Omnivore Atlanta

IT'S KOSHER: Steinbeck’s teams up with Shmaltz Brewing for a beer lunch, Sat., Jan. 17.

Your intrepid beer writer is recovering from an obscenely massive beer tasting, so you’ll have to be satisfied with some random tidbits of news and information this week.

Beer and Chocolate. Two great tastes that taste great together. Summits Wayside Taverns are having their annual Belgians, Barleywines & Bodacious Chocolates event this week, pairing the titular Belgians and barleywines, as well as some choice stouts and porters, with chocolates from Ghirardelli, Scharffen Berger, Lindt, El Rey, Valhrona and more. A full gourmet dinner is also included for $69.99 per person. Featured beers include Samuel Adams Chocolate Bock, Lindeman’s Peche Lambic, Sweetwater Happy Ending Stout, Rogue Old Crustacean, and Hebrew Jewbelation, among others. The event takes place 7 p.m. tonight (Mon., Jan 12) at the Cumming location; Tues., Jan 13, 7 p.m. at the Snellville location; and Thurs., Jan 15, 7 p.m. at the Woodstock location. Call the individual stores for more information.

Terrapin Side Project No. 4: Dos Cocoas. Speaking of chocolate, this chocolate porter is in stores now, as well as on draft at the Brick Store Pub and other draft houses around town.

Shmaltz Beer Lunch. Here’s a fun, less expensive twist on the usual beer dinner: Have it at lunch. On Sat., Jan 17, Steinbeck’s Ale House in Oakhurst will serve a four-course lunch paired with beers from Shmaltz Brewing Company for just $25 per person.

There will be two seatings, one at 12:30 p.m. and one at 3 p.m. for the late risers. The first course is roasted shrimp in a lemongrass broth paired with Coney Island Albino Python, a lager in the style of a Belgian white ale. Pork satays with pickled vegetables and fried shallots will be served with He’Brew Messiah Bold Ale. After a palate cleanser shot of Coney Island Lager, He’Brew Origin Pomegranate Ale will accompany an entrée of duck confit crepenette with mascarpone risotto and tomato jam. Dessert will consist of a sliver of Taleggio with a cream biscuit, Benton’s bacon, and bittersweet ganache, washed down with He’Brew Jewbelation Twelve. For more information and to purchase tickets, call Steinbeck’s at 404-373-1116.

Plan Your Beer Year. Several breweries have announced their 2009 schedules for seasonal beers and special releases. Dogfish Head put theirs in this handy poster format.

Weyerbacher Brewing Company has added two of its one-off Brewer’s Choice series beers to its regular seasonal lineup: Fireside Ale, made with 10 percent smoked malts, and Alpha, a Belgian pale ale hopped with American Simcoe and Cascade hops. And in more good news, founder Dan Weirback has promised no price increases for the year. Here’s a look at what you can expect month-by-month:

January — Fireside Ale (dark ale with smoked malts)
February — Heresy (oak-aged stout) and Insanity (oak-aged barleywine)
March — Slam Dunkel (dunkelweizen)
April — Blanche (Belgian white)
May — Muse (saison)
June — Alpha (Belgian pale ale)
July — Fourteen (anniversary)
August — AutumnFest (Oktoberfest) and Imperial Pumpkin Ale
September — Harvest Ale (wet-hopped ale)
October — Winter Ale
November — QUAD (quadrupel)
December — T.B.A.

(Photo courtesy Steinbeck’s)

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Tags: Beer, beer dinners, Dogfish Head Brewing Company, liquid-diet, Steinbeck's Oyster House, Summits Wayside Taverns, Talking Head, Terrapin Beer Company, Weyerbacher Brewing Company.