Generous Flavor: Pairing Food and Homebrew for a Good Cause

This article originally appeared in the November/December 2018 issue of Zymurgy Magazine

By Jim Vondracck with photography by Freddy Zavala

I organized a beer and food pairing event that combined a joyful trifecta: homebrewing, having fun with friends, and doing good. It turned into a great evening, with six brewers, 55 attendees, a beautiful spring night in an urban courtyard, vibrant handmade beers, interesting pairings, and delightful conversation. And we raised funds to support a cause I believe in.

It all started with my desire to do a fundraising event for the Peace Camp, an interfaith effort that my wife, the pastor at Augustana Lutheran Church of Hyde Park, helped launch last year. Peace Camp is a three-night, multigenerational event with food, art, guest speakers, and discussions that end with s’mores around a campfire. If you organize an event as a fundraiser, you have to be excited about the cause: your excitement will attract others and feed their involvement and investment…