Stick A Fork In Me

It's not hard to tell that this is a Teresa's Next Door heavy blog, i go to plenty of other places and talk about them when i do. But i go to Teresa's a lot. So if reading about the same bar a few times in a row isn't your thing - then i apologize. You read about Win It Too, i wasn't going to do a full recap, but this event was bigger and badder than i'd anticipated and since i stayed longer and ate much more than planned, i figured i'd dish out the info on what was missed by those who missed.

Win It Too's Johnny and Claudine were in town from Belgium via California where they're now importing amazing Belgian beers. Johnny gave those with an open ear the run down on the history of some of the beer styles and breweries represented by the Global Beer Network and Win It Too in between courses of a great beer dinner.

Click the link for tap list, menu, etc.

On tap for the event (with leftovers still pouring):

Troubador Blond
Petrus Dubbel Bruin
Piraat
Petrus Oud Bruin
Augustijn
Gulden Draak
Poperings Hommelbier
Bornem Dubbel

The Tuesday Night pairing menu at TND is sometimes just a list of individual pairings and is sometimes set up as a coursed meal where you can just order dishes as you please or go for the whole meal. My plan was simple and small going in and, then i decided it was a great night for a beer dinner. I went with the Old 96'er.

Andy D put together an exciting menu for the night with beer reductions, beer butters, and of course...beer pairings.

Down The Alley
This mystical blend of beer possesses the ability to bring back fond memories of a storybook town, especially when served with small cubes of young gouda. Around here we call it SuperBeer, a blend of Piraat and Augustijn.

Scallop
Pan Seared sea scallop, grilled baby leeks, Brugse Zot butter - Served with Brugse Zot

White Asparagus
Warm white asparagus tossed in brown butter, bread crumbs and herbs topped with a fresh poached egg. Served with Poperings Hommel Bier.

Quail
Grilled Quail, bing cherry vinagrette, greens. Served with Petrus Oud Bruin.

Boar
Strip Loin of Boar, spring fig sauce, baby vegetables, fingerling potatoes. Served with Petrus Dubbel Bruin.

Cobbler and Bacon Ice Cream
Strawberry and rhubarb cobbler topped with bacon gelato. Served with Gulden Draak.

The food was excellent and the beer pairings fit really well. The thing i love most about beer dinners is the combo of dessert and strong beer. The natural progression, as far as beer strength goes, is to build up in abv so you don't make smaller beers seem like less than they actually are. This progression makes it possible for each dish and each paired beer to be a little more intense, building up to the fireworks at the end of the meal.

I was full enough to take a nap on the spot, but there were too many people to chat with and there was still a bit more beer to try. As i finished my post dinner glass of Oud Bruin, i turned to the bar and what did i see but a bottle of 50 N BY 4 E, the Cantillon Cognac Barrel Aged Gueze and 4 glasses. It was Sir Kempelos' birthday last night and what a celebration beer it was.

A lot of familiar faces were out last night to eat, drink, and celebrate the guests of the evening. It is always really great to see the people who work hard to make the Philly area a great place to drink beer come out for a night to sit and relax and enjoy themselves. And it's always great to enjoy a night like that at a place that i like so much.