Which do you prefer with a steak – a big-bodied Cabernet or a hoppy IPA? A couple of Arizona Beer Week events will compare how various wines and beers pair with food.
The big one is the Valley’s first-ever Epicuriad, which will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 25, at Scottsdale’s FireSky Resort & Spa.
Ten of the Valley’s top chefs – Beau MacMillan (Elements), Aaron May (Iruna), Alex Padilla (Taberna), James Siao (Taggia), Comer Smith (Cielo), Dustin Christofolo (The House at Secret Garden), Josh Hebert (Posh), Ce Bian (Roka Akor) and Christopher Gross (Christopher’s Crush) – will compete.
Each will prepare an original dish to pair with a local wine and beer. Diners will vote on which drink goes better with the dish, as well as which chef did the best job.
Tickets are $75, with all proceeds going to the Beer for Brains Foundation benefiting Barrow Brain Tumor Research Center in Phoenix.
If you can’t make it to the Epicuriad, Chandler’s SanTan Brewing Company is hosting a wine and beer dinner at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 23.
Chef Dennis Martinez will prepare four courses, each of which will be paired with an Arizona Stronghold wine and a SanTan ale. Tickets are $49 plus tax (tip included).
Epicuriad [Beer for Brains website]
Craft Beer & Wine Dinner [SanTan website]
