Brooklyn Brewery Mash Arrives in Austin

Launched amidst the fury of South by Southwest as part of an 11-city tour of the United States, Brooklyn Brewery rolled into Austin on a mission - to share the Mash. Brooklyn Brewery’s interactive fusion of food, film, music, books, and “humanity’s favorite beverage” celebrated the intimate union of storytelling and community.

Featuring a comprehensive host of events benefiting Slow Food Austin, the Brooklyn Brewery Mash featured farmers market workshops; pop-up supper clubs; the much anticipated and quickly sold out Slow Supper, Books & Beer with Marcus Samuelsson and Jesse Griffiths at Springdale Farm; and DJ Jonathan Toubin’s famous Soul Clap and Dance-Off. I was lucky enough to attend one of the many coveted Brooklyn Mash events: the Local, 2 Ways dinner hosted at the progressive Modern American eatery, Swift’s Attic.

Almost immediately, I glimpsed the showcase of culinary innovation that Brooklyn Brewery’s house chef, Andrew Gerson, along with Swift’s Attic’s Mat Clouser imagined for their guests. The indulgent 6-course menu featured the chefs’ novel interpretations of regional cuisine. From the braised Windy Hill goat shoulder with smoked tomato-fig ragout, watermelon radish, and ricotta gnocchi with Brooklyn’s Local 2 to the Texas oysters with finger lime mignonette and the Brooklyn East India Pale Ale, each course was expertly paired. My favorite course, the Broken Arrow Ranch Nilgai antelope tartare and seared Nilgai steak with chimichurri, local citrus, and Serrano ham-infused creme fraiche with the Brooklyn Brown Ale, delighted this voracious carnivore with its decadence and creativity. By the time we arrived at the final course, a whimsical salted popcorn gelato, with house-made candy bars and cracker jacks, a root beer chaser, and a proper chocolate egg cream paired with the Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout, I couldn’t escape my full-on cheek flush and giggle. This was fun! It’s worth mentioning that Gerson was nothing short of charming, bringing out finger limes for us to touch and examine, answering questions, and moving along the length of the table so as to not disappoint the expectant faces.

The evening exemplified the longstanding and ever evolving art of combining food, community, and culture. As Brooklyn Brewery president and cofounder Steve Hindy explains, “There is a revolution happening in the world of food and the world of beer, and we are happy to celebrate this revolution with our friends around the US.” If the offerings going forward are on par with Gerson and Clouser's smashing success, I look forward to the rebellion.