Highlights of Inaugural Beer Dinner at Scott’s Seafood Mountain View, Featuring Hermitage Brewing Company

Scott's Seafood Mountain View special beer and food pairing event, Feb. 13
Scott’s Seafood Mountain View special beer and food pairing event, Feb. 13

The marquee beer-and-food pairing event to feature a South Bay brewery during SF Beer Week took place earlier this month at Scott’s Seafood in Mountain View.

Focused on four beer styles brewed by San Jose’s Hermitage Brewing Company, the nearly three dozen guests in attendance were treated to a deliciously executed, four-course meal by executive chef Ramon Nava and his team.

After an introduction by Hermitage Brewing brand manager Peter Estaniel, Scott’s Seafood general manager Marc Buhagiar and Hermitage Brewing lead brewer Greg Filippi, respectively, introduced each course and the featured beer pairing.

The starter course was smoked salmon, arugula, red onions, capers, and cherry honey vinaigrette paired with Maltopia scotch ale/wee heavy. This course was a crowd pleaser and understandably so – the pleasant toasted bread notes of the Maltopia complemented the fresh, tender smoked salmon.

The second course was a butter leaf and manouri cheese salad with dried cranberries, Asian pears, and an orange Champagne vinaigrette with the Hermitage Galaxy IPA. The citrus flavors of the Galaxy IPA paired nicely with the orange Champagne vinaigrette while complementing the mild, Greek cheese.

The main course consisted of two steaks of ahi tuna, coconut curry rice, grilled asparagus, and a sweet soy glaze paired with the Hermitage Ale of the Imp double IPA. The delightful bitterness of the Ale of the Imp served a dual purpose – to cut through the “meaty” yet tender ahi tuna while balancing the sweetness of the coconut curry rice and the sweet soy glaze. This course was a personal favorite.

Another favorite among the guests was the dessert course – a warm molten chocolate cake with whipped cream paired with the Hermitage 2Tun imperial stout and its flavors of coffee, dark chocolate, and roasted malts. After visiting with guests during the dessert course, Hermitage’s Estaniel shared how some of the guests were surprised with how well a beer could pair with a dessert item.

The overall feedback was very positive, with several courses deemed as favorites among the guests – always an excellent sign. Indeed, the beer and food pairing dinner was a successful event.

For more photos from this event, click here.

[This post was shared on Examiner.com.]