Brewer’s Plate: Where Locavores and Beer Enthusiasts Unite

By Dana Prophet

Looking for a place to find the finest local food matched up with Philly specific boozy beverages? The Brewer’s Plate – a foodie and beer enthusiast fundraiser that benefits Fair Food – is what you are looking for. Fair Food dedicates themselves to bringing healthy local food to the marketplace and promoting a humane, sustainable agriculture system for the region, while The Brewer’s Plate maintains a die-hard commitment to “buy fresh, buy local.”

Held at the Kimmel Center, participants had three full floors to taste small bites of what the Mid-Atlantic region has to offer. With a complimentary “Brewer’s Plate” glass in hand to sip the wares of winemakers, brewers and distillers, you most definitely had to save room for sampling of cuisine from the regions most outstanding chefs.

No matter what whets your whistle or tantalizes those taste buds, it was there Sunday night. One local and well-known chef Jose Garces presented a Braised Black Mission Figs Wrapped in Serrano Ham with Fig Mustard, which always hits the spot.

With a large area to cover, you wouldn’t want to miss out exploring what this venue offered. Pulled pork sliders on a pretzel bun from El Camino Real Restaurant and various breads, butter and cheeses were just the tip of the iceberg. If you have a sweet tooth, dive into the many desserts offered such as creamy confections from Éclat Chocolate and stout pops from The Bent Spoon.

No matter if you abstain from meat or consider yourself a hard-core omnivore, both groups can agree on the delicious sample presented by The Belgian Café. Their Spicy Seitan Chorizo Tacos guaranteed multiple visits to their table.

If looking for something different, you can find a plethora of various condiments such as the various black garlic products from Obis One. Placed in appetizers, side dishes, or entrées this condiment is guaranteed to savor your meals.

Once it’s time to take a quick break from eating, guests tried one of the many elixirs available. Brewers Plate VIPs sipped on one of the 3 signature cocktails available such as the Bee’s Knees.

One sip unveiled the true definition of Bee’s Knees with this aptly named cocktail. A mixture of fresh lemon juice, honey and Bluecoat Barrel Finish Gin this was a welcome beckoning to warmer weather.

Drink Philly brought The Home Bar Project to life for the VIP guests. These ticket holders saw the art behind the cocktail with a lavish presentation and friendly banter. You can see for yourself your new favorite cocktail coming to life.

Of course the main attraction was the brews. From larger distilleries to newer upstart craft brewers, they were all found under one roof throughout three floors. It gave celebrants a chance to savor the taste before trying another.

Indeed this year’s Brewers Plate shown a bright spotlight on all the local farmers and craftspeople and showcased the many facets of buying fresh and buying local has to offer.