Chocolate and Beer
Below is the post I published on a chocolate dinner I attended Sunday night. It’s not really about beer, nor Pavement, but I thought it a good way to fill Friday’s slot without stressing. As you’ll see, I drank an Ommegang Abbey Ale which is a Belgian Dubbel. The beer goes excellently with chocolate, but I wonder if there are other options. I currently have a Mikkeller Chipotle Porter which should go well with a dark chocolate, possibly Patric’s 70% Signature Blend or even the 75% Madagascar Sambirano Valley. I’m not sure I can go wrong with either. We are also hosting the dessert portion of a progressive holiday dinner. I want to serve chocolate cake or brownies with a lambic or kriek. There are just so many possibilities.
Which beers do you prefer with chocolate? Also, let me know what you think of the dinner described below. You may also want to keep an eye out for Patric Chocolate…
Local Smoked Pecan & Mustard Encrusted Lamb Chops with Mint-Chocolate Bread Pudding, Wilted Spinach and a Norton Wine & Rosemary Jus
When one thinks of chocolate, a Hershey’s bar comes to mind or maybe the obligatory box of chocolates in the shape of a heart. Rarely do we think “food,” but that’s what chocolate is. It’s food. We’ve just grown accustomed to adding loads of sugar (and/or high-fructose corn syrup) and calling it a treat or dessert. However, in those cases, we’re just eating sugar, not chocolate.
Columbia is lucky in that we are home to one of the very few artisanal bean-to-bar chocolate producers in the country. Alan Patric McClure is the man behind the award-winning Patric Chocolate. I’ve been lucky enough to spend some time with Alan and he is all about the food aspect of chocolate – and other foods for that matter. We once drove up to Macon just to bring back an entire Berkshire hog. His passion for food goes way past his profession. Still, it’s hard to deny the prowess of his chocolate-making.
Wine Cellar & Bistro executive chef Craig Cyr creates unique dishes you find anywhere else in Columbia. He masterfully incorporates local foodstuffs into seasonally-specific dishes that will amaze and plat with flavor in unexpected ways. Getting a chance to work with Patric Chocolate (for the second time) provided numerous possibilities, especially with Patric’s extended line of bars that now use outside flavors to augment the chocolate. This is what happened Sunday evening.
The two CoMo food commodities combined for one of the more memorable meals I’ve had since moving here over six years ago. The menu looked something like this along with my notes:
Blue Cheese Cracker with Toasted Black Walnuts & Thyme
and with Dark Milk Chocolate Fondue
Dark Milk Bar
What a start! The blue cheese dominated the the cracker but was matched with the dark milk chocolate fondue. It was an intense match enlivened by a glass of sparkling wine.
Arugula Salad with Local Coffee & Salt-Roasted Beets, Dried Cherries, Crispy
Shallots, Mocha Chocolate and a Balsamic Vinaigrette
Mocha OMG Bar
One would think that chocolate, much less coffee-infused chocolate, wouldn’t pair well with a salad. Well, one would be wrong. The bar was worked into the dressing. The coffee and salt-roasted beets and arugula had enough bitterness to stand up to the dressing, leaving us with a mouthful of a salad.
Grilled Scallop with Nibs wrapped with Prosciutto Americana, served with
Cinnamon & Cardamon-Butternut Squash Custard, Grapefruit Chutney and
Madagascar Chocolate-Dipped Candied Grapefruit
Madagascar 67% Dark Chocolate
This dish may have been my favorite of the night. The nibs created a dark stripe down the middle of the scallop one could barely make out below the prosciutto. The only way to fully enjoy this dish was to somehow shovel all the parts onto one’s fork at one time. Bitterness, smokiness, sweetness, tartness all worked together to create a symphony in one’s mouth. (Sorry. Did I overdo it?) Patric Chocolate is known for its bouquet of flavors and this dish captured them all.
Sweet & Sour Chocolate-Glazed Fried Chicken with Garlic, Ginger and Chili, served
with Stir-Fry Rice Noodles, Shiitakes, Sesame, Cabbage
and Sarsaparilla Poached Apples
Signature 70% Blend
The flavors, particularly the chocolate, shot off my fork upon the first bite. However, the saltiness of the sweet & sour sauce took over and rendered them MIA. Still, this was a great way to enjoy a little fried chicken (Alan’s suggestion for the menu).
Local Smoked Pecan & Mustard Encrusted Lamb Chops with Mint-Chocolate Bread
Pudding, Wilted Spinach and a Norton Wine & Rosemary Jus
Mint OMG Bar
Mint makes sense for lamb chops. In this case, I was surprised at what the chocolate was also able to bring to my palate. In a meal of richness and decadence, this one took the prize for most indulgent. I just wish it weren’t too uncouth to pick up the chop and suck the meat from the bone.
Banana & Nib Belgian Waffle topped with PBJ Chocolate Mousse, Caramelized
Bananas and Chocolate Ganache
PBJ OMG Bar
Of course there was a dessert course for a chocolate dinner. I had forgotten just how peanut buttery the PBJ OMG bar actually was. I was able to try early incarnations of the bar before it hit store shelves. The mousse was so full of peanut buttery-goodness that it reminded me of some of those first versions of the bar. The nibs also made the perfect nut replacement within the waffle.
As you can see, it was an impressive spread that could not fail. I’m not one to normally comment on the size of servings, but for a meal such as this, there was plenty to eat. The rounds just kept coming, putting my palate through quite a workout. In the end, all the chocolate kept both my partner and I up way past our bedtimes.
Since I am more of a beer drinker than that of wine, I washed down this fantastic meal with an Ommegang Abbey Ale, a Belgian Tripel by way of upstate New York. The malty sweetness and aromas of dark fruits paired nicely with the dishes heavier in chocolate. The Belgian yeast provided a bit of delicacy for matching the salad and grapefruit that accompanied the scallop.
If you needed a reason to buy some Patric Chocolate or to have dinner at Wine Cellar & Bistro, this menu was it. Patric Chocolate can be purchased online or at various stores around town such as World Harvest, Kaldi’s, and Hy-Vee. You may also get your chocolate fix at their website. For dinner at Wine Cellar & Bistro, check their website for hours of service and events like this one.
In the end, pay a little homage to two CoMo food favorites this holiday season.
We Had a Holiday Party of Sorts
The Saint Nicholas/flaming punch party didn’t happen, but my wife had her Women’s Studies department over for a party tonight. So, there will be no real post for Thursday. In the meantime, consider this beer I had tonight. An old ale on the low ABV side. Nice but not amazing. You won’t find it anywhere outside Missouri.
More than 10 Beer Blogs You Should Know
The beer blogging community has been good to me. I owe a huge amount of gratitude to bloggers who write about beer and then turn around an comment here and occasionally link back to this lowly space on the interwebs. It’s been a good year for me in the beer blogosphere.
So, I am submitting for your approval a list of ten 24 great beer blogs. I read many times that number, but there’s no way I could comment on them all. Inevitably, I will leave someone out who writes a good beer blog, but I mean no disrespect. These just happen to be the ten 24 beer blogs I read and enjoy the most. They are in no particular order, because you can’t rank art. Well, I’ll probably do that later this month when I rank music. Still, I picked ten(ish) 24 beer blogs you should know about and read.
Boozy Beer Blogs: Beer and Whiskey Brothers / It’s Just Booze Dancing – Already, I’m making it hard to stick to ten blogs. Both of these blogs are active and able to post a fair amount on beer while somehow maintaining a decent amount on other boozy topics. B&WB‘s most impressive trait is that they actually respond to every comment which is a lot. Their traffic is impressive, but their thought-provoking posts get people commenting. IJBD brings its game to the people by commenting all over the place, causing one to check out what is an excellent blog along the same vein as the Brothers.
The Pour Curator – For a while, I thought TPC was a one-trick pony, only writing about beer label art. However, we cross paths all the time on comment threads that have very little to do with art. He regularly demonstrates an aptitude for tackling all beery subjects with grace and accuracy. That and the beer art posts are pretty good as well.
Appellation Beer Blog – Stan Hieronymus perfectly balances high-end beer knowledge with engaging discussion. He puts topics out there, gives his two cents, and leaves room for readers or other bloggers to take the conversation from there. That there is good bloggin’. Also, he has been known to feature and idea or two from this rather confused blog you’re reading right now.
Boak & Bailey’s Beer Blog – I’ll be honest, British beer blogs used to turn me off. There’s a pretension around British beer that I don’t get, especially when so much of the beer from the UK that does arrive here is somewhat undrinkable. (Some, not all.) However, B&B have a knack for keeping the discussion both highbrow and approachable. That and they regularly engage their commenters with respect and thoughtfulness.
Living in Missouri: KC Beer Blog / STL Hops – Since there are no regular beer blogs in Middle-Missouri, I have to make due with blogs from the state’s two largest cities. Their regular reports keep me up-to-date on what’s available here. Usually, I can expect that we’ll get whatever beers Kansas City or St. Louis get within a week. If only there was a more dedicated beer blog here in Columbia like one of these great blogs.
Kindred Spirits: Lyrics, Libations, and Life / Beer on My Shirt – Few blogs align closely to what I’m doing. A lot of my readers come from one kind of blog or the other. LL&L is maybe the only blog I’ve found that covers music and beer. Plus, dude is a regular commenter. Another blogger who visits here often is the guy with beer on his shirt. I was drawn to this blog from following his quest for one of my favorite beers, Bell’s Expedition Stout. Now, he stops by and comments on both the beer and music posts.
It’s a Fucking Beer – All you need to know is in the title. The Dude took some time off recently for some filming (his day job), but he’s back and you won’t regret reading his straight-forward beer reviews.
A Good Beer Blog – Well, it’s a good beer blog. Regular features and some great insight into the craft beer scene make AGBB a must read.
R.I.P.: The Hopry – Technically, this doesn’t make the list as The Hopry is now defunct. Like the guys at New Brew Thursday, Mark Starr lets you sit in as he tasted some rare and tasty beers. Add in some music and nice video production, and you have one of the best vlogs – beer or otherwise – on the net. It was also a bonus that Starr was based out of KC, giving it that local feel. Sadly, The Hopry is no more.
Zythophile – At the front of the Oxford Companion to Beer battles, I have learned more about beer’s history than anywhere else from Martyn Cornell’s online project. I appreciate the detailed posts and the genuinely friendly atmosphere in the comments section. It’s a super-interesting read for sure.
Make Mine Potato – An avid beer nerd who trades and goes to the far reaches of Kentucky for rare beers just to provide us plenty of beer porn and to write of beery existential dilemmas or something like that. This is was my first pusher into beer geekdom.
Homebrewing Comrades: Kentucky Brew Review / The North Denver Home Brew Project – I “met” both of these bloggers over at Beer & Whiskey Bros. Since, they have been regular commenters, especially on homebrew posts. KBR is all about the bourbon and bourbon barrel, go figure. TNDHBP hasn’t posted in a while, but I “see” him all the time in comment threads. This blog chronicles the home brewing adventures of Denver suburbanites who seem to thrive on creating great beer and even greater labels.
More homebrew: Mash.Sparge.Boil / The Mad Fermentationist
Some to add to the RSS feed/Blogroll: The following are too new to me to provide accurate commentary. So, I’ll just give them the benefit of my massive traffic flow, all 100 of my page views a day. What I’ve seen so far, it’s good stuff and now just sucking more of my time, time I should be using to drink more beer.
Did I forget your blog? It was not intentional. That or you never leave comments and so I’m unaware of your existence. Let me know either way and I’ll do my best to rectify the situation. I know I’m forgetting someone, but this post has already gone longer than I originally intended.
Comments are welcome.
Session #58 – A Christmas Carol
This month’s session idea comes to us from Ed Hardy at Beersay and here’s what he had to…er…say:
The idea for me was based loosely around the visits of three ghosts to Ebenezer Scrooge, but relayed in a post about the beers of Christmas past, present and future.
What did you drink during Christmas holidays of old, have you plans for anything exciting this year and is there something you’d really like to do one day, perhaps when the kids have flown the nest?
So, we’re going all holiday up in this joint. I do love a good holiday ale loaded with frankincense and myrrh. Or something like that.
Xmas Past
For a beery memory to share, I’m going to go all the way back to last year. It’s not as much about what beer I drank, but rather about the silliness that resulted in my consumption. After a beer or two and a glass of homemade egg nog, we sat down for Xmas Eve dinner with friends and family. My wife makes the greatest Polish feast imaginable every Xmas Eve. It is easily my favorite meal of the year. I prefer to celebrate said meal with a nice beer. For last year’s feast, I chose Mikkeller’s Santa’s Little Helper.
Then, things got a bit weird…
For whatever reason, our guests that evening were not into drinking beer with this particular dinner. So, I had the entire 750 mL bottle to myself. You can probably imagine what happened after that. And if you imagined that I would go outside intent on knocking the snow off our satellite dish with snow balls only to eventually turn to climbing onto the roof in order to clear the snow by hand, then you would be correct.
Xmas Present
I’m not exactly sure how to handle this one as it is only December 2nd, meaning that this Xmas actually qualifies as Xmas Future, but whatever. I’ll at least tell you my plan. The start of our season usually happens on St. Nicholas Day (Dec. 6). Friends throw a big party with a giant, flaming bowl of mulled wine. It’s good stuff, but I always show up with some seasonal beers. Other than the Mikkeller (again), I currently have a Jolly Pumpkin Noel Calabaza, but I think I’ll take a sixer of Sierra Nevada’s Celebration Ale, assuming there’s more in the stores.
After that, my beer club has a Holiday Party/Yankee Swap/Ugly Sweater Contest planned. I’ll bring something nice to drink (possibly the Allagash Odyssey I scored at last year’s party), possibly a Boulevard gift set for the swap, and I don’t know about the sweater.
As far as our own Xmas festivities, I’ll take it easy this year on Xmas Eve. There will be no drunken roof climbing this year. I always enjoy a bomber all to myself on Xmas Day. Other than that, it will be typical beer consumption for me.
Xmas Future
I have lots of ideas for future Xmas. Let’s list them, since that’s kinda my thing this month:
- Xmas Homebrew – I want to brew a special Xmas brew on Xmas Day one of these years. Of course, it will probably have to be something that isn’t necessarily Xmas-y as it will take time for fermentation and such to occur. Ideally, I’d like to brew something big that can be enjoyed during the following Xmas as a way to start a tradition.
- Travel – One of the best Xmas celebrations I ever had was the year we visited family in California. I’d love to do a beer-themed Xmas trip one of these years. Maybe Colorado, San Diego, Asheville, Portland, Chicago, or even Belgium would all be great trips. Someday, someday…
- Neighborhood Tasting – I’ve always wanted to do a tasting with my neighbors. They all like to imbibe and have a good time. I’m the resident beer nerd. They’re always asking me about craft and homebrewed beer. I always thought it would be cool to have them all chip in and I’ll buy a load of beer for a tasting. There’s a neighborhood party and progressive dinner, a beer at each stop would be ideal.
- Beer Gifts – My wife always gets me cool and unique gifts for Xmas, but one of these years I’m going to get her to give the gift of beer. I’m thinking glassware, all-grain equipment, a beer trip, or some membership to a special mail-order club or something. Even a stockpile of beer books would be cool.
- Sharing Craft Beer with My Daughter –My three-year-old is obviously not ready for beer, but I’ve given her tiny tastes here and there. I look forward to the day I can sit down and share a beer with her on special occasions. The day we crack open a special beer I’ve been cellaring could be a lot of fun. Here in Missouri, it’s legal to serve your kid alcohol within your home. I’m not talking about getting plastered. I’m talking about sipping on a great beer and enjoying the aromas and flavors within. It will be a valuable experience where I can teach her about good craft beer. By the time her peers are all doing keg stands, she won’t want to take part unless it’s good beer.
Well, those are my Xmas beer thoughts for the past, present, and future. Be sure to check out the other posts in the Session over at Beersay. Also, have yourself a happy holidays and all that. Cheers!
On Black Friday
So, Black Friday was the day I couldn’t get a post out. Honestly, I was tired and a bit stuffed. It just wasn’t meant to be. However, I did manage to post two placeholders and today I should be able to publish two posts. Beyond that, I think I can finish out this month. There are no promises for December, though. It might be back to three posts a week, but we’ll see.
Anyway, here are my thoughts on the unofficial holiday of capitalism, Black Friday…
Can someone tell me why it’s okay to camp outside a Walmart so that one can beat down their doors and mob the store, but it’s not okay for Occupy Wall Street folks to do what they do? The crap that went on early yesterday morning makes me rather sick and ashamed to be an American. People make absolute fools of themselves for some cheap junk.
We tend to recognize our Black Friday with an old fashioned Buy Nothing Day. I left the house long enough to grab another holiday tradition from the local video shop, Team America: World Police. And that’s how we do in this house.
However, in case you’re wondering, Building International Coalitions Through Beer and Pavement does have an official stance on Black Friday. It’s cool to shop on Black Friday, but if you do, it’s best to go local. Your local brew pubs and record stores need you. Don’t bother with Walmart or Target. Keep it local this entire holiday season, in fact.
For record stores, check the Record Store Day website. Once a single day in the spring, Record Store Day has become its own movement that can be celebrated year round. I just wish there was an actual record store here where I could celebrate. Maybe the next time I’m in St. Louis or back home in Columbus, I’ll have to do some shopping.
Then, for the beer enthusiast, the Brewers Association is the place to go. I need to get down to our own brew pubs, Broadway and Flat Branch for some holiday cheer here in Middle Missouri. Check the site for the craft brewers where you live.
Thanks
I’m thankful for a lot. However, I won’t go into all that here. This blog is about craft beer and indie rock. So, I won’t go into my thankfulness for my health, family, home, etc. Those all go without saying. No, this post pays homage to the little extras that provide a little spice to life, the things for which I obsess over and blog about incessantly.
10. Improved Missouri Distribution – Since I’ve moved here and eventually became a beer enthusiast, the distribution in this state has increased dramatically. I don’t even think I can name all the breweries we’ve added in that time. Off the top of my head, I can think of Firestone Walker, Lagunitas, Stone, Founders, Ska, Jolly Pumpkin, Stillwater, and a bunch more I probably didn’t realize weren’t already available here. We currently get nearly all the important Michigan and Colorado breweries. Our west coast selections improve monthly. It’s a great time to be a beer geek in Missouri.
9. Two Clubs, Two Cities – It’s tough trying to see bands in a town such as Columbia. We’re not really gib enough for a lot of acts, but we do have options. Two clubs here are just the right size for most indie bands. There’s Mojo’s with it’s barn-like qualities and the Blue Note with its old-school dancehall/porno theater feel. And when bands don’t want to stop here, it’s not a huge deal to drive two hours in either direction to see them in St. Louis or Kansas City. This year alone, among others, I’ve seen Sebadoh (Mojo’s), Yo La Tengo (Blue Note), Beirut (St. Louis), and Wild Flag (Kansas City) in four different places. That’s not bad for an old man.
8. The Ohio Pipeline – Even though Missouri’s distribution is improving, there are still many breweries we do not get. I could do some online trading or simply buy online, but that gets expensive. Luckily, for every brewery we don’t get here, there’s a better than average chance they do get it in Ohio. Between my siblings (one who works at a Whole Foods) and my mom (who drives here once a month to see me her only grandchild), I have a steady flow of out-of-market beers to keep myself satisfied.
7. Insound – I’ve complained before that there’s no decent record store here. Thankfully, Insound is always a click away. At one point, they shipping so many records to me that the UPS lady asked my wife if I was a DJ. Hardly. No, I’m just a man with a problem, an addiction, an addiction to vinyl.
6. Glassware – A beer out of the wrong glass or even out of a bottle is just not the same as one served in the proper glass. Over the years, I have collected several different glasses in which I can enjoy some of the finest beers in the world as well as some tasty homebrew. I have various stemmed glasses for various styles of beer. I have enough conical pint glasses to serve a decent-sized party. There’s even the set of taster glasses for those who just want a small taste of a big beer. Over time and many bottles of beer, I’ve found the tulip to be the best, most versatile glass. The stem gives me something to hold onto if I don’t want to warm my beer. The bowl presents an option to make my beer warmer. The lip allows aromas to flow. Quite simply, it is the perfect beer glass.
5. The Nineties Are Still Alive – In case you haven’t figured it out, I am a child of the nineties and my musical tastes reflect as much. My favorites continue to be nineties mainstays and most of the new music sound so 20 years ago. The two best albums might be by Wild Flag and Stephen Malkmus, ambassadors for the decade. New, younger bands such as Yuck and BOAT have ’90’s written all over them despite their youth. It’s the decade that will never die. Spin and I will make sure of that.
4. My Bottle Opener – For whatever reason, I like to hold onto the bottle caps from the beers I drink. In the past, I’ve turned some into refrigerator magnets, but most just go into a drawer. Still, it’s a luxury to have an opener that opens caps without bending them. My opener does that. It’s fashioned from an old railroad spike. It’s heavy and rustic looking. My bottle opener is a conversation piece before we ever crack open a bottle.
3. 180 Gram Vinyl – I love to listen to vinyl, but I worry that it may warp or that the record won’t stand the test of time. However, with hefty 180 gram vinyl records, I don’t worry about that. One can feel the weight of a 180 gram vinyl record the way one should feel the resulting music from the grooves within. The record is so tactile anyway, it’s nice to feel some heft as you lift a disc to rest on your turntable.
2. Mikkeller, Stillwater, Jolly Pumpkin – I love breweries that push limits and don’t taste like any other brewery. These three do what they do at the highest level and often alone. Mikkeller, Stillwater, and Jolly Pumpkin are the kinds of breweries that keep my attention firmly set on craft beer. They’re always good and even when they’re not, they’re at least interesting.
1. This Blog and Its Readership – Seriously. This blog has really taken off since the Freshly Pressed moment last winter, but the continual participation and contributions from my readership have really moved me to post as often as I can. In fact, I’ve looked forward to finishing a post a day throughout November because I know that you all will respond in kind and often add to the discussion in a way that makes me think and motivates me to write again.
Thank you faithful readers and have a happy Thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving Pairings
I am here to help you with your Thanksgiving music and beer pairings to insure a happy and enjoyable turkey dinner. That and I’m filling space until this post-a-day thing is over…
Indie Rock Thanksgiving
Here are five albums you should consider playing during Thanksgiving dinner. To some, this list may look “boring,” but to those I suggest that maybe we don’t want to rock out with our cocks out or balls to the wall, so to speak. Maybe this Thanksgiving, we want to be calm and reflective. That and my wife doesn’t want anything loud playing during dinner.
Jose Gonzalez – In Our Nature
Quietly haunting and intense, this record will carry the day with this unnerving feel that have you bobbing your head slightly. However, no one will notice as the quiet, hushed tones of Mr. Gonzalez will feed your soul the way turkey cannot. That and it reminds me of fall.
Nick Drake – Way to Blue: An Introduction to Nick Drake
I usually shy away from compilations or best-of albums, but this one is done right as a retrospective of Drake’s career. Throughout, feelings of the oncoming death of winter are prevalent at all periods in Drake’s catalog. His low whisper is pleasant enough not to interrupt dinner conversations, but his masterful guitar playing provides fodder over the table.
Bon Iver – For Emma, Forever Ago
I had Thanksgiving dinner a couple of times in Wisconsin. This is what it sounded like (aside from the joyous times spent eating and getting drunk). The first time I made the trip up there, it was the last time I traveled anywhere with an old girlfriend. So, I can relate to Bon Iver’s dumping, the one that led to this album happening.
Nico – Chelsea Girl
I needed a woman mixed in here somewhere, but so many of the women I listen to are much to strong to play as background music at dinner. It’s hard to find a strong conviction in any music without interrupting the dinner. Nico’s somberness while being backed by the Velvet Underground pairs nicely with the whispery fellows on this list. That and it reminds me of Wes Anderson films that always look good at Thanksgiving.
Beirut – Gulag Orkestar
This album may be a little more bombastic than those above, but that tone fits with a raucous dinner that feels festive once familial tensions break over bread. Still, this is Beirut’s best album. It should be listened to during any feast.
Also: Sufjan Steven’s Come on Feel the Illinoise, Pavement’s Terror Twilight, Feist’s The Reminder, Beach House’s Teen Dream, Iron and Wine’s The Creek Drank the Cradle, Cat Power’s What Would the Community Think
Craft Beer Thanksgiving
Here are suggestions for each course of your Thanksgiving meal. There’s a style of beer as well as my favorite for the day. I’ll also tack on a couple of other beers that fit the profile. I’m basing this mostly on how my Thanksgivings usually go. This year will be different, but I think I can still keep up this pace.
Pre-game Warm-up: Lager (really, any kind) – Victory Prima Pils
The idea here is to awaken the senses without getting too drunk before you start. The light, effervescence of a well-carbonated lager can get your taste buds properly primed for the feast to come. I usually crack open the first one while I fire up the smoker.
Alternatives: Coney Island Lager, Great Lakes Brewing Company Dortmunder Gold Lager, Avery Joe’s Premium American Pilsner
Cheese/Appetizer Course: India Pale Ale – Firestone Walker Double Jack Double IPA
Cheeses tend to carry with them strong, pungent flavors and aromas that challenge any palate. The best beer to match a strong cheese is an IPA or DIPA. Even with softer, lighter cheeses, I find a west coast IPA brings enough fruity character that neither cheese nor beer is lost in the other. Plus, I just like IPA’s.
Alternatives: New Belgium Ranger IPA, Stone Cali-Belgique Belgian IPA, Bell’s Two-Hearted Ale
Main Course: Belgian Quadrupel – St. Bernardus Abt 12
We typically serve a smoked turkey which packs the juicy flavors we want in our Thanksgiving turkey as well as substantial smokiness. The malty Quad matches and stands up to the smoke like few other beers can. The dark fruit flavors in the beer pair with almost any food like a red wine does, but better. The Quad is the only way to go when it comes to turkey dinner.
Alternatives: Three Philosophers Belgian Style Blend, Boulevard The Sixth Glass, Straffe Hendrick Quadrupel
Dessert: Russian Imperial Stout – Schlafly Reserve Russian Imperial Stout
Dessert is going to be something chocolaty, fruity, or pumpkin/sweet potato. Russian Imperial Stouts bring coffee, bourbon, and chocolate to match and/or pair with any of these desserts. Or you could just sip on one of these beers alone for dessert. It’s the same thing.
Alternatives: Stone Imperial Russian Stout, Mikkeller Black, Hoppin Frog B.O.R.I.S The Crusher Oatmeal Imperial Stout
Digestif: American Barleywine – Great Divide Old Ruffian Barley Wine
Barleywines feature a sweetness and hop bitterness thats nice to sip, not guzzle. Of course, after all this food, sipping yourself off to sleep might be the way to go.
Alternatives: Avery Hog Heaven, He’Brew Genesis 15:15, Sierra Nevada Bigfoot Barleywine Style Ale
What will you be drinking? What will be playing on your record player (or iPod)? Do tell. Also, be sure to point out my faulty reasoning.
Designing a Beer
I brew.
As my last two batches of home brew disappear and a commercially-made beer disappoints, I begin to look to brewing another batch. Obviously, I don’t brew one batch after another like some. No, I get around to it when I get around to it. I’m starting to get that itch and thought I’d share my thought process.
After Saturday’s disappointing experience with Odell’s Woodcut No. 5, I decided that I wanted to brew a Belgian Quad. First, I had to figure out what goes into a Quad to give it that rich, raisin-y flavor and aroma. That’s easier said than done. I looked around the internet and it doesn’t seem all that clear how the flavors of a Quad are created, especially in a batch using extract. I could read this guy’s book, but I’m feeling a bit lazy and just want to figure something out. Of course, that also means that I want to play with the ingredients to make it my own. For example, I don’t think your traditional Quad contains maple syrup. So, I think I’m really just trying to make a big, dark beer with Belgian yeast.
I’ll play with some specialty grains to obtain that dark color, but the raisin flavors and aromas will be harder to achieve. I am considering a little cheating or even going the Dogfish Head route by adding raisins and figs, but it seems more complex than I might be willing to try. From what I can tell, these beers use very little in the way of hops and what they use tend to be German. Additionally, I’ll add some candied sugar. The Belgian yeast should help to create the flavor I’m after.
The above portion was for my beer/homebrew nerd readers. Comment freely and steer me in the right direction. The conversation below has to do with naming the beer.
I’ve made a point to name my beers after musicians, albums, or song titles. This beer should be dark, sweet, slight funk, and relatively boozy. So, what should I name it?
I really have no clue where to go with this one. Often, it’s where I start. For example, Wowee Zowee Double IPA was intended to pay homage to the Pavement album by the same name. It actually lived up to its namesake. Now, that I’ve identified a style and flavor profile, I have to figure out which album, song, or musician to name my new brew after. Here’s what I’m thinking…
Slint (band) – Spiderland (album by Slint) – “Good Morning, Captain” (song off Spiderland)
The darkness this album paints is best exemplified in the final track. However, I’m not sure if any of these names would make for a good beer name. Slint Quad? Who wants to drink a Spiderland? Can’ Good Morning, Captain make a good beer name?
Palace
Will Oldham’s “band” felt like the perfect inspiration for this beer. Dark and oddly sweet underneath… Of course, as I said before, I wasn’t inspired by a band for this particular beer. So, who knows whether this would work.
Blues Xplosion
I dunno. I’m stretching it a bit here. Jon Spencer would drink this brew, right? Probably not. Besides, this name should probably be saved for something more extreme.
The California Raisins
Nah.
And, that’s as far as I’ve made it. I have a long way to go. So, if you have suggestions for the recipe or the beer’s name, leave them in the comments. We’ll discuss.
Top 5 Go-To Breweries
The Beer and Whiskey Bros. provide me with a lot of ideas for beer posts here. This week’s top-5 was inspired by a post on go-to and no-go breweries. I will abstain from calling out the no-go breweries and just give you my top-5 go-to breweries, breweries that I’ll buy whenever I see their product on the shelf, in the cooler, or on tap.
5. Schlafly/Boulevard – These are the two big breweries in Missouri, Aside from that one brewery. Bothe breweries provide us with entry good beers from which to choose. Of special note are Schlafly’s bourbon barrel beers and Boulevard’s Smokestack series. Both breweries also offer nice (A)IPA’s as well as some seasonal favorites.
4. Founders – I’m not sure any brewery gets the intense flavor of every style of beer better than Founders. Their IPA’s are straight bitter with a citrus nose. The stouts and porters are blacker than night and easily some of the best in the business. The only thing I’ve found that Founders doesn’t do well is subtlety. And is that so bad?
3. Jolly Pumpkin – I pretty much always have a JP in the cellar. Whenever they put out a new brew, I am sure to grab one, despite their somewhat steep prices. A Jolly Pumpkin beer tastes like no other as they employ a wild fermentation with all their beers. Even their ESB’s and stouts are funky. We don’t get a ton of JP here, but whenever I can, I grab one.
2. Stone – This was the brewery (specifically Ruination IPA) that turned me on to craft beer. I consider them the Founders of the west (or vice versa), but they can do subtlety. At least when I pick up a Stone beer, I know every time that it will be enjoyable. This was a major get for our market this last year. Now, we have some of the best IPA’s, stouts, and barley wines available for very little money.
1. Mikkeller – Like Jolly Pumpkin, I pay an extra premium for these beers. The trouble is that we only get a few of their brews at a time. Then, one has to decide if $12 for 12 oz. is worth it. Often, the answer is yes. And they do every style imaginable, plus a few they made up. Even if I don’t like a Mikkeller beer, I will at least find it interesting.
Disappointment Leads to Redemption
I spend a lot of money on beer. Sometimes, I’ll spend a lot of money on just one beer. One such beer or series of beers is Odell’s Woodcut series. These are special brews that a small batched, one-offs with a hefty amount of booze, flavor, and cost. I assume the “wood” portion comes from the oak barrel aging they do, something they are demonstrating a great aptitude for with this series.
I’ve had a couple of the series in the past. The high price point makes me hesitate, but the rave reviews from beer nerds I trust convinced me to buy number 5 in the series, a wine-barrel-aged Belgian Quadruple. Even in the ballpark of $25, I felt it would be a nice beer to try. Part of me wanted to age it, but an opportunity to share it with a friend who appreciates such beers arose and I popped the cork open to consume.
The only problem was that there was no “pop.” After a slight struggle, the cork simply slid out. This worried me, but I poured two tulip glasses anyway. The first looked flat, so I poured the second aggressively. Yep, still flat. Normally, I would be mildly annoyed, but a beer this expensive coming out this flat was a real disappointment. I ended up finishing off most of it as my friend moved on to something else.
Why didn’t I pour it down the drain? For one, it was $25. Otherwise, it was a pretty awesome beer, even without the carbonation. Figs, raisins, cherries, assorted dried fruit dominated the beer. The oak present in this beer was nearly perfect. Some beers feature too much oak and some are too mild, every oak-aged Odell brew I’ve had is perfectly oaked. That touch of vanilla from the woods is so well-balanced that I nearly forgot the beer’s faults. The booze was there, but it was unnoticeable despite it sitting there at 11%. All this made the experience even more disappointing as it could have been one of the best beers I’ve had this year with a little carbonation.
As I normally do, I reported my beer on Untappd. I asked whether or not the beer should be flat. Some high-end, high ABV beers can be flat. However, this should not have been the case for a Quad. My Untappd reports post on Twitter where Odell picked it up right away. They suggested that carbonation may vary with bottle aging, which as a homebrewer I know all too well. However, they asked me to email them. As of now, I don’t know what they will/can do for me, but just responding to my concern is a good sign. I suspect they’ll make amends somehow. Just another reason why I love the craft beer industry.
I’ll update the story as soon as something happens.
Beer and Pavement 
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