Members of Congress got their own taste of SAVOR at a special event in Washington, D.C. on April 10. Hosted by the Brewers Association, SAVOR on the Hill’s list of bipartisan attendees included Congressmen Erik Paulsen (R-MN), Adriano Espaillat (D-NY), Doug Lamborn (R-CO), and Peter DeFazio (D-OR).

BA executive chef Adam Dulye and federal affairs manager Katie Marisic used the intimate gathering to educate members of Congress and their staff about beer and food pairing as well as the sensory qualities of beer. Dishes such as smoked beef brisket arancini, golden citrus beets, and pork jowls were big hits among attendees, who learned that beets can pair well with a sour beer style.

The pairings, with beers provided by small and independent craft brewers, included:

• Brewery Ommegang (Cooperstown, NY): Pale Sour paired with brussels sprout cups
• Port City Brewing Company (Alexandria, VA): Porter paired with smoked beef brisket arancini
• Hardywood Park Craft Brewery (Richmond, VA): VIPA paired with pork jowl tostadas
• Samuel Adams (Boston, MA): New England IPA paired with golden citrus beets
• Sierra Nevada Brewing Company (Chico, CA): Pale Ale paired with wonton squares with tuna tartare

The tasting was a sneak preview of SAVOR^SM: An American Food & Beer Experience, to be held June 1–2 at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C. This premier event showcases 181 beers and serves up more than 50,000 pieces of food per night. Dulye also discussed the scope of preparing for an event such as SAVOR.

Spreading the Word on Beer and Food

With the continued growth of the craft brewing industry, small and independent brewers are increasingly finding ways to showcase their beers and educate consumers about pairings. They are continually proving that craft beers can complement a five-course meal at a high-end restaurant or celebrate a special occasion. The Brewers Association is committed to helping in that process.

SAVOR, along with events like PAIRED® and PAIRED® L.A. and the website CraftBeer.com, has helped elevate the Brewers Association’s status as an industry leader in consumer education on beer and food pairings and beer styles. This focus is in addition to the BA’s critical government affairs work on craft brewing issues in Washington, D.C., where it educates members of Congress and their staff about small and independent brewers’ impact on jobs, manufacturing, and farming.

About Chef Adam Dulye

A leading expert in food and beer pairings, Adam Dulye is executive chef of the Brewers Association, where he directs culinary programs for events such as SAVOR and beer dinners around the world showcasing beers from small and independent craft brewers (including Paris, London, Stockholm, Berlin, and Tokyo). He is the author of the recently released The Beer Pantry: Cooking at the Intersection of Craft Beer and Great Food.

To learn more about ways in which the Brewers Association is working to educate about beer and food, visit CraftBeer.com or experience an event firsthand at SAVOR in Washington, D.C., PAIRED at the Great American Beer Festival in Denver, or Paired Los Angeles.