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I love going to Hop and Vine hands down. Every time I go to a long table or dinner, I learn something new, eat great food and drink lots of beer. What more could you ask for as a foodie, and even someone who’s just hungry? I was really lucky to be able to attend their Moa Brewing Longtable. I love Hop and Vine, because there are nights I do want a pub experience but not the unhealthy food that is connected to pub-life. And Hop and Vine always has interesting, delicious, home cooked food.

Our first round was Sockeye Salmon and Bouillabaisse with Moa Methode.
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The soup was a French-style, seafood soup. The sock-eye salmon’s slight crisp was delicious in this soup. I hear there’s also beer in this soup. I could eat bowls and bowls of this soup, it is both comfort food and a wonderful delicacy with the salmon inside. The first beer, the Methode, had a slight citrus undertone which helped cut through the flavor of the fish and left my palate with a nice finish. IMG_3178

These were the Colombian Fritters paired with Moa Blanc Evolution. The Evolution was fruitier and light, and easier to drink. I can see it being a good summer drink, like a Kronenberg 1664 if you like that kind of thing. The Fritters were pakoras with plantains and prawns served with a pineapple relish. I heard around the table this dish was not as flavorful. In face of the soup, that is true. But I found what made the dish was the relish. The pakora itself can be somewhat plain, but with the relish it was very delicious, as the sweet bit through the subdued plantains, prawns and herbs in the batter. IMG_3181
The next round was the Moa Pale Ale and Handmade Sausage and Pretzel. This was my favorite dish, but not so much my favorite beer. The pretzel was dense and full, but soft and fluffy.
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The sausage was full of flavor, the right amount of moist as it sliced easily. The mustard could have been spicier, but the sweetness of the mustard was a nice pair with the beer. The beer was super hoppy – half the table did like this beer a lot. I found the sweet mustard helped me get through this beer, so I would consume the Pale Ale with a meal if I ever had it in the future.
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Then, there was the Moa St Joseph’s paired with the Farmhouse Pizza. Topped with smoked chicken, fingerling potatoes and basil aioli, it was a very rich pizza. I had to eat it with a fork and knife, but the basil aioli was what nailed it. I thought it might have been pesto, but it’s light taste mixed with the aioli made it a nice medley with all the heavier, tastier bits like the seasoned chicken and potatoes.  The St. Joseph was my favorite, hands down. Josh and I went to the liquor store attached to Hop and Vine after and bought a whole box of this. It is hoppy, but it is a very well balanced beer that the hops are also paired with wonderful sweet and spiced notes as well.

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The last dish – the Citrus Tiramisu, I actually couldn’t eat. I wanted to taste the Moa Southern Alps, and dairy plus beer does not work out well for me. I had a couple bites and it did taste very good, with the fresh raspberries inside. The orange would have paired well with the beer, but stomach, stomach, stomach! The Southern Alps is another hoppy beer, as it’s an IPA. Having the St. Joseph’s previously, I just wanted more of that, but the Alps is definitely a good beer if you like IPAs.

Thank you again Hop and Vine for having us! It was a wonderful night.

Disclaimer: Please note we were invited to this event by Hop & Vine and our meal was comped. All opinions are our own.