When it comes to drinking beer, the people of Denver are practically virtuosos. This week our city has, not one, but three innovative events designed around its consumption—including a night that harmonizes the auditory musings of the Colorado Symphony with the gustatory delights of craft beer. Also, a secret dinner club returns to Denver and another holiday market pops up to help you finish your holiday shopping while buying local.

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When: December 8, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.

Where: Tivoli Brewing Co.; 900 Auraria Pkwy., Denver

Cost: $40 – presale or $45 day of on-site, $65 – V.I.P. includes a tour of the brewery and souvenir pint glass

Tickets: Available here

The Low Down: Today, you can pair your favorite craft beer with the symphonic melodies of the Colorado Symphony at this year’s Beethoven and Brews. Taking place at the historic Tivoli Brewing Co., the annual event will feature an ensemble performance and 4-ounce pours of beer from local breweries. Light bites, as well as, additional beverages are available for purchase.  Attendees are encouraged to get in a festive mood and wear their ugliest Christmas sweater. A portion of the proceeds from the event will go towards funding the Colorado Symphony.

Randalls & Rarities at Avanti Food & Beverage

Avanti Food and Beverage. Avanti Dogfish head

Avanti Bar. Photo by Kyle Cooper

When: December 10, 5 – 8 p.m.

Where: Avanti Food & Beverage; 3200 Pecos St., Denver

Cost: Free

The Low Down: Back in 2002, Sam Calagione, beer icon and founder of Dogfish Head, created the “Randall,” a sophisticated filter system that infuses the draft beer with a chosen flavor enhancing ingredient. The randalling process, as it became known, was first used to infuse beer with hops, spices and herbs but has been used with everything from candy canes, habanero peppers and more. This Thursday, you can check out the randalling process in action, as our friends over at PorchDrinking.com decided to team up with Avanti Food & Beverage to produce three randalled beers. And as an ode to its inventor, Porchdrinking.com will use Avanti’s extensive offerings of Dogfish Head draft beers to produce their unique doctored brews including:

—Bitches Brew with ancho chili peppers, cacao nibs, cinnamon sticks, and coffee beans

—60 Minute IPA with whole leaf Citra hops and citrus fruit rinds
—India Brown Ale with toasted coconut and vanilla beans

The event is free to attend, and as a bonus Dogfish Head will release a litany of rare beers. PorchDrinking.com staff and Dylan McDonald from Dogfish Head will be on hand to discuss randalling recipes and brews. So come prepared with any questions and be ready to try truly one-of-a-kind beers.

Dinner Lab Returns to Denver

Things to Do in Denver, Dinner Lab Denver

Dinner Lab Denver. Photo by Camille Breslin

When: December 11

Where: It’s a secret! TBA

Cost: $70 – Member, $60 – Select Member

Tickets: Available here

The Low Down: With a mission to change how we dine, the national pop-up dinner project, Dinner Lab, returns to Denver. Set in a location that is only revealed hours before the event, the New Orleans based company invites up-and-coming chefs to create a multi-course menu for its hungry members. This week, Dinner Lab welcomes Chef David Lopez of El Chingon Mexican Bistro to explore the “new guard of Mexican cuisine.” The menu can be found below, but make sure to get your ticket quick to discover the location of what is sure to be an experiential dinner:

Aguachile de Hamachi with cured hamachi, fresh lime & Serrano purée, and Fresno chiles & cilantro

Pork Belly Chicharron with crispy pork belly, roasted tomatillo & avocado salsa and Yukon potato crisps with pickled onion

Albondigas de Bisonte with bison & rice meatballs, salsa roja, queso fresco and cilantro

Carnitas de Borrego with slow braised lamb, Chile morita,  mushroom & jalapeño caldillo and blood orange

Pastel Abuelita with abuelita chocolate mousse, aniseed cake, cinnamon whip, and mezcal & cilantro syrup

#sourcepopup Holiday Market

The Source, guide to the Source, Source Denver, Source restaurants, Source Denver restaurants, RiNo restaurants, 303 magazine, roman tafoya,

The Source. Photo By Roman Tafoya

When: December 12 – 13th, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Where: The Source; 3350 Brighton Blvd., Denver

Cost: Free

The Low Down: Still need to finish up your holiday shopping? Swing by The Source this weekend for a holiday pop-up market. Featured vendors are as followed: Valentich Bags, Simply Guapa, Craft Boner, Hygge Life, Doozie Jewelry, Sweet Jayne’s Pies, Haiku Foods Fermentation Class, Handmade Ceramics from Kazu Oba, PB Love, Fancy Tiger and more. Afterward, make sure to snag a bite at Comida for some street tacos or munch on a perfectly flaky croissant from Babettes, two in-house shops inside the marketplace.

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When: December 13, 2 – 5:30 p.m.

Where: Wings Over Rockies Air & Space Museum; 7711 E. Academy Blvd., Denver

Cost: Feat of Strength $65, GA $40, Shuttle Transportation $10

Tickets: Available here

The Low Down: Denver Beer Festivus, the self-proclaimed greatest celebration of craft beer in Denver, is this weekend. How can it claim to be the best? Because every single brewery in Denver is invited to come, pour at this annual event. This year, 50 breweries will be in attendance and will include an entire section to rare local beers. Rumor has it Great Divide will even release a barrel aged version of its popular Yeti. Also for a change of pace, Festivus will move from its former digs at the McNichols Building in Civic Center to an airplane hangar on the outskirts of Denver. But no fear if you’re worried about getting there, as Festivus has provided multiple round-trip shuttles to depart from several breweries for $10. To get a full list of departure locations, go to ticket checkout here.

Mark Your Calendar

Women-Only Brewer’s Yeast Class

When: December 15, 6 – 8 p.m.

Where: Factotum Brewhouse; 3845 Lipan St., Denver

Cost: $25

Tickets: Available here

Avanti Art Night

When: December 16, 6 – 9 p.m.

Where: Avanti F&B; 3200 Pecos St., Denver

Cost: Free

DONUT PANIC Release Party!

When: December 19, 12 – 1 p.m.

Where: Fiction Beer Company; 7101 E. Colfax Ave., Denver

Cost: Prices may vary upon purchase 

Stem’s ‘Keep the Glass’ Monday

When: December 21, 4 – 10 p.m.

Where: Stem Ciders; 2811 Walnut St., Denver

Cost: $10 for 2 cider pours