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One of the most obviously identifiable features of California Common beer is its hybrid style. Whereas Ales use top fermenting yeast and ferment at warm temperatures, California Common beers ferment warm but use lager yeasts designed for cold fermentation. This style was developed in the West when refrigeration was not in widespread use and new styles of German lager yeast were not only abundant but also much less contaminated with bacteria in comparison to the traditional ale yeasts of the time. Also high hopping rates would help combat spoilage and delay any unpleasant effect in the beer that was being created. California common beers come through light to amber in color with a medium body and with toasted or caramel-like maltiness aroma and flavor. Hop bitternes is medium to high and hop flavor and aroma are average. The best commercial examples of this style are from Anchor Steam in California and Old Domion Brewery in Virginia

Australian wine is in something of a golden age, at least in terms of quality. With Australian bottles being sold across the globe at extremely low prices, the picture in their homeland is amplified further. A two-litre cask of locally produced Chenin Blanc wine may set you back as little as $7.90 AUS ($8.30 US). This is surely a vision of heaven for true wine lovers. But in Alice Springs, Supermarket chains Woolworths and Coles have decided to stop selling these inexpensive treats.

Alice Springs currently has a problem with alcohol-fuelled violence, and it stands to reason that the large amounts of cheap wine on offer are a major temptation to alcoholics and violent fools. Reputedly, you can buy bottles of wine for less than a can of fizzy drink in Alice Springs. The price rises will coincide with new laws requiring that identification is scanned at point of sale, and problem drinkers identities passed around outlets.

Talk about cocktail recipes and what comes to mind is an alcoholic tot mixed in with other ingredients. There are alcohol-free cocktails however and if hosting a party or get together it is wise to include one or two to take care of the teetotalers so that they are not on sodas or juices the whole time.

One choice is the interestingly named Claytons Pussyfoot cocktail. It really is a pussy foot of a drink, made with simple, everyday ingredients. Half a measure of lemon syrup, the same amount of orange juice and a measure of Cola are shaken together with ice and strained into a cocktail glass.

The Carib Cream cocktail is another non alcoholic drinks option. It’s made with a small banana, a measure of cocktail juice and another of milk. These are blended together until smooth, poured into a cocktail glass and adorned with a teaspoon of finely chopped walnuts just before the drink is served.

Another way to go is with the Temperance mock’ tail. This is made with two measures of lemon juice, two dashes of grenadine and an egg yolk. These are shaken together with ice and then strained into a cocktail glass. A cocktail cherry on top completes it.

You can also keep it straight with a drink an aptly named Keep Sober cocktail. Half a measure of grenadine, the same quantity of lemon syrup and three measures of tonic water are combined in a shaker with ice and strained into a tumbler. Soda water is used to fill up and ice cubes if so desired.

To take care of a larger crowd, do the Appleade cocktail. It’s made with two large dessert apples which are diced before a pint of boiling water is poured over them and half a teaspoon of sugar added. This is left to stand for ten minutes before being strained into a jug to cool down. Serve in tall tumblers with straws and ice cubes.

Whether on holiday at home or abroad, it sometimes makes a nice change to take a day out and do something different. One suggestion, is to take one or two vineyard days out, and spend some time visiting them and sampling some wine.

Most vineyards, from the small boutique ones all the way up to the ones covering thousands of acres, offer some form of tour or wine tasting. This gives the public a way to finds out what goes on throughout the wine making process, and also gives the vineyard a chance to interact with the public and get vital face to face feedback.

Visiting a vineyard will be a great experience, from learning how grapes are cared for and harvested, to perhaps seeing how wine is bottled, and then of course, the tasting itself! It provides a unique, friendly look behind the scenes of something that you may initially know little about, and will leave you with memories which will last long after you have finished the bottle of wine!

It is sad to see how so many people are being taken advantage of by the coffee industry. The people that are over the coffee industry are in just for money and they do not really care about us precious consumers. Let me tell you why I am frustrated with this industry. Well, a few years ago, I was an avid drinker of a very popular brand of store bought coffee. At the time, I believed that this coffee was very delicious. But that all changed when I found out how these major coffee companies were hiking the price of coffee beans because they know that it is a hot commodity. And when the price of coffee beans within the market are manipulated like that, we, the consumer are getting the very bad end of the stick. So although I can not boycott gourmet coffee now because of my love for it, I will limit how much of it I buy now.