A Toast to The Perfect Pint's First Anniversary

Craft Beer + Fine food = Good Times...

It's a simple and straightforward equation that guided Alec Tempongko and his partners behind the concept of The Perfect Pint. A year later, the concept remains a winning formula as The Perfect Pint celebrates a milestone in its advocacy of serving the very best local craft brews paired with fine food.

Chef Gene Gonzalez and Alec Tempongko (L), joined by local brewmasters and other partners, raise a toast to a year of perfect brews and fine food. On tap that evening, new local brews created by The Perfect Pint and some of the country's noted local craft breweries were sampled to the invited guests. Good times.  

As more guests arrived, the kitchen was fired up as noted Chefs Gene Gonzalez, Gino Gonzalez, and Toto Erfe prepared the evening's new signature dishes specially created for the anniversary celebration. Each dish is curated and paired with the best local brews, starting with the Scotch Eggs (R) paired with The Holy Grail IPA by The Perfect Pint.  

The clean and crisp notes of The Holy Grail IPA tempered the richness of the Scotch Eggs, cleansing the palate bringing out the delicate flavors of the creamy eggs. An excellent starter to kick off The Perfect Pint's first anniversary celebration. Chef Gene Gonzalez then served his second dish, Tuna Tenders, and things started to pick up at The Perfect Pint. At first glance, the Tuna Tenders looked like nothing out of the ordinary, but one bite changes all that. Chef Gene Gonzales uses tuna testicles, giving this dish a unique texture and flavor. The richness of the dish is perfectly balanced by the sharpness of the chili vinegar dip and the tomato onion salsa, washed down perfectly by the 34th Pursuit IPA by Joe's Brew. In just one year, The Perfect Pint has served close to 70 brands of fresh local artisan craft beers on tap, said to be the most number of local craft beer variants in any local gastro-pub in the country.

The 34th Pursuit IPA is a light, golden amber colored beer with clean and refreshing hoppy notes that cuts through the rich flavors of the unique Tuna Tenders served that evening. The soothing brew delivers subtle citrus, floral, and tropical notes with a supercharged layer of hops for a flavorful punch. One of the newest craft beers from Joe's Brew, a pioneer in the local craft beer movement, the new brew is a welcome addition to their line of signature craft beer which includes the Fish Rider Pale Ale, Sierra Madre Wheat Ale, and Soothsayer Pale Ale.

The Perfect Pint's advocacy of supporting local craft beer is seen and experienced in each round, and indeed, "local is the new premium." The emerging popularity of craft beer is a positive indication of an evolving consumer palate, and infinite possibilities. Chef Gino Gonzalez (L) then announced the third dish, as the celebration continued...

Crispy Corned Beef, thin shreds of crispy premium beef with a subtle briny note and a whisper of gentle heat. The comforting dish delivers bold beefy notes, with a texture that's just perfect with a round of craft beer. The contrasting crisp and chewy textures releases rich and juicy notes, as you go for another bite. And another. Imagine this dish with garlic fried rice and eggs...

A round of De Puta Madre from Crows Craft Brewing Company is then served, an extremely hoppified Double IPA with bold and intense flavors. This brew isn't shy at all, even the name says it all. Flavor-forward, upfront, and definitely not for the timid. The robust notes of the Double IPA pairs well with The Perfect Pint's hefty Steak N Frites or some savory pork ribs. Things are definitely looking good in the local brewing scene...

Chef Gene Gonzalez then takes a break from the kitchen, for a quick round with the group. The Perfect Pint's decision to tap Chef Gene Gonzalez and his son, Chef Gino Gonzalez, proved to be a winning choice. One of the country's noted chefs, Chef Gene Gonzalez was responsible for the dazzling array of signature dishes paired with local craft beer during The Perfect Pint's first year of operations. The Perfect Pint has, in a way, successfully promoted and embedded the craft beer and food pairing culture in the country offering diners a new experience. And you can expect even more as The Perfect Pint goes on its second year, as more new dishes were served...

The Korean-inspired Bibimdog (L) lends a rich and flavorful twist with its distinct Asian notes for a new flavor experience, and the classic Pastrami Sandwich (R) brings the rustic and comforting flavors of brined beef for a satisfying light meal. And both pair well with your favorite local craft brews.

The parade of the country's best craft beers continued with The Perfect Pint's Hoppy Road IPA, a single hop IPA with a medley of mango, lemon, citrus, earthy pine, tropical fruit, and herbal notes. Inspired by the famous photo of the Fab 4 crossing the iconic Abbey Road, The Perfect Pint's Hoppy Road delivers a sharp yet clean bitterness with a refreshing finish. The Perfect Pint also has another new variant, Here Comes the Sun Summer Ale, made with flaked barley and wheat malt spiked by a refreshingly tart cherry flavor. The boundless creativity of the local craft beer movement is impressive, and you can credit The Perfect Pint and Alec Tempongko as one of the key drivers behind the surging popularity of local craft beer.

The Mala Hierba IPA is another bold flavored and intensely hoppy brew from Crows Craft Beer Brewing Company, with distinct, sharp and herbal notes. Like the Puta de Madre, nothing is held back in terms of flavor. And like a "bad weed", the dominant yet refreshing notes of flavorful hops linger long after the first sip.

It's the prefect craft beer for the next dish, an Asian-inspired crispy noodle dish, The Tasty Medusa (L), with its rich layers of flavors from cilantro, fish sauce and crispy dilis. The hoppy notes also pair well with the Baby Baby Back Ribs (R), served with a Japanese-style mashed potatoes infused with sweet corn.

A round of St. Francis the Bearded Regional Stout from Baguio Craft Brewery signaled the arrival of dessert. The heavy-bodied stout releases a bold cocoa flavor and fragrant chocolatey aroma, perfect with The Perfect Pint's Chocolate Smores...

...or the new Panna Cotta with Beer Caramel (L), a velvety smooth and silky indulgent dessert that melts in your mouth; and the unique Salted Egg Banna Fritters (R), with the subtle notes of salted egg adding to the richness of the dish. From starters to mains and desserts, there's a craft beer that's perfect with it at The Perfect Pint.

Chef Gene Gonzales then shared his own brews, adding to the night's festivities. The first anniversary isn't only a milestone, it's a celebration of local craft beer. And as the local craft beer scene continues to grow and evolve, you can bet Alec Tempongko, Chef Gene Gonzalez, and The Perfect Pint will be there, in the middle of it all. 

The vibrant red hue of Cafe Ysabel's Red Ale (L), with a subtle smoky hint from kaimito twigs, and the espresso-infused Midnight Brew (R), are just some of the creative brews from Chef Gene Gonzalez. And you can expect to hear more from his special brews at The Perfect Pint.

One more beer for the road, a refreshing Twist and Stout to cap the festive evening (for more on Twist and Stout, The Holy Grail, and The Perfect Pint's homebrews, check out my previous post here at http://dude4food.blogspot.com/2015/04/the-holy-grail-and-twist-and-stout-at.html). Other new brews on tap that evening included 3 Hops and a Hop from Katipunan Craft Ales, Imperial Capital IPA from Cebu's Great Island Craft Brewery, and the Doppelganger Dubbel, a Belgian-style brew from Beerology Manila. "Since we opened, we've seen a sea of change in the burgeoning local craft beer scene. Our brewers, including our home brews, have improved to a great extent because really, these hopheads are an adventurous lot, so the bar of excellence is continuously being raised. And as our consumers graduate from weizens to pale ales to IPAs, we have also seen them try out our other equally exquisite food pairings to go with these," explained Alec Tempongko. Craft Beer + Fine Food = Good Times. Things are definitely looking good for The Perfect Pint, and the local craft beer movement. Here's a toast to even more good times ahead...

The Perfect Pint is located at the Second Floor, Crossroads Building, 32nd Street, Bonifacio Global City or call 823-1320 for inquiries and reservations.

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