More tidbits from around the beer world…

Beer Advocate has picked the top 10 beer names for the upcoming Dogfish Head collaborative beer and you can now vote for a winner on the website. The beer name that is in the lead by a landslide right now is, “Up Up Down Down Left Right Left Right BA Select.” Confused? Check out this Wikipedia entry which explains that this is a play on an old cheatcode for a video game called, Contra. The code gained a cult following to the point where an indie rock band named themselves after it.

It will be a big week for Surly Brewing. The brewery announced on its Twitter feed that canned Coffee Bender would be rolling out this Monday. Surly Mild will be released tomorrow as well. The brewery also announced details about its third anniversary beer, Surly Three:

“Try it first at Winterfest!(Feb 6). Look for it DRAFT only the week of Feb 9. Brewed with 50% Honey and 50% German Dark Munich malt, fermented with a Belgian yeast strain and aged on toasted White Ash. Lots of honey aroma intertwined with rich caramel-cracker flavors, the Ash adds a cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla aroma and a dry finish. Smells like bourbon to me.
16 IBU 10% ABV.”

Other links:

News on Upland Helios and Pike Old Bawdy on the craft beer press releases page. And another beer update for those buying beer online.

Kalamabrew has a story on Bells Brewery’s new $5.2 million expansion into new office space and projected 20% sales growth in a slow economy.

First Obama Brau and now Killer Kowalski. Flossmoor Station had to rename another beer due to legal reasons. Their solution? Name the beer after Saved by the Bell’s Kelly Kapowski. (It is a challenge to keep up with these pop culture references, I know). The full story is up at the blog.

Last but not least, Jay Brooks reports that Lagunitas Gnarlywine took the Alaska Beer & Barleywine trophy this weekend.