Fuggled Review of the Year - Blogs

I like giving this award because it gives me a chance to mention the people whose blogs I enjoy reading, both as the respective representatives of Virginia, the US and the rest of the World and also to give our honorable mentions.

First then, the Honorable Mentions:

• Virginia - A Homebrew Log, Relentless Thirst, Barlow Brewing
• Rest of US - Lost in the Beer Aisle, The Mad Fermentationalist, Brewers Union Blog 180, A Flagon of Ale
• Rest of World - The Tale of the Ale, The Beer Nut, Shut Up About Barclay Perkins, Pivni Filosof, I Might Have A Glass of Beer, Called to the Bar, Boak and Bailey's Beer Blog, Pencil and Spoon, A Good Beer Blog, Are You Tasting the Pith?, Tandleman's Beer Blog

A good selection there of beer, brewing and history blogs, all highly recommended and worth clicking the links, after you've finished reading this, naturally.

As for the possible claimants to the crown of Fuggled Blogger of the Year, they are:

• Virginia - Yours For Good Fermentables
• Rest of US - Appellation Beer: Beer from a Good Home
• Rest of World - Zythophile

The first time I met Tom Cizauskas was last New Year's Eve when Mrs V and I went to Richmond to party with Eric of Relentless Thirst fame. I then had the pleasure of spending more time with Tom at Eric's wedding, and being snapped drinking non-alcoholic Becks. Tom's blog, Yours For Good Fermentables, is a veritable wealth of news and information about the Virginia beer scene, and as such is required reading for Virginia beer lovers.

Another mine of knowledge is Stan Hieronymous's blog Appellation Beer. Often thought provoking, Stan's posts have become a must read this year. I only comment from time to time, but when his blog pops to the top of the blogroll it gets read for sure.

I love history and I love learning about beer, so Martyn Cornell's Zythophile is absolutely essential reading. Sure his posts are longer than most, but they are informed, interesting to read and by the end of them you are glad to have spent those few minutes discovering something new about beer and the world that surrounds it.

The Fuggled Blogger of the Year is still an award unencumbered with much in the way of monetary value, or any other kind really, but the winner for 2011 is:

• Martyn Cornell - Zythophile

More than a beer blogger, Martyn is a beer scholar and Zythophile is an opportunity to benefit from his research and knowledge. I am sure the next best thing would be having a pint or two with him.