At a somewhat quieter than usual Beer 101 tonight, I had the chance to talk with the chef and tweak the pairings as I went along. I was quite pleased with the results….
Seafood Gumbo with Olde Towne Amber
If you haven’t had gumbo, you haven’t lived. Get some now! This pairing just confirmed my already solidly set perception that Amber Ale is probably the most flexible beer style – the mellow sweetness and subtle hops balanced off the seafood richness and chili spice of the gumbo, without squashing any of the subtle flavours or developing any harsh or “off” notes. Simply delicious.
Spicy boiled shrimp on a fried green tomato with remoulade, with Good People Pale Ale
The briny sweetness of the shrimp found a perfect foil with the malt sweetness of the beer, while the spices and hops danced an exquisite tango of polite one-upmanship. Utterly brilliant pairing.
Trout a la Meuniere with buttered pasta, with Terrapin Golden Ale
The Golden Ale is my go-to beer for creatures that live in water. It has a gentle sweetness that never overwhelms the delicate taste of white fish, while also playing nice with shellfish in a non-spicy setting. The Golden also helps to cut the butter richness, refreshing the mouth and leaving you eager for the next bite.
Southern-Style strawberry shortcake, with Good People Coffee Oatmeal Stout
Stout is my go-to beer with dessert, especially the Good People coffee stout which has echoes of a really fine cup of coffee with rich cream. What more can you ask for with dessert?
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Beerlicious articles by Stuart Carter, stuart@beerlicious.net is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.
