Draught Showdown pairs The Carleton chef’s wares with local brews

When The Carleton Chef Mathias Probst began the Craft Draught Showdown two years ago, it was about showcasing all the wonderful local product.

As he gets ready for the February 24, 2021 showdown between Wolfville’s Church Brewing Co. and Gahan Brewery, he and the beer-makers are all keeping N.S. flavour and pride in mind.

“We in the restaurant industry have great relationships with our beer suppliers. There was an idea to put two against each other and have them find the best beverage pairings for the menu we served,” he said.

“Everyone in the industry knows each other, and we’re all friendly. It’s just a really nice competition for bragging rights.”

He says there’s a bit of preparation for the event at The Carleton, but the night ends up feeling like a big kitchen party.

“The breweries come in, we have some meetings, and we go over the details. The brewmasters or beer reps go on stage and chat to the crowd, and so do I,” he says.

“I talk about the dishes I’m presenting and the pairings. We discuss why the pairings were chosen, and there’s always some great banter and inside jokes. It’s just overall a really fun time.”

Chef Probst prepares five courses, and each one is paired with two four-ounce brews selected by the brewmasters.

“The idea was to showcase what great products and wonderful hospitality we have here, and this is a nice way to do it,” he said.

“On the food side, we always try to support our suppliers and show exciting products. We have some amazing craft beers, and it’s about showing people our products and letting them vote for what they love.”

He calls the events a big labour of love, and everyone shows their best wares.

“This is always just so much fun. I try to involve the staff as much as I can and we go all out. We make the menu make sense, and we tie things together,” said Probst.

“There’s also a sense of carte blanche, and we show people things that need attention or awareness. The same goes for the breweries. Each time we write a menu, we write tasting notes and know how to pair things.”

He says the breweries take everything in stride, and never take it too seriously.

“Sometimes even the breweries vote for each other, if they like the pairing better. It’s just so much fun. It’s a little escape from the routine, brings people together and we have a great time,” he said.

The guests at the event have a great time voting and really enjoy the atmosphere Probst presents.

“The guests give good feedback, and we are increasing the number of dinners and exposure through the years. We just announced this year’s lineup, which includes cideries for the first time,” he said.

In September, Lake City Cider and Maritime Express Cider Company will go head-to-head. There are also seven more dates in 2021.

“Ticket sales have been really good. It’s a good time to get so many people involved. Word is getting out about these, and seeing it translate well for people is just great,” he said.

The upcoming February event was originally slated for December, but couldn’t happen due to the lockdown. Probst is happy it will come to pass now.

“Both breweries were excited about this and happy to postpone. We have had it sold out since November, and there’s a waiting list,” he said.

They want to – as regulations permit – increase capacity and get more people involved. They’ve expanded offerings in 2021.

“If people want to join us, and more and more people are interested, we want to make room for more. All our suppliers and guests will be happy to keep doing it. We just want to showcase local,” he said.

“This is an amazing opportunity for me, The Carleton and the brewery staff. We are proud of what we do, and coming from a hospitality background, we’re happy to share this with the public.

For more dates, please visit thecarleton.ca.