Game Day Beer Review: Founders Brewing Co. Dirty Bastard Scotch Ale / Wee Heavy

(8.5% ABV). Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a stemless wine glass, Dirty Bastard pours a medium brown -- more like a ruby-like red when held up to the light -- with a very thin white line of foam. The beer smells mainly of sweet roasted malts. Dirty Bastard is a bit sweet for my tastebuds, with some malts and dark fruits apparent, and a tea-like flavor and astringency on the finish. It's lightly carbonated, and the alcohol is well hidden until the beer begins to warm. This is not a session beer, but it is very good: B+.

The Third Coast: A Mecca for Craft Beer Lovers

Quick quiz for you: Which U.S. State has the second longest coast line?  Bet you'd never guess it's Michigan, unless you grew up in the Midwest.  Often derisively referred to as "fly over country" by east and west coast types, Michigan is a jewel of a state placed smack in the middle of the country, and lined with white sandy beaches and pristine turquoise water -- and lots of it.  In fact, the Great Lakes region of the U.S. holds more than 20% of the earth's entire supply of fresh water.  And to visit it in the summer time, as I recently did, is to take an unexpected beach vacation in the midst of America's heartland.

The Caribbean, or Michigan?

Boasting 400 foot tall sand dunes left over from the last Glacier Age, crystal clear water, and small beach town after small beach town (at least during the summer), Michigan is surrounded by beautiful and very accessible white sand beaches.  In fact, Michigan was a complete revelation to this particular traveler.  Yes, the water was a bit chilly -- but refreshing is probably a more apt description, at least for this South Floridian.  And the sunsets over Lake Michigan, as viewed from Traverse City, rivaled those in Key West and Naples, Florida....