TOPIC:

The 2008 World Beer Cup winners[/url:2ljsxeal] were announced on Saturday. As usual with these things there are a few oddities, to my mind anyway. The biggest surprise for me is Weltenburger Kloster Anno 1050 taking a silver medal, because I thought it was a terrible beer. I'm also very sceptical about giving a gold medal to Heineken's Affligem Tripel, and just the bronze to Westmalle. Brugse Zot Blond took a gold in "Belgian- and French-Style Ale" whatever that means, and it's really not a very special beer at all, IMO.

Still, good to see awards for Fin du Monde, Gonzo Imperial Porter, Allagash Dubbel and Nøgne Ø Porter -- all world-class beers. And I'm pleased for Toohey's Extra Dry, a macrolager I have a sneaking regard for.

No Irish winners this year. Time they had an Irish Pale Ale category...

"TheBeerNut":3lqdyugu wrote: Time they had an Irish Pale Ale category...[/quote:3lqdyugu]

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There are some pretty odd categories there.

Are the American Irish red ales really better then the Irish ones?

Coffee Flavored Beer (24 Entries) Great name with Java The Hut but I have never understood coffee beer. Do you really need to mix your favorite stimulant and depressant for that one creamy middle feeling?

Well evidently you do: get your DTs and caffeine shakes in one convenient package.

And yet, while coffee as an adjunct gets its own category, fruit and vegetables have to share one, as do herbs and spice. Coconut is officially a herb, it appears.

Dunno about you, but I really fancy an International-Style Lager right about now. Can't beat that delicious flavour that only the masterbrewers of International know how to create.

&amp;quot;a_friend_in_mead&amp;quot;:2dlz5bxq wrote: Java The Hut[/quote:2dlz5bxq]

Someone's a Simpsons fan.

&amp;quot;noby&amp;quot;:kgnoqv7x wrote:

&amp;quot;a_friend_in_mead&amp;quot;:kgnoqv7x wrote: Java The Hut[/quote:kgnoqv7x]

Someone's a Simpsons fan.[/quote:kgnoqv7x]

I wounder are they paying royalties, as they are know to be very pro litigation.