While it’s a myth that drinking alcohol can help you stay warm in cold weather, it’s a fallacy I prefer to believe in. That’s the motivation behind these beer and cocktail events coming up in the next few weeks, so mark your calendar. (And feel free to wear a sweater if you’re not as blissfully ignorant as me.)
The Winter Warmer is always a highlight of the beer festival circuit, thanks to organizers Rhizome Productions and the host of local, regional and national breweries that always manage to reach deep into their beer fridges to bring some interesting brews to the convivial event. This year, the party is moving indoors to Marathon Music Works on Saturday, Dec. 2, from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m.
At least two dozen breweries will be serving up pours of their rarest and most interesting stouts, porters, barley wines, barrel-aged beers (dark and sour) and lagers. And as always, The Winter Warmer raises funds for the Oasis Center Bike Workshop and to date has donated more than $50,000 to support the mission and goals of The Bike Workshop.
It goes without saying that ride sharing is strongly encouraged, considering the parking situation around Marathon Village and the fact that there will be plenty of beer to sample. Get your tickets at the event website.
That same evening, the East Side is the place to be as Tito’s Handmade Vodka presents the Holiday Cocktail Bash as part of the East Nash Holiday Bash that runs from Dec. 1 to Dec. 2. The weekend revolves around the Five Points neighborhood and will include a community tree lighting, live entertainment, a holiday market and more.
But Saturday night is for the 21-and-up set, because that's when attendees can sample cocktails created by neighborhood bars, including Urban Cowboy Public House, Emmy Squared, Happenstance Whiskey, Vinyl Tap, Hubba Hubba Tiki Tonk, The Treehouse, and Rosemary & Beauty Queen.
While the rest of the East Nash Holiday Bash is free, the cocktail event is ticketed. The price of admission includes six cocktails, festive treats, holiday karaoke, DJ Jared Cooper playing holiday favorites, a hot chocolate bar, shopping from artisan booths and entry into the Ugly Sweater Contest at 7:30.
The Holiday Cocktail Bash runs from 6 until 9 p.m., and tickets are available at the East Nash Holiday Bash website. A portion of the proceeds will go to Friends of Shelby Park.
Nicky’s Coal Fired in The Nations just flat-out loves to celebrate the holidays. They’ll be turning their restaurant into a winter wonderland again this year with the return of Saint Nicky’s beginning on Saturday, Nov. 25. The interior of the restaurant will be decorated with exactly too much holiday decor, and the drink menu will feature new winter cocktails like the Snowflake Spritz, the Gingerbread Old Fashioned and Frozen Eggnog.
To augment the indoor experience, Nicky’s is converting the heated back patio into a pop-up holiday tiki bar they’re calling Tropical Tidings. The tiki offerings will include Trader Tony’s Hot Cocoa, Light Up the Luau and some nice nonalcoholic options. Tropical Tidings will also host a few special events during the holiday season, including a Santa Paws pet adoption event on Sunday, Dec. 10, from 3:30 until 6:30 p.m. and a cookie decorating workshop on Sunday, Dec. 17, from 12:30 until 2:30 p.m.
Both special installations will operate from Nov. 25 until Dec. 23 with St. Nicky’s open seven days a week from 3 until 10 p.m. and Tropical Tidings operating those same hours from Thursday to Sunday. No reservations will be accepted, so show up early to get to the front of Santa’s line!
Finally, the holiday edition of Black Abbey Brewing Company’s periodic Beer & Hymns event will be renamed Beer & Carols for the Thursday, Dec. 7, event at Riverside Revival in East Nashville. The singing begins at 7 p.m. with carols and pub songs on the docket. Tickets are $26.05 including Ticketmaster fees, and this event usually sells out quickly, so buy yours now!
