TUESDAY 2/23 – SIXPOINT  5TH ANNIVERSARY TASTING

Why you should go
Sixpoint will be running all 10 taps at this Park Slope beer-haven with pints at $5-$7. This is a great chance to taste the breath of their brewing skills while munching on one of Bierkraft’s awesome sandwiches.

Where
Bierkraft – 191 Fifth Ave between Berkeley Pl and Union St, Park Slope

Tap List
Gorilla Warfare 2010
Bengali Tiger
Sweet Action
Righteous
Otis
Brownstone
Mason’s Black Wheat
Diesel Stout
Double Sweet Action
Whiskey barrel-aged Diesel Stout

ALSO TUESDAY - SOUTHERN TIER NIGHT

Why you should go
New York brewery South Tier makes some top notch, high octane ales. Bar Great Harry do some of the friendliest tastings in the city with $4 beers early and free cheese and meat. Plus you can bring in your own food to counter the effects of these delicious brews

What you should drink
Choklat Imperial Stout is one of my favorite chocolate stouts and worth a try. Also, this is the first time I have seen Oak-aged Unearthly Imperial IPA on tap so grab a glass!

Also

Where
Bar Great Harry – Smith Street and Sackett, Carrol Gardens

Tap List
Choklat Imperial Stout
Backburner Imperial Barley Wine
IPA
Unearthly Imperial IPA
Oak-aged Unearthly Imperial IPA
Gemini Double IPA
Phin and Matt’s Ale

WEDNESDAY, 2/24 – GOOSE ISLAND INVADES THE TIGER

Why you should go
Goose Island is making some of the best, and most diverse beers in America right now. Tonight they invade one of the city’s creme de la creme bars, Blind Tiger, and take over a commanding 33 lines. This is a great chance to taste some Goose Island brews that you’ve never even heard of and will probably never make it to NYC again

Where
Blind Tiger Ale House – 281 Bleecker St at Jones St.

Tap List
Goose Island Hopped Honkers (Cask) – English Bitter
Goose Island Oatmeal Stout (Nitro) – Oatmeal Stout
Goose Island IPA (Nitro) – IPA
Goose Island Honkers – English Bitter
Goose Island IPA
Goose Island 312 – Summer Ale
Goose Island Matilda – Belgian Ale
Goose Island Pere Jacques – Belgian Abbey Ale
Goose Island Bourbon County Brandy Stout – Imp. Stout
Goose Island Mild Winter – American Mild
Goose Island Extra Pale Ale – Pale Ale
Goose Island Robert Burns – Scottish Ale
Goose Island Liquid Inspiration Stout – American Stout
Goose Island Lake Effect Winter Ale – Imp. Red
Goose Island Golden Goose Pilsner
Goose Island Aviator Dopplebock
Goose Island Crop to Cup Rind Grind Stout – Uh, Coffee Stout
Goose Island Lincoln Park Lager – Vienna Lager
Goose Island Midway IPA – IPA
Goose Island Vanilla BCS – Imp. Stout
Goose Island Lolita – Raspberry Belgian Ale
Goose Island Lil’ Smokey – Rauch Bock
Goose Island White City – Imperial Witbier
Goose Island Brew 4000 – Belgian Imperial IPA
Goose Island Night Stalker – Imp. Stout
Goose Island Pepe Nero – Black Saison
Goose Island Blonde Rascal – Belgian Golden Ale
Goose Island Rye County Stout – Imp. Stout
Goose Island Bourbon Lolita – Raspberry Belgian Ale
Goose Island Lex – Raspberry Saison
Goose Island Belgian Double (Cask) – Dubbel
Goose Island Sgt. Peppercorn – Stout



ALSO WEDNESDAY – SIXPOINT  5TH ANNIVERSARY CONTINUES

Why you should go
For one, you get to play Tapper while drinking and how cool is that. For two, Sixpoint will be raiding the taps with 17 lines and casks for you two try. There will be lots of rare and one-off stuff to try so if you are a Sixpoint fan than this is not to be missed

Where
Barcade – Union St. and Powers St

Tap List
Gorilla Warfare 2008
Gorilla Warfare 2010
Gorilla Warfare Cask conditioned with coffee
Bengali Tiger
Sweet Action
Righteous
Otis
Brownstone
Mason’s Black Wheat
Diesel Stout
Double Sweet Action
Hops of Love
Express
Experimental Beer #1
Experimental Beer #2
Experimental Beer #3

SATURDAY & SUNDAY 2/27 & 2/28 – THE TRAPPIST SESSIONS

Why you should go
Get a fast-tracked course in Belgian beers tonight as Swift brings a tasting of all the true Trappist (aka made by the monks, not commissioned by them) Belgian ales. You may have had a lot of these before but it is amazing to taste them side by side and notice the subtle differences (note, this is $50 but you get a lot of bang for your buck including crazy tastings, Murray’s cheeses, cured meats and lots of knowledge)

What you should drink
Everything is absolutely amazing but Rochefort 8 and Koningshoeven La Trappe Isid’or are some favorites

Where
Swift Hiberian Lounge – 34 East 4th St bet Lafayette and Bowery

Tasting List
Chimay (Première, Cinq Cents and Grande Réserve)
Orval
Westmalle (Dubbel and Tripel)
Rochefort (6, 8 and 10)
Achel (Bruin and Blond)
Koningshoeven (Quadrupel and La Trappe Isid’or)
Vertical Tasting of Chimay Grande Réserve Vintages (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009)

MONDAY 12/14 – SWIFT’s 14th ANNIVERSARY PARTY

Why you should go
With 14 holiday beers on tap, this is a great chance to try out the perfect beverage for your winter feast.

What you should drink
Captain Lawrence Nor-Easter is on tap and this is a very limited release. Triple fermented in bourbon barrels with elderberrys, its a very complicated brew worth a try.

Also
Sierra/Dogfish Life and Limb, The Bruery Two Turtle Doves, and Mikkeller’s Santa’s Little Helper are all some of my favorites worth a try.

Where
Swift Hibernian Lounge, 34 East 4th St

TUESDAY 12/15 – EXTREME WINTER BEERS

Why you should go
If 14 winter brews was not enough then hit up Rattle n Hum for 40+ winter brews on tap.

What you should drink
Monk’s Blood. A suprisingly drinkable complex dark belgian ale from 21st Amendment. This one is occasionally around in can’s and is a great try on tap.

Also
Most of the Swifts list is there plus Rogue Santas Private Reserve, Southern Tier Old Man Winter, and – for variety – Allagash Grand Cru which is my belgian tripel of the minute.

Where
Rattle ‘N’ Hum 14 East 33rd St off Madison

ALSO TUESDAY  – FLYING DOG NIGHT AT PONY BAR

Why you should go
Maybe giant alcohol holday beers are not your bag? Then check out the Great American Beer Festival’s Mid-sized brewery of the yearh, Flying Dog, who will take over a dozen or so tap lines tonight.

What you should drink
Gonzo Imperial Porter is one of the best porters being made right now. A great example of a classic style that does not get enough love.

Also
Horn Dog just won Barley Wine of the year. Find out why as they tap an ’07 vintage today. Also, the 20th Anniversary Raging Bitch Belgian IPA will be on tap which is an nice american belgian.

Where
Pony Bar 45th St & 10th Avenue

THURSDAY 12/17 – STONE-BREWDIG BASGAH TAPPING

Why you should go
This is one rare a$$ keg of a rare a$$ style. Bashah is a collab between Cali’s Stone Brewery and Scotland’s Brewdog. Both are known for pushing beer styles and they’ve come up with a Black, belgian, double IPA. Find out just what that means tonight which is probably the only time you will ever see this beer on tap again.

Where
Bar Great Harry Smith Street and Sackett

ALSO THURSDAY – WINTER BEER NIGHT

Why you should go
Barcade pops the cork on 20+ kegs of winter beers. Some nice rare treats to be had and all the tapper-playing you can handle

What you should drink
Nectar Black Xantus is a hefty imperial porter. Coffee-infused and bourbon-barrel-aged, this recipe took 4 years to perfect and tonight is a great chance to try it if you don’t want to break the bank and spend $22 at Bierkraft from the 22oz.

Also
First NYC tapping of Climax doppelbock, vintage tappings of Brooklyn Monster (2007) and Captain  Lawrence Nor’Easter (2008) and a strong belgian Lectio Du Chene from one of my favorite breweries of the year, Florida’s St. Somewhere

Where
Barcade Union St. and Powers St)