It’s quite possible that nearly everyone has a bad Jägermeister story, but what about a bad chowder story? What about a bad Jägermeister and chowder story? Now you may have your chance, because there’s going to be a Jägermeister and chowder fest next month, aptly named Chowdermeister.
The “festival” comes on the back of a tweet by writer Jake Browne, who put up a poll asking “What’s the worst food/drink pairing?” The options were eggs and red wine, pickles and banana daiquiris, olives and butterscotch, and Jägermeister and chowder. And, boy, did the voters come out to play.
1,742 people voted after Browne asked for only 1,000 to make the chosen pairing a festival reality. “I’ll throw an all-you-can-eat/drink festival of the winner in 39 days if 1000 people vote?” he wrote.
What’s the worst food/drink pairing? I’ll throw an all-you-can-eat/drink festival of the winner in 39 days if 1000 people vote? That doesn’t seem like enough but let’s say 1000.
— Jake Browne (@fakejakebrowne) July 21, 2021
Chowdermeister takes place on October 16 at Sloan’s Lake in Denver, Colorado. But it’s not just for the meme; funds raised at the festival will directly benefit The Gathering Place, an organization that serves “unhoused women, transgender individuals, and their children,” according to the website.
As reported by The Takeout, Carrie Baird from Top Chef will be at Chowdermeister; she’s the owner of popular Denver-based Italian restaurant Bar Dough, so fingers crossed there will be some actual delicious food there. But, who knows, Jägermeister and chowder may turn out to be good. As far as I know, no one’s tried it yet; Chowdermeister could be the debut of this kooky combination.
It’s No Jägermeister and Chowder Fest, but Beer Competition Goes Off Without a Hitch
Speaking of festivals, the Great American Beer Festival still went on earlier this month. Well, the beer competition did; the festival, not so much. Because of COVID-19, the festival portion of the GABF didn’t happen. But the Brewers Association did give out its awards; 265 breweries were awarded gold, silver, or bronze medals in 97 beer categories covering 175 different styles.
The competition officials worked closely with officials in Denver, Colorado to make sure everyone was abiding by CDC guidelines. They held their welcome reception outdoors, and limited attendance to 7,000 people, rather than the usual 15,000.
The full list of winners is available online, but here are a few highlights; Washington breweries took home 22 medals, while Volatile Substance from Von Ebert Brewing won gold in the American-style IPA category. Just because it’s a great name, Meat Sweats from Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co. in Westlake Village, Calif. won gold in the American Amber Lager category.
Overall, the two breweries that won the Champion Breweries award for 2021 were Radiant Beer Co. from Anaheim, Calif., making 0 to 250 barrels a year; and Main & Six Brewing Co. from Jacksonville, Fla., who make 251 to 500 barrels a year.
