When you think about it, there are very few things in life that really matter. Items that are of such importance, that the world would be a different place in their absence. Beer is one of those things.

Over time, this elixir of the gods has become a worldwide phenomenon - a source of pride for nations, competition for companies, and enjoyment for everyone else. It has shaped culture as we know it, driving the bar industry, uniting strangers, and - perhaps most remarkably - rejuvenating interest in the game of darts.

Not surprisingly, the number of web sites devoted to the matter almost outnumber the amount of brands available worldwide. Choosing a starting point is no easier than choosing between a pint of Guinness and Heineken. That said, a nice intoxicating site you can warm up on is found over at www.realbeer.com.

Here you'll find some of the world's latest beer news, links to breweries and beer clubs, and searchable databases on beer and beer festivals. There's also a continuous series of original articles and columns by the site's beer experts. If you're looking for a specific brand, they've likely heard about it and, possibly, gotten drunk off it.

You'll also find a fun section - as if the main subject wasn't fun enough - where they've included, among other things, games, toasts, polls, and contests. How important is beer? This popular toast says it all:

Our lager,
Which art in barrels,
Hallowed be thy drink.
Thy will be drunk, (I will be drunk), At home as it is in the pub.
Give us this day our foamy head, And forgive us our spillages, As we forgive those who spill against us.
And lead us not to incarceration, But deliver us from hangovers. For thine is The beer, The bitter, The lager.
Forever and ever,
Barmen.

Sadly, Bulgarian beer hasn't yet broken into the international market in a manner befitting the quality of the suds available here, however at least it has gained some acknowledgement. Heading over to http://tolsun.oulu.fi/kbs-bin/directbeer?Nr=1246, you'll find a listing of over 2,000 beers from about 71 countries. The online community can rate the beers presented, as well as offer up feedback on how they enjoyed their drinking experience.

The site includes Kamenitza Special, even though the site owners admit they don't know what style of beer it is or what the name means. In case you're curious, the beer rated a 7.36 out of 10 and received mostly positive feedback, except from a few individuals like Edward, who was residing in Bulgaria at the time he posted these comments: "The Bulgarians hardly ever get a chance to go the US to try some of our fine beers, or even some of the great beers made in the microbrew locations, since they rarely get a visa from the US," he writes. "The Bulgarians have what they have and it's probably good enough for their undeveloped taste buds, though I give Astika a 10."

Way to back up your argument there Edward. Your refined American taste buds must be in a deep state of confusion.

And finally, what would beer consumption be without drinking games? While there's an untold number to choose from, my personal favourite, Beer Trek, can be found at http://planetofthegeeks.com/trek/beertrek/index.html. To play the game all you need is a hefty beer supply (easy enough in Bulgaria) and a few episodes of Star Trek (a sad impossibility here - don't get me started on the subject). The web site lists all the occurrences in the show which require you to drink. To name but a few, prepare to drink: Whenever someone takes `full responsibility' for something, or says `with all due respect'; when the captain defies orders and saves the day; or when something vents plasma.

If you're watching the original Star Trek, take a few swigs on Captain Kirk's behalf whenever he performs his patented two-fisted punch, bluffs his way out of trouble, or steals someone's woman. Good old Kirk.

And although I've barely scratched the surface, you can see the fun is as endless as the keg at your local pub. At least I think that keg is endless. I'd better go check.