Beer & Chocolate with Michael Recchiuti and Dave McLean

by  on  in On the Town

Though renowned artisan chocolatier, Recchiuti, just ended their fabulous tasting series, pairing chocolate with everything from spirits to mushrooms to bread, there will be more ahead so I urge you to sign up on their email list to be notified when they do. I went to my first ‘class’, Beer and Chocolate, not sure what to expect: a tasting, discussion, both?

I entered a intimate, candlelit room in the Recchiuti chocolate factory/headquarters in Dogpatch, where Michael Recchiuti himself, and Dave McLean, brewmaster and owner of Magnolia Pub & Brewery and the Alembic, led us through the two hour class. It certainly was educational, with time to converse directly with these two experts. We were lucky to have a face-to-face tour and demo from Michael, watching him make chocolate truffles, serving them to us fresh out of the molds, a caramel truffle in particular exploding with tender flavor.

Then, the tasting menu: beer in its various stages before and after fermentation, chocolate pairings, creative bites, dishes and rare creations from Michael and Dave just for this class. Myself and the Renaissance Man, my husband, Daniel Stumpf, took a few photos from our time. For aficionados, it’s well worth a $55 class fee for the education and rare tastings.

1
MALT, a tasting of 3 heirloom malts (malted barely is reminiscent of grape nuts) & an incredible chocolate disc with smoky barley (I tasted a hint of burnt marshmallow in the 64% dark chocolate)
Wort Soda (beer before fermentation) with malt foam cube garnish
Wort Soda (beer pre-fermentation or hops) with malt foam cube garnish
Michael Recchiuti himself makes truffles fresh, then serves some to us straight from the molds - they melt in your mouth!
Michael Recchiuti making truffles, then serving to us straight from the molds – melt in your mouth!

Watching chocolate being made inside Recchiuti's factory
Chocolate making at Recchiuti’s factory
Magnolia's Dark Star Mild beer (burnt coffee notes) with Recchiuti's Dark Chocolate Ice Cream
Magnolia’s Dark Star Mild beer (burnt coffee notes) w/ Recchiuti’s Dark Chocolate Ice Cream
Recchiuti's candlelit "classroom"
Recchiuti’s candlelit “classroom”; Michael’s films of Magnolia Brewery shown the wall
From Dave McLean's "secret stash" at home, a 2007 Imperial Stout - a rare treat!; Michael's Chocolate Stout Tort with Kulchwort ganache and a Japanese-style Stout Gelee
From Dave McLean’s “secret stash” at home, a 2007 Imperial Stout – a rare treat! Paired with Michael’s Chocolate Stout Tort w/ Kulchwort ganache and Japanese-style Stout Gelee
Magnolia Beer Flight paired w/ Recchiuti chocolates: (L) Blue Bell Bitter w/ Candied Orange Peel - mulled, spiced notes; (C) India Pale Ale w/ Star Anise/Pink Peppercorn truffle; (R) Brown Ale w/ Burnt Caramel truffle
Magnolia Beer Flight paired w/ Recchiuti chocolates: (L) Blue Bell Bitter w/ Candied Orange Peel – mulled, spiced notes; (C) India Pale Ale w/ Star Anise/Pink Peppercorn truffle; (R) Brown Ale w/ Burnt Caramel truffle