HopHeadSaid Food Pairing Blog

Beer Pairing Advent #24: Santa Baby

12/24/2013

The last installment of in the 2013 beer pairing advent series is the 1953 classic Santa Babay.

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Sexy or Sassy? t's hard to tell, but I do find it interesting that an obvious gold digger can be so persuasive. Yes, baby, I will buy you a convertible.

I'm not sure this beer will help you answer the sexy or sassy question but it will certainly sooth your soul. Merry Christmas!

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Beer Pairing Advent #23: Sugar Cookies

12/23/2013

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Today's advent surprise finally gives us an alternative to dipping your cookies in milk!

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Click for image for recipe.

Sugar cookies are a Christmas favorite in many homes and mine don't look anywhere near as good as these beautiful Cooking Classy cookies.

This holiday porter from Bison Brewing is full of, wait for it . .. ... ginger... and a whole bunch of other holiday spices. This is what makes it a great pairing for sugar cookies. All of those spices will complement the cookie creating a taste experience with a sum greater than its parts.

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Beer pairing Advent #22: Blue Christmas

12/22/2013

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We are getting towards the end of this year's advent calendar and I'm starting to feel a little blue as I realize there are only a few more days of this goodness left.

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I promise I won't dwell on the whole being blue thing after this sentence because the beer I have paired with this will make everyone happy. Isolation Ale from Odell Brewing Company is malty for all the malty beer folks, no spices were used in the brewing for the "I'm-so-tired-of-spiced-beer" folks and enough hops to clean everything out for all us hopheads. At 6% a couple of these will certainly warm you from the inside out!

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Beer Pairing Advent #21: Figgy Pudding

12/21/2013

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Today's advent surprise is the popular English Christmas dessert and one of the only verses a group of second graders can sing together, in time... Figgy Pudding.

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Click image to learn more about Figgy Pudding.

If you do a web search you will find many examples of figgy pudding. It seems, you can put just about anything in a figgy pudding and prepare it anyway you like. The link above will take you to a recipe and give you a historical perspective from which to enjoy this dessert.

...or if you would like some Piggy pudding...

Samuel Adams Holiday Porter is the perfect pairing for this rich dessert. The roasty notes in the porter will resonate with the caramel/burnt notes (from the flambe or baking or frying) in the pudding. The spices used in brewing will also resonate with the spices used in the pudding.

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Beer Pairing Advent #19: O' Holy Night

12/19/2013

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If you are a Christmas Carol purist or if you get offended easily OR you think festively plump kids being zapped with a cattle prod is wrong then I suggest you don't read today's Advent entry.

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I know this is the second South Park entry this year but I couldn't exclude Mr. Hankey or Cartman. I hope that you'll take the season into your heart and forgive me for this.

These pairings were so much fun. On the one hand you have the epitome of festively plump, Old Fezziwig from Samuel Adams. This is one of my favorite seasonal beers and it pairs really great with all the holiday desserts that make Christmas so tasty.

On the other, you have Jewbelation from Shmaltz Brewing Company. A perfect pairing for all you Kyle fans out there. I can imagine this time year is difficult for you, however, this beer and it's 17% ABV will bring a little joy back into your day and smooth your way into a long winter's nap.

A big shout out to my friend, Rick, who reminded me of this beer. Without his suggestion this inspired pairing would not have happened.

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Beer Pairing Advent #18: A Christmas Story

12/18/2013

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Today's beer pairing Advent brings you the classic of Christmas classics, A Christmas Story - the Grinch doesn't even get a 24 hour screening.

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There are just too many great scenes from this movie and I can't even pretend that I can pick a favorite -they are all great!

BTW, if you haven't ever lived where it is cold, this really can happen. I'd like to say I didn't accept the triple-dog-dare but the scar on my tongue tells another story.

This rule holds true today. I won't ever buy my kids a gun so the whole shooting your eye out doesn't fit but the theme does.

"No, you can't climb that tree. You'll fall out, break your arm, and poke your eye out on a stick."

You may or may not be surprised that there are quite a few A Christmas Story themed beers out there. However, my favorite pairing for this movie is Karbach Brewing's Yule Shoot Your Eye Out.

It combines two of the best movie themes, fishnet stockings and target practice. The only thing they missed on the label is "Oh, fudge!", and "Fa, ra, ra, ra, ra", and a decoder ring, and, and, and...

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Beer Pairing Advent #17: How the Grinch Stole Christmas

12/17/2013

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All the beer geeks in town liked Christmas/Winter Specialty Spiced beers, AKA BJCP sub-category 21B, a lot.

But the Grinch (bu, buh, bum) who was drinking rice-laden macro swill, did not.

The Grinch hated this season, the whole winter specialty spiced beer season.
Now, please don't ask why. No one quite knows the reason.

It coulda been that pumpkin pie spiced latte cream ale,
Or maybe it was that vanilla extract laden American light lager,
Both of which, coated his palate and tasted kinda stale.

But I think the most likely reason of all,
May have been that his only experience with Christmas/Winter Specialty Spiced beers, was a $4 six-pack masquerading as craft beer.
That's all.

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I'm of the age that I can not distinguish between -much less pick my favorite version- of How the Grinch Stole Christmas. I can't even read the story with out the movie cadence. I can ,however, read the book without singing any Who song.

Santy Claus, why?
Why are you taking our Christmas Tree? Why?

Because it was used on last year's label and now we need to draw a new one for this year, that's why.

Anchor Brewing's Christmas Ale has a similar hold on me. I can't remember there ever not being an AB-Christmas Ale and I certainly can not pick my favorite year. I am just like living in the moment and I am looking forward to drinking this year's offering.

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Beer Pairing Advent #16: Fruit Cake

12/16/2013

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Today's advent surprise is fruit cake! You know, that 5 pound loaf full of nuts and dried fruit that sits alone, on the counter for several months, just begging to be put out of its rejected misery.

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Photo from Simply Gourmet.

I won't go on and on about the bad fruit cake especially since I found this tasty looking one at Simply Gourmet. This cake is full of the spices and just a little bit of booze!

However, if you aren't the baking type may I suggest the best commercial fruit cakes I have ever had. Hawaiian Happy Cakes are rich, flavorful and moist. All good things right?

Full Sail's Wassail is one of my favorite winter seasonals. I enjoy drinking it, cooking with it ... did I mention drinking it?

Wassail's carmel notes will resonate with the candied fruit and dark dried fruit (and molasses if used) found in the fruit cakes. Wassail's pleasant alcohol warmth will resonate with the brandy (used in the recipe from Simply Gourmet) and the crisp hop character will help cleanse the palate after each bite.

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Beer Pairing Advent #15: Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer

12/15/2013

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Whether it's the song or the stop animation TV special, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer is a classic.

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Ahh, childhood memories of stop animation Christmas classics. Is it just me or is there any other non-Burton stop animation movies that feature other holidays?

Rumor has it, this beer used to be called Rudolph's Reserve but a brewery by the name of Rudolph already had a reserve. So they changed the name and I, for one, am glad they did. I love the play on words.

This is a strong dark Belgian ale that tops the scales at 10.5%. I am actually going to suggest that this be a pre-movie pairing because it will help dull your senses, just a bit. I just watched the first 10 minutes and I forgot how annoying Rudolph's nose is when it glows. Why does it have to have that high pitched whistle sound? If I had been drinking a 10.5% beer earlier, I may have made it 15 minutes into the movie!-)

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Beer Pairing Advent #14: Lebkuchen

12/14/2013

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Part gingerbread cookie, part cake, sometimes with jelly and coated with dark chocolate, lebkuchen is always good. My kids are developing a palate for them but they especially like the decorative from which they're served. If you haven't seen them you need to click the link below.

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Click image to order your own lebkuchen.

My favorite variety of lebkuchen is the one coated in a thin layer of dark chocolate with just a touch of dark fruit jelly hidden inside.

My favorite beer pairing for lebkuchen, especially the ones with the little spot of jelly, is a nice strong dark Belgian beer like Delirium Noel.

The dark fruit flavors (fig/raisin) will resonate with jelly filling while the sweet malt flavors will resonate with the cookie. Last, but certainly not least, the yeast spices resonate perfectly with the ginger spicing in then cookie.

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<<Previous

Beer Pairing Advent #24: Santa Baby

Beer Pairing Advent #23: Sugar Cookies

Beer pairing Advent #22: Blue Christmas

Beer Pairing Advent #21: Figgy Pudding

Beer Pairing Advent #19: O' Holy Night

Beer Pairing Advent #18: A Christmas Story

Beer Pairing Advent #17: How the Grinch Stole Christmas

Beer Pairing Advent #16: Fruit Cake

Beer Pairing Advent #15: Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer

Beer Pairing Advent #14: Lebkuchen

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