I am pleased to announce that tickets to 16th annual Charlotte Oktoberfest went on sale today. This event will be held Sept. 27 at the N.C. Music Factory, the host for last year’s festival as well. As of this writing, over half of the VIP tickets have already been sold, costing $65 apiece (general admission $45). Over the last 16 years, this Carolina Brewmasters-run event has donated nearly $500,000 to local charitable organizations. This year’s charity benefactors include Classroom Central, Kids Rein, and Camp CARE.

I am also pleased to mention the first Charlotte Beerfest, taking place at BB&T Ballpark on Sept. 20 — the week before Oktoberfest. VIP tickets to this event are $100 (general admission $50), with proceeds benefiting Grin Kids Children’s Charity and USO.

These beer festivals are two completely unrelated events, but there has been considerable confusion between the two (not to mention online animosity). Allow me to help to clear the air.

Editor's Note: Meet Jonathan Wells, Creative Loafing's new beer writer. We debut his monthly column, Beer All About It, in print and online later this week. Be on the lookout.

I’ll never forget my first time; I’m sure many of us won’t either. We were in my friend’s kitchen. I remember all of the sights, smells and tastes: the silky light brown color, persistent creamy head, hints of hazelnut, the sweet sugary aftertaste. As much as I wished to bask in the afterglow of that fleeting moment forever, I confessed to my friend, “I want more.”

So, we went to Moosehead. “Two Rogue Hazelnut Brown ales, please,” I cheerfully announced to our server. The only other time I was that excited to order a beer was marking my first legal purchase. That first Budweiser paled in comparison to the flavors present in this brown ale.

With the sad departure of our Beer and Loathing in the QC columnist Cam Heiliger, Creative Loafing is looking for a new beer columnist. This person will be familiar with the local craft beer scene, having watched it blow up over the last few years. He or she definitely has some opinions on what's gone right and wrong, what needs to happen to take the scene to the next level, what beers to try and avoid and so much more. Basically, our beer columnist should not be able to shut up about beer.

• Mert Jones
• If the taps at Sankey's are calling your name, you might be a beer geek.

More importantly, this beer geek loves to write and has some samples of published work to show for it.

Send me a cover letter introducing yourself, a resume with relevant work experience and some of your writing. Also, I'd love to know what your favorite local brew is. Describe the taste for me. Make me want to leave work early for it.

Email me at kimberly.lawson@creativeloafing.com.

Lenny Boy is well known in the area for its kombucha, a non-alcoholic fermented tea. Since its opening in 2011, the brand has expanded distribution to five different states and has become the only certified organic kombucha producer in the Southeast. Late last year, the owners took their production a step further by obtaining a microbrewery license, becoming the only certified organic microbrewery in North Carolina.

Now, in order to increase their beer brewing capacity, they are expanding their brewing space (as well as their taproom) and introducing a 3.5-barrel brewing system. Each barrel of beer is roughly 31 gallons, so this will allow them to produce more than a hundred gallons of beer with each brew.

While no official date is available for the completion of the expansion, you can continue to enjoy Lenny Boy's products both in the taproom and at various bars around town. Keep an eye on Lenny Boy's website and Facebook for updates.

After navigating the labyrinth of local ordinances, obtaining all the proper permits and getting final approval on its building plans, Sycamore Brewing Company is officially under construction. Owners Justin and Sarah Brigham have been working diligently to get their new South End brewery up and running as soon as possible, and this major hurdle puts them squarely in the driver's seat to make that happen. As of last week, demo is complete, the trenches for the draft lines have been cut and the old service trenches from the building's days as a mechanic shop have been removed.

This Thursday, May 1, the Charlotte Beer Babes will host a fundraiser at The Unknown Brewery from 6:30 p.m.-10 p.m. benefiting the Greater Charlotte SPCA. Representatives from the organization will be on hand, and attendees can make cash or check donations at the bar (cards will not be accepted). There will also be several dogs available for adoption via the GCSPCA at the event. This fundraiser is open to the public and The Unknown Brewery is pet-friendly, so other dogs are also welcome. Be sure to check out The Unknown's awesome new Silverback Stout while you're there.

For those who may not be familiar with the group, the Charlotte Beer Babes is a local meet-up-style group for female craft beer enthusiasts. They host regular events around town focused on beer education, charity work and the enjoyment of quality craft beer.

If you're looking for an excuse to do some day drinking, clear your schedule this Saturday, March 15. That day marks the start of all beer snobs' favorite occasion - Charlotte Craft Beer Week. The kickoff of this most-cultured of holidays will be celebrated in style with the advent of the South End Craft Beer Crawl.

The Crawl will feature six local breweries and beer spots, each offering different signature brews. Free stuff will include South End beer swag, like koozies, pint glasses and bottle openers. But the greatest perk lies in the complimentary trolley rides around South End. You can get to each of the Crawl's participating locations - or any other spot in the neighborhood - without worrying about whether you could pass a breathalyzer.

My list of New Year's resolutions is 12 items long and studded with asterisks providing further details, but the majority of it can be summed up with six words: "Eat better, drink less, save money." Four words tempting me to throw my list of cautions to the wind? "Southern Tier beer dinner. "

On Sunday, Jan. 29, Revolution Pizza & Ale House will feature a five-course menu to highlight the unique, flavorful beers crafted by this southwestern New York brewery. Diners can look forward to a night of:

Appetizer

Cedar Brined Fresh Salmon Patty with a Horseradish Dill Mustard Cream

Paired with - Old Man Winter Ale

Salad

Rosemary Roasted Apple Salad with Arugula, Walnuts, Bacon Crumbles and Blue Cheese Dressing

Paired with - I P A

Soup

Ground Venison Chili with Bacon, Green Onion, Jack Cheese, and a Chipotle Sour Cream

Paired with - Iniquity Black Ale

Entrée

Pan Seared Scallops, Roasted Asparagus, and Garlic Purple Potato Puree

Paired with - 2 X IPA CASK

Dessert

Peanut Butter Swirl Cheesecake with a Macadamia Nut Cookie Crust and a Raspberry Coulis

Paired with - Dark Robust Porter

$45/person. Call 704-333-4440 to make your reservation or visit the Facebook page for more information.

Oyster lovers won't want to miss this event. Growlers Pourhouse is hosting a Beer and Oyster Pairing on Tuesday, August 16.

You can get your $10 tickets at the door, or purchase them in advance by emailing growlerspourhouse@me.com or calling 704-910-6566.

Space is limited, so you might want to reserve your seat today.

Growlers Pourhouse
3120 North Davidson Street
Charlotte, NC 28205