It’s American Independence Day tomorrow, so all the more reason for Lotte Peplow, the Brewers Association’s American craft beer ambassador for Europe, to report on a very special American craft beer and food pairing event.
When the world of gastronomy and American craft beer collide, the result is nothing short of sensational. The collide in question, SAVOR, is like no other and took place recently at The Anthem, in Washington, DC. For one night, foodies and beer lovers could enjoy a vast range of thoughtfully curated beer and food pairings in an exclusive and unique culinary
extravaganza.
Organised by the Brewers Association, SAVOR is an annual event that pairs 110 American craft breweries serving 225 beers with 65 exquisite small bites. Each dish is masterminded by the Brewers Association’s executive chef and international beer and food pairing expert, Adam Dulye, supported by a team of award-winning chefs. Now in its 11th year, SAVOR is a Mecca for gastronomes and attracts 2,500 guests from all over America and further afield.
SAVOR is a hot ticket for breweries, too. Brewers participate in a lottery to be selected, and then present two beers they want to showcase. Dulye and team go about evaluating the beers and creating the ultimate pairing that will showcase the flavours of both the beer and the food. The result is as far from a pint and a packet of pork scratchings as any beer lover could imagine!
Adam Dulye explains what it takes to co-ordinate SAVOR: “Planning for the event starts 12 months out, but the real ‘meat on the bones’ takes place from January to June. The biggest challenge is organising the layout, because 220-plus beers need to be placed in a flow that works, and the corresponding dish for each beer has to be assigned a kitchen location, map, and service plan.”
SAVOR differentiates itself from most beer events by providing attendees with the opportunity to engage with the people behind the brewery and the beers. Brewery owners and/or brewers themselves are present at each station to pour their beers while talking and interacting with guests. This allows beer lovers to get up close and personal with some of the ‘rock stars’ of the American craft brewing world, which helps to heighten their whole SAVOR experience.
As Matt Lincecum, founder of Fremont Brewing Co, put it: “SAVOR is a special event because the people who attend do so with real intention. They’re here because they really love craft beer and they pick out exactly what pairings they want to sample ahead of time.”
Even the hungriest guest might struggle to sample all the pairings. I tried my hardest…
My top six pairings
- The Bruery Portified Black Tuesday with sticky toffee pudding, cream and ginger. An intense pairing featuring a port barrel-aged imperial stout aged on syrah grapes, with a sweet, toffee, slightly spiced dessert.
- Oskar Blues Brewery Imperial Stout aged inport and rye whiskey barrels with grilled flat iron steak, roasted fig miso. A delicious combination bringing a medley of flavours came together in perfect harmony.
- Maui Brewing Co Pineapple Mana Wheat with crab laard lettuce wrap, in which the delicate sweet note of the beer chimed with the minerality of the crab.
- Country Boy Brewing Co Key Lime Cougar Bait with ceviche, coconut and lime. The lime flavour note in the beer perfectly complimented the lime marinade in the dish to give a heightened flavour experience.
- DC Brau Brewing Co Imperial Oatmeal Stout with burnt ends and fennel slaw. Burnt ends are thecharred ends of beer brisket with more colour and flavour as a result. These chime with the intensity of the roasted malts in the beer.
- Hardywood Park Craft Brewery Cuvee Peach Tripel with miso cod, potato puree. The fruity esters and subtle notes of white pepper and honeysuckle in the beer contrasted nicely with the salty kick of the miso flavoured cod.
SAVOR is a unique culinary experience in the craft beer world and well worth checking out should you ever be planning a trip to Washington DC in June.
In the UK, American craft beer can be found at online retailers such as Athletic Brewing, the Cascade Club, the Malt Miller, Beer Merchants, and Beer Gonzo, or selected bottle shops, off-licences, online subscription services, supermarkets, and selected pubs and bars.
About the Brewers Association
The Brewers Association (BA) is the not-for-profit trade association dedicated to small and independent American brewers, their beers and the community of brewing enthusiasts.
The BA represents 5,700-plus US breweries. The BA’s independent craft brewer seal is a widely adopted symbol that differentiates beers by small and independent craft brewers.
The BA organises events including the World Beer Cup, Great American Beer Festival, Craft Brewers Conference and BrewExpo America, SAVOR: An American Craft Beer and Food Experience, Homebrew Con, National Homebrew Competition and American Craft Beer Week.
The BA publishes The New Brewer magazine, and Brewers Publications is the largest publisher of brewing literature in the US.
Beer lovers are invited to learn more about the dynamic world of craft beer at CraftBeer.com and about homebrewing via the BA’s American Homebrewers Association and the free Brew Guru mobile app.
