Surly officials haven't said where Darkness Day will go down once its new Minneapolis mega-brewery opens. But this weekend the decadent imperial stout returns (this time with a version aged in High West rye whiskey barrels) to the same overnight line/party and official Saturday bash at the Brooklyn Center brewery, featuring live music from NOLA death metal studs Goatwhore, Surly brewer Todd Haug's sludgy Vulgaari and more. As always, the first 1,500 die-hards get wristbands to purchase up to six bottles ($20 each, cash only) with leftovers going on sale at 3 p.m. Friday pre-parties include a Stub and Herb's tap takeover (7 p.m.) and a Pentagram gig at Mill City Nights (8 p.m.). After Darkness Day, the taproom goes, well, dark in preparation for Surly MSP's targeted December opening.
11 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Sat., 4811 Dusharme Dr., Brooklyn Center, 763-535-3330, www.surlybrewing.com.
Trivia tourney
Trivia Mafia hosts its annual Tournament of Champions Saturday at Amsterdam Bar and Hall. The local trivia crew, run by Heiruspecs bassist Sean McPherson and Zombie Pub Crawl's Chuck Terhark, lures 50 teams of the Midwest's best besotted minds to compete for cash and bragging rights in a battle royale combining beer and otherwise useless knowledge.
2-7 p.m., 6 W. 6th St., St. Paul, 612-285-3112, www.triviamafia.com
Cocktail contest postponed
The North Star Bartenders Guild's annual cocktail competition has been 86'd. At least for 2014. The tournament-style mix-off was slated for the first four Sundays in November, but with key organizers busy running/opening restaurants the decision was made to postpone it until spring.
MICHAEL RIETMULDER
