Cheers to Bert and Andrew!

"Bread is the staff of life, but beer's life itself.."

- English Proverb

How does one become a butterfly?

"How does one become a butterfly?" she asked pensively. "You must want to fly so much that you are willing to give up being a caterpillar." Trina Paulus

What's in my suitcase? Black IPA

Oregon's Deschutes Brewing blurs borders with Hop in the Dark. This Cascadian Dark Ale has subtle coffee undertones from a blend of oats with dark, Munich and Crystal malts and courageous additions of Cascade, Citra and Centennial hops. The dark malt, conceived via the same techniques used to create schwarzbiers, is added to the malt base of a traditional IPA to impart the darker hue. Citrusy aroma.

Oregon Brew Fest 2010

We kicked off the festival with Deschutes Super Jubel Ale aged in Oregon Oak Pinot barrels. My favorite from the Buzz Tent was the Ninkasi Brewing Co Eugene Collaboration Beer.

Top two from the festival:
Hop Valley Brewing Alpha Centauri Binary IPA
Deschutes Fresh Squeezed IPA

with Jamie Floyd in The Buzz Tent. Cheers!

Nong's Khao Man Gai

The world's best chicken and rice: slices of juicy chicken poached in a secret blend of herbs, placed atop a pile of white rice simmered in chicken's juices and a garlic and ginger-spiked soybean chile sauce. The combo is packaged in white butcher paper, bound by a rubber band and topped with a paper cup of refreshing soup.

Good Beer at BAM

Good Beer Month is in July in NYC as declared by the Mayor for the second year running. Good Beer at BAM is one of the marquee events of Good Beer Month and is produced in partnership with Good Beer Seal.

The top pairing of the night was Palo Santo's Squash Blossom Quesadillas paired with McNeil's Blonde Bombshell. Other favorites were the pork meatball sliders with a smoky tomato sauce paired with Fire Island IPA. Second best dish of the night would have to be The Good Fork's roasted pork shoulder with korean flavors, cooked to perfection black rice and pickled vegetables.

A word cloud from my "Followers"

Natural Gourmet Food Therapy 4 Graduating Class

Brooklyn Beer Gal meets "The Beer Chicks!"

What an exciting evening last night in LA. It was a Top Ten Beer experience! I finally got to meet the original Beer Chick and top female beer experts in the country, Christina Perozzi and Hallie Beaune of The Beer Chicks. They welcomed me at Father's Office in Santa Monica. I share The Beer Chicks passion to bring beer to "the place it deserves, at the forefront of the modern dining experience."

Hallie recommended some incredible brews last night, the first, a Saison du BUFF, a collaboration from Dogfish Head, Stone Brewing & Victory Brewing. This is a Belgian Saison brewed with parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme. I highly recommend Christina and Hallie's book, The Naked Pint: An Unadulterated Guide to Craft Beer. Purchase the book here: The Naked Pint.

I thought this was a delightful and informative read. It is an approachable book for the longtime fans of craft beer and the newbies. It is the book I'll have on hand for reference when studying for an upcoming beer festival, hosting a Hoppy People party or just re-reading from time to time to help me develop my beer writing skills. Lots of times, I know what styles I like, but understanding more about the style and the characteristics of the beer adds a whole new dimension.

A big thanks to Christina for surprising me with a gift, "Coton" from The Bruery! It is a barrel-aged ale with hints of bourbon, caramel and oak, and a limited edition to celebrate the brewery's second anniversary.