Love FW, a Curated Singles Event
Fort Worth Weekly contributing writer Sarah Angle promises that Love FW will be the “hippest singles event in Fort Worth” this year. The matchmaking night is hosted by the Weekly, Tanglewood Moms, and LoveFrogKisser, and will be held Friday, Feb. 5 at The Collective Brewing Project. Single folks will be given green bracelets, and participants who are already taken will have a –– you guessed it –– red band. Tickets include two beers, a special pint glass, live music, prizes, and a swag bag full of cool stuff. Food trucks will be parked outside, and raffle tickets benefit the Ronald McDonald House of Fort Worth. Tickets can be purchased here.
Badass Beer Food
Long gone are the days when chips and salsa or mulled over peanuts pass for bar food. Local gastropubs are upping their culinary game, and these new creations deserve some recognition. These are just a few of dishes I love to order when I get the beer munchies. Feel free to share your faves in the comment section.
While this list isn’t meant to go in any order, I have to start with The Bearded Lady’s tamarind beer glazed pork wings ($9). The succulent porksicles are my go-to dish when hoisting craft brews. The sweet glaze has a mild teriyaki/chutney flavor, and the meat is always fork-tender. You can get a sriracha version too. Better yet, grab both.
Another Near Southside favorite would be Chimera Brewing Company’s pizzas. There’s a reason Chimera won the Weekly’s 2015 Best Ofs critic’s choice for gourmet pizza. Beer and pizza rely on the magic of yeast, a fact Chimera co-owner Adam Gonzales knows all-too-well. I recommend the prosciutto e fungi or brie and speck (smoked prosciutto). Near Southside newcomer Pouring Glory hit the ground running with an impressive menu that features several beer-infused dining options like a grilled Ahi sandwich ($12.99) that’s topped with a creative aioli. The slightly tart sauce is infused with Petite Golden Sour ale from The Collective Brewing Project.
If you’re perusing the West 7th area you can’t go wrong with World of Beer’s German pretzel ($8). Try not to look intimidated when the tire-sized knot lands with a thud on your table. The appetizer is buttery on the outside and pillowy within. Generous bits of rock salt accentuate each bite, and WOB’s malty beer cheese pairs perfectly with it. With more than 500 beer choices, you won’t be disappointed with the suds options either.
Trinity River Tap House manager Shawn Howell is on top of his game. The craft beer enclave regularly serves the rarest of the rare brews along with other favorites. Having grown up in the South, I never had cheese curds ($9) until recently (much to the dismay of my friends from “Minneso-oh-ta”). The fried cheddar cheese is mild and comes blended with jalapeño or bacon and a ranch-style dipping sauce.
This wouldn’t be wouldn’t be a respectable blog about beer food if I didn’t mention hamburgers. I don’t need to tell you that Fred’s Texas Cafe and Rodeo Goat offer some of the best belt-busting burgers in town along with a highly respectable selection of great beer. I recommend Rodeo Goat’s Chaca Oaxaca burger.
I haven’t forgotten about you Sundance Square. Along with cheese curds, pot pie falls under the category of “stuff I didn’t try growing up in Texas.” But that’s no excuse for missing this humble British import. Bird Cafe offers two pies, the “steak and stout” and “rabbit.” Bambi wouldn’t appreciate Thumper’s fate, but curiosity got the best of me. The tender meat wasn’t gamey and —I know it’s cliché— tasted like chicken. Another plus, the staff really knew their craft beer.
If you feel snubbed because your favorite pub wasn’t mentioned don’t worry. I’ll be revisiting this topic soon enough.
On Tap this Week:
Martin House Brewing Company’s Kafkaesque.
Leave it to Martin House to devise a new beer that seamlessly blends adventurous ingredients with Ph.D level philosophy. Simply put, Kafkaesque is an Imperial Smoked/Black Rye/Oaked/Raspberry IPA. Not so simple is parsing what the heck this beer is all about. By my second glass at The Bearded Lady I was sold. I’ve always been a big fan of rye beers and think they’re still underrepresented regionally. (The Collective Brewing Project and HopFusion Ale Works are bucking that trend.) My mouth was hit with a barrage of distinct flavors after hoisting this brew. First, was the spicy rye. Then dry, oak-y, roasted notes followed suit. Only at the end (and with the prompting of the websites description) did I sense the raspberry — a nice touch, though. Now the only existential problem I have is where to find one. No shrink fees required. Simply click here.
The Collective Brewing Project Petite Golden Sour bottle release.
From the website: “Make plans this Friday to attend the official bottle launch of our flagship sour ale, Petite Golden Sour, at the brewery! This is the first offering, and there’s a limited quantity. Crowler Club members may purchase on Thursday. So if you aren’t a member yet, sign up today.” (http://www.collectivebrew.com/crowler-club-1/) See you soon!
Good god my mouth is watering. I want some freakin meat and beer STAT.