Taking another pint down

Time for another Friday afternoon cocktail hour. Beverage, anyone? Another cold brew on a Friday? Fortunately, we have some beer experts over at NPR (radio so good it oughtta sell commercials) to give us a little podcast knowledge to go with our beer.

It's beer that made Milwaukee famous -- and in this hour, live from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Ira and guests raise a glass to the science of brewing beer. How do yeast, water, hops and grain combine to form a lager, pilsner, or ale?

The steps in the brewing process seem simple: malting (allowing the barley to partially germinate followed by a roasting process), mashing (heating the grain in water, to convert some of the starches into sugars), and fermentation (converting the sugars into alcohol). But the actual process is quite complicated, requiring tightly-controlled conditions supervised by a master brewer. You need the right temperatures, the right times, and the right ingredients to get that brew to turn out right.

This hour we've rounded up the region's best brewmasters to talk about the science of brewing beer, and learn some tips for making your own home brewed treats. We'll also find out how expert beer tasters judge a good brew. Plus, what is it about Wisconsin that made it a center for brewing? We'll talk with the author of a book on Wisconsin's best brews about the natural resources and cultural heritage that put this state on the beerlover's map.

And for those whose attention spans are a bit shorter, did you ever wonder why the bubbles in your pint of Guiness move down instead of up?

When the going gets tough, the governor gets going

The Wisconsin Club for Growth has discovered a pattern in the governor's schedule:

This week, Doyle announced he would be heading to Ireland and the UK, leaving budget negotiations behind. This will be Doyle's sixth "trade mission" since 2003, but the only thing Doyle is likely to "trade" is a budget headache for a nice cold pint of Guiness. The state revenue generated by Doyle's previous trade missions seems to have gotten lost somwhere in the couch cushions at the Governor's mansion.

Our illustrious Governor has a knack for fleeing the country when he sees trouble brewing. When Doyle Administration staffer Georgia Thompson was indicted for allegedly rigging a state travel contract to benefit one of Doyle's biggest contributors, Doyle sought refuge in Baghdad. Apparently he thought it would easier to dodge suicide bombers than members of the Capitol press corps.

Last September when the state budget was months overdue and a deadline for setting state aid to local school districts was looming, Doyle fled the country, this time taking his entourage on a 12 day trade mission to China and Japan. Before abandoning budget negotiations at home to down saki with Japanese officials, he threatened a government shutdown if legislators didn't come to an agreement. The impact of Doyle's Asia trip is still unknown.

Perhaps the timing of Doyle's upcoming trip to Ireland can be explained by the ongoing trial of racketeer and Doyle pal, Tony Rezko. Doyle and Rezko dined together before sharing a luxury box at a Packers-Bears game at Soldier field. Last week, testimony in the Rezko trial turned to Wisconsin and the man who introduced Doyle to Rezko. It is unclear whether Doyle is leaving town to escape the budget mess he created or to elude embarrassing questions about his ties to Tony Rezko. The one thing we know for sure is when the going gets tough, Governor Doyle skips town.

I bet Ireland is lovely this time of year.