Cedar Rapids Beer Week kicks off, plus a Mother's Day food tour

Cedar Rapids Beer Week is bringing beer-centric events to town May 11 to 20, plus RadTour puts on a special Mother's Day ride:

Cedar Rapids Beer Week: Iowa Brewers Olympics

Twelve Iowa breweries will vie for superiority in a series of events designed to test both palates and speed of moving grain from pallet to pallet, along with other events. Beers from each participating brewery will be available, so stop by to root for your favorite team.

• When: 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Friday
• Where: Lion Bridge Brewing Company, 59 16th Ave. SW, Cedar Rapids
• Cost: Free
• Details: 

  lionbridgebrewing.com/lbevents

Cedar Rapids Beer Week: Benz Beerfest

Taste your way through dozens of beers at this annual spring celebration of craft brewing, accompanied by live music from Soul Sherpa. VIP ticket holders get to enter the event an hour early, at 1 p.m.

• When: 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday
• Where: Benz Beverage Depot, 501 Seventh Ave. SE, Cedar Rapids
• Cost: $35 to $45
• Tickets: 

  benzbeerfest.com

Radtour Cedar Rapids: The Mother Lovers Ride

Celebrate your mom and Mother Earth together by hitting the trails for this biking farm and food tour of Linn County. The 27-mile route starts with breakfast from Brewhemia at Goldfinch Cyclery, a refuel stop at Indian Creek Nature Center, lunch with Chef Run Farms, a chance to meet local farmers and chefs, yoga with Ally Thompson, local music, a refuel stop at New Pioneer Co-op and a post-ride fiesta at Caucho.

• When: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday
• Where: Route starts at Goldfinch Cyclery, 208 C 12th Ave. SE, Cedar Rapids
• Cost: $35 to $55
• Tickets: 

  radtourbikeride.com/rad-tours/radtour-cedar-rapids-2018

Cedar Rapids Beer Week: Meet the Brewers Beer Dinner

Meet the brewers at Cedar Rapids Beer Week dinner. The night starts at 6 p.m. with a tour and a Q&A session with the brewers, followed by a dinner featuring special cellar beers and a menu including appetizers, brisket sandwich, beer cheese mac & cheese, seasonal salad and Disaster at Meux porter brownie. Vegetarian options are available on request.

• When: 6 to 9 p.m. Tuesday
• Where: Lion Bridge Brewing Company, 59 16th Ave. SW, Cedar Rapids
• Cost: $50
• Tickets: 

  lionbridgebrewing.com/lbevents

Cedar Rapids beer Week: Beer in Pop Culture Trivia

Maybe you don't know everything about beer, but you've grown up on movies, music, and TV reference ales, malts, and ciders. Queue up some old episodes of Cheers, re-watch Strange Brew, channel your inner Barney Stinson and join Quarter Barrel for Beer in Pop Culture trivia. The evening includes $1 off house beers all night long, and registration proceeds will benefit The Safe Place Foundation. Teams are limited to 6 members or less, and prizes will be given to the first and second place teams.

• When: 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Tuesday
• Where: The Quarter Barrel Arcade & Brewery, 616 Second Ave. SE, Cedar Rapids
• Cost: $5 per team
• Tickets: 

  thequarterbarrel.com/events