Beer Pairings

While the possibilities go on and on, here are a few beers that we’ve engaged in pairing experiments with.  Our good friend Gary Zapel has spearheaded this effort.  He is an avid beer collector and is inspiringly humble in manner.  His knowledge of beer is astounding and his collection (which includes beers that far pre-date CDs) is no less astounding. Notes followed with “(GZ)” are Gary’s.  Surely this list will grow over time. The possibilities are so expansive.  Here’s a start though.

Samuel Smith’s Organic Lager

This weekend I paired a Samuel Smith’s organic lager with some slices of your sausage. One word…Perfect.” (GZ)

Lindeman’s Faro

“This geuse and the sausage work as opposites to each other. The sweet/sour beer cleanses the palette and thus brightens the flavor of each slice consumed after a sip. Because of the cleansing action, each slice packs the flavor wallop of the first and elicits an involuntary -mmm-”(GZ)

Dogfish Head  

“The Raisen D’etre” The Raisen D’etre is a dark ale and, with the Trufa Seca, is a wonderful combination.”“Suggestions of sweetness and hint of fruit compliment the silky unctuousness of the meat…..These are not opposites, they both provide full mouth feel,  for a decadantly rich tasting pleasure….(GZ) Think sitting by the fireplace as evening descends, glass and plate handy….(GZ) Enjoy this before dinner…step away and resume… you may want to skip dinner and have another round.” (GZ)

New Holland “The Poet”

“A robust beer with a carmelized flavor and no bitterness combined well with the robust sausage. The beer had a beer version of tannin which tends to cut through the fat and balance out the flavors. We thought that possibly any oatmeal stout would function as well” (GZ)

A Little Breakdown By Season:

Summer / Spring

420 Extra Pale Ale – Sweetwater Brewery (Georgia)

Fall

Saison Du Buff – Dogfish Head Brewery (Delaware)
Copper Legend – Jack Abby’s Brewing (Massachusetts)
Bell’s Best Brown Ale – Bell’s Brewery (Michigan)
Allagash Fluxus – Allagash Brewery (Maine)

Winter / Cold Fall

Unibroue – Trois Pistoles (Quebec, Canada)
Gaelic Ale – Highland Brewery (North Carolina)
Anchor Porter – Anchor Steam Brewery (California)

Year Round

60 Minute IPA – Dogfish Head   (Delaware)
Bronx Pale Ale – Bronx Brewery (New York)
Anchor Steam Beer – Anchor Steam Brewery (California)
Presidente – Presidente Brewery (Dominican Republic)