My wife and I went to a beer tasting event at a relatively fancy restaurant in town.
The theme was Belgians (or Belgian style). It was a fun event and I enjoyed it but I must confess that I really felt they could have been more generous with the amount of beer offered.
Let me give the particulars - It was a six course meal that extended over three hours.
Each course was paired with a different beer. I'll give you the list - Saison Dupont Belgian Farmhouse Ale, Hennepin Farmhouse Saison Ale, Allagash Dubbel Reserve, Kerkom Brewery Pink Blond, Otter Creek Stovepipe Porter, Heavyweight Brewing Wood Aged old Salty 2005. We probably got 3 - 4 oz for each course. Add that up even accounting for the higher gravities you only get about 24 oz of beer. Don't you think that is kind of miserly.
I'll admit this was the first beer tasting I've been to- maybe this is how it is but my opinion is that it is not enough good beer to drink. For crying out loud - give me some so I can enjoy it - not just enough to only cover my tastebuds. Why be so precious about it? For example, it would have been neat to comare the two saisons against each other but because of the delay between courses and the limited amount offered it was not possible. A guy gets thirsty you know!
Let me offer thoughts before I get responses - the event was over three hours so there certainly wasn't an issue of drinking too much. The service staff never offered more of any of the styles offered. I didn't ask for more because I noticed nobody asking (it was a small. intimate dining room) and as I mentioned before, I had never been to one (nor a wine tasting either for that matter) so I wasn't sure of tasting etiquette.
I would be interested in my fellow HBT folks opinions.
Thanks one and all.
P.S. - I enjoyed all the ales but I must comment that the old salty was the real winner of the evening I thought. It is a barley wine which I don't usually like too much but this one had great flavor coming out of its ears. The perfect ending to a dinner - much like a good port or something.
The theme was Belgians (or Belgian style). It was a fun event and I enjoyed it but I must confess that I really felt they could have been more generous with the amount of beer offered.
Let me give the particulars - It was a six course meal that extended over three hours.
Each course was paired with a different beer. I'll give you the list - Saison Dupont Belgian Farmhouse Ale, Hennepin Farmhouse Saison Ale, Allagash Dubbel Reserve, Kerkom Brewery Pink Blond, Otter Creek Stovepipe Porter, Heavyweight Brewing Wood Aged old Salty 2005. We probably got 3 - 4 oz for each course. Add that up even accounting for the higher gravities you only get about 24 oz of beer. Don't you think that is kind of miserly.
I'll admit this was the first beer tasting I've been to- maybe this is how it is but my opinion is that it is not enough good beer to drink. For crying out loud - give me some so I can enjoy it - not just enough to only cover my tastebuds. Why be so precious about it? For example, it would have been neat to comare the two saisons against each other but because of the delay between courses and the limited amount offered it was not possible. A guy gets thirsty you know!
Let me offer thoughts before I get responses - the event was over three hours so there certainly wasn't an issue of drinking too much. The service staff never offered more of any of the styles offered. I didn't ask for more because I noticed nobody asking (it was a small. intimate dining room) and as I mentioned before, I had never been to one (nor a wine tasting either for that matter) so I wasn't sure of tasting etiquette.
I would be interested in my fellow HBT folks opinions.
Thanks one and all.
P.S. - I enjoyed all the ales but I must comment that the old salty was the real winner of the evening I thought. It is a barley wine which I don't usually like too much but this one had great flavor coming out of its ears. The perfect ending to a dinner - much like a good port or something.
