Vegetarian Rules the Night at José Pistolas with Iron Hill & Essene

While 2008 is shaping up to be the Year of Beer & Food (or Year of Beer Dinners, take your pick), a subcategory for trends of 2008 might include vegetarian restaurants and similarly themed dinners. Everywhere I seem to turn lately, I'm hearing of expanding vegetarian offerings, down to full out vegetarian menus. With several years of negative news related to animal production and consumption, it's probably not difficult to understand how more people are opting for diets that steer away from animals.

This coming Tuesday, May 13th, Iron Hill (West Chester) brewers Chris LaPierre and Jean Broillet are pairing up with Jose Pistola's for a vegetarian beer dinner featuring guest chef Eric Anderson of Essene and José Pistola's executive chef Brenton Wallace. This sounds like an excellent forging of handcrafted and creative beer and food.

Introduction beer - Vienna Lager

1st course - Chilled cucumber and cantelope soup paired with Heywood (Golden sour ale fermented with 100% Brettanomyces)

2nd course - Saitan Pastilla with puff pastry paired with American Brown Ale

3rd Course - Arugula salad, red onion, toasted pinenuts, with a California Chevre' in a golden balsamic dijon vinagrette paired with Belgian Triple

4th course - Roasted root vegetable pan fried fritter, black truffle lentils, forest mushrooms with a porcini reduction paired with Baltic Porter AND Saison

Dessert - Vanilla Peanut butter mousse with an espresso bean cookie paired with Bourbon Aged Wee Heavy (strong Scotch Ale aged in Eagle Rare bourbon barrels)

Price is $65 per person and reservations will be taken at 215-545-4101

Union Barrel Works Irish Theme Dinner - 4/8/07

Click Here For All Beer Event Reviews

Fastest Beer Dinner Ever? Perhaps. 7 courses of food and beer in less than 2 hours sure sounds fast. (Contrast this with a 6 hour marathon 11-course/18-beer brunch at Toronado last weekend...more on that later...you'll see what I mean). But, how the crew at Union Barrel Works suffered for speed during their fifth beer dinner in the first year of operations, they made up for in quality.

Plentiful chunks of tender lamb meat in the stew had me begging for more. A creative and tasty take on the shepherd's pie had me not missing the traditional mashed potatoes so much. The sorbet (strawberry and pilsner this time) was a pleasant intermezzo as always. The salmon with potatoes was done nicely and accompanied surprisingly well by sliced apples. And for dessert? Why, of course, chocolate cake and stout. Very nice. And, I'd be remiss in not mentioning the appearance of one of my favorite vegetables, rhubarb. Though, allow me the chance to nitpick and say that I would have loved it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.


Seven courses all paired with a unique UBW beer. Two were new to me during this visit. The Dubbel Union and the Pilsner are new to the lineup as is the Pale Ale on handpump and a name change to the Octoberfest (Uncle Fester).


One last note on Union Barrel Works here, if I may, as they approach their one year anniversary. If you haven't checked them out yet, next Friday (4/18) could be a good time to do so. They'll be celebrating with a One Year Anniversary Party. No cover charge, no package deals, nothing special other than Tom's wonderful beers on tap and live music beginning at 9pm.

If you want a table for dinner, keep in mind that without reservations on a Friday or Saturday night, you'll often find yourself on a waiting list. In Tom's words, the first year results have exceeded expectations and they're looking forward to a second year of growth in Lancaster County.

Click Here For All Beer Event Reviews

Luck of the Irish continues into April at Union Barrel Works

As you work your way through Easter Brunch, consider the next beer dinner scheduled on April 8th at Union Barrel Works in Reamstown, PA. Here's a sneak peak at their expected pairings for that evening's Irish-themed dinner.

---

Appetizer
Bangers and Mashed Potatoes
~Paired with Dubbel U(nion)~

Soup
Irish Lamb Stew
~Paired with Pale Ale~

Interim
Strawberry Pilsner Sorbet
~Paired with Pilsner~

Pre-Entrée
Shepherd’s Pie
~Paired with Uncle Fester~

Entrée
Salmon with an Apple Scallion relish, with colcannon potatoes
~Paired with Wobbly Bob~

Pre-Dessert
Rhubarb Crumble
~Paired with Double Barrel ~

Dessert
Chocolate Stout Cake
~Paired with Round Boy Stout~

$40.00 plus tax and gratuity; Reservation required @ 717-335-7837
Seating at 6:30pm

Monk's Beer Dinner 2/12/08 : Lost Abbey

Click Here For All Beer Event Reviews

It probably is prudent to begin with apologies to Jack for whom this should in no way be construed as 'rubbing it in'. The adventure to my first Monk's Dinner of the year 2008, a dinner featuring Tomme Arthur's non-incidental beers of Lost Abbey, was highlighted by one of the smoothest trips ever into Philadelphia. That is, on one of the worst weather days ever for a Monk's Dinner. (I won't bother to retell the weather story...read Jack's comments on the topic and you'll get the idea.) How did this all come to be? Funny you should ask...

I left my office desk in Exton at 5:23pm. Drove east on business route 30 to the Paoli train station where I met the scheduled 5:50pm Amtrak train. It was 3 minutes late, but I was in the station by 5:40pm, so no worries there. The train sailed into Philly's 30th Street Station with no delays whatsoever. Actually, arrived approximately 2 minutes early. I high-stepped it up to the next arriving Septa regional rail line, which was just shutting its doors behind me as I hopped on (it's a free ride through Center City from 30th Street Station to Market East Station (a somewhat known secret). Disembarking at Suburban Station, thinking better about ascending to Market Street, and instead walking underground all the way to 16th and Locust streets (an even lesser known secret), I managed to stay dry from the elements in the nasty out-of-doors and arrived at Monk's front step at 6:47pm.

That makes for a trip of approximately 84 minutes from desk to glass-filled hand at Monk's. Oh, the first beer that was thrust into my welcoming hand? A 1999 Sierra Nevada Bigfoot. Sorry, I guess now I've rubbed it in.

On with the show. As reported elsewhere, the dinner and the show was fantastic. Since I'm boppin' my way from southern California to the Bay Area for a weekend of beer ranging from Strong Beer Month, to the Toronado Barleywine Festival, to the Celebrator Beer News 20th Anniversary party and countless other stops in between, I'll need to exercise some brevity in my comments. So, following is a course-by-course listing (not coarse) with random notes (somewhat coarse) for your enjoyment.

Oh, the only drawback of the evening. Returning to the Paoli train station to find my car encrusted in a 1/4" of thick ice and the parking lot in a sheet of slick ice. The plow guys were kind enough to drag the snow and ice from around the car so that I could get around with falling on my tokus while cleaning off the car. Then, I skated home to get a few hours of sleep before my early morning flight.

1st Course
Lost Abbey Red Poppy
~~ Skate Wing with brown butter sabayon

a flanders oud bruin, aged 1 year in oak

Monk's received the only draft version of this beer

130 cases of 375ml bottles produced

extremely pleasant and easy drinking sour beer that was a big winner at our table

(yes, that really is a picture of the Cable Car, low lighting and all)
2nd Course
Lost Abbey Cable Car
~~ Cod Fritter & Manchego Cheese Fritter with smoked paprika aioli & romesco sauce

1/2 barrel (roughly 35 cases) produced for Toronado's 20th Anniversary in 2007

20 cases went to Toronado

15 retained by brewery; 2 to this Monk's dinner

a bit wilder and funkier than the Red Poppy, paired with the sharpness of the Manchego made this one of my favorite pairings of the evening

3rd Course
Lost Abbey Gift of the Magi
~~ Chicon with Belgian Endive wrapped with Ardennes Ham then napped with a bechamel sauce

a smooth and hopped, IPA-ish type delight

only beer of the evening not barrel aged, it stuck out, but the only thing that sucked was how quickly we made the glassfuls disappear

4th Course
Lost Abbey Amazing Grace
~~ Scallops with beer jus

90 cases produced; not distributed

Basically is a barrel-aged Lost & Found...with raisin puree added

aged in sangiovese and cab franc wine barrels

5th Course
Lost Abbey Veritas
~~ Rack of Wild Boar with root vegetable sauce

the 003 batch

Latin for "truth"

part of the "blended beer series"

brewery will do 1-2 installments of the series each year; different result each time

003 is a blend of 4 beers; Angel Share, Cuvee, Amazing Grace, and another sour-based beer

70 cases produced

6th Course
Lost Abbey Angel's Share
~~ Sacher Torte

styled like an English barleywine aged in brandy barrels

produced 150 cases

I was in such a rush to leave and catch the train, that all I recall is bittersweet chocolate

what a shame to leave a great celebration in such a rush; my apologies to anyone that I blew by on the way out the door

footnote: the second release of 10 Commandments is coming in May '08

Click Here For All Beer Event Reviews

Upcoming Mardi Gras Beer Dinner at Union Barrel Works in Reamstown, PA: 2/12/08

Last month's dinner at Union Barrel Works sold out, so consider this your fair warning. Seating at 6:30pm and Reservations are required by calling 717-335-7837. Price per person is $40.00 + tax and gratuity.

Here's the almost-finalized menu for the evening.

---

Appetizer
Softshell Crab Po'boy Sandwich
~Paired with Wobbly Bob

Soup
Rabbit Gumbo
Served with Cornbread
~Paired with Pale Ale

Interim
Coconut Kölsch Sorbet
~Paired with Kölsch

Pre-Entrée
Andouille Sausage Corn Dog
Served with Sweet Potato Chips
~Paired with Mai Bock

Entrée
Crawfish Cakes
Served with Cheddar Herb Grits and Black Eyed Peas
~Paired with Lager

Pre-Dessert
To be Determined

Dessert
Walnut Bread Pudding
Served with a Double Barrel Syrup
~Paired with Double Barrel

Upcoming Victory Beer Dinner at General Sutter Inn in Lititz, PA - 2/7/07

Year of the Rat, nah. Year of the Beer Dinner!

Paul has sent along the details to this good looking beer dinner in February at the General Sutter Inn. Do the folks in Lancaster County know how good their beer scene is becoming? (has become?) Wish I could check it out, but it doesn't look like this one is in the cards for me.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Victory Beer Dinner, Thursday, Feb 7, 6:30

5 Courses, 5 Beers, $55


First Course
Victory Lager
~Hors d'Oeuvres to include canapés, cheese and assortment of brochettes, i.e. chicken, beef, pork~

Second Course
Victory Hop Wallop
~Roast Duck Ragout with wild mushrooms~

Third Course
Victory Prima Pils
~Butter Poached Diver Sea Scallops over Organic Greens with Confetti Vegetables and Citrus Vinaigrette~

Fourth Course
Victory Cask-Conditioned Hop Devil
~Grilled Lamb Noisette with Cabot Sage Potato and Root Vegetable, Roasted Garlic Jus~

Fifth Course
Victory Golden Monkey
~Goat Cheese Cake with Mixed Berry Compote~

We are extremely honoured to have Bill Covaleski, founding partner of Victory Brewing speaking at this dinner. Don't miss this great event.

Call 717.626.2115 to book your reservation.

Upcoming Wild Game Dinner at Ortino's Northside

Wild Game sure is getting tamed as of late. There'll be such a dinner during Philly Beer Week. Union Barrel Works hosted one last month. Somehow I wouldn't be surprised if the SAVOR event in D.C. this coming spring would do something along these lines too. (Oh yeah, and I make an award-winning venison chili, thanks for asking.)

John, Dan, Sarah Rocks, and the rest of the Ortino's crew are ready to put out their take on Wild Game and pair it with their finest Belgian beer stash. Passed along by Mr. Bengel and hand-typed by yours truly (dude, thanks for the jpeg, ggrrr), here's the menu that just might get me driving up route 29 to Zieglerville in February. For those uninitiated, be sure to follow route 29 north through Zieglersville to get to Zieglerville ;-) Or just follow this map. The time is 5:30pm, the dress is casual, and seating is limited....so give 'em a call at 610-287-7272 and make a reservation.

Happy Hour Buffet
- Fire Roasted Pig stuffed with Venison Sausage glazed with Beer BBQ sauce with gourmet mustards and breads
- Belgian cheese course served with an array of fresh fruits and crackers

Salad Course
- Pheasant Confit on top of Baby Greens with Celriac Candied Hazlenuts tossed with Raspberry Framboise Vinaigrette

Entree Course
- Beer Braised Buffalo Short Ribs, Barley Risotto, and Witte Kerke Sauteed Leeks, Turnips, and Brussel Sprouts

Dessert Course
- Gulden Draak Raisin and Plum Rice Pudding with Baked Drunken Apples

Union Barrel Works Seafood & Beer Dinner - 1/15/07

Congratulations to Tom, Amy, and David Rupp at Union Barrel Works in Reamstown, PA. Thanks to The Brew Lounge, they successfully hosted their first sellout. Okay, partial thanks to The Brew Lounge. Okay, I shouldn't kid myself, they can only thank TBL for getting me there. Even my table mates would have gone with out me. Humbling, for sure :)

But, on a much more serious note (because if beer's gonna be the "new wine", it's gotta be serious, right?! How am I doing at being smarmy?), UBW's third official beer dinner was another well-crafted combination of Tom's recipes from the brewhouse and son David's seafood creations in the kitchen. The first back in October may be best described as an all-American feast. Before taking a month's break to focus on the holidays, November's dinner focused on wild game.

Truth be told, the menu this time around intrigued me the most. Seafood and beer, how would it be done? Would it be done well, or would it leave us reaching for the nearest glass of Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, or Chardonnay? The consensus around the room seemed to be agree that the sea-food received an A.

Speaking of around the room, as I mentioned earlier this was a full house. The dining room was filled with a rough count of at least 60 diners, including a certain someone, who if he doesn't start working soon (tomorrow, I believe?), I'm going to put in a vote that we give him the name "Wanderin' Patrick". This guy's been on a tear during his little working hiatus. Come to think of it, though, this could boomerang and raise questions about my own itinerary.

If I may head straight into my rankings, my favorite dish of the evening was the stuffed lobster tail. We all wished, natch, that it was a WHOLE lobster but then the dinner price might have been more like $80 instead of $40. But, with the chunked lobster meat interspersed with the spinach and crab, it was quite the delicacy. The scallops ran a close second where the meaty bacon helped accent the honey glazed mollusk. The bed of risotto made this quite the welcome kickoff to the meal....the usual amuse bouche, it was not.

As for pairings, I'm going to stick with that first course. On paper, it sounded to me like it would be a winner, and it didn't disappoint. While the scallops were certainly cooked, my dining companions agreed that it was much better than the alternative of being undercooked. The flavor coming from the bacon and the honey, held up by the starchiness of the rice paired so perfectly with the honey-nuanced mai bock. On its own, the mai bock is one of my favorites at UBW; paired with this dish, the beer became deeper and more flavorful.

The lightly battered calamari rings with the lager was a surprise pairing that also pleased. The simple, perfected flavors of the lager matched nicely with the light oil/fry flavor and the tomato dipping sauce. Pairing with tomato is no easy feat.

I wouldn't normally comment on a sorbet course, but the coffee sorbet with the dry, roasty Round Boy Stout was a very nice match.

I normally end most beer dinner reviews with some high praise, and a picture of course, for the decadent chocolate dessert. Well, you get the picture here at the bottom but, surprise!, this time no chocolate was involved in the dessert. Whether it was rum, brandy, or some other liqueur drizzled through the sauce and ice cream it was a delicious end all the same to a great meal. The Wobbly Bob, perhaps my second favorite UBW brew, was paired with it, though I think it secretly longed for a chocolate companion ;-)




Appetizer
Honey Scallops
Wrapped in wild boar bacon and served over artichoke Risotto
~Paired with Mai Bock~

Soup
Catfish Etouffe
Served with white rice
~Paired with Pale Ale~

Interim
Coffee Stout Sorbet
~ Paired with Round Boy Stout~

Pre-Entrée
Beer Batter Calamari
Served with a plum tomato dipping sauce
~Paired with Lager~

Entrée
Lobster Tail
Stuffed with spinach and crab and topped with a truffle Beurre Blanc sauce
And potato herb pancake
~Paired with Kölsch~

Pre-Dessert
Lemon Raspberry Mousse
~Paired with Octoberfest~

Dessert
Barrel Bananas Foster
UBW’s version
~Paired with Wobbly Bob~



The next dinner is already set for Tuesday February 12, 2007. The theme is Mardi Gras and reservations are required by calling 717-335-7837.

See Beer, Seafood coming soon to Union Barrel Works in Reamstown, PA

I can't help but think this will be a decent beer dinner to check out if you haven't been to one of Union Barrel Works' previous beer dinners. Check out some highlights of the Inaugural Dinner and the follow-up Wild Game Dinner.

This next one is on Tuesday January 15, 2007 and reservations are required by calling 717-335-7837.

~ Appetizer ~
Honey Scallops
Wrapped in wild boar bacon and served over artichoke Risotto
~Paired with Mai Bock~

~ Soup ~
Catfish Etouffe
Served with white rice
~Paired with Pale Ale~


~ Interim ~
Coffee Stout Sorbet
~ Paired with Round Boy Stout~

~ Pre Entrée ~
Beer Batter Calamari
Served with a plum tomato dipping sauce
~Paired with Lager~

~ Entrée ~
Lobster Tail
Stuffed with spinach and crab and topped with a truffle Beurre Blanc sauce
And potato herb pancake
~Paired with Kolsch~

~ Pre Dessert ~
Lemon Raspberry Mousse
~Paired with Octoberfest~

~ Dessert ~
Barrel Bananas Foster
UBW’s version
~Paired with Wobbly Bob~

Price per person ~ $40.00 + tax and gratuity

Holiday Beer Dinner at Monk's Cafe 12/11/07

Click Here For All Beer Event Reviews

2007. It was a very good year for Monk's. In addition to the opening of sister restaurant, The Belgian Cafe, Tom, Fergie, and crew at 16th/Spruce hosted no less than 14 events. The all-star lineup of beer events/dinners to celebrate Monk's 10th anniversary included Vinnie & Natalie (Russian River), Tomme (Port/Lost Abbey/Pizza Port), MJ, Garrett (Brooklyn), Eric & Lauren (New Belgium), Stephen, Lucy, Ed & Carol (Stoudt's), Rob (Allagash), and Sam (Dogfish Head). How many of these did you know by first name alone? That's what kind of lineup it has been this year at Monk's.

Last night, Tom & Fergie hosted their always-anticipated Holiday Beer Dinner. The gems that Tom pulls out for this event are usually only rivaled by what he finds for New Year's Eve. I don't believe I've ever had a beer thrust in my hand any faster than last night when I walked through the front door. The "Welcome Beer" was a ten year old Anchor Christmas Ale. While the usual holiday spices found in Anchor's annual spice treat have become muted after ten years, it was still a smooth sipping beer, with dark fruit and prune flavors dominating.

To tell the truth, I don't feel much like writing about the nuances of the remainder of the evening. After all, it's already passed and there's nothing you can do about it if you weren't also there. And, really, it's not like I need to mention yet once again how spectacular of an evening most of these Monk's dinners turn out to be.

So, instead of waxing poetic once again (or at least attempting to!) I'll simply leave you with a copy of the menu below and the reminder that if you haven't yet been to a Monk's dinner, you should put it on your list of New Year's Resolutions for 2008. It is that time, isn't it?

Oh, maybe I will add just one little extra tidbit that I learned from Mr. Bryson's mistake. Don't ever leave your writer's notebook sitting unattended while you take your, ahem, "bio break" (is that what you call it Jack?)...you'll never know what phantom notes show up that you'll scratch your head over the next morning!






Welcome Beer
Anchor Christmas Ale [1997]

1st Course
de Regenboog t'Smisje Kerst
- Amuse Buche

2nd Course
La Moneuse Special Winter Ale & La Binchoise Speciale Noel [1994]
- Pickled Mackerel with Watercress Chiffonade & Szechuan Oil Drizzle

3rd Course
Gouden Carolus Noel (draft)
- Pheasant "Fruit Cake"

4th Course
Dupont Avec Les Bon Veoux
- Grilled Smelt with Fried Red Onion & Citrus Marinade

5th Course
Val Dieu Grand Cru (draft) & St. Bernardus Christmas
- Duck Ragout topped with Smoked Duck Breast

6th Course
Gales Christmas Ale [2001] & Port Santa's Little Helper
- Cheese Selection (Jasper Hill Bayley Hazen Bleu; Munster Gerome; Buche Boucheron de Chevre)

7th Course
Samichlaus [1995] & Samichlaus [2006]
- Buche de Noel

Click Here For All Beer Event Reviews

Union Barrel Works Wild Game Beer Dinner - 11/13/07

Click Here For All Beer Event Reviews

Talk about procrastination (like I did a couple of weeks ago)! I swore I wouldn't go to another beer dinner until I wrote about the last one at Union Barrel Works. There was nothing wrong with it, so why has it taken me so long...dunno? I guess I sorta made a fibber out of myself going to and writing about the Shelton Biere de Garde Tasting at Chick's last week. But, it wasn't really dinner, so maybe I'm off the hook?

Here's the quick-and-dirty rundown on UBW's second attempt at hosting a full-fledged beer dinner.

Dennis and I attended again, but this time with two other guests. Adam came out of The Brew Lounge retirement for a reunion tour of sorts. (He's still eligible for his pension.) And a co-worker, intrigued by the wild game and beer concept, joined us as well. Like last time, we used the extra half hour on the front end for a whistle-whetter at Stoudt's. Also repeating history, we arrived as Matson and company were bellying up to the bar after a day shift of brewing. We polished off a tasty winter ale (porter) and moved on down the road to UBW.

The dinner event got started a bit late, and that created some mistiming of the first beer pairing with the food...in other words, I had but a few drops left to drink when the first course of food arrived. But, the staff got back into the smooth swing of things as we experienced back at October's dinner. All of the staff, that is, but Tom. That guy, I tell ya. After I finagled a picture of he and family at October's dinner, I think he was steering clear of me this time around. Well, okay, to be fair he really did stop by several times to ask how dinner was going, but boy did he keep an eye on the camera sitting on the table and the movement of my hands toward said camera :-D

Nods this time around, from my taste and perspective, must go to the soup course where the chunky duck meat and broth matched up nicely with the roasty, medium-bodied stout. The sorbet was a nice sweet intermezzo clearing away the gumbo spices to make way for the jambalaya. Though, I couldn't really pick up on the maibock in the sorbet, there was full glass it sitting just off to the side. What a great maibock that is, indeed. And, the dessert...what can I say about the dessert? All good beer dinners that I've attended end with a triumphant finale and this was no exception. Of course, requisite picture is posted here as proof.

Letting me down a bit, though, was what I was anticipating as the highlight of the meal. The ostrich, for my taste, came out a bit too overcooked. My experience with ostrich has been that the better prepared ones can be practically cut with a fork, with flavor oozing out of every morsel. Meanwhile, its companion, the Double Barrel, described as a vienna lager, seemed a bit high on the alcohol...once again, for my taste. Coming in at close to 8% ABV, it overwhelmed the grain a bit too much for me.

So, while the one course did not live up to my expectation, the dinner on a whole did again this time. Tom, Amy, David, and the entire staff has pulled off two well done dinners in back-to-back months and I'm looking forward to their next one in January.

Now I've got closure on this one and can finally move on :)


Appetizer
Kölsch
> Paired with Wild Boar Cranberry Sausage with Braised Red Cabbage and a Sage Cranberry Balsamic Reduction

Soup
Round Boy Stout
> Paired with Duck & Wild Mushroom Gumbo, served with White Rice

Interim
Mai Bock
> Paired with Blackberry Maibock Sorbet

Pre-Entree
Lager
> Paired with Alligator Jambalaya

Entree
Double Barrel (Vienna Lager)
> Paired with Grilled Ostrich Strip with Potato Puree, Oven Roasted Tomatoes, and Asparagus

Pre-Dessert
> Pale Ale Beer Bloody Mary

Dessert
Fest Märzen
> Paired with Pumpkin Creme Brûlée topped with Cinnamon Nutmeg Whipped Cream

Click Here For All Beer Event Reviews

Game Gone Wild Coming Soon to Union Barrel Works

Union Barrel Works did so well in its first organized beer dinner event last month that they're ready to do it all again. This coming Tuesday November 13th will feature their Wild Game & Beer Dinner. Head over here if you're interested in my take on last month's dinner.

Diners will get to sample some of Tom's solid brews along with some of David's more creative endeavors coming out of the kitchen. Following is the menu that is mostly complete, save for the beers. Though, I think you know what to expect in that regard. Plus, there may be a surprise in there somewhere too. Reservations for the 6:30pm dinner are required by calling 717-335-7837 and the price is $35/pp before tax and gratuity.

Appetizer
- Wild Boar Cranberry Sausage with Braised Red Cabbage and a Sage Cranberry Balsamic Reduction

Soup
- Duck & Wild Mushroom Gumbo

Interim
- Blackberry Maibock Sorbet

Pre-Entree
- Alligator Jambalaya

Entree
- Grilled Ostrich Strip with Potato Puree

Pre-Dessert
- TBD

Dessert
- Pumpkin Creme Brulee topped with Cinnamon Nutmeg Whipped Cream

Monk's Beer Dinner 10/9/07 : Nørrebro Bryghus & Dogfish Head

Click Here For All Beer Event Reviews

One could say that things certainly were not going my way yesterday. Here's a recap of what was a mixed-bag kind of day for me.

~ An extra bag search by a TSA agent at TF Green airport in Providence, RI
~ An extra slow boarding process due to folks trying to cram their obnoxiously oversized carry-on baggage into the overhead compartments
~ Delayed in Providence sitting on the plane for roughly 3 hours due to a "ground stop" at Philadelphia International
~ Cancelling my Monk's dinner reservation for a highly anticipated beer dinner and leaving my friend Mark in the lurch
~ No on-board food service (nothing, nada, no nuts for you)
~ Circling Philadelphia waiting for clearance to land
~ Being informed that the plane, after landing, was 36th in line just to simply reach the gates
~ After an hour of sitting and taxiing on the tarmac, waiting another 15 minutes or so for the jet bridge operator to meet the plane
~ Learning that the pilot had "gone to the wrong gate" (thus eliciting about 32 WTF's throughout the main cabin)
~ SEPTA's scheduled airport service mysteriously missing = cab ride...more expensive, but faster and more comfortable

NO! These are not a 'few of my fav-or-ite things.' But, they did unfortunately contribute to the way my day went after about 2pm eastern time. Once I completed a pleasant cab ride from PHL and walked through Monk's doorway at 264 South 16th Street, things brightened up (that is, all except for the skies!).

Now, these are certainly more along the lines of my favorite things!

~ being greeted warmly by Tom Peters and company at Monk's upon my arrival
~ graciously being seated for the last 2 courses of the meal (happened to be Anders Kissmeyer's seat, but who am I to argue when I'm told to sit!)
~ an incredible cheese plate, chocolate dessert for dinner...who can argue?!
~ sampling some of the beer from Anders' Nørrebro brewpub in Denmark (an IPA, a porter, and a coffee stout)
~ tasting the recent batch of Pangaea, a spicy mouthful of malty, ginger beer
~ being wowed by the softness (and sneaky potency) of the World Wide Stout from Dogfish Head (and a 2003 version, at that!)
~ hearing Sam work the crowd, bringing his message of love from LoDel
~ spending 60 minutes in the presence of great food, beer, and people...somehow it made the day alright in the end

Unfortunately, Anders never showed since he encountered the same issues I did with travelling into Philadelphia, though probably worse. He was rerouted to D.C. So, since the "collaboration beer" that he and Sam Calagione brewed was his travelling companion, it never showed either. I'll be hopeful to try some if and when it ever makes it way to Monk's. Though, considering TSA and baggage handlers and the whole issue of rerouting, there's a chance it may never be heard from again!

As usual, here follows a transcript of the event's food and beer pairing. I hear the food and pairings were great, particularly the pairing of Pangaea and Scallops.

1st Course
Dogfish Head Festina Peche
- Amuse Buche; Beet Salad

2nd Course
Dogfish Head India Brown Ale
- Quail with Lentils

3rd Course
Dogfish Head Pangaea
- Pan Seared Diver Scallops with a Chowder Sauce

4th Course
Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA & Nørrebro North Bridge Extreme
- Lamb Shank Confit with Shiitake Mashed Potatoes and Bitter Greens

5th Course
Dogfish Head Raison d'Etre & Nørrebro Skargaards Porter
- Stilton, 3-year Cheddar, and Taleggio Cheeses with Fruit Compote

6th Course
Dogfish Head World Wide Stout (2003) & Nørrebro La Granja Espresso Stout
- Chocolate Cheese Cake

Click Here For All Beer Event Reviews

Upcoming Dogfish/Nørrebro Bryghus dinner at Monk's Cafe

U.S. beer from Dogfish Head. Danish beer from Nørrebro Bryghus. Extra $15 to benefit National Parkinsons Foundation (in memory of Michael Jackson). Something new to try in a familiar place....Monk's....with an old friend, Mark (frequent reader and contributor here at TBL). I'm there; come join us!

Union Barrel Works Beer Dinner - 10/2/07

Click Here For All Beer Event Reviews

It was a great sight to behold earlier this week in Reamstown, PA. Union Barrel Works hosted their first "official" beer dinner and a group of over 40 beer lovers were there to experience it. The back portion of the main dining room was filled with the noisy chatter of a happy crowd. In less than six months, or thereabouts but who's counting, UBW has gone from an eagerly anticipated Lancaster County brewpub to a well-run establishment that's ready to host events. Not too shabby, I'd say.

Cohort Dennis and I made our way out to UBW for the 6:30pm dinner, making a stop at Stoudt's along the way for a pre-dinner beverage. John Matson and the folks at Stoudt's are readying the Scotch Ale for release any day now and making preparations to get the Winter Ale, a porter, started. A portion of it will be ready in the cooler weather while some will be stashed away in whiskey barrels (a la Old Abominable & Fat Dog, circa 2006) to be pulled out at a later date.

Wait, let's get back to topic here. I'll need to do a separate Stoudt's run, which is obviously long overdue.


We were greeted warmly by UBW owners Tom and Amy Rupp, who appeared relaxed and ready to host their first beer dinner. Son David Rupp (Executive Chef) was also milling around as he was overseeing the kitchen operations for the dinner. The tables filled quickly and things were underway just shortly after 6:30pm. I've posted the menu before and it stayed the same as advertised. Go further down the page here to see it again.


The first course got things started with fireworks. The mini Kobe burger was everything it's supposed to be. Not that I'm any kind of a Kobe expert, but wow! It was a very nice burger with plum ketchup and mustard on the side. It brought out a honey note in the maibock that it was paired with. The only thing wrong with it was its size. Oh, I guess that's why they called it 'mini.' The nice thing is that the full size Kobe burger is on the regular everyday menu which means I can get the big boy version next time I have dinner there.

Courses 2 & 3 and 4 & 5 were interrupted by a sorbet and a lemon jelly, respectively. The sorbet had a refreshingly sweet tangelo flavor and the tart lemon jelly was drowning happily in a hefeweizen foam.


Bookending these intermezzo courses were a cheddar ale soup, a cod plate, and a pork tenderloin dish. Each was well done in their own right, though I think we all agreed that the perfectly tender and flavorful pork, paired with ultra smooth and creamy mashed potatoes, stood atop all of the others. The cod, to me, didn't quite measure up as the broth that it sat in helped make it "wet", but didn't help so much with the flavor. I'm glad to see that the cheddar ale soup also regularly appears on the dinner menu, as this is something worth having again....and again.

Many of my beer dinner reviews (most coming from Philadelphia's Monk's Cafe) conclude with glowing comments about the final course. It's usually a decadently sweet, often with chocolate, dish. They obviously got the word in Reamstown too! Paired with the Round Boy Stout and some of the best ice cream (from Udder Choice in Ephrata) that I've had in quite a while, this course nearly stole the show. And, that would be a bad thing, because why???


But, in the end it was the first course with the maibock that I considered to be best pairing of the evening. The burger and beer just worked naturally together as perfect complements. Following closely behind in a dead heat was the pork pairing with the doppelbock and the dessert course...but, of course!

Tom, Amy, David, and staff (Mark Brenner & sous chef Ian Newman in the kitchen) seemed so well prepared for this dinner. Astounding me more than the dinner itself was just how smoothly everything went. Sure, they've been in business now for around 6 months or so (though, Tom's been "in the biz" much longer than just at UBW). But, the table service and timing was just so.....right. I can't be any more descriptive than that. Watching the servers, their demeanors and interactions with the rest of us, it just appeared effortless (at least in the "front of the house"). Maybe the story was different in the back?

In fact, the Rupps have said that they were quite pleased with the night and are already planning for next month's beer dinner installment. That's great news for all of us. For those who wanted to wait and hear how the first one went, you're in for a treat next month. On 11/13, they are planning a "Wild Game Dinner." There will be a menu released in the coming weeks, but I'll leave you with one course, elk, as a teaser. The other meats that are being discussed I'll leave for when UBW publishes the menu. I think you'll be pleased. Will you be there?



Appetizer
Mai Bock
- Mini Kobe Burgers with stuffed plum tomato & maibock mustard

Soup
Pale Ale
- Cheddar Ale Soup

Interim
Kolsch
- Kolsch mandarin orange sorbet

Pre-Entree
Lager
- Cod Tempura with steak fries & pea puree

Entree
Wobbly Bob Doppelbock
- Pork Tenderloin with rosemary pan jus & double cream potatoes

Pre-Dessert
Hefeweizen with lemon foam

Dessert
Round Boy Stout
- Chocolate lava cake with stout syrup

Click Here For All Beer Event Reviews

Upcoming Beer Dinner at Union Barrel Works in Reamstown, PA

Union Barrel Works has done well in its first several months since opening and have their legs firmly under them. So well, that they're ready to host their first beer dinner on Tuesday October 2nd.

For the kindly sum of $35, this appears to be a well-conceived dinner for which I may have to make the drive. I have not yet taken the time to write a full review. This could be my best chance yet. Following is the menu that they've published on the flyer. Reservations for the 6:30pm dinner are required by calling 717-335-7837 and the price is $35/pp before tax and gratuity.

Appetizer
Mai Bock
- Mini Kobe Burgers with stuffed plum tomato & maibock mustard

Soup
Pale Ale
- Cheddar Ale Soup

Pre-Entree
Lager
- Cod Tempura with steak fries & pea puree

Interim
Kolsch
- Kolsch mandarin orange sorbet

Entree
Wobbly Bob Doppelbock
- Pork Tenderloin with rosemary pan jus & double cream potatoes

Pre-Dessert
Hefeweizen with lemon foam

Dessert
Round Boy Stout
- Chocolate lava cake with stout syrup


Thanks to western suburb TBL correspondent, Dennis, for picking up a flyer for this fine looking beer dinner event in October.

Monk's Beer Dinner 9/11/07 : Allagash

Click Here For All Beer Event Reviews

(Rob gets things rolling with the first course)

You've gotta get up pretty early to get ahead of Lew. Today was no exception. Before the early hour of 0700 hours, Lew had already put up a review of Tuesday night's Allagash dinner at Monk's Cafe in Philadelphia. And this from a guy who showed up nearly half way into the evening's festivities. This guy's amazing, I've got a lot of learning to do!

As Lew commented, my wife Patty and I attended this dinner on our 9th wedding anniversary. Oh, and by the way, the tzatziki was a nice touch with the first course, seeing as how our honeymoon was in Greece!

What have done right, I ask? First, a trip to the Eagles season opener in Green Bay the weekend before our anniversary, then a beer dinner on the night of our anniversary. Many thanks to Tom, Mark, Lew, Matt, and the many others that wished us well and bestowed upon us the tasty gifts of Malheur Brut and Gouden Carolus D'Or 2004. Hm, I'll need to let these guys know the date of my upcoming birthday.

(a rather dim flashless photo of the Malheur wedding anniversary toast)

So, with the quite-to-point and amazingly accurate review given his arrival time (hey, the guy's good, like I said), I will cede my usual rapacious longing for loquaciousness and state simply some tidbits from Rob Tod. (If I'm not going to write much, I might as well roll out my fifty cent words, right?!)

Rob believes the brewery's strong growth will continue as they prepare to cross the 10,000 barrel production level

Hugh Malone first Allagash brew to use Simcoe (3 additions, in fact)

Hugh Malone brand name not inspired by a real person, but rather by humulone (as in the hop alpha acid compound)...tricky, eh?

All brews are keg-conditioned, like bottle conditioning

Interlude was "a mistake"; 8 months in french oak; then in stainless steel; hints of Brett

Two labs hold the Interlude saison yeast strain

Interlude brand name inspired by the "break" that the yeast takes between fermentations

Triple aged in Jim Beam barrels to make Curieux ("curious"); Rob once experienced a bung explosion...close up!

Jim Beam barrels are also used (once only) before being used subsequently for the Musette

Rob finds notes of Grappa in the Four

Four is fermented four times with four different yeast strains; a great beer that I believed paired even better with the dessert

(Triple, Interlude, Curiuex)

And, of course, as usual here follows a transcript of the event's food and beer pairing:

1st Course
Allagash White (when the White is the session beer, you know you're in for a big night!)
- Amuse Buche; hummus/lamb with tzatziki/grilled chicken

2nd Course
Allagash Hugh Malone
- Vegetable Terrine

3rd Course
Allagash Triple
- Fried Clams with Smoked Tomato Ketchup

4th Course
Allagash Interlude
- Onion Tart

5th Course
Allagash Curieux
- Curieux Glazed Salmon Mole

6th Course
Allagash Musette & Allagash Four
- BBQ Beef Brisket with Collard Greens & Mashed Yams

7th Course
Allagash Double
- Chocolate Fig Cake

(would a Brew Lounge review of a Monk's dinner be complete without a dessert photo?!)

Click Here For All Beer Event Reviews

Monk's Beer Dinner 6/12/07 : Stoudt's Brewery

Click Here For All Beer Event Reviews

What better way to celebrate Monk's 10th anniversary than with a dinner celebrating Stoudt's, one of the region's stalwart and pioneering breweries (and some of the nicest people) which is celebrating its own landmark 20th anniversary.

Rush hour heading into Philly is normally no treat. That's part of the reason that we normally take a train. But, this time, friend and loyal TBL reader, Dennis, joined Adam and I for the dinner. He lives only a couple of miles from Stoudt's and often finds himself filling growlers, buying bottles for himself (and his TBL buddies), and picking up Eddie's bread for his dinners at home. That added to his desire to check out Monk's, for whom we rave about their dinners. Plus, he and I were spending the night in Philly and going to the Phillies afternoon game the following day. So, we drove....

In the end, it didn't register much of a net effect. But, by the time we checked-in at the hotel, we walked through the doors at Monk's at 6:55pm. You gotta understand, I only live 30 miles away and it took a record 1 3/4 hours to get there. Thing is, everyone was affected by the ferocious thunderstorms that swept through the area. All major, and secondary, roads were clogged. The Stoudt's crew (that would be Carol & Ed, daughters, a brewer (Joe), and a sales guy (Sean)) got stuck on the turnpike and didn't show up until close to 7:30pm. By the time Adam got to the train and meandered his way into the city, he only got there a few minutes earlier. No matter, it was game time and everyone was finally on the field.

With introductions out of the way, Carol took the microphone and smoothly transitioned from hectic travel to relaxing beer dinner co-host. From the picture here, you might think she was getting the night started with the National Anthem. But, seriously, throughout the evening, she did just what I appreciate most about Monk's dinners. That is, the interjection of stories and anecdotes from the brewer along with each course of the meal.

Not that there's hardly ever a dud in the food menu and pairings during a beer dinner at Monk's, but I sometimes find the first and the last courses the most intriguing. Their first course typically wakes up the senses with a flavorful, but not overpowering, pairing of food and beer. This time was no different. The wasabi cream underneath the tuna and the sauerkraut helped to bring out some of the spice in the Pilsner. The Stoudt's Pils has always been a real fine example of a smooth German Pilsner with its subtle fruit and spice components. Just another example of why food and beer pairing makes so much sense.

And, the last course, well the last course is dessert and you know what that means! To my recollection, I have never complained about the dessert. Usually decadent and usually perfectly paired, it's almost always the grand finale in the fireworks display that is a Monk's beer dinner. Though, this dinner's final course was just a slight derivation on their last beer dinner's dessert, it was far from worth quibbling about. Plus, with the smooth cask-conditioned Fat Dog Stout (one of my long time faves from Stoudt's), well I need not say more.

In between, we enjoyed the maibock which redeemed itself from a slightly off bottle version of it that I had a few months back. Served along with the chicken terrine stuffed with (was it?) cherries, it showed off its solid body along with solid malt flavors, but still a very drinkable beer.

The Weizen was served with a melon soup that finished with a nice pepper kick that complemented the spice from the Weizen quite nicely.

The tripel is also one of my long time favorites from Stoudt's and was served with monkfish. At first, I thought it could be an odd pairing, but it was pulled off just fine, probably helped by the fennel and vidalia onion.

The new kid on Stoudt's block (no, not Union Barrel Works) is the Smooth Hoperator. I have no clue how long it will take to get the Sade song out of my mind. But, while it rattles around up there, I can continue to dwell on what style this beer actually is. Ed and I had a little back-and-forth on this topic after dinner. I'm not certain we came to an exact agreement, but I do agree with him that it is "Americanized." But, let's forget all that for now. It's a downright hop-forward beer and went well with the veal dish. But, geez, the veal was just so tender and flavorful (and I'm a big mushroom guy, so this course you might guess was near the top of the night for me) that I couldn't decide which I wanted more of, the Hoperator or the food on the plate. Ah, to wrestle with such decisions.

After dinner, I was happy that Adam had the chance to sample the Boon (cask 52) lambic, whose second keg was still on line. That and Cantillon Lou Pepe were new styles to Dennis. We had fun watching as his perspective on what exactly beer is turned upside down. He'd come over to the craft beer world years ago, but now has a new frontier after tasting these lambics.

How did Dennis fare over the night? Well, if words from him like "incredible", "great time", "overwhelming", "well worth it", "now I know why you guys rave so much", etc. are any indication...He lives a good hike from Center City Philly, so he won't be a regular wingman for these dinners, but I'll bet he'll be back again sometime not too long from now! Then, we took him to Nodding Head and Tria....stories for another day.

Sorry, if anyone was looking for a negative note on the night, you'll have to look elsewhere. Good luck!


1st Course
Stoudt's Pilsner
- Amuse Buche (grilled asparagus/sauerkraut/asian tuna)

2nd Course
Stoudt's Weizen
- Chilled Melon Soup

3rd Course
Stoudt's Blonde Double Maibock
- Chicken Terrine

4th Course
Stoudt's aged Belgian-style Tripel
- Monkfish, braised with tomatoes, fennel, & vidalia onions

5th Course
Stoudt's Smooth Hoperator
- Veal Cheek Carbonnade with fresh morel mushrooms & fiddlehead ferns

6th Course
Stoudt's Fat Dog Stout (cask)
- Chocolate Coffee Mousse

Click Here For All Beer Event Reviews

Save The Environment, Enjoy A Low-Stress Holiday Weekend, and Drink Great Beer With Lew Bryson

If you live in the Philadelphia area, why travel for Memorial Day weekend when you can stay close to home, drink good beer, and be in the company of some swell people?! Gas is too expensive (and not environment-friendly) and you wind up needing a vacation from your vacation most times anyway, right?

So, here's the plan. Head over to Ortino's Northside. You've always been looking for an excuse to make your first trip to Ortino's, right? Take your pick. Thursday, Friday, and/or Saturday. There's a different event each day.

Between the predicted nice weather, the opening of their new outdoor beer garden, Dan Bengel, Lew Bryson, and the management and staff of Ortino's, I'll betchya have a great time, spend less money, and be more relaxed then if you went away for the weekend!

Here's the tap list, according to Dan. Check their website (or Lew's) for updates.

Session Summer Of Love Fest-Beer List As Of 5/16/07
Allagash White
Appalachian Peregrine Pilsner
Barley Creek Antler Brown
Brooklyn Lager
Dogfish Head Shelter Pale Ale
East End Brewing Fat Gary Ale
East End Brewing Wheat Hop
Flying Fish Farmhouse Summer Ale
General Lafayette Pacific Pale Ale
Iron Hill Belgium Pale Ale
Lancaster Summer Rye
Legacy Reading Pilsner
Manayunk Brewing Belgian Farmhouse Ale
Nodding Head Berliner Weisse
Penn Pilsner
Rock Bottom
Sly Fox British Pale Ale
Southampton Secret Ale
Stoudt's Weizen
Troegs
Union Barrel Works Kolsch
Victory Whirlwind Wit
Weyerbacher
Yards