Hallooo, shipmates! Once again your drinking mentor is here, so shut down ye pea brains and listen to the all-knowing ale expert.

Now, many of you deadbeats have written in lately, asking the Skipper “Oh, Great Guru of Suds, where, oh where, can I take my hot girlfriend for a good time with great beer?!”

And I’m happy to report that I’ve found a place that might satisfy your feeble attempts at foreplay: Dugger’s Food and Fun (1738 W. Northfield Blvd., (615) 809-2605).

This joint offers a fine selection of draft ales, including local favorite Dos Perros from Yazoo Brewing in Nashville, with prices ranging from $2.75 to $6.50 depending on your tastes. And, bottle-wise, Dugger’s offers such staples as Sam Adams, Fat Tire and Shiner Bock.

General Manager Jay Radzinski, a true Cheese Head who hails from Madison, Wis., says his own personal favorites are the various Leinenkugels that Dugger’s stocks, all fine craft ales made in Chippewa Falls, Wis. They’re great to wash down the fine burgers and fries and other great pub fare Dugger’s offers. In fact, this is one of the few places in town where a thirsty brew sailor on night watch can order a good meal with his beer, since the kitchen runs past midnight (try ordering a craft ale at Waffle House . . . just won’t work, swabbies).

And for all you bands and band-fans, here’s a new service that we’re starting at Nashville Brews Cruise: a van to take your fans to your out-of-town gig and bring them back again, all safe and sound. Call us at NBC at (615) 542-9919 and let us know when your band (or your favorite band) is playing and where, and we’ll pick up up to 12 fans outside Liquid Smoke on the Square and drive the degenerate hippies to Nashville, Franklin or other nearby cities for the show. There the NBC drivers will sit patiently, sipping green tea and reading Proust, while that infernal noise is generated and all you youngsters do your line dances or whatever. Then, after the gig, we’ll load back up and head back to the Square. In all, it’s a great way to see your bands or your band’s fans at your show, and it’s a great way to get everyone back safe and sound after a few drinks. And, of course, every passenger on the van can enjoy fine ales and smokes while heading up and back from the show.

The Beer Skipper, a.k.a. John Cummins, is a Murfreesboro resident, a founder of the Middle Tennessee Home Brew club (msbrewcrew.org) and captain of the Nashville Brews Cruise (nashvillebrewscruise.com). He claims to be the ultimate authority on all things pertaining to beer, but generously tolerates the few readers who may disagree with him. In any case, feel free to email him at jwcummins3@gmail.com.