Archive for May, 2007

Firstly, thank you everyone who turned-out for the Belgium Meets Italy dinner at La Caterina Trattoria last night. What a great time! We had a nice mix of folks who love the restaurant and got their first exposure to Belgian beer; and, we had people that came for the beer and got their first exposure to this little jewel of a restaurant. Thank you to Victor, Robin, Chef’s Shane and Joe, Dan and of course, Johnny and Claudine Finceone of Global Beer Network. Johnny is so passionate about beer! The commentary was part beer “bio,” part history lesson. We are so fortunate to have had Johnny visit on his first journey through the Southeast.

…

 

 

 

 

Hey, check this out! Following the overwhelming success of Charlotte Beer Week in April, Creative Loafing has started an informal “beer club” in the Charlotte-metro area. If you travel there for work or fun, sign up here: http://www.charlottebeerweek.com Here’s what the e-mail reads:

The Creative Loafing Beer Club is an event and email based club. As we continue to announce our first events, members will be able to decide the frequency of the events and the deals. We will also try hard to develop events that you request and feature beers that you would like to taste. Of course you can forward this to friends, opt out, join us at events, ignore us or laugh. This is your club, and will always be your club, so get engaged with your local beer culture!

We think this is a great idea! Asheville is a little bit like its own big beer club, but what a great way to make friends among fellow beer drinkers. This is the same thing we’ve been doing with our Thursday tastings and it works! It’s a great way to try new things. And speaking of tastings, next Thursday’s is going to be some extra special stuff. One of our favorite breweries is going to be poured and we can’t wait to share them with you. Details to follow on Monday (or Tuesday, with the holiday).

// We will be closing at 6:00pm today in advance of our Belgium Meets Italy dinner this evening at La Caterina Trattoria. \\

Thanks to everyone who RSVP’d. We might have set a beer dinner record with this attendance. Hooray for beerlanthropy! See you there!

 

 

 

Freedom Beverage tells us that progress is moving right along to bring Southampton to North Carolina. Whoo! They’ll be introducing themselves with three award-winning “session” beers: Southampton IPA, Southampton Secret (Altbier), and Southampton Double Wit. (Would you call a 7% Double Wit a “session” beer?)

It’s still going be a few months for labels, but beer analysis is nearly complete and we’re on our way. Here’s to the quick arrival of their artisan beers!

And … here’s some fun stuff … Garrett Oliver, brewmaster of Brooklyn Brewery, is on another leg of his brew-around-the-world journey, this time at Weihenstephaner in Germany. (His trip isn’t really called that, by the way—it just follows his collaboration with Achouffe last year.) The beer is going to be called Brooklyner-Weiss (like Berliner-Weiss). This one comes to us via Germany, just not sure when.

Image: Southampton Brewery

 

 

 

 

Allagash, of Portland, Maine, has introduced a new beer in their Tribute Series, called Hugh Malone Ale.

(Not much to be read about who exactly Hugh Malone was—although we turned up some info about a former Alaskan House Representative who helped father the Alaska Permanent Fund, which was started to more or less let Alaskans share in the profits of its natural resources.)

The brew is a Belgian IPA with an 8.5%ABV. Best of all—similar to North Coast’s Brother Thelonius supporting the Monk Institute—one dollar of every bottle will benefit the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardners Association, “the country’s oldest and largest state organic farmer coalition.”

What’s better than beer that does good?

Hugh Malone will be here on Thursday. Hugh Malone Ale, that is.

Images: Allagash

 

 

 

 

 

Famous New England chef, Jasper White—who more or less popularized New England style cooking—was cooking up fish-n-chips outside Rockefeller Center on The Today Show today. Since many of us head to the beach for Memorial Day Weekend, we found this Beer-Battered Fish recipe to be appropriate. (From “The Summer Shack Cookbook: The Complete Guide to Shore Food” by Jasper White—Serves 4)

For a real treat with family or friends, go to Jasper White’s Epicurious.com page for how to make your very own Maine Lobster Bake:

Of all the great American cookouts, surely the lobster bake, known outside of Maine as the clambake, is the most dramatic. The technique, learned from the original Americans, uses a steaming pit either dug in the sand or made from natural rock formations to cook a wide variety of ingredients without relying on forged pots and pans. The presentation, the most spectacular I have ever seen, is a ten-foot-tall burst of steam released upon removal of the tarp. As the steam subsides, bright red lobsters facing back to back on dark green rockweed come into view. Sweet corn surrounds the lobsters. Underneath the seaweed lie buried treasures: soft-shell clams, rock crabs, a whole fish, mussels, periwinkles, potatoes, boiling onions, sausage and hen or duck eggs. The sights and smells are intoxicating. The lobster bake, much more than a dish or even a feast, embodies a day filled with the wonders of water, fire, food, family and friends.

The most important rule to remember to ensure the festive spirit of a lobster bake is that all who partake must share in the preparation. A lobster bake is an all-day affair, so bring along a midday snack and plenty of beverages.

Image: NBC/Today Show Kitchen