While it is hard for me to garner too much sympathy for American brewing titan Anheuser-Busch as they battle a hostile takeover bid from Belgian/Brazilian beer conglomerate InBev, the affront to my national pride is another matter.

No, I don’t want Brazilians or Belgians to control Anheuser-Busch, even if I never drink those beers anymore. It just isn’t right. It would be like George Steinbrenner selling the N.Y. Yankees to a group of Swiss bankers. My hatred for the Yankees just wouldn’t be so pure anymore and my faith in American hegemony would be shaken.

But as noted beer historian Maureen Ogle pointed out in a a really cool editorial piece for the Washington Post last weekend, the bold ambition of InBev and CEO Carlos Brito are just like the moves made by American brewing pioneers like Adolphus Busch and Frederick Pabst as they established their brands back in the day and battled to see who sell the best (and most) beer in the U.S.

Bend-based Deschutes Brewery, one of my personal favorites, is in the midst of celebrating its 20th year of making excellent craft beer and just released a special version on their Black Butte Porter in late June to celebrate.

The Black Butte XX is a major taste explosion — a deeper and darker version of Deschutes’ regular Black Butte Porter, which is already a full flavored treat.

The deal to combine Pyramid Breweries Inc. of Seattle and Vermont-based Magic Hat Brewing Co. appears to be moving along with minimal problems.

The smaller Independent Brewers United Inc. (the parent company of Magic Hat) made a tender offer to buy all of the outstanding common shares of Pyramid stock Tuesday. What does this mean to the regular craft beer enthusiast who lives in Boise?

It is possible you will be able to drink Magic Hat beers in the comfort of your own home in the near future.

Check out this story by Christopher Leonard of the Associated Press about Anheuser-Busch agreeing to stop making those caffeine-filled “energy” beers many of us craft beer enthusiasts find so ridiculous.

These “beers” don’t follow the Bavarian Purity Law of 1516 (the Reinheitsgebot), that’s for sure. I have always felt the concept behind those products was a little sinister and it looks like the Attorney General’s from 11 states agree.

Here is the story.

ST. LOUIS — Anheuser-Busch Cos. will quit selling caffeinated alcoholic drinks as part of a legal settlement with several state attorneys general, including Idaho, New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo said Thursday.

I know, it is only June. But it is never too early to start planning for that most awesome of conventions — this fall's Great American Beer Festival at the Colorado Convention Center in downtown Denver.

The 27th annual GABF will be held from Oct. 9 to Oct. 11 this year, and tickets for all four sessions will go on sale to the general public July 1. Members of the American Home Brewing Association and the Brewers Association can buy tickets right now.

For those of you who are interested in the business of beer, a fascinating drama is playing out in St. Louis these days as global brewing conglomerate InBev is trying to buy American brewing titan Anheuser-Busch.

What’s that — a European/South American brewing conglomerate (InBev) is trying to take over the fiercely proud maker of Budweiser, Bud Light, and Michelob? I can feel my American pride swelling, jingoism rising — even if I hardly ever drink A-B products anymore. I just flat out don’t like the thought of a foreign company in control of A-B, as iconic an American business as there is.

Idaho’s craft breweries did a good job of representing at the North American Brewers Association competition at the Mountain Beer Fest in Idaho Falls earlier this month.

I was out of town and couldn’t go to the spud state’s biggest and best brewfest this year, but I am hearing the event went well — especially for Idaho brewers who won medals. The NABA is a good indicator of success at the Great American Beer Festival this fall, so this could bode well for our beer profile.

I have been waiting for the results to be posted online, but there must be some kind of hangup there. The Boise Co-Op’s beer guy, Matt Gelsthorpe, got a copy from one of his many connections and has come to the rescue with a list of Idaho and other regional winners. Thanks Matt.

Fans of Stone Brewing are in for a treat later this week when a rep from the San Diego-based creators of Arrogant Bastard Ale and other hop bombs will be at the Front Door Wednesday night to answer questions and drink some beer.

The Front Door, 105 S. 6th Street, will have discounted Stone drafts ($3 — although size will vary based on the beer) and there will likely be some swag handed out as well.

The “Ballyhoo of Bikes and Beer” — the New Belgium Brewing Co. annual Tour de Fat celebration which extols the virtues of people-powered transportation and drinking a beer afterwards — rolls back into Boise Aug. 23.

The Tour de Fat has been coming to Boise since 2002 and much fun is always had by all. Not surprisingly, there are bike rides —including a slightly goofy costumed bike parade — and other bike-related activities planned, to be followed by the imbibing of New Belgium beers, including their popular Fat Tire Amber Ale.

A few weeks ago I made fun of a travelogue about drinking beer in Denver by Time Magazine. Well, Time’s main competitor Newsweek also recently published a piece on craft beer, but this one is much more of a worthwhile hard news story.

I want to direct your attention to a pretty decent interview in Newsweek reporter Daniel Stone recently did with homebrewing legend Charlie Papazian, who also happens to be the president of the U.S. Brewers Association.