SATURDAY, OCT. 15 2016: South Sound events + craft beer …
The Spar + Pint Defiance = lasers and pumpkin beers
Orca Books + Top Rung Brewing = Thurston County talent
The Valley + Zog’s = death metal and fresh hops
Bonus: Rainy Daze grand opening
MR. BLACKWATCH
In 2012, Tacoma musician, producer and actor Doug Mackey got the band back together — the band being Mister Blackwatch, which was born, lo, many years ago when the band had issues with cows, kites, a monster, a snake, a robot, bongos and “Orange,” and the only cure was to work through the issues musically. The band still has issues, thankfully. Tonight, Mr. Blackwatch messes with The Spar crowd, unleashing cows, robot bongos, half a dozen lasers, a smoke machine, Charlton Heston, Donnas Summer and Fargo for an unforgettable evening of music, B.S., and hoohah, beginning at 8 p.m.
PREFUNK: Celebrate stormy autumn at the Beer Float Social in Pint Defiance from 3-6 p.m. Lovers of the hops and those with a sweet tooth are in pure heaven with seasonal sippers such as Elysian Punkuccino Coffee Pumpkin Ale, Epic Imperial Pumpkin Porter, Southern Tier Pumking Imperial Pumpkin Ale, Boneyard Backbone Chocolate Espresso Stout and Elemental Pumpkin Spice Cider served (root)beer float style with delectable Ice Cream Social scoops concocted to pair with these specific brews. This is an ice cream social for the grown-ups.
BOOK RELEASE PARTY
Weekly Volcano visual arts critic Alec Clayton posses many talents, including the ability to write a badass novel or seven. His latest, Tupelo, is a tale told from beyond the grave by Kevin Lumpkin, the youngest of a set of identical twins. Tupelo is the story of a small town in an era of reluctant change as seen through the eyes of a white boy born to privilege who comes of age in the time of Freedom Riders, lunch counter sit-ins, civil rights marches and demonstrations. Clayton will read from his latest book at 3 p.m. inside Orca Books. Discussion and book signing will follow.
PREFUNK: You know the story: Casey Sobol and Jason Stoltz opened Top Rung Brewing Co. in April 2014. The career firefighters had been brewing in a garage 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” home brewing contest top prize in 2012 — and they began to shadow Dick’s brewer Parker Penley. After finding investors, they opened a 10-barrel production brewery with tasting room off Hogum Bay Lane in Lacey. Much has changed since they opened — larger brewing system, bottling, barrel-aging, assistant brewery Tyler Mathis — but what hasn’t changed is its annual Hoptoberfest. At noon, Top Rung Brewing Co. will celebrate the release of its Fresh Hop beer, Oktoberfest Lager, Trashed Pumpkin and other autumn releases, hook up a special Randall and haul out the games. Wurst Kingdom food truck will be parked outside. The celebration will end at 4 p.m. due to the approaching windstorm.
THOU SHALL KILL
You won’t catch the members of the Seattle death metal band Thou Shall Kill wearing guyliner, emoting about their girlfriends, or singing falsetto harmonies. They’re not in it to make high school kids dance in the moshpit, and they’re certainly not looking to capitalize on any flash-in-the-pan trends of modern metal. No, they bludgeon listeners with meaty slabs of blackened, brutal death metal. Call forth Satan with them and Blood and Thunder, The Thorium Switch and Compound HMC at 8 p.m. in The Valley.
PREFUNK: With the hop harvest comes fresh hop beers, the likes of which are impossible to replicate during any other time of the year, given that the hops used in the brewing process are harvested only hours beforehand. Generally, to be considered a “fresh hop beer” brewers must add the harvested hops to the wort (beer that has not yet been fermented) within 24 hours of the harvest. This highly anticipated window is celebrated annually by the throngs of beer fans who relish in the earthy, fruity, floral flavors imparted by the fresh hops. At 5 p.m., Zog’s on Fox Island hosts a Fresh Hop Festival featuring fresh hop beers by Silvery City Brewing, Hop Valley, Sierra Nevada, 10 Barrel, Two Beers Brewing and Fox Island brewing. Da Tiki Hut food truck will be parked out front. Carina will provide the soundtrack.
BONUS: It’s not official until it’s opened grandly. As you know, Rainy Daze Brewing moved into Sound Brewery’s old space at 650 NW Bovela Lane in Poulsbo, which means full-time tasting room! Owner Mike Montoney will be able to brew far more beer in Poulsbo as he goes from a 1.5-barrel system to Sound’s seven-barrel system. At noon, Rainy Daze braves the rain and hosts a grand opening party with rare beer pourings, T-shirt printings with the Grub Hut food truck rolling in at 3 p.m.
