Here’s a beer mission for you — 40 brew events at 15 venues for Tacoma Beer Week

Tacoma’s annual ode to all things beer is here.

Tacoma Beer Week starts Sunday, Aug. 6, and continues through Aug. 12. In all, more than 40 events are happening at 15 venues.

This is the best year yet for collaboration among brewers, which is the one element that consistently takes place every year during the week-long celebration of South Sound suds.

Several brewers have convened to brew a single beer in past years. This year, six beers created by 10 South Sound breweries will debut at one release party.

Even more interesting is the lineup of beers brewed specifically for two other events. Read below for details of those special release beers. I’ve got details on a beer dinner, too.

Except where mentioned, events are free and don’t require tickets, but arrive early before the beer runs out.

Find the complete schedule at tacomabeerweek.com.

SOUTH SOUND BREWERS DINNER

When: 5 p.m., Aug 6.

Where: Bar Bistro, 1718 99th St. E., Tacoma; 253-537-3655; barbistrotacoma.com.

What: If 10 courses paired with beers from 10 different Pierce County breweries sounds ambitious, it most certainly is. Chef de Cuisine Chris Lewis of Bar Bistro is the guy behind the menu. Bar Bistro is an unexpected restaurant with high-end leanings tucked into the middle of Midland.

The brewers menu includes everything from beef tartar to rabbit ravioli and monk fish with black rice risotto. Ten breweries are pairing their beers — a different one for each course. Breweries include Engine House No. 9, Pacific Brewing and Malting, Wingman Brewers, North 47 and Harmon Brewing. Dinner is $69 and reservations are required, but be warned that the dinner might sell out or already has. Attendees must be 21 to attend.

BIZARRE BREW FESTIVAL

When: 5 p.m., Aug. 10.

Where: Copper Door, 12 N. Tacoma Ave., Tacoma; 253-212-3708; thecopperdoor.net.

What: Like weird beer? This is the event for you. Beers featuring far-fetched flavors ranging from beets to pizza will be tapped at Cooper Door, a taproom and bottle shop in the Stadium neighborhood.

Some of the beers on the more bizarre side include a cotton candy gose from Fish Tale Ales in Olympia and Wingman’s ode to key lime pie with, of course, graham crackers added to the beer for flavoring. It’s aptly named Key Lime PiePA.

COLLABORATION FEST

When: 6 p.m., Aug. 11.

Where: Wingman Brewers, 509 ½ Puyallup Ave., Tacoma; 253-256-5240; wingmanbrewers.com.

What: What happens when local brewers team up and are told to come up with something interesting? Oh, you know, a bunch of beers all over the place in flavor and style. This event features several collaborations among 10 breweries. This one sounds intriguing: A pineapple IPA from Narrows Brewing and Rainy Daze Brewing (the latter being a visiting brewery from Poulsbo).

SUMMER OF LOVE BEER FESTIVAL

When: 11 a.m., Aug 12.

Where: Peaks and Pints, 3816 N. 26th St., Tacoma; 253-328-5621; peaksandpints.com.

What: Trippy songs and Tacoma brews are a match made in hippy heaven. Tacoma brewers thought broadly for this event. They turned to their favorite psychedelic songs from 1967 (has it really been 50 years?) for brew inspiration.

I have my eye on Tacoma Brewing Co.’s liquid version of “Purple Haze” with a New England style IPA fueled by blackberries and blueberries. You’ll have to attend the event to see what Dystopian State, Pacific Brewing and Malting, Narrows Brewing, Harmon Brewing and Wingman Brewers created.

This story was originally published August 4, 2017 at 12:00 PM with the headline "Here’s a beer mission for you — 40 brew events at 15 venues for Tacoma Beer Week."