FSR magazine April 2018

Liquid i nteLLigence Beer
SipS AppeAL
Kona Brewing
Company’s
Kanaha
Blonde Ale
Only recently launched
to be available nationally,
say aloha to this
bright beer made with
mango fruit and exhibiting
lightly toasted malt
character. Transport
guests to the breezy
beaches of Maui by
pairing it—and maybe
a few other Hawaiianbrewed
beers over a
few courses—with a
luau-themed spread of
grilled fish, salads, poke,
roast pig, and tropical
fruits.
4.2% ABV
Honolulu, HAwAii
Mura
tries,” he says.
Ember & Vine Woodfire Oven and Social
Bar, located inside the DoubleTree by Hilton
in Mars, Pennsylvania, planned a European
beer dinner in February, pairing five
courses of imported beer at a ticket price of
$60 per person with menu items such as spätzle
paired with the Bavarian Ayinger Brauweisse,
gravlax paired with the Belgian Orval
Trappist ale, and prime rib and Yorkshire pudding
paired with Sam Smith’s Oatmeal Stout
brewed in North Yorkshire, United Kingdom.
“We’ve done several craft brewery dinners
but wanted to try a format that featured multiple
labels instead of from the same brewery,”
says Harry W. Siebert, director of restaurant
operations for Ember & Vine. “I thought it
would be interesting to add a geographical
and multi-cultural component; the response
has been great.”
At Mura, a sushi restaurant and bar in
Raleigh, North Carolina, bar manager Greg
Keely says the restaurant’s Japanese beer
dinner last October sold out the 70 tickets
on offer. “We hosted a seven-course meal
and offered five beers,” Keely says of the
Hitachino Nest Beer Dinner. Tickets were
Fitting to its concept, sushi restaurant mura hosted a
japanese beer dinner in october.
$75 and included pairings such as a dish of
panko-fried smoked oysters, wasabi hollandaise,
pickled cucumber-daikon salad, and
red onion dust paired with Hitachino Nest
Red Rice ale from Kiuchi Brewery in Japan.
Planning makes perfect
With a theme set, it is time to talk with the
chef and beer distributor. “I’d suggest working
with a local distributor that you already
have a professional relationship with to assist
with the marketing and planning phase,”
Siebert says.
Keely says the same, adding, “It is absolutely
critical to find a responsive, excited,
and engaging partner.” Keely’s distributor,
who was just as enthusiastic about the event
as he was, helped in providing unique glassware
for the dinner and planning the dinner’s
menu by offering pairing advice. “We worked
with our executive kitchen team to formulate
a meal that would be both satisfying and
unique,” Keely says. “From there, we sat with
our brewery partners to ensure the beer pairings
were not only smart, but well-executed.”
Siebert advises operators to keep course
numbers and guest counts in check. “Keep
the guest count under 50 so that it still has
an intimate appeal and have enough staff to
deliver each course in a timely fashion.” Beer
dinners can lead to a lot of food and drink
consumption, so Siebert says it’s important
to keep the timing at a decent pace. “I
feel that four to five courses is perfect,” he
says. “That will give value, but not overload
your guests. Portion size needs to be that
of a small plate, so that,
by the third course, people
are still awake. The
pour size should be about
5 ounces. This will also
keep the crowd engaged
and not over-served by
the last course.”
Scoring a ‘sold out’
The final step is selling
tickets to the beer dinner.
For an event ultimately
about social engagement,
this is where social media
comes in handy. “If someone
‘likes’ the ad, then
someone on property
should reach out and try to get the reservation
booked,” Siebert says. “It’s important to
fill the seats because most people attending
these events are in it for the social interaction.
If you’re lacking reservations, fill the
seats with clients or friends and family. These
[dinners] are not usually huge profit makers,
but more of an opportunity to gain exposure
for your restaurant.”
36 april 2018 FOODNEWSFEED.COm