It’s kinda weird that a Friday would end up being the quietest day of Beer Week, but here we are.

There are just four events today, and one of those is actually just a monthly event that happens to fall during all of these festivities. At least each of the four looks fun, especially for those of you like your beers a little tart and funky.

Featured Event

Every day we will pick what we consider the biggest, most interesting, most unique event. This does not mean you should go to only this event and ignore the rest. All of them deserve your attention, but realistically, you can probably only attend a few. So we will make our daily pick, and you can either jump on it, or declare the Crew is foolish (we kinda are) and pick your own.

What: Firestone Walker Barrelworks Tap Takeover. Where: Nob Hill Bar & Grill. When: 5 p.m. Cost: No cover charge.

Details: Barrelworks in Buellton, Calif., is a magical place. Now a few of its finest aged beers are arriving here on tap. Take your choice between Agrestic (American Wild Red Ale), Bretta Rose (Wild Ale fermented with raspberries), Bretta Weisse (Berliner Style Wheat Beer), Krieky Bones (Wild Ale fermented with sour cherries), and UnderCurrants (Wild Ale fermented with black currants). Pucker up, people!

Why you should go: Unless you’re planning to visit Barrelworks itself just off the 101 in Central California, this is your best chance to try these beers on draft.

All the other great events

What: La Cumbre Beer Tap Takeover and Cheese Tasting. Where: Whole Foods Academy. When: 1-3 p.m. (tasting), 1-close (tap takeover). Cost: No cover charge. Details: La Cumbre is taking over the taps at the Sandia Saloon inside Whole Foods all day, but for the first two hours there will be a special beer and cheese pairing featuring Blackberry Briar, Miles from Cologne, Mosaic SMASH, Elevated IPA, A Slice of Hefen, and more. Why you should go: Delicious beer paired with delicious cheese. It’s been a theme this year, but you haven’t had LC beers with that cheese yet.

What: Sour Funk Beer Tasting. Where: Jubilation. When: 4-6 p.m. Cost: No cover charge. Details: Rowley Farmhouse Ales, Steel Bender, Cascade Brewing, and more will be on hand to offer up samples of some of their funkiest, strangest, and most creative concoctions. Why you should go: Free beer. Free sour beer. Just keep those elbows down, beer geeks, and form a single-file line.

What: First Fridays Comedy Contest Beer Edition. Where: Tractor Wells Park. When: 8-10 p.m. Cost: No cover charge. Details: It’s standup comedy with a beer theme to the jokes. Why you should go: Come for the seasonal beers, stay for the Budweiser jokes.

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Got any questions, comments, complaints? Send them to nmdarksidebrewcrew@gmail.com, or leave them here on our site, on Facebook, on Twitter (@nmdarksidebc), or on Instagram.

Enjoy yourselves out there, but please, do it responsibly.

Cheers!

— Stoutmeister