The holiday seasons are upon us, and let’s be honest, we’re all eating a little more than usual compared to the summer months. Sometimes, however, we have a drink with that food, and the two don’t really mingle all that well. I was thinking maybe I could help out a little with that. I’ve found a few good beers and what types of foods would shine alongside them.
BrewDog is a brewery from way across the pond in Scotland, but since originally opening their doors have opened other locations such as Ohio. They also have a sour specific location which specializes in, and mostly just focuses on, pale ales. I’m kidding, they make sours. This branch of the brewery is called OverWork, and one of their releases is titled Cosmic Crush Boysenberry. This beautiful red sour is brewed with brettanomyces and lactobacillus, which sound pretty far out, but are actually just specific microorganisms. When these little yeasty boys are added to the brewing process, they give the eventual beer some funky flavors. Boysenberry Crush is acidic in just the right amount for a sour beer, and at 6% ABV goes down like juice. They add a whole mess of the berries into the barrels and it really shows in the visuals, the scent of the beer, and the fruity, fruity taste. This kind of beer is going to go great with foods that use a lot of spices or just generally spicy flavors. The sweetness of the beer cuts back on the other flavors of the food without taking anything away from the food itself. It would also go well with any fruity foods like a dessert which uses fruit, or a salad with a raspberry vinaigrette.
Rhinegeist is one of those breweries that makes beers in a wide variety of styles, and most of them succeed pretty well. Dad is an amber ale, which if you’re unfamiliar, is going to be similar to a Fat Tire or a less malty Oktoberfest. Rhinegeist Dad uses a few really popular hops and malt varieties to give it a well-rounded flavor profile. The Sterling hops give it a little bit of holiday spice, and the Cascade hops add some citrus. Being a “middle ground” beer, as I like to call it, it’s a little hoppy, and a little malty, and not extreme in any direction such as being too bitter or sweet. Beers like this one really go well with so many foods. Everything from burgers to wings to pizza are very friendly with amber ales. They make for great bar food beers.
If you’re looking for something to start your day off right (if beer for breakfast is the mood for that day), you’re on the right page. Founders has once again taken one of their winners of a beer and tweaked it to give it an entirely different vibe. In the past, the wonderful people over at Founders have aged their beers in all sorts of barrels to give us bourbon barrel ales, coffee stouts, and maple barrel aged beers. This time, they took their Dirty Bastard and turned it into the French Toast Bastard, and as far as I’m concerned, the name alone is enough to pique my interest. They take their bourbon barrel aged scotch ale, and add maple, cinnamon, and vanilla to the mix. What ends up in your glass is what I can best describe as an 11% ABV beer that looks and smells like thin maple syrup. I’ll be honest, it tastes quite a bit like it, too. I can’t imagine a better beer to pair with pancakes or french toast, other than possibly another creation by Founders, which is their Canadian Breakfast Stout, another maple barrel power hitter, but that beer is for another day. The taste is without a doubt fantastic, and all of the flavors of the added ingredients are prominent in the finished product, but I must admit that even as a lover of dark beers made with sweet ingredients, this one does toe the “this beer is too sweet” line. If you are also a fan of big, dark, sweet beers, I would suggest you seek out this beer. Even if you just have a sweet tooth and have been looking for a beer to pair with breakfast, this one could be right down your alley. I would also say this beer, and most porters and stouts in general, are going to pair well with dishes that are grilled or smoked, as well as salty foods. The sweetness of this one specifically might play well with a braised pork? I’m no chef, but it sounds good, anyways.
-by Josh Helton
