Last night as the Pittsburgh Beer Society celebrated its first birthday, another beer-tasting group held its first meeting.

The Pittsburgh BrewMasters, "a group of cool people who enjoy tasting and learning about beer," was to gather for an 8 p.m. tasting of Belgian brews at the Sharp Edge Creekhouse in Crafton.

The group is to work much like the Pittsburgh Beer Society: You RSVP online and at the door pay $10, with all the money going to the venue to pay for the six beers you get to sample that night.

Organizer Christine Span, a software marketing manager, has attended some meetings of the PBS at D's Six Pax and Dogs in the city's East End. She says her very informal group is for novice and expert beer lovers in the West.

"Living in Moon, it got a little old driving to Regent Square for the meetings. You know how the people in Pittsburgh are -- we rarely leave our neighborhoods!"

She says she likes what the PBS does, but she decided to make this group a separate one. A person could be a regular at both, as she's going to hold BrewMaster meetings on the third Wednesday of the month, while the PBS is starting to meet just on the first Wednesdays.

The BrewMasters tastings will be conducted by Sharp Edge general manager Hart Johnson. Says Ms. Span, "I'm hoping to learn from him."

For more, visit pghbrewmasters.com.

Shaun Gilmour, president of the Pittsburgh Beer Society, shares this list of the beers that members rated highest in its first year. He notes, "This is based on results from beers we sampled at meetings and is not representative of beers which we just randomly feel are our favorite top 25 beers." But as drink for thought:

Unibroue 16

Allagash Grand Cru

Troeg's HopBack Amber

Erie Brewing Ol' Red Cease and Desist

Allagash Tripel Reserve

Erie Brewing Railbender

Magic Hat No. 9

Atwater Vanilla Java Porter

Bullfrog Brewery Bee Sting Saison

Bullfrog Brewery Edgar IPA

Unibroue Maudite

Troeg's Dead Reckoning Porter

Magic Hat Summer Variety Show '07

Troeg's Troegenator

Hoegaarden

Leifman's Fruitesse Kreik

Magic Hat HI.P.A.

Troeg's Rugged Trail Nutbrown

Flying Dog Gonzo Imperial Porter

Brasserie LaFabvre Barbar

Brasserie d'Ecaussinnes | Ultrablonde

Mackeson XXX Stout

Church Brew Works Coconut Stout

Bullfrog Susquehanna Oatmeal Stout

Bell's Hop Slam

Tax benefit

If you drink beer you've heard about the 10 percent tax that Allegheny County levied on drinks that started Jan. 1. Sharp Edge restaurants (Crafton, Friendship and Sewickley) countered by permanently reducing the price of all beers by 5 percent -- a nod to loyal customers, according to owner Jeff Walewski.

"I'm certain that our continual growth every year will offset the required tax."