There has been a surprising lack of Australian content in this thread, considering our national dedication to this particular beverage.

I've just arrived home from playing music in a beery pub and I had the late night urge to check the Mudcat news (the family's asleep and I'm still buzzing). It's too late to drink beer so I'm having a small dram of Bowmore fine Islay malt whisky to steady the nerves. But beer is a good thing if you don't mind getting out of bed during the night!

The Australian thinking beer person should support Cooper's, the only remaining small-ish Australian brewer with a serious stake in most parts of the country. It's good beer, comes in various forms, and it seems to be surviving against the predations of the major companies who tend to acquire any profitable brewer and sanitise its product into that horrible generic product available everywhere. Cooper's Sparkling Ale has added yeast in the bottle to give it a cloudy, unappetising appearance. This deters other people from drinking your beer.

John Gray mentioned the very fine Cascade Pale Ale from southern Tasmania. In recent times, Cascade Premium Light has gained a strong following due to its close resemblance to 'real' beer and its low alcohol content (but not in that order).

Since this thread has been dominated by northern hemisphere content, may I contribute some comments about 'northern' beer from the end of a hot summer day in New South Wales?

I'm pleased to agree with JohnB that the Unibroue beers from Chambly in Quebec are mighty fine. I recommend La Fin Du Monde (9%) and Maudite (8%) as a result of pleasant experiences at the Folk Alliance Convention in Vancouver last February. They are definitely not for quaffing.

Thanks to jeffp for reminding me about Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. There's hope for American brewing yet. Very tasty drop.

I won't presume to choose favourites from UK beers. Real ale is an art form, a way of life, a passion. And I reckon you have to be drinking it for at least six months to cope with warm beer. Or at least six pints. Whichever comes first. Personally, I find English beer very similar to ballet. It's been around for a long time, I'm sure it takes a lot of skill to produce it, but I find it's too expensive and it takes too long to get to the end.

However, the most important aspect of any beer, when we get down to it, is the quality of their t-shirts.

Dicho mentioned BigRock from Calgary. I've been wearing my BigRock Warthog Ale t-shirt for years, but my wife won't let me wear it out in public.

Same thing goes for my Moose Drool Brown Ale t-shirt from Big Sky Brewing in Missoula MT. She says I make the moose look sad.

In 1978 I bought a Fullers ESB sweatshirt in London, but I outgrew it almost immediately. Extra Special Bitter indeed! Now that was a good English beer.

Enough. Good night.

Bruce