Homebrewer champion
Boston Beer Co., brewer of Samuel Adams beers, hosted the 2008 Patriot Homebrew Contest this spring. Adam Walsh, a homebrewer from Massachusetts, created a recipe for India Pale Ale (IPA) that beat entries from all over New England. Samuel Adams will brew his Patriot Homebrew IPA at its Boston brewery to be served at the Samuel Adams Brewhouse in Gillette Stadium during the entire 2008-2009 football season. In addition to his beer being served, Walsh also received a cash prize of $2,000.
 
Expensive wine bottle
 Fine & Rare Wines Ltd., a London-based fine wine merchant, sold a rare bottle of 1811 Chateau d’Yquem for a record price of 37,900 pounds Sterling, which equals $75,800. The bottle was sold to Cellarworks, a New York-based consultancy that specializes in architecturally designed fine wine cellars. Jamie Graham, sales director, described the sale as further proof that the weak U.S. dollar is not discouraging top transatlantic collectors from buying the rarest, most collectible fine wines.
 
Red wine wedding
 Villa di Capezzana served its 2004 Carmingnano at Ivana Trump and Rossano Rubicondi’s wedding reception in April. It was the only red wine served. Alessandra Rotondi, wine consultant for the wedding, chose the red wine for the celebrations. Villa di Capezzana Carmignano 2004 is produced within the DOCG zone of Carmignano, one of the smallest wine zones in Tuscany, the company says.
 
Pop-up shops
 This spring, Courvoisier teamed up with clothing brand Lifted Research Group’s Co-founder Jonas Bevacqua (left). Bevacqua joined music artist Jermaine Dupri to bring Beam Global Spirits & Wine Inc.’s “Find Greatness Within” advertising campaign to life with a series of “pop-up” shops. The shops appeared in five major U.S. cities, and showcased co-branded designs, personally customized by Bevacqua. The shops also featured Courvoisier’s Exclusif.
 
Sonoma wine stars
 The Sonoma County Winegrape Commission is looking to honor restaurants and wineries that are committed to supporting the efforts of the 1,800 Sonoma County winegrape growers. For wineries, Sonoma County Wine Stars must display “Sonoma County” on 95 percent of front wine labels, and for restaurants in Sonoma County, the wine stars are restaurants that feature 50 percent Sonoma County wines on their wine lists. The Sonoma Wine Star Program is expanding to the greater Bay Area from Napa to Sacramento.
 
Chief beer officer
 A year ago, Four Points by Sheraton appointed its first-ever Chief Beer Officer, Scott Kerkmans. The work load of a CBO is more than Kerkmans realized it would be, so he is looking for a Best Brews Summer intern, he said. The intern’s duties would include beer tasting, trend research and brewery relations. The intern must be 21 years old, and the position starts in August. Kerkmans expanded the program by traveling to large beer festivals and is educating guests on beer through his beer blog, fourpoints.com/cbo.