Belgian Beer Pairing at BJ's Brewhouse

This coming Tuesday, June 23rd, BJ's Brewhouse in Cupertino will be hosting a Belgian Beer Dinner starting at 7:00 pm. BJ's in Cupertino is located at 10690 De Anza Boulevard, close to Apple's headquarters. Cost is $30.

BJ's Brewhouse is a decent sized chain of beer-themed restaurants usually located in malls or large retail locations. I've been to a couple locations, and like most mall and big box retail establishments, the place gives off a corporate feeling and just don't have that neighborhood vibe like a good local brewpub. But thankfully, this doesn't carry over to the beer, which is solid. For example, I'm a fan of their Piranha Pale Ale, which has a snappy, hoppy bite to it. It isn't the timid, safe, and afraid to offend type of brew you might expect coming from a business with roots in shopping malls. I like to support local businesses and brewers rather than the big chain stores, but BJ's is doing a great job bringing good beer to the masses, so have to applaud them.

Here's what they have on the menu:

Apertif
Brugse Zot (Brouwerij de Halve Maan)

Course 1
BJs Nit Wit with Thai Shrimp Lettuce Wraps

Course 2
Monk’s Cafe Flemish Sour Ale (Brouwerij Van Steenberge) with Sesame Chicken Salad

Palete Cleanser
Petrus Aged Pale (Brouwerij Bavik)

Course 3
Popperings Hommel (Brouwerij Van Eecke) with Southwestern Pizza

Course 4
Gulden Drak (Brouwerij van Steenberge) with Old-Fashioned Pot Roast

Course 5
Troubadour Obscura (Brouwerij de Musketiers) with White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Pizookie.