With a growing surge of farmers markets and farm fresh produce, there has been a recent effort to celebrate local food.
Devil’s Kettle Brewing and Pork and Pickles are teaming up to host a beer pairing event for the locale. The event will kickoff on Friday at 5:30 p.m. to the sound of sizzling grills.
Cameron Fuller, the owner and brewer of Devil’s Kettle Brewing said the endeavor is an attempt to bring the culture of craft beer tastings to Athens is so often seen in bigger cities to Athens.
“There are a lot of beer pairing events in bigger cities but not so much here,” Fuller said. “It’s a small event, but I guess it’s a good start toward developing a similar culture in (Athens).”
With the purchase of each flight of beer, Devil’s Kettle will be serving three samples of beer and complimentary grilled sausages from Pork and Pickles, an up-and-coming company that serves locally made pickles and sausages.
Becky Clark, the owner, and operator of Pork and Pickles was a gourmet chef for six years at fine dining restaurants in and around Portland, Oregon before deciding to settle down in Athens.
Clark said, her knowledge of fine dining has helped her experiment with bold flavors and bring variety to the table. The produce comprises mainly of pigs that are raised in Dexter Run Farms.
“The pigs have access to fresh pasture,” Anna Shield, the co-owner of Dexter Run Farms said. “We try to raise them as humanely as possible.”
Devil’s Kettle brews their beer in the premise of their spacious restaurant on 97 Columbus Rd, Fuller said, and the most popular drink is the Spider Silk beer.
“I call it the ‘Imperial Blonde Ale',” the Brewer said. “Full of flavor and packs quite a punch with 7 percent alcohol by volume.”
The piquant brew works well as an introductory beer, Fuller said, and patrons who aren’t familiar with craft beer will like the blend as it isn’t overwhelmingly bitter or roasty.
Clark and Fuller handpicked the flavors together. Clark said they picked Pork and Pickles’ curry sausage to compliment the Spider Silk. She said the curry sausage is an all pork sausage with a natural casing that contains toasted coconuts, coconut milk, golden raisins and curry powder among some other spices.
“It is flavorful,” Clark said. “Full of spices with a surprising tinge of sweetness.”
Fuller emphasized the importance of achieving the right combination. He said the Spider Silk’s clean character harmonizes with the dominant curry flavor that clenches on to the taste buds.
Devil’s Kettle will also be serving non-alcoholic options such as housemade root beer and cold-brewed coffee served on nitro to cater to all.
There will be a music performance to tie the evening together. Caitlin Kraus-Torres, an Athens resident, will be serenading the gathering with original folk numbers. The local food enthusiast expressed her excitement for the event.
“It’s an exciting thing to be a part of,” She said. “What can be better than celebrating food in a healthy, sustainable and local way?”
