BEER
 |
Boddingtons
www.boddingtons.com |
|
| The
Boddingtons TV ads, featuring the
cartoon cow with his swinging udders,
have caused a bit of controversy. So
if you think those ads were a bit
too rude stay clear of this site
because it's all about the Graham (the
cow) and Claudia (the foxy chick)
characters. Join Graham and Claudia
in
their interactive pad where Graham
will show you five things he can do
with his udders (yes I know only lady
cows have udders but this seems
to
have escaped Boddingtons' attention).
The site is as suggestive as the
TV ad campaign but it does make good
use of web animation and those
that
yearn for the good old days can
download the old Boddingtons' ads from
the site. |
Bass
Museum
www.bass-museum.com |
|
| The
Bass Museum is based in Burton Upon
Trent but those not located near
the
Midlands brewery can still experience
some of the centre's flavour
through
its informative website. Many of the
museum's exhibits have been
digitised
and put online, and it's an excellent
resource for anyone interested in
the history of brewing.There are even
webcams centred on key
attractions,
so if you can't make it yourself you
can still see everyone else
enjoying
themselves. |
Smoothly
Does It
www.smoothlydoesit.co.uk |
|
| Smoothly
Does
It is the home of Tetley's beers. And
since the beverage is the
official
beer of the England rugby team you
won't be too surprised to hear that
a distinct rugby theme permeates this
site. The latest rugby news is
constantly
fed through on a ticker on the opening
page, rugby yarns are told in
the
Pub area of the site and you can even
download a rugby screensaver or
play
a bit of rugger online. Of course you
also get a bit of Tetley's
history
- apparently 15 pints of Tetley's
Bitter are sold every second during
opening
hours! |
Carlsberg
www.carlsberg.co.uk |
|
| The
Tetley's site has gone mad for rugby
but Carlsberg sticks with
football.
Of course the lager is the official
beer of Euro 2000 and the England
team
so a football theme makes sense. The
latest footie scores and news are
piped across the opening page and you
can master some of the smartest
moves
from the experts in the Boot Room
section of the site. Music also
features
big on the Carlsberg site with top 40
listings from the various dance,
rock and pop charts. |
Beer
Travelers' Guide
www.beertravelers.com |
|
| This
guide points you in the direction of
the best brewpubs, bars and
restaurants
serving great beer. The site is based
on the US so much of the content
covers US pubs and bars. There's an
interesting feature on what makes a
great Irish pub - and there are many
of them in the US. The site is
also
strong on its coverage of the wide
selection of microbreweries that
have
sprung up around the US. |
Beer.com
www.beer.com |
|
| Beer.com
is
a lifestyle site built around the
concept of beer. The information
on
there is picked for its appeal to a
laddish audience and includes the
latest
sports scores and entertainment news.
As far as beer-related content a
specific beer is picked as beer of the
month and covered in detail,
there's
also a comprehensive guide to beers
around the world. You can take part
in a virtual tour of a brewery and
check out webcams based in bars
scattered
around the world. But the ultimate
lad's accessory has to be the
@beer.com
email address, which you can sign up
for on the site. |
The
Real Beer Page
www.realbeer.com |
|
| This
site gives you the low-down on
everything beer related; from
microbreweries
though to home brewing taking in the
latest news on beef festivals
around
the world along the way. The retro
styling of the site works well but
it
has to be said much of the content is
US focused. So if you're planning
a trip to the States and you want to
drop in on some great pubs while
you're
there then let this site be your
online guide. There are 18 detailed
City
guides, which list great breweries and
pubs around the States. The
background
information on brewing, the beer
library and the links to other beer
sites
on the web will be popular with
everybody though. |
|
CLUBS/
PUBS
|
The
Good Pub Guide
www.goodpubs.co.uk |
|
| The
website is based on the content of the
best selling book, The Good Pub
Guide. Join the Visitors Club and
you'll get access to the directory of
good pubs around the UK. To search
through the pub directory you just
choose
your region and make a few choices on
the type of pub you want to visit
and the Guide pulls up all the
relevant pubs in your area. The
descriptions
of each pub are detailed and you get a
real feel for the atmosphere of
the various inns. If you like nothing
better than hanging around in
pubs
then you might want to check out the
online tour itinerary suggestions
for the pubs of the Lake District and
the Cotswolds. |
Ministry
of Sound
www.ministryofsound.co.uk |
|
Having
grown
from a humble nightclub into a global
empire, Ministry of Sound
has
branched out onto the web in a big
way. This busy site features the
latest
dance music news and features but
that's just the tip of the
iceberg.
A
streaming
radio station pumps
out banging tunes 24 hours a day,
while Ministry TV utilises Realplayer
technology to deliver video interviews
with some of the biggest DJs in
the world. |
Clubber
www.clubber.co.uk |
|
| This
good looking site is packed with
information on what's happening in UK
clubland. DJs and regular club goers
will be impressed by the
interviews
with key figures from the UK club
scene and the reviews of the latest
DJ
music releases. Interactive features
are popular on the site; you'll
find
plenty of live audio and video
broadcasts direct from the top clubs
and
a busy chat area. |
Time
Out Pub and Club Listings
www.timeout.com |
|
| If
you
want honest reviews of the pubs and
clubs around London then you can't
do better than the Time Out website.
You can trust what these guys say
and the write-ups are full of
fascinating facts such as this entry
for
the Lamb and Flag pub in Covent Garden
"in the seventeenth century,
Dryden
was beaten up here - now it's one of
the only decent pubs in Covent
Garden".
If you're after a big night out check
out the club guide; which covers
comedy clubs and nightclubs around the
capital. |
Traditional
and historic London pubs
www.pubs.com |
|
| Explore
the
history of London through its historic
pubs and taverns - book at
least
a week of work first though because
this site lists 85 of the best
historic
pubs in London. You'll find
independent reviews of the pubs as
well as
a bit of historical background on the
building. You can also find out
what
kind of food is served and how much
it's likely to cost. You can search
through the directory of historic
London pubs by postal district or, if
you're off on a day out, you can pull
out all those pubs near a
specific
tourist attraction. |
Pubworld
www.pubworld.co.uk |
|
| Pubworld
is
a directory of recommended pubs around
the UK. You search through
the
directory either by region or by type
of pub. The listings for the pubs
are short and you don't get much of an
idea of the atmosphere inside;
for
more detailed information you should
check out the Featured Pubs
section
of the site. While you're there why
not visit the Pubworld Virtual Bar
where you can email a virtual drink
and message to a mate, take part in
an online pub quiz or have a chat in
the Pub Talk area of the site. |
Cream
www.cream.co.uk |
|
| The
coolest Liverpool club to be seen in
at the moment has to be Cream -
it's
the Northern home of big name DJs such
as Judge Jules and Sasha. As
you'd
expect from such a fashionable club
the website too is almost painfully
hip with its shades of cream and
taupe. Still it's worth a visit for
the
active discussion forums on topics
such as clubs in Ibiza and the best
clubs around the UK. Of course there's
the compulsory club
merchandising
area where you can order goodies
online. |
Real
Ale Guide
www.real-ale-guide.co.uk |
|
| This
site is home to an online directory of
what the Real Ale guys call
'proper'
British pubs. By 'proper' they mean
pubs that serve quality Real Ales.
The pubs listed focus on the Home
Counties area and you can search by
county
to find a Real Ale pub local to you.
The honesty of the pub reviews is
refreshing and the detailed
information for each tavern also
includes a
round-up of the food and entertainment
offered by the pub. As well as
the
searchable database of Real Ale pubs
you'll also find news on the
latest
beer festivals and new brews. |
|
COCTAILS
|
Bacardi
www.bacardi.com |
|
| The
official Bacardi website is so laden
down with graphics that it is a
bit
slow - but persevere it is worth the
wait. The rum that has been 'aged
with passion since 1862' can be mixed
in a variety of cocktails and
you'll
find a few of the best cocktail
selections on the site. If you're a
fan
of the Bacardi ads check out the
online videos and the live webcasts
from
Bacardi sponsored events can always
turn up a few surprises. Rather
bizarrely
you also get a guide to hosting a
Bacardi party - choose from a
seventies
or a salsa themed event. |
Tequila.com
www.tequila.com |
|
Tequila
is
one of those drinks that has a bad
reputation courtesy of the
slammer,
a shot of alcohol downed with a far
from pleasant combination of salt
and
lemon. As this site aims to show
though, there's more ways to enjoy a
tequila
than just violently chucking it down
your throat.
This
is an
amateur site but
it features a lot of useful
information. It goes through the
history of
the drink and how it is distilled, and
there is a cocktail bar where
you
can find some new drinks to create. |
Cocktail
hotwired.lycos.com/cocktail |
|
| Get
your weekly dose of cocktails from
this excellent Lycos service.
Cocktail
has been going for some time now and
so there's a substantial archive
of
cocktail recipes to explore on the
site. For each cocktail you get an
interesting
explanation of the history of the
drink as well as the all-important
instructions
on how to make the deadly brew. Your
cocktail mixer is the Alchemist
and
he's there with a few hints and tips
and a bit of bar room blarney. And
if you're looking for inspiration on
what cocktail to make just type in
the names of the spirits you'd like to
include in the Virtual Blender
and
see what recipes the site comes up
with. |
Absolut
Collectors
www.absolutcollectors.com |
|
| It
might sound a bit strange but
apparently there's a thriving in trade
in
collecting Absolut (the much sought
after brand of Vodka) magazine
advertisements
and this site is devoted to that
rather bizarre hobby. Find out what
all
the fuss is about by perusing the
online gallery of stylish Absolut
ads.
If a specific ad takes your fancy
click on it to get more information
on
where the ad appeared. Collectors use
the forum to trade advertisements
and quite a bustling online community
has been built around the site. |
The
Famous Grouse
www.famousgrouse.com |
|
| This
home of Scottish whisky recreates a
village feel. You navigate the site
by visiting various areas of the
virtual Famous Grouse Estate - you can
take a trip down to the local pub, hit
the village shop or visit the
post
office. The content covers more than a
history of the whisky, you can
find
out why Scotland really is best and
check out a useful online guide
book
for Scotland. Of course there's the
inevitable celebration of Famous
Grouse
ad campaigns and in the Village Shop
you can order your bottles of
whisky
direct from the site. |
Jack
Daniel's
www.jackdaniels.com |
|
| Favourite
tipple
of rock stars everywhere, no
collection of spirits is complete
without
a bottle of old JD. This site draws
you into the history of the sour
mash
whiskey, with an interactive tour of
home town Lynchburg and a
fascinating
tour of the distillery. Alcohol nuts
can compare and contrast with the
information back at the Famous Grouse
site (see above). |
Smirnoff
Vodka
www.smirnoff.com |
|
| The
Smirnoff site looks fabulously lush
with its deep red coloured
backgrounds.
The content starts well with the
Cocktail Generator where you can take
your pick from 365 Smirnoff-themed
drinkies. Planet Smirnoff is quite
an
appealing place to hang out, you can
send Smirnoff themed virtual
postcards
to your mates, check out Smirnoff
sponsored events, salivate over the
drink
of the day or enter competitions to
win Smirnoff goodies. |
|
WINES
|
BORDEAUX
MANAGED WINE INVESTMENT PLAN
www.informedinvestor.ic24.net/bmwip.htm |
|
| This
unique site offers investors the
chance to invest in the world's most
famous
chateaux wines in the Bordeaux area.
The investment team includes the
authority
on Bordeaux Wines, David Peppercorn.
What is more investment profits in
the UK are tax-free |
The
Language of The Label
www.informedinvestor.ic24.net/page6 |
|
| Did
you ever wish to know how to really
read what is written on a wine
label?
This potted background on French Wines
tells you about the label and
the
history of the most famous wines. |
Daily
Wine Review
www.dailywine.com |
|
| This
excellent site is updated daily with
the Wine of the Day. The wines are
reviewed in down to earth fashion,
which won't put off those new to
wine
tasting. The Wine of the Day archive
is now comprehensive and you can
search
through looking for that perfect wine
to go with dinner. The site isn't
overloaded with content but when it
comes to searchable archives of
quality
wines you won't do much better than
the Daily Wine selection. |
Wine
Lovers' Page
www.wine-lovers-page.com |
|
| A
love
of wine is what this page promises,
and it does deliver. It has lots of
articles on tasting and choosing, but
also invites reader interaction,
with discussions on all sorts of
different wine related subjects.The
layout
can be a little confusing, but this
site really radiates a sense of
love
for its subject. There's lots to
explore and, who knows, you might even
meet some like-minded friends through
the chat forums. |
The
Grapevine Weekly
www.grapevineweekly.com |
|
| This
online magazine is a great resource.
The site pulls together articles
from
the major online wine guides including
Wine News (concentrates on
Australian
wine), WineToday (California's wine
news service) and The Quarterly
PocketList
(a guide to the world's top rated
wines). The wine news service is
updated
regularly and this is backed up by
lengthy articles and wine buying
tips.
This is the wine lover's guide to
online wineries, wine magazines, wine
travel information and wine reviews. |
Chateau
Online
www.chateauonline.co.uk |
|
| If
you're
after a special bottle of wine then
you'll find it on the classy
Chateau
Online website. Wine expert
Jean-Michel Deluc scours the world
picking
out the best wines all of which are
available to buy direct from the
site.
Jean-Michel also has lots of useful
advice on what wine to serve with
food,
the backgrounds on the major wine
growing regions and a guide to
setting
up your own wine cell |
Wine
Spectator Online
www.winespectator.com |
|
| The
Wine Spectator site reckons it's the
'most comprehensive wine web site
in the world'. It is a stylish site
packed full of content that will
interest
enthusiastic amateurs and wine pros.
The site is home to lots of
background
information that you won't find
elsewhere, including a report on the
1999
harvest. The pages are updated daily
with the latest wine news and a
wine
of the day selection. The database of
wine reviews can only be
described
as exhaustive - over 83,000 wines are
listed and rated. Embryonic web
buffs
should start with the Wine Basics
section of the site, eventually you
can
work your way up to having a go at the
online game designed to test
your
wine knowledge. |
Smart
Wine Online
www.smartwine.com |
|
Smart
Wine
is an online resource for both wine
consumers and those involved
in
the wine trade. For consumers there's
a handy database of wine reviews
including reader reviews of vintage
wines. It's also worth signing up
for
a free Personal Wine Advisor for free
if you need a few tips on which
wines
to try out. The Smart Wine reviewing
procedure is exhaustive, so when
it
comes to picking the best of the crop
you can be sure to trust their
selection.
Wine
professionals
will appreciate
the wine news service and the more
detailed articles on the industry's
movers and shakers. |
Welcome
to Bordeaux
www.bordeaux.com |
|
| This
online guide tells you everything you
need to know about visiting the
renowned
French wine growing region of Bordeux.
You can take a virtual tour of
the
area, picking up background
information on the various vineyards
along
the way. If you reckon you're a bit of
a Bordeaux buff then try your
hand
at the wine quizzes. If a trip to
France is not on your itinerary this
year then you can still get a taste of
Bordeaux by reading the section
of the site devoted to choosing the
perfect Bordeaux wine. |
Winesearcher.com
www.winesearcher.com |
|
| If
you've
been searching for that elusive
vintage wine for years then you might
just
track it down using the Winesearcher
site. Winesearcher scours the
stock
of over 232 wine merchants around the
world and that means you're
searching
through a list of over 100, 000 wines.
You just type in the name of the
wine you're after and the vintage and
let Winesearcher do the donkey
work
for you. The search results include a
link to the appropriate wine
merchant
and pricing information. |
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