Nightlife notebook: Beer Dabbler, winter edition

Beer Dabbler: winter edition

Only in Minnesota: a sure-to-sell-out beer festival in the dead of winter. While it's still two weeks away, now is the time to get your tickets for Beer Dabbler Winter Carnival 2012. The popular Lowertown fest moves to the St. Paul Farmers Market this year, where a $30 ticket gets you a souvenir glass and all the beer you wish to sample. More than 60 breweries are expected to be represented. Trust me, these guys know how to have a good time.

Check out performances by Pink Mink and Romantica. Watch the minnow races. Dance in Leinenkugel's Silent Disco (they'll provide the wireless headphones). And grab a drink with Mayor Chris Coleman, who will help tap the Beer Dabbler Oak Barrel brew, a special release by Tallgrass Brewing.

Crash the after party

If Red Bull's last event in St. Paul is any indication (90,000 people for Flugtag in 2010), Crashed Ice should be crazy. The fast-paced, bone-crunching competition sends skating daredevils down an icy quarter-mile race track.

You'll need a drink afterward. O'Gara's is hosting the official Red Bull after-party on Saturday, the final night of the contest. The Irish pub will provide a heated tent to accommodate the crowds. DJs Deception and Jonathan Ackerman will spin until 2 a.m. For more details on the downhill battle, check www.redbull.com.

Deseo opens

Sfaellos says it's very "Miami," all white with a hint of lime green. He also has instituted a new kind of dress code. Instead of telling people what they can't wear, he's telling them what they can. To enter, guys must be wearing one of the following: a blazer, a button-up shirt, dress pants or dressy shoes.

As for the music, Sfaellos is keeping it muted to a reasonable level -- he wants people to be able to carry on conversations. There's also a 15-foot python living at the club. Like I said: different.