I have always loved brunch. To me, there is something kind of wonderful about taking your time on the weekends and enjoying a relaxing, late morning meal with family or friends. This past weekend, I was able to enjoy the Epic Oktoberfest Brunch at Faustina featuring beer pairings from Epic Brewing Company.

What would brunch be without a mimosa? I’m not certain, but Faustina and Epic made sure that I didn’t have to endure such a traumatic situation. The mimosa’s served were made with Epic’s Belgian Wit Beer with orange peels and blood orange puree. It was light and a great starter cocktail to sip while chatting with other brunch goers.

The first course we were treated to was peach crepes (made with Utah peaches) paired with Brainless on Peaches. Brainless on Peaches is Epic’s Brainless Belgian aged with organic peach puree. The sweet fruit crepe and tart taste of the beer made a wonderfully balanced first course.

The second course was a reinterpretation of the traditional “bacon and eggs”. Not only was the egg poached in the beer it was served with (Cross Fever Amber Ale), but it was also accompanied by a pancetta disk, sliced avocado, and some of the most amazing polenta I’ve ever tasted. The Cross Fever Amble Ale with its rich, nutty flavor rounded out this wonderful course.

For the third course, a sous vide pork belly with pumpkin gnocchi, quail egg, and apple gastrique were brought to us. I must confess that I didn’t know what “sous vide” meant or what “gastrique” was. I learned that “Sous vide” is a cooking technique in which food is sealed in an airtight pouch and cooked for a long period of time (at least a day, but maybe longer) at a low temperature. This technique prevents overcooking and allows the meat to retain tenderness and flavor. A gastrique is a thick sauce made by reducing vinegar (or wine) with sugar and fruit. Paired with Epic’s Imperial Pumpkin Porter, this course was absolutely my favorite. It had all the flavors I want in a fall dish: a savory meat, a little taste of something sweet, and of course, pumpkin.

When the dessert of dark chocolate & raspberry pot de crème and pistachio scone was placed before me I was skeptical because it looked so rich and I’d already eaten so much food! Followed by the Big Bad Baptist Imperial Stout, I realized that this dessert was perfectly matched with the beer. The Big Bad Baptist Imperial Stout is Epic’s Imperial Stout aged 4-6 months with cocoa nibs and dark roast coffee beans. Every different release of the beer features a different dark roast coffee from a local vendor. This particular release was made with coffee from Caffe Ibis. By the time our brunch concluded I was not only able to enjoy some incredible food and drink, but I learned more about Epic Brewing Company, and I was able to visit with some other local foodies! Be sure to check out brunch at Faustina – 454 East 300 South, Saturdays and Sundays from 9am-3pm. If you’re looking for a locally crafted beer, Epic is available at state liquor stores and at several local restaurants. My recommendation is that you make the time to stop by Epic Brewing – 825 South State Street. My husband and I enjoyed the Big Bad Baptist Imperial Stout so much that we picked up a couple bottles to be served with dessert when we had some friends over recently. In addition to picking up a wonderfully crafted beer you can visit with the staff at Epic, learn more about their beer, and support a local business!