First off, I’ll admit I’m all kinds of biased when it comes to my favorite restaurant, The Farm on Adderley in Ditmas Park. Just a stone’s throw away from Sycamore, it’s my second dining room, arrayed with a great menu, focused on local sources and local drinks. Having already attended the excellent Ommegang dinner The Farm held a little while ago, I was psyched to attend the Pretty Things Beer Dinner.
Pretty Things Beer and Ale Project has been making a name for itself in the beer world, unique in that the beer doesn’t have its own brewery – rather, the beer is brewed in a rented facility. Not knowing much of the background of the brewery, but seeing Pretty Things beers consistently named among the best around made this event the perfect opportunity to acquaint myself with their beers.
First Course: Jersey Corn with bacon butter and black mussels
Paired with: American Darling
Verdict: Just released this summer, American Darling is an American pale lager with a pilsner touch (brewed with German pilsner malt). Light and crisp, it’s perfect for night in the New York heat wave. Sweet at the first sip, it finishes with a light bitterness and spice. The crispness of the lager cut through the heavier elements of the delicious first course, acting as a palate cleanser from the fattiness of the mussels and butter.
Second course: Asado Negro; roasted beef shoulder, chilies, brown sugar, green tomato
Paired with: Baby Tree
Verdict: This Belgian style quadruple was hands down my favorite of the evening. When The Farm generously offered us a second pour of any beers featured at the dinner, this was easily my first pick. Earthy hop taste with a tad of smokiness malt, the beer ends with a lovely plum like finish. The dark fruitiness of the beer was a pleasant compliment to the savoriness of the meat.
Third course: Summer Zucchini Antipasto with garlic scape pesto, grilled polenta croutons
Paired with: Jack D’Or
Verdict: This Saison is the flagship beer for The Pretty Things Beer and Ale Project. First sip is the classic Saison barnyard funk. Eventually, the tartness of the lemon shines through with hints of white pepper and hops. The strong earthy flavors were a nice counterbalance to the garlic scape pesto, and the extremely dry finish blended nicely with the light vegetable fair.
Fourth Course: Cherries & Cheese, jasper hill bailey hazen blue, quick cured cherries, wild dandelions, endive, walnuts
Paired with: St. Bolotph’s Town
Verdict: This English brown ale was a smooth medium bodied beer with a roasted malt taste. Not the most daring pairing of the evening, but the brown was a classic combination for this fruit and cheese dessert. The smoothness and nuttiness of the beer blended seamlessly with the strong blue cheese and delicate fruitiness of the cherries.
Overall, Pretty Things lived up to the much-deserved hype. Usually, at a beer dinner, I find at least once pairing that I don’t agree with, but this Pretty Things Beer Dinner, doling out four outstanding beers that paired perfectly course after course.
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{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
pretty things has continued to amaze me since i first ran across them last summer. for such a small and ad hoc set up, i’m impressed how widely available their beers are in the new york area.
I agree with hg – very impressive and surprisingly available. I also love the video section of their website: http://www.prettythingsbeertoday.com/site/node/65
pretty things….pretty darn good. Sounds like a great night: great beer, great food, and close to home.