Tasting Seminars

There are distinct advantages to drinking the unknown. The quality to price ratio of grapes and places we can’t pronounce from places we can’t readily find on a map can often be ridiculously high.  We’ll taste a winemaking method with over 8000 years of unbroken history in the Republic of Georgia, a grape only found on one island off of the Croatian coast, a relative of Zinfandel hiding in Montenegro, a Hungarian grape known for “Bulls Blood,” Biodynamics in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and a rosè made from one of Giacomo Casanova’s favorite grapes in Slovenia.  All wine retails under $20!

This two hour tasting and discussion, led by Vinny Eng, will explore a selection of thirst quenching, pink and orange wines. We'll taste for qualities like salinity and explore the breadth of textures wines can express. 

Our remarkable friend and neighbor, Tartine Bakery, is generously providing a selection of their extraordinary bread for this event. Served with Vella Butter, it is reason enough to raise a glass!

It's that time of year! Bi-Rite Market's Spring Wine Blitz is the following week, which means 20% off their entire wine selection when you buy 12 bottles or more (mixed cases are ok!). Join us at 18 Reasons for the Blitz Preview and taste over 20 bottles of Trac and Co's favorite wine; come Blitz time you can purchase wisely.

A PLACE TO GATHER every Thursday, 6:00-10:00pm

18th Hour Café offers a changing weekly menu of craft beer, amazing wine, cheese, charcuterie, salad, soup, and Tartine bread; prices range from $3-$20. 

The goal of 18th Hour is twofold: to create a great space in the Mission for people to enjoy, and to support 18 Reasons public programming and community collaborations. Proceeds from 18th Hour support our Cooking Matters Program.

The café features a curated schedule of art exhibits, a growing cookbook library, our instructor-curated retail shop and music. 

A PLACE TO GATHER every Thursday, 6:00-10:00pm

Tonight, we have several very special guests. Heather Hardison and Louella Hill will be on hand to discuss their amazing art (more info here), and Aubrey Thomason - cheesemaker and partner at Zingerman's Creamery in Ann Arbor - will be showcasing four of her cheeses (plus a bonus cheese!):

A PLACE TO GATHER every Thursday, 6:00-10:00pm

18th Hour Café offers a changing weekly menu of craft beer, amazing wine, cheese, charcuterie, salad, soup, and Tartine bread; prices range from $3-$20. 

A PLACE TO GATHER every Thursday, 6:00-10:00pm

18th Hour Café offers a changing weekly menu of craft beer, amazing wine, cheese, charcuterie, salad, soup, and Tartine bread; prices range from $3-$20. 

The goal of 18th Hour is twofold: to create a great space in the Mission for people to enjoy, and to support 18 Reasons public programming and community collaborations. Proceeds from 18th Hour support our Cooking Matters Program.

The café features a curated schedule of art exhibits, a growing cookbook library, our instructor-curated retail shop and music. 

Chef Ryan Nguyen and Bi-rite's Wine Buyer Trac Le have joined together to create an incredible Vietnamese dinner with pairings. Both will spend time with diners discussing the interplay between food and wine.

MENU
 

Steam clams w/ fish sauce
Papaya salad w/ seared beef liver
Fried yam cake

Paired with a sparkling Gruner Veltliner
 

Tamarind Prawns with grilled rice balls

Join Master Cicerone Rich Higgins for this delicious and educational workshop on yeasts in beer!

Learn the ancient art of homebrewing in this introductory workshop, taught by our resident beer shaman. We'll cover the basic process for making small batches of medicinal, herbal, and seasonal brews in your home kitchen. We’ll taste odd and curious beers for inspiration, then bottle a batch of home-brew for you to enjoy after class. In addition, you'll take home ingredients and instructions for concocting your own batch of magical homemade beer.