ManekiNeko

If you use cast iron or enamel cookware on a regular basis, make sure that if you opt for an induction cooktop, it can handle them. My brother has a ceramic induction stovetop and he regrets not paying extra for the gas stove (which was an option when moving into his new house). I don't recall off the top of my head what brand he has, but he cannot use cast-iron or enamel pots and pans as they get too hot and can cause the stovetop to shatter. Whee! Hot shattering ceramic! If you don't use cast iron/enamel, don't worry.

I'd call it a pale ale in the British vein in that it's more malt-centric than the typical American pale ale. It's quite good. It's very similar to Stone's Pale Ale if you've had that. As for the oxidation problems with canned beers, I can't think of any canned beer that I would want to cellar. They are pretty much all meant to be drunk now. An 18-24 month window is more than adequate.

Yeah, Scrimshaw, when handled properly, is an exquisite pils. I suggest remedying this debacle with either a Hop Pocket Pils or the Troeg's Sunshine Pils. Or you could hunt down a Scrimshaw in better shape....

Say what now? You obviously have not had the schwarzbier from Gordon Biersch. Or Cap City's Kolsch. Or Bourbon Stout from the Chophouse. To the OP: Health Bar doesn't suck and should at least fit the bill for cheap vegetarian and decent microbrews. Not that the other options bandied about have been lackluster in either department, either.

At the risk of sounding like I'm making light of this situation: Veganism doesn't kill people, people kill people. Go ahead, be a vegan. More bacon for me.

New England Brewing Company, mayhaps? They are available in NoVa and are quite tasty. The Elm City Lager is nice and delicate.

That I'm in complete disagreement with, but I'm pretty much prejudiced against the American wheat beer style.

Oberon is their best seller and was pretty much on tap everywhere in Chicago before Bell's pulled out of Illinois. It's probably their most "user-friendly" beer, not that that is a bad thing.

Not bad, but I'd like to see some Cantillon and good examples of American takes on Belgian-style beers on the list, too (Victory Golden Monkey, Allagash's entire lineup, Ommegang, and Russian River immediately spring to mind). But anyplace that makes a commitment to carrying Saison Dupont and Houblon on draft piques my interest. I'm hoping I'll have good reason to go there and celebrate something in a few weeks.

Well, our friends at Budweiser are more than happy to help you out in your quest: http://home.comcast.net/~nriech/No-Fkin-Way.jpg Mmmmm.... clamato Get thee to a Latino-oriented grocery store. This is not a photoshopping job at all. The source is this guy on BeerAdvocate who searches the website of the gvmt agency responsible for label approvals and posts the more interesting results on a weekly basis.

Beer: it's not just for breakfast anymore. I forgot to add my verbiage on this beer. It's a solid example of a wee heavy. Nice malty depths with a hint of smoke. If you're hankering for a local example, head to Vintage 50 in Leesburg and try Bill Madden's Wee Heavy. He went to the brewing school in Scotland (it's name escapes me, but the place is very prestigious), and I'm fairly certain his recipe is derived from that experience.

Well, BP has Gordon on tap right now. No reason why they couldn't get Old Chub, either on tap or cans.

Sweet, but I think Sir Mix-a-Lot (my KA mixer) requires something more blingy than the flames. I'll suggest it to the proprietors of FlameKA.com...

Are you sure that's not Taint Ballbuster? While I'm not the original poster, thanks for all the suggestions. A friend of mine turned me onto Shiraz's awhile back. She liked them for the pricepoint and because they don't need to be aged. Both of us being fresh from college, cellar space (or closet space for that matter) wasn't in the picture.