Bottoms Up

While we’re counting down to SF Beer Week, Feb. 6 – 15,  don’t forget there are beer events happening this month as well. Here are a handful…more to come, no doubt:

Friday, Jan. 16, 6 – 8 p.m. He’Brew Beer Tasting: It’s In The Shtick! A tasting of He’brew beers, The Jug Shop Beer Garden, 1590 Pacific Ave, San Francisco,415-885-2922, $10.

• In the past 5 years, what started an inside joke is now an all-American success story. Shmaltz Brewing has grown over 550% and includes 11 beers between two brands: He’Brew and the recently launched line of Coney Island Lagers. The He’Brew beers include Origin: Pomegranate Strong Ale, Bittersweet Lenny’s RIPA (a rye-based double IPA), and Jewbelation 12, American’s only (12% abv) Extreme Chanukah Beer.

Thursday, Jan. 22, 7 p.m. UPDATE: “Brewed and Cultured in Marin“,  Iron Springs Pub & Brewery, 765 Center Blvd., Fairfax CA, 415-485-1005, $7.50 per plate. Includes four cheeses and four, four-ounce beer tasters. Call head brewer Christian Kazakoff to reserve a place or just show up. See you there!

Meanwhile, SF Beer Week is cooking. Shaun O’Sullivan, 21st Amendment co-founder says that Sean Paxton, a guy who’s famous for doing incredible dinners for homebrewer functions teamed up with  21st Amendment head brewer Jesse Houck last week. They brewed a Belgian, dark strong beer.  Here’s Shaun:

• The beer will be one of the six offerings we will have on for Strong Beer Month this February. Sean brewed a version of this beer with Matt Bryndilson of Firestone Walker and it was called Saucerful of Secrets. Made with seven different types of sugar, this beer brewed at the 21A will be high in alcohol (hence it’s inclusion in Strong Beer Month) and will have a very complex malt profile.

21st and Magnolia Gastropub & Brewery do a strong beer beer month together each February. Each will have six strong beers on tap and the trick is to try all of them at both pubs. Then, you get a t-shirt or something — not sure what it will be this year. Besides that, strong beer month has been  melded into SF Beer Week…

Speaking of SF Beer Week. Here are two more events planned at the Bistro, 1001 B St. in Hayward during the celebration.  And by all means go to the SF Beer week Web site. There are countless, daily things happening at good pubs across the Bay Area — Santa Cruz to Petaluma.

Tuesday, Feb. 10, 6:30 p.m. SF Beer Week Cheese Off  $45

• A special beer and cheese tasting at the Bistro. Think about having 5 different gourmet cheese’s each paired with 5 of Northern California’s finest breweries . Then think about each brewer hand picking his best beer matchup with each individual cheese. Then think about sitting their having 5 different flights of 5 beers (blind tasting of course), each masterfully picked by the brewer to match the individual cheese. Now the good part, judging which beer/cheese matchup is your favorite within each flight. With the winner (most correct picks) named SF Beer Week Cheese Geek. Winner will also receive a gift certificate to the Grand Champion’s Brewery. Now the kicker, while judging you’re being serenaded by live classical piano.

Thursday, Feb. 12, 6:30 p.m.,  Beer Mixology & Sensory Appreciation, $40

• Hosted by Judy Ashworth (Americas Premier Lady Publican) and Terence Sullivan of Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. Limited tickets available for an evening of beer nirvana. A short course on sensory (by America’s sensory specialists- Sierra Nevada) to learn to discern complex flavors within beer, followed by mixing beers to achieve flavor profiles hard to find in 1 beer alone. Appetizers will also be included to enhance this special tasting.

And there’s much much more. Stay tuned.