Chimay tasting event at Caffe Classico on Tuesday, November 6.

From Tommie Mudd, longtime proprietor of Caffe Classico, as posted at the Louisville Restaurants Forum. I'd love to attend, but we have NABC election night parties to tend to.

Caffe Classico is excited to announce that we are hosting a Chimay beer tasting event at Classico on Tuesday, November 6th. It will be from 6:30 to 9:00 p.m. The details are as follows:

$40.00 per person tasting of 3 types of Chimay beers. There will be a Chimay cheese table with 3 chimay cheeses, bread, olives, salami, grapes and figs to accompany the beer. Each guest will receive a Chimay goodie bag which will include a t-shirt, Chimay glass, bottle opener, lapel pin and coasters. There will also be some Chimay giveaways that we will draw for during the night as well as live classical music in the background.

All of the information is posted on the Caffe Classico website, www.caffe-classico.com. We will only sell 55 to 60 tickets. The Chimay sales representative from Indianapolis will be there to discuss and answer questions. It will be a fun and interesting night and a real bargain for beer lovers.

Belgian Beer Dinner at the Come Back Inn in Jeffersonville, December 15.

The holiday season always is jammed with top-quality beer events (have I mentioned Saturnalia?), but this beer dinner at the Come Back Inn is looking especially good. Chris Smith and company are partnering with World Class Beverages, with the majority of beers coming from the Wetten Importers portfolio (the only exception is the Chimay).

The beer selection includes the relatively rare St. Louis Gueuze Fond Tradition, and overall, I'm more excited than usual about the choices, primarily because the September beercycling adventure took in all three of the breweries handled by Wetten (thanks again, Pete).

The Curmudgeons will be there. For beer information, visit the sites of Wetten Importers and Chimay.

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Come Back Inn—Belgian Beer Dinner
Monday—December 15, 2008
Beginning at 6:30 p.m.
Six courses and seven Belgian beers, with souvenir glass
Cost: $70
For reservations, please call 812-285-1777

Aperitif Beer
Delirium Noel

Beef Tenderloin Tip Skewer with Gouden Carolus Ambrio
Served over Arugula with a white wine vinaigrette

Langostino Bisque with Gouden Carolus Grand Cru
Creamy tomato base with baby lobster tail with homemade crotons made from garlic flat bread

Fried Goat Cheese Salad with St. Louis Gueuze Fond Tradition
Served on a bed of baby greens tossed with a lemon honey thyme vinaigrette, garnished with Julienne roasted red peppers

Duck Breast Cacciatore with Kasteel Donker
Chris’ own version of “Hunters Stew” served over rigatoni

Cheese Plate with Chimay Triple
Selection of 3 cheeses: ,Bleu, Aged Cheddar and Chimay cheese

Chocolate Cheese Cake with Kasteel Rouge
Served over Chambord garnished with raspberries and mint

A credit card is required for guaranteed reservations. Gratuity is not included in the dinner price.

Belgian Beer Dinner is presented by the Come Back Inn and World Class Beverages.

Come Back Inn
415 Spring Street
Jeffersonville, IN 47130
(812) 285-1777

A bit about Trappist ale before tonight's Chimay 25th anniversary party.

As a prelude to tonight’s observance of the 25th anniversary of Chimay Trappist ales being imported to the United States (at the Public House, 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.), here’s an important consideration.

Abbey ales are one thing, and Trappist ales something else. This isn’t to say that all Trappist ales are superior to similar Abbey styles. The overlap is considerable, and the only way to be able to chart the similarities and differences is to drink as many different varieties of both as possible.

That’s why it’s fun being a professional.

“Trappist” does not denote precise characteristics. Some are dark, some pale. A few are hoppy, and others sweet. "Trappist" is an accredited appellation of origin, nothing more, nothing less. The rest is up to the individual monastery brewing team, and results vary.

For certification as a Trappist brewery, the brewing operation must be located on the grounds of the monastery; monks must retain overall control of the brewing operation (secular brewers are permitted); and a portion of the profits accrued from the brewing must go to charitable purposes.

The six Belgian Trappist breweries that wear the badge of officialdom are Chimay, Orval, Rochefort, Westmalle, Westvleteren, and Achel. Koningshoeven, located in the Netherlands, is the seventh, and the only one I haven’t visited.

Interestingly, Wikipedia notes that there is an eighth member of the International Trappist Association (founded 1997): Mariawald, in Germany, which to my knowledge is not a beer producer. Since the Trappist appellation extends to all products emanating from member monasteries, perhaps Mariawald does cheese or wine.

At the tasting in Prost tonight, we have one case each of 11.2 oz Chimay Red, White and Blue. Tisha Dean from World Class Beverages will be pouring wee samples, and if you elect to buy a bottle, you may keep the special 25th anniversary glass (roughly 50 glasses on hand). Tisha is bringing cheese and chocolates, too.

No discounts for dressing like a monk.

Chimay 25th anniversary party at the Public House on Tuesday, Nov. 25.

Chimay tasting delayed until Nov. 25.

It occurs to me that I forgot to inform readers that the Chimay tasting announced for tonight has been postponed until Tuesday, November 25.

I'd let you know more about what you're missing, except that we never really decided the tasting's format. That's why it was moved.

See? You don't think these things happen without a reason, do you?