Elite Event: Beer School at World of Beer

I’m was already a fan of #WOBGILBERT but had no idea how great the food was!!! The beer was fantastic and Hailey did a great job making this the best event this year! So glad I’m a Gilbert local and can enjoy #worldofbeer on a regular basis!!! Super fun! The deep fried pineapple and salted Carmel are a real treat! The beer pairings fit the bill perfectly !! A home run for sure

So this event has lead me to look at world of beer in a totally new way. I have been many time to the one near my place on mill for a drink and a pretzel or wings but never really the food. I have long known they have an excellent beer menu but this showed me that they have great food selections as well.
The meatballs were amazing and would love to have them again either as an app or if they can get it on the menu as a meal with some pasta. They were just melt in your mouth good. The other star for me was the dessert of the fried apple rings. That was just something so unique to have the beer battered apple with the salted caramel I wanted more of that.
The staff here was awesome as well and made sure we all had a great time.
Thanks to the staff at WoB and to Hailey for this great event.

An easy five stars! Couldn’t be more impressed with Hailey’s flair for putting on outstanding events! This night was well worth the drive. Honestly, I don’t find myself in the Gilbert area very often these days, but I’m really happy I attended this event.
The location was wonderful. The team at World of Beer was super attentive and seemed excited to have us there, which was really great. I especially enjoyed getting to hang out with some of my favorite Elites (not to mention meeting more!).
The food was yummy (especially the meatballs — those were my personal favorite!) and each course was paired to a different beer. Each beer was carefully described to us so we had a good understanding of where it came from and why it was chosen.
All in all, a wonderful night with wonderful people. It’s events like this one that make me feel particularly fortunate to be included amongst the «Elites». Thanks fellow Unilocalers, and Hailey, for doing what you do. And thanks WoB team for working so hard to make us feel welcome.

Omg we got so spoiled on this lovely evening! I love coming to world of beer so I was so excited about this event!
Not only did we get to sample different versions of their goose island beer, however we got to also sample each beer with their food as well. Everything was delicious! From the wedge salad, meatballs, to the flatbread, then the apple crisps!!! My favorites were probably the meatballs and the Apple crisps. the beer samples that were paired with each food item was just perfect. Not to mention we got to take a goose island glass home!
Thank you so much to Hailey for another great event and thank you so much to world of beer for having us!!!

Super fun intimate event!!! I didn’t even know WOB served food… but I’m glad they do because the food was delicious. We started off by playing some beer trivia and it turns out I only got one question wrong. Woot woot! It was super fun being able to talk and be in each other’s company in like a 20 feet by 10 feet area.
We all got to start out with a drink. I got the white ale because I don’t usually like bitter beer, and it quenched my thirst. Then the iceberg lettuce salad came. It was a huge salad, and it was paired with wheat ale. Both were crisp and got my taste buds going. Second, the meatballs with arugula came paired with an IPA. I like how the stronger IPA matched the stronger flavor of the meatballs. Out came the steak flatbread with another Goose Island beer. It ended nicely with dessert which were fried apple rings covered in powdered sugar and drizzled with caramel. And of course, paired with another Goose Island beer called Festivity.
I think the fried apple rings were my favorite food and the beer it was paired with. Yummy and delicious!
It was such an amazing time. The WOB was on point with everything, and they didn’t miss a step. Major thanks to them! And of course, mad props to Hailey for organizing the wonderful event. You rock! Looking forward to the next one.

Best event ever. I definitely love beer and I am already a frequent visitor of World of Beer. I also like Unilocal events so when they all merged, I had to attend. I have visited this World of Beer since they opened. I enjoy trying all of the beers and hanging out with the staff, but I typically order the same flatbread pizza every time I go. This time we had a huge amount of food, and all of it was new to me. Starting out was the wedge salad. That’s something I would never have ordered because, well, it’s a salad. It’s like drinking water. Who does that? But this was huge and very good. The vinaigrette used was the same as the one on the pizza I love so much. The meatballs were incredible. I never knew they existed and I will order them in the future. We received 2 and a little lettuce on the side. The regular order comes with 4 meatballs and has a happy hour price of $ 5. Not bad. Next was a flatbread pizza, but a black & bleu pizza. I have never had this one either, but it was awesome. To top off the night, caramel apple rings. Holy Moley. These were excellent and they will be eaten again. It’s a fruit, so it’s healthy.
The beer was of course awesome. Four beers from Goose Island, which is an excellent Chicago beer. the 312, the IPA, the Matilda, and the Holiday Festivity beer were included. I liked the 312, IPA the best, but Matilda was excellent as well.
It was nice meeting old friends and making new friends. I met Hailey for the first time, and she was cool. The swag was awesome, and our hosts JP and Lindsey were excellent. I know I will be back because well, I am usually there… but you should definitely come as well.

Amazing beer, fantastic food and great company!!! This was my first Unilocal elite event and it exceeded more than my expectations. Thank you Hailey for putting this together and making me feel so welcomed.
First off, I loved all the beer pairings with the food. We each got to pick a drink off of the happy hour menu to start, so I had some of the woodchuck gumption. Let me tell you, that cider was amazing!!!
There were four courses and out of the four courses I would have to say my top 2 picks were the WOB Wedge and the Black and Blue Flatbread. The salad had the most amazing blue cheese dressing I have had and all the lettuce was so fresh and crisp. The flatbread was perfect with the addition of the sweet balsamic glaze. They even gave me some without mushrooms since I have a light allergy.
Out of the beer pairings my top 2 picks would have to be the Goose Island Festivity and the Goose Island 312 Urban Wheat. I loved the lightness of the 312 but the Festivity was so rich which perfectly matched dessert.
Perfect event and awesome swag!!! The owners were great, the waitresses and the whole ambiance.

Another amazing Unilocal Elite event.
Thanks to Hailey for organizing, Catherine for the amazing service, the rest of the World of Beer staff for being so courteous and welcoming, and the other Elites for being such great company. The food was all excellent, and I look forward to returning to try more of the menu.
Loved the glasses we got to take home, and I plan on using them constantly to hydrate, with water and with beer. :-)

Unilocal puts on the best events! Thank you Hailey for organizing this fun evening.
I’ve been to San Tan Village numerous times and completely overlooked World of Beer. I’ll think twice about skipping over it again! We were greeted by Hailey who had a Beer Pint glass and a Beer Trivia sheet waiting for us! Catherine, our waitress came by soon after and brought me my pint selection — the Woodchuck — on the house!
Soon after everyone had gathered, the food and beer samples started coming out. First was the wedge salad & the 312 beer. This beer was by far my favorite one of the evening! It was light and refreshing — the typical Hefeweizen. It was a really good pairing with the wedge salad to kick of the meal!
Second were the Chimichurri meatballs & the IPA. I was so glad to see that these are offered on the happy hour menu because I’ll be back for them! The meatballs were very flavorful and had a bit of spice. Yet again, I’m not certain I was a fan of the IPA by itself, but when drinking it with the meatballs was so good!
Following, the third course and my favorite food course was the Black & Blue flatbread & the Matilda beer. The flatbread was tasty as the dough was soft in the middle but crispy on the outsides. My only note is that I’d like it with less of the sweet balsamic on top. The Matila was an interesting beer. While not my favorite one, it definitely had all the notes that were mentioned to us, a good choice for those who like the darker sorts of beers.
Last were the Apple Rings & the Festivity beer. What everyone has said about the apple rings is absolutely true! It was the perfect ending to this delicious meal! I’d get these over and over. The salted caramel was tasty since it was sweet but not too sweet and the rings themselves were so good!
Of course there were contests & prizes, and when we were taking off, we were offered a little goodie bag!
It was great meeting new people at the event! Thanks Unilocal & World of Beer for a good time!

(Lyrics — Tears For Fears — Everybody Wants To Rule The World)
Welcome to Unilocal life; there’s no turning back
Even while we sip; we will find
You acting on your Unilocal behavior
Have a drink on Happy Hour
Everybody wants a World Of Beer
It’s my own reviews, it’s my own lyrics (not really!)
Help me to dictate. Help me make a song
Of foodies and of rhythm
My Unilocaling will last forever
Everybody wants a World Of Beer
Free beer and food! Who’s in?! Oh… do you really have to ask?
Thanks Hailey and WOB for a great and enlightening event. I always enjoy learning about what I’m eating, but what I’m drinking is definitely better for some odd reason.
4 beer flights paired with 4 plates to tittle your palates. My favorite bite of the night had to be the Chimichurri Meatballs; I love that after kick of heat along with the sweet arugula salad on the side. As for the pairing I would the best of the night had to be the Caramel Apple Rings and the Goose Island Festivity; a sweet and crunchy dessert along with a strong stout-​like beer that borderline a coffee consistency — mmm!
Overall, service was tops and always great to see you elites out there! — Enjoy!

Wow just wow. This was a fantastic event. The staff was so helpful and friendly. The food was amazing. The beer pairings were exceptional and really drew out extra flavors in the courses. My favorite food was the meatballs. I’m not a fan of IPAs but the IPA that was paired with it was fabulous. They both complimented each other perfectly. My favorite beer of the night was the festive beer. I had an awesome time getting to know new people and the size of the event was the best.

What a perfect Elite Event! Bravo again to Hailey B :)
It was a beautiful evening to be sitting outdoors and indulging in Goose Island beer + delicious #WOBGilbert food. There was never a dull moment from arrival to departure — the staff and my fellow Unilocal Elites were wonderful.
Greeted with a pint glass + a happy hour pint upon check-​in — had to try the Lumberyard Pilsner since it’s an AZ beer and I’m all about drinking locally. Great refreshing beer to begin the night! Every pairing was excellent — no need to describe each as the Unilocalers before have done so eloquently. I’m very familiar with Goose Island [yay Midwest beer!], so it was cool to be able to give some insight into the brand in addition to the rep’s. Each course flowed into the next — most memorable was the Matilda beer and Black & Blue flatbread. A nice surprise was getting to try their massive [and I mean MASSIVE] pretzel on a hook. Service was out of this world — the owner, the Goose Island rep, and the servers consistently checked in on us. Hailey’s competitions — the beer quiz & best instagram pic were a lot of fun too! FINALLY I win something after a few years of going to these things :) :) :)

This was my first ever Unilocal elite event! Hailey was spectacular in organizing the event and very warm and welcoming. Thanks you for hosting Hailey!
The staff at World of Beer were also friendly and informative about the different beer pairings and our 4 course meal:
1. The WOB Wedge with Goose Island 312 Urban Wheat
2. Chimichurri Meatballs with Goose Island IPA
3. Black and Blue Flatbread with Goose Island Matilda
4. Carmel Apple Rings with Goose Island Festivity
Everything was fantastic and scrumptious, but if I had to pick, my favorite was #2. The spiciness in the meatballs worked perfectly with the crisp and refreshing taste of the IPA. We also played a beer trivia game and had an instagram photo contest with fun prizes. Even if you didn’t win, at the end of the event, everyone got some Unilocal swag to take home. I had a total blast meeting so many awesome people! :) I’m so excited to attend the next event!

From the moment I meandered from
the lot of parking to the door, I sensed an odor most magnificent, and upon entry I found naught a morsel to lack bountiful good taste. The food was most delectable, and each succulent morsel, paired with the fine nectar of robust and heady beverages, removed me from this cold and moribund state to a consciousness transcending even that of nirvana.
The service was sublime, and I was treated like a gladiator most valiant.
The parking was atrocious, but I shan’t allow such petty trivialities to impact the weight of stars I hereby grant. A full 5 stars for this wondrous occasion.

Beer and Food
Food and Beer
Would you like some Beer and Food?
Would you like the 312
paired with a WOB Wedge Salad that will do
Would you like an IPA
paired with the spicy meatballs of Chimichurri
Would you like the Belgian Matilda
paired with the Black & Blue flatbread is what they give ya
Would you like the Festivity, paired with caramel apple rings makes your mouth say yippee!
Eat them drink them here not there
Eat them drink them at a World of Beer!
Eat them drink them & you’ll see
Nothing beats a Y.E.E.
Cheers to World of Beer, Goose Island Beer and our our hostess with the mostest Hailey!

What a fun night! This has to be the most intimate Unilocal elite event, outside of a UYE, I was lucky enough to be a part of– correct me if I’m wrong, but I think there were only sixteen of us, including Phoenix CM Hailey B.
The food and beer pairings WOB offered us were delightful! Thanks again for making us feel welcome, WOB! We all were comped a full glass (my guess is 6 ounces) of our choice– I chose the Woodchuck Gumption. It was sweet, not bitter, and served very chilled– just the way I like to drink beer! (I never used to care for beer, especially in my 20s and 30s, because of its bitterness, and it was almost a decade ago that I found out I am allergic to hops. No wonder I didn’t like most beer, and I try to avoid hoppy ones, as I find them very bitter and not enjoyable at all… I do like sweeter varieties, such as Hefeweizens and other wheat beers and ciders.) I should’ve taken notes on the Goose Island beers offered; I hope my memory serves me well…
1. 312 Urban wheat ale and Wedge salad: Crisp, light ale paired well with a good-​sized salad, which could’ve been a meal itself if it came with the second-​course meatballs.
2. Pale ale and Chimichurri meatballs: I didn’t enjoy the bitter ale, but the meatballs were my favorite savory meal offering tonight. They were a bit greasy, but I was pleased with the seasonings used in this dish, and they made me forget, for the time being, anyway, the overly-​sweet balsamic vinaigrette on that wedge salad…
3. Matilda and Black & Blue flatbread: I really liked the Matilda! Beautiful color, and I enjoyed its fruity, spiced aroma and flavor. As for the flatbread, I appreciated the crispy, yet chewy texture. Perhaps I was getting full (I did stop at a coffee shop prior to this event), but I didn’t find the meat and cheese to be anything special, and then there was that sweet balsamic vinaigrette again. :(
4. Festivity ale and Apple Caramel Rings: The beer was another winner for me! I savored its sweet caramel and malty notes, as well as its creamy texture! Paired well with the crisped apple rings. I requested that the powdered sugar be omitted; the caramel syrup provided enough sweetness to the dish, and I really liked the saltiness from the coarse salt granules sprinkled over the sauce. I would order this dessert if WOB could offer a corn syrup-​free caramel! (Why use store-​bought sauce when you can make your own?)
Thanks to Unilocal Phoenix and World of Beer Gilbert for hosting this event, and special thanks to the WOB staff for providing great service all night, notably our server Catherine!

Great event featuring Goose Island beer is paired with their food. They did an excellent job and Hailey was magnificent and pulled off and excellent event. Cheers and thank you

Had a great night out at my first Unilocal Elite event with my wife! There was a beer quiz for prizes and an Instagram photo contest as well. The food & beer pairings were amazing and an excellent complement. I especially loved the Caramel Apple Rings with Goose Island Festivity Ale! I also got a glass of some Lagunitas barley wine which was fantastic (first experience having barley wine). Community leader Hailey did an amazing job coordinating the event as did the World of Beer staff in hosting.
I’d have to say though that the best part of tonight’s experience was getting to meet and socialize with other Unilocal elites! We met some great people who we are excited to see again at future elite events.
Special thanks to Unilocal and WOB for making my first elite event one I won’t forget!

Another great Unilocal Elite event! Goose Island showcased their excellent beer, pairing it with menu items from World of Beer. WOB is kind of a sports bar, so I expected sports bar-​esque food, but I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of offerings. We had a multi-​course meal, starting with a fresh chop salad (perfect amount of blue cheese and balsamic dressing drizzled over top) paired with a light crisp beer, then proceeding to some spicy meatballs (delicious) and an equally spicy beer, then going to a main entrée — the blue and black flatbread (blue cheese and steak) paired with the Matilda, my favorite beer of the night — and finishing with a spicy seasonal paired with sweet caramel apple dessert. I’m stuffed and super pleased. I’m not a fan of super hoppy beer, and Goose Island’s choices were smooth and went down like a perfectly paired wine.
We also had trivia games, raffles, and all sorts of Unilocal and World of Beer goodies! Even better, though, we had some hilarious dinner companions who taught us Tagalog over drinks, and we had some awesome servers who laughed at our horrible jokes and took the time to chat with us about the beers.
Thanks for throwing another excellent event, Hailey! We drove 55 minutes for this one, and it was worth every second. :)

My second Elite Event in two weeks, and actually my second event ever! It was amazing, cozy, and of course, scrumptious. I can’t thank Hailey, Goose Island, and World of Beer enough for putting this all together!
First of all, pre-​game. We got to choose a pint of the $ 4 happy hour drafts before the food started rolling in. Then oh em gee, did the food come rolling out:
1. Wedge salad and the Goose Island 312 Urban Wheat. The beer was very light, I don’t know my beers well but it reminded me of a Belgian White, so rather light — which I like. The wedge salad had blue cheese crumbles, balsalmic glaze, bacon, and did I mention bacon? I like bacon.
2. Chimichurri meatballs and the Goose Island IPA. Im not generally a huge fan of IPAs but, this wasn’t too bad. Would I order it again? Maybe! And that’s a lot to be said since I generally stay far, far away from IPAs. Meatballs were delish. Juicy, tender, big (yup, size matters), and I loved the spices (Chimichurri spices?) in the meatballs. It definitely gave it a very unique flavor that I’ve never had before.
3. Omg. The flatbread. And the Matilda. First of all, I loved the wooden board the flatbread was served on. The presentation really got me on this one. I’m not even gonna try to describe it cause words tend to fail me sometimes and I have pictures. I’ll let the pictures talk. And the Matilda (I do hope I’ve spelled it right). Light but a little bitter, but still amazing. By far my favorite beer of the night with probably the 312 coming in at a 2^nd.
4. Caramel apple rings with the Goose Island Festivity beer. I wasn’t blown away by the beer but I’m generally on the fence about festive beers anyway. The caramel apple rings were like Melia said, felt like something right out of the State Fair. Thick apple slices, fried in a beer batter, no less, topped with caramel glaze and powdered sugar. If your mouth isn’t watering at the thought of this, I’m sorry, we can’t be friends.
Amazing, amazing event. I really liked that it was a smaller group so everyone got to mingle but don’t get me wrong, I love the bigger events too! I’ll definitely be bringing the boyfriend by WOB next time we’re in San Tan. :)