Random Thoughts on Beer

-- Whoever came up with the idea of dropping green dye into beer for St. Patrick's Day ought to be shot. Beer is the kind of drink that should not be polluted for the sake of appearances.

-- The proper beer for St. Patrick's Day is, of course, something from Ireland. Guinness, of course, comes to mind; but for those who find it a little strong (not to mention chewy), Harp Ale or Kilkenney will do just as well.

-- Ian Fleming's secret agent James Bond drank much more than just martinis. When in Jamaica he occasionally had a bottle of Red Stripe beer, while in the States he preferred Miller High Life.

-- Beer is an ideal ingredient for use in stewing beef, because it acts as a tenderizer (something about yeast carbonation being an aid to breaking down protein).

-- Dark colored beers are best in winter; light-colored beers are best in summer.

-- If you want a fruit-flavored beer (i.e. lemon or lime), you are better off pushing a wedge of either fruit into a freshly opened bottle and pouring the results into a glass, than ordering a pre-flavored beer. (It's the outer skin which contains the flavoring oils.)

-- Limes go better with beer than lemons.

-- I think I could go for a drink just now.