Grand Fir Brewing and Breakside Collaboration Dinner

I am a supporter of all things delicious – including craft beer, with special appreciation for those female brewers out there who make it in what is a male dominated field. Being a woman in engineering, I have to support and applaud their resilience, naturally. Whitney Burnside has been an award-winning Portland brewmaster that I have followed for many years and now she recently founded along with the other half of power-couple duo husband chef Doug Adams, the brewpub Grand Fir Brewing. Recently they launched a collaboration beer with longtime friend Ben Edmunds of Breakside Brewery a new collaboration brew called Chef’s Kiss! They decided to celebrate this launch with a five course Grand Fir Brewing and Breakside Collaboration Dinner.
Menu of the pairings for the Grand Fir Brewing and Breakside Collaboration Dinner

If you have not been to Grand Fir Brewing for Doug’s BBQ Wednesdays, you are missing out! Every Wednesday there is a new barbecue special on offer to enjoy with the refreshing and approachable beer lineup of Grand Fir, adding to the regular menu which offers a small curated list of a handful of small plates and handful of large plates. But a beer dinner with multiple courses that were created to pair with specific beers – yes, I was excited. And I was extra excited to see that there was smoked rib on the menu for this collaboration dinner – the 12 hour slow cooked beef rib with green sauce with tortilla was my favorite dish from the smoker from his previous restaurant Bullard Tavern, and I’ve really missed it.

Well, let me tell you this whole dinner met and went beyond my expectations.
Grand Fir Brewing and Breakside Collaboration Dinner Menu of the pairings for the Grand Fir Brewing and Breakside Collaboration Dinner

First / Welcome

Ember Schwarzbier by Grand Fir Brewing paired with Tide Point Oysters served on the half shell with smoked shallot mignonette and Schweinebauch. I really liked the pairing of the roasty malty Schwarzbier with the slight smoke and salt of the sea and slight smoke and salt of cured pork, oyster and Schweinebauch.
Grand Fir Brewing and Breakside Collaboration Dinner, first course of Ember Schwarzbier by Grand Fir Brewing paired with Tide Point Oysters served on the half shell with smoked shallot mignonette, Schweinebauch

Second

Old Growth Pale Ale by Grand Fir Brewing paired with Cured MacFarland Springs Rainbow Trout, sour orange, avocado, bibb lettuce, dill, brewer’s malt granola. I think everyone in the two floors of the brewpub was blown away by this pairing, multipe people mentioned the trout as memorable. The pale ale has a nice clean balance of citrus with hops that really brought out the flavors of the sour orange and complemented the trout. This photo doesn’t do it justice – check out the video in my Instagram reel for the closeup pan of this dish.
Old Growth Pale Ale by Grand Fir Brewing, Grand Fir Brewing and Breakside Collaboration Dinner

Third

Breakside Brewery’s Bellwether Sour Double Wit was up next, paired with Grilled Oregon Albacore Tuna, olives, hot chili peppers, basil, Meyer lemon, fried anchovies. The albacore tuna was perfect, and the splash of lemon resonated with the slightly lime in the Sour Double Wit, which also calmed down the kick of spice from the hot chili peppers. Again, the photo doesn’t do it justice – check out the video in my Instagram reel for the closeup pan of this dish.
Breakside Brewery's Bellwether Sour Double Wit was up next, paired with GRILLED OREGON ALBACORE TUNA olives, hot chili peppers, basil, Meyer lemon, fried anchovies. Grand Fir Brewing and Breakside Collaboration Dinner

Fourth

The main event! 🥥🍋🍺 Chef’s Kiss Coconut Yuzu IPA, the Grand Fir and Breakside Brewery collaboration that was debuted to us first during this Grand Fir Brewing and Breakside Brewery collaboration beer. The new collaboration beer is great delivering all the flavors promised in the name- the initial IPA flavors which then washes in the coconut and ends with yuzu. Get it while you can! Tonight, this beer was paired with Smoked Spiced Beef Short Ribs that were rubbed with Island spices to complement the coconut and yuzu flavors. It didn’t need any sauce IMHO but if you wished, there was a Honey Kolsch sweet BBQ sauce, spicy pickles, and Hawaiian rolls if you wanted to make yourself a little slider. Or, dip the roll into one of the sides, the Cilantro Collard Greens with guajillo chili butter, spicy peanuts. The last accompaniment was a Roasted Sweet Potato with creamy poblano sauce, toasted coconut.
Grand Fir Brewing and Breakside Collaboration Dinner: Chef's Kiss Coconut Yuzu IPA, the Grand Fir and Breakside Brewery collaboration launch, paired with Smoked Spiced Beef Short Ribs, Cilantro Collard Greens with guajillo chili butter, spicy peanuts, and a Roasted Sweet Potato with creamy poblano sauce, toasted coconut Grand Fir Brewing and Breakside Collaboration Dinner: Chef's Kiss Coconut Yuzu IPA, the Grand Fir and Breakside Brewery collaboration launch, paired with Smoked Spiced Beef Short Ribs, Cilantro Collard Greens with guajillo chili butter, spicy peanuts, and a Roasted Sweet Potato with creamy poblano sauce, toasted coconut Grand Fir Brewing and Breakside Collaboration Dinner: Chef's Kiss Coconut Yuzu IPA, the Grand Fir and Breakside Brewery collaboration launch, paired with Smoked Spiced Beef Short Ribs, Cilantro Collard Greens with guajillo chili butter, spicy peanuts, and a Roasted Sweet Potato with creamy poblano sauce, toasted coconut Grand Fir Brewing and Breakside Collaboration Dinner: Chef's Kiss Coconut Yuzu IPA, the Grand Fir and Breakside Brewery collaboration launch, paired with Smoked Spiced Beef Short Ribs, Cilantro Collard Greens with guajillo chili butter, spicy peanuts, and a Roasted Sweet Potato with creamy poblano sauce, toasted coconut

Fifth / Dessert

It was a perfect little ending with this pairing of Finders Keepers Barrel Aged Stout from Breakside Brewery paired with a Brewer’s Sundae with beer caramel, beer chocolate syrup, graham, hazelnuts, vanilla soft serve. Vanilla soft serve with fun toppings are a regular on the Grand Fir Brewing food menu.
Grand Fir Brewing and Breakside Collaboration Dinner, a perfect little ending with this pairing of Finders Keepers Barrel Aged Stout from Breakside Brewery paired with a Brewer's Sundae with beer caramel, beer chocolate syrup, graham, hazelnuts, vanilla soft serve

Grand Fir and Breakside beers, craft beer mastery by Whitney and Ben, beer and food coming together by Whitney and Dougie… All always better when they’re together.

If you are interested in supporting more female brewers like Whitney that are up and coming, check out SheBrew PDX. On March 5th 2023 will be the eighth annual fundraiser festival featuring female, brewed beers and ciders. Tickets are on sale now and all ages are welcome!

Cheers!!