Hungry at Firefly? We've Got You Covered (and what Dogfish beers to pair with).

So, we’ve figured out what beers to pair with some of our favorite artists performing at Firefly, now let’s talk about what’s going to keep you going throughout the 4 days of the festival…food and beer pairings!

We're digging what Dogfish head will be pouring throughout the 4-day festival because now we can figure out what we want to try to pair up throughout the weekend. They’ve also announced some pretty cool additions to their usual beer offerings. Check it out. 

Dogfish is rocking something a little different this year – not only can you check out their brews in The Brewery tent, but Friday through Sunday afternoon you can also grab a Festina Peche or Namaste Beermosa! Talk about a fun way to start your day.

There will also be 3 special tappings throughout the weekend. On Friday at 4pm Dogfish is tapping Biere de Provence. On Saturday at 4pm it’s Alternative Takes #1 and Sunday at 4pm it’s Alternate Takes #2.

In addition to Beermosas, Dogfish is selling 32 oz (filled!) growlers (for $20 each). You can fill it with Namaste, 60 Minute IPA, Festina Pêche or Firefly Ale. If you want one of the growler keep in mind there are only about 700 of them. Now to decide what we're going to fill ours with (cause that's going to be our first stop of the day on Thursday).

Now back to the pairings.

Last year we took advantage of a few unique food truck options that were set up next to The Firefly Main Stage. We noshed on things like a simple, old school grilled cheese from Between Big Cheese (which we paired with a Dogfish 90 Minute), Buffalo Chicken Nachos from Sum Pig, and carnitas tacos from Peace Love Tacos (we're excited to see Peace Love Tacos will be back at Firefly again this year).

Two of the Dogfish Head Beer Pairings and the Foods of Firefly we suggested and had a chance to try last year was the idea of Firefly Ale and a slice of Grotto's cheese pizza (that was simple and yummy, cause pizza and beer, pizza and beer always works). We also went with a little Midas Touch paired with the Hawaiian-style Stir Fried Soba Noodles from Wok on the Wild Side. This year we need to try a few more fun pairings that we're about to suggest. 

FIREFLY ALE

You can’t do Firefly without having at least one Firefly Ale. The fruity, citrusy aroma combined with the subtle and spicy finish of Firefly Ale makes this a great option to pair with a simple slice of cheese pizza from Grotto’s Pizza or Pizza Nova. Or go crazy and go for the Veggie Blanco at Grotto’s or the El Blanco from Pizza Nova. Another great pairing would be the Gangsta Wings and Wraps from Gouda Boys, tossed in Sweet BBQ, Korean Sesame Wook Sauce, or Maneater Buffalo hot sauce. Want to check out a little more unique twist on wings? Check out the Chicken Korma Wings served with a spiced coconut-yogurt sauce from Coriander Market. Local food spot, Doc Magrogran’s will have a Fish Tacos and Fish and Chips that would be great to pair with Firefly Ale, or you can grab the Crispy Beer battered Rockfish and Old Bay Fries from Bayside 30.

60 MINUTE IPA

(are you checking out the new 60 Minute label and CAN design?!)

When pairing Dogfish 60 Minute look at foods that bring out the citrus and the Northwest hops used in this east coast style IPA. Think spicy foods, soy-based foods, pizza and vintage cheddar (the later possibly not something you might think about during Firefly weekend, but it's possible-ish!)

With your 60 Minute in hand, head to Grotto’s, grabbing a slice of pepperoni pizza this time. Or you can check out Pizza Nova for the War Pig Pizza (pepperoni, sausage, bacon and jalapenos), Gouda Boys for their Road Warrior Pizza (pepperoni, veggies and meat) and Fresh Coast Kitchen for their Roasted Vegetable Flatbread (especially since it’s topped with fresh basil pesto – a suggested 60 Minute Pairing – roasted peppers, onions, zucchini, yellow squash, carrot and a five cheese blend) or their Spicy Chorizo Flatbread ( topped with another pesto, a roasted pepper pesto, spicy chorizo sausage, sweet corn, black beans, peppers, onions and a five cheese blend). If you're more of a pizza purist, go right for a slice of Grotto’s Cheese Pizza. The aged white cheddar they use is perfect for 60 Minute.

A few other spicy goodness options to pair with 60 Minutes is the from Chicken Chipotle Mango Sandwich from Mayhem & Stout , Doom Street Eats' Buffalo Chicken Street Tacos or Chipotle Beer Cheese Nachos with Jalapenos and Spicy Lime Crema, Roti Rolls Creole Mac and Cheese, Bayside 30 Old Bay Popcorn, the Non-Pacific Jerk Chicken Bowl, Caribbean Jack Fruit Bowl or the California Chicken Club Sandwich (with chipotle aioli). 

Looking for a few other suggestions? 60 Minute also pairs nicely with soy-based foods like Wok on the Wild Side stir-friend soda noodles with veggies and grilled chicken or the their kabobs with teriyaki glaze, Doc Magrogan's cold noodle salad, the chilled miso noodle salad with crispy sesame pork or jack fruit from Miso Place, or the Hawaiian style wok-fired soba noodles (with or without chicken) from Island Noodles.

NAMASTE

Dogfish will be rocking a new Namaste Label Design too!

As the weekend progresses there are times when we need something a little on the lighter side. Namaste is a great beer to pair with foods like Roasted Chicken and Quinoa Bowl from Fresh Coast Kitchen or the Sprouted Spoon Greek Salad with homemade dressing. According to dogfish.com, Namaste is comparable to a Gewurztraminer, so we’d also pair it with Non-Pacific’s Crispy Coconut Shrimp, Bayside 30’s Loaded Chesapeake Fries, the Shrimp and Noddle Salad from Doc Magrogan's, Roti Rolls Funky Farmer Roti, Foghorn Leghorn Roti or Rockin Rice Bowls (it's all about the curry), or the Chicken Tikka Masala or Chana Masala at Coriander Market.

FESTINA PECHE

Festina Peche, a Neo-Berliner Weisse, is delicately hopped with flavors of peaches, green apples and raspberry syrup. It will be fun to pair Festina Peche with Gouda Boys Gangsta Steaks with grilled chicken, maybe even going crazy and ‘Make It Gangsta’ by topping it with mac & cheese (and bacon!), or Roti Rolls Mother Clucker Roti with grilled organic chicken, the Grown-Up Grilled Cheese at Between the Bread, the grilled chicken tacos with green chiles from Peace Love Tacos or or roll late night with the Grilled Cheesus from Sprouted Spoon. Since the wine comparable choice would be Pinot Grigio, let’s go out on a limb and suggest pairing Festina Peche with a slice of cheese pizza, as Pinot Grigio pairs nicely with mozzarella cheese.

Though you’ll have to wait until 4pm Friday, Saturday and Sunday to get these special beers, let’s check out how to pair Biere de Provence, Alternate Take #1 and Alternative Take #2.

BIERE DE PROVENCE

On Friday at 4pm Dogfish is tapping Biere De Provence in The Brewery. While you’re sipping on this newly released brew, grab the Roasted Chicken and Quinoa Bowl from Fresh Coast Kitchen or the Chicken and Noodle Salad from Doc Magrogran’s. Other ideas to check out are the Crispy Belgian Fries from the Schnitzel Shack or go for the Cheeseburger from the American Grill, the Cheeseburger Sliders from the Slider House, Potato Curls from Taste of Philly or the Potato Pierogies with Dipping Sauces from the Sausage Haus.

ALTERNATE TAKES #1

Saturday’s 4pm tapping in The Brewery with Dogfish brings Alternate Takes #1, a Double IPA with tropical fruits like pineapple, papaya and passion fruit in the aroma, and a ‘malty, apricot sweetness with each sip.’ Dogfish says it’s almost tea-like, which we're thinking is going to be pretty darn perfect for the warmer spring/summer days of Firefly.

If you’re going to grab a bite to eat to pair with Alternate Takes #1 go for something like a slice of Grotto’s Hawaiian pizza to bring out the pineapple background of the beer, a BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich or the Chicken Chipotle Mango Sandwich from Mayhem & Stout, the Vegan Bourbon BBQ Pulled Pork Sliders or Cuban Mojo Pulled Pork Tacos with Pineapple Mango Salsa from Doom Street Eats, Smoky Pulled Pork Carnitas from Sprouted Spoon, the Grilled Pork Bratwurst from the Schnitzel Shack, Pulled Pork Loaded Nachos from The Cheesy Pig, Island Slaw with Teriyaki Chicken from Island Noodles or the Florida Fries topped with cheese, peppers, onions, pork and garlic cream sauce from Butt House Smokehouse. A few other pizza options to try would be Pizza Nova’s War Pig Pizza (pepperoni, sausage, bacon and jalapenos), or the Spicy Chorizo Flatbread (topped with a roasted red pepper pesto, spicy chorizo, sweet corn, black beans, peppers, onions and a five cheese blend). Want to go the complete opposite direction? Grab a Mango Smoothie from Non-Pacific to work with the tropical fruit notes of the beer. 

ALTERNATE TAKES #2

Alternate Takes #2, being tapped at 4pm on Sunday, is a ‘wild sour ale with a deep, dark and complex flavor’ that came to life as Raison D’Etre that was ‘end-fermented in a tank with a Belgian Abbey yeast’ before being transferred to a single-use red wine barrel. Pair this draft only brew with foods like Peace Love Tacos Beef Tacos, a Philly Cheesesteak from Taste of Philly, or, for a grilled beef alternative, the Portobello Mushroom Burger from The Burger Joint.

BEERMOSA

Dogfish threw us for a loop offering Namaste or Festina Peche Beermosas (served at the brewery Friday through Sunday afternoon). To us, that’s the best excuse to indulge in some breakfast-y brunch-y foods like the Sausage Gravy over biscuits or fried doughnut with fresh strawberries at the Sprouted Spoon, the Breakfast Taco from Peace Love Tacos or the Chicken and Waffles Southern Soul is serving.  

To say you won’t go hungry at Firefly is an understatement. Looking at all the yummy food options at Firefly this year we're digging the variety and food choices we'll get to pick from all weekend long. It’s going to be fun to try a few of our suggested beer pairings as we rock through the weekend. Cheers!

Firefly Music Festival: Dogfish Head Beer Pairings and the Foods of Firefly

Photo Credit: Dogfish Head's Twitter Page

It's Firefly week, and we couldn't be more excited! To spend 3 1/2 days listening to amazing live music on the grounds of The Woodlands while sipping on brews from Dogfish and munching on local foods from around the state (and beyond), this is one of our favorite weekends of the year.

If you're like us, you'll head straight to The Brewery immediately upon walking onto Firefly grounds to start the festival off right - with a Dogfish in hand - especially since The Brewery will be open on Thursday this year! Dogfish will be pouring Firefly Ale (of course!), 60 Minutes, 90 Minute, Namaste, Midas Touch, Aprihop, Festina Peche, and for those gluten intolerant Festival goers, Tweason'Ale.

Photo Credit: www.fireflyfestival.com

As we're packing up and getting ready for the weekend ahead of us, we got thinking, wouldn't it be fun to play with beer pairings while we eat our way around The Woodlands? We can create mini beer lunches and beer dinners throughout the three and a half days of Firefly. Thanks to the Dogfish website we found plenty of suggestions of how to pair their beers. We came up with so many fun ideas of what to eat and drink through Firefly weekend!

The Pairings
You can't have Firefly Music Festival without Dogfish Firefly Ale! The fruity and citrusy aroma combined with the subtle and spicy finish of Firefly Ale make for great pairings with the Cheese Pizza at Grotto Pizza and All Gourmet Catering. Dogfish suggests that Chardonnay is the wine comparable to Firefly Ale, and we're thinking give the Crabcake Sandwiches from Sherri's Crabcakes or the Chicken Kabobs from Doc Magrogan's, the Chicken Pita from Hamilton Gyro or Hamilton Wrap's Chicken Caesar Wrap.

When pairing Dogfish 60 Minute we took at look at foods that would bring out the citrus and the Northwest hops used in this East Coast IPA. Think spicy foods, soy-based foods, and pizza. With your 60 Minute in hand, head over to Grotto Pizza and grab a slice of their simple Cheese Pizza. The aged white cheddar they use is perfect for 60 Minute. Feeling a little pepperoni pizza? Try the Spicy Pepperoni Pizza from All Gourmet Catering. Wash down the spiciness of the Jambalaya from Phat Daddy's Creole Eats with a little 60 Minute too. Working on the soy-based side of things, pair the Teriyaki Chicken Bowl from RC Thai or the Grilled Chicken Kabobs with Teriyaki Glaze from Wok on the Wild Side with a 60 Minute.

Though not a food pairing, the grassy notes of 60 Minute are perfect to pair with the bands playing on The Lawn stage. Grassy? Lawn? Seems like a good fit to us!

Dogfish is bringing another continuously hopped treat to Firefly, 90 Minute. For this beer we're looking at the the malt background and the flavors of the raisins and citrus to shine through. The Pepperoni Pizza from Grotto Pizza or the Meat Lovers Pizza offered by All Gourmet Catering would fit the bill. The Fish and Chips from Doc Magrogan's would work mighty fine too and the Jambalaya at Phat Daddy's Creole Easts would too.

For the lighter foods of Firefly, Namaste is a great choice. The dried organic orange slices and lemongrass make this Witbier a great pairing with the Turkey Pita from the Pita Station or the Chicken Caesar Wrap from Hamilton Wrap. Dogfish suggests that Namaste is a beer comparable to Gewurztraminer. Taking a cue from that, we like the idea of pairing Namaste with the Crabcake Sandwich or Cream of Crap Soup from Sherri's Crabcakes or a Chicken BLT Wrap from Hamilton Wrap.

It's really interesting to see that one of the most pair-able beers at Firefly is one of the brewery's first Ancient Ales, Midas Touch. The rich and colorful background flavors of the brew will pair well with the Cold Noodle Salad with Veggies, Chicken or Shrimp from Doc's Magrogan's, the Hawaiian-style Wok Fried Soba Noodles from Festival Island Noodles, the Asian Lettuce Wrap from Hamilton Wrap and the Stir Fried Soba Noodles with Vegetables form Wok on the Wild Side. Grad a Midas Touch and go on a little culinary adventure!

Festina Peche, the brewery's Neo-Berliner Weisse is delicately hopped with flavors of peaches, green apples and raspberry syrup. We're liking the idea of Doc Magrogan's Chicken Kabobs to compliment the flavors. Taking a note from Dogfish likening Festina to Pinot Grogio, check out Festina Peche with the Pita Station's Tuna Salad Pita or the Crabcake Sandwich from Sherri's Crabcakes.

Go a little heartier to keep you energized for the full days of music ahead with Aprihop and food pairings to bring out the apricot, fruit, citrus and cedar. These notes will work well with tacos and burritos from Tica's Tacos, the BBQ Pork, Beef or Chicken Sandwich from Outlaw BBQ, and the BBQ Chicken Pizza from All Gourmet Catering.

Though you may not have a gluten intolerance to encourage you to try Dogfish Tweason'Ale, these food pairing suggestions may! The Tuna Salad Pita (available on a gluten free pita) from Pita Station will be a nice compliment to the molasses, strawberry and buckwheat honey you'll find peaking through the flavors of this beer Another suggestion is the kettle corn or movie popcorn from Bunting's Popcorn Station. Not quite a food pairing, we're liking the idea of creating a beer cocktail with the Strawberry Lemonade from Hamilton Gyro and a Tweason'Ale!

If you're camping at Firefly, be sure to stop by The Hub and check out the food trucks hanging out there for the weekend. We saw that both I Don't Give a Fork and The Roaming Raven will be there representing Delaware love!

And now, 5:30pm on Thursday afternoon can't come soon enough. See you at Firefly!