Happening Now: Seattle Beer Week

Despite having lived in the far west for more than half my life I still consider myself a Wisconsin Girl.  I love Johnsonville Brats, drink beer and cheer for the Packers so you would probably assume (and be correct) that I’m thrilled Seattle Beer Week is happening right now.  I wasn’t able to make it to kick off events last night but am excited about some of the fantastic things planned around the area this week.  Here are a few of the ones I think look the most exciting, though there are dozens listed each day for this 10 day event - which arguably is one of the best things to happen to Seattle in 2012.

Inking & Drinking:
05/11 from 06:00 PM-02:00 AM at Pub at Piper's Creek
Reprise of last year's hugely popular Beer Week Function - come get some free new ink at Pipers! Artists on hand to indelibly render the logos of our brewery sponsors on your private/public canvas! Hosted by Skagit River Brewing & Left Hand Brewing

Tour de Pints #4:
05/12 from 11:00 AM-07:00 PM
at The Pike Brewing Company
Oil up your chains, grab your helmet, and come join Flying Bike Cooperative Brewery on this year’s 4th annual Tour de Pints! This year’s Tour will take us past some of Seattle’s iconic locations as we bike 20+ miles to and from some of the most defining pubs, taverns and taprooms Seattle has to offer. 
We’ll start this year’s Tour at the heart of downtown Seattle’s Pike Place Market: The Pike Brewing Company. From there we’ll head north along Elliot Bay and across the Ballard Locks to Hilliard’s Beer in Ballard. Feel free to grab a bite from Snout & Co while we’re there! Next, we make our way up Phinney Ridge to Naked City Brewery & Taphouse, a local favorite in the Greenwood neighborhood. From the top of the ridge, it’s all downhill from here is as we cruise east to Ravenna Alehouse. The more ambitious amongst us will have an opportunity to prove themselves in a Feat of Strength: bike from Naked City to Fiddler’s Inn and beat the rest of the group to Ravenna Tavern. Once we catch our breath its south along the Burke-Gilman trail to Fremont Brewing Company’s Urban Beer Garden for a quick break and then off again to Hale’s Ales where we begin our final leg of the Tour toward our final destination, one of the newest pubs in Seattle’s South Lake Union neighborhood, The Wurst Place. 
You won’t want to miss out this year! There will be prizes and bar-swag available at each of the stops for a few lucky winners and a special giveaway at The Wurst Place for everyone who completes the entire Tour. There is no need to sign-up beforehand, but we will be asking people to sign a waiver at the first or second stop. Helmets are required! For more information check us out on Facebook at www.facebook.com/tourdepints.

Beer & Cheese w/Widmer:
05/12 from 01:00 PM-05:00 PM at The Cheese Cellar
Beer & Cheese – Widmer Brothers Beer and Cheese Pairing at the Cheese Cellar
May 12th Two sessions : 1-3 and 3-5. Tickets $20 available for pre-sale at The Cheese Cellar
5 Widmer Brothers Beers paired with 5 artisan cheeses

Kegs & Eggs w/Elysian Brewing Co.:
05/13 from 10:00 AM-03:00 PM at Brave Horse Tavern
Kegs n’ Eggs ~ with Elysian Brewing Co. the official Beer of 2012 Seattle Beer Week - Split Shot Espresso Milk Stout we are pairing it with a brunch special of house made doughnuts with bourbon caramel n’ chocolate dips Plus Elysian will be here.

This is Washington Dammit!:
05/14 All Day at Beveridge Place Pub
Twenty-four Washington Beers from twenty four different breweries, All $3 PINTS

Ride The Bull:
05/14 from 06:00 PM-11:00 PM at Brouwer's Cafe
Cowboy Up! Wear your Western Wear! 
Brouwers Cafe and Big Sky Brewing Co present Seattle Beer Week's first Bull riding night! DRINK...rare and exotic brews from Missoula, Montana's big ballers. SEE...brewery celebrities. RIDE... the mechanical bull - single or tandem, it's all good. GRAB... some cans... of Big Sky IPA for the first time in Seattle. SMELL... the glove. the fear. the fun! Be there Monday night May 14th from 6pm 'til the COWS COME HOME.

Northwest Women In Beer:
05/15 from 05:00 PM-08:00 PM at The Pike Brewing Company
Pike Brewing Co. Museum Room
Women brewed beer or favorite beers to sample.
Women owned food business, small bite samples.
Come learn about the historic significance of women brewers.
Raffle, food, beer and the proceeds benefit, Planned Parenthood!
Not just for women, guys should come too!!

New Belgium Sour Symposium:
05/16 from 11:00 AM-06:00 PM at The Stumbling Monk
This will be a sour beer seminar and blending workshop led by New Belgium's master blenders Lauren Woods and Eric Salazar. 
There will be 2 sessions 11-2 and 3-6. Space is very limited. SECOND SESSIONS SOLD OUT!

Barley Wine Brewer’s Dinner:
05/17 from 07:00 PM-11:00 PM at Pyramid Breweries' Seattle Alehouse
Enjoy a four-course, beer-paired dinner featuring our special Beer Week Cask Barley Wine. The dinner includes a brewery tour and a free growler to take home. 7 p.m. $45, all-inclusive. Advanced purchase required. Tickets available at: http://www.pyramidseattle.eventbrite.com

Liquid Sunshine in A Can:
05/18 All Day at Super Deli Mart
Super Deli will be featuring beers from 21st Amendment on draft and will offer 20% off on all Canned Beers from California. Come in and grab some growlers of 21A and a few cans of California finest Beers!!

Sound Brewing Night:
05/18 from 07:00 PM-10:00 PM at Hopvine
Sound Brewery Night: A Night of Beer, Food and Music 
The boys in Poulsbo are brewing some amazing beer and we will be sharing some of their special craft with you on Friday. Live music and something special from the kitchen will be included in the fun. 
Special Beers: 
We'll be bringing a keg of WW3, our Tripel Entendre aged for a week in a barrel that had Bainbridge Island Organic Distillery's Wheat Whiskey in it.

Sudsy Shuffle w/Beer West:
05/19 from 11:00 AM-03:00 PM at Brave Horse Tavern
First Annual Sudsy Shuffle with Beer West Magazine were talking shuffleboard tournament!

2nd Annual Free BBQ SWB:
05/20 from 12:00 PM-03:00 PM at Fremont Brewing Company
The 2nd Annual "Oh My Gawd, What Have I Done to My Liver!" free BBQ. Come to our Urban Beer Garden between 12pm-3pm and get yer BBQ, have a frothy beverage and take pride in surviving SBW 2012.