Today is the last day to vote in the MountainXPress “Best of WNC” poll. If you please, vote for Bruisin’ Ales for “Best Beer Selection”; “Best Beer Store”; and you really want to humor us, give a shout for “Best Blogger” and “Best Twitterer.” That would really help validate our existence. Also, we would really, really like a purple wig. For reals.

Don’t steal beer in Austin (or anywhere)
You’ll get shot and your body will taken away and left in a vehicle.

“Boutique” beers are all the rage, apparently
We have no effing clue what a “boutique” beer is (Reuters, we’re talking to you), but apparently the economy has created a “perfect storm” for craft beer sales. “I wouldn’t say that (beer) has the same complexity (as wine), but it’s not supposed to,” said Saillard, who is French. “It’s unpretentious. You don’t need to know the grape.” And that’s not true either, but anyway, it’s good news, yes?

Some Chicago Cubs fan threw a beer at the Phillies
Bad sportsmanship. Not news.

Gluten-free beers will now be labeled as such
The FDA is taking over labeling for gluten-free beers, which will list all the ingredients in the beer. Nutritional labels on beer have been debated for some time, but for now, we think this is just a health/safety precaution.

Phelps, Phelps, Phelps
Problem child. If you live in $1.7 million dollar mansion, you can probably afford a designated driver. Just sayin’.

And this, just because: