And so, after the insanity that was Saint Bon-Chien World Tour 2014 at Mekong,I made my way back to Connecticut. I had to get back to work, reacquaint myself with reality, and help prepare more BFM madness for later in the week. But the tour’s movement by no means hinged on me, and following my departure, it kept right on moving.
The next stop on the tour’s epic path of glory was The Birch Bar in Norfolk, VA. It’s always a special day when Jérôme graces The Birch: his Abbaye de St. Bon-Chien, affectionately known as Bon-Chien, is a staple here. Every seat in the house was occupied The Birch’s best patrons. They are passionate and curious, and when given the chance to try 10 BFM beers on tap, they jump at the opportunity. The Birch’s quaint size gave Jérôme the opportunity to discuss his beers with everyone, and that one-on-one attention with him is priceless; even Jérôme remarked how happy he was that the crowd was there to taste and enjoy his beer.
From there, the tour made a slight turn northward. Landing in Washington D.C., the Bon-Chien crew made its home for the night at Pizzeria Paradisio, a haven for artisanal pizza and craft beer. Here, patrons were met with a phenomenal tap list of 12 BFM:
- Abbaye de Saint Bon Chien 2012
- Abbaye de Saint Bon Chien Grand Cru Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon 2012
- Abbaye de Saint Bon Chien Grand Cru Sauvignon Blanc 2011
- Abbaye de Saint Bon Chien Zymatore
- Alex Le Rouge
- La Mandragore
- La Torpille
- Procrastinator Batch #2
- √225
- √225 Apricot
- √225 Rhubarb
- √225 Syrah, Cornalin, Humagne Rouge dry graping edition.
The only beer dinner on the tour was hosted by Julian’s of Providence, Rhode Island. The menu was extravagant—a culinary journey to behold. But one course stood out above the rest in its ability to interweave the beer as both an ingredient and a beverage: “Bon-Chien Grand Cru spiked with Arnold Palmer’s Sorbet with Neon Green Mint Tarragon Sauce.” The concept of the dish was amazingly simple, but it worked with elegance and beauty. The idea of using this one-time limited beer in a dish was both mind-blowing and amazing.
The above-mentioned course was actually the Intermezzo, meant to cleanse the palate before the main course. The sorbet took on a slight yet refreshing tartness from the Abbaye de Saint Bon-Chien and the “Arnold Palmer” aspect gave a mild sweetness. The neon green mint and tarragon complemented the rest of the dish perfectly. Invigorating and balanced, this was the essence of wonderful pairing.
Finally, it was time to re-join the Saint Bon-Chien World Tour 2014, this time in my home state of Connecticut. The tour would take us to Mikro Beer Bar, located in Hamden, with 10 dedicated lines of BFM wonder. I arrived at the quaint bar a little early to make sure everything was in order, which, of course, it was. The time was a few minutes past four, and the bar was filling up at a furious rate with patrons eager to taste these strange yet gorgeous concoctions. It was time for me to taste some beers, and to get a chance to try some that I’d missed earlier in the week at Mekong.
Just before the 6 o’clock hour, in sauntered Jérôme in his rock star glory. Mingling his way through the room, he shared beers and conversed with what seemed like everyone in attendance. The party was more than underway now, but it was missing something – a grandiose gesture to announce the festivities. Just then, Jérôme took it upon himself to jump upon the center bar and speak a bit about the evening and beers:
As you can see, it was a fun and informative night, full of laughs, great company, and wonderful elixirs.
The event came to a close, and it was my duty to make sure I got Jérôme “home” safely. Another car ride with the man is always fun, albeit a bit shorter than our previous journey. It was a wonderful week getting to know Jérôme (and more of his beers than I had ever dreamed). Thankfully he’ll be at OEC Brewing in June. Certainly something to look forward to. Until next time…
Contributions to this article by: Malia Paasch & Jie Yu
Images 3 & 4 by: George Culver, I-Heart-Food.com