Time to warm up your taste buds cause there’s a couple of beer events coming up this week. First up, Tabica Grill is hosting yet another of their very popular beer dinners. Ryan Launer, a homebrewer and chef, always comes up with some wonderful pairings at these events and the “Sam’s and Sliders” dinner looks to be another sure bet. Contact information and menu is listed below. See you there!

Tabica Grill
901 W Indiantown Rd # 1
Jupiter, FL 33458-6811
(561) 747-0108 (Call for reservations)

Sam Adams Brewery
“Sam’s and Sliders” Beer Dinner
Wednesday September 23th, 8:00 pm
$50 per person

1st Course
Sam Adams Blackberry Wit
Lobster and Scallop Cake with Sweet
Mustard zip-zap Arrugala and crumbled bacon

2rd Course
Sam Adams Boston Ale
Kobe Blue Burger with
Radicchio Slaw and Chipotle Mayo

3th Course
Sam Adams Imperial White
Spicy Citrus Chicken Patty
With Smoked Gouda Cheese

4th Course
Sam Adams Imperial Double Bock
Grilled Bratwurst Burger on Pretzel Bun
With Caramelized Shallots and Grain Mustard

5TH Course
Sam Adams Imperial Stout
Dark Chocolate Brownie Stack
With Cappuccino Mousse and Raspberry Drizzle

Treasure Coast Beer Festival
The Treasure Coast Beer Festival will flow forth for the second year this coming Saturday from 1-5pm behind Fort Pierce City Hall in the parking garage. Parking garage, you say? Yes, and before you chortle under your breath, let me tell you how well this venue works. For one, it’s completely shaded, no searing sun to deal with and two, because it’s an open air kind of place, you get a nice breeze and there’s plenty of room to roam and sample your favorite brews.

Speaking of those, there will over 200 beers to try at the fest, twice as many as the inaugural event, including homebrew offerings from the Treasure Coast Brew Masters. Check out the website for directions and ticket information. http://www.treasurecoastbeerfest.com/

Magic Hat #9

Magic Hat brewery has introduced it’s most popular beer, the #9 to the South Florida beer market. It’s available at all of the places listed below and probably a few more at this point.

Time to make my point. The brewers were nice enough to send me a sample all the way from Burlington, Vermont and I brought it over to the Pope’s house for a tasting (his last name is Pope, that’s all I’m revealing here). Ok, so we taste and while #9 is a pleasant tasting, even refreshing beer, there was something tickling my taste buds I couldn’t quite identify. It seemed like fruit. Only thing is, there isn’t one thing mentioned about fruit in any of the promotional material which accompanied the beer. Hmmm. Why am I tasting fruit? Could it be the yeast? Even on Magic Hat’s web site, they’re a bit mysterious about the flavor profile.

“A beer cloaked in secrecy. An ale whose mysterious and unusual palate will swirl across your tongue and ask more questions than it answers.”

My question was answered days later when I spoke to a fellow beer geek who told me, “oh yeah, #9 is an apricot fruit beer”.

So what Magic Hat is doing is performing a bit of marketing slight of hand for what has become their most popular beer. Fine. I get it, but I’m not going along with the game guys. #9 is a light, fruity apricot ale whether you want all of us to know that or not. And while it’s ok, it most certainly is not the best beer your esteemed brewery makes. I also understand you’re in business to make money first and impress the Beer Guy second…or maybe 10th…but I want to taste your good stuff guys. Anyhow, Magic Hat is a fine brewery and the #9 is a good fruit beer so I encourage you to try at one of the locations listed below.

Guanabanas Restaurant and Island Bar
997 N. Highway A1A
Jupiter, FL 33477

Bar Louie
1500 Gateway Blvd. #100
Boynton Beach, FL 33426

Yard House
11701 Lake Victoria Gardens Avenue,
Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410

Roxy’s Pub
309 Clematis St.
West Palm Beach, FL 33401

Jo Jo’s Raw Bar and Grill
13889 Wellington Trace Suite A-20
Wellington, FL 33414

Monk in the Trunk now in bottles

After two years worth of anticipation, Monk in the Trunk is now available in the bottle. The product of Inlet Brewing Company in Jupiter has been on tap in bars throughout our area but now you can take a sixer home to the wife and kids too. It’s on the shelves at all Total Wine, Whole Foods, Crown Wine and Spirits, Sunshine Liquors in Palm Springs, and Christopher’s Market in Jupiter.

Check out photos from the event

Now I know how Al Gore must have felt.

In a stunning (to me) result, the Swirl Girls narrowly defeated the Barley Boys in Saturday’s Beer vs Wine Challenge at Cooks Inc. of Abacoa. Initial polling reports tell us the voting was very close, but that the wine was the winner in 3 out of the 4 courses. I would like to congratulate the SG’s on a robust and valiant effort in this competition.

But I am not willing to concede just yet.

Let me stress these are preliminary results which must be poured over and closely examined by my team of attorneys, who are at this moment flying in from all parts of the country and will parachute from their planes before setting up our Contest Challenge Crisis Center. There is compelling circumstantial evidence of irregularities in the process indicating something may have been amiss in this contest right from the start.
For example:

1. The event was held in Palm Beach County. Hello!!??
2. A former PBC elections official was allegedly seen at the Post when the ballots were created.
(I KNEW it!)
3. Several senior citizen voters at Cook’s Inc. wrote in “Pat Buchanan” as the winner of all 4 courses.
4. Many beer lovers waited a long time before receiving their samples, while the wines were poured first. Some were never able to cast their votes!
5. The Swirl Girls may have used subtle Jedi mind tricks to influence the voting.

These are just some of the disturbing allegations we’ve received in the days following this momentus contest, and we can make…come up with more in the next couple of days as our investigation intensifies. Let me stress I am not making any specific accusations against ANY of the Swirl Girls at this point in time, (just implying them) and assert the Barley Boys may have good reason to whine about these results.

In fact, according to MY taste buds, the beer was the clear winner in 3 of the 4 delicious courses served, and my taste buds don’t lie my friends. Chef John Carlino of Cooks Inc. and team did a fabulous job explaining and preparing each course, and if you haven’t been to this place yet, make a reservation today. It is seriously good food.

But don’t count us out just yet!

I took a serious detour from my pre-30 year high school reunion diet on Sunday to judge the Rib Cookoff at Havana Hideout in Lake Worth. Boy, was it ever worth it! Leslie Gray Streeter was there too, providing moral support only though as she is an avowed vegan. There were 8 teams of various experience levels competing in the event and I’m tellin’ you I enjoyed every sample I tried. But as in any contest, someone must prevail and I was charged with picking the winner. There was also a prize for the “people’s favorite” which took some of the pressure off of me.

The first order of business though, as I am The Beer Guy, was to decide which beer would pair best with the spicy, smokey flavor of the ribs. I chose the Kona Fire Rock Pale Ale, which Havana Hideout serves on tap. It’s got an aggressive hop flavor which matches the spiciness of the ribs and some malt sweetness in the body which goes well with the bbq sauces. A match made in Hawaiian Heaven, my friends.

Havana Hideout owner Chrissy Benoit served up some excellent homemade sides as well including mac and cheese, cole slaw, watermelon and a huge cookie.

Ok, without further ado, here are the top three finishers:

1st place-Smokin Gator BBQ-Baby Back Ribs-The baby backs were smoked in a HUGE mobile smoking unit you’d have to see to believe. They came out very tender with that great pink smoked color and terrific flavor. The ribs were served with a touch of sauce on the side but didn’t really need any. My guess is Smokin Gator has got a bunch of trophies on his mantle or will have soon.

2nd place-Jason Fournier-Happy Belly Bar-B-Que-Jason was the defending champion in this event and it was easy to see why. His ribs were perfectly spiced and bursting with flavor. The sauce went extremely well with the meat. Jason came away with the “people’s choice” award, which I was very glad to hear because he was definitely derserving of a prize.

3rd place-Deborah Jean-Ya Gotta Get Messy Ribs-Another strong contender who was particularly impressive considering this was her first rib competition. Deborah prepared the ribs completely on site, using a couple of outdoor grills with charcoal and soaked wood chips. Another great spice and sauce combination here as Deborah ran out of ribs just before the afternoon rain came.

Perhaps there should have been an award for most creatively named ribs. My winner in that department would be Weekend Rubbers-Better than Sex Ribs. They may have been having the most fun of any team and their ribs were very good and popular as well.

So I had a blast and can’t think of any better way to stray from the diet. Much thanks to Chrissy and the staff at Havana Hideout for having me and hosting such a great event. I think you should have another as soon as I come back from the reunion.

These may be the “dog days” of summer, but the heat is only ramping up the flow on the beer calender. Get your organizers ready my thirsty bretheren, cause there’s much to sip and savor in the suds department over the next couple of months.

Ok, I know this is last minute notice but…

The Society of the Four Arts Beer Tasting PALM BEACH, FL:

The Society of the Four Arts King Library is inviting the public to an evening of tasting beers from around the world, donated by Republic National Distributing Company. Bush Brothers Provision Company, a fifth generation family meat packing company, will provide cold cuts, sausages and other delectables to complement the extensive selection of beers. The event will take place on July 17 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Admission is $20 with proceeds benefitting The Four Arts King Library restoration project. More than 45 varieties of beer have been donated by Republic National Distributing Company, the second largest distributor of premium wine and spirits in the United States. Selections include: Black Art, Efes Pilsner, Tucher Helles Hefe Weizen, Full Sail, San Miguel lager, Sapporo, Spaten, Lucky Beer (Buddha Beer), Otro Mundo, Murphy’s Irish Stout, Affligem, Moretti Birra, Kingfisher Lager, Unibrew, Augustiner and many others. Food writer Roberta Sabban will be answering questions about the beers, as well as discussing their unique histories and flavor profiles. This is the third tasting that the King Library has held this summer, though the first to feature beer. Proceeds will go toward updating the library’s second floor with more attractive and environmentally friendly lighting and sound systems. Reservations to the event are strongly suggested and can be made by calling 561.655.2766 or e-mailing Kinglibrary@fourarts.org.

July 24th-Dogfish Head Beer Tasting, BX Beer Depot, 6pm-10pm
The first ten people through the door get a free tasting snifter. The lineup includes:
Palo Santo Marron-Unfiltered brown ale aged in Paraguayan wood barrels.
Midas Touch-Recipe from the tomb of King Midas.
Burton Baton-Oak aged English Stong Ale infused with 90 Minute IPA, oh my!
Chicory Stout-Mexican coffee, chicory and licorice infused in the creamy, roasty ale.
Indian Brown-A cross between a Scotch Ale and India Pale Ale, well hopped, yet malty.
Contact BX at 965-9494, http://www.bxbeerdepot.com/

July 25 Beer Trip North-Boca Raton Beer Lovers Meetup Group
This is what we beer nerds fondly refer to as a “pub crawl”. Check out the schedule below.

12:30pm Depart Case & Keg 1501 NW 2nd Ave, Boca Raton

2:00pm Arrive Vine & Barley
1680 SW St Lucie West Blvd
www.vineandbarley.com [masked]
50 beers, 24 on tap Mike Carbone, Owner

Corner Café & Brewery
289 N US 1, Tequesta
microbrewery www.cornercafeandbrewery.com [masked]
Lisa Hill, Owner Matt Webster, Brewer

Yard House
11707 Lake Victoria Garden, PBG
www.yardhouse.com [masked]
150 beers on tap

Funky Buddha
2601 N Federal Hwy, Boca Raton
100 beers 10 beers on tap [masked]
Ryan Sentz, Owner

9:30pm Arrive Case & Keg

Time spent at each stop is 1 hour or more. We should be back no later than 9:30.

Bus cost only $30.00 per person. We need 30 people to make this work. Maximum is 40 people.
Pay in advance. Email Jonathan via meetup.com for reservation. Pay cash in advance at Case & Keg.
If we don’t get 30 people then we will refund you money, otherwise no refunds.
This will be pay as you go. You may drink and eat what you want at each stop.
Feel free to bring food with you for the bus ride.
WE’VE ADDED A PICK UP IN WEST PALM BEACH AT THE AIRPORT HILTON!

July 27th-Tryst, Delray Beach Shipyard Brewing Company Beer Dinner-
4 Courses, $40 dollars. The last dinner was really amazing, so don’t miss it if you’re schedule allows. Tickets are limited, so reserve your seat soon.
Via Facebook – Send message via facebook with name, number in party and contact phone number. To Reserve by phone call Tryst 561-921-0201.

August 1st-Western Executives’ First “SALAD DAYS”
A Delicious Experience of Healthy Eating and Celebrating a Greener Planet (and a little homebrewing as well)

The “Western Executives” is a social club for business owners primarily in the Western communities of Palm Beach County.

Troy Webster, the founder of the Western Executives saw an opportunity to help raise money for a local farm worker’s charity by organizing the first “SALAD DAYS” special event, to be held at the International Polo Club in Wellington, on Saturday, August 1st, 2009.

The event starts at 1:00 pm and ends at 6:00 pm. Tickets are $10.00 in advance (available online) or $15.00 at the door. Vendor applications can be emailed to westexec@earthlink.net.

Residents of the Western Communities are being called to participate and come together in order to support this meaningful fundraising event.

Webster says that the International Polo Club is a perfect place to showcase such a feast for the senses, and he feels that people will support the idea of helping farm worker’s kids with school supplies, while enjoying an afternoon of healthy food and entertainment.

Visitors may bring crayons, pencils, backpacks, calculators and other school supplies for chances to win fabulous prizes.

There will be plenty of food sampling, “Best Salad” competition, demonstration by the local home brewers club, business expo/fair, raffle and silent auction.

The Western Executives volunteer their time and do not get compensation as all profit goes directly to the Farmworker Council, a non-profit local charity.

For more information, call Ingrid at (561) 793 5509

On the web: http://www.westernexecutives.net/saladdays.htm

http://www.farmworkercouncil.org

http://www.internationalpoloclub.com

Well, as you can see, we’ve got a busy few weeks ahead of us. Hope to see you at some of these upcoming events. I’m the Beer Guy, Dan Oliver and I’ll see you at the next Watering Hole.

Wow, two beer dinners in one week! The Beer Guy is on a roll, people. I already told you about Tryst in Delray Beach in a previous blog. This time, Jupiter’s Tabica Grill was in the spotlight, hosting a beer dinner featuring the beers of Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, a respected and much beloved brewery among craft beer fans.

The reception began with Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, long considered the gold standard of American Pale Ales, and a beer which will celebrate its 30th anniversary in November. While it certainly has been overshadowed in the past decade by mega-hopped and hyped IPA’s, Double IPA’s and such, Sierra Nevada Pale Ale remains hugely popular because it is still a terrific beer.

Enough ponificating, Beer Guy. Let’s get to the dinner already! Our host was Chef Ryan Launer of Tabica Grill and Sierra Nevada Rep Andrew Bradley.

1st Course: Sierra Nevada Summerfest Lager with Pan Seared Scallop Medallions with Baby Arugula and Citrus Foam.

Summerfest is a real departure for Sierra Nevada and the only lager in their lineup. It matched perfectly with the scallops, which were lightly breaded and pan fried. All at our table agreed this pairing worked extremely well.

2nd Course: Sierra Nevada Torpedo Extra IPA with Cajun Seafood Gumbo with Beer Steamed Crawfish.

Now, a bit of history here. It took Sierra Nevada almost three decades to come up with an IPA. The reason? They couldn’t do it using all whole hops in the brewing process, and had to invent a “hop torpedo” that allowed them to do so.

As for the pairing, this one was a called shot home run by Chef Ryan, and it delivered. The gumbo was to die for my friends, and the Torpedo really stood up nicely to the spiciness of the dish.

3rd Course: Sierra Nevada Southern Hemisphere Harvest Fresh Hop Ale with Grilled Lamb T-Bone with Mint Cherry Chutney and Horseradish Smashed Redskins.

That’s a mouthfull isn’t it? Several actually. Both the beer and the food were special. The SNSHHFHA is brewed with freshly picked and dried hops from New Zealand, giving it an intensely hoppy bitterness, flavor and aroma. The lamb t-bone was cooked perfectly and was delicious with its accompaniments. The problem is, they did not go perfectly together. IMHO, the beer was too hoppy for the lamb, creating a collision and not a collusion of flavors. Something less hoppy with some caramel or roasted character would have worked better, perhaps Sierra’s ESB or Porter. But don’t get me wrong, I finished the 3rd Course with no problem at all.

4th Course: Sierra Nevada Hefe-Weizen with Individual Apple Meringue Pie with Cinnamon Ice Cream.

Another winner for Tabica. Sierra’s Bavarian style wheat beer, called Kellerweis, is one of the only American Hefes made using open fermentation, an old-school brewing technique. The yeast creates a slight sweetness in the flavor, which many tasters equate with banana, clove or even bubble gum. It was a perfect match with the sweet, tangy meringue and ice cream. Man, I was STUFFED!

Chef Ryan outdid himself once again. Tabica hosts regular beer and wine dinners and I urge you to experiance one for yourself. Go to Tabica’s website, www.tabicagrill.net for more information. (please note, tabicagrill.com is NOT the correct web address)

Cheers,

The Beer Guy

Hey beer and animal lovers. Below is info on a benefit for the Palm Beach Zoo, which is in my neighborhood and perhaps the best small zoo I’ve ever been to. Very worthy of our support to say the least. Hope to see you there.

A benefit for our friends at the Palm Beach Zoo

What: Calling all animal lovers! Join us and relax under the starlit sky for a wonderful evening of food, beer & fine music with local musician, DJ Bert for a great organization. 100% of your donation will benefit Palm Beach Zoo, supporting their conservation mission through programs in field research, endangered species propagation, education, health & wellness, and conservation medicine.

Who: The Palm Beach Zoo is a non profit zoological organization located at Dreher Park in West Palm Beach. The Zoo houses over 1,700 animals within 23 acres of lush tropical habitat. Its mission is to provide an open-air classroom of living creatures to foster awareness, appreciation and respect for the natural world.

When: Friday, June 26
6pm to 9pm

Where: The Outdoor Café
Whole Foods Market, Palm Beach Gardens
11701 Lake Victoria Gardens Drive
Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410

Cost: $10 donation to the Palm Beach Zoo

For more information please visit our event listing.

I attended a beer and food pairing dinner at Tryst in Delray Beach last night, and boy is my palate tired!

It was, in a word, ffffabulous.

The beers, four of them, were from Dogfish Head Brewery in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. The food was prepared by Chef Julian Greaves, who chose to go with Dogfish Head beers because the brewery “pushes the envelope in so many different directions”. Very true.

We started with a little aperitif of Festina Peche, a BerlinerWeisse style beer which is characterized by intense tartness. It’s not for everybody and even this Beer Guy can only take it in small doses. While I would have liked to have seen a small bar bite paired with this, it nonetheless prepared our palates for the adventure to come.

The first course matched a blend of Dogfish Head 60 and 90 Minute IPA’s, dubbed “75″ IPA. The beer is aggressivley hopped, but has a slightly sweet malt body which gives it beautiful balance. It was paired with a spicey beef carpaccio, tarragon crostini, shaved parmesan, crumbled egg, red onion and micro greens with extra virgin olive oil. It was a first pitch home run. The spiciness of the carpaccio and beer blended beautifully. John Hatadis, general manager of BX Beer Depot in Lake Worth couldn’t see how Chef Julian was going to top this…but he did.

Oh, I should mention the other diners at our table, Julissa Caballero, Phuoi Trinh and her husband, Andrew Christie. Hailing from England, Andrew knows and loves his beer. And while Julissa and Phuoi are wine gals, both ended up being very surprised how much they liked the beers in this pairing.

Our second course had the Midas Touch. Dogfish’s Midas Touch ale is a recipe gleaned from 2700 year old drinking vessels from the actual tomb of the famous King. If the Dogfish rendition tastes anything like the original, believe me, it was “good to be the King”. A cross between mead (honey wine), wine and a light ale, this isn’t exactly beer, but is definitely delicious. Paired with local orange blossom honey roasted duck breast, almond wild rice & pomegranate syrup, the combination sings, literally. Yes, a chorus of angels actually belts out a tune with each bite and sip.

The third course left us all Black and Blue. Dogfish Black & Blue is a Belgian Golden Ale fermented with blackberries and blueberries. Chef Julian used some in preparing his house made “pop tart” w/mascarpone quenelle and blackberry port sauce. This time, the flavors contrasted, but in a good way. The beer was tart and refreshing, the pop tart was tart but also sweet and rich.

This is as good as it gets my fellow beer fans, and there will be more. To find out infor on upcoming beer dinners, check out the events page on www.trystdelray.com. You don’t have to wait for the next beer dinner though. Tryst has a great selection of draft and bottled beers and great food to go with them.

Cheers,

The Beer Guy

Dan Oliver has visited more than 40 local establishments as our roving video correspondent and official brew taster. (Tough job, eh?)

Here are his first-ever Beer Guy awards.

Best beer selection:
Yard House, Palm Beach Gardens.
No contest here. At 115 taps, Yard House is the Death Star of area beer bars/restaurants. Roxy’s on Clematis Street is a distant second with a more than respectable 64.

Best locally brewed beer:
Brewzzi, West Palm Beach and Boca Raton
Brewmaster Fran Andrewlevich has been perfecting his craft in Palm Beach County since 1994. And Matt Webster of the Corner Café and Brewery in Tequesta is “hopping to it” quite nicely in his first year as a pro mash man.

Best town for a WH Pub Crawl:
Delray Beach
Start at the Mellow Mushroom to sample from 50 draft micros, eat some pizza for a base, and work your way west. Be sure to check out Coffee District and Tryst for eclectic beer selection and Kevro’s Art Bar for something off the beaten path. You could end it at the next Best of WH.

Best ‘Haunt’:
Blue Anchor, Delray Beach.
Owner Lee Harrison told me with a straight face about seeing a woman specter with a white veil hanging out at the authentic British pub … she didn’t pay her tab either.

Best Irish pub:
So many, it’s too tough to call. Let’s break it down.

Best Irish humor:
McCarthy’s Restaurant and Pub, Tequesta
Co-owner Brendan Grace is a professional comedian and a living legend in the Emerald Isle. His career took off after making Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr. and Liza Minnelli laugh till they cried. After that, the rest of us are puddy in his hands.

Best Irish waiter:
Paddy Mac’s, Palm Beach Gardens
The regulars love Ciaran Walsh, the “Lord Mayor” of the dining room. Owner Ken Wade loves all of his staff, some of whom have been with him for over 30 years.

Best Irish Pub to watch the Steelers win the Super Bowl:
Rooney’s Public House, Abacoa
“You actually feel like you’re at the game” said regular “The Robster,” who brought along his trumpet. And the Harp and Guinness match the Steeler’s team colors of black, gold, and white (the head).

Best ‘in the sticks’ English pub:
Queen Mary British Pub, Jupiter Farms
Authentic as they come and worth the effort to get there. Great food from executive Chef Von Anker and fun Beatles and Rod Stewart tribute acts.

Best WH to find your center:
The Soma Center, Lake Worth
Free (donation only) yoga classes followed by organic microbrewed beer may lead you into a state of nirvana.

Best WH to smoke shisha in a hookah:
The Funky Buddha, Boca Raton
Not what you may be thinking — it’s tobacco. This den of zen also has outstanding craft beer on tap and in the bottle.

Best road sign:
Harry’s Banana Farm, Lake Worth
Harry’s is famous for this, and changes the message regularly. As we approached on the day of our video shoot, it read “The Palm Beach Post Beer Guy slept here.” Also coined the popular “Lake Worth, batteries not included” zinger.

Best-humored owners (tie):
Harry MacArthur, Harry and the Natives, Hobe Sound; Harry Seifert Jr., Harry’s Banana Farm, Lake Worth
Both Harrys will make you laugh, but in different ways. MacArthur of the Natives is quirky and self-deprecating, while Seifert Jr. is self-deprecating and wields an acerbic wit.

Best waterfront seafood:
Tiki Waterfront Sea Grill, Riviera Beach
Located dockside at the city marina just across the water from Peanut Island. A scenic spot with inspired seafood creations.

Best western community seafood:
JoJo’s Raw Bar, Wellington
Not a place one might expect to find the freshest bounty of the sea, but it’s all there, along with some really nice micro’s as well.

Best Maryland style crab cakes (tie):
Kirby’s Bar and Grill, Juno Beach, and the Old Key Lime House, Lantana
Look, I don’t want to get in the middle of this thing. These people are very serious about their crab cakes, man! Fanatical even! Criticize at your own risk!

Best-looking bartender:
Jamie Ciscle, Kirby’s Bar and Grill, Juno Beach
Just ask for “Fittle,” but don’t get fresh. She doubles as a bouncer. Christine and Sam at Corners are easy on the eyes as well. Karlee at Swamp Grass Willy’s is fun and can sing too, and … I need to do more research, obviously.

Best wings:
Too close to call
I would have put Chez Porky’s in the top spot, but the Wellington site closed its doors recently. You’ll have to visit the Pompano Beach location. Hurricane Grill and Wings (Royal Palm Beach), Swamp Grass Willy’s (Palm Beach Gardens), Beef O’Brady’s (Royal Palm Beach), The Brass Ring (North Palm Beach) and Bru’s Room (Boynton Beach) serve up very good birds as well.

Best burgers and coldest beer:
The Brass Ring, North Palm Beach and Royal Palm Beach
Yes, there are challengers to the throne, including Roxy’s and the new Grease Burger Bar (for the burgers), but nobody has made them better longer than TBR, IMHO. And you also get a new frosty replacement mug for your beer every few minutes.

Best authentic German beer and food:
Little Munich, Lake Worth
Owners Gabby and Peter Kachler create wunderbar homemade German dishes to go with the Spaten, Warsteiner, Bitburger, und more.

Best sports bar:
Bru’s Room, Boynton Beach
It didn’t win our contest but won our hearts. Pretty much everything you need in a sports pub; good wings, cold beer and lots of big TV monitors in several viewing areas of varying rowdiness.

Best sports bar that’s not really a sports bar:
Bogey’s and Stogey’s, Port St. Lucie
It won our online contest a while back. Sports Goddess Tami Tolley and I had a great time smoking cigars and ignoring the playoff game while getting to know the regulars.

Best live music:
Swamp Grass Willy’s, Palm Beach Gardens
Not a Carolina BBQ joint anymore. They even have a recording studio inside the bar. And the live stage really rocks at night. Sadly, the terrific Bamboo Room in Lake Worth is no more.

WH to blow off steam:
The Brass Monkey, Lake Worth
Feeling some lingering anger? Try an “Irish Car Bomb” shot and then wail away on the “knockout” game. You’ll feel better and it’ll cost you a lot less than the alternative. Just be careful not to hurt your hand like someone I know.

Dan Oliver is a member of the Palm Beach Draughtsmen Home-brewing club. He can be contacted at doliver@pbpost.com.

THIS WEEK: The Beer Guy visits Tappers Oar House in Palm Springs