Beer Hall: Roscoe's Tenth Anniversary, Matt Ward's Bottle Share, and NYE at Bailey's Taproom

You’ll probably need all the booze you can get in 2017.

The end of the year comes with a lot of great beer.

Rare pours emerge from cellars citywide this week, allowing you a seemingly endless amount of good sips before your resolution to cut back on liquid bread and hit the gym kicks in.

Start the festivities with a taste of delicious Belgians, then move on to one-off regional favorites, before partying down with a rainbow of Breakside's best ales and lagers. Then treat that hangover with a special cellar share at NWIPA, while stocking up on some special bottles for next year's celebrations. You'll probably need all the booze you can get in 2017.

Thursday, December 29

St. Bernardus Abt 12 Magnum Vertical

Huge bottles of acclaimed St. Bernardus Abt 12, the Belgian dark strong ale that is brother to the much rarer—but equally tasty (seriously, ask anyone who's had it a few times) Westvleteran 12—will pour in vertical at Bazi tonight, so you can personally taste delicious dark leather turn to cherry you drink your way back in time. If you've never tasted the beer before or if you routinely grab a 4-pack from your favorite local bottle shop, now's as good a time as any to remind yourself that basically nobody rangles phenolic Belgian yeast this well, regardless of how much cheaper it is per bottle than it's Westy-made twin. Bazi Bierbrasserie, 1522 SE 32nd Ave. 6-10 pm. Free.

Friday, December 30

Roscoe's 10th Anniversary

Montavilla's singular beer haven celebrates a decade in business with extremely rare pours and the usual mixed crowd of pool-playing bikers, lotto players, and pinball wizards, and mass of seriously nerdy drinkers. In celebration of its 3650 successful days, there will be heinously special beers on hand from Breakside, Alesong, Upright, Deschutes, and a slew of other talents, along with the usual tasty cajun fare. Now that's what we call a party. Roscoe's, 8105 SE Stark St. 2 pm.

Saturday, December 31

NYE at Bailey's Taproom

A live DJ and 10 of Breakside's finest ales hit at Bailey's Taproom tonight, marking the second year of what is most assuredly the beer nerd's best bet this New Year's Eve. With caffeinated classics like Milwaukee-brewed creations like Vienna Coffee Beer on hand, there's no doubt that you'll be up well past midnight. Bailey's Taproom, 213 SW Broadway. 9 pm-2 am. $5 cover, includes complimentary glass of bubbly at midnight.

Ecliptic New Year's Eve Beer Dinner

Chef Michael Molitor pairs a three-course beer dinner with three of Ecliptic's best seasonal brews, aiming to help you at least finish your shitty year with a good taste in your mouth. With pairings like stout and oysters on the half shell, and a persimmon creme brulee with a barrel-aged barleywine, we're fairly certain he will find success. Ecliptic Brewing, 825 N Cook St. 6 pm. $40. Reservation only.

Sunday, January 1

Matt Ward's Third Annual Bottle Share

N.W.I.P.A. celebrates the new year with a bottle share from the cellar of local beer nerd and Timbers fan Matt Ward, who will raffle off various bottles and Timbers patches along the way. Consider it a family affair—the sort of community-first, alcohol-fueled event that we need now more than ever. N.W.I.P.A., 6350 SE Foster Rd. 2-5 pm. Free.

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