(photo by Ethan Prater)

 This week’s forecast focuses on events that offer hearty (and often meaty) meals that are accompanied by superior brews like Hofbrau, Great Lakes and Steigl. So whether you’re chowing down on oysters all day at Shaw’s or sampling everything on the special all-you-can-eat beef menu at Fulton’s, prep your beer belly for all the brews that this week’s events have to offer.

Oktobeerfest at the Forge Club Taste a variety of beers while sampling German cuisine on Thursday, October 14 at 6:30 p.m. during the Forge Club‘s special “Oktobeerfest” six-course dinner. The meal, which includes beer pairings with every course, is $55 per person and highlights both international and domestic German and German-style beers, from Hofbrau Oktoberfest to Steigl Goldbrau to Reissdorf Kolsch. Throughout six courses, you’ll get a taste of traditional German dishes such as pork schnitzel, sausages and sauerkraut, and a salad of beets caraway and marinated onions, among others. While reservations are not required for this event, they’re strongly recommended. To reserve, call the Forge Club at (847) 634-5590. The Forge Club is located at 634 Milwaukee Avenue in Vernon Hills.

Shaw’s Royster with the Oyster Festival Starting this Monday, October 11, Shaw’s Crab House will host its 22nd annual Royster with the Oyster Festival at both its Chicago (21 E. Hubbard Street) and Schaumburg (1900 E. Higgins Road) locations. The Festival, which will culminate in Shaw’s famous tent party on Friday, October 15 at 3 p.m. outside the E. Hubbard location, offers a variety of oyster specials throughout the week and nightly oyster slurping competitions. Specials include $25 raw oysters on the half shell on Mondays, and a $79 multi-course Oyster Hall of Fame Dinner with wine pairings on Thursday. In addition, the winners of the nightly oyster slurping contests will compete on Friday to win a grand prize of $1,000. For information on all of the coming week’s oyster festivities, visit Shaw’s events page or call Shaw’s Chicago at (312) 527-2722 or Shaw’s Schaumburg at (847) 517-2722.

Cow-abunga on the River Enjoy all the meat you can eat next Friday, October 15 from 5-9 p.m. at Fulton’s Steakhouse, 315 N. LaSalle Street for part of Fulton’s “Cow-abunga on the River” series. The $30 all-you-can-eat menu features dishes such as a grilled rare sirloin pretzel crostini with red pepper and smoked pear jam, smoked Berkshire baby back ribs, and a rump roast stew with carrots, beans, beer and barley. In addition, the menu includes two seasonal brews from Great Lakes Brewery, and don’t forget to save the date for the second part of the series, which will take place on November 19th. For reservations or more information, call Fulton’s at (312) 812-0100 or visit www.fultonsontheriver.com