Jack Van Antwerpen, President of Exports for Bosteels Brewery in Belgium is in town tonight and tomorrow. If you’re any kind of beer person you’ve enjoyed one of their beers and if you haven’t, you owe it to yourself to have one.

• Kwak is as known for its unique glass (originally designed to hang from mail coaches) as for its deep amber tastiness.
• Tripel Karmaliet is a Belgian tripel that is made with three kinds of grain; wheat, oats and barley. It’s a Foobooz favorite of favorites.
• Deus is described as a symbiosis of brewing a beer and creating a sparkling wine.

Tonight the beer and Van Antwerpen are going to be at Tria Rittenhouse and the Fermentation School. Kwak will be on draft at the 18th and Sansom location for $5.50. Bottles of Tripel Karmeliet will be $6.50 and glasses of the Deus are $7.50.

The class with Bosteels and St. Feuillien at the Fermentation School was so popular they’ve added standing room tickets. Currently there are just four tickets remaining.

Tomorrow the Pub on Passyunk East is hosting Van Antwerpen for a Bosteels night. The P.O.P.E will feature Tripel Karmaliet and Kwak on draft plus bottles of Deus from 7 to 11pm. There will also be special desserts (Belgian waffles?) available.

Belgian Icons: Bosteels & St. Feuillien [Tria Cafe]
Bosteels Dessert Night [Pub on Passyunk East]
Bosteels Brewery [Official Site]

We tweet so you don’t have to be a twit. Here are some deals posted in the last hour or so on Twitter.

@TriaPhilly: Tria Twitter Treat: $2 off draft beer at Tria Rittenhouse until 8:07pm tonight. Password = “Hamels”

@Swifthalfpub: Specials for tonight’s game: 1/2 Price buffalo shrimp and Scallops and $3 Stoudt’s American Pale Ale. Let’s go Phillies!!

@bridgetfoys: Let’s go Phils! All the Way Dogs $3, Lagers $2.5, Kenzingers $3, Red October Cocktail $5!!!!! Tonight’s the night!!!!!!

@tommyup: Burgers, beers & baseball at PYT today…we got the free pickleback shots for the homeruns & Wii baseball before the game!

Tonight both Tria locations have Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA on draft.

The “Holy Grail for Hopheads” is available in 5 ounce tasting portions for $4.50. Guests are limited to two servings of the 18% alcohol by volume beer. Get there before it runs out.

Tria Cafe [Official Site]

Today, the Tria Rittenhouse Square location has tasting portions of Russian River Consecration. The 6 oz draft tasting portions will be $6.

This strong dark ale aged in Cabernet barrels with currants is a beer geek’s dream – and the perfect beer for winos. Divine, indeed. And rare, so get it while you can.

It’s available now until it kicks.

Tria Cafe [Official Site]

Hey beer geeks! Have you ever heard of De Dochter Noblesse, Contreras Valeir Divers, Het Alternatief Piet-Agoras or La Botteresee Noire.

Well then you’d better get to Tria Washington Square West tonight where they’ll be featuring 5 ounce tasting pours of all of the above beers for between $3 and $4. Special pricing is good from 4 to 7pm.

Tria Cafe [Official Site]

There’s nothing sadder than having your heart set on a bar and getting there and realizing it isn’t open on Mondays, or for lunch, or at 2:02am.

Well a couple of places are expanding their hours for fall. Starting Saturday, September 12th, both Tria Cafe locations are going to be open for weekend lunch . That means longer Sunday School! More hours of school and you’re actually happy about it.

The Sidecar Bar & Grille is adding Monday hours starting on September 14th and they’re celebrating the 7th day of work in fine fashion with a firkin of Bell’s Two Hearted Ale at 5pm.

Tonight, Tria is offering you a good reason to get out of the house. The Rittenhouse Square location is serving up a combination of Russian River beer and savory treats.

Pliny the Younger will be served with Cowtipper cheese and California salame. $4  for a 6ox tasting portion and $6 for tthe tasting.

A couple of interesting events at Tria Washington Square West this week. Wednesday is Earth Day and Tria is pouring eco-friendly wines (that means from <gasp> a box!) from 4 to 7pm. There will be Côtes du Rhône Blanc and a rich Argentine Malbec.

On Thursday, 12 Percent Imports is showing off four obscure artisinal beers from Belgium. Again, the event offers special pricing between 4 and 7pm.

Tria Cafe [Official Site]

Tria’s owner Jon Myerow is organizing PA Restaurants for Fair Competition in a move to counter the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board’s announced collaboration with with selected restaurateurs. As part of the movement he’s started a Facebook group and told Foobooz his reasons for starting the group.

I am organizing PA Restaurants for Fair Competition because the PLCB seeks to create an unlevel playing field for restaurants that serve fine wine and for all BYOBs. The PLCB wants to hand-select restaurateurs as “business partners” (the Chairman’s words) and compete directly against other businesses that it regulates. (The PLCB would open specialty wine stores inside of restaurants and sell wines chosen to match the restaurants’ cuisines.)

I applaud the PLCB for working to improve the state’s wine situation, and I respect and admire the Board’s first selected partner, Jose Garces. But the plan is blatantly unfair and threatens the competitive landscape; any new alcohol marketing programs should be open to all interested entrepreneurs and not just the Board’s favorites. Ultimately, if the state goes into the restaurant business, there will be less choice for consumers because no restaurateur can compete against the state. I am asking other restaurateurs across the state to join me in fighting against this dangerous precedent.

PA Restaurants For Fair Competition [Facebook]

Judging by the amount of comments we received on the Jose Garces and Pennnsylvania Liquor Control Board thread there’s no shortness of opinion on the matter. Tria’s Jon Myerow shared his concerns with Michael Klein this weekend and PLCB chairman Patrick “P.J.” Stapleton II issued a statement.

Chef’s LCB venture sours rivals [Philadelphia Inquirer]