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Just a little enlightenment from an old beer broad and her favorite brews. Truth be told there ain't much better in life than a few good friends, a few good brews and a whole lot of swapping lies. Oh I've had my share of bad beer both homemade and store bought but even a bad beer ain't so bad if it's good and icy cold and you're on at least number three.

My very favorite cheap beer in the whole wide world is PBR or Pabst Blue Ribbon. For 160 years those folks up in Illinois have been brewing up one of America's best lagers. This is one beer I prefer icy cold.Whether I'm playing golf, fishing or just out to hear some good blues, PBR does the trick. It is clean, smooth, tastes like beer and is easy on my pocketbook.

Craft brewing is the very spirit of American entrepreneurship and good for our taste buds too. Sweetwater Brewery in Atlanta does it all. A couple of guys making beer become successful and make this old beer broad a happy lady in the process. There are always a couple of Sweetwater 420's in my fridge. It's a light easy drinking Ale that suits all kinds of food. Light enough for fish and chips with enough heartiness to hold up to the boldest rib-eye steak.( Back in 2003 they were the first brewery east of the Mississippi to win the outstanding small brewery of the year.)

Sweetwater Brewery has a catch and release program for us serious about our brews. This is where they make limited quantities of some really special stuff and when it is gone it is gone. Their Exodus Porter is my all time favorite. It is like a rich dark chocolate that creeps into your bones, haunts your dreams and leaves you wanting just one more mellow sip.

The best obscure beer in America this last year was Bubble Jack Ale from the Rush River Brewery, that's up in Wisconson. These guys know their hops. They know how to blend them too. An easy to drink IPA with a kick and a lot of hops. Unlike a lot of beers this one smells nice too.

I don't just sit around drinking beer all day. I do a lot of cooking too. For beer cheese soup try the Sam Adams Cherry Wheat with a good sharp Cheshire or Cheddar Cheese. People you've never seen before will mysteriously appear when this soup starts to bubble. For a little southern style civiche try marinating peeled and deveined large shrimp in Sweetwater Blueberry Ale with garlic cloves and pearl onions. Thirty minutes later skewer up the garlic, shrimp and onions and grill over medium heat for about two minutes per side. Drink the remaining ale. Yummy

Make sure to check in on this beer broad's favorites as they change from time to time. There is so much life to live, so many tales to tell, so much beer to drink and so little time to get it all done. Cheers.

Learn more about this author, Betsy Young.
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