Recently, there was a very special pop-up poutine event at Deschutes Brewery Portland Public House. Occurring the same week as Halloween, it was dubbed “Curse of the Haunted Curds”. From lunch to that evening, guests could choose to sample a flight of 5 poutines created from 5 competing chefs for $10.

Then, that evening from 6-8pm a few Trailblazers and guest judges (Portland Trailblazers Dorell Wright, Wesley Matthews, Thomas Robinson, C.J. McCollum, Meyers Leonard and Will Barton, The Oregonian’s Samantha Bakall and Thrillist’s Andy Kryza) voted as well, and the People’s Choice votes from all the guests were also tallied!

Proceeds of the poutine pop-up would benefit the D Wright Way Foundation, a great charity that is dedicated to health, education, and social well being of children in urban and ethnically diverse communities.

Poutine and for charity? Count me in!

Every poutine (fries, gravy, and cheese curds, featuring Face Rock Creamery‘s Vampire Slayer Curds, which are garlic cheese curds) was a winner in its own way of course.

Here’s a look at the 5 contenders:

• Zomboni by Chef Aaron Barnett of St Jack with a poutine combo of fried chicken, bacon, cole slaw and Vampire Slayer Curds
  
• Poutino by Chef Rick Gencarelli of Lardo with herbs, parmesan, Italian Sausage gravy, Mama Lil’s peppers and fried Vampire Slayer Curds
  
• Halloween Hangover Cure by Chef Ben Grossmann of Dig a Pony with sausage country gravy, fried shallot strings, six minute egg and Vampire Slayer Curds
  
• Ghost of Poutine by Chef Jill Ramseier of Deschutes with ghost pepper gravy, maple porter gastrique and Vampire Slayer Curds
  
• Rage Against the Poutine by Chef Kevin Atchley of Pine State Biscuits with cajun spiced beef sirloin, country gravy, and Vampire Slayer Curds
  

Thank you for all the chefs that participated. Sorry I focused on the food and didn’t take any photos of the Trailblazers (you can see some at Oregon Live or by looking at the hashtag #VampireSlayerCurds on Twitter and Instagram). I was an animal and destroyed my poutine flight.

In the end, the judges awarded their vote to Zomboni by Chef Aaron Barnett of St Jack with a poutine combo of fried chicken, bacon, cole slaw and Vampire Slayer Curds. Meanwhile the People’s Choice went to Poutino by Chef Rick Gencarelli of Lardo with herbs, parmesan, Italian Sausage gravy, Mama Lil’s peppers and fried Vampire Slayer Curds.

There is another big event occurring at Deschutes coming up- on Thursday, Nov 13, 11 AM is the release of The Abyss, a dark Imperial Stout. This video explains more why The Abyss that uses Italian brewer’s licorice, black strap molasses, vanilla bean, cherry bark and more then aged in oak barrels previously touched by bourbon or pinot… all to put together the deliciousness.

Each year the Abyss tastes a little different, and is good enough to age. For the Nov 13 at the Portland pub, they will offer a 6 year vertical flightsto compare the various Abyss beers from the past to this year, a special opportunity only available on release day (and last time, when I arrived after work, they were already out of some of the year’s, so come as early as you can!). There is a 6 bottle limit for purchasing bottles of Abyss.

Which poutine would you think you have voted for? Have you ever had aged beers like the Abyss?