Wish You Were Here: World of Beer

Spirited Away
by Heather Lindsay Sell, ShoutOUT® Tampa Bay, November 6, 2016

Disclosure: World of Beer invited me to a blogger Tasting Event to sample their tavern fares, craft beers, and spirits, providing me with a complimentary dinner in order to provide my honest opinion on the experience. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own and based completely on my own thoughts and experiences. 

A spirited adventure with delectable dishes. World of Beer was a delightful jaunt with a fun-filled, laid-back flare.

Recently I was fortunate enough, along with several other bloggers,  to be treated to a sampling of tavern fares, spirits, and craft beers at World of Beer’s newest tavern near Tampa International. The new location features a flight deck with 16 taps, a wide range of spirits, over 500 beers from around the world, 50 taps in total and Flight Time TV, a real-time flight status for the local Tampa airport

What excited me most about this tasting was that World of Beer used this opportunity as a pairing event. While titillating our taste buds with their delectable fares, they paired each course with a specially selected craft beer or spirit that heightened the flavors of each dish served, from appetizers to dessert. Truly a uniquely fun experience!

Appetizers, our first course, was comprised of a choice selection of 4 lip-smacking treats.pretzel-2_upd We sank our teeth into flash-fried, lightly breaded calamari, a soft and lightly salted Colossal (and I mean COLOSSAL) German Pretzel, crisp and tangy Southern Fried Dill Pickle chips, and piquant Latin-inspired Chimichurri Meatballs. These were expertly paired with a pale brew 81Bay Lightning Lager. The smooth, light-bodied lager was a nice delicate match with the savory appetizers. Not being a huge beer fan, I appreciated the soft unassuming flavor and delicate essence of the lager.

Our next course, one of my evening favorites, was the Spring Greens & Kale Salad drizzled with a Framboise raspberry vinaigrette. This colorful, crisp, succulent salad was served with the house’s signature Fresca Margarita cocktail. A bittersweet drink, chosen to balance the salad’s innate sweetness. The Red Raspberry Sangria, I had ordered earlier, also complemented the raspberry notes in the salad, though a bit heavier and sweeter than the margarita it was paired with.

For our dinner course, we were treated to two hearty entrees: The panko-crusted, brown-buttered Pork Schnitzel (crispy and hearty) and the Amber Ale marinated Beer Can Chicken (moist and lightly seasoned). The dark mahogany Hacker-Pschorr Oktoberfest ale these were paired with echoed the hoppy-flavored notes present in the roasted chicken and balanced the complexity of the pork cutlets.

The finale, dessert. Belgian Waffle S’mores. A creative twist on the traditional campsite s’more: Gooey toasted marshmallows enveloped with fluffy, freshly-baked Belgian waffles then drizzled with rich Kahlua fudge sauce. Can you say “SCRUMPTIOUS!”? Dessert was paired with a bold Kasteel Barista Chocolate Quad dark ale that accentuated the chocolatey timbre from the fudge sauce, and was accentuated with subtle hints of buttery toffee and rich coffee undertones. Another delightful, lighter combination would be a strawberry or raspberry Lambic.

Next on my list to try when I return to World of Beer: The Strawberry Caipiroska cocktail, an Artisan Sausage & Cheese Board, the Black & Blue Flatbread, polished off with the Pretzel Bread Pudding. My mouth is watering just thinking about it!

When you go, be sure to visit the upstairs flight deck to take in a view of the surrounding area and drink in the cooler weather we’ve been having.

Deepest thanks to World of Beer and Tony for inviting ShoutOUT® to their tasting event. And an enormous “ShoutOUT” to Luke, our taste and spirit guide who took such great care of us and explained all of the complexities and intricacies of the beer and spirits our fares were paired with! Truly thankful!

Check out World of Beer’s newest location at 5311 Avion Park Dr, Tampa, FL 33607. For more information and to view their menu, visit: https://worldofbeer.com/Locations/TampaInternational

Wish you were here…

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Contact: Heather Sell
Email: contact@shoutoutinc.com

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To keep you salivating and to ramp up your juices even more, here are the salacious descriptions for the 4 courses we sampled during our spirited adventures:

Course 1:

  • Colossal German Pretzel. Giant Bavarian pretzel baked soft on the inside, lightly crispy on the outside and lightly salted. Served with house-made stone ground mustard (Add a side of house-made beer cheese to punch up the flavor even more).
  • Southern Fried Pickles. An assortment of crisp dill pickle chips, pickled peppadews and spicy pickled green beans, hand-breaded to order and fried to perfection. Served with a local IPA craft beer dipping sauce.
  • Calamari. Crispy flash fried calamari rings, golden brown, fresh served with Sriracha lime aioli and sesame soy dipping sauces.
  • Chimichurri Meatballs (Gluten-free). Latin-inspired beef and pork meatballs topped with fresh garlic and herb sauce served with an arugula salad.

Course 2:

  • Spring Greens & Kale Salad. Fresh spring greens & kale with goat cheese, apples, sweet pickled red onions & candied pecans tossed in a house-made Framboise vinaigrette.

Course 3:

  • Beer Can Chicken. A half chicken marinated with World of Beer’s secret dry rub seasonings & slow roasted with an Amber Lager. Served with a warm Italian Kale with sweet & sour red onions and our creamy garlic red skinned mashed potatoes & pan gravy.
  • Pork Schnitzel. Panko crusted pork loin, brown butter, crispy sage, topped with a fried egg, capers & lemon. Served with sour cream red skin mashed potatoes & warm Italian Kale with sweet & sour red onions. Crunchy and golden brown.

Course 4:

  • Belgian Waffle S’mores. Light & crispy, fresh baked, Belgian beer-infused waffles with toasted marshmallow, drizzled with a Kahlúa fudge sauce, & topped with graham cracker crumbles & powdered sugar.

To try next:

  • Strawberry Caipiroska. A twist on Brazil’s national cocktail the Caipirinha, this refreshing drink uses Tito’s Handmade Vodka instead of Cachaça, sweetened with fresh muddled strawberries and lime.
  • Artisan Sausage & Cheese Board. Trio of jalapeño cheddar, spicy andouille & hickory smoked sausages. Served with Chimay Cheese, Danish Blue Cheese, spicy pickled green beans & our house-made stone ground mustard.
  • Black & Blue Flatbread. Blackened steak, caramelized onions & mushrooms, mozzarella & blue cheeses, finished with fresh arugula & a sweet balsamic glaze.
  • Pretzel Bread Pudding. Bavarian pretzel pieces baked in a rich cinnamon custard, served warm with salted caramel.

About ShoutOUT

In 2009, I started sharing my experiences, food, travels, and events, along with all of the incredible people and businesses I was meeting and discovering. What began as a fun hobby had such an overwhelming response, in 2010 ShoutOUT was born! I continue to stretch the boundaries locally, regionally, and nationally, discovering, sharing and connecting as I go.
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