The Beatles versus the Rolling Stones. Muhammad Ali versus Joe Frazier. Wile E. Coyote versus the Road Runner. Famous rivalries can define generations, and put people and cities on the map. And now, ladies and gentlemen, we have a local rivalry of our very own. In the right corner we have Henrietta bistro, bar, and live music haven Lovin' Cup, and to the left is the South Wedge's own British-style pub and eatery, Tap and Mallet. They'll square off this week in a battle of the beers with some wild consequences.

It all started earlier this year, when crews from both establishments went down to Sly Fox Brewery in Pennsylvania. They both shared the same mission: to create a new custom brew to feature on their respective beer menus. The results were a Japanese hops-infused pale ale called SlyPA for Tap and Mallet, and a light, crisp somewhat wheaty Kolsch called Foxy Lady for Lovin' Cup. With the custom brews releasing within a day of one another, Tap and Mallet co-owner Joe McBane and Leslie Zinck, Lovin' Cup co-owner and director of marketing and special events, decided to turn their releases into something of a competition.

The result is a keg race held Wednesday, March 24, at Tap and Mallet at 8 p.m. Here's how the event will run: tickets will be sold at the bar for $3 each, and can then be traded in for either the SlyPa or the Foxy Lady Kolsch. Whichever keg is emptied first, wins. The kegs will be operated by McBane and Zinck, and the whole event will be emceed by Sly Fox brewmaster Brian O'Reilly.

Here's where it gets really interesting: the winning restaurant will receive a pride boost and bragging rights, while the loser is stuck with a poorly taxidermied bobcat - yes, you read that right; see the photo above - which must be displayed prominently in the losing establishment's bar for the next year.

McBane and Zinck -friends who consider their two businesses "sister bars" - had some fighting words for one another during a recent interview.

"The pride and reputation of Tap and Mallet is on the line," says McBane. "But I'm feeling confident. The style of beer that I brewed will prove to be more popular. It is a style that people will gravitate toward. Plus, I have home-field advantage, which can't be discounted."

"Yes, home-field advantage is nice, but we have a solid fan base," says Zinck. "Plus, we are having our launch the night before, so we can get a lot of people who come and taste it Tuesday and then come out the next night to support it."

More importantly, where do they plan to put the bobcat if they lose?

"I keep catching myself wondering where we will put it if we lose," says Zinck. "But then I think to myself, ‘No, keep a positive attitude!' Plus, the bobcat would look better in [Tap and Mallet], with all the wood and the rustic feel."

"I don't intend to lose," says McBane, "because I really hope I don't end up with Bob the bobcat."

Lovin' Cup is located at 300 Park Point Dr. For more information, visit lovincup.com or call 292-9940. Tap & Mallet is located at 381 Gregory St. For more information, visit tapandmallet.com or call 473-0503.

East versus West

In more beer news, Rohrbach Brewing Company will hold its second Brewtopia social Thursday, March 25, at 6:30 p.m. The theme of this month's social is East Coast microbrews versus West Coast microbrews. Participants will have the chance to sample beer and food, and listen to local beer expert and author Steve Hodos expound on beer history, facts, and trivia. The cost to attend the social is $12 per person.

Rohrbach Brewing Company is located at 3859 Buffalo Rd. For more information, visit rohrbachs.com or call 594-9800.

Beer and cheese tasting

On Friday, March 26, the Great Lakes Water Conservation Workshop for craft brewers and artisan cheese makers will be held at the Rochester Museum and Science Center. The workshop will be followed by a public reception in the space formerly inhabited by Tastings, next to the Pittsford Wegmans (3195 Monroe Ave). The reception will include a sample of craft beers and specialty cheeses from those participating in the workshop, including Custom BrewCrafters, Great Lakes Brewing Co., High Falls Brewing, Ommegang, Saranac and more. Artisan cheese makers will include Yancey's Fancy, Wisconsin's Carr Valley Cheese Co., and more. The event also offers an opportunity for guests to mingle with the brewmasters and cheesemakers attending the workshop, many of whom will be present.

The reception will take place 5-7:30 p.m., and costs $20 to attend. For more information, or to buy tickets, visit conserve-greatlakes.com.

Hop Extravaganza

The Old Toad helps usher in spring with its "Hop Extravaganza" on Thursday, April 1, beginning at 6 p.m. The event will incorporate several guest drafts, including Boulder Mojo Risin', Stone Ruination, Great Divide Titan, Flying Dog Raging Bitch, and more. Several sample trays will be available for patrons to taste. In addition, the pub has received two mystery casks from Dogfish Head Craft Brewery of Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, which the owners excitedly described in their newsletter: "We asked, we prayed, heck we even begged and finally we were rewarded. What's in them? We don't know for sure, but what we do know is that Bryan the head brewer is going to put something a little magical in them."

The Old Toad is located at 277 Alexander St. For more information, visit theoldtoad.com or call 232-2626.