Miami's Best Eats and Drinks This Weekend: Beer and Carnivorous Delights

Happy Friday. This weekend is the time to channel your inner carnivore. 

There are three meat-centric events for you to choose from: the Local 'Q pop-up, Grillin N Chillin, and Cochon 555. There's also a martini shake-off (with free cocktails) and a major beer festival. You can also sign up for a juice cleanse.

Weekend starts now!
Martini Shake-Off at the Raleigh Miami Beach
Head to the Raleigh Hotel's Martini Bar this Friday, April 1, from 6 to 8 p.m. for the Bayou Rum Martini Shake-Off. You can sample four cocktails made with Bayou rum, including a Caribbean Sling, the Rain or Shine, the La Florida Cocktail, and the Airmail. The cocktails will be judged, and the winning libation will become the Raleigh's signature cocktail for April. At 8 p.m., enjoy any of the cocktails in the competition for $10. 
The Local 'Q Pop-Up at Giralda Under the Stars
The Local Craft Food & Drink and its executive chef, Phil Bryant, are planning a new barbecue concept: The Local 'Q. The casual barbecue joint has no set location yet, but plans are for it to open sometime in 2016 with a menu of chef Bryant's favorite barbecue items and Southern sides. The Local 'Q will also feature a beer garden.

Fans of chef Bryant and barbecue can get a taste of what's to come at Coral Gables' Giralda Under the Stars tonight, April 1, from 7 p.m. to midnight. 

The Local 'Q pop-up barbecue stand will be located on the east end of Giralda Avenue and offer a limited menu of barbecued meats, sides, and select beers and cocktails. The crew will also sell some of its house-made products, such as smoky hot sauce, Papi’s BBQ sauce, and the house mustard.
Sprung
Sprung, the spring celebration of beer, takes flight in its new home at the RC Cola Plant in Wynwood this Saturday, April 2. Spend the day sampling beers from around the world and ones brewed in our backyard. Local favorites such as M.I.A., Spanish Marie, Gravity, and Concrete Beach will pour unlimited beers.

Don't forget to take part in the giant beer pong tournament, sponsored by South Florida on Tap. The winner from each game advances to compete in the grand finale for big prizes including a kayak.  To sign up, look for the giant beer pong station at Sprung and submit your name to be included in a random drawing at 4:30 p.m. 

General admission ($40) runs from 4 to 7 p.m. and includes unlimited sampling. The Beer Socialite ticket ($70) includes early admission at 3 p.m., unlimited beer sampling, a souvenir pint glass, and a backpack. VIP tickets allow entrance at 2 p.m. and include unlimited sampling, a souvenir pint glass, a T-shirt, and access to the VIP area, with separate entrance and bathrooms. Purchase tickets at igotsprung.com.
Grillin N Chillin
The RC Cola Plant will get quite a workout this weekend, because after Sprung on Saturday, Grillin N Chillin will takes over Sunday, April 3, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. A hundred barbecue dishes will be offered in styles from around the world. In addition to offering carnivorous delights, Grillin N Chillin will feature music, a pop-up sports bar, and entertainment. The event will also host Burger Beast's backyard burger battle. Tickets cost $10 in advance and $20 at the door; children under 12 get in free. A family pack is available for $15 and includes two adult tickets. Admission includes live music, the backyard burger battle, and other entertainment. Pay as you go for food and drinks. Purchase tickets at wynwoodbbqfest.com.
Cochon 555
The premise is simple: Five chefs and five heritage pigs are paired up, and each chef is given five days to break it down and invent six dishes using as many parts as possible. The competing chefs this year are Anthony LePape (Ritz-Carlton South Beach), Xavier Torres (Drunken Dragon), Alex Chang (Vagabond), Michael Fiorello (Beachcraft), and Diego Oka (La Mar by Gaston Acurio). Then, you, lucky guest, gets to sample the work — paired with wines and cocktails. The action takes place at 5 p.m. Sunday, April 3, at the Ritz-Carlton South Beach. Tickets cost $130.95; VIP options are available. Visit cochon555.com for details.