October may be a good time to swing by Ashley's, 338 S. State, for a nice Belgian-style ale.

David Bardallis | Contributor

Time to bring the plants in off the deck, take the air conditioning unit out of the window, and generally hunker down in preparation for the colder temperatures to come. If you’re a football fan, you can lament that college ball is already almost half over or that the Lions are still the worst pro team ever. 

If you’re not a football fan, you can probably find something else to lament, and in any case, beer goes great with lamentation and there’s just so darn much of it coming our way in this Week in Beer. But don’t just take my word for it — read on and… uh, OK, I guess that is taking my word for it. Oh well, just look at my picture: Ain’t that a trustworthy face?

Thursday, Oct. 7
» Last year, Ashley’s, 338 S. State St., was closed for a week as a movie then called Trivial Pursuits filmed there. The movie, since renamed Answer This!, is making a sneak-peek appearance at the Michigan Theater on Oct. 8, but the night before, Ashley’s is hosting the cast and crew for a special 8 p.m. preview party and trivia competition. Ashley’s, beer, Ann Arbor and the University of Michigan all figure prominently in the movie, which was written, produced and directed by a pair of Tree Town natives. Check michtheater.org for more details on the movie screening.

Friday, Oct. 8
» Michigan Beer Tasting time again at Whole Foods Cranbrook, 990 W. Eisenhower Parkway, and 5-7 p.m. means $3 glasses of the delicious ales of Founders Brewing (or $1 sample pours, if you are a lightweight.) Try out Old Curmudgeon Ale, a high-gravity (9.8 percent ABV) old ale, and several other styles from the acclaimed Grand Rapids brewery. Come to think of it, a sample pour of Old Curmudgeon is probably very wise.

Saturday, Oct. 9
» Ashley’s has revived its Kegs and Eggs events taking place before Michigan home games, opening early and offering breakfast chow and great beers for those poor souls with no tailgate to go to. The fun begins at 10 a.m., but you’ll want to pace yourself since kickoff against little brother Michigan State is not until 3:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Oct. 12
» If you want a five-minute rundown of the process of brewing beer, check out Patti Smith’s “I Pass Gas Out of My Bunghole” at Ignite Ann Arbor 4, beginning 7 p.m. at U-M’s Blau Auditorium. Fifteen other speakers will also deliver five-minute talks on topics ranging from Ann Arbor roller derby to “folding things.” The event is free, but RSVPs are still required: Check out www.igniteannarbor.com for more info.

Wednesday, Oct, 13
» Short’s Brewing Co. of Bellaire (near Traverse City), has garnered a lot of attention in the world of craft beer for its many “experimental” styles, and with good reason. Come see what the fuss is about at Ashley’s, beginning at 7 p.m. when Short’s co-owner Scott Newman-Bale drops in for an event featuring eight different Short’s beers on tap, including Funkin Punkin Ale, Black IPA, Black Cherry Porter and Anniversary Ale. Good times.

Thursday. Oct. 14
» Arbor Brewing’s October beer tasting focuses on the “Best of Michigan” and includes more than two dozen great craft beers from the Great Lakes State. Enjoy samples of all of them plus an appetizer buffet and prize giveaways from 7-9 p.m. As always, tickets are $25 in advance or $30 the day of. Call the pub at 734-213-1393 to order.

Notes on the Napkin

• Wolverine State Brewing Co. will soon open its tap room at 2019 W. Stadium Blvd., pending the exalted approval from some Lansing bureaucrats. In the meantime, however, you can stop in from between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. (weekdays only) and purchase a Mug Club membership in anticipation of all the sudsy goodness that will soon flow forth from the taps. It’s $60 for a lifetime membership and includes discounts on beer and merchandise as well as one free Wolverine Brewing T-shirt. BONUS: If you hurry, you can get all this for a $50 early bird price before the doors officially open. Check out Beer Wench extraordinaire E.T. Crowe’s blog at a2beerwench.com for more details and pictures.
• The Michigan Cask Ale Festival, fall edition, returns to Ashley’s in Westland, Saturday, November 13, from 12-6 p.m., and if you act before October 10, you can get your discounted ticket — $20 instead of the full price $35. Visit the Ashley's Web site to order online, or check the Michigan Cask Ale Festival Facebook page for breaking news.
• And while we’re on the subject of Ashley’s, owner Jeff More is back from his trip to Belgium, and he’s threatening to throw a big Belgian blowout later this month with some rare ales he brought back, but only for those enrolled in the Friends of the Owner (FOTO) club. Go to www.ashleys.com/foto.html to join, and be sure to check out the Ashley's blog to read Jeff’s thoughts about the trip.
  
• The beer and wine bar at Whole Foods Cranbrook is offering $3 beers and $9.99 pizzas all day during Michigan Wolverine home games. For those who prefer to run and hide during football Saturdays, why not plan your grocery shopping those days and make it a little more awesome, to boot?

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.