The quest for October glory and a glorious managing career may be over, but Bobby Cox certainly has enough memories to contemplate as he swirls a wine blended just for him.

Continue reading Bobby Cox »

Is beer good for you? And can drinking beer be part of a healthy diet?

Nowadays, those kinds of questions come up in all sorts of guises. But one of the craziest is the recent Daily Beast (thedailybeast.com) list of the “50 Most Fattening Beers.”

The news and opinion website introduced it this way: “Beer guts be damned, the classic brew has fewer calories than most fruit juices and fewer empty calories from sugar than hard alcohol. Beer also contains vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. In moderation, it can be good for nerve production, concentration, and circulation.”

So far, so good.

But then there was this: “The Daily Beast decided to determine which beers may not be the best for the buzz. Specifically, the beers were ranked based on which packed the most calories and carbohydrates for the least amount of alcoholic punch.”

Using that criterion, it was determined that Leinenkugel Berry Weiss was the worst beer you could drink because of its relatively high …

Continue reading Beer Town: 50 Most Fattening Beers? »

Bob says,

If you’re thinking about going to Taste of Atlanta at Tech Square in Midtown this weekend, think about buying a VIP ticket.

It will get you a whole lot of special beer, wine and cocktail tastings in the VIP area, plus a chance to get in on some VIP seminars (be sure to sign up early) with Bob and Gil.

Gil dressed for success and pouring the bubbly

Kraig and the boys from Hop City will be pouring plenty of interesting beers in the VIP tasting tent.

Saturday at 12:30 p.m., AJC beer guy Bob Townsend and AJC wine guy Gil Kulers face off for Italian Wine vs. Italian Beer, with food pairings, including pan-seared scallops and porcini pork. We’re talking rare Italian artisan beer and really great Italian wine.

Sunday at 12:30 p.m., Liz Thorpe from New York City’s renowned Murray’s Cheese Shop and Mike G. from Atlanta’s renowned Brick Store Pub will be the special guests for a tasting of three American craft beers matched with three American farmstead cheeses —including …

Continue reading Taste of Atlanta VIP Beer, Wine, Cocktails »

On an evening earlier this month—almost 45 years to the day when Peter accused Robert of swindling and Robert popped his younger brother in the mouth, twice, thus causing the great schism—the three divisions of the Mondavi clan gathered at the Carriage House of Charles Krug Winery in Napa Valley.

Continue reading A Mondavi Reunion »

Stone 10.10.10 Vertical Epic Ale

Stone Brewing Co., Escondido, Calif.

$7.99/22-ounce bottle; also on draft at a few metro beer bars.

Profile: Numerologists declared 10/10/2010 an especially lucky day. And that’s when Stone released 10.10.10, the latest in the brewery’s Vertical Epic Ale series. It’s a Belgian Strong Pale Ale, brewed with triticale (a cross between wheat and rye), German Perle hops, and chamomile, and then fermented with Ardennes Belgian yeast. Even more unusual, it’s bottle-conditioned with a blend of Muscat, Gewurztraminer and Sauvignon Blanc grape juice. The result is a complex, full-bodied beer with a funky, fruity acidity, lots of lacy foam and a dry, wine-like finish. Stone suggests tasting one now and cellaring one to try on 12.12.12.

Pair with: Match 10.10.10 with steamed mussels and frites, spicy grilled shrimp, herb-roasted chicken or a charcuterie and cheese plate.

Bob Townsend is editor of Southern Brew News, a bimonthly beer publication …

Continue reading Beer Pick: Stone 10.10.10 Vertical Epic Ale »

The name of Atlanta’s newest beer company comes from the R.E.M. song “Near Wild Heaven.”

That isn’t exactly surprising, given that Wild Heaven Craft Beers President Nick Purdy also is the founding publisher of Paste music magazine.

Like Paste, Wild Heaven is based in Decatur. But currently, Wild Heaven beers are brewed under contract at Thomas Creek Brewing in Greenville, S.C.

So far, there are two Wild Heaven beers available on draft around metro Atlanta.

Invocation is Belgian-style strong golden ale, 8.5 percent alcohol by volume, with a complex, mildly sweet and spicy presence that invites comparisons to Duvel.

Ode to Mercy is a distinctive, creamy imperial brown ale, 8.2 percent alcohol by volume, that’s brewed with dark roasted malts and coffee from Athens’ 1000 Faces Coffee.

Both recipes were created by consulting brewmaster Eric Johnson, the founder of Trappeze Pub beer bar in Athens.

Purdy said the goal was to come up with beers that would stand out in a …

Continue reading Beer Town: Wild Heaven Craft Beer »

I bring all this up because this is Drink Local Wine Week, a celebration thought up by a few wine writers across the country in 2008. The week-long event spotlights wines outside the better-known regions of California, Oregon and Washington.

Continue reading Yonah Mountain Genesis »

Enter rich Uncle Piero. He has entered the region by building Tomaresca winery with the idea of re-introducing Puglia’s wines to the world.

Continue reading Tormaresca, Puglia, Italy »

Bell’s Best Brown Ale

Bell’s Brewery Inc., Comstock, Mich.

$8.99/six-pack at metro beverage stores; also on draft at select beer bars.

Profile: Bell’s Best is a great example of the American brown ale style. Unlike many of its weaker British brown ale cousins, it has a deep roasted malt character, coupled with a smooth cocoalike bitterness that’s perfect for the fall and winter months. The russet color seems to fit the fall season, too. And at 5.8 percent alcohol by volume, Bell’s Best is a fine beer for an afternoon at the pub.

Pair with: American brown ales make a wonderful match for smoked or grilled meats. Try Bell’s Best with the rich, slow-cooked flavors of brisket, pulled pork or spare ribs, or a wood-grilled steak.

Bob Townsend is editor of Southern Brew News, a bimonthly beer publication distributed throughout the Southeast: www.brewingnews.com/southernbrew.

Continue reading Beer Pick: Bell’s Best Brown Ale »