A Courier-Journal preview of Thursday's cask ale pairing dinner with Garage Bar.

The Garage Bar's Megan Breier previews Thursday's NABC cask ale dinner in the Courier-Journal. I can't recall a time when we've taken two firkins to a local restaurant for a food and beer pairing, so here's to another "first." It also may be the only time you find ConeSmoker and Hoosier Daddy on the same beer menu, at least outside of our own two locations.

Here's the menu for the Garage Bar's Anti-Valentine's Day Cask Beer Dinner with NABC, on Thursday, February 14.

Louisville Restaurant News ... Garage Bar features beer pairings on Valentine's Day, by Dana McMahan (Courier-Journal)

Garage Bar, 700 E. Market St., is serving up two New Albanian Brewing Company Cask Beers paired with pizza and pork belly on Thursday. “Basically it is like an a la carte idea where guests can come in and enjoy the cask beer and have some specials specifically paired with the beers,” says manager Megan Breier.

Cone Smoker, a smoky American Pale Ale, is one of the beers. “We all sat around with the chef (Richard Sible, chef de cuisine) and had the beer and all just thought pork belly would be amazing with this beer,” says Breier. The staff suggests the pork belly special — with citrus sorghum jus and cannellini beans — to pair with the Cone Smoker.

Here's the menu for the Garage Bar's Anti-Valentine's Day Cask Beer Dinner with NABC, on Thursday, February 14.

The old ConeSmoker art. Tony's working on a new version.

The Garage Bar's Anti-Valentine's Day Cask Beer Dinner with NABC will feature two special food pairings. Unlike a formal beer dinner, the Garage Bar's method is to make the pairings available throughout the evening. Here is the menu as relayed by Facebook.

Whether you have a Valentine, or beer is your Valentine ... Garage Bar is partnering with New Albanian Brewing Company to offer an a la carte pairing menu.

Pork Belly with citrus sorghum jus and cannellini beans will be paired with the brewery’s Cone Smoker, a smoky American Pale Ale for $20, and the Country Ham Pizza with milled tomato, blue cheese, cherries and fior di latte will be offered with the malty and slightly sweet Hoosier Daddy Cask Beer for $22.

And, if you feel like making your own menu, the regular Garage Bar menu will also be available with beer pairing suggestions! And, we have to admit Hoosier Daddy was delightful with a bit of frozen chocolate custard.

The NABC beers both will cask-conditioned versions, poured by gravity dispense: Hoosier Daddy, our "crimson & cream" ale, and a very rare appearance for ConeSmoker, at least outside the friendly confines of our own locations. This year's ConeSmoker rates among the finest ever, with the hops and smoke weaving together as never before.

Seeking some background on cask-conditioning, Garage Bar staff interviewed me last week, and my comments are here: ALL ABOUT CASK ALE WITH NABC’S ROGER BAYLOR.

The Garage Bar is located at 700 E. Market Street in Louisville. I'll be there with the missus on Valentine's Day (February 14, 2013).

Cask-conditioned ConeSmoker and Hoosier Daddy for Valentine's Day? Yes, at the Garage Bar.

The old ConeSmoker art. Tony's working on a new version.

The NABC sales crew stopped at the Garage Bar (700 E. Market Street in Louisville) today and chatted with staff about a special event scheduled for Valentine's Day (February 14, 2013).

What I know is this: The NABC beers slated to be available at the Garage Bar on February 14 will be cask-conditioned: Hoosier Daddy and a very rare appearance for ConeSmoker outside the friendly confines of our own two on-premise locations. Honestly, it's worth a calendar notice for this fact alone.

Food will be paired with these, but I don't have the details yet. As always: Stay tuned.

NABC Beer Dinner at The Garage Bar on Wednesday night, September 26.

To help celebrate Louisville Craft Beer Week, the Garage Bar (700 E. Market Street in Louisville) is hosting a New Albanian Brewing Company Beer Dinner on Wednesday night, September 26, beginning at 6:00 p.m. I recommend calling them for further information. Richard Atnip and I will be in attendance. I can always tell when I'm needed to guide the discussion by the desperate tone of Richard's voice.

Enjoy a selection of New Albanian Brewing Company beers alongside your Garage Bar favorites. Pairing suggestions for every course will guide your taste buds through a fun filled beer inspired dinner.

For those wanting the full experience, a three course prix-fixe menu will be available:

Local mixed green lettuces with black walnuts, blue cheese and Granny Smith apples
served with NABC Black & Bluegrass Saison
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Sausage Pie with milled tomato, calbrian chiles, rapini and fior di latte
served with NABC Willett Rye Barrel-Aged Yakima
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Beer Float with NABC Bourbon Daddy and chocolate malted house custard created using Bourbon Daddy malts