The Mother of All Brewers Dinner – Laurelwood Collaborates with an All-Star Local Lineup of Beer Makers

Laurelwood Brewing Co. is holding a one of a kind collaboration brewer’s dinner on Wednesday, February 8, 2012. The dinner will feature collaboration beers brewed by Vasilios Gletsos of Laurelwood Brewing Co., Alex Ganum of Upright Brewing, Van Havig of Gigantic Brewing Co., and Tom Bleigh of Hopworks Urban Brewery. These exclusive handcrafted ales will be served with a five-course dinner prepared by Laurelwood’s Executive Chef Aaron Nichols. Tickets are $50 per person and available at the NE Portland and Battle Ground, WA Laurelwood locations. The menu is as follows:

Amuse: Chicken coronets with preserved lemon

Beer: Cascadian Pilsner brewed by Van Havig and Vasili Gletsos

Appetizer: Mussel and shrimp soup with lemon grass, kafir lime leaf, fish stock, chilies, garlic, shallot, and Thai spices

Beer: Thai Wit brewed by Tom Bleigh and Vasili Gletsos

Salad: Blood orange and arugula with red onions, Castelvetrano olives, and parsley

Beer: Sour Red blended by Alex Ganum, Tom Bleigh, Van Havig, and Vasili Gletsos

Entrée: Smoked pork belly and pomegranate barbequed brisket with potato-chard gratin, and pomegranate demi glaze jus

Beer: Scottish Ale brewed by Alex Ganum and Vasili Gletsos

Dessert: Grapefruit tart with pecan brittle and Chantilly cream

Beer: Milk Stout brewed by the Laurelwood Brew Team

The food for this dinner is locally sourced from Draper Valley Farms, Sweet Briar Farms, and Country Natural Beef. Laurelwood will also donate 10% of the collaboration dinner sales to the Oregon Food Bank. Join us for a night of special one of a kind beers and a wonderfully prepared dinner.

As stated by Vasili Gletsos, Brewmaster, Laurelwood Brewing Co., “For this Collaborative Beer Dinner, we have broken the mold and created a unique experience by first asking the Chef to create a seasonal menu and then getting together a great set of brewers to create beers to pair with it.

The selection of the participating brewers has special significance for me since I have chosen to work with brewers who have been my past Brewmasters at my previous breweries here in Portland, and who have all gone on to other breweries, as I have. Part of what working at Laurelwood has given me is the flexibility to make lots of one-off and seasonal beers, as well as to answer the question “when will I ever get to work with those awesome brewers who have taught me so much?” This is a great opportunity for me to have a little reunion of brewers I have a high regard for as well as are good friends of mine. I know everyone else will be really pleased with the unique beers and pairings that we come up with.”

About Laurelwood Brewing Company

Laurelwood is a family owned brewery that creates one of the most recognized regional craft beers. Owners Mike De Kalb & Cathy Woo-De Kalb are dedicated to sustainable and organic practices, and first began producing certified organic beer in 2001. Laurelwood’s product line is known for its creativity and quality therefore winning many national and international beer awards. Laurelwood’s handcrafted beers can be found on draft and in bottles throughout Oregon and Washington. To find out more about Laurelwood Brewing Company go online at www.laurelwoodbrewpub.com.

About Van Havig, Gigantic Brewing Company

Van Havig started his brewing career in 1995 at Minnesota Brewing Company in St. Paul, Minnesota, and then moved on to work for the Rock Bottom Breweries for the next 16 years.  He was brewmaster at the Bethesda, Maryland and Portland, Oregon Rock Bottoms, as well as the regional brewer in both locations.  From 2004 to 2011 he also ran the QA/QC program for Rock Bottom Breweries.  He is currently starting his own brewery, Gigantic Brewing Company, in Portland, Oregon.

About Thomas Bleigh, Hopworks Urban Brewery

Thomas Bleigh started his career at Portland Brewing Company as an un-paid intern. Prior to joining Hopworks, he held the positions of Brewer, Lead Brewer, Lead Cellar Operator, Head Brewer and Plant Manager at Portland Brewing, Pyramid Breweries, Independent Brewer’s United and North American Breweries. In 2008, he was recognized, along with Pyramid Breweries as Mid Size Brewer/Brewery of the Year at GABF. He is a graduate from UC Davis and UW-Madison with an MFA in Fine Arts. Born in Augsburg, Germany, he has an appreciation for beer appellation and the “drink local” mentality. When not spending time with his two young children, or playing soccer, he can be found spending his time pursuing charcuterie or fermenting various meats, cheese, fruits or vegetables.

About Alex Ganum, Upright Brewing

Alex Ganum is the owner and head brewer at Upright. He grew up drinking his father’s German pilsners and his older brother’s Bells Porter before moving to Portland in 2002. After meeting several homebrewers he decided to give it a go and never looked back. Seven years later his love of brewing led him to open Upright, a brewery he thinks is as much a part of the community as it is personal. When he doesn’t have beer on his mind Alex is probably thinking about what’s next in the kitchen or on his plate and what digestif to wash it down with.