Some brief programming notes before we get into the deets of a few upcoming beer events...
On tap for the next few weeks in Hophead are tasting notes on numerous beers, including some great holiday and winter seasonal brews as well as a hop-heavy Belgian import that is so far unavailable in Texas.
Also, Samuel Adams has been especially generous with sending samples lately. On Friday, I received a bottle of the new Infinium, a collaboration between Samuel Adams and Germany's Weihenstephan, which is intended as a beer alternative to Champagne for celebratory drinking. Not only is it a trans-Atlantic collaboration, it's also supposedly the first new beer style created under the Reinheitsgebot. I look forward to trying it and sharing my thoughts about it and the brewery's winter variety 12-pack and new Revolutionary Rye Ale.
On to some interesting beer events coming up at the Libertine Bar, Idle Rich Pub, Old Monk, Holy Grail Pub, and Plano and Dallas Ginger Man locations.
First up, Plano's Ginger Man pub is celebrating Boulevard's 21st anniversary
beginning at 6 p.m. Wednesday with a tapping of 21st Anniversary Fresh
Hop Ale and T-shirt giveaways.
Several pubs are offering Christmas ale tastings. Drinkers can rate and comment on various offerings Monday, December 13, at the Idle Rich Pub will host a Christmas beer tasting, which also includes cheese plates and glassware and other brewery giveaways. And the Dallas Ginger Man offers its Christmas beer tasting for $35 on Saturday, December 18.
Along with offering an impressive variety of Christmas beers (check the newsletter for offerings at the Old Monk and its sister pubs), the Old Monk will give away 150 handsome ceramic Maredsous chalices 7 p.m. Wednesday, December 15.
On Tuesday, December 7, the Holy Grail Pub in Plano will also give away some glassware -- 10-oz. footed Avery vessels. But what's more valuable is what it will be pouring into them: Archangel Avery brews Samael and Beast (rare and awesome 15-plus-ABV ales) that have been cellared for about 8 months. In fact, some time to mellow out is exactly what I thought both those Demon-series brews needed when I tried them a couple of months ago. Holy Grail is also planning a New Year's Eve beer dinner.
And finally, the Libertine Bar will feature Christmas beers at its December Beer Dinner Wednesday, December 29. Haven't received further details or the menu yet, but Libertine beer dinners are typically $50 per person. We'll share it as soon as it's available, and keep your eyes on City of Ate for a two-ticket giveaway to the dinner. Past giveaways have relied on reader creativity, as winners came up with some interesting new beer ideas, but we'll do something different and even more fun this time to tie into the holiday.
Feel free to share any other worthy beer news in the comments. Or e-mail me if you're a restaurant, bar, brewery, distributor or store employee with news that would interest beer lovers.
