Enlightened Brewing and Sweet Smoke BBQ team up to make beer flavors for special dinner

Enlightened Brewing Co. has teamed up with Sweet Smoke BBQ to create new beer flavors to pair with dishes Saturday at the brewery, 2020 S. Allis St.

It's a part of Enlightened's "Rough Draft" series, in which it collaborates with the community to create new flavors. When the brewery paired up with Sweet Smoke BBQ, Enlightened would make the beer, and Sweet Smoke would make dishes specially for the beer.

"Together we came up with some concepts," said Tommy Vandervort, co-owner of Enlightened Brewing. "The beer finished first. Once we tasted it, they started coming up with the flavors and dishes."

The three brews and dishes they came up with are: Get Off My Lawn lemongrass saison, paired with lime shrimp skewers over polenta; Second Summer toasted Palo Santo wood-infused ale, paired with tres leches cake; and Tasteful Nudes hazy IPA, paired with a pork sausage made with hops.

The owners said that of the beers, the Second Summer is the most unique.

"The flavor that came from the Palo Santo was a big surprise," said James Larson, co-owner of Enlightened. "We got these little sticks and toasted it up in here and that goes straight in the tank. That was a fun beer."

Enlightened has been doing its Rough Draft series for more than two years. This is the first time the brewery has paired with a food vendor.

"We've been trying to target mostly bars and restaurants for stuff like this," Vandervort said. "We love to work with bars or whoever wants to get involved. Often, breweries will collaborate with other breweries, and sometimes it's like an echo chamber.

"The ideas that come from someone who works with food everyday, that has been more fun for us to pair up with," he said.

The brews will be unveiled Saturday, Nov. 18, and will be available until they run out. They cost $10 for a flight of all three, $4 for a short pour or $6 for a tulip.

Sweet Smoke will offer its full regular menu along with the specials on Saturday from noon to 6 p.m.