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PHILADELPHIA — If he were alive today, William "Pa" McGillin probably wouldn't recognize the nachos and watermelon martinis being served at his namesake pub. Yet he'd no doubt be heartened to see that its core commitment to beer and camaraderie has remained largely unchanged since he opened it 150 years ago.

McGillin's Olde Ale House began celebrating its sesquicentennial this week, cementing its status as the oldest continuously operated tavern in Philadelphia and one of the oldest in the nation.

Established in 1860, just prior to the Civil War and before City Hall was built, McGillin's sits tucked away in a small alley at the heart of downtown. Even some residents need a map to find it. Read more...

When speaking with some friends and folks both in person and out on the internet, I have found many instances where most people that drink bourbon whiskey are not aware of the proper way to taste it. A conclusion was reached that a piece on this topic should be created. Now, although this technique is referred to by the designation "Kentucky Chew," it can be used to properly enjoy just about any type of distilled spirit. It can also be utilized to weed out the inferior styles and brands, regardless of their price and perceived value (or lack thereof). Read more...

An ale produced by a small brewery in North Yorkshire has been named as the best in Britain.

Rudgate Ruby Mild, which is made in Tockwith, near York, was crowned as the Champion Beer of Britain 2009 at the Great British Beer Festival in London.

The beer, which is slightly stronger than a conventional mild, was praised by judges for its nutty, rich flavour. Read more...

"Easy to drink" used to be praise for wine. Now it's an insult.

Many retailers won't write "easy to drink" on sales materials, and sommeliers won't use it on wine lists. The implication is that these wines are unsophisticated. As a result, we've entered an era of difficult drinking.

"If I give [an easy-to-drink] Cabernet 94 points, I would have to spin it," says Wilfred Wong, Beverages & More cellar master and writer of most of the chain's point-of-sale materials. "Rich tannins. Soft tannins. Calling it 'easy to drink' would be an insult to wine geeks."

So what does "easy to drink" mean, exactly? Read more...

Everyone has an opinion about pairing wine with briny bivalves. This week, we asked wine pros for their pick on what to drink.

Raw oysters all share a bright, salty character and rich, often creamy texture. The aftertaste can include greater or lesser amounts of mineral, melon and smokiness.

Although their specific recommendations vary, our professionals were unanimous in saying a dry, high-acid wine is needed to refresh the palate after a rich oyster, which should be pristine - correctly shucked and, of course, served icy cold. Find more on oyster pairings at sfgate.com/ZHTM. Read more...

Wine apps have come a long way in a short time. At first there were just electronic wine journals, which helped you keep track of what you had drunk, and or hoped to drink in the future.

But the apps have matured to a include an assembly of features that help you discover new wines and to find them in local stores, as well as to track the bottles you’ve had and those you covet.

If you are looking for information on a particular wine, the $4.99 Drync Wine Pro app may be your best bet. It claims to search about 10 databases including WineZap, Wine Searcher, and Snooth (which has its own app). Drync was the only search that turned up Lafite Rothschild; odd, considering it may be the world’s most famous Bordeaux. Despite the great data, searches are by keywords, which are fine for people who know what they are looking for, but not as good for discovering new wines. Read more...

MillerCoors LLC has begun testing the sale of $20 draft-beer systems for consumers to drink at home, part of a string of new products and package innovation from beer giants grappling for market share in a crowded, slow-growing industry.

MillerCoors, the second-largest U.S. brewer by revenue, has begun testing the 1.5-gallon "Home Draft" for its biggest brands -- Miller Lite and Coors Light -- in about a half-dozen cities, including Dallas, Phoenix and San Diego. The boxed product, which is designed to fit into refrigerators for drinkers to consume periodically, rather than for one-time party use, comes amid packaging overhauls by the U.S. units of Heineken NV and Anheuser-Busch InBev NV. Read more...

SAN FRANCISCO — Fast-food customers are hearing something new as they order burgers, pizza and all things fried: Would you like wine with that?

No one's selling cases of McMerlot just yet, but a number of so-called "quick-serve" restaurants are adding beer and wine to the menu, partly to boost sales but also with an eye to amping up the ambiance.

 "We simply wanted to create a different kind of dining experience," says Jeff Harvey, CEO and president of Burgerville, a 39-unit chain in the Northwest which recently added wine and beer to one of its restaurants in Vancouver, Wash. Read more...

By Jerry Hirsch - Los Angeles Times 

Happy hour is getting happier, and that's making restaurants sadder.

As the recession drags on, drinkers such as Luis Romero of Anaheim are gravitating to happy hour -- that late-afternoon period when bars and restaurants sell discounted drinks and food to attract customers during what otherwise would be a slow time.   Read more...