Bring a bullet to bite: Eleven of the manliest cocktails in the world. Sample: Kentucky Tea: One mason jar halfway full of moonshine. Fill the jar with branch water.
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You might have a drinking problem if . . . your 82-year-old Alzheimer's patient died because you went on a liquor run.
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No shocker here: Brewery named best place in America to work: New Belgium Brewing, makers of Fat Tire Amber Ale, is the best place to work in America on Outside magazine's (www.outsideonline.com) inaugural "Best Places to Work" list. The magazine conducted extensive surveys - based on benefits such as free take-home beer, compensation, job satisfaction, consistent yet manageable inebriation levels among employees, environmental initiatives, beer availability, beer paraphernalia, and community beer outreach programs - designed to identify, recognize and honor the best employers in the country.
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That rice/food shortage I mentioned yesterday isn't just hurting Budweiser (which is rice-based, I'm told). It's hurting bars across America. Well, kind of. It's hurting bars that double as restaurants. From the Wall Street Journal:
The $558 billion restaurant industry is hitting rough times, squeezed by many of the same woes affecting other sectors of the economy: tightfisted consumers, scarce credit and surging commodity prices. Adding to the pressure is a big jump in the minimum wage starting this summer, which will boost wages by 12% in some states.
That's sent the industry into its worst slump in decades. Many chains have scaled back expansion plans or cut costs by skimping on things like extra sauce and free sour cream. Some are shuttering sites and laying off workers.
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Also from WSJ: Beer blogging at Miller.
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London's smallest pub is for sale. Just in case you're looking for a business opportunity.
The area around Marylebone station has an air of forgotten London, and that's certainly the feel you get here. Staff chat away to customers old and new alike, and an easy going atmosphere permeates and if the landlord's on form you'll hear the whole, tragic story of his life and the pub. The jukebox might seem a tad incongruous, but there's some space outside if you need to escape the music.
Looks like a neat little place.
Quite frankly, I can't think of a worst job than owning a bar (alright, sex slave for aging female patron, mime, and prison counselor might be worse). I'd enjoy taking inventory, dealing with shipments, talking with patrons during the afternoon hours. Rushing around during happy hour could be enjoyable. But come 11:00 or later, when the drunks start raging? Then announcing "closing time" and being treated like you're the grim reaper coming for his prey? I couldn't hack it.
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This writer has a decided leftist slant. I also admit that the whole concept has a snobbish ring to it. But nonetheless, I think he's onto something: Pairing books with beers. He touts "Three Philosophers," which is a very good beer.
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Beer picture of the week:
