Make your plans for Beer Month

It's official: By declaration of N.C. Gov. Pat McCrory, April will be Beer Month throughout the state. And the events are rolling in:

In NoDa's Brewmaster Experience Sweepstakes, you can enter for a chance to be an understudy on the NoDa Brewing staff and help create a 10-gallon batch. It comes with more perks besides being free labor for brewmaster Chad Henderson: A two-night stay at Aloft Charlotte in the Epicentre for the winner and a gust, a voucher for a Charlotte Brews Cruise for two0, a $50 gift card to Growler's Pourhouse, a $75 fit card to BlackFinn American Saloon and a $500 Visa gift card to cover your travel. To enter: Go to www.ncbeermonth.com and click on "Brewmaster Sweepstakes."

Beer Weekend in Kinston: If you've been promising yourself a trip Down East to eat at Vivian Howard's The Chef & the Farmer, do it April 3-5 so you'll be around for three days of events that include a Barbecue, Oysters and Beer Bash, Mother Earth Brewing's Neuse River brews cruise and breakfast on a full-size replica of a Confederate ironclad.

Blowing Rock will feature a Beer Walkabout April 26 from 1-4 p.m., with a downtown festival devoted to cookouts, beer samples and music. You can include that with a stay at the Blowing Rock Ale House & Inn, dinner at the Sale House restaurant and a class with the Blowing Rock Ale brewery.

There are way more than a six-pack full of other events, including Brewgaloo, Hickory Hops, Brews on the Bay in Edenton, beer dinners all around the state and the World Beer Festival in in Raleigh. You can match up your travel plans with the events by going to www.ncbeermonth.com and signing up for updates.

Cheers.