Slashfoodhttp://www.slashfood.comSlashfoodhttp://www.slashfood.com/media/feedlogo.gifSlashfoodhttp://www.slashfood.comen-usCopyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only.Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Not Much to Eat on List of Top 100 "Social" Brandshttp://www.slashfood.com/2011/01/14/not-much-to-eat-on-list-of-top-100-social-brands/http://www.slashfood.com/2011/01/14/not-much-to-eat-on-list-of-top-100-social-brands/http://www.slashfood.com/2011/01/14/not-much-to-eat-on-list-of-top-100-social-brands/#commentsFiled under:

Coca-Cole Starbucks and Subway on facebook and twitterPhotos: Coca-Cola; Subway; Starbucks


Despite the rush by American corporations to promote their brands online and amass as many Facebook fans as possible, the food and restaurant industry is having trouble getting the whole social-media thing to work for them.

This judging from a recently released list of the top 100 social media brands of 2010 by Vitrue, an Atlanta-based social media marketing company. Vitrue ranks brands based on their various mentions on Facebook, Twitter and other popular sites, such as YouTube and Flickr.

Only eight food or restaurant brands managed to crack the top 100 this year, down from nine brands a year earlier. Coca-Cola turned out to be the big winner, catapulting from #31 in 2009 to land at #9 in 2010.

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]]>featuredsocial mediaSocialMediastarbucksvitrueJason BestFri, 14 Jan 2011 17:00:00 ESTFear and Loathing in Foodie-landhttp://www.slashfood.com/2010/06/21/fear-and-loathing-in-foodie-land/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/06/21/fear-and-loathing-in-foodie-land/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/06/21/fear-and-loathing-in-foodie-land/#commentsFiled under: ,

Photo: bionicgrrrl, Flickr


There's a certain amount of liberal bourgeois guilt among those of us who are paid to spend our days sampling things like squab-and-foie-gras croustillant and then write about it.

We generally don't discuss it, except perhaps after we've reached the bottom of the second or third scientifically blended cocktail at a place like Death & Co. in Manhattan's East Village and otherwise exhausted ourselves trying to pinpoint exactly what it was that gave that $13 glass of whiskey its particular piquancy. Was it an infusion of Fuji apple? Or the spiced pear?

After all, the downside of decadence is the sneaking suspicion that when the revolution comes (admittedly a remote possibility), we'll be rounded up with others of our ilk -- film critics, art historians -- and shipped off to some gulag in Alaska to break rocks.

The same sort of cynical despair gives us all manner of indy films and just about anything written by Jonathan Franzen. it also gives us the occasional tirade by a food writer, in this case last Friday's blog post by LA Weekly's Amy Scattergood, "Top 10 Foodie Words We Hate: Starting with Foodie."

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]]>food wordsfoodiesJason BestMon, 21 Jun 2010 15:00:00 ESTJames Beard Foundation's Essential Baking Bookshttp://www.slashfood.com/2010/04/12/james-beard-foundations-essential-baking-books/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/04/12/james-beard-foundations-essential-baking-books/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/04/12/james-beard-foundations-essential-baking-books/#commentsFiled under: ,

Photo: Amazon.com

Everyone loves "top ten" lists and the James Beard Foundation has come up with a great one, albeit slightly bigger than usual: They've compiled a baker's dozen (13 books) list of essential baking books.

"The hardest part is narrowing down the list," Kathleen Purvis, chair of the James Beard Foundation Book Awards Committee, told Slashfood."

"We [committee members] all picked five or ten books and then compared lists. Some of them were on everybody's list like Flo Braker, Carol Field and Maida Heatter. Those books immediately made the cut and then we started narrowing down. We had all baked from these books and could name our favorite recipes."

The culinary posse also wanted to ensure that the books selected encompassed not just baking cakes and cookies but savories and breads.

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]]>baking cookbooksfeaturedjames beardjames beard baking booksNicki GostinMon, 12 Apr 2010 14:00:00 ESTLas Vegas Restaurant Takes the Big Winningshttp://www.slashfood.com/2010/04/01/las-vegas-restaurant-takes-the-big-winnings/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/04/01/las-vegas-restaurant-takes-the-big-winnings/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/04/01/las-vegas-restaurant-takes-the-big-winnings/#commentsFiled under: ,

Photo: sbisson, Flickr

There's something about Vegas that makes people open their wallets -- and not just at the roulette wheel. According to the rankings of the top 100 independent restaurants by Restaurants and Institutions, the highest-grossing eatery in the nation is Tao Las Vegas Restaurant & Nightclub, which serves pan-Asian cuisine to Paris Hilton and common tourists alike.

The R&I list breaks it down so we can compare oranges to oranges. There's total sales, the size of the average dinner check, number of meals served, and seats per square footage. And when you look at the numbers, you can see that Tao Las Vegas isn't the top moneymaker by just a little. Its 2009 sales revenues are more than double its nearest competitor -- which, sadly, was the recently shuttered Tavern on the Green, despite the fact that the average dinner check at Tao was only five bucks higher than the Tavern's, and Tao actually seated only about a quarter the number of diners that the Tavern did. So far, the venerable Joe's Stone Crab in Miami Beach is hanging on at third place -- with numbers strikingly similar to the Tavern's.

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]]>joes stone crabrestaurants and institutionstao las vegastavern on the greentop 100 independent restaurantsNaomi ShulmanThu, 01 Apr 2010 14:00:00 ESTWhat's On Tap, Salt Lake City - The Bayouhttp://www.slashfood.com/2010/02/04/whats-on-tap-salt-lake-city-the-bayou/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/02/04/whats-on-tap-salt-lake-city-the-bayou/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/02/04/whats-on-tap-salt-lake-city-the-bayou/#commentsFiled under: ,

Photo: Wickenden, Flickr


A weekly look at the draft selection in beer-friendly bars across the country.

Where's the best place to grab a beer in Salt Lake City, Utah? Despite its unexpected name, many would suggest a bar known as the Bayou.

"The whole idea of the Bayou, people gathering together and the mix of different cultures -- that's what we had in mind with the name," says Mark Alston, who owns the bar with his wife. Speaking with him, his philosophy seems to boil down to one word: "different."

To create a great beer bar in Utah, owners have to be different. Law prohibits the Bayou from carrying any draft beers over 4% alcohol. Bottles, on the other hand, can have any ABV, a rule that Alston finds ironic. "Yesterday we sold a bottle of [Sam Adam's] Utopia to a table of four guys," he uses as an example. Utopia can clock in at upwards of 27% alcohol by volume -- ridiculously high by beer standards, and fine in Utah since it's served in the bottle -- but when it comes to draft beer, that would never fly.

This odd discrepancy in the rules partly explains why the Bayou has focused so much on bottled beer, not draft, since opening in 2002. "That's why our bottled beer selection has 230 beers," Alston explains. "We can sell whatever we want."

Read more about the Bayou and check out its recent draft list after the jump.

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]]>beercraft beerdarft listdraft beergeo:40.755319+-111.888229Salt Lake CityThe BayouUtahWhere:645-S.-State-St.-Salt-Lake-City-UtahMike PomranzThu, 04 Feb 2010 16:00:00 ESTWhat's On Tap, Seal Beach, CA - Beachwood BBQhttp://www.slashfood.com/2010/01/28/whats-on-tap-seal-beach-ca-beachwood-bbq/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/01/28/whats-on-tap-seal-beach-ca-beachwood-bbq/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/01/28/whats-on-tap-seal-beach-ca-beachwood-bbq/#commentsFiled under: ,

Photo: Matthew Wholderfield, Flickr.

A weekly look at the draft selection in beer-friendly bars across the country.

Here's one to file under "Why doesn't every beer bar in America do that."

Seal Beach, California's much heralded Beachwood BBQ offers a live HopCam, offering prospective patrons a chance to peek at their big draft beer board anytime via the bar's Web site.

In the past, What's On Tap has heaped praise upon bars that keep their beer list current online, but eventually most establishments fall victim to the number one reason why Web sites go out of date: laziness. It ain't easy typing those beers up and publishing them on the Internet for all to see, especially for less Web-savvy business owners. Plus, any good owner knows having a current list up on the wall in person is top priority. Otherwise, customers wouldn't know what's available to order.

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]]>beachwood bbqbeercraft beerdarft listdraft beerfeaturedMike PomranzThu, 28 Jan 2010 16:00:00 ESTWhat's On Tap: The Power of Beer Flightshttp://www.slashfood.com/2010/01/21/whats-on-tap-the-power-of-beer-flights/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/01/21/whats-on-tap-the-power-of-beer-flights/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/01/21/whats-on-tap-the-power-of-beer-flights/#commentsFiled under: ,


Photo: House of Sims/Flickr

A weekly look at the draft selection in beer-friendly bars across the country.

Imagine walking into a bar with 39 beers on tap, four more on cask. Limiting things down to your favorite style doesn't help: There are 10 IPAs available on draft alone.

As more and more establishments become beer-friendly and focus on offering up as many taps as possible, this scenario is not uncommon. It plays out at beer bars all across the country. In fact, the initial example is precisely what happened to this writer last night.

Luckily, this particular bar has drinkers best interests in mind. New York City's Rattle N Hum is one of many establishments that have taken to offering beer flights, small (yet reasonable) pours of a number of the different brews available. Rattle N Hum ups the ante by make their flights affordable. Patrons can procure 4 ozs. of any four drafts for the same price as a pint.

And why not? 16 ounces of beer is 16 ounces of beer. Flights might take a little more pouring and glassware to accommodate, but the bartender is still moving product at the same cost per ounce. And is it any more work than serving up an infinite number of free tasters many drinkers demand before investing in a full glass? Drinkers appreciate the effort, and those four ounce pours can go down pretty fast, causing big beer drinkers to go for more. Plus trying his new favorite brew might just be the reason a person buys that next drink.

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]]>barsbeerbeer flightscraft beerwhats on tapMike PomranzThu, 21 Jan 2010 17:00:00 ESTWhat's On Tap: The Porter, Atlantahttp://www.slashfood.com/2010/01/14/whats-on-tap-the-porter-atlanta/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/01/14/whats-on-tap-the-porter-atlanta/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/01/14/whats-on-tap-the-porter-atlanta/#commentsFiled under:

Photo: theporterbeerbar.com

A weekly look at the draft selection in beer-friendly bars across the country.

When Molly Gunn and her husband, Nick Rutherford, served their first pint at The Porter fifteen months ago, they had done more than just open a new beer bar and restaurant: They were opening up a new part of Atlanta, GA, to delights of craft beer and microbrews.

"We're very lucky there is another bar near here called The Brick Store that is super committed to craft beer and small beers," says Gunn. "They paved the way for us, but they are in a totally different neighborhood."

Realizing the growing demand for great beer throughout the Atlanta area, The Porter seemed to fit a niche in their part of town. A number of local bars featured a few crafts on tap, but none offered a selection as robust as theirs, featuring over 30 taps and 300 bottles.

The response has fit their expectations: "It's been great. We've definitely found that beer is recession proof. People still want to drink and it's a less expensive option than wine." Then, with a laugh she adds, "You still want to drown your sorrows."

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]]>Atlantabarsbeercraft beerdraft beerMike PomranzThu, 14 Jan 2010 17:00:00 ESTThe Many Morsels of YumSugarhttp://www.slashfood.com/2010/01/14/the-many-morsels-of-yumsugar/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/01/14/the-many-morsels-of-yumsugar/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/01/14/the-many-morsels-of-yumsugar/#commentsFiled under:

Photo: Flowery *L*u*z*a*'s, flickr


Each Thursday, we round up a selection of scrumptious links from our friends over at YumSugar. Here's what they've got cooking this week:

  • Yes, you can! -- ditch the supermarket and make these 10 food items, that is.
  • In these lean times try easy on the pocketbook and easily jazzed up red beans and rice.
  • This plastic will fit nicely next to your ATM card.
  • Say hello to the banana's big brother.
  • With only two pans and some cans of soup, you too can make a panini.
  • Do you know what this squashing machine is?
  • Chili purists, turn away -- delicious meatless chili in a slow cooker.

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]]>chilikitchen gadgetsmeatloafpaniniplantainsJose Ralat MaldonadoThu, 14 Jan 2010 13:00:00 ESTWhat's On Tap, Sheffield, England - The Rising Sunhttp://www.slashfood.com/2010/01/07/whats-on-tap-sheffield-england-the-rising-sun/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/01/07/whats-on-tap-sheffield-england-the-rising-sun/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/01/07/whats-on-tap-sheffield-england-the-rising-sun/#commentsFiled under:

Photo: risingsunsheffield.co.uk


A weekly look at the draft selection in beer-friendly bars across the country... and occasionally beyond.

"We don't see many Yanks around here," says a bartender as he pours a couple pints.

True, Sheffield, England is not a tourist epicenter in the United Kingdom. Due east from Liverpool and about 160 miles north of London, the former steel hub is better known for its working-class roots and recent economic redevelopment than for attracting much worldwide attention.

However, the city has spawned a number of prominent music acts over the years, including Def Leppard, the Arctic Monkeys and synth-poppers the Human League. The 1997 international hit film The Fully Monty was even set in Sheffield.

The Rising Sun is a friendly brewery pub (not to be confused with a "brewpub") on the west side of town. They are directly associated with Sheffield's Abbeydale Brewery, meaning they always have five of their unique ales on the handpumps (as opposed to a "brewpub" which brews its own beer on the premises). In addition, the Rising Sun features a rotating selection of seven other real ales from guest microbreweries around the country.

In England, cask-conditioned beer is known as real ale and has a rich history, as the tradition of the English pub predates fancy, modern refrigeration. Ales were far more commonly (and easily) brewed and kept cool by storing kegs in the pub's cellar. Handpumps (or beer engines) brought the liquid to the pint using natural human power instead of any forced carbonation. Some stodgy types, in fact, only refer to real ales as "beer" -- pretty much anything else is a "lager."

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]]>alesdraft beerEnglandhandpumpsSheffieldUnited KingdomWhere:471-Fulwood-Road-Nether-Green-Sheffield-S10-3QAMike PomranzThu, 07 Jan 2010 17:00:00 ESTThe New Year Noshes of YumSugarhttp://www.slashfood.com/2010/01/07/the-new-year-noshes-of-yumsugar/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/01/07/the-new-year-noshes-of-yumsugar/http://www.slashfood.com/2010/01/07/the-new-year-noshes-of-yumsugar/#commentsFiled under:

mexican feastPhoto: YumSugar

Each Thursday, we round up a selection of scrumptious links from our friends over at YumSugar. Here's what they've got cooking this week:
  • If you still haven't recovered from the New Year's Eve hangover, try one of these salves.
  • Kick off your post-holiday recovery with a winter salad.
  • Do you dare cook plantains at home?
  • A Mexican Christmas dinner is indeed traditional American.
  • Start 2010 on the right foot with this mysterious piece of culinary tech.
  • Will ramen finally graduate college, or will pho give it a failing grade?
  • If you made a go-vegan resolution, why not munch on vanilla pound cake?

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]]>phoplantainspound cakeramenwinter saladJose Ralat MaldonadoThu, 07 Jan 2010 13:00:00 EST10 Food Trends of the Futurehttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/12/31/future-food-trends/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/12/31/future-food-trends/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/12/31/future-food-trends/#commentsFiled under: ,

rainbow jell-o moldPhoto: m kasahara, Flickr.

Food is like fashion: full of trends that are hot plates one moment and cold leftovers the next.

Sure, there are fundamentals that will never go out of style, like a well-cooked steak or a creamy bisque. But then there are fads -- Chilean sea bass, sous vide, molecular gastronomy. Like fashion's flashes in the pan, some are gaudy extravaganzas meant to attract attention and instant gratification. On the other hand, some become classics passed down through generations to come. No one can truly predict what the public will embrace, either in the short or long term.

What does the future hold for food trends? What exciting, silly, over-the-top surprises await us tomorrow, besides jet-pack pizza delivery? Drool over these epicurean prognostications and tremble at our ability to peer into the unknown. Here are food trends that we 110 percent guarantee will be served at any point between this new year and 500 years from now.

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]]>futuristicgelatinNew YearrodentstoastJohn DevoreThu, 31 Dec 2009 11:00:00 ESTWhat's On Tap, Omaha - The Crescent Moon Ale Househttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/12/17/whats-on-tap-omaha-the-crescent-moon-ale-house/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/12/17/whats-on-tap-omaha-the-crescent-moon-ale-house/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/12/17/whats-on-tap-omaha-the-crescent-moon-ale-house/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

crescent moon ale housePhoto: pheaber, Flickr

A weekly look at the draft selection in beer-friendly bars across the country.

Smack dab in the middle of the country, nestled up against the Iowa border is the United States' 40th largest city, Omaha, Neb.

Back in the 19th century, Nebraska was home to a number of thriving breweries. But by the 20th century, Omaha's beer culture had stagnated. So in 1996, when Bill Baburek opened the Crescent Moon Ale House, he was a trendsetter.

"At the time, we were probably a little ahead of the curve," said Baburek, before adding, "for this town, not necessarily for the country. But for Omaha, to open up a beer bar without any mainstream domestic on draft was pretty much unheard of."

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]]>ale housebeerBeertopiaCraft beercrescent mooncrescent moon ale housedraft beergeo:41.257751+-95.966189huber hausMax and Joesmidwest citiesNENebraskaOmahawhats on tapWhatsOnTapWhere:3578-Farnam-Street-Omaha-NE-68131-3304Mike PomranzThu, 17 Dec 2009 15:00:00 ESTWhat's On Tap, Columbus - Dirty Frank's Hot Dog Palacehttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/12/03/whats-on-tap-columbus-dirty-franks-hot-dog-palace/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/12/03/whats-on-tap-columbus-dirty-franks-hot-dog-palace/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/12/03/whats-on-tap-columbus-dirty-franks-hot-dog-palace/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Dirty Frank's Hot Dog Palace logo

Image: dirtyfrankscolumbus.com.

A weekly look at the draft selection in beer-friendly bars (and occasionally hot dog palaces) across the country.

Regular readers know this column typically focuses on well-regarded beer bars, but for Columbus, Ohio, things got a little dirty ... Dirty Frank's Hot Dog Palace, that is.

What makes a glorified hot dog stand worthy of What's On Tap recognition? A great beer selection, of course. Working with only eight draft lines, house manager Jeni Van Hemert ensures Dirty Frank's has a broad selection of American craft brews.

"We're a hot dog joint, but we have insanely good beers on tap," says Van Hemert, describing the Palace's general concept. "We want to be an affordable option," she continues. "We have beers that cost twice as much as the hot dogs but then we also have $1.50 beers." For that reason, one of her taps is always reserved for a cheap domestic like Pabst Blue Ribbon or Miller Lite.

For the remaining seven lines, though, taste is the focus. "I like a very flavorful, heavy beer," she explains, discussing how she chooses what to stock. From her experience bartending and homebrewing, Van Hemert believes she can be a positive force in educating the public. "I've gotten used to having really awesome beers around."

Continue reading What's On Tap, Columbus - Dirty Frank's Hot Dog Palace

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]]>beerColumbusColumbus OHColumbus Ohiodirty franksDirty Franks Hot Dog Palacedraftdraft beergeo:39.957574+-82.995237hot dogOHOhioWhere:248-South-4th-Street-Columbus-Ohio-43215Mike PomranzThu, 03 Dec 2009 15:00:00 ESTLa Macchina with the CoffeeMeisterhttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/12/01/la-macchina-with-the-coffeemeister/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/12/01/la-macchina-with-the-coffeemeister/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/12/01/la-macchina-with-the-coffeemeister/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Delicious espresso,
courtesy of la macchina.
Photo: Erin Meister.

Erin Meister trains baristas for North Carolina-based Counter Culture Coffee and sporadically maintains the blog Meet the Press Pot from her home in New York City. This is part of a series for the caffeine-addicted.

In the Italian tradition, espresso is impossible without the "four M's," or the elements necessary to craft the tiny, potent elixir we know and love. Over the next four weeks, the CoffeeMeister will delve into the four elements that make possible our favorite little jolt: the caffè espresso.

Of course, anybody who's ever desperately craved a latte at 3 p.m. knows that people generally work better and are more focused after a coffee. The same held true during Europe's Industrial Revolution, and before long, bosses started getting tired of watching the minutes tick by as factory workers slowly got caffeinated. That all changed in 1901, when an enterprising gentleman named Luigi Bezzera built a contraption that allowed captured steam pressure to force very hot water through very finely ground coffee, creating a kind of quick coffee concentrate meant to be slugged faster than you can say "coffee break."

And presto! La macchina was born.

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]]>americacoffeeespressoespresso machineeuropela macchinaErin MeisterTue, 01 Dec 2009 15:00:00 ESTWhat's On Tap, Oakland - The Trappisthttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/11/19/whats-on-tap-oakland-the-trappist/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/11/19/whats-on-tap-oakland-the-trappist/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/11/19/whats-on-tap-oakland-the-trappist/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

The Trappist logo

A weekly look at the draft selection in beer-friendly bars across the country.

Turning beer-fueled trips through Belgium and Amsterdam into the inspiration behind owning a bar may sound like a lot of guys' dreams. But for Aaron Porter and Chuck Stilphen, the dream came true in December of 2007 when they opened the Trappist in Oakland, Calif., attempting to bring that Belgian feel and Belgian brews to the Bay Area.

"We went to Belgium and Amsterdam for beer festivals," says co-owner Chuck Stilphen, recalling those trips he took with Porter. Upon their return, they would lament that there was "no good place to drink beer around here where we lived."

The Trappist combats that problem. The idea was "modeled around beers we like," so it's no surprise that their primary focus is on Belgian beers. But realizing that California is no small player in the world of making great beer either, they also stock plenty of brews from their home state as well.

Origins aside, one thing is always consistent: "Small brewers stuff," Stilphen says. "No InBev or even giant Belgian brewers."

See the Trappist's draft selection as of Tuesday after the jump. ...

Continue reading What's On Tap, Oakland - The Trappist

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]]>beerBelgianBelgian beerBelgiumCaliforniadraft beergeo:37.800299+-122.274012OaklandThe TrappistTrappistWhere:460-8th-Street-Oakland-CaliforniaMike PomranzThu, 19 Nov 2009 15:00:00 ESTWhat On Tap, Hoboken - The Mile Squarehttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/11/12/what-on-tap-hoboken-the-mile-square/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/11/12/what-on-tap-hoboken-the-mile-square/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/11/12/what-on-tap-hoboken-the-mile-square/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

The front of Hoboken's The Mile Square

Photo: themilesquarehoboken.com

A weekly look at the draft selection in beer-friendly bars across the country.

Hoboken, N.J. spends a lot of time in the shadow of New York City. For many people, Hoboken is best recognized as "the last place your frat brother who was planning on going to business school" resided. But though many of its residents travel across the Hudson for work, Mike Farley, manager of Hoboken's the Mile Square, believes people shouldn't have to travel into the Big Apple to find a good beer.

"We have 30 taps," says Farley, speaking with pride about Hoboken's largest tap selection. "And we rotate about 17 of them constantly with all craft beer." He admits they have to keep on some of the standards -- Miller Lite, Guinness, Stella -- Hoboken is still a somewhat conservative place compared to, say, Brooklyn. But Farley believes their selection stands up to even some of the best bars in New York.

"Last month, we had 11 different Octoberfests," Farley points out. "People are already coming in asking for Christmas beers."

See the yesterday's complete draft list after the jump. ...

Continue reading What On Tap, Hoboken - The Mile Square

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]]>beerdraft beerDraftBeergeo:40.73898+-74.030424hobokenjerseymile squarenew jerseyNew York Cityseasonalseasonal beersthe mile squareWhere:221-Washington-Street-Hoboken-New-JerseyMike PomranzThu, 12 Nov 2009 17:00:00 ESTWhat's On Tap, Savannah - The Distilleryhttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/11/05/whats-on-tap-savannah-the-distillery/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/11/05/whats-on-tap-savannah-the-distillery/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/11/05/whats-on-tap-savannah-the-distillery/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Image: www.distillerysavannah.com.

A weekly look at the draft selection in beer-friendly bars across the country.

Ben Volen, general manager of the Distillery, agrees: Savannah, Ga., is a very traditional city. "For a long time there was nothing on at any of the bars besides Bud draft, Miller draft, Yuengling had just come into town ... Corona in a bottle," Volen reflects. So when the Distillery opened around this time last year, the idea of a craft beer-centric bar was certainly a change of pace.

Volen had attended school in New York when the craft beer trend was gaining momentum. Upon returning south, he brought his love of New York brewers like Brooklyn and Captain Lawrence back to Georgia, looked at the burgeoning beer scene in nearby Atlanta and constructed a plan for his bar.

Savannah reacted appreciatively. "We've been welcomed with open arms," Volen says. "We've completely changed this town and how they look at beer." Since their opening, according to Volen, most restaurants now carry at least a couple of craft brews.

Read more about the Distillery and see yesterday's entire draft list after the jump.

Continue reading What's On Tap, Savannah - The Distillery

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]]>beerDistillerydraftdraft beerGAgeo:32.075702+-81.098088GeorgiaSavannahThe DistilleryWhere:416-West-Liberty-Street-Savannah-GA-31401Mike PomranzThu, 05 Nov 2009 16:00:00 ESTYour Draft Pick Says It Allhttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/11/05/your-draft-pick-says-it-all/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/11/05/your-draft-pick-says-it-all/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/11/05/your-draft-pick-says-it-all/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

A moustached man poses in front of a PBR logo

Photo: Symic, Flickr.

Earlier this week, Advertising Age ran a story entitled "What Your Taste in Beer Says About You."

Citing researched compiled by Mindset Media -- a "market researcher specializing in psychographics" -- the article discusses how the beer a person drinks can be a strong indicator of his or her personality. For instance, Bud drinkers are "sensible, grounded and practical," Bud Light drinkers can have "frat boy-like personalities," and Michelob Ultra drinkers "think highly of themselves and can be a little bit conceited."

The concept is interesting, but why spend all that money on "research"? Most people could come up with those same assumptions on their own. In fact, the list can be extrapolated even further... massive research grant hopefully forthcoming.
  • Pabst Blue Ribbon drinkers consider playing bass in a punk band "gainful employment" and have handlebar mustaches.
  • Miller Lite drinkers consider the consumption of 20 beers "moderate drinking" and include beer bongs on their list of "proper glassware."
  • Sam Adams drinkers love wearing the same Red Sox hat for their entire adult life and believe there's nothing wrong with hitting on someone else's girlfriend.
  • Guinness drinkers think the best football team is Manchester United and consider a fist fight a "night out on the town."
  • Busch drinkers think the best bar in America is their porch and consider a proper food and beer pairing to be "a pounder and a bag of Hardee's."
And snobby craft beers drinkers tend to be people like beer writers who think they have a right to make fun of others!

What other beers bring to mind distinct personality types? And what does your favorite beer say about you? Let us know in the comments!

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]]>advertising ageAdvertisingAgebeerbeer personalitiesbeer personalityBeerPersonalitiesBeerPersonalitybudbud lightbuschguinnessmichelob ultramiller litepabst blue ribbonpersonalitiespsychographicssam adamswhat your beer says about youWhatYourBeerSaysAboutYouMike PomranzThu, 05 Nov 2009 14:00:00 ESTWhat's on Tap, Louisville - Nachbarhttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/10/29/whats-on-tap-louisville-nachbar/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/10/29/whats-on-tap-louisville-nachbar/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/10/29/whats-on-tap-louisville-nachbar/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

The Nachbar sign

Photo: myspace.com/thenachbar.

A weekly look at the draft selection in beer-friendly bars across the country.

Kentucky might be better known for its whiskey distilleries than its beer prowess, but like most cities with more than a million people in its metropolitan area, Louisville has seen growth in its specialty and craft-beer market over the past few years due to the average American's increased awareness of the variety of beer available.

Louisville's beer scene is "getting better," says James Donald Gunnoe, co-owner of one of the reasons that scene has gotten better: the small beer outpost known as The Nachbar. "There are about five microbreweries in town and I think there's room for more."

About two and a half years ago, Gunnoe and his wife, Heather Burks, opened Nachbar with the intention of creating a "place we'd want to go to ourselves." Working from faith in their own tastes and desires, they focused on stocking the beers they drank and loved, attempting to offer the beer at prices they knew people could afford. Gunnoe puts it best when he states, "We cater to ourselves, and from there we're just really fortunate that people appreciate what we like."

Read more about Nachbar and see this past weekend's draft list after the jump...

Continue reading What's on Tap, Louisville - Nachbar

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]]>beercraft beerCraftBeerdraft beergeo:38.230522+-85.736281germankentuckylocal beer selectionsLocalBeerSelectionslouisvillenachbarWhere:969-Charles-St-Louisville-KY-40204Mike PomranzThu, 29 Oct 2009 15:00:00 EST