The reference to Bud was quite off-handed...my brother spent a while in Ireland for his company and came back with tales about how the locals woouldn't touch a Guinness but were crazy over Bud...none of us got it either. I'd like to say that Bud was the "beer of last resort" here but you can always find SOMETHING else...Schaeffer's (a real sleeper from Wisconsin) being a prime example...that can keep you from having to drink Bud.

The local beer thing has always been funny to me: we sucked up a lot of Old Style when I was younger but if you ever met anyone from Lacrosse, Wisc, where the stuff was made, they'd look at you like you were nuts if you told them that you liked their beer. I guess it was probably because they knew guys who worked in the brewery.

As far as American beers, it's kind of like guitar strings: there's only, like, three companies making the national brands and they all come out tasting about the same. When in Washington DC I once asked for a local brew and they brought me a bottle of something that the waiter later admitted was basically Sam Adams with a local label on it.

It's like the old joke..."Sean, you idiot....now we'll have to pee in the boat!"

Best

AA