topped with Marcona almonds | Priya Hutner
A recent outing to Manzanita at The Ritz-Carlton Lake Tahoe in Truckee featured a beautiful evening with delicious food and a unique brew pairing by The Good Wolf brewing company with each course. I arrived early to settle in with Alyssa Ganong to attend the evening event. Our first stop was in the bar for a cocktail. I enjoyed a Manzanita Old-Fashioned and Alyssa opted for the Ritz-Carlton’s twist on a Cosmo.
There were eight of us for dinner hosted in their private back room. Austin Harrington of The Good Wolf in Truckee illuminated many of the unique aspects of the brewery. The table was laid out with hops used in The Good Wolf’s brewing process. The brewers also forage juniper and other local items that enhance the flavors of their beers and ciders. Harrington passed around a jar of hops for each of us to smell. It had a strong, pungent, earthy aroma.
Our first course was an Ahi Tuna Tartar layered with sesame, avocado miso aioli and Fresno chilis. Harrington paired the appetizer with The Good Wolf’s Boca Gold, a light and crisp California Golden Lager. Harrington pointed out that the brew was a revival recipe of California’s first lager, brewed in the area more than 150 years ago. It was refreshing and light. I love a light, easy-drinking beer and enjoy a good lager.
The ahi appetizer was delicious and we were off and tasting. The second course was an outrageously scrumptious Crispy Brussel Sprouts dish served with crispy chopped pancetta and a maple sherry reduction topped with Marcona almonds. Did I like this? It was divine.
Harrington paired this with a Lorelei craft beer lager apple cider hybrid. The Good Wolf uses apples harvested from Barsotti Farms. It wasn’t too sweet like some ciders. A forkful of Brussels sprouts followed by a sip of cider and I was in heaven.
The main course was a sliced Duck Breast with a balsamic glaze and a butternut squash puree, with beets and carrots. This was paired with The Good Wolf’s Forbidden Temple, tart cherry pie ale. It was a perfect pairing to accompany dinner.
Dessert was a Chocolate Cremieux prepared with Guanaja Valrhona dark chocolate, Amarena, chocolate crumble and raspberry sorbet. Rich and decadent this dessert was a chocolate lover’s heaven. Dessert was served with The Good Wolf’s Sleep Drifter coffee porter brewed with Dark Horse Coffee. In addition to lagers, I love a good porter and this porter did not disappoint.
Harrington did an excellent job pairing The Good Wolf brews with each course. I had a delightful evening and loved hearing about the brewing process, the foraging and the love of beer that was evident throughout. It never occurred to me to pair beers with high-end gourmet dining. I’d do it all over again. | ritzcarlton.com, thegoodwolfbrewing.com
