An unfortunate beer-related effect of this month’s earthquake and tsunami in Japan was the damage it caused to the beer industry in that country. Several breweries saw significant damage to their infrastructure, some have lost employees in the disasters, and some that do remain standing in the area have started using their equipment to bottle clean water for the victims of the disaster. In the wake of the disaster, a plea came from Kiuchi Brewery (the makers of Hitachino Nest beer) for New York to offer whatever they can to help the areas affected.

So, breweries here are coming together next week to raise money for those affected by the disaster. Next Monday from 7-10pm, they’ll throw the “Brewers for Brewers” benefit party at Brooklyn Brewery, complete with great food and craft beer. Among the breweries participating are the hosts, naturally, but also Sixpoint Craft Ales, Empire Brewing Co., and Kelso of Brooklyn. They’ll have food from The Meat Hook, Jimmy’s No. 43, and Tanuki Tavern.

The total cost is $50, with tickets available on Brown Paper Tickets, and all proceeds go to help with humanitarian aid in the region.

Let’s prove once again that craft beer drinkers don’t just take - we give back!

The line at 7:45 this morning at McSorley’s (image via Eater)

Over the weekend, I was at Good Beer having a pint when someone walked in and asked the owner, “do you guys carry green beer? Like, for St. Patrick’s Day?”

He laughed. I hung my head in shame and shook it in disapproval.

Friends, it’s St. Patrick’s Day, and yes, you’re probably going to drink. But there are certain commandments to follow that will make your drinking holiday far more tolerable:

- THOU SHALT NOT DRINK GREEN BEER. This might be the most important of them all. Bud Light is bad enough as it is, but polluting it with green food coloring can only make it worse.

- THOU SHALT NOT GO TO AN “IRISH PUB.” Look, if you think you’re going to get an “authentic” St. Patrick’s Day experience by going to a place packed with sweaty people singing along to U2 who have been drinking since 8am, you’re kidding yourself.

- THOU SHALT NOT ORDER A GUINNESS TODAY. I love a nice Irish Stout poured on nitro as much as the next guy, but if you think you’re going to get a well-poured Guinness when they’re being ordered at a rate of six per minute, you’re also kidding yourself.

- THOU SHALT NOT ABUSE ALCOHOL. Nobody sober likes a drunk. And if you’re drinking on a Thursday afternoon, odds are, you’re going to come across a lot of sober people. So please, don’t go overboard. You may think we’re just jealous that you’ve found a way to participate in daydrinking, but trust us, we’re not.

- THOU SHALT NOT USE THE CITY STREETS AS A RESTROOM. This should go without saying, but given the number of tickets issued for public intoxication or urination at this year’s Hoboken St. Patrick’s Day Parade, it needs to be reiterated.

- THOU SHALT NOT TAKE SHOTS OF JAMESON. Yes, we have a bias toward beer here. But also, this is a marathon, not a sprint. And for Christ’s sake, it’s a school night.

- THOU SHALT NOT DRINK BAD BEER. Just because it’s a drinking holiday doesn’t mean you have to avoid craft beer. You could head over to The Double Windsor (210 Prospect Park West, at 16th St., Windsor Terrace) for their celebration starting at 3pm. You can partake in Irish-style brews from Sly Fox, Victory, Ballast Point, and more. See? That wasn’t too hard.

Adhere to these commandments, and you’ll be certain to have a Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Please, be responsible. Lord knows there are plenty of others who won’t be, and someone has to keep them in check.

Here are the beer-related goings-on after work tonight:

• Stone is front and center at Blind Tiger Ale House (281 Bleecker St., at Jones St., West Village) today starting at 3pm. Enjoy a double dry-hopped version of Stone IPA, a 2008 vintage of the Imperial Russian Stout aged in bourbon barrels, a cask of Sublimely Self-Righteous dry-hopped with Amarillo hops, and many more surprises.
• Jimmy’s No. 43 (43 E. 7th St., at 2nd Ave., East Village) hosts a beer and pickle event tonight, with informal pairings of American craft beer and pickles from Rick’s Picks. The fun starts at 6pm. Just grab a table - there’s no admission fee.
  

Here are the beer-related goings-on after work tonight:

• It’s National Buzzard Day, and for the folks at Spring Lounge (48 Spring St., at Mulberry St., Little Italy) that means lots of IPAs on draft all night long. Among the beers you’ll find are the Sierra Nevada Hoptimum, Cigar City Jai Alai IPA, Nebraska Hop God, and Ballast Point Sculpin on nitro. Naturally, there will be food to keep your taste buds in check - they’ll serve roast chicken at 6pm. And yes, Buzzard Day is a real thing.
• If all those IPAs aren’t enough for you, head over to a $10 Tasting tonight at 7:30pm at Jimmy’s No. 43 (43 E. 7th St., at 2nd Ave., East Village). This week’s theme is IPAs, and will include samples of Greenport Harbor Belgian IPA, Southern Tier Unearthly IPA, Firestone Walker Double Jack, and more.
• Kelso of Brooklyn is the subject of this week’s Tuesday Tasting at Bierkraft (191 Fifth Ave., at President St., Park Slope) tonight at 7pm. They’ll be pouring their flagship beers, plus the Recessionator Doppelbock, a 2-year aged Flemish Red, and a one-off keg of a rye barrel-aged Belgian Ale.

As many craft beer drinkers know, beer drinking is more than just an intoxicating experience. It can be an eye-opening, mind-opening educational experience, too. Admittedly, there are many times when we’re just in it for the drinking, but experiencing new flavors and new ingredients, understanding the beermaking process, and distinguishing between beer styles are all helpful in appreciating craft beer.

While we think mainly of plants and gardening when we think of the New York Botanical Garden, its educational program spans a broad range from graphic design to chainsaw maintenance. And given the natural ingredients involved, they would venture into homebrewing. On Saturday, April 8th, they’ll offer two classes in their Botany of Indulgence series: The Art of Beer and Winemaking.

The first class, at 10am, focuses on homebrewing. It’s a two-hour course that will cover topics like equipment, ingredients, fermentation, and flavor components. And it’s a nice way to orient yourself with homebrewing cheaply; the class is just $33 for non-members, plus a $2 materials fee.

Afterwards at 12:45pm, there’s another class on winemaking, which also covers making your own mead. Both classes are at the Botanical Garden’s Midtown Center (20 W. 44th St., at 5th Ave., Midtown), so you don’t have to hoof it all the way up to the Bronx. You can register for the class on the NYBG website.

Here are the beer-related goings-on after work tonight:

• Get a free taste of a local beer tonight from 6-8pm as Bier International (2099 Frederick Douglass Blvd., at 113th St., Harlem) hosts a tasting of Sugar Hill Golden Ale from Celeste Beatty’s Harlem Brewing Company. While the beer is brewed in Saratoga Springs, its roots are right in the neighborhood. HBC recently signed a new deal with Manhattan Beer Distributors, so get acquainted with a beer that’s soon going to become much easier to find here in New York City.