Beer vs. Wine Dinner at TAG photos and review

Craft Beer and Wine went head to head, for rights at the 'Head of the Table.'  Round two of TAG's Beer vs. Wine Dinner last night was an incredible matchup.

The creatives at TAG invited Doug Krenik, Master Sommelier, and Bryan Baltzell, beer expert at Great Divide, to pair their respective beverages with carefully crafted cuisine by Executive Chef Troy Guard and his team at TAG, and allow the pairings to be judged by the audience.  What was the outcome of the second Beer vs. Wine dinner?  This year's dinner ended with a complex result.  If the votes where tallied by courses, it would be a straight tie, 2-2, but, if the votes where tallied in total, Beer would have won with 70-68 votes. 

Both Master Sommelier Doug Krenik and Bryan Baltzell from Great Divide Brewery came to the throw down prepared to present fantastic pairings and put them to the test.  Both were incredibly knowledgeable, and each argued for their pairings while enjoying their competitors offerings.  In the end, there was a lot of synergy with both of the wine and the beer and how each was uniquely paired and enjoyed side by side.  I think that the vote shows that both wine and beer lovers' knowledge and understanding are growing with each of these unique dinners and guest are leaving with new found appreciations for both beer and wine. 

Rather than answer the question of Beer or Wine, this dinner may have raised a question of its own, Can you enjoy Beer and Wine side by side?  Maybe next year's Beer vs. Wine dinner will take pairings to the next level and answer my question, and can we pair wine, food and beer all together for the ultimate pairing?

Please click on the slideshow link to see food and beverage images from the dinner.

Article and photography by Ryan Conklin

YUM

Allison's Country Cafe has got to be one of my favorite breakfast joints in all of Ventura. The people are always friendly and the restaurant is full of locals and familiar faces.  The menu has so many amazing choices but my favorite is the Chilaquiles which is a special, though it is always available.

I am a huge fan of Nachos so this breakfast dish is right up my alley.  They start with ranchero salsa drenched, fresh corn tortilla chips, and add potatoes, beans, cheese, sour cream and guacamole.  Then to top it all off, the plate is finished with two fried eggs.  YUM.  Basically we are dealing with a breakfast nachos by another name.  The fruit plate here is also a great addition to any meal as it is always full of fresh berries, bananas, kiwi, grapes and melon.  Allison's is also known for their homemade raspberry preserves that come with every side of toast and is available for sale if you just can't live without it until you return. 

 My last words; 
go to Allison's Country Kitchen and be happy.