Blue Moon Belgian White as a Welcome beer
Last week I had the pleasure of attending a Holiday Beer Dinner at Blue Moon Brewing Company’s RiNo Brewery. The dinner consisted of four courses, each paired with a different beer, created by Executive Chef Darrell Jensen and Head Brewmaster Jon Legnard. This event was by invitation only, but I wanted to share a little bit about it, as I was so impressed with the quality and imagination of the food and beer pairings.
Upon receiving the invitation I assumed I would have to decline, as I am vegetarian, so I wasn’t able to eat three of the four courses. But much to my surprise and delight, I was told they would be happy to accommodate my dietary needs, which was greatly appreciated. It was all very well done and so delicious!
To start, a plate of Falafel bites, paired with a Saison (pictured above), while Polentina was on the menu for the majority of attendees.
Next up was some Israeli Cous Cous and a Mango Wheat. The same as the carnivore dish, only without the Harissa Shrimp. I definitely recommend trying the Mango Wheat. I was a bit surprised at how flavorful it is. Some fruit beers are too subtle for me; I want to really taste that fruit. In this case, the mango is very prominent throughout.
For the main course: Pad Thai with a Smoked Porter, served to the vegetarian attendees instead of Roast Tenderloin with Smoky Sauce. I’d love to see this Pad Thai on Blue Moon’s regular menu in the future. It had a nice peanut sauce that went well with the smoked beer.
To end the night, Burnt Caramel Pudding with Foreign Export Stout, a collaboration with Hogshead Brewery (Denver). This pairing was amazing! And there was beer in the dessert and whipped cream!
While these specific dishes aren’t on Blue Moon’s menu, I can tell you the chef does a fantastic job, and you’ll find many other tempting items on the standard menu, including daily specials. And the beer menu is quite extensive and offers a variety of different styles, as you can see from this post. One of my favorites is the Cappuccino Stout.
If you haven’t yet checked out the new digs at Blue Moon RiNo, put it on your to-do list ASAP!
