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.
 Click to vist Chocolats du CaliBressan. |  Jean-Michel and Jill. |
Chocolate Description: Passion Fruit soft caramel
Passion Fruit caramel in a white chocolate shell.
Passion Fruit or lilikoi (the Hawaiian name of the fruit and the one I like to use because it is so fun to say) is a sweet fruit with a pronounced tartness. It is the perfect fruit for jams, spreads, juices or soft caramels! The small guava-like fruit can be eaten raw by cracking open the hard outer shell and sucking out the pulp and seeds or by cutting it in half and then scooping out the pulp and seeds to eat.
Picture and Description courtesy Chocolats du CaliBressan
Passion Fruit or lilikoi (the Hawaiian name of the fruit and the one I like to use because it is so fun to say) is a sweet fruit with a pronounced tartness. It is the perfect fruit for jams, spreads, juices or soft caramels! The small guava-like fruit can be eaten raw by cracking open the hard outer shell and sucking out the pulp and seeds or by cutting it in half and then scooping out the pulp and seeds to eat.
Picture and Description courtesy Chocolats du CaliBressan
Beer Style and Description: Duchesse de Bourgogne
Duchesse de Bourgogne (pronounced boar-go-nya) is, in my opinion, the epitome of the Flanders Red style. The “sourness” and acidity is balanced by a sweet caramel-like maltiness before it can become overwhelming. Because of this balance, the Duchesse is a good starter beer for those who are looking to venture into “sour” beers. Its wine-like flavor and acidity also makes this a good beer for those “non-beer drinking friends”.
Aroma: Sweet tart fruit, pleasing vinegar.
Appearance: Brilliant clarity, deep red with short lived white head. Decent lacing on the side of the glass.
Flavor: Tart cherries and mild caramel sweetness with a cleansing acidity.
Food Pairings: Cheeses: earthy or sharp. Dessert: white chocolate, caramel. Salads: light vinaigrette with dried fruit and/or sharp cheese crumble.
HopHeadSaid: There is very little bitterness in this beer style, which is common in sour beers. Instead of hops the brewers balance the malty sweetness by using special yeast and bacteria strains that will sour the beer just enough to balance the sweetness.
BJCP Style 17B. Flanders Red Ale
Other Examples:Rodenbach Grand Cru, La Folie, Oude Tart
Serving Temp: 45°- 50°
Glassware: Tulip or Flute
Aroma: Sweet fruitiness that will remind you of tart cherries. Some vanilla notes (from the aging barrels) and spicy phenols (from the yeast) may be present.
Appearance: Deep red, pale tan head, clear
Flavor: sweet malt flavors (think caramel or toffee) as well as complex dark fruitiness that blends into a low to medium amount of sour tartness.
Mouthfeel: Low to medium body, medium carbonation and a sweet tart finish.
Aroma: Sweet tart fruit, pleasing vinegar.
Appearance: Brilliant clarity, deep red with short lived white head. Decent lacing on the side of the glass.
Flavor: Tart cherries and mild caramel sweetness with a cleansing acidity.
Food Pairings: Cheeses: earthy or sharp. Dessert: white chocolate, caramel. Salads: light vinaigrette with dried fruit and/or sharp cheese crumble.
HopHeadSaid: There is very little bitterness in this beer style, which is common in sour beers. Instead of hops the brewers balance the malty sweetness by using special yeast and bacteria strains that will sour the beer just enough to balance the sweetness.
BJCP Style 17B. Flanders Red Ale
Other Examples:Rodenbach Grand Cru, La Folie, Oude Tart
Serving Temp: 45°- 50°
Glassware: Tulip or Flute
Aroma: Sweet fruitiness that will remind you of tart cherries. Some vanilla notes (from the aging barrels) and spicy phenols (from the yeast) may be present.
Appearance: Deep red, pale tan head, clear
Flavor: sweet malt flavors (think caramel or toffee) as well as complex dark fruitiness that blends into a low to medium amount of sour tartness.
Mouthfeel: Low to medium body, medium carbonation and a sweet tart finish.
This pairing works because:
1. The sweetness of the white chocolate and caramel resonate with the subtle caramel sweetness in the beer. The sweetness of the chocolate also diminishes the beer's sour tartness making this sour beer more acceptable to beginner palates.
2. The tart lilikoi flavoring in the caramel is almost a perfect match with the beer's sourness and the two create a bridge which enables the sweet chocolate and caramel to mingle with the sweet malt to create a complex new layer.
3. The carbonation and the tartness of the beer scrub the palate of any residual sweetness, refreshing your palate for the next bite from this decadent caramel filled chocolate.
Topics: Food Pairing, Beer Pairing, Chocolate Pairing, Beer and Food, Beer and Chocolate
2. The tart lilikoi flavoring in the caramel is almost a perfect match with the beer's sourness and the two create a bridge which enables the sweet chocolate and caramel to mingle with the sweet malt to create a complex new layer.
3. The carbonation and the tartness of the beer scrub the palate of any residual sweetness, refreshing your palate for the next bite from this decadent caramel filled chocolate.
Topics: Food Pairing, Beer Pairing, Chocolate Pairing, Beer and Food, Beer and Chocolate
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