‘Tis the season (to be drinking), and let’s start with my favorite seasonal event, the Grower-Producer Champagne Tasting event at ~ARLEQUIN WINE MERCHANT~. There will be more than 45 grower Champagnes, including pours of Agrapart, Tarlant, Vesselle, Egly-Ouriet, Soutiran, Bérêche, J. Lassalle, Collin, Chartogne-Taillet, and Marie Courtin. And when you choose your favorites to buy, you get 10 percent off the retail price! $75. Thu Dec 14th. 5:30pm-8pm. (You can also say hello to the new beverage director Phillip Acquafresca, formerly of Cask and Slanted Door.)
More Champagne: if you have some family in from out of town and they want a view and some bubbles, EPIC STEAK is hosting their Champagne Hour every Wednesday from 5pm-7pm (so it’s actually two hours), pouring Veuve Clicquot at 50 percent off—and they’ll saber a bottle at kickoff time. So that glass of Veuve Yellow Label is just $13 instead of $26 (or get a bottle for $52), and a bottle of Grand Dame 2006 is $150 (original price: $300).
Need something stronger? Tonight, Tuesday December 5th, ~CAPO’S~ is hosting their fifth anniversary on National Repeal Day. There will be live music, actors in 1920s looks, standing passed bites at the bar, and the first 33 people will receive a free flask to commemorate the year 1933, when Prohibition came to an end. 4pm-10pm. (Capo’s is also collaborating with the nearby The Speakeasy.)
This event has been rescheduled to Thursday January 18th. On Thursday December 7th, Reza Esmaili is hosting a hands-on tequila and whiskey mixing class, partnering with Casa Noble Tequila and High West Whiskey. You’ll enjoy cocktails, bites, and learn some tips and techniques behind the bar. 6:30pm-8:30pm. $59, tickets here. At TRACE upstairs at W San Francisco, 181 3rd St. at Howard.
~MONK’S KETTLE~ is celebrating their 10 year anniversary (Sat December 9th-Mon December 18th) with a series of events called Ten Days for a Decade; check out the party lineup here. They will also be giving a take-home beer glass to all patrons that week, until they run out.
Another spot celebrating 10 years is THE TRAPPIST in Oakland on Saturday December 9th. Ten of their favorite brewer friends have each made a special for beer (including Jackie O’s in Ohio and Allagash from Maine), which they will be releasing at the event on draft (and several are also available in either bottle or can). Details here. 12pm to close.
Beer lovers will also want to note SF Beer Week is running from February 9th-18th, and tickets for some of the events are on sale now (like the gala, which always sells out).
On Wednesday December 13th, the ARGUELLO team is hosting a night of boozin’ and tequila education (er, tasting) with El Tesoro. For $65, you get a welcome beverage, bites, an interactive cocktail salt-making session, and four one-ounce tasting pours. Tickets here. And don’t forget to drink water!
If you want a festive backdrop to your holiday beverages, be sure to check out my piece from last week.
