Local 44, the friendly neighborhood craft beer pub, confirmed reports today that it will be opening a retail operation next to its location at 44th and Spruce Streets that will sell hundreds of craft beers for carryout.

Local 44 is reportedly in negotiations to lease space connected to the bar. Co-owner Leigh Maida told the City Paper’s Meal Ticket blog that she hopes the bottle shop will have a “record store vibe” that will be “heavy on the education/enthusiasm part of craft beer … no snobbery. [Customers will be able to] chat with the resident beer geek about what’s new, etc.”

An opening date has not yet been announced. Stick around for more details.

The road to Philly Beer Geek 2011 runs through the Dock Street Brewing Co. Wednesday night with a qualifying round beginning at 7 p.m.

The purpose of the Philly Beer Geek competition is “to identify, exalt and honor Philadelphia beer and the people who craft, celebrate and consume it with enthusiasm and pride,” according to the competition website. To get through to the semifinals on May 24 and then the finals during Philly Beer Week on June 9, contestants must first get through a qualifying round like the one Wednesday at Dock Street.

Details about the qualifying rounds are intentionally vague. They could be a beer quizzo, a tasting, classic bar jokes etc. Spectators are welcome and admission is free.

The emcees of Wednesday’s festivities are Carolyn Smagalski, the Beer Fox, and Steve Hawk, the Human Growler, who won the 2010 competition.

We found this breezy little piece on the Philadelphia Magazine website earlier this week that continues to chronicle the growing legend of Fiume, the perfectly quirky little beer and whiskey bar at 45th and Locust. Writer Robert Huber uses the lack of televisions at Fiume to underscore what happens every night at this place  – impromptu, elbow-to-elbow conversations with a wide swath of folks. In Huber’s case on this night, it’s a couple of Greek Ph.D. students and a social worker.

Huber writes:

There are no TVs. I am sorry to harp on a simple point but it is also so dark in here that reading would be a challenge, so there are three possibilities:

Drink.

Listen to Billie Holliday, now singing. It could be Tammy Wynette. Or Tiny Tim.

Or talk.

Not bad choices these days. You can read the entire piece here.

If spending a few hours being driven around to look at West Philadelphia murals while sipping a beer sounds better than fighting the mad Black Friday shopping crowds, then we’ve got something for you. The Ale and Arts Adventure begins Friday afternoon at World Cafe Live (3025 Walnut St.) where you can grab a cold one a board a “trolley” that will drive you around to several murals in West Philly before stopping at Dock Street Brewing Co. (701 South 50th St.) for another round and a brewery tour.

Riders then return to the trolley for a scenic ride back to World Cafe Live for a “spread that highlights their impressive menu.”

Tickets are $35. Here’s the itinerary:
1:30 p.m. • Meet at Wold Cafe Live
2:00 p.m. • Trolley departs
2:45: • Dock Street tour
4:00 • Trolley returns to World Cafe Live