Whole Foods Market, 990 W. Eisenhower Pkwy., is a great place to shop ... and drink beer!

David Bardallis | Contributor

Halloween has come and gone, all those nauseatingly stupid political ads will stop now (for a while), and it’s time to move on to the next big holiday: Christmas! What? There’s another holiday before Christmas? Well, you wouldn’t know it to look at all the store shelves, which are rapidly filling up with Santas and elves and stockings and all that Yuletide junk.

But I, for one, am not willing to skip over turkey and stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, pumpkin pie with whipped cream and the rest of autumn’s wonderful harvest spread. And if you’ve read more than one of these columns of mine, you can probably guess what I recommend to wash down all that great chow. If you said “craft beer,” give yourself a point. And if you added “fresh and local craft beer,” you earn extra credit. So without further ado, let’s see what the local beer scene has to offer our autumnal palates before we get all manic over that jolly old fat guy in the red suit.

Friday, Nov. 5
» Whole Foods Cranbrook, 990 W. Eisenhower, continues to solidify its reputation as Best Grocery Store Ever with yet another installment of its biweekly beer tasting events. Hold on to your hats for the Battle of the Fall Seasonals, where from 5 to 7 p.m. you can enjoy $3 glasses of great beer, $1 sample pours, and usually some kind of discount on various bottles. As of this writing, beers are TBD.

Saturday Nov. 6
» Kegs and Eggs returns to Ashley’s, 338 S. State, for the Michigan home game against Illinois. Breakfast chow, Bloody Marys, and, of course, beer from Ashley’s incomparable draft selection will all be available starting at 10 a.m. Stop by to fortify yourself for the noon kickoff.

» Noon to 3 p.m. at the Corner Brewery, 720 Norris, Ypsilanti, is “Homebrewing with Extracts,” an introductory course on the art and science of making your own beer, taught by Prof. Matt Greff. Spaces are still available; cost is $59 and advance registration is required through Washtenaw Community College’s Lifelong Learning program.

Sunday, Nov. 7
» If you’ve never been to Liberty Street Brewing Co., 149 W. Liberty in Plymouth, maybe the Second Annual Rouge Brew will tempt you to check it out. From 4 to 6 p.m., Liberty Street hosts Rex Halfpenny, esteemed personage behind the indispensable Michigan Beer Guide, who will conduct a guided tasting of beers brewed within the Rouge River watershed. Proceeds from the event benefit Friends of the Rouge; tickets are $25 for Friends members or $30 for nonmembers and include beer samples and light refreshments. Call 313-792-9621 or visit therouge.org for information or to reserve your spot.

Thursday, Nov. 11
» Get ready for the year’s biggest and baddest beer tasting at Arbor Brewing, 114 E. Washington: Belgian Ales. From 7 to 9 p.m. it’s a smorgasbord of brews from that land of the most intriguing beer styles and traditions, combined with an appetizer buffet and the chance to win fabulous prizes. Tickets are $30 in advance; $35 the day of (if available). Call 734-213-1393 to order yours.

Notes on the Napkin

• Next up in the WCC beer education course list are “All-Grain Homebrewing,” 6 to 10 p.m. Nov. 12 at the Corner Brewery, and “The Burgundies of Belgium,” 2 to 5 p.m. Nov. 13 at Arbor Brewing. You know what to do to sign up!

 

• Speaking of Belgians, now on tap at Grizzly Peak, 120 W. Liberty, is DubbelHop, a hazy golden ale that follows the lesser known hoppy tradition of beer-making in Flanders. It begins with a spicy, yeasty aroma, giving way to an earthy hop flavor with a pleasant maltiness tinged with fruity elements. (Despite the name, it is not a Belgian Dubbel Ale, notes brewer Duncan Williams.)

 

• The grand opening of Wolverine State Brewing’s Tap Room received another random mechanical setback, but Beer Wench E.T. Crowe vows the joint will be open VERY SOON NOW, probably this weekend. So hold those taste buds just a little longer…

David Bardallis is a freelance writer and editor, blogger, bon vivant and man about town. Visit his website, 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.