Premiering in early 2011, Discovery Channel will present an exploration into the culture, history and variety of beer through the eyes of Dogfish Head owner and personality, Sam Calagione.

The six-part series entitled BREWED will provide viewers with the history of beer making as Sam embarks on a mission to recreate “ancient ales” that have been discovered at sites around the world from Egypt to Peru.

Beernews.org estimates the episodes will break down something like this:

1) Introduce Milton brewery, brewpubs & Miles Davis beer
2) Egypt (ancient brew?)
3) New Zealand (with Epic Beer)
4) Peru (ancient brew?)
5) Italy (with Eataly Birreria crew)
6) Eataly Birreria in NYC

While Sam Calagione of Dogfish will be the focus of the series, other American brewers like Stone, Victory and Sierra Nevada will get some airtime.

Those who have seen the 2009 documentary, Beer Wars know just how entertaining Sam Calagione can be.

Check out Discovery’s press release after the jump

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The second half of the 2010 baseball season has begun, and the Metsie’s definitely need some prayers with the way they kicked things off. That’s why we’re offering a white version of our “Pray for Us” tee which will be available shortly. Just don’t wear it after labor day.

We gave you a preview of the ”Pray For Us” t-shirt as the New York Mets kicked off their 2010 season at the beginning of the month. Well, now the they’re available on our online shop just in time for the Mets – Phillies match up which kicks off tonight at 7pm EST. Show your support for the Amazin’s by picking up the shirt here!

We got comes together with our friends in Los Angeles, Cottonmouth, to pay homage to the Garden States most legendary line of sandwiches, the Fat Sandwich. The origins of the “Fat Sandwich” are debatable, but according to some historians the sandwich made its debut in the early 70’s when a local New Jersey restaurant served a sandwich called the “Fat Cat” which originally consisted of two cheeseburgers, French fries, lettuce, tomato, mayonnaise, and ketchup.

The “Fat Cat” would remain the only sandwich of its kind until 1997, when a Rutgers student named Darrell W. Butler created the “Fat Darrell” which successfully combined chicken fingers, mozzarella sticks, French fries, and marinara sauce. Since that faithful day, dozens of additional Fat Sandwich combination’s have been composed. The early combination’s sported colorful names such as “Fat Balls”, “Fat Dyke”, “Fat Bastard”, “Fat Fellatio”, and the “Fat Bitch”. In 2005, Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey deemed these names too offensive and the “Fat Sandwich” vendors reluctantly changed the names to maintain the peace. (as well as their contracts to do business on Rutgers property)

To this day, the “Fat Sandwich” has created and maintained a cult like following and is hands down the sandwich of choice for those late drunken college nights.

You can get the t-shirt right now here.

The Amazin’s kick off their 2010 season today against the Florida Marlins and in honor of our favorite bums, we present this t-shirt. I think Mr. Met speaks for us all on this one. The tee will be available shortly in a limited run of 40 which represents the Mets ever changing 40-man roster, but you can pre-order now by sending your size request here. Let’s go Mets!

The good folks over at Dogfish Head gave fans a run down of their 2010 release schedule, and it’s looking great. Some highlights include “My Antonia”, a collaboration brew with Birra del Borgo in Rome that released back in October of 2008 but will be brewed and packaged for its US Market debut in 2010. The continually-hopped imperial pilsner will be released in April & November.

For a full run down of Dogfish Head’s impressive 2010 release schedule, click here.

As the year quickly came to an end, sites all over dished out their annual “best of the year” lists. Naturally, we were most concerned with the “beer of the year” nod and we’re neither surprised nor mad at Pretty Things Baby Tree receiving its well-earned and deserved praise. A few months back, our esteemed colleagues in the Boston area suggested we give this new upstart “beer and ale project” a try, specifically their year-round dried plum flavored brew, Baby Tree. Norman Miller, who heads the “Beer Nut” column at Wicked Local, gave readers his top 10 of the year this past Sunday and he best describes Baby Tree as phenomenal. In fact Mr. Miller goes as far to say that Baby Tree makes his top 20 list of all American beer. Confident? Maybe. Justified? Definitely.

Check out Norman Miller’s other 9 favorite beers of 2009 here. Some honorable mentions include Dogfish Head’s Squall and Brooklyn’s Local 2.

Hungover or not, most of you probably know by now that it’s Thanksgiving. That being said, we would like to take the time to give thanks to the people that are most dear to our hearts.

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Sam Adams Old Fezziwig Ale (9.5/10) - This stuff is what keeps Santa delivering Xboxes and Neil Diamond box sets (no judgment here…) on Christmas Eve.  The traditional mix of orange peel, ginger and cinnamon is reminiscent of the fat man’s favorite Christmas cookie.  Also noteworthy, it’s named after my favor character from Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol.    Sadly, the beer is only available in the Sam Adams holiday sampler which features one other beer on this list (the Cranberry Lambic).

Happy Holidays,

Drew Edward

Photo courtesy of Another Pint Please…

Leinenkugel’s Fireside Nut Brown (7.5/10) - Unlike many of the beers on this list, the Fireside Nut Brown swings away from the slightly bitter chocolate taste favoring a smoother caramel/hazelnut  appeal.   Those of you expecting a holiday Newcastle derivative will be enlightened at the well-balanced nutty flavor minus the “I just drank lead” feeling once you’ve killed the six pack.  Speaking of fireside nuts (pun very much intended), a few of these will have your girlfriend itching for a little action next to the Christmas tree or Hanukah bush.  Have her bring a friend for a Menorah  ménage a trois.

- Drew

Photo courtesy of Sonnet