For the more sophisticated among us, beer is the fruit of an aged and artful craft, not something to spit out onto your shirt after a keg stand. Matt Greff, owner of Arbor Brewing Company, imparts some wisdom for beginners about considering abandoning the flat Pabst Blue Ribbon in favor of more robust flavors.

1: Brewing guidebook "The Complete Joy of Home Brewing" is a useful reference for fledgling brewers and seasoned hops-heads alike.

2: When brewing pale ale, a batch should be left in the fermenter for at least a week and a half. Afterward, the batch should be bottled and kegged and left for at least a month before it's drank.

3: The worst mistake home brewers make is failing to sanitize their equipment. Dirty tools can add pathogens to the beer that, while not a health risk, add strange flavors.

4: The Beer Depot on East William Street has a better and more affordable selection of gourmet beer than any party store in Ann Arbor.

5: Newcomers to the craft beer world should find out when breweries are hosting beer tastings for a quick introduction to a breadth of brews. For those who prefer bitter flavors, American pale ales are a good first taste. People who like sweet and malty flavors want to try New Belgium Abbey Ale.

6: Beers with higher alcohol content age better. Some can be kept for decades.

7: Two bottles of quality German beer could have 12-percent alcohol content and get you just as drunk as a six-pack of Budweiser at 5-percent alcohol for around the same price.