Mile High Brews: Garden to Table

Breweries and food trucks go hand in hand with each other. On a Friday evening or Saturday afternoon it is hard to go to a brewery without a food truck outside selling their offerings to the masses while waiting for a pint. But how often do the 2 come together to create an event that showcases both the brewery and the food truck? Well I had the privilege of going to a garden to table dinner that not only had some amazing food but also had beer pairings that went along with each course, and this was all thanks to the Copper Kettle Brewing Company and the Harvest Food Truck, great local brewery and a organic, fresh food truck.

While the Harvest Food Truck is a regular at the Copper Kettle Brewery this was a true rarity to have the two come together for a sit down dinner. Not only were there three courses of fresh food but there were three separates beer pairings to accompany each course, two beers of which will not be released to the general public until August 4^th. However getting to spend an evening with great people while enjoying not only great beer but great food and supporting the small and local businesses is what makes going to microbreweries is really all about.

The first course started with a fresh salad with a sherry mustard vinaigrette that was paired with the Copper Kettle’s Dusseldorf Altbier. The salad was as fresh as you could possibly imagine. With fresh corn, carrots, cucumbers and lettuce that were all harvested within 24 hours of the event, paired with the malty but clean altbier these two pairings complimented each other perfectly. The slight bitterness, and freshness of the vegetables went hand in hand perfectly and it made it difficult to put your fork down to enjoy the beer and vice versa. A truly delicious food and beer pairing that was thoroughly enjoyed by all, however there were two more courses and two more beers to get through on this evening.

For the entrée of the evening we enjoyed a pork chop with roasted potatoes and braised greens, all with a green tomato romesco. With a course this complex in flavors it would require a strong flavored beer and with that we were able to enjoy a pint of the not yet releases Basil Blonde ale. The food was delicious with a great herb seasoning on the pork, perfectly cooked greens, and a sauce that only left you cleaning your plate of it and craving more, and a beer pairing that was very unique with such a strong herb. The basil blonde was exactly that, unique but also very delicious. Very light in body there were no flavors to compliment the basil. The aroma and flavor were strictly that; however the aftertaste was very clean and left you craving more. It was the perfect complement to strong flavored foods, and one that when available will easily be enjoyed on its own by the pint.

What could finish off a delicious dinner than a dessert? At this event we were treated to a peach gallette, with a tart cherry qastrique with a light whipped cream on top. The beer pairing? A cherry wheat ale that is not yet available but also one that was created by a home brewer and chosen by Copper Kettle to be on tap as the result of a home brew contest. The gallette was the weakest course of the night as there were not enough peaches and the crust was a little tough and dry, however the beer pairing that accompanied it was fantastic. This was not a typical cherry wheat ale, it was more subtle. The cherry flavor was very visible but was not prominent. There was a slight tartness, and sweetness, but the aftertaste did not linger and was very clean. This beer was very well rounded in flavor and was very easy to enjoy a whole pint of, and again it will be available on August 4^th as part of their tap list rotations as one of the many must tries.

Despite the fact that this was a rare occasion it was something that was well worth trying. To have the opportunity to enjoy not only a high quality three course meal but to have three handpicked beer pairings with it is a rare treat. To make it even better was the opportunity to support local farmers, breweries, and businesses all in the same night. While this may be a rare occasion that an event like this occurs again it is worth keeping an eye out for and jumping at the chance to do it every chance you get, you will not have any regret over it.