Backyard Beer-B-Que

Although I have made beer and cooked food, The PubScout's position on making beer and cooking is quite simple: Leave both to those who know what they're doing.

And, clearly, that means guys like Dave Hoffmann, Tim Schafer (above) and Greg Zaccardi (right). When you combine those ingredients, you're pretty safe, especially when they combine their talents for a private beer dinner.

On a beautiful midsummer's eve, the famous back patio at Climax Brewing in Roselle Park was bedecked with table-cloth covered tables and umbrellas and about forty guests gathered to enjoy the food of The BrewChef himself, Tim Schafer, and two master brewers, Climax's Dave and Ramstein's Greg.

Zaccardi and Hoffmann are understandably well known Jersey brewers, but what was a famous North Carolina chef doing cooking in NJ? And in Hoffmann's backyard? Schafer, orginally a Jersey guy transplanted to the Tarheel State, was back up here doing some charity cooking--which he is devoted to--and, because we all used to travel the same beer circles back in the day with luminaries like Michael Jackson and Richie Stolarz, he contacted Dave.

"Hey, brother! let's get together and do something fun," said Tim. "What did you have in mind?" asked Dave.

And the ”Hot Off The Grill-Cold in the Glass” Beerbeque Dinner was born. It was an event where both beer and food were done right, and beer IN food (BrewChef Schafer's specialty) sated a special group of guests.

The food menu consisted of

German style Potato Salad with Beer-Bacon-Brown Sugar Dressing Summer Pasta Salad--Garden Vegetables-Rainbow Rotini-ESB Vinaigrette Creamy Ale Spiked Cole Slaw Bock Beer Baked Pork and Beans “Beer in the Can”Grilled Chicken made with Ale-Herb-Lemon Marinade Beer basted Bratwursts and Alekraut-Stout spiked Mustard-Rolls Beer Burger Sliders with Beer-Bourbon-Bacon Jam-Buns The Brew Chef’s Cuban Sandwich--Ale Glazed Pork Loin-Beerbeque Pork with Beer Cheese and Pale Ale Pickles on Cuban Bread Double Chocolate Stout Bacon Brownies

Beer-wise, there were exceptional choices, too. Hoffmann's classic ESB, his British-style IPA and his exceptional sessionable Golden Ale were available, poured carefully by Steady Eddie (below); and Zaccardi had two delightful beers in the house--his clovey, authentic German Hefeweizen and his outstanding Platinum Blonde. Any of these paired up well with everything on that menu.

Except the Double Chocolate Stout Bacon Brownies. For that, Dave busted out not one, but two special vintage barleywines, both brewed separately for various Climax anniversary celebrations.

There were some pretty famous beer cognoscenti in the house to celebrate craft brewing and cooking, too. The first Brewmistress of NJ and the first Jersey Brewer to win a Gold Medal at the GABF, Gretchen Schmidhausler (below) was there with hubby Kevin.

Beer factotum--and co-founder of Climax Brewing--Karl Mende (pictured above with Tim) was also on hand to enjoy the event.

And at an adjacent table, thanks to beautiful twin sisters (now PubScout fans), I got to meet Founder/President Tom Rachelski, who plans to open up the first brewery in Passaic County since Prohibition--Ghost Hawk Brewing. He promised to keep The PubScout apprised of developments as he negotiates the tricky waters of Jersey's beer laws, so I can cover the grand opening.

In fact, the event was populated with beautiful people, though the most difficult to get into a picture was Lisa (below, left), who finally assented. But it's pretty certain that all the good people who eventually waddled down Climax's driveway after the dinner concluded was fully sated with good beer and good food.

Big props to the Big Three for putting this event together. Hoffmann and Zaccardi are already here. We'll just have to lure Schafer back here more often.