Beer and Burgers, BBC Brewing:

We attended the inaugural "Beers and Burgers" at the Party Source last Thursday. Last week, the BBC brewery was represented, with a special “hot brown” burger served.

So here’s the deal. Outside on the patio, $15 per person, five samples of beer (around 2-3 oz) and a special burger. Possible raffles and prizes, possible live music. If you wanted to make reservations (like we do) and view the schedule, it can be found on the Party Source’s website.

We got our first sample, the dunkelweizen, (5.0 ABV) which had just finished brewing yesterday from a special keg that Phil from BBC dispensed on our way outside to the patio.

Our assessment—meh. Pretty weak and watery for a Dunkelweizen. Inoffensive, though.

Whenever you were finished with you Dixie cup of beer, you could head up for another sample. We quickly finished our first sample and moved onto the second, the Nut Brown Ale. ( also 5.0 ABV)

This beer pours a copper color, a teeny head, with sweet and fruity aroma. Very nutty flavor with a little but of bitterness in finish. Pleasant and well rounded. I tasted a little chocolate malt.

By the time we were ready for our third sample, I realized I had made a miscalculation dressing that morning. We were sitting in the shade, which was a couple degrees too cold. And with my breezy dress, I was soon shivering. I got my coat out of the car, but I could not warm up.

brrrrrr!


Phil from BBC

Third on the list is American Pale Ale (6.0 ABV). This poured into our little cups deep amber, with very little head. Noticeable floral hops, somewhat mealy and piney. Sweet flavor, strong astringent and bitterness in mostly herbal qualities. I thought this needed a little more work to make it balanced.

By this time, the Party source was starting to serve burgers. I was pretty hungry and we had been smelling the grill for the last 30 minutes, so I was excited. However, they started serving the entire opposite side of the beers and burgers first. Another miscalculation on our part.

I kept watching cheeseburgers pass us on plates. Oh beers and burgers, you tease. I was now chilly and hungry for cheeseburgers, and getting a little cranky.

We moved on to # 4, the Dark Star Porter. (5.8 ABV) this beer pours a very dark color, with a nice blanket of foam. Chocolately, soft fruit aroma. Definite smoke flavor, followed with mold—blue cheese/brie taste. Very light smoky bitter finish.

The last beer is one of David’s favorite, and in our opinion, the crown jewel of BBC. Jefferson’s Reserve Bourbon Barrel Stout. (8.5 ABV). This beer is very dark with a red tint, bourbon aroma dominating among toasted malts. Beautiful bourbon flavor and sweet smokiness, a bit tart. More bourbon flavor and a slight bitterness in the finish.

After we finished # 5, we sadly still had no cheeseburgers and I was on my way to becoming a nomerati popsicle. David had a variety of sensible suggestions, such as sitting in the car to warm up in the sun, or wandering around inside, but I didn’t want to go alone.

So, because I am lame and was cold, we left. We decided we would try the burgers out next time. And sit on the North side of the building, not the East, so we would be in the sunshine. And I would bring a blankie in the car, just in case.

As a final thought, the burgers really should be served from the grill starting outwards. It’s just plain mean to make everyone watch them cook, then be delivered past you for 35 minutes. Also, I am sure that if beers by the bottle would have been offered, people would have bought them to wash down their burgers after the samples had been consumed. This time we may run into party source and buy a six or four pack.

We are really looking forward to this weeks beers and burgers—it’s Goose Island, which we like. (You can see the Goose Island Beer and Cheese Tasting at Catskeller in a previous post). See you there!