Getting a Beer Gut for X-Mas: A Craft Beer Pairing
It's only two days till Christmas, and more than likely you've got a list of "traditional" food to cook for the folks, the friends, or just yourself. While wandering the aisles in search of black olives, ham, pumpkin pie, or any other manner of combustibles, you might stop in the beer aisle.
Long forgotten, craft beer, with its over 125 different styles, has been a staple at the dinner table for centuries. Today for those in the know, it’s a wonderful accent to those potatoes, ham, poultry, or even peanut brittle. In an abbreviated sort of advent calendar, we offer the first in a series dedicated to your temporary bowl full of jelly. As always, if you can't find the exact beer, then look for another local beer that fits the style.
Meats (Turkey, Chicken, Ham, Bacon, or Fish): For the birds just keep it simple with Big Time Atlas Amber, Pike Tandem, Elliott Bay B-Town Brown, Pike XXXXX Stout, or a Hale's Troll Porter. If swine is more your thing (honey, smoked, or some other variation), then try your hand with a nice Baron Doppelbock, Three Skulls Pale Ale, Maritime Imperial Pale Ale, Fremont Universale, Pike Naughty Nellie, or Elysian Saison Poivre (if you can still find it). If you are more a man of the sea than the turf, consider a nice Pale Ale, India Pale Ale, or Scottish Ale. Some thoughts on scales would be a nice Pike Pale Ale, Pike Kilt Lifter, Elysian Prometheus, or Breakaway IPA.
Potatoes (Scalloped, Mashed, Sweet, Candied): Starch needs something bready like an ESB or Brown Ale. Try Big Al Local Hero #5 Mild Mannered Brown, Pike Tandem Brown, Elysian ESB, or Hale's Cream Ale.
Stuffing (Turkey, Chicken, or Vegetarian): When pairing a beer with stuffing, one has to consider the spices that go into the dressing. Parsley, sage, thyme, and a few other wholesome additives go into this soggy yet satisfying plate. If you can still find a bottle on the shelf, check out some Elysian Night Owl, Baron Pilsner, Elysian Loki, or Maritime Old Seattle Lager.
Check back in a bit for some grazing on greens, black olives, dinner rolls, and maybe later, dessert.
Cheers.
