Beer Week! Whooo!!

This week, we are on the "Beer Dinner A Day" diet, a grueling marathon. The first event, the Dogfish Head dinner at Slows, was amazing; Mrs. C has loads of food-porn pix, and will recap the dinner, but just let me say, Whooo!!

It warms my heart to see a beer dinner at Slows again after so much time off, and to see Chef Brian and Chef Mike so happy to be doing what they do so well. Can't wait for the next one. Meantime, we're off to Foran's Grand Trunk tonight for a dinner featuring Barry Johnson's Saugatuck Brewing Co. beers.

Detroit Beer Week is upon us!

Check out the menu for tonight's Dogfish Head dinner at Slows.

The menu for tomorrow night's dinner at Cliff Bell's with Dragonmead and Kuhnhenn is here.

The Saugatuck Brewing beer dinner at Foran's Grand Trunk pub, also tomorrow evening, is sold out. The menu has not been posted anywhere. We'll report on it after the fact!

Wednesday brings Beer VS Wine with cheese & charcuterie. Can't wait for this one! Last year Mr Cicerone and I did the cheese portion, but this year we're free to just go and enjoy!

Wednesday also brings Short's beer dinner at Andiamo, Dearborn. The menu has not been posted, but these are the beers......
Andiamo/Short's Beer Dinner Beers:
Bellaire Brown
Huma Lupa Licious
Autumn Ale
Mystery Stout
The Soft Parade

Thursday sees Bell's at The Rattlesnake Club. Check out this menu.....

And, I just read that Portofino in Wyandotte will be hosting another Saugatuck Brewing dinner on Thursday. Here's the details so far....

There's also a bunch of Happy Hours, including a Sour Hour at Slows On Wednesday, a Founders event on Thursday with a KEG OF CBS (see next post!), and other interesting events, like this one....., and this one.....and this one....

Full list available here.

Beer dinners- past, and future!

Dessert- Caramel mouse, eeer...mousse, with chocolate pot au creme & hazelnut ice cream. Paired with Sam Adams Cream Stout.

We attended a spectacular Sam Adams beer dinner at Wolfgang Puck Grille last week. Chef Marc did another incredible job pairing five beers with 5 mouth-watering courses. Miss Jessica, the Sam Adams rep, did a wonderful job presenting the dinner, and talking about the company and the beers.
APPETIZERS- Shrimp tempura, crab cakes, tuna tartare- all paired with the lovely lemony Coastal Wheat.
TWO- Sauteed red snapper, mussels, caramelized cauliflower, pepperoni & saffron beurre blanc- paired with Sam Adams Imperial White Ale  ( delicious malty, spicy wheat wine). This was Chef Marc's homage to paella!
THREE - Roasted pork tenderloin with cabbage, confit of bacon, cider glaze & mustard sauce-paired with Sam Adams Oktoberfest marzen. Mmm, Mmm.
FOUR - Beef tenderloin with cipollini onion, blue cheese, cabernet reduction & fingerling potato, paired with Sam Adams Boston Lager. A rich, intensely flavoured dish on many levels that may have been a little better matched with a slightly stronger flavoured beer (Black lager or Boston ale would be my first pick from their portfolio), but the Boston Lager was pretty close to matching the intensity. Boston Lager is a delicious, flavourful, and often overlooked beer....
DESSERT- delicious on all accounts. A great match.
Thanks once again to Jessica, Chef Marc, and the entire team at Wolfgang Puck Grille for their exceptional service.

UPCOMING BEER DINNERS....
Detroit Beer Week is upon us again. Apart from a bunch of beery events, there's a slew of beer dinners that are not to be missed!
Monday October 17- details not finalised yet, but Slows are having a Dogfish Head beer dinner.
Tuesday October 18 - Cliff Bell's Dragonmead/Kuhnhenn beer dinner, AND Foran's Grand Trunk Pub Saugatuck Brewing Beer Dinner, which I think is sold out.
Wednesday October 19 - Andiamo Dearborn's Short's beer dinner
Thursday October 20 - Rattlesnake Club Bell's beer dinner

Get ready to loosen your belts!

Detroit Beer Week Approaches

We're still a bit short on details, but here is the executive summary:

When: October 13-23, 2011
What: Beer related special events
Where: All of your favorite beery places around town
Who: All of us!
Why: Beer! Whoooo!!
How: Show up thirsty....

A growing list of some of the events can be seen here.

We would also like to point out that the Michigan Brewers Guild Fall Festival will be on the 22nd at Eastern Market. Whooo!

Mark Your Calendars

Detroit Beer Week 2011 is in the early planning stages. Look for lots of cool events around town running from 14 to 23 October... chief organizers Jon Piepenbrok and Jason Peltier of Liquid Table have a Facebook page set up here and will post info as it develops.

The Second Week of Beer Week

Sorta. Monday was sort of the extra doughnut in a baker's dozen, as applied to Detroit Beer Week. The good folks at Slows BBQ had a Founders Brewing happy hour out on their patio, with a selection of new and cellared beers, including a cask of this year's Harvest Ale, 1/6 barrels of this year's Nemesis (sharply black and roasty,) and 8 month old draft Kentucky Breakfast Stout, and other delights. The weather was unseasonably warm, the crowd convivial, and (surprise!) there was some decent food to eat, as well. Mr. Cicerone had a bit too much beer, and stayed up a bit too late on a school night, but was kindly looked after by Mrs. Cicerone. (Whooo!!)

MBG Fall Festival!! Whooo!!!

This week, I'm the guy who goes, "Whooo!!" Whooo!! The fall festival was great. Sold out, but not oversold. A big, big party with all of your favorite people in attendance. Like these guys:

Joe Hudecek, Andy Hudecek, and Uncle Dave DRINK MICHIGAN BEER! WHOOO!!!

With 40+ breweries each pouring an average of, say, 4 beers, there was no way to check it all out in 5 hours. Some folks (Mrs. Cicerone,) formulate a plan of attack, using the festival program downloaded off the 'net days in advance, focusing on unique, otherwise unavailable beers. Mr. Cicerone, however, uses the 'go with the flow' serendipity-based model. One rule generally adhered to is Visit Doug First. Our friend Doug always has something special for the festival. Hell, he has something special each and every Thursday. Saturday, in addition to a selection of regular beers, we sampled Black Ops 'Black IPA' and "Citra-sation," an IPA made with fresh Citra hops, both excellent.

Doug and the Fort Street Brew Zoo

Another festival stalwart and favorite of Mr. Cicerone is Grizzly Peak's Sheerwater IPA. Brewer Duncan Williams almost always brings a cask of this complex and delicious beer to the MBG festivals. This year Mr. and Mrs. Cicerone were also enthralled by a delicious cask mild, and "Poisson Rouge," a wonderfully oaky, tart, perfectly balanced barrel-aged version of their Steelhead Red ale. That was Mr.'s favorite beer of the day.

Another reason for me to go "Whooo!!" was spending a little quality time with Mr. Todd Parker, the very large, very enthusiastic brewer at Copper Canyon, sampling many strong and delicious beers. I had Yellowcard APA, RyePA, Maibock, and Rocktoberfest. The Rocktoberfest was an 8% (!) "double marzen" that was so clean, balanced and drinkable, while hiding its strength, that no one could be blamed for accidentally getting drunk on it.

While Mr Cicerone was busy saying "Whooo!" I was at the Jolly Pumpkin booth sampling Vicious wheat IPA, closely followed by "Nightmare Before Vicious"- the same beer that had been in oak at the JP brewery for 6months. Mmm. Other favourites for me were also Fort St Brewery's Citra-sation, JP Fuego del Otono, Arcadia Nut Brown Ale, Wolverine's Brown lager, Dark Horse Bourbon-aged Plead the Fifth, the aformentioned Poisson Rouge, and, saving the best till last.....Big Rock's Red Rock Flanders Ale.

A Scary Kuhnhenn, The Big Banana, and Crazy Hat Lady.

Stay tuned for another strange-but-true Porta-Potti story.

Beer VS Wine with Cheese......

....at Motor City Wine, last Thursday, during Detroit Beer Week.
What a great time everybody had! Mr Cicerone and I did something we always say we will do, but somehow never get around to, which is try some really great wines. Thanks to David & Mark for their hospitality and great selections!
Mr Detroit Beer Week- Jon P.

Here's the pairings...
CHEESE- Fresh Mozzarella
BEER - Full Measure Brewing (AKA Mr Cicerone) Ginger Wheat
WINE - Bel Lago Leelanau Primavera

CHEESE - Bucheron aged goat
BBER - Jolly Pumpkin Oro de Calabaza
WINE - Morande Sauvignon Blanc - Chile
CHEESE - Brie
BEER - Dragonmead Final Absolution Tripel
WINE - Charles Smith Kung Fu Girl Dry Riesling

CHEESE - Scottish mature cheddar
BEER - Fuller's ESB (Honorary Michigan beer)
WINE - Charles and Charles cab/syrah

CHEESE - Beemster Vlaskaas
BEER - Dark Horse Scotty Karate Scotch Ale
WINE - Valtostao Legon Ribera del Duero

CHEESE - Grana Padano Parmagianno
BEER - Detroit Beer Co Detroit Dwarf
WINE - Tenuta Curreza Prine Nergoamaro/Primativo

CHEESE - Point Reyes Blue
BEER - New Holland The Poet Stout
WINE - (Sorry! I seem to have lost the wine for this one.)
Yes, that IS a piece of cheese on my head.....

CHEESE - English Stilton
BEER - Arcadia Cereal Killer Barley Wine
WINE - D'Arenberg Sticky Chardonnay

And the winner is......Beer. We think. Though it might have been very close. We've not received the final tallies yet, but will post them when we do.
Pairing Number 9- the surprise pairing. One person actually tried this.


...Full post

Beer Week Thus Far (Whoooo!!)

Whooo! Last night was great fun. Beer vs. Wine with cheese upstairs at Motor City Wines, New Holland revelry downstairs at Foran's Grand Trunk, Biketoberfesters infesting both. Mr. and Mrs. Cicerone enjoyed sampling some interesting wines, something we are always saying we are going to do, but never get around to. Thanks to Dave and Mark at Motor City Wines for the hospitality and expertise. After we discharged our Ciceroney duties upstairs, we headed downstairs for some Mad Hatter, and also to continue plotting world domination with the various DBW conspirators. We still have a way to go, but we can make Detroit Beer Week into a world class event. After all, we have an advantage over most other locales; we have the best beer! Whooo!!

See you at the MBG Fall Festival!

Whooo! Beer Week!! Whooo!!

Tuesday night's dinner at Cliff Bell's was great. Great food, great company, great beer. Tonight, Beer v. Wine Cheese pairing at Motor City Wines, New Holland at Grand Trunk, and Biketoberfest with bil! Whoooo!!

Two beers with every course....

....at the Detroit Beer Week beer dinner at Cliff Bell's last night.

THE OPENER
Orange & coriander cured gravlox with crisp bagel chip, micro green salad & ginger creme fraiche.
Kuhnhenn's Tangerine wit, & Kuhnhenn's Double Rice IPA.
Mrs Cicerone says Wit. Mr Cicerone says DRIPA.

OCTOBERFEST
Beer braised Berkshire pork belly with roasted apple, white beans and lardons (it's pork fat).
Kuhnhenn Festbier. Dragonmead Octoberfest Marzen.
We both agreed on Kuhnhenn's Fest.

THE HEADLESS HORSEMAN
Duck confit with roasted pumpkin & root vegetable ragout with pumpkin ale reduction.
Dragonmead Final Absolution Tripel. Dragonmead Lil's Grumpkin Pumpkin ale.
Mrs Cicerone says Pumpkin ale. Mr Cicerone says Final Absolution. (He's wrong.)

DESSERT
Chocolate mousse parfait with macerated raspberries and solar syrup. (Mr Cicerone says his dessert had loads of blueberries. I think he was hallucinating.)
Kuhnhenn's Solar Eclipse Imperial Stout. Dragonmead's Under The Kilt Wee Heavy.
We both agreed on Kuhnhenn's Solar Eclipse.

Yes- there was TWO beers with every course. All this for $30. The dinner was well attended, and we were very pleasantly surprised to see Barry Johnson, owner of Saugatuck Brewery there!

Working hard.....

....preparing for our Beer VS Wine & Cheese event this Thursday.


(Yikes! Didn't realize Mr Cicerone snuck in this one of me passed out on the couch after too much Expedition Stout. Or Scotty Karate Scotch ale. Or all of the above.)

Tap: Detroit. A great evening!

If you missed Tap: Detroit last night I can only say....."Your loss"!

St Andrew's hall was awash with great beer, food and music last night for the kick off event to Detroit Beer Week. For a mere $35 you had access to the main floor which hosted 7 stations, each with up to 6 different beers and food to go with. Plus some great music from a guy playing an electric cello (crazy but good!), and another band playing some country tunes.

Slows BarBQ were pairing lamb riblets with a chocolate barbeque sauce and a red cabbage slaw (mmmmm!!)- beer choices were too many to mention, but Kuhnhenn American IPA and New Holland Sundog Amber were our beers of choice with our snack, though Dark Horse Reserve Special Black would have been stellar with the chocolate sauce (it was pouring across the way). Detroit Beer Co had jambalaya paired with an English-style pale ale- a fine pairing. Grand Truck Pub had a delicious beef & lamb stew (thanks Dave!), and Arcadia Scotch and Dark Horse Special Reserve Black were the stars with this stew. Redsmoke Barbeque offered pulled pork (Mr Cicerone pronounced this to be very good) with teeny brioche buns, a great macaroni and cheese that tasted like it was made with some horseradish, and corn muffins. Arbor Brewing's Olde # 22 altbier was a fine accompaniment. Next up- Jacoby's with mini schnitzel, mini potato pancakes, meatballs and spaetzl. (The spaetzl were great!). Kuhnhenn's Oktoberfest hit the spot with this. And Millking It AXL pale ale. Talking about Kuhnhenn's, the guys left their own O'Fest celebration to come to this event. Eric looked pretty fancy in lederhosen too. The guacamole, salsa & pico de gallo from Zumba Mexican Grill was good, and popular. Last up was some really good Asiago cheese from Traffic Jam. Mighty good. Think I was drinking Kuhnhenn's Classic American Pils with this. Somewhere in the mix, we threw in a New Holland Hopivore wet hop ale (surprisingly, but deliciously malty), Dragonmead's Final Absolution, Founders Centennial IPA, and more. Again- all this for $35!

An extra $20 entitled you to access to the floor below which housed firkins from The Livery (String of Ponies pale ale), and New Holland (Ichabod pumpkin ale). And a tub full of Belgian and other imported beers. (Offerings included Duvel, Orval, D Tremens, Schlenkerla Rauchbier, Petrus Pale Ale). And Jolly Pumpkin's Luciernaga & La Parcela pumpkin ale. And both Big Rock's, & Kuhnhenn's Black IPA. And more. Great drinking and foot-tapping music was provided by an Irish-style band complete with fiddle and bodhran.

The extra $20 also got you to the top floor which housed a DJ (turns out it was David from Motor City Wine where we'll be doing the Beer VS Wine & cheese event on Thursday), B. Nektar meads, spirits from New Holland, Michigan vodka, and something called "Chocolate Cake Liqueur" (sorry- just not our thing).

A great evening, and thanks to Jason & Jon for all the hard work. Sadly, the event was a tad under attended. For anyone reading this- go next year!

...Full post

Detroit Beer Week

Gentlemen, (and ladies,) start your livers!

DBW starts tonight:

Tonight, Tap:Detroit at St. Andrew's Hall, previously detailed here, looks downright overwhelming; we will do our best to take advantage of all the foody and beery goodness on offer.

Sunday, while recovering from tonight's inevitable excesses, (and while hopefully brewing a batch of Dortmunder,) Mrs. Cicerone and I will be working out the final details for Thursday's Beer vs. Wine cheese pairing event at Motor City Wines. Tickets are $20 for approx. 8 pairings, a steal!

Tuesday night, we'll be staying out past our bedtime at Cliff Bell's, swankiest place in town, for their beer dinner, featuring Kuhnhenn Bros. and Dragonmead beers.

More Info:

The Free Press did a nice, thorough piece about Jon, Jason, and DBW here on Thursday, with events listed, and the Facebook list is updated constantly. Also, at my new favorite blog, Dining in Detroit, Nicole is "blogging the hell" out of DBW. Check it out.