PORTLAND, OR – Widmer Brothers Brewing is collaborating with Chef Bill Taibe of The Whelk and LeFarm in Westport, Conn. for the “Connecticut Invasion” James Beard Dinner on May 23 at The Beard House in New York.
Creations from eight of Connecticut’s top chefs will be highlighted at the event, and two Widmer Brothers beers will be served. Widmer Brothers Rotator Series Shaddock IPA will accompany the hors d’oeuvres, and a special Widmer Brothers collaboration beer, a smoked lager brewed specifically for the James Beard Dinner, will be paired with Chef Taibe’s hot-smoked pollack on spring pickles.
“The collaboration with Chef Taibe and the opportunity to participate in this James Beard Dinner with such renowned chefs is awesome,” said brewer Ben Dobler. “Unlike many beer and food pairing where selections are made after the dishes or the beers have been developed, we worked closely with Chef Taibe to create a beer that was inspired by the dish he had in mind. We’re extremely pleased with the result: a lightly smoked Helles lager, appropriately named ‘Smoke on the Lager,’ a play on the Deep Purple song title and a reference to the smoked malts and the intended pairing with fish.”
Smoke on the Lager is a small batch brew that yielded approximately 10 barrels and will be available on draught in limited quantities at select accounts in Connecticut and also at the Widmer Brothers Gasthaus in Portland, Ore.
The May 23 James Beard Dinner is sold out, however Chef Taibe will be featuring Smoke on the Lager paired with his hot smoked pollack on spring pickles at The Whelk, located at 575 Riverside Ave., Westport, Conn.
About the James Beard Foundation:
Founded in 1986, the James Beard Foundation is dedicated to celebrating, preserving and nurturing America’s culinary heritage and diversity in order to elevate the appreciation of our culinary excellence. A cookbook author and teacher with an encyclopedic knowledge about food, James Beard, who died in 1985, was a champion of American cuisine. He helped educate and mentor generations of professional chefs and food enthusiasts. Today, the Beard Foundation continues in the same spirit by administering a number of diverse programs that include educational initiatives, food industry awards, scholarships to culinary schools, and publications, and by maintaining the historic James Beard House in New York City’s Greenwich Village as a “performance space” for visiting chefs. For more information, please visit www.jamesbeard.org.
About Widmer Brothers Brewing:
What started as a dream for two ordinary brothers who just loved beer has now become a reality for two ordinary brothers who still just love beer. Kurt and Rob Widmer helped lead the Pacific Northwest craft beer movement in 1984 when, in their 20s, they dreamed of brewing unique interpretations of traditional beer styles. In 1986, Widmer Brothers Brewing introduced the first American-style Hefeweizen; today, the unfiltered cloudy beer is the company’s signature brew and one of the best-selling wheat beers in the country. Based in Portland, Ore., the brewery currently brews a variety of beers including Drifter Pale Ale, Nelson Imperial IPA, Rotator IPA Series, Drop Top Amber Ale and Pitch Black IPA. For more information about Widmer Brothers Brewing, visit www.widmerbrothers.com.