Among the uber-beer geeks, there is some discussion about Session IPA's.  Is it a true stye or just hopped-up APA?  Jason and I discuss the origins of the word session and how it applies to this new and super-hip beer style.

Semantics aside, Jason and I dive head first into Firestone Walker's session IPA called Easy Jack.  This hop forward (bitterness and flavor) beer is light and refreshing, but will hold it's own against a variety of flavorful cuisines.

Food Pairings for
Easy Jack: Summer Session IPA


Kevin
Indian Cuisine: Anything with potato
Italian Cuisine: Pasta
Jewish Cuisine: Knish
US Cuisine: Burgers
Cheese: Stilton

Zach
Indian Cuisine: Savory dishes
Thai Cuisine: Chicken, lime curry
Dessert: Carrot, raison, honey and cinnamon salad

Andrew

Chinese Cuisine: Orange Chicken
Italian Cuisine: Chicken Marsala
Mexican Cuisine: Street tacos
US Cuisine: Thin crust pizza

Jason
Japanese or Thai Cuisine:  bamboo shoots with a sweet/spicy glaze

Best of show round, discussions.

This is the 21st year of this annual event and to celebrate its coming of age, beer has been "officially" included in the title of the event.  Casa Pacifica Angels Wine, Food & BREW Festival kicked off its 2014 festival with a commercial beer competition on May 3rd.

To make the introduction of beer something really special, we added a commercial beer competition to the mix to highlight local and regional breweries. We thought this would be a great way to bring attention to the growing craft beer movement and give you a chance to explore new beers or beer styles and plan your beer tasting experience once you step through the gate. 

What makes this competition something special is the judging panel was asked to provide food pairing suggestions for each of the beers that were entered into the festival.  Below you will find their food pairing suggestions for Figueroa Mountain Brewing Company's, Paradise Rd. Pilsner. You might not be able to find all of their food pairing suggestions at the festival -some of them are pretty exotic- but use the suggestions as a guide to enhance your beer experience

Food Pairings for Ladyface Ale Companie's IPA

Kevin
French Cuisine: Cassoulet
Greek Cuisine: Loukaniko sausage
Japanese Cuisine: Grilled eel
Mexican Cuisine: Chicharrones 

Jason
Other: Grilled sweet peaches with a honey drizzle and mascarpone /basil garnish.

LADYFACE® IPA - ABV 6.9%
An adaptation of an English Pale Ale reflecting indigenous ingredients and West Coast flavors. Moderately hopped, showing a citrus hop character with medium-bodied balance.

The Judges
Jason Hendrick, Zachary Rosen, Andrew Carter, Kevin Prat

From smoked meats to Italian cuisine to grilled fruit, the pints&pairings #beersuggestioneers are full of pairing suggestions to try with Barrelhouse Brewing's IPA.

Food pairings suggestions:  
1. Smoked meats
2. Manicotti
3. Grilled fruit

General Beer Pairing Suggestions:  
Cheese: Pepper Jack. Meat: Fish, smoked salmon. Cuisine: American, Mexican. 

Examples:  Titan,  Stone IPA, Two Hearted Ale

Serving Temp: 40°- 45°

Glassware: Pint Glass, Mug

Aroma: Plenty of caramel-like malt aromas hold you up as the tropical fruit hop aromas punch you in the face. Dig deep and you may find cedar-esque/humidor layer. 

Appearance: Deep orange/amber color with an ample head.

Flavor: Caramel malt flavors balance the abundant herbal/citrus hop flavors and bitterness.  The aftertaste is full of tropical bubblegum (in a good way) and orange zest.

Mouthfeel: Medium-full with ample carbonation 

Description from Barrelhouse Brewing Co.


BarrelHouse India Pale Ale – Hoppy | Dank | Mango
Like our Pale Ryder, we want you to first inhale close your eyes and dig deep, take in all the dank, herbal, and mango hop goodness. We’ve built this delicious IPA around our favorite hops Simcoe, Cascade, Centennial, and Mosaic. Now open your eyes and take a gulp and let the bitterness, malt character, and aroma play tug-a-war across your palate. We haven’t skimped and believe this is how an IPA should taste. Satisfy your hop addiction with this excellently crafted IPA.
ABV 7.0% | IBU: 76 | S.G. 1.065

If you think all DIPA's are alike then you haven't tasted Saint Archer Brewery's offering. This DIPA has all kinds of tropical fruit, melon and bready aromas and flavors.

Food pairings suggestions:  
1. Rosemary Focaccia 
2. Pastrami sandwich on rye with baby greens
3. Pungent/earthy cheese

General Beer Pairing Suggestions:  
Cheese: Pepper Jack. Meat: smoked salmon. Cuisine: American, Mexican.   

Examples:  Pliny the Elder, Furious, Hopsickle, Hop Slayer

Serving Temp: 40°- 45°

Glassware: Snifter

Aroma: Lots of tropical fruit, grapefruit, pine, and a hint of wet earth.  As it warms melon notes become apparent. 

Appearance: Pours a hazy orange with off-white head that leaves a nice lace

Flavor: Bready malt with a hint of rye-like spice and complex tropical hop flavors.  As it warms melon notes become apparent. 

Mouthfeel: Medium body

It's time for another IPA and the pints&pairings #beersuggestioneers are ready to dissect the aromas and flavors of Saint Archer's IPA.

Food pairings suggestions:  
1. Lemmon zest scones
2. Swiss steak with sautéed or caramelized onions

General Beer Pairing Suggestions:  
Cheese: Pepper Jack. Meat: Fish, smoked salmon. Cuisine: American, Mexican.   

Saint Archer IPA

Examples:  Titan,  Stone IPA, Two Hearted Ale, 11th Hour IPA 

Serving Temp: 40°- 45°

Glassware: Pint Glass, Mug

Aroma: Pine resin hits first followed by a nice bready malt aroma that almost covers up a wonderful herbal hop aroma. 

Appearance: Pours a dark golden, straw color with a thick white head that laces nicely.

Flavor:  Piney floral hops abound with an accretive  bitterness that finishes some citrus zest.

Mouthfeel: Medium-light body

The #beersuggestioneers embark on a flavor adventure with this IPA from Dogfish Head Craft Brewery.  The 61 Minute IPA is a truly unique beer that engages our #beerpairing senses.  

Food Pairing Suggestions:
1.  Wine washed rind cheese
2.  Mild/sweet tomato sauces
3.  Nuts: Almonds, Hazelnuts
4.  Grilled peaches

61 Minute IPA

BJCP 14: IPA

Other Commercial Examples: 

Serving Temp: 40°- 45°

Glassware: Tulip, Snifter

Appearance:  Pours red and full red in the deepest part of the snifter.  White head with little retention.

Aroma: Grape must with some sweet malt notes. Very little hop aroma.

Flavor:  Grapey flavors meld wonderfully with the malt and hop components of this beer.  Very little hop flavor and almost no hop bitterness. 

Mouthfeel: Medium with lots of prickly carbonation that help to lighten the mouthfeel. 

The #beersuggestioneers enjoy IPA 395 from Mammoth Brewing company. IPA 395 is a truly unique beer that incorporates juniper and sage which lends itself to some really exciting pairings.

Food Pairing Suggestions:
1.  Mushroom and cream sauce dishes.
2.  Double cream brie (ex. truffle brie)
3.  Tangy sauces (horseradish, mustard) to resonate with the juniper flavors.

IPA 395 - Mammoth Brewing Co.

BJCP 20: Imperial/Double IPA

Other Commercial Examples: 

Serving Temp: 40°- 45°

Glassware: Tulip, Snifter

Appearance:  Beautiful dark amber/copper color with a thick creamy head.

Aroma: Sage and juniper are front and center followed by copious amounts of tropical hop aromas. Subtle sweet malt and fruity esters become apparent as the beer warms.

Flavor:  The sweet malt flavors are balanced by juniper (softened by the sage flavors) and the hop flavor and bitterness.

Mouthfeel: Medium-heavy with lots of prickly carbonation that help to lighten the mouthfeel. 

pints&pairings beer suggestioneers tackle Wookie Jack, a delicious rye, black IPA. A quick google search gives us some insight into the name as we ponder the name. We come up with some great dessert pairings and a "blow your mind" chili pairing suggestion.

Black IPA food pairing suggestions: 
1. Spoonful of peanut butter.
2. Char grilled meat.
3. Baked sweet potato.

Wookey Jack by Firestone Walker Brewing Co.

Examples:  Sublimely Self-righteous Ale, Pitch Black IPA, Black Racer

Serving Temp: 40°- 45°

Glassware: Snifter

Appearance: Black bodied ale, thick and very creamy light tan head. 

Aroma: Big blast of citrus, tropical, zesty and general West Coast IPA hops up front. Toasted oatmeal, roasted cracked grains and general roast in the background but not overshadowed, supports hops well.

Flavor: Fresh citrus, orange peel, pine, floral and fruity hops are blended superbly with the deep roast malts. Caramel, oatmeal, rye spice, burnt grain and some sweetness.

Mouthfeel: Silky, medium bodied.

There is nothing to see here. Move along, people.  C'mon, get going.

pints&pairings' beer suggestioneers let the beer do the talking, or rather the Imperial IPA induced impairment do the talking. I make fun of session beer, beer geeks and Jason provides the food pairings.  We can all be happy that he is around to save this show.

Basic food pairing suggestions for DIPA's
1.  Beef stews
2.  Spice cakes
3. Pecan toppings (spiced or sweetened)

Hop Slayer Double IPA by Wild Onion Brewing Co.

Examples:  Pliny the Elder, Surly Furious, Moylan's Hopsickle

Serving Temp: 40°- 45°

Glassware: Snifter

Aroma: Think citrus (grapefruit), resinous pine, or even tropical fruit. There may be a slight sweetness present from the malt but the hop aromas will most likely cover up those aromas. 

Appearance: Colors will vary from medium gold to a reddish copper but they will all be clear unless they have been dry hopped and then there may be a slight haze.  Because the malt used has very little dark color the head will be white to off white and should persist.

Flavor: IPA’s are all about the hops (bitterness, flavor and aroma) and so there will be medium to high amount of hop flavor and bitterness that will reflect the American hop citrus qualities (citrusy, floral, resinous, pine).  Malt flavor will be low to showcase all the hop characteristics.

Mouthfeel: You can expect a medium body with a pleasing mouth puckering bitterness (think grapefruit) that helps to dry the beer out and creates a thirst quenching, refreshing beer.

Jason and I get warmed up before we take on all three subcategories of IPA.