Unibroue Beermaker Dinners at the Shores Restaurant in La Jolla

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For some, beer means a Steinlager keg or a cold can of Coors. But what a Grand Cru Burgundy is to a Sutter Home Merlot, Unibroue beer is to Budweiser: it is far superior to its tasteless cousins.

The Unibroue Brewery, established in 1990, is the world's foremost brewer of bottle-refermented specialty beer and specializes in Belgian-style beer. You savor a Unibroue, noting the satisfying mouth-feel and palate-pleasing panoply of tastes. These beers are worth designing a meal for, and the chefs at The Shores Restaurant in La Jolla rise to the challenge this October with a series of Unibroue Beermaker Dinners.

A Welcome Reception

At 6:30pm on October 6th, as the evening sun set the sky aflame, 30 people gathered on The Shores Restaurant terrace for the kick-off reception.

Subtly spiced glasses of golden Blache De Chamblay and amber Maudite beers accompanied three appetizers. Wild Mushroom Shooters, a puree of mushrooms and smoked bacon topped with truffle oil, rivaled the Tellicherry Spiced Ahi Tuna, beautifully presented with slivers of pickled pear and a swirl of black walnut butter. The aptly named Shrimp and Andouille Lollipop is chef de cuisine Augie Saucedo's favorite creation because, "it's a perfect marriage of land and sea."

Presently, the group moved indoors for the four-course dinner served around candle-lit tables in a spectacular ocean view room. Acoustic guitar, a blend of jazz and light pop, performed by Jim Gibson, accompanied the notes of fruit and malt in Unibroue 16, the brewery's vintage beer. The first course, a Plum Smoked Prime New York Carpaccio, added another dimension to the smokiness of the beer.

Said Saucido, "The New York cut is more flavorful than the traditional filet mignon cut. We're experimenting with new flavors. The stronger cut balances out with the strong taste of the beer."

The Wine-Lovers' Beer

"Unibroue beer is for wine-lovers," said Michael Smith, representing the Unibroue Brewery, who introduced each beer between courses. "Everybody pairs food with wine, and this dinner is successful because our beers are more like wines."

Like wine, the beers are corked when bottled, and served in wine glasses. The shape of the glass magnifies the taste and aroma of each beer.

Diners swirled and sniffed the complex aroma of La Fin du Monde, a triple-style golden ale with creamy foam. Smith explained, "This beer is named in honor of the European explorers who thought they reached the end of the world, America." Also reminiscent of a sea voyage, the Seafood Sauerkraut, a salty symphony of smoked salmon, mussels, scallops and prawns drizzled with star anise butter, brought out the beer's effervescence.

"Brewers, like chefs, add ingredients like honey or flowers for a distinctive blend. Winemakers, like farmers, grow grapes, till soil, and produce what the earth gives them," said Smith as he introduced the next beer.

The nutty flavor of the triple wheat ale Don de Dieu complimented a perfectly cooked thyme Crusted Niman Ranch Pork Tenderloin in a candied onion glaze.

Unibroue Ephèmére, named in honor of the ephemeral harvest fairy, is a white ale brewed with apple must. Slightly bitter with a hint of apple, it was served with an extraordinary dessert of brandy-infused cherries and chocolate covered coffee beans surrounding creamy praline ice-cream on a delicate beer batter apple beignet.

As a finale, a duet of dark chocolate truffles brought out the accents of cocoa in a strong dark ale called the Trois Pistoles. Its rich brown color, slightly sweet malty flavor, and long port-like finish made it a satisfying after-dinner drink.

Celebrating the Advent of Autumn

"October was the perfect month to introduce this dinner series," said Saucido. "We are entering fall, a season for more substantial cuisine and the traditional time to appreciate beer."

According to executive chef Bernard Guillas, "These are among the best beers in the world and finding the perfect culinary complements was a delight."

For a memorable version of Oktoberfest, leave your sausages, pretzels and peanuts behind and educate your palate at The Shores Restaurant in La Jolla. The four-course Unibroue Beermaker Dinner is available every Saturday in October from 5-10 pm for $39.00.