John Keller celebrates the Labor Day weekend in beer glasses and a beer mug hat at the 2nd annual Labor of Love home brew competition at Deep Ellum Brewing Company in Dallas, TX on September 1, 2013. (Alexandra Olivia/ Special Contributor)
As this year’s North Texas Beer Week festivities approach, I took some time to break down the numbers and events to help you make the most of the 10 days. Check out these stats:
– 285 official events on NTXBeerWeek.com with more being added every day
– 75 participating venues
– 18 cities represented on the event map
– 25 beer dinners
– 68 brewery owner/rep meet-and-greets
– 92 glassware giveaways
– 15+ beers being made to commemorate the week; 10 from Four Corners alone (one released each day in their taproom), Grapevine Craft Brewery’s Wood-Aged Night Watch, Lakewood/Rahr collab DFW: A Collaboration of Two Breweries, XNTX from NY based Southern Tier, & more
In an attempt to make the massive 250+ list of official events more digestible, I’ve chosen some of my favorite events in Dallas.
October 31 – The Moth’s Farmhouse Ale Art Show featuring Prairie Artisan Ales and Jester King Brewery. Try 18 different beers at Red Arrow Contemporary Art Gallery, 7-11 p.m. Buy tickets here.
November 1 – Sample 300+ beers from over 80 breweries at Untapped Festival in Dallas, 3:30-10:30 p.m. VIP is sold out, but GA tickets are still available.
November 4 – Potluck-style Neighbors Beer Dinner w/ LUCK at Four Corners Brewing Co., which includes five tasting tables paired with special release beers, 6:30 p.m. Buy tickets.
November 5 – Braindead Brewing meet-and-greet and live T-shirt printing at The Common Table, 6-10 p.m. Click here for more information.
November 5 – Community Beer Co. and Peticolas Brewing Co. joint tours with shuttle service between the breweries, special releases, and limited edition glassware. Hosted by Dallas Brew Scene’s Matt Dixon (that’s me) and Jordan Moon, 6-9 p.m. Buy tickets.
November 5 – Thai Me Up Beer Dinner featuring six courses alongside house brews like Golden Trinable Fusion Saison and Coconut Chili Chocolate Porter at Malai Kitchen, 7 p.m. Call 214-599-7857 for reservations.
November 6 – Trivia Night with Peticolas Brewing Co. beers and prizes, including a private beer dinner with Micheal Peticolas at the Common Table (hosted by yours truly), 8:30 p.m. Click here for more information and to register.
November 6 – Sportsradio 1310 The Ticket Tap Takeover and live The Hardline broadcast. Vote on special brews from Lakewood Brewing Co., Franconia Brewing Co., Grapevine Craft Brewery, and Rahr & Sons Brewing Co. to crown The Ticket’s official beer of NTX Beer Week at Cold Beer Company, 3 p.m.
November 7 — Tickets are still available for the inaugural Brewer’s Ball, a one-of-a-kind opportunity to rub elbows with the founders, brew masters, and owners of nearly 40 local and national breweries, all the while enjoying food from 10 area restaurants. With only 500 total tickets being sold, this will truly be a special evening you won’t want to miss — Friday, November 7 at the newly remodeled (and absolutely gorgeous) Renaissance Hotel ballroom. I’ll be there suited up like Barney Stinson (a rare occurrence for me), so come join the revelry!
November 7 – Oskar Blues Barrel Night with five barrel-aged brews. Plus founders Dale and Chris Katechis at Meddlesome Moth. Click here for more info.
November 9 – Chili cookoff with Texas Chef’s Association; $20 buys six chili tastings and special NTXBW releases available for purchase at Four Corners Brewing Co, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Click here for more information.
I urge you to step outside your comfort zone and try some new places, beers, and breweries during NTX Beer Week!
Matt Dixon co-founded Dallas Brew Scene in February 2012 on a mission to help cultivate and grow the craft beer scene in North Texas through interaction and education. He is also a member of the Board of Directors for North Texas Beer Week.