The Autumnal Equinox brings us shorter days, football season, pumpkin-flavored everything and Halloween decor, but it may be a while before the weather really cools off in Los Angeles. However, beer is a beverage that pairs well with foods for both seasons. We talked brews with Sayre Piotrkowski, cicerone (think sommelier for beer) and Beer Director at St. Vincent Tavern in San Francisco, who helped us tap a few ideas about refreshing suds brewed in the warmer half of this state.
We presented three vegetarian recipes from the Clean Plates blog and invited — nay, challenged — Piotrkowski to help us find some SoCal pairings, but taste wasn’t the only criteria. When measuring sustainability and global impact, location matters; the energy required to deliver a product can be as important as the ingredients used to make it. To be certified organic, there are many hoops to jump through and not all small businesses can afford the process, even if they use sustainable practices. In the end, we decided to prioritize location over organic certification. Even if a bottle isn’t labeled, that doesn’t mean the brewer isn’t doing all she or he can to make sure their suds are green from the inside out! Continue reading
