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A Match Made in Naperville: SugarToad and Two Brothers Brewing

Two of the finest names in Naperville food and drink join forces in a celebration of craft beer and locally sourced dining

It was around the third course that Annie Crumbaugh began to worry.

"I'm already so stuffed," said the Chicago resident, leaning back in her chair, as a cut of beef cheek and a glass of Imperial Stout was placed in front of her.

Her companions at the table, identifying themselves only as Glen and Linda of Naperville, felt the same way.

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"I thought our last course was huge," said Glen. "We're definitely getting our money's worth."

The three were attending first craft beer pairing. This $45 per person event was held in partnership with local brewers Two Brothers Brewing, and the restaurant promised a night of innovative dining paired with innovative beers that, when combined would as SugarToad head chef Geoff Rhyne put it, result in a "mouth-watering, taste explosion."

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The evening did not disappoint. In advance of next week's 14th anniversary of Two Brothers brewing, one of the head brewers and eponymous brothers, Jason Ebel, said that their brewery and SugarToad had much in common.

"We share similar ideals," Ebel said. "We're both about supporting local business. We're into locally sourced food. We like that the chef grows his own food outside. We're both about the little guy."

The only thing that was little about the night was the fare in the first course. The evening started with a reception in "living room" lounge, a comfortable space with a fireplace and several couches.

There, bite sized appetizers of white asparagus with coriander and Satsuma orange slices were served on individual spoons, as well as  scallop crudo with black pepper crackers. Paired with Monarch, a Belgian style Wit beer served to the public that night for the first time, the pale and cloudy brew matched the small bites perfectly, both in color and flavor, the coriander acting as a spicy complement to each sip.

Shortly after 7 p.m., an open, communal style seating began in SugarToad's dining room across the lobby. The first course was a small serving of striped bass, served in a bed of English peas and pickled mushrooms. The food was remarkably fresh and flavourful, and paired with Long Haul, a session ale.

The name refers to a practice amongst serious beer drinkers known as a "session," or a serious amount of time spent enjoying a beer with a lower alcohol content with a focus on enjoying the flavors rather than becoming intoxicated.

The next course was introduced by Two Brothers sales manager, Leo Conaghan.

"The beer you're about to try accounts for 26 percent of our business," said Conaghan. "We grew 80 percent last year, and part of that is because of Domaine DuPage."

It's no wonder: The French country ale is an attractive amber color, and the malt is so sweet it almost tastes of caramel. 

Said to pair especially well with "things off the grill," according to Conaghan, that was put to the test as it was paired with a suckling pig porchetta. The traditionally Italian dish is characterized by crispy skin ringing a thick, heavy cut of tender pork surrounding a sausage. Flavors of pepper and fennel were strong throughout, and the pork itself was perfectly prepared, with the Domaine DuPage a perfect foil for each and every bite.

It was here that things almost, but not quite, began to be too much. The entree course of aforementioned beef cheek had finally arrived, and the alcohol content of the beers was ramping up. The tender, fall apart on your fork beef was paired with a Northwind Imperial stout, with a rating of 9.10 percent alcohol by volume.

Once again, the stout made an incredible match for the beef cheek, as well as the mild flavors of the accompanying polenta, which itself was punctuated by mustard greens.

Somehow, room was found for dessert. And no wonder: the nectarine pain perdu, a flaky and light pastry, was topped with macadamia nut ice cream and paired with Bare Tree, a barley wine style Weiss beer that features strong tones of peach and melon.

Ebel prefaced the beer saying that, since the alcohol content is over 10 percent, they technically have to label it a wine even though it's a beer. Sharing a bit of the behind the scenes process, Ebel revealed that the yeast responsible for the alcohol in the beer doesn't survive the fermentation process.

"The yeast metabolizes the sugar, excretes alcohol, and then dies of alcohol toxicity," says Ebel. "We have to add a second batch of yeast to complete the fermentation."

Soon after Ebel spoke, SugarToad chef Geoff Rhyne took to the floor to praise the Ebel brothers and their unique brews.

"We are huge fans of their beer here," said Rhyne. "This is the cook's favorite beer to drink. Their style is so food friendly, and they shine in every single thing that they produce."

As the room filled with applause, Rhyne and Ebel shook hands, and the night of perfect pairings ended on it's last complementary note.

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