Happy New Year! And to kick-start 2012 with great beer, check out all of the events during AK Beer Week, a 10-day celebration of CRAFT BEER in Alaska. Of course, the anchor event is the Great Beer & Barley Wine Festival in Anchorage, held on the third weekend every January at the Egan Center. There are three sessions–FRI JAN 20 6-10 PM, SAT JAN 21 2-5 PM (Connoisseurs Session) and SAT JAN 21 6-10 PM. But with a growing number of local establishments getting involved in this winter celebration, you’ll want to explore the entire EVENTS schedule to discover new and exciting ways to experience craft beer. TEN DAYS. CRAFT BEER. Yes, you should begin hydrating now. But always, ALWAYS make a “get home safely” plan BEFORE you begin your journey. Assign a designated driver or call a cab or driver service. Here are some quick numbers:

Checker Cab 276-1234
Yellow Cab 272-2422
Alaska Cab 222-2222

To keep up with the fun and contribute your own experiences:
FOLLOW akbeerweek on Twitter (use #akbeerweek to get your tweets on akbeerweek.com)

LIKE AK Beer Week on Facebook (use @akbeerweek to get your postings on akbeerweek.com)

FRI JAN 13 thru SUN JAN 22.2012. Enjoy the festivities, Baby!

Click PR 2012-01 AK Beer Week for the press release.

The Beer Show with Chris and Brock 1020 AM and 95.5 FM
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Listen LIVE at 1020KOAN.COM

The Better Beer Show with Kathy Phillips 750 AM and 103.7 FM
3:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Listen or stream LIVE at KFQD.COM. Get podcast later at KFQD.COM.

FABULOUS FURLICIOUS PAGEANT @ Mad Myrna’s
10:00 PM
Talent. Interview. Swimsuit. All wrapped uP in Faux Fur.

SUNDAY SUPPER @ Midnight Sun’s Loft
5:00 – 8:00 PM
Full menu available…plus special 3-COURSE SUNDAY SUPPER, $25 pp, featuring BEER CAN CHICKEN

Moustache Mania Party @ Midnight Sun’s Loft
5:00 – 8:00 PM
ReaL or Faux. The MoRe FauX  the BeTTaH.
Wear one or we’ll draw oNe on ya. (We’ve got Sharpies and we know how to use ‘em.)

K&L Distributors’ Iditarod Pub Crawl MON FEB 27 thru SAT MAR 03
6:00 – 8:00 PM
Join K&L at various Anchorage bars to promote Alaskan Brewing beers. Tonight meet up at Millenium Hotel.

K&L Distributors’ Iditarod Pub Crawl MON FEB 27 thru SAT MAR 03
6:00 – 8:00 PM
Join K&L at various Anchorage bars to promote Alaskan Brewing beers. Tonight meet up at Millineum Hotel.

Weekly Brewery Tour at Midnight Sun
6:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Meet up in the Loft. Take a fun yet educational tour of MSBC’s expanding brewery.

K&L Distributors’ Iditarod Pub Crawl MON FEB 27 thru SAT MAR 03
6:00 – 11:00 PM
Join K&L at various Anchorage bars to promote Alaskan Brewing beers. Tonight meet up at Eagle River Alehouse (6-8 PM) and Humpy’s Great Alaskan Alehouse (7-11 PM).

K&L Distributors’ Iditarod Pub Crawl MON FEB 27 thru SAT MAR 03
6:00 – 10:00 PM
Join K&L at various Anchorage bars to promote Alaskan Brewing beers. Tonight meet up at Millenneum Hotel (6 PM), Sea Galley (6-8 PM) and Cabin Tavern (8-10 PM).

SugarSpoon Cupcakes and Beer Pairings @ Midnight Sun’s Loft
11 AM - 8:00 PM
Come up to the Loft for beautiful beer and brunch. Then try out our “cupcake and beer” pairings. (While cupcakes last…)

To celebrate the 75th Anniversary of Beer Cans:
Midnight Sun is offering 75 cents off Sockeye Red IPA cans up in the Loft for oNe WeeK.
Kenai River is featuring Skilak Scottish Ale and Sunken Island IPA cans for $1.50 in tasting room.

Begin AK Beer Week here with the debut of ANCHORAGE Ice Bock–on tap and in 22’s (around Anchor-town as well). Also, SILENT ART AUCTION begins today. Come up to our Loft and bid on Scott Clendaniel’s very popular oil paintings of beer, including some heavy-hittin’ MSBC beers. We’ll announce the winning bids on SUN JAN 22 at 2 PM.

At 1:13 on 1/13 we tap a firkin of Sockeye Red IPA, dry-hopped with citrusy Meridian hops. Who says Friday the 13TH has to be unLUCKy? Happy AK Beer Week, everyone!

FRI to THU, this week only: $5 Goblets on all specialty beers, including barrel-aged beers, like MooseJuice Barley Wine, Matushka Imperial Stout and Bumper Crop Double “Farmer’s Friend”. Visit www.steliasbrewingco.com for more info.

Kick off AK Beer Week in Talkeetna with this beer dinner featuring six specialty and experimental sour and Belgian beers paired with a home-style menu. Call Twister Creek for reservations: 907-733-2537. Keep up with Denali Brewing Company beer releases and news at www.denalibrewingcompany.com. $30 per person. Check out menu at: http://beeradvocate.com/events/info/51077.

SAT JAN 14.2012 11:00 AM – 8:00PM

MSBC celebrates SugarSpoon bakery’s 4th anniversary with cupcake and beer pairings. We’ll match up four delicious cupcakes with our fabulous beers: Chocolate Cherry with Mammoth Extra Stout, Lemon Meringue with Hop Dog Double Wheat IPA, Tiramisu with Monk’s Mistress Special Dark Ale, and Carrot Cake with Panty Peeler Tripel. Check out www.aksugarspoon.com in Spenard for many more delectable treats!

FRI to THU, this week only: $5 Goblets on all specialty beers, including barrel-aged beers, like MooseJuice Barley Wine, Matushka Imperial Stout and Bumper Crop Double “Farmer’s Friend”. Visit www.steliasbrewingco.com for more info.

Bring books. Drink beer. Find your next great read. (You do not have to bring books to take books…and you do not have to take books if you bring books.) No cash exchanged for books in either direction. This is a community-spirited event. We do these swaps once every 3 months so read your books then bring them back for exchange. 4X per year.

Get the latest news on beer, mead and more Saturdays from 3 – 5 PM on The Better Beer Show at 103.7 FM KFQD Talk Radio. If you miss the live broadcast, download podcast at www.kfqd.com.