Penn Stater Conference Center
State College, PA
7/26/07
To celebrate the 10th Anniversary,
Greg Somers convinced the PSCC to have a beer dinner on the Thursday prior
to the Fest. As we always arrive that day to begin the festivities, we
were very happy to sign up for such an event. We are also good friends
with Rick Suarez of Unibroue and his sidekick, Cesar. We look forward to
meeting up with Rick every chance we get.
We arrived at the Penn Stater and
checked in early afternoon and then rested up for the event. A reception
in the Legends Lounge was scheduled for 6 and we eagerly anticipated the
hour.
A lot of people showed up early so
the crowd had gathered by the time we entered just after 6. We found Maudite
on tap and a collection of finger foods served by the staff:Pulled Chicken
w/Hot House Tomato Coulis on Won Ton Crisps, Coffee-rubbed Tenderloin of
Pork on Pretzeled Croustades w/Mango & Apricot Chutney and Cajun Seared
Scallops w/Honey Lime Vinaigrette.
We spent the hour catching up with
Rick and all his news. He is busier than anyone in the beer business and
has made the name Unibroue a well-known one on the East Coast.
We were escorted into the small private
dining area in The Gardens restaurant and found seats. Greg introduced
everyone that was somebody and Rick took over giving a short history of
the brewery.
While he was talking, the servers
brought out the first beer, Ephemere Apple, and the first course, a Roasted
Onion Consomme w/Apple & Onion Flan....an excellent start!
Next up was Asparagus wrapped in
Gravad Laks w/Creamed Spinach and Caviar served with La Fin de Monde. The
food was rather salty which was complemented by the sweet tripel-style
ale.
The entree course was presented next:
Pecan Wood Roasted Angus Strip Loin of Beef w/Dauphinoise Potatoes and
Veggies. Chambly Noire was poured with it. The smokiness of the beef was
quite intense which overpowered the Noire, but the vegetables toned down
the smoke and brought the beer onto the palate.
For a palate cleanser, they decided
on the salad course at this point. Mesclun Greens w/Heirloom Tomatoes and
Goat Cheese Gateau w/a White Balsamic Vinaigrette. Blanche de Chambly accompanied
this course and the lightness of the Blanche accented the dish perfectly.
Last but not least was an excellent
dessert: Chocolate & Macadamia Nut Bread Pudding w/Mango Creme Anglaise
served with my favorite, Trois Pistoles. The richness of this beer more
than complemented the Bread Pudding.
I believe they'll be making a dinner
a regular event before the Fest. Maybe even several times during the year.
Keep up with this page or the PSCC
website for more info.