Event promises beer, food, fun
Four States Fermenters group, Julie’s Deli partner for pairings
The Four States Fermenters and Julie’s Deli are partnering for an evening of homebrewed beer and from-scratch food.
The Crafted Beer & Local Food Pairing, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday at Julie’s Deli, pairs several selections of small-batch, locally brewed beer with dishes crafted by Jennifer Tanner, the executive chef at Julie’s.
The idea arose when Tanner visited with James Ward and the Four States Fermenters. “James brews some amazing beer, and I tasted it and we just knew we had to do something exciting with it,” Tanner recalled.
“We just wanted to introduce this to Texarkana and let them have some phenomenal beer and some phenomenal food,” Tanner said. It’s a chance to hang out and visit in a low-key atmosphere.
“I think it’s going to be some new, fun and exciting stuff,” Tanner said about the menu she’s planned. She aims to see what flavors sing in the beer and pair that with food to match.
“We’re going to be doing a pizza that’s made with the beer. The crust is made with the beer,” Tanner said, noting of beer, “It’s liquid bread, right?”
Mini pork belly sliders on pretzel buns are also on the menu along with the artisan wild mushroom pizza. “All kinds of fun stuff,” the chef said. It’s still a work in progress, but they aim to be as locally-sourced as possible with the food and in keeping with the season.
“You have to think about what do people want to eat,” Tanner said about what she considers for a pairing with beer. It’s easier to introduce new ingredients and items in a food that people already like, she believes.
In general, Julie’s Deli gets everything from Arkansas or Texas. “Everything we carry in our market, everything on our menu is as local as we can be,” Tanner said. Rice from Arkansas, beef from Texas.
The Four States Fermenters have been around for about three years, said Ward, the founder. “My whole group is all about making the best beer we can.” They like to make beers that beer drinkers can’t get here. They make renditions of special beers found elsewhere.
“We’re trying to get that kind of culture here that’s in Austin,” Ward said. They’re hobbyist homebrewers who donate beer to events like this. They small-batch the beer, so that makes it better, he believes, even better than commercial beer.
At this event, they’ll showcase four beers, but Ward anticipates bringing at least 10 to 15. One is a blond beer which
brought him an award. Another is a heavy amber. “Everybody loves that one,” he said. A third is a floral, citrusy I.P.A., while a fourth is an imperial stout. (That stout goes into the pizza crust.)
It will be a casual, informal setting, with stations arranged where people can eat the food, sample the beer and enjoy them at the same time. “That’s when you get that flavor explosion, for sure,” Tanner said, noting beer makes for a social occasion.
“We just want everybody to come, enjoy and taste some really amazing things,” Tanner said.
Look for the Four States Fermenters to be involved with this fall’s Dine on the Line Oktoberfest event, too.
(Tickets: $50. Attendees must be 21 or older. Ticket numbers are limited. Purchase tickets at Eventbrite.com or via the Facebook event page. Julie’s Deli is located at 4055 Summerhill Square in Texarkana, Texas. More info: Call Jennifer Tanner at 903-792-5725 or email her at executivechef.juliesdeli@ gmail.com.)