The growing popularity of craft beers as an accompaniment to food has led local fine dining establishments to supplement their extensive wine lists with substantial beer offerings.
Last month, Italian restaurant Sotto Sopra added a selection of 16 beers to the beverage list. Michael Mohammadi, a graduate student in neuroscience who writes a food and wine blog, was hired by the restaurant last fall to host wine dinners and tastings and update the beverage list.
“One thing that a lot of fine dining places don’t do is have an eclectic beer list,” said Mohammadi. While he is very partial to wine, he said, he recognizes that a successful restaurant needs to have a good beer program as well.
Mohammadi said he has learned a lot about beer and food pairings from a friend who is a home brewer. While he did not set out intending to develop a beer list, he said, as he began to suggest new beers to add to the menu, the list just evolved.
The beer list comprises several Belgian ales, Peroni and Menabrea from Italy, and a handful of American microbrews, including two from Baltimore’s Clipper City Brewery.
“Every other Saturday I meet with the wait staff to do wine training, and we also now taste beers,” Mohammadi said. “The chef [Bill Crouse] is really into beer as well, so it’s not a bad day when he and I have to meet to go over potential beer and wine pairings.”
Victoria Gastro Pub in Columbia has an extensive beer list, with 24 varieties on draft and more than 80 bottles. Included are many popular Belgian and American beers, plus some obscure beers from places like Scotland and Sweden.
To encourage exploration of the world of beer, Victoria Gastro Pub offers a beer club. Club members receive discounted prices at certain times and are entered in an annual drawing for a trip to Germany for two, including a brewery tour.
At the Great Sage in Clarksville, Sierra Nevada Pale Ale and Oxford Organic Amber Ale are available on draft, and seven beers are sold in bottles, according to manager Angel Shorter.
Bottled offerings include Dogfish Head Indian Brown Ale and 90-Minute IPA, Samuel Smith’s Organic Lager, Pinkus’ Organic Pilsner, and Green’s Discovery Amber Ale, which is gluten-free.
