspired by English country pubs, Honker's Ale is one of Goose Islands core brands and is found in most grocery stores in the Chicago region.  I also know some grocery stores and almost all beer stores in the Midwest can get you this beer.  For a number of years I kept a six pack of this in the fridge as my go-to-beer.  I also find this is a relatively safe beer to take to BBQs and other gatherings as people may not find it as intimidating as some other beers.

Tasting Notes:
Pours amber with a bit of a haze and a proper head.  A fruity aroma with a trace of hops gives way to flavors of a balanced brew.  A bit of citrus hops dances across the tongue.  Honker's has a pretty smooth feel almost thin mouthfeel.  I think novices will likely have their eyes opened by this beer and snobs will likely drink one and move on.

Beer History: Settling Down

Over the next several weeks come back each Tuesday to see how beer had major influence in society.  In many cases people look at me and say "It is just beer."  Yeah it is just beer, but beer played a role in everything from the Agricultural Revolution to the Industrial Revolution to technological advancements to massive government policy decisions.  Thousands of people rely on beer for employment and the modern craft movement is one of many elements driving our society to be more sustainable.  So yes it is just beer, but beer is huge.

For years scientists assumed that civilization went from a hunter gatherer society to an agrarian one for the generic concept of growing grains and raising livestock.  Scientists are now beginning to believe early humans may of settled to raise grain for beer.  While no one knows exactly how beer came about there are some theories.

It is believed that originally a group of hunter gatherers left grain in a container and it either deliberately or inadvertently became wet.  Then wild airborne yeast mixed in and the grains fermented.  Some lucky man or woman got to be the first to taste beer.  Their identity will never be known but they told their friends to try beer.  It was discovered to be tasty and early man decided to settle down and domesticate barley.  We know barley was among the earliest domesticated grains.  Now most people would likely say grains were domesticated to make bread.  Scientists have dated beer to 9000 BC which is 3000 years before evidence of bread.  The domesticated grains were the spark that created what we now call Mesopotamia the cradle of civilization.

I am not one to argue that without this discovery we would of never settled down, but what if the catalyst for the Agricultural Revolution did not happen for 100 years?  I likely would be working in a factory instead or typing a blog on the internet.  Something to think about isn't it?

Tough Topic: Bars Know Your Beer

Over the weekend Beer Bitch and I went to a bar in Chicago.  It was not a "beer bar" they did have some craft options.  The bar had six drafts and about twenty bottle selections.  I always make a quick sweep of my draft options when walking in.  I asked the bartender what Brooklyn Brewery Beer was on tap.  He replied "Brooklyn"  and with a plain Brooklyn Brewery tap handle I had no idea which beer I just ordered.  It poured dark which indicated to me immediately it was either Brown or Oktoberfest, and I am pretty sure it was Oktoberfest.  (I am ignoring the fact that this is mid-February because seasonality is a completely different issue.)

Later in the evening I asked a second bartender for Noble Pils.   I said Noble Pils a second time, and she still had no clue.  I then asked for Sam Adams and she poured the Noble Pils from the clearly marked Sam Adams Seasonal Noble Pils tap handle.

In this case both bartenders had no clue what beer they actually had..  What could be done to avoid this?  First, I think breweries like Brooklyn should abandon generic taps.  At least a customer could look at a tap handle and answer their own question.  Sam Adams did adopt an identifying tap handle and I think there is little more they could do.  However, bar mangers need to stress the importance of knowing what is on tap.  Knowing which beers are available are just as important as knowing how to mix signature cocktails.  Profit is king in bars and beer is a money maker.  Knowing what your customers are asking for will result in quicker service which frees up staff to go onto the next customer and increase customer satisfaction.

So please bartenders when serving beer make sure you know what is there!

Glassware: Size Matters

Recently I noticed a disturbing trend.  Bars giving small glasses.  It is one thing to order a draft beer and it be given in a smaller glass assuming the price is right.  It is totally another to be served a beer with a glass that can not hold a standard bottle of beer.  Beer as we all know is a complex beverage.  If the beer I ordered has sediment maybe I want that.  Nothing is more annoying than having to constantly tell a busboy to not take the half-empty bottle.  Besides bars have lots of options for glassware besides using a juice glass.

As for 22 oz and other large bottles.  Those get a pass on my glass must fit the beer rule.  So remember if your in a bar and beer is not being served right speak up.  Make the request for the right size glass!

Fullsteam Brewery

Today I am departing from a typical brewery review to comment on a brewery I have never tried, Fullsteam.  What drew me to Fullsteam was a recent blog post called "That Brewery Sucks".  In summary the author comments on how he hears people say a brewery sucks and he doesn't listen to it.  He only listens if you explain the basis of your criticism.  He reminds readers that some individuals criticize a brewery when the problem was a bad tap line or more personal like the style preference.  What really drew me in was this:

If you still don’t like the beer, let the brewery know. Have the balls to contact the brewery and tell them about your bad experience. We promise to treat you with respect and to listen to your criticism. Be prepared for us to defend ourselves, the beer we make, and our decision to brew it a certain way. That’s part of being proud. But we will listen.

He flat out said come chat and tell me what you do not like.  That is rare.  I can not tell you how many brewers, owners, reps and managers I know.  So many of them hand me every beer like it is the greatest beer ever.  If you criticize, they blow it off.  I have told people they are great, told people they are average and yes I have said that brewery sucks.  The only brewery that I ever came straight out to anyone and said don't go there was followed up with the comment that the place often runs out of beer, service is poor and the product is inconsistent.

What needs to happen is people need to start being accountable and taking criticism.  When you take criticism you do not have to implement what the critical person wants, but you need to acknowledge it.  Defending yourself is fine especially if it is in regards to a product that turned out the way it was supposed to, but if your customer got a bad bottle or a poor experience because something went wrong, work to fix it.  Listening to them say they didn't care for your porter may even inspire you to brew a stout.

Fullsteam is not available here in Chicago, but I hope they at least export a little of that attitude up here.  Too many Chicago area brewers have egos that do not match their breweries output, and good criticism can make a good product even better.  I wish Fullsteam the best and I hope to be in the neighborhood to try their beer and give you all a proper brewery review.

#15 of 1001 Brains S.A. by S.A. Brain & Company

I wrote yesterday about the differences between UK and American warning labels.  The label in yesterday's photo came from a can of Brains S.A..  Brains is the major brewery in Wales and apparently consumed like water by local rugby fans.  (Bro, a rugby player, attests to this.)  This beer is their flagship beer and personally I find it representative of what a pint of British beer should be.

Tasting Notes:
Poured from a bottle creating a amber with an appropriate head.  A malt nose, but a faint hop aroma.  A smooth ale with a nice balance between hops and malt, and a dry finish.

British vs. US Warning Labels

UK Warning Label

US Warning Label

Recently Bro made a journey to London and brought back Brains.  No, the Brits are not cannibals, Brains is one of the leading breweries in Wales.  One of the things we instantly picked up on were warning labels.  American labels tend to be, well wordy.  The UK labels are short and simple.  My personal favorite was the silhouette of a pregnant woman with the international no symbol over her.  The simplicity of this makes so much sense.  How many people stop to read or think about a wordy warning label.  Furthermore, those not fluent in English, illiterate or just ignorant quickly understand they should not be drinking this beer.

Both the British and American warning labels have two parts.  The British label does not warn you about driving or operating machinery.  The British seem to be more focused on how much you consume.  The label states that men should drink a maximum 2-4 units a day.  Now I only have a Brains can and bottle to base my analysis on, but it seems that UK craft beer is about 2 units.  I would assume something like Bud Light would count as fewer units.

I am making a personal note to look into this more.  Unfortunately, the imports sold in Chicago are packaged for Americans and lack the UK label.  If anything I think the American labels are likely weaker, or maybe different societies view labels differently.  If anyone has more insight I would appreciate you curing my curiosity!

Tough Topic: Should Bars Be Open During Blizzards?

We all know Chicago had a blizzard last week.  I started thinking about bars and safety as the blizzard started to hit Chicago.  I had a reservation for a beer tasting that night (Tuesday).  I called the bar and the hostess seemed surprised that I would think they would cancel the tasting.  By now the Mayor is on TV telling me not to leave my house unless absolutely necessary. I didn't think it was that off the wall to call the bar and ask.  I waited an hour and when visibility got so bad I couldn't see the nine story building down the block decided I to call and cancel.  They were nice when I cancelled, but by still holding the tasting were they doing the public good?

After cancelling I poured myself a beer, grabbed a hoodie and settled in front of the TV to watch the news coverage.  We all know news reporters are insane and drive around in crazy weather.  The only people they seemed to be able to interview were either stuck on Lake Shore Drive or in a bar.  Bar manager after bar manager touted their "blizzard specials" to the camera and invited people to come on over.  There seemed to be a party atmosphere with an attitude that if you are let out of work early you might as well go to the bar.

Bars were not just on camera touting they were open; they were also Twittering like crazy.  One place published numerous tweets that they would even deliver.  Sure don't go out in this weather we will send our minimum wage driver to you.

At this point, I was appalled.  While customers may be making a conscious choice to come out in what was a historic storm, employees do not.  The bars and brewpubs were forcing employees to make a choice; get in trouble at work or heed the advice of public safety personnel.  Furthermore, these establishments placed back on the streets intoxicated individuals who got in the way of city crews trying to keep the "City that Works" from being the "City That Is Perpetually Snowed In".  So Ladies and Gentlemen, next time we have Hizzoner or whoever follows in his footsteps telling us our civic duty is to go home and sit tight; please listen.  Sometimes civic duty outweighs making a quick buck, and to be honest we are lucky someone didn't get killed trying to head home from one of these irresponsible bars.

Glassware: The Tapered Pilsner

Of the glasses in my collection the Tapered Pilsner makes me feel the most sophisticated and the most clumsy.  The first one I owned promptly broke in 24 hrs.  Just the other day Beer Bitch wanted to sit with me on the couch, but upon seeing this glass ran away.  The Tapered Pilsner has been around since the Middle Ages, but did not take root until the Art Deco age of the 1930's.  The "V" shape supports a head which will keep aromas wafting to your nose.  Additionally the tall slender shape will showcase the color of the beer and you will likely see the bubbles floating to the top.

I recommend using the Tapered Pilsner with almost any Pilsner, Bock, Doppelbock or other Lager.

Store Review: West Lakeview Liquors

West Lakeview Liquors located at 2156 W. Addison Street, Chicago, IL is a small, but impressive store.  This family run store, around since 1988, has beer, wine, spirits, and a small specialty grocery.  The grocery side has a number of cheeses, a few beer books and a small glassware selection.  The store really focuses on good beer, wine and spirits.  There is no parking lot, but street parking in the area is ample enough.
Update: I am told there is a small parking lot off the alley.  A sign would be helpful, and if there is one I apologize for being blind.

Awards:
Upfront I think it should be noted that West Lakeview Liquors has been consistently one of the highest rated beer stores.  It is the only Chicagoland area store on the 2011 Best Retailers list published by ratebeer.com.  I find it somewhat surprising no other Chicagoland store has achieved this status, but West Lakeview Liquors definitely earned the title.

Beer Selection:
While the entire store could fit into the corner of a grocery store the selection is well curated.  Beer is organized by county.  A huge number of single bottle options are available here.  There is a cooler with six packs and only a three foot section of the cooler is dedicated to mainstream beer.  I felt the selection at West Lakeview is import heavy, but the import selection included several beers from Mikkeller and Nøgne ø.  This is the largest selection of both brewers I come across in Chicago.  It had a decent selection of American craft beer, but not as large as some of the stores in Chicago.  I felt the pricing was appropriate.  Some of the beer may be a dollar cheaper at bigger discount stores, but once you factor in traveling to get the discount and West Lakeview's awesome selection, it is not worth going somewhere else.

Website:
The website was a bit clunky, but searchable.  It is nice to see if a beer is carried there and whether it is in stock.  Beer is sorted by region on the site much like it is in the store.  There is no way to easily browse the entire selection or see what is hot, but does have a new arrival selection.

Events:
According to their website, tastings from one brewery or another seem to take place every Friday.  The website seems to indicate spirit and wine tastings are possible, but all I saw was beer.  I went to a tasting by Lefthand, and samples seemed to be in the 2-3 ounce range which I find appropriate.  I wish the tasting would have included a seasonal or a limited edition brew, but that may of been Lefthand's choice not the owners option.

Service:
Overall the staff was very nice and helpful, and did seem somewhat knowledgeable.  I was looking for a particular beer that day.  I asked the staff about it and they were unfamiliar with what I was looking for.  They took my name and number and said it would go to a staff member on Tuesday who would call me regarding the beer.  Tuesday was two days ago so I will update you if they do happen to call, but they did give me their email information and encouraged me to contact them if I did not hear anything.  I would also say the same Tuesday a blizzard hit in the afternoon and Wednesday was a big 'ole snow day.  Being this was the third worst storm in Chicago history my request being lost in the shuffle or at least put on a back burner is reasonable.

Overall I was happy with my experience and need to make a trip there this week to pick something up for a dinner I am preparing.  I really need to stop finding places like this as my budget is taking a wallop.

Beer Review: Infinium by Samuel Adams

Samuel Adams introduced Infinium as a limited run for the 2010 holiday season.  Infinium was brewed in partnership with Weihenstephan which has been producing beer just shy of one thousand years.  Infinium was promoted as a beer in a whole new style.  It has been some time since a new style was created that was compliant with the Reinheitsgebot law.  A number of bloggers, retailers and to be honest, even myself became quite excited about this beer.  We expected a highly sought after excellent brew, and what we got was a highly sought after mediocre beer.  What happened?  I can not speak with authority on exactly what happened, but I do have some theories.  Here are my tasting notes followed by some conjecture:

Tasting Notes:
I finally obtained a bottle through my brother after a debacle at Binny's.  Upon uncorking the bottle I noticed dried cork flakes around the rim.  This beer was not aged and I found it interesting that I saw the cork degrade and stick.  I had to use my finger to carefully knock the pieces away or I would of been drinking cork.  Poured into a champaign glass I saw a nice white head form upon a pale amber body.  A sweet nose with lots of fruit and spice to go with little bit of citrus and bitter flavor.  This beer came off very sweet almost too sweet.  Heavily carbonated which resulted in a tingly mouthfeel.  It could be described as a manly champaign.

What Went Wrong:
Theory #1:  It is beer, not champaign.  Infinium seemed to be brewed to be champaign.  Beer drinkers look for a balance between sweet and bitter.  When I drink champaign I expect sweet, but not with beer.  To be honest though, why the bias against sweet?  Almost no one I know criticizes an over aggressively hopped beer.  Seems to be a game between brewers on who can destroy taste-buds with hop flavor.  As for theory #1 I think this one has some merit, but it is possible sweet could be the next wave in brewing and Infinium could be ahead of its time.

Theory #2: Collaboration kills.  Collaboration is all the rage right now.  Infinium was co-brewed by two leaders in the brewing industry.  They had a thousand years of knowledge along with every scientific device needed and near unlimited resources.  Infinium was developed over a period of two years.  Two years of development probably led to a certain amount of group-think circa 1984.  It is possible the brew team got so caught up in the act that they convinced themselves this was the perfect beer.

Theory #3:  The PR people did them in.  This beer was hyped.  This beer was very possibly over-hyped.  People more than likely expected too much and did not have realistic expectations.  This caused people to be overly disappointed.

I think it was likely a combination of the three theories.  Each played some role in why this beer was not the breakout hit it could have been.  I think if it was not as hyped people would not of been so disappointed and in the end we would all have had a greater appreciation for this beer.

Book Review: Great Food Great Beer

Yes, it is a cookbook from the fine people who make you Budweiser.  What do I like about Great Food Great Beer? Almost everything.  Many beer cookbooks focus on beer as an ingredient.  This book is not like that.  Although some recipes include beer as an ingredient, many of the 185 recipes are plain old recipes.  Personally I have enjoyed cooking with AB products.  They are cheap and the flavor seems to concentrate as it boils down.  I would say if you want the beer to be a bold standout flavor then you will likely need to find a bolder beer.  I don't want to cry when I dump a bottle of AB in a pot like I would with some other beers.  Right now, my cabinet is typically stocked with either pricier beer or something so hard to find I cannot stand to sacrifice it for a meal.

Every recipe has a suggested beer pairing.  However, most cookbooks have a suggested pairing with a specific beer named.  This book states the style then the matching company product, allowing me to adapt to my preference.  Also, the suggestions go beyond just Budweiser and Bud Light.  The Michelob line of "craft" beer is also referenced in this book.

The recipes are for the most part not pretentious and easy to make.  It is a solid cookbook for novice to intermediate kitchen dwellers.  The beginning of the book contains a short history of Anheuser-Busch, and the basics on pairing, pouring and glassware to assist you in entertaining.  If you are just starting to cook with beer I suggest you purchase this book.