Before sipping, take a moment to enjoy the hoppy aromas, the smell of a dry bouquet of flowers a hint of citrus or lime; very organic in scent. Slowly sip and take in all the flavors that bombard your pallet, the Cascade hops assert themselves upon your tongue with a citrus peel taste while the Columbus hops leave a slight bitter feeling followed by a dry alcohol aftertaste with hints of chocolate.

Be wary, this beer is 11.5% alcohol by volume and can lay you out flat if you sip a few too many. However, Double Dog Double Pale Ale is a beer worth savoring slowly and with care. There are too many hop flavors to drink this beer too quickly and its potent punch will keep you in check.

This is the type of beer that is best enjoyed with a group of friends so that you can share the experience with others. If you’re like many of our podcast hosts and guests, you’re always up for a hoppy beer with tastes that won’t let you down. This beer is one of the most complex of the Canis Major series and offers more than just a typical brew.

You’ll find this wine for under $20.00 and you’ll not feel a bit ripped off. This wine is medium bodied, like many Merlot, has a fruity plum taste and a slightly dry aftertaste. This may be challenging to new wine drinkers because of the dryness but not enough to really be a turn off. For someone working to mature their pallet and bring wine into your life, Francis Coppolas Blue Label Merlot is a great choice. You may get used to the dryness after a few sips.

The black berry flavors and tastes of dark berries and plums makes this Merlot a great experience, if not “like other” Merlot’s for the price. It may not be a totally unique experience but it’s always great to give new labels a try and explore the possibilities.

What the hell am I talking about? Flip Cup. It’s a drinking game where each team must consume a beverage, put the cup on the edge of the table in a standing position and flip it upon its mouth. The winning team claims victory, and in the case of the Worlds Largest Flip Cup Tournament, the rights to be called a Flip Cup god… or something.

What do you do when you have uber Flip Cup skills? You start a Flip Cup League like the Flip Cup Guys. What do you do if you play Flip Cup? You join in their tournament. If you’re in the Yew York area or plan to be on October 11th, you can check yourself into a game before you check yourself into a clinic (just kidding, be careful, drink responsibility).

INTRODUCING THE WORLD’S LARGEST FLIP CUP TOURNAMENT…

Everyone wishes they were still in college. The parties, the late nights, the parties, the sleeping until all hours of the day, the parties…..

What better way to return to your college days than with a game of Flip Cup? How about the largest game of Flip Cup ever played in the U.S.?

Flip Cup Guys, the nation’s largest organizer of flip cup tournaments, is making flip cup even BIGGER with the launch of its World’s Largest Flip Cup Tournament (WLFCT). Flip Cup will never be the same again! The event will be held on October 11, 2008 at the M1-5 Bar and Lounge in New York City.

Those eager to flip in WLFCT can log on to www.FlipCupGuys.com to register themselves, and their teammates, and familiarize themselves with the rules of the game and the tournament.  With brackets calling for 64 six-player teams, and venue space allowing for hundreds of spectators, participants will be able to let loose, show off their team spirit, enjoy open beer bar specials, and compete for eternal glory.

Flip Cup Guys will be expanding their Flip Cup empire nationwide in 2009.

If you’re still questioning, checkout youtube.com and search for flip cup. Or check this out:

We covered this last night as it occurred but all we had were comments prior to market opening, today we’re looking at the final announcement and press release. Anheuser-Busch (NYSE: BUD) opened high today, but has declined since the opening. It should be interesting to see how things progress throughout the week on the stock market in response to the news.

Combination Will Create One of the World’s Five Largest Consumer
Products Companies

Company to be Named Anheuser-Busch InBev;

Budweiser to Expand Globally

Transaction Will Yield Cost Synergies of at Least $1.5 Billion Annually by
2011; Neutral to EPS in 2009 and Accretive Beginning in 2010

St. Louis, Missouri will be North American Headquarters and Global Home
of Flagship Budweiser Brand

Fully Committed to Support Wholesalers and Three-Tier System

All U.S. Breweries to Remain Open; Commitment to Communities of
Combined Company Maintained

InBev (Euronext: INB) and Anheuser-Busch (NYSE: BUD) today announced an agreement to combine the two companies, forming the world’s leading global brewer. Anheuser-Busch shareholders will receive $70 per share in cash, for an aggregate equity value of $52 billion, in an industry-transforming transaction. The combined company will be called Anheuser Busch InBev. Both companies’ Boards of Directors have unanimously approved the transaction. InBev has fully committed financing for the purchase of all of Anheuser-Busch’s outstanding shares.

The combination of Anheuser-Busch and InBev will create the global leader in the beer industry and one of the world’s top five consumer products companies. On a pro-forma basis for 2007, the combined company would have generated global volumes of 460 million hectoliters, revenues of $36.4 billion (€26.6 billion) and EBITDA of $10.7 billion (€7.8 billion). Anheuser-Busch and InBev together believe that this transaction is in the best interests of both companies’ shareholders, consumers, employees, wholesalers, business partners and the communities they serve.

The company will make St. Louis, Missouri the headquarters for the North American region and the global home of the flagship Budweiser brand. With about 40% of the combined company’s revenues to be generated in the U.S., the company will draw on the collective expertise of Anheuser-Busch’s dedicated and experienced employees and its culture of quality. Given the limited geographical overlap between the two businesses and the efficiency of Anheuser-Busch’s brewery footprint in the United States, all of Anheuser-Busch’s U.S. breweries will remain open.

InBev CEO Carlos Brito will be chief executive officer of the combined company. The Board of Directors of the combined company will be comprised of the existing directors of the InBev Board, Anheuser-Busch President and CEO August Busch IV and one other current or former director from the Anheuser-Busch Board. In addition, the combined company’s management team will draw from key members of both InBev’s and Anheuser-Busch’s current leadership. Anheuser-Busch will become a wholly owned subsidiary of InBev upon the completion of this transaction.

The expanded company will be geographically diversified, with leading positions in the world’s top five markets – China, U.S., Russia, Brazil and Germany – and balanced exposure to developed and developing markets. A combination of Anheuser-Busch and InBev will result in significant growth opportunities from leveraging the companies’ combined brand portfolio, including the global flagship Budweiser brand and international market leaders such as Stella Artois and Beck’s, maximizing the combination’s unparalleled global distribution network and applying best practices across the new organization. Budweiser and Bud Light are the largest selling beers in the world, and the combined company will have an unmatched portfolio of imports, local premiums and local core brands.

Carlos Brito, CEO of InBev, said, “We are very pleased to announce this historic transaction today, bringing together two great companies that share a rich history of brewing traditions. We are extremely excited about the opportunities that this combination will create for consumers worldwide, as well as our shareholders, employees, business partners and wholesalers. Together, Anheuser-Busch and InBev will be able to accomplish much more than each can on its own. We have been successful business partners for quite some time, and this is the natural next step for us in an increasingly competitive global environment. This combination will create a stronger, more competitive global company with an unrivaled worldwide brand portfolio and distribution network, with great potential for growth all over the world.”

August Busch IV, Anheuser-Busch President and CEO, stated, “Today’s announcement brings new opportunities for Anheuser-Busch and its business, brands and employees. This agreement provides additional and certain value for Anheuser-Busch shareholders, while enhancing global market access for Budweiser, one of America’s true iconic brands. We will leverage our collective strengths to create a truly diversified, global company to sustain long-term growth and profitability. In the United States and Canada, both InBev and Anheuser-Busch have seen significant benefits from our existing relationship and we look forward to replicating this success in other parts of the world.”

Budweiser, together with Stella Artois and Beck’s, will become the combined company’s leading global brands, leveraging InBev’s expansive international footprint. InBev has a history of successfully building brands around the world, which will complement the unparalleled strength of Anheuser-Busch’s brand-building in the U.S. The two companies already have a successful U.S. distribution partnership for InBev’s European premium import brands including Stella Artois, Beck’s and Bass. Anheuser-Busch’s world-class sales and distribution system will continue to support the expansion of these brands in the U.S. market.

Anheuser-Busch’s partners fit very well with InBev’s global franchise. Anheuser-Busch has equity investments in two companies with strong brands in two key markets: Mexico’s Grupo Modelo, which owns Corona Extra, the number five brand globally; and China’s Tsingtao, the leading Chinese premium brewer. In addition, Budweiser is a strong and growing national brand in China, and the two companies’ footprints in China are complementary. InBev’s China business in southeastern China will be enhanced by Anheuser-Busch’s strength in northeastern China.

(read full press release)

InBev is the largest brewer in the world and has expanded their dominion to own the King of Beers here in the United States, marking the end of an era for Busch and Anheuser. Eberhard Anheuser, a German born immigrant purchased the small US brewery in 1860 and struggled up until Adolphus Busch had some great ideas to expand the business and, eventually, became president of the company.

Their hard work has paid off big time, 52-billion times, too bad they are not here to enjoy it (although it would probably be like 400,000 USD back in their time).

“Talks about a $70-per-share buyout of Anheuser-Busch by Belgian InBev, which makes Stella Artois and Beck’s, took place through the weekend in New York, said people familiar with the negotiations who declined to be named because the official announcement hadn’t been made.

As part of the deal, Anheuser-Busch will get two seats on the board of the combined company, which will be called Anheuser-Busch-InBev, the people said.” (usatoday)

Originally Anhesuer-Busch declined their offer, but today that has all changed. Congradulations to Anheuser-Busch but we’re very sad to see you go into the hands of a foreign owner once again. Given the original owner was European it’s ironic the new buyer came from the “Old World” once again.

We’ll post the press release from Anheuser-Busch when they’ve readied it.

If you’ve read our reviews of G’Vine, you’ll see we raved about its smooth flavors when compared to other Gin products. Personally, I’ve found too many tasting more like a pine tree, which isn’t a desirable drinking in my personal opinion. Plenty of folks like gin; I’m just a fond believer in a better tasting product. G’Vine is a better tasting product by far.

Crafted by EuroWineGate in Cognac, France, G’Vine is produced from grapes which undergo a multi-distillation process to create a grape neutral spirit.  Hand-picked at its peak, the luscious and exceedingly rare vine flower—which blooms for just a few days of every year—is macerated in grape spirit and distilled in a traditional, small Florentine pot still.  Nine whole fruit botanicals are infused in grape neutral spirit for 2-5 days before distillation in small stills.  These ripe aromatics include ginger root, liquorice, green cardamom, cassia bark, coriander, juniper berries, cubeb berries, nutmeg and lime.  In a final step, the vine flower infusion is combined with the distillates of the botanicals and more grape spirit, and distilled once more to create G’Vine.  [Nouaison] (the first stage of fruit formation after flowering), is the perfect partner to the heady, voluptuous flavors of [Floraison].  Presenting nuanced characteristics in the style of a classic London Dry gin, Nouaison reveals increased juniper and nutmeg components, an elevated alcohol content of 43.9%, and a decreased emphasis on the vine flower.   Baked citrus and complex spice lingers on the palate following sweet, robust, and zesty flavors.

G’Vine [Floraison] is widely available in the U.S., Europe, and continues to grow in Asia.  Nouaison is currently available exclusively in Germany, and will roll out in selected markets in Fall 2008, including the U.S., U.K., France, and Spain.

Launched late 2006, G’Vine is currently available in the finest on and off-premise locations in Arizona, California, Connecticut, Florida, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Georgia, Kansas, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Maryland, New York, Nevada, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, DC and Wisconsin. G’Vine is also nationally available online at www.drinkupny.com, www.grandeharvestwines.com, www.mondoliquor.com, www.morrellwine.com, www.parkaveliquor.com and www.sherry-lehmann.com.  G’Vine will continue to expand aggressively and strategically in the United States.  G’Vine carries a suggested retail price between $35.00 and $40.00.

About EuroWinegate (www.eurowinegate.com)
Founded in 2001 in Cognac, France by groundbreaking distillers and oenologists Jean Sébastien Robicquet and Bruno de Reilhac, EuroWineGate (www.eurowinegate.com) is a spirits and wine company dedicated to developing and marketing contemporary, ultra-premium and inspirational products that combine French craftsmanship with innovative techniques.  In addition to G’Vine, EuroWineGate created with Diageo, the world’s leading premium drinks business, Cîroc, the world’s first vodka made entirely from grapes. EuroWineGate is also the producer of K’orus wines and distributes in the US, a portfolio of wines characterized by their strong identities, unique personalities and full bodied structure.

This beer has very little aroma on the nose but shows highlights of citrus flavor on the tongue. It’s almost to be expected with the fruity orange color, almost like you’ve squeezed a bag of lemons into a glass. Thankfully it’s not as sour as a bag of lemons, although there is a slight sour bite to the beer.

Woody Creek Wit Beer is a cloudy brew, traditional Belgian in look and feel. You can barely see a silhouette through the glass and it sports a thin white head. You’ll find it very light and carbonated, great for a summer time brew.

Flying Dog continues their presentation with a crazy bottle using sky blue coloring. The beer shows its summer presentation in scent, taste and bottle design. It holds up great against Belgian style beers, extremely well crafted for an American brew company far off from the Belgian homeland.

Flying Dog has shown us you don’t have to be raised in an Abby to craft a traditional wit bier.

Now, we find a group of people creating a specific beer pong cup known as ReRack Cups. They’re intent is to build an eco-friendly game of beruit (beer pong) by allowing the reuse of the cups. Granted, Solo cups can be reused as well, but they offer many barriers to re-use.

Your buddies finish a beer pong game and take one or two cups that still had some beer left to “finish it off” and leave you with an odd number of cups. No game is complete with missing cups and it’s hard to walk off with a ReRack Cup without looking like “that guy.” People don’t have a problem walking off with a standard red cup but walk away with game pieces and it’s your head on a stake!

Secondly, the cups offer fun logos and measurements so you can be sure everyone has filled their beer cups to the correct level. With a few levels you can pick and choose your “game speed” or set the level for more potent, and stupid, beverages (not recommended, or you may be “that guy” but the end of the party).

Creative ideas with all the hard work coming out of the minds of students, the blessed youth who shall eventually run our country, logos and designs are done by those same diligent workers. Amazing.

These may also make great gifts for friends going to college or whom are currently in college and enjoy a good party. It would definitely get folks talking and make you look like a pro beer pong player.

Having seen Anheuser-Bush in the market it’s hard to prove them wrong, in a time when many microbrews are paying more and more for hops and barley Anheuser-Bush is pushing on with a low cost brew, varying product lines and lite beer alternatives.

From an American consumer side of things, this means the company will stay an American based facility and hold all that American pride and heritage so many people feared we’d lose. On June 26th Anheuser-Bush went on to say:

“The InBev proposal fails to be competitive with alternative plans the company has developed in recent months to generate significant top-line and bottom-line growth, which will increase value for the company’s shareholders,” said Douglas A. Warner III, the board’s lead independent director. “The board will continue to consider all opportunities that build shareholder value.” (anheuser-bush.com)

Now, they’ll have to put their money where their mouth is or potentially deal with a hostile take-over attempt by InBev if they so choose to take the hostile route.

I wonder if any “plans” at Anheuser-Bush involve taking over Grupo Modelo, the Mexican beer company most known for Negra Modelo, Pacifico and Corona…