I’m pretty sure that as much as Tim Webb loves Belgian beer he will agree that eventually he will have published all the books on the topic that are necessary.

The latest is “Around Brussels in 80 Beers” and ostensibly this is a review of that book. Good book. More in a moment.

Webb has been writing about Belgium and its beers for more than 20 years and updates his “CAMRA Good Beer Guide Belgium” so regularly it’s ridiculous. He’s also co-written “100 Belgian Beers to Try Before You Die!” and “Lambicland,” the latter the first from his own publishing company. He’s so far commissioned three city guides, for London (which is not in Belgium), Bruges and Brussels. Cogan & Mater books are slim but substantial, rich with photos and information.

I want one for Denver, St. Louis, Austin and any place else I might be in the coming months, even though I’ve got a pretty good idea where and what to drink in those cities. Fact is, “The Beer Lovers Guide to the USA” is out of date and we know better than to try to update it. I’d also suggest guides for Paris and Berlin and, well, just about any “beer city” but Bamberg (couldn’t do that one justice in only 80 beers). At least if they will be as good as this one by Joe Stange and Yvan De Baets.

Here’s the premise. On each page you learn about a place to drink beer and a beer to drink. And more if you want. For instance, stop No. 10, because anybody could tell you about Bier Tempel, a beer shop near the Grand Place, and many could mention IV Saison, the American hoppy beer featured on this page. But few would whisper in your ear that you might be on the lookout for bottles from the newish Jandrain-Jandrenouille brewery.

Of course Delirium Cafe, Mort Subite and in ‘t Spinnekopke are included, but if you are going to be in Brussels for more than three beers its places like Tavernier (student prices, La Chouffe at a proper temperature) and le Brassins (well known but a little out of the way, a spot for lovers of Audrey Hepburn and good food) you want to know about.

Now the disclaimers. I’d have done this earlier but there are so many. Webb wrote the foreword to “Brew Like a Monk,” which was a better book because of research by De Baets provided research. Yvan (it just doesn’t seem right to call somebody I am so in debt to by his last name) is writing the foreword to “Brewing With Wheat” and has dug up stuff about the White styles (with an s) you had no idea existed.

I find it embarrassing to recommend a book when you know, of course, I wouldn’t be inclined to give it book the Malcom Gladwell treatment. Still I had to tell you about it.

And suggest we all be on the lookout for more of these pocket gems.

The links:

- Order the book here, or read more about Cogan & Mater.
- Read Joe Stange’s blog. Did I mention he’s from Missouri? This link also goes to a video about what Tim Webb is up to next.

The Monastery of Christ in the Desert in northern New Mexico wants to start a small brewery so it can take over the Monks’ Ale label now held by a Pecos monastery.

The Santa Fe New Mexican has the slightly confusing story. Here are the key elements:

- Originally Christ of the Desert and the Pecos Benedictine Monastery formed the Abbey Beverage Company with the idea that a brewery would be built in the Pecos.

- A pilot brewery was put in place in the Pecos (pictured at the right in 2005, before it was even unwrapped) while Monks’ Ale was, as it still is, brewed under contract by Sierra Blanca Brewing east of Albuquerque.

- It certainly doesn’t appear that a brewery will ever be built and the Pecos monastery, which owns the land where it would be built but is no longer involved in the management.

- State law requires an entity holding a brewing license to have the ability to brew at its location. Now that means north of Abiquiú, not in the Pecos.

Sierra Blanca owner Rich Weber points out there is another reason for the monks at Christ of the Desert to be able to brew within the monastery even though most of the beer will continue to be made at Sierra Blanca.

“They like people to think its brewed there,” he said. “It helps with the mystique.”

Weber also reported that Christ of the Desert would like to release a second beer, probably a Belgian White or wit.

What: Portland’s Cheers to Belgian Beers festival started in 2007 as a celebration of Belgian style beers, with participating brewers all producing beers from the same strain of yeast. The 2009 event marks the first year that all Oregon Brewers Guild members, including breweries outside the Portland Metro area, will be eligible to participate.

This year’s yeast will be Wyeast 3822 Ingelmunster Ale (formerly known as Wyeast 3822 Dutch Castle), which is a unique Belgian ale yeast that produces spicy/phenolic aromas that are tart and dry on the palate, for a complex beer.

After sampling all the Belgian style ales, attendees will vote for their favorite in the “People’s Choice Awards.” To the victor goes the spoils, and in this case the winning brewery earns the right to host next year’s event, select the yeast strain and pick the 2010 charity beneficiary. Lucky Lab won the 2008 competition and has chosen to donate all the profits of the 2009 festival to the Oregon Humane Society.

When: Friday, May 1st and Saturday, May 2nd from Noon – 10 p.m.

Where: Lucky Labrador Beer Hall
1945 NW Quimby, Portland, OR 97209

How: Admission is free. There is a $5 charge for a tasting goblet, which is required to sample beers, and $1 for tastes. Tickets can be purchased at the festival entrance.

More information.

As you may know our family is 50,000 miles or so into an extended road trip, most of it in an RV. Some of the parks secure their bathrooms by putting a touchpad on the door. Enter the code, take a shower.

The code where were are staying tonight is “1214.”

You can probably figure out what brewery I thought of when I saw that.

Why is Bob Sylvester smiling?

First, you might ask, who is Bob Sylvester? He’s the founder, brewer, etc. at Saint Somewhere Brewing Co. The “where” in this brewery is Tarpon Springs, Florida. It’s tiny, last year selling about 140 barrels of beer (somewhat more than 4,000 gallons).

But there his beer was on “Good Morning America” Friday morning. The clip is here. ABC had DRAFT magazine publisher Austin Wilson on to talk about pairing wings with beer for the Super Bowl.

You have to watch until the very end, when they are a little rushed. They move the Cardinals football helmet, you see a champagne-size bottle and the host says it’s appropriate to include a Tampa Bay beer (Tarpon Springs is right up the road). It made my day since I was a) at the brewery Tuesday, b) Bob is a really good guy and c) he’s brewing good beer about as fast as he can.

If you are headed to Tampa for the game Sunday (typed with computer mouse in cheek) you could find bottles of Saint Somewhere at Total Wine not far south of the stadium last Monday. After GMA? Who knows?

If you are reading this in Wisconsin or Tennessee you may still be able to buy it to drink Sunday. Shelton Brothers distributes the beer. So if you can buy Cantillon at a nearby store there’s a chance you can buy Saint Somewhere. Bob thinks that’s another reason to be smiling.