For the Love of Beer is our monthly guide to Madison County’s brewery scene. Missed the September Edition? Check it out here.

Event featuring all Madison County Breweries!

Pro Bono Brews

When: Thursday, October 2: 6:00 – 10:00 pm

Where: The Huntsville Depot Roundhouse, 330 Church St

How Much: Tickets: $30 – in advance; $40 – at the gate

This is your chance to sample beer from craft breweries from across Alabama. In partnership with Free the Hops, 15 breweries will offer multiple beers, many that are not typically available in our area. Enjoy a lovely fall evening listening to live music by the Milltowne & Friends, and food from local eateries.

Admission to the event includes food and several beer samples. Tickets for the purchase of additional beer will be available as well. In addition, there will be a premiere Silent Auction featuring a variety of high-end items, including a beach weekend.

All proceeds from ticket sales will benefit the Madison County Volunteer Lawyers Program, through which local lawyer provide pro bono legal aid for basic need civil legal cases to those who cannot afford to pay for help.

Don’t forget…Vote for your favorite beer in the Pro Bono Brews People’s Choice Award!

Below the Radar Brewhouse

Website | Facebook

Location: 220 Holmes Ave. N.E., Huntsville, AL

Tap Room Hours: (BTR is a full restaurant) Monday – Wednesday: 11am-10pm

Thursday: 11 am-11 pm

Friday-Saturday: 11 am-2 am

Sunday: 10 am-10 pm

Phone Number: 256-469-6617

Number of Taps: 32

Blue Pants Brewery

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Location: 500 Lanier Road, Bldg. 1, Ste. A; Madison, AL

Tap Room Hours: Monday -Wednesday: 3-10 pm

Thursday -Saturday: 3 pm-12 am

Sunday: Closed

Phone Number: 256-325-1131

Number of Taps: 10 taps rotating through their various brews.

October Events at Blue Pants Brewery:

We Care Wednesdays

Every Wednesday, during regular taproom hours, Blue Pants partners with different local non-profit organizations to help them raise funds. We donate $1 from every pint purchased that day. The Neon Lilly food truck serves food at the taproom and also donates $1 from each meal purchased.

Check Blue Pants’ social media each week to see which non-profit is benefitting.

Old Black Bear Brewing Company

Website | Facebook

Taproom: While Old Black Bear does not yet have a taproom, they are in the process of building one in Downtown Historic Madison on Maine Street. It will be located next to Bandito Burrito. They plan to be open by the end of 2014, and their hours will be 11 am-10 pm Monday-Saturday.

Rocket Republic Brewing Company

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

October Events featuring Rocket Republic:

Hops on the Helix with Hudson Alpha

Wednesday, October 1

Cullman Oktoberfest

Saturday, October 4

Cooper-Young Brewfest in Memphis, TN

Saturday, October 11

What’s New from Rocket Republic?

Steampunkin’ Pumpkin Ale (6.3%ABV)

Seasonal Release

Available through Thanksgiving

Recently, Rocket Republic held their one year anniversary where they released Steampunkin. Congratulations on a year of delivering delicious beer to the citizens of Huntsville and the surrounding area!

They are continuing the buildout of their building, and brewing equipment is scheduled to start arriving in November.

Rocket Republic also recently announced an exciting collaboration with Mr Beer! Read more here.

Salty Nut Brewery

Website | Facebook | Twitter

Location: 4411 Evangel Circle Ste. A, Huntsville, AL

Tap Room Hours: Thursday – Friday: 5 – 9 pm

Saturday: 3 – 8 pm

As the smallest brewery in the state, Salty Nut provides a nice, low key, laid back atmosphere. With TV’s, couches, and plenty of seating. They have 6-8 taps of their brews, depending on the event.

October Events at Salty Nut:

Bentley Caldwell Live

Saturday, October 4: 7 pm

Nashville based Singer/Songwriter Bentley Caldwell will be at the taproom playing some jams from his latest CD. Come out, relax and enjoy some great music.

What’s New from Salty Nut?

Too Nice Yams

Sweet Potato Beer, seasonal release

Available in limited quantity, ONLY in the Salty Nut taproom, so get them while you can!

Straight to Ale

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Location: 3200 Leeman Ferry Road, Huntsville, AL

Taproom Hours: Everyday, 3 – 10 pm

Phone Number: 256-489-0820

Straight to Ale’s taproom pours out of 10 taps and has food trucks on site most nights. The outdoor biergarten is open each day for your enjoyment and will play host to many events this summer and fall. The Biergarten even includes 2 disc golf baskets to entertain our disc golf fans while they sip on their favorite Straight to Ale brew.

Straight to Ale offers tours of their brewery each Saturday at 2pm. To sign up for a tour, visit their website.

The Taproom will be closed for a private event on September 13 and there will be no tour!

October Events at Straight to Ale:

Music for Meds Fundraiser

Friday, October 3: 6 – 9 pm

The event will feature an evening of live music from the following artists:

– Snake Doctors

– Microwave Dave

– Freddie Faust

– Mark Torstensen

– The Turner Family Band

– & Guest Artists

Tickets: $10 in advance, or $15 at the door. Donations are also encouraged

Food Truck: Bad Newz BBQ

Oktoberfest

Saturday, October 4: 3 -10 pm

They’ll be plenty of German style beer, German food (courtesy of Cafe on Wheels Neon Lilly ) and German music (courtesy of The Little German Band and The Deutschland Duo).

Oktoberfest mugs (liter and half liter) available only at Straight to Ale’s Oktoberfest!

Cost: Free

SNAP on Tap

Saturday, October 11: 6 – 10 pm

Live Music by Microwave Dave

Cost: $15 in advance ($20 at the door), proceeds benefit the Spay Neuter Action Project (SNAP)

Food Truck: ON ON Tacos

Keep up to date with all of Straight to Ale’s events on their online event calendar.

What’s New At Straight to Ale?

Redstone Oktoberfest and I.S.S. Tequila available in bombers for a limited time, wherever craft beers are sold!

The Brew Stooges

Facebook | LinkedIn

Location: 109 Maple Ave, Huntsville, AL

Taproom Hours: 5 to 9pm Thursday, Friday, & Saturday

Phone Number: 256-759-7457

The Brew Stooges taproom is a laid back environment, right in the middle of the brewery action. They offer 9 taps of their delicious brews, all with witty names like “Knucklehead Porter” and “Double Wrong Rye”. Their brewery/taproom space opens into the quaint biergarten, making it an ideal location for a summer/fall event!

October Events at The Brew Stooges:

Homegrown Huntsville Beer Hop

Thursday, October 2: 5:40 pm

Location: The Brew Stooges Tap Room – 109 Maple Ave, Huntsville, AL

Visit three downtown local breweries in one night! Enjoy a flight at each brewery before the city trolley whisks you to the next location. Don’t worry, if you’re coming straight from work – food trucks will be at each brewery so you can snag dinner at one during the tour.

Admission Price: $22.00 (get tickets)

Falcon Punch Live!

Saturday, October 11: 7 pm

The Brew Stooges Tap Room

Admission Price: Free

What’s New from The Brew Stooges?

Gnarly Guard Pumpkin beer, a seasonal release.

Brew Stooges is debuting their beer in Decatur!! The Brew Stooges Espresso Knucklehead Porter will be the Alabama Beer of the Month at The Brick Deli & Tavern. Details TBA for The Brick’s Oktoberfest in mid-October. The Brick is located at 112 Moulton St. E, Decatur, AL.

Yellowhammer Brewing

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Location: 2406 Clinton Ave West, Huntsville, AL

NEW – Taproom Hours: Thursday, 4 – 9 pm, Friday 4 – 10pm, Saturday 2-10 pm

The Yellowhammer taproom has 9 taps, flowing with their unique beers, as well as a beautiful, shady Biergarten, providing a perfect hang out on hot summer afternoons. The biergarten has tons of seating and includes corn hole and “Viking Chess” a unique yard game, fun for all ages.

October Events at Yellowhammer:

Rocket City NerdCon Wrap-Up Party!

Saturday, October 25: 6 pm

Visit Yellowhammer as folks in cosplay make their way from the library to the biergarten to hear the video game influenced sounds of Roboctopus and try some sci-fi themed beers.

Halloween Pop Punk Show

Friday, October 31

Local favorites Raidy & the Erasers, as well as Florence’s The Invisible Teardrops, a new project of Jamie Barrier of the Pine Hill Haints,

Expect food trucks and plenty of Frankenhammer (a seasonal release).

What’s New At Yellowhammer Brewing?

Frankenhammer, brewed just once a year, is a Belgian strong ale aged on toasted cherry wood. This limited release comes out just before Halloween. This year they’ll release the beer in kegs and in the tasting room on Oct. 29. Watch for a special preview night with a barrel-aged version of the last batch.

Yellowhammer is now open on Thursdays! See the new extended tasting room hours, listed above!

Our Valley Events Beer Guide can be found here.

All eight Madison County breweries were contacted, so a lack of information indicates a lack of response and not a bias on the part of the blogger or Our Valley Events. To ensure your brewery’s inclusion in next month’s blog, email leslie@straighttoale.com.