Asheville ties Portland for first as favorite 'Beer City, USA'
Philadelpia 3rd; San Diego 4th; St. Louis 5th
*SCRUTINY HOOLIGANS' GORDON SMITH recently gave a 'heads up' (so to speak) about putting Asheville on the map as America's top craft beer manufacturing center | He done good! Encouraging Ashevillians to cast their vote by May 7, Smith helped Asheville tie Portland for first place -- and Portland, Oregon, is seven times larger than Asheville. Beer examiner Charlie Papazian posted his updated comments about the poll at Examiner.com, or Click Here> | For Hooligans' heads-up notice, Click Here> | The poll results are just in time to celebrate microbrew suds during American Craft Beer Week, which runs May 11-17, 2009: Click Here> | For 150-plus comments posted on the Examiner.com, Click Here> | Last year, Colbert Nation gave it a special play: Click Here> | And where can you find Gordon Smith discussing his favorite local suds and political takes? Try Asheville Brewing Co. at 77 Coxe Ave. on a Thurs. evening as part of Drinking Liberally where Smith and other locals raise an elbow in "promoting democracy one pint at a time" or Click Here>

Local taverns promote local brew
*AS THE LIST OF LOCAL MICROBREWERIES GROWS, so does the number of local Asheville establishments that gladly serve them up | Here's the list to date on where to find a good selection of Asheville's homegrown beer and ale:

* Asheville Brewing Company
For this Drinking Liberally hangout on Coxe Ave., Click Here>

* Asheville Pizza & Brewing
For affordable movies and family fun on Merrimon Ave. in north Asheville, Click Here>

* Barley's Taproom & Pizzeria
For pool upstairs and music downstairs on Biltmore Ave. near Blue Spiral 1, Click Here>

* Bier Garden
Across from Malaprops on Haywood Street in the heart of downtown, Click Here>

* French Broad Brewing Co.
For local brew with song from the source on Fairview Road near Biltmore Village, Click Here>

* Hannah Flanagan's
An Irish pub with outdoor seating on Biltmore Ave. across from Eagle St., Click Here>

* Jack of the Wood
Celtic charm and bluegrass music on Patton Ave. near Pritchard Park, Click Here>

* Thirsty Monk
Facing Pritchard Park, Click Here>

* Wedge Brewing Co.
For an artful pour in the River Arts District in the basement of The Wedge (R.I.P. John Payne) art studio building, Click Here>