Bacon and Beer Classic
On Saturday, September 29th, the highly acclaimed Bacon and Beer Classic made its way back to New York City. The Classic, which is known for taking over entire professional sports stadiums, brought the festival to USTA National Tennis Center in Queens, NY.
From savory to spicy to sweet, ticket holders experienced bacon like never before. Over 50 NYC restaurants including— American Cut, Queens Bully, In Good Company Hospitality, Tipsy Scoop, Wafels & Dinges, What the Dillaz, The STUF'D Truck, Schmackary's, Sands Jerk Hut, Rudy's Cuties, Route 66 Smokehouse, Marcha Cocina, La Bella Torte Truck, International Wings Factory, F. Ottomanelli Burgers, Dang BBQ, Corfu Grill, Burger Envy, Brooklyn Pizza Market, Brooklyn Baked & Fried, Adril's Kitchan, Hoodoo Brown Barbeque and The Nugget Spot -- served up their most original bacon dishes. The event also had a Hormel Chef Showdown where celebrity chef alum from Chopped and Hell's Kitchen including Chef Ariel Fox, Barett Beyer, Frank Bilotti, Chef Sterling Wright and Chef T created their most unique bacon bites. That tasty grub was complemented by unlimited samples of craft beers from local and regional breweries including Wartega, Avery, Port Jeff and Downeast Cider House.
A panel of esteemed judges included Man v. Food host Casey Webb, NYC Hospitality Alliance Executive Director Andrew Rigie, Barstool Sports video personality Glenny Medoro, WPLJ's Joe Pardavila, Chef and Food Stylist Ashton Keefe, Food Instagrammer Dara Pollak, The Brooklyn Brewery's Eric Brown and certified cicerone Gabrielle Barry. They awarded Clinton Hall's Bacon Bacon Bacon Sliders the Best Savory Dish at the Classic, Sweet Chili's Spicy Bacon and Peanut Caramel the Best Sweet Dish, the CBBR Dilla from What's the Dillaz as People's Choice and BarBacon's Kentucky Fried Bacon Bites with Thai Chili Honey as the Best Overall Dish at this year's event. Best Overall beer went to the Zoktoberfest from Kings County Brewers Collective. DuClaw Brewing Co. took home top prize for best dark beer. Five Boroughs Brewing Co. won top honors in the Pale Ales and Lagers category. Sloop Brewing Co. won best IPA. Harlem Brew had the night's best Amber/Red/Wheat beer. Kings County Brewers Collective also won the best Sour category. Ace Cider was awarded best cider at the Classic and the People's Choice award went to BrewDog.
This year's event offered attendees a slew of new games and activations in addition to old favorites. IHOP debuted their all-new seasonal IHOPS Pumpkin Pancake Stout at the Bacon and Beer Classic and in between bites and sips, guests bobbed for bacon, danced to live music, partied in a biergarten, played corn hole and giant Jenga at the Mobile Man Cave.
VIPs enjoyed exclusive access to Court 17, which was full of additional bites, a donut wall and adult beverages. Those exclusive ticket holders also got a one of a kind opportunity to tour Arthur Ashe Stadium and get on the court for photos.
Photos courtesy of Bacon and Beer Classic
The Official Arrival of Clinton Hall to Williamsburg
Clinton Hall, a place for burgers, games, and beer, has finally arrived in Williamsburg! The new location can be found at the POD BK Hotel, and it includes good music, fun games, delicious food, and a large selection of draft beers.
The unique bar and dining experience features 20 beer drafts on rotation, which range from keg-conditioned lagers from the US, Belgium, Germany, Scandinavia, and more. But, if you’re in the mood for something other than beer, Clinton Hall offers a few different wines and cocktails worth trying, including the Spicy Margarita (tanteo jalapeno tequila, agave nectar, and fresh lime juice) and the Frozé (Frozen Rosé).
To accompany the wide selection of drinks, Clinton Hall provides an array of “sliders,” “pass arounds,” and “on table.” The “sliders” are finger-licking good, varying from Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich (served with pickled red slaw on a crispy chicken breast, cayenne pepper and secret spice blend) to The Shipwreck (beer battered cornet fish, old bay fries, tomato, lettuce, and tartar sauce). As for the pass arounds, Clinton Hall does not disappoint. Surprising combinations such as Buffalo Cauliflower (crispy florets with Clinton Hall buffalo sauce and crumbled bleu cheese) and Kimchi Hot Dogs (all beef hot dog, kimchi, crispy onion and chili aioli) are mouthwatering.The “on table” selection includes Waffle Fries (with cheddar cheese, jalapeno, and scallions) and Vietnamese Style Crispy Brussels (with mint, crispy shallot, and chili lime vinaigrette).
Photo by The Skinny Pig
After the food and drinks, guests are invited to participate in games such as giant Jenga and connect 4. What better way to finish off the night than to play some fun games in great company? After all, Clinton Hall has it all. With craft beer, great food, and fun, Clinton Hall is the perfect place to go to for a memorable experience. Check out the new location for more: 247 Metropolitan Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11211.
Photos courtesy of Clinton Hall