Black Friday, Small Biz Saturday: Come out and Support Jimmy’s No. 43

We’re looking forward to Black Friday more than ever this Thanksgiving season, because we’ll be tapping a keg of Carton Brewing Company’s Imperial Black IPA. Consider this a preview for next week Thursday, December 5th, when we’ll have 10+ carton brews in the house (check out video below)!

What are we most grateful for? Lots of amazing local beer that we’ll be featuring this weekend into next week, including Barrier Brewing, Long Island Brewing, and Port Jeff. Plus amazing food from the Vermont Gourmet Wild Food Dinner this past week and produce and grains brought down by the Vermont Sail Project.

And, of course, we’re amazingly grateful for our loyal supporters. We hope you’ll continue to show us some holiday loving this month by booking a party with us, buying gift certificates (they don’t expire and make great gifts!), or attending one of our many tastings and ticketed events throughout the winter months.

Among some of the ways you can support us:

We hope to see you at Jimmy’s No. 43 this holiday season. Happy Thanksgiving and Happy Hanukkah!

From our friends at Carton Brewing:

Battle of the Belgians – Results Are In!

DSC04861The Fourth Annual Battle of the Belgians brought a great day of people (60+), beers (30+), food (whole smoked pig courtesy of the East Village Meat Market – see all the photos here), and fun for all who figured out how to circumnavigate the MTA this past Saturday! With the rise of big beer fests around the city, we’re happy to host these intimate tastings in our own bar, allowing for beer lovers and makers to come together and enjoy the world of craft beer.
Among the special guests this year were the hosts and producers of Beer Sessions Radio™, Bridge & Tunnel owner/brewer Rich Castagna, and Artisanal Imports’Alex Forbes (who previewed the Belgian Coast IPA, a collaboration beer by St. Feuillien and Green Flash).
Jimmy’s No. 43 brought out many surprises from our cellar selections, including Cantillon. Merchant du Vin brought some great Trappist beers (Westmalle, Orval, Rochefort).

This year’s winners:

Judges’ decision for American-style Belgian ale: A tie between Kelso Fuku and Bridge & Tunnel’s Dark Wheat (with Belgian Yeast)

Winners by popular vote: Trappist Rochefort 10, Dupont’s La Biere de Beloiel, Kwak Pauwel 

 Other beers featured:
  • Barrier Brewing Dubbel Down
  • Sly Fox “Ichor” Quadrupel (2011)
  • Stillwater Special Series Black Saison
  • Element Brewing’s Dark Element (MA)
  • Embrasse (Netherlands)
  • BFM’s Abbaye De Saint Bon-Chien (2011 – Last Year’s Overall Winner)
  • Cantillon, Lou Pepe Vintage Gueze (2009)
  • Fantome “Boo” (2012)
  • Saison Pipaix (2003)
  • Trappist Rochefort 8
  • Orval
  • Cuvée Des Jacobins Rouge
  • Triporteur Hell
  • Triporteur Heaven
  • Saison Dupont
If you missed us this weekend, we’re going to be offering more Belgian beer tastings throughout the winter months, including our upcoming Tuesday Tastings (at 7:30 p.m.) and the return of Bacon & Belgians (Saturdays – 1-4 p.m.). Be sure to check back for event updates and enjoy some amazing Belgian beer at Jimmy’s No. 43.

Thursday Tap™ and the 3rd Annual Vanberg & Dewulf Coast To Coast Toast

Belgians2013_1After last year’s New York solo affair, Vanberg & Dewulf’s Coast To Coast Toast returns across the nation with a focus on amazing Belgian beers and how well they pair with food (for more on our thoughts about Belgians, check out this series on Complex). We’re gearing up for this Saturday’s Battle of the Belgians (tickets here), and tonight’s C2CT3 Thursday Tap™ is one of Vanberg & Dewulf’s imports from Brasserie Dubuisson Frères. The Scaldis Blonde Tripel is a 10.5% ABV ale “redolent of vanilla icing, meringue and marshmallow. It is drier than typical Tripels. Scaldis Blond Triple has a heady aroma of white peaches and pears with a hint of astringency. Champagne-like sparkle.” (Courtesy of the Vanberg & Dewulf website – full description here).

We sat down with proprietor Jimmy Carbone to ask him about his association with Wendy Littlefield and Don Feinberg, Vanberg & Dewulf’s owners, Battle of the Belgians and his participation in the first C2CT.

This is the third year J43 is doing V&D’s Coast to Coast Toast. When did you first meet Wendy and Don?

I met them several years ago when we first hosted “Battle of the Belgians” at Jimmy’s No. 43. I made some comments about Belgian beer, but I had organized the event to showcase all the great American beers being made in a Belgian style. I didn’t really know a lot about the small brewery scene in Belgium itself. Wendy reached out, politely corrected some of my factual mistakes, and won me over with great Belgian beer. What followed has been a great relationship—and each year I learn more about Belgian beers!
What are your memories of the first C2CT?
The first C2CT was more low-key. We had a fine lineup of Vanberg & Dewulf beers including many Duponts, Scaldis, and additional beers that made up the core of their portfolio.
Do you remember your first V&D beer? What are some of your favorites over the years?
I definitely remember drinking Saison Dupont on draught. My favorites are usually the specialty Dupont Saisons on draught, especially Bio Foret and Avril. In bottles, I love the La Biere de Beloeil traditional dark farmhouse in large bottle format.
Don and Wendy are modest and hard working. Thirty-two years ago they saved Saison Dupont, and they were the ones who first imported duvel. We always look forward to C2CT as a chance to get reacquainted with their classic beers and also to try new ones. The Dupont Monk’s Stout was a recent discovery for me!
What V&D beers are you serving tonight? As the CTCT3 is focusing on food + beer, can you recommend food pairings to the beers from J43 menu?
Tonight we’ll feature Scaldis Triple on draught, which is the first time we’ve ever had it on draught at Jimmys No .43. For food pairings, Thursday is oyster night so we’ll open Moinette, Saison Dupont, Lambixx—maybe a couple more—and see what goes best with them!

Belgian Month Continues with Beer Dinner, Battle of the Belgians

american-craft-beer-cookbookWe’re just about sold out for tonight’s Belgians and bacon beer dinner with The American Craft Beer Cookbook writer John Holl. Tonight’s menu consists of five courses, including:

  • Mole Chicken and Bacon Taquitos (modified from John’s recipe for Standing Stone Brewing Company‘s Mole Poblano, p. 75)
  • Bacon and Duck Fat Confit Home Fries (from Garrett Oliver’s recipe, p. 272)
  • Shrimp and Grits with Hickory Bacon (Front Street Brewery‘s recipe, p. 8)
  • Brussels Sprouts with Jowl Bacon (modified from Black Star Co-Op Pub‘s recipe, p. 268)
  • “Elvis” Tea Sandwich Bread Pudding with—you guessed it—bacon! (Jimmy’s No. 43 recipe, p. 107)

The beer pairings (order TBD) will include a selection of Belgian and Belgian-style beers imported by Shelton Brothers, including from Brasserie de la Senne, Het Nest (Hitachino, Deranke, and Trou du Diable(from Canada).

Then tomorrow evening, we’ll be celebrating with Vanberg and DeWulf for their third annual Coast to Coast Toast. The CTCT3 just happens to coincide with Thursday Tap™, so we’ve selected the Scaldi’s Tripel for our very special CTCT3 tapping (we’ll also have many more V&D brews, including Monk’s Stout on draft).

Then, on Saturday, it’s the event Belgian beer lovers wait for every year: Battle of the Belgians. We’ll have 20+ beers poured by reps and beer makers (special guest Rich Castagna of Bridge & Tunnel) and paired with brunch-style food offerings in this walk-around tasting event. Don’t miss out (BotB tickets are going fast – get yours here)! Because of Thanksgiving being so late, we had to move this event forward from the first weekend in December when it’s usually held. Get your Belgian fix all month long at Jimmy’s No. 43.

Thursday Tap™: Barrier Brewing’s Riprap Baltic Porter

BarrierBrewingFor today’s Thursday Tap™ we head back to Long Island and our friends at Barrier Brewing. Riprap is a 6.1% ABV Baltic Porter, which Brewer Craig Frymark describes as follows:

“Fermented with a lager yeast at warmer temperatures and cold-conditioned for several weeks. It pours a deep, dark brown with red highlights and a khaki head. Aromas of sweet caramel malt, dried stone fruit, cocoa powder, and subtle smoke. Flavors are a combination of tart cherry, bitter chocolate, biscuity bread, and sweet and tangy maltiness with an underlying smoke and hop bitterness.”

As always, we tap at 5 p.m. while supplies last. With regular bar/restaurant/oyster service available.