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The 2015 edition of the giant 'Keg Tree' stands next to the Genesee Brewhouse overlooking the High Falls in Rochester. (Photo at left by John Kucko of WROC).

(John Kucko / Genesee Brewhouse)

It could be the worlds's biggest, not to mention tallest and brightest, keg party.

For the third year, the Genesee Brewing Co. in Rochester is celebrating the holiday season by lighting up an enormous "tree" made of empty beer kegs. It will stand just outside the Genesee Brewhouse, overlooking the High Falls of the Genesee River north of downtown Rochester.

The lighting will be 6 p.m. Dec. 2. at the brewhouse, 25 Cataract St., off St. Paul St. The brewhouse is Genesee's combination visitor's center, beer hall and restaurant, and pilot craft brewery.

The tree will be 26 feet tall, as it was last year, built from 430 empty kegs (that's about 6 weeks worth of beer production). It will be brighter this year with double the number of twinkling lights, the brewery said. It will take 2,000-feet of lights to layer the 11 levels of kegs. Construction will begin Nov. 28.

The lighting ceremony will be accompanied by live music, desserts and plenty of Genesee beer. The event also marks the release of a new specialty product, Bourbon Barrel-aged Imperial Black IPA, which has been aging for more than 12 months in Kentucky bourbon barrels. Commemorative, 32-ounce stoneware growlers will be sold for $50.

The event is also a food drive for Foodlink, a Rochester-area food bank. Guests are asked to bring a non-perishable food item to donate.

Don Cazentre writes about food, beverages, restaurants and bars for syracuse.com and The Post-Standard. Contact him by email, on Twitter, at Google+ or via Facebook.