American Craft Beer Week was over just as quick as it started, and if you were like us, you tried to get out to check out a couple of the awesome events going on around Delaware. The hard part was picking which events to go to - although really, what a problem to have!
One event we didn't want to miss was the Dogfish Head Beer Dinner hosted by Stanley's Tavern! This was Stanley's first dive into a beer dinner, and if Mike Torpey, the Beverage Manager there, hadn't told us this was their first beer dinner, we definitely wouldn't have ever guessed that - everything ran super smooth and it was so, so good! Judging by the increase in volume as the night progressed (and as the ABV got stronger) - all that attended had a blast!
Dogfish Head's Delmarva Regional Sales Manager, another Mike (Contreras) attended the dinner and along with the Mike T., the two kept us entertained with the stories behind the beers and how and why they paired the beers with each course.
It was all good too, let me tell you!
Stanley's Dogfish Head Beer Dinner was five courses, plus a palette cleanser (or sorbet intermezzo as we called it during my days in HRIM at UD).
Here's what we were lucky enough to try:
Exotic Oyster Shooter - Served with My Antonia
Burton Baton Glazed Wings - Served with Burton Baton
One event we didn't want to miss was the Dogfish Head Beer Dinner hosted by Stanley's Tavern! This was Stanley's first dive into a beer dinner, and if Mike Torpey, the Beverage Manager there, hadn't told us this was their first beer dinner, we definitely wouldn't have ever guessed that - everything ran super smooth and it was so, so good! Judging by the increase in volume as the night progressed (and as the ABV got stronger) - all that attended had a blast!
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Dogfish Head's Delmarva Regional Sales Manager, another Mike (Contreras) attended the dinner and along with the Mike T., the two kept us entertained with the stories behind the beers and how and why they paired the beers with each course.
It was all good too, let me tell you!
Stanley's Dogfish Head Beer Dinner was five courses, plus a palette cleanser (or sorbet intermezzo as we called it during my days in HRIM at UD).
Here's what we were lucky enough to try:
Oyster with fresh heirloom tomato juice, celery puree, served in an Old Bay rimmed glass.
Burton Baton Glazed Wings - Served with Burton Baton
Chicken wings marinated for 24 hours in spices and Burton Baton, then glazed and roasted with a Burton Baton reduction. This course proved what we already knew - you can NEVER have too much Burton Baton!
Namaste Sorbet Palette Cleanser
This isn't one of Eric's favorite DFH beer, but he loved this sorbet! I love the beer, and loved Stanley's take on the sorbet even more!
Wild Boar Baby Back Ribs - Served with Raison d'Etre
Slow roasted ribs with a Raison d'etre babeque sauce, served with barley and greens risotto
Oatmeal Smores Bar - Served with VINTAGE! 2009 World Wide Stout
Classic s'mores made with an oatmeal cookie layered with chocolate and carmelized homemade marshmallows
Exotic Fruit Kabob - Served with Midas Touch
I will freely admit that in the past, I've been known to be a somewhat picky eater. Okay, somewhat is an extremely understatement. I was pretty much a pain in the a*s everywhere we went growing up. One time a mushroom touched a shrimp I was eating and I threw a hissy. Seriously, I was such a freak! This picky manner has nearly been eliminated, thanks in part to the beer dinners that we've attend. There always seems to be something a little out of my normal realm of comfort, but I always try it. No matter what it is. And Stanley's dinner was no exception. Their wild boar ribs had me a little intimidated, that was until I tried them. I didn't care if they were boar, pork, meat substitute, whatever. They were awesome! The Raison d'Etre barbeque sauce rocked! And the risotto - what a fantastic combination of flavors and cool use of barley! Washing it all down with Raison d'Etre was perfect.
Each course was so, so, so good. Of course my sweet tooth favored the Oatmeal S'mores Bar, almost as much as the fruit kabob that was served with the Midas Touch (talk about simple, yet perfect pairings!) I think the Oatmeal S'Mores Bar won out as it was paired with a little VINTAGE World Wide Stout. Please, and thank you, may I have another?! Everything, from start to finish throughout the night just worked. You can't beat a meal when everything just flows the way the Dogfish Head Beer Dinner did that wonderful Thursday night at Stanley's.
Expect to see Stanley's hosting another beer dinner before the end of the year. If it's anything like this one, it will sell out!
In the meantime, get over to Stanley's and check out their ever-changing, craft beer action! The night we went to pick up the beer dinner tickets I was really looking forward to trying 21st Amendment Monk's Blood, which I knew they had on draught since Stanley's is great about updating their Facebook and keeping their followers in the loop of what they're pouring. That totally rocks with the inner marketing geek in me!
Just last week Mike T. emailed us to let us know they had just tapped Victory Summer Love and Saranac Kolsch - perfect timing for the warm weather we've been having! You can also hop on their website to check out what they're pouring, and what's coming up.
Don't forget Stanley's has a package store - and it's open til 1am Monday through Saturday and until 8pm on Sunday. Always good to know when you're looking for a little something good to go!
Let's talk about another very cool thing that Stanley's is involved in - Yavi! Yavi stands for You Are Very Important. I was introduced to Yavi by a awesome friend of mine who frequents Stanely's often. (Thanks, Kathy!)
Yavi is an app that allows you to avoid waiting for a table in casual dining restaurants, providing you with a more "VIP"-like experience. You can also earn rewards while you dine, view the wait time, get on the wait list from your phone, mention any special requests you may have, and tell the host you've arrived at the restaurant. How fantastic is that?!
Stanley's is Yavi's initial restaurant partner. It's such a great app to take advantage of!
There's a reason that Stanley's has been around as long as they have been (and we're talking 1935!!) They've stuck by their mission to provide quality food and great service in a "casual friendly atmosphere." They're doing just that, night after night. And with their craft beer selection continuing as it is, it can only get better!
Each course was so, so, so good. Of course my sweet tooth favored the Oatmeal S'mores Bar, almost as much as the fruit kabob that was served with the Midas Touch (talk about simple, yet perfect pairings!) I think the Oatmeal S'Mores Bar won out as it was paired with a little VINTAGE World Wide Stout. Please, and thank you, may I have another?! Everything, from start to finish throughout the night just worked. You can't beat a meal when everything just flows the way the Dogfish Head Beer Dinner did that wonderful Thursday night at Stanley's.
Expect to see Stanley's hosting another beer dinner before the end of the year. If it's anything like this one, it will sell out!
In the meantime, get over to Stanley's and check out their ever-changing, craft beer action! The night we went to pick up the beer dinner tickets I was really looking forward to trying 21st Amendment Monk's Blood, which I knew they had on draught since Stanley's is great about updating their Facebook and keeping their followers in the loop of what they're pouring. That totally rocks with the inner marketing geek in me!
Just last week Mike T. emailed us to let us know they had just tapped Victory Summer Love and Saranac Kolsch - perfect timing for the warm weather we've been having! You can also hop on their website to check out what they're pouring, and what's coming up.
Don't forget Stanley's has a package store - and it's open til 1am Monday through Saturday and until 8pm on Sunday. Always good to know when you're looking for a little something good to go!
Yavi is an app that allows you to avoid waiting for a table in casual dining restaurants, providing you with a more "VIP"-like experience. You can also earn rewards while you dine, view the wait time, get on the wait list from your phone, mention any special requests you may have, and tell the host you've arrived at the restaurant. How fantastic is that?!
Stanley's is Yavi's initial restaurant partner. It's such a great app to take advantage of!
There's a reason that Stanley's has been around as long as they have been (and we're talking 1935!!) They've stuck by their mission to provide quality food and great service in a "casual friendly atmosphere." They're doing just that, night after night. And with their craft beer selection continuing as it is, it can only get better!