The Schlafly dinner at Meridian Pint is likely to be one of the best events of the week. If seats are not sold out, $65 will get you a five-course dinner created by Chef David Shewmaker paired with a selection of five unique Schlafly beers chosen by Beer Director Sam Fitz. The dinner will be guided by the Saint Louis Brewery co-founder Dan Kopman, who will discuss his role in the craft beer movement as well as his line of outstanding beers.

You and your four-legged best friend can enjoy an evening together on the patio at DC Bread & Brew with Flying Dog. The "Yappy Hour" will feature both human and dog food specials including doggy ice cream, and bottles of Raging Bitch Belgian-Style IPA, Doggie Style Classic Pale Ale, Old Scratch Amber Lager, and Double Dog Double Pale Ale are $4 each. At 11.5% ABV, a few of those Double Dogs could make you (or your little pup) a very cheap (and drunk) date.

Like oysters? Then The Reef should be your top choice tonight, where you can take part in 3,000 oysters, 7 beers from Rogue Ales, and five special pairing dishes prepared by talented Chef Connor Ireland. In addition to the beers below, they'll be pouring Dead Guy Ale and Chatoe Rogue First Growth OREgasmic Ale, an amber brewed with hops and malt grown on Rogue’s own micro hopyard and barley farm. Pairing menu:

• American Amber Ale: Cured hog jowel with pistachio, plum, and cardomom
• Somer Orange Honey Ale: Seared plaintains and bison shortrib with pulverised gingerbread
• Kells Irish Style Lager: Kielbasa with spicy greens and cherries, apple cider glaze
• Imperial Younger's Special Bitter: Marrow bones with sherry and raisins, on toast
• John John Hazelnut Brown Nectar: Unripe banana and kiwi with tapioca dumpling and parsley sauce

Other standouts from tonight's options are the Schmaltz ((makers of He'Brew and Coney Island beers) night at District Pour House with charismatic brewery founder Jeremy Cowan, and the chance to drink from a firkin of Reissdorf Kolsch with Belgian Beer Knight Bill Catron at Biergarten Haus, but check out tonight's complete list below and see what looks good for yourself. More details on any event can be found in our D.C. Beer Events Calendar.

• Flying Dog Yappy Hour at DC Bread & Brew (4:00-8:00pm, $4 bottles)
• Sam Adams Oktoberfest Kick-Off at RFD (4:00-10:00pm, $4 per pint)
• Half-Price Draft Happy Hour at Pizzeria Paradiso (5:00-7:00pm)
• Heavy Seas Cask Night at Thunder Burger (5:00-8:00pm)
• Rogue Ales Oyster Fest at The Reef (5:00-10:00pm)
• DC Brau Owners Meet & Greet at The Big Hunt (5:30-7:30pm)
• Abita Happy Hour at Eatonville (6:00-9:00pm, $10 for first beer and hors d'ouerves, $5 per beer)
• Three-Course Beer & Food Pairing Menu at Dino (6:00-9:30pm, $39)
• Victory Cask Night at ChurchKey (6:00-10:00pm)
• Opposite Night & Homebrew Swap at Breadsoda (6:00-10:00pm, Free 8oz. beer with each pint purchased)
• Schmaltz Night with Founder Jeremy Cowan at Distrtict Pour House (6:00-8:00pm)
• Duvel Green Tasting at ChurchKey (7:00-8:00pm, Free)
• Schlafly Dinner with Founder Dan Kopman at Meridian Pint (7:00-10:00pm, $65)
• Reissdorf Kolsch Firkin Night with Bill Catron at Biergarten Haus (7:00-9:00pm)
• Brooklyn Pint Night at The Pug (8:00-10:00pm)

Follow The Lagerheads on Twitter | on Facebook

As one year ends and another begins, the Lagerheads are taking a moment to glance back at the year in beer and reflect. First up, a look at the local front,  in two tomes. Below we give you five of the most influential local happenings in the beer scene in 2009 and what they mean for an up-and-coming beer city like DC. Take a look and tell us what you think.

1. SAVOR (and SAVOR Week) - This May, DC enjoyed the second wildly successful SAVOR food and beer pairing event. It gets our Number 1 spot because of the sheer number of excellent American brewers and breweries it brings to our city. Sure, it's a fairly expensive and exclusive night of eating, drinking, and schmoozing, but SAVOR also results in an entire week of opportunities to meet and learn from American craft beer celebrities (and more important, DRINK THEIR BEER). Mark your calendars for SAVOR #3, which returns to the National Building Museum on June 5, 2010.
2. First Official DC Beer Week – SAVOR's success undoubtedly paved the way for our Number 2 item, last August's inaugural DC Beer Week. Most events sold out, which speaks to the number of locals out there who are interested in learning about and enjoying great beer. Since August, there have been a few just as busy weeks of beer events (remember late October?!), and we expect our DC Beer Events calendar to continue to fill up. So take advantage because there are sure to be DC Beer Weeks, official or not, throughout 2010.
3. Opening of Two Giants: Birch & Barley/ChurchKey & Pizzeria Paradiso Dupont - What can we say? We got two great beer bars/restaurants in 2009 that help put DC more visibly on the national beer map. Each spot not only has an amazing selection, but is also run by passionate people who have the right philosophy about respecting beer. A small mention goes out to Room 11, which opened in August and has a modest but solid beer selection. We are fans of their Monday night specialty keg series.
4. Independent Brewpubs Announced: Black Squirrel & Mad Fox – DC has fresh local beer, but it's primarily in the form of national chains like District Chophouse (owned by RockBottom Restaurants, Inc.) and Gordon Biersch. We love them both dearly, but in order to be a great beer city a wealth of local independent brewpubs is a must. Last year Bill Madden and Amy Bowman each announced plans to open their own brewing operations, Mad Fox Brewpub and Black Squirrel Brewery, respectively.  These brewpubs will join Capitol City Brewing Company as options for fresh, corporate-free, locally brewed beer. A big step for our fair city. *Okay, so Mad Fox will be in Falls Church, which is a bit out there, but NOVA is the "5th quadrant" (a real 4th quadrant if you look at the map), so stop fighting it and look forward to getting out there for great beer.
5. DC's Belgian Beer Knights Tally Goes up to Four - Last year Brasserie Beck's Thor Cheston and Belga Café's Bart Vandaele joined the exclusive ranks of Belgian beer aficionados knighted by the Belgian Brewers' Guild. Our fair city having a total of  four beer knights (including the Brickskeller's Dave Alexander and local beer ambassador Bill Catron) has to mean we're doing something right around here. The Lagerheads wonder how many other cities can boast so many Belgian beer knights per capita.

That's a lot of big beer news and five very good reasons why beer lovers like us are lucky to live in DC. Stay tuned for Part 2 with more beer happenings from 2009, and even more to be thankful for.

Two exciting beer events are coming to D.C. this month — both on the same day. Both parties involved assured me that neither knew the about other, which seems unlikely in a small town with so much tweeting, but I made them all cross their hearts.

Brasserie Beck will host Brooklyn Brewmaster Garrett Oliver, who will pour five of his beers alongside a four-course dinner. The lineup includes two new treats: Reinschweinsgebot, described as "a bacon-infused beer, aged in Rittenhouse rye barrels, fat-washed and then infused with botanicals used in vermouth and bitters." (Fat-washing is when you pour a flavorful fat into a liquid, let infuse, and then strain out the fat by freezing the liquid and letting the fat coagulate.) Also featured is the beer Manhattan Project, which sounds like an porkless version of the former.

Meanwhile, The Brickskeller hosts a roster of five D.C. beer folk, each of which will present two of their favorite beers and spin stories about each. The speaker list includes Bob Tupper, schoolteacher, beer historian, and the man behind the defunct (but soon returning) Tuppers Hop Pocket Ale. Also on the mic will be Bill Catron, a Belgian brewery rep who was Brasserie Beck's first beer manager.

So which event to choose? Tough choice, right? Full menus and prices after the jump.

Brooklyn Brewmaster Garrett Oliver Beer Dinner at Brasserie Beck, Oct. 27, 7 p.m., $85. Reservations call 202-408-1717.

Aperitif (The Manhattan Project)
First Course: Pan Seared North Carolina Grouper, with Gruyere Cheese Potato Cake, Pomme Paille Chive, Tomato Beurre Blanc (Local 1)
Second Course: Roulade of Chapel Hills Farms Sweet Breads, Celery Root Puree, Cabernet Reduction, (Local 2)
Third Course: Grilled Teres Major Beef, Roasted Autumn Vegetables, Asparagus, Pearl Onion and Mushroom Sauce (Reinschweinsgebot)
Fourth Course: Rum Baba, Cherry Ice Cream, Cherry Sauce (Black Chocolate Stout 2008)

Why Is There Beer? Tasting at The Brickskeller, Oct. 27, 7 p.m., $35. Tickets available soon on the Brickskeller website.
Bob Tupper, beer historian and brewer of Tuppers Hop Pocket
Larry Robinson, Chevy Chase Liquors
Greg Kitsock, Washington Post beer columnist and editor of Mid-Atlantic Brewing News
Bill Catron, Belgian brewery rep, formerly of DeVinos/D'Vines and Brasserie Beck
Dave Alexander, Brickskeller owner

This Friday in Brussels, at an enthronement ceremony that will kick off a weekend-long celebration of Belgian beer, two of our local heroes will have the honor of being knighted by the Chevalerie du Fourquet des Brasseurs, or Knighthood of the Brewers' Mashstaff. Thor Cheston, formerly at Birreria Paradiso and now general manager at Brasserie Beck, and Bart Vandaele, owner and executive chef at Belga Cafe are the third and fourth DC-area beer visionaries to be recognized for their efforts to promote Belgian beer.

This weekend's festivities will double the number of Beer Knights in DC, bestowing on our fair city bragging rights for having more "Sir Beer Guys" than any other city in America.  In 2003, DC beer legend Dave Alexander, co-owner of The Brickskeller, was the fifth American and first American bar owner to be knighted by the Belgian Brewers' Guild. You may recall all the hubbub just two years ago, when Belgian beer aficionado Bill Catron, the former beer sommelier at Brasserie Beck who is now with DeVinos/D'Vines, was the 13th American to be knighted.

Those of us in DC who love Belgian beer owe a lot to these four men. Their work has helped make Washington the great beer town it is today. How did they each become worthy of the title "Sir"? What is the knighting ceremony like? The Lagerheads have been meeting with our local knights and knights-to-be over the past few weeks and will be sharing all the thirst-quenching details on the subject soon, so stay tuned.

As you may have noticed, I've changed the title of this weekly feature, which is usually published under the name of Greatest Hits. I have done so out of respect for the top item about the passing of pastry chef Jérôme Girardot. There was nothing great about his untimely death, even if, in life, Girardot repeatedly displayed greatness in his chosen field.

This week's most-read posts:

1. Ritz Pastry Chef Jérôme Girardot Found Dead in Cameron Station Park
2. A Day in a Life of a Writer for a Newspaper No One Knows About
3. If Carla Hall Becomes the Next 'Top Chef,' She Doesn't Want Her Own Restaurant
4. Former Brasserie Beck Beer Man Bill Catron Now at De Vinos
5. Two Unsolicited Tips for Hostesses and Wait Staffers

"I thought, 'Why wouldn't I put [Belgian beer list] in de vinos and make it affordable?'" Catron says during a phone interview.

Catron believes there are enough shops where beer drinkers can pick up a bomber or five of American microbrews, so it only made sense to give de vinos a different identity. He already has 100 Belgians in store and should have 300 different brands by next week. Catron will keep some American microbrews in stock for those loyal de vinos customers who just can't make the switch to Belgian beers.

De vinos owner George Aguilar contacted Catron about the full-time position shortly after the beer man left Beck. The two men have known each other for years. Aguilar and his wife used to be regular patrons at Beck. "He was always telling me, 'If you ever leave this place, let me know,'" Catron says.

How long Catron, one of the few Americans to be knighted by the La Chevalerie du Fourquet des Brasseurs, will ultimate stay at de vinos is anyone's guess. "My heart," the 33-year-old says, "lies with a beer program within a restaurant. I do like doing [the work at de vinos], but ultimately I think i will have to go back and follow that [restaurant] route."

Thanks to the power of the internets, the first two spots on this week's list belong to posts from last week: one on the departure of Bill Catron from Brasserie Beck and the other on the Cameron Perks tragedy. After that, the Top 5 looks like this:

1. The Sounds of Slurping: Get Ready for D.C. Noodle Shops
2. Ray's the Net Is No More. It's Now Ray's: The Catch
3. Beard Semi-Finalists Just Announced: D.C. Is Well Represented
4. So Where the Hell Can You Find Jamie Stachowski Charcuterie in This Town?
5. Pizze in Woodley Park: Taking Aim at the Jumbo Slice Culture

"Robert offered him another position within the company, and Bill declined," Cheston said this afternoon. The job was a management gig that would allow Catron to continue as beer manager for Beck, Cheston said. The general manager didn't know why Catron declined the offer, and Beck's former "beer sommelier" was not immediately available for comment. Catron's last day at Beck was Jan. 23.

As the new man in charge of the beer list, Cheston doesn't plan to mess with success—at least too much. He's already added two German beers, including Weinstephaner Hefeweizen, and he's thinking about "branching out and doing American versions of Belgian beers." Cheston is even planning a trip to Belgian to visit two of his favorite breweries, Van Steenberge and Het Anker, to develop a signature beer for Brasserie Beck.

Cheston doesn't know yet what style of beer he may want to create. "My beloved Belgian triple is really calling to me, but I wouldn't want Het Anker to compete with themselves." Het Anker, he says, already produces one of the best triples anywhere, the Gouden Carolus Triple. As such, Cheston may look toward an imperial stout or even a lambic.

Speaking of unanswered questions, Cheston didn't know where Catron has landed, or even if he has landed somewhere yet. Catron's resume will certainly help him find future employment. In 2007, he was knighted by La Chevalerie du Fourquet des Brasseurs, or the Knighthood of Brewers' Mashstaffs, the direct descendant of Belgium's ancient brewers' guild. At the time, Catron was only the 14th American to be knighted by the group.

Beck is moving along without its original beer man. Cheston has a special, four-course dinner planned for March 16, 17, and 18. Representatives from Kasteel, Delirium Tremens, and Het Anker will be on hand to pair each course with beer. Cheston even promises some surprises, perhaps a taste of Het Anker's single malt.