Just as fall brings in armies of pumpkin beers with gourds poised for attack and spices prepared for palette ambush, winter ushers in oodles of holiday ales, each more warming and soul-satisfying than the last. The quantity and quality of these beers can be overwhelming; where does the beer-lover begin his or her quest for rich, festive, fermented satisfaction? In typical ChurchKey / Birch & Barley fashion, Greg Engert (Beer Director), Kyle Bailey (Chef) and Tiffany MacIssac (Pastry Chef) have provided a solution to this nearly existential dilemma.
On Monday, December 12th at 7PM, Birch & Barley will be hosting their annual Holiday Beer Tasting which, with a beer list enticing enough to knock your stockings off and a menu guaranteed sure to spark your Menorah, is a surefire good time. Tickets are $45 and reservations can be made by calling 202-567-2576.
If you can’t make it to the tasting downstairs, have no fear! ChurchKey will be pouring an impressive list of bell-jingling holiday beers, including a gravity keg in their snazzy upstairs bar. 10% of the proceeds from this event will benefit Martha’s Table, supporting families in need during the holiday season (they’ll also be collecting non-perishable food donations from 12/13 – 12/23, so bring something along). Menus are below!
HOLIDAY BEER TASTING (Birch & Barley)
Drinks
1 | Port Brewing Santa’s Little Helper
2 | Port Brewing Santa’s Little Helper Bourbon Barrel-Aged
3 | Lavery Brewing Company Devil Bird
4 | Evil Twin Christmas Eve
5 | Evil Twin Soft Xmas aka Pretty Please With A Cherry On Top
6 | The Bruery 4 Calling Birds
7 | Saint-Germain Page 24 Bière de Noël
Eats
1 | The Christmas Dish: “Boiled Goose”
A Dickens-era Christmas dish of cured and braised whole goose, which is then sliced and served with a stuffing of brioche, sage, chestnuts and dried cherries.
2 | The Hanukkah Dish: Hanukkah Chop Suey
Chef Kyle polled all of his friends who celebrate Hanukkah. The most common response: “Honestly, we just go out for Chinese.” This gives way to a dish of stir-fried vegetables mixed with a housemade sauce and served over latkes.
3 | The Festivus Dish: “Spaghetti and Meatballs”
Ever look closely at the dinner table in old Seinfeld episodes? Chef Kyle does, and it’s always spaghetti and meatballs. In this reinterpreted homage to Jerry and the gang, he’ll prepare tagliatelle with duck meatballs and housemade tomato sauce.
HOLIDAY DRAFT FEATURES (ChurchKey)
De Struise – Tsjeeses 2011
De Struise – Tsjeeses Reserva 2010
The Bruery – 4 Calling Birds 2011
To Øl – Snowball Saison 2011
Great Lakes – Christmas Ale 2011
Mikkeller – From Via To 2011
Mikkeller – Santa’s Little Helper 2011
Mikkeller – Ris a la M’ale 2011
Géants – Noël des Géants 2011
Emelisse – Winterbier 2011
Evil Twin – Soft Xmas aka Pretty Please With A Cherry On Top 2011
Dubuisson – Scaldis Noël 2011
St. Bernardus – Christmas Ale 2011 D’Achouffe N’Ice Chouffe 2011
Silenrieux – Noël de Silenrieux 2011
Van Steenberge La Bière du Boucanier Christmas 2011 Roman
Ename Cuvée 974 2011
Ridgeway – Bad Elf 2011
Ridgeway – Seriously Bad Elf 2011
Ridgeway – Criminally Bad Elf 2011
Ridgeway – Warm Welcome 2011
Ridgeway – Lump of Coal 2011
Ridgeway – Reindeer Droppings 2011
Ridgeway – Pickled Santa 2011
Mahr’s – Christmas Bock 2011 (Rubber-Clad Gravity Keg)
