The NABC beer weekend to come: August 14 and 15.

This Friday night (August 14), and in conjunction with a Louisville Restaurants Forum off-line gathering, I’m making a long-awaited first visit to the Kentucky BBQ Company on Frankfort Avenue in Louisville for fun times pairing barbecue staples and sides with tuneful, appropriate craft beer (and a few well chosen imports).

Make no mistake, meat lovers: These guys have good craft beers for pairing. Here is the KBBS draft list, as reported on July 24 (some may be different now):

Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA
St. Bernadus Wit
Breckenridge 471 (Double IPA)
Great Lakes Eliot Ness
Bell's Expedition Stout
Young's Double Chocolate Stout
New Holland Existential
Great Divide 15th Anniversary (oak aged)
Fuller's E.S.B.
Bell's Oberon
BBC Bourbon Barrel Stout
Schlafly APA
Founders Red's Rye
Drifter Pale Ale
Woodchuck Cider
St. Bernardus Abt 12
Houblon Chouffe

The only dog is Woodchuck. Not bad at all, although I may petition to be allowed to bring a sour ale, perhaps Jolly Pumpkin.

This gathering isn’t going to be very scientific, I hope – at least not the first time. Participants will be buying, eating, drinking and theorizing. Perhaps later there will be conclusions, although it would be nice to glean something for next week's LEO column.

If you read this and are thinking about going, you should go to the forum, register (c'mon, you should have done this a long time ago) and join the thread to add your name to the RSVP list: Barbecue and craft beer pairing. KBBC Aug. 14.

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The American Cancer Society’s Taste of the Grapevine fundraiser will be held on Saturday, August 15 at Louisville’s prestigious Seelbach Hotel, and NABC will be here, presumably in a rented tuxedo and sneaking beer through the kitchen entrance.

Here's the scoop:

The American Cancer Society invites you to enjoy a memorable evening featuring local eateries, caterers and wine, beer and spirits vendors. Guests are invited to try out specialty dishes, gourmet cuisine, imported and domestic wines, micro brewers and a variety of spirits. Local restaurant owners, chefs, caterers, wine specialists, distillers and brewers will be available to answer any questions about the food and spirits. Guests will also have the opportunity to bid on silent auction items and purchase the much sought-after "grape bags." For more information or to purchase tickets, please e-mail. Cost is $50 per person in advance, $75 per person on event day.