TUESDAY, MAY 20 2014 >>>

1. Each year, the American Library Association's Office for Intellectual Freedom compiles a list of the top 10 most frequently challenged books in order to inform the public about censorship in libraries and schools. Between May 2011 and May 2012, John Berger - a novelist, storyteller, poet, screenwriter and art critic - had his To the Wedding dinged by some parents for dropping f-bombs to describe sexual relations. That doesn't sit well with King's Books owner, sweet pea. The Berger novel will be front and center at King's Banned Book Club 7 p.m. discussion in neighboring Doyle's Public House. Expect much worse language inside Doyle's if a televised soccer match turns nutty.

The Palestinian Oscar nominee for best foreign language film has the title character, Omar, climbing over the Israeli separation wall to visit his romantic interest Nadia, her brother Tarek and his other childhood friend Amjad. Without much thought, the three men conspire to kill an Israeli soldier, and Amjad is the one to do the shooting. When Omar is captured and tortured by the Israelis, they give him an ultimatum. Find out what happens at 1:55 and 6:30 p.m. at The Grand Cinema.

Every so often, we come across the argument that rosé lacks merit as a wine, and, therefore, has become over-hyped. To the residents of southern France, rosé equals lifestyle; we doubt they would agree their Provençal existence isn't deserving of recognition. Pour At Four knows this. The Tacoma Proctor District wine bar will pour complimentary tastes of six roses from three regions from 5:30-8 p.m.

This might be hard to believe, but you can't go see The Beatles live anymore, unless you have some sort of resurrection or time traveling technology. If you do have said technology and are using to see The Beatles, you've got some problems, so let Red Wind Casino help you out. It hosts Beatles tribute band British Export at 8 p.m. Go scream your head off.

The 1230 Room probably has you at "$3 You Call Its," but you also may be interested in the downtown Olympia club's Tuesday deep, tech and progressive house night "The Deep End." It launches at 9 p.m. with drink specials, no cover and resident DJs Alex Bosi, Evan Mould, Chris Paro and Braxxus.

LINK: Tuesday, May 20 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

MONDAY, MAY 19 2014 >>>

1. Moby Grape was one of the most versatile San Francisco rock bands to emerge out of the summer of love. Sadly, through a combination of inner turmoil and bad management decisions, the mighty Moby Grape broke up in 1969. However, their debut album is still considered one of the best of all time by many critics, in part because of the nimble fingers of guitarist Jerry Miller. Miller was named one of the top 100 guitarists of all time by Rolling Stone above Eddie Van Halen, Johnny Winter and Randy Rhoads. The Tacoma native has enjoyed a rich career sharing the stage with countless musicians including members of the Doobie Brothers and Carlos Santana.  Miller performs at 8 p.m. at The Swiss' Monday Blues Night.

2. Monique Trudnowski, co-owner of the Adriatic Grill who has announce her candidacy for state representative, hosts the Female Executive Martini Monday every third Monday at her restaurant by the Tacoma Mall. The 5:30 p.m. event is $10 for non-members who want to connect and discover new resources.

3. The Lovebirds, a queer folk-pop duo from San Diego, and Olympia fiddler phenom Josie Toney will perform during a benefit for Pizza Klatch at 7 p.m. in Le Voyeur. Pizza Klatch provides safe and confidential support groups during high school lunch periods for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered and Queer/Questioning youth and allies. 

4. Rippin' Chicken plays a greasy brand of funky, bugaloo and soul jazz, executed with creative ease by three funky brothers from different mothers who dig playing together. After performing and recording together for the better part of a decade in groups such as, The Funk Revolution, The Lucky Mystery Now Orchestra, and The Bucks, Rippin' Chicken presents this power-house rhythm section as the center of attention, which will be on display at 8 p.m. in Olympia's Rhythm and Rye bar.

5. Every Monday at 9 p.m. Jazzbones is packed to the brim with college kids. Party types. The type that wear tight shirts and trucker hats. Throngs of Chad Fratguys and Sarah Sororitysisters swarm the bar, line up for the bathroom and dance to the Rockaraoke - live band karaoke. The Rockaraoke band is skilled, too. Expect $2 PBR drafts, $3 Sinfire shots and $4 Smirnoff flavor vodka bombs.

LINK: Monday, May 19 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

What's old is new again.

In March, I mentioned Engine House No. 9 was in the process of changing its historical Tacoma Brew formula back to the original recipe created in 1888 by the Puget Sound Brewing and Malting Co. in Tacoma.

After Dusty Trail, the man, converted the landmark Engine House No. 9 into Tacoma's first brewpub in 1995, he and Douglas McDonnell brewed the Tacoma Brew, a salute to the original Puget Sound Brewing beer. Trail and McDonnell researched, tinkered and trademarked the beer, producing apparently a more pale ale version of the original recipe. Dick Dickens bought E-9 in 2002 and resident head brewer Doug Tiede used two hops in the Tacoma Brew formula: Czech Saaz hops, the variety used in the original pilsener, and Hallertau, found in Bavarian-style lagers. In 2011, X group (Asado, Masa) purchased E-9, with Shane Johns running the kettles. For several years Johns asked ownership to steer away from the current ale yeast and convert Tacoma Brew to the pilsener recipe of Tacoma's past.

At noon today, Johns' dream came true. The new Tacoma Brew is on tap at E-9, as a Bohemian-style Pilsener.

"We're happy with this first batch," said E-9 bartender Todd McLaughlin, who knows his beer. "It's a bit too sweet for our liking. We'll have it dialed in by the second batch."

Tacoma Brew is now crisp and bitter, with a dry to medium-dry finish and yes, a Pils malt sweetness. It's also bubbly in the back of the mouth.

It's perfect for warm days on E-9's front porch.

It's Friday, which means I tempt you with another South Sound mac and cheese dish I believe is worthy of the Tournament of Mac and Cheese next spring. Of course, you, the reader, will ultimately decided the fate of the dish when nominations open in February 2015.

Wildly annoying name aside, Lit'l Smokiesaren't necessarily so bad on their own. What's not to like about a bite-sized pellet of sodium and grease from various protein sources after all? Where Smokies take the step from kitschy tooth-picked to awesome is when a cheese sauce starts to get involved.

Engine House No. 9 combines the two in its Tailgate Mac and Cheese, a creamy, workingman's take on the classic dish. The E-9 kitchen sautés cheddar and jack cheese with the Smokies and elbow macaroni, then tops the dish with green onions and crouton crumbles. It's a mild, cheesy concoction that fills for $9.99.

This mac and cheese dish is the new piglets in a cheese blanket.

Pair it with E-9's Rowdy Dick Amber and the game.

ENGINE HOUSE NO. 9, 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Monday-Wednesday, 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Thursday-Saturday, 10 a.m. to midnight Sunday, 611 N. Pine St., Tacoma, 253.272.3435

No, I'm not on Harmon Brewing Co.'s payroll. The Tacoma brewery is making news left and right.

I reported its Harmon Tap Room is integrating with its neighboring Hub restaurant.

Then, I mention the Harmon Brewery & Eatery was part of the Tacoma Brewery Walk.

Yesterday, I announced Harmon has, once again, teamed up with the Tacoma Art Museum on a new beer.

Well, Harmon is freakin' in the news, again.

As part of Seattle Beer Week, the Beveridge Place Pub held its annual Iron Brewer Competition May 11. Like television's Iron Chef, brewers are challenged to create something tasty using a set group of ingredients. Then, the resulting beers go head-to-head in a blind tasting.

Yes, Harmon won. In fact, it's Harmon's second Iron Brewer Competition win.

"We won our first championship last November by beating Odin Brewing who was a two-time champion at the time. We won that round with rosemary and yams combined with our Steep and Deep Winter Ale," says Harmon Brewing Co. co-owner Pat Nagle via email.

Sunday, Harmon grabbed the Iron Brewer first place award with required ingredients sloe berries and savory spice.

"We ordered the sloe berries from Lithuania and Poland; the savory spice was sourced locally in Tacoma," explains Nagle. "We made a tea with the sloe berries and summer savory and then blended that in with our Mt. Takhoma Blonde creating the Mi Slo Savory Blonde. This combination proved to be the winning one besting Triple Horn Brewing of Woodinville for the win."

Congratulations Harmon.

>>> Jesse Holder, director of Harmon’s brewery operations, poses with the Beveridge Place Pub crew. Courtesy photo

Letterpress and craft beer. These two artistries are at the forefront of the South Sound's creative scene. Over the last decade, the area has become a magnet for creative types of every stripe - especially letterpress artists and craft brewers. Chandler O'Leary, Jessica Spring, Chris Sharp, Beautiful Angle's Tom Llewellyn and Lance Kagey, J Hukee and othershave been fighting against the Kindle tide with small presses and handmade fonts, displaying their work in dentists' offices, bars, street corners and large shows, such as Wayzgoose. The other set of bib-wearing craftsmen put just as much time, energy, thought and humor into designs that help brand their beer and distinguish their products. Beginning in the '90s, a firehouse, an electrical station, a Ram and a Fish inspired the new talent in 7 Seas Brewing, Wingman Brewers, Narrows Brewing, Tacoma Brewing Co. and others, landing them with their own taprooms, spots a notable festivals and space in grocery stores.

Then, there's Harmon Brewing Co. Tacoma's first craft microbrewery cares as much about art and image as it does producing award-winning beers. Co-owners Pat Nagle and Carole Ford will tell you they're restaurateurs first, but crafting quality beer and presenting it in creative ways is always on their minds. They've paired their beers and one-off brews with the bicycling community, snow and sun celebrations, music festivals, airplane rides, holidays, bridge re-opening celebrations, city celebrations, and one of their favorite partnerships, art exhibits at the Tacoma Art Museum. Harmon has created seasonal beers in conjunction with huge exhibits at TAM dating back to 1998, including the Hop Art Ale, a season IPA in celebration of "Andy Warhol's Flowers For Tacoma."

"We really enjoy the collaboration, the community and city government involvement in creating the Art Museum beers. We met with the Tacoma Art Museum folks, examined the Warhol exhibit, knocked around ideas and walked away with flowers on the brain. We incorporated four flowers in the Hop Art Ale - lavender, rose hips, hibiscus and chamomile. The Art Museum designed the label and coasters. They sold the beer in their store. We put it on draft in our restaurants, with coasters everywhere. Everyone's talking about the show, the museum and Tacoma craft beer - I love that," says Nagle, with enthusiasm.

Harmon Brewing Co. will once again team up with the Tacoma Art Museum, this time crafting beer around a Northwest print art show opening June 7.

Ah, all my babbling comes to a point.

"Ink This! Contemporary Print Arts in the Northwest" will shine a light on raised metal letters inked and pressed into heavy paper by notable Northwest artists over the years. The exhibit will hang through Nov. 9, 2014. Naturally, over the course of the exhibit, TAM will host many lectures, workshops and events centered on contemporary print arts in the Northwest.

What pairs well with lectures, workshops and events?

Beer.

The Tacoma Art Museum asked Harmon to brew a beer for "Ink This!".

Harmon came back with ... drINK THIS!  

"drINK THIS WHITE IPA is a medium-bodied IPA brewed with three different malted barleys that make up just over 60 percent of the grain bill," says Nagle. "White wheat makes up the other almost 40 percent, with five different hop varieties - Simcoe, Centennial, Cascade, Amarillo and Citra - used in the kettle."

Nagle says it was then dry hopped with a sixth variety of hop, Sorachi Ace, which was chosen for its tropical fruit and lemon aroma flavors.

"Bold flavors of orange, lemon and melon give away to a crisp, clean and smooth finish," he adds.

drINK THIS dials in with a 7.6 percent ABV and 65 IBUs.

The beer will make the same rounds as its other arty predecessors. It will be sold in TAM's store and be available at special Museum events. The Harmon will have it on tap at its four restaurants: Harmon Brewery & Eatery, Harmon Tap Room and The Hub in Tacoma and Gig Harbor.

While the exhibit doesn't open until June 7, drINK THIS will sneak into a couple earlier events. It's scheduled to be a part of the Walk Tacoma UWT/Brewery Walk after party at the Harmon Brewery & Eatery Wednesday, May 21. Click here for details.  

Others will have the opportunity of snatching drINK THIS even earlier. The national American Alliance of Museums organization will hold its Annual Meeting & Museum Expo in Seattle May 18-20, with a couple busloads of museum directors, curators and educators traveling south to visit the Tacoma museums. During an evening gathering at the Tacoma Art Museum May 19, the group will score a taste of Tacoma - drINK THIS.

"We're going to have drINK THIS coasters in all our locations, with the Art Museum on one side and the other side blank. We're going to come up with fun stamps so you can personalize your coasters and take them with you," says Nagle. "Hopefully, it will entice people to visit the exhibit."

Crafty.

INK THIS! CONTEMPORARY PRINT ARTS IN THE NORTHWEST, June 7-Nov. 9, 2014, Tacoma Art Museum, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday-Sundays, 1701 Pacific Ave., Tacoma, $8-$10, 253.272.4258

WEDNESDAY, MAY 14 2014 >>>

1. Kye Alfred Hillig has produced an incredible body of work over the past few years. At 7 p.m. in Urban Grace, he'll release his latest set of songs, on the Real Snow LP. On record, Hillig is a restless explorer of delicate melodies and grandiose styles, dipping his toe in electro-pop, U2-esque melodrama and dusky folk-rock. As a solo performer, Hillig frequently strips everything down to just him and a guitar, embracing the troubadour motif, and exposing his barebones songwriting in the process. Tonight's show will see him off as he takes to the road on a tour down the west coast.

2. Good news! Artist Yvette Endrijautzki's "CONSTELLATION - an Overture to the Zodiac," which features 40 local, national and international artists interpreting the 12 Zodiac signs via different media, has been extended to June 13 at Tacoma's Fulcrum Gallery. Check it out from noon to 6 p.m.

3. The "Root and Wing" exhibit fills The Evergreen State College Lab 1's lobby space with organisms that seem to grow from the ceiling and walls. Artist Sumi Wu used cast bronze, cast aluminum, and hand-blown glass to create lively, colorful, organic forms that embody the beauty and flow of nature while evoking natural processes of change, relationship, evolution, and adaptation. The installation, which was erected in December, will finally receive its dedication at 3 p.m. During the ceremony, Wu will dance to music by Benjamin Starshine, Anne Rutherford will tell stories and Paul Susi will bust out a monologue.

4. Two beer events will take place tonight — Pike Brewing tasting at STINK and 10 Barrel Brewing tasting at Puyallup River Alehouse. Check out the New Beer Column for details.

5. Oh sure you have your giant floating laughing lips and your hissing Mad Max-ish funny cars shooting flames 400 feet into the air and improvised kitchen-sink costumes and requisite body painting and sword fights and psychedelic light show like you're entering another planet, as if you have stepped out of reality as you know it and into a place where anything goes and usually does and no one really thinks much of it except that it's usually pretty relaxed and ridiculous and surreal and friendly and funny. This is pretty much a given. It's Harlequin Productions' Funderdome improv comedy show at 8 p.m.

LINK: Wednesday, May 14 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

Get ready Seahawks fans. Not only did Seattle make some smart draft selections and re-sign a lot of fan favorites to the roster, but devoted 12th Man followers are about to get a taste of something even cooler - 12 Spirits, a line of alcohol branded with passionate fans and the Super Bowl champs in mind.

As the tagline implies, "Loud and Proud, created for 12's by 12's," the brand was indeed created by football fans donned in blue and green. The 12 Spirits line, which will include vodka, gin and whiskey.

"We are big football fans and we thought what if we did something specific to our region it would be cool," explained Brian Fulker of White River Distillers in Enumclaw, which is creating the 12 Spirits offerings.

Fulker founded White River Distillers with his college buddy, Tyler Teeple, with whom he shared a love of whiskey, and their third partner, Jon Thomas (JT), who was also becoming enthralled with the distilling process.

"Our line of 12 Spirits, our sports line, will be launched first and then we plan to move onto our flavored moonshines - based on a family recipe from Fulker's relatives in Tennessee - and some other high-end, top shelf whiskey, vodka and gin, which will be branded under ‘Rockin' 25'," Fulker said.  

The logo, which was created by Puyallup-based SignDog Media, features a large, embossed "12" with Richter scale-like lines coming from it to sketch out Space Needles.

"We are delivering the full package, from a great theme to a quality product," said Donnie Juntunen of SignDog. "We want to be the first ones out there with this sort of product."

Bottles are expected to be in hand sometime between June 9 and 15, but if you stay tuned to facebook.com/volume12spirits, twitter.com/twelvespirits and instagram.com/12spirits you'll know exactly when and where to get your first bottle of 12, in more than enough time for pre-season.

Columbia Brewing Co. first occupied the building along the 2100 block of South C Street in 1900. Beer made at the facility gained national attention for its flavor and smooth aftertaste in the early 1920s, prompting the brewery to double in size and increase capacity by the mid-1930s.

Success at the plant received the attention of another brewery, Heidelberg Brewing Co., which purchased the Columbia plant in 1949 and set out for another round of remodeling. The facility was bought yet again a decade later by Carling Brewery, making it the only West Coast holding of the otherwise East Coast beer company.

Fickle beer drinkers began to snub Tacoma's home brew, and the plant closed in 1979. There have been efforts to revive the brewery in the passing years, but the natural spring that bubbles water to the surface on that end of town isn't as mountain pure as it once was.

That's just a snippet of what you'll most likely hear when University of Washington-Tacoma Art and Architecture Professor Julie Nicoletta leads a tour through Tacoma's Brewery District from 5:15 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 21. Sponsored by Downtown On the Go, the 1.5-mile Walk Tacoma UWT/Brewery Walk will start at the base of the UWT stairs at South 19th and Pacific Avenue and end at the Harmon Brewery and Eatery for light appetizers and a beer tasting. Then at 8, stop by the corner of South 19th and Jefferson Street as I will lead my own tour talk called, "Bushes I Fell In Between the Heidelberg and The Swiss During the 1990s." OK, I'm kidding about my tour (kind of), but the part about the Brewery Walk is absolutely true.

Nicoletta's tour will highlight the historic Brewery and Warehouse Districts, including locations of old breweries, the Swiss Building, the Streets and Grounds Maintenance Division's Barn, and the development of the Prairie Line Trail along the old Prairie Rail Line. There is no need to pre-register for the event, simply join Downtown On the Go at the meeting spot. 

The Harmon has its T-town Blonde, Chambers Bay Scottish Ale and the new drINK THIS IPA lined up for the tasting.

BEER NEWS

To celebrate its 20th anniversary, Dick's Brewing Company will release a special 20th anniversary beer, Dick's Midnight Ride, July 18. Dick's Midnight Ride is a trip to the dark side. The robust, Northwest-style CDA will burst with Cascade and Centennial hops, perfectly balanced with a rich dark malt profile. Think rich, dark and malty like a porter but with a hop IPA profile. Dick's will throw a 20th anniversary bash at its Centralia home Saturday, Oct. 25.

BEER HERE

Tuesday, May 13-18

American Craft Beer Week - May 12-18 - is more of a Midwest thing. All the Northwest craft breweries are hip wader deep into Seattle Beer Week. Ninkasi Brewing Company, for instance, has 13 events lined up for the 11-day Seattle Beer Week, which ends May 18. A few South Sound beer-centric entities are celebrating the Emerald City beer bath, such as Pint Defiance taproom and beer store with its 26-beer Northwest beer punch card. The RAM Big Horn Brewery is waving the American Craft Beer Week flag, highlighting one of its gold medal winning beers a day, offering an 18-ounce pour for $3.25. The Big Red IPA is on the pedestal today. Tomorrow, its Washington Blonde receives the spotlight, followed by the Disorder Porter and a Hefeweizen salute Friday.

Wednesday, May 14

The ladies of Pike Brewing have developed a beer with some of the proceeds going to Planned Parenthood. Kris Blondin, owner of STINK Cheese and Meat and neighboring STINK Tank wine bar, holds the Pike Brewing crew in high regard. STINK will pour samples of Pike's seasonal Morning After Pale Ale from 5-8 p.m. For every pint sold, Blondin will donate a dollar to Planned Parenthood.

The 10 Barrel Brewing Co. is on the move. The Bend, Ore., brewery is opening a third brewpub in Portland's Pearl District this summer - the other two are in Bend and Boise. The Portland site will include a pub and a brewhouse, which will brew small batch and one-off beers. Speaking of 10 Barrel small batch beers, several will be available May 14 when 10 Barrel visits the Puyallup River Alehouse. The downtown Puyallup house of beers will serve hot dogs, tacos, giveaway prizes and pour a bunch of 10 Barrel beers.

Saturday, May 17

The Bacon and Beer Classic will consume Safeco Field in Seattle May 17. The traveling greasy, hoppy fiesta visits baseball fields around the country, drawing thousands of attendees to sample craft beer and bacon-based dishes from regional restaurants. Adding to that already winning combination will be performances from local bands and cooking demonstrations. Chef Hudson Slater of Maxwell's Restaurant teamed up with the mad scientists at Wingman Brewers to create a Tacoma bacon beer for the Seattle festival - Gratzilla Bacon Smoked Wheat Beer. It's a light, sessionable and smoky wheat beer - and on tap at Wingman, too. By the way, Wingman is now open 2-9 p.m. every Sunday.

Top Rung Brewing Company in Lacey gives nod to the American Craft Beer Week with a tour of its brewery beginning at 3 p.m.

St. Patrick's Day celebrations aren't easy. You must practice to prepare yourself for the zaniness that goes down every March 17. Doyle's Public House knows this. That's why they host monthly St. Practice Day parties, of which happens Saturday. The party begins with Doyle's Guinness Club toast at 5:17 p.m. All the members gather before Grand Poobah Russ Heaton, who recognizes members who have hit milestones, such as 500 pints of Guinness, while the other members tear up. After the announcement, Heaton raises a glass of the Irish Mother's Milk and toasts the members. At 5:25 p.m., some will board a bus for the Sounders game. Those who stay behind will work on their membership goals, until funky Afrobeat band Rippin Chicken bumps them silly at 9:30 p.m.

>>> Doyle's Public House lines them up Saturday at 5:17 p.m.

Huzzah! It looks like just maybe the sun has joined us in this season we call spring, kicking off the season of al fresco dining in the South Sound. Around these parts al fresco dining season is a very brief and highly coveted era. Few restaurants, save for the waterfront varieties, don't even bother with a patio during these short-lived months. The Matador is different. It is brave (natch!). The optimistic, sexy downtown Tacoma Tex Mex restaurant has its doors open to its patio on Pacific Avenue.

Though the Matador has gained a reputation for tasty margaritas and impressive nachos. Its fresh sheet options always yield big flavor, such as the Tacos Alambres ($13.95). Flour tortillas lay the foundation for ample, tender, marinated chicken breast, ripe avocado, shredded onion and jack cheese. It's all fine, dandy and delicious - but what really makes these tacos a dish to "eat now" - compared to other Mexican shelled food fare - are the crumbles of bacon.

The housemade jalapeño, cilantro crema knocks it out of the park. It's creamy, spicy and flavorful. I'd take a tub full and smother everything in this stuff!

Served up with a side of black beans and Spanish rice, this dish is filling and just plain mouth watering.

Share the nachos and save room for the Tacos Alambres. Add a tamarind margarita and a patio and you're welcome.

THE MATADOR, 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. daily, 21 and older, 721 Pacific Ave., Tacoma, 253.627.7100