The Week in Beer: Groundhog Day edition

Who's Your Bastard?: Stone vs. Founders at Ashley's, Tuesday, Jan. 26.

David Bardallis | Contributor

You ever get that feeling? You know - that odd sense that things keep repeating themselves? Like in that one movie with Bill Murray?

Sure, sometimes it can be unsettling, but sometimes it’s a good thing—especially when the things repeating themselves are great beer events. And speaking of great beer events, there are several coming up that I commend to your attention in the Week in Beer.

Friday, January 29
Michigan Meet the Brewer night at Whole Foods Market Cranbrook, 990 W. Eisenhower, features Fred Bueltmann of New Holland Brewing Co. and a number of tasty New Holland beers. From 5-7 p.m., enjoy draft pints for $3, 4 oz. sample pours for $1 and bottles at various prices.

Tuesday, February 2
What better way to celebrate Groundhog Day than with the 6 p.m. release of Phat Abbot Belgian Dubbel at Ypsilanti’s Corner Brewery, 720 Norris? (Especially if that furry little punk doesn’t see his shadow.) Best of all: The beer and accompanying snacks are free if you’re a Mug Club member. If not, oh, bummer, dude, you pay $10.

At Grizzly Peak, 120 W. Washington, it’s Brewer’s Night from 6-9 p.m., where head brewer Duncan Williams and team tap a special cask ale, conduct tours and enjoy discounts on samplers. This month's cask is Fille d'Hiver, a.k.a. Farmer's Daughter Saison aged in wood for nine months and dry-hopped with Cascade hops.

Jolly Pumpkin CafÃ© & Brewery, 311 S. Main, is hosting its first game night from 7-10 p.m., with the game of choice being Fictionary, where teams come up with the most convincing definitions for obscure words. Prizes are involved, as is beer.

Wednesday, February 3
Bar Louie, 401 E. Liberty, hosts its weekly Michigan beer night (actually, Michigan beer day and night) with $3 pints of beers from a selected brewery. This week it’s Dark Horse.

Notes on the Napkin

Jolly Pumpkin tops the Washington City Paper’s list of "5 Exciting Breweries for 2010". The author of the list writes, “Jolly Pumpkin is one of the few American breweries whose beers I will always buy, no matter the bottle, whenever I find them.”

That's your Week in Beer heading into February. Until next time, stay warm, think spring and keep an eye out for Andie MacDowell.

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, follow @dbardallis on Twitter, or join the "All the Brews Fit to Pint" Facebook page.