Last week I attended my first Chef & Brew Festival. Though I had heard about it in the past, this was my first experience with the beer & small plates pairing event. This year’s Chef & Brew featured eighteen local breweries (with one from Utah) and restaurants:

This event was so much fun! As a vegetarian, there were only a handful of pairings I could try. So while this might not be the place to get full for those who don’t eat meat, those who do would thoroughly enjoy all of the booths. And I still had a wonderful night of sampling beers and some tasty, interesting vegetarian bites as well, such as the Beer Bon Bons (pictured at top) with Strange Brewing’s Cherry Kriek–my overall favorite! And the Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Waffle (above) from Watercourse with Wit’s End Super FLI P.A.

I definitely recommend Chef & Brew 2014 for anyone who likes beer & food pairings. It is a great opportunity to partake in all of the extremely thoughtful dishes & drinks that are put together by superb local restaurants and breweries. It is a great time full of unique food & excellent beer. If you attended this year I’m sure you’re already looking forward to the next one. And, if not, be sure to get it on your 2014 calendar!