Cheers Beers’ First Beer Dinner

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What better time to experience our first ever beer dinner than during Frederick Beer Week at our favorite hometown brewpub – Barley and Hops.  The Barley and Hops Spring Beer Tasting and Dinner not only featured their stellar house brews, but the event and the menu were all organized by head brewer and culinary creator Larry Pomerantz.  Each item on the menu, shown below, was designed to pair with one of Larry’s exceptional beers.

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If you find yourself in Frederick, Maryland, stop by Barley and Hops for a quality pint or two and a great menu!  http://www.barleyandhops.net.

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This was Barley and Hops’ premiere beer dinner  – hopefully the first of many to come (we’ve heard rumors that various themed beer dinners may be held quarterly!).  They seated 20 or more of us at a long family style table.  When beer and food are involved, it doesn’t take long for new friendships to form. We were all chatting and laughing and oohing and ahhing over the meal items as Larry explained his thought process behind the pairings and sought our reactions to tastes and flavor combinations.

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Dinner is Served

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We were so absorbed in the dinner that we missed most of our photo moments. Take my word for it…the cheese course was delicious!

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Celery Heart Salad with Bacon Wrapped Jumbo Shrimp served with Larry’s fabulous Sugerloaf Saison and a Saison Vinaigrette.

Stout ice cream…a great way to top off any meal!

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1st Course

A cheese course consisting of local goat cheeses that included a soft tangy baby swiss paired with his flavorful sweet and malty Highway to Helles;  a tangy cheddar that brought out delicious notes in the Tuscarora Red Ale; a spicy tangy jalapeño cheddar paired with the Hoptopsy ESB; and a magnificent soft zesty gouda paired with the Annapolis Rocks Pale.

2nd Course

A unique celery heart salad served with bacon wrapped shrimp, topped with a zesty saison mustard dressing, and paired with the Sugarloaf Saison.  The Saison is amazing by itself, but this course brought out the tangy citrus flavors in the beer.

3rd Course

A fork tender Cocoa and Ancho Chili Crusted Pork Tenderloin paired with his 80 Schilling Scotch Ale.  Wow, lots of smoky and chocolate flavors from the beer.  I would never have thought of matching a Scotch Ale with southwest flavors, but boy did it work.

4th Course

Stout Ice Cream with chocolate sauce – I keep telling you all that beer ice cream rocks!  By the end of this course, 20 people practically had their faces planted in their bowls trying to salvage every last bit.

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A Few Pairing Tips 

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• When pairing foods, match stronger flavored foods with stronger flavored beers….and visa versa.  Lighter foods with lighter flavored beers.
• Hoppy beers pair well with hot and spicy foods.
• Malty beers pair well with grilled and smoky foods

But the most important tip of all is slow down, stop guzzling, and pay more attention to how your beer and your food complement one another.  You might find that your meal is even more interesting and enjoyable.

Beer dinners are happening all over, so check out your local brewpubs and beer bars and find one near you.  They’re tasty, they’re fun, and you’ll learn how to get the most from two of life’s greatest pleasures – beer and food!

Bon Appetite and Cheers Beers!

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Frederick Beer Week is Back!

For more information about Frederick Beer Week, visit www. FrederickBeer.com.

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It’s that time again!  May 12-19, Frederick, Maryland is all about beer (as it should be) as our fare city celebrates our 2nd Annual Frederick Beer Week.

If you’re not familiar with Frederick, we are home to:

• the Flying Dog Brewery,
• the Stillpoint Hop Farm,
• some fantastic local brewpubs – Barley and Hops and Brewer’s Alley, and
• a very active homebrew community that includes Frederick’s Original Ale Makers (FOAM).

Last year’s Frederick Beer Week started this annual event off with a boom, and this year’s events prove to be bigger and better with two beer festivals, beer dinners, beer happy hours, brewery tours, great music (some of it about beer), the Battle of the Bubbles 2 home brew competition, and so much more.  Check out what’s going on….

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2012 FREDERICK BEER WEEK EVENTS

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Saturday

• Tour de Brew
• Maryland Craft Beer Festival
• ECBWA “Land of Pleasant Living” Show

Sunday

• Mother’s Day Brunch at The Roasthouse Pub
• Buy Mom a Beer at Brewer’s Alley
• Mother’s Day at Barley and Hops

Monday

• Beer Judging 101 
• Beer Judging 201
• Barley and Hops spring beer dinner
• Flying Dog Pourhouse trivia at Il Forno

Tuesday

• Battle of the Bubbles Best of Show judging at Barley and Hops
• Taste of Fountain Rock at Brewer’s Alley
• Meet the Brewer With Flying Dog
• Tuesday Tappenings, the BoB IPA Release
• The Frederick Wine House Beer v. Wine Showdown

Wednesday

• Kettleside Chat
• Flying Dog Pairing Event
• Brewer’s Alley tasting & Meet the Brewer at 1311 Beer and Wine
• FOAM-Heavy Seas Firkin @ Bushwaller’s

Thursday

• Tap Takeover at Bushwaller’s
• Beer 101 class
• DuClaw on the Mount

Friday

• The Great FBW Scavenger Hunt
• Flying Dog tasting at Frederick Wine House
• Brewer’s Alley Tasting & Meet the Brewer @ Ye Old Spirit Shop

Saturday

• Firkin Fest at Stillpoint Farm

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So if you’re if you’re in the Frederick area this coming week (we’re just a 30 minute drive from DC and Baltimore), come join us for some great beer and tons of fun for big kids and for the little kiddies too.   We’ll see you there!

Cheers beers!

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Frederick Beer Week’s Brew Fest Highlights

Frederick, Maryland held Frederick Beer Week Brew Fest at Stillpoint Hop Farm in Mt. Airy yesterday, featuring everything from live music, to hayrides, hoola hoops, pit beef and hot dogs, and of course local beer. In fact, the entire focus was everything local.  The brewery lineup included DOGBrewing, DuClaw, Heavy Seas, Brewer’s Alley, Flying Dog, and our own favorite, Barley and Hops.  Even our local homebrew club, Frederick’s Original Ale Makers (FOAM), held home brewing demonstrations and shared a list of 10 or more beers made by club members.  The highlight for us though was the tapping of a collaboration sour beer brewed by Frederick breweries from all local ingredients – great stuff!  Put this event on on the calendar for next year.  It wasn’t over crowded, the location was open and scenic, and the little kids had just as much fun as the big kids.