Beer Here: Sierra Nevada Brewing dinner and upcoming South Sound beer events

By Ron Swarner on May 19, 2014

Back in the 1970s, the Sierra Nevada Brewing Company was born in Chico, Calif. In 1982, San Francisco Examiner published an article praising Sierra Nevada's beers, which in turn led to pioneering chef Alice Waters including the brewery's flagship Pale Ale on her menu at her Chez Panisse restaurant in Berkeley. Bam! The brewery was off and running. Today, the business is the seventh-highest-selling brewery overall in America, and the No. 2 American craft brewer behind only Boston Beer Co., makers of Samuel Adams. The brewery's output has increased so steadily in the last 26 years so much so that Sierra Nevada erected another brewery outside of Asheville, N.C., in 2012 to meet the demands of the growing East Coast and European markets for its beers.Saturday, May 31, The Bayview School of Cooking will host a Sierra Nevada Brewing dinner. Chefs Barb Agee and Leanne Willard will team up with a SNBC rep for a five-course meal with beers paired with each course:

  1. Brie Quesadillas with Bacon and Beer-Glazed Onions paired with the new Southern Hemisphere;
  2. Thai Red Curry and Beef Soup paired with Sierra Nevada's famous Pale Ale;
  3. A Salad of Baby Lettuce with Feta, Strawberries and Smoked Almonds paired with Kellerweis;
  4. Grilled Chicken with Lemon-Cucumber Relish and Chinese Sesame Noodles paired with Summerfest;
  5. Chocolate Chip Shortbread with a Raspberry Drizzle served with Ovila Abbey Quad with Plums.

The dinner will be held in the BSC demo kitchen on the second floor of Bayview Thriftway, 516 W. Fourth Ave. in downtown Olympia. The cost is $65 per person. To reserve your spot, call 360.754.1448

WEDNESDAY, MAY 21

Pint Defiance on the edge of Fircrest closed its 11-day Seattle Beer Week 26-beer punch card contest Sunday. More than 75 folks completed the task, earning a nifty T-shirt each. Pint Defiance tapped more than 60 Washington beers during the 11 days. Wednesday, Pint Defiance hosts the Oakshire Brewing crew for a brewer's night, featuring Watershed IPA and Line Dry Rye Pale, as well as a very special keg of Oakshire's Smoked Helles Lager. As always, Pint Defiance co-owner Barry Watson will host a raffle. Get in on the party from 5-7 p.m.

Across town, The Swiss Restaurant & Pub welcomes Deschutes Brewery for a brewer's night 5-7 p.m. Scheduled on the taps will be the Fresh Squeezed IPA, Mirror Pond Pale Ale and Black Butte Porter. A raffle will be held. Last month The Swiss gave away a bicycle during its brewer's night raffle.

University of Washington-Tacoma Art and Architecture Professor Julie Nicoletta will lead a tour through Tacoma's Brewery District from 5:15 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Sponsored by Downtown On the Go, the 1.5-mile Walk Tacoma UWT/Brewery Walk will start at the base of the UWT stairs at South 19th and Pacific Avenue and end at the Harmon Brewery and Eatery for light appetizers and a beer tasting. There is no need to pre-register for the event, simply join Downtown On the Go at the meeting spot. The Harmon has its T-town Blonde, Chambers Bay Scottish Ale and the new drINK THIS IPA lined up for the tasting.

The ParkWay Tavern will host Georgetown Brewing's Bob's Beer Brown Ale release to raise money for Ronald McDonald House Charities. beginning at 5 p.m.

Doyle's Public House will donate $2 from every Mac & Jack's African Amber and $1 for every glass of Chardonnay, Merlot and Big Ginger to Painted Dog Conservation,  beginning at 5 p.m.

THURSDAY, MAY 22

Joint Base Lewis-McChord's 1st Special Forces Group is taking over the Harmon Tap Room for an all day long event in support of the Green Beret Foundation. Ten percent of all of the food sales at the event will be donated to the foundation. The takeover will be hosted by the First in Asia Association, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting the history, lineage, current, and former members of the 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne).  There is no cover charge or admission fee.  Food and beverage will be available for purchase.

SATURDAY, MAY 24

Among hardcore beer geeks, you will occasionally run into a subset that one might refer to as "Belgian purists." These purists claim all the best Belgian-style beer comes from Belgium itself. There's no doubt that many great Belgian-style ales come straight from the source, but the American craft brewing scene has developed its own wonderful knack for churning out classic Abbey-style ales, saisons and lambic-style beers. The ParkWay Tavern will host a USA vs. Belgium Belgian-style beer competition to settle the debate. Cast your vote from 5 p.m. until close. Pair the beers with Pat's waffle sliders.