I didn't intend to. But in preparation of Fair Food's 6th Annual Brewer's Plate I decided to eat light all day. There were roughly 65 attendees - restaurants, brewers, chocolatiers, and bakers - all deserving as much space as my stomach would allow. But a little under halfway in, I must've resembled more a drunken beggar scrounging for a meal than a professional journalist.
For the brewers, Fair Food's Brewer's Plate had a resounding theme: good intentions, bad geography. Malts and hops are ingredients not generally produced in the region, so going local takes on a different meaning for brewers. Prism Beer, complete with Pink Floyd inspired logo, is one of many beer crafters taking steps toward a more local product.
“We're sourcing our honey from a local beekeeper for the Bitto Honey IPA,” explained Rob DeMaria, the self-proclaimed mad scientist behind the North Wales-based brewing company. His Bitto Honey features honey dipped hops, and was easily my favorite of the sweeter beers. In its first Brewer's Plate, Prism stood out as one of the most promising newcomers.
“When I'm unable to get something local, like some of the malts being produced in Europe, I buy in bulk,” DeMaria continued. “And I always do my best to support local farmers, they're the same people in the community supporting me.”
The harmonious brewer-farmer relationship was a theme throughout the night. None more so than Dock Street Brewery; the spent grains from their beer production becomes livestock feed for Doug Koegel, a local farmer and Dock Street's beef supplier. So patrons of the popular Baltimore Ave. hang out can eat a hyper-local, beef hamburger fed on Dock Street beer (grains). Dock Street’s Illuminator was described by one taster as “the best beer here.” It had one of the most complex flavors I'd experienced — malty with hints of caramel and a slight tang. No wonder it received kudos from the late, acclaimed booze writer Michael Jackson in his guide to 500 Classic Brews.
Some breweries worked cooperatively with their Brewer's Plate partner restaurant, like Tria and Victory Brewing Company. Tria served up Pennsylvania-based Birch Run Farm's Fat Cat Cheese, a raw cow's milk cheese made without mold and aged for eighty plus days. But for the Brewer's Plate they went a step beyond, preparing the cheese with a wash of Victory's, Baltic Thunder Porter. The washing method softens the cheese and adds hints of the distinct molasses flavor found in the Baltic Thunder. Some pairings were a return of last year's fan favorites, like the aforementioned Boak-Betty’s Speakeasy pairing. Others required little effort; there's really no going wrong with beer and mac & cheese, or a Belgian Trippel and chocolate cake.
The Brewer's Plate was also a taste of brewing innovation, as Sly Fox Brewery showcased its Gang Aft Agley. The full-bodied ale with roasted barley and pale malts was the only cask-brewed beer at the event. Cask Ale or “Real Ale” is a style of unfiltered and unpasteurized beer conditioned (including secondary fermentation) and served from a cask without additional nitrogen or carbon dioxide pressure. Sadly for rigid vegetarians, the cask process, which lends such a unique taste, often uses Isinglass, a liquid made from sturgeon fish bladders, to clarify the beer.
Sure, the beverages didn't have the same local feel as a grown-a-hundred-yards-a-way-on-the-vineyard wine tasting in Napa might, but this is Philly, a working class city that appreciates a fine brew. All felt right, but maybe that's the 10% Imperial Stout talking. Regardless, Fair Food is taking steps to create membership opportunities for brewers, so next year's Brewer's Plate could feature a truly all-local Philly beer.
When closing time came, the restaurants stopped serving and packed up instantly while the brewers stayed until the last drops of the kegs and bottles were served. It was a testament to their love of craft. As I finished my last drink, a Yard's Extra Special Ale, people were still making rounds for one last glass thirty minutes after last call. On my way out there was really only one thought in my mind; does this place have a bathroom?
Best in Show:
Dock Street's Illuminator Double Bock – 7.2% Alcohol By Volume, Rich and malty copper lager with a distinct Hallertau hop flavor.
Best IPA:
Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA – 9.0% ABV, a continually hopped IPA without an overwhelming hop taste.
Best Pilsner:
Prima Pils – 5.3% ABV, dry with a bite of hops in the European pilsner tradition.
Best Porter:
Victory Brewing Company's Baltic Thunder – 8.5% ABV, European whole flower hops and a subtle fruit nuance make for an homage to the Baltic Porter-style.
Best Chocolatey Brew:
Boak's Monster Mash Imperial Stout – 10% ABV, an Imperial Stout in the Russian tradition without the motor oil thick consistency of some contemporary stouts.
Best Pale Ale:
Flying Fish Exit 4 American Trippel – 9.5% ABV, Belgian-style Trippel with hints of orange and banana.
Trevor Dye is a freelance journalist covering all things thrifty, diy, green, and vegetarian. He resides in West Philly and moonlights as a yoga teacher. His work has appeared on Brokelyn.com.
Article photograph from b a r t, via Flickr (Creative Commons),"The Brew" photograph from Flickmor via Flickr (Creative Commons), "Bottle" photograph from istockphoto.com
