Marche’s monthly Farmer Wine Dinner (tonite it’s beer, be flexible)

Counsel enjoys a glass of Brooklyn Lager at 74 State’s restaurant Marche’s monthly Farmer Wine (tonite it’s beer, be flexible) dinner while bottles of Local One chill in preparation for enjoyment later that evening. As you gaze upon this image you may notice a vision materialize in the background. This jolly elf may appear to embody the spirit of this festive evening but in fact it is just Doc Shields sporting the cardboard liner of the Brooklyn Brewery baseball hat he received as a parting gift at the end of the evening.

Dining room manager Eric and crew keep the beer flowing throughout the evening.

Glasses of Brooklyn Lager assembled for the taking. Appetizers to accompany the beer, (prepared by one of the Hudson Valley’s top five chef’s Brian Molino) included veal ricotta meatballs with sun dried tomato puree and mushroom spring rolls with a creamy mushroom ginger sauce. The nice thing about the appetizer part of the meal is that it is served at the restaurant bar cocktail party style allowing the diners to mingle.

Tonight’s amuse course, intended to refresh the palate between the appetizer and the first course, is composed of a potato crouton topped with chorizo-apple chutney, a mushroom tart with melted leeks and bacon and a fat slice of grilled andouille sausage with sweet onion puree.

Eric, one of the best hosts in Albany, serves Counsel with gracious flair.

Doc and Cobra love receiving bags of gifts and reading material from Brooklyn Brewery and 74 State at the end of the meal.

“We weren’t expecting presents!” From left to right: Counsel, Charles Gehring, Jean Gehring

Chef Brian Molino whips up an after-hours specialty for Marche’s hard-working staff.

Tomme Arthur, His Daugther and Counsel

Read about Counsel's trip to The Lost Abbey on Blades Blog at http://meadowdalealesociety.com/

The Bride enjoys a Presidente

I hear there are duvels and leffes on the island. I will be looking.

MAS @ the Fire Haus

Counsel takes pole position at the March meeting.
Five men out. Do we know who we are? If not see JG. Dues are dues. And thank you Mr. Fire Man for the use of your fine facility. I can see counsel liked it.

Great Belgian beer Blogg

http://gloriousfoodandwinebelgianbeer.blogspot.com/

Yankee Spirits, Sturbridge, MA

http://www.yankeespirits.com/
A must stop in central Mass. for beer and wine. Great selection of Belgians local and they have some left coast beers like the The Lost Abbey.

New Sierra Schwartz

New Sierra Schwartz black beer available now at the Dutch Ale house. Seems like a slightly less hoppy and slightly more malty version of the porter. Barman Rich says Sierra is coming out with a new product each quarter and he is signed up for all of them