Things are going to get crazy Saturday at East End Brewing Co. in Homewood.

Or so it sounds from the "devoted web page" Scott Smith has put up for the annual release of his bottled barleywine, Gratitude.

You can buy it starting at noon Saturday and not a minute before, and not without some quantity limits and other rules and regulations.

It should be a blast, as it was last year, when Mr. Smith says people came from as far away as New Jersey and "hung out, sipped, and nibbled."

As per tradition, a dozen volunteers last month helped hand-label 1,500 25-ounce bottles of the extra-strength annual release, which Mr. Smith first made in 2005 -- and put in hand-labeled and -signed, wax-sealed bottles -- to thank his customers and other supporters on the microbrewery's first birthday.

"Wow, it's hard to believe that we've been at this for five years now, you and I," he writes on this year's back label.

Once again, the front of the hand-printed label is a bird drawn by Pittsburgh's Mary Tremonte. This time, it's an Eastern bluebird. (Mr. Smith decided against a pigeon.)

Also credited on the label (and by Mr. Smith) are local designer Ben Vernot and printer Third Termite Press in Oakland.

Bottles of the 2009 vintage will be available for $18, including tax, and cash only.

Mr. Smith is limiting the amount a person can purchase to a dozen bottles "so that everyone gets a chance to get some at 'brewery prices.' "

Some older vintages, some with "dirty" labels, may also be available.

The 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008 bottles will only be available in "stacked vertical" packs of six to 15 assorted bottles, varying in price. These are limited to two packs per person, "until everyone has had a chance," he writes on his eastendbrewing.com site.

"Traders are welcome; eBay resellers, not so much."

Other beers will be available for sale, including the typical array of draft beers sold in growlers during the noon to 5 p.m. "growler hours," plus a newly bottled, fifth-anniversary Wooden Nickel Saison. There'll be free tastes of that and 2009 Gratitude, as well as a "BYOBeer table" for sharing with others, along with a "BYOFood table" for potluck fare.

Quite a soiree for his no-frills beer factory. Notes Mr. Smith, "I'll even put the heat on."

Speaking of growlers: Penn Brewery beers, made in Pittsburgh, are being shipped to area watering holes (one place that has it again is Bocktown Beer & Grill in North Fayette). The Penn restaurant still isn't open and doesn't look to be for a few weeks, but starting Friday, you can go to the North Side brewery and fill up a growler with draft beer to take and drink at home.

Penn's will be open from 4 to 6 p.m. every Friday, when you can get 64 ounces of beer for $15, including the growler, or fill your own for $10.

You also can sip a pint or two while you're there for $3 each.

The lineup will change depending on what's available, but this week you can get Penn Pilsner, Dark, Kaiser Pils and new Allegheny Pale Ale. In the pipeline: Penn Gold and more.

Meet the co-owners of Wisconsin's Furthermore Beer, including Pittsburgh native Aran Madden, at a dinner of Wisconsin fare celebrating Furthermore's local availability from 7 to 9 p.m. March 8 at Point Brugge Cafe in Point Breeze. Cost is $40 (412-441-0334 or pointbrugge.com).

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