The Gleaner

I got a press release, datelined Chicago, from Bob Skilnik, a publisher who was announcing his candidacy to be the new U.S. “Beer Nutrition Czar.”

He points out that the Obama administration is “about to appoint as many czars as a 24-pack of beer,” and thinks he’d be a perfect addition.

“Look, I understand that one more czar in Washington would only add to the notion that there would be more czars in D.C. than you might have found at a turn-of-the-century Romanoff wedding. I’d therefore be willing instead to be a ‘Roving Beer Nutrition Czar,’ visiting bar after bar — something my wife would attest that I’m quite adroit at — to get the word out on the positive attributes of America’s favorite adult beverage.”

What the heck, give him the job.

You say deep dish. I say thin crust. You say PBR. I say Old Style. You say soda. I say @#$!%!

Nothing hits close to home–or close to the stomach–quite like a rip-snorting argument over Chicago food and how we eat it. So RedEye decided to dig in to a few great food debates…

…For this debate RedEye turned to Chicago beer expert Bob Skilnik, author of “Beer: A History of Brewing in Chicago.” Old Style became the beer darling of Chicago in the 1970s, thanks to quality problems at Schlitz and an Anheuser-Busch bottlers strike, Skilnik said.

MORE HERE

I was happy to see the sales reaction after “Joe Sixpack’s” review came out on Friday, but Saturday morning I received an e-mail from drink writer Bill Dowd who had also reviewed the book and also gave it a “Thumbs Up!” Not only had the review made his always fascinating “Dowd On Drinks,” but three more outlets too.

As strictly a beer drinker, I’m always amazed when another writer can review something like a small-batched Bourbon and have me searching it out at a later dinner. Bill’s the guy who can do it and I strongly suggest you go through the archives on “Dowd On Drinks” for a look well beyond the world of beer. He’s got an enviable job!

On Small Screen Network:
http://www.smallscreennetwork.com/blogs/dowd_on_drinks

On Dowd On Drinks (Brews Notebook):
http://brewsnotebook.blogspot.com/2009/03/beer-maven-scores-again.html

On Examiner.com:
http://www.examiner.com/x-2327-Drinks-Examiner~y2009m3d21-Beer-maven-scores-once-again

On Albany (NY) Times Union:
http://blogs.timesunion.com/dowdondrinks/

I’ve been plugging along for the last 2 months, trying to get some traction under the wheels of Does My BUTT Look BIG In This BEER? Nutritional Values Of 2,000 Beers.  To be quite honest, I’ve been a bit frustrated since sales have been…as flat as the head on a 1970s-brewed Schlitz beer.

Well today, after reporter Don Russell, probably better known to us beer geeks as “Joe Sixpack” penned his weekly article in  the Philadelphia Daily News and also in his blog, Sixpak Sez,  about my lttle ole book, things happened. At last peek on Amazon, the ratings went from a dismal 675,000 in sales ranking down to a respectable 32,600. Not only that, but Does My BUTT Look BIG In This BEER? also found itself in an Amazon category that my books are unfamiliar with, #93 in the category for “Health!”

So Don, I tip my hat to the power of your pen and have to make note of this line from his book review that gave me a chuckle. In noting how “light” beers fit — or not — into a beer drinker’s attempt at counting calories, he made this observation;

“But leafing through this book, I couldn’t help but pity the poor schnook who, in pursuit of iron abs, gives up refreshing Straub beer (128 calories) in favor of virtually taste-free Straub Light (96 calories). You’d burn up the difference in the time it takes to walk up a flight of steps to take a pee.”

And if you’re a married male, I might note that putting the seat up and then back down at the end of business would probably add another 5 calories to that total and stop one more marital tift before it could even begin. After 35 years of give and take, even in the bathroom, I’m still unsure how it’s become the duty of men to put toilet seats down after taking care of business. You want the seat down ladies? You put it down! But as I noted, I’ve been going through this form of marital toilet training for 35 years. Now if I could only get the old girl to have the toilet paper facing out when replacing the empty tube, I could die a happy man.

Oh well. Don, thanks again.

Just remember this; Moderation, not deprivation! Pick up a copy of “Does My BUTT Look BIG In This BEER?”

Another quick look as to the logic behind the success of “The Drink Beer, Get Thin Diet.” This was just the beginning, however. “Does My BUTT Look BIG In This BEER? Nutritional Values Of 2,000 Worldwide Beers” is the result of the evolution of the kind of info that consumers want to see on labels and cans of their favorite beers — nutritional values. From the earlier book’s mere listing of 350 beers, the latest book gives the calories, carbohydrates, alcohol by volume and Weight Watchers POINTS for over 2,000 beers!

This appearance was back in 2004 while I was promoting “The Low Carb Bartender: Carb Counts For Beer, Wine, Mixed Drinks And More.” I’m currently working on a revised edition that will take in the full spectrum of beer, wine, and booze and their nutritional aspects. Keep watching as I present video clips on tips on cutting back on calories and carbs for your favorite mixed-drinks and things like flavored vodkas and rums.

Stay tuned!