Beer Snobbery and Curious Foods
We took our beer snobbery to new heights over the weekend, and attended (if you can believe it) a “Winter Entertaining Beer and Food Pairing” event. And here’s what we sampled:
Victory Lager paired with buffalo wing cheese spread and multigrain baguette
Sly Fox Brewing Pikeland Pils with red lentil chili and tortilla chips
Troegs Pale Ale with Asian BBQ boneless ribs and Thai shrimp cocktail
Sam Adams Winter Lager with Landjager and Grand Cru Gruyere with a slice of artisan rye and whole grain mustard
Weyerbacher Blithering Idiot with mini gorgonzola with fig in Phyllo
Lancaster Milk Stout with cranberry Linzer bars
Whew! My left pinkie was practically twitching in the air while typing all that poofterana. Phyllo? What in the wash ‘n’ wear heck?!
Yeah, when it came to much of the food, I just nodded knowingly and prayed my gag reflex wouldn’t kick-in halfway up someone’s back. The beer, however, was why I was there…
And the standouts were Troegs Pale Ale (my favorite of the day) and the Pikeland Pils. Both featured the hops I so enjoy, but neither was overpowering. I especially liked the Troegs, and bought a six-pack to take home. And they lasted roughly two hours in our presence.
Blithering Idiot is a barleywine, and I didn’t really care for it. It tasted more like liquor than beer, and the alcohol content was something along the lines of MD 20/20. Not really what I’m looking for in an adult beverage…
I’d had the Sam Adams on several previous occasions, and don’t think it’s nearly as good as it was last year. Do they change the recipe every winter, or is it supposed to be the same? I don’t know, but I remember LOVING it last time around, and not so much this season.
Similarly, I’ve had and raved about several of the offerings from Victory Brewing. But the lager I tasted on Saturday was unremarkable. I was prepared for greatness, and instead got a mouthful of so-so. And nothing pisses me off more than a mouthful of so-so.
I’m sure the Milk Stout would appeal to porter and stout fans, but that ain’t me. Not really. I thought it had an interesting complexity of flavors, but it’s just not my thing. So, make of that what you will.
As far as the food went… the red lentil chili was excellent, as were the ribs. I also enjoyed the Landjager and Grand Cru Gruyere. I’m not 100% sure I know what it was, but thought it was mighty tasty anyway. If it’s balls, please don’t tell me.
So, that was our brief foray into yuppieville this weekend. Except for the pretentious little shitpouch we kept bumping into, who smacked his lips, blinked his eyes, and took a big dramatic reading of each beer, it was a good time.
Pass the Phyllio, or whatever.
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I agree with you on the Sam Adams. I picked up some of the Winter Lager and I didn’t enjoy it nearly as much as I did last year.
As for the Blithering Idiot…I agree with everything you said about it but I still like it. Occasionally it’s a nice change from everything normal and I’m all about doing things outside the norm, am I not? LOL
Most lagers and pils leave me wanting. Ales are definitely more my style. I am with you when it comes to assertively hopped beverages. I LOVES the barleywines.
Last year Samuel Adams winter brew was Winter White. It is my favorite beer. This year, they switched their winter beer to Winter Lager and the spring beer this year is the White. It will be called Sam Adams Spring White. It may be on your store shelves now. It is avaialable fron Jan 15 – April 15. In the Charleston, Wv area, it won’t be available for two more weeks. I know………I know way too much about this beer. Onlt becasue it is my favorite and I was totally pissed when it didin’t come out in October like it was supposed to!!!!!!!
“If it’s balls, please don’t tell me.” – funny and wise.
I agree with you on the SA Winter Ale. Just doesn’t seem as good as I remebered.
FYI, Sam Adams doesn’t own a brewery. All of their beer is made under contract at various breweries around the country. Chances are that the recipe is the same, but a different brewery made this year’s production run. Another possible explanation is that the ingredients change from season to season. That’s where the “master” in brewmaster comes into play – making beer taste the same from ever changing ingredients.
There are several wannabee beer marketing companies like Sam Adams – Pete’s Wicked is another.
Cheers – BD
Count me as another who values a well-hopped brew that tastes like beer and not fruitcake. Two other current seasonals that aren’t overwhelmed by nutmeg and sugarplums are the Magic Hat Roxy Rolles and the Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale.
I did try some Long Hammer. Tasted like the citrus thing but tasted like grapefruit. Yuck. Too bitter! Still likin’ Blue Moon so far. Man that Guiness the Germans brought me was good. They got it back again at my local place here but… I may as well taste around don’t you think?
I like a good dark beer but I guess I’m a sweetie (and no giggling)and more of a refreshing beer kinda guy. I don’t know if that’s hoppy or barley…don’t care. $8+ a six pack has affected my experimintation I must say.