This is the second to the last submission in my pairing series with Chocolats du CaliBressan.  It has been a lot of fun. Together Jean-Michel, Jill and I have paired six different beers with nine different chocolates. All of them unique and all of them delicious! If you have enjoyed this series please let Jean-Michel and Jill know by writing them an e-mail, posting on their Facebook page or just stop in and buy some chocolate.  We don't have any immediate plans but if there is a big enough response to this pairing series who knows what we might do in the future! 

For those who are visiting for the first time ... Recently, I had the opportunity to travel to Carpinteria and combine two of my favorite things: chocolate and beer. Over the course of two hours, Jean-Michel (chocolatier/owner of Chocolats du Cali Bressan), Jill (his wife) and I tasted a dozen or so delicious artisan chocolates and paired them with beer.  Together we were able to pair six different beers with ten different chocolates! Over the next two weeks I will be posting the results of these delicious and sometimes surprising pairings.

Milk chocolate and praline spiced with nutmeg, covered with milk chocolate.

The shape and the name of this chocolate are no coincidence. The shoe resembles the wooden shoes Jean-Michel would wear while working on the family farm when he was a boy. The name "Bressan" refers to a person from the city of Bresse, Jean-Michel's hometown. Bresse is an area in Burgundy between the Ain and Saône rivers. To learn more about Jean-Michel and his passion for chocolates and food visit his BLOG [click here].  

The bottle label proclaims "You're not worthy".  What? They have the audacity to say that to me, a self-proclaimed beer geek with at least four on-line beer certifications?-) Challenge accepted! Will you accept the challenge, I think you should!

Stone Brewing Company (brewer of the Arrogant Bastard series and known for their big and bold beers) brews three different versions of the Arrogant Bastard Ale. There is the namesake Arrogant Bastard Ale, Double Bastard (a beefed-up version) and Oaked Arrogant Bastard.  While this pairing will probably work with any of the three I chose the oaked version because of the extra layer of complexity the oak adds.

Arrogant Bastard is considered a Strong American Ale.  This is kind of a catch all category for beers that do not to fit nicely into one category.  The only thing any of these beers in this category will have in common is their elevated alcohol content.  Starting at 7% and up. AND by up I mean as high as 15%. They can amber to jet black, hoppy or malty, effervescent or still. The range is wide open and the only way you know what you have for sure is by tasting it.

Aroma: Spicy hop aroma and alcohol with a sweet caramel-like malt sweetness tied together with oak.
Appearance: It pours a deep red-copper with a light tan head that dissipates quickly.
Flavor: The taste is as it smells.  There is a pronounced hop flavor and bitterness that gives way quickly to a sweet caramel sweetness. Pay attention to the sweetness there is a complex albeit subtle nuttiness complexity there. The sweetness then dissipates quickly and is replaced by an assertive piney hop flavor after you swallow. A hint of oak makes its presence known at the end (pay attend to your exhale) as the oak vapor exits after you swallow.  Enjoy this last moment as the oak flavor vapor sets the stage for your next drink, reminding you of the spicy hops and alcohol.
Mouthfeel: This beer has a medium-full body and a pronounced carbonation rounded out by a pleasing alcohol warmth.

Food Pairings: Cheese: nutty (assiago, parmaseian), Desserts: topped with nuts and/or similar spices.

HopHeadSaid: Be sure to let this beer warm slightly before you drink it.  If it is too cold all you will taste is the hop bitterness and carbonation.  Once the beer warms to 45 or even 50 degrees the malt and oak flavors/aromas will start to shine through.

Oaked Arrogant Bastard Ale is not a subtle beer, as you may have gathered from my description. It is big on hop flavor, bitterness and alcohol.  You should share this beer even if you find int in a 12oz bottle as any amount over 6oz will outlast your truffle or bonbon.

1. The sweet milk chocolate and praline counteract the pronounced hop flavor and bitterness in this beer.
2. The sweet milk chocolate and praline coat the mouth and by the time the alcohol and carbonation wash the chocolate away the initial hop flavor and bitterness has subsided and you are left with the residual caramel/toffe-like malt flavor.
3. The praline resonate with the oak and piney flavors.
4. The spiced praline resonates with the oak and piny hop flavors as well as the subtle nuttiness found in the sweet caramel malt.

5. As a whole, this pairing subdues the mighty Arrogant Bastard!
Topics: Food Pairing, Beer Pairing, Chocolate Pairing, Beer and Food, Beer and Chocolate

Recently, I had the opportunity to travel to Carpinteria and combine two of my favorite things: chocolate and beer. Over the course of two hours, Jean-Michel (chocolatier/owner of Chocolats du Cali Bressan), Jill (his wife) and I tasted a dozen or so delicious artisan chocolates and paired them with beer.  Together we were able to pair six different beers with ten different chocolates! Over the next two weeks I will be posting the results of these delicious and sometimes surprising pairings.

Dark chocolate and spiced cinnamon ganache, covered with dark chocolate.


HopHeadSaid: This has an incredibly delicate cinnamon flavor.  You may not notice it if you aren't paying attention. Concentrate on the bonbon's aftertaste.  There it is, a faint vapor that visits afterward to balance the sweet ganache.

Yep that is how a "proper" Kwak is served! An elegant bulbed glass that can only be used if it is in its stand. Brewery lore explains that the Owner of the brewery was an avid equestrian (and beer drinker evidentially) and he wanted a beer glass that could balance on his saddle without falling over. While they couldn't figure that out, they managed to design a "glass" that would stand upright in in a stirrup. 

Almost every Belgian beer has a glass that was designed specifically to showcase one or more its special qualities. The makers of this glass had a lot of fun as you can see, but they also designed a glass that would showcase the brilliant clarity and color of this beer.

Aroma: A hint of caramel is all but covered up by a layer of spicy phenols and fruity esters.
Appearance: Beautiful orangey copper and clarity (if poured correctly) with a  giant rocky head that seems to last forever and leaves beautiful lacing on the inside of the glass.
Flavor: The flavors are as they smelled. A hint of caramel-like sweetness upfront is quickly replaced by a spicy phenol.
Mouthfeel: This is a medium bodied beer with elevated carbonation and a pleasant warming alcohol. 

Food Pairings: Vegetables: pepper seasoned, roasted or sautéed; caramelized veggies. Meat: game, grilled. Desserts: cinnamon or ginger spiced.

HopHeadSaid: Belgian ales are some of the most exciting and challenging beers to pair with food. The term “Belgian” is a loose style descriptor for beers that get a majority of their flavors from fermentation instead of malt or hops. There are hundreds if not thousands of different Belgian beers each with a unique spicy phenol derived from fermentation.  This makes them challenging to pair because one particular “Belgian Pale Ale” can taste quite different from another so you will have to taste each to fully appreciate its flavor profile.  However, this variety is exactly what makes them so special because you are sure to find a Belgian ale to match any food pairing, especially veggies.

BJCP Style 18D.  Belgian Golden Strong Ale
Other Examples:  Duvel, Delirium Tremens, Don de Dieu, Mischief
Serving Temp: 40°- 45°
Glassware: Snifter, Tulip
Aroma: Lots of fruity esters will be present (think pear) with a good dose of pepper.
Appearance: Yellow to light amber, good clarity and pours with a long lasting, voluminous, rocky head. Pour slowly to ensure you don’t rouse any yeast sediment at the bottom of the bottle, this will cloud up your beer.  Pouring slowly down the side of your glass will also keep you from pouring a glass full of foam from these highly carbonated beers.
Flavor:  The fruity esters (think pear, again) carryover in the taste and are balanced by a low to moderate pepper-spiciness. The alcohol and yeast phenols help to balance the fruity sweetness. There is very little bitterness in these beers and the hops are used as a “spice” more than for bitterness.
Mouthfeel: The elevated alcohol content a high carbonation helps to lower the body and dry out the finish. There is a pleasant alcohol warmth present in these beers but they should never be hot or harsh.

1. There is very little bitterness in this beer and so there isn't any clashing of sweet and bitter flavors.
2. The caramel-like sweetness resonates with the sweetness in the ganache.
3. This beer has a moderate phenolic spiciness (derived from the yeast) that accentuates with the subtle cinnamon flavors. 
4. The cinnamon vapor aftertaste mixes with the sweet warm alcohol spiciness when you cleanse your palate with this beer.

Topics: Food Pairing, Beer Pairing, Chocolate Pairing, Beer and Food, Beer and Chocolate

Recently, I had the opportunity to travel to Carpinteria and combine two of my favorite things: chocolate and beer. Over the course of two hours Jean-Michel (chocolatier/owner of Chocolats du Cali Bressan), Jill (his wife) and I tasted a dozen or so delicious artisan chocolates and paired them with beer.  Together we were able to pair six different beers with ten different chocolates! Over the next three weeks I will be posting the results of these delicious and sometimes surprising pairings.

Chocolate ganache with boysenberry covered with chocolate.

This chocolate is one of Jean-Michels newest creations.  

Boysenberries, named after a Northern California farmer, are a cross between a raspberry and a black berry and made famous when Walter Knott, founder of Knott's Berry Farm, started selling them in Southern California. To learn more about boysenberries visit Oregon-Berries.com @ http://www.oregon-berries.com/pick-a-berry/boysenberry/



Picture and Description courtesy Chocolats du CaliBressan

This is the epitome of a Strong Dark Belgian beer, sometimes called a Quadrupel, for good reason. It is flavorful, complex and has a pleasing alcoholic warmth. 

I consider this beer to be equal to the Westvletern 12, which is consistently rated the #1 beer in the world, and it only costs a fraction of the "Westy 12". That is also why it has become quite popular here in the US and why you should be able to find this beer at any quality beer store. To learn more about St. Bernardus and its relationship with the now world famous Westvletern Monastery visit: http://belgianbeerspecialist.blogspot.com/2010/09/westvleteren-and-st-bernardus-real.html

Aroma: Yeast spice(think cloves) gives way to a sweet brown sugar aroma.
Appearance: Dark brown with a pillowy off-white head that leave some beautiful lacing along the inside or your glass.
Flavor: A clove-like spiciness gives way to a brown sugar sweetness that almost a complex a complex layer of dark fruit.
Mouthfeel: 
Food Pairings: Cheese: buttery or sharp.  Meat: grilled, smoked. Dessert: dark fruits, chocolate.

HopHeadSaid: These beers, sometimes called Quadrupels (yes that is spelled right), are perfect for dessert but also pair well with dark fruits or chocolates.  These are also great beers for your wine friends because there is very little bitterness (common among BIG Belgian beers) and many layers of complexity; from dark fruit to caramel or wood flavors from the casks to peppery spiciness from the yeast. 


BJCP Style 18D.  Belgian Dark Strong Ale
Other Examples:  Westvleteren 12, Rochefort 10, Chimay Grande Reserve
Serving Temp: 50°- 55°
Glassware: Snifter, Tulip, Chalice, Goblet
Aroma: Rich malt sweetness reminiscent of caramel and toast with a mild to moderate yeast derived spiciness.
Appearance: Deep amber to brown with a frothy, light tan head.
Flavor:  Malt sweetness (caramel) and dark fruit will dominate while the yeast spice and alcohol help balance the beer.
Mouthfeel: Full bodied beer. However, the high carbonation, the spiciness and the alcohol warmth help thin your perception the body.

Note: This pairing is quite similar to the blackcurrant bonbon pairing except the boysenberry isn't as sharp.  Jean-Michel prefers this pairing over the blackcurrant.

1.  The sweet malt flavors and the chocolate (ganache and covering) resonate with each other building a stronger and more intense layer of sweetness.

2.  The boysenberry ganache pulls the dark fruit flavors out of the beer and the two work together to add a welcome counterpoint to all the sweetness.

3.  The clove-like spiciness works as a bridge or a buffer allowing the two competing flavors (tart and sweet) to meld seamlessly somewhere in the middle.

4. The carbonation and the alcohol content help tone down the sweetness.

Topics: Food Pairing, Beer Pairing, Chocolate Pairing, Beer and Food, Beer and Chocolate

Recently, I had the opportunity to travel to Carpinteria and combine two of my favorite things: chocolate and beer. Over the course of two hours Jean-Michel (chocolatier/owner of Chocolats du Cali Bressan), Jill (his wife) and I tasted a dozen or so delicious artisan chocolates and paired them with beer.  Together we were able to pair six different beers with ten different chocolates! Over the next three weeks I will be posting the results of these delicious and sometimes surprising pairings.

White chocolate ganache with blackcurrant, covered with white chocolate. 

The blackcurrant is a small deep purple berry that is often used in cooking because of it's sweet and tart flavors.  They are a natural fit for sweet desserts because the fruit's tartness naturally balances any sweetness.

Picture and Description courtesy Chocolats du CaliBressan

This is the epitome of a Strong Dark Belgian beer, sometimes called a Quadrupel, for good reason. It is flavorful, complex and has a pleasing alcoholic warmth. 

I consider this beer to be equal to the Westvletern 12, which is consistently rated the #1 beer in the world, and it only costs a fraction of the "Westy 12". That is also why it has become quite popular here in the US and why you should be able to find this beer at any quality beer store. To learn more about St. Bernardus and its relationship with the now world famous Westvletern Monastery visit: http://belgianbeerspecialist.blogspot.com/2010/09/westvleteren-and-st-bernardus-real.html

Aroma: Yeast spice(think cloves) gives way to a sweet brown sugar aroma.
Appearance: Dark brown with a pillowy off-white head that leave some beautiful lacing along the inside or your glass.
Flavor: A clove-like spiciness gives way to a brown sugar sweetness that almost a complex a complex layer of dark fruit.
Mouthfeel: 
Food Pairings: Cheese: buttery or sharp.  Meat: grilled, smoked. Dessert: dark fruits, chocolate.

HopHeadSaid: These beers, sometimes called Quadrupels (yes that is spelled right), are perfect for dessert but also pair well with dark fruits or chocolates.  These are also great beers for your wine friends because there is very little bitterness (common among BIG Belgian beers) and many layers of complexity; from dark fruit to caramel or wood flavors from the casks to peppery spiciness from the yeast. 


BJCP Style 18D.  Belgian Dark Strong Ale
Other Examples:  Westvleteren 12, Rochefort 10, Chimay Grande Reserve
Serving Temp: 50°- 55°
Glassware: Snifter, Tulip, Chalice, Goblet
Aroma: Rich malt sweetness reminiscent of caramel and toast with a mild to moderate yeast derived spiciness.
Appearance: Deep amber to brown with a frothy, light tan head.
Flavor:  Malt sweetness (caramel) and dark fruit will dominate while the yeast spice and alcohol help balance the beer.
Mouthfeel: Full bodied beer. However, the high carbonation, the spiciness and the alcohol warmth help thin your perception the body.

Note: This pairing is quite similar to the boysenberry bonbon pairing except the sharp tart flavor is more pronounced in the blackcurrant. I prefer this pairing over the boysenberry because of this.

1.  The sweet malt flavors and the white chocolate (ganache and covering) resonate with each other building a stronger and more intense layer of sweetness.

2.  The blackcurrant ganache pulls the dark fruit flavors out of the beer and the two work together to add a welcome counterpoint to all the sweetness.

3.  The clove-like spiciness works as a bridge or a buffer allowing the two competing flavors (tart and sweet) to meld seamlessly somewhere in the middle.

4. The carbonation and the alcohol content help tone down the sweetness.

Topics: Food Pairing, Beer Pairing, Chocolate Pairing, Beer and Food, Beer and Chocolate