Ann Arborites are often dismissed by outsiders as a “wine and cheese crowd,” but for at least one night, 120 of us were part of a beer and cheese crowd as participants in the First Annual Beer and Cheese Throwdown sponsored by Jolly Pumpkin Café & Brewery, 311 S. Main, and the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board.

The competition raised $1,200 for the community garden program of Avalon Housing, a local nonprofit that provides homes for low-income individuals in Washtenaw County, and featured the creations of nine local chefs paired with beers from Jolly Pumpkin, Grizzly Peak, and North Peak breweries.

Winning chefs were selected by the overall crowd as well as by a panel of six judges, including yours truly. Vinology was the People’s Choice, while Logan took top honors from the judges, who also selected Evans Street Station and Jolly Pumpkin as their No. 2 and 3, respectively. The winners were forced to wear Wisconsin cheeseheads for a photo op sure to make the rounds on Facebook.

Picking winners was very difficult, as there was nothing but excellent fare at every table upstairs at Jolly Pumpkin. For the epicurious, here are the featured pairings along with the notes of an erstwhile beer and cheese judge:

Corridor Sausage Co. Chefs Zak Klein and Will Branch Pork, Apple, and Sage Sausage on Gruyere Bun with Pork Rillette, Onion Marmalade and Gruyere “Easy Cheese” paired with Jolly Pumpkin Bam Biere [View image]

Sweetness from the apple in the sausage and mild Gruyere nicely complemented the sourness of the Bam Biere.

Evans Street Station Chef Alan Merhar Baby Fingerling Twice-Baked Potato with Crispy Pancetta and Kobe Meatloaf paired with North Peak Siren Amber Ale [Image fail]

Pancetta along with the dollop of spicy catsup provided a nice counterpoint to the Siren; clever “meat and potatoes” dish.

Silvio’s Organic Pizza Chef Silvio Medoro Aged Parmesan, Porchetta, Rapini, Hot Giardiniera Pepper, and Fresh Tomato Pizza paired with Jolly Pumpkin La Roja [View image]

Heat from the giardiniera, breadiness of the crust both contrasted with La Roja’s sourness — parmesan somewhat lost.

Grizzly Peak Chef Neil Diebold Limburger Pretzel with Cipollini and Strawberry Preserve paired with Grizzly Peak Berserker Strong Ale [View image]

“Pretzel” doughy and hard to break open; strange to say, a little more limburger may have helped stand up better to the heavy slap of the alcoholic Berserker.

Jolly Pumpkin Café & Brewery Chef Maggie Long Cheddar Hushpuppies with Heirloom Tomato Jam paired with Jolly Pumpkin Luciernaga Pale Ale [View image]

Crispy hushpuppy and the jam’s tartness went nicely with Luciernaga, one of JP’s finest sour ales.

Logan Chef Thad Gilles Ginger Snap Cookie with Raspberry Framboise Marscapone paired with Jolly Pumpkin Madrugada Obscura Stout [View image]

Crispness and “lightness” of the ginger snap eased the heavy bitterness and sourness of the stout; fresh raspberry provided a nice additional touch of sweet atop the marscapone.

Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board Chef Sara Hill Wisconsin Smokehouse Blue Cheese Salad with Bacon, Candied Pecans, and Pears paired with Jolly Pumpkin Beliportago Brown Ale [View image]

Sweet “maple” taste of the Beliportago complemented tartness of blue cheese while picking up candied pecan and pear. Mmm, bacon.

Vinology Chef Jim Leonardo Crispy Chicken and Jack Spring Roll with Soy Tamarind Peach Chutney, Basil Arugula Salad in Miso Dressing paired with Jolly Pumpkin Weizen Bam Wheat Ale [View image]

Great mélange of different textures and flavors very nicely complemented by dryness of the Weizen Bam, though mildness of the jack with morel and leek cheese is lost in the many other great flavors

Café Habana Chef Heath Barbato Boniato Stuffed with Chipotle and Dried Cranberry White Cheddar and Coriander Smoked Duck with Peach Jam paired with North Peak Archangel Summer Cherry Ale [View image]

Spiciness of chipotle and duck cut by sweetness of the jam and the cherry in the Archangel.

David Bardallis is a freelance writer and editor, blogger, bon vivant, and man about town. Visit his Web site, DavidBardallis.com, to engage his services or read his latest. Email him at annarborbeer@gmail.com or follow @dbardallis on Twitter.