Taking a cue from Larbs’ Fashion Fridays, I dressed up in my skinny jeans and boots tonight (the Ugg pair from my birthday!)
And then we got ta’ tastin’
Matt led us through a Pumpkin Beer Tasting of 5 we have been saving for Larbs and Matt’s visit.
The Featured Brews
- Cottonwood Pumpkin
- A Friend’s Homebrewed Pumpkin
- Matt’s Pumpkin Brew #1
- Matt’s Pumpkin Brew #2
- Schlafly Pumpkin ( <– my current commercial favorite)
The judges
We had 6 people and 5 beers, so we eat tasted about 2 ounces of each. It was SO FUN! And they were so different.
My Rankings
- Matt’s #2
- Schlafly
- Cottonwood
- Matt #1
- Friend’s Homebrew
It was nearly a tie between the Schlafly and Matt’s – but since they are supposed to be clones, that’s a great thing! Go Matt!
After our tasting, we headed to The Local for dinner!
A few of us got beers – I sipped off of Larbs’ Bluegrass Bourbon Barrel Stout – a favorite! I wanted a glass of red wine very badly for swirling and tasting, but I also knew after those pumpkins my palate was kind of shot from alcohol, and I’m glad I decided against it overall.
Salad to start – with apples, cherries, and local goat cheese!
We also noshed on the bread basket.
For dinner, Larbs and I shared the Rockfish with Crab, Ham and Sweet Potatoes in an Old Bay Hollandaise
Only….there was no hollandaise! We realized something was just off halfway through the meal and asked for something on the side. We were brought a chilled tomato sauce. So sadly, this entrée was not very memorable. We didn’t realize until looking at the menu at the end of the meal our hollandaise was missing!
I did have tastes of Matt’s Pot Pie and Mom’s Truffle Pasta, so all was well.
We debated going to Sweet Frog for dessert, but I listed off all the sweets I knew I had on hand and we decided to coze it up inside instead.
I put together quite the platter!
Thanksgiving leftovers, frozen brownies, frozen cookies, The Big Kahuna bar and a Chocomize bar!
Chocomize sent me a few of their Christmas variations as a new OpenSky product.
I am working on getting a custom KERF bar with all the good stuff: lots of toffee and crunch in dark chocolate!
We also served a Canadian Ice Wine we’ve had for several years given by our friend Canada (a.k.a. Chris)!
‘Twas rich and delicious – perfect with our treats
I went a little wild with the desserts – add many more bites to this plate!!
I don’t feel like I’m really getting sick, but I feel like I’m getting sick! From all the sugar, alcohol and just generally food I’ve had in 24 hours. Eating too much really does affect how I feel so much. I’m never concerned with a little extra in my mouth, but when I start to feel bad, that’s when it’s time to start paying attention again.
Still a wonderful holiday – and I’m missing the beginning of a House Hunters with my mom and sis, so I better put blog work to rest for the night! Can’t miss a good HH episode ; )
Nite!
{ 40 comments… read them below or add one }
That’s quite the dessert platter you put together!
That is way better than anything you could get in store
Hmm, I love ice wines! I love late harvest wine’s too. My favorite is from Honig in Napa Valley. And nice dessert plate! Since I’m pretty much in love with toffee, I may have to purchase several of your KERF bars
I definitely feel the sugar I’ve eaten from yesterday and today. There’s something about indulging and how I feel afterwards…that has me craving for a balanced meal afterwards to get my body back in balance.
I love the idea of Chocomize
I do it at home and make my own mix with dark chocolate, I guess if it’s sold in stores, it will be more convenient on days I don’t have time to wait for the chocolate bars to form.
Only now as an adult do I wish I had a sister. I see how bloggers have great relationships with their female siblings and think it’s the coolest thing
You’re very lucky.
Wow, your entree plate just looks sad.
I waited tables for quite some time, and I would never have served that.
I picked up that Bluegrass Bourbon Barrel Stout last weekend for my boyfriend’s birthday and we loved it!!!
I like how you are arrange the photos on your blog these days
Awww, what a wonderful night! I wish someone would make me a dessert platter like that. Although I do have over a dozen different bars of chocolate in the house that I could make a chocolate platter from…
What a fun family night!! Looks like everyone had a great time!
A pumpkin beer sounds so good right now. I’ll have to see what I can find up here in Canada.
(yay! For Canadian ice wines!)
Ohhhh how I would have loved to be at the pumpkin beer tasting!! Chris + a friend are actually bottling an Octoberfest right now! I have no leftover dessert and that makes me very sad….hehe
Those desserts look incredible!!
What a fun night
The tasting sounds fun.
Those desserts! That’s one impressive dessert tray
I’m catching that sick-over-eating feeling myself… Looking forward to the gym on Monday!
That’s an amazing dessert dish. I dont think I would have been able to control myself!
My body recognizes when I’m eating foods outside the norm. Its not the increased calorie intake so much as the different types of food. Normally I wouldn’t eat turkey two or three days in a row, let alone any kind of meat back to back. Ah the holidays. I keep telling myself “It’ll be over soon, enjoy it while you can”.
That dessert platter looks killer!
I know what you mean about feeling sick from all of the food consumed within the last 48 hours.
Too many sweets for me especially! I’m in need of a good run tomorrow.
You look so cute! Looks like a wonderful evening!
Ugh, I hear you about the changes in eating. I had some of that going on Thursday… went to bed feeling like I was really coming down with something, and was pretty sure by the morning that it was just overall yuckiness from not eating well. Hope you feel better! Thankfully for this household, the pecan pie is gone, and the pumpkin is out of sight in the basement refrigerator. :-p
when i eat differently, i feel disgusting!
i’m in love with that chocolate, it’s adorable.
Beer tasting + dessert platter + wine + good people…I can’t think of anything else that would have made that night better
i love ice wine! it sweet, tangy and oh soooooo good.
and i like the beer tasting and rating idea. might be a good way to start a dinner party sometime soon — with the bf’s home brew!
When I eat too much sugar I start to feel sick, too! My throat actually starts to hurt and I feel like I’m getting a cold, but it’s just the sugar. Sometimes I am envious of all the people who have lots of family visiting and have so much food around, but since I actually feel good and didn’t overdo it because there aren’t many leftovers, I am very happy!
Ugh I hear you on overdoing it and not feeling good. My “dessert” last night was twice the size of my dinner, and my head is killing me from all the extra sugar!! That being said, the Chocomize bar looks delicious
I love the pull together dessert plate , yum. I think everyone is ready to get back to everyday eating.
I’m the same way. If I’m starting to feel bad, I know it’s time to reintroduce more of my “normal” everyday foods.
Love your outfit in the first pic, by the way, Kath! Very stylish.
If you don’t mind me asking, where was your icewine from? I visited the Niagara wine region this summer, and I’m curious to see if it might have been one I had tasted then.
It was Pellar Estates, a vidal blanc from the Niagara region
Sounds like a fantastic day!
Hope you are not getting sick. I’ve definitely caught something and it’s not just a food coma.
I am with you on not feeling my best from too much food – days like Thanksgiving throw my blood sugar out of whack! A nice green monster for breakfast or lunch one day always makes me feel a little better!
I so know what you mean about feeling the effects of so much food. Good thing it’s time to get back to a normal schedule! I tend to eat a lot of sugar when I’m traveling and boy do I feel it. Ugh.
I’ve been wanting to try the Local – hopefully when I go, they won’t forget my hollandaise.
I know what you mean about feeling sick. I just threw out all the leftover dessert that was sent home with me because I am DONE.
So glad you guys enjoyed the Schlafly, and that Matt’s tasted nearly the same! We go to the Schlafly brewery almost once a month, but I couldn’t resist going more after I tasted the pumpkin for the first time. I highly recommend a visit to the brewery if you’re in the area!
I wish I were a friend and in Cville so I could come over and taste my fav, pumpkin beer! We met friends yesterday afternoon at a local beer haunt (World of Beer) and I had a flight of hefeweizen and Belgian whites which were great, but home brew (orig typed that as breer!) is so much fun!
Cute boots and your dessert platter looks amazing! I also know what you mean about too much food. I’ve been feeling a little sick too lately with all of the leftovers.
You have such a lovely family!
AMEN! i love house hunters! if the tv’s on (and my husband’s not home, h’es not a big fan) you can guarantee i have it on in the background!
Love the dessert plate! Hate when restaurant meals aren’t great.
Matt cloned schafly? I’m impressed! it’s a local beer made here in STL and the pumpkin is INCREDIBLE. Like dessert!
Wow, yum desserts!
xoxo