5 Rabbit Beer Dinner at Vie

I’ve been a huge fan of 5 Rabbit beer ever since I first tasted the clean, refreshing, passionfruit-infused 5 Lizard line about a year ago. The brewery – based in Bedford Park on the city’s Southwest Side – was founded two years ago with the goal to create Latin-inspired beer that matches perfectly with boldly-seasoned, Mexican and Latin ingredients. These beers pair exceptionally with food, and next Tuesday, July 23rd, the chefs at Vie in Western Springs are going to be doing a special beer dinner exclusively with 5 Rabbit. Here is the menu and the tasting notes on the beers they’ll be pouring:

Passed  fried cheese curds, spicy aioli Guava and Pink Peppercorn Paletas ~ smoked beef summer sausage, pickled kumquats 5 Rabbit Golden Ale First sun ray venus clams, beer broth, shaved fennel, romesco sauce, grilled focaccia Missionario Second wood-grilled chicken liver skewer, apricots, tropea onions, creamy grits 5 Lizard Third roasted gunthorp farm half duck for two, sweet and sour ramp relish, spicy greens, plum mostarda, steamed buns 5 Grass Fourth  grilled raspberry sorbet, candied ginger, honey tuile Huitzi  Fifth milk chocolate and genesis growers dried chile flan, beer caramel 5 Vulture

 

 

5 Lizard: bright and refreshing; lightly spicy with tangy fruitiness from passionfruit and lime peel

5 Vulture: deep amber-colored ale with complex caramel aromas; long dry and spicy finish

5 Grass: bright and hoppy with juniper, sage, rosemary and Tasmanian pepperberry

Huitzi: Belgian strong golden ale, brewed with hibiscus, ginger, Thai palm sugar and local honey (currently my favorite local beer)

Missionario: seasonally-produced, unfiltered wheat beer brewed with aldrich almonds and muscat grape must

To reserve a space, call 708-246-2082. Cost is $90, tax and tip not included. 6:30 p.m. reception; 7 p.m. dinner