Thanksgiving and the resulting food coma are upon us. But that’s OK; you can stuff your face with all that turkey, gravy, mashed potatoes, and good brew without feeling the slightest bit guilty about snoozing through any great local beer events. You have several days to sleep it off and rest your drinking muscles. But then look out! The holidaze begins in earnest.

Your tryptophan and carbo-loaded Week in Beer follows.

Monday, November 30 Thanksgiving's over; it's time to move on to the next big holiday. From 4-6pm, Jolly Pumpkin Café and Brewery, 311 S. Main, is hosting a release party for Noel de Calabaza, a Christmas brew Santa would be happy to have in place of the tired old milk and cookies routine. Brewer Ron Jeffries will be on hand to discuss the beer and maybe even hoist a pint with fellow revelers. Try it before it hits store shelves.

Tuesday, December 1 It’s the first Tuesday of a new month, and that means Brewer’s Night at the Den at Grizzly Peak, 120 W. Washington. Come out from 6-9pm to talk beer and brewing with head brewer Duncan Williams and enjoy the tapping of a cask of Yakima Biere (a Belgianesque amber ale dry hopped with Liberty hops), $2 off samplers, and a guided tour of the brewery.

Or, if you find yourself in Ypsilanti, head over to the Corner Brewery, 720 Norris, for the Espresso Love Breakfast Stout release party. Check out yummilicious pints and finger food, $2 off growlers of the honored beer, and 15% off Espresso Love t-shirts from 6-8pm. Free for Arbor Brewing or Corner mug club members; $15 for the great unwashed.

Wednesday, December 2 Michigan beer Wednesday at Bar Louie, 401 E. Liberty; this time it’s selected pints of Arbor Brewing beer for $3 all day long.

The Corner Brewery, as is customary, also releases its Wednesday Rat Pad (small batch) beer. This week's concoction is the Nestle Tollhouse Ale. What's that? I don't know, but it will be tapped at 6pm.

Thursday, December 3 Even during good times, most of us don't have the resources to go on a world tour of beer. Luckily, you can get a reasonable approximation by heading to the Tap Room at Arbor Brewing, 114 E. Washington, for “Beer From Around the World,” a tasting class led by brewery owner Rene Greff from 6-9pm. Learn about the history, geography, and beer traditions of, well, the whole planet. $55 tuition includes samples of 10 classic beer styles, sandwiches, and a keepsake tasting glass. Advance registration is required through Washtenaw Community College’s Lifelong Learning program. Spots are filling up fast, so you may want to hustle.

Notes on the Napkin

• One of the best parts of the holidaze is the variety of great holiday beers. For example, soon on tap at Grizzly Peak is Zwart Vandaan Bier (a Belgian black ale) and White Christmas White Ale, a fortified witbier. Meanwhile, at the Blue Tractor, 207 E. Washington, is Wassail Ale, another special holiday brew made with brown sugar and spices. Sounds better than eggnog!
• And speaking of Blue Tractor, every week in December the brewery is giving away a lifetime mug club membership to one lucky beer lover. Follow @a2bluetractor on Twitter and be the first to respond when they post the words “Mug Club Giveaway” and you win fabulous prizes.
• Retro-styled six-packs of North Peak bottled ales are now on store shelves in Ann Arbor. Read more about them here.

Once again, that's all the brews fit to pint, fellow beer lovers. See you on the other side of the food coma, livers rested and ready to plow through the finish line to 2010.

David Bardallis is a freelance writer and editor, blogger, bon vivant, and man about town. Visit his Web site, DavidBardallis.com, to engage his services or read his latest. Email your beer-related thoughts to annarborbeer@gmail.com.