An auction at Sierra Grille in Northampton and an open house at Element Brewing Co. in Northfield are sure to please craft beer lovers.
If you're a fan of local craft beers—and I assume you are, since you're reading this column—then I have some news that will benefit both you and the Massachusetts Brewer's Guild.
As a prelude to the Dogfish Head Brewing "Night Before the Night Before Christmas" dinner at Sierra Grille in Northampton, there will be a silent auction with tons of great stuff you can bid on. Now, before I get to the items, let me address the dinner.
This beer dinner is always popular and although it hadn't completely sold out as of this writing, my guess is that it will be by the time you read this. But if you're felling lucky, give the Grille a call, but don't get your hopes up. It was almost at capacity as I write this. But here's the deal: You don't have to go to the dinner to bid on auction items. The auction will be held before the dinner and is open to the public. OK, onto the auction items. In no particular order:
Ipswich Brewing has a package that includes two Ipswich Ale key chain bottle openers, an Ipswich Ale 20th Anniversary T-shirt, two Ipswich Ale pint glasses, and, as yhe coup de grace, a 1.5 liter bottle of Ipswich 375th Anniversary Summer Barley Wine. This brew is made in the English tradition, was cellared for 30 months, and is 10 percent, alcohol by volume.
Cambridge Brewing will donate two 750 milliliter bottles of its extremely limited production imperial lambic-style beer, Rose' de Cambrinus. Only 100 gallons were produced in 2010 and only one case of this beer was bottled. These are two of the last three bottles of this beer in existence.
Amherst Brewing will provide one bottle of each of their collaborations and various other items to be determined.
Boston Beer Co. (Samuel Adams) will donate two bottles of Utopias, autographed by founder Jim Koch.
Dogfish Head's package will feature one bottle each of Festina Lente, 2003 World Wide Stout, 2004 120 Minute, 2005 Raison D'extra, as well as two Dogfish signature glasses, a wall-mount bottle opener, a Pain Relievaz vinyl album, and a signed copy of "Brewing Up a Business" by founder Sam Calagione.
There also will be donations from Berkshire Brewing, Northampton Brewery, Frosty Knuckle, Wormtown, Mayflower, Fishermans, and Stone, as yet to be determined.
The auction is from 4 to 6 p.m. You must pay for auction items with either cash or check.
Another party of sorts that you definitely can attend is Element Brewing Co.'s second year anniversary bash that will be celebrated with an open house at the brewery from 6 to -9 p.m. on Dec. 16. The brewery,located in Millers Falls section of Northfield, has produced a limited edition double Red Giant beer called 6:56 (named for the exact time the first growler of beer was sold on Dec. 16, 2009.) The beer is packaged in 750 milliliter bottles and is based upon Element Brewery’s Red Giant but much stronger and hoppier. As with the first 6:56 it will not be distributed and will only be available to purchase at the brewery. This beer will be released for sale during the open house but it can be pre-ordered at the company's website www.elementbeer.com for pick-up.
The open house will include live musical performance by Destroy Babylon, a Boston-based reggae band, light appetizers (while they last), beer tastings, and a tapping of a special cask of 6:56 with a toast. The brewery has obtained a one-day liquor license and will be offering beer by the glass during the party. All three of the year-round beers, (Extra Special Oak, Red Giant, and Dark Element) will be available as well as Element’s newest creation: Winter Ion which is a 8.5 percent alcohol by volume.