NEW: Get Ready for Beer Week

NEW: Get Ready for Beer Week

Drink up, Rhode Island. Providence Craft Beer Week is coming.

Beginning September 30, the capital city and watering holes in the vicinity will turn their attentions to brews made locally and artfully... for a whole, malty, hoppy, happy week.

It's a week full of highlighting "the availability and diversity of craft beer in Rhode Island and the marriage of culinary expertise in the city of Providence,” says Dan Keating, from C&C Distributing, which leads the craft beer movement in the state. 

GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST

If October is coming, it must mean beer

Lovers of beer know that every month is month to drink it, but October is the traditional season to celebrate beer, as marked by the 201st Oktoberfest in Munich. For its second consecutive year, Providence Craft Beer Week's events will range from neighborhood beer walks and bar promotions to tasting festivals, food pairings & educational beer dinners. And in homage to the German tradition, Providence Craft Beer Week will kick off with Ofest, an Octoberfest weekend event at Slater Mill in Pawtucket from 6pm Fri. 9/30 through Sun. 10/2.  “The revival of an Octoberfest tradition in the Providence area creates an ideal launch to Providence Craft Beer Week,” says Keating.

From small tastings to Beervana

Events continue on Monday 10/3 with samplings of Stone Brewing Co. at Nikki’s Liquors and at Julian’s, while the Wild Colonial Pub will feature brews of Shipyard Brewing Co.  Events continue every night of the week, with 17 establishments participating this year, and a plethora of craft beer styles and brewers represented, and will culminate on the last night with Beervana on Oct. 7, an expo showcasing over 150 of the best craft beers in the world.  Full details of Providence Craft Beer Week events can be found on its Facebook page as a resource to craft beer enthusiasts, and a listing of dates, venues and brewers is attached.

“Providence Craft Beer Week is a celebration of the city of Providence’s rich gourmet food tradition and its craft beer community--from the breweries and people who provide us with great beer; to the places we enjoy the amazing selection of beers available in our state," says Keating. "Those newly discovering beer as well as the experienced connoisseur will find ample opportunities to get involved and learn how well craft beer complements the enjoyment of any element of everyday life."

Weeklong craft beer celebrations began in major American cities in 2008.  Philadelphia, the birthplace of American democracy, was also the birthplace of American Craft Beer Week in March of that year.  Indiana and New York City followed with craft beer weeks of their own later that year, and the rest is history.  Every year since then major cities have hosted a Craft Beer Week, with Providence among those joining the list in 2010.  There are enough week-long beer events scattered over 2011 to cover over 1/3 of the calendar year according to www.beernews.org.