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.
|
|
|