It’s summer, and that means time to break out the grill and throw down a few sausages.  While beer and sausage is as cliched a pairing as there is, it’s one ripe with possibilities.  Sausages go way beyond some ground pork or beef and a casing.  As the chefs on display at CUESA’s Sausage & Beer Party proved.  Offerings ranged from Chris Cosentino’s Mortadella Dog to Dennis Lee’s Kimchee Dog to Taylor Boetticher’s Crepinette Sandwich. All of these modern butchers and chefs busted out the big guns, and served juicy sausages bursting with flavor. Ryan Farr even wrapped his in bacon, and served it on top of a peach slaw, just to be sure you knew it was summer.

To go with these (mostly) porcine offerings, the SF Brewer’s Guild brought out summer beers aplenty – offering up kolsch, belgian goldens and even a Double IPA.  A good time.  The best pairings balanced the beer’s crispness against the fat of the sausage – and since it was a textural contrast, nearly all of these summer brews made a great companion for the sausages.  Which was good, because in this crowded space, it was impossible to line up and check each sausage with each pairing.  Sometimes you have to just relax, and enjoy the weather, people, food and beer.  Welcome to Summer.

Participating Chefs: Taylor Boetticher, Fatted Calf; Chris Cosentino, Boccalone; Antelmo Faria, Tacolicious; Ryan Farr, 4505 Meats; Matt Kerley, Magnolia Gastropub and Brewery; Dennis Lee, Namu; Pierre Mange, The Plant Café Organic.

Participating Breweries: Magnolia Gastropub and Brewery, Social Kitchen and Brewery, Thirsty Bear Brewing Co., Speakeasy Ales & Lagers, Gordon Biersch, 21st Amendment Brewery, Beach Chalet Brewery and Restaurant.

Tags: beer, cuesa, fatted calf, ferry building, incanto, ryan farr, sausage

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