DRAFT Magazine

by Ryan Van Velzer

In March, Iowa’s legislature eased restrictions on high-octane brews, raising the cap on ABVs from 6.2% to 15%. Before the “beer equality law” passed, state-sponsored vendors controlled the high-gravity beer market, and Iowans could only sip imperial stouts and Belgian ales from out-of-state breweries. Now that the state’s brewing big, we asked eight Iowa beer makers to give us a taste of what’s on tap and what’s in the tank.

David Coy, Raccoon River Brewing
“The first beer I brewed after the law passed was a maibock. I probably bumped it up beyond where it needed to be, it’s 8.5% ABV, but I was in a celebratory mood. We’ve a got double IPA that I’m putting on tap tomorrow, El Bandito Loco. It’s going to be 9.5% ABV with 3 pounds of hops per barrel. After that, I’m pretty sure there is a Russian imperial stout in my future; that’ll be my winter warmer this year.”

Mike Gauthier, Court Avenue Brewing Co.
“I’ve got a Sahti on draft. It’s a Finnish farmhouse ale brewed with malted rye and juniper berries with a 7.5% ABV. I’ve been dying to make it since I drank one that Goose Island brewed 10 years ago. I’ve also got a double ESB in the conditioning tank right now at 8.6% ABV, but its still a little hot, probably won’t be ready to serve for another two or three weeks.”

Chris Priebe, Millstream Brewing Co.
“We’re playing around with a few different things and seeing what people like so that after a year or two, we can come out with bottles of what is most popular. Right now we’ve got weizenbock on tap. It’s a high-gravity dark wheat beer and it turned out pretty good; it’s about 8.5% ABV. After that, we’re looking at doing a fruit-flavored tripel, and we also beefed up our regular oatmeal stout so that’s 7% ABV now.”

Peter Ausenhus, Worth Brewing Co.
“I’m in the lautering stage of my second batch of Russian imperial stout, and I’m just about to start boiling; it will probably end up at about 10% ABV. The first beer that will be on tap is the Bar Belle Blond, a Belgian strong golden ale which comes out in August. I will follow that up in September with the Bison doppelbock, and I also have a real strong Scotch ale for this winter that I just want to age for a while.”

Joe Kesteloot, Peace Tree Brewing
“I’ve done two brews that are high-gravity; the first one I did right after the law changed was a Belgian-style blond that’s about 8.5% ABV. Then, I was really excited to do a double IPA at 9%; I released that one the 10th of July. We’ve had a lot of demand for it; we were reserving cases before they even went on sale. In winter, I’m probably going to do an imperial stout or a barrel-aged stout; if I go with the barrel-aged one, it won’t be done until the following year.”

Mason Groben, Madhouse Brewing Co.
“We’re a brand-new brewery; we just started making beer in February. We hope to add a high gravity beer in the fall. One of my investors has an acre of Mt. Hood, Centennial and Cascade hops growing, so hopefully my next beer will be a 100-percent Iowa-grown double-hopped American style IPA.”

Brad Knoke, Hub City Brewing Co.
“We’re just getting started on the high-gravity stuff. The one we’re getting ready right now is our 9.7%-ABV Russian imperial stout called The Midnight Express. We’re also working on a Belgian beer, either a strong ale or a dubbel, and we’re also working on a double IPA.”

Matt Guenther, Beck’s Sports Bar and Grill
“We have our Grizzlybock; it’s a doppelbock that’s higher on the scale than your average beer, around 7 or 8% ABV. It’s something darker, a kind of signature that not many places carry and our most popular with craft beer enthusiasts.”

An earlier version of this article misstated the former and current ABVs allowed by the state of Iowa. We regret the error.

In our July/August issue, we named a few outstanding restaurants with killer whiskey lists. Want to skip dinner and head straight for the booze? Pull up a seat at one of these tried-and-true whiskey bars.

EXTON, PENN.: The Drafting Room
This taproom in suburban Philly gives equal billing to Scotch and beer: Pints of Left Hand Good Juju Ginger and Petrus Aged Pale Ale share table space with lowballs of 21-year-old Glen Garioch.

OREGON CITY, ORE.: Highland Stillhouse
The 300-bottle-strong whiskey list at this Portland-area pub is nothing short of impressive, with five finishes of Arran Single Cask, a 13-year-old Carigellachue and a 17-year-old Old Pulteney.

NEW YORK CITY: Brandy Library
Don’t let the name fool you: Sure, there’s a mouthwatering list of brandies, rums and other liquors, plus a “spirit sommelier” to boot, but there’s no denying the 21-bottle whiskey menu with offerings like a 21-year-old, 105-proof Edradour and a $220 glass of 40-year-old Tomatin. This is a serious place for serious drinkers; the minimum drinking age is 25, vulgar language is prohibited, and there’s a host of other house rules that keep the place classy.

SEATTLE: F.X. McRory’s
Upwards of 750 bottles of booze (including 135 bourbons) crowd the shelves at this iconic West Coast whiskey bar, conveniently attached to a steak-and-oyster house. The only thing more famous than the bar’s whiskey library is the LeRoy Neiman painting on display; ask a staffer to share its story.

CHICAGO: Duke of Perth
Killer fish and chips, a small but smart list of British beers and a friendly, knowledgeable staff seals this Scottish bar’s place in our hearts. Best of all, it eschews a mile-long list in favor of a well-edited selection of classics like port-wood Balvenie and Bruichladdich Islay.

LOS ANGELES: Seven Grand
L.A. isn’t all foofy cocktails: This genteel tavern plastered in taxidermy pours 300 whiskeys ranging from Auchentoshan to Yamazaki, lights bourbon-dipped cigars and hosts live jazz and blues three nights a week. And even whiskey purists dig the Rye Manhattan.

Where do you go to sip the brown stuff? Tell us below.

Stein beer, a traditional German process of brewing beer that uses hot granite to boil wort, isn’t easy to come across these days. Aside from those who live near Boscos Brew Pub’s four Tennessee and Arkansas locations, where they make the year-round Famous Flaming Stone beer on scalding pink granite, stein beer’s elusive to most. To those who live within Port Brewing’s distribution: Consider yourself lucky. The team at Port fired up pieces of granite to brew Hot Rocks Lager, a German-style stein beer that’s a surprising summer refresher.

Have you tried Hot Rocks? What did you think?

by Molly Petrilla

Beach-worthy isn’t a term we take lightly around here. While wearing sandals with white tube socks is certainly a seaside crime, there are far worse things you can do at the beach: namely, bring a sub-par beer. The ultimate beach beer should be refreshing but not watery; light, but not bland; flavorful, but highly drinkable. And try to watch those ABVs while you’re at it. See? We told you: serious business.

Still, there’s no better feeling than popping open that first bottle as the waves crash in front of you and the sand heats your feet. As Flying Dog Brewmaster Bob Malone puts it, that first blissful sip of a chilled beach beer is truly “the taste of summer.” These five beers fit our admittedly high bill for beach-worthy status. So grab your cooler, dust off your koozie (it’s OK—you’re at the beach) and prepare to head seaward with one or more of these brews in tow.

Anderson Valley Summer Solstice: We hate to kill your beer buzz before it even starts, but here’s the bad news: Some beaches don’t allow glass bottles. Now, the good news: this smooth-as-ocean-foam cream ale is available in both bottles and cans. The hot-weather cousin of Anderson Valley’s popular Winter Solstice Seasonal Ale, the summer release is silky and slightly sweet, with plenty of malt flavor and just a dash of spice thrown in. It’s already developed something of a cult following, and Julie Atallah, owner of Brusin’ Ales in Asheville, N.C., says she struggles to keep any on the shelves during warmer months. And there’s an added bonus to bringing your beer in a can: It helps shield your brew from harmful UV rays, which can react with hops and cause a bitter taste and skunky smell.

Flying Dog In-Heat Wheat: The beach may be full of water, but that doesn’t mean your beer should be, too. This German-style Hefeweizen is full of spice and flavor, but not too heavy on the hops. “It’s very approachable while still having a lot of body to it,” Malone says. Plus, its base yeast is the same style that’s used in Germany, making it one of the most authentic Hefeweizens around. (“I’ve had several German people come up and tell me it’s the best wheat beer they’ve had since they left Germany,” Malone adds.) Flying Dog’s secret yeast recipe also results in a beach-friendly banana scent and taste—the perfect complement to that ubiquitous banana smell in sunscreen. (You are wearing sunscreen, right?)

Otter Creek Solstice: Sure, there’s a river on the label and it’s made in Vermont, but this beer is ideal for beachside sipping, too. Like other session ales, Solstice’s ABV is on the low end (4 percent), so you can gulp a few without feeling dehydrated or seeing extra waves in the ocean. But with seven malts and Willamette, Cascade and Amarillo hops, you’ll forget how light on the alcohol this beer actually is. And its malty flavor and mild hoppiness complement just about any beach food you bring—or no food at all. The Solstice debuted in late 2009, shortly after Otter Creek set its sights on creating a session ale, and according to Brewmaster Mike Gerhart, “It’s one of the more complicated beers to develop and brew.”

Saranac Summer Brew: Mixing lemonade with beer may sound a little odd, but Europeans have been doing it for decades. In Germany, it’s called a radler. In England, a shandy. And over at Saranac Brewery, it’s called a lemonade and lager, and it’s every bit as tasty, thirst-quenching and summery as it sounds. The lightness and crispness of the lager still reign supreme, but there’s also just enough tart, sweet lemon flavor to remind you that it’s summertime, and hey, you’re at the beach. As Saranac Brewmaster Jim Kuhr explains, “If we’re going to make a beer that has a fruit component, the beer has to be the star and the added component just a supporting role to the overall flavor.”

North Coast Blue Star: It’s no secret that Californians know their beaches. And while the North Coast brewery is closer to Oregon than it is to the SoCal surf scene, it’s still just blocks from the Pacific Ocean—and it shows. Brewed in the style of the “American beer renaissance,” this refreshing wheat beer is crisp, well-balanced and ideal for a hot day on the sand. Unfiltered and brewed with American barley and wheat malts, Blue Star was designed as a session beer, according to the brewery’s President and brewmaster Mark Ruedrich. “It’s substantial enough that you know you’re not drinking water, but thirst-quenching and refreshing enough that you can drink two or three,” he adds.

[Photo: Losovsky Pavel]

By Mariah Beckman

This June, a new beer will effectively revolutionize the way your mouth feels about the Jersey Shore. Newcomer to the craft brewing industry East Coast Brewing Co. plans to unveil its flagship brew, Beach Haus Classic American Pilsner.

This All-American Pilsner is made from all-American ingredients, and will eventually be available all over America. John Merklin, partner and co-owner of East Coast Brewing, explains, “At this very moment we have distribution partners in two-thirds of [New Jersey]. We absolutely want to distribute out of state. Our hopes are that the folks visiting the Jersey Shore enjoy our product so much (and the good times at the Shore enjoying it) that they will seek our product back at home.” Beach Haus will be available in 12 oz. six-packs and 1/6 bbl kegs initially, but as demand increases, so will the bottling options.

This state-representative beer craze is all the rage, and while many brewers have chosen to create a session or specialty beer to rep their state, Merklin and Brian Ciriaco are going a different route. While the pair was trying to decide on what kind of taste would capture that iconic Jersey Shore, they decided to bring homebrewing legend Tom Przyborowski to the table.

The process of choosing which beer would best rep the Shore was a democratic one: “An interesting fact about Beach Haus is that it is the first Pilsner any of us have ever brewed,” says Merklin, who began homebrewing around the ripe age of 21. “That includes Tom, Brian, and myself. Naturally we are looking to move into more familiar brewing territory, so nobody should be shocked if our next product is some style of ale.” The businessmen have also tossed around the idea for a dark lager, but whatever they ultimately vote on, one thing’s certain: It will be reflective of the brew’s Jersey roots.

“We want to make product that is very meaningful to the local population, but equally appealing to others as well,” Merklin says. “New Jersey is rich in history, full of local traditions and celebrations that are significant in our local identity. There is so much to work with the trouble becomes in deciding exactly what we do work with.”

While the team has approached homebrewers both locally and internationally to assist with the development of their Jersey suds, all of the product recipes were inspired by and developed at the Jersey Shore. Most of the brews will be named for local events, parks or bodies of water in the Jersey area.

New Jersey is not an industry-leader when it comes to beer companies per capita, and this is something that East Coast Brewing intends to change.

“Back in 2007, the New Jersey Brewery map was not very populated, especially along the Jersey Shore” Merklin says. “We really believe that there is a strong consumer appetite for this and the locals want something of their own more than anyone else.”

While the company’s brewery is still in the planning phases of construction, their office is currently located right on Point Pleasant Beach. The team hopes to keep its brewery as green as possible, in keeping with the recent movement to make ale production more environmentally conscious.

So just what makes these guys think they have what it takes to rep the Garden State when MTV seems to be doing a helluva job? History.

“We started the company and idea for the beer way before the release of the TV show,” Merklin says. ”Jersey Shore has an iconic status — a testament to this is the number of times it is referred to in books, songs and yes, even TV shows” — case in point, the popular show of the same name.

They know the Shore better than The Situation, Snookie, and the rest of the gang ever will. And they’re brewing up the beer to prove their point.

Mariah Beckman is a freelance writer and former DRAFTMag.com editorial intern.

By Chris Gigley

Drivers heading south on I-85 encounter a strange image as they speed through Gaffney, S.C., a town a few miles past the North Carolina border. A water tower shaped like a gigantic peach (or a certain part of the human anatomy, depending who you ask) moons passersby on their way toward Atlanta.

If the miles of squat, leafy peach trees along I-85 aren’t obvious clues that South Carolina is a major peach-producing state, the water tower certainly is.

“South Carolina grows more peaches than Georgia does,” says Mark Johnsen, owner and brewer at RJ Rockers in Spartanburg. “We’re really the peach state.”

Last year, when a local newspaper reporter came to Johnsen with the idea of brewing an ale with local peaches, he couldn’t believe he hadn’t thought of it first. RJ Rockers had been serving the locals handcrafted ales since 1997, when it became Spartanburg’s first craft brewery.

“I thought it’d make a great summer beer,” says Johnsen, who brewed his first batch of Son of a Peach wheat ale in April 2009. “But it was so popular it became our warm-weather seasonal beer. Now, it’s available to distributors from mid-February right up to about October 1.”

Johnsen started with fresh frozen peaches from California. But last June, he bought bushels of fruit from Strawberry Hill U.S.A. farm in nearby Chesnee, S.C.

“The fresh frozen peaches we buy are good peaches, but they’re not sweet at all,” he says. “They alm

ost appear to be like cling peaches in heavy syrup. When we use the fresh ones, we cut them, pit them, and grind them up skin and all into a puree.”

The brewers at Bells Brewery, Inc., up in Michigan could have told him local fruit was a good idea. The brewers at Bell’s have been doing it since 1988, when they launched a cherry stout using the juice of tart cherries grown in the northern part of the state.

“As a company, we try to support local businesses and products,” says Laura Bell, marketing director at Bell’s. “Michigan is known for its cherries. Why would we buy lower quality frozen juice from larger suppliers when we can get fresh, locally grown cherries just a few hours away?”

Rich Tucciarone, brewmaster and vice president of brewery operations at Kona Brewing Co. in Hawaii, couldn’t agree more. He first went local about a decade ago, when he brewed an imperial stout using kona beans.

“We used this killer coffee from a grower right down the street from the brewery, and it added depth and complexity to the beer,” he says.

Tucciarone then hooked up with another grower to secure beans for a new porter. Right away, he saw the benefits of being nearby.

“I watched the first couple of roasts,” he recalls “I wanted a deep roast, but not so over the top to get the astringency. We more or less use a roast similar to a french-type roast.”

The rich coffee flavor comes through beautifully in Kona’s Pipeline Porter, which debuted in 2006. Tucciarone went local again when he created the summer seasonal Wailua Wheat, which uses passion fruit puree. This time, however, he ran into limitations plaguing most brewers who use local produce.

“There’s not enough passion fruit here to meet our needs,” he says. “I need about 50,000 pounds of passion fruit puree annually. We can only get a small fraction of that here.”

Bell’s uses a broker to get enough cherries for its stout, which is available from early November through March. And in order to stretch production to meet the growing demand for Son of a Peach, Johnsen continues to use frozen peaches when the local supply runs out in early September.

Is there a difference in taste? Not really, he says. Either way, his brew tastes great and belongs in a state that greets travelers with a giant peach water tower.

Chris Gigley is a freelance writer.

In DRAFT’s May/June 2010 issue, we serve up our guide to all things oyster, and suggest a few places to try one of the greatest beer-food pairings known to man. One spot, though, mastered the art of beer and oysters before most: Raleigh, N.C.’s landmark 42nd St. Oyster Bar dedicated itself to the duo back in the early ’30s. Now, beverage director Ryan Tyson manages the restaurant’s 130-plus craft beers that include the likes of Big Boss Angry Angel and Victory Golden Monkey. We caught up with Tyson while he was sourcing summer seasonals; below, his thoughts on the restaurant’s beer, oysters, and marrying the two.

42nd St. Oyster bar is no stranger to good beer, but now that North Carolina’s making huge waves in the industry, how has your beer list changed?

We started in 1931 as a hole-in-the-wall on the same property we’re on today, and when Prohibition ended in 1933, we were the first establishment in Raleigh to serve beer in frosty mug again. Then, we were the first place to purchase a keg from Carolina Brewing Co. when they started in 1995, and we continue to carry their products; their Carolina Pale Ale is our No. 1-selling draft to this day. So, beer’s part of our history. Now, there are so many great up-and-coming breweries in North Carolina; 10 years ago, we had a few local beers on tap that were sort of popular, but now, they’re what everyone asks for. That’s what led us to make the decision to focus on local beer.

What beers are you ordering for summer?

We have 12 taps and 120 bottles; we have a core bottle selection with a few spots for seasonals, and we focus our taps on local breweries. There’s a newer brewery in Eastern North Carolina called Mother Earth Brewing Co.; they’re a green company using a lot of sustainable practices. We’re awaiting their Weeping Willow Wit, and really looking forward to getting that on draft. We have a Belgian tripel from Aviator Brewing that’s done well, too. For our bottled seasonals, we’re getting Bell’s Oberon; from Terrapin out of Atlanta, their Sun Ray Wheat; and from Highland in Asheville, their Cattail Peak Wheat.

What are your favorite oyster varieties?

The past couple years we focused heavily on oysters from the Gulf area, but we’ve started focusing on half-shell varieties from all over the country. Now, my favorites from the East Coast are Island Creeks from Maryland and Blue Points from Connecticut. From the West Coast, I like Hootenanny and Naked Roy’s Beach oysters from the Washington/Vancouver region.

Any general rules for pairing beer and oysters?

A lot of people feel that stronger beers — porters, stouts, IPAs — tend to go better with oysters, probably because those are winter beers and people generally associate oysters with colder weather. But we’ve found that oysters and beer go hand-in-hand, period. People just like to pair the two; they drink what they like when eating them. I like a milk stout or a winter porter, but this season’s golden ales, pilsners, and witbiers pair just as well.

What’s the one beer-oyster pairing everyone should try at the restaurant?

Right now, we’re getting some oysters from Virginia, so I’d pair a Virginia oyster and Highland’s Seven Sisters abbey style ale. It’s a Belgian dubbel with a really strong flavor.

(In honor of the NHL playoffs, we’re re-running this piece that was originally published in January.)
By Chris Gigley

Toronto is ruled by giants. Just ask any brewing company not named Molson, Labatt, or Sleeman. Or, better yet, ask any hockey team not named the Toronto Maple Leafs. The little guys have an uphill battle convincing the people of greater Toronto that there’s more to both beer and hockey.

But they’re trying. The city’s craft brewing community is a small and determined band of beer enthusiasts, each putting their own unique spin on beer to attract fans. The one making the most noise is Steam Whistle Brewing Co., based in a historic roundhouse in the shadow of CN Tower. Thanks to its location near Rogers Center and the home of the Leafs, Air Canada Center, its bar and brewery tours have become pre-game staples for the locals. The beer has become a draw, too.

“Our thing from the beginning has been to do one thing really well,” says Sybil Taylor, marketing communications manager for Steam Whistle.

That one thing is Czech-style pilsners. Steam Whistle doesn’t produce anything else. It has a new custom-built Czech brewhouse and a Czech brewmaster, Marek Mikunda, who honed his skills at the Pilsner Urquell Brewery in the Czech Republic. The result is a bright, smooth, and thirst-quenching beer that rivals the pilsners from the old country.

Steam Whistle is the only craft beer hockey fans can buy at a hockey game — any hockey game — in the area. The brewery supplies the Toronto Marlies, the Leafs’ top minor league affiliate. The Marlies play five minutes down the road in Ricoh Coliseum, an imposing concrete building reminiscent of the grand-old NHL hockey arenas. That includes Maple Leaf Gardens, which still stands dormant north of the city center.

“There really isn’t a bad seat in [Ricoh Coliseum],” says Chris Goddard, Steam Whistle’s marketing director and resident hockey afficionado. “But the Marlies just haven’t been able to draw. If people don’t have Leafs tickets, they’d just rather watch them on television than go out for a Marlies game.”

What they miss is great hockey in a great, old arena for a fraction of what it costs to see a Leafs game. Great Lakes Brewery’s John Bowden is just as perplexed as Goddard by Toronto hockey fans’ fixation on the Maple Leafs. He should know. He is one. Bowden has never been to a Marlies game, and he offers no explanation for it.

Launched in 1987, Great Lakes is the first craft brewer in Toronto. Today, the brewery has a storefront and brewhouse just west of downtown that’s visible from the Gardiner Expressway, the main artery leading to and from Toronto. Bowden often leads tours of the brew house, which is more typical of Ontario craft brewers — small. While Steam Whistle produces more than 12,000 gallons of beer each day, Great Lakes’ daily output is about 1,320.

Great Lakes produces seven beers, three of them seasonals. Soon, says Bowden, there will be more. Seasonal beers are Great Lakes’ strongest performers, and beer lovers who visit the city right now are in luck. Its winter ale, which features generous amounts of cinnamon, honey, ginger, and orange peel, is easily the brewery’s most popular seasonal brew.

“I think there’s been a huge shift toward more flavorful beers in Toronto,” says Bowden. “But it’s sort of a chicken-and-egg thing. Until people find beers like ours and try them, they won’t start asking for them at bars. But the ball has started rolling for sure.”

A sign of that are two other small breweries that have opened in the neighborhood. Cool Brewing Co., with a three-beer lineup that includes a unique hemp-based red lager, is about four miles north. Black Oak Brewing Co., which brews an award-winning nut brown ale, is less than two miles to the east.

The local hockey team for Great Lakes Brewing is the Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors, part of the Ontario Hockey League. The OHL, one of three major junior hockey leagues in Canada and the U.S., is similar to NCAA basketball. Most of the good pros have come through the league, including the legendary Bobby Orr, Wayne Gretzky and last year’s overall first-round pick, John Tavares. Even though the Majors play in Hershey Center, a gorgeous new hockey arena with even better sightlines than Ricoh Coliseum, the building is rarely full.

The gravitational pull of the Leafs doesn’t ease until visitors get about an hour away from the city, where OHL towns are staunch supporters of their own teams, even when the Leafs are on television. The best example is in Kitchener, where the Rangers play in one of the oldest arenas left in the league, Kitchener Auditorium, which opened in 1951. Attendance is always at or near capacity, the fans are loud and knowledgeable, and the cozy confines of the building produce a hockey atmosphere that is about as authentic as it gets.

The Sleeman Center in nearby Guelph is another great OHL rink. The home of the Storm is set downtown and adjoins a quaint indoor shopping mall, making the intermissions a little more bearable. Unfortunately, the arena is ruled by local brewing giant Sleeman. That’s fine during the game, but beer lovers should check out Guelph’s Wellington Brewery, Canada’s oldest independent microbrewery.

After experiencing greater Toronto’s array of OHL teams and craft brewers, the answer will be as clear as a Steam Whistle pilsner. When it comes to beer and hockey, smaller is better.

– Chris Gigley favourite thing about Canada is Tim Horton’s, where the combo meals don’t include fries. They include donuts. He suggests the Canadian Maple.

In case you didn’t know — and, let’s face it, you didn’t — May happens to be National Tavern Month. Here at DRAFTMag.com, we’re not ones to miss an important celebration so in honor of the festivities, we picked our favorite taverns across this great land. Check them out and let us know yours in the comments.

Erika Rietz, editor-in-chief: Back Room 102 Norfolk St., New York, New York
To drink in a little piece of history at the Back Room, you’ll have to traverse the same path our thirsty ancestors did during Prohibition: wander through a dark back alley to an unmarked entrance and find this resurrected speakeasy that fronts as a closed toy shop. It’s a time-stopped, dimly lit haunt with creeky wood floors and 192os-inspired dressing like velvet couches, red and gold paisley wallpaper, tin ceilings and a sliding bookcase that opens to a second bar. Cocktails are served in teacups, keeping with this “shhhhh, we’re drinking” motif: Though, having landed on numerous “best of” lists, this place is hardly a secret.

Jessica Daynor, managing editor: State Street Brats, Madison, Wisconsin
Let me walk you through my logic here: To me — and it’s different for everybody — the best taverns manage to combine beer by the pitcher, fried food, college football (or Bears vs. Packers games), a homey atmosphere and a clientele ranging from college kids to cougars to seniors. (A crowd with Chicago or Wisconsin accents is a bonus, but not a requirement.) I’ve found this combination at a few gems across the country, but the best example (and therefore, my favorite tavern) is State Street Brats*. Pitchers? Check — plus, there’s Flip Night on Tuesdays, on which you get 75 percent off your drink order if you correctly guess the outcome of a coin toss. Fried food? Yes, in the form of honest-to-goodness cheese curds. Football? Obviously, evident by the gargantuan projection TV and hordes of cardinal-clad Badger fans. Atmosphere? Jeez, just look at the place. And the clientele? Definitely a nice mix of students, alums, parents and random weirdos, plus Bratman, the bar’s smiley mascot. If a walking, huggable sausage doesn’t seal State Street Brats’ fate as one of the country’s top taverns, I don’t know what does.

*To clarify for any friends who will totally call me out on my choice, I think “bar” is different from “tavern” (’cause everyone knows my favorite “bar” is Madison’s Kollege Klub) and “favorite” is different from “most memorable” (which would be a slew of other bars I won’t mention so as to not incriminate myself).

Christopher Staten, beer editor: Josiah Chowning’s Tavern, Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia
Sure, we may be nerds, but if beer is the drink of history there’s no better place to imbibe than Josiah Chowning’s Tavern in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia. Think of this 18th century watering hole as part bar, part restaurant, and part living museum. After a hot, sticky summer day of touring Colonial Williamsburg’s many attractions — we recommend a full walk-through of the Governor’s Palace — kick back with a pint of Josiah’s Ale, Mr. Chowning’s Tavern Ale or St. George Porter alongside a helping of Brunswick Stew. Where else can you get a few pints in you, then walk outside to discuss Maritime Trade in the 1700s? Or exchange a volley of wit with the village wench? As an added bonus, don’t miss out on Colonial Williamsburg’s seasonal program “The Arts and Mysteries of Brewing,” which shows how brewmasters in the colonies whipped up drinks for the emerging nation. After you’ve soaked up the spirit of the olden-days, return to Chowning’s for Gambols, a nightly entertainment showcase of balladeers and colonial games that pairs extremely well with a pint of ale.

Noah Davis, Web editor: The Blue Goose, Lewiston, Maine
Every college town worth a pint has one: the locals bar where students are accepted but only if they behave. The Blue Goose has played this role for Bates College since the 1930s. The tiny, dark space doesn’t do frills and the surly bartenders will (rightly) throw you out if you act up, but there’s no better place to go enjoy a brew or two. If you converse quietly and tip well, you’ll eventually break down the icy exterior of the regular crowd and hear some of the wildest stories you could ever imagine. The Goose isn’t a place for the faint of heart, but it’s a damn good tavern.

By Adam Tokarz

To the casual observer, Mexico’s Cinco de Mayo holiday signifies little more than an excuse to down a few ice-cold cervezas, dance awkwardly to mariachi music, and wake up the following morning with a headache and a touch of Montezuma’s revenge. Ay, Dios mio!

Sadly, its historical significance is all but lost on the majority of Americans. In fact, in a terribly unscientific poll conducted by this freelance writer, 80 percent of survey participants wrongly identified Cinco de Mayo as Mexico’s Independence Day. (In fact, Mexico’s Independence Day is September 16th.)

So how did we turn a patriotic holiday celebrating the Mexican army’s improbable victory over a superior French force at the Battle of Puebla on May 5th, 1862 into an American drinking holiday?

In the same way St. Patrick’s Day morphed from being a day to attend mass and honor the missionary who’s credited with converting Ireland to Christianity in the 5th century to a booze-fueled spectacle fraught with green beer, Lucky Charm leprechauns, and more green beer: commercialization.

Here at DRAFTMag.com, we believe the best kind of imbiber is an informed one. As such, we’re tossing on our tweed jackets (elbow patches optional), stroking our imaginary beards (not optional), and snapping out the pointers to give you a brief history lesson on Cinco de Mayo, ethnic festivals in America, and beer.

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Cinco de Mayo celebrates the courage and bravery of the Mexican peasant soldiers who gallantly drove back a much larger, more disciplined French contingent on May 5th, 1862.

Here’s the snapshot synopsis of how it all went down: French Emperor Napoleon III decided to expand his French territories in the Americas under the pretense of collecting an unfulfilled debt. He sent his infantry to Mexico to break up the current administration and insert his own puppet figurehead. But as the French troops marched towards Mexico City to topple the existing government, they were met with unexpected resistance from the Mexican militia in the city of Puebla. Out-gunned and out-manned by a two-to-one ratio, the Mexicans managed to stave off France’s forceful surge, displaying gumption and heart.

And while Mexicans today celebrate the victory in the state of Puebla and the surrounding Mexico City area with traditional music (think more mariachi, less Ricky Martin’s Menudo medlies), dance, and food, the holiday is not nationally recognized throughout all of Mexico.

Conversely, Cinco de Mayo enjoys widespread appeal in the US, from Mexican-Americans in Santa Fe to drunken frat boys in Tallahassee. In the US, Cinco de Mayo celebrations started popping up in the southwestern states in the latter half of the 19th century, as Mexican-Americans sought to embrace their new bicultural identity. It wasn’t long before corporations saw this ethnic festival as a unique opportunity to reach out to a growing Hispanic marketshare.

José M. Alamillo, professor at the Chicano Studies Research Center at UCLA, wrote an article detailing the Cinco de Mayo festivals and the political/cultural climate of Cornona, California in the 1930s through 1950. In his piece, Alamillo observes local authorities leveraging the Cinco de Mayo festivals to help integrate the Mexican-American citizens into the community while also generating tourism dollars through corporate event sponsorships. Alamillo writes, “By tapping into the cultural traditions and nationalist ideologies of Cinco de Mayo, corporations attempt[ed] to enter the largely untapped… Hispanic market.”

This movement of segmented ethnic marketing was picked up quickly in the beer world, where corporate breweries climbed aboard the Mexican cultural bandwagon, using traditional Mexican icons and popular ethnic imagery in their marketing campaigns. In 1983, Coors Brewing Company bought billboards naming Coors ”the beer of the Decade of the Hispanic.” (At press time, the Goonies cast could not be reached for comment.)

The most popular beer by far was Groupo Modelo’s Corona, which entered the United States in the late 1970s. After disappointing initial sales, Corona substituted brown bottles for clear longnecks, the brand’s now-signature look and a staple for Mexican beers. When they reintroduced their brand to the southwest, sales skyrocketed and Groupo Modelo pressed onward, widening their appeal to a national audience. Sales rose nearly 700 percent from 1984 to 1986, when 12 million cases of Corona moved quicker than Salma Hayek in Desperado. (The Mexican-born actress had a mean draw but a lovely figure.)

And while some have found fault with beer conglomerates, claiming they trivialize the ethnic heritage of the Mexican festival and promote alcohol abuse and excessive drinking, like Tecate’s “Let’s Party” theme or Corona’s infamous campaign with the sombrero-adorned parrot and the slogan, “Drinko with Cinco,” others are encouraged by America’s acceptance and integration of foreign cultures into the mainstream.

St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in the U.S. have fallen under the same scrutiny. Guinness was taken to task by The Marin Group, an alcohol watchdog faction, over one of their St. Patrick’s Day marketing campaigns depicting two adults running downstairs on Christmas morning to find wrapped cases of Guinness. According to the group, this “appears to condone irresponsible drinking, in this case large quantities of beer in the morning. It also defies still another provision that says Diageo [Guinness’ parent company] ads will not use any image or symbol that appeals to underage youth. One can hardly imagine an image with more appeal to youth than the excitement of Christmas morning.”

And it’s not just The Marin Group railing against beer conglomerates. Groups like Cinco de Mayo con Orgullo Coalition (“Cinco de Mayo with pride”) have formed to “reclaim cultural celebrations — such as Cinco de Mayo — and cultural symbols from the alcohol industry.” The group organizes popular alcohol and tobacco-free celebrations with traditional dancing and food, much like the traditional, low-key Cinco de Mayo celebrations found in Mexico.

And, to steal a line from comedian Jerry Seinfeld, “Not that there’s anything wrong with that.”

Still, we here at DRAFTMag.com — while completely respecting the integrity and position of the coalition — feel that you can have it both ways: a respect and cultural appreciation for ethnic festivals like Cinco de Mayo, while celebrating and enjoying responsible cerverza consumption.

As our great grandfather always said, “Everything in moderation.” (Except when it comes to Salma Hayek, of course; it’s an implied caveat to the rule.)

No matter which side of the discussion you ultimately come down on, we hope we’ve provided you with some cultural food for thought. And to wash down those tasty historic tidbits and in remembrance of the true meaning of Cinco de Mayo, we’re raising our glass to Mexican General Ignacio Zaragoza Seguín for his brave and stunning upset of the French in 1862. Salud!

Adam Tokarz is a Boston freelance writer who will not apologize for enjoying Pabst Blue Ribbon, bad reality television, and white pants in October (he blends into the snow that way). He can be reached at adam.tokarz(at)gmail.com.