Because it is the year 2012 and it is popularly held as the year of the (Mayan) Apocalypse, at least two breweries so far are releasing apocalyptic-themed beers: Seattle’s Elysian Brewing and Portland’s Cascade Brewing. These releases caught my eye both because they’re clever and because I’ve got some Apocalypse-themed stuff brewing up myself.

Elysian is releasing “12 Beers of the Apocalypse” once a month through the rest of year; from the press release:

In a year-long run-up to the end of all time (according to the Mayan calendar), Elysian Brewing Company and Fantagraphics Books, both of Seattle, are planning a series of twelve beers, issued on the 21st of each month in 2012 and featuring the label artwork of Charles Burns. Taken from Burns’s weirdly apocalyptic work “Black Hole,” the labels will adorn Elysian’s “Twelve Beers of the Apocalypse,” featuring the creativity and unusual ingredients for which its brewing team is known. What twelve beers would you brew (and drink) if you knew they would be your last?

The three beers announced so far are:

• January: Nibiru, “named for the mysterious planet X supposedly on a collision course toward Earth”, a Belgian-style Tripel with yerba maté;
• February: Rapture, an ale flavored with heather tips;
• March: Fallout, a pale ale made with green cardamom.

They are kicking off a Nibiru release party on Saturday the 21st from 4 to 7pm at the Capitol Hill location.

Cascade Brewing, meanwhile, is holding their annual “Four Goses of the Apuckerlips” event coming up this Thursday the 12th; Gose is of course the soured and spiced (typically with salt and coriander) wheat beer that’s been seeing something of a niche revival. From their release:

Our four Goses are designed and spiced for each season; they are light, slightly soured beers, all brewed with sea salt and various spices. Each comes in at about 5.5% ABV. Enjoy tasting how the different spices can affect the flavor profile. We’ll be serving them in teardrop glasses for $4.50 ($5 for the vintage Autumn), or grab a vertical flight of all four for $8. These will pour until they are gone. Spring Gose 2011 is spiced with wild chamomile, lemon peel and culinary lavender; Autumn Gose 2010 is spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg and orange peel; Summer Gose 2011 is spiced with coriander; and Winter Gose 2011 is spiced with rose hips, orange peel and cinnamon.

How can you pass up an event called “Apuckerlips”? I wish I could be in Portland Thursday afternoon to try all of these, they sound pretty amazing. That tasting starts at 4pm.