Photo: Jackie Dodd, via saveur.com
Throughout this fall and winter, Whole Foods Market and SAVEUR are partnering with Blog Awards opens in a new tab winners and finalists for In Good Company opens in a new tab, a series of culinary exploits from discovering new beers and sparkling wines to meeting local farmers and foragers. This week, we’re spotlighting Jackie Dodd of The Beeroness opens in a new tab, a blog about the marriage of good food and craft beer.
In her post A Craft Beer Bottle Shop: What To Know Before You Go opens in a new tab, Jackie describes the beer aisles in Whole Foods Market “like a small bottle shop, if all bottle shops included a gourmet cheese selection and the smell of fresh baked bread.”
Tips for Beer Shopping
Whether you’re a seasoned beer enthusiastic or not, Jackie offers these tips for beer shopping at Whole Foods Market.
Ask questions. The staff is incredibly aware of the beer, breweries, and what is special. More often than not there is at least one beer that took some finessing to get, a beer you will probably have a hard time finding elsewhere. Ask the staff what they are excited about right now.
Go to an event. Most stores have beer events and tasting, if there is a bar, even better. (Check your local store’s calendar for upcoming events.)
Buy something new. Regardless of what you came in for, keep an open mind and try something the beer staff recommends.
Shop for pairings. The beer section in the market I visited was strategically located next to the cheese section, and the in-store cheesemonger was full of ideas for cheese to serve with the beer I was buying. The pairing opportunities are endless and exciting.
Recipes with Beer
Don’t limit the adventures to the beer aisle — head to the kitchen! Here are a few of our favorite ways to cook, bake and make cocktails with beer.
Texas Snakebite Recipe opens in a new tab
If you’re thirsty for more, check out our recipe collection for cooking (and baking!) with beer and cider opens in a new tab.
Have you made a great beer discovery at Whole Foods Market? Tell us about your find.