'Beer Advocate' Inaugural Issue!

Hey, guys...just showed up for my obligatory few hours at the wine/beer shop, and I noticed something different...the Inaugural Issue of Beer Advocate Magazine. I've always liked the site, but...well...this mag looks great. Really nice design, a little modern, just nicely done. Good material, too...a section on homebrewing. A very good departure from All About Beer's "look at the busty ho on the cover, she likes beer too!" kind of flashy visuals. Anyway, if you can get your paws on it...pick one up. Very well done indeed.

You'll be hard pressed to snag a copy unless you were a founding subscriber. Or possibly a vendor to whom the Alstrom bros. sent a comp. But, Evan is right, if you can get a copy, do so.

I subbed at the announcement of the publication. So far I'm impressed. Free calendar mkaes it even better, though talk about an advertisement.

I'd be curious to see a copy for myself before I subscribe. The cover looks interesting, but I've always picked Ratebeer.com over the BA website b/c I think the reviews are just plain better.

But I also must admit that part of it stems from my prejudice towards the Alstrom Brothers. IMO, they seem to have an "our way or the highway" attitude. And they say they aren't in the 'beer biz' for the money, but it sure seems like it to me - especally now with this beer mag.

I know of folks who posted something bad about them on a forum or a blog and *poof* - no more posting rights on BA. Sure, it's their site; I guess they can do what they want. Still, leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Heck, I've probably just gotten myself banned right now! But I don't post to their site, so I don't care.

Hehe...i guess you gotta admire their arrogance to a certain extent. I was reading some of the reader Q+A in the issue last night...and some dumb turd asked what percentage of beer drinkers in the US are stout drinkers.

While a simple "there's no way to know that" would have sufficed, the answer started out by listing the many stats that one would have to gather in order to get this answer, most of which were nearly impossible to procure, and ended that whole diatribe with "In other words, what an idiotic question!" F'n A!