Beer & Wine

Cars. Stereos. Now, Japan has shown up America when it comes to beer.

Keeping a well-stocked bar has much to do with keeping the classics on hand, but it's also a good idea to go rogue and stock some offbeat booze. For variety's sake, you see? The key is to be sure these unique spirits are high quality and make great sippers, as well as conversation starters. Here are a few we recommend to get you started.

I'm not really a beer drinker, but that has never stopped any of my friends who do enjoy the bitter taste of malt and hops from trying to convince me to give it a shot. "Oh, this one's pretty sweet, it's like chocolate" they'll say, giving me something that doesn't taste anything like a milkshake, or "it's an acquired taste." I have never acquired it, but really, if they actually wanted to get me interested in beer, they should've probably told me there's one out there that comes with a story by two dudes who did that issue of Ghost Rider about demonic truckers. That, at least, is the strategy currently being employed by Chicago's Arcade Brewery, who have released a new six-pack called Festus Rotgut Black Wheat Ale, in which the labels tell a six-part story by Jason Aaron and Tony Moore.

A nice bottle of beer really warms the soul. And this winter, it'll be providing that heat in more ways than one.