Entertainment

BREW YORK CITY – TAP INTO THE WORLD’S BIGGEST BEER TASTING

I am the anti-werewolf.

See, I love Silver Bullets. Werewolves? From what I hear, not so much.

By Silver Bullets, I mean, of course, ice-cold Coors Light. As legend has it, this brand of beer could kill a werewolf.

And, apparently, anyone who attends today’s Brewtopia at the Jacob Javits Center.

Because nowhere on the vast menu of beers featured at Brewtopia will you find my Coors Light.

But it seems there’s a market for the anti-Coors Light faction. Because over the three tasting sessions – which began last night and continue today – organizer Keith Reichenbach expects 15,000 thirsty beer drinkers.

Beer, it seems, is certainly having its moment. And we’re not talking the quartersplaying, sawdust-on-the-floor kind of event, either.

This month sees the release of “Ambitious Brew: The Story of American Beer.” Written by historian Maureen Ogle, the book chronicles the beverage’s American rise, fall and rebirth, from the 19th century up to the present day.

For more erudite examples, next month Slow Food, the snooty artisanal and sustainable food advocate, is hosting a beer dinner. Foodies and, um, beeries will gather at Brooklyn’s Flatbush Farm restaurant for a four-course meal paired with samples from local small-batch brewery Sixpoint Craft Ales – including Sixpoint Express, which has been aging since February 2005. For reservations, call Flatbush Farm, (718) 622-3276.

In the meantime, however, you won’t go wrong with the more than 100 breweries and 400 beers at Brewtopia .

The name is apt. It truly is a peaceful mini-city of beer perfection – even if it is lacking that ice-brewed Rocky Mountain taste.

“You have a tremendous amount of American craft brewers and a great deal of international brewers from Belgium, England, Japan, Germany,” Reichenbach said.

“There’s also your large breweries that are offering beers that are a little bit unusual for them.” The event works like so:

Hand in your ticket ($65 at the door), get your souvenir cup, drink.

“It’s like a wine tasting for beer enthusiasts,” Reichenbach said.

If you get tired of roaming from heavenly station to heavenly station – although, how could you, really? – sit down in front of the stage and listen to one the guest speakers.

Like Sam Calagione. The owner of Dogfish Head brewery and author of “Extreme Brewing” and “He Said Beer, She Said Wine” will give a lecture on beer oddities.

“Sam’s going to be talking about extreme beers,” Reichenbach said. “Beers that push the envelope – like the 15 percent alcohol beers and beers that use unusual ingredients.” And there are plenty. Check out some of these ingredients:

pumpkin, blueberry, dark chocolate, nuts, peach, apple, oatmeal.

And the names. Giggle away at the innuendo of Wee Heavy, Dirty Dick’s, Doggie Style Pale Ale, In Heat Wheat and Dirty Penny Ale.

Though this may sound like a celebration of the little guy, it really is all-inclusive. Anheuser Busch is represented. As is, you guessed it, the Coors Brewing Co. But they won’t be offering the beers you see at your local bodega. Instead, they’ll bring Stone Mill Organic Pale Ale and Blue Moon Draft.

But there are some more familiar beers: Molson Canadian, Bass Ale, Killian’s Irish Red and Sam Adams (which will offer 11 varieties).

Like the ticket buyers, all makes and models, shapes and sizes will be in attendance. The bathrooms are plentiful (no porta-potties, real bathrooms) and the glasses bottomless. All are welcome, but a word of warning: Don’t get belligerent.

If you do, you’ll be kicked out faster than if your name was Coors Light.

“You get the opportunity to taste as many of the finest beers in the world that you can – as long as you don’t get stumbling drunk,” Reichenbach explains. “Our security guards will be looking out for that.” Sessions continue today from noon to 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.; for information, visit brewtopiafest.com.

Ale & hearty

Can’t make either of today’s two Brewtopia sessions? Not to worry. There are plenty of places to buy the rare beers featured at today’s event. Enjoy the brews at the pub – or take them home to your local couch.

BARS

Hop Devil Grill

(129 St. Marks Place)

Owned by Brewtopia honcho Keith Reichenbach, this bar’s walls are hidden by bottles.

David Copperfield’s

(1394 York Ave.)

30 different taps, 100 different bottles.

George Keeley’s

(485 Amsterdam Ave.)

Has 20 beers on tap and features a cask ale. They boast that the cask ale is beer in its truest form.

d.b.a.

(41 First Ave.)

12 taps, 60 bottled beers. Highly recommended.

Sparky’s Ale House

(481 Court St., Brooklyn)

Great selection, great prices. And a pinball machine.

STORES

Thrifty

(256 Court St., Brooklyn)

Massive selection, reasonable prices.

Pioneer

(289 Columbus Ave.)

More than 400 beers available.

New Beer

(167 Chrystie St.)

A beer warehouse with a huge selection. Reichenbach calls it the “Home Depot of Beer.”

Cyprus Deli

(34-10 30th Ave., Queens)

Well-known bodega with long lines of beer to choose from.

B&E Quality Beverage

(511 W23 St.)

The New York City Beer Guide (Google it, it’s worth it) calls it “The supermarket of beer selection in Manhattan.”

NEWCASTLE BROWN ALE $1.60

SAMUEL SMITH OATMEAL STOUT $4

THREE PHILOSOPHERS BELGIUM LAMBIC BEER $7

RED BOCK $2.50

HOEGAARDEN $1.90

ROGUE CHOCOLATE STOUT $9

CHIMAY PREMIERE $14

HOPTICAL ILLUSION $1.70

LE FIN DU MONDE $2.50

60 MINUTE IPA $1.80

GROLSCH $1.80

KRONENBOURG $1.70

BLUE MOON $1.60

SAMUEL SMITH ORGANIC LAGER $4

SAM ADAMS OCTOBERFEST $1.70

MAUDITE $2.50

LEFFE $1.90