Archive for the ‘Beer & Food’ Category

Swig & Stitch Menu

Jan 18, 2012 Beer & Food, Education & Training, Good People

Thanks to the engaged guests, hospitable host (38 Central) and terrific collaborators for another successful Swig & Stitch last night.

I’m honored to be part of this successful and enlightening regular event with Fabric of Vision. WEB is involved to bring more beer to life.

As I promised to the guests, here’s the menu we enjoyed.

All these beers were enjoyed with a plateful of yummy goodies:

  • Aged cheddar, hard Italian salami, head cheese, sopressatta, sesame cracker, grilled roulade (eggplant & roasted red pepper), Italian olive, candied walnuts, almonds

Cheers & see you all next month!

See – beer goes with everything.

 

Tags: , , , , ,

Beer And Chocolate Tasting Menu

Jan 14, 2012 Beer & Food, Education & Training, Events, Women and Beer

happy crowd with beer and chocolate

Women at our monthly meet up fully enjoyed the offerings and more importantly learning about how beer and chocolate can go together last week.

Our fine host, Enchanted Florist, a floral boutique and chocolate cafe, is extremely knowledgeable about chocolate so it was a great learning opportunity all around. We choose beers to go with the flavors of the real cocoa and organic chocolates.

Beers and any complementary foods you suggest and share grow increasingly attractive and flavorful when you provide the story that accompanies those respective products. Knowing more about what you’re putting in your mouth is a big deal. Make that information part of the program.

Try offering beer with chocolates to women and see what can happen. (hint: successful enlightenment!) We’ll be sure to do again based on the tremendously positive feedback we got that night.

Here was the menu we featured:

  1. Widmer Barrel Aged Brrrbon ’11 paired with Michel Cluizel, Organic Dark Chocolate. Paris France, Los Ancones, 67%
  2. Lost Coast Tangerine Wheat with Valrhona, Manjari Orange, France. 64%, with the citrus sweetness of orange.
  3. Rodenbach with Café Tasse – Dark Chocolate with cranberries and soft chili. Brussels, Chocolat Bio, organic chocolate, 58%
  4.  MateVeza with Dolfin, Dark Chocolate With Earl Grey tea. Belgium. 52% A black tea with a dash of bergamot.

Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Beer (And…) Womanifesto Decree

Jan 1, 2012 Beer & Food, Celebration Worthy, Events, Good People, Women and Beer

It occured to me early this morning that I never published the Decree I wrote and then delivered in honor of the Beer for Boobs Brunch 2011 (during GABF & Denver Beer Fest time).

The remarkable, smart, gracious, thoughtful and classy Stevie Caldarola of Ladies of Craft Beer and Freshcraft hosted this beerific benefit brunch. The hosts were great with it, the crowd participated and gave us a round of applause afterward.

Enjoy the decree this New Years day ~

Beer For Boobs Womanifesto, this 30th day of September 2011

Decree

We, the Women of the United States, in Order to maintain a healthy body, establish self examination, ensure comfortable clothing, provide for the common good health, promote the general Welfare of breasts everywhere, and remain proud of our chests and ourselves and our gender, and establish a more perfect Boobion, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the Boob For Brunch America:

Article 1: All boobs deserve proper care and maintenance to ensure healthy adventures in the world at large

Article 2: All boob hosts are to be proud of their boobs and the boobs of others for as long as they are able to do so.

Article 3: I take it as my personal mission to support all boobs everywhere and also support the care and treatment of boobs less fortunate

Article 4: I will not stand by and let anyone malign any boobs for any reason. They are all deserving of respect and good will.

Article 5: I will respect and protect the boobs of myself, my family and my friends as needed and called upon to do.

Article 6: I will support the good health of boobs the world over, as a Goodwill Boob Ambassador, exercising diplomacy and Advocacy.

Ginger & Stevie with the Booby Prize, 2011

So with the above to be true, I hereby bequeath Stevie Caldarola the 2011 Beer For Boobs Booby Prize award for her efforts in extolling the boob virtues we are all here to support. [custom decorated bra]

Everyone raise your right hand and repeat after me:

“I _____,

Do swear to uphold and extol

The rights of healthy boobs everywhere.

I promise to be

Available to those in need

When they call upon me to help.“

Cheers!

31 Facets of Women & Beer: Facet #31

Dec 31, 2011 Beer, Beer & Food, Education & Training, Marketing, Women and Beer

On this New Years Eve, we wrap up this series with a final facet: Women, Beer & Food.

Make it automatic: Beer & Food, Beer & Food, Beer & Food…..repeat it in your head or aloud until it’s automatic.

I’ve had women tell me in no uncertain terms that they want to learn about beer paired with food. They only had to tell us once. And I’ll tell you why it’s important to heed this critical directive:

  1. Beer and food go together. That’s the first most obvious one.
  2. Beer and food should go together. If you’re promoting alcohol – beer – then you should feel a sense of obligation to make food part of that promotion. Moderation goes hand in hand with responsibility.
  3. Beer and food complement each other so well. They bring out flavors in each other that when standing alone may be missed.
  4. Women want to duplicate the pairings they have at events. Be sure to share menus, suggestions and ideas. WEB always posts our menus the day after events for everyone to reference. It’s green, available and they can do with it as they wish.
  5. The beer community and food community have much to share and benefit from mutually when they collaborate.
  6. We like beer and food together. Do you? Then offer it as such.

Women, beer and food. This is yet another universal truth: they go together, and should. Combine them and you’ll see much success.

Happy New Year for Women & Beer!

31 Facets of Women & Beer Series starts here

Tags: , , , ,

2 WEB menus

Dec 13, 2011 Beer & Food, Celebration Worthy, Events, Women and Beer

Last week was full of great beer and food shared by superb company. Here are two menus accordingly. Use them and share them as you wish.

tis the season for beer & food together

Swig & Stitch inaugural Beer event menu at 38 Central:

  • Bayern Brewing Pilsner paired with Pilsner marinated sesame crusted chicken drizzled with Dijon aioli
  • Southern Oregon Brewing Porter paired with grilled eggplant stuffed with sausage and porter Balsamic glaze
  • Ninkasi Total Domination IPA paired with seafood stuffed mushroom braised in IPA with toasted panko

WEB Annual Hoppy Holidays menu:

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Offer A Rainbow of Variety During the Holidays

Nov 18, 2011 Beer & Food, Celebration Worthy, Something To Think About, Women and Beer

Yes, many beers this time of year are oriented for the fall and early winter months. Yes, a lot of them provide a great new flavor for you and your guests to enjoy. And yes, try them!

Also bear in mind that the ‘standards’ are equally excellent this time of year, and here’s why.

People get together for events, festivals and holidays. Since it’s just about full on holiday season in the states, it’s the perfect time to make sure you have as broad a range of beers as our fine country has people. Some people can tend to overdo it during the holidays as well. So if you can help them fully enjoy and suffer no remorse, that’s especially good for all (including the beer!).

Guests should always be first when you’re thinking about what to serve, for beer and food. After all, if you didn’t care about them, you wouldn’t invite them over.

Offering a range of beers to all the guests that will come and go this season will ensure your status on the Nice list.

Holiday Variety

Here’s a selection of beers I’d recommend to keep on hand this holiday season.

  • Pilsner and/or Kolsch
  • Pale
  • ESB
  • Hefeweizen
  • Belgian
  • Lambic
  • Brown and/or Red
  • IPA
  • Porter
  • Stout
  • Barleywine
  • Cream
  • Vienna
  • Schwarzbier
  • Gluten free choice/s
  • Cider

I realize the fridge needs to be large and there may or may not be room for the complementary foods. Nonetheless, that’s why there are coolers, and when you’re friends ask “what can I bring” tell them ice and a cooler.

Keep a full pitcher of water close at hand as well - ensuring hydration with all the merriment in an easy “oh yea” kind of way benefits everyone.

With this kind of selection, you’ll be ready to be voted Best Holiday Host. Have fun, get ready and savor the flavors this holiday.

Tags: , ,

The Importance of Beer and Food Together

Oct 28, 2011 Beer & Food, Education & Training, Women and Beer

How beers interface and partner with foods is a big component to educating women (and men) about beer. Since we all have to eat and we all need to hydrate, linking the two in an enjoyable fashion is always going to be an effective way to teach people about beer.

How do you do this?

1. Start with a flavor conversation. What kind of flavors does a person like – and make sure the expanse is wide open, not just focused on beer flavors. The power of suggestion here is huge. Get the discussion started with “do you like bananas?” or “do you like coffee?” – talk about flavors that are distinct, although they don’t need to be enormous flavors. Subtle flavors speak to many people as well so suggest a few of those too.

Beer...and citrus pairing? YES! Photo by Kate Parks

2. Move to what kinds of foods they like. The base of the flavor conversation will give you a great stepping off point and once you ask this food question, you’re bound to be able to suggest some beer pairings with the foods they already like. And when you start with foods they profess to already like, you’re going in the direction they already want to go: to enjoy those foods.

3. Once you know flavors and foods, suggest a small variety of beers to go with them. Keep in mind that while humans may have some common ground for popular flavors, never assume they will or won’t like something until they try it. Kind of like an adult cutting off the opportunity for a kid to try something  – “oh honey, you won’t like that.” Don’t color their possibilities with your preferences. Give them the chance to discover and decide.

4. Our taste buds change with time. From wanting super sugar sweet things when we’re young to wanting very spicy when we’re older. Be mindful of the general age range of the person you are trying to help.

The Brewers Association Media Luncheon during the Great American Beer Festival is one of my favorite events to go to. Beyond the blindingly incredible fare and pairings, what I really gain from it is new ideas and the opportunity to expand my thinking so I can share that forward. As educators it’s important for WEB to know more of the “why” specific beers and foods go together – or don’t – when we pair.

Women want flavor. They want to learn how to pair beer and food. And they want to be able to duplicate that experience and share it with others.

Exploration and then education is the key here. When you pair beer with food, you create stronger affinity and repeat business. Begin today.

Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Flight of Pales

Oct 7, 2011 Beer & Food, Education & Training, Events, Women and Beer

While Pale Ales may pale by comparison to some folks in the Pacific Northwest, WEB featured Pale Ales at last nights meet-up. Why?

Beer + Food Together = More Women Enjoying Beer

Because:

  • Pale Ales can be real crowd pleasers. Most are well balanced and therefore great intro beers to the newly curious or uninitiated.
  • Pale Ales pair nicely with a variety of foods. It’s important to share beer and food pairings with people to build brand loyalty and sales.
  • Pale Ales were one of my first forays into craft beer (Summit & Sierra Nevada). They can get a good conversation going and enjoyed all year round.

Here’s the menu we served last night at new and gracious host Cedar Links Golf Club:

  1. Bricktowne Brewing Pale Ale with fresh hand cut, dipped and deep fried onion rings. Perfect opportunity to talk about hops’ astringency and palate cleaning abilities.
  2. Walkabout Brewing Workers Pale Ale with classic creamy potato soup. Fall, fresh beer, comforting soup. Nuf said.
  3. 7 Brides Brewing Lauren’s Pale Ale with bleu cheese (beef) sliders. While more bleu would have been good, the ubiquitous combo of beer and burger hit the spot.
  4. Lompoc’s Imperial Pale Ale with warm and crumbly apple crisp. The imperialness of this beer was a great topper and enlightener to talk about how well beer and dessert go together.

Pairing beer with food is one of thee most effective ways to get women into enjoying beer. We do it monthly at a minimum and see great return of participation and always new women as well.

Questions?

Tags: , , , , ,

The Alchemy of Widmer at WEB

Sep 9, 2011 Beer & Food, Education & Training, Events, Women and Beer

Last nights menu for the WEB monthly meet up featured Widmer beers. We chose them for a few reasons.

  • WEB is headquartered in the Pacific Northwest, as is Widmer
  • They had a really nice line up of beer choices readily available
  • They make a high quality product
  • The brewing manager is a friend and colleague – thanks Doug!

Women enjoying Widmer & food

And glad we were to pick them. Menu of beers and foods planned to match them were spot on, with reactions and comments aplenty. Here’s the menu we created and served:

  1. Citra Blonde with melon ball with Humboldt Fog Chevre garnished with chives and hibiscus powder (this beer has been a favorite of mine this summer as well). Big crowd pleaser!
  2. Hefeweizen with micro greens and Meyer lemon & pink grapefruit vinaigrette on Belgian Endive garnished with toasted sesame seeds, candied grapefruit peel and Hawaiian black sea salt. (Discussion of longevity of Widmer and craft beer and style origination was art of this course)
  3. Falconers IPA with spicy Thai noodles with sweet chili sauce, roasted peanuts and basil
  4. Pitch Black IPA with charcuterie plate: Molinari mild salami, Herbs de Provence pate and English Stilton with Dijon mustard sauce. (The black color of this beer is a great educational opportunity)

Sounds fancy – yet the beers and foods are all within relatively basic available ingredients. Our host (location & food) LOVES beer and food together so it was a really fun and tasty partnering for everyone.

We had a bit of time at the beginning of the evening before we dove in so I also asked all the guests to tell the group one thing they liked about beer….you’ll find out what they said tomorrow.

Tags: , ,

Beer & Donuts: Rethink Your Breakfast Drink

Aug 30, 2011 Beer & Food, Women and Beer

Do you like beer and donuts?

I’ve long been a fan of beer and donuts on a weekend day. A brewing friend, one of the first one I met when I discovered beer, turned me on to it. Moderation is always the key, as it is any time and any time of day you choose to exercise the privileges of drinking alcohol (it’s not a right).

This past weekend was my birthday so for one of those days we went out and got some fresh donuts with a beer in the fridge anxiously awaiting our return. That beer was from our friends at Grand Teton Brewing in Victor ID. They generously send me pre-releases. It’s fun to get them – more importantly it’s helpful in learning more about beer.

The beer that joined the donuts: Wake Up Call Imperial Coffee Porter.

Grand Teton Brewing Wake Up Call Imperial Coffee Porter

Take a guess if the Porter paired nicely with fresh chocolate cake donut and a fresh glazed chocolate frosted donut. Chocolate, like alcohol, is best in moderation too.

The beer aced the donuts – unfortunately the donuts we’re slightly less than fresh. Because the beer was delicious, the day was still saved. Full bodied, appealing flavors, deep opaque color with myriad pairing capabilities.

Changing the way people think about beer starts at home. If you’re in the professional beer world ask yourself:

  • What are my beer habits?
  • Where do I create innovation for the brand/s I make/work with?
  • How can I turn another person onto beer?

Set the example and see it take off. Personally, I’m waiting for the invite to help a brewery throw a stellar tasty and different beer brunch. Women love beer and they really like brunch.

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...

Tags: , ,

Older Entries