One week ago, 68 craft breweries from around the country met in Washington D.C. for the 2nd Annual Brewers Association SAVOR event. SAVOR is a one-of-a-kind craft beer and food experience, with each participating brewery pairing two of their beers with savory bites. Karl Strauss Brewing Company was there, helping to represent local West Coast breweries on a national scale.

Brewmaster Paul Segura and Brewery Restaurant R&D Chef Corey Rapp selected special beer and food pairings for the event. The two flew out to sample attendees on newest release, Tower 10 IPA, as well as longtime favorite Red Trolley Ale. As for their beer-pairing selections, Rapp knew he wanted to create flavor combinations that highlighted the complexities in the beer. “Our Tower 10 IPA has an incredible hop aroma, with lots of pine and slight grapefruit citrus,” leading him to the Morrocan Spiced Lamb Burger. “The bright citrus and pine flavors stand up to the spices while the caramel malts used in the beer really draw out the flavors of the caramelized meat. This pairing was a knock-out!” says Rapp.

Red Trolley Ale was paired with Cherrywood Grilled Steak Skewers. The deep toffee and dried fruit flavors in the beer were the perfect complement to the spice-rubbed grilled flank steak. The subtle sweetness in the Red Trolley highlighted the sweetness of the crispy onion threads that finished off the dish. “Our pairings were a big hit and it was awesome to hear so many people enjoying our beers,” says Segura. “The only complaint we heard was from people who were bummed that we don’t distribute outside of Southern California yet.”

SAVOR was held at the National Building in Washington, D.C. This year’s event was attended by a sold-out crowd of more than 1,700 people. In addition to the beer and food pairings, the event also included several tasting salons-featuring talks by prominent members of the craft beer and food scene. There were 20 more participating breweries than last year-a testimant to the event’s success and the demand for more great beer and food pairing experiences. The end result is the nation’s largest craft beer and food pairing event-selling out ahead of time two years in a row.

About Karl Strauss Brewing Company

Two college grads, a 75-year-old master brewer, and a passion for beer… when Karl Strauss Brewing Company started brewing full-flavored, quality handcrafted beer in 1989, it was the first craft brewery to open in San Diego in more than 50 years. Today, you can enjoy our flagship beers, special releases, and seasonals at any of our six brewery restaurants or other fine drinking establishments throughout Southern California. For more information visit karlstrauss.com or call the brewery at (858) 273-2739.