Last Friday was the final Sessions in the Speakeasy dinner at Jedediah Hawkins Inn. We sampled seven beers, ate some great food and listened to an information packed talk by Tom Acitelli, author of The Audacity of Hops. The book is also an information packed history of beer in the United States, with a big focus on craft beer.
Fun facts: The first craft brewery was Anchor in San Francisco, which was bought and refurbished by a member of the Maytag family in 1965. The second wasn’t until 1976, when the New Albion Brewing Company was started in Sonoma, Calif. After that, President Carter signed a bill legalizing home brewing in 1978, and America was off to the races. Now, on the East End we have six craft breweries that are expanding and gathering more interest. People know what growlers are now.
Some of the most popular craft brews are the hoppy IPAs, and farmer John Condezella was there to pass around some dried hops from his farm. But we got some good info. Acitelli, who says he steers clear of high-alcohol brews in favor of session beers (called so because you can drink many in a session) with his favorite being Geary’s New Hampshire Ale, which I’ve never had nor heard of. It’s made in Maine and is sold in two places in New York: Union Beer, Brooklyn, (718) 497-2407 and Gasko & Meyer, Lake Huntington, (845) 932-8424. First person who tries it, let me know.
And now some shots from the dinner.
First Course: Tuna Tartare with Blue Point Toasted Lager
Course Two: Duck liver pate with Greenport Harbor Ale.
Course Three: Beet salad with fennel and blood orange with Six Point Apollo Wheat
Course Four: Shrimp Toast with Long Ireland IPA
Course Five: Venison with a potato and mushroom croquette and Brooklyn Brewery Blast
Course Six: Chocolate braised beef with Blue Point Imperial IPA
Course Seven: Chocolate brownie with Great South Bay Blood Orange Pale Ale
