A surer sign that winter is here than even the colder and shorter days: The winter/holiday beers are arriving at local distributors and watering holes. I happily savored my first Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale and Penn Brewery St. Nikolaus Bock -- both all-time favorites -- last weekend. I'm looking forward to trying some new brews this season.

One new brand is hitting town with some fanfare this week: Terrapin Brewing Co.

Tonight, the acclaimed Athens, Ga., brewer's brews will be launched at Bocktown Beer & Grille in Robinson and D's SixPax & Dogz in Regent Square (from 5 to 7 p.m.) and Piper's Pub on the South Side for a firkin happy hour (6 to 8 p.m.).

Several of the drafts will be celebrated from 5 to 7 p.m. tomorrow during a "firkin Friday" at Fat Head's on the South Side.

Learn more about the brand at terrapinbeer.com.

It's nice to write, instead of about a brewpub closing, about one staying open. Happy 12th anniversary, Church Brew Works. The Lawrenceville landmark will be celebrating through Sunday with everything from rattlesnake and cactus pierogies to brewer Brant Dubovick's MM double black pale ale with Amarillo hops and Belltower brown ale (412-688-8200 or churchbrew.com).

Beer continues to do good for society.

The Pittsburgh Rugby Football Club is pouring it on for its fifth Pittsburgh Brewfest, a fundraiser for PLEA (Programs for Living, Education, and Advocacy) and the club. This year's runs from 6 to 9 p.m. tomorrow at the Bar Room and Saddle Ridge at Station Square. Tickets are $25 and are available at pghrugby.com (they're $30 at the door). The Web site has the full list of the 25-plus brewers who will be providing samples to go with appetizers and food from local restaurants and music by indie bands Donora and Br'er Fox.

It all helps PLEA, which provides care for children (many diagnosed with autism) with emotional, behavioral and developmental disabilities and support to their families (www.plea-agency.org).

Beer will benefit the Shenango River Watchers when the loose Brotherhood Of Appreciating Repeal Day of the Shenango Valley holds its second Repeal Day Celebration and Beer Tasting on Dec. 5.

The craft beer-tasting runs from 6 to 9 p.m., but the cash bar will stay open later at the Corinthian, a former Mason's lodge at 47 Vine St. in Sharon. The fun includes two live jazz bands, dinner, and a silent auction of beer paraphernalia.

Repeal Day marks the repeal of Prohibition 75 years ago -- in 1933 -- and so attire of the 1930s will be displayed by local actors playing Mae West and W.C. Fields, and attendees are encouraged to dress up, too. Visit BOARD's Web site at repealday.blogspot.com.

This helps the Shenango River Watchers, a nonprofit watershed group founded to clean up, preserve and protect the environmental, scenic and recreational attributes of the Shenango River (www. shenangoriverwatchers.org).

Other groups and establishments are being "speakeasies" to mark the 75th anniversary of the end of Prohibition, brought about on Dec. 5, 1933 by the repeal of the Volstead Act and the ratification of the 21st Amendment. (For instance, Philadelphia's famed Memphis Taproom will be pouring $1 drafts.) You can find history, recipes, party tips and other information at ProhibitionRepeal.com. It's a site of the Distilled Spirits Council.

The Cultural Trust's Craft Beer School this month hosts a special visiting professor: Bill Covaleski, co-founder of Victory Brewing in Downingtown. "Meet the Brewer," as the class is called, starts at 6:15 p.m. (doors open at 5:30 p.m.) Tuesday at the Cabaret at Theater Square, 655 Penn Ave., Downtown. Admission is $25 and includes beer samplings and light fare by Cafe Zao. Call 412- 456-6666 or pgharts.org.