Brewer’s Plate 2014: 10th Anniversary Recap

Still dragging on Tuesday? Many locavores are stuffed and slightly hungover.

The Brewer’s Plate 10th Anniversary was this past Sunday, March 9th at the Kimmel Center.

This year’s affair offered an array of beer & food samplings from across the Philly region. Restaurants including Varga Bar, White Dog Cafe, Alla Spina, Cedar Point Bar & Kitchen paired with the region’s best brewerys: Stoudt’s Brewing, Troegs, Philadelphia Brewing, Yards & Dogfish Head. Classic noms like pulled pork, sliders and cheeses filled the tables along with vegan treats, fish tacos and cauliflower bites.

VIP ticket holders received additional tastings, special edition glasses & access to watching a Brewer’s Plate competition.

Brewer’s Plate VIP Lounge Experience

The Best of the Wurst Sausage Showdown pitted Garces v. Garces on the 3rd floor. Guest judges included Sheena Parveen, Victory Brewing’s Bill Covaleski, Brent Celek, Fair Food’s Ann Karlen & the Iron Chef himself.

The VIP lounge featured Russet, chocolate, and many samplings from Jose Garces’ empire, like this dish from Distrito. The Rellenitos de Chorizo Mexicano were stuffed Anaheim peppers with DirtWolf Smoked Tomato Sofrito.

Changing locales from last year’s National Constitution Center, the Kimmel Center served a beautiful backdrop with Broad Street and City Hall in the background. My photographer for the evening (aka my brother Jeremy) took a break from snapping photos to pose for a moment.

Brewer’s Plate 2014 – Samplings

Vegan Miss Rachel’s Pantry featured Vegan Artichoke Cakes, giving carnivores a break without sacrificing taste and vegetarians a moment to rejoice.

The presentations of each station were also impressive. Samuel Adam’s beer cooler was quite colorful, and the Spiced Peach was one of my favorite fruity samplings.

 

Fair Food’s efforts to support local farmers shine during this annual benefit. This subtle reference to the linkage between farmers and beer made a particular locavore quite happy.

Not pictured but definitely noteworthy: the ice creams were superior. Weckerly’s Toasted Oat Cinnamon Ice Cream topped off with a Stout was out of this world. The Franklin Fountain’s pumpkin ice cream tantalized my taste buds, transporting me to a frozen Oktoberfest.

 

Readers, did you have a chance to check out Brewer’s Plate? What was your favorite combinations?