I am a little far from the comfort and joy at the moment with a nasty bug going through the house and nothing getting sipped but Buckley's mixture - a potion that essentially is a whole pine tree reduced into a four ounce bottle. I am tempted to mix it with an imperial stout just to see.

Well, to say that this contest has outstripped all expectations is something of the understatement of my 2007. Between the flood of entries and the offers of prizes, I can't say enough about your guys reading this blog. And, of course, not just mine as Father Stonchmas has been posting the UK entries over at his place. Keep it coming as there are still two weeks left in this exblogaganza of gifties. Here is the update for Day 15:

• Travis Glazier, a beer blogger in his own right who will hopefully be posting some stories soon from central New York as a new correspondent, has submitted a couple of photos that you can check out in the ever updating contest archive.
• And Brett has also written from central Pennsylvania with the tale and photographic proof on a monster beer buying tour he went on the other day:

  I drove 1-3/4 hours to Stateline Liquors in Elkton, Maryland. First time there, and it is an awesome store. Stop in if you ever get down to MD! From Stateline, I headed 1 hour NE to the best beer distributor in PA, the Beer Yard in Wayne. I'm pretty sure it's illegal in PA, but they repackage mixed cases of 22 oz bombers from more popular breweries. Most of the Stone beers are from the mixed case I picked up for $55 and tax. Can't beat that! From Wayne, I made a short hop (20 min.) over to Capone's Restaurant in Norristown, PA. Matt Capone has a bottle shop in the back that is just out of this world. As far as I know, it's the only place in PA where Three Floyds is still available. Matt makes trips to Ohio to pick up FFF, Great Lakes, Bells, Founders and others with limited distribution in PA. My last stop was 1 hour away in Bethlehem, PA. Abe's Six Pack and Deli is a relatively new bottle shop. You can mix your own six-packs, and prices are super-cheap on a lot of the bottles. Scored the Founder's Breakfast Stout for $3.50 per bottle and some Bell's Batch 8000 Ale for $2.25 each. No complaints there. 8 hours all told by the time I returned home, but well worth it.

  Would cheese nerds take on that drive? Not a chance. Knitting circles? No way. This is reason #2379 that I love beer geeks. And by the way - thank you for your understanding Mrs. Vitalos.
• Dave Galloway in Maryland, USA sent an entry to Stonch's blog but it has made its way to our gallery under the terms of the Great Beer Blog Treaty of 2004, section 27(iv)(f). We are splitting up the entries to a degree but all UK submissions get a look from this side of the ocean for supplemental prizes in addition to those Stonch's supporters have generously supplied.
• And last but certainly not least we have a great entry from Rick Sellers in Phoenix, Arizona:

  I am submitting this picture almost as a lamentation over what the US beer scene has lost in the last 100 years. This picture was taken in California’s "wine country," just north of Healdsburg at Hop Kiln Winery. As you might expect by the winery’s name, this building is an historic Hop Kiln built in the early 1900’s – Walter’s Ranch Hop Kiln. While it is now housing a winery, the original equipment used in drying the hops grown in the region are still in place, a museum of sorts for those willing to trek out and see this part of American beer history. Sadly, today there are no commercial hop yards left in California, the last crops pulled up to grow the more economical crop of asparagus. Aside from the above commentary, I find this to be a wonderful, picturesque location... And the wine isn’t bad either.

  Check it out up top and while you are checking it out because Rick, as Beer Director for the US publication DRAFT Magazine offered a one year subscription - without even being hit up for it! That is my kind of beer guy.