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This week, D.C. is playing host to the Craft Brewers Conference, a trade show during which the nightly events are as alluring as the daily industry talk. All week, breweries from around the United States are invading the city and its bars to show off some of the out-of-market rarities that draw D.C. beer fans seldom get to sample. While there is no shortage of events this week from bar crawls, pairing dinners, tap takeovers, and themed events, the only downside to so much of the beer industry in town is that there is no way you can go to every event. The conference begins tomorrow, but the festivities begin tonight. Here are our picks for what is exciting us today:

Drafts and casks from the Craft Brewers Conference Beer and Food Experience:
While Birch and Barley plays host to a ticketed dinner with some of the conference’s top breweries, upstairs, Churchkey is making sure patrons aren’t cut off from the featured beers, including:

• Cigar City: Leon, Torcedores Series: Brengle’s Double IPA, Humidor Series Jai Alai Cedar-Aged India Pale Ale, Dos Anos Kumquat Berliner Weisse, Campeador: Greaves, Whiskey Irish Stout (Nitro), Jai Alai IPA, Maduro Brown Ale, Florida Cracker White Ale
• Surly: Darkness, Pentagram, Coffee Bender, Furious, CynicAle, Surly Abrasive
• Firestone Walker: Sucaba, SLOambic, Pivo Pils, Velvet Merlin, Unfiltered DBA, Double Jack, Walker’s Reserve, Wookey Jack
• D.C. Brau: On the Wings of Armageddon, St. Joseph’s Tripel, Colliding Hemispheres, Yonder Cities, Barrel-Aged Ghouls Night Out
• Bluejacket, Cigar City & Funky Buddha Snack Attack!
• Bluejacket, Allagash, and Peakskill: Share the Rainbow
• Bluejacket and Mystic Vespula Mysticus
• Bluejacket: Sidewalk Saison
• Bluejacket and The Brewer’s Art: Honeysuckle Rose
• Bluejacket and Mad Fox: Mad JacketMaui: Ginger Saison, Pueo Pale Ale, Mana Pils, Freight Train IPA, Lahaina Flying Dog: Bloodline Blood Orange IPA (Brewed for CBC), Pumpernickel IPA, Single Hop: El Dorado Imperial IPA, Natural Selection (with Evolution), Green Tea Imperial Stout, Horn Dog, Barrel Aged Gonzo, Kujo Imperial Coffee Stout

At Churchkey (1137 14th Street NW); begins 4 p.m.

East Coast vs West Coast Punk Rock Brew Tour:

The beer and music event features a soundtrack of punk and hardcore paired with great craft-brewed beer. Come on down and drink the finest American craft beers while moshing out to a playlist including like Scissor Fight, Bad Brains, Black Flag, and Suicidal Tendencies. As for the beers, Smuttynose Brewing Company (Portsmouth, N.H.), Victory Brewing Company (Downington, Pa.), and Sixpoint Brewing Company (Brooklyn, N.Y.) will represent the East Coast each with one India Pale Ale and one other variety. (Like punk, the IPA is a style invented by the British, but perfected in the United States.) Brewing for the West Coast will be Lagunitas Brewing Company (Lagunitas, Calif.), Ballast Point Brewing Company (San Diego), Oskar Blues Brewing Company (Longmont, Colo.), and Sierra Nevada Brewing Company (Chico, Calif.). The event will be hosted by representatives and brewers from many of the participating breweries. There is no admission for this event, which is located in the basement. (Meridian Pint is also hosting an event tonight featuring Leelanau Brewing and Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales.)

Drafts:

• Ballast Point: Sculpin IPA, Victory at Sea
• Lagunitas: IPA, Sucks
• Oskar Blues: Deviant Dale’s, G’Knight
• Sierra Nevada: Blindfold Black IPA, Ruthless Rye
• Sixpoint: Bengali Tiger, Sweet Action
• Smuttynose: Big A IPA, Finestkind IPA
• Victory: Ranch Double IPA (Simcoe), Swing Saison

At Meridian Pint (3400 11th Street NW); begins 7 p.m.