Dogfish Head beer dinner @ Hopmonk Tavern, Dec 2

With our Thanksgiving repast behind us and on our behinds and the winter banquets of our religious or cultural affiliations rapidly approaching, the only sensible thing to do is fight fire with fire and pay heed to Jamie Escalante from Stand and Deliver’s mathematical yet metaphorical teachings, “A negative times a negative equals a positive.” Ergo, gorging ourselves at the Dogfish Head Beer Dinner at Hopmonk Tavern tomorrow night at 6:30 is the only sensible plan of action. Seats are limited, RSVP ASAP.

Dogfish has made a name for itself by brewing exotic beers that pair splendidly with a smorgasbord of food, in part because the ingredients read like a meal themselves. And by now, after preparing beer dinners almost monthly with many local breweries including Anderson Valley and Triple Rock, Executive Chef Billy Reid will concoct a feast for the stomach, eyes, and soul with Delaware’s best export.

Antipasto Charred corn, goat cheese & ricotta Ragoon over Asian slaw with Festina Peche, a "neo-Berliner style Weisse" beer brewed with peach concentrate that should please fans of Sauvignon Blanc.

Primo Selected charcuterie & marinated cheeses, bitter green salad, infused honey and toasted nuts with Midas Touch, packed with plenty of alcoholic heat and white Muscat grapes, honey and saffron to win over Chardonnay drinkers.

Secondo Braised lamb shank with Swiss chard stuffing & mushroom with Chicory Stout, a beer that goes beyond traditional stouts by incorporating roasted chicory, Mexican coffee, St. John's Wort, & licorice root.

Dolce Pecan tartlet with “top shelf Chantilly” with 90 Minute IPA. I understand it’s got a hefty “malt backbone,” but I’ll need to be won over to consider this a dessert beer.

Digestivo Peppermint bark with Palo Santo Marron, a big 12 percenter aged in a gargantuan tank made from Palo Santo wood. It’s from Paraguay, so you know it’s gotta be good.

Nutshell:
Where: Hopmonk Tavern, 230 Petaluma Ave, Sebastopol. 707-829-7300
When: Wed, Dec 2, 6:30 p.m.
Cost: $50 per person.

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© 2009 by Brian Yaeger