At the recently LEED certified Portola Hotel & Spa in picturesque Monterey Bay, California, a hidden gem awaits the craft beer lover just off the wharf. Peter B’s Brewpub, located in the back of Portola Hotel, is Monterey’s first and only craft brewery that also serves up inventive pub food.
The two gastronomic gurus responsible for transforming Peter B’s from a ho-hum brewpub to a Monterey foodie destination are Chef Jason Giles and Brewer Kevin Clark.
At a recent Brewer’s Lunch, Peter B’s specializes in monthly beer pairing events, a group of journalists enjoyed a lighthearted four-course meal, each item paired with a different premium beer made on site.
The menu highlighted Chef Jason Giles’ gourmet Americana items like housemade Bratwurst Corn Dogs served with heirloom tomato ketchup, Fontina Grilled Cheese Sandwiches and a decadent Espresso Toffee Ice Cream Tort.
The Belly-up Blonde, named after Monterey’s local mascot – the sea otter – is a pilsner like blonde ale. Its minimal hop characteristics make it a smooth sipper, pairing well with most of Peter B’s pub fair.
The huge floral notes of the Legend of Laguna IPA went well with the artisan salad of walnuts, blue cheese and IPA vinaigrette.
Grilled cheese sandwiches were munched up quickly while sipping on the I Spy Rye Ale.
My favorite, the ‘piece de resistance’ aka Stout Resistance, served in a cognac glass was bold and stormy with chocolate flavor notes. I held back the urge to spoon the espresso toffee crunch ice cream into the Stout Resistance to transform it into a beer float – but I know it would have been divine if I had.
Speaking of divine, Peter B’s has been put on the foodie/craft brew map by the inspired forces of Chef Jason Giles and Brewer Kevin Clark and it is also being recognized as a brew pub with a soul.
The spent grains are being donated to feed a local beef farmer’s cattle and by reworking the system, they are now recycling 41,000 gallons of water used in the brewing process.
Not only are they reusing or re-purposing the beer-making ingredients, but Peter B’s is giving back to the community of Monterey County as well. Since hops are not grown locally, Peter B’s is hiring Rancho Cielo, a farming project for rehabilitating and educating at-risk youth, to grow hops.
Peter B’s craft beers taste that much better to know a passionate brewer such as Kevin Clark with such an earth and human friendly mindset makes it. To sample a bevy of their Monterey-centric beers, order a beer flight of 4 pours. If you’d like to enjoy Peter B’s at home, they sell antique-looking growlers of beer to-go – a true party in a stein.
Peter B’s Brewpub, Portola Hotel & Spa. Two Portola Plaza. Monterey, CA
For more ideas about what to do and see in Monterey County: See Monterey.com.
Top photo courtesy of Portola Hotel & Spa.