Ithaca Beer Dinner

                        What: Ithaca Beer Dinner and Pairing                                   

When: Friday October 21^st, 7pm                   

Where: Aroma Thyme Bistro, 165 Canal St Ellenville

Details: Five course and five beers for $49 per person

Hudson Valley Camembert, Pears & Baby Mustard Green

Ithaca White Gold

Curried Soda Noodles, Nectarines

Ithaca Flower Power

Pan-Seared Sea Scallops, Fennel & Lemon Salad

Ithaca Thirteen

Roast Pork Loin, Local Rhubarb Confit

Ithaca Cascazilla

Hazelnut Bavarian Crème, Chocolate Hazelnuts

Ithaca Nut Brown

Ithaca Beer Co. – A Story about the Little Brewery that Could

Ithaca is a city with a strong sense of community and a passion for locally produced products. There are many local wineries, however people always questioned why there was no local brewery. Dan Mitchell, the founder of the Ithaca Beer Company, set out to answer that question by creating a brewery that would exemplify “The Spirit of the Finger Lakes”.

The original concept for the brewery began in 1995, but it wasn’t until December of 1997 that the brewing system was purchased. It was discovered by chance after investigating another system in Texas that looked great on paper, but wasn’t adequate for the needs of the brewery. After passing on that system Dan had some time to kill and decided to travel around. During a visit to a brewpub in Austin, TX he discovered what would become our brewing system. He went in and asked them what kind of beers they made. They told him that they had stopped making beer and were actually preparing to sell their system. After checking it out the purchase was made and a month later the system was shipped up to Ithaca.

Five months of renovation took place at our 606 Elmira Rd. location to turn it in to a functional brewery. After all the hard work renovating and setting up the equipment we were ready to begin the actual process of creating beer! The operation started small with only a couple of people (Dan and our previous Brew Master Jeff Conuel) doing everything that needed to be done to get the business off the ground. From the making of the beer, the packaging, the selling, and the mountains of paperwork necessary to operate a brewery they did it all. In December of ’98 the brewery officially opened.

Since then, we’ve come a long way and grown considerably through lots of tireless work by a very dedicated staff.  Just recently our hard work paid off when we were awarded 2 medals at the Great American Beer Festival in Colorado in 2008.

Ithaca Beer Company now sells beer throughout New York State, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Rhode Island, and Ohio. Other states are in the works as we continue to expand our capacity. Even while growing we haven’t forgotten our commitment to crafting quality beers and being a part of the community that has supported us. As always we strive to capture the spirit of the Finger Lakes and share it with you.

About Aroma Thyme:
Aroma Thyme is known for their "stealth health"(Zagat). The Bistro has an award-winning wine list from Wine Spectator Magazine and over 200 beers. Aroma Thyme is certified green by The Green Restaurant Association. Marcus Guiliano is the chef & owner of Aroma Thyme Bistro located in the bountiful Hudson Valley of New York. Chef Guiliano has been an advocate for over 10 years on healthy, sustainable, local & real food. He found his mission in cooking when he reversed over a handful of medical conditions including 28 years of asthma. For more information visit http://www.chefonamission.com.

Dieu du Ciel!

The tiny ‘Dieu du Ciel!’ brew-pub, just at the edge of Montrèal's city center, has developed an incredible reputation and a devoted following in only a few short years. The young brewer, Jean-François, has never had any formal training as a brewer, but he is a natural, with superb skills and flawless instincts. 

‘Dieu du Ciel!’ is a common exclamation, meaning ‘God in Heaven!’ more or less, which is undoubtedly the most polite oath you are likely to hear in Montrèal – a city with a well-known penchant for turning religious sentiments into profanity.

Dieu du Ciel! Beers

 
1. Dieu du Ciel! Aphrodite
"Black ale with aromas and flavours of vanilla, dark chocolate, bourbon and roasted malt. The vanilla and cocoa marry nicely, without out-competing each other, to produce a surprisingly well balanced beer. This beer is mildly hoppy, but the cocoa introduces a touch of bitterness. Its colour may be intimidating, but it is a very smooth beer within reach of most beer drinkers. This highly appreciated dessert beer is brewed with organic fair-trade cocoa and first rate vanilla beans."

2. Dieu du Ciel! Corne du Diable American IPA
Corne du diable (French for "Horn of the Devil") certainly lives up to its sinister name. In the style of the classic English India Pale Ale, it reassures you of its refined and refreshing character. But it draws influence from the IPAs of the west coast of North America in it's aggressively hoppy nature and seductively sweet malt character.
An evil beer in the best possible way, this sharply bitter red ale pierces the palate and packs a powerful hop aroma from dry-hopping, while simultaneously alluring drinkers with smooth, malty, caramel and toffee sweetness.

3. Dieu du Ciel! Dernière Volonté Abbey Ale
"Dernière Volonté (French for "Last Will") is a mix of Belgian and English brewing traditions. Complex flavours of hop flowers and spicy, fruity esters from our Belgian yeast are perfectly balanced with the robust flavours and aromas of malt. The finish is commandeered by an assertive aroma from dry-hopping."

4. Dieu du Ciel! Équinoxe du Printemps
Équinoxe du Printemps (French for "spring equinox") is the quintessential marriage of two great traditions: beer brewing in Scotland, and maple syrup production in Quebec. At the first draught, the mouth is overcome by woody, malty flavours, sustained by a discrete touch of sweetness. The aftertaste brings about the flavours of maple, which are sufficiently present to be appreciated, but never overwhelming the typical flavours of a Scotch Ale."

5. Dieu du Ciel! Péché Mortel Imperial Coffee Stout
If you love really good coffee and really good beer equally, you will be thrilled with Péché Mortel. If coffee isn’t your cup of tea, and caffeine makes you bounce off the ceiling, then just put the bottle down and find something else to drink. This beer is all about coffee. Indeed, you may have seen ‘coffee stouts’ before, but no brewer has ever married coffee and beer so naturally and seamlessly.

And this isn’t just any stout, but an imperial stout, which means that it is modeled on the strong, rich, and very complex stouts that were made in England in the 19th and early 20th centuries exclusively for shipment to Russia, where they were a special favorite at the court of the Czars.

A warning: Between the caffeine buzz, and the 9% alcohol by volume of this singular brew, you may find yourself a little disoriented. What is this, a morning pick-me-up and a drowsy night-cap, all in the same bottle? It’s just too much pleasure all at once, and that’s why the brewers named it Péché Mortel, which is French for 'Mortal Sin.' Unfortunately, we can’t say that it’s good for you. In fact, it’s a sure thing you’re going to Hell for this . . .

In Montréal, where this beer is made, they like a little sin now and then. A great big Mortal Sin is even better. The tiny ‘Dieu du Ciel!’ brew-pub, just at the edge of the city center, has developed an incredible reputation and a devoted following in only a few short years. The young brewer, Jean-François, has never had any formal training as a brewer, but he is a natural, with superb skills and flawless instincts. This Imperial Coffee Stout is the first beer he’s put in bottles, and the first to arrive in the U.S. It is made in ridiculously small batches – no more than 50 cases at a time, only three or four times a year. It is, of course, exceedingly rare, and rather expensive. But hey, as the Pope says, you have to pay for your sins.

6. Dieu du Ciel! Rigor Mortis Abt
"Strong brown ale inspired by the beer brewed by Belgian Trappist monks. Very little bitterness, this beer has intense malty and sweet flavours, mixed with the taste of chocolate and caramel. It presents complex red fruit and spice flavours due to the type of yeast that is used during the brewing process. This beer is at its best only after it has aged for six months. The Rigor Mortis are complex beers designed and brewed with patience and care in the tradition of the great Belgian Abbey beers.Rigor Mortis Abt is brewed only once a year, and is sold in April until stocks last."

7. Dieu du Ciel! Rosée d'Hibiscus
"The Rosée d’Hibiscus is a soft spoken wheat beer. The rose colour comes from the hibiscus flowers added during the brewing process. The aromas and flavour of this tropical flower are very prominent in the beer, giving it a slight acidity and a very agreeable fragrance. It is the perfect thirst quencher on a hot summer day.This beer won a gold medal (fifth place amongst 10 gold medal winners) at the adjudicated "MBeer" contest during the Mondial de la Bière in Montréal in 2007."

8. Dieu du Ciel! Route des Epices Rye Pepper Ale
"Route des épices (French for "Spice Route") is a rye beer brewed with both black and green peppercorns. Initially, the beer reveals flavors of fresh grain and malt, which give it notes of chocolate, caramel, and fruit. The pepper flavor and aroma is fully revealed in the finish, which leaves a pleasant, spicy, tingling sensation on the tongue."

9. Dieu du Ciel! Solstice d'Hiver
This noble winter beer is brown in color with flaming red highlights. Its taste is delicately sweet and liquor-like with a hint of burnt caramel coming from the malt and a prolonged boiling time. It is a very bitter beer with aromas of hops and alcohol, and flavors reminiscent of red fruit brought by the English-type yeast used to ferment it. The aftertaste is accentuated by the wonderful flavor of hops.
Solstice d'Hiver is brewed only once a year, and is then aged for 4 to 5 months before being sold. This aging process is necessary to achieve an ideal equilibrium between the sharp bitterness and the other flavors in the beer.

Achel

Achel is the smallest of the seven Trappist breweries, one of only two where monks are actually brewing.

The Saint Benedictus Abbey of Achel is the first monastery to take up brewing in Belgium since 1931, and is one of only six Trappist breweries now operating there. In fact, the Abbey is located partly in Holland and partly in Belgium, but the brewery is in Belgium. Since 1999, Achel has offered two splendid draught beers – Achel 5° and Achel 6° – which are available only at the pub on the grounds of the Abbey. Bottled beers from Achel, including the newer Achel Blonde and Bruin, and the huge Achel Trappist Extra, which are all hard to find even in Belgium, are now available here in the USA.

The monastery of the "Achelse Kluis"

Somewhere in an out-of-the-way place of the Flemish Country, hidden between fields and forests on the boundary with the Netherlands, situated near the water of the "Tongelreep", you find the "Achelse Kluis". For more than three centuries this place has been hallowed by "Ora et Labora", pray and work, according to St. Benedict's spirit.

Already in 1656 there was in the isolated place of the land of Achel, belonging to Liège's Princedom, a place of prayer for the catholic people from the protestant Netherlands. Petrus van Eynatten, coming from Eindhoven founded here a community of hermits in the year 1686. From that time on the "Achelse Kluis" is a real jewel in the Capine's countryside, a center of prayer, contemplation and spiritual life. A tradition only interrupted by the expelling of the brothers from their convent by the French Revolution, but again continued by the Trappistmonks from the abbey of Westmalle, who founded here the St. Benedict-convent in order to live a life of prayer, labor and study in the spirit of the Cistercians-order. Waste land had been reclaimed, agriculture and cattle-breeding became prosperous. The community of the St. Benedictus-Abby or the "Achelse Kluis" (which means hermitage of Achel), got settled. Daughter-houses had been founded in Echt, Diepenveen, Rochefort and Kasanza (Congo).
After World War II one even started on the same place to build a new abbey. The old buildings had been partly broken down, but only two and not four of the planned wings of the convent has been realized. More than a century the monks of the Achelse Kluis were pioneers in the primary sector of agriculture and cattle-breeding (model-farm with a lot of first prizes) and handcraft (bakery, cheese-making, cabinet-work, forgery, printing-office, and a bras shop). After a failed attempt to get themselves involved in the secondary sector of industry, in 1989 the largest part of the agriculture grounds was sold to the Dutch National Forest Administration and the Flemish Region in behalf of the nature reserve and from that time the abbey is entirely committed to the tertiary sector of services (shop) selling books, CD's, religious articles, reception (guesthouse) and a small brewery