Which came first — the chicken or the keg?
A Brooklyn-centric celebration of the symbiotic relationship between chicken keepers and home brewers is coming to Brooklyn Brewery, where participants will revel in the odd fact that beer can help make omelettes.
“We are trying to foster more connections and close loops in the food system,” said Robin Burger, events manager at local edibles advocacy group Just Food, which has dubbed the event Kegs and Kluckers.
Frosty beer and frittatas are connected because the spent barley and grain used in the beer-making process is the perfect snack for our fine feathered friends. But, too often, said Burger, brewers throw the grain out and it goes to waste.
“It is something not everyone knows about, and we are trying to change that,” said Burger. “Chicken keeping and home brewing are two things everyone loves, so they are usually receptive to hearing how they can help.”
The event is a fund-raiser aimed at supporting Just Food’s City Chicken Campaign, where the group helps schools, community gardens, and other groups establish chicken coops.
The party will include tastings from restaurants including Urban Rustic, 508 Gastrobrewery, and Saltie. There will also be an “egg Olympics” with events such as an egg toss, an egg relay, and a deviled egg making competition. And, of course, there will be plenty of beer consumption, courtesy of Brooklyn Brewery and a smattering of homebrewers.
Kegs and Kluckers at the Brooklyn Brewery (79 N. 11th Street between Berry Street and Wythe Avenue in Williamsburg, www.justfood.org). July 14 at 7:30 pm. $25.
