Ybor City Brewing Company - Ybor Gold

Ybor Gold is brewed with a combination of two-row pale, Munich and Caramel malts. Cluster hops are added at the beginning of the boil to add a slight bitterness to the beer while Perle hops are added towards the end for their aromatic contributions. Note a light copper color in this filtered, medium-bodied beer. Look for a predominately malty nose which has a slight hop bitterness true to style. We found the body to be a nice toasted maltiness balanced nicely with a slight hop bitterness.

Ybor City Brewing has rich history. The brewery's president, Humberto Perez, is a third-generation brewer whose grandfather founded one of the largest breweries in Venezuela, Cerveceria, some 70 years ago. And keeping with the Latin tradition, Ybor's brewery is located in a renovated cigar factory. In the late 1800s, Ybor City was the cigar capital of the world. Jose Martinez Ybor led the migration of the Cuban cigar industry to Ybor City in Tampa largely due to the city's able work force and as it offered a navigable port close to Cuba.

In 1922, Ybor City had 140 cigar makers within its borders. But soon, with the depression and the advent of automation, as well as the boom of American cigarettes, the hand-rolling cigar industry declined. The old cigar factories lay dormant for decades. In 1994, Ybor bought one of the grand old cigar warehouses, and turned it into a craft brewery. "There's no automation in the brewery," states head brewer Vince Palosi, "all the brewing is done by hand and manual labor. It's a brainchild of craft beer people who love their art."

For more information about the brewery and scheduled tours, call (813) 242-9222

New Orleans Barbecued Shrimp

4 lb fresh shrimp (16-20 per lb) heads on
2 lb butter
2 cups black pepper, crushed
4 cups Dockside Amber Lager
2 cups dry white wine (sauvignon blanc)
5 sprigs fresh rosemary
3 cups Worcestershire sauce
1 cup Cajun seasoning
(Several good blends can be found in specialty shops)

Melt the butter. Rinse the shrimp well and place them in a shallow roasting pan with the melted butter and all the other ingredients. Bake at 350 F (180 C) for 40 minutes or until the shrimp turn pink. Do not overcook the shrimp. Serve with plenty of fresh bread and lots of napkins. Feeds 4 as a main course unless one of them is Jabba the Hut.

Source: A Taste for Beer; Stephen Beaumont, Storey Communications, Inc.

Remember how mom always told you to mind your P's and Q's? The phrase dates back to folklore of English taverns. P's were for pints and the Q's were for quarts. Minding your P's and Q's was reckoning the size and number of mugs of beer consumed by the customers. Somehow, I don't think ma knew she was telling me to monitor how many beers I drank when I was in the Fifth Grade!

Condemned killer Steven Judy was executed in Michigan City, Indiana for the slaying of a young mother and her three small children. Before meeting his death in the electric chair, the convicted murdered was given a sedative after being refused beer with his last meal of steak and lobster tails. Asked why he was given a sedative, press secretary Jan Powell said, "It was for medicinal reasons and beer isn't used for medicinal reasons." You gotta love Indiana. "No beer for you, pal! How about a Lude instead?"

A journal kept on the Mayflower reveals that the Pilgrims would have sailed further south to Virginia, instead of landing at Plymouth Rock, had they not run out of beer. Safe to say our priorities as a Nation haven't changed much in the last two centuries.

When William "Red" Hill Jr. emerged from the barrel in which he shot the Lower Rapids in the Niagara River, his first words were, "Somebody give me a beer." Followed by, "Yes, that is a fish in my shorts and I am damn glad to see you!"

A man found with an open bottle of beer in his car was merely using the brew to cool off an overheated engine, a District Court judge was told in Toronto. The man's lawyer said that would be his defense when the "case" gets to trial. At which time, he'll most likely be using his "open beer" in the courtroom as an insect repellant. Great argument councilor.

Dear Murl, Living in Chicago for most of my life, I must confess that I've tossed back a lot of Old Style in my day (we referred to it as "Dog Style" you might be interested to know). I am now, thanks to your service, just beginning to appreciate the distinctions between the many varied beer styles, but don't know what many of them are all about. My question is this: What exactly is an India Pale Ale? Did it originate in India?

John Leitch

Santa Fe, NM.

Dear John,

First of all, you should know that this is my first "Dear John" letter and although it's not my style, I'll try and be gentle. Secondly, I resent any reference that ties me to that snake-water you Midwestern savages refer to as beer. I should think a more appropriate nickname for that nasty swill would be more along the lines of "Cat Style" or "Kitty Style".

Anyhoo, India Pale Ales (or IPAs) are typically aggressively hopped, higher alcohol content beers that were originally brewed for the residents of Gary, Indiana so that they could forget where they live from time to time. Just Kidding, John. Seriously, the IPA style was developed by British brewers to be shipped to the Royal Army members stationed in India. The first few batches sent over didn't quite go the distance on the freshness-o-meter and most likely ended up tasting something like your once coveted Old Style. Isn't that the one the supposedly has a guy peeing into the river that sources the water for the beer on the label? Sounds about right. IPAs were heavily hopped and brewed to attenuate out at higher alcohol contents in order to preserve them on the long voyage over to the Taj Mahal. The soldiers got to diggin' it so damn much, that it was soon demanded as a style to be offered in pubs back in England as well. Hope that helps. Enjoy the IPA we sent you this month!

Woof!

Murl.