Wellfleet Oysterfest

A pronounced brininess meets a mellow sweetness, where the meat is plump and they go down with a crisp, clean finish. The best oysters, no doubt, are Wellfleet's. Cultivated in the pristine, nutrient rich estuaries of Wellfleet Harbor, located in Northeastern Cape Cod Bay, the festival honoring them takes place on the third weekend in October. Yes, October. So I'm taking it back to 2014. 

Alex, Leah, Mom, Bob and I ran the annual 5K on Sunday morning around the windy, hilly roads down by the Harbor. Afterwards we walked into town, exploring art galleries along the way. Then we feasted. Raw Oysters. Grilled Oysters Rockefeller. Skate bites. Oyster chowder. Raw clams. Crab cakes. Sam Adams Porter. Clam chowder. More oysters. More dark beer. Bloody Marys. The oysters are the stars, but there is plenty of fresh seafood in a standout supporting role. What a day.

winter mix

All the things! (The holidays, winter tea juleps, making good use of my dining room, the light in my dining room, precious newborn babies, plaid shirts, winter beers, and snow. Always snow.)

Sam Adams Beer Dinner @ Del Frisco's

Del Frisco's recently hosted a Samuel Adams beer dinner, where four courses prepared by Chef Derek Barragan were expertly paired with the local brewery's favorite beers. Both the chef and the brewmaster teamed up to lead a lively discussion of the pairings and spoke to how the seasonal ingredients in the dishes served to enhance the beers. 

The evening began with Sam Adams Summer Ale and multiple passed hors d’oeuvres; Smoked Salmon with salted watermelon, lemon zest and baby arugula was lovely but the Fried dough bite with mango sorbet, avocado and red chili sugar was exceptional. The "fried dough" was actually a crunchy tortilla and I appreciated how the chilly sorbets refreshing qualities matched that of the bright, crisp, lemony notes of Sam Summer. And with a dollop of creamy avocado, I could have popped an entire plate full of those. 

For the first course, a new to me barrel aged brew with intense black cherry flavors and toasted oak notes, American Kriek, highlighted the Prime Beef Carpaccio. The rich and tart flavors of the beer complimented the lighter qualities of the salad with thinly sliced beef, watercress, roquette, spiced pepitas and the ingredient de resistance, fresh bing cherries. 

Next up, the Duck Confit with rosemary gnocchi, kalamata olives and crispy fried leeks in pan jus was hearty and comforting, yet the flavor pairings were bold and unexpected. It proved to be my favorite course, matched well by the classic, full flavored Sam Adams Boston Lager. With its balanced and not overly complex qualities, I thought it was a perfect fit for all the strong components coming at you in the gnocchi. 

The main course presented us with a Prime Ribeye that came over a bed of braised napa cabbage and sweet garlic rosti. It was topped off with marjoram, the fresh herb lending delicate pine and citrus flavors. The overall smokiness of the ribeye with sweet counterparts made for a unique pairing with the mysterious and complex Thirteenth Hour Stout - named because the 13th hour is often referred to as the witching hour. It combines roasted chocolate and coffee flavors typical of a stout with an oak aged Belgian ale, where black pepper and vanilla notes come through with a hint of acidity. To be honest, I think the beer helped me to appreciate and enjoy the dish, a ribeye isn't something I'd normally order. 

A Black Lager Vanilla Ice Cream Float with shaved dark chocolate and candied pistachios was perfect after a filling meal, which was paired with a robust and smooth Black Lager on it's own.

This distinguished steak house is as much about having fun as they are serious about the food, and the same goes for our hosts from Sam Adams with respect to the beer. Everyone involved played their part in making this event memorable and I can't thank them enough. 

I attended this dinner as media, all food and beverage were complimentary.

Sam Adams Brewery

Girls Pint Out and Beeriety teamed up to offer a private early morning tour of the Sam Adams Brewery located in Boston's Jamaica Plain neighborhood. A tour put together by local beer advocate groups compliments of the folks at Sam Adams seemed like the perfect excuse to make the trek out to Stony Brook on the Orange Line. It is actually not a trek at all with the orange line running smoothly and the brewery only a short walk from the T stop. I was there in under a half an hour. It was a crisp winter morning, filled with blue skies and slushy streets.Down a dimly lit tunnel guided by strands of tiny white lights and our friendly tour guide Katie, we made our way first to the ingredient deck. Here we were introduced to malts, hops, yeast and water, learning about how each contributes to a delicious tasting pint of Sam Adams beer. Next Katie lead us into the Barrel Room, a VIP space created to house beers awaiting release and to hold special events.Then onto the brew house, where we learned all about the process of making their beer! From the machinery used, to the fermentation period, to dry hopping, barrel aging, filtrations and everything in between.Founder Jim Koch prides the company on using traditional brewing methods following sound brewing practices to ensure beers of the highest quality. The company also believes in using innovative recipes and ingredients to create exciting new styles of beer. Styles that we were able to sample on the final portion of our tour, which lead us to the tasting room. First and foremost we sampled Boston Lager, the original full-flavored quality lager that debuted in April 1985 in 25 Boston bars+restaurants. In other words, the beer that began the company.

With this beer Katie lead us through the tasting and evaluation steps.

1) Appearance: visual appraisal, color, clarity, foam

2) Aroma: gently swirl and inhale

3) Taste: flavor profile, layers, balance

4) Body: overall mouth feel, density, effervescence

5) Finish: lingers or fades, bitter or sweet, final impressions

Next on tap we enjoyed the Winter Lager. The seasonal brew proved robust and spicy with notes of ground cinnamon, orange and ginger. Up third was Brick Red, a beer served only on tap in local Boston establishments. It has a rich caramel flavor, the sweetness from the malts balanced by the earthy characters of the hops.

The fourth pour was an ale exclusive to the tasting room! The Farmhouse Ale was bright and hoppy, a real treat rounding out this breakfast of beer in fine form.

Katie was a knowledgeable and spirited tour guide with a true passion for this company. I imagine all the employees exude a similar enthusiasm for Sam Adams, which makes this Craft Brewery experience a highly enjoyable one. I'll take any excuse to drink Beer for Breakfast; thanks to all the folks involved with GPO and Beeriety for making it happen!

Samuel Adams Brewery

30 Germania Street

Boston, MA 02130