A mammoth selection of taps greets the patron at World of Beer.

Has a server at a restaurant ever told you they have "pretty much everything" when you ask to see a beer menu?

I usually reply, "Great, I'll have an Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout, thanks." (I LOVE the blank stares I get.)

This little game doesn't work at World of Beer, however, where Old Raspy will be in front of you in a snifter glass before you can say "Pivo," which means beer in Russian.

With 500 beers in the bottle and 40 more on tap, World of Beer pretty much does have everything, including beers I'VE never even tried.

The newest kid on the Clematis Street block opened its doors quietly last week with a "soft opening" to be followed by a Grand Opening on May 7 . Located right across from the fountain, WOB is open and airy, with high ceilings and plenty of dark wood and brick befitting an upscale neighborhood tavern.

But as you would expect, the beer takes center stage with the bottles lined up neatly in two gleaming glass-doored coolers, separated by the long lineup of draft handles. Live entertainment Wednesday through Saturday livens up the joint as well.

In a strategy that borders on brilliance, WOB doesn't have a kitchen. This allows the servers to focus on what's REALLY important, which is bringing me my next beer! You can still nosh by ordering off the menu of four nearby Clematis restaurants who will deliver food directly to your table.

The staff undergoes a two-week, intensive beer-training period when hired and are subject to monthly quizzing as well. To see how one of them fared in an impromptu Beer Guy Exam, you'll have to watch the video.

But with great selection, service, location and atmosphere, World of Beer passed my first test with flying colors.

Oh, but who am I kidding? They had me at hello.