Wine, Waves & Beyond ... and Whoopie Pie!

Y'all know I love a good dessert and beer pairing.  Well at a Beer Pairing Dinner previewing the upcoming Second Annual Wine, Waves & Beyond, I came across one doozy of a delightful pairing.  We're talking Whoopie Pie here - and one not only featuring but paired with delicious beers from Paso Robles, CA brewery Firestone Walker.

What we used to call a BFO (Big Fat Oreo) back home, pastry chef Willie Vey (from the adorable Apple Farm Restaurant and Bakery in San Luis Obispo, CA) has transformed into haute deconstructed cuisine, featuring delectable dark chocolate,  bruleed 'fluff' and classic whoopie cream.  To add insult to injury (both the good kind) Chef Vey topped the pie with a caramel sauce made with Firestone Walker Brewing Company's cocoa-y and espresso-y Velvet Merlin Oatmeal Stout.  An amazingly big, but well-balanced beer that's been aged in bourbon barrels. 

The Whoopie Pie was paired with another Firestone Walker beer.  This time it was the much sought after 13%  limited reserve series barrel-aged American Barleywine called Abacus. Boozy whiskey and woody oak aromatics combined with milk chocolate and sweet malty undertones to make this a perfect Whoopie Pie pairing.   

If you want in on this beery Whoopie Pie goodness (along with the added backdrop of the beautiful Pacific Ocean), check out this year's Brew Masters Dinner at the Wine, Waves & Beyond which is taking place on Saturday, June 4th at 6:30 pm at the Cliffs Resort in Pismo Beach, CA.  All proceeds from this event go to support the Association of Amputee Surfers (AmpSurf).  The dinner is $60.00 and you can buy tickets to the Brew Masters Dinner as well as other WW&B events by clicking here.

Firestone beers will be paired with each dish prepared by executive chefs from area restaurants. Some of the featured pairings include the Cayucos Abalone Ceviche with Meyer Lemon Marinade and Black Bean Relish paired with Firestone Honey Blond, Hearst Ranch Skirt Steak Tacos with Pickled Exotic Garden Watermelon Radish and Kumquat Slices paired with Firestone Union Jack. 
(Click here for a complete menu.)