Articles written by Shawn Connelly

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About me - Shawn Connelly

I'm a 36 year old interactive media professional by day and reside in southern Illinois. When I'm not knee deep in new media project development and sales management, I spend a considerable amount of my time talking, writing and educating about my passion

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Food & Drink > Beer (Other) Testimonies: Confessions of a beer snob: 1 of 8
I admit it, I have a passion for the high-end, pricey, imported beers you just can't find in your local convenience mart cooler. For me, nothing is better than opening a finely aged, cellar-temperature bottle of Achel Brune Extra or a Thomas Hardy's Ale from a decade or so ago. There's just something magical and a little excl... More..
Food & Drink > Beer Reviews Beer reviews: Budweiser American Ale: 1 of 5
Heretofore a request at your local bar or restaurant for a Budweiser would always result in a crisp, clean lager being served to you. Some things you can just count on - Budweiser has always been one of those things and a huge ingredient in the brand's epic success since 1876. Consistency, after all, is key. This axiom is no ... More..
Food & Drink > Beer (Other) A beginner's guide to pairing beer with food: 3 of 13
I married into a wine family. My in-laws built, owned and operated a vineyard and winery in Southern Illinois for the better part of the last decade. They have since sold the business but wine is still very much a part of family life. I have, as a result of this frequent exposure to wines, grown to appreciate an appropriate w... More..
Food & Drink > Beer (Other) How to become a beer connoisseur: 4 of 12
Is your beer vocabulary summed up in one of three words - Bud, Miller or Coors? If so, maybe its time to expand your beer horizons and discover the wide and varied world of craft beer! Do you have a favorite beer style? Did you even know that there were different beer styles? If you've always been a "bud man," chances are you... More..
Food & Drink > Beer (Other) Reflections on Christians and alcohol: 1 of 3
If we are to believe many within the modern evangelical church today, beer and Christianity are wholly antithetical notions. Citing the many abuses of alcohol, these "neo-prohibitionists," as they've been described, are quick to assert that Christians ought not drink alcohol, even in moderation, as it can too easily lead to o... More..
Food & Drink > Beer (Other) Does it matter if your beer is American brewed?: 14 of 36
There's nothing more American than a German beer! This might seem contradictory at first but the Busch family would argue that it is precisely accurate. When Adolphus Busch arrived in St. Louis in 1857 from Mainz, Germany, he likely didn't dream he would become the co-founder of the largest and most successful brewery in Amer... More..
Food & Drink > Beer (Other) Why imported beer isn't always better: 2 of 5
"It's imported, so it must be better beer!" How many times have you heard that, or perhaps thought it yourself? Those imported beers in the green bottles you pay a little more for at the supermarket aren't necessarily better beers, however. Sure they're marketed in such a way that they often seem more sophisticated or chic, b... More..
Food & Drink > Beer Reviews Beer reviews: Miller Chill: 2 of 4
The "Monday night thing" took an interesting turn last night as I felt increasingly compelled to sample the new Miller Chill product a light beer supposedly infused with lime and salt for the sake of reviewing it here for all of you. So, between a Goose Island Honker's Ale and a Boddington's Pub Ale (now on tap at Pinch Penny... More..
Food & Drink > Beer Reviews Beer reviews: Anheuser-Busch Beach Bum Blonde Ale: 1 of 2
You've likely seen them on the shelves at your local retailer or on tap at the corner pub ... six packs of brightly colored bottles depicting a snowman in sunglasses and green stocking cap holding a pint of ale or maybe a purple-capped, pumpkin-headed scarecrow figure standing atop a brightly enameled tap handle. These are no... More..
Food & Drink > Beer Reviews Beer reviews: Dogfish Head Chateau Jiahu: 1 of 2
Those that know me well know that I have an affinity for "extreme beers." I enjoy beers that push the boundaries and defy styles. Sometimes these beers are just "big" versions of classic styles, like Double IPAs or Imperial Pilsners, and other times they don't fit into any known category cleanly. I am not one of those people,... More..