“Let there be beaches, let there be barbecues, let us lay our blankets out on the grass in Prospect Park,” declares Brooklyn Brewery’s precocious and indefatigable brewmaster Garrett Oliver. Amen to that. Oliver is talking about Fiat Lux, his limited-edition beer, built to drink in the sunshine. But we are taking his words as inspiration for what to drink and how to enjoy this holiday weekend.
We first tried Fiat Lux at the release party at Townline BBQ earlier this month, part of the Quarterly Carousel series that Brooklyn Brewery has been holding with Edible magazines throughout the region, pairing the brewery’s limited-edition, draft-only Brewmaster Reserve beers with local food makers. (Look for the next release and release party here.)
The beer is true to Oliver’s poetic description: “bright, dry, bitter, thirst quenching,” “beer I might like to drink if I’m sitting out in the sunshine.” It went equally well with Townline’s pork sliders as it did with their summery cherry tomato and corn salad. But it was also perfect drinking with the pop-up farmers market we set up on the side of Montauk Highway just in front of the roadhouse. With cars whizzing by in the fading August light, we sampled toothsome dinner rolls and sweets from Blue Duck Bakery, an array of pickles from Horman’s Best and three cheeses from Mecox Bay Dairy. Pete Ludlow of Mecox Bay Dairy took a sip and said Fiat Lux went with “pretty much all our cheeses.”
It was a tasty, surreal evening, not unlike how this bustling, beautiful Labor Day holiday is shaping up. We’re wistful that summer is nearly gone, but happy to remember that the East End is known for its long, warm autumns. But enough about that. Let there be wonderful meals at your favorite restaurant, leisurely farm stand visits and long friend-and-family-filled eating sessions at home. And, of course, let there be plenty of pouring of New York beer and wine. Make sure it goes with what your eating. And make sure you drink it outside.
