On Friday, December 10, Sly Fox Brewery & Restaurant’s celebrated its Fifteenth Anniversary, kicking off a full day of beer-infused celebrations with their first-ever Brewmaster’s Breakfast. The breakfast, held at Sly Fox in Phoenixville, was flooded with a show-stopping menu created by guest chef Andrew Deery, chef/owner of Phoenixville’s acclaimed Majolica.
The Friday morning food-and-beer pairing marked the release date of two brand-new beers in the Sly Fox portfolio: The brand-new beers for Sly Fox portfolio, including the Majolica Coffee Porter, brewed with a special coffee blend from Kimberton Coffee Roasters, and Succubus, a sour beer interpretation of their Belgian-style Incubus Tripel.
Since celebrating 15 years of success, the Brewmaster's Brunch encouraged local beer enthusiasts to spend their weekday at as early as 10 am, slugging all the pours that allowed the nearby brewery to rise notably in the state and national beer scene. Pairing five innovative courses perfectly with five Sly Fox brews, the four-hour long match-ups proved that the momentous occasion had been something not to be missed.
The guided pairing, a ticketed sold-out event with a waiting list, premiered with lightly sugared balls of fried dough that were accented right-off-the-bat by one of the newest beers, the Majolica Porter—a bittersweet symphony for any coffee or brew fanatic. The universal Saison Vos appeared second and was easily cozy aside the sippable potato and leek veloute with a grilled and crunchy salmon croquet-monsieur.
Entering the third course came with a pleasant surprise as the brewmaster entertained guests with a comical storytelling session of his youthful experience in Germany, which lent to Deery's “Bangers and Mash” set-up of mild and truffled white sausage links with celery root recommended with one of my Sly Fox favorites, Royal Weisse.
Without a doubt, the main event of all the courses was the upscale and fresh Maine Peekytoe Crab Benedict served with wilted spinach and Choron sauce. Although the Odyssey Imperial IPA 2010 may have not matched pinch-perfect with the tasteful spinach, O'Reilly revealed he didn't mind taking a chance on this round, and we all agreed that sipping an Odyssey seemed appropriate for such a dinner.
While I always anticipate dessert closers and seasonal ales when paired together, the brunch's menu included a nicely spiced cinnamon ice cream with petite pumpkin biscuits and chunks of ginger, aside the rosy pour of the 2010 Christmas Ale.
Of course for the four-hour long event, which was assumed to last only two, they appropriately signed off with a toast of another new brew, the sour version of Incubus Tripel, named Succubus, from Pete Giannopoulos, the founder of Sly Fox. As he suggested that he once was the guy who brought beers he liked to parties he attended and encouraged everyone to drink them, over 16 years ago, we all were reminded how lucky we are to have such a brewery as Sly Fox in Chester County.
Although the all-day celebrations have come to close, having many of the guests gabbing about their shenanigans from the festivities, you can still show your hometown beer pride any day by heading to Sly Fox Brewery & Restaurant at 520 Kimberton Road (Route 113) in Phoenixville, or online at www.slyfoxbeer.com. Cheers to Sly Fox and 15 more years!
