You'd best prep your favorite Barry Manilow, Nelly and Journey songs, because you're entrenched in National Karaoke Week. Seriously, this is a thing. National Karaoke Week happens through Saturday, and it's a BFD in some parts of the country. Wait, scratch that - it's apparently a BFD in Tacoma, if a brewery is busting out the karaoke machine.

Narrows Brewing Company hosts a karaoke competition tonight from 7-9 p.m. Need some courage? Head brewer Joe Walts has released a new Double IPA. Oh Mandy! It's going to get Hot in Herre.

Also tonight

Puyallup River Brewing Company will release its first bourbon barrel-aged beer tonight. The Point Success Porter and Mud Mountain Milk Stout were aged in American oak Ghost Owl Bourbon barrels from Parliament Distillery in Sumner. Parliament head distiller Jarrett Tomal and his crew will be at the Puyallup River Alehouse to discuss their business, hand our Parliament swag and, of course, swig some brews. The celebration begins at 6 p.m.

Saturday, April 26

Those in the know know that barley wine isn't wine at all, but a dark, malty ale enjoyed late in the evening. Brewed for a long time with ample sugar, barley wine's alcohol levels tend to top off at about 14 percent. That's about three times the amount in a popular, mass-produced beer. Those in the know know the ParkWay Tavern host its ninth annual Barley Wine Festival from 2 p.m. to 2 a.m. Expect 30 aged barley wines and Murphy's Barbecue out front. Let's take a look at the schedule taplist:

2007 Anchor Old Foghorn
2007 Full Sail Old Boardhead
2008 Flying Dog Horn Dog
2009 Stone Old Guardian
2010 Fishtale 10(2)
2010 Great Divide Old Ruffian
2010 Hale's Rudyard's Rare
2010 Hopworks Noggin Floggin
2010 Lagunitas Gnarleywine
2010 Rogue Old Crustacean
2010 Red Hook Treblehook
2011 Beer Valley Highway to Ale
2011 Lost Coast Fog Cutter
2011 Port Townsend Barleywine
2012 21st Amendment Lower De Boom
2012 Avery Hog Heaven
2012 Dick's Barleywine
2012 Ninkasi Wheat Wine
2012 Silver City Old Scrooge
2012 Widmer Old Embalmer
2013 Anderson Valley Horn of the Beer
2013 Black Diamond Dried Up Old Geezer
2013 E-9 Thunder Buddies
2013 Epic Barleywine
2013 Mad River John Barleycorn
2013 Oakshire Barleywine
2013 Snipes Rosa
2014 Harmon Barleywine
2014 High Water Old & in the Way
2014 Lazy Boy Barleywine
2014 Sound Old Scoundrel

Those in the know know to program a taxi service on their cell.

Sunday, April 27

Pint Defiance will host German beers for its Sonntag Sampler from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Flights of four 4-ounce pours will be served for the cost of a normal pint. You may sample Dr. Fritz Briem 1809 Berlinerweisse, DAB Dortmunder Export, Ayinger Ur Weisse Dunkel and Wiehenstephaner Korbinian Doppelbock. Das ist sehr gut!

Following on the successful heels of the Weekly Volcano's Tournament of Burgers, our editorial staff will present a new NCAA Basketball tournament-like event next spring.  Once again we'll host a number of daily games that pit one restaurant against another, leaving it to the readers to decide the final outcomes all the way down to a final four and then a grand championship. (For newbie readers, Olympia's Westside Tavern edged out Tacoma's Maxwell's Restaurant in the final seconds of this year's Tournament of Burgers.) 

The competition for March 2015 will pit 64 South Sound restaurants that offer the ultimate comfort food - macaroni and cheese.

As I explained last week, my goal is to report on a South Sound mac and cheese dish every week up to the tournament - to spread the cheesy word, ease into tournament research and, obviously, build hype. I will highlight the best, skipping reports of orange cheddar and glistening pile of noodles that hold no nutritional value whatsoever.

Let's begin with one of my favorites, the Crown Bar's mac and cheese.

Cougar Gold long ruled the Tacoma neighborhood hangout's mac and cheese dish. The canned cheese from Washington State University's creamery in Pullman elevated the Crown's comfort food dish with an almost gruyére-like nutty, caramel flavor.

Today, Beecher's Handmade Cheese coats Crown's noodles. The artisanal cheese out of Seattle's Pike Place Market isn't a big change in flavor from the Cougar Gold. Beecher's also carries a delicious gruyere, nutty flavor. Chef Charlie McManus coats meaty elbow pasta with the flavorful cheese, then tops it with breadcrumbs. This is unfussy cheese perfection at its finest.

I say it's time to get yourself elbows-deep in some elbows.

CROWN BAR, 5 p.m. to midnight Tuesday-Thursday, 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday, 5-11 p.m. Sunday, 2705 Sixth Ave., Tacoma, 253.272.4177

THURSDAY, APRIL 24, 2014 >>>

1. For most musicians the worlds of classical and modern music move in different orbits, if not galaxies. But when he sits down Thursday at the piano in the Rialto Theater, Christopher O'Riley should, once again, bring these spheres together. American pianist O'Riley has been sneaking Radiohead into the classical music world for years. As host of NPR's child-musician showcase From the Top, he gets to pick the music that gets played during station breaks. Rather than Mendelssohn preludes, O'Riley would draw up piano transcriptions of pop songs, which he'd then play without preannouncing. O'Riley will tape From the Top in front of a live audience at 7:30 p.m. in the Rialto Theater. If they haven't listen to anything written since 1900, he most likely will mess with their heads.

2. More than 50 establishments will be participating in Dining Out for Life today. During this large scale culinary fundraiser 25 percent of your bill will go directly to fund AIDS and HIV advocacy care and prevention programs. All types of cuisine are available from the rise of the sun until that late night nibble in the South Sound. Check out full details and a list of participating restaurants at diningoutforlife.com.   

3. Say friend. Do you like the poetry? Tacoma Poet Laureate Lucas Smiraldo is back at B Sharp Coffee House for another "Live at the Auricle" show. Spoken word will be fused with the musical styling of percussion master Davidson Gomez beginning at 7 p.m. An open mic will follow.

4. Barleywine Revue is just awesome. The band writes and performs contemporary, relevant bluegrass and Americana music while paying homage to the traditions that have come in generations before ... think Bill Monroe meets Bill Withers. Oh man, that's fresh! Catch the band from 7-10 p.m. at The Swiss Restaurant & Pub.

5. Formed by Dustin Hill, Black Pussy is a band that leans into the stoner rock label, despite the fact that listening to their music doesn't instantly evoke images of smoke sessions and unbearable jams. Rather, their sound and look is absolutely reminiscent of the '70s and the nascent birth of cock rock, back when cock rock was essentially still just synonymous with rock 'n' roll. They come across like the fictional band at the center of Almost Famous - all long hair, denim, booze, and groupies for days, a band lost in time. Read Rev. Adam McKinney's full feature on Black Pussy in the Music & Culture section, then catch the band at 9 p.m. in The New Frontier Lounge. 

LINK: Thursday, April 24 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 23 2014 >>>

1. It's impossible to place The Saturday Giant into any sort of neat one-man band box. The Columbus, Ohio native isn't a prototypical one-man band: no one hollow-body guitar, no one bass drum, no one hi-hat cymbal and, OK, one voice. Instead, The Saturday Giant, aka Phil Cogley, purchased a Boomerang III Phrase Sampler looping pedal building one fragment of musical material on top of another - sculpting layers of guitars, drums, bass lines, beat boxing, keyboards and vocals into intricate indie pop-rock. In spirit and attitude, The Saturday Giant plays innovative art rock - nothing pre-recorded. The result is a one-of-a-kind live show at 8 p.m. in Metronome Coffee.

2. The Evergreen State College keeps the Earth Day drive alive with a live music, vendors, sustainability workshops, interactive art displays, activities for kids and more from noon to 5 p.m.

3. Several local beer events go down tonight. 99 Bottles in Federal Way will be pouring five brews from Anchorage Brewing Company from 5-7 p.m., with guest Geoff Sampson from Shelton Brothers importers. Pint Defiance on the edge of Fircrest hosts the American Brewing Company team, which will show off its new canned Breakaway IPA - as well as pour American Blonde Ale, Single-Hop Citra Experimental Pale Ale and Cabernet Barrel Aged Imperial Stout from the handles - from 5-7 p.m. Over at The Swiss Restaurant & Pub, Pyramid Breweries will be in the house from 6-9 p.m.

4. Alt rock band Torre had their equipment stolen last week. Beginning at 7 p.m. the music community will gather to help their own in the form of a benefit concert at Louie G's Pizza in Fife. Schedule to rock the house are Jessica Lynne, Kitt Bender and Eva D, Strangely Alright, Brooke Lizotte and Pamela Moore, SweetKiss Momma, Rafael Tranquilino with Torre hitting the stage and 10:30 p.m. Come out, drop a few dollars, eat some pizza and rock out. If you can't make the show, watch a live stream of Strangely Alright's set here.

5. Besides being the son of Woody, Arlo Guthrie is destined to be remembered for one memorable recording: "Alice's Restaurant Massacree," a raucous, politically edgy, draft-dodging, best-to-hear-high anthem that once upon a time was a fixture on early underground FM radio. Guthrie's story is based in truth: Two youths - one Arlo himself - couldn't find a garbage dump open on Thanksgiving, and so they threw a load of refuse down a hillside and were arrested. The events that transpired next are right out of Mayberry R.F.D., which is funny enough, except that Guthrie departs from his story line to talk about what it's like to get a draft physical: "You walk in, you get injected, inspected, detected, infected, neglected and selected!" And the people you meet there: "There was all kinds of mean, nasty, ugly-lookin' people on the bench there ... there was mother-rapers ... father-stabbers ... father-rapers!" "Alice's Restaurant Massacree" is an American classic, and we have out fingers crossed Guthrie performs it at 7:30 p.m. in the Washington Center - along with "Dead or Alive," "Gypsy Davy" and "This Land Is Your Land."

LINK: Wednesday, April 23 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

Dedicated South Sound craft beer fans are no strangers to closed gates. The Tacoma Craft Beer Festival and the Tacoma Big Beer Festival had to shut doors on beer drinkers due to capacity crowds. Last year, the Gig Harbor Beer Festival sold out in just over an hour after the gate opened.

"There's a good chance this year's Gig Harbor Beer Festival will sell out before its opening day, May 10," says John Fosberg, the Festival's producer and founder of the Gig Harbor Brewing Company.

Fosberg dropped the third annual Gig Harbor Beer Festival's news release today, touting 21 craft brewers, Gig Harbor's Heritage Distillery and a bigger music venue will consume the Gig Harbor Uptown Pavilion Saturday, May 10 - Mother's Day weekend.

"We love the Uptown Gig Harbor Pavilion and the managers and owners at the Uptown property," says Fosberg. "They are extremely helpful and supportive of our efforts. For the past three years, we've been looking for a new venue - preferably an indoor site - but have been unable to find anything within Gig Harbor that can surpass Uptown in capacity, electric power, ease of parking, management support and cost. Nothing comes close."

Fosberg says there are several brewers returning from previous years who are bringing some fan favorites and new brews to try. Eleven brewers poured at the first Gig Harbor Beer Festival. Last year, 18 beer companies set up booths. This year, 21 Washington state brewers will set up shop. Here's the starting line-up:

• 192 Brewing, Kenmore
• 7 Seas Brewing, Gig Harbor
• American Brewing, Edmonds
• Bainbridge Island Brewing, Bainbridge Island
• Big Al Brewing, Seattle
• Der Blokken, Bremerton
• Dicks Brewing Co., Centralia
• Everybody's Brewing, White Salmon
• Fremont Brewing, Seattle
• Georgetown Brewing Co., Seattle
• Harmon Brewing Co., Tacoma
• Hood Canal Brewery, Kingston
• Loowit Brewing Co., Vancouver
• Narrows Brewing, Tacoma
• Northwest Brewing, Pacific
• Rainy Daze Brewing Co., Silverdale
• RAM Big Horn Brewery, Tacoma
• Silver City Brewery, Bremerton
• Slippery Pig Brewing, Poulsbo
• Sound Brewery • Poulsbo
• Wingman Brewery, Tacoma

"Gig Harbor's own Heritage Distillery will be there pouring samples of their spirits," says Fosberg.

In terms of music, Perry Acker returns for the band's second year and takes the stage at 3 p.m. Aisle of View, a reggae band currently touring the country, opens at 1 p.m.

The standard beer festival giant Jenga game will tower at the festival, too.

Tickets are $20, $25 after April 25, and are available at the Festival's website. Admission includes a commemorative taster cup and eight taster tokens. Depending on availability, you may also purchase tickets the day of the event for $25. Additional taster tokens will be on sale during the event.

"Our ticket prices still haven't gone up," says Fosberg. "Tickets cost the same as they did our first year. It's the perfect Mother's Day gift."

The Gig Harbor Beer Festival benefits the Gig Harbor Kiwanis Foundation.

GIG HARBOR BEER FESTIVAL, noon to 6 p.m. Saturday, May 10, Uptown Pavilion, 4701 Point Fosdick Dr. NW, Gig Harbor, $20 at brownpapertickets or gigharborbeerfestival.com

TUESDAY, APRIL 22 2014 >>>

1. "Let every individual and institution now think and act as a responsible trustee of Earth, seeking choices in ecology, economics and ethics that will provide a sustainable future, eliminate pollution, poverty and violence, awaken the wonder of life and foster peaceful progress in the human adventure." So states John McConnell's original Earth Day proclamation. Begun in 1970 during the March Equinox (March 20, 21), Earth Day is a worldwide yearly celebration and call to action in order to sustain the natural beauty and viability of our world. Once again, in celebration of Earth Day, admission is free at all Washington state parks - meaning the Discover Pass is not required to visit a state park on designated free days. Do your part by ceasing all bathing activity beginning today. For more information, visit www.discoverpass.wa.gov.

2. Local breweries are getting their Earth Day on with a human powered beer delivery parade followed by a bunch of beer drinking.

3. A panel of academics in the early stages of their science careers will share their experiences as science scholars of color at a forum and panel discussion from 5-7 p.m. UW Tacoma's William W. Philip Hall.

4. Kimya Dawson and hip-hop artist Ian Bavitz (aka Aesop Rock) are The Uncluded and will perform music from their debut album, Hokey Fright, at 8:30 p.m. in the Olympia Timberland Library.

5. The "Month of Murray" at The Swiss Restaurant and Pub with a 9 p.m. screening of Rushmore on the projector. Expect food and drink discounts.

LINK: Tuesday, April 22 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

After the grain has been shoveled from the mash tun, after yeast has been pitched, after the farmer has hauled away the trailer, there is water everywhere, and a half hour more of work to do before they can go fight fires. Yes, they woke up at 4:30 a.m., it's now 3 in the afternoon, and soon one will turn his waist-high boots for knee-high boots and a red ax.

Thurston County firefighters Casey Sobol and Jason Stoltz's four-year journey to open their brewery official ends today when their Top Rung Brewing Company celebrates its grand opening from 2-9 p.m.

The career firefighters - 20 years for Sobol and seven for Stoltz - have been dialing in their recipes in the garages between shifts at the McLane/Black Lake Fire Department. It became real when the duo's Hosechaser Blonde grabbed the Dick's Brewing "Beer for a Cure" homebrewing contest top prize in 2012 - and they began to shadow Dick's brewer Parker Penley.

"Just as the firefighting community is an open, friendly brotherhood, so is the beer community," says Sobol. "I could be in Boston and any firehouse would take me in as one of their own. The local brewing community is similar."

Wingman Brewers in Tacoma brought back two whiskey barrels from Kentucky for Top Rung Brewing.

"It's a shame Wingman celebrates three years the same day we celebrate our grand opening," says Sobol. "Those guys are great."

Those who didn't drop by Top Rung's soft opening last Saturday can check out the new 10-barrel brewhouse and spacious taproom at 8343 Hogum Bay Lane in Lacey today. The duo pays tribute to their main job, with ladders suspended from the ceiling, firehouse décor and the iconic fireman's shield front and center on the Top Rung logo. Otherwise, the high-ceiling space resembles other taprooms, with concrete floors, modern lighting and long wooded plank tables, which Sobol crafted. Sobol runs the house side.

Stolz runs the brewing. The beers pay tribute to firefighting, with the award-winning Hosechaser, Irons IPA and Scout Stout on tap today. The IPA has recently been altered with added bitter and aroma hops. It's delicious. The Flashover Red is written on the board. A Cascadian Dark Ale is in the works, as well as a seasonal pumpkin ale, Oktoberfest and a secret Thanksgiving release that will be on many beer enthusiasts' Santa list. 

Sobol, Stoltz and their 10 investors have a business plan that calls for slow, steady growth. Food can be brought in from surrounding businesses, which are listed on a hanging board. Strong beers are not part of the plan right now. In fact, a three-maximum pint limit has been instigated in the taproom. That's the firefighter in them.

In addition to the beers today, a local barbecue company will be cooking out front. Beer flights are available.

TOP RUNG BREWING COMPANY, 8343 Hogum Bay Lane NE, Suite B
Lacey, 360.239.3043

BERE HERE TODAY

As mentioned above, Wingman Brewers in TAcoma celebrates its third anniversary with a party noon to midnight. It will premiere its Double IPA Pocket Aces in 22-ounce bottles and on draft, which is basically a doubled up version of its Ace IPA. There is a significant amount of malt backbone in the Pocket Aces, which leads to some residual sweetness. It weighs in at about 12 percent, but with a massive amount of citra and centennial hops, along with a few other varietals to balance it out. Budha Bear Bagels will help soak up the suds. Here is Wingman's starting tap lineup today: Ace IPA 7.1% ABV, P-51 Porter 8% ABV, Pocket Aces 12% ABV, Coconut P-51 8% ABV, Stratofortress 11.2% ABV, Gratzilla Smoked Bacon Wheat Ale 3.4% ABV, Operation Crossroads Old Ale 16.8% ABV, Chocolate, Coffee, Oatmeal Stout 7.8% ABV, AO Supporters Outlaw Ale 4.8% ABV, Pacific Gose 3.3% ABV, Wit 4.6% ABV, Big Baby Flat Top Imperial Stout 11.4% ABV, Chocolate Fortress 11.2% ABV, Mighty HighPA 6.8% ABV and a cider from Seattle Cider Company.

The historic 1908 Olympic Club in downtown Centralia hosts its annual Brewfest from 1-11 p.m. Since it's a McMenamins' operation, you can expect its Oregon-based brews on full display, as well as beer from guest brewers and importers, including local treats from Fish Brewing and Dick's brewing. While you sip, you can take in the Olympic Club's history of railway bootlegging, captured train robbers, secret call buttons, subterranean tunnels, rumored hauntings as well as tour the Olympic Club brewery, relax in the outdoor seating area, play a round or two of pool. The cost is $12 per 1o-sample punch card. The overnight rooms at the Olympic Club have been taken so plan accordingly.

The Hopscotch Spring Beer & Scotch Festival takes over Fremont Studios in Seattle with the biggest and best pop-up bar you may ever see with 50 microbrews, scotch, whiskey and wine tastings flowing through the aisles April 18-19. Hopscotch 2014 has an impressive lineup of both Washington and out-of-state microbreweries and distilleries. Well-known breweries, from Deschutes Brewery to Full Sail, Ninkasi to Snoqualmie, will serve up familiar brews and more. A few wines from the Proletariat Wine Company will also be available. If your tastes run a little harder, Scotch aficionados (or newbies wanting to learn a bit) can sample five Abelour vintages and six Northwest whiskeys. "We are bringing back our scotch workshops, which are hour-long Scotch 101 workshops led by a master of scotch and feature 10 different kinds of scotch from the Aberlour, Glenlevit, and Chivas families," said Maddie Murphy, sponsorship and marketing assistant for the festival. To purchase tickets or for more information, visit www.hopscotchtasting.com.

SEE ALSO

The Swiss Restaurant and Pub celebrates 21 years.

I haven't worked off the 20 pounds of weight gained during the Tournament of Burgers. In fact, the extra weight has become my friend. The fat and I reminisce about each burger joint, becoming all mushy and nostalgic over a last call burger at Shake Shake Shake, pairing Manhattans with Maxwell's Walker Burger, eating smoked burgers next to someone getting canned at Famous Dave's, playing human pinball at Five Guys in Lakewood, a rowdy Friday burger night at Tournament of Burgers Champion Westside Tavern, and so on.

Since announcing mac and cheese will be next year's tournament, my body fat is all ready thumbing through the Big and Tall catalog.

I'm prepared to begin the mac and cheese madness immediately. Why wait? Send that lentil soup back in the kitchen! That tramp will go through me in 30 minutes. My goal is to report on a South Sound mac and cheese dish every week. Those who have followed my past columns know I will most likely fail. And, dropping in on Tacoma's STINK Cheese & Meat for its weekly mac and cheese special doesn't count, although I will not surrender that pleasure.

Let's start with my favorite mac and cheese recipe.

The first time I made macaroni and cheese, I followed the official CIA (Culinary Institute of America) recipe. It took me approximately four hours, utilized two French "Mother" sauces, cost me about $10 to make and tasted mediocre. I won't be doing that again soon. I've since learned that cheese choice; plenty of preferably fresh breadcrumbs, and ample baking time can make all the difference. One very simple recipe that turned out delicious:

Aged Gouda and Campanelle

Put a large pot of lightly salted water on to boil the campanelle (campanelle, or pig's ear pasta, is a broad, curly edged pasta that soaks up sauces beautifully. It's available at most grocery stores). Once the water is boiling, you'll want to add about a pound, pound and a half of pasta to it. Take about four slabs of bacon and fry them until they're crisp. Set on a towel to drain fat. In a medium sized saucepan, heat one-and-a-half cups of half and half until nearly boiling. Throw in 2 Tablespoons of butter and watch it melt. Pretty, right? Now you want about 3/4 of a pound of shredded quality, aged Gouda. Make sure it's aged, or you will have a very bland casserole.

Stir this mixture over medium-low heat until the cheese is smooth. Now, I was naughty at this point and just couldn't resist grabbing a spoonful of freshly rendered bacon fat out of the sauté pan beside me and tossing it into the sauce as I stirred it. Not necessary. But it sure makes things taste good. Turn the heat off, drain your pasta (as long as it's al dente) and throw it in a bowl. Crumble the bacon into the pasta and toss. Pour the cheese over the pasta/bacon and toss again. Pour the mixture into a buttered casserole (I used a 10-inch cake tin). You can sprinkle with black/white pepper, cayenne, or even something sweet like cardamom or cinnamon on top. You probably won't need to add salt unless you've omitted the bacon.

Now take a dry old hunk of good bread and grate the daylights out of it to cover the top (you can pre-grate if you want to avoid a crumb mess from the guaranteed misfires). Some people at this point would throw on a couple pats of butter. I think I already hit the decadence quota with the pig fat. Your choice. Bake it until the crumbs are toasted and the cheese is bubbling. Eat with impunity.

Well, time to stick a feather in my hat and call it macaroni, whatever the hell that means.

Toward the beginning of last night's Georgetown Brewing Company beer dinner at The Swiss Restaurant and Pub, Manny Chao, Georgetown's co-owner and brewmaster, explained why it was an honor that his company be the first brewery Swiss owner Jack McQuade invited to dinner. The two go way back.

Chao met McQuade some 20 years ago when he was the first employee at Mac and Jack's. With Chao's help, Mac and Jack's amber ale became the third best selling craft brew in the state. Five years later Chao left Mac and Jack's and by 2002, he and his housemate, Roger Bialous, homebrewed their first beer - Manny's Pale Ale. In 2003, Chao was back in front of McQuade, this time selling his Manny's Pale Ale, from his new Georgetown Brewing Company located in Seattle's Georgetown district.

That introduction set an appropriate tone for what was to come at The Swiss' inaugural beer dinner. Chao and his sales rep, Garrett Miller, knowledgeably guided about 25 diners through Chef Scott Cleese's four masterfully prepared courses, excellently paired with Georgetown's selection of beers.

As noted, it was McQuade's first hosted beer dinner. The smile never left his face. He was proud to have his friend Manny in the house, proud of Cleese's dishes and proud that the inaugural crowd was a joyous group, chatty and truly interested in the education and tastes. Inaugural also means a chance to learn. The beer pours were enormous. By the seventh beer, I was speaking in gibberish. McQuade, who debuted new dishware and glassware for the event, could have easily poured half the amount and still called it a success.

Before the food arrived, Georgetown passed out full glasses of Roger's Pilsner, with Yakima-grown Czech-style Sterling hops, just to get the ball rolling.

For the first course, Chef Cleese created a cheddar potato ale soup, incorporating Manny's Pale Ale into the mixture. Cleese's goal was to hold as much sweetness from ale as he could, which he pulled off.

For the salad course, the kitchen marinated red onions over in Georgetown's Superchopp Red Ale, then added them to their steak salad with malted certified angus ball tip sirloin, bleu cheese crumbles, cherry tomatoes and a balsamic dressing. This was paired with the Superchopp, a derivative of Chopper's Red Ale, which was named after the brewery's third owner and operations manager, Brett Chopp. The Superchopp is hopbursted, which means the bitter hop and the aroma hop are both added at the end of the process.

My favorite pairing was the third course, monkfish lightly floured and seared on a grill with orange butter sauce served over a pan seared potato patty with braised season greens. Tasty. The citrus flavors of the Lucille IPA paired well. Georgetown's IPA master, Reid Spencer, named the beer after the car wash scene in Cool Hand Luke.

And for dessert: a housemade chocolate brownie with vanilla bean ice cream; Lisa's Chocolate Stout was the brew paired with this one, and a special sweet reduction of the stout was used in the dessert.

Yum.

The night ended with, yes, more beer: a delicious 11.4 percent, fruity Kiss Ass Blaster Triple IPA, which was low on the bitterness for a giant IPA.

If you missed this dinner and are aching to go to one now, don't fret. According to McQuade, The Swiss will have pairing dinners regularly. In the meantime, here are a few awesome people I met last night.

SEE ALSO

The Swiss Restaurant and Pub turns 21

THURSDAY, APRIL 17 2014 >>>

1. This Sunday, families all over the South Sound will participate in the tradition of searching for hundreds of hidden eggs to prevent our fair region from smelling like a rotten omelet come summer. Yup, it's Easter - bunnies toting around baskets with colorful dyed eggs and candy to hide for sugar-addled children. If the regular old egg hunt just won't satisfy, consider an early adult egg hunt on the Art Bus. The third Thursday bus tour to Tacoma galleries, businesses and venues hanging art goes bunny hop tonight, handing out bunny ears to riders and inviting them to search for eggs at each stop, all under the careful watch of tour guide Rep. Jake Fey of the 27th District. As always, there will be VIP swag bags, hugs, plenty of art and pizza provided by Puget Sound Pizza. Details can be found at tacomaartbus.com.

2. The 4th Annual TCC Diversity Film Festival rolls on with Fort McCoy, the latest from directors Kate Connor and Michael Worth, which tells the story of Frank Stirn (Eric Stoltz), a man who earns his living in WWII-era Wisconsin working as a barber for the Army at nearby Fort McCoy. Business is good - Frank caters to both American military personnel and to the Nazi POWs that are his new neighbors. Catch it at 2 and 6:30 p.m. in The Grand Cinema.

3. The Collins Memorial Library, at the University of Puget Sound, invites the public to join a lively and informative discussion on current research, unique resources and rare books that are part of the University of Puget Sound Collections. At 4 p.m. in Collins,C. Mark Smith ('61) will join four student curators to discuss the life and times of Professor Lyle "Stan" Shelmidine who taught Middle Eastern History and the creation of the Collins Library exhibit, "Stan!," featuring artifacts and documents from Shelmidine's Collection. Learn about Middle Eastern art and architecture and explore the library and life of a Puget Sound icon.

4. Doyle's Public House will combine its monthly St. Practice Day party with its eighth anniversary celebration beginning with the standard hoisting pints at 5:17 p.m. to recognize pint club achievements and welcome new members, followed by hugs, drinking and music from The Cold 102's at 8 p.m. No cover, as always. Click here for the story on how Doyle's came to be.

5. The Twang Junkies will fill The Swiss with rockin' country tunes beginning at 9 p.m.

LINK: Thursday, April 17 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area