Quick Bites: A pop-up craft beer festival, crab panic and three big foodie events.

A man who loves beer couldn't believe the serendipity flowing out of a pair of stories in the Weekly last week.

That man: Sean Allen of Trailside Cafe and Beer Garden in Carmel Valley (298-7453).

Those stories: "PHOTOS: Santa Cruz beer mission includes inspiring classics and unique upstarts" and "New spots make Santa Cruz a great place to taste top beer."

He's hosting a local beer mini festival starting Thursday, Nov. 5, with Peter B's, Alvarado Street, Carmel Valley Brewing and Santa Cruz reps like Discretion and Corralitos Brewing, until the kegs run dry.

More food news nibbles appear here:

• Congratulations to Miramonte High single-season rushing record holder David Schmalz for doing something far harder: Surviving 730 days of deadlines as a full-time beat reporter at the Weekly. He's hiked the Salinas River from its source (nine days walk away), helped free Del Monte Manor residents from oppressive and corrupt property managers and chased the honest-to-ocean truth about sardine population crashing. But he also gave us the World's Best Kale Recipe for the recent Food & Drink special issue. And welcome to the team, Nick Rahaim. PS Ana Ceballos keep coming up aces. And while I’m at it, big congrats on well-deserved promotion, Sara Rubin.

• Tickets now on sale for Jan. 15-17 Big Sur Foragers Festival (667-4210, www.bigsurforagersfestival.org).

• The launch of Dungeness crab recreational season (Nov. 7) and commercial season (Nov. 15) could be pushed back because of a naturally occurring toxin, domoic acid, found in algae bottom feeders love.

• A year's worth of upcoming epicurean events are now up on the blog, including first-ever Craftsman Exchange ($95, 658-3595), happening Nov. 7 at Bernardus Lodge with craft purveyors like Carmelo Peak Ranch Beef, Big Sur Bakery, Bernardus Winery, Albatross Ridge Winery and Morro Bay Oyster Company.

• Because I admire a young Raider fan named Jaime Noyola, the individual who oversaw our scrappy distribution team for months, I pledge to personally deliver you a copy of our new 2015 Food + Drink special glossy. Email edible@mcweekly.com.

• One signature dish that didn't make our special promotional list of dozens: The House of Gyros' beef and lamb gyro, seasoned and slow roasted on the spot, shaved thinly with lettuce, tomatoes, parsley, tahini, tzaziki sauce ($6.50).

• The monks of Camoldi Hermitage are doing that holy holiday delicious thing they do with fruitcakes and date-nut cakes ($22/1 pound; $42/3) and Holy Granola ($12.50). 1) Thank God. 2) Order online at www.hermitagebigsur.com or via (866) 886-0544.

• Flavors of Pacific Grove happens at Spanish Bay Nov. 7. More on the Weekly calendar page.

• Captain Cooper Elementary does a neat drawing ($25) to benefit the school garden and, also, foodies who win the chance at multiple courses in said garden done by master chef Paul Corsentino (Ventana), among other lush prizes. Check out how last year's went down with "'Six star' school garden dinner starring Big Sur's hottest new chef, from a teacher's perspective." Tickets at Cooper, ECO Carmel and Carmel Valley Video.

• Friends of Hopkins host a rare public event at the Boat Works lecture hall honoring two of my heroes, sustainability pioneers Ted and Cindy Walter of Passionfish. 7:30 Tuesday, Nov. 10, call for a free seat: 655-6200.

• #DIYpie, a hands-on/finger-in pie workshop ($65) with MEarth bakes its way to fruition 1-4pm Sunday, Nov. 8, at the Hilton Bialek Habitat. Tax deductible training involves locally sourced and seasonal ingredients, apple streusel pie and a pumpkin pie, Post Ranch Pastry Chef Yulanda Santos, tours, recipes, two take-and-bake pies and Tanja Helen Roos as organic emcee (RSVP 624-1032, MEarthCarmel.org).

• Ag Against Hunger is “fielding” nominations for 2016 Agricultural Woman of the Year. Nomination forms and submission instructions at www.agagainsthunger.org

• Even creative-swanky sensation Aubergine (624-8578) rarely gets as precise and zesty as it does Thursday, Nov. 12, with a 10-course tasting menu and party ($150; $135 wine pairing) with handpicked seafood-centric chefs from around the blue-and-green globe, benefitting Moss Landing Marine Labs, Monterey Abalone Co. and the Ventana Wilderness Alliance.

• Venus Spirits Santa Cruz Distillery, where gin, agave, whiskey make for a luxurious six sample tasting ($15), is worth a mission across the bay. PS: We need a Monterey-Santa Cruz ferry.

• Three years ago this week KRML hit the airwaves with Yummy FM, a stunt to poke fun at what it fairly calls "this nation's bland, cookie-cutter approach to radio." Happy birthday. Big ups.

• 7pm Saturday, Nov. 7, Blue Fin Cafe & Billiards & Vape3one do a canned food drive for The Food Bank for Monterey County with Hot Import Night Model Jeri Lee.