I just got back on Sunday from an amazing trip to Belgium. It was a quick trip all about beer and business. My husband Todd and his brother Jason were knighted by the Knighthood of the Brewers' Mash Staff (Belgian Brewers' Guild) and kicked off the Belgian Beer Weekend.
These are just some random iPhone images snapped through out the weekend.
Chocolate shops were everywhere in Belgium. Not all of them were great and most were very touristy. But still chocolate, chocolate, chocolate, everywhere you look a chocolate shop. This place was right next to my hotel in the Center of Brussels. Also, some random mural. Seemed interesting amidst all the classic and old buildings.
Then we went over to the Grand Place where the festival was being held over the weekend. We just got into Brussels and were hungry and needed a beer. We went to a tourist restaurant called La Roy. It was a good choice. Fresh Duvel's with beautiful pours, rabbit in kriek sauce with cherries on the side and frites, and yes even pig bladder balloons everywhere for some weird tradition.
Beers at Moeder Lambic. Best beer bar in Brussels hands down we went back several times over the course of a few days. Val-Dieu Tripel, Cantillon Kriek, Val-Dieu Grand Cru, De Ranke XX. Grand plat de fruits de mer. Jean Hummler sent over massive plates of seafood.
Jean is also the kindest man in Belgium. Not only was he incredibly generous, but he recommended an amazing chocolate maker in Belgium named Laurent Gerbaud. He even scored some of that chocolate for me when I had no time to get over to the shop myself.
Beers at A La Mort Sabite. Jason got a Rochefort, and I got a large Duvel. Basically two Duvel's in one big glass. Super delicious.
After many beers, a trip back to Moeder Lambic, and a few whiskey-cola's, we then went to a bar called Cafe Bizon on Tom Peters of Monk's Cafe's advice.
After Todd and Jason were Knighted, the next day, we spent a glorious afternoon at Comme Chez Soi with Michel Moortgat of Duvel. We were seated in the kitchen for a private lunch cooked just for use using beer. Those pictures are for another blog post.
We then said our good-byes as the business part of the trip was over. We headed back to the Moeder Lambic for a few beers. Jean kindly treated me to a delicious cup of hot chocolate where he uses a light raw cows milk and 45% cocoa for a super rich and fantastic cup of hot chocolate.
Jean was a little mad at me for not being able to finish it all, but if he had seen the 6 course meal we had just had for lunch, then he would understand.
Some lame couple then ordered a Lou Pepe from Cantillon and decided after two sips they didn't like it. Jean brought the bottle to us. Plus he brought us an Oud Bruin made with chocolate malts and aged in apricot schnapps barrels. Too sour for me to appreciate, but Todd and Jason loved it.
And one last quick snap from my iPhone in Germany at the Frankfurt airport. Frankfurters and potato salad. A delicious snack with whiskey-colas to wash it all down.
This was actually the first Todd's Taco night to feature a brewer with a special taco paired with a rare beer or newly released beer. We featured Rob Tod of Allagash Brewing Co.
Previously, I did a quick write up about Todd's Taco Night Feat. Fluffy White Rabbits from Pretty Things. But that was actually our second adventure with Todd's Taco night at Green Street.
[Fried oyster taco]
The feature for Allagash was Bi-Curieux paired with a fried oyster taco with a remoulade. You got a 6oz pour of the beer plus a fried oyster taco for $3.99. That's the way Todd's Taco night works. A generous pour of the beer and a taco for a low, low price.
Bi-Curieux is a super rare beer that was made by barrel-aging Curieux, a Belgian-style tripel with local hops for a year and half. This was one of the last barrels around.
Chef Greg Reeves really out did himself with this taco pairing. He hadn't even had the Bi-Curiuex, but was able to really nail it by pairing it with a fried oyster taco. The sweet oysters and sweet malts played around while the hops cut through the remoulade. It was very fresh tasting and delicious for being one of the last kegs floating around.
Also on hand was Vagabond, 2008 Interlude, and Allagash White.
Supporting friends of Allagash and BeerAdvocate.
Adam Fisher, BA Festival Captain and dan Kaldak, BA Festival Volunteer. Will Meyers Brewmaster Cambridge Brewing Co., Matt McGrath, BA Festival Captain. I don't know the person in the green shirt.
Trevor Kliner
BA Festival Volunteer. Rob Tod, Allagash Brewing. Co. Aaron Mateychuk, Brew Master Watch City Brewing Co. and some punk ass photo bombers in the background.
JC Tetreault, BA Festival volunteer and long time BA member. Danny V. of VeeVee in Jamaica Plain.
Shawn Dunn, Global Brewers Guild and Dan Kochakian, Ale Street News. Marc Leuchner, BA Festival Captain.
Angelo Scarnera looking quite happy being surrounded by sour and wild ales. Jason Alström, Todd Alström, Co-Founders of BeerAdvocate.com with Ken Pajak of Cafe Amsterdam in Anchorage, Alaska and Angelo Scarena, good personal friend to BeerAdvocate and myself.
And this was my happy little collection of Bi-Curieux, Interlude, Vagabond, and a Stone Fence (Bourbon, bitters, and apple cider).
I attended American Craft's very first beer dinner last night featuring rare beers from Rob Tod of Allagash Brewing Co. and American-style comfort food.
American Craft has been off to a really great start. Their focus is on local foods and ingredients, with American craft wines and beers. The food is really good and comforting, the beers are great, and this first beer dinner was spectacular.
You can see a couple of their menu items here. This was from their opening night.
I don't want to waste anytime here, so let's get right into it.
We were first welcomed with a glass of Interlude. An American-style wild ale with about 9.5% abv.
Allagash Interlude
(via Allagash's website)
The first release in our new experimental series, Allagash Interlude
pushes the limits of beer. An innovative brewing process, special
fermentations, and French oak barrel aging all contribute to a beer that
has remarkable wine-like qualities.
Two yeast strains were used to create this unique 9.5% ABV Belgian style
ale. The first, a Belgian farmhouse yeast, establishes the flavor
foundations of a classic Belgian-style ale. The second, a house strain
of Brettanomyces yeast, brings it to the next level contributing an
intriguing myriad of flavors including pear, apricot, graham cracker,
and bread crust. Finally, a portion of the Interlude is aged in French
Merlot and Sirah oak barrels, which impart a distinctive vinous plum
character and a drying, almost tannic finish. Try complementing its
audacious character with food pairings such as sausages, salami, smoked
meats, and bold cheeses.
True to traditional Belgian-style brewing, we bottle condition the
Interlude. Just prior to bottling, a fresh dose of sugar and yeast is
added to the ‘still beer’ (at this stage there is no carbonation
present). After bottling, the beer is aged in a warm room, where the
fresh dose of yeast ferments the sugar and naturally carbonates the
beer.
Available in: 750 ml bottles
Original Gravity: 1080
Recommended Serving Temp: 40-50°F
Recommended Cellaring Temp: 50-54°F
I am not a Brettanomyces fan in general, but I have been coming around to Interlude for a while now. It's a delicious beer. A little fruity and bread-y, and a hint of tartness.
First course: Confit Beef tongue with Foie Gras Mousse
Vagabond is the second offering in our limited 375 ml series. With only
500 bottles made, this beer is from one of the only barrels to move with
us into our new brewery three years ago. Aged four years in American
oak barrels, it boasts a complex aroma of maple syrup and port, with
background notes of marzipan, plum and dill. Flavors of tart, unripened
plum and caramel give way to a warming, toasted almond finish. As
always...an adventure.
Topped with micro greens and a hit of a sea salt. This course was decadently rich. The beef tongue was thin and rich. Sadly for me, I was only able to eat the beef tongue and greens and one or two small bites of the foie gras. It was so rich and fatty and I could feel my arteries clogging on the spot. This sort of indulgence shouldn't exist.
However, this pairing worked amazing with the beer. Vagabond has a deep rich dark fruit aroma and toasted almonds, a light carbonation, a bit of tartness with a nice oak flavor and a deep dried fruit taste like figs or dates.
The flavors just worked so well with the fatty foie gras. This pairing also worked with the Interlude. I still had my welcoming beer in front of me and the tartness helped cut through through the fats and allowed some of the grape-y flavors to present itself on the beer.
This is some of the last offerings of Vagabond. This super indulgent pairing was the right way to go with this beer.
Second Course: Braised pork belly with bacon vinaigrette.
Our interpretation of a traditional Belgian wheat beer, Allagash White
is unique and truly refreshing. Brewed with a generous portion of wheat
and our own special blend of spices, this beer is light and slightly
cloudy in appearance, with a spicy aroma. Overall, it is a beer that is
very drinkable and smooth any time of the year.
The menu description was a little deceptive here. It was braised pork belly, but breaded and deep fried and it had a dab of apple puree on top.
The transition of beers was a bit awkward at first. A sip of Vagabond and then a sip of a refreshingly light witbier flooded the palate with yeasty banana flavors. I wasn't sure at first how this pairing would work out.
But when the pork belly arrived, this pairing was fantastic together. Bright carbonation and spices from the beer helped cut through the fat, and add a delicious pop to the pork flavor. The apple puree added a nice balance of sweet to this course.
The pork belly was rich, meaty and fatty at the same time. Delicious and well executed. The Allagash White was a surprisingly good pairing for this course. Sometimes you are just not sure if a lighter beer will hold up to a heavier course, but the effervescent carbonation and spicy character held up well and took on the fatty pork to make a nice contrasting paring.
Third Course: Tuna with parsnip puree and black truffles.
Beer: Coolship Cerise
Cooled in a traditional Coolship and fermented in oak barrels w/ tart local cherries; 5.5%" I was at the inaugural brewday for this beer ... around 3 years ago.
The stainless steel coolship is in a shed off of the brewery w/ stainglass windows that open to allow wild bacteria and yeast to infect the beer.
Todd Alström
January 2008
Always an adventure… Allagash is taking experimentation to the next
level by brewing a 100% spontaneously fermented beer in the tradition of
the Belgian Lambics.
Last month we brewed the first two of our spontaneously fermented beers
at Allagash. In brewing these beers we are using an authentic,
traditional process honoring the classic Belgian Lambic tradition,
including the use of a cool ship, which we built specifically for these
spontaneous beers.
The process begins with a specialized decoction mash, which utilizes the
addition of both two row barley and raw, unmalted wheat. After the mash
and sparge, we add aged hops during the boil, which are
traditionally used because they impart many of the beer stabilizing
benefits of hops without contributing bitterness. The use of aged hops
(aged a minimum of three years) necessitates an unusually long boil of
over four hours.
After boiling, rather than cooling the beer in a sterile environment and
adding a brewer’s yeast culture, the hot wort is pumped to a cool ship
in a special room designed specifically to make these beers. The cool
ship is a commonly used tool in Belgium, but is rarely seen beyond
Belgium’s borders, if at all. It is a large, open tray that is 12 feet
long, 8 feet wide and 1 foot deep. Once in the cool ship the hot wort
spends the night cooling from near boiling temperatures to about 60
degrees Fahrenheit. To facilitate the cooling process, windows in the
cool ship room are left open overnight. The cool Maine air, containing
natural bacteria and wild yeast, drifts in and cools the wort. As soon
as the wort is cool enough, the natural airborne yeasts and bacteria are
able to survive in what will eventually be the spontaneously fermented
beer (it is these natural yeasts and bacteria which will ferment the
beer, rather than a yeast added by the brewer). Next, the wort is pumped
back into a brewery tank, where it will spend one further day before it
is pumped into special French oak barrels. Within one to three weeks,
spontaneous fermentation begins in the oak and will continue for over
one year. After the yearlong fermentation this traditional beer will age
in French oak for at least one more year, sometimes with the addition
of fruits, before it is finally bottled.
This was my favorite course. The tuna was cooked perfectly and the sweet parsnips added an unbelievably good balance to this dish. Everyone else was savoring this course, while I foolishly ate all of mine in about two minutes.
The beer was quite amazing. It had a very, very funky and robust nose. All the hallmarks of a dank and nasty sour beer. For sours heads, they will understand what all of this means. It doesn't sound very appetizing, but it the nature of sour beers. It smelled like a stank-ass barnyard, small hints of mint and medicinal notes, baby diapers, but underneath all of that, was a quite peculiar aroma of cinnamon.
The cherries presented themselves after it had warmed a bit. They added a lovely kick without being overpowering and did not make this a typical fruit beer. A tart beer but not overly sour. One thing I can't deal with when it comes to sour beers are the ones that are so acidic and sour they burn your throat. Some people love, that but I prefer to enjoy my beers without psychical pain. This funky beast was good for that. The nose is disarming as it is so funky on it's aroma, but almost delicate in it's taste.
This pairing was interesting. The parsnips added the sweet balance while the sour tartness on the beer mixed with the tuna giving the tuna an almost creamy texture. Sounds strange, but man oh man was it good!
This beer is not for sale any where and will be very different with each batch brewed. It's meant for special occasions at the breweries discretion.
Fourth Course: Duck breast with cider and peppercorns. Beer: Victoria, Belgian strong pale ale with 9% abv.
To create our unique, Belgian-style Victoria Ale, the brewers drew on
references to Bacchus, the Thracian god of wine, in the history and
artwork of the Victoria Mansion as inspiration for this new beer. One
hundred and fifty pounds of Chardonnay grapes were brought in, crushed
on site and added directly to the mash.
Victoria Ale's aroma is of fruity spice with a hint of the Chardonnay,
and the taste presents subtle notes of green banana, black pepper, and
fresh-crushed mint. With a focus on the subtle, wine-like character of
the grapes, the 9.0% ABV brew boasts a pale copper color, Belgian yeast
influence, and a medium body with a long candied fruit finish with hints
of honeydew melon, and, of course, Chardonnay.
Allagash Victoria Ale is a tribute to the historic Victoria Mansion here
in Portland, Maine. Also known as the Morse-Libby House, it is one of
the greatest 19th century houses in the United States. Designed by
architect Henry Austin, the mansion was built between 1858 and 1860 and
survives as a unique example of the princely palaces created for
America’s wealthiest citizens in the pre-Civil War era. With superb
architecture and well-preserved original interiors, the Victoria Mansion
is an unparalleled document of America’s highest aspirations in
architecture, interior design, and the decorative arts.
Perfectly cooked duck breast served nearly rare and incredibly juicy. This was one of those pairings where I wasn't sure how the beer would hold up to the rich gaminess of the duck. The sweet Belgian yeast profile worked well with the steel-y game taste of the duck.
The peppercorns added a nice spicy kick and flavor that played with the sweet beer. The cider added a nice sweet and tart balance while the puree gave it another added layer of depth with it's creaminess.
I wasn't a huge fan of the beer. Chardonnay's are not my style of wine and having the grapes in the beer didn't do anything for me. I also found the beer to be a little too sweet. But this is all personal preference because my palate only wants dry, bitter, and hoppy beers these days. Technically this is a very cool beer which did work wonderfully with the duck.
I was wrapped up in conversation, and managed to forget to take a picture of the beer for this course.
Fifth Course: Braised short rib with pickled ginger.
Gargamel, a Belgian Style sour ale, is the
first offering in our limited release 375 ml series. Our brewers used a
blend of American 2-row barley Malt, Raw and Malted wheat and selected
caramel malt to brew this beer. After primary fermentation the beer was
inoculated with our house Brettanomyces aged in French Oak wine barrels
with a generous amount of local raspberries for over 18 months.
Gargamel's aroma is full of un-ripened raspberry, vanilla and citrus
notes. This medium bodied beer has hints of biscuit and graham cracker
with a clean, fruity and refreshingly tart finish.
Gargamel is the first in the hand-filled, 375 ml series that Allagash
will release throughout the years. More exciting barrel-aged beer to
come!
This was one of the first entrees I had when American Craft first opened. They serve you a huge slab of short rib that is so tender it's a miracle it keeps it's shape.
This was served a bit differently with the pickled ginger on top. The pickled ginger really brought this pairing together. Again all the textures were present with a beautiful fatty and super tender short rib, creamy mashed potatoes and sweet and tart kick of the pickled ginger coupled with the tart beer. Slight fruity hints on the aroma with some fruity hint in the flavor. The slight fruit notes on the beer really worked with the rich beef flavor while the sourness on the beer helped cut right through those fats.
Once again I managed to not get a picture of the beer. But the short rib picture was enough for me. That thing was so tender and delicious.
Rob Tod discussing Gargamel. What's your buzz level Rob? On a scale of 1-10?
Allagash Confluence Ale is created with a mixed fermentation; utilizing
our house primary Belgian style yeast in combination with our
proprietary Brettanomyces strain. The two yeast strains work in tandem
creating a marriage between spice and fruit flavors that ultimately
leave a lingering silky mouth feel.
Confluence is brewed with a blend of both imported pilsner and domestic
pale malts as well as a portion of caramel malt, resulting in a complex
malty profile. Tettnang and East Kent Golding hops are added in the
brew process to balance the intricate malty profile while adding a sweet
and spicy citrus aroma.
After fermentation, Confluence undergoes a lengthy aging process in
stainless steel tanks to enhance the flavors. Prior to bottling, it is
dry hopped with a Glacier hops, providing a pleasant balance of aromas.
Confluence is then bottle conditioned and aged in our cellar prior to
release.
This seems like an odd choice to have served scallops last or after the braised short rib. But, these scallops were so fresh, soft, and flavorful. They really held their own after the deeply rich and fatty courses before it. And without a dessert course it was a nice softer way to end the meal.
The quintessential contrast pairing for the night. Sour, lightly fruity beer with big sweet scallops and a gorgeous creamy artichoke puree. The beers mild carbonation allowed for more of the sweet creamy texture of the scallops to come through. Just a fantastic and lovely way to end the dinner.
Sadly there wasn't a dessert for the dinner. The restaurant will be introducing them soon to the menu. This menu was so rich and to top it off with some more rich chocolate cake and some Allagash Odyssey could have pushed us all over the edge, but it was have been worth it. But I am not complaining about an amazing six course dinner. Those scallops were sweet and rich enough to have acted like a dessert. We had a conversation for a few hours after the fact about this dinner. Everyone was satisfied and everyone had good detailed thoughts about what they got out of the dinner.
Besides, we all took a walk down to the Publick House afterward to drink "Larry" from Wachusetts. Can't say there is anything wrong with ending the night with some DIPA's.
If you still think American Craft is like the former Roadhouse or possibly isn't any good after seeing this menu, you're a fool and the joke is on you if you avoid this place. Hears to many more wonderful beer dinners that are on the way from American Craft.
I celebrated my iconic 30th birthday last October in Las Vegas. I woke up to filet mignon and red wine for breakfast in bed and finished my night at Hubert Keller's restaurant Fleur De Lys in Mandalay Bay.
This was an intense chef's tasting menu all paired around a beer for a change and not paired around wine. They offered it with wine at first, but also let us know once we chose beer, that they would be offering up a regular chef's tasting menu paired around beer as well as their wine course. Finally fine dining is starting to get it.
For those of you who don't know, the Las Vegas strip is a craft beer wasteland. That is until you visit the Burger Bar in Mandalay Bay, also owned by Hubert Keller. A fabulous, low-key burger joint where you can a glorious offering of craft beers, and just about any kind of burger you want. Including their famous $60 burger, The Rossini. It's made with Kobe beef, sauteed foie gras, shaved truffles, Madeira sauce on an onion bun.
Yeah, it's like that.
After deciding I wanted something rich and fabulous to eat for my 30th birthday dinner, we decided on Fleur De Lys. Having recently seen Hubert Keller on Top Chef, I really liked him a lot. He had amazing skills, and a general nice attitude. For once I didn't see a disgusting egomaniac celebrity chef. I know that sounds rude, but most celebrity chefs are so full of themselves. I liked watching Keller, and he seemed like a decent guy. Again his skills were unbelievable. I would love to sit and watch him cook.
This was their 6 course chef's tasting menu prepared by Chef Steve Wolf.
It didn't matter what glorious food was about to be presented to me. They had Tripel Karmeliet and paired my entire meal around this beer. It was a little funny when our waiter informed me that it as a bigger bottle of beer since Todd had ordered his own beer, a Sierra Nevada Torpedo. I informed him that I am a BeerAdvocate and to please bring it on!
Amuse Bouche: Lobster avocado roll in a watermelon bath.
Light, delicious, and refreshing. Clean and finished with a slight hint of salt contrasting the sweet watermelon. This was so refreshing with the crisp, sweet Tripel Karmeliet.
First: Ahi tuna on fennel salad with ponzu sauce.
Fresh, delicate taste, salty ponzu sauce was the right balance with the sweet ginger cracker. Soft tuna, earthy greens, and crunchy cracker made for a wonder mix of textures.
Second: Maui onion cream soup with black truffle and duck ragout wrapped in a crepe and red onion puree with bordeaux.
Sadly my second image was blurred, but that doesn't change how decadent and amazing this soup was. So rich and creamy. The duck fat added a nice flavor to the soup while the black truffle was potent and added a wonderful dirty and delicious earthy tasting pop. The red onion pure was the best part in my opinion adding a nice sweet and rich backbone to the soup. Did I mention that this soup was rich?
Third: Veal and Yukon Gold Potato raviolis with sweet English peas and sunchoke foam.
A wonderful sweet and rich broth balanced by the earthy greens, sweet peas. This is the kind of thing that makes me kick myself for eating veal, but secretly coveting it at the same time.
Two negatives to this course. This was the point where the richness started to become almost too much and it only gets more rich as the courses keep coming. Also I am not a fan of foams on fancy dishes anymore. It's a neat trick albeit an overused technique. I get that it adds the right hint of a flavor you want to add to a dish, but it looks sloppy by the time it gets served. If they could do table side service of adding the foam while it's being presented, I think that could make all the difference. Delicious course, but the foam doesn't exactly make it look all that appetizing.
Fourth: Hamachi with black trumpet mushrooms, ginger foam, and tempura scallions.
More foam but at least this one looked more appetizing than the veal raviolis. The foam was very salty, but the raw Hamachi helped tame it. Another super rich broth course but the unbelivable part was that I couldn't stop myself from eating it all. I was getting a little too full at this point but I had one more main course to go.
I know an American not entirely used to super rich French foods, but this was almost too much.
Fifth: Colorado rack of lamb with harissa, caramelized red onions and potato puree.
The lamb was fatty and perfectly cooked. The harissa was not too hot thankfully. I can't handle too much hot spice. The potatoes were rich and creamy and delicious loaded with pure butter. Despite the potatoes being so rich, they were a nice contrast to the plate and a break up of the rich sauce.
I think at this point you can see why I am beginning to get too full with these fabulously decadent and rich courses. It was just about too much. I was beginning to feel sick-full instead of satisfied.
This will get better though...
Intermezzo: Coconut soup with large tapioca pearls, kiwis, strawberries, and fried plantains, and mango and coconut sorbet.
Like any chef worth their salt, they know when the situation is getting a little precarious. After all the rich and super decadent food sent out, this course came and like magic it erased the sickeningly full feeling.
This course was so light and delicious and a perfect way to cut the richness out of the picture. It was after this course, I was able to sit back and relax feeling comfortably full. If it wasn't for this course, I don't think I would have made it.
Dessert: Sauterne poached pears with fall spices over pressed walnut sable with toasted cinnamon ice cream with sesame crisp. Compressed trio of pears marinated in fino, port, and banyals.
Sauces: Vanilla Sauterne gel Port spice reduction
I had to have them write this course down. There was literally so much going on on this plate. Wonderful and light dessert course once again perfect and delicious after such an amazingly heavy meal. The pears were fantastic and simple. The walnut sable was a little bit odd and chewy, but flavor wise it was right on point and balanced.
This was a cool little culinary feat for a dessert. Simple tasting and refreshing, but a lot of techniques displayed.
But it didn't end there....
Homemade Madeleines with hot chocolate dipping sauce.
And with our check came a collection of nougat, pate de fruit, a chocolate financier, a lemon macaroon, and something I called a "Tower of awesomeness" in my notes about this dinner.
This was probably the single most expensive meal I have ever had with a check nearing $500 (I did buy two cook books on top of all of this food and it was my birthday), but without a doubt, one of the best meals I have ever had in my life. Everything was wonderful and expertly prepared. Even though I reached my limit with the rich foods, the coconut soup saved the day and reset everything leaving me completely satisfied with my meal.
Our waiter was delightful, helpful, and enthusiastic about beer and past beer dinners the restaurant has held before. I was thrilled to have heard about this place being open to and having hosted beer dinners before. It would be a dream of mine to host a BeerAdvocate sponsored beer dinner at Fleur De Lys. There would be nothing else that could even come close to something that awesome.
This was a fantastic culinary journey and well worth a visit if you happen to be in Las Vegas. And furthermore, they paired that whole amazing dinner around my beer. The beer worked with everything sat in front of me. It was incredible.
Back from a five day trip to Anchorage, Alaska. We were invited up for The Great Alaska Beer & Barley Wine Festival. Todd and Jason Alström were asked to be judges for the Barleywine competition. They were also invited to speak at The Great Northern Brewers Club. A massive group of homebrewers from the great state of Alaska.
There is a lot to say about Alaska. I really enjoyed visiting Anchorage even in January. It was pretty chilly outside but we missed the worst of it before we arrived and after we left.
Alaskans love their beer. They love big, bold flavors in their beers and they are not scared one bit of experimentation with their beers or styles be it professionally brewed, or concocted in their kitchens. Alaska has an an amazing beer culture. Everyone knows each other, everyone homebrews, and everyone supports their local beer scene with a protected pride in their home grown offerings.
They should be proud of what they have going on up there. I have never seen such a tight knit community of beer lovers. The people of Alaska are also some of the most generous, friendly, welcoming group of people I have ever met in my life. We were welcomed into their fold and treated like family members. I will forever be grateful for the way we were looked after and treated by the good people of Alaska.
The first thing we did when we landed in Alaska was attend a beer dinner at Sub Zero owned by Billy Opinsky. I am holding off on posting about that here in this post because it deserves it's own post.
The next morning we woke up refreshed and I, myself was finally free from a terrible jet lag induced headache, we decided we need a big hearty breakfast to set the mood right for our beer trek through Anchorage. I heard about this place down the road from where were staying called Snow City Cafe. I saw their menu online before we came up to visit. I had completely forgotten that Alaska is all about halibut, king crab, and salmon. When I saw that they have king crab cake eggs benedict, I would not stop until I tried them.
I had an excellent Almond Joy Mocha to wake myself up. And then I ordered the King Crab Cake Eggs Benedict. Picture came out a little dark, but it gets the message across.
These were awesome except for one thing. The poached eggs were hard boiled. I hate that. I want runny yolks with poached eggs. The king crab cakes made up for it. They were meaty with real king crab. That might sound strange to an Alaskan to say real bits of crab. Everywhere else you go it's faux crab meat. Or real crab meat that's mostly filled with more breading than actual crab meat.
Jason ordered an omelet and got a side of reindeer sausage. This is a very popular side dish for most breakfast joints in Anchorage. It tasted like smoked sausage but spicier and more rich in flavor. I haven't had reindeer meat before, but this was tasty.
We left this place very full and happy. It was snowing and the sun light doesn't come out until 10 or 11 am. It begins to set again around 2 or 3 pm. The best thing you can do for yourself if you are used to sunny situations is eat and drink yourself silly. It's a lot like Las Vegas. You never know what time it is, but who cares as long as there is beer?
We walked back to our hotel to get some last minute BA Magazine work done. While Todd and Jason were sorting that stuff out, I noticed that the hotel we were staying in was mentioned in some articles that it's haunted. Oh goody! Historic Anchorage Hotel.
The bottom picture are actual accounts that some of the guests have made about encounters with so-called spirits. One story reports that a couple came back to their room on the second floor and their door was blocked by a little kid sitting in the doorway. It turns out that there were no kids registered in the hotel at the time. Other stories say that the guests reported kids playing in the hotel when there were no kids registered. Apparently a little girl was shot in the hotel way back in the day and later died of a mysterious illness. Another little boy had drowned in a bathtub in the hotel.
Guest reports of seeing a man in a police uniform walking the hallways. The first police chief of Anchorage was murdered near the hotel in the 20's with his own gun and he refused to say who shot him in the back before he died.
The best story comes from the ghost hunters who came to the hotel armed with a tape recorder. The two ladies were talking in the recording, when you could hear loud breathing in the background. Then
a creepy voice said "don't move that." Then it said "chocolate"
and you could hear a chocolate bar wrapper being opened. Then the voice
said "do her!"
Yeah, I am not quite sure what "do her!" meant either but it's pretty damn hilarious. Hilarious in the sense that it happened to them and not me. I did have a sheer moment of panic however, leaving my room when I saw two little boys in their pj's just staring me from the other end of the hallway. I found their parents down stairs in their pj's too eating a quiet breakfast. The boys came and joined them. I relaxed after that.
This is from the hotel's website:
Our Haunted Hotel – Where Ghosts Are More than Just Stories
Curtains rumbling, shower curtains swaying, pictures flying . . . it’s
all par for the course at the Historic Anchorage Hotel. Stories of
ghostly happenings have been circulating at the hotel for many years,
all thought to be related to the death of the first Chief of Police,
Jack Sturgus. On February 20, 1921 at 9:15 p.m., Anchorage's first
Police Chief John J. "Black Jack" Sturgus was found shot in the back
with a bullet from his own gun, steps away from the Historic Anchorage
Hotel. It is rumored that his ghost returns to the scene of the crime
each year, haunting the location of his untimely death, seeking justice
for a crime still unsolved to this day.
Sightings
are so frequent that we keep a ghost log in which a number of our
guests have shared their encounters. In addition to the ghost of Jack
Sturgus, there are several different specters that past guests have
seen make their way through our halls and facilities. A more detailed
account of some of these ghosts were featured on Today MSNBC.com.
While
an abundance of paranormal activity may scare some, we can assure you
that the rich and interesting history of the Historic Anchorage Hotel
will make for an unforgettable stay.
Awesome, but kind of not. Good thing the people who were working in the hotel were once again some of the kindest and friendliest people. If I had seen a ghost, I don't think they would have minded if I sat in their laps curled up in a ball, sucking my thumb and crying for my mommy.
We tried a ton of good beers here. I found and fell in love with Specialty XXX. A Black Double IPA brewed for their distributors 30th anniversary. It was so hoppy and good. Dry finish, roasted malts still fighting to hang on amidst the onslaught of big hops. The perfect beer for me. I took a couple of the bottles home with me, but the bottles are barrel-aged.
We also tried Gluttony, a triple IPA and theoretical 200 IBU beer. Theoretical in the fact that the human palate can't really taste more than 100 IBU's. But supposedly this beer is about 200 IBU's. I tried the Kodiak Brown Ale as well and many other beers that afternoon.
*For the Midnight Sun crew: Hot Peach Cobbler is the winner for a food pairing with this beer. Peaches braised in tons of butter and brown sugar, a nice crumble on top of the peaches.... Pure vanilla ice cream with it. There is more that can be done. We came up with a few combinations, but I thought I would elaborate on the "I am thinking peaches" comment. I had it in the bottle after we got back and roasted malts were more apparent. Much bigger flavors than when I tasted Kodiak with a shot palate after drinking Specialty XXX.
Visit Midnight Sun's website and scroll through their profile of beers. It's a pretty stunning line up and some of the most creative beers from any brewery I have seen in a long time. Their beers are not just a couple of one off's that don't fit a certain mold. Their whole profile is off the chains.
One of the highlights was Bathtub Gin. A gruit style ale with juniper berries, grains of paradise, and other herbs. This beer was made by lead brewer Ben Johnson in honor of the Phish song Bathtub GIn.
Ben, I didn't know you were such a dirty hippy! That changes everything about our friendship.
If you haven't guessed, that's Ben on the label. Bathtub Gin was very cool. Crisp, dry finish, and big spicy nose and flavor. Again, very Alaskan with big, full flavor and a complete distortion of what is considered to be classic styles. I love it. They do what they want, make whatever beer they want, they don't give a shit about traditionalism because they don't have too.
Alaskans are living in their own quiet little world up there... Only it's not so quiet. They are making some noise up there and when you come into town, you either get on board or get out of town. It isn't hard to get on board with the delicious beers being produced up there. I love that kind of mentality. Who says you have to play by the same old boring rules? Midnight Sun is a perfect example of do what you want. Make the beer you intended to make no matter how big, or obscure, or undefined and the masses will follow you. It's so American, and I love it.
Later that day we made our way back to Humpy's Great Alaskan Alehouse. Owned by Billy Opinsky and shares the same kitchen with Sub Zero. Billy O had taken such good care of us during the whole time we were there. Taxiing us around, piling good food unto us to try. Like the amazing halibut fish and chips appetizer at Humpy's, and later treating us to sushi where we experienced White King salmon for the first time.
When we got to Humpy's we were in the mood for some beers we have never tried before and appetizers. Smoked Salmon spread, Alaskan oysters, and King Crab bites.
All of these choices were great choices for an afternoon snack. I will say that the salmon spread needed more salmon chunks in it to balance out the cream cheese, but it was very smokey and tasty. And Hallelujah they give you a good amount of bread to go with it. I can't stand places that give you dips or pate and only two pieces of bread or toast points.
The crab bites had good pieces of crab in it. Served piping hot and great with some squeezed lemon. Perfect Alaskan bar food.
Upon further inspection of their menu, we saw this little note on it.
I would like to see someone take this challenge on up close. You can see the challenge on Man v. Food here.
Later that night we went over to the Sleeping Lady Brewery for the Great Northern Homebrewers meeting. Todd and Jason were invited to be guest speakers at their meeting. Todd thought it would be around 40 people. More like 120 people were there. Armed with their homebrews, and fresh imperial stouts pouring from Sleeping lady Brewery, we had a good old drunken night.
Getting a little Double Wit Bier from the tanks at Sleeping Lady. Dennis Sessler, President of the Great Northern Homebrewers Club kicking things off with Dr. Fermento ("Dr. Fermento is the alter ego of Anchorage Press and The Celebrator Beer News beer columnist James Roberts.")
What are those two weirdos doing? Jason and Todd Alström.
That was our downfall right there. Jason and his multiple trips to get the Sleeping Lady Imperial Stout and Smoked Porter from Alaskan Brewing Co. The homemade meads certainly contributed a fair amount to our downfall as well.
Jamie Floyd from Ninkasi Brewing Co. in Eugene, Oregon with his geek tattoo of a D&D dice. You had to be there and hear Jason's reaction when Jamie mentioned his geek passion for D&D.
Uh oh. Here comes trouble. I am just kidding that is Barb Miller of Midnight Sun. She is the main reason we came to Alaska in the first place.
People were getting down to Tom Dalldorf's band the Rolling Boil Blues Band. The older gentleman in the picture was having himself a good old time. He was fun to watch.
There were a lot of homemade meads being tasted out and many homebrews being passed around. All I can say is that it is probably good for everyone including myself that I didn't take anymore pictures after this point. Alaskans throw down. We'll just leave it at that.
Here are a few pictures of the judging for the first round of the Barleywine Competition and the Winter Seasonal category.
Day one, first round Barleywines and Winter Seasonals.
Second day, round two, two tables one for Winter Seasonals and one for Barleywines.
The winner for Winter Seasonals: Glacier Brewhouse, Eisbock
The Winners for the Barleywine: 1st Place Lagunitas, Gnarleywine
2nd Place Midnight Sun, Arctic Devil
3rd Place Pizza Port, Blonde Bombshell Barleywine.
I did not take pictures of the festival itself for the two sessions I attended. It was quite a good time. A bit too crowded (much more room in the connoisseur session) and a bit too much puke on the sidewalks after the fact. But still a good a time. As I said, Alaskans like big, full beers. These people like to get crunked. It's my kind of town.
I also didn't get pictures of the incredible sushi we had at Sushi & Sushi or the tasting of all 18 beers at Moose's Tooth Pizza. That was certainly a good moment. Enjoying 18 different beers with Thai pizza, BBQ chicken pizza, and a McKinley meat pizza. That was heaven.
We ended our 5 day excursion back at Midnight Sun for a relaxing afternoon that spanned into the evening. We drank Good Mojo, Specialty XXX, more Gluttony, and Earth. We drank awesome beers, had good food, and said good-bye to our new found friends of Alaska.
I didn't get pictures with some of my new good friends in Alaska. Julie and Tim McDonald, Billy Opinsky (Humpy's, Sub Zero), Dena and Dennis Sessler, Ken and Shauna Pajak (Cafe Amsterdam), Barb, Mark, Ben, Gabe, Jeremiah, Gary, and Seth (Midnight Sun). All of these people made our trip to Alaska fantastic. The Generosity, the laid back and cool attitudes, the welcoming nature into their worlds. I have said it over and over again, I will forever be grateful for their tremendous hospitality.
Edit: I don't want to forget what a gem Tom Dalldorf is and what a terrific sense of humor he has. I knew we would get along good when he brought up the idea of prank calling Lisa Morrison!
I was told by several people, if you want to get the best buffet on the strip in Las Vegas it's either at the Belagio or at the Wynn. We went with the Wynn. We did not lose on this deal. And although I haven't seen the Belagio's Buffet, I feel confident enough to say that Wynn Buffet was the best.
The Wynn hotel is amazing. It's gorgeous, has all the high end shopping and beautiful gaming areas. The only problem I had with the Wynn is that you can't win on their video poker machines that well. Their Black Jack video poker removed the double down feature. Total bullshit and scam. Nothing was paying out for me over there.
But this post isn't about the gambling. It's about the food.
The Buffet at the Wynn is huge. It has a whole separate room for just desserts. Of course it has meat carving stations, but everything is super clean and steril and broken down into regions. Asian section, American food, Italian, ect.
Before we went over to the brunch, we stopped to have a drink at Up Parasol while waiting for a friend to join us. I was in the mood for a Dirty Martini and they made me the best Dirty Martini ever. It was so smooth and tasty and I could have had 50 of them.
Up Parasol is a beautiful lounge in the middle of the gaming area. It's bright, colorful, and comfortable with sofas and couches everywhere. The waitress was the friendliest person we had come across in Vegas. And that's saying something because everyone is cool in Vegas. At least to us anyway.
Our friend finally came and joined us and it was off to the buffet. Keep in mind it was a Sunday at noon and the lines to get into the buffet were long. It didn't take too long, but be prepared anyway.
They also offer a cool deal. For $60 bucks you can eat there all day. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It's a good way to economize while you blow all your money on gambling or drinking.
I went the hot route first.
Okay there is a lot going on on this plate. Let me break it down. Sausage, bacon, scrambled eggs, french toast, pancake, waffle, eggs benedict, stir fried shrimp, cornish game hen in southwestern sauce and corn, pulled pork with cole slaw on corn bread, and a cheese and beef enchilada.
Every last bit of it was awesome! And you better believe I ate it all.
The cold route.
Shrimp cocktail, Mediterranean tuna ceviche, Tropical scallop ceiche (in cup), sushi rolls, Chow Shao Bao, and smoked salmon.
There was so much more food to be had, but my belly only had so much room. My husband managed to get some carved meats. Although I wanted them, I am glad I didn't get any carved meats. It would have sat like a lead brick in my belly and I wouldn't have been able to taste all the desserts we had.
Now for the dessert. A small disclaimer is that I did not, I repeat did not eat all that is pictured. I had a bite of each and shared. After the last two plates, there is no way anyone could eat all things I am about to show you.
Grasshopper Mint Slice and Banana Cream Slice.
Blueberry tart and Oreo Mousse slice.
Bailey's Panna Cotta and Hazelnut Chocolate Decadence.
Caramel, Chocolate parfait and Lemon Meringue Pie Parfait , Mango and Lychee Parfait with Tapioca Pearls, and Strawberry Parfait.
And Caramel and coffee ice cream. The coffee ice cream came highly recommended and was amazingly good and creamy.
After this we were the walking dead. Zombies who have succumbed to the dreaded food coma.
My first time cooking with shrimp and it was a massive success. This is a southern recipe. Deep down dirty south. Even though this is my own recipe, I kept it true to form until the end. I made a few slight modifications that in my opinion helped rock this dish. I added BBQ sauce and flour to thicken and add even more flavor to my sauce. "Dirty" can be a way to describe southern and creole food, a way to describe the south in general, and in this case it has a double meaning of dirty south and dirty hands. You have to peel the shrimp and getting glorious beer sauce all over your hands that must be licked off not wiped off with a napkin.
The reason this recipe came to be was excess skillet corn bread I made with Sticky BBQ Chicken. So to get rid of it, I decided Dirty shrimp would be the way to go. A long gone BBQ joint in Boston called the Linwood Grill was my inspiration for this recipe. They Made a PBR dirty shrimp bowl that was out of this world.
Also, the call to use Pabst Blue Ribbon proves yet again that there is a time and a place for every beer. I am sure many beer geeks will dispute that, but I haven't got time for their beer snobbery. Not when I made this awesome recipe.
2 # Shrimp uncooked (Peeled optional) 1 cup butter 1 white onion chopped 1 tbls. chopped garlic splash of lemon juice 4 tsp. thyme 4 tsp. oregano 3 bay leaves 3 tsp Oldbay seasoning 2 tsp. cayenne pepper 2 tsp. paprika 2 tsp. onion powder 2 tsp. garlic powder 3 sprigs fresh rosemary 1 tbls. worcestershire sauce 16 oz or 2 cups Pabst Blue Ribbon (1 Tall Boy) 2/3 cup sweet and tangy BBQ sauce 1/2 cup flour or 2 to 4 tbls. cornstarch
In a separate bowl combine all dry spices.
In a large pot melt the butter and add the onions and garlic. Cook for a few minutes until onions become translucent. Add a splash of lemon juice and the worcestershire sauce to the onions while the onions are cooking.
Add the shrimp, spices and beer to the pot and simmer. By not peeling the shrimp, the beer gets trapped with the meat and holds on to the flavor better.
Let the shrimp simmer in the spices and beer until the shrimp becomes a little firm and pink. Once the shrimp is fully cooked, add BBQ sauce and flour and allow sauce to thicken a little bit. Remove bay leaves and rosemary stems.
In a flat bowl, place cornbread in the center and smother with shrimp and sauce. Serve hot and with lots of napkins. Don't be afraid to get your hands in it and peel the shrimp and lick the sauce off!
A quiet Saturday evening spent at our local brewpub Cambridge Brewing Company. Last Saturday we went to check out their annual Striped Bass Festival. Main entrees all featuring striped bass and paired with the fine offerings of CBC's beers.
The menu:
The Beer Menu:
First beer: Jedi Mind Trick a "Belgian IPA" 7.5% abv. (This isn't the beer you were looking for.)
First course was the Striped Bass Ceviche with Mango, Chili, Lime, Watercress, and black pepper cracker paired with a flute of OM.
OM: 2007 strong blonde ale aged in chardonnay barrels with enlightenment added 9.4% abv.
This pairing was refreshing. Although you can't really see the seafood in the picture, the pieces of striped bass were plump and delicious and did not have strong fish flavors or oils. The OM was nice and delicate tasting despite being a 9.4% abv beer. Sometimes strong beers are overlooked when pairing things with seafood and fresh fruit. Technically this is a blonde ale which is on the right track for lighter foods, but the abv seems intense. However, it doesn't interfere or become too apparent when tasting this pairing.
Signs of bad pairings are when one flavor dominates the entire palate, the flavors clash too much, or the beer flavors are destroyed leaving nothing but the alcohol flavors from the food pairing.
The greens provided a bit of an earthiness to the pairing and the lime rounded everything out. The beer had spicy notes and the chardonnay barrel aging didn't leave an oak-y buttery finish. Butter flavors in beer a sign of diacytal in the beer and is not always a desired effect. Chardonnays tend to be oak-y and buttery. This beer was clean and spicy.
Todd Alström's first course was Mexican Spice Rubbed Striper Skewer with tomato rice, habenero tartar sauce paired with a wine stem of Reckoning.
Reckoning: 20th Anniversary beer. 100% Brettanomyces fermentation and conditioning in French oak pinot noir barrels 8.6% abv.
This pairing was actually off as far as matching the beer with the food. This beer didn't belong with these flavor profiles. The Skewer itself was delicious. The tartar sauce was not too hot despite being flavored with habenero.
The beer all by itself was delicious as well. I believe the flavors of the spices were too dominate for this beer. This is one of the bad pairings in which alcohol was the only thing you could taste. No subtleties of the pinot noir barrels and the brett was completely masked.
One description of Brett from Russian River Brewing Company:
What is Brettanomyces?
Brettanomyces
(also known as Brett) is feared by most brewers and winemakers alike.
In fact, there are some local winemakers who will not set foot in our
brewpub in Downtown Santa Rosa due to our use of Brettanomyces.
Brettanomyces is actually yeast, it ferments and acts the same as every
other "conventional" yeast, it just has the propensity to continue
fermenting through almost any type of sugar, including those natural
sugars found in the wood in an oak barrel. Brett is very invasive and
if not handled properly can become out of control in a winery or
brewery, but, if used properly with care, it can add rich aromas and
flavors of earthiness, leather, smoke, barnyard, & our favorite
descriptor-wet dog in a phone booth.
Brett beers are usually not my style of beers at all. They wreak havoc on my body and I will just leave it at that. But I was frankly disappointed that this pairing didn't work. When there are styles of beers I don't like, I rely on food pairings to open up the beers true flavors and allow me to taste them more objectively. That's not a recommended tasting suggestion for everyone. Just how I personally prefer to open up to beers I normally may not like. Even if I don't like them I need to be able to understand them and food is the best way for me to do that.
The Jedi Mind Trick was still floating around and it wound up pairing better with the skewers.
The dinner pairing was Bacon Wrapped Striped Bass with green beans and Russian dressing paired with Imperial Skibsøl.
Imperial Skibsøl: A Danish strong dark lager beer with alderwood-smoked malt 6.3%.
The first sip of beer was off. It tasted exactly like root beer due to the left over spices and lingering flavors from the OM. I had to rinse with water for a minute to clear my palate. I was also laughing at the table sitting next to us as they sent back this beer and claimed it to be "too smoky." He was a pussy.
There are only two lines of thought with smoked beers. You love them or you hate them. I happen to be in the "I LOVE THEM" category.
For this pairing the bacon is the key that ties this pairing together. Again its a dark beer being paired with fish that typically isn't first thought of when pairing lighter foods like fish with beer. Bacon and smoked beers are a dream together. The Russian dressing wasn't overly sweet either it was tangy and allowed the sweetness of the dark malts to come through. The green beans added a nice crunchy texture.
This pairing was just all around fantastic. It was hearty and filling yet not food coma inducing. A hearty fish pairing that leaves you feeling good and satisfied and not like you need a nap immediately after.
The beer was so delicious and not overly smoked at all. Well not as smokey as a Schlenkerla Urbock, but along the same lines. Sweet, dark, roasted, and smokey malts with complex flavors yet very drinkable. I should have slapped the wuss next to me who sent his beer back because he thought was too smokey.
Todd's choice of main course was Grilled Garlic Marinated Striper with grilled corn on the cob, collard greens, mango salsa and grilled crostini paired with Biere De Miel. Grilled by the owner of CBC, Phil Bannatyne himself.
Biere De Miel: 2007 Belgian-style saison made with local honey from Mike Graney 8.8% abv.
This beer wasn't technically the right pairing suggestion. It was supposed to be offered up with the CBC Hefewiezen. The same general rules apply however when pairing the beers with this entree. Citrus flavors, sweet honey flavors instead of the fruity esters of the Hefewiezen, spices, and the same cloudy yeasty profiles. In combination with the sweet grilled corn, and mango salsa balanced with the light garlic flavors and the fish flavors. Not to mention the Biere de Miel is worlds better than the Hefewiezen. Not to impugn the Hefewizen but the Biere de Miel is worlds better.
Dessert was simple. A Honey Pound Cake with vanilla cream and braised peaches in Arquebus.
Arquebus: Since I have no picture of this beer though it looked very similar the Reckoning served in a wine stemmed glass, I thought I would give you the CBC description of this beer.
Two questions may have already arisen as you begin this reading;
first, what is an Arquebus and second, what is a “summer barleywine?”
Well, this’ll be easier than you thought, and completely painless, I promise.
An
arquebus was a primitive firearm which came into use in the 15th
Century, and was a predecessor to the musket and rifle. A smoothbore
with a flared muzzle, similar but more refined and accurate than its
predecessor the Blunderbuss (ah, there’s the thematic association,
Blunderbuss being our winter barleywine…) it was capable of piercing
the strong, full-plate armor worn into battle.
Ok then. What, you continue to wonder, is a “Summer Barleywine?”
Well,
in our continuing quest to change the way people think about enjoying
and understanding beer and beer styles, we have created a
barleymalt-based interpretation of a dessert wine, meant to be sipped
on those sultry summer evenings on our patio. It is also brewed with
local Cambridge honey gathered from hives within five miles of our
brewery by apiarists Mike Graney and Dan Geere, plus white wine grapes
of the varieties Viognier and Gewurtztraminer.
Our 2009
release is at once light and drinkable yet it boasts significant body,
and it is almost syrupy smooth in texture without being cloying.
Arquebus’ deep golden mien contains beautiful, complex notes of peach
and apricot fruit, wildflower honey, toast and coconut oakiness, and
soft, tannin-hinted, white grape notes. Malolactic fermentation in the
barrel adds a hint of acidity to balance the sweetness of this beer’s
finish.
Aged for eighteen months in French oak chardonnay
barrels acquired from the Silverado and Chateau Boswell wineries in
Napa, the residual flavors contributed by the wood offer a mellowness
of character not provided by stainless steel fermentation, as
controlled oxidation deepens its color, enhances its rich texture, and
concentrates notes of fruit.
OG: 1.100/25.0*P FG: 1.016/4.0*P ABV:11.0%
This years batch was a tad more tart than I have remembered in previous years. It was absolutely enjoyable and paired well with the cake. Naturally the braised peaches in Arquebus worked well. I mention the tartness however, because it almost didn't work. A touch more and we would have had another mismatched pairing. The cake and cream had delicate flavors, and although this beer which is pretty fantastic and has it's own unique and complex flavors almost trumped the pairing with the tartness. Overall though it is as the description claims, perfect for relaxing on a patio on a nice summer evening. We happened to be seated on the patio of CBC. A nice way to end the evening.
A side not that made the night even more awesome, the menu items were priced and then the proper beer pairing with it were only priced 3 dollars more for a full pours of the beer. You don't see that anywhere. It made the event more economical.
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