Kudos to Holy Grale and Sergio's for making Draft's "best beer bars" list.

National eyes have turned to the Louisville beer scene once again, and as someone who's been in the trenches for a quarter-century, constantly fighting these battles ... come to think of it, sometimes before many local commentators were even born ... let me just say that it's a wonderful thing, indeed.

And so, congratulations to Holy Grale and Sergio's. Louisville is richer because of  establishments like these, and I echo noted IPA lover Mr. Spock in saying: "Pour long and prosper, guys."

When we speak with craft beer lovers in other parts of the country, it's an unparalleled selling point to be able to tell folks that in addition to an ever-expanding local independent craft brewing scene in metro Louisville and the surrounding region, there are world-class beer bars aplenty -- in fact, some of the best anywhere.

Praise also is due the justly fabled Heorot in Muncie, Indiana, although Draft's list writer is plainly foolish to dismiss Indiana-at-large by suggesting the Heorot is "often the lone Indiana stop for craft brewers crossing the Midwest."

Really?

With more than a dozen local craft breweries in the Indianapolis area alone, not to mention Twenty Tap and other excellent purveyors in the state capital? But Heorot's inclusion is amply merited, and it is one of many reasons to visit Indiana for beer, something that can be said about the metro Louisville area as well.

Nostalgia nudges me. I fondly remember the warm feeling that recognition brings, as when the Public House was declared the 6th-best beer bar in the world all the way back in 2007, or when we made it into Stan's and Daria's "The Beer Lover's Guide to the USA" thirteen years ago, in 2000.

Cherish it, keep up the damned fine work, and thanks.

Draft Magazine's listing is here: America’s 100 best beer bars: 2013

And, at Insider Louisville, the Draft link with superfluous commentary (Windhoek?) from the nominal music writer: Polly Wanna History Lesson?