The Best of the Fest

Your itinerary for Philly's first-ever Beer Week.

by Felicia D'Ambrosio

Hopheads, rejoice — Philly Beer Week is upon us. For 10 days, rare casks, tours, talks and tests are on tap at locations throughout the city and suburbs. European and American brewers with heaps of beer-geek cred will be in town shaking hands and lifting glasses — and the whole thing looks like a sodding good time. Check out the highlights below, and visit phillybeerweek.org for details on dozens more events and happenings.

Do the Passyunk Avenue loop on the South Philly Pub Crawl and end up at Ray's Happy Birthday Bar (1200 E. Passyunk Ave., 215-365-1169) — as usual. Twelve bucks gets you a pint at each of five bars in addition to giveaway swag. Kicks off at 6 p.m. at P.O.P.E. , or Pub on Passyunk East (1501 E. Passyunk Ave., 215-755-5125).

Mon., March 10

Hear excerpts from Gonzo articles with a Colorado beer in hand at the Hunter S. Thompson honorarium by Flying Dog Brewing Co. , 7 p.m. at P.O.P.E. Screenings of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and a Thompson documentary will accompany Flying Dog's new Double Dog IPA.

Get an inside look at Dock Street Brewery & Restaurant (701 S. 50th St. 215-726-2337) with free tours at 7 and 8 p.m. Brewmaster Mike Fava has hoarded some of Dock Street's coveted Maple Porter — and a secret unreleased beer! — for attendees.

Stretch your remaining brain cells at The Khyber's "Bar Exam" (56 N. Second St., 215-238-5888). Recall trivia from your drinking career for prizes at this free 8 p.m. event featuring Philadelphia Brewing Co. 's new lineup of brews.

Tue., March 11

Tour the pubs of Philly via intoxicated trolley loop on Meet the Brewer Night. Most meet-and-greets run from 6 to 10 p.m. Check the Philly Beer Week Web site for trolley stops and additional events.

Share a Chimay with longtime importer Luc "Bobo" Van Mechelen, at Monk's Café (264 S. 16th St., 215-545-7005), the first bar in the country to pour the famed Belgian brew.

Toast the man who gave the world Two Hearted Ale at Jose Pistola's (263 S. 15th St., 215-545-4101). Larry Bell of Bell's Brewing is bringing along a pair of beers never before seen in Pennsylvania — Lager of the Lakes and the unpasteurized Consecrator Doppelbock.

Xavier Van Honsebrouck, owner of the Belgian Kasteel and Brigand lines, will be at the new Tria (1137 Spruce St., 215-629-9200) with his walloping Donker, Tripel and cherry-bomb Rouge beers.

Take home a souvenir without any shady pocketing action at Spaten Optimator Keep the Pint Night. The hearty German doppelbock will be on draft at Fox & Hound Smokehouse (1501 Spruce St., 215-732-8610), with glasses to take home from 7 to 9 p.m.

Thu., March 13

Mock the biggest booze nerds in town at the inaugural Philly Beer Geek Finals Competition at Johnny Brenda's (1201 N. Frankford Ave., 215-739-9684). Or, if you've ever pondered the temperature at which your dry stout was fermented, visit phillybeergeek.com to get in on a preliminary qualifying round at a local pub. This event runs from 7 to 10 p.m. and has a $5 cover.

The suds have been flowing in Philly since 1683, when William Frampton set up his 12-barrel brewhouse — the size of a modern brewpub — adjacent to Dock Creek, now Dock Street. Explore our brewing tradition with beer historian Rich Wagner's History Lecture and Conversation at Dock Street. Reserve your space for this free lecture, which kicks off at 6 p.m., by e-mailing dockstreetbeer@comcast.net.

Fri., March 14

Happy heads are sure to bobble at the Brewer's Happy Hour, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., at Nodding Head (1516 Sansom St., 2nd Floor, 215-569-9525). The pub's Gordon Grubb will host fellow brewers Sam Calagione (Dogfish Head), Bill Covaleski (Victory), Tom Kehoe (Yards) and Adam Avery (Avery Brewing), each of whom will contribute a special beer. Nodding Head co-owner Curt Decker recently shared plans to "put his liver on ice" for a while after this week's festivities.