Sixpoint Craft Ales received approval from the Feds on two new beers last week, and both are special in their own ways.

First off is the Border Brown Ale, a hoppy brown ale brewed as a collaboration with famed taco cart (and now brick-and-mortar taqueria) Calexico. It’ll be available soon when Calexico opens their new Greenpoint location on Manhattan Avenue.

Second is a cask-only offering that’s perfect for the chilly weather: their Chocolate Rye Porter. We know these guys love their rye, so why not throw it into a richer, heavier winter beer? This beer will clock in around 5.5% ABV and have a roasty malt character, yet a dry rye bite. They brewed this in mid-October, so it should be ready in the coming weeks, premiering at The Breslin and The Spotted Pig.

And speaking of darker beers, Sixpoint posted an interesting photo set a couple weeks back on their Flickr account called “Sixpoint/Stumptown Part 1.” The photos document a coffee tasting session that they say is “for [their] upcoming Mad Scientists Series Collaboration.” Is a collaboration with the famed Oregon-based coffee roaster on the way? All signs point to yes. Besides, it’s a match made in heaven considering Stumptown’s Brooklyn brew bar is on the same block as Sixpoint’s brewery.

We’ll let you know when we spot these beers around town. Keep an eye out for them!

You’re going to love this weekend if you’re a cask beer fan. With two big cask events going on in the New York area, you have the option of 25 different cask-conditioned ales to whet your whistle.

But if you prefer your beer cold and out of a can, we’ve got you covered there, too.

First, the 22nd Brazen Head “Cask Head” Cask Ale Festival will be going on all weekend at The Brazen Head (228 Atlantic Ave., at Court St., Cobble Hill). They’ll have at least 20 different casks on a list curated by cask beer fanatic Alex Hall, including selections from Bear Republic, Firestone Walker, Kelso, and many others. The fun kicks off today at noon, and runs until the last cask runs out on Sunday. You don’t have to pay anything to get in - you just pay by the pint (or half-pint, if there are too many beers to try).

Over in New Jersey, the Copper Mine Pub (323 Ridge Rd., at Crystal St., North Arlington, NJ) is hosting their own cask event on Saturday starting at 3pm to celebrate their second anniversary. Among the casks, a dry-hopped version of the Defiant Medusa IPA, Brewdog Paradox Springbank, and a cask of the Weyerbacher Quad with rum-soaked raisins.

But if cans are more your deal, head over to Full Circle Bar (318 Grand St., at Havemeyer St., Williamsburg) for Candemonium - a celebration of all things canned beer. Across the three-day celebration (2pm-4am Friday through Sunday), you’ll be able to try over 40 different canned beers - some craft, some not. There’s nothing earth-shattering on the list of cans, but it’s a good way to break your hipster friends into craft beers like Oskar Blues Gordon, Cisco Whale’s Tale Pale Ale, or Butternuts Snapperhead IPA. 

And before you make a snarky comment, we know: people drinking canned beer in Williamsburg is not exactly groundbreaking stuff. After all, a single block there could have single-handedly brought about PBR’s resurgence.

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

• It’s Shipyard Night at The Pony Bar (637 10th Ave. at 45th St., Hell’s Kitchen) tonight starting at 6pm to celebrate their Pumpkinhead Ale. Among the other beers they’ll serve up: the impeccable Smashed Pumpkin, XXXX India Pale Ale, and their Imperial Porter.
• Over at David Copperfield’s (1394 York Ave., at 74th St., Upper East Side), it’s Long Trail night starting at 8pm, with t-shirt and pint glass giveaways.  Their Altbier, IPA, and Double Bag will keep you warm while the Nor'easter outside is frightful.
• For a more West Coast vibe, head to Bierkraft (191 Fifth Ave., at President St., Park Slope) for their Lagunitas tap takeover. They’ll be pouring some rare stuff from the California brewery from kegs and casks, including a bourbon-aged Cappuccino Stout, Fusion IV (an Imperial Pilsner), and the dangerous Habanero IPA.
• Out on Long Island, Effin Gruven (2562 Sunrise Hwy., at Centre Ave., Bellmore) is holding a Superfriends release party tonight at 7pm, with the Ithaca/Captain Lawrence/Ommegang collaboration Superfriends IPA, and additional beers from the respective breweries, too.

The long-awaited opening of the new East Village beer shop Good Beer (422 E. 9th St., btw. 1st Ave. and Ave. A) is now carved in stone: they’ll be open next Tuesday, November 9th, with an official grand opening on Saturday, November 13th. We’ve been anxiously awaiting this news since we first broke the story of this spot back in July.

They’re already stocking the fridges with bottles from Speakeasy, Dogfish Head, Stone, Cigar City, Bear Republic, and a bevy of European breweries, too. Thrillist got the inside scoop on some of the twelve taps that’ll be pouring on opening day to pair with cheeses, meats, and - GASP - something called “beercorn,” a caramel popcorn with beer from Brooklyn Brewery, pretzel bits, and candied mustard seed.

We’ll have a full report on opening day, obviously. Have your growlers at the ready!

Okay, I’ll admit it: I use the word “epic” too much to describe beer events. But tonight at Blind Tiger Ale House (281 Bleecker St., at Jones St., West Village), the list for their Very Special Keg Night tonight is truly epic. It’s epic in the sense that there are too many good beers and not enough time to have them all, unless you’re not planning to go to work tomorrow. It’s epic in the sense that you’ll probably never seen most of these beers again. And it’s epic in the sense that you’re going to want to get there early (taps start pouring at 4pm), or you may miss out or be pressed against a wall.

So, wanna see the list? Read it and weep after the jump…

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If you’re a big fan of Downingtown, Pennsylvania’s finest brewery, then you’ll probably want to be at Rattle-N-Hum (14 E. 33rd St., at 5th Ave., Midtown) tonight for their Victory Tap Takeover.

First off, Bill Covaleski, the man behind the 35 beers they’ll be pouring tonight, will be on hand for the festivities. Bill is Victory’s co-founder and co-brewmaster, an all-around cool guy, and a recent guest on Wine Library TV.

Of course, even more important is the beer list - 31 taps and 4 firkins - that will be tapped today starting at 4pm.

The full tap list is after the jump…

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