Author: anon

You won’t be late for brunch at our very special Bacon and Belgians tasting today from 2-5 p.m. A mere $20 gets you bacon snacks paired with six tastes of Belgian beer (regular bar/restaurant service also available, or order bacon dishes a la carte and beers from our specialty Belgian bottle list), all of which were featured during last Saturday’s Battle of the Belgians.

Last week we had close to 40 different Belgian and Belgian-style beers in three categories: American, Belgian and Swiss. The overwhelming winner (both judge’s and People’s Choice) in the American category was Ommegang’s Gnomegang. Honorable Mention went to The Bruery Fruet, Ommegang 3 Philosophers, and Midnight Sun’s Panty Peeler Triple (a personal favorite of all-star bartender—Jimmy’s No. 43 and Blind Tiger—Luke Manson).

In the Swiss category, BFM’s very own Jérôme Rebetez was pouring five of his beers, with the BFM Abbaye de Saint Bon Chien 2011 taking both the judges and People’s Choice wins.

Our Belgian category was very deep (25 different offerings), so there emerged no clear winner. Standouts included last year’s overall winner from Vanberg & Dewulf, Brasserie Dupont La Bière de Beloeil; Alvinne Cuvee d’Erpigny, which got its unique flavor from mustard seeds and being aged in wine barrels; Hanssens Scarenbecca Kriek; and People’s Choice winner in the Belgian category, Brouwerij Van Steenberge’s Monk’s Cafe.

Our judges—Chris O’Leary from Brew York New York, Mary Izett (My Life on Craft), and Jimmy Carbone (host of Beer Sessions Radio™)—tallied their final scorecards and awarded the following:

• Honorable mention—to Hanssens Scarenbecca Kriek
• 3rd place—to Ommegang for it’s Gnomegang beer
• 2nd place—to Alvinne Cuvee d’Erpigny
• And 1st place (may I have a drum roll, please?)—went to Jérôme Rebetez of BFM for his Abbaye de Saint Bon Chien.

Even if you missed out on the amazing event last week, today you can live (or relive) these amazing Belgians with selections from some of the following (TBD): Ommegang 3 Philosophers, Stillwater Folklore, Monk’s Cafe Flemish Sour, Brouwerij de Dolle Brouwers “Dulle Teve” Triple, Duvel Single, Chimay Triple, Jolly Pumpkin’s, Alvinne Melchior and others.

So skip brunch and instead join us for bacon snacks and tastes of our favorite Belgian beers!

Let’s face it! Craft brewers just have a superior sense of humor. Case in point? Today’s Thursday Tap™  from Brouwerij de Dolle Brouwers from Esen, Belgium. They call their  highly ranked 10% ABV a “Tripel” but the true name, Dulle Teve, translates as “Mad Bitch.” The brewer jokes that they couldn’t get the name on the US label, but we’ve got no problems calling a beer a beer.

Dulle Teve continues our Belgian beer week theme, and, as always, regular bar/restaurant/oyster menus available. Tapping at 5 p.m. while supplies last.

This Wednesday, December 5th, beginning at 7-9 p.m., you can enjoy kimchi treats and meet Lauryn Chun of Mother-in-Law’s Kimchi and author of The Kimchi Cookbook: 60 Traditional & Modern Ways to Make and Eat Kimchi.

For $20 you get entry into the book launch party and a copy of Lauryn’s book (added bonus: $5 of the cover charge will go to Sandy relief), plus complimentary kimchi samples and tips from Lauryn.

Kimchi is not just cabbage! Using the traditional kimchi-making season as her guide and focusing on produce at its peak, Lauryn shows you how to create both robust winter kimchi and light summer pickles.

While our regular bar/restaurant service will continue to be availabl, we’ll be making some kimchi-centric additions to our regular kitchen menu, including offerings from Lauryn’s recipes such as (subject to change):

• Kimchi cornmeal pancakes;
• Kimchi sandwiches;
• Kimchi slaw with vegan kimchi and fresh cabbage.

So come out and talk Kimchi with Lauryn. (Regular bar/restaurant service available.)

If there’s one event you attend in December (yep! that’s tomorrow!), it should be tomorrow’s 3rd Annual Battle of the Belgians! Here’s the current line-up (and we’ll have more beers coming in both for BotB and our Monday night Vegetarian Nonsense Prix Fixe Dinner with Shelton Brothers). Of course, you can buy any of these amazing beers as part of our regular bar/restaurant menu, but at $45/ticket online (they’ll be $50 at the door), you’ll be getting the best of Belgium (and Belgian-style beers). Look at this line-up (subject to last-minute change):

• BFM XIV (La Quatorze, 14th Anniversary Beer)
• BFM Bon Chien 2011
• BFM Cuvee Alex le Rouge
• BFM Spike & Jerome’s
• BFM Anniversary Series: Cuvee du 7eme

• De Dolle Dulle Teve 20L keg
• Achel Brown
• Smisje Catherine the Great 20L keg
• Cantillon Mamouche
• Cantillon Grand Cru
• Brasserie Fantôme BBBOO
• Brouwerij der St. Benedictusabdij de Achelse Trappist Achel Bruin
• Brasserie Dupont Saison
• Brasserie Dupont La Bière de Beloeil
• Brouwerif Hof Ten Dormaal Dark Farmhouse Ale
• Alvinne Balthazaar bottles
• Alvinne Gaspar bottles
• Alvinne Melchior bottles
• Alvinne Cuvee d’Erpigny bottles
• Hannsens Scarenbecca Kriek bottles
• Brasserie a Vapeur Vintage Tasting: 1996 Vapeur Cochonne, 1996 Vapeur d’Antan, Saison de Pipaix (current)
• Troubadour Obscura
• Troubadour Magma
• Piraat
• Brouwerij Van Steenberge Gulden Draak
• Brouwerij Van Steenberge Monk’s Cafe
• Brouwerij Bosteels’ Pauwel Kwak
• Brouwerij Bosteels’ Tripel Karmeliet
• Chimay Triple
• Brasserie d’Achouffe Houblon Chouffe
• Brouwerij Duvel Single
• Brouwerij Duvel Maredsous Dubbel

• Ommegang 3 Philosophers
• Ommegang Gnomegang
• Stillwater Artisanal Folklore
• Stillwater Artisanal Cellar Door
• Ommegang Hennepin
• The Bruery Fruet
• Midnight Sun Panty Peeler Triple
• Plus beers by Leelanau and Jolly Pumpkin

And as if that list isn’t tempting enough, Mr. BFM himself, Jérôme Rebetez, will be pouring his own beers. We’ll kick things off at noon (until 3 p.m.). Hope to see you there!

Note: Beers will continue to be available a la carte until we sell out!

As we get ready to greet December with all things Belgian-y, we’re putting on a distinctly American beer made with Belgian yeast strains for today’s Thursday Tap™. At 5 p.m., Jimmy will be tapping Stillwater Artisanal’s Folklore (a.k.a. 25 to one, which we’re still puzzling out since we thought it was 25 or 6 to 4!). This 8.4% Belgian Strong Dark Ale is described by the brewer as “A bracingly deep ale, built dark and rich with an elegantly lean body, accompanied by heady aromas of Belgian yeast, earthy hops and gently kissed by a wisp of smoke.”

So come out today and get ready for some great Belgian beers this weekend starting with Saturday’s Battle of the Belgians (featuring BFM’s  Jérôme Rebetez) through Monday’s Vegetarian Nonsense Prix Fixe Dinner featuring Shelton Brothers’ Belgians and the next two $10 Tuesday Tastings. If it’s interesting and unusual Belgian beer you’re after, Jimmy’s No. 43 has you covered. (As always, regular bar/restaurant service is still available during all these events.)