In an event that would make George Washington himself belly up to the bar,
If You Go
Mount Vernon Inn-Port City Beer-Pairing
Where: Mount Vernon Inn, 3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Highway
When: Friday, March 10, 7-9 p.m.
Tickets: $75
the Mount Vernon Inn is teaming up with Port City Brewing on Friday to host the next in its line of beer-pairing dinners.
“We are doing a three-course dinner this time,” said Port City’s Chris Van Orden. Fewer courses than previous dinners “means we can pull out some bigger beers, which is actually really nice.”
Those higher-ABV beverages may pack a punch, but they also pack a great deal of flavor in each sip and pair nicely with the restaurant’s menu for the evening. The first course — a gorgonzola and pear-stuffed goose breast with vegetable pilaf served alongside — will go toe-to-toe with Port City’s Colossal Five, its signature English-style old ale.
The lobster-stuffed beef tenderloin second course pairs with the newly released Colossal VI, a heavy-handed Russian Imperial stout; diners will finish off the meal with a cannoli cake paired with George Washington rye whiskey barrel-aged porter, brewed in whiskey barrels from Washington’s distillery down the road.
“We had one last keg of that, and we were able to pull this out for the occasion,” Van Orden said.
Port City teams up with the Mount Vernon Inn every few months for a beer-pairing event, but each one is different. Some have been all-vegetarian affairs, for instance, and some offer an extended-course menu.
“As the seasons turn and as they get new produce available, they come up with a new menu and we pair against that,” Van Orden said. “… We have always had a very good time.”