Taking the Belgian beer experience to new heights, Stella Artois has commenced its 15th annual World Draught Masters competition that asks consumers to demonstrate mastery of the iconic Stella Artois 9-Step Pouring Ritual. Six U.S. cities (Las Vegas, Phoenix, Denver, Miami, New York and Boston) will hold regional competitions in which beer enthusiasts are trained in the 9-Step Pouring Ritual, and then showcase their command of the process. Fans outside of these markets can still qualify via the virtual pour competition on the Stella Artois Facebook Page. Competitors will vie for a spot at the U.S. finals in Washington, D.C. on October 7, and one lucky U.S. winner will move on to compete at the world finals in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

• Only domestic examples allowed
• Only one beer per brewery, for the sake of variety (more about that later)
• If you haven’t tried it, you can’t add it to your list

The list they came up with is pretty interesting and I mostly agree. However, I haven’t tried their #1 selection, Ballast Point Sculpin IPA. Check out the article for some great IPA selections and to see if you agree or disagree.

Parabola has been a major component of past anniversary blends and is one of our most aggressive offerings. This beer features bold bourbon and tobacco aromas and a rich dark chocolate, charred oak flavor. Parabola is best enjoyed in moderation and is a perfect beer to pair with those chocolate dessert favs.

Chocolate lovers be warned, these brownies are moist, fudgy, and deeply chocolaty. If you’re having trouble finding a Coffee Stout in your area, substitute 2 ounces Sweet Stout mixed with 1 ounce brewed espresso.

I’d love to make this with Moohoo or Vanilla Bourboun County stout.

Photo Credit:Brownies via flickr.

Our HUGE Imperial Stout that weighs in at an impressive 12% ABV! As if that’s not enough, we added pounds of coffee for a little extra kick, then aged it for a year in bourbon barrels. This beer has been rated the #1 BEST BEER IN THE WORLD at ratebeer.com. It was also featured on CNBC’s “Squawk Box” in a segment on the best dark beers in America.

A demonic Russian Style Imperial Stout, brewed with Intelligensia coffee Mexican vanilla, and Indian sugar this beer defies description, available one day a year in April at the brewery, Dark Lord Day.

Image copyright billward on Flickr.

With a huge, Pacific Northwest hop aroma & character upfront, Storm King subsides into massive, roast malt complexity. More flavor than mere words can adequately describe. Rich and substantial, it will warm your heart.

Pliny the Elder was a Roman naturalist, scholar, historian, traveler, officer, and writer. Although not considered his most important work, Pliny and his contemporaries created the botanical name for hops, “Lupus salictarius”, meaning wolf among scrubs.” Hops at that time grew wild among willows, much like a wolf in the forest. Later the current botanical name, Humulus lupulus, was adopted. Pliny died in 79 AD while observing the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. He was immortalized by his nephew, Pliny the Younger, who continued his uncle’s legacy by documenting much of what he observed during the eruption of Mount Vesuvius.