The various new twists on the house-made Vietnamese soup-flavored frankfurter comes at the expense of other foodstuffs. U Hall's pork belly doughnut, "sloppy cho" and curry chicken ramen brat, for instance, are no longer offered. “They were one-stop-shop kind of items, but they were fun for a little bit,” says Erik Bruner-Yang, chef-owner of Toki Underground, who regularly collaborates with U Hall co-owner Jesse Tittsworth on the music club's culinary offerings. “We want to be able to change the menu up often, keep it interesting.”

This time around, the pair have teamed up with 13th Street Meats, a one-man sausage making company run by Scott McIntosh, who also tends bar at The Big Hunt and Bread Soda. McIntosh makes all the sausages by hand out of his kitchen on 13th Street. His sausages are far from fancy charcuterie—just something “you can enjoy with a beer at the bar and not feel like you’re just eating some frozen crap,” McIntosh says.

Among the venue's new franks: the Blunted Pho Dog is a spicy half-smoke sausage, topped with five-spice Asian cole slaw, fresh basil, cilantro, lime, hoisin sauce and sriracha. The half-smoke is McIntosh’s own take on D.C.'s indigenous wienie. “The weird thing about half smokes is there’s no real agreed-upon recipe for it," he says. "So it’s, basically, you kind of have to take a half-smoke and deconstruct it. I tried a bunch of different ones and made a couple dozen test batches."

The Not Pho Real Dog, meanwhile, is made of grilled tofu, and the Pork’s Not for Me Dog is a smoked lemon basil chicken sausage, one of McIntosh’s most difficult recipes to perfect, made of half a dozen ingredients including lemon zest, lemon pulp, basil, and bell peppers.

In a few months, Bruner-Yang expects to switch up the U Hall menu once again. “Most nightclubs don’t do food or don’t do food very well, so we kind of want to show that we care,” he says.

Photo by Chris Svetlik

This Monday, Acqua Al 2 on Capitol Hill is launching its Italian craft beer program with complimentary tastings at the bar from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Thursday. The recently buffed-up list includes eleven artisanal beers from Italy in bottiglia (by the bottle) and two alla spina (on draft).

On Tuesday, Meridian Pint and Flying Dog Brewing Company are teaming up for a Movember mustache contest benefiting the Prostate Cancer Foundation and Livestrong. Win prizes like gift cards to local bars or merchandise from DC Brau for the best "mo" in a variety of unique categories. As for the beer, Flying Dog will have six drafts and a cask of their recently released oyster stout, Pearl Necklace, at $1 off for anyone with a mustache—real or fake. The party starts at 5 p.m. and goes to 11 p.m.

On Wednesday at 6:30 p.m., Smith Commons is hosting a craft beer and whiskey pairing dinner featuring five small plates from chef Carlos Delgado, beers from Allagash Brewing Company, and whiskeys from Michter’s Limited Production American Whiskey. Tickets are $45. Thursday night's seating is sold out but tickets for Wednesday are still available.

On Thursday, some fantastic beers are rolling into town. At 6 p.m. at The Big Hunt, Stephen Jones, brewmaster of Baltimore's Oliver Breweries, will release this year's batch of Hot Monkey Love. The strong (10 percent alcohol by volume), malty ale is brewed with 120 pounds of honey. Get there early to score some limited edition glassware that you can keep.

A few blocks away, Avery Brewing Company of Boulder, Co., is taking over the taps at ChurchKey with an insane amount of delicious and rare brews starting at 6 p.m. In addition to vintages of Demons of Ale series brews Mephistopheles Stout and The Beast Grand Cru, the line-up includes a low alcohol content pale ale wet-hopped with Chinook, as well as Meph Addict, a 15 percent alcohol-by-volume stout brewed with coffee. Avery's Ted Whitney will be on hand to discuss the brewery and the special list of nearly twenty beers.

On Friday The Black Squirrel is partnering with Great Lakes and Tröegs brewing companies to help spread some holiday cheer. Starting at 6 p.m., Great Lakes Christmas Ale, Tr öegs Mad Elf and several other special brews will be available, along with free Christmas cookies (yum!), all night.

Finally, on Saturday, Meridian Pint is offering a beer brunch featuring some exceedingly rare brews from Founders Brewing Company of Michigan. As you may have guessed, both the bourbon-barrel-aged Kentucky Breakfast Stout and Canadian Breakfast Stout, the brewery's triumphed imperial stout aged in barrels bourbon barrels that were used to condition maple syrup, are on the list. Seatings are at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. and tickets are $65 including tax and tip.

And these are just a few picks! Check out my D.C. Beer Events calendar for the full list.

Send submissions for the D.C. Beer Events calendar to thelagerheads@gmail.com.

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I've been known to have a lead foot when it comes to the brews I choose, and in this regard many of the drinkers in the distant, cold reaches of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden and I are one in the same. But it's the nod to their Nordic roots, experimentation with modern American styles (like Double IPAs) as well as a tendency toward high-alcohol content that draws me to Scandinavian beers. On Monday at 6 p.m., ChurchKey is offering a rare chance to sample from a variety of Nordic brews on draft from outfits like Kissmeyer, To Øl, Haandbryggeriet, Nøgne Ø and Mikkeller, as well as the new-to-the U.S., Bøgedal, a Danish brewery that produces beer so unique that each batch is numbered, not named.

Also on Monday, Hank's Oyster Bar in Dupont Circle will host the D.C. launch of Flying Dog's newest brew, Pearl Necklace Oyster Stout. A dry stout brewed with local oysters to raise awareness of issues facing the oyster population in the Chesapeake Bay, Pearl Necklace was the brainchild of Flying Dog, Rappahannock River Oysters, and Baltimore’s Woodberry Kitchen. Proceeds from Pearl Necklace will benefit the Oyster Recovery Partnership, an organization that coordinates and conducts large-scale oyster restoration efforts. From 5 to 7 p.m. get a free oyster with each purchase of a Pearl Stout...and feel good about doing your part to help save the environment.

On Tuesday, fans of the Saint Louis Brewery's solid line of Schlafly beers will want to schlep over to Meridian Pint for a chance to sample a dozen offerings, most not often available in D.C. The brews will be available in four flights, or sets, of three small pours each. Choose from malty, hoppy, wheaty, or bourbony. Stand outs include Hop Harvest, a dry-hopped American Pale Ale brewed with fresh Sorachi Ace hops and 2006, 2008, and 2010 batches of Bourbon Barrel Imperial Stout.

It wouldn't be a D.C. Thanksgiving without a growler of local beer and some pre-ordered, specially prepared pies. DC Brau and Dangerously Delicious Pies have you covered. The local businesses arranged it so you can pick up your pre-ordered pie at the brewery on Wednesday between 2 and 8 p.m., effectively getting your "punch" and pie in the same spot. As of Saturday, Dangerously Delicious was no longer taking Thanksgiving orders...but you can still get that growler of beer to go.

No turkey plans? No problem. Thursday evening The Black Squirrel is offering the generous gift of an all-you-can-eat Thanksgiving buffet for just five bucks. Even better, the evening will feature several pumpkin beers, including Schlafly’s Pumpkin Ale, DC Brau Fermentation without Representation Imperial Pumpkin Porter, and Flying Dog The Fear Imperial Pumpkin Ale. Show up any time 7 p.m. or later, preferably hungry.

Also this week, Bourbon in Glover Park is holding extended happy hours, from 5 to 8 p.m., and launching their fall cocktail menu. Capitol Hill's Belga Café will hold its monthly beer dinner on Tuesday, this time focusing on holiday ales. Across the river in Falls Church, Mad Fox Brewing Company will tap a cask of Defender American Pale Ale. On Wednesday, The Big Hunt will tap its stash of Great Lakes Christmas Ale. On the same night, Smith Commons in the Atlas District will feature Long Trail brews. Finally, ChurchKey is pulling out all the stops for a Thanksgiving Eve party with an impressive list of American craft beers from both near and far.

Send submissions for the D.C. Beer Events calendar to thelagerheads@gmail.com.

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The outfit bringing Sixpoint to town is Legends Limited, a Baltimore-based craft beer importer and distributor. Its reps have done an excellent job spreading Sixpoint standard offerings like Righteous Ale, an India pale ale made with rye, and The Crisp, a well-hopped lager, as well as specialty releases such as Old Krusher barleywine and several unique one-off's from the brewery's Mad Scientist series across the city. So plan on having multiple nights out to take full advantage of the week's festivities.

Tonight, founder Shane Welch and fellow Sixpointers Terence McNicholas and Jeff Gorlechen will host a progressive launch party at Pizzeria Paradiso's Dupont Circle location from 5 to 7 p.m. and at Meridian Pint from 7 to 9 p.m. Details on these and other welcoming events below. An asterisk notes a beer that will be available exclusively at that venue during launch week.

While you're out there trying Sixpoint's wide variety of quality brews, don't forget to admire the packaging. Welch's first love was design, and it shows.

CALENDAR

Monday, September 12
- Pizzeria Paradiso Dupont (12 drafts)
- Meridian Pint (8 drafts)
- Red Derby (4 cans)

Tuesday September 13
- The Bier Baron (4 cans + 2 drafts)
- Thunder Burger (4 cans + 1 draft)

Wednesday September 14
- Scion (5 drafts & free hors d'ouvres)
- The Big Hunt (4 cans + 3 drafts)

Thursday September 15
- ChurchKey (7 drafts + 2 casks)
- Star and Shamrock (4 cans)
- D'Vines (4 drafts for growler fills)

Friday September 16
- The Black Squirrel (4 cans + 3 drafts)
- Jack Rose (4 cans + 1 draft)

Saturday, September 17
- Smith Commons (2 drafts)

EVENT DETAILS

Monday at Pizzeria Paradiso: All 12 Sixpoint drafts will be $3 a pint from 5 to 7 p.m. Founder Shane Welch and fellow Sixpointers Terence McNicholas and Jeff Gorlechen will be present.

Beer List:
*Spice of Life India Pale Ale w/ Chinook
*Bark Red Session Ale
*Little Wisco Kolsch-style Ale with flaked corn
*Growler Dark Mild Ale
*Mad Scientist #4 Hibiscus Ale
*Old Krusher Barleywine
*Brevity Belgian Wit
*Little Buzz Honey-Infused Ale
*Filling Station Belgian Pale Ale
Brownstone Signature Brown Ale
Bengali Tiger India Pale Ale
Sweet Action Cream Ale

Monday at Meridian Pint: The party, including founder Shane Welch and his crew, moves to Meridian Pint from 7 to 9 p.m. All eight drafts will be on special for half price.

Beer List:
*Mad Scientist #3 Doppel Sticke Germain-style Ale
*Spice of Life India Pale Ale w/ Cascade
*Gemini Double India Pale Ale
*Otis Nitro Stout with Flaked Oats
Crisp Lager
Bengali Tiger India Pale Ale
Sweet Action Cream Ale
Righteous Rye Ale

Tuesday at The Bier Baron: All beers will be on draft and cost $5 a pint from 6 to 8 p.m. No reservations necessary. The event will be in the upstairs bar.

Beer List:
*Autobahn West Coast Style India Pale Ale
Brownstone Signature Brown Ale
Crisp Lager
Bengali Tiger India Pale Ale
Sweet Action Cream Ale
Righteous Rye Ale

Tuesday at Thunder Burger: All beers will be on draft except for Crisp and Righteous Ale, which will be in cans. All beers will be $6 all night with a half-off special from 6 to 7 p.m. for happy hour.

Beer List:
*Bills Burger ESB (Extra Special Bitter)
Bengali Tiger India Pale Ale
Sweet Action Cream Ale
Righteous Rye Ale

Crisp Lager

Wednesday at The Big Hunt: This event features three drafts and Crisp, Bengali Tiger, Sweet Action, and Righteous in cans. All beers will be available from 5 to 8 p.m. Contact the Big Hunt for pricing details.

Beer List:
*Frankie's Pale Ale
*Spice of Life India Pale Ale with Amarillo
Mad Scientist #6 Wet-Hopped India Pale Ale
Crisp Lager
Bengali Tiger India Pale Ale
Sweet Action Cream Ale
Righteous Rye Ale

Wednesday at Scion: Scion will be pouring $4 drafts of all Sixpoint beers from 5 p.m. until close. They will also be serving complimentary hors d'oeuvres that pair with the beers.

Beer List:
*Meatball Shop Red Ale with 30% Wheat Malt
Crisp Lager
Bengali Tiger India Pale Ale
Sweet Action Cream Ale
Righteous Rye Ale

Thursday at Church Key: ChurchKey will present the first two casks of Sixpoint beer to the District and pour seven different Sixpoint drafts. The event starts at 4 p.m. and there is no admission fee. All nine beers will be priced individually in full glasses and in 4 oz. tasting pours.

Beer List:
*2 surprise casks

*Mad Scientist #5 Belgian Golden Ale infused with Shiso
*Vienna Pale Ale
El Barrio Hopped Brown Ale
Crisp Lager
Bengali Tiger India Pale Ale
Sweet Action Cream Ale
Righteous Rye Ale

Thursday at Star and Shamrock: The bar will have four Sixpoint beers available in cans all night. Call Star & Shamrock for pricing details.

Beer List:
Crisp Lager
Bengali Tiger India Pale Ale
Sweet Action Cream Ale
Righteous Rye Ale

Thursday at D'Vines: D'Vines will be pouring free samples and $8.99 growler fills from 6 to 9 p.m.

Beer List:
Mad Scientist #6 Mad Scientist #6 Wet-Hopped India Pale Ale
Bengali Tiger India Pale Ale
Sweet Action Cream Ale
Righteous Rye Ale

Friday at Jack Rose: All beers will be available starting at 6:30 p.m.. The offerings will be in cans except for Signal, which will be on draft. Contact Jack Rose for pricing info.

Beer List:
*Signal India Pale Ale with Smoked Malt (draft)
Crisp Lager
Bengali Tiger India Pale Ale
Sweet Action Cream Ale
Righteous Rye Ale

Friday at Black Squirrel: All beers will be on draft all night starting at 5 p.m. Flights will be available, as well as chef Gene Sohn's version of "Jumbo Slice"–a different slice that pairs with each of the Signal, Belgian IPA, and Catch & Brass. Members of the Six Point brewing team will be around to meet and greet.

Beer List:
*Belgian IPA
*Catch & Brass Pale Ale
El Barrio Hopped Brown Ale
Crisp Lager
Bengali Tiger India Pale Ale
Sweet Action Cream Ale
Righteous Rye Ale

Saturday at Smith Commons: This event follows the H Street Festival and runs form 7 p.m. until close. Contact Smith Commons for pricing info.

Beer List:
Oyster Stout (American Stout brewed with oyster shells)
Spice of Life India Pale Ale with Cascade

—

Photo by Tammy Tuck

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TOP PICKS

• Schmaltz Rare & Obscure Night at ChurchKey (from 6 to 11 p.m.) – Tonight, ChurchKey will be pouring over twenty casks, vintages, and barrel-aged rarities from New York's Schmaltz Brewing Company, known for the He'Brew and Coney Island lines of beer. The selection includes a newly released collaboration with Terrapin Beer of Georgia called Reunion Ale '11: A Beer for Hope!. Proceeds will benefit the Institute for Myeloma & Bone Cancer Research. The event will be a good chance to learn more about the Reunion series and all things Schmaltz from founder Jeremy Cowan.

• Heavy Seas Restaurant Week Pairing Menu at Thunder Burger (from 4 to 10:30 p.m.) - In celebration of the dual Restaurant/Beer Weeks, Thunder Burger and Heavy Seas have teamed up to offer a special deal. Pair chef Ryan Fichter’s $35.11 Restaurant Week menu with selections from Heavy Sea’s fleet of beers for an additional $10. Beers include Märzen, Davy Jones Imperial Cream Ale, Gold Ale, Loose Cannon India Pale Ale, and Peg Leg Imperial Stout. All are available with or without dinner and a Heavy Seas representative will be on hand to talk about the beer and give away some brewery goodies.

• German Beer Class w/ Troegs at RedRocks Pizzeria (from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m.) – Head to the Columbia Heights location for a chance to discover the subtle characteristics and intricacies of German brewing and its influences on American craft beer. The class will feature four Tröegs Brewing Company beers paired with appetizers from the RedRocks kitchen like prosciutto-wrapped shrimp with aioli and cheese-stuffed dates wrapped in bacon. Pete Showvaker of Troegs will lead the hour-long tasting class. Price is $35 per person and reservations are required.

• Great Lakes Brewer Meet & Greet and Trivia at Meridian Pint (from 5 to 11 p.m.) – Beer geeks, get your technical brewing questions and awkward demeanors ready! Great Lakes Brewing Company head brewer Luke Purcell will be hanging at Meridian Pint all evening and is even slated to host a round of trivia. Featured brews include a few rare brewpub-only beers and Oktoberfest, the Ohio brewery's fall seasonal.

• Rye Beer Night at The Big Hunt (from 5 p.m. until closing) – Like spice? Head to this beloved Dupont Circle dive for a special selection of craft beers made with rye. The list includes Blue Point Rastafarye, He'Brew Bittersweet Lenny's R.I.P.A., Bear Republic Hop Rod Rye, Founders Rye, & 3 Stars / Olivers B.W. Rye.

• DC Brau "Brau-B-Que" & Whiskey Tasting at Little Miss Whiskey's (from 7 to 10 p.m.) – Speaking of rye, join the "Brothers Brau" Jeff Hancock and Brandon Skall in the Atlas District for a whiskey tasting and "Brau-B-Que." DC Brau brews will be available on draft, Big Al Swill's sandwiches will be on the patio, and there will be a free Johnnie Walker tasting at 7:30 p.m. with Peter O'Connor, star of Bar Rescue on Spike TV.

ACROSS THE RIVER

• 12 Percent Imports Takeover at Pizzeria Paradiso Old Town (from 5 to 11 p.m.) – Sample from 15 obscure beers on draft courtesy of 12 Percent Imports of Brooklyn. All beers will be $4 from 5 to 7 p.m. and $8 from 7 p.m. until closing. The list includes offerings from Belgium's Cazeau Tournay and Hof Ten Dormaal breweries, Emelisse from the Netherlands, and a few other hard-to-find European craft beer outfits. There will also be a few specialties from Baltimore-based Stillwater Artisanal Ales, which is affiliated with 12 Percent.

STEALS OF THE DAY

• Pinch those pennies! Lou's City Bar in Columbia Heights is charging half price on all their drafts all day long today, and The Big Hunt in Dupont Circle is selling their 20-ounce bombers of beer for half off all week.

For more information on D.C. Beer Week events, check out my D.C. Beer Events Calendar below, as well as the Washington City Paper event page and the official DC Beer Week site hosted by DCBeer.com.

Send submissions for the D.C. Beer Events calendar to thelagerheads@gmail.com.

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On Tuesday, savvy diners can enjoy food and beer pairings featuring Brewery Ommegang at Fire Works Pizza in Arlington. Beer nerds can bring their thirsty mugs to Rustico in Ballston to officially celebrate the launch of Clown Shoes Beer in the area and meet founder Gregg Berman. Those looking for an all-American experience can head to Mad Fox in Falls Church for a baseball-themed beer dinner.

On Wednesday, Red Rocks Pizzeria in Old Town is hosting a tasting featuring beers from Brooklyn Brewery. In D.C., Scion in Dupont Circle is throwing a beer blowout with seven brews from Great Lakes Brewing Company of Ohio and a chance to win free tickets to Savor.

On Thursday, Adams Morgan is the place to be with a lively re-opening party for Toledo Lounge, which is under new craft beer-focused management. The party continues down the street at the Black Squirrel, where the DC Homebrewers club will hold their monthly meeting, open for all to learn about home brewing and taste some of their DIY concoctions.

On Friday, Gatsby's Tavern in Old Town is having a history-themed beer dinner showcasing ales and lagers from Yards Brewing Company of Philadelphia.

On Saturday, those looking for travel but not interested in roaming too far for Memorial Day Weekend can head to Frederick for the Maryland Brewers SpringFest, a craft beer festival featuring the wares of Olivers, DuClaw, Heavy Seas, The Brewer's Art and many other fine, "Free State" breweries.

Finally, on Sunday, The Big Hunt is having a barbecue night with tons of meat and fixin's prepared by beer manager Dave Coleman and paired with rare brews like Founders Kentucky Breakfast Stout, New Holland El Mole Ocho, and Evolution Menagerie 5.

Send submissions for the D.C. Beer Events calendar to thelagerheads@gmail.com.

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My pick of the week: D.C. makes history with the official release of DC Brau Brewing Company's first batch of beer. DC Brau, the first operating production brewery in the District of Columbia in over 50 years, is hosting a launch party on Friday, April 15, at Meridian Pint. At long last, Public Ale, their 6 percent alcohol by volume (ABV) American-style pale ale, will be poured on draft starting at 5 p.m. The beer will be on special for $4 a pint until 8 p.m. and $5 for the rest of the night. Meridian Pint will be the exclusive site for DC Brau's Public Ale for the rest of the weekend but look for kegs and cans across the District by the end of the month. But show up Friday for a chance to celebrate with founders Brandon Skall and Jeff Hancock. You may even score a commemorative t-shirt.

On Monday, Birch & Barley is hosting a five-course pairing dinner featuring nine beers from Victory Brewing Company. Brewmaster Bill Covaleski will guide the pairings and talk about the brewery, which he started in Downingtown, Pa., in 1996. Tickets are $76 per person, exclusive of tax and gratuity, and were still available this morning.

Not up for a formal sit-down dinner? The Big Hunt in Dupont Circle will tap a cask of Cherry Blossom Ale from Oliver Breweries in Baltimore at 5 p.m., just in time for spring. For those hoping to hang on to winter a while longer, Galaxy Hut in Clarendon is having a barleywine night, featuring Firestone Walker Abacus, Southern Tier Backburner and Sierra Nevada Bigfoot on draft. These intense, high-alcohol brews are sure to having you thinking back to your winter coat and mittens.

On Tuesday, Flying Dog Brewing Company is sharing some of the special brew they made for Amsterdam beer bar In de Wildeman's 25th anniversary. The rest of this one-time release brew is headed straight to Europe, but Flying Dog managed to siphon some off for their loyal locals. You can try In de Wildeman Farmhouse IPA at ChurchKey starting at 6 p.m.

Tuesday is quite a night this week. Lyon Hall in Arlington is having a spring beer dinner featuring a variety of European brews including top picks from Brasserie DuPont in Belgium and Austria's Hofstetten Brewery. Clyde's in Alexandria is hosting a beer dinner featuring new local star Port City Brewing Company. Also, Biergarten Haus on H Street NE is having its weekly trivia night with more German beer and food specials than you can fit in a boot.

On Wednesday, Meridian Pint is hosting an evening with Baltimore beers and brewmasters from Oliver Breweries, Stillwater Artisanal Ales and The Brewer's Art. Standouts on the list of 22 rare drafts and casks include collaborations like Le Revelator, the second beer brewed exclusively for Meridian Pint, and Channel Crossing #3, the third ale brewed by Brian Strumke of Stillwater and Stephen Jones of Olivers. The event goes from 5 to 8 p.m. but Baltimore can show D.C. a thing or to about partying, so expect to stay late, especially if you want to get through even half of the list.

On Thursday, Belga Café is showcasing five beers from Unibroue of Canada by comparing them with five similar brews from Belgium. The pairing dinner includes four courses and costs $79 per person. A rarity for D.C., Bernard Johnson, East Coast manager for the brewery, will be leading the dinner. Beers like La Fin du Monde and Trois Pistoles were some of the first Belgian-style beers available in the District, but there have been few chances to meet someone from Unibroue, which has its headquarters outside Montreal.

Finally, if the crowds at Meridian Pint's DC Brau launch on Friday sound unappealing, perhaps the Washington Wine Academy's beer cruise on the Potomac River is more your speed. The evening will feature tastings of 40 beers from around the world conducted by experts from the academy's D.C. Beer School. An array of cheeses, crudite, bruschetta and antipasto will be served. Tickets are $58.50 and the boat departs at 8:30 p.m. from the Washington Marina in Southwest D.C. and returns at 10:30 p.m. Anchors away!

Send submissions for the D.C. Beer Events calendar to thelagerheads@gmail.com.

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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

PICK OF THE WEEK

The very creative party planners at Flying Dog Brewing Company and local blogs J Street Beer Review and DC Beer are sponsoring a scavenger hunt of the alcoholic variety on Friday night. Teams of four will use clues to order selected beers at several bars across the city and compete for awards like “most bars visited” or “best team uniform.” Winners will be announced at the official District Beer Hunt party at RFD on Saturday night. Other participating bars include The Big Hunt, Meridian Pint, The Reef, and Smith Commons among others. For anyone already thinking of bar hopping this weekend, why not rally some friends and make it interesting?

THE REST

Beer before liquor, never been sicker? That’s not the case at ChurchKey on Monday during beer director Greg Engert’s guided barrel-aged beer and whiskey tasting. At $35 per person for samples of three specially selected beers, three potent spirits and a few small plate pairings created by chef Kyle Bailey, this event could be the bargain of the week (especially when the list of featured libations includes a 2008 Old Dominion Millennium oak-aged English-style barleywine with wild yeast and a two-year-old Founders Kentucky Breakfast Stout).

This Tuesday marks the second week of Washington Wine Academy’s series of educational tastings featuring the ingredients of beer. This week’s class, led by Mike Reinitz, focuses on different types of barley and how malt varieties change the look and taste of beer. Next week the final class in the series will be on yeast.

For those looking for more of a bar night than a sit down class on Tuesday, Meridian Pint is featuring eight beers from Coronado Brewing Company of southern California. The selection, which includes staples Idiot IPA and Mermaid’s Red Ale as well as six exclusive new beers for D. C., will be $2 off from 5 to 7PM and $1 off for the rest of the night.

On Wednesday the Pizzeria Paradiso locations in Georgetown and Dupont Circle are hosting D.C. release parties for Brewery Ommegang’s new collaboration beer Gnomegang. The strong golden ale is a joint project with Brasserie D'Achouffe of Belgium, a brewery known for the gnome-laden labels on its Chouffe line of beers. Belgian yeast from both breweries was used in the beer, which was brewed this summer and clocks in at 9.5 percent alcohol by volume.

Thursday evening on H Street, NE, Bernie Van Order of Ohio's Great Lakes Brewing Company is throwing at “Bock and Brats” patio party at Little Miss Whiskey’s. A keg of Great Lakes Doppelrock German-style doppelbock will be tapped at 7PM to be enjoyed alongside grilled sausages and warmed mulled beer.

Unfortunately you would had to have planned ahead to attend Saturday afternoon’s sold out Real Ale and Barbecue Fest at the Heavy Seas (formerly Clipper City) brewery in Baltimore. Next year, perhaps…

On Sunday afternoon Red, White & Bleu Wines in Falls Church is hosting a unique beer versus wine cupcake pairing face-off. Tastings that include five beers, five wines, and five cupcakes start at 1PM, 2PM, and 4PM and cost $20.

Not to be forgotten is the Cask Madness real ale festival at both the Alexandria and Ballston Rustico locations. The firkins are meant to accompany March Madness basketball and will be poured through the end of the month.

Send submissions for the D.C. Beer Events calendar to thelagerheads@gmail.com.

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On Monday the Big Hunt in Dupont Circle will have a cask of Tröegs Nugget Nectar, a hoppy 7.5%-ABV Imperial amber ale from Pennsylvania. Representatives from Tröegs Brewing Company will be on hand to talk about the beer and brewery from 5PM to 8PM, which may be longer than the cask will last.

Pizzeria Paradiso in Georgetown is hosting their fourth annual Dogfish Head dinner featuring seven beers and six courses. Menu standouts include a shredded pork shoulder, roasted potato, Gouda and smokey peach BBQ sauce pizza paired with Burton Baton oak-aged Imperial IPA and a date pesto, fig, onion, fennel, lamb sausage and feta pizza paired with Olde School Barleywine. At $65 including tax and gratuity, this is the best deal out of the week's five dinners.

The creativity award goes to Birch & Barley for Monday night's "Beer Belly" dinner. The five-course menu pays homage to the mid-section with beer belly-inducing beers (and spirits) paired with courses comprised of goat, lamb, and hamachi belly. Beers include Birrificio Del Ducato's Nuova Mattina, a Saison from Italy, Jolly Pumpkin La Roja an oak-aged sour amber from Michigan, Aecht Schlenkerla Oak Smoke an 8%-ABV smoked Christmas beer from Germany, Vapeur de Bises a Belgian spiced ale, and Pommeau de Normandie, a Calvados and apple juice blend from Domaine Familial Louis Dupont in France. The price is $76 per person plus tax and tip.

Also on Monday Biergarten Haus on H Street, Northeast, is pairing five courses of their traditional fare with beers from Einbecker Brauhaus in Northern Germany. Call the restaurant (202.388.4053) for reservations and menu details.

Tuesday night is all about rare beer. First, ChurchKey will be pouring a cask of Bell's Hopslam. That's right, cask. Hopheads go bonkers to find this rationed winter seasonal in bottles and are even crazier about it on draft. The chance to try this heck-of-a Double IPA under the softening spell of cask-conditioning is a rare treat. ChurchKey will be pouring Hopslam on draft and from the bottle for side-by-side comparison, but I suggest arriving as close to 4PM as possible for a chance to sample the only cask Bell's Brewery sent to D.C.

Then the bloggers at DCBeer.com are hosting a "Bootleggers" dinner at Scion in Dupont Circle featuring beers not currently available in D.C. A menu of eyebrow-raising rarities from the West Coast like Russian River Blind Pig, AleSmith Yulesmith and Deschutes Abyss ensured a quick sell out. If you are desperate, you could always show up and hope for no-shows.

Finally, on Wednesday beer sommelier Ray Daniels, president of the Craft Beer Institute and director of the Cicerone beer certification organization, will lead a four-course farmhouse ale dinner at Brasserie Beck. The beers are Southampton Cuvee des Fleurs, Brooklyn Sorachi Ace, Goose Island Pepe Nero and The Lost Abbey Red Barn Ale. The price is $75 plus tax and gratuity. As of Sunday there were a few spots left, so call the restaurant (202.408.1717) for reservations.

Gordon Biersch will host two "Brewer's Select" tapping parties this week. Vienna Lager will be celebrated at the Tyson's Corner location on Wednesday from 6 to 8PM, and their Rauch Weizenbock will be tapped on Thursday from 7:30 to 10:30PM at the Rockville Location. Both events are Super Bowl-themed fundraisers for the ziMS Foundation, which funds support and educational programs for Multiple Sclerosis.

This will be the last week Room 11 will feature a rare beer on their guest tap for awhile. Beer program director Dan Searing conjured a keg of Scarlet Sunset, a 6.2%-ABV smoked weissbier from Victory Brewing Company. It will be tapped Monday evening but will likely last most of the week.

Send submissions for the D.C. Beer Events calendar to thelagerheads@gmail.com.

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