10/7 - Fun with Fermentation After Party 4-8pm 10/10 - Asher David Eugene Release – Featuring Live music from Catlin & McLaughlin 10/18 - Freehand Brewing Release w/ Free Samples & Cheese Pairing 5-8pm 10/19 - Pumpkinpalooza 2018 10/23 - Tapping into Community with Womenspace & Pelican 10/24 - Founders Better Half Game Show Samuel Smith’s Killer Cribbage Tournament: 10/9 Prelim Night #1 10/16 Prelim Night #2 10/23 Champion Bracket
It's that time of year again, folks. Farmers and backyard gardeners are finding the squash that's been hiding under the leaves for months, hanging those still-green tomatoes under shade to ripen, and oiling up the Fiskars in preparation for our second (or is it third? I can't remember) year of legal trimming season. After the sweat and scratches of the harvest, it's time for a beer well-earned. And since you've got fresh produce, make the most of it!
Squash is one of my favorite things to pair with beer (next to carrots, just ask Clayton...). A simple preparation of Delicata, halved, seeded, cavity dusted with salt and any arrangement of spices and herbs, and roasted in a hot oven until soft and brown on the edges is really just dessert in disguise. My dinner last night (I realize you don't give a hoot what I had for dinner; I won't do this again) was one of these squash with a chopped pickled Bulgarian Carrot Pepper. Simple, yet piquant and complex, and the perfect accompaniment for a Biere de Garde like Cuvee de Jonquilles, or a pale ale like Ninkasi's Pacific Rain. Either way, something with decent malt character to bridge the sweetness of the squash; the rest is your call.
Since it's now Seasonal Beer Season, with Oktoberfest, pumpkin spice, and winter beers galore about to fill our cooler to bursting, it's time for hearty fare to pair with these hearty beers. It may sound sacrilegious, but I advise you to turn a nice fresh cabbage into mush, and eat it with a mug of Oktoberfest (I didn't have this for dinner... really.). It's not that bad: roughly chop the cabbage and half a tart apple, and cook it in a Dutch oven over low heat with butter and a splash of your beer, mustard seeds, salt, and lots of black pepper for an hour or so until the rib sections are soft but not falling apart. As a side dish (I kid) grill up some bratwurst, and check out this catch-all galette recipe for dessert. Now, as hard as it is to grasp in this modern age, many social dinner gatherings still rely on wine as the go-to classy beverage. We're not against wine (ask Maggie!), but also understand the potential awkwardness of showing up to a party with a delicious mix-six and being the only person to drink the whole thing. If you're privy to the host's vinous preferences, you can find plenty of 'crossover' beers these days. Some of them even use wine grapes as part of the fermentation. Our locals Alesong and Oakshire have both made excellent wild/sour beers with flavor assist from local grapevines (and I don't mean Concord!). Oakshire's current Fruit Farm is an open fermented beer with pinot noir grapes, and Alesong just garnished Great American Beer Festival medals for Terroir Pinot Noir and Gris.
Of course, the original crossover beer is Flanders Red, the "Burgundy of beer" according to the OG beer geek Michael Jackson. The classics Rodenbach and Duchesse de Bourgogne are great, but there are drier, more nuanced examples in Slaapmutske FLOSS, Cuvee des Jacobins Rouge, and Yachats Brewing Kriek, which is complemented by cherries. These will be great with the Thanksgiving accoutrements, as well as rich fruit desserts (anything plum!).
I hope this has given you some (pun alert) food for thought. For some premeditated hands-on experience, check out our regular beer pairing dinners!
Staff Picks!
Jacob - ColdFire Seeds of Infinity
"Bright mango, underripe pineapple, and a touch of alfalfa on this vibrant nose! Kiwi and red apple skin dance across the tongue with mild herbal hops. Crisp effervescence plays with a long, tannic finish that keeps going!"
Eli - Breakside Tall Guy IPA
"I enjoyed the slight bitter bite it has while also having a nice fruity citrus quality. It's a delightful sunset beer, or one to have with a meal."
Trevor - Reverend Nat's Holy Watermelon
"Ginger and lime forward with a very smooth and balanced lingering natural watermelon to finish. Refreshing and satisfying like a watermelon Jolly Rancher."
Anne Marie - Rogue Honey Kolsch
"This is a great, light drinkable beer that has some character. The honey flavor is present but subtle. It makes for a super refreshing beer!"
Seasonal Menu
October~November~December
Parmesan Encrusted Brussels Sprouts (V)
Baked with bread crumbs, garlic, and cayenne. Served with two-mustard sauce
$6.95 Recommended pairing - La Choulette Sans Culottes Bière de Garde (cooler door 16)
Pork Wontons
Pork, cabbage, carrots, and green onions in a fried wonton
with 2 Towns Ginja Ninja chile sauce
$8.95
Rauchbier and Autumn Vegetable Salad
Roasted seasonal vegetables tossed in Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Marzen
vinaigrette and served on a bed of mixed greens with toasted chèvre,
almonds, and choice of chicken or tempeh
$11.95
Currywurst
Bratwurst served with toast, fries, and curry infused tomato sauce
$11.50 Recommended pairing - Pfriem Pilsner (cooler door 3)
Stuffed Butternut Squash
Baked with choice of sausage or mushroom filling, topped with parmesan
$12.95
Meatball Sandwich
Housemade meatballs and garlicky marinara on a sourdough
baguette with provolone and choice of side
$12.50 Recommended pairing - Ninkasi Dawn of the Red (cooler door 5)
Huckleberry Cheesecake (V)
With Sierra Nevada Oktoberfest huckleberry compote and a walnut crust
$4.95
Purchase a whole cheesecake for $29.95
*Please give 2-3 days notice
Now, as hard as it is to grasp in this modern age, many social dinner gatherings still rely on wine as the go-to classy beverage. We're not against wine (ask Maggie!), but also understand the potential awkwardness of showing up to a party with a delicious mix-six and being the only person to drink the whole thing. If you're privy to the host's vinous preferences, you can find plenty of 'crossover' beers these days. Some of them even use wine grapes as part of the fermentation. Our locals Alesong and Oakshire have both made excellent wild/sour beers with flavor assist from local grapevines (and I don't mean Concord!). Oakshire's current 
