DRAFT Magazine

We were just lamenting the summer sun when this little gem of a recipe landed on our desks courtesy of Dewar’s. It’s a grown-up twist on a kiddie classic, and it just so happens to be perfect for beating the heat. As cocktails go, it’s a keeper.

DEWAR’S® and Ginger Beer

1 part Dewar’s White Label blended Scotch whisky
3 parts Ginger Beer
Orange Wedge

Fill pint glass with ice and add whiskey. Top with ginger beer and garnish with an orange wedge.

Great Lakes Brewery will host the Great Lakes Fifth Annual BBQ this Saturday in Toronto to raise money for a good cause. From noon to 6 p.m. Toronto’s oldest craft brewer will kick off barbecue season with live music, great food and taps overflowing with Great Lakes beer on the sunny brewery lawn. All proceeds from Great Lakes beer sold at the brewery May 24 will go to the Gatehouse, a local non-profit that serves the needs of children and adults affected by child abuse. For more information, go to www.greatlakesbeer.com.

The Memphis Taproom in Philadelphia now offers brunch every Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Taproom kitchen already boasts a hearty mix of American eatery favorites along with a rotating selection of American, Belgian, English and German craft beers. Located in the heart of Philly’s Port Richmond neighborhood and open seven days a week until 2 a.m., this watering hole features 10 craft beers on draft, one on the beer engine and about 30 more in bottles, which can make for one helluva good morning. For more information, go to www.memphistaproom.com.

Sam Adams Brewer Grant Wood will join beer lovers in Phoenix to celebrate American Craft Beer Week Friday, May 16 at 6 p.m. For $50, dinner guests will receive a three-course meal crafted by the chef at local restaurant Rustler’s Rooste. (All courses will be paired with Samuel Adams brews, of course.) To make reservations, call 602.431.6474.

Noted author and cheese guru Jeffrey Roberts will join fromage fans May 15 at Pike Brewing Company’s Cheese and Beer Dinner. Guests will enjoy a five-course meal infused with world-class cheeses and paired with Pike’s best brews. Many of the creators of the spotlighted cheeses will also make an appearance at the palate-pleasing party, which will start at 6 p.m. in the Seattle-based brewery’s Museum Room. Roberts, who helped establish the Vermont Institute for Artisan Cheese, will sign copies of his book “The Atlas of American Cheese” after dinner. Space for this event is limited, so get your tickets early. For more information go to www.pikebrewing.com. To make a reservation, call (206) 622-6044 or e-mail dgillespie@pikebrewing.com.

Full Sail Brewing Co. is celebrating 21 years of craft beer making just in time for American Craft Beer Week. The Oregon brewery will present this year’s first “Meet the Brewer and the Beer” events on at 5 p.m. on May 12 at its Riverplace Brewery and on May 15 at its Tasting Room and Pub. Lead brewer Barney Brennan will talk about his latest creation, Extra Special Barney, the first in a series of limited-edition brews Full Sail’s brewers will create during their milestone anniversary year for a new lineup called Brewer’s Share. Every six weeks, a new single-batch draft beer created by one of the brewers will be on tap at Full Sail’s Tasting Room and Pub in Hood River, Ore. and at the Full Sail Brewery at Riverplace in Portland. For more information, visit www.fullsailbrewing.com.