The Craftsman Kitchen and Taphouse, in conjunction with Stone and
Allagash Breweries hosted a beer dinner unlike anything we have ever attended. The theme for the night was East Coast vs. West Coast. Old School Belgians vs
New School hop hammers. Six courses . Twelve beers. A daunting task from the outside looking in. In the end, we survived and partook in a culinary experience without rival.
I’ll first start off by saying that Chef Todd Garrigan did a superb job. The ambiance was great. We were quickly seated next to friendly folks and given our first round of beers, an Allagash Blonde Ale and a Stone Leviation, and shown the Greeting course of shrimp tartine and a nice, delicate pork pate. The food throughout the evening was excellently prepared and he and his staff did an excellent job of maintaining the pace. The beer was certainly top-notch as well. I’m going to hit the high-points of the evening, skipping a couple courses that weren’t as notable. I’m leaving them out mostly for the beer in that particular course, for what it’s worth.
Our third course began
our introduction to rare and unusual beers. An oyster mushroom salad was paired with Stone Vertical Epic
06.06.06 and Allagash Hugh Malone. Stone’s Vertical Epic series was brewed on
02.02.02, 03.03.03, all the way through to 12.12.12. We were able to experience
the 06.06.06 vintage just over 7 years after bottling. The dark Belgian ale had
strong dark fruit flavors coupled with a dark malt backbone that provided an
intriguing drinking experience. The years have been kind to this entry in the
Vertical Epic series. The Allagash Hugh Malone was a wonderful Belgian IPA. The
beer begins with Belgian yeast notes and follows through with a spicy, lightly
hopped middle, and a malty back that leaves you with a clean palate.
| Chef Garrigan's delicious Boudin Blanc made with BBQ pork belly served with parsley potatoes and red cabbage was the highlight of the 4th course |
| Photo of the Hugh Malone (left) and Vertical Epic (right)
Our fifth course was a simple, yet delicious plate of cheeses with a few accouterments paired with a heavy hitting pair of strong beers. Stone Farking Wheaton W00t Stout is brewed with pecans and partially aged in bourbon barrels. This beer was brewed in collaboration with Wil Wheaton of Star Trek fame and Drew Cutis, founder of Fark.com. W00t stout is a behemoth, clocking in at 13%. The dark chocolate and coffee flavors dominated the first sips of the beer, however bourbon and oak flavors with hints of vanilla and nuttiness were also apparent. The Allagash James Bean was the second beer of the course and it is an astonishing creation. The beer itself is a bright yet hazy golden with a beautiful white head. The taste was that of a dark coffee and bourbon stout with a light body. Every sip had to be followed by a look at the glass to be entirely sure cold pressed coffee was not snuck into the cup.
The final course of the night was a light dessert consisting of a chocolate coconut macaroon, salted caramel, and licorice pudding. The dessert was a perfect pair for two of the most contrasting, and enjoyable, brews of the night. 2008 Stone Russian Imperial Stout has aged with grace. The Allagash Mattina Rossa was a complete change of pace for the dinner, and the curveball that helped end the night on a triumphant note. Mattina Rossa is a red wine barrel aged raspberry sour. The nose has an intense aroma of fresh raspberries. Each sip explodes with the sweet and tart taste of fresh raspberries, combined with a slight hint of the dry and dark fruit flavor provided by the red wine barrels.
Thanks Craftsmen Kitchen & Tap House. Cheers to a great event! Hope to attend a few more in the near future!
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