Beer is Patriotic!

George Washington was a devout beer lover. In particular, he was fond of the dark, English-style brew known as porter, and always demanded that an ample supply of it be kept on hand at Mount Vernon, his Virginia estate. However, it was not porter, but rather “small beer,” for which Washington once recorded an early recipe. There is even a beer recipe in Washington's handwriting on display at Mount Vernon today.

Beer played an important role in the early days of this country. Several old posters dating from the 18th century called on citizens to do the “patriotic thing” and drink more American beer and cider instead of the popular rum that was exported by the British. The rum was made with sugar cane grown in British colonies in the Caribbean. Drinking American-made beer or cider helped keep our economy strong.

This year’s Revolutionary Beer Dinner will focus on revolutionary breweries—great (mostly) American breweries that have revolutionized some part of the brewing or distributing process.

Beer Goddess Vicki Weisent presents. We’ve tapped into a great selection of beers, and paired them with a fantastic menu from Grovewood’s award-winning kitchen. A complimentary recipe book of the dishes served (but adapted for the home kitchen) will be presented.

Brooklyn Brewery East India Pale Ale (New York City, 6.8 ABV)......Warm Blue Cheesy Spread, crostini and crisp apples.
In 1996, Brooklyn Brewing became the first successful brewing company in NYC since Schaefer & Rheingold closed 20 years earlier. Today BB is among America's top 40 breweries. The IPA is deep golden, brewed from British malt and choice East Kent Golding hops. It is traditionally dry-hopped for a bright aroma of hops, lemongrass, pine and citrus fruit, and has a robust bitterness, a warming malt palate and a clean, hoppy finish.                  
 
Magic Hat Wacko (Burlington, Vermont, 4.5 ABV)......Beet and Chèvre Salad, lemon vinaigrette.
Crisp like the morning, cool like the evening and quenching all day long. It's the beer that dances to the beet of summer. Wacko is the song of summer-a delicious, beet-red summer beer with a big, malty aroma, a subdued hop bite, and a clean, slightly sweet finish. Infused with beets! The Magic Hat troupe continues to pioneer the wacky-but-good beer category.
 
Dogfish Head Midas Touch (Milton, Delaware, 9 ABV)......Seared Tuna "Burger" with papaya-ginger mayo and zucchini frites.
Dogfish Head opened as Delaware's first brewpub and the smallest commercial brewery in America in 1995. Midas Touch's recipe is the actual oldest-known fermented beverage in the world! It is an ancient Turkish recipe using the original ingredients from the 2700 year old drinking vessels discovered in the tomb of King Midas. Somewhere between wine & mead; this smooth, sweet, yet dry ale will please the Chardonnay or beer drinker alike.
 
Great Lakes Glockenspiel (Cleveland, 8 ABV)......BBQ Ribs with 5-Spice Glaze, plantain chips.
Established in 1988, Great Lakes Brewing Company became the first microbrewery in the state of Ohio and today remains Ohio's most celebrated and award-winning brewer of lagers and ales. It is a principle-centered, environmentally respectful and socially conscious company committed to crafting fresh, flavorful, high-quality beer. This summer seasonal is a complex, plum-colored Weizenbock (the strong version of an unfiltered Weissbier or Hefeweizen) with spicy notes of clove and banana. Named after the Glockenspiel of Marienplatz in Munich, Germany, which features 43 bells and 32 life-sized figures that chime and re-enact two 16th century stories each day.
 
Brouwerij Van Honsebrouck St. Louis Framboise (Belgium, 4.5 ABV)......Framboise Ice Cream, almond crisps.
Spontaneously fermented sour ales from the area in and around Brussels (the Senne Valley) stem from a farmhouse brewing tradition several centuries old. Fruit was traditionally added to lambic or gueuze, either by the blender or publican, to increase the variety of beers available in local cafes. This raspberry beer is made from traditional Gueuze Lambic, to which 25% of fresh raspberry juice and natural fruit is added. A fantastic dark red beer is obtained with a pink head with the aroma and flavor of natural raspberries.