Route 2 Brews of Lowell’s Leg Spreader has been spotted from England by RogerB. “A classic style Extra Special Bitter with a higher than normal ABV that is sure to please!”
Look for Running Vines Winery in Chesterton. article
Eric Strader visits the new Goshen Brewing Co that opens Wednesday. article
Bowling Green, KY is looking square in the face of the White Squirrel Brewery and Taproom, Bliss Ave. Brewing Co. and the Blue Holler homebrew supplies store. article
Headlines:
Craft beer business booming in Wisconsin. They say it’s 11% of all beer sales ($19.6 billion) in the U.S. (and includes, of course, Sam Adams).
Lower-alcohol beers in session for IPA lovers
India: Beer is 'fun, social' drink, must be allowed to sell through retail stores: Brewers demand
Korea: Beer diversity accelerates evolution of drinkers’ flavor
Korea: Korea bubbles over with craft beer rush
England: Forget steak and ale pie - try beer and honey cake. With recipe.
Elsewhere. The U.S. Virgin Islands claims a "local" Virgin Islands Brewing Co. that distributes Blackbeard Ale (a passable Amber) and Foxy Lager, both made in Minnesota. 
Elsewhile. In Puerto Rico===>>>
Some beers and stuff of Portugal, Gibraltar, and Malaga:
Ginja in Lisbon. This is a very sweet red cherry liquor that is not at all sticky and has none of the flavor of artificial candy found so often in cheap Kirschwasser.
Portugese beers: Sagres - Bold yellow. Medium carbonation. Strong, balanced generic lager presence. Obviously a mass-market beer. Gassier than American brands and more filling. Doesn't seem suited to hot summers.
Super Bock - "Sabor autentico". Also a rich lager though with some off flavors. Draft at a corner cafe. Maybe stale.
Gibraltar doesn’t have any real ale. But the city center has at least 2 dozen real British pubs such as the Ye Olde Rock (below). Good liver and bacon at that one. There is Tetleys, Double Diamond, Guinness, Green King IPA, Draught Bass, Caffertys Smooth, John Smith's Smooth, Stella, and Bud - all on tap. Also bottled GK Abbott and canned Scrumpy Jack. All (imperial) pints were about £1.40 (cheaper than in Britain by about 50 pence).
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Malaga has a couple of Spanish lagers. Alhambra is brewed in Granada, just 100miles away. It's OK at best.
Cruzcampo. Now there's a good authentic pilsner. Brewed by Heineken in Seville. Odd to see an ingredients list including water, malt, cereals, antioxidant, and stabilizer (preservative).
And then there’s the oldest bar in Malaga. The Antigua Casa De Guardia is on the main street just a few blocks from the harbor. Inside there's a few bottles on the wall but the main sight is 21 casks of wine that form the bar back. Typically 16 have spiles and are "on tap".
The typical drink is a 3oz glass of one of the fortified wines straight from the cask. Prices go from €0.85 to 1.00. When get your drink the bartender writes your tab in chalk on the bar to keep a running tab. When you pay he wipes off the chalk with the heel of his hand.
We talked for a couple hours with a local who spoke no English and a couple of Brits who happened in. Tasted 6 different wines and had a wonderful afternoon.
About the wines. All are about 17% so are “a bit fortified”. All were quite sweet and sticky. The Sec and the Moscatel were most to our liking but everything was very similar to our uneducated palates. Names: Pajarete, Seco Trasanejo, Lagrima Trasanejo, Malaga Quina, Lagrima Anejo, Moscatel #1, Moscatel #2, Pedro Ximen, and more that we can't remember.
It was late afternoon and the place was mostly empty but the remains of a busy lunch crowd were still on the floor - prawn shells and cigarette butts tossed haphazardly in buckets under the bar. Make a note to get a franchise for this operation - preferably on Bourbon Street.
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