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Food News from the Beer World

Find out what eats are on tap at local breweries

 

At last weekend’s National Homebrewers Conference, I checked out seminar presentations from two local beer luminaries - Tom Nickel, owner of O’Brien’s Pub, and Peter Zien, owner of AleSmith Brewing Company - who both have exciting new food-related projects on tap.

Nickel’s session on Belgian ales featured his funny commentary on a slideshow of photos from his travels (the pub organizes several beer pilgrimages to Europe every year), plus a tasting of three of his favorite beers, including a refreshingly effervescent Malheur produce in same style of champagne. 

The former brewer, and Yale graduate, saved the best bit for last, when he announced that he’s currently working on developing a BBQ-centric brewpub in Julian alongside Vince Marsaglia of Port Brewing Company. The two already collaborate on the annual Real Ale Festival, held at Pizza Port Carlsbad, and Marsaglia, an avid cook, can often be found serving up some kind of delicious pork product from his mobile commercial grill, which makes the rounds a local beer events.

AleSmith’s Peter Zien is a true artisan, and not only in the craft of brewing beer. The self-proclaimed hobbyist has also tried his hand, and succeeded, at home coffee roasting, chocolate and mustard-making and olive curing—and for the past ten years, has been honing his skills as a cheese maker.

At his presentation, where he shared words of encouragement with fellow passionate homebrewers and hobbyists, Zien announced that he’s just a few months away from officially opening San Diego’s only urban cheese-making facility, called CheeseSmith Microcreamery. (See my Sip column from our May issue for more background on Zien and AleSmith’s new cheese program.) The brewery is also contributing to a food and beer pairing book with their culinary consultant, Schuyler Schultz.

 

 

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