SF Beer Week has begun! Taking place Feb. 1-10, the 11th annual festival is so jam-packed with events you could drink at least one six-pack while perusing the schedule online. Over the next 10 days, there’ll be beer tastings, pairing dinners, tap takeovers, tours, collaborations and other events featuring brews from more than 120 independent Bay Area craft brewers. As its name suggests, many of the events are happening in San Francisco, but there are plenty of festivities taking place on this side of the bay. Below, find our top picks for Beer Week parties happening in the East Bay. For even more events, be sure to check out the full Beer Week schedule.
Taco Kitty Comedy Night
Comedian Ricky Galore will explore his Midwestern roots and ponder this question: what if his cat learns how to delivers tacos to his wife? Galore’s “Taco Kitty Tour” at Gilman Brewing will also feature comedians Wendy Lewis and Robert Omoto. Tickets are $10. 7:30-9:30 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 2. Gilman Brewing Company, 912 Gilman St. (between Seventh and Eighth), Berkeley
Pinball and Pints
The Pacific Pinball Museum in Alameda will be hosting its fifth annual four-hour Pinball and Pints marathon featuring more than 20 beers from 11 Bay Area breweries, like Almanac, Faction and Federation. Tickets are $45, and include free play of the 100+ machines, a commemorative tasting glass and unlimited tastings of the beers. Proceeds benefit the Pacific Pinball Museum. 3-7 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 3. Pacific Pinball Museum, 1510 Webster St. (between Haight and Santa Clara), Alameda
Puppy Bowl Party
If you’re the type who’d rather sip beer while fawning over cuddly puppies than watch the Super Bowl, bring the pooch and head on down to Cleophus Quealy in San Leandro. Enter your dog in the talent show, or just sit back and enjoy the events while tasting special Beer Week releases, like barrel-aged sour Violet Delight. The Puppy Bowl Party happens 1-6 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 3. Free. Cleophus Quealy, 448 Hester St. (near Adams), San Leandro
Homebrewer Appreciation Day
Woods Bar and Brewery in Uptown Oakland taps into the homebrewer’s heart with this event — it’ll be giving out free wort to take home with the purchase of any pint (until supplies run out). No, not warts, but wort, the unfermented sweet “tea” made from steeping malt and other grains in hot water. In other words, the stuff used to make beer. Don’t forget to bring your own carboy to bring home the wort. 6 p.m., Feb. 4. Free. Woods Bar and Brewery, 1701 Telegraph Ave. (at 17th), Oakland
Collaboration Beer Release Happy Hour
Novel Brewing has brought together an eclectic group of East Bay brewers to make three collaboration beers, all of which will be released at this happy hour event. With Berkeley’s Hoi Polloi, they made the Inverted Question Mark, an American wheat ale made with Sauvignon Blanc wine grapes. With Berkeley’s Triple Rock, they created The Pilcrow, a blonde ale featuring chamomile flowers and lime zest. And with Cleophus Quealy, the Snark Mark is a hazy IPA flavored with hibiscus, oolong tea and grapefruit peel. After getting a taste, stick around and show off your Connect Four and Mario Kart game during Novel’s Super Game Night. 5 – 7 p.m., Feb. 5. Free. Novel Brewing, 6510 San Pablo Blvd. (between 65th and 66th), Oakland
Pints & Pretzel Making
Almanac Beer Co. and local pretzel maker Squabisch will teach you some mad-twisting skills at this German pretzel-making and German-style beer-drinking party in Alameda. Taps will pour beers from guest breweries Cerebral Brewing, Schilling Beer Co. and Humble Sea Brewing Co. Tickets are $35 and include a pint and four pretzels. 6-8 p.m., Feb. 6. Almanac Beer Co., 651B W. Tower St. (at Pan Am Way), Alameda
The Rare Barrel and Side Project Collab Release + Tap Takeover
The Rare Barrel will release bottles of Avec Des Amis, a golden sour beer made with Missouri’s Side Project Brewing. The fruity brew — aged in oak barrels and refermented with Summer Sweet white peaches and Viking Pearl white nectarines from Blossom Bluff Orchards in San Joaquin Valley — is a mid-winter reminder of sweet summertimes of past and to come. Along with Avec Des Amis, there’ll be other Side Project brews to taste at the event. 4-10 p.m., Feb. 7. Free. The Rare Barrel, 940 Parker St. (between Eighth and Ninth), Berkeley
Princess Bride Movie Night featuring Laughing Monk Brewing
San Francisco’s Laughing Monk Brewing and The New Parkway Theater in Uptown are joining forces for this screening of Rob Reiner’s classic comedy, The Princess Bride. Remember, nothing’s better than “troo luuuv” except an MLT sandwich “where the mutton is nice and lean and the tomato is ripe.” Tickets are $15. 8 p.m., Feb. 8. The New Parkway Theater, 474 24th St. (betwen Broadway and Telegraph), Oakland
Japan Beer Fest
Old Oakland neighbors The Trappist and Umami Mart are teaming up for Beer Week once again to feature more than 20 bottles and drafts from Japan, including one special edition made just for the event. Ruben’s Sansho Saison is a collab beer by another Oakland’s Old Kan Beer & Co. and The Trappist, using cascade and centennial hops along with sansho, a Japanese pepper known for its citrus flavor and tongue-numbing qualities. There’ll also be beer slushies made with Hitachino Yuzu Lager, fried chicken sandwiches from Aburaya and sansho-flavored cookies from Oakland’s Gold Bakery. Noon to 4 p.m., Feb 9. Free. The Trappist, 460 Eighth St. (at Washington), Oakland
Pints and Poses — Beer Yoga
After nine days of drinking beer, Wildcard Brewing offers some respite with sun salutations and suds. Fitness instructor Tali from the YMCA in Albany will lead the session. No prior yoga experience necessary and mats will be provided. Tickets are $25. 11 a.m. to noon, Feb. 10. Wildcard Brewing Co., 1122 Solano Ave. (at Kains), Albany
