Beer Matters

Photo courtesy of SAVOR

BY JAMIE DOOM

BREWING represented the Sandhills at SAVOR in Washington, D.C. SAVOR, as noted on their website, is “the premier American craft beer and culinary event that marries flavor-forward, independent craft beer with sublime small bites to create an unforgettable experience for beer lovers and foodies alike.” It is one of the celebrations for the craft brewing industry.

After a two-year hiatus because of COVID, this year featured 110 different craft breweries serving a diverse range of more than 225 beers from 36 different states and Washington, D.C. This event is one of the few events sponsored by the Brewers Association, which is the association for independent craft breweries in the U.S.

The pairings and menu items were created by Brewers Association executive chef Adam Dulye and his team of awardwinning chefs to showcase the interplay between fine cuisine and craft beer, with a focus on local ingredients.

Southern Pines Brewing participated in this event for the first time. They were one of seven North Carolina breweries that included Bhramari Brewing Company, Asheville; Highland Brewing Company, Asheville; Hi-Wire Brewing, Asheville; Incendiary Brewing Company, WinstonSalem; Wiseman Brewing, WinstonSalem; and Wooden Robot Brewery, Charlotte.

Other notable national breweries attending were: Anderson Valley Brewing Company, The Bruery, Dogfish Head, Fremont Brewing, Great Lakes Brewing, The Lost Abbey, Main Beer Company, Maui Brewing Company, Oskar Blues Brewery, Perennial Artisan Ales, Side Project, Sierra Nevada Brewing, Sloop Brewing Company and Tröegs Brewing, to name just a few.

Held at The Anthem Concert Hall on the wharf in D.C., the unique aspect of the event is that all of the breweries are represented by the owners or head brewers, which gives the public a more intimate insight into each brewery and their beer.

Southern Pines Brewing was represented by owner/CEO Micah Niebauer and head brewer Steve Anchor. They were pouring two of their most sought-after beers, Bourbon Barrel Aged Drunken Vigils and Pêche de Vigne.

Drunken Vigils is a 14.9% breakfast stout made with caramel and roasted malt and Ecuadorean cacao, which create notes of nougat and bitter dark chocolate. Locally roasted java from Cactus Creek Coffee completes an array of rich breakfast nostalgia. Bourbon and Monastery yeast complement with decadent caramel and dark stone fruit flavors. This beer is then aged in single-use bourbon barrels.

Pêche de Vigne (7.8%) is a traditional wine-barrel-aged Saison that matures for a year while conditioning on fresh peaches from local Kalawi Farms in Moore County. It is fermented with multiple wild yeast and bacteria strains. It is crisp and dry and reminiscent of white wine and stone fruit.

The Pêche de Vigne was paired with the pork rillette with apricot, green garlic and rye. And the BBA Drunken Vigils was paired with a scone with Devonshire crème and blackberries. Both of these pairings were wildly successful, with many attendees coming back for seconds and thirds.

The event started with a one-hour VIP session that also included members of the craft beer, food and hospitality media. After the doors opened to the public several thousand people streamed in and the night was off and running. What sets this even apart from other beer festivals for Southern Pines Brewing was the high level of craft beer knowledge present. Some beer events or festivals can devolve into participants trying to drink as much beer as quickly as possible, making it difficult to actually taste or savor the liquid being served or explain the artistry behind it.

SAVOR has a different feel, and the attendees were truly there to experience the pairings. After talking to many of the attendees the word I heard to describe the atmosphere most often was “overwhelming.” There really were no bad beers or menu items there. Everything seemed to be just varying degrees of good or great.

Micah and Steve both remarked that most people there were asking detailed questions about the food pairings and the brewing process, which made it all the more enjoyable. Working in this industry requires an enormous level of passion and attention to detail as well as long days and patience, so interacting with consumers just as obsessed with great beer makes it all worthwhile.

“Being part of such an esteemed event with the top breweries in the USA was a milestone for Southern Pines Brewing,” says Niebauer. “And the opportunity to represent Southern Pines and Moore County was truly an honor.” SP

Fall Semester 2022 • Full Semester and First Eight-week Session Begin August 15 • Second Eight-Week Session Begins October 12 www.sandhills.edu/fall22 LEARN TO EARN

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