Greenbush food pairing at Fiddler's Hearth (Recap)

I must admit, I was fairly oblivious to the reason for the Greenbush food pairing last Thursday night at Fiddler's Hearth. I just figured they did it for the hell of it... but as I came to find out, it was for the Eat. Drink. Downtown South Bend "Third Thursday" event.

The special for the night was "Three Greenbush Brewery tasters paired with three unique sliders." Greenbush beer is always very good, and I would have likely been content with drinking a few different options without a corresponding food pairing, however a fellow patron ordered the sliders/tasters and when I saw what was served, I had to give them a try. I'm no foodie, I leave that up to Michele at South Bend Foodies, but I certainly enjoy great tasting food, and that's just what I got.

More about the 3 Pairings...

Beer: Greenbush Jadis Winter White. A Belgian style pale brewed with cloves, cardamom, and orange peel. 6.1%, 20 IBUs
Slider: Salmon Cake, Spring Greens, and Remoulade on a homemade Pretzel Bun.

Beer: Greenbush Ursus Old Winter Ale. An old ale brewed with an abundance of English and caramel malts, pureed dates, and a rounded hop bitterness. 8.9%, 47 IBUs
Slider: Pit Ham, with Smoked Gouda, and Carrot Chutney on a homemade Pretzel Bun.

Beer: Greenbush Anger Black IPA. Black IPA brewed with Belgian dark and british chocolate malts, dry hopped for an intense aroma. 7.6%, 85 IBUs
Slider: Lamb Sausage with Sharp Cheddar and Caramelized Onions on a Rosemary Bun.

When it comes to beer, I'm very adventurous, but food... not so much. I don't even know what Remoulade is; it sounds made-up to me. Carrot Chutney? Deal breaker. However, since the dish had a built-in beer component, I figured it would be at least half-good.

Tackling each slider with its paired beer was nothing short of amazing! I've never been into food pairing before, since I usually prefer to savor beer on its own. The food and beer was incredible! Together they formed one of the best meals I've ever had. I would regularly eat these sliders, I hope Fiddler's Hearth decides to keep them on the menu!

Food aside, the Greenbush beer was fantastic, as is the norm with them. Anger is my favorite Black IPA, and I never turn down an opportunity to enjoy a pint. Jadis and Ursus were new to me, but both extremely good. Jadis reminded me of 3 Floyds/Dogfish Head "Poppaskull" due to its liberal use of cardamom, which makes this beer taste like Thanksgiving (obviously a good thing). Ursus was just as delicious with its sweet malt, dark fruit and slight bitterness, resulting in a great cold-weather sipping beer.

After this experience, I can't wait to see what "Eat. Drink. Downtown South Bend." brings the next time around!

**Not accustomed to taking pictures of my food, I didn't think to do it until after the party in my mouth was over. If you happen to have a pictures of the dish that was served, please email me (andy@thebeerisgood.com) so I can add it here. Cheers!