[A note from the managing staff. My badness. Please send entries (and prize pledges) to: beerblog@gmail.com... the very email address of which the great Garrett Oliver himself once wrote "A friend just sent me a link to your site, which you must have started rather a long time ago to snag the name “beerblog@gmail.com; well played!" Now, back to your regular blog post viewing...]

I think I am finally over this damn cold. Having had pneumonia in recent memory, I shouldn't have an issue with a cold. But this bug has everyone around these parts really tapped out. Well, it is done and all of a sudden the photo context is heading towards the end times. OK, just the contest's end times but, really, end times just sorta freak me out. First the prizes. Here is an update:

♦ Pete Brown has written to say that he's got a couple of copies of Shakepear's Local set aside for good little beer nerds. "I'm happy to stump up a couple of copies - happy to sign to the winners and send them direct." Excellent! Here's my review.
♦ And Jordan St. John, Canada's favorite national beer columnist... and not just because he is really the only one... has offered a copy of his book How to Make Your Own Brewskis, a very useful introductory guide to home brewing.
♦ As they have for many years, our good pal friends from Maine's Shipyard brewing have pledged three t-shirts for happy beer nerds out there.
♦ In addition to the dandy neck tie from Narragansett brewing we have had added a t-shirt which I am really hoping is a t-shirt with their dandy porter logo on it.
♦ Stephen Beaumont, he who has been Blogging at the World of Beer, has pledged a signed copy of his new book The World Atlas of Beer reviewed here.
♦ Alistair Reece of the blog Fuggled has pledged the gift of some Fuggled merchandise for a happy winner this year.
♦ From Maine's Gritty McDuff''s, a black t-shirt with the Hop Angel's logo. Sized M or S. Pretty S for an M. Been so long since I was either, can't really tell.
♦ And, has been the case for so many years, Ontario's Roland and Russell are offering a gift pack of gifts for some artsy beer nerd. This is a gift that needs a meet up so, practically speaking, it's available to anyone within a drive of the west end of Lake Ontario. Which includes WNY and Erie Co., PA as long as you can cross the border to take advantage of the prize.
♦ A black Nøgne Ø golf shirt, sized XXL. But a fairly short XXL. Just saying.
♦ Jeff Alworth of Portland, Oregon and the blog Beervana has pledged a few copies of his Beer Tasting Tool Kit as well as some other treats.
A Coney Island Mermaid Pilsner bike shirt in blue, size XXL but a very allegedly XXL that I would think is more L.
♦ Max Bahnson who entered the seven photos above also submitted his pledge of a Maximum Max Goodie Bag of a copy of his book Prague: A Pisshead's Pub Guide as well as a rare opportunity to get yourself to Prague and buy him beer. [Legal Disclaimer: the duration of said meeting is entirely up to Max but is heavily conditional on the supply of beer provided to Max during said meeting.]
♦ And last but certainly not least, Stan Hieronymus of Appellation Beer has offered copies of his book "Brew Like a Monk" as well as his upcoming "For the Love of Hops". Fabulous additions to the pledge pool.

And now the photos. Dave Staples of Durham NC sends us this back lit black and white study of a beer and a bar room. I have a soft spot for black and white beer photos. Not as soft as my spot for beer bottles in snow but you know how these things are. Know your good strengths.

Next up, the fabulously named Fabio Freire has sent in a complete set of nine photos. He is Brazilian, has been living in Brooklyn for the last 7 years but was in Belgium when he took these photos earlier this year. Some real gems to my eye. That's a detail of one up top:

Next, Herb Meowing of Prince George, Virginia sends in his five which he indicated he thought were candidates for the crappy photo. I had to tell him no. Well, maybe not entirely evil. Maybe.

Steve of All Good Beer and Houston Texas sent in these five. He apologized for the beer and dog photo but I did explain that it appears to be an appropriate illustration of the proper distance one ought to consider when setting up a photos including a beer and a dog. He also includes what I think is the first example of snow on beer as the beer is on snow.

There. That is enough for now. I am still hitting up prize givers and need you to send more photos. Could we have more prizes than entrants? That would take counting and I am in no mood for that.