Basil Lee and Kevin Stafford of Finback Brewery in New York City are fresh off a transatlantic flight. They’ve found themselves in a garden on a blindingly sunny morning in Copenhagen. The flight was long and there was maybe some wine involved. But they’re ready to get to work once the coffee kicks in.
They’re headed to Brewskival in Helsingborg, Sweden, but have arrived a few days early to squeeze in some collaborations, one of which is with Broaden & Build. Chef and owner Matt Orlando is part of that team. When it comes to Broaden & Build’s beers, his culinary background tends to impact the recipes in some manner.
And that’s why all three of these guys are standing here at Amass (Orlando’s restaurant of six years), trading in hoses and boots for scissors and sunburns. Fennel grows abundantly in the garden, which is a good thing: they need a bunch of it for a Double IPA.
After half an hour or so of trimming, the pale green umbrellas begin to spill over the edges of their vessels. Friendly banter spills out as well amongst the tall, spindly herbs. The scissors never leave their hands.
