Beers of the World!

One has to wonder if this was the plan from the beginning, or if the staff at the 'Vest is listening to our thirsty cries for beer variety. Regardless of their reasons, they have done something wonderful - Beers of the World. No longer will thirsty fans have to settle for the drab offerings initially put up by the Naturals' staff. Now, though it isn't Boulevard on tap like I had hoped for, we at least have variety.

1. Diamond Bear Pale Ale - An OK, medium-hopped brew from Little Rock. Not as good as many other micro-brews, but the best (read "only") beer currently bottled in Arkansas. Their Southern Blonde is probably a better beer, though none of them are anything to get excited about. 5/10

2. Sam Adams Summer - This year the Sam Adams Summer beer is a Whie Ale. These seem to be gaining in popularity, as the wheat craze dies out. I personally prefer the black ales, but this one is a nice, light, full-bodied ale with some interesting summer notes. Definitely worth having a go if you've never tried it before. 7/10

3. Anglers Pale Ale - Haven't had this yet. Expect hops.

4. Leinenkugel Sunset Wheat - "Made by 73 people in Wisconsin who care" about making beer that tastes like Fruity Pebbles. 2/10

5. Moosehead - This one really surprised me. I love this tasty, refreshing lager, but I didn't expect that they'd expect people to pay $5 for a bottle. 6/10

6. Labatt Blue - Remeber a few years ago when there were constant commercials for this beer with the bear? What happened to that? If they're using the bottles you find in the store, they're only 11.5 ounces (really). 5/10

7. Dos Equis Amber - My personal favorite Mexican beer. It's got a nice amber color and a good caramelized flavor. Expect these to sell well. 7/10

8. Guiness - Comment unnecessary. 7/10

9. Peroni - Another I haven't had.

10. Fosters - Nah. 3/10

11. Corona - Probably the most over-rated and over-priced beer on the market today (except that new Landshark - what a ripoff). Its ongoing popularity (outside Cinco de Mayo celebrations) boggles the mind. 2/10

12. Modelo Especial - Tasty brew. Worth giving a shot if you're looking to change things up. 5/10

13. Sam Adams - This one has grown on me. As hops have begun to dominate the microbrew industry, and people seek to make beer with more and more hops, it's hard to avoid giving a nod to the label that started it all. 6/10

All-in-all it's not a terrible effort. I would have appreciated more American micro-brews (New Belgium, Boulevard, Summit come to mind). It would also be interesting to see them bring up kegs of Hog Haus beers to celebrate the truly local flavor. Their beers are far superior to the Diamond Bear that comes out of LR.