I really love these beery travel books published by Stackpole Books. It's how I met Lew and realized there was a whole world not only of great and reasonably priced beer just to the south of me in New York but also a world of sites to see, white hots to eat and roads to take.

As I mentioned last October, Ohio Brewers is another book in a great line of beer guides that have taken me, even if only in my chair, from New York to Pennsylvania and on to Michigan - as well as through Virginia, Delaware and Maryland all in one. I finally got a copy. Rick Armon's introductory acknowledgements notes how Lew put in a good word for him and then, once approved, Rick faced the daunting task of visiting the 49 breweries in the state. I am fairly surprised that they are mostly unknown to me. After the nationals like ABIB and Boston Beer, only Great Lakes Brewing shows up regularly in nearby northern NY - even though New York and Ohio are only separated by the narrow width of Erie County, PA. But such is the reality of regional distribution.

The book has all the familiar hall marks of the series. A page or two of narrative on each brewery. An introduction to each region that includes other beer related attractions and others like zoos and galleries to stop off along the way. It's got me interested in Ohio. I've only spent 2 hours in the northeastern most county. I want to go to Fat Head's Brewery and eat a Headwich now. I want to get to that state beer festival in Athens in the old southeast corner of the state. I want to avoid Columbus rush hour. Important information.