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  • Brewer's Dinner

    Anybody have any ideas or suggestions to making a brewer's dinner a success? In the past I have been apart of five course dinners paired with specific beers. There was a little chat about the beer and food being served and the history of everything, but I'm looking to really wow my regulars and newbies alike. Any suggestions would be appreciated!

  • #2
    Oh yeah! Make it fun-- People only remember like two sentences of info after dinner is done but they will have a flaming memory of an unexpected or funny or inventative pairing or dish. For Elvis's birthday we had Leather cake (Belgian chocolate ganache) and Black Patent Leather Ale and of course set meringue cookies on fire for Burning Love. The gratitude is still coming in

    Look at local and seasonal ingredients-- good menus come out of the seasons and it underscores the artisan quality of beer too

    Complimentary and complementary. Use tastes that mirror each other and then switch it up with something that sets off an ingredient in opposition.
    Like herbal notes of hops: I think Cascade loves rosemary and North Brewer loves oregano. But a heavy dish of roasted root veggie terrine would be set off by a very light, slightly fruity beer. Match smells and preparation: Smoking the meat or fish, find a beer with roasty malt profile or rauchbier; Baked maybe biscuit malt.

    Got stop- getting hungry

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    • #3
      Brewers Dinners

      I could write a book. Maybe in 2009, we'll see.

      Preparation. Spend lots of time deciding the menu, and beer pairings. Price and time it accordingly. Market the menu to regulars and other guests.

      Size. Brewer's Dinner should be small events. I like to set a maximum of 15 to 18 guests, plus the brewer and a restaurant manager to sit at the table. This allows people to have separate conversations, and you can focus them together for each speech before a course is served.

      Timing. While having guests arrive early is okay, dinner should start promptly at a stated time. It is not fair to have 10 paying guests wait for 2 late guests. Plus the kitchen could have logistical problems. Schedule a brewery tour between courses. At the beginning of the event, have everyone introduce themself, and their favorite beer, or first beer, or number of arrests, whatever fits the crowd.

      Beer. Your decision to focus on house beers, guest beers, a certain beer style, or any other theme. Use good glassware for the beers - I used a nice wine glass with 6 oz. pours so guests could swirl the beer to bring out an aroma. Water should be on the table to counter dehydration. Yes, there will be a LOT of glassware on the table by the end of the meal.

      Serving food. Should be items that are not regularly on the menu. Servings on a 3-course meal should be larger than servings for a 6-course meal.

      Frequency. Two schools of thought. Have it regularly once a month so people get into the groove of it, marketing-wise. Or have it seasonally, so it becomes a very special event that only some people may attend. "Hey, when's the next brewer's dinner?"

      Gifts. It's nice for guests to leave with a little gift. Could be glassware, a hat, or merch you couldn't sell in over a year. Or just a thank you card.


      Cheers,
      --Jake Tringali

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      • #4
        we just went to a belgian resturaunt, drank belgium beer, got pissed.

        it was great fun.

        i suggest, dont put too much thought and effort into it. just let it happen!
        GeorgeJ
        Head Brewer - TDM 1874 Brewery.
        Yokohama, Japan.

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