The Great American Beer Festival officially opened last night, and The Good Beer Seal was there, checking out all the action. First up? The Farm to Table Pavilion, an intimate food and beer pairing featuring 24 special craft beers paired with dishes by renown chefs from the Denver area and beyond.
Best of the pairings was tie between Michigan’s Arcadia Ales partnered with Wildwood Restaurant out of Portland, OR. The Arcadia sky High Rye was paired with Hawaiian Ahi tuna, pickled calabrian chiles, crispy shallots, and creme fraiche. The Arcadia XV was paired with slow-cooked pork and tarbais bean ragout, anchovy anchovy oregano breadcrumbs, and remolata.
Right next door was Denver Beer Co. and Denver restaurant LOLA, which paired Pumpkin Beer from a growler with sage duck confit, duck fat fried potato, and a habenero carrot reduction. Their dessert option was the Graham Cracker Porter paired with oyster and Spanish chorizo fried bred pudding, ancho chile, lemon creme fraiche with a reduction syrup made from the Porter.