Beer tasting (all photos by Matt Shelley)

Matt Shelley, the guy who tends to save my computer from utter destruction, is also a closet beer nerd. I have even paid him in beer before. Yesterday, he attended this year’s Brew Riot celebrating homebrewing in the Bishop Arts District between 7th and 9th street. Here’s what he has to say. It reads like a prose poem, so don’t judge him for the lack of rhyming.

Lots of homemade artisan beers.
Very crowded, but never without a beer.
Hundreds of different beers to taste: Stouts, Ambers, Wits, IPAs, ciders, Ales, Lagers, Pilsners, Doubles, tripels, Dunkels, California Commons, etc.
Dowdy Studio made t shirts just for the event at a sale price of $15. They ran out of larges, so I’ll have to live with just being medium.
$20 dollars gets you a small cup and unlimited tastings. A bit dangerous when coupled with the heat.
There was a great energy, as is usually the case with beer people. Best event I’ve been to for beer.

Jump for my IT guy’s photos.

Nate Steele of Steele Brewery served taster of his Himalayan IPA (left); Bacon crème mini cupcakes to go with beer (right)

Brew Riot on Bishop

Three Pucks was a stand out for me. Amazing cider with fresh raspberries and honey.

Allie Steele, Jessica Baldwin, and Tricia Baer enjoying some suds

Monday

• St. Arnold’s Brewing Co. Dinner at Union Bear. The brewery’s founder, Brock Wagner, is your drinking companion for the evening. Michael says he’s neutral on St. Arnold beers in general, but there’s no way this won’t be fun. One word caught my attention: sherbet. Easy math: sherbet + beer = disaster or delicious. Time will tell. Tickets are $55, seating is limited to 50.

Course 1: Oysters on the Half Shell served with a Farmer Brown Mignonette Sauce Paired w/ Chardonnay Barrel-Aged Farmer Brown Cask

Course 2: Seared Scallops with Melon Consomme and Creminelli Coppa Paired w/ Fancy Lawnmower and Weedwacker

Course 3: Union Bear’s Barolo Pizza- Drunken Salami, Toasted Onions & Peppers, Black Olives, Rosemary Paired w/ Spring Bock Course

Course 4: Steak and Frites Paired w/ Amber Ale Course

Course 5: Lemon Raspberry Thyme Sherbet Paired w/ Elissa IPA

• Pyramid Night at Flying Saucer on the Lake. Show up around 5 pm for a tapping of Pyramid Curveball Kolsch. Later, a rep from the brewing company will lead tastings of various Pyramid brews and food pairings. Raise your hand if you’ve drank your weight in Pyramid Apricot Ale. Unadvised.
• Shmaltz Brewing Company Vertical Jewbelation at Meddlesome Moth. 5 PM tapping, as usual.
• Franconia Oak Aged Mai Bock at the Holy Grail Pub.
• Franconia Mai Bock at Nana’s Media Bar + Grill. $4 beer special, an appearance by Franconia brewmaster Dennis Wehrmann, and a small plates menu created by chef Anthony Bombaci. 5 pm-7:30 pm.
• Oskar Blues Brewery Beer Dinner at The Common Table. Five beers, five courses, $55. Starts at 7 pm. Beers: Mama’s Lil Yella Pils, Double Dry Hopped Deviant Dale’s Cask, Oaked Old Chub, Gubna, and 2011 Ten Fidy
• Clown Shoes Vampire Slayer tapping at Strangeways.

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Tuesday

• Alaskan Brewing Co. Tapping and Dinner at Flying Saucer on the Lake. It’s $35 for dinner with the brewery’s head brewer, Curtis Holmes—four courses with beer pairings, prepared by guest chefs Chad Bowden from Culpeppers Steakhouse, Greg Bussey from Victor Tango’s, Nathan Tate from Ava’s and Keith Grober from Meddlesome Moth.
• North Coast Grand Cru at Meddlesome Moth. Belgian beer out of Fort Bragg has to be good, right?
• (512) Whiskey Aged Double Pecan Porter at Holy Grail Pub. Michael drove to Lone Star Beverages in Carollton the day this Austin brewery’s pecan porter went on sale.  I’m pretty sure this stuff went fast, and that he’s now hoarding the bottles in his closet. But Holy Grail has a keg. Recommended.
• Real Ale Mysterium Verum at Nana’s Media Bar + Grill. $4 beer, appearance by brew master Erik Ogershok, small plate menu. 5 pm-7:30 pm.
• Clown Shoes Muffintop tapping at Strangeways.

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Wednesday

• North Coast Night at Flying Saucer on the Lake. If you didn’t get enough North Coast Tuesday at the Moth, head here for the brewery’s Scrimshaw Pilsner and ACME IPA. Fort Worth’s Rahr and Sons will also be featured.
• Sierra Nevada and Dogfish Head Collaboration at Meddlesome Moth. It’s called Life & Limb. I’ll be hanging on to both of those, hopefully. The 10% ABV dark beer is brewed with maple syrup.
• Sam Adams Homebrew Competition Winners at Holy Grail Pub. I am generally mistrustful of strangers, so I don’t know how I feel about drinking stuff that has been stirred up in a stranger’s house. That said…adventure!
• Boulevard Brewing Co.’s Boss Tom’s Golden Bock at Nana’s Media Bar + Grill. $4 beer, appearance by Boulevard cicerone Jeremiah Wallis, small plate menu. 5 pm-7:30 pm.
• Left Coast Brewing tasting at Strangeways. Reps from the brewery will stake out the bar area and trot out their offerings (four year-round beers—Hop Juice Double IPA, Asylum Belgian Style Tripel Ale, Trestles IPA and Voo Doo American Stout.)

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Thursday

• Avery Brewing The Beast Grand Cru at Meddlesome Moth.
• Dogfish Head Brewery Night and Dinner at Flying Saucer on the Lake. Seven courses, plus pairings. Featured beers are: Dogfish Head’s 60 Minute IPA, Midas Touch, Red & White, Indian Brown, Immort Ale, and Palo Santo.
• Unibroue Glass Night at Holy Grail Pub.
• Boulevard Brewing Co.’s Single Wide IPA at Nana’s Media Bar + Grill. Craft beer happy hour (complimentary small bites paired with featured craft beers. Menu: Grilled Sweetbreads with Pico de Gallo, Slider with Cheese, Mini Grilled Cheese Sandwich with Manchego, Chorizo & Pepperoncini). 5 pm-7:30 pm.
• Raiders of the Lost Hops keg tapping at Strangeways. It’s the bar’s last keg of the Sierra Nevada IPA.

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Friday

• Allagash Curieux at Meddlesome Moth. According the Moth’s Facebook page, this is the crown jewel—and probably the last keg of this stuff in Texas, though Michael thinks you can still find it in bottles. Anyway, it’s a beautiful bourbon barrel aged Tripel (strong pale ale). Michael hasn’t tried it, and neither have I. We’ve got a winner.
• Full Sail Brewery at Flying Sauce on the Lake. Full Sail’s a Portland brewery that totally preys on my “cute label” problem, meaning I often buy stuff because the bottle looks cool. They’re also giving away koozies, so there’s that.
• Sierra Nevada Glass Night at Holy Grail Pub.
• Stout Night at Nana’s Media Bar + Grill. Featured: Left Hand Brewing Co. Milk Stout (Irish “Car Bomb” Whiskey Gelee, Bailey’s Ice Cream), Left Hand Brewing Co. Milk Stout Boulevard (Guanaja Chocolate Ganache, Stout Air, Burnt Sugar Toffee, Valrhona Chocolate Pearls), and Deschutes Obsidian Stout (Sour Cherry Tart, Obsidian Stout Ice Cream). 5pm-10 pm.
• Super-secret double IPA tasting at Strangeways. Owner Eric Sanchez tells me that this is the only keg of mystery brew to grace the state of Texas. To find out what it is, you’ve got to go drink. You don’t need GPS to know where I’ll be Friday night.

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Saturday

• Dogfish Head Black & Blue at Meddlesome Moth. The black means blackberries and the blue means blueberries, so you should taste the tart. People seem conflicted on this particular brew, but I think this might be easy. If you like fruit beers, you will probably enjoy this one. If you don’t, you will probably want to drink something else.
• Leftover Madness at Flying Saucer on the Lake. My Beers With Friends friends and I are huge fans of Union Bear’s $3 “fire sale” beers, so this similar concept gets a thumbs up. Go nuts drinking everything left over from the week’s festivities at discounted prices.

Teresa “Gubshoe” Gubbins reports the Austin-based Alamo Drafthouse will open its first branch in Dallas-Fort Worth in the Richardson Heights Shopping Center. The theater-restaurant has 740 seats, a full kitchen, and 40 beers on tap. It will takeover the former Pep Boys store. This is not your average first-run theater. It is a movie-lovers dream. They do festivals, both beer and movie, and special events like “Quote Alongs” for films like The Big Lebowski and Monty Python and the Holy Grail. You get kicked out if you don’t talk along with the film.

UPDATE: Peter files a report on FrontRow.

Cinco de Mayo at Mattito's. photography by Jerry McClure

It’s that time of year again. Time to load up your amigos and head to the local Mexican watering holes for mariachi music, discount drinks, and too much tequila. Check out our list of 10 best bets for getting in the spirit of the annual fiesta.

CHUY’S
11 am to 11 pm
Drink This: All day happy hour with $3.95 house margaritas, $7.25 house Texas martinis, and $2.75 domestics along with Corona specials and onsite alcohol promotions
Festivities: Tune in to the sounds of a mariachi band at 7 pm.

HACIENDA ON HENDERSON
11 am to 11 pm
Drink This: $5 margaritas
Festivities: It’s a whole block party full of live music, mariachis, and DJs. If you get bored, head to the dunk tank, onsite photo booth, or giant Jenga. Bring a receipt and prove you caught a cab there, and the $5 cover is waived.

URBAN TACO
11 am to close
Drink This: Five different drinks for $5 (Limonda Corrupta, Bloody Maria, Sangria, Tequila Slammer, and Gran Centenario Azul Silver Tequila shots), $3 Dos XX
Festivities: Live music, mariachi band, and $2 chicken and steak tacos

Cinco de Mayo at Primo's (photography by Jerry McClure)

BLUE GOOSE
10 am to 10 pm
Drink This: Bring a sombrero to participate in drink specials: $2 Dos XX, $4 house margaritas, $3 Bloody Mary bar, and $5 El Jimador top shelf margaritas.
Festivities: The best sombrero wins a trip to Cancun for two and children’s area for hat decorating and face painting.

MATTITO’S
2 pm
Drink This: Free tequila tastings and all-day drink specials.
Festivities: This party is one of the most beloved Cinco celebrations in town. Find live music, DJs, mechanical bull rides, games with prizes, Tex-Mex noshes, and, of course, the Bob Armstrong Queso Eating Contest at 8:15 pm.

MARGARITA RANCH
11 am
Drink This: $5 fruit-flavored tequilas and Margarita al Dia
Festivities: Grab a discount on favorite plates like $5 tamale and nachos combos, $7 fajita skewers

IRON CACTUS
2 pm to close
Drink This: $3.50 Dos XX, Tecate, and Tecate Light
Festivities: Live music until 10 pm

Cinco de Mayo at Mattito's (photography by Jerry McClure)

PRIMO’S
11 am to close
Drink This: $5 margaritas and beer
Festivities: A tent will house live music all day, a mariachi band, and Corona promotions

MONICA’S ACA Y ALLA
11 am to midnight
Drink This: The usual suspects. Although there are no particular drink specials, Monica’s makes the list because it is always a fun spot to shoot tequila and let loose.
Festivities: Live music during the evening includes the weekly salsa, Latin jazz, and blues lineup.

WILD SALSA
11 am to midnight
Drink This: Happy hour specials all day, $4 El Jimador margaritas, $4 Brugal mojitos, $10 buckets of Coronitas, $4 Herradura tequila shots, $10 bottomless mojitos (bottomless mojitos until 3 pm)
Festivities: Live music.

Beers from Bolsa Mercado. (All photos by Matthew Shelley.)

Hi. Remember me? I wrote this thing about Tillman’s and got all choked up about tater tots. When Carol asked me last week to write something about beer, I said, “Oh. Well, I like beer.” And then she showed me a photo of the beers Bolsa Mercado has just gotten in stock. I said, “I recognize most of these. They can’t be THAT interesting.” But I’m no aficionado. The only reason I recognized some of the labels is thanks to my good friend Michael (yes, the one who says that not liking seafood is akin to not liking sandwiches). He really likes beer, in an intelligent sort of way, and he knows a lot about it.

Thus, I have dubbed this thing “Beers With Friends,” in which I gather Michael and two other friendly persons with distinguished palates, PCP’s Bradford Pearson and his fiancée Kelleen, to drink hoppy stuff and talk about it like humans with a limited budget for booze-buying. We will strive for equal parts real opinion and total BS (like when I say something ridiculous like “I definitely think this tastes like beer.”) Hopefully, you have fun and learn something new, which is how last Thursday night went down for us.

What we did: Secured a random selection of beers available now at Bolsa Mercado, with a special request for any Jester King beer. Michael brought three bonus wild card bottles from his beer cellar, AKA his closet, but I’m saving those for Part II of this post. We tried to use correct glassware for beer type when possible. Mostly it wasn’t possible. To provide us with sustenance, I picked up a selection of cheeses, my favorite gluten-free crackers (Almond Nut Thins, which were pronounced “crunchy”), water crackers, Gypsy salami, two Cane Rosso pizzas, and a pound of Haribo gummy bears. More on those later. After snacking, we got down to business, drinking from light to dark.

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Original Sin Hard Cider (six bottles, available at Bolsa Mercado, $10.09)

Initial thoughts: Cider at a beer tasting? Better knock it out first. I reminisced about the time my friends came back from their study abroad experience in Prague and wanted to drink nothing but Polish pils and Magners.

About the brew:

Brad: “I could probably drink more than one of these, and that says something because I don’t really care for cider that much.”
Michael: “I just feel like it’s going to give me a hangover.”
Brad: “Oh, all the time. One time I got really sh**housed on Woodchuck. It was a summer in college, on the balcony of an apartment building in Philadelphia, and I just remember the next being like…this is not good. It’s one of those things where you don’t even enjoy it while it’s happening.”

The semi-related tangent:

Brad: “I feel like since we’ve moved here, and I’ve been thinking but I never had anyone else to bounce this off of, bars in Texas, and just the beer scene in Texas is fantastic. It’s really big, and people care. Like, I didn’t expect it all. I didn’t know what to expect.”
Michael: “It’s just happening in Dallas. You’re here for the beginning of that. Austin’s always been better. But what’s spectacular is that it’s way better than it should be with all the roadblocks that the government and the TABC have set up to keep it from happening.”
Brad: “I was at a city council hearing today about when a microbrewery wants to have a brewpub.”
Michael: “You cannot sell your beer and retail. You can’t have a true brew pub here because if you sell your beer on premises you cannot sell retail. Jester King sued the TABC over that. That’s one of the biggest issues. And there’s a bunch of other stuff, just stupid, no reason to exist laws about naming. You can’t call something a ‘strong ale.’”
Brad: “Because people are going just think they’re going to get s***housed on it.”

Field notes: Tastes like natural apple juice, not apple juice with a bunch of sugar added sweet. None of us like or drink juice on a regular basis. Like grapefruit juice, sour beers destroy your stomach lining and give you heartburn. This cider was good, for cider, and not overly sweet.

Spend dollars on it? Only if you like cider, and only if you can pour it into a sippy cup.

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Avery Brewing Company White Rascal (six cans, available at Bolsa Mercado, $10.09; on tap at Union Bear, 16 oz/$5, and Meddlesome Moth)

Initial thoughts: Michael’s the only one who’s had this beer before, and he said to do this one next to “get it over with.” I am complimented on my excellent snack choices, especially the salami, which was thanks to the nice elderly meat counter guy at Central Market who told me he’d been waiting for me his whole life. Brad reveals that he had some bourbon before we arrived.

About the brew:

Brad: “Wait. I’ve had this before. At Union Bear. I like it. I like white beers a lot.”
Michael: “I don’t. Generally. There’s something with witbiers and Belgian whites, whatever you want to call them, that just tastes chemical-y on the back end. It’s a weird sweetness that I’ve just never ever been a fan of.”
Kelleen: “It’s actually pretty refreshing.”
Michael: “I say I don’t like witbiers. What I mean is, on my grading scale, not a huge fan. I will still drink it, happily. This is not a particularly good example of a white ale, though. I feel largely this doesn’t have very much taste.”

The semi-related tangent:

Brad: “I think it’s so interesting. Everyone tastes things so differently. I mean, the biggest thing is cilantro.”
Michael: “People think it tastes like soap. And I love it.”
Brad: “People either really like cilantro, or it’s like their mouth is just washed out with soap.”
Michael: “It’s one of the things I consider a legitimate food aversion. One of few.”
Brad: “As opposed to Liz’s aversion to all seafood.” Pause. “Liz doesn’t like caramel, either.”
Michael: “Avery makes another beer called Rumpkin that’s 15% ABV. Maybe more. Pumpkin beer aged in Gosling’s Black Seal Rum barrels. It is a f**king difficult glass of beer to get through. I have another bottle in my closet right now. It’s really sweet. It’s real syrupy. They also make an IPA called Maharaja. A little sweet, but pretty good.”

Field notes: Pours especially nice in a tulip glass. Tastes floral, Belgian yeasty sweet/spiciness. Notes of coriander and orange peel. As a comparison, similar to Hoegaarden, though Hoegaarden is sweeter. Drinkable because it’s so unobtrusive, but does have that chemical-esque aftertaste.

Spend dollars on it? For backyard barbecue that requires something besides Bud Light and if you already like white beers, absolutely.

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Brooklyn Brewery Brooklyn Local No. 1 (Available at Bolsa Mercado, $10.09 for 750 mL bottle; Central Market, Whole Foods)

Initial Thoughts: Brad’s getting impatient. He’s dancing a little bit. We’re looking at a Belgian strong pale ale, pours nicely in the tulip glass with a tall head. Pretty wheat color.

About the brew:

Brad: “This might be my favorite of the three.”
Kelleen: “Is this too sweet for you, Michael? I like it, but I feel like you might think it’s too sweet.”
Brad: “You can really tell the difference in the carbonation when you go from that [Jolly Pumpkin Luciernaga] to this.”
Michael: “They feel like big bubbles.”
Brad: “It’s different. I probably would have figured it out if you hadn’t said it, but you can really tell. It’s a very distinct difference.”
Kelleen: “Brad’s confidence is insane. ‘I probably would have figured it out.’ Bull sh**!”
Michael: “No, it’s like the difference between Coke carbonation and Champagne carbonation. Drink this, and the Brookyn beer I brought is brewed with champagne yeast. It’ll be a tighter carbonation.”
Brad: “I do like this one.”
Kelleen: “I like that saison-y taste.”
Michael: “It is nice and malty.”

Semi-related tangent:

Brad: “I’m just doing that Brooklyn dance.”
Liz: “Unattractive cackle.”
Kelleen: “OH NO. This cannot be another Glühwine night. I have an interview tomorrow.”
Brad: “Aw, no. It’s not a Glühwine night.”
Kelleen: “You all remember the Glühwine night.”
Brad: “I don’t think he [Michael] does.”
Kellen: “No, YOU [Michael] left in a chocolate chip coma, while at the end of the night Brad was drunk off of Glühwine, polished off the Robert Mondavi out of the big bottle, and then was like doing karate kicks shirtless in the middle of the family room.”

Field notes: Coats the mouth, fizzy on the tongue thanks to the the character of the carbonation. At 9% ABV, easy to drink.

Spend dollars on it? Yep. A good buy for sharing with friends.

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Jester King Black Metal (Available at Bolsa Mercado, $12 for 750 mL bottle; Central Market, Whole Foods)

Initial Thoughts: The bottle is scary. The stout is appropriately dark and thick. Michael is excited about this, because it’s one of the Austin brewery’s newer farmhouse beers, meaning they’re using multiple strains of yeast to create a unique-to-the-brewery taste. He’s had the non-farmhouse version of Black Metal, and liked it.

About the brew:

Michael: “This is some f**king delicious sh**.”
Brad: “This is really good.”
Michael: “I actually like it better than the non-farmhouse yeast version. Originally when they released it, they weren’t using their farmhouse yeast yet.”
Brad: “Oh my god. It tastes like it’s one of those 85% pure cocoa chocolate bars.”
Michael: “It’s got a lot of dark chocolate. Not as much coffee as some. Good carbonation, which is nice for a stout. And that sweetness. That Belgian yeast sweetness is not bad here. Floral…”
Brad: “It balances it out more than a lot of other stouts. because a lot of stouts, as you said earlier, are sort of cloying. And you drink one, and you’re like, ‘okay. I might switch out.’ But this is much more floral, it’s easier to drink, and the bitterness sort of hits you at the back end.”
Michael: “It’s a lot higher IBU than most stouts…International Bitterness Units. This is the beer that put Jester King on the map. It’s one of the…in the beer trading scene, their stuff is sought after. One of the few Texas beers.”

Semi-related tangent:

Kelleen: “So Michael, what’s your favorite beer of all time?”
Michael: “That’s not a good question to ask.”
Kelleen: “That’s like asking a film student what their favorite movie is.”
Liz: Star Wars. Duh.
Brad: Did you know there’s someone in this room that hasn’t seen Star Wars?”
Kelleen: “I haven’t…”
Liz: KELLEEN! Han Solo was my first crush!
Michael: I am tempted to say, just hold out. Because not many people can say it.
Brad: But this wasn’t even the toughest thing for me to hear that she hadn’t seen. She hasn’t seen any of the Rocky movies, either.

Field notes: Brad and Michael loved this beer, finding it rich but perfectly balanced (though Michael does wish they’d bourbon barrel age it). I was less enthused, because despite the carbonation, it still tasted so heavy (as a stout should.)

Spend dollars on it? If you already like stouts, Black Metal might just blow your mind. Drink farmhouse whenever possible.

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Final word: Out of these four, Black Metal emerged as the overall favorite, while I found Brooklyn Local No. 1 perfect for sharing at a dinner (an acceptable alternative bringing over a bottle of wine) while White Rascal could serve as an unexpected but welcome contribution to a pool or patio party.

Stay tuned for Part II of Beers With Friends, in which we discuss three fun beers difficult to get in Dallas unless you go spelunking in Michael’s closet, and why it’s a bad idea to bring gummy bears to a beer tasting. The answer may or may not be obvious.

Scarlet Fire Rauchbier with Scrapple, Smoked Apple Butter, and Sunny-Side-Up Egg.

Melissa Monosoff is a Master Sommelier who moved to Dallas in January to become the Director of Wine and Education for Pioneer Beverage Company. She is the 17^th woman in the world to gain MS status. Before coming to Dallas, Melissa created the largest wine list in Pennsylvania, and was a multi-year recipient of Wine Spectator’s Best of Award of Excellence, both at Savona Restaurant in Philadelphia. Her presence in Dallas brings our female Master Sommelier population up to two: Barbara Werley, of Pappas Bros. is also a MS. Only San Francisco has more: three. And we are tied at two with Southgate, Michigan. For those of you scoring at home, Texas now has seven Master Sommeliers. (Wine sabermetricians will enjoy this site.)

James Tidwell, the MS at the Four Season’s Resort and Spa and co-founder of TexSom, knows Melissa. “She has a palate that is scary sensitive and accurate; much better than mine,” Tidwell says. “In short, she’s a badass.”

Which is why I am pleased to announce that Melissa and James have teamed up to write together. I hope to make them the new “Dottie and John,” the duo who, for 12 years, wrote a tasting column for the Wall Street Journal. Their first column is a review of the recent Victory Brewing Company dinner at the Meddlesome Moth.

Bill Covaleski, co-founder of Victory Brewing Company, was in town on Monday evening to host a beer dinner at Meddlesome Moth. Bill was a homebrewer who went on to complete beer studies at the Doemens Institute in Munich. Despite his vast technical knowledge, Bill relays information in a way that even non-hopheads can understand and he is entertaining in front of a group. He has grown Victory to become a leader of the craft brewing movement, and a staple of the Pennsylvania brewing culture. Pennsylvania native and the Moth’s  new executive chef Nick Amoriello provided the food pairings. Based on this dinner, we have to say Amoriello is a talent to watch for food and beer pairings. His grasp of flavors and textures between the food and beer was remarkable.

Hop here.

Belgian Strong Ale with Philadelphia Pepper Pot.

We started the evening with a welcome beer, Helios Farmhouse Ale, a refreshing Belgian ale with a hoppy-earthy back bone and a fun hint of lemony brett sourness that kept things interesting.

The first course matched Braumeister Harvest Czech Pils, a beer that is normally only on tap at the brewery, with a hoagie-style chopped salad. What seemed a minor ingredient became the star of this pairing. An abundance of oregano accentuated the floral and herbal character of this 100% Tettnang hopped beer. The quenching crispness played well with red wine vinegar dressing, and the salumi and cheeses tamed the hoppy bitterness perfectly!  This pairing was a revelation to James, who admitted he could not think of a wine that could surpass the beer with this pairing. It was a Philly Hoagie in a salad, after all.

Scarlet Fire Rauchbier was matched with what Bill called “pig in a blender”: scrapple. Again, the main item was upstaged in the pairing. While the scrapple was delicious (not at all the dreaded dish of legend), James was impressed that the smoked apple butter was the ingredient that brought out the light smokiness of the beer. Rauchbier is a traditional style of Bamberg, Germany, where the malts are smoked or fire roasted giving the beer a smoky, roasted, almost meaty flavor. Many can be extremely smoky and pungent. For Scarlet Fire, Victory uses beechwood to smoke their malts. Melissa enjoyed that it was a more restrained version and “super drinkable”; the smoky aromas on the nose translated into a soft caramel malty character on the palate.

The third course was V-12 Belgian Strong Ale with Philadelphia Pepper Pot, a traditional stew from the Caribbean that migrated to Philadelphia. Instead of a stew, Chef Amoriello deconstructed the dish to fried tripe, grilled flank steak, pepper purée, and fried onion. Melissa remarked that the implicit sweetness of the beer’s higher alcohol (over 12% abv) and the richness of the heavily malted barley toned down the spice of the pepper purée.

The final course of the evening was a soft pretzel with banana pudding, Nutella, and salted peanuts. Victory’s second most popular beer, Golden Monkey Tripel, was paired with dessert. Golden Monkey is one of their most popular beers for a reason. It has a tasty dried fruit sweetness backed up with good hop presence. It is deceivingly potent, ringing in at 9.5%. A couple of those will definitely take you to a Happy Monkey place. The rich sweetness of the beer lends itself easily to dessert especially those with bananas…pun totally intended.

The final beer of the night was Storm King, a Russian Imperial Stout easily found in the Dallas area. When you see the word imperial you know it will be strong and usually high octane. This beer is true to the style; a warming full-bodied stout with roasted coffee, toffee, and chocolate flavors that would have been perfect with the dessert as well!

Victory beers are well worth seeking. The brews are available in Whole Foods and various liquor stores in Dallas. If you are in Philadelphia, visit the brewery where you can dine at the popular family-style restaurant on site. And, watch for the next beer dinner at Meddlesome Moth. Melissa and James plan to attend more of Chef Amoriello’s exceptional pairings. Or we might go back to wine. We just roll at the drop of a hat.

One of my favorite wineries in Napa Valley is Miner Family Vineyards.  From owner Dave Miner’s succulent Wild Yeast Chardonnay to his impressive use of the Merlot grape in his Stagecoach Vineyard Merlot and his big red blend The Oracle, a wine I would easily put up next to any other red blend from Napa in a blind taste test, his wines are simply delicious.  Thursday evening Miner’s Sales Director Rocio Gonzales will be at the Sigel’s-Elite on Fitzhugh from 5pm-7pm to taste all of these wines and more….best part, some nice discounts will be available for each wine tasted (including the 2007 Oracle, one of the best years in recent history for Napa Valley’s, which usually sells for $85, discounted to $72 a bottle.)  Reservations required – 214-635-3162

If something from Washington State is more your preference Jasper’s in Plano is hosting a wine dinner on Thursday night with winemaker John Bookwalter of Bookwalter Winery, a small production winery in the Columbia Valley, which has been making award winning Washington wines since 1983.  Cost is $75, reservations required - 972-673-0823.

Some consider the Cotes du Coeur International Fine Wine Auction and Celebrity Chef Dinner to be the event of the year, especially for wine and food lovers.  I have to agree that year in and year out the Dallas Chapter for the American Heart Association, with the help of some of Dallas’ favorite chefs like Chef Chair Richard Chamberlain, David Holben, Jim Severson, Dean Fearing and Kent Rathbun, put on a grand event, which over their 20 year history of holding the event in Dallas has raised over $16 million for the American Heart Association.  More information available through their website or by calling 214-748-1200.

If beer is more your style, head out to the first Big Texas Beer Fest on Saturday afternoon at Fair Park.  This is the first North Texas craft beer festival, devoted solely craft beer and featuring over 300 beers from all over the world, and the list is extensive, including Deep Ellum, Deschutes, Dogfish Head, Boulevard, Guinness, Maui Brewing, Krombacher and so many more.    Perfect timing as our local craft brewery scene continues to expand.   Tickets are $35 in advance/$60 VIP, available here.

Nestled in the hills just below Howell Mountain in Napa Valley is one of the most beautiful wineries I have ever visited, bonus, they also make incredible wine – mainly big, bold and luscious reds.  Viader Winery was started in in 1986 by the incredibly passionate and determined Delia Viader.  Today Viader is considered to be one of the top red wine producers from Napa, specifically for their single varietal Cabernet Franc and gorgeous Cabernet Sauvignon blends; and it is also a family affair with her son, Alan, managing their operations and working with his mom as their winemaker; her daughter, Janet, handling the sales and marketing for the winery; even Alan’s wife, Mariela, managing the culinary program for Viader creating lavish dinners or light lunches for guests from her organic garden on the Viader property.  Janet Viader will be in town on Tuesday, April 17, to host a wine dinner with Chef Scott Gottlich at his restaurant, Bijoux.  The dinner is $95, reservations required – 214-350-6100.

If you are a fan of Pinot Noir you must join Sommelier Barbara Werley at Pappa’s Bros. Steakhouse on Friday, April 20 for their world wide, impressive, Pinot Noir wine tasting.  Selections to be tasted include a 2006 Freestone Vineyards from Sonoma Coast; 2007 Sea Smoke Cellars “Southing” from Santa Rita Hills, CA; 2000 Leroy Bourgogne Rouge from Burgundy; 2005 Trimbach “Reserve Personelle” from Alsace, and many more.  $55 per person, includes a selection of Hors d’Oeuvres, reservations required – 214-366-2000.

“Total Wine will offer a greater selection of wines, spirits, and beer in its store than any retailer in Dallas.”

Yow. Zah. That’s ballsy. I guess we’ll wait and see. Oh wait, Co-Owner and President David Trone has something to say:

“Total Wine & More will offer a shopping experience unlike any other in Dallas. We feature wine from nearly every wine-growing region in the world, as well as a tremendous selection of spirits from every price range, and a diverse offering of beers, from America’s most popular beers to hard-to-find microbrews and imports.  I believe Dallas residents will be surprised and amazed when they first enter our store.”

Bring it, Hoss. We’ll be the judge. Say, how much Texas wine are you bringing?

Executive Chef Cris "No H" Vasquez holds a Champion Dog. D.J. Pridemore eats the whole thing. (Photography by Micah Nunley)

I’ve already outlined how the Rangers will win the World Series. I’m now prepared to tell you how to plan your caloric intake when you attend a game. The Yu-Darvish moment of late yesterday took place as the Rangers food service management team—Shawn Mattox, Casey Rapp, Philip Wheatley, execuchef Cris Vazquez—revealed their heavy hitter: The Champion Dog ($26.00 with fries). It’s a 2-foot-long-all-beef hot dog topped with shredded cheese, sauteed onions, and chili. The Champion Dog, also sold as the Boomstick (Hi! Nellie!) in the general concessions area, is meant to satisfy four people. However, I watched an eating competition where D.J. Pridemore, a producer for 105.3-FM The Fan, ate a whole one all by himself. He smoked his opponent, the DMN’s Brandon Formby, who never saw the bun (made by Empire Baking Company) coming. Mr. Formby learned that baseball food, like baseball, is a now game of inches.

So Ranger food fans, here’s is news: Vandergriff Plaza (behind centerfield) has been renovated into a food court with FOUR new restaurants, Ryan’s Express 34, Smokehouse 557, Taqueria, and American Dog. They surround the bronze statute of Nolan Ryan. They’ve also added two smoking hot lounges, the Captain Morgan Club and the Batter’s Eye Club). The Kid’s Zone has been moved indoors (thank you) to the south end of the first floor. And the press box will feature sushi for the Japanese media.

Jump for Food Facts and Fun Pictures For Rangers Fans.

Four new restaurants surround the bronze statue of Nolan Ryan. (Photography by Micah Nunley)

The view from the Batter's Eye Club. (Photography by Micah Nunley)

*The one-pound hot dog is so big it actually has two names. Inside the Captain Morgan Club, it’s the Champion Dog. At concession stands outside Sections 16 and 42, it’s the Boomstick (a nod to outfielder Nelson Cruz).

*The Batter’s Eye Club (pictured above) is where I will be seated when, after winning the World Series in GAME FOUR, I watch the players hoist manager Ron Washington over their heads and pass him around the infield like a rag doll. The enclosed 150-seat (air-conditioned!) party suite sits in dead center field. The previously unused space will generate bazillions of dollars: tickets start at $75 a game but the 6,250-square foot room with theater seats, full-service bar, buffet line, and restrooms will be utilized mainly for groups and rentals. Individual seating will be on a game-by-game basis. The view is spectacular.

The Captain Morgan Club. (Photography by Micah Nunley)

*Captain Morgan Club (pictured above). This will be the place to hang when the Rangers are coasting through a game with an 11-run lead. You can’t see the grass from inside unless you watch it on one of the zillions of TVs scattered around the 9,000-square foot two-story bar/restaurant. As the name implies, there will be rum (home rum? sorry) and whiskey, and any other spirits carried by the Diageo brand. The wine list carries BV Coastal, Louis M. Martini, and Beringer, but I also spied a bottle of Barefoot, a bad hangover waiting to happen. The Captain Morgan Club will serve burgers, salads, sandwiches, barbecue, and the, soon-to-be-world-famous, Champion Dog. It will be open to the public before, during, and after games which will make it easy for you to celebrate a victory post-game Courvoisier VS. If you have the bucks, you can also rent the whole space.

*The Budweiser Bowtie at Vandergriff Plaza is the new name for the old area behind center field where you will find four new outdoor restaurants. The American Dog will feature four types of gourmet hot dogs, sausages, and hot dog sliders. The Smokehouse 557, equipped with a “specially built smoker,” will serve huge beef ribs, chopped beef sandwiches, turkey legs (ugh), and corn on the cob. You can find street tacos at Taqueria where they are also making their own flour tortillas. Chef  Vasquez says he doesn’t use any fat. “Only baking powder, flour, and water,” he said. He handed me a real hot one and I found it rather chewy. Perhaps the texture works for holding food long enough to get back to your seat without leakage, but, like I said, it was a little too elastic for my taste buds. The fillings were nice: plenty of fresh grilled, meats, onions, and peppers. Ryan’s Express 34 is all about Nolan Ryan’s beef. Here you will find four big and strong gourmet burgers such as the Tex-Mex burger where two patties are stuffed with cheese, griddled, topped with jalapenos, onions and pico de gallo, and served on fluffy pieces of Texas Toast.

Available at the Captain Morgan Club: Tuscan pasta, chicken Caesar salad. (Photography by Micah Nunley)

Clockwise from top left: Street tacos and home-made flour tortillas at Taqueria. Jalapeno burger at Ryan's Express 34. Tex-Mex burger on Texas Toast. (Photography by Micah Nunley)

*What about the new Japanese fans and media you ask? I’m glad you asked because I did. Ranger PR czar, Executive Vice President of Communications John Blake, expects 20 members of the Japanese media to travel with the team all season. He also predicts close to 60 will crowd into the press box when Yu Darvish pitches. “I have plenty of specials planned for the press box,” said Chef Vasquez. “We will have a sushi station in the Diamond Club, bento boxes with edamame, a whole California roll, and a seaweed salad at the Grab and Go stand.” He also says he’s experimenting with a hot dog and soba noodles. As the season progresses he will roll out new items geared to Japanese fans and media.

*There you have it. The Rangers have invested over $11.5 million to make you happy and fat. Thanks to the installation of new video boards and a high-tech in-park audio system last year, we should have nothing to bitch about. Unless Yu Darvish chokes.

Turkey leg, corn on the cob, beef ribs, and chopped beef sandwich from Smokehouse 557. (Photography by Micah Nunley)

]]> http://sidedish.dmagazine.com/2012/04/03/the-texas-rangers-will-win-the-world-series-and-the-james-beard-award-for-best-new-restaurants/feed/ 5 http://sidedish.dmagazine.com/2012/03/30/deep-ellum-brewing-company-adds-beer-garden-debut-tomorrow-at-high-noon-in-dallas/ http://sidedish.dmagazine.com/2012/03/30/deep-ellum-brewing-company-adds-beer-garden-debut-tomorrow-at-high-noon-in-dallas/#comments Fri, 30 Mar 2012 23:12:05 +0000 Andrew Chalk http://sidedish.dmagazine.com/?p=38676 Deep Ellum Brewing Company’s Brand and Sales Ninja, Tait Lifto, sends the news. This may be the place to hang before Savor Dallas’ sold-out reserve tasting:

Deep Ellum Brewing Company is proud to introduce the next step in our young life: a brand new beer garden premiering to the public tomorrow, Saturday March 31, 2012 from noon to 3pm.  We will be open to the public for a brewery open house with a tour at 2pm.  Come see the brand new beer garden, a new painting by the Davies brothers, listen to Fish Fry Bingo and more.  You are invited to attend – we now accept credit cards at the door as well.  I’m attaching a photo of the beer garden at 90% completion – it will be 100% by tomorrow.

Details:

When:   Saturday March 31, 2012 from 12p – 3p

Where:   Deep Ellum Brewing Company, 2821 St Louis St, Dallas TX 75226, 214-888-DEBC

Band:   Fish Fry Bingo (www.fishfrybingo.com)

Art:   New art by Three of One Arts (the Davies Brothers -http://www.facebook.com/pages/Three-of-One-Arts/186586948026347) unveiled tomorrow

Extra:   Brand new Beer Garden with stage unveiled tomorrow

Food Truck:   So Cal Tacos (http://www.facebook.com/pages/So-Cal-Tacos/158303597523207)

Event Page 1: http://www.facebook.com/events/251790094913254/

Event Page 2: http://www.facebook.com/deepellumbrewing#!/events/254336224653351/

DEBC Stock Photography:  (photos by Tait Lifto) https://picasaweb.google.com/107097404281785269998/DEBCStockPhotos?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCLX5sZHgo43ORA&feat=directlink

photography by Sergio Garza

First, a few St. Patrick’s Day fun facts:

St. Patrick wasn’t Irish.
Almost 37 million Americans claim Irish ancestry. (The rest just pretend on March 17.)
Nearly 13 million pints of Guinness are consumed on St. Patrick’s Day.
There are four towns in the United States named “Shamrock.” Texas has one of them.
My sister used to eat all the marshmallows out of the Lucky Charms box growing up.
Leprechauns exist.

Now, without further ado, we present a guide to boozing on the mean green holiday, organized by our favorite ‘hoods. We know we’ve left off some great bars that will be hosting great times (great time = green Irish beer, Celtic jams, and corned beef and cabbage), but this is just a little taste from a few different DFW territories.

The parade crowd surges down Greenville Avenue. (photo by Jerry McClure)

ADDISON
The Flying Saucer
There are plenty of places to grab a pint and a pinch, but this beer-lovers paradise is an obvious choice. They’re serving $3 Irish pints all day (including Guinness, Smithwick’s, Harp, Murphy’s Red, Murphy’s Stout, and Harpoon Celtic) and hosting DJ JD, who’s on deck at 9:30 pm.

Sherlock’s Baker St. Pub
This bar is huge and a guaranteed good time. The big tent outside will be set up and ready for lots of party people, live music, green beer, and a DJ later in the evening.

ARLINGTON
J. Gilligan’s Bar & Grill
This Irish watering hole is serving Irish nachos, green beer, and entertainment, including music inside and outside in the tent area, bagpipe players, Irish dancers, and live music by Hill City Band, Morning People, Sting Rays, and Clearfork. Party starts at 11 am.

FORT WORTH
Paddy Red’s Irish Pub
If a free price tag, green beer, complimentary party favors, Irish drink specials, corned beef and cabbage, and shepherd’s pie don’t excite you, how about the promised appearance of a leprechaun? Yeah. That’s what we thought.

HENDERSON AVENUE
The Old Monk
Opening early, this neighborhood favorite is offering live music from Homespun Remedies, Irish dancers, bagpipe performances, brunch from 10 am to 2 pm, and favorite Irish dishes like fish and chips, Shepherd’s pie, corned beef and cabbage, and corned beef Reubens.

Beer bonging, crazy dancing (dancing?), scantily clad women, and public shot-taking are all common sights during the St. Patrick's Day festivities on Greenville Avenue.

UPPER GREENVILLE
The Greenville Avenue St. Patrick’s Day Parade goes right through this area, so expect a crowd. Any watering hole that offers you a chance to squeeze through the masses and get to the bar is a good place to rest.

LOWER GREENVILLE
The Block Party is what you’ll find has taken over this area post-parade. A measly $8 gets you in the gate . I won’t lie to you: Last year’s block party was entirely too crowded to be enjoyable, but if you’re looking to be in the heart of the mayhem—I mean action—this is your best bet. You can move in and out of bars, grab a cold brew and hamburger from street vendors, and hear live music.

Sundown at Granada
We’re been waiting for these guys to open up their roof-top patio and it’s finally happening. Three Reggae bands will be playing upstairs (including The Effinays, Melody Memory, and Basic5) and a $5 menu will be serving tacos (beef or black bean) and BBQ brisket sandwiches.

LOWEST GREENVILLE
Crown & Harp
Just like the real St. Patrick, this bar is half British, half Irish. Starting at noon and ending in the wee hours of the morning, you can expect three Irish bands (including Blarney Street Hooligans, Pratty, and Irish Blind), Irish dancers, DJs spinning Irish, Ska, Reggae, and Soul, and Irish edibles like green beer, Irish stew, fish and chips, and drink specials all day and night.

UPTOWN
Blackfriar Pub
As they’re sibling bars and close neighbors (across the street), we can’t highlight one without the other. The two-day parking lot party here also starts on Friday. On Saturday, enjoy a bagpiper, live music by Petty Theft, and Irish food favorites fish and chips, Irish Reubens, and corned beef and cabbage served from 11 am to 10 pm.

The Idle Rich Pub
As part of the two-day tent party, which begins on Friday, you’ll find live music by The Killdares, Irish dancing, bagpiping, and Irish food, including corned beef and cabbage plate, fish and chips, Shepherd’s pie, and corned beef reubens served from 11 am to 10 pm. Festivities start at 10 am.

photography by Sergio Garza

OAK LAWN
The Library Bar
If green colored chaos isn’t your cup of whiskey, try this hotel bar for special Irish dishes (Reuben sandwich sliders with corned beef and Shepherd’s Pie), a fancy Emerald Isle Martini, and Irish beer specials (Guinness, Harp, and Killian’s Irish Red for $5). Available all month long.

DEEP ELLUM
Anvil Pub
It may not be an Irish pub, but it’ll sure look like one with the green decorations, Irish stew being served, and Jameson Irish Whiskey and Irish Car Bomb specials.

DOWNTOWN
The Chesterfield
This new hot spot’s keeping it classy with a limited edition house cocktail: the Irish Necktie. (A concoction of Jameson Irish Whiskey, ginger beer, and angostura bitters served in an old-fashioned glass.) Special menu items will include corned beef and magners cabbage and and Irish breakfast with black pudding, eggs, bacon, and soda bread, served until 11 pm.

FAR NORTH DALLAS
Mad Tavern
The new Alice in Wonderland-themed Irish pub way, way up in Far North Dallas will be open at 7 am (like they are every day) and serving Irish-themed drink and food specials. With nice weather (fingers crossed), the bar on patio will be the place to be with a band playing at 5 pm and 10 pm.

Londoner Charlie "Chuck" Bailey has a dedicated following among the Friday's crowd, even on this side of the pond. (photos by Karley Osborn)

We sent intern Karley Osborn out to brave a bartending championship in Grapevine on a Sunday night. What a trooper.

Two nights ago, while the rest of you were crying in your living rooms over Meryl Streep’s Oscar speech, I was cheering alongside the corporate world of TGI Friday’s as flair bartenders from nine of the chain’s international restaurants competed to become the “Greatest Bartender in the World.” Er, more specifically, the greatest TGI Friday’s bartender in the world.

The Gaylord’s Glass Cactus was decked out for the event’s 21st year like any 21-year-old’s birthday party venue should be with inflatable noise clappers, flashing strobe lights, and party anthems that sounded out of place until the drinks started flowing. Fans, friends, and family of the nine competitors helped themselves to fancified bar fixings like portabella sliders and fried jalapeno peppers as the competition introductions began around 7:00 p.m.

Jump for some Enrique Iglesias action.

Things got a little confusing when Enrique Iglesias (who probably hasn’t had so many people whip out their cell phones to take his picture since his 2003 mole removal) jumped onstage with Friday’s’ VP of Drink and Menu Innovation George Barton to talk about rum, which Enrique claims to have a “passion” for now that he’s a partial owner of Atlantico (ALERT: that was a promo).

Drink pile

Soon it was back to business, with Brad Kaplan of Colorado leading off the competition. Brad, last year’s Fan Favorite, said if he were to be a drink, he’d be a Buttery Nipple. Unfortunately, his hands ended up with the buttery label: he dropped a few bottles mid-juggle, and said sheepishly that he “could have felt better” about his performance after the time ran out.

But no worries, Brad—by the time your number was finished, certain members of the TGI Friday’s crew were dancing on tables and screaming your name like they were at a concert and you were Enrique. P.S. Don’t you wish your work conventions were a little more like Friday’s?

Next came guys like Paul from the Dominican Republic, who would be a Cosmo because the ladies love him, and Santiago from Sea World Orlando, who considers himself more of a Horny ‘Rita kinda guy. Rookie Ram Ong, this year’s Fan Favorite, hailed all the way from the Philippines.

The celeb judges—Kim Haasarud, a mixologist who has judged culinary creations on Iron Chef America, and Charlotte Voisey, a former UK Bartender of the Year who’s appeared on Top Chef Masters—chimed in occasionally to praise the “fluidity” of contestants as they balanced Bacardi bottles on their heads, spun Smirnoffs around the rims of martini glasses, and threw olives into the air before spearing them with a toothpick held between their lips.

Ultimately, it was Swede David Kringlund—another Cosmo—who took the $10,000 prize and the 2012 Best (TGI Friday’s) Bartender in the World title. When David triumphed over UK runner-up Charlie Bailey, the place erupted. After all, it was a long road to the top: David bested 8,000 other mixologists, battling through local, regional, and divisional competitions before arriving in Texas for the final showdown.

David Kringlund wins the 2012 World's Best (TGI Friday's) Bartender

“We’re on our way,” David declared proudly from the stage of his home store in Sweden.

It was no Meryl Streep moment, but it came pretty darn close. Confetti shot from the ceiling as the Swede was handed a trophy that resembled a snow ski, which he kissed passionately as the rest of the competitors hoisted him onto their shoulders.

It was a tender moment Enrique would have probably written a song about if he had stuck around for the end of the show. But surely he’ll send David home with a congratulatory case of Atlantico rum—the kind of liquid-gold trophy a bartender envies most.

Blue Mesa Grill Teams up with Ambhar Tequila for a series of workshops called Tequila Lab. Marcelo Nascimento, Ambhar’s lead mixologist, is teaching each lab participant how to make, mix, and enhance tequila drinks. Three drinks and a Blue Mesa menu are included with the class, so hurry and sign up if you would like to be one of the 35 participants.

7 PM Wednesday, February 29th.
Dallas/Northwest Hwy. location only – Lincoln Park, 7700 W. Northwest Hwy.
Limited to 35 participants. Please call (214) 378-8686 to sign up.
$35 per person includes drinks and appetizers.
For more information see www.bluemesagrill.com.

Not in the mood for tequila? Beer could be your answer.

For the first time in DFW history, there is going to be a Local Brewery Beer Pairing Dinner over at the Common Table. Deep Ellum Brewing Company (DEBC) is joining up with four other breweries (Franconia Brewing Co, Lakewood Brewing Co, Rahr & Sons Brewing Co and Peticolas Brewing Co) to host this sweet dinner. Chef Mike Smith will be cooking 5 courses paired with 5 beers. There are still 16 spots open for the March 5th dinner, and $15 per person is being donated to Open the Taps, a grassroots movement fighting for beer equality.