Do special food and beverage pairings live up to the hype? There’s only one way to find out. Take the plunge. You know how it works. There’s a cheery place where you like to hang out with your partner and/or friends. The food is good, the beer is cold, and the atmosphere is friendly. Ah, consistency. Then, your favorite haunt throws you a curve.
It may be Valentine’s Day, the holidays, or some random theme. Still, one day, a special menu mysteriously appears in your inbox. Perhaps it’s a food and beverage pairing with several options from which to choose, or it may offer a set menu with a beverage sample for each course. It may also cost more than you usually pay for your standard evening of relaxed enjoyment.
Should you partake of the opportunity? After all, consistency has been good to you thus far. Hence, the risk of disappointment is relatively low. I’ll share the story of what my husband and I experienced in a somewhat similar situation. Then, you can decide whether or not to take the plunge.
Table of Contents
The Food and Beverage Pairings Ramp-Up
It came out of the blue and landed in my inbox as a special Iron Hill Brewery and Restaurant promotion. The email listed several limited-time Oktoberfest specials and a one-night-only Fall Harvest Beer Dinner invitation in our hometown of Greenville, South Carolina.
We were familiar with Iron Hill, having dined and drunk there. We were intrigued since the food had been excellent, and the craft beers were above average.
The Oktoberfest menu tempted us with Bavarian delights such as an appetizer of Bratwurstbrotchen: a bratwurst egg roll stuffed with Vienna Red Lager-bacon sauerkraut, cheddar, and green onion, served with a beer mustard dipping sauce. The suggested beer pairing was Oktoberfest Lager. Reading the options, I craved Huhnerschnitzel: crispy chicken medallions served with green beans, buttered egg noodles, and lemon herb sauce.
Then we looked at the five-course Fall Harvest Beer Dinner menu, and my schnitzel craving evaporated like a puddle after a South Carolina rainstorm in August. We were hooked.
The Fall Harvest Dinner – A Food and Beverage Pairings Experience
We stepped into Iron Hill’s welcoming atmosphere on a warm September evening. A host ushered us to a private dining area for the food and beverage pairings experience. We took our places at a long rectangular table with several other diners and prepared to be impressed.
The first surprise didn’t appear on the menu. It came as a crostini topped with duck fat chicharrones, goat cheese, fennel fronds, and what looked like squash. A lot of color and flavor sat atop that crusty bite, which set the tone for the rest of the meal.
The Menu
The second surprise turned out to be human. Before each course, we were treated to detailed explanations of the upcoming food and beer pairing courtesy of Head Brewer Eric Boice and Head Chef Matt Long. We were also encouraged to ask questions. And we did.
The Warm Up
The meal began with a delightful salad of Shaved Brussels sprouts, roasted red beets, goat cheese, spiced walnuts, and a maple Dijon vinaigrette. Combining textures, colors, and flavors made each bite an adventure. My fear that the dressing might be too sweet was unfounded. The amount of maple syrup was just enough to cut the slight bitterness of the raw sprouts.
The Les Houblons Belgian-style New England IPA (NEIPA) was a cloudy beer with a slightly earthy, slightly fruity taste. It complemented the salad perfectly, with the sprouts bringing out the beer’s fruitiness.
Next was a smoky charred cauliflower dish with fingerling fondant potatoes, sun-dried tomato almond romesco, and chive oil. The combo was a winner, with the tartness of the romesco tying it all up into a neat little flavor bomb. What looked like scallops turned out to be the potatoes. They didn’t taste anything like scallops, but they were tasty just the same.
The Tmavé Pivo Czech-style dark lager was light enough to complement rather than compete with the dish.
The Main Event
What would a fall dinner be without pumpkin? This food and beverage pairings dinner course was Pumpkin Gnocchi topped with pancetta and a brown sugar sage sauce. The gnocchi didn’t taste much like pumpkin, but it was light and comforting; the pancetta added a bit of crispiness, and the brown sugar in the sauce didn’t overpower the flavor imparted by the sage.
Pumpkin Ale may be wildly popular in the fall, but neither my husband nor I care for it. To be fair, it was brewed with real pumpkin and not just pumpkin spice, so I considered it better than most.
The main course presented us with Seared Duck Breast served with roasted butternut squash puree, apple fennel slaw, and cherry glaze, which presented me with a problem, or so I thought. I can’t tolerate the texture of fat, and duck is full of the stuff. But the skin with its underlying layer of fat came off easily, leaving me with a tender, succulent duck breast, which I thoroughly enjoyed. The accompaniments were also top-notch, with the pureed squash being my favorite.
The perfect food and beverage pairings plate was another fall favorite, Oktoberfest beer. It was hardy enough to stand up to the duck – with or without the fat – and yet maintained its individuality.
The Finale
Warm Apple Coffee Cake, drizzled with Pig Iron Porter and salted caramel, was paired with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream; it was the ideal finale for our Fall Harvest Beer Dinner. Laced with warm allspice and crowned with a thick, crunchy crust, the dessert provided that classy sweetness to gently round out a sumptuous meal.
The beer pairing was a favorite of mine, Pig Iron Porter. Although my husband vehemently disagrees, the robust flavor of chocolate and toasted malt is like a siren song to my taste buds. The Porter is the only original Iron Hill beer that has remained unchanged for over 20 years, and I can understand why.
Although the portions were on the small side, we were beginning to slow down by the time the meal was half over. At this point, we paced ourselves while still managing to sample everything. Thank goodness for to-go boxes!
Iron Hill Brewery and Restaurant
Our local Greenville Iron Hill isn’t the only link in the homey, upscale, casual brewery and restaurant chain. You can find Iron Hill in Georgia, Delaware, and New Jersey, with the bulk in Pennsylvania.
Although we have yet to venture outside our Greenville comfort zone, we can count on certain consistencies should we find ourselves at an Iron Hill during our travels.
- Fresh, handcrafted traditional and creative beers,
- Outstanding casual New American cuisine
- Friendly service in a congenial atmosphere.
- A calm, contemplative ambiance aided by the presence of unique murals created by acclaimed artist Jeff Schaller
Each location is wheelchair accessible, offers free Wi-Fi, and, at the Greenville location, at least, offers free parking.
The Food
Iron Hill takes traditional pub grub to a new level of creativity and freshness. Everything from dressings to sauces to stocks is house-made from scratch. The onsite brewery works with the kitchen to infuse sauces and other meal components with flavor that’s hard to identify and even harder to beat.
The menu is varied without being overwhelming. You can find traditional pub eats such as Bangers and Mash, Fish and Chips, burgers, wings, and nachos with a subtle Iron Hill twist. The crispy shoestring Truffle Fries tossed in truffle oil, Pecorino Romano, and parsley with garlic truffle aioli are outstanding. Chefs pile the juicy Iron Luxe Burger with thick-cut bacon, sharp white cheddar, smoked Gouda, baby arugula, Dijonnaise, and pepper-bacon jam on a pretzel bun.
Oktoberfest is one of several events Iron Hill celebrates, including special, taste-tempting, limited-time menus and beer-pairing suggestions. Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, and even Girl Scout Cookie season are cause for celebration at Iron Hill.
That’s right, cookies and beer. Maybe I’ll go for Lemon-Ups with the suggested Homestead Ale this year. But you can still bring the kids, who get milk or chocolate milk with their sweets, and make it a fun family affair.
The holiday season brings unique seasonal dishes and beers to enjoy. I can’t wait to try Reindeer’s Revenge. Yule Lager, Winter Warmer, and Spruce Moose also help put everyone in the holiday spirit.
The Iron Hill Story
The story of Iron Hill began innocently enough in 1990. Delaware resident Kevin Finn’s wife gave him a home-brewing kit for his birthday. Soon, Kevin’s friend, Mark Edelson, began brewing with him. Deciding to enter their beers into several competitions, they started bringing home some impressive awards.
In 1994, the two-some joined forces with Kevin Davies, an experienced restaurant professional, to open an innovative brewery and restaurant. They called it Iron Hill Brewery and Restaurant. On November 14th, 1996, the journey to success began at 147 E Main St in Newark, Delaware.
Less than a year after opening, Iron Hill captured a gold medal for their Lodestone Lager at the American Brewer’s Association’s Great American Beer Festival. The gold medal was the first of many prestigious awards, including “Best Brewpub” in 2010 at the World Beer Cup, the largest global beer-judging event.
Today, Iron Hill operates 20 brewpubs, continuing to build on its reputation for excellence. When my husband and I are in the mood for good food and beer, we know where to find it in Greenville.
Other Things to Consider About Food and Beverage Pairings
When deciding to treat yourself to a unique limited menu offering food and beverage pairings, there are some things to consider:
- Are you something of a picky eater? If so, a set menu might not be for you. Although I made a face when I read about the duck, it wasn’t enough to put me off the rest of the menu. And, as it happened, I enjoyed it.
- Will you be getting your money’s worth? If you don’t drink, you might want to pass on the set menu unless the alcohol is optional, which wasn’t the case in our situation.
- Are you adventurous? That may not mean you are not picky. You may enjoy various foods but may be reluctant to try new combinations. The people who create these menus are highly talented and are not afraid to veer from the norm, often with surprisingly delightful results.
- Are you interested in where ingredients come from and how the food and beverage pairings items are produced? Limited menus can scratch that itch. Often, information is on the printed special menu or the restaurant’s website. And if you’re lucky, you might even have the opportunity to interact with the chef, brewmaster, or sommelier.
As for my husband and me, we’re always game to try something new, and frequently write about our adventures on Six Legs Will Travel, while his photography is showcased on My Eclectic Images. And as with our Iron Hill experience, we’ve never wished we’d gone for a burger and fries, no matter how good they always are. The food and beverage pairings experience gets our thumbs up!
Disclosure: Our sincere thanks go out to Iron Hill Brewery and Restaurant in Greenville, SC for hosting us. However, all opinions are entirely my own.
Plan Your Next Trip
For more exciting trips, try these locations! Plan a road trip from the Roanoke Valley of Virginia to North Carolina’s beautiful Yadkin Valley Wineries, where you can find more amazing food and beverage pairings. Or jet off to the breathtaking Azores!
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