The Third Annual Tampa Bay Brewing Company Beer Dinner

One of my favorite events each year is the Beer Dinner held at the Tampa Bay Brewing Company. It is always a multi-course meal, each paired with a beer chosen to enhance the dish, and often the beers are used in the dish itself. Previous years have included beers from other craft breweries such as Cigar City Brewing and Southern Brewing & Winemaking. This year, the partner was Thomas Creek Brewing out of South Carolina, who has done contract brewing in the past for several Florida breweries. TBBC brewer John Rankin used to work for Thomas Creek, so the pairing was a great match!

Rather than bore you with a bunch of words… I will show you the deliciousness…

First Course (Passed) – Served with TBBC Old Elephant Foot IPA and Thomas Creek River Falls Red

Maple-glazed Chicken Lollipops, Smoked whitefish & amberjack crostini, Merguez sausage stuffed mushrooms with yogurt harissa sauce.

Second Course – Served with Collaboration Beers India Brown Ale, one brewed at TBBC one brewed at TC

Roasted duck soup with gruyere cheese and black truffle crouton

Third Course – Served with TC Up the Creek Extreme IPA

Golden beet carpaccio & fried shallots with Stilton Blue crumbles tossed with aged sherry vinaigrette.

Fourth Course – Served with TC Deep Water Dopple Bock

Artic char on potato hash with salmon roe and champagne butter

Palate Cleanser

Thomas Creek Dockside Kiwi Lime Sorbet

Fifth Course – Served with TBBC 2 Red Eyes Imperial Amber Ale

Grilled Colorado elk filet, stout-spiked demi-glace, and braised rapini & chantrelles

Sixth Course – Served with TBBC Oak Barrel Aged Iron Rat Imperial Stout

Zeppole’s “Donut Holes” with chocolate ganache & pot de creme.

So, as you can see, it was a decadent and delicious meal, through and through. Between each course, we were treated to a few words from the brewers, chefs, and collaborators of the event, and even a few words from Beer in Florida writer (and the author of the upcoming Florida Breweries book) Gerard Walen.

As the night wound down, Dave Doble offered up some words for the night, and I was once again invited up to give a closing toast. I cannot express enough how fantastic this event is every year, and how much I appreciate being able to be part of it. I want to offer up a huge thank you to the Doble family, and all of the awesome people at Tampa Bay Brewing Company. They have done so much for the craft beer community in Tampa and through out the state of Florida as well.

Cheers!

~ by Sean Nordquist on March 5, 2014.