Announcements!

Happy Friday, beer fans. We've got some good news today: Event announcements!

If you look at the calendar to the left side of the page, you'll see that a bunch of new bars, breweries, and restaurants have signed on to take part in South Florida Beer Week. We're going to have a number of tap takeovers, special deals on local beers, and even a pig roast! That's right, bacon: It's not just for drinking anymore.

Here's a brief run down of what we've added to SFBW so far:

Saturday, January 21 through Sunday January 29
Miami's most unique blue-collar eatery, The Filling Station, is taking SFBW to heart. It will completely renovate its taps from Saturday to Saturday with great, local craft beers. Expect Native Brewing, Monk in the Trunk, Holy Mackerel, and Tequesta, among others.

Monday, January 23
Lou's Beer Garden will host a SFBW kick-off party and pig roast! If you've never been to Lou's, here's your chance: This secluded, pool-side bar is nestled in the center of one of MiMo's most interesting boutique hotels. Proprietor Lou Ramirez runs an eclectic kitchen that sends carefully executed Mediterranean fare such as gambas a la plancha and artisan thin-crust pizzas, and stocks his 12-tap bar with a rotating array of fantastic craft beer. For the kick-off party, Lou will roast a pig and bring in a series of beers from the likes of Holy Mackerel, Native Brewing, and Monk in the Trunk, plus a few very special kegs from Cigar City Brewing out of Tampa. Price is TBA; for details call 305-704-7879.

Tuesday, January 24
Perhaps no bar or brewery in South Florida has elicited as much grass-roots enthusiasm as The Funky Buddha in Boca Raton. The small-batch brewery crafts some of the most inventive beers in recent memory, each sharing a distinctive, almost child-like wonder. It's big hits include "Wide Awake, It's Morning," a coffee porter that includes maple syrup and bacon, and "No Crusts," a peanut-butter-and-jelly brown ale that's perhaps the closest thing to liquid nostalgia that you can imagine. For SFBW, Funky will brew up a few batches of it's limited release goodness in addition to filling the taps with rare beers. We're told some rare Cigar City beers will be poured, plus expect a few "never-before-seen" in South Florida beers.

Tuesday, January 24
Holy Mackerel will pair with great pizzas at Anthony's Coal-Fired in Coral Springs. Read more about it in our previous coverage.

Wednesday, January 25
Perhaps you've heard the buzz about Tap 42, the all new multi-tap beer bar in downtown Fort Lauderdale. I mean, how could you not have? It seems like every news outlet in South Florida is going nuts about the place, and with good reason: It's a thoughtfully produced beer bar with a stellar selection of draft and bottled craft beer. It also happens to sport a fashionable, attractive design; ample indoor and outdoor seating with plenty of parking; and a wickedly solid kitchen that pumps out modern pub fare with class. Sounds like winning formula to us. Starting Wednesday, Tap 42 will bring in an enviable selection of beers from Florida (enviable not only in quality, but quantity -- this place does have 42 taps, after all). Expect brews from Tequesta, Holy Mackerel, Cigar City, Native, Monk in the Trunk, and more. Every local beer should be specially priced, and the fun will continue through the weekend.

Thursday, January 26
We can't say enough great things about the Fort Lauderdale beer bar, Laser Wolf. The quirky, WTF-inducing name sets a perfect tone for this place -- it's all about relaxing, not taking anything too seriously, and just enjoying some stellar beers with plenty of good company. Owners/brothers Chris and Jordan Bellus are just about the nicest dudes you could imagine tending bar; and they really know their beer. Laser Wolf will be going all-local for a short-but-ultra-sweet selection of rarities from Cigar City, Tequesta, and a few choice others. We can't wait for this one.

There's more to come, too, folks. We'll see you at the taps!