One of the most popular tasting seminars at the 2016 VIBE Conference was “Palate Trips and Craft Beer Pairing,” a quick trip through the possibilities of beer and food together. An increasingly important concept for beer sellers, this session was presented by Adam Dulye, executive chef of the Brewers Association, and Julia Herz, the group’s craft beer program director. And while VIBE is attended by corporate level beverage buyers or decision-makers of national chains, independent operators can certainly benefit from higher level beer training. Both Dulye and Herz are responsible for an updating of the association’s Craftbeer.com Professional Beer & Food Course.
Co-authored by Dulye and Herz, the curriculum has been called the definitive course for chefs, culinary institutions, retail establishments, hotels, caterers, beverage students, and beer educators.
Content updates have been made to the 70-page manual, including enhanced graphics and illustrations, a more robust craft beer and food pairing section with a chef-driven beer and food pairing chart, and the addition of a new instructor guide featuring tips and tricks on how to teach the course.
“A recent Nielsen survey found that 71% of craft beer appreciators consider how a beverage will complement their meal when ordering at restaurants and bars,” said Herz. “As we continue to advance our beer culture in the US, this course content empowers culinary professionals to lead when it comes to incorporating beer pairings.”
Since the course launched in fall 2014, more than 4,000 digital copies have been downloaded by food-minded and hospitality organizations, including Culinary Institute of America, Johnson & Wales University, The Art Institute, Stanford, The School of Hospitality at Purdue University, Kendall College, Kellogg Hotel & Conference Center, Metropolitan State University, San Diego State University, Colorado State University, Siebel Institute, Rutgers, Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott, Disney World Resort, Buffalo Wild Wings, Whole Foods, United, and hundreds of beer and wine professionals.
“Today, restaurants and chefs are creating beer lists equal to their wine, cocktail and food menus. The CraftBeer.com Professional Beer & Food course is designed with guest-focused training in mind and is the most up-to-date resource to set chefs and restaurant and brewery staff up for success,” said Dulye, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America.
The digital version of the course is still free to download, and those looking for printed copies can find them for sale at CraftBeer.com/printedcourse at $6.95, with the price dropping to $4.95 per copy if more than 10 are ordered.