If you don't have any dinner plans for Sunday then I suggest you pencil in Beer and Bacon Night at The SideCar Restaurant! Yep, Beer and Bacon Night features local beer pairings with the best bacon inspired food you have ever had! This is an ongoing event that happens every Sunday so if you can't get there this week there is always next week.
A few weeks ago, I was invited to try out this newly themed night. One look at the menu and I knew I couldn't pass up this opportunity. Since the invite included a guest, I called up a friend, Matt, to share the experience with. It was a good thing I did, and I suggest you do the same thing, as there is just too much bacon goodness for one person to try.
If this review encourages you to go to the Sidecar Restaurant and try their bacon and beer pairing offerings, please let them know you read about them here.
To view the Bacon and Beer appetizer or dessert beer pairings click HERE.
A few weeks ago, I was invited to try out this newly themed night. One look at the menu and I knew I couldn't pass up this opportunity. Since the invite included a guest, I called up a friend, Matt, to share the experience with. It was a good thing I did, and I suggest you do the same thing, as there is just too much bacon goodness for one person to try.
If this review encourages you to go to the Sidecar Restaurant and try their bacon and beer pairing offerings, please let them know you read about them here.
To view the Bacon and Beer appetizer or dessert beer pairings click HERE.
Bacon and Beer Entrees
There are three bacon and beer entrees from which to choose. We ordered the bacon and pork belly sloppy joe in a sweet sauce and the fried chicken on a bacon-sage waffle (yep, bacon and sage bits in the waffle) with bacon infused maple syrup. Unfortunately, we didn't have enough room in our bellies to try all three but you can bet that I will try the 50/50 burger (ground bacon/beef topped with a fried egg) next time I am there on bacon and beer night.
Tasting tip: Try each part of the meal individually first, batter, waffle, sloppy joe, etc. Then take a sip of beer, make mental notes about the flavors you taste. Then try each part with sip of beer. Then start combining all the parts and sipping beer along the way.
Tasting tip: Try each part of the meal individually first, batter, waffle, sloppy joe, etc. Then take a sip of beer, make mental notes about the flavors you taste. Then try each part with sip of beer. Then start combining all the parts and sipping beer along the way.
The Sloppy Joe is paired with Ouroboros' Old Bar Brown Ale, an assertive American brown ale. The sloppy joe comes in a slightly sweet sauce and as you can probably guess it is quite savory, as well. The Old Bar Brown's malty sweetness resonates with sweet sauce building base layer that ties the two together, but it doesn't stop there. This is one of the roastier (think slightly burnt toast or lightly roasted coffee) brown ales out there and that roasty flavor resonates with the browned bacon and BBQ pork.
So far this is pairing has been all about building and accentuating individual flavors and now it is time for some contrasting flavors. Old Bar Brown is a medium bodied beer and it finishes dry. This means there is little sweetness in aftertaste, perfect for this pairing. It builds, and builds on flavor commonalities then right before you swallow, the beer (alcohol and carbonation) cleanses everything away and leaves you with just a hint of roasty flavor that will resonate with your next bite of Sloppy Joe.
So far this is pairing has been all about building and accentuating individual flavors and now it is time for some contrasting flavors. Old Bar Brown is a medium bodied beer and it finishes dry. This means there is little sweetness in aftertaste, perfect for this pairing. It builds, and builds on flavor commonalities then right before you swallow, the beer (alcohol and carbonation) cleanses everything away and leaves you with just a hint of roasty flavor that will resonate with your next bite of Sloppy Joe.
The fried chicken, bacon-sage waffle with maple bacon syrup is paired with Surf Brewery's County Line Rye. This pairing works on so many levels.
First of all, this fried chicken was perfectly prepared. "Light" and crispy batter and super moist chicken underneath. The batter also has a special mix of spices that resonate with the dry, rye spiciness in the beer.
The waffle is a treat, as well. The bits bacon scattered throughout give the waffle a bit hidden texture and, of course, flavor. The sage is an excellent counterpoint to all the sweet and savory flavors with its slight peppery accent. It is the sage that makes this beer pairing so perfect. Again, the dry, rye spiciness in the beer resonates with the sage in the waffle.
And then comes one of my favorite parts of any beer pairing. That moment when you take a sip of beer and the carbonation lifts up all the flavors mixes 'em up. If you aren't paying attention you may just miss it which would be a shame. The carbonation causes a brief explosion of flavor and aroma before the beer's malty and/or hoppy flavors take over.
Now, take a bite that has all of the components (batter, chicken, waffle, syrup)and savor the flavors as they mix and resonate with each other. Swallow. Now take a drink of County Line Rye. Note the momentary explosion of flavor as all of the components are lifted up off the palate and mixed together, again.
Something to consider:
The picture doesn't do this entree any justice. It is delicious and HUGE! That is half of a chicken stacked on that waffle. This is definitely an entree that you can share or take home and eat for lunch the next day.
Disclaimer: This was a delicious comped meal, but I wouldn't be writing this glowing recap if it hadn't been.
First of all, this fried chicken was perfectly prepared. "Light" and crispy batter and super moist chicken underneath. The batter also has a special mix of spices that resonate with the dry, rye spiciness in the beer.
The waffle is a treat, as well. The bits bacon scattered throughout give the waffle a bit hidden texture and, of course, flavor. The sage is an excellent counterpoint to all the sweet and savory flavors with its slight peppery accent. It is the sage that makes this beer pairing so perfect. Again, the dry, rye spiciness in the beer resonates with the sage in the waffle.
And then comes one of my favorite parts of any beer pairing. That moment when you take a sip of beer and the carbonation lifts up all the flavors mixes 'em up. If you aren't paying attention you may just miss it which would be a shame. The carbonation causes a brief explosion of flavor and aroma before the beer's malty and/or hoppy flavors take over.
Now, take a bite that has all of the components (batter, chicken, waffle, syrup)and savor the flavors as they mix and resonate with each other. Swallow. Now take a drink of County Line Rye. Note the momentary explosion of flavor as all of the components are lifted up off the palate and mixed together, again.
Something to consider:
The picture doesn't do this entree any justice. It is delicious and HUGE! That is half of a chicken stacked on that waffle. This is definitely an entree that you can share or take home and eat for lunch the next day.
Disclaimer: This was a delicious comped meal, but I wouldn't be writing this glowing recap if it hadn't been.
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