It’s time to introduce a new feature here on DrinkPlanner.com: Champions of Drinking. We’ll use these posts to highlight those who excel in the ways of the alcoholic beverage consumption or craft in some way that gives all of us lowly only-drinks-with-our-buddies-or-by-ourselves folks something to aspire to.

Our hats are off to Anthony Alba, who has been recognized this year as the winner of the U.S. Stella Artois Draught Master Competition, held recently at PURE nightclub at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas. In order to prove he was the best of the best, Anthony had to prove to six very serious judges that he had mastered the “Belgian Pouring Ritual”, an involved process that among its nine steps includes “beheading” a beer in order to get the best possible head of foam (not to mention the “purifying” and “sacrificing” portions. Seriously. Someone call the authorities or a priest or something). The competition required that he pour not only Stella, but Hoegaarden (one of our favorite hefeweizens) and Leffe Blonde from draught and bottle sources.

In October, Alba will go to Belgium to represent the good ol’ U-S of A in the Stella Artois World Draught Master Competition. We here at DrinkPlanner say best of luck to you Mr. Anthony Alba, and Godspeed you on your journey to Alcohol Hero in the eyes of all of us watching you from afar here at home. We know you’ll do us proud.

via:: Lyke 2 Drink

I don’t know how things are where you are, but every frigging person I know is sick right now. Myself included. I’m not that bad off, just a crummy cough and some perpetual congestion, but 80% of the people I know are suffering through some stage of the flu or other debilitating throat/mouth/nose/face-destroying garbage right now. As my cough got rough and raw today, I remembered something I only know as “My Grandpa’s Cough Syrup” that I’d been given (in small doses) since getting ill in middle school (and I do mean ill, yo). I can only assume it came from my actual Grandfather, though I’ve heard variations of it from other people. All I can tell you is…I’ve been sipping on it for the past few hours and I’ve had nary a clearing of the throat since. In a word, “soothing”. So here I share my Grandfather’s cough relief remedy.

Pop-Pop’s Cough Remedy

2oz. Bourbon or whiskey (save the scotch for something else)

Juice from 1/2 a lemon

2 Tbsp Honey

Mix all ingredients in a lowball glass, serve over ice if desired

The honey takes a while to dissolve, but keep stirring and it will eventually break down. From what I can tell, the idea behind it is this: 1) The bourbon numbs the throat to the chronic hacking, 2) The lemon juice breaks down the (gross) mucus in the throat and works at solving the overall problem, and 3) The honey soothes and sweetens the otherwise harsh combination of the above ingredients. I like to add ice, because that’s how I drink my whiskey, and I feel like it serves to further numb my shredded and pain-ridden throat. I’m no doctor and you should under no circumstances take my words as fact, but what I can tell you is that for the past 3 hours I’ve been drinking this concoction, I haven’t coughed once AND I feel pretty damn good. So if you’re one of the many suffering from the end-of-winter sickness, I’d recommend sipping on this to keep you pain-free in every sense of the word.