Local 60 Beer Tasting!

My NBC News Debut

     Back in the end of October, I had the chance to do a three and a half minute segment on craft beers for the Saturday morning NBC News.  Enjoy!

Beer Rating Sites

    There are over 1600 craft breweries in the USA and it is almost impossible to know what are the great beers that all those breweries have to offer and where are the good places in a city to get them.  The good news for the internet savvy who has a thirst for only the most interesting brews, there are a couple of great sites you can go to to find out more then you ever wanted to know about craft beer!  The two sites that you really need to hit up are BeerAdvocate and RateBeer, both of which have the benefit of being run by passionate beer lovers who have created a haven for users to express their opinion on their favorite frothy concoctions.

BeerAdvocate.com is an outstanding site, that is simple to navigate and is populated by some of the most hardcore and critical beer aficionados on the internet today.  This site allows the user to search beers by name and brewery, but it also allows you to find breweries, beer stores and home brew shops in all 50 states and around the world.

RateBeer.com is also very good, containing many well written articles and easy searches to find whatever beer you are looking for.  The downside of this site is that a bit more difficult to navigate and has recently added a "premium content" aspect which has nerfed the usefulness of many aspects of this site.

Commenting on Beer Blogs

Blog Site #1
http://www.blogaboutbeer.com/
Pros
1.  Well written and interesting content.
2.  Easy to navigate.
Cons
1. Not updated on a regular basis.
2.  Annoying pop up to enter site.

Blog Site #2
http://thomsbeerblog.blogspot.com/
Pros
1.  On Topic
2.  Updated Frequently
Cons
1.  Not all page links work.
2.  Unsure of how the beers are numbered and why.

Blog Site #3
http://www.ataleoftwobrewers.com/
Pros
1.  Interesting.
2.  Updated regularly.
Cons
1.  Very Long Postings.
2.  Color scheme is odd.

Brooklyn Brewery is Here!

As of 4 pm Central Standard Time, I am proud to say that the fine ales and lagers of Brooklyn Brewery have arrived on the thriving shelves of my store!  Brew Master Garrett Oliver, author of The Brewmaster's Table and head brewer of the Brooklyn Brewery, lovingly crafted and exceptionally flavorful brews at now available for the fine residence of Naperville IL!

Welcome Home and Grab a Cold One!

    There is an amazing world outside of the realm of yellow fizzy water that traditionally is considered to be beer here in the good old United States.  As the popularity and sales of craft beers (a.k.a. micro brews) are on the rise and macro brewers such as Miller-Coors and Budweiser struggle to maintain their hold on their market shares, a new fronter has been opened for our exploration!

    My name is Colin Harris and since 2009 I have been the Beer and Spirits manager at Malloy's Finest Wines and Spirits in Naperville, IL