I read your review of the Alaskan Big Nugget Barley Wine. Made we wish I lived on the left coast. You made reference to a barley wine tasting in LA. My wife and I are BIG fans of barley wine style beers. Do you know a web site that would list any barley wine tasting and/or barley wine festivals? Thanks, - Gary 'buz' Fry, beer lover.

Try www.beerfestivals.org for a thorough listing of beer events around the world, barley wine fests included.

I am trying to find out what you consider to be the greatest factors affecting the brewing industry today? Thanks. - Thomas Hick

In brief, I think the single biggest issue facing the industry today is company consolidation. It is both a blessing and a curse in that as the bigger breweries get even bigger, they tend to shed the smaller market and often more interesting brands, and so leave lots of room to be filled by the little guys. At the same time, however, their marketing muscle is a very tough animal to fight.

There is a microbrewery in Quebec called Les Bières de la Nouvelle France which is owned by Auberge Le Baluchon that makes a gluten-free beer called La Messagère. See http://www.fqmc.org/. I have not yet tried it but look forward to doing so on my next trip home. - Lise Shettler

I get a lot of questions about gluten-free beers and so was delighted to recently sample the beer you mention. You can find details on La Messagère in World of Beer's September Feature.

Re: 'So What Makes a Bar Great' (The World of Beer Feature for October) That was a great article. You've definitely done your homework and I agree with everything that you said. A "Great Bar" also should not make the assumption that all of their patrons are sports fanatics and want to watch big screen tvs all over the place. That seems to be the case for where I live. - Brian Estabrooks

Glad you liked the story, Brian. And I sympathize with your predicament.

• April 2008
• March 2008
• February 2008
• January 2008
• November 2007
• October 2007
• September 2007
• August 2007
• July 2007
• June 2007
• May 2007
• April 2007
• March 2007
• February 2007
• January 2007
• December 2006
• November 2006
• October 2006
• September 2006
• August 2006
• July 2006
• June 2006
• May 2006
• April 2006
• March 2006
• February 2006
• Janaury 2006
• December 2005
• November 2005
• October 2005
• September 2005
• August 2005
• July 2005
• June 2005
• May 2005
• April 2005
• March 2005
• February 2005
• January 2005
• December 2004
• November 2004
• October 2004
• September 2004
• August 2004
• July 2004
• June 2004
• May 2004
• April 2004
• March 2004
• February 2004
• January 2004
• December 2003
• November 2003
• October 2003
• September 2003
• August 2003
• July 2003
• June 2003
• May 2003
• April 2003
• March 2003
• February 2003
• January 2003
• December 2002
• November 2002
• October 2002
• September 2002
• August 2002
• July 2002
• June 2002
• May 2002
• April 2002
• March 2002
• February 2002
• January 2002
• December 2001
• November 2001
• October 2001
• September 2001
• August 2001
• July 2001
• June 2001
• May 2001
• April 2001
• March 2001
• February 2001
• January 2001
• December 2000
• November 2000
• October 2000
• September 2000
• August 2000
• July 2000
• June 2000
• May 2000
• April 2000
• March 2000
• February 2000
• January 2000
• December 1999
• November 1999
• October 1999
• September 1999
• August 1999

We're very interested in your news, notes, comments and questions, so please feel free to contact SBWoB by clicking on the link below. Or you can add your comments when you sign up for the World of Beer Update, a mid-month e-mail newsletter that brings even more of the world of beer to your computer.

Send Feedback To: beaumont@worldofbeer.com