Global Beer Network
Dinner
Monk's Cafe
June 13, 2006
It had been 5 years since
we had seen Johnny and Claudine from Global Beer of Santa Barbara, CA.
They are Belgian nationals who brought several lines of Belgian beers to
the U.S when they emigrated here. We had traveled with them to Belgium
in 2000 and 2001. As a matter of fact, our second trip was 1 1/2 weeks
after 9/11! GBN sponsors a fantastic trip to Belgium every year. J &
C are no longer the guides on this beerventure, but their enthusiasm is
carried on by Regnier Demuynck. This year's trip sold out in 2 weeks, but
keep it in mind for the future.
We arrived early in hopes
of getting a chance to reminisce with Johnny & Claudine and we weren't
disappointed. It was great to see them again!
Soon it was time to find
our seats to begin the festivities. The omnipresent George Hummel introduced
Johnny to the crowd who proceeded to energize the crowd with his infectious
enthusiasm for beer. We were served an unannounced glass of Monk's Flemish
Sour Ale which is brewed by Van Steenberge and imported by GBN for Monk's.
While Johnny continued
to give us a lesson on Belgian history and beerology, the first course
of Amuse Bouche (potato leek soup,truffled goose mousse and seabream cerviche)
was served accompanied by Wittekerke, a refreshing witbier produced by
Brouwerij Bavik. A great beginning!!!
Next up was Poperinge
Hommelbier, a hoppy brew from one of the last hop-producing regions of
Belgium. A most enjoyable dish of Pan Seared Scallops dusted with coriander
and lime juice & cilantro. Scallops are not everyone's favorite, so
I got to eat several servings!
Another great beer from
Van Steenberge was served next. Piraat is a high octane tripel with a wonderfully
fruity and warm palate. In contrast, we also received a taste of Sara Buckwheat
Ale which is a bit dry and earthy tasting. Both, however, went well with
the Chicken Satay w/Thai Salad that made up the 3rd course.
Of course, in the meantime,
Johnny had been giving a running commentary on beer, breweries and Belgium
much to everyone's delight. His knowledge of Belgian history is extensive
and his animated delivery keeps everyone's interest. I wish I had him as
a teacher in school!
To cleanse our palates,
a sorbet of Monk's Flemish Sour Ale was served.
For the entree, 2 of my
favorite beers were presented. Scotch de Silly from the Silly Brewery,
a dark, sweet Scottish Ale. We visited this brewery and had lunch with
the owner whose company I had the pleasure of sharing at that meal. In
addition, we received Gulden Draak(Golden Dragon), another of the Van Steenbereg
lineup and my favorite of all their beers. This 11.5% monster has such
a wonderful complex mixture of flavors: caramel, licorise, fruit and a
lot of alcohol warmth! Both of these stood up to the Elk Medallions w/beer
sauce and the fiddlehead ferns and roasted bliss potatoes and complemented
it beautifully.
Johnny told the story
of the Golden Dragon of Ghent whose likeness appears on the beer label.
Of course, I drank multiple samples of each of the beers to the detriment
of my already bloated condition.
Just when we thought it
was over, a nice portion of Chocolate Pound Cake w/fresh berries and cream
came to the table accompanied by Cherish Framboise, a modern version of
a Belgian classic.
Earlier in the evening,
I had introduced my friend(can I say that, Jack?) and excellent escritoire
de biere to Johnny and Claudine and he was immediately affected by their
great joie de vivre et biere. He spoke to them most of the evening and
even declared this dinner "the best one ever". Look for some interview
material in the future.
Unfortunately, all good
things must come to an end. Pictures were taken, goodbyes were said and
hopes that it would not be another 5 years before the next meeting were
expressed.
Be sure to visit Global
Beer Network's website for lots
of beer and Belgian info. They also have a large selection of beer glasses
and paraphernalia for online ordering. Look for their beers throughout
the U.S.
Gezondheit!!
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