On Sunday, May 6, the Maymont Foundation hosted the "For Every Saison" Hardywood beer dinner featuring local brews, local chefs and local cuisine. Hardywood released "For Every Saison" beer, a 6 percent farmhouse saison made with lavender and thyme foraged from the Maymont grounds. The ale offers a little bit of spice, is bright, spring-forward and effervescent with crisp, clean botanicals. Harydwood came up with the idea for the beer last fall and connected with Maymont to bring it to fruition.
Ben Petty, regional sales manager for Hardywood, believes Saisons are the best style of beer for food pairings. The event also featured Walter Bundy (Shabgark), Lee Gregory (The Roosevelt and Southbound), Joe Sparatta (Heritage and Southbound), Adam Hall (Saison), and Jason Alley and Darryl Boyd (Comfort and Pasture).
"For Every Saison," a five-course beer dinner held at Maymont —"They’ll do it [create a beer using ingredients from Maymont] every year," says Emily Cruz of the Maymont Foundation. "Ben Petty at Hardywood came for a tour of Maymont and he had some really good ideas for a Maymont-Inspired beer."
Ben Petty, regional sales manager of Hardywood, welcomes everyone and shares the story behind the "For Every Saison."
Hardywood hosted the dinner at Maymont in celebration or their "For Every Saison" beer featuring lavender and thyme from Maymont grounds.
First course prepared by Walter Bundy (Shagbark)
Manakintowne spring asparagus, jumbo lump blue crab, local strawberries, Goats R Us Buttercup cheese, grilled Virginia ramps / lemon
Beer Pairing: "For Every Saison," a 6 percent farmhouse ale flavored with ingredients from Maymont, including lavender and thyme
Second course prepared by Lee Gregory (The Roosevelt and Southbound)
Smoked lamb and pork sausage, spring pea and farro salad, and mint salsa verde
Beer Pairing: Bourbon Barrel Cru, a 12 percent Abbey-style Quadrupel and the first barrel-aged beer from Hardywood. This beer has fruit characteristics of figs, plums and raisins.
Readying the Bourbon Barrel Cru for the second course
Chefs plating the third course prepared by Joe Sparatta (front left)
Chefs Joe Sparatta (front left) and Lee Gregory (back right) of Southbound plate course three.
Third course prepared by Joe Sparatta (Heritage and Southbound)
House-made Orecchiette pasta with Haas mushrooms, confit of spring onion, ricotta salata, English peas, ramps and Tomten Farms greens.
Beer Pairing: Hopkeeper, an 8.5 percent Double IPA with a touch of Virginia honey
Harmony Hill chicken for the fourth course, prepared by Adam Hall, on the grill
Fourth course prepared by Adam Hall (Saison)
Garlic-and-herb grilled chicken breast with gribiche potato salad
Beer Pairing: Capital Trail Pale Ale, a 5.6 percent dry hopped pale ale. For every barrel sold, $5 is donated to the Capital Trail Foundation.
Fifth course prepared by Jason Alley (Comfort and Pasture) and presented by Darryl Boyd of Pasture.
Lemongrass-and-white chocolate pudding, macerated and rehydrated strawberries
Beer Pairing: Peach Tripel, an 8.2 percent Abbey-style tripel
