A quick look at the event schedule for this year’s NY Craft Beer Week shows just how far along the craft beer revolution has come in the past year alone. There are beer pairing dinners at the likes of Per Se, Resto, Tabla and Mas (farmhouse) and a beer pairing class at Murray’s Cheese. Zagat has joined up with NY Craft Beer Week to offer $40 3-course craft beer pairing dinners at Back Forty, The Good Fork, Hundred Acres, Jimmy’s No. 43, Little Giant, and The Redhead.  This year more than 100 of New York City’s favorite watering holes, spanning all five boroughs, will be featured along with several larger showcase events. Proceeds from the Beer Week events will benefit Just Food, a non-profit organization that works to develop a just and sustainable food system in the New York City region. Here’s a look at our best bets for opening weekend…

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11th

Craft Beer Week kicks off with the Gotham Cask Festival. The festival is taking place simultaneously at three bar bars — Rattle ‘n’ Hum, Jimmy’s No. 43 and Swift Hibernian.  It’s pay as you go w/ no entry fee and the website says the prices will be reasonable. Both 10oz and 16oz pours will be served, but once each cask is kicked, that’s it. When they’re gone, they’re gone. A cask of NY3, the official beer of NY Craft Beer Week 2009, will be tapped at 6pm at all three bars to officially open the Week. We suggest heading to Rattle ‘n’ Hum for the Bear Republic Racer 5 (super hopped) and the Troegs Nugget Nectar, among others. The brewers of Ballast Point and Blue Point will also be on hand showcasing some of their craft beers. Ballast Point’s Big Eye IPA is one of our favorites. 

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 12th

The Gotham Cask Festival continues at all 3 bars. But if the weather clears we recommend hitting up the Long Island City Craft Beer Festival at Water Taxi Beach (2 sessions: 1230-4 & 530-9; $50 at the door, $40 in advance). More than 25 craft breweries will be there offering samples of their beers–more than 50 altogether. We also recommend the afternoon BBQ at The Gibson (108 Bedford Ave; Brooklyn), where they have some Green Flash West Coast IPA and Ithaca Cascazilla on cask. 

 SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 13th

It’s the final day of the Gotham Cask Festival. But the big event of the day is the Ommegang Beer Dinner at Resto. Chef Bobby Hellen will deliver a Large Format Feast beer dinner combining Resto’s local and seasonal approach, their large format feasting menu and three New York food and beer producers. Brewery Ommegang from will brew and release A NEW OMMEGANG ROUGE, AN OMMEGANG TRIPLE, AND AN OMMEGANG ADORATION ALE (Holiday ale). There will be all of the Ommegang beers available to drink as well. It’s a bit steep at $175 for 3-courses and all the Ommegang you can put back. (To reserve, call 212-685-5585). For something a bit more reasonable, why not check out one of the Zagat beer pairing dinners at Back Forty or The Redhead (menu), where it’s only $40. For learning a bit more about beer, check out the Deconstructing Beer: Malt and the Mash discussion at Astor Center lead by Tim Surprise of Arcadia Brewing Company ($55; $44 w/ Passport). Ticket info here.

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