Portland, Maine's Vignola To Hold Allagash Beer Tasting Dinner

Lee Skawinski, Executive Chef and Co-owner of Portland, Maine's acclaimed Vignola restaurant, today announced an upcoming special Allagash Beer Tasting Dinner, to be held on Tuesday, October 17th. Joining Skawinski for the multi-course event will be Rob Tod, Owner of the award-winning Allagash Brewery, located in Portland. Two seatings, at 6:00 pm and 9:00 pm, will be available for the dinner.

"We're expecting a good turnout for our Allagash Dinner, and think diners will really like our innovative pairings at this event," Skawinski predicted. ""A growing number of Maine residents and visitors to Portland obviously know that Allagash produces great ales. But what's really catching on - and what makes Allagash so unique - is that their beers pair so perfectly with so many food options. In other words, the beer isn't an afterthought of the meal; it's a central component of the whole enjoyable culinary experience."

The Allagash Brewing Company has been producing its artisinal line of Belgian-style ales for over a decade, and has quickly gained recognition as one of the industry's most distinguished and well-respected brands. The brewery continues to earn acclaim for its beer production, having recently been named one of Saveur Magazine's 30 favorite breweries, as well as earning Gold and Bronze medals at Denver, Colorado's Great American Beer Festival. Singled out for the balance and complexity of its beer selections, Allagash beer has become known for pairing beautifully with a wide variety of culinary dishes and ingredients.

"We're glad to team up with Vignola staff for this upcoming Beer Tasting Dinner," Tod said. "I always like to share information about the in's and out's of our beer and how it's made, but it will also be fun at this event to chat about ways people can really think of beer and food together, as complementary items."

Many Allagash beer selections are "wine quality," Skawinski noted, in the sense that they're as appropriate for fine dining as they are for casual meals. Some Allagash beers are aged in oak casks and pick up the cask's rich wood flavoring, in much the same way that cask-aged wines do.

Highlights of menu items for the October 17th dinner include shortribs braised in Classic Allagash Dubbel, Maine mussels steamed with lemon and Allagash White Beer, as well as duck and cheese courses, paired with a planned special brew from Allagash. Reservations are required for this limited-seating event. Please call 207-772-1330. ($35 per person, plus tax and gratuity.)

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