Sounds like the 2009 date for Arborfest is tentatively set at May 1.  There isn’t any information out there yet regarding confirmation of this, ticket prices, etc., but you may want to hold the date.  Here is a link to the 2008 Arborfest event.  The event is a fund raiser for Family Tree Clinic.  There’s nothing quite like drinking craft beer underneath a condom tree, if you ask me!  Great event…keep your eyes and ears open for ticket info.  We’ll try to stay on top of this.

On Saturday, April 4th, 2009, the Superior Jaycees will be hosting the 12th annual Gitchee Gumee Brewfest.  Now now, keep down the yelling.  I know this isn’t a MN craft beer event in the strictest sense.  But c’mon.  It’s a stone’s throw from Duluth.  Plus many MN breweries attend the event.  In 2008 Schell’s, Flat Earth, Gluek, Lake Superior, Mantorville/St. Croix, Rock Bottom, Summit, and Surly…at least according to the site.  My actually memory of the 2008 event is, understandably, a bit fuzzy.  I seem to recall that not all of these folks were actually there.  Whatever.  It’s a beer event.  What more do you need to know?  Tickets can be purchased from several outlets in the Duluth/Superior area, otherwise you need to mail in your request.  My wife, I and our friends have not had a problem getting tickets in the past.

Beer Evangelism at The Four Firkins, originally uploaded by MNBeer.

I stopped in for another installment of Josh Pepper’s Beer Evangelism classes at The Four Firkins last night. If you haven’t been to one of Josh’s events, you should definitely try to get to one. Last night we tasted porters and stouts and talked about beer and the concept of celebration (with beer, of course.) There’s something very special about having a beer (or wine… or cocktails) with friends. It’s a shared experience that you just can’t have with water or Red Bull. And it isn’t really necessarily about getting a buzz, either (though there’s nothing wrong with that, either). Perhaps the idea is a bit nebulous, but I suspect many of you know what I’m getting at… So, uh, let’s get a beer folks – in April (at the MNBeerthday Party) or sooner!

For all of you that have eagerly been awaiting information on how to purchase your very own Winterfest tickets, here you go!

8th Annual Winterfest brought to you by the Minnesota Craft Brewers Guild
Friday, February 6, 2009
7:00 – 10:00 pm
Minnesota History Center

Tickets on sale Monday, December 15th at Noon.
www.uptowntix.com or 651-209-6799
$45 per ticket, limit 6 per purchaser

Only 700 tickets will be sold and there is a history of this event selling out so make plans now to purchase your tickets early.

Surly will be tapping a keg of 2008 Smoke at MacKenzie Pub tonight (Tuesday, November 25th) around 7:00.

A couple of other Surly notes the Nation might be interested in:
For what remains of November, pitchers of Surly Furious are only $9.50 at the CC Club.

For those of you concerned about not having an empty Surly growler to get filled with 16 Grit, their double IPA, you no longer have to worry. They are ordering 500 more growlers.