5 Napkin Burger & Longtrail Beer Dinner

This past Tuesday, Sarah and I paid a visit to one of the newer burger joints in Boston - 5 Napkin Burger. Not only were we in need of sustenance, but 5 Napkin Burger happened to be pairing up with Longtrail Brewing Company for their fourth installment of their Bourbon and Beer dinners!

We arrived about 30 minutes early for the dinner, but that was perfect as we took a seat at the bar and ordered a pre-dinner drink. This also allowed us to take a peek at their every day menu, and get a glimpse of the inside of the restaurant.

What's really cool about 5 Napkin Burger is not only do they have six draft lines (with 1-2 rotating taps), but they have over 60 different bottles of beer for you to chose. In addition to that, their menu looks quite nice! They have aps for $6.96-$9.75, 10 different burgers from $13.95-$16.95, in addition to salads and other entrees. On top of that, they have Slider Happy Hour from 4-7, and 9-close every day!

After perusing the standard menu, we let the hostess stand that we were there for the Longtrail dinner, and they led us into a nice reception type area. We were promptly brought a Wolaver's IPA, and met Dave Hunter - the Boston area rep for Longtrail Brewing Co. We also met Sammi, the rep for Wolaver's Fine Organic Ales and Otter Creek Brewing, as well as Kate the Boston area rep for Burke Distributing. It was actually a great start to the evening, as we introduced ourselves and immediately dove into the awesomeness of New England beer, and more specifically our affection for the Green Mountain State!

We actually chatted about our several visits to the Woodstock area, not to mention the Longtrail Brewery in Bridgewater Corners, VT - which we MUST add is ALWAYS worth the visit. Their food is excellent, their beer is always fresh and tasty, and you can just relax and enjoy the company of the other visitors. More importantly though, we talked in great detail about how the brewery, as well as the majority of the area, was affected by Hurricane Irene. Woodstock, VT has special meaning to Sarah and I. We typically go there once a year, on our dating anniversary, but we upped the specialness of the town when we went there on our honeymoon.

There were spicy salmon wontons, turkey meatballs, pork taquitos, and tempura fried veggies passed around before the dinner got underway, and after about 20 minutes getting to know people and snacking on the passed aps, we took our seats.

The first course was a Mac & Cheese, with a creamy beer & gruyere fondue and crisp bacon, which paired really nicely with the Otter Creek Copper Ale.

The main course required a choice - for Adam, the Beantown Burger, which featured a thick patty topped with smoked gouda, Boston baked beans and relish. For Sarah, the Veggie Burger which featured 5N sauce, and bread and butter pickles. Both burgers were also complemented by french fries and some of the best sweet potato fries we've had! Both burgers paired very, very nicely with the Longtrail Double Bag fresh off the tap.

Our final course was a mini cheesecake, topped with whipped cream and strawberries. This was probably the best paired course, as it was served with a fresh pint of Wolaver's Wildflower Wheat. The beer is subtle, soft, and smooth, and makes for a great and enjoyable beer - especially during the warmer weather months. 

All in all, the beer dinner was a great time! All the guests had a lot of fun, and left feeling full and satisfied. The brewery reps were incredibly friendly, well spoken, and definitely brought some great beers to the event. 5 Napkin Burger did a fantastic job pairing these beers with the course, and incorporating them into the dishes. They were also great hosts for this incredible event. 

If the Longtrail dinner was as successful as their previous three beer dinners, you can expect to see more happening in the near future! We will make sure to let you know when they are announced!