Friday, May 8, 2015

Nor'Yeaster Beer Dinner

Two Roads Brewing Company hosted it's third beer dinner entitled Nor'Yeaster. The menu was made up of five courses paired with a mix of seasonal,pre-release, and limited edition Two Roads brew.

The food was prepared by Chef Plum (Kristopher Plummer) using each beer as inspiration for his flavorful dishes.

As beers were brought to the tables, brewmastter Phil Markowski discussed the brew and answered questions. Then Chef Plum would describe each course and why he paired the beer with it. The pairings were truly inspired.

The folks I was sitting with were the best. We had a fabulous time drinking and eating and sharing the experience. As always, there were photo-ops with old friends and new friends. Chef should consider making ham next time. ;-)


The first course was my favorite summer beer served with local oysters on the half shell. Hubby doesn't eat fish so I got two . . . two oysters, not two beers. Dammit, he loves Road Jam, too! He wouldn't even eat the delecious parmesan cracker because it was "contaminated". Whatever. More for me.

The Road Jam's light fruitiness nicely complimented the fresh, cool oyster(s).

Nicely done.

The second course was the much anticipated (by me) Ghost of All Evil paired with a seared chicken thigh. Ghost of All Evil is Route of All Evil aged in Rye barrels with ghost and chipotle peppers. Oh, my!

The beer did not disappoint. It started with a bit of acrid smokiness followed by a nice peppery taste and a mild capsaicin warming. Then the hops came forward and fnished with more peppery warmth. Nice.

It went very well with the seared chicken thigh.

Nom!


The third course was Road 2 Rouen paired with a roasted carrot avocado salad.  Road 2 Rouen is variation of Two Roads' best selling beer made with Trappist ale yeast and brett added.

The yeasts created a flavor surprisingly unlike Road to Ruin. The effect was much like a sour, tart and mouth watering. Amazing.

The beer and the salad went together agreeably well with a nice combination of contrasting flavors.

Mmmm.





The fourth course was Aquavit Barrel-Aged Unorthodox Stout served with grilled flanken.

Aquavit - water of life - is a Scandinavian liquor that is flavored with spices and herbs - primarily caraway or dill. It  added an interesting flavor to the stout that was subtle and very nice.

A hearty meat seems to always go well with a hearty beer. As was the case with this pairing.

Delish!



The fifth and final course Barrel Aged Henry's Farm served with a phallic looking - but delicious - dessert.

The Henry's Farm was smooth and wonderful.

It went very well with the sweetness of the pastries. A perfect finish.

A good time was had by all!


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