For the fourth year, SAVOR: An American Craft Beer & Food Experience will bring talented brewers and their beers to D.C. from all over the United States. The popular tasting event, which will be at the National Building Museum on June 3 and 4, sold out in less than 20 minutes again this year, despite doubling in capacity from one to two sessions.

But not having a ticket will not leave you thirsty come June. The excitement of having so much great craft beer in the city has motivated the D.C. beer community to once again create a beer week around the Brewers Association event. Only this time things are more official, as the logo above suggests.

SAVOR is two months away, but nearly 40 events have already been planned for the days leading up to and immediately following the event. Read on for a sneak peek at what's in store for SAVOR Beer Week DC, which runs from May 30 to June 5. (But grab a hankie because the list will make you drool.)

Kick-off events don't get much better than the craft beer and crab fest that Policy is planning for all day Monday, May 30. What better way to spend your Memorial Day than chasing down some softshells with beer from Heavy Seas, Flying Dog, and Dogfish Head?

The active planners at Flying Dog are leading the pack with events so far, starting with a book reading with CEO Jim Caruso at Kramerbooks on Tuesday. Caruso will mostly likely read from the works of Hunter S. Thompson, the "Gonzo" journlaist who is near and dear to the brewery and its founders. The same night Flying Dog has invited Lagunitas Brewing Company of Petaluma, Calif., for a double brewery event at The Big Hunt. On Wednesday, the Frederick, Maryland, brewery is hosting a late night comedy showcase at the Gibson Guitar Showroom. On Thursday, Flying Dog is throwing a brewers symposium draft night at ChurchKey featuring beers from several breweries participating in SAVOR. Finally, on Saturday Farmers & Fishers will serve a beer pairing brunch featuring Flying Dog brews.

RFD is pulling out the big guns again, with their "Toast to SAVOR" tasting event scheduled for Wednesday night and the annual Lupulin Reunulin on Thursday. The Lupulin slam began as a best India Pale Ale contest between teams of east and west coast brewers. These days it is a brewers' reunion that brings big names like Sam Calagione of Dogfish Head, Kim Jordan of New Belgium Brewing Company, and local legend Bill Madden of Mad Fox Brewing Company in Falls Church to the stage for a night of beer, and often, comedy. RFD will also be the site of one of several SAVOR after parties on Friday night.

ChurchKey has an excellent line-up with events every night and a Saturday brunch featuring paired courses from the breweries they host over the course of the week. Standouts include a Sierra Nevada beer dinner at Birch & Barley on Tuesday and a tap takeover night with Short's Brewing Company of Bellaire, Michigan, on Thursday.

Pizzeria Paradiso is planning a five-course pairing dinner on Monday at the Georgetown location and a brunch on Saturday at the Dupont Circle location featuring two special breweries. The Georgetown and Old Town Alexandria locations will see two draft nights throughout the week as well. At this point the participating breweries are a secret but they are sure not to disappoint.

The Black Squirrel will be partnering with New Holland Brewing Company of Michigan for a special event sometime over the weekend. On Sunday evening, the ladies of Black Squirrel will be hosting an educational beer and food pairing event for women in the new downstairs bar that will showcase some of the biggest female names in the beer industry.

Scion in Dupont Circle is teaming up with Allagash for a paired tasting event on Wednesday featuring some of the Maine brewery's rarest beers. The list includes Odyssey, a barrel-aged dark wheat ale, Victoria, a Belgian-style ale brewed with 150 pounds of Chardonnay grapes, Big Little Beer, a collaboration with the founders of Beer Advocate, and Vrienden, a brew made with New Belgium Brewing Company of Colorado.

The Big Hunt is planning some fun stuff for the week, with the marquee event being a tap takeover with Evolution Brewing Company of Delaware on Saturday.

On Wednesday, Rustico is hosting a Sierra Nevada meet the brewers night and glassware giveaway at the Ballston location. On the same evening in D.C., Capital Lounge will be throwing an event with Great Lakes Brewing Company.

Iron Horse has some unique stuff planned including a backwards SAVOR, called "ROVAS" which will run Monday through Thursday evenings. For opposite week, all craft beers will be $5 a pint and light domestic beers like Miller and Bud will be $10 a pint. Iron Horse is also hosting a tap takeover of beers featured at SAVOR on Friday night and a SAVOR after party on Saturday.

Brewery Ommegang has a full week of events planned including beer dinners at Smith Commons and Meridian Pint on Tuesday and Thursday, respectively. There will also be Ommegang beer featured at a SAVOR after party at Brasserie Beck on Friday and a brunch at Granville Moore's on Sunday.

Brunch fans will be pleased to know that in addition to the wealth of options already listed, both Saturday and Sunday Bourbon in Glover Park will be putting on a "Beer Can Revolution" brunch featuring beers from DC Brau, Oskar Blues, Avery, and Butternuts.

There are also rumors of a beer bar bus tour with Dogfish Head brewmaster Sam Calagione Saturday afternoon starting with a book signing at D'Vines in Columbia Heights.

All event details are tentative. For udpates, keep an eye on our D.C. Beer Events Calendar.

Logo by Joel LaPointe developed through a contest with DCBeer.com, Premium Distributors and the Brewers Association

Tuesday Dr. Granville Moore's is hosting a "Barfood Spectacular," pairing seven Ommegang beers with six pub grub-influenced courses. Among the beers are Ommegang's BPA (Belgian Pale Ale) and newly released Zuur, a Flemish Sour Brown Ale and creative menu items include hot frog leg "wings" and braised lamb shoulder sliders. Those of you not up for a multi-course dinner can hang out downstairs and order the featured beers, or any from Granville Moore's Belgian-focused list, at your own pace.

Also on Tuesday is the monthly pairing menu at Belga Café. This month's theme involves Summer white ales and beer cocktails, and includes one of chef Bart Vandaele's famous beer-prepared entrees and a dessert for $49 per person.

Wednesday  you can experience Oktoberfest in June at The Black Squirrel. Cleveland's Great Lakes Brewing Company has sent one keg of their Oktoberfest Marzen, and Black Squirrel chef Gene Sohn will be preparing appropriate fare, bratwurst and roasted chickens, for the occasion.

And like every week, you can order pints from a special guest tap at Room 11 starting Monday and usually lasting through mid-week. This time around is Coronado Brewing Company's Mermaid Red Ale.

For details on any event click on it in the D.C. Beer Events Calendar above.

BEER EVENTS FOR WEDNESDAY, JUNE 2

• [LH PICK] Flying Dog Meet the Brewery Night at Pizzeria Paradiso – Both Pizzeria Paradiso locations will have a special selection of Flying Dog beers including Barrel Aged Gonzo, Locally-Roasted Coffee Stout, and casks of Raging Bitch Belgian IPA. 5 to 8PM.

WHY TO GO: The Barrel-Aged Gonzo Imperial Porter that is out right now is heavenly. Depending on which Flying Dog beers are available, a chance to try a Snake Dog Bite or another one of Manager Greg Jasgur's beertails.

WHY NOT TO: You prefer enough personal space to sit and enjoy your beer (Wednesday is Pizzeria Paradiso's regular happy hour night and it can get crowded). Tip: head to Georgetown instead of Dupont.

• The Clash of the Titans at The Red and The Black – The event will feature Great Lakes Brewing Company's Lake Erie Monster and Harpoon Brewing's Leviathan, two behemoths among beers. Music provided by Nathan Robinson (of Archivist) and friends. Glassware giveaway. 5 to 8PM.

WHY TO GO: No cover. Live music. You like big, flavorful beers.

WHY NOT TO: The H Street trolley isn't running yet. Red & Black's beer list doesn't have that many other craft beer gems to offer. (They have a few but the key word is "gem.")

• Goose Island Sofie Tasting at D'Vines – Free tasting of the Illinois brewery's "sparkling saison"-style beer, brewed with wild yeasts and aged in wine barrels with orange peel. Every 13th four-pack is only $0.01. 5:30 to 8PM.

WHY TO GO: FREE tasting. The chance to get four beers for a penny.

WHY NOT TO: You don't think saisons should sparkle.

• Heavy Seas & BreweryFans.com SAVOR Ticket Giveaway at Elephant & Castle – Loose Cannon IPA will be available for $1 off. Get a raffle ticket for every Loose Cannon purchased for a chance to win a ticket to SAVOR including a salon ticket. 6 to 9PM. Drawing at 9PM.

WHY TO GO: Loose Cannon IPA (yum). You are desperate for a ticket to SAVOR and feeling lucky.

WHY NOT TO: You are desperate for a ticket to SAVOR and feeling...desperate.

• Anchor Humming Ale Release Party at ChurchKey -Anchor's new seasonal release, Humming Ale, will be featured on draft and multiple other Anchor offerings will be available including Anchor Steam, Anchor Liberty Ale, and Anchor Old Foghorn Barleywine. 6 to 9PM.

WHY TO GO: Nelson Sauvin hops. A chance to rub elbows with Anchor CEO John Dannerbeck and learn about Anchor's recent sale to the Griffin Group. Old Foghorn Barleywine.

WHY NOT TO: You won't be hard-pressed to get these beers at lots of other places on lots of other days.

• [LH PICK, BS PICK] Three Floyds Tasting at the Brickskeller – The three brothers from Indiana who started Three Floyds Brewing Company will be on stage at the Brick leading a tasting of eight FFF beers, including their Alpha King Challenge winning beer. 6:30 to 10PM. Tickets $35 at LoveTheBeer.com.

WHY TO GO: All Three Floyds themselves and eight beers for only $35 (come on!). The beer education pros at the Brick know what they are doing.

WHY NOT TO: You don't like hops. You don't like being shushed.

• Extended Hump Day Flying Dog Happy Hour at 19th – The golf-themed bar will have a late happy hour featuring Flying Dog Doggie Style Pale Ale and other Flying Dog offerings. 8 to 10PM.

WHY TO GO: You are a loyal Flying Dog fan. You have to work late.

WHY NOT TO: You refuse to attend an event that has "hump" in its title. You hate golf.

• [BS PICK] American Craft Beer Tasting at Granville Moore's – It will be too late for those award-winning mussels but the folks at Granville Moore's are featuring a bunch of American craft beers including Brooklyn Barleywine, Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout, Brooklyn Local 2, Anchor Porter, Rogue Chipotle, Coney Island Albino, River Horse Triple and others. Free Granville Moore's glasses to the first 30 people. 10PM to 12AM.

WHY TO GO: Belgian beers make your heart go pitter-pat.

WHY NOT TO: Your pets, spouse, or job do not permit you to be out past 10pm on a Wednesday.

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Also Monday is a Dogfish Head dinner at American Flatbread in Clarendon, and Room 11 is having a special tapping of La Chose, Quebec brewery La Trou du Diable's Wee Heavy/IPA hybrid. "The Thing" is a real monster, but the kind you want in your mouth (yes, we know first hand). Tuesday Y&H's very own Beerspotter Orr Shtuhl and executive chef Teddy Folkman will be hosting a pairing dinner at Granville Moore's. [UPDATE: THE BEERSPOTTER GRANVILLE MOORE'S DINNER HAS BEEN POSTPONED TO TUESDAY, MAY 4.]

On Wednesday, the Big Hunt is having a Kentucky Derby warm-up party of the Beer, Bourbon & BBQ variety. They will be serving bourbon cocktails, beers from Allagash, Great Lakes, and Founders, and favorite BBQ dishes specially prepared to go with each beer. Among the selection will be the hard-to-get and highly rated Founders Canadian Breakfast Stout, which is the Michigan brewery's Breakfast Stout aged in maple syrup barrels.

Speaking of BBQ, North Carolina is invading the Black Squirrel this week. Starting Monday, a dozen beers from five North Carolina breweries will be available, and chef Gene Sohn has added an appropriate selection of BBQ dishes to the regular menu. Friday there is a Southampton beer tasting at Chevy Chase Wine & Spirits, and Dean & Deluca in Georgetown is having a cheese and beer tasting. As if all this weren't enough, Saturday, May 1, is National Homebrew Day. Make some friends and get to brewing!

Don't worry if you can't get out there because DC has some excellent opportunities to participate in Cask Ale Week. On Monday, ChurchKey will have the only cask of Bell's Hopslam available in the area.  On Wednesday Flying Dog is bringing two casks (Snake Dog IPA and Doggie Style Classic Pale Ale) to Black Squirrel, and on Thursday the award-winning Frederick brewery will have Simcoe dry-hopped casks of Gonzo Imperial Porter, Snake Dog IPA, and Doggie-Style Classic Pale Ale at ChurchKey.

Beyond the special events this week, you can experience cask ale, DC's Best New Beer Trend, anytime at Pizzeria Paradiso, Commonwealth, District Chophouse, RFD, the Brickskeller, and Rustico.

As for other beer fun this week, like every Monday you can visit Room 11 for their featured guest tap–which is St. Bernardus Pater 6 tonight. On Tuesday Black Squirrel will have the only available keg of Great Lakes Holy Moses. Tammy got the last few drops of a preview keg of this Belgian-style wit at the Big Hunt last month and recommends trying it. Also on Tuesday is Teddy Folkman's "New York's Finest" Beer Dinner at Granville Moore's and a lambic-focused beer tasting at Belga Café. Finally, if you can't wait until next week for Williams Brothers/Heather Ale owner Bruce Williams to come to the Brickskeller, you can head up to Max's in Baltimore Tuesday evening for his Scottish Ales and tales.

As always, click on any event in the DC Beer Events Calendar above for more details.

We are not sure how this keeps happening, but it seems like every month has one night jam-packed with beer events, leaving the rest of the calendar high and dry.

That saturated night for December is this Wednesday, with beer events at Dr. Granville Moore's, The Reef, The Red and The Black, The Brickskeller, as well as the monthly DC Food Bloggers happy hour at ChurchKey. Get details for any event by clicking on our DC Beer Events calendar below.  If you are dedicated enough to try to hit as many as possible, here is the route we suggest.

Start at The Red and the Black for their Troegs Mad Elf launch party to warm up with the delicious winter ale or some Troegs Pale Ale or Java Head Stout instead. (Just bring a bag so you can put your free Troegs glass in it.)

While you're already on H Street, head a few doors down to Granville Moore's to feast on frog legs, lobster, clams, and ostrich dishes paired with Duvel, Maredsous, and Ommegang beers. To do it right, you'd need to plan to spend most of your evening here since it is a full-fledged beer dinner.

If the menu doesn't entice you this time around, head down to ChurchKey for this month's DC Food Bloggers happy hour. According to the Beerspotter and his minions on Twitter, new offerings this week include Harviestoun Schiehallion, Oliver's Best Bitter, Stone Sublimely Self-Righteous, Christoffle Nobel, Founders Backwoods Bastard, and Oskar Blues Ten Fidy.

Once you've had your fill, trot on over to DuPont Circle and stop at the Brickskeller to meet Ginger Johnson, of Women Enjoying Beer to hear about her cross-country crusade for craft beer. Then head up to Adams Morgan and settle in at The Reef to sample the long-awaited Sierra Nevada and Dogfish Head collaboration ale, Life and Limb.

But sometimes the front of the house staff is just clueless. I mean, utterly, painfully clueless, and their cluelessness can hurt a diner's experience. Let me give you two examples from the weekend:

• Our waiter at Dr. Granville Moore's started off great. He was funny. He knew his Belgian beers. He didn't press us. But as his section began to fill, and his nerves began to fray, his charm wore thin, which was fine. We don't need to be charmed. What we don't need, however, are insults. My two oldest friends were visiting D.C. this weekend. One of them decided as a New Year's resolution to forsake drinking. At one point in the dinner, my friend stopped the waiter and said, "This may be a stupid question, but do you have any non-alcoholic beers?" The waiter's response? "No, we don't," he said, then paused, as if for emphasis, "and yes, it was." Y&H tip: When a customer is showing obvious deference to your precious Belgian beer concept by beginning an inquiry with, "This may be a stupid question," you don't insult them in return, even if you think you're making a joke. Overworked waiters, their stress showing with every tense and terse sentence, should not try to crack jokes or tease diners whom they just met 30 minutes ago.

• Before we dropped our friends at the airport on Sunday, we stopped by Leopold's Kafe & Konditorei in Georgetown for brunch. We called five minutes before we arrived to see if they had a table. They said they did, and Carrie and I dropped off our friends at the entrance to Cady's Alley so that we could search for parking. Our friends met up with a hostess who told them that, in no certain terms, a table wouldn't be ready for 20 minutes and that they didn't know about the call we had made just five minutes earlier. Fortunately a table mysteriously appeared, but the hostess staff's rudeness continued. Behind our table, four elderly diners were crammed into a table at the end of the banquette. Next to the quartet was a two-top bar table. There literally was no way to access the chair on the farthest side of the two-top without forcing the elderly group to stand up and move their table six inches to the left. Which they couldn't do even if they wanted; there was no room to move their table six inches to the left. So what did the hostess do after escorting the young women to their inaccessible two-top? Nothing. She walked away, only to briefly turn around and point at the perplexed patrons and, essentially, tell them to go ahead and squeeze into the table. One of the women was forced to walk under the table to reach her chair. Y&H tip: A hostess' job is not to be a princess who merely greets customers upon entry. You're the first impression every diner will have of the restaurant, which means that you must be more than a pretty face. You must use your brain, too. Don't force customers to work out their own problems.  Fix them yourself. Or notice the problems before they become problems.

Image by Flickr user b r e n t