If you like drinking beer in public places, well you're in luck, my tippling exhibitionist friend, because there are some great opportunities tonight through the weekend in the South Sound.

WEDNESDAY, OCT. 8

Nearly 50,000 people could have tossed back 3,500 beers from 726 breweries at the Great American Beer Festival in Denver last weekend. It's the biggest and best sudstravaganza in the world. 99 Bottles in federal Way still has GABF fever, and will offer 18 beers that have won awards at the festival from 1999 through last weekend, including Deschutes Obsidian Stout, New Belgium La Folie, Port Hop 15 Imperial IPA, and AleSmith Old Numbskull, which grabbed gold this year in the Barleywine Style Ale category. You pay just $2 to sample 10. Pouring starts at 5 p.m. and last call check-in happens at 7 p.m.

Feel that nip in the air? That flurry of October snow? You know what that means, right? It's The ParkWay Tavern's annual Jubelpalooza beginning at 5 p.m. Skate on over to the Tacoma tavern, wrap your scarf around a snowman and head inside to warm your hands - and your tummy with Deschutes Brewery's JubelAle: A festive Winter Ale. The Bend, Oregon brewery has been producing the robust and malty but approachable beer for 27 years.

Here is your taplist for Jubelpalooza:

• Jubelale '12 - 7%ABV
  
• Jubelale '13 - 6.7%ABV
  
• Jubelale '14 - 6.7%ABV
  
• Nitro Obsidian Stout - 6.4%ABV
  
• Nitro Cinder Cone Red - 5.3%ABV
  
• Fresh Squeezed IPA - 6.4%ABV
  
• Hop Trip Fresh Hop - 5.9%ABV
  
• Inversion IPA (RANDALL) - 6.8%ABV
  
• River Ale Blonde - 4%ABV
  
• Chain Breaker White IPA - 5.6%ABV
  
• Doppel Dinkel Bock - 10.5%ABV
  
• Not The Stoic Quad -12.1%ABV
  
• 2014 Mirror Mirror Barley Wine - 11.2%ABV
  
• Black Butte 25 - 11.3%ABV
  
• Black Butte 26 - 10.8%ABV
  
• Abyss '12 - 11%ABV
  
• Abyss '13 - 11%ABV

Puyallup River Alehouse welcomes Hop Valley Brewing Co. to the South Sound. The Eugene, Oregon, brewery is growing fast and you'll discover why from 6-9 p.m. Karl from Hop Valley will be at the downtown Puyallup alehouse with glassware giveaways, raffle prizes and beers that would join a jam band if they could.

The Copper Door honors Domestic Violence Action Month by hosting Hops For Hope, a fundraiser for YWCA Pierce County. Two dollars from every pint benefits the YWCA's life-saving domestic violence services.

THURSDAY, OCT. 9

Who's got the best Oktoberfest beer? Six breweries will battle for all the marbles. Ninkasi Brewing, Sam Adams, Pyramid Breweries, Silver City Brewery, Fish Brewing and Full Sail Brewing Company are bringing their best Oktoberfest brews to The Swiss Restaurant and Pub for a Battle of the Brands: Oktoberfest Edition, beginning at 6 p.m. Grab a passport to sample all the beers before casting your vote. Expect giveaways and swag.

As previously mentioned, Pint Defiance hosts Top Rung Brewing Co. from 5-7 p.m. Top Rung's Double IPA will be up for first tastes, along with the Lacey brewery's other beers.

The Copper Door welcomes No-Li Brewhouse for a night of the Spokane brewery's beers, beginning at 5 p.m.

FRIDAY, OCT. 10

Engine House No. 9 will tap 10 Barrel Brewing Co.'s German Sparkle Party Berliner Weisse at 6 p.m. Berliner Weisse is a sour, tart, fruity, effervescent ale, often referred to as the champagne of beers for its light and sparkly texture. The event will mark E9's commitment to a permanent 10 Barrel Berliner Weiss tap.

You've attended Bayview School of Cooking's "Fridays Uncorked" nights. You've casually sipped five or so wines as you gazed out at beautiful Budd Bay. Feeling good, you moseyed downstairs to the Thriftway grocery store and bought five Tyson Breaded Chicken dinners, telling your kids to cook it and like it. Oct. 10, the wine series goes Oktoberfest as five German beers and German-style beers will be poured for $5. Also expect oom-pah music, pumpkin carving demonstration and customer judging of employee carved pumpkins. Does Tyson make schnitzel? 5-7 p.m., $5, $7 for paired plates, Bayview School of Cooking, 516 W. Fourth Ave., Olympia, 360.754.1448

Steel Creek American Whiskey Co. knows if you listen to country music and fly a rebel flag everywhere you go and your neck gets burnt from exposure to the sun when you're out partying with friends while country rap band THE LACS blares in the background, you might be a redneck. Therefore, the downtown country/western joint hosts Rednecktoberfest from 9-11 p.m. Enjoy $2 cans of PBR, Hamms and Rainier, as you could win a pair of tickets to see THE LACS live at Steel Creek Nov. 16.

SATURDAY, OCT. 11

Don't freak out if you see a bunch of lederhosen-wearing folks gobbling up free cheese samples at Metropolitan Market. These folks are just taking a breather from Proctoberfest, the Proctor Farmers Market's nod to Oktoberfest. From 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., vendors and breweries will pour beer and cider as well as fire up the brats. The tamale people should probably double their production this week. Despicable Me 2 is screening across the street at The Blue Mouse Theatre.

The Top Rung Brewing Co.'s Hoptober party will consume the taproom, front patio and the large parking lot behind the brewery from 2-9 p.m. Expect barbecue food, games such as cornhole, ladder toss and Jenga. As mentioned previously in the New Beer Column, Top Rung's Trashed Pumpkin Ale will be released at the party. Bluegrass trio The Outlanders will perform three sets beginning at 6 p.m. There isn't a cover charge.

Contrary to the 70 degree weather we are still experiencing here in the South Sound, it is fall. This means you have to put a cover on your barbeques and smokers then dust off the pots and pans. Ready yourself for family holiday gatherings, because even though Halloween hasn't arrived, it is right around the corner. My advice, aside from psychologically readying yourself to tolerate your weird uncle and smooch-happy meemaw, is to spruce up your skills in the kitchen with a cooking class or two. Here are a few options on the local level to get crafty in the kitchen:

Toscanos Café and Wine Bar

437 29th St. NE, Puyallup

Chef Tom Pantley of Toscanos in Puyallup has been hosting demonstrative-styled cooking classes for 25 years. Sunday, Nov. 30 is your next opportunity, and a $60 ticket price includes a four-course dinner paired with wine samples, plus recipes and instruction. Pantley covers a variety of cooking techniques, so stay tuned for the theme. Reservation is required, 253.864.8600.

Bayview School of Cooking

516 Fourth Ave. W., Olympia

Bayview School of Cooking is a "no duh" choice when on the prowl for cooking classes. It hosts a variety of classes year round that include instruction from trained professionals as well as guest chefs, plus wine and beer pairings. There are even courses for your mini chefs. Class fees range from $25 to $90. Here are a few standouts for the season:

• Oct. 9: Beautiful Braises;
• Oct. 27: Gluten Free;
• Oct. 28: Biscuits;
• Nov. 5: Pacific Northwest Party;
• Nov. 11: Fall Veggies;
• Nov. 13^: Holiday Appetizers;
• Nov. 20^: Citrus, Pomegranate and Olives.

Visit bayviewschoolofcooking.com for full course details and registration.

STAR Center

3873 S. 66th St., Tacoma

STAR Center in Tacoma hosts a plethora of activities for all members of the family, including cooking classes. These classes are often mindful of proper nutrition and highlight seasonal flavors and fun. Class fees are typically $25 to $30. Here are a few coming up this season:

• Oct. 25, noon: Halloween Spooktacular Treats and Tricks;
• Nov. 14, 6 p.m.: Cooking Class with Chef Ron: Fancy Up Your Thanksgiving Feast;
• Dec. 13,10 a.m.: Baking Up a Story: The Gingerbread Man;
• Dec. 13,noon, Baking Extravaganza.

Visit metroparkstacoma.org/star for full course details and registration.

Primo Grill

2701 Sixth Ave., Tacoma

Though I was unable to confirm upcoming dates and themes, Chef Charlie McManus of Primo Grill has hosted some spectacular and diverse cooking courses in the past for foodies. I recommend visiting the new Primo Grill location on Sixth Avenue.

Dazzle your guests with your newfound culinary prowess. Wow their taste buds and set your goals high. Maybe we will see you on the next episode of Food Network's Chopped.

The seed was planted last April during our Tournament of Burgers Championship party at Meconi's in downtown Tacoma. After taking second place to the Westside Tavern, Chef Hudson Slater of Maxwell's Restaurant and Lounge suggested mac and cheese for the Weekly Volcano's annual food tournament.

The South Sound Tournament of Mac and Cheese is scheduled for March 2015.

There are few dishes in this world more comforting than a nice hot dish of macaroni and cheese. And the beauty of it is, the recipe has such a basic foundation - pasta and cheese - that there is no end to the possible variations. Macaroni noodles are the standard, but many varieties - shells, bow-ties - can work just as well. And though cheddar is nearly ubiquitous, adding to that classic cheese with other varieties can bring nuances of flavor, and mixing it up with add-ins such as bacon can intensify the taste and provide texture.

My love of mac and cheese is a deep-rooted affair, grown from a seed planted by my mother's awesome, greasy baked mac and cheese. Lines were drawn, allegiances were broken, and blood was shed as everyone vied for the mac and cheese. By the end of the meal bloated bodies were strewn across the dining room, covered with cheese.

My mom blanketed the casserole dish with tomato slices before baking it, and I used to think that this was how mac and cheese was supposed to be made. When the tomatoes were missing I'd reach for a bottle of ketchup to the horror of tablemates over the years.

My ketchup habit has withered but not died. It was rekindled yesterday.

In preparation for the Tournament of Mac and Cheese, I have been digging into a different South Sound mac and cheese dish every week. In early June, I visited STINK Cheese and Meat, an almost certain number one seed when 64 South Sound restaurants do battle in March. I waited for owner Kris Blondin's mushroom truffle mac to be the mac and cheese special for the week, which also was the week she tweaked her roux creating a combination of sharp cheddar and her standard cheddar with added cream cheese. Her truffle mac is on my top 10 dishes tasted of all time.

Yes, yes, back to the ketchup ... and variations. I hit the mac and cheese jackpot again yesterday. Blondin just tweaked her roux again, adding heavy cream to the base. After learning the news, I glanced at the special board.

"Kris, you're serving cheeseburgers?" I asked.

Nope, this week's special is cheeseburger mac and cheese.

"I was at Costco staring at Angus beef, pondering a new mac and cheese recipe. And I noticed those big bags of French onions. Sometimes you see things and it triggers your imagination," says Blondin. "And I'm a ketchup fanatic. I've always loved ketchup with my mac and cheese."

Blondin added the Angus beef and onions to her new base, baked it, drizzled ketchup and mustard, then topped the dish with sliced hamburger pickles as one would on a cheeseburger. The beef adds spark and body - complete with a little crunch, and the perfect touch of burnt edges. The base is richer with the addition of heavy cream. 

STINK's mac and cheese special, as well as its grilled cheese sandwich special, changes every week, and by week I mean Tuesday through Saturday. For the next two days, you may delight in the cheeseburger mac and German toasted cheese sandwich, which is a variation of a Reuben.

STINK CHEESE AND MEAT, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday, its wine bar stays open later, 628 St. Helens, Tacoma, 253.426.1347

LINK: More mac and cheese dishes in the South Sound

LINK: The answer to why this mac and cheese column exists

A flood of autumnal colors has filled the shelves of your favorite beer shop. You don't need to be told autumn beers are in the house, as you have been drinking a little extra extra malt, sugar and spice since the end of August. Typical seasonals such as malty Oktoberfests and Märzens and spicy Pumpkin Ales are everywhere. Their orange and rust-colored packaging is synonymous with falling leaves and gourd-filled cornucopias. Come September and October, these beers get all the attention, so the Washington Beer Commission would like to remind you beer is synonymous with terms such as "hoppy" and "top fermentation mouthfeel" — and meant to be tossed back with friends while Lynyrd Skynyrd blasts from the pickup. Pumpkin "beer," in contrast, attempts to elevate us to the realm of Maroon 5 and post PTA talk sessions - and that, South Sounders, is not right. Leave the pumpkin in the pies shouts the WBC — at least this Saturday.

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Every week we swap out the Served banner art above, introducing you to the people who serve food and drinks in the South Sound. This week, meet Shasta Derbyshire.

Server Banner Girl, Oct. 13-19, 2014

Shasta Derbyshire

Shasta Derbyshire has been pouring beer and tasty cocktails at the Harmon Tap Room for the last four years. She's lightning quick - running back and forth behind the bar, darting out to the beer garden and rolling out kegs from the brewery room. Maybe her quickness was one of the factors that attracted her husband, who she met at the Tap Room and recently married. Her first bartending job was at the Red Lobster the week she turned 21. Shasta met Harmon Brewing Co. head brewer Jeff Carlson while serving drinks at the former Speedway BBQ & Ale House in Lacey. Carlson introduced her to the art of craft beers. She was hooked. Before she knew it, she was serving Harmon beers at the Harmon Brewery & Eatery in downtown Tacoma before moving on to her current gig and "family" as she calls her fellow Tap Roomans.

Why do you serve?

"I serve because I literally get paid to play with beer and people. It's pretty rad. I would NEVER get to meet so many different kinds of people and personalities sitting behind a desk in some corporate box. Not to mention the never-ending supply of beer at my fingertips. ..."

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Viognier was touted as the next great white wine five years ago when it was rediscovered after becoming nearly extinct in the late 1960s when only about 35 acres remained in the Condrieu region of France's Rhone Valley. Today, Condrieu now has more than 700 acres, and it is planted around the globe, including Australia, Argentina, Chile and 390 acres in Washington state. This grape falls somewhere between the aromatic gewürztraminer and the tropical fruit of chardonnay, bringing in elements of both.

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I am a carnivorous beast. The faint of heart should turn away!

If there's an opportunity to gnaw tender morsels of meat straight off the bone, you'll find me holding the bone. Hot wings are my favorite meal starter.

Doyle's Public House does them my way. Doyle's Jerk Chicken Wings ($8.99) are not your traditional sort of hot wings. Rather than the usual vinegar based buffalo sauce, Doyle's "jerk" style is packed full of compelling flavor and a delightful heat. Jerk spice is said to originate from Jamaica and highlight a dry rub style seasoning or wet marinade that includes loads of spices such as nutmeg, garlic, cloves, scallions and thyme. Doyle's version is a hot party in my mouth.

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The only thing more radical than autumn in the South Sound is drinking good fall beers during fall in the South Sound.

WEDNESDAY, OCT. 15

One in eight women are diagnosed with breast cancer annually. One such individual was Green Flash Brewing Company co-owner Lisa Hinkley, who was diagnosed in 2010 and, through proper treatment and her strong will, has since come out the other side victorious. With the support of her San Diego brewery, Hinkley helps raise funds to fight breast cancer with an ale brewed specifically to benefit Susan G. Komen - Green Flash Treasure Chest. The style changes each year. This year, the Treasure Chest is a barrel-aged Belgian-style farmhouse ale made pink with the addition of plum purée. Beginning at 5 p.m., the ParkWay Tavern will tap the new beer, as well as 11 other Green Flash beers. The 2014 Treasure Chest is fruity and flowery with a very subdued spice that comes on in the finish. There will be loads of Green Flash prizes, a fancy gift basket from Deschutes and the ParkWay's own "garage sale."

Pints & Quarts Pub allows Firestone Walker Brewing Co. to take over its taps beginning at 6 p.m. Tastes are a $1 for each beer. Shell out $4, and drink a whole pint, as well as keep the glass.

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You've probably already sipped some craft beers from Colorado-based New Belgium Brewery - like a Fat Tire Ale, maybe. This environmentally friendly brewer has released a new beer this fall - Tour de Fall. The amber-colored pale ale is made with a dry hopping technique, Cascade and Amarillo hops, has notes of pine and citrus and is 6 percent ABV.

Glancing at the menu for New Belgium's brewmaster's dinner at Salty's at Redondo next month, the Tour de Fall is missing.

Oh well. Should be a tasty night anyway. Read on. ...

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Lunchbox Laboratory has received favorable press from Evening Magazine, Food Network, Bon Appétit and Food and Wine Magazine. A year ago this month, a new round of Laboratory press hit the South Sound when the gourmet burger joint opened a third location in Gig Harbor (4901 Point Fosdick Dr. NW). The fancy Uptown Shopping District welcomed traditional patty and bun faves with twists, handspun shakes and funky cocktails.

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