Mayor Menino on Colorado beer: 'uck'

Mayor Tom Menino may know a thing or two about the city of Boston, but he knows next to nothing about beer, judging from comments he made today to reporters.

It seems Menino and Denver's mayor, Michael Hancock, are going to make a little bet on the outcome of Saturday night's game between the Patriots and the Broncos. (A surer bet, there has never been. The Pats will romp, 41-7. You read it here.)

Anyhow, Menino is suggesting they might bet local beer. Said our mayor: "We have the best. I mean, you know, Colorado beer? It hasn't even made it east yet. Sam Adams has made it to the west and Harpoon has made it out there, but Colorado Rocky beer? Uck."

Not quite, Mr. Mayor. Yes, Massachusetts suddenly has an embarassment riches when it comes to craft beer: Pretty Things, Mystic, Jack's Abby, Clown Shoes, Mayflower, Backlash, Notch, Slumbrew -- the list goes on and on and on. But Colorado can more than hold its own. Some of the world's best beers come from the centennial state -- among them Avery Maharaja, Great Divide Oak Aged Yeti, and virtually anything by Oskar Blues, including Ten Fidy, G'Knight, and Dale's Pale Ale.

Also, very little of our best beer makes it beyond New England, whereas all of the best Colorado beers are widely available in Massachusetts. And let's not forget that the Great American Beer Festival is held every fall in Denver. In other words: Mayor Tom may have picked the wrong fight this time.

What do you think? Which state has better beer? Post your thoughts in the comments section.

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