The Craft industry is filled with one-of-a-kind experiences; but very now and then you get to be a part of something really special. One of those Very Special Events is the yearly gathering of Brewers and tasty bites called SAVOR. The video below features some very talented folk matching incredible beer with outrageously great food (and now I'm out of adjectives, srsly...)
Our top ten favorite pairings from this year's tasting are HERE.
Now click play... and have a drool napkin handy!
PHOTO © 2014 Eddie Arrossi
First of all, it's criminal that we had to narrow this down to 10. Because out of the 140+ food and Craft Beer pairing available on the blessed day of Friday, May 9th at the National Building Museum in DC, there wasn't a single clinker in the lot. (Not that I had them all, I would have exploded. But the entire Happy Hour team was in on this one!)
SAVOR, The Craft Beer and Food Pairing experience put on by the Brewers Association is, for us, one of the most anticipated Beer Events of the year. The food, the beer, the setting, the people... it was a night or the ages. Enjoy the pairings that were so good they almost took the top of our heads off:
Sour Heaven.
1. Cigar City Brewing Guava Grove Sour Saison, paired with Strawberry Rhubarb Pie
2. Devil's Backbone Brewing Danzig Porter, paired with Espresso-Crusted Bison on Black Bread
3. Bell's Brewery Bear Hug Imperial Stout, paired with Foie Gras with Lingonberry
4. Odell Brewing Tree Shaker Imperial Peach IPA, paired with and Pickled Shishito Pepper, Lemongrass, Thai Mussels on the Half Shell with Coconut
5. Founders Brewing Company Backwoods Bastard Barrel Aged Scotch Ale, paired with Duck Sausage
6. Country Boy Brewing Papaw’s Red, paired with Rice Pudding
What was better, the name or the pairing?
7. Sierra Nevada Brewing Company Snow Wit and the 7 Dwarf Hops IPA, paired with Fresh Chevre on a Honey Tuile with Orange, Fennel and Pork Crackings
8. Reuben's Brews Imperial Rye IPA, paired with Smoked Brisket on Yucca Chips
9. New Belgium Brewing Company Le Terroir Wild/Sour Ale, paired with Coconut Cheesecake with Coconut Meringue
10. Hardywood Park Craft Brewery Gingerbread Imperial Stout, paired with Dark Chocolate Budino
Thank you, SAVOR. Thank you. Everyone, you may register your curses in the comments below. ;)
Yes. Yes. YES.
Oh, and one of Jimmy's favorite seminars happened to be about Craft Beer and Doughnuts.
Don't hate.
We'll just give you two brewery pairings, so this baby:
And this:
To say that we're in for a treat... is an understatement of epic proportions. This is gonna be AWESOME! Watch the feeds tonight. We're headed to DC!
It's simply great to be a Happy Hour Guy. Everywhere we go we get to watch, and partake in, the remarkable dance that Craft Beverages and the communities they inhabit create together. A terrific example is Cigar City Brewing in Tampa, Florida:
However, State liquor laws across the country influence whether this dance will be smooth, or just plain jerky. Press play to learn about the good fight - and great Craft - coming out of Cigar City. Cheers!
This weekend I'm having family over for an early season cookout. I have the grillables ready, plenty of veggies for those who don't like meat, and plenty of meat for those who don't like veggies, and a ton of cheese for both.
But now the tough question: should I buy the "standard family macro beer"? I'm a Happy Hour Guy, and with that comes great responsibility -- sharing my love for craft beverages. But, my family drinks macro-brews when they get together. In fact, a macro-brew that I've never liked and won't drink when I visit them (I'd rather just have tap water, thanks). But, I'm the host, and I want to please my guests.
How can I please my guests when they only want horrible beer?
I think this is from the SI swimsuit edition, 1988.
So this evening, as I wander the ever-expanding beer aisle of my local supermarket, I will be faced with a decision -- do I force my love for craft beer on folks who aren't ready for it? Or do I break down and buy a 6-pack of the family-standard brewskis and just shut my pie hole?
What will you do?
SAVOR is one of the most highly anticipated Craft Beer events of the year - an evening of stunningly great beer and artisanal food pairings, terrific Salons hosted by brewers and taste innovators of all kinds, and this year back in an incredible setting - the National Building Museum in DC. From their website:
A must-attend for craft beer aficionados and foodies alike for six years running, SAVOR offers a memorable craft beer and food experience to a limited number of attendees. Event tickets have consistently sold out extremely quickly in Washington, D.C.
Guests enjoy a reception-style sampling of sweet and savory appetizers and craft beers from over 70 small and independent craft breweries. They will also have the unique opportunity to converse with the luminaries of the craft beer industry—brewery owners, brewers and representatives will be on hand personally serving their beer."
Look for some nifty reporting, video and pics coming from the National Building Museum next Friday, May 9th!
The BEERmuda Triangle is almost there, with Mark, Jimmy and AJ making a 9th - (count it, NINTH!) stop in lovely Indianapolis. Meet the good people of Sun King Brewing:
