The Best Beers From Brewtopia

Here, take this small glass. You have questions? Read this book. Shut up and drink some beer.

A glass printed with Red Hop Devil (129 St. Marks Place btw. 1st and Ave. A), the Belgian beer bar that's one of my favorite drinking spots (as well as stumbling distance from my apartment), was shoved in my hand. I set off without the crutch of a press kit only my palate to savor the Brewtopia Great World Beer Festival, held in Manhattans Jacob Javits Center October 20th and 21st.

Organized by Keith and Bill Reichenbach, the festival boasted a display of over 300 brews, making Brewtopia the largest New York beer show in history. What started off in the smaller Metropolitan Pavilion on 18th St. has expanded to a grandiose showroom at the Jacob Javits Center. Next year they plan on moving to an even larger space within the Javits Center.

Most beers present were either well-known quality imports or lesser-known American craft beers. Judging by the selection, I anticipate I.P.A.s (India Pale Ales), pale ales and Hefeweissen-style beers to be the major trends in near future of the quality beer market.

I was surprised by another trend: two of my favorite beers from the show came in cans. Until recently, no sud-respecting brewer would put a quality bubbly in one of these aluminum devices. Yet the folks at Oskar Blues Brewery in Lyons, Colorado, and Butternuts Beer and Ale in Garrattsville, NY, are attempting to change the way the beer aficionado looks at a can.

"Cans offer better protection from light, are easy and cheaper to transport, cost less and if you use quality cans, they impart no off-flavors to the beer", Butternuts' owner and brewmaster Charles Williamson says. "The best part is we can pass the savings off to our customers."

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