Brewers festival taps
into many ways to
enjoy beer
Star-Bulletin staff
Cooking with beer, eating with beer and just plain drinking beer will be the activities of choice when 26 breweries gather for the Kona Brewers Festival, March 10 at King Kamehameha's Kona Beach Hotel.
More than 60 types of beer from the lightest pilsners to the darkest stouts will be poured at the sixth-annual event. And since you shouldn't drink on an empty stomach, 25 restaurants will serve up dishes made with beer, or made to go with beer.
Nine Hawaii breweries will be pouring, along with other independent breweries from the West Coast. Participating chefs include Daniel Thiebaut of Daniel Thiebaut Restaurant, Amy Ota of Oodles of Noodles and Peter Merriman of Merriman's
The event is a fund-raiser for a number of nonprofit groups, the primary beneficiary being Tropical Reforestation and Ecosystem Education. Last year it raised $15,000; this year's goal is $20,000.
The festival will run from 2:30 to 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $30 in advance; $35 at the door. Admission includes a commemorative glass, eight brew-tasting scrip and food samplings. Additional brew tastings will be $1 each. Call (808) 331-3048 or visit the Web site, www.konabrewingco.com.
Meanwhile, here are some suggestions for using beer at home, from the festival:
Sweet-Hot Beer Mustard
1/4 cup dry mustard powder
1 tablespoons prepared horseradish
1/3 cup pale ale
1/2 teaspoon tarragon
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1/8 cup sugar
2 egg yolks, beaten
Whisk together all ingredients except egg yolks. Cover and let sit for 30 minutes. Whisk in egg yolks and place in saucepan over double broiler. Cook on medium low heat until thickened, whisking constantly.
Cool before serving. Keeps in refrigerator up to three weeks. Makes 8 ounces.
India Pale Ale Chicken
3 tablespoons butter
4 boneless chicken breasts, pounded and floured
2 cups India Pale Ale, stirred to de-gas
1/3 cup chicken stock
1/2 red onion, sliced in thin rings
4 garlic cloves, mashed
6 roma tomatoes, chunked
1 pound capellini pasta, cooked
Four slices feta cheese
1/2 cup fresh cilantro
Heat butter in skillet ; brown chicken breasts on both sides. Deglaze pan with beer and chicken stock. Add onion and garlic, reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes or until chicken is slightly firm to touch. Add tomatoes.
Cook capellini al dente (3 to 5 minutes).
Place one slice of feta cheese on each piece of chicken. Add cilantro, cover and simmer 2 minutes or until cheese is soft. Serve each chicken piece on a bed of capellini and sauce from the pan.
Nutritional information unavailable. >
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