Jimmys No. 43

Next Monday (April 8th at 7 p.m.) will be the first of three new Prix Fixe Beer Dinners this month when Stillwater Artisanal Ale’s Brian Strumke joins Jimmy’s No. 43 for a curated “Magic Potions and Gourmet Larder” prix fixe dinner.  The “gypsy” brewer—who recently relocated to Brooklyn—will pair his beers with Hudson Valley Duck Farm menu options. The Magic Potions Dinner will feature the following pairings (subject to change):

• Cellar Door (6.6% Saison brewed with White Sage) paired with House-Cured Duck Breast on Toast
• Existent (7.5% Black Saison) served with Beer Cheddar Duck Prosciutto Soup
• Sensory Series v. 1 – Lower Dens (6% Saison brewed with Hibiscus) paired with Duck Confit and Farro Risotto
• Of Love & Regret (7% Saison brewed with Heather, Chamomile, Lavender, & Dandelion) paired with Crispy Duck Skin and Wild Dandelion Salad
• Saison Darkly (8% Dark Saison) paired with Duck-Fat Crust Apple Tart
• Plus an additional collaboration pour: Stillwater/Thiriez – French Connection Blonde (7% Blonde Ale with French Hops and Violets)

We caught up with Brian at last week’s CBC, and the self-proclaimed “cult leader” at Stillwater Artisanal answered some of our “burning questions” in anticipation of next week’s dinner.

what is your current position and company you work for? cult leader at Stillwater Artisanal

How many years have you attended the CBC, and what are the highlights thus far for CBC13?

This is my third year. I think what I’ve noted most this year is that craft beer now seems to the hip thing these days. The expo floor was great this year.

DC is quickly becoming a craft beer destination. What are your favorite breweries in the greater DC area?

DC Brau, Union Craft, and Devils Backbone.

What are your favorite beer hang-outs when in DC?

Churchkey, Granville Moore’s, Pizza Paradisio, Meridian Pint.. There are so many cool spots in DC.

What are your favorite new beers you’ve had at CBC13?

There were lots. I finally had a run with Devils Backbone… killer lagers!

Tickets for next week’s beer dinner with Brian Strumke are available here.

 

We’re continuing our cask series with a yummy English Strong Ale from J.W. Lees. And with the full moon on the rise, we’ve got just the perfect beer: Moonraker, a 6.5% ABV stalwart, which JW Lees has been brewing for over 50 years. Its name comes from farm workers who once tried to rake the moon’s reflection from a Middleton stream. This deliciously rich, dark ale has been lovingly brewed to the original recipe. A favorite of beer connoisseurs the world over, the brewer suggests pairing with strong flavors.

Or drink it on its own! As always, we’ll be tapping at 5 p.m. and while supplies last. And regular restaurant/bar/oyster service is available.

As this is the traditional Holy Week for many, Jimmy’s No. 43 is happy to be celebrating the end of Lent with several interesting and unusual seasonal beers. Today is also National Paella Day, so we are featuring several Spanish beers to coincide with the celebration of Semana Santa (Spanish holy week).

Palm Sunday traditionally marks the onset of a week of great celebration and feasting that coincided with the feasts of Passover, pagan celebrations of Spring, Christian Easter, and the anticipation of the new season of growth and abundance.

Jimmy’s No. 43 has several  rare and fine beers on tap that are perfectly suited to the original spirit of festivity and celebration of Holy Week.  Among them are four great beers on tap from Spain (that very Catholic, yet very festive country) from Iberian Beer United:

• Sagra (how appropriate, translates to Sacred),
• Gisberga Trigo (farmhouse wheat ale),
• Gisberga Porter,
• And the beer that has  inspired Jimmy to song: Lanjub 1907 Iberian Pale Ale.

Also being tapped today is The Bruery’s Saison de Lente, a 6.5% ABV Farmhouse Ale, a limited seasonal keg.

Venite Libemus! (Come and let’s drink! )

It was another amazing food day at Jimmy’s No. 43 as a half-dozen chefs braved narrow doors (yes, a one-meter diameter paella plate will fit through our entryway) and electric burners to bring rabbit, snails and amazing shrimp tails to our first ever Paella Cookoff in celebration of National Paella Day.

The squid-ink infused paella prepared by Louise Leonard and Iberian United’s Jessica Garcia-Agulló was a glory to behold, with lots of interesting entries from professional chefs that paired nicely with the Spanish beers on tap: L’Anjub 1907, Sagra Pils, and Gisberga Trigo.

In the end, there was a rare double winner (of both the judges – Anthony Sasso of Casa Mono, Sarah Jay of PaellaPans.com, and Tara DeGeorges of Spanish Suitcase – and people’s choice awards): Nick Suarez of Backyard Cooking Company in DUMBO, whose traditional paella consisted of Chicken, Chorizo, Snails and Piquillo Peppers over Bomba rice from Spain.

Proceeds benefited the NYC Coalition Against Hunger (paella is a traditional peasant dish, although you wouldn’t know that from yesterday’s entries!).

Beers from the Paella Cookoff will continue to be on the menu throughout the week, for those who’d like to come in for a taste of Spain.

In celebration of National Paella Day, Jimmy’s No. 43 is happy to be hosting another one of our famous cookoffs this Sunday, March 24th from 1-3 p.m. Join professional and amateur chefs, plus enter to win some amazing prizes, all for $20 at the door. Proceeds benefit NYC Coalition Against Hunger.

Iberian Beer United will be providing a selection of Spanish craft beers (for additional purchase) that pair exceptionally well with the rich and varied flavors of paella that we can expect to be presented by some of our great chefs. Chefs interested in participating should e-mail Jessica for specifications. Confirmed chefs include:

• Chef Jaume Guerra of Despana NYC,
• Nick Suarez, Owner/Chef of the Backyard Cooking Company,
• Rich Pinto of Rich Pinto Catering,
• Louise Leonard (founding chef at the Blind Tiger),
• Sarah Jay of Paellapans.com,
• Jessica Garcia-Agulló of Iberian Beer United,
• Anthony Belleveau Flores of Rowan Imports (cider paella!),
• Additional chefs, TBA.

Paella comes in all sorts of wonderful varieties including the traditional paella Valenciana chock full of delicious seafood, chicken and chorizo, as well as all seafood paella marinera, caçadora (all meat and sausage), Fideoa paella (with noodles instead of rice), paella negra (with squid ink), and on and on. And although there are traditional Spanish styles, the name paella really refers to the large flat pan that the dish is cooked in, so pretty much any rice or noodle dish cooked in a paella pan can qualify and the possibilities are quite literally endless.

We have some enthusiastic partners for this event who will be presenting super cool prizes to the winners of the cookoff. Spanish Suitcase will present the winner with their “Chef Suitcase” luxury food assortment. Packed in an eco-friendly, travel-inspired cardboard “suitcase,” this gift basket features all the gourmet foods a chef needs to whip up a perfect paella—bomba rice, premium extra virgin olive oil, saffron from chef María José San Román, recipe cards from chef José Andrés, organic sea salt and more. PaellaPans.com will be presenting runner ups with a new Paella pan and also offering discounted paella pans to any guests who want to purchase a pan and cook this dish at home. Despaña Brand Food will be adding gift certificates to complement Iberian Beer United’s basket of Spanish cheer—their seven brands of craft beer from Spain—which will be raffled off at the event. La Rioja will provide a $100 gift certificate as part of the raffle, as well.

Celebrity judges include Anthony Sasso of Casa Mono and Tommy Harder of Blind Tiger.