About 90 people experienced the Black Plague last Wednesday. The India Pale Ale was served up at Barons Market in a Backroom Beer Pairing that featured Black Plague Brews matched up with food items on the concrete loading dock behind the store in a makeshift speakeasy.
All proceeds from the beer pairing event are being donated to Alpine Education Foundation.
The event was part of a larger education fundraising initiative with all eight Southern California Barons market locations hosting similar events in different neighborhoods with proceeds going to local schools.
Barons Senior Vice President Rachel Shemirani said in an email that the Backroom Beer pairing is an opportunity for the company to celebrate charitable spirit while giving back to local schools.
“Barons is, and always has been, a community-based market focused on bringing the neighborhood together,” Shemirani said.
Alpine Baron’s Manager Merlyn Abrams had traded in her green apron Wednesday night for a gothic-inspired costume that added to the theme of the event. She checked in registered attendees and chatted about the different brews being offered, including Hazy Scandal IPA, 1347 and Tony Hawk’s signature Birdhouse IPA.
“San Diego is such a big microbrew town,” Abrams said.
“We usually see some of the same people at all of our events, the locals who like to get together with friends for an evening. This one is really special though because it benefits Alpine Education Foundation and we all love to support our local kids.”
At $15 per ticket, the event raised over $1,000 to be donated to Alpine Education Foundation, a volunteer, non-profit organization.
Outside on the concrete back patio, Baron’s employees had decked themselves out for the night in costume pieces reminiscent of the artwork and names of the sample beers they handed out to attendees.
Baron’s employee Beth Heimerdinger stood in her all-black outfit and dark wig and handed out miniature glass tankards of Hazy Scandal IPA paired with five-cheese flatbread while describing the sample brew as having robust fruit flavors like papaya.
The customer who accepted the sample responded that it was perfect with pizza and going to a good cause so it was a win for everyone involved.
