The Best of Lehigh Valley Beer Week

Well, it’s finally here.  Lehigh Valley Beer Week is upon us.  We’ve searched through the listings and compiled the best events all into one easy list so you can go get your drink on.  There’s a lot of stellar events out there this and some venues that are just killing it this year.  Here’s the best of the best:

Friday 2/14
PJ Whelihan’s is starting things off early with $5 stouts and porters, which includes of one the best and highest rated stouts of all time.  The taplist includes Goose Island’s Bourbon County Stout, Duclaw’s Sweet Baby Jesus, Penn Chocolate Meltdown, Spring House’s Satan’s Bake Sale, and Flying Fish Exit 1.

Sunday 2/16
Weyerbacher Firkins at The Trapp Door – 12pm to 3pm – The Trapp Door is tapping some awesome sounding firkins from Weyerbacher including an experimental Belgian triple/triple IPA made with experimental hops, Pineapple Last Chance IPA, and Coffee Old Heathen.

The Craft Beer Summit at Allentown Wegmans – 2pm to 4pm – $30 – A long list of PA craft beer luminaries will be hanging out and sampling beer including Bill Covaleski of Victory, Pete and Peter Giannopoulos of Sly Fox, Matt Lindemuth of Saucony Creek, Rich Fegley of Brew Works, Chris Wilson from Weyerbacher, John Togner of Troegs, and Mat Falco of Philly Beer Scene.  Light food (pulled pork crostinis, crab cake sliders, shrimp skewers, pub quesadillas, beer & cheese dip, and nut & mushroom pate) and beer samples from the breweries will be available.  The admission fee comes with a tasting glass to sample with and take home.  Right afterwards Saucony Creek will be releasing their new Hop Suplex Double IPA.

LVBW2 Ribbon Cutting – 5pm – Lehigh Valley Beer Week officially kicks off with the tapping of LVBW2, a wheat IPA brewed by Bethlehem local JJ Boncik and the ribbon cutting of the event.

Monday 2/17
Funk Brewing Launch Party at The Trapp Door – 4pm – Funk Brewing Company, the Lehigh Valley’s newest brewery, will tap their first brews ever.  The brewery, which is located in Emmaus, will be profiled in an upcoming article.

Oskar Blues Obscure Four – Porter’s – 8pm – Although a list of the beers hasn’t been released, Oskar Blues has sent some awesome stuff to the valley in the past including rarities like Barrel Aged Ten Fidy, Chardonnay Barrel Aged Mama’s Little Yella Pils, and Wine Barrel Aged G’Knight. 

Tuesday 2/18
Hop Head Heaven v2 at Strange Brew – 11am – Strange Brew will be announcing the tap list the night before, but we got a peak at what’s on deck for this event and it’s a hell of a list.  If you like IPAs, you won’t want to miss this.

Colony Meadery Grand Opening & Ribbon Cutting – 4:30pm to 6:30pm – the Colony Meadery is hosting their grand opening party complete with snacks, tours, and mead sampling.

Tart Tuesday at The Trapp Door – 4:30pm – while we’re not sure what else they’re lining up for this event, they’ll have Cantillon Kriek bottles and that’s reason enough to go.

Deschutes Domination at Spinnerstown – 5pm – this event features five drafts and 10 bottle selections, including their highly acclaimed barrel aged stout, Abyss, in its first appearance anywhere close to the Lehigh Valley.

Wednesday 2/19
Colony Meadery Woofiedog Tapping and Beso Exotico Release at Broadway Social – one of the newest bars in the Lehigh Valley, Broadway Social is serving up an awesome event for beer week.  They’ll have Colony’s hoppy mead, Woofiedog, on draft and will be mixing up mead cocktails(!).  This will also serve as the launch party for Beso Exotico, Colony’s new chocolate/cayenne mead that we wrote about recently.

Thursday 2/20
Framboise Reserve Tapping at Allentown Brew Works – 5pm – Brew Works is tapping a keg of their stellar sour raspberry beer.  Get it while the getting’s good.

Goose Island Beer Dinner at The Trapp Door – $65 – a killer 5 course menu paired with rare kegs of Matilda Lambicus, Bourbon County Barleywine, and Bourbon County Brand Stout?  Yes, please.

Friday 2/21
Avery Lunch Event at Strange Brew – 11am – A lot of really awesome Avery goodies, including the massive Mephistopheles stout, will be on draft to kick off your Friday.

Berliner Reserve Tapping at Bethlehem Brew Works – 5pm – this amazing, sessionable sour beer is one of the best brews that come out of the area.  Stop by for this special keg tapping on the way home from work.

Hijinx Cask Night at Strange Brew – 5pm – featuring a cask of their Steal Your Face Stout with peppers. 

Saturday 2/22
Barrel Aged Tap Takeover at Strange Brew – 11am – featuring a filthy line-up of barrel aged beers that will wreck your face, including Goose Island’s Bourbon County Barleywine and Bourbon County Stout and Founders Backwoods Bastard.

Sour Saturday – Maxim’s 22 – 12pm to 4pm – This has to be one of the best beer events ever hosted in the Lehigh Valley.  This is a filthy list of awesome sours.  Check it out: Cuvee des Jacobins Rouge, Vapuer Cochonne, Timmerman’s Blanche, Liefman’s Goudenbond Vintage 2000 from a 3L Jeroboam, Timmerman’s Strawberry, Timmerman’s Oud Gueuze, Sierra Nevada Brux, Cochonne Saison de Pipaix, Berliner Weiss (unclear which brewery), Hanssens Experimental Cassis, Wild Beer Co. Bliss, Vanderghinste Oud Bruin, Ter Dolen Kriek, Elgood’s Coolship, Mort Kriek, DeProf Renaet, Zoetzuur, Mort Wit Lambic, and Duchesse de Bourgogne.  Tickets are $50 for VIP (which includes cheese and a four hour session) or $35 in advance for 1pm-4pm and $40 at the door for 1pm-4pm.

Pints from the Past with Chris Bowen at Bethlehem Brew Works – 7pm – Local historic brewer and friend of the El Vee, Chris Bowen, will be hosting a discussion on beer history with some free samples included.