This week will be a little different than my usual post.  Instead of tasting a beer and telling you about it, I’ll be bringing awareness to your nostrils and taste buds.  Check this out before we go on.  Actually, let me summarize what is happening.

There is a brewery in Vermont called Rock Art Brewery.  They produce beer, and I have never tried any of their stuff but will try to in the future.  To celebrate their 10 years of brewing, Matt Nadeau decided to create the ‘Vermonster’ beer.  According to what he says about the beer it is a barley wine, 10% alcohol and is a real American brew to show that he started in his basement and has moved to a real brewery.

Well, corporate America decided to pay Matt a visit via mail and give him a message: cease and desist brewing your beer or we will take you to court for all your worth.  Who would demand such a thing?  Monster Energy Drinks out of California. A $1 billion company is worried that people might confuse the two products and some such crap.

Here is a blind taste test for you: Put Monster in a cup, then put beer in a cup, wear a blind fold, sample them both. Can you tell the difference?  If you can’t, there is no hope for you.  If you can, then you should go out and support Rock Art Brewery.  I have not had anything by these folks, but I’m willing to bet I’d feel better after I drank a Vermonster than if I drank a Monster Energy Drink.

This is a classic example of a corporation taking advantage of an honest person.  Please do your part and help them if you can.

It may not always be sunny in Philadelphia, but Saturday the 19^th there was plenty of sun in Nashua.  With his own line of limoncello to promote, Danny DeVito spent some time at the New Hampshire State Liquor Store in Nashua to sign autographs and take pictures for fans.

I may be the resident ‘beer guy’, but seeing how I am Italian, limoncello is within my jurisdiction.  Limoncello is a lemon-flavored liqueur hailing from Sorrento, Italy.  All limoncello, including Danny’s, is made in Sorrento, so you know it isn’t a knock off made in a bathtub.  Served ice cold, this thick looking shot goes down like candy.  It is the perfect after dinner drink and can calm your stomach if you feel kind of queasy.

Danny was scheduled to be there from 12-3, so we got there around 10:30 to ensure our place in line.  Remembering how it went down for Dan Aykroyd, we wanted to beat the crowd.  We waited and waited, then finally Danny showed up and began talking and signing autographs.  Samples of limocello were being handed out, and I had to partake.

He signed our bottles and a few DVD sleeves I had brought and then he signed my t-shirt.  The shirt was for a performance he had been in earlier in the week “The Nightman Cometh” which is an offshoot of the show It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.  A friend bought the shirt for me, since I couldn’t make the show, and Danny offered to sign it.  I was happy he signed my shirt, but I also wanted to get it off quickly so I wouldn’t smudge the signature.  Trust me, I didn’t smudge a thing.

Once again Nashua scores big with another celebrity swinging by.  Keep your eyes open; you never know who will stop by next.

For this article call me John O’Frazzetta, and a top o’ th’ morning to you.  Every year Harpoon Brewery puts on a two day gathering with food, music and, yes, plenty of fresh beer on tap.  Amidst all the ale and merriment, this Italian boy felt a wee bit Irish.

Harpoon Brewery is located in south Boston.  For this event, there were shuttle buses from South Station and the SilverLine Bus, which brought you within a few blocks of the brewery.  We took the SilverLine and followed a crowd of green-clad folks to the brewery.  I could see the gates from a distance, and I felt like Charlie Bucket entering Willy Wonka’s factory.  Upon entering and picking up a plastic souvenir pint glass, we walked through brewing apparatus and were soon greeted by long lines for food and beverage.

The cool thing was that your entry ticket covered your glass and one free beer. After that all beers were $5, but they were right from the source and you got a full pint.  There were merchandise booths, as well as a line for tours of the facility.

We opted to skip the tour and watched the live music.  John Sullivan and the Lads had just wrapped up, and The Gobshites were taking the stage playing a mix of traditional Irish music with some new twists.  They were entertaining and had a loyal following.  Later on there would be bagpipe music and a U2 cover band, too bad they didn’t wait a few days and get U2 at the Somerville Theatre.

Not feeling in the mood for a variety of boiled food, we stuck with the beer and enjoyed the atmosphere.  As the drone of bagpipes started, we decided to make an exit.  A good time was had by all.

For a few minutes on Saturday I felt like Charles Bukowski. I was a writer sitting by a racetrack drinking a beer at 12:30, and I hadn’t placed a bet. Actually, I was there for the food not the thoroughbreds. The Andelman brothers, hosts of TV’s Phantom Gourmet, held one of their events at Suffolk Downs bringing good food to the masses.

Sponsored heavily by Budweiser, the vendor list was impressive: Fuddruckers, Firefly’s, Aussom Aussie, Wholly Cannoli, Harrow’s, Wicked Whoopie’s, the Sausage Guy and Sunset Grill, plenty to choose from. The prices were uniform for most vendors; you could purchase a modest portion for $5-$7.

For what it was, it was a good way to introduce people to something they may not eat everyday. For guys that claim to love food, they could have gotten better beer. The Sunset Bar boasts a tap list of over a hundred taps; I imagine it to be like Mecca.

I felt compelled to try Budweiser’s American Ale. I actually was surprised that Bud could create something with flavor. I also can’t believe it took a buy-out for them to do so.

The Andelman brothers themselves were walking around the event and stopped to chat with folks or pose for pictures. That was a nice touch to see them in person.

If you managed to find the secret escalator, you were led upstairs. On the second floor there was a mechanical bull, bouncy boxing, sumo wrestling, twister and a putting green. There was enough entertainment but as lines for everything got longer, waiting felt like a chore.

Overall, it was an interesting experience. Although, I wish I had placed a few bucks on the #2 horse in the first race, I would have had my money back for the food and beer.

Most bartenders have a style of drink, if not a specific drink, that they consider to be their best offering.  Regulars know this drink is a great choice for a beverage.  The drink menu even may direct new customers toward ordering this drink.

So, if the patrons at Bar A believe their bartender’s drink is the best, and the customers at Lounge B believe their mixologist’s beverage is the best, how is one to know which drink is the best in their area?  Well, if you live near Portsmouth, New Hampshire, you are in luck!

On Sunday, June 1st, from 5 – 8 p.m., the 2nd Annual Portsmouth Cocktail Competition is being held at a variety of participating restaurants and bars.  For $30 per person (only $20, if purchased in advance), you can sample complimentary cocktail tastings at 8 different venues.  At 8 o’clock, there will be a wrap-up party and voting for the favorite signature cocktail.

For an evening of fun, visit Portsmouth Cocktail Competition to purchase your tickets!