By Jake Ferguson and Sarah Hamblen
We recently told you about River City Brewing Company’s Craft Beer Food Pairing Series, and luckily we were invited to attend, enjoy and share with you the fresh and flavorful menu and crisp beers.
Clockwise from top left: K. Street Kolsch and fresh-out-of-the-oven focaccia bread; Heirloom Tomato Sorbet with a bacon-cheese shortbread cookie; Albacore Tuna Salad paired with the Belgian White; Sweet and Sour Cherry Pork Tenderloin paired with the Cap City IPA; Salted Caramel Gelato paired with the Black River Stout.
The first course of our pairing was certainly unique! We were presented a cool and refreshing Heirloom Tomato Sorbet with a bacon-cheese shortbread cookie. I probably could have eaten shortbread cookies for all three courses. Yum! The beer pairing for this course was the K. Street Kolsch and, as Brewmaster Brennan Holmes explained, this German-style lager is known for its familiar ale yeast flavors and light color.
The second course consisted of albacore tuna atop crispy summer zucchini, mixed greens, corn, beets and yellow pear tomatoes, paired with the Belgian White. I couldn’t get enough of all the incredibly fresh and juicy ingredients, and the crisp Belgian White, tasting of orange peel and a hint of banana, paired perfectly.
Our final course (or so we thought) was a Sweet and Sour Cherry Pork Tenderloin with yellow and green summer beans placed on top of a stuffed red bell pepper filled with rice and sautéed onions. The presentation of the dish was great and the beer pairing was even better! The Cap City IPA has a malty backbone with citrus characters and incorporates cascade hops.
The grand finale came as a surprise in the form of Salted Caramel Gelato paired with the Black River Stout—also known as an adult version of a Root Beer float.
Two additional farm-to-fork dinners will be taking place in the coming months, so be sure to check back for your next opportunity to enjoy good eats and tasty beer! A portion of the proceeds will go to helping local Golden Retriever Rescue charity, Homeward Bound. Check them out on Facebook and enter their River Rendezvous Sweepstakes!
River City Brewing Company
545 Downtown Plaza #1115
Sacramento, CA 95814
916-448-1104