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Like fashion designers, brewers seem quick to release their seasonal beers to get a jump start on the market and be well-entrenched by the time the actual season comes around. Take Ayinger's Oktober Fest-Märzen from the Bavarian village of Aying in Germany. It launched in July to ensure it was available throughout the US by August 1, more than ready for Oktoberfest season (which runs from September 20-October 5 this year).

Today, the Märzen and Oktoberfest styles are more or less interchangeable. Märzen, which means "March" in German, are brewed in March, matured during the summer months and consumed in the early fall—or, to celebrate the marriage of Prince Ludwig of Bavaria to Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen in 1810. This later became known as the famous Munich Oktoberfest and eventually one of the largest celebrations of beer and culture on earth with over six million visitors and over 1.8 million gallons of beer consumed.

That said, many modern Oktoberfest beers have become a bit bastardized and dumbed down to appeal to more palates. But there's nothing better than a fresh Bavarian fest lager, and we're not talking about some basic lager or wannabe ale with "Oktoberfest" slapped on the label, but a real lager with some meat on its bones. Something worthy to hoist in the air with friends in celebration! Speaking of which ...

The Taste

Ayinger's version pours a rich golden color. Froth is thick, settling to a worthy lacing. Aroma is soft with fresh grains in the nose and a faint herbal hop note. Smooth on the palate and creamy with a light fluffiness. Tight carbonation, but held at bay by a base of malty sweetness, a drop of caramel and toastiness. This fills out the body a bit too. Hops? More tea-like with a steeped herbal quality that's tightly wound within the malty showcase (versus having a hoppy bite). Suggestions of banana and vanilla hidden within the sweetness. Pith. A bit drying toward the finish with a cereal graininess and lingering toasty sweetness.

Final Thoughts

German lagers like these are often overlooked—yes, we still think the world needs more lagers! This is a classic, exceptional and flavorful alternative for the ongoing lightening of the celebratory Märzen.

And, if by chance you ever find yourself near the town of Aying, a visit is a must! We had the pleasure last October and highly recommend it. The brewery is visitor-friendly and actually designed for people to wander about; plus, they have a viewing room upstairs where you can learn more about the history of the brewery, an amazing bar where you can try their brews (and special Germany-only selections) and a guest house down the road to grab some grub in style. Prost!

FOR MORE INFO: EN.AYINGER-BIER.DE

FOR MORE BEER EDUCATION: BEERADVOCATE.COM

RESPECT BEER.

It's happened to everyone: You sit down in a restaurant, receive the wine list and—after glancing over the options—concede that you might as well be reading hieroglyphics. Not a single wine rings a bell; with hundreds of choices, you begin to panic. Believe it or not, there are many options at your disposal. Chill out, order a round of strong cocktails and let's get started.

FIRST, DETERMINE YOUR BUDGET

Even tiny, casual restaurants will have a range of prices from the $20s up to the $100s. Before you do anything, choose a dollar amount you are comfortable with. Keep in mind the best deals on the menu are smack dab in the middle of the price ranges, or about $40 to $60 in most Boston restaurants. You can go cheaper, and many restaurants have awesome bottles in the lower price ranges, but often an extra $5 makes the difference between so-so and great.

NEXT, TAKE A LOOK AT HOW THE WINE LIST IS ORGANIZED

Lists are usually separated into regions or grapes. If you know very little about wine, this won't help very much, but many restaurants will list the bottles within their categories from lightest to heaviest.

NOW THAT YOU'RE ACCLIMATED TO THE OPTIONS, IT'S TIME TO SEEK PROFESSIONAL ASSISTANCE

Ask if the restaurant has a wine director, sommelier or head bartender that can assist you. This may be a long shot at many smaller joints, but if they do, it's your ace in the hole. Whoever orders the wine for the restaurant has tasted them. This person will be able to assist you best.

If the restaurant doesn't employ a full-time wine director, then your server will be your resident wine expert. It's important to find out how much your server knows about the restaurant's wine list. Most servers won't lie to you, but they may try to save face when asked specific questions about wines they are less familiar with. While some restaurants spend a lot of time and money making sure their staff knows the menu inside and out, many establishments let this aspect of the business slip.

Your best bet is to ask your server what they like to drink, or find out what the staff sips after their shift, as your best recommendations will be from the wine selections they have tasted. Even if your server isn't a bona fide wino, they still see hundreds of customers who are and can at least point you in the direction of wines that are popular.

Another great line of defense is to narrow your search down to a few bottles the restaurant also pours by the glass. This way you can try before you buy, because they already have the bottles open and are more likely to pour you a sample on request. If you're unsure or just curious, this is a great way to guarantee you get a bottle you're going to like.

DRINK MORE WINE! FOR MORE INFORMATION: THESECONDGLASS.COM

Though made with only a small amount of rye, Canadian whiskey became synonymous with rye whiskey after Prohibition put most US rye distilleries out of business. And when post-Prohibition drinkers gravitated toward bourbon, scotch and lighter spirits, rye whiskey became an old man drink.

Now, American rye whiskey is cool again. This is partly because so many classic cocktails were formulated for this drier, spicier whiskey of yore.

By US law, rye makes up at least 51 percent of the grain mix from which its namesake spirit is distilled. It results in a slightly sour, sharp-edged counterpart to bourbon, which is based on corn and known for its vanilla-tinged mellowness. Rye lends many whiskey-based cocktails, from Manhattans to whiskey sours, structure that bourbon doesn't.

Like bourbon, rye comes in two main versions: "basic" and "boutique." The basic brands of rye, such as Old Overholt and Jim Beam, make a perfectly fine foundation for most classic whiskey cocktails. The fancier stuff, like Michter's and Sazerac 6-Year, should be sipped neat or in a cocktail that showcases the flavor of the whiskey—a cocktail like the "old-fashioned" Old-Fashioned.

Cin-cin!

THE "OLD-FASHIONED" OLD-FASHIONED

0.5 tsp sugar

small splash of water

2-4 dashes Angostura bitters

2-4 dashes orange bitters

2 ounces boutique rye whiskey

lemon peel

In a rocks glass, stir sugar with water and bitters until dissolved. Add rye whiskey. Twist (or flame) the lemon peel on top. Add a couple of large, heavy ice cubes; stir and serve.

DID YOU KNOW THAT GEORGE WASHINGTON MADE RYE? FOR MORE FUN FACTS ABOUT AMERICA'S OLDEST WHISKEY, GO TO LUPECBOSTON.BLOGSPOT.COM.

Yes, it's summer, and there are loads of fruits and vegetables available at the farmers market. But sometimes there's nothing like a little red meat, or even a lot.

Fine—more is always better.

Here are a few places that the carnivorous cognoscenti know will satisfy their cravings for a juicy roast beef sandwich sure to make a drippy, delicious mess.

MIKE'S ROAST BEEF

It's not much to look at on the outside, and it's just counters and standing room inside, but Mike's Roast Beef on lower Broadway is worth the stop. Order a large beef with sauce and cheese on the onion roll—always the onion roll. There are other toppings (and the beef with cheese, horseradish sauce, onions and tomatoes is also worth your consideration), but for your inaugural visit, stick with the original. The spicy waffle-cut fries with nuclear orange cheese sauce are unnaturally delicious. If you're not in the mood for roast beef, a hot pastrami with cheese, spicy mustard and raw onions will fill you up long past dinnertime.

[115 Broadway, Everett. 617.389.2333]

ALAMO ROAST BEEF & SEAFOOD

The Alamo's two locations in Medford and Everett serve up equally tasty sandwiches. On a squishy roll, cooked to just the right amount of pinkness and shaved thin as all good roast beef should be, the offerings at the Alamo are delicious, drippy and worth the trip. Their other submarine offerings are fresh and worthy, but it's the beef that keeps locals and other meat-lovers coming back.

[21 Salem St., Medford. 781.396.2434; 574 Broadway, Everett. 617.387.6567]

KELLY'S ROAST BEEF

There's no doubt that Kelly's, now with five locations, has changed from its first days (since 1951) as a shack along Revere Beach. While many folks have noted that the food's not as it used to be, there's still a charm to the original site—and a large beef with sauce and cheese (is there really any other way to eat it?) enjoyed on "the Wall," while sharing a box of fried clams, is hard to beat. Order a small fry to toss to the seagulls as you watch the waves and the planes come in.

[410 Revere Beach Blvd., Revere. 781.284.9129. kellysroastbeef.com]

SKAMPA

A short walk from Middlesex Superior Court, Skampa is a step up from the neighborhood pizza joint, with pie toppings such as feta and spinach. Its variety of pizzas and sandwiches even allow your wimpy beef-hating friends to have some options, but as Skampa's menu says, "Real men like it pink." Real women, too. Skampa's roast beef delights come in junior, large and super, with sauce and cheese on a toasted potato roll. This sandwich is even messier than Mike's and the Alamo's, as there's a secret ingredient—mayo!—to add to the gloopy deliciousness. The sunny yellow walls and spacious windows add charm and a view as you huff your sandwich and ponder another.

[424 Cambridge St., Cambridge. 617.354.0009]

CREMA CAFÉ

Roast beef in Harvard Square? Yes. Alright, we admit, it is fancy roast beef. Crema offers their sandwich on thin-sliced Iggy's bread, and layers it in just the right amounts of salad greens, roasted red peppers and red onions with the perfectly pink roast beef. It's a smaller sandwich, but tasty and filling. Crema's also worth a stop for the caffeine set, as there are Terroir coffees and espresso drinks on offer in this airy split-level cafe. Fresh flowers adorn the 20-plus tables, and there are macaroons for dessert if you're still hungry.

[27 Brattle St., Harvard Sq., Cambridge. 617.876.2700. cremacambridge.com]

"Burn carbs, not carbon," is just one of the many eco-friendly mottos of Urban AdvenTours, a locally owned bicycle tour company that promises to show you Boston in a "wheely" fun way. (Sorry.)

AdvenTours guides are Boston residents and long-time bike lovers committed to reducing their carbon footprint. Their tours explore Boston in myriad ways, from scouring the Greenway to hitting art and architectural sites. Yet UA refuses to pollute the planet by driving gas-guzzling vehicles. Instead, the company has partnered with other environmentally friendly organizations, like Bikes not Bombs, Livable Streets Alliance and Mass Bike, to improve city bike lanes and paths and to urge Boston residents to pick this greener, healthier and—not to mention more fun—mode of transportation.

"We try to conserve as much as we can, and we encourage recycling and staying green. We even use both sides of our papers for our waivers. Most of us don't own cars—we love to ride our bikes," explains Erin O'Bannon, UA's social marketing manager

UA's efforts to green-ify Boston's transportation decisions are even more impressive because of the "BioBus," an old postal truck that runs on recycled vegetable oil donated from a North End restaurant. "The bus just got a lot of new features—we have some green lights underneath and a cool new horn," adds O'Bannon. UA uses the BioBus to quickly and efficiently deliver bikes to users around the city without emitting harmful pollution.

Beep, beep! Time to make way for a revolution on wheels.

[890 Comm. Ave., Boston. 800.979.3370. urbanadventours.com]

Gentrified, crowded, insufferably touristy—Harvard Square surely has its thorns. Yet we can't ignore the influx of killer businesses helping drive the area back to its non-megacorp roots.

According to fashionista Morgan F, LF [26 Church St., Cambridge. 617.492.7700. lfstores.com] has ushered in a new era of style for Cambridge. Violet acid-washed jeans and '50s pumpkin-shaped panties? Cha-ching!

Mosey on over to Tistik [54 Church St., Cambridge. 617.661.0900. shoptistik.com] and peruse their fine collection of "artisanal Mexican jewelry," beloved by Megan B.

For the streetwear-inclined, the rare finds and gorgeous interior at Concepts [11A Brattle St., Cambridge. 617.868.2001. cncpts.com] will leave design fiends quaking.

Recently poppin' on the scene, Market in the Square [60 Church St., Cambridge. 617.441.2000] brings comestibles in all forms—and with their broad windows and snazzy stainless steel, it's all in style. Melissa M describes it as a "glorified convenience store" stocking dorm necessities (including those wicked-addictive Kasugai gummies), boasting a full-on deli smorgasbord.

Yelpers like Trish F have been making love with their digestive tracts to the acidophilus-rich froyo at BerryLine [1 Arrow St., Cambridge. 617.868.3500. theberryline.com] since their opening last year. If you haven't yet experienced its creamy deliciousness, bombard your tongue with delectable tang this season.

If something more substantial is in order, check a cheesy slice for takeout at The Upper Crust [49b Brattle St., Cambridge. 617.497.4111. theuppercrustpizzeria.com]. Wash it down with a refreshing brewsky in the new beer garden at Charlie's Kitchen [10 Eliot St., Cambridge. 617.492.9646. myspace.com/charlieskitchen], and you've got yourself the best makings of an urban summer.

GOT LOCAL FAVES? YELP.COM IS ALL EARS.

BONE CHILLERS

Pirate jokes, ahoy! How does a pirate keep cool in the summer? Bone chill-arrrrrrrrrrs! Where do pirates do all their shopping? Davis Squarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrred. These swashbuckling ice cube trays don't cost a buck-an-ear and best of all, they're really freaking badass.

[Available for $6 at Davis Squared, 409 Highland Ave., Davis Sq., Somerville. 617.666.6700. davissquared.com]

LEGO ICE BRICK TRAY

My mom once made my brother a Lego brick cake for his birthday and I got seriously jealous. Finally I can get back at Mommy Dearest with these Lego-shaped ice cubes. Super cute, super geeky and super refreshing. I'm building myself a killer Lego castle to get revenge ... before it melts. Oh.

[Available for $7.99 at shop.lego.com]

PLASTIS

Ah, Ikea. We could spend hours laughing at your crazy Swedish prödüct nämës. But when it comes to cute ice cube trays, you take the mojito. There's nothing puzzling about these jigsaw-piece shaped ice cube trays. Jury's still out on what the big picture will look like when the pieces are all put together. Whatever it is, we're sticking our tongue on it.

[Available for $1.99 at IKEA, 1 Ikea Way, Stoughton. 781.344.4532. ikea-usa.com]

FROZEN SMILES

Fred Flare's Frozen Smiles ice cube tray gives you two sets of upper and lower teeth to play with. It'll remind you of that time you took a drink of water and found Grandpa's dentures staring you in the face. Keep drinking; the memory soon will pass.

[Available for $8 at Urban Outfitters, 361 Newbury St., Boston. 617.236.0088. urbanoutfitters.com]

SEA LIONS

Save yourself a trip to the New England Aquarium and just freeze up these puppies at home. They're from the Lekue brand of kitchenware—and if cute, adorable sea lions aren't your thing, don't worry. Gadgets carries more rubbery goodness in other fun shapes and colors.

[Available for $3.50 at Gadgets, 671 Centre St., Jamaica Plain. 617.524.6800]

You have a "Manny being Manny" shirt on. Are you gonna miss the guy?

Of course I'll miss the guy! His antics were a little outlandish but the bat speaks for itself.

I think a lot of people are moving on too quickly.

Too much Jason Bay! I like Jason Bay, but he's no Manny Ramirez.

What's the difference between the two do you think?

Manny likes to have fun, run into the monster, cut off balls from Johnny Damon, he has fun.

And dreadlocks. You've got a little Manny thing going on.

I'm trying. Seven more years ... He's been my favorite player since Cleveland. I'm going to buy a Dodgers jersey right now, number 99.

Why did he pick that do you think?

Manny being Manny!

I heard a rumor that he would go behind the wall and, on the laptop they have to update the scores, Manny would look up Brazilian porn.

Manny being Manny!

Oh my you have some accents.

KAT: We're from Ireland, we're here for the summer and we've made Roggie's our local.

Why? What do you like about it?

KAT: The staff are brilliant.

KEV: And all the shit televisions. [laughs] No, they're good televisions.

And the Budzillas? They don't have those in Ireland.

KAT: If they did, everyone would be ... gone!

You were looking at pictures the whole time–f what?

KAT: Of our Summer in Roggie's [laughs]

RAY: They were trying to remind me what happened.

KAT: The women in there are very hot, too. And I'm not a lesbian ... I'm not!

There's a lot of Irish here in Boston.

KAT: We live in a little Irish village just up the road.

KEV: We're a little loud.

RAY: We have a Karate place next to us, and the guy is not happy. We can't cross him or he'll kick the shit out of us.

He's a karate instructor! You can't really fuck with that guy.

RAY: He comes to me and he says, "I saw a guy who looks like you hanging out down by the basketball court," and I was like, "No that wasn't me, that was another guy. There's a lot of Irish around here!"