1. Beer Dinner Guidebook step by step instructions on designing& delivering a designing & delivering a Quality Beer Experience

2. Table of Contents 1.Introduction 2.Why a Beer Dinner? 3.Beer Appreciation 4.Planning a Beer Dinner 5.The Dinner 6.A Taste of Belgium 7.A Taste of Europe 8.A Taste of Canada 9.Beer and Food Suggestions

3. Introduction “ The enjoyment of the food and beer together is ultimately better than having them separately.” The history of the world can often be seen in the history of beer. The beer and food experience is a part of the rich heritage of the world. Wine connoisseurs have come a long way from “red wine with red meat and white wine with chicken and fish.” Likewise, beer drinkers are pushing further in exploring beer as an accompaniment to bring the flavour of food to life. With its variety of colour, aroma, body and taste, there is a beer for every dish.

4. Why a Beer Dinner? More and more chefs and at- home cooks are choosing beer over wine both in the kitchen and to accompany meals. There area multitude of reasons, ranging fromtasteto ease of use, versatility, price and a new sense of adventure and excitement. There are a multitude of reasons, ranging from taste to ease of use, versatility, price and a new sense of adventure and excitement.

5. Beer Appreciation Many people today are aware of the disciplines in wine tasting. Similar disciplines apply to beer tasting. Use all your senses in the appreciation of the beer when it comes to you. Appearance – check for colour and clarity ( example: compare a translucent cloudy witbier like Hoegaarden to a clear golden lager like Stella Artois) Aroma – is it a modest, almost non-existent aroma/ hoppy grassy or fruity /spicy? Taste – is it sweet, sour, bitter, fruity, spicy? Mouthfeel – does it cling to your mouth or leave a feeling of lining your mouth or is it a clean refreshing finish? Aftertaste – do any tastes linger in your mouth? For example, the hop bitterness might remain, or the acidity in a Lambic beer, or the astringent feeling of tannins in some beers. The foam collar on beer. This is a good time to use your glass to point out the proper amount of foam on the beer. A beer with a foam collar is sure to look more appetizing and will taste better all the way down to the bottom of the glass as the foam protects the taste of the beer.

6. Beer Appreciation Starting with families of beer is a solid first step on the journey. Lagers generally are easy-drinking brews, with a delicate flavour, light colour, mild aroma and low bitterness. In the same family, but with a higher bitterness and more pronounced flavours are pilsners. Served between 3 and 5 degrees Celsius, they are a delicious accompaniment to foods that are often served with white wine: white meat, fish and seafood. North American ales are lighter than most imported ales whose full flavour, complex aroma and more pronounced bitterness, complement meals of beef, lamb, game or duck. Ales should be served slightly warmer than lagers, typically between 5 and 8 degrees Celsius. And that’s only the beginning of this adventure in elixirs! When selecting a beer to accompany a meal, other factors need to be taken into account, such as the social setting, environment and of course flavours and aromas of both the beer and the food.

7. Beer Appreciation As with wine, you can use beer to complement or contrast the food being served. Having beer as a complement could involve pairing a sweeter beer with a sweeter dish. For example, the caramelized taste of Bass goes well with maple syrup beef sausage. You can also go for the salty/sweet contrast, for example by serving blue cheese with a fruit Lambic beer. Hoppiness is comparable to acidity in wine, so beers with a pronounced hop flavour are delicious with spicier foods or those with a fat or oil base. European Pilsners, with their unique taste, hop flavour and aroma, are palate-pleasing with a spicy salsa or with medium-aged cheddar. Think too of combining beer and food based on region. Have an Asian experience with a wonderful Thai menu paired with Singha or other light lagers -or enjoy the full-bodied taste and fresh hoppy bouquet of a pilsner with German bratwurst, grilled onions and horseradish. It should come as no surprise that beers brewed in a particular region were developed to complement local cuisine, and marrying compatriots makes for a happy union on the palate.

8. Beer Appreciation And don’t stop just because you’ve arrived at dessert. Guinness, with its coffee and dark chocolate aroma, is the perfect way to round off a dessert with chocolate or ice cream. (Or save washing a dish and serve your guests a Guinness float!). A Belgian Witbier, with its sweet and sour taste and slightly spicy flavour of coriander and orange, is a lovely accompaniment to Bier Blanche poached pear tartlets (a recipe developed by the Culinary Academy in Montreal). And a Belgian Kriek, with its burgundy hue and taste and aroma of cherries, is a natural with cheesecake or a dark chocolate cake. So go ahead. Be bold. Be creative. Be a beer afficiando. You just may find yourself saying “I just discovered a great way to help someone to appreciate beer.”

9. Planning a Beer Dinner 8 Weeks Before Establish date & Time. Establish the number of attendees. Determine how the dinner will be promoted. For example: charitable event – 30 attendees @ $85.00 per person to raise funds for Muscular Dystrophy OR Will it be for a select group of consumers? Establish Roles and Responsibilities & a checklist. Three to four hours would be a good amount of time for your dinner (If you are serving only a light buffet of appetizers and hors d’oeuvre, two hours should suffice. If serving a full meal, then 3-4 hours) Example: Beer Dinner on March 12th, 2006 from 7p.m. – 10p.m. Make an appointment to meet with the chef. You should try to ensure that no other drinks are available such as wine or spirits, as it will detract from the overall effect. After all, it is a “Beer Dinner”.

10. Planning a Beer Dinner Initial Stage Pick a theme (country, style of beer, historical era) Choose 4-5 beers that will meet your needs Think about a host for the evening (it could be you or you could employ a professional beer expert) Consider how many guests you would like (minimum and maximum) Consider a venue for the event Review costing in order to assess viability

11. Planning a Beer Dinner 4 Weeks Before Meet with Head Chef Chefs are creative and competitive! They will be eager to create something with their own signature. Use the analogies of cooking with wine. Most chefs will take the creative ball and run with it. Your chef will be truly excited by the variety of flavours, aromas and tastes in the world of beer. It’s the uniqueness of these beers that stimulates the creative juices for most chefs. Ask the chef if he/she will be able to come out and explain the dishes as the courses are served, describing how the particular beer was used. Bring to the meeting with chef: Bottles of each Beer to be used for the chef - so he/she can experiment with recipes and enjoy! Tasting notes on the Beers. Recipes & menus that other chefs have created with the beers in the past (refer to the recipe web site on The Pub) Set a time to REVIEW & CONFIRM the menu.

12. Planning a Beer Dinner 2 Weeks Before Checklist for Glassware and Props Glassware (time to order in if you need to) Note: Use smaller sizes of glassware if possible. The guests will enjoy the beer without having their taste buds numbed by the 4th course, which could happen if consuming larger quantities. Tasting notes Menus Also… Make sure you have a microphone and sound system IF you need one. Give the chef your key messages so you are both on the same page. Ask the chef how he chose the meal selections and why. Prepare Speaker’s Notes for the Dinner

13. Planning a Beer Dinner The Day of the Dinner Contact the chef to make sure all is prepared and ready to go! Arrive at least one hour ahead of time to confirm the expectations for the evening – for example what time the courses will come out and in what order Be sure glassware and coasters are ready, and take care of any last-minute details Make sure microphones are working if you require them. Review your Speaker’s Notes for the dinner Check to see if someone will introduce you

14. Hosting The Dinner Beer Dinners are entertaining, changing and expanding what beer is all about. When the guests are settled in their seats and each guest has been served a welcome beer (try to start with a lighter beer), welcome the guests and introduce yourself (or be introduced) and explain what how the evening will unfold. Remember that Beer Dinners are social in nature. Let people know that this evening is about enjoying good food, good company and great beer. Speaker’s Notes: Note: Throughout the evening when there is an opportunity to relay your own experiences, do so. It will make the event come alive. Quote from one host: “What’s meaningful to you will show in your body language and your smile. This will engage your audience”. Open with some general information on beer and your passion for beer

15. The Dinner As the beer comes to the table (before the food is served), stand up and introduce the beer (history, glassware and tasting notes) and explain why it has been matched with that particular food. It’s important to use your props here (glassware & ingredients). Be sure to explain that tasting is a purely personal experience. Sometimes the beer will not match the food, but we have made every attempt to make sure that it does. Keep it to 5 -10 minutes per course so that you can sit down and enjoy the food and beer with your guests. You may want to walk around the room so that everyone can share the experience. Remember, this is about your guests’ enjoyment !

16. Ending The Dinner Wrap-Up Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! As you and your beer dinner guests are finishing their meals, include the following in your closing: Ask the guests how they enjoyed their evening Thank the chef and the staff Compliment the good service and quality of the beer and food Thank the guests for their enthusiasm (trust me, they will be enthusiastic!) Acknowledge other important persons in attendance Make sure people have a safe ride home. Let them know where they can purchase the beers at retail so they can organize a beer dinner at home for their friends/family, and say goodnight!