Whiskey, tequila, and art. It's going to be a boozy week.
Dirty Habit Welcomes WhiskyFest
WhiskyFest is slated for Friday, and Dirty Habit is offering guests an early, small taste of what they can expect if they attend the big event. On Wednesday from 5 to 6:30 pm, Production Manager Stewart Buchanan will be sharing insights from behind the scenes at Benriach/ Glendronach/ Glenglassaugh over 1 oz. pours of Glenglassaugh Revival, Benriach Solstice, and Glendronach 18-year Oloroso Cask ($28/flight). On Thursday at the same time, Master Blender Ian Chang will spill Kavala secrets while pouring some of his finest selections. The evening's $35 flight includes 1 oz. each of Kavalan Classic, Kavalan Sherry Cask, and Kavalan Vinho Cask. 12 4th Street
Yet Another Oktoberfest, in Mountain View
If you're not yet suffering from Oktoberfest overload, there's another one in Silicon Valley that deserves a visit. Steins Beer Garden & Restaurant is hosting Mountain View's 2nd Annual Oktoberfest this Saturday and Sunday from 11 am to 7 pm. Along with the requisite German beer and food, you'll find German music from The Alpiners, SF German Band, and Joe Smiell, as well as bounce houses, face painting, games, and prizes for kids. You'll need a stein to consume alcohol, and you'll have to produce ID to get one. Steins (.5 litre for $10; 1.0 litre for $15) and beer tickets ($7 each or $20 for three) can be pre-purchased online. Proceeds from the event will benefit SOAR and CSA of Mountain View. Parking Lot at Dana & Bryant Streets, Mountain View
CLIFT Hosts Indian Summer Tequila & Mezcal Tasting
Indian Summer has finally arrived in San Francisco, and CLIFT hotel in Union Square is celebrating with an Indian Summer Tequila & Mezcal tasting this Friday, from 5 to 9 pm. In exchange for your $45 pre-paid ticket, you'll be invited to taste more than two dozen tequilas and mezcals from Don Julio, Del Maguey, Casamigos, Illegal Mezcal, Wahaka, Orgullo de Jalisco, and many more. The Velvet Room will play host to all the spirits, some small bites, and live music from DJ Irene Hernandez-Feiks. 495 Geary
Make Agave-Inspired Art at Tres Tequila Lounge
If cocktail-fueled, crowd-sourced art sounds like fun, you'll want to spend your Happy Hour on Tuesday at Tres Tequila Lounge & Mexican Kitchen from 5 to 7 pm. Todd Berman of The Art Don't Stop was recently selected as one of 10 SF artists to compete for $10,000 in Herradura Tequila's Barrel Art program. Berman's democratic artistic process incorporates drawings and ideas from the public, so when he was chosen for the Barrel Art program, he knew he would need help. He is looking for volunteers to drink Herradura and see what it makes them draw at the Tres-hosted "Agave Inspired Happy Hour," which will feature undisclosed specials on Herradura-spiked beverages. Berman says, "You don't need any drawing skill to participate. You just need to be open to agave and inspiration." 130 Townsend Street
Canela Hosts Six-Course Wine Dinner with Marimar Torres
Raise a glass with iconic vintner Marimar Torres next Wednesday, October 8, when Canela hosts an exclusive, prix fixe dinner paired with elegant wines from Marimar Estate. Born in Barcelona to the Torres wine family, Marimar graduated from the Stanford Executive Program, studied Enology and Viticulture at UC-Davis, and tripled Torres wines sales in the US as export director before launching the Don Miguel Vineyard in Sonoma County in 1986 and, later, the Doña Margarita Vineyards. Fluent in six languages, Torres will be joining the conversation over a six-course meal ($65 per person, plus $25 for wine flight) prepared by Canela Executive Chef Mat Schuster. Dinner begins at 5:30 pm, and space is limited. Call (415) 552-3000 to make reservations. 2272 Market St.
Send drinking suggestions to renee@grassrootspr.com.
