North Shore's Sonja Kaselbaum teaching at In Fine Spirits

It’s the time that all Chicagoans dread: the final weeks of August, when the sun-and-fun-filled days of summer give way to six more months of winter and indoor drinking! Fortunately I’ve got a week of fantastic events lined up that will get you so drunk you won’t care that August is almost over. Excuse me: These events will allow you to sample an impressive array of craft beer and sophisticated cocktails during these final balmy days.

Start your weekend off right Friday night with a free North Shore Distillery Sample Tasting at Viet Bistro (1346 W. Devon Ave., 6:30-9:30 p.m, Fri., Aug. 22). Lake Bluff’s North Shore is a great husband-and-wife-run distillery producing artisanal gin (I’m dying to try the Alphonso Mango No. 11), vodka, aquavit and the fantastic Sirene Absinthe Verte, which I recently had the pleasure of sampling at Best of Chicago winner In Fine Spirits. The event will include complimentary appetizers from chef Dan Ngyuen and a pair of fabulous new North Shore martinis whipped up by mixologist Rashed Islam. Check it out!

If you’re not too hungover the next day, check out the Oak Park Micro Brew and Food Review (Marion St., 3-7 p.m., Sat., Aug. 23). Produced in conjunction with the Illinois Craft Brewers Guild and benefiting Seven Generations Ahead, an Oak Park non-profit dedicated to promoting ecologically sustainable environments, the afternoon will be hosted by master brewer Pete Crowley, who doubles as my personal hero. The zero-waste event will offer tastings of 50 craft beers from 15 local breweries, as well as live music and local, organic food. Tickets are $35 ($65 for the VIP event) and can be purchased online.

If you missed the North Shore distillery tasting on Friday, you can catch up with co-founder Sonja Kasselbaum for “The Art of the Classic Cocktail” event at one of my favorite bars, In Fine Spirits (5420 N. Clark St., 7:30 p.m., Tues., Aug. 26). Sonja will teach you how to make five classic cocktails and the essentials of setting up a home bar, including tools, techniques and ingredients. Tickets are $30, RSVP to 773-334-9463.

Craft beer lovers can get their fill of Cleveland’s Great Lakes Brewery at two brewer’s dinners sponsored by Louis Glunz Beer, Inc. and hosted by Great Lakes co-owner Patrick Conway. The first will take place on the rooftop deck of Whole Foods Market (3640 N. Halsted St., 6 p.m., Tues., Aug. 26), and will feature beer pairings with a six-course menu prepared by chef Abraham Conlon. Tickets are $50, RSVP to 773-462-0400. Sit down two nights later at Jerry’s Wicker Park (1938 W. Division St., 7 p.m., Thurs., Aug. 28) with a six-course menu prepared by chef Mark Bires. Tickets are $48, RSVP to 773-235-1006. Both events will feature Great Lake beers like Edmund Fitzgerald Porter, Holy Moses White Ale, Oktoberfest and Eliot Ness Amber Lager.

It’s going to be a busy week—hopefully I’ll see some of you at these events!

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