[Professional Blog] A beer ... by any other name

I won't be writing any more stories about the local beer club. I'm no longer impartial to the Artisanal and Craft Beer Club, because I'm now a proud, four-pack-of-imported-ale-carrying, member.

And membership seems like it's going to have other benefits than providing access to brews from around the planet.

Like on Friday evening, for instance, I had the opportunity to attend a beer-tasting.

What makes that so different from most Friday nights, those who know me might ask?

Well, I might answer, this tasting was not in my basement and allowed me to sample five different brews — St. John's Stout from Yellowbelly and four from Dieu du Ciel in Quebec.

The brewmaster at Yellowbelly, Liam McKenna, talked to us about brewing and the beer club's level one cicerone, Mike Buhler, introduced us to each ale, advising us on what to look for and asking what we thought.

It was an awesome couple of hours, complete with rare roast beef and a baguette.

But the evening has me worried, really worried.

My long love of beer is being enhanced and refined to the point where I'm thinking about brewing my own.

And that's led to fantasies about owning my own micro-brewery.

It'd be called Brew By Bartlett, and being a news guy with a love of this place, the names would have themes like ...

Doc O'Keefe's Extra Old Stock — It'd be strong enough to turn your hair the colour of the St. John's mayor's, and to make you walk as much as him, too.

Rick Mercer's Red — Like Rickard's Red, but it would make you rant.

Hinykiss — Dedicated to political aspirants and wannabes everywhere.

Tolson — A nod to Tol's Time Out lounge.

PaulLaner — Yes, there's already a similar beer out there (Paulaner), but this one comes in taller bottles.

Moore's Light — In memory of the late, former premier.

Murphy's Oilish Stout — Yes, there is already a beer by this name too, but this one honours George Murphy and will actually be bottled petrol that would be priced by the Public Utilities Board, not the NLC.

Michaelob — For Lorraine Michael and the questions she lobbed during the Muskrat debate.

Old Heckled Men — A tribute to some members of the House of Assembly.

Doc Equis — Yes, the St. John's mayor gets two, simply because his name fits. Imagine the marketing ... "On downtown light poles, he's allowed to touch the art. He is the most interesting man outside the Pearl."

Jaffray's Ale — A tip of the helmut to the IceCaps captain.

Tilting — The community with the best beer-drinking name ever. (Its name also makes it a great place for a wind farm.)

PaB Blue Ribbon — Port aux Basques deserves nothing more.

Dunder Ale — That would be our premier brew.

OK, I've flogged this like an empty Black Horse and produced a blog that's extra dry.

If you've got the thirst to keep it going - and you know you do - drop me an email, leave a comment below or go on Twitter and enter a suggestion using the hashtag #newNLbeers.

Email Steve Bartlett at sbartlett@thetelegram.com or follow his tweets at @SteveBartlett_