Normally I don't make labels for my beer (I mark the crown), but every so often I make batches of beer to give away. For those batches, I always like to make the bottles look attractive by putting on labels. I've always used Photoshop or Microsoft Publisher to make my labels and spent hours making them. I made the label above in less than minute at Beer Label Builder (sponsor of this post).

Not only did I find this as a real time saver but if your making several cases for that special occasion you can have professionally looking labels. Price wise, Beer Label Builder is very reasonable and they also have quite a few styles to chose from. You can also upload your own custom label and have them print them for you.

So, if your looking for some professional looking labels, give Beer Label Builder a try.

Well, the upcoming hops shortage has finally hit home. I was going to make a batch of beer over this past weekend and needed to buy some hops.

So, I hopped in the car and headed to my local brew shop. Walked back to where the hops are and to my horror, there were none. Now, just how in the heck can you make beer without hops? I was soon informed that a shipment of hops might be coming in, but the store's supplier was out and did not know when they would be getting anymore in.

I did find some online, but the price has really skyrocketed. What used to go for $16 - 20 per pound is now closer to about $80. So much for the liberal use of hops.

Where does that leave the homebrewer? Being at the end of the food chain, it looks like we are going to have to make some major changes in our brewing habits. What I am looking for are recipes that use something other than hops. If anyone has any, please e-mail me the recipe and I'll post for everyone to try.

For more on the hops crisis, check out these articles.

The Bitter End: The Great 2008 Hop Shortage

On the Coming Hops Crisis

Hop Crisis

My first attempt at doing video for my blogs. This will be a regular feature on Beer, Wine and Food and at sometime in the future I would like to try using video on this blog. Enjoy!

I knew there was a reason for me drinking beer. Short article from the United Press International about a German study. Read more below. ** Note ** Feed readers my have to visit the site to read the article.

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Here's something we all should keep an eye on.

Beer, Hops