Goose Island Goes Gastropub
By Chuck Sudo in Food on Nov 20, 2006 6:00PM
Just when we think we have Goose Island figured out, they go ahead and actually pull off slow plating. The occasion was their Wild Game Brewmaster's Dinner, of which we wrote a brief preview last week. Goose Island hosts these brewmaster's dinners frequently, and we were surprised to find the wild game dinner was sold out. In addition, Goose Island head brewer Wil Turner was on hand, greeting guests, taking notes on their reaction to the beers, and gauging the satisfaction of the guests. Chicagoist is asked for food and beverage pairing suggestions all the time, so it was nice that these brewmaster's dinners do that for us. It also goes a long way towards proving that a good beer, like a good wine, can only enhance a wonderfully cooked meal.
The menu itself was an inspired five-course meal, with each course paired with a Goose Island beer selection. Some of the selections are available only at the brewpub, like the Red Felt, a heavily hopped red ale that paired amazingly well with the passed appetizers: miniature venison wellington, butternut squash and savory cheese canape, and a potato crisp topped with balsamic foam and caviar.
The plated appetizer, a creamy sage risotto with duck confit and dried cranberries, was paired with the brewery's "organic delight," an all-organic pale ale that really highlighted both the spicier aspects of the risotto and the sweetness of the cranberries. This was followed by the first of two entrees, seared sturgeon atop wild boar ravioli and baby vegetables. This was the course we were looking forward to eating most. The ravioli was complemented by a wonderful broth, the vegetables crisp between our teeth.
That entree was shortly followed by the second entree, a roast pheasant with whipped Okinawa potatoes, crisp pancetta, roasted shallots, wild mushroom melange, and a pheasant glace. The announced beer for this dish, a schwartzbier, was replaced by Turner by this year's batch of Goose Island Christmas Ale. It turned out to be the right move. The pheasant itself was a little salty to our palate, and the pancetta a bit too crispy, but all that was quickly washed away by the spices and sweet malt of the Christmas ale. Not normally one of our favorite Goose Island selections, this year's batch is one of their best yet. Turner also surprised Chicagoist with a stein of the schwartzbier, so we could compare each with the pheasant and be fully satisfied that the last-minute switch was the correct one.
The dinner ended with a dessert featuring pumpkin brulee and a duo of beer sorbets, paired with Pere Jacques, of Goose Island's popular reserve line. The sorbets tasted as though they were blended from stouts, which gave them a bitter flavor, and the mini pie crusts they were served in didn't do anything for us. But the pairing of the pumpkin brulee and Pere Jacques proved that the hard-and-fast rule of pairing a dessert with a wine at least as sweet as the dessert itself, holds true for beer, as well. The Pere Jacqes had a slightly sour taste to it, reminiscent of a lambic, but elevated our enjoyment of the brulee.
Overall, our first experience with Goose Island's Brewmaster's dinner series was a good one. It's something we would recommend for folks who enjoy slow food or fine dining on a budget; brewmaster's dinners average between $40-60, plus tax and gratuity. One of the aspects of the dinner that impressed us the most was that all these courses were prepared in the same kitchen that made spinach dip and hot wings for the folks catching the Bulls game at the bar. If they wanted to go the gastropub route that seems to be slowly working its way into the city, Goose Island certainly could. The brewmaster's dinners are also an avenue diners can use to educate themselves about beer, in addition to Goose Island's "Beer Academy" classes. To find out more about Goose Island's Brewmaster's Dinner series, call the Clybourn brewpub location at 312-915-0071.