Beer

Beer drinkers in three U.S. states filed lawsuits accusing brewing giant Anheuser-Busch of watering down and mislabeling Budweiser, Michelob and other brands to cut costs. The lawsuits, filed in the last week in California, Pennsylvania and New Jersey, said the brewing giant cheated consumers by listing a higher alcohol content than the beers actually contained. Ten Anheuser-Busch products were named in the lawsuits: Budweiser, Michelob, Michelob Ultra, Bud Ice, Bud Light Platinum, Hurricane High Gravity Lager, King Cobra, Busch Ice, Natural Ice and Bud Light Lime.

Could a new glass make beer taste better? Two brewers on opposite sides of the United States have partnered to produce a glass they say will amplify and balance “even the hoppiest of IPAs.” Manufactured by German glassware company Spiegelau , the glass was designed with input from Delaware-based Dogfish Head Craft Brewery and Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., from Chico, Calif., and is available for $9. At least one beer enthusiast says...

Many craft beer-focused bars and restaurants offer beer tasting flights -- a lineup of smaller glasses of different beers -- and whether you're a beer aficionado or new to the craft beer world, they are a great way to experience a variety of different beers and discover new favorites. And they can be a cost-effect way to train your palate to recognize the differences between similar brews. While it can be daunting to pick a cohesive lineup of beers from a list of a dozen or more taps, there are a few methods you can employ to get the most of your order.

Imitation may be flattering, but not to Clay Harding, owner of a popular craft beer bar and restaurant in Alhambra called 38 Degrees Ale House & Grill. Harding recently learned that a new pub had opened in Carlsbad with the 38 Degrees name -- and he's not happy about it, reports the blog thefullpint.com . "I will be making some phone calls, and seeing what I can do to protect my property," Harding told the blog. "I have and will always support those who spread the word, educate, brew and sell real, live craft beers," Harding said.

Add Samuel Adams to the growing list of beers available in cans. The Boston Beer Co. said it will start selling its popular Samuel Adams Boston Lager in cans for the first time this summer, the Associated Press reports. The move will allow beer fans to take the popular lager places where glass bottles may not be allowed, such as pools, parks, beaches and sporting events. Once considered to impair the taste of fine beers, cans are now used by more than 180 craft breweries, according to the website ontaponline.com.

TEMPE, Ariz.--The Angels did not ban beer from their clubhouse after 22-year-old pitcher Nick Adenhart was killed by a drunk driver in 2009, and they will not ban it after the signing of outfielder Josh Hamilton, whose harrowing addiction to drugs and alcohol led to a three-year suspension from baseball from 2003-05. Hamilton, the former Texas Rangers star, did not ask the Angels to change their policy after signing a five-year,  $125-million deal in December. “We've talked for a number of years about what we can do to help players with their environment, but we don't think it will be an issue,” Manager Mike Scioscia said before the team's first full-squad spring-training workout Friday.

Have you heard the buzz of excited beer fans or seen mention of a mythical beer of white-whale proportions? It's time for Pliny the Younger -- considered one of the best beers in the world --  to make its annual appearance at the better craft beer destinations in the Southland. What about the beer compels people to line up for hours, or purchase raffle tickets , just for a chance to taste it? Pliny the Younger, brewed in Santa Rosa at Russian River Brewing Co., is not to be confused with Russian River's more-common Pliny the Elder.

When Marjory Gilbert read a Times On Location story about the movie "Bukowski," produced and directed by James Franco, it brought back vivid memories of her long-ago encounter with the late poet. Gilbert was working as a clerk in the history department at Cal State Los Angeles in the late 1970s when she joined a grad student friend to hear Charles Bukowski give a reading of his poetry at a campus bookstore. "It was quite an evening," said Gilbert, who is 90 and lives in Claremont.

It seems like every restaurant in Los Angeles is offering a special menu this Valentine's Day, and they usually include champagne, wine, or a special cocktail menu selected to maximize the romance of the meal. But why settle for wine or booze on St. Valentine's Day when you really want to share a special brew with your lover? Here are a few options for craft-beer-centered celebrations around town -- and a few bottle suggestions if you'd rather spend the evening in the comfort of your home.

Beer made with roasted malts is going to remind you of other roasted flavors such as coffee. Some brewers actually throw in some coffee to punch up that quality, but the combination doesn't necessarily work. Here's a case in which it really does, and I don't think the reason is some beer equivalent of terroir (the brewery is in Kona, Hawaii, and uses local Kona coffee). The brewers just had a larger effect in mind than extra roastiness. Like any porter, it pours very dark brown with a high tan head.