Epic Eats and Beer Combine at Paired During GABF

"I'm looking forward to return to cook for the people," says chef Derek Christensen, who spent some time in Denver last summer for a James Beard Taste Twenty dinner collaboration with the Bindery's chef and owner, Linda Hampsten Fox. "The city treated me mighty well."

This week, he'll be back for the Great American Beer Festival's Paired, an event that brings together some of the country's best chefs, pairing small plates with beers, ciders and cocktails.

Paired takes place at the Convention Center, but in a private area, separate from the main GABF sessions, from 5:30 to 9 p.m. on Thursday, October 10, and Friday, October 11. Ticket options for Paired only ($129), as well as Paired + GABF admission ($199) are still available. 

Many of the participating chefs normally operate separately from the beverage brands they're working with at the event, but Christensen has the opportunity to pair his food with Wren House beer — which he already does at the company's Wren Südhalle location in Arizona. This gives Christensen the advantage of familiarity, comfort and an understanding of the nuances of the beer itself. "I've spent many a night around the campfire and sunrise on the stream with Wren's brewer, who is a true and dear friend," Christensen says. "[It] certainly makes for another level of intention in regard to the cookery, creative process and celebration."
Christensen's perspective on the event is that it is a mixing and matching of vibes and energies to "dig for a deeper or more peculiar creative connection," and he's happy to take part.

Wren House will feature two different pairings at this year's event. Christensen has a practical approach to deciding which foods to pair with a specific beer. "More often than not, I look to the most exciting part of the beer," he says. For the fresh-hopped Wrenovation IPA, it's the hops. "The mesmerizing aroma and bright, sappy mouthfeel feels reminiscent of times roaming the late summer forest with a morning ocean mist, sweet and salty, crawling up the coast," he waxes, noting that he tastes primarily with feelings and memories and builds on those. "Summer potatoes, whipped with smoked cod roe, layered with complementary notes of anise and caraway, texturally enticing fried sweet onions and a generous dose of fresh dill to go fisticuffs with the fresh hops," is what he has planned for that pairing.

Some pairings, Christiansen adds, are complementary, while some are confrontational. While both work well, being able to achieve both at the same time, "tension and relief," as he calls it, means that you're pairing well.

In his younger years as a chef and drinker of beer and wine, Christensen says there was a large emphasis on achieving the "perfect pairings." Today, his own philosophical journey has brought him to "eat what you like, drink what you like —chances are it will work out."

If all of this sounds deep and introspective, you'd be right. Christensen has some advice for drinkers, though: Don't overthink it. "Have fun with it. Do [this] with people you enjoy eating and drinking with. That way, if you have a terrible pairing, you still had a great meal with folks you love," he concludes.

Paired 2024 Preview

Here is a quick look at some of the more intriguing pairings at this year's event. You can view all of the pairings online.

Alma Mader Brewing, Kansas City
Seiso, Pilsener-style beer
Paired with xchef Steve Chu, Baltimore, Maryland
Spice braised beef, cumin green tomatillo sauce, jasmine rice, slaw
Alma Mader has made a strong name for itself in Kansas City, producing fantastic beers, especially lagers and IPAs. Pairing a lean, clean and slightly bitter beer like Seiso with a flavorful braised beef just feels natural. Chef Steve Chu runs Eikiben in Baltimore, an award-winning Asian-fusion eatery. Chu was recently a James Beard Foundation semifinalist for Best Chef of the Mid-Atlantic.

The Lost Abbey, Vista California
Red Poppy Grand Cru, Flanders Oud Bruin-style beer
Paired with chef Josh Niernberg, Grand Junction
Tartelette of fermented purple barley, Elephant Heart plum tapenade, bison machaka, miso chimichurri
The Lost Abbey is practically legendary in the beer world. Its Belgian-style beers are truly top-in-class in the United States and have been sought after for nearly two decades. An Oud Bruin is a very flavor-forward beer style, with caramel maltiness and often complex fruit flavors from dark cherries and raisins to oranges and prunes. This style also comes with a light sourness to it, so I'm very interested to see what the chef has done to match that intensity. Bin 707 chef and owner Niernberg has been credited with helping transform Grand Junction's culinary scene, taking full advantage of its wonderful regional ingredients.

Side Project Brewing, Saint Louis, Missouri
Langst Blend #2, barleywine-style ale
Paired with Mara King and Kelly Whitaker, Id Est Hospitality, Denver/Boulder
Dark chocolate pavé, coffee, amazake
This is a marriage of powerhouses with two crowd-pleasing offerings. Side Project has made a name as one of the best barrel-aged stout and barleywine producers in the world. Whitaker's Id Est Hospitality group is behind some of the best restaurants in the state, including Michelin-starred Bruto and the Wolf's Tailor, and King is the group's fermentation expert. Barleywines are strong, rich, malty beers, and the barrel-aged component will add another layer of complexity, adding notes of vanilla and bourbon. Pairing that with the Brazilian dark chocolate dessert, with some creamy sweetness and coffee depth, should be a really fun tangle of rich intensity.