WASHINGTON 鈥� Nothing goes better with a slice of pizza than a pint of beer. And it turns out, the two have a more in common than forming the perfect culinary pairing.
Both rely on fermentation.
And on Tuesday, March 14, that metabolic process will be the focus of the 鈥淐rust and Craft Beer鈥� event at . From 7 to 9 p.m., 鈥檚 beer professor Justin Tarnow will team up with Pizzeria Vetri head chef Sean Galianese to discuss the parallels in pizza and beer and the impact of fermentation on overall flavor and texture.
鈥淏eer is kind of like a liquid bread,鈥� Tarnow said.
鈥淲e鈥檙e both using water, grains and yeast, so what we really want to do is just strip down our two worlds and show that at the root of them, they鈥檙e actually a lot more alike than they are different.鈥�
Brewers use yeast to convert sugars in the brewing liquid to alcohol; but in some cases, the yeast adds flavor.
鈥淲hen you鈥檙e making a Belgian beer or something like that, yeast can contribute some very complex flavors. Sometimes they show up as kind of like a spicy characteristic and sometimes they have suggestions of even fruit.鈥�
Pizzeria Vetri鈥檚 Galianese, on the other hand, credits fermentation for achieving a soft crust and a sourdough-like flavor. During Vetri鈥檚 72-hour cold fermentation process, bubbles are created in the dough, and the air trapped inside builds flavor as the dough rises.
, priced at $25, include beer samples from Flying Dog (plus one 12-ounce beer of choice) and unlimited Irish-inspired fare, including a beef stew-inspired pizza.
