This is the fourth installment in a new pairing series/collaboration with the website They Draw and Cook (TDAC).  TDAC is a truly inspiring website with hundreds if not thousands of illustrated recipes by artists from around the world.  As you can imagine each recipe’s style and content is as unique as the artist who illustrated it. TDAC is a “veritable who’s who” of artistic styles and recipes as you will find painted, collaged, drawn, and digital renditions of scrumptious salads, mouthwatering main dishes, decadent desserts and so much more! 

For this series, I have picked five recipes from a compilation book of recipes TDAC had published last year but you can also find them on TDAC.com.  I have picked one breakfast-y recipe, one salad, one appetizer, one main dish and one dessert AND paired each recipe with one incredibly delicious beer! 

I actually had a perfect beer picked for this recipe before I realized Betsy had already done the work for me. Thankfully, I had a different beer in mind. Otherwise, I couldn't have used this beautifully illustrated recipe. First, I want to say that I love her suggestion. The subtle pumpkin flavor (It should be subtle. This is a beer we are talking about and not a pumpkin pie juice) sets the perfect base layer resonating with the squash. Unfortunately, pumpkin beers are fall seasonals and so they will be hard to find any other time of the year. This is where my pairing suggestion picks up...

Hennepin is the perfect complex pairing to this meal as it resonates and contrasts at the same time! The sage, nutmeg and to a lesser extent, the parmesan cheese all resonate with the earthy, yeast derived spice in the beer. This creates a formidable base layer that helps to bridge the gap between the earthy spices and the inherent sweetness of the butternut squash and fruity esters in the beer. On the other side of the spectrum there are all the contrasting flavors.  Hennepin keeps the butternut squash and sauce in check. The elevated carbonation level creates a carbonic bite (more of a sensation than a flavor) which counteracts the residual sweetness in the squash. The elevated carbonation also helps to cleanse and refresh the palate. 

If you can't find this particular beer then substitute it with any local saison or any of the beers from the style.profile section below.

1. If you liked this pairing or love this recipe let the artist know and spread the love around. The artist and I would appreciate the extra publicity!

2. You can and should order this fabulous cookbook on TDAC.com.

3. These illustrations are copyrighted.  You may not use them for any commercial reason without express written consent from the artist.  You may, however, print them for your own use.  Click the recipe which will take you to TDAC and from there you can download a high resolution copy or print a copy of this recipe.  

Saison

Examples:  Saison Dupont, Bruery Saison Rue,
Serving Temp: 45°- 50°
Glassware: Tulip Glass

Food Pairings: Cuisine: Herbal salads. Cheese: Earthy or Nutty. Meat: poultry and fish.

HopHeadSaid: Whether you are drinking a traditional strength (5% ABV or lower) or a more contemporary version (6% ABV or higher) Saisons should finish dry with very little sweetness.  Saisons aromas can be quite complex with a fruit and spice mixture reminiscent of barnyards. Typically their flavors will be malt balanced (leaning towards malt instead of hops) but peppery spice flavors from the yeast and the elevated carbonation levels create a beer with medium bitterness and a dry finish.

These beers pair well with all kinds of cheeses because the dry finish and elevated carbonation help to scrub the palate clean after each drink. Saisons will also pair well with salads that are tossed with spicy greens like arugula or light meats such as fish or poultry.  Spice these meats sparingly as the spices in the beer can add another layer of complexity to any dish.

This is the third installment in a new pairing series/collaboration with the website They Draw and Cook (TDAC).  TDAC is a truly inspiring website with hundreds if not thousands of illustrated recipes by artists from around the world.  As you can imagine each recipe’s style and content is as unique as the artist who illustrated it. TDAC is a “veritable who’s who” of artistic styles and recipes as you will find painted, collaged, drawn, and digital renditions of scrumptious salads, mouthwatering main dishes, decadent desserts and so much more! 

For this series, I have picked five recipes from a compilation book of recipes TDAC had published last year but you can also find them on TDAC.com.  I have picked one breakfast-y recipe, one salad, one appetizer, one main dish and one dessert AND paired each recipe with one and sometimes two different beers! 

Pairing beer with desserts (before I get any hate mail...I know calling tiramisu a dessert is a disservice) are a lot fun and actually quite easy. The hop bitterness is natural counterbalances to a dessert's sweetness and vice versa. Also, many beers have a residual sweetness which helps create a binding base layer. Sweet malt flavors in beer can range from caramel to bitter chocolate, as is the case in this pairing. 

This beer is a perfect pairing with tiramisu.  First, the roasted barley used in this beer adds a wonderful bitter chocolate/coffee flavor that resonates with the coffee liqueur and cocoa powder.  The beer's bitterness and dry finish also help balance the decadent cream and sweet ladyfingers. But, what makes this pairing so special is the "soft-smoke" flavor from the chicory.  When the two combine, it is almost a perfect match for the New Orleans specialty coffee, cafe au lait. Although, I don't recommend you replace your morning coffee with this beer!-)

I found this great, one minute long beer description by Dogfish Head's brewmaster Sam Calagione. So instead of reading my longwinded interpretation of this beer, I am gonna let him explain HIS beer to you. 

1. If you liked this pairing or love this recipe let the artist know and spread the love around. The artist and I would appreciate the extra publicity!

2. You can and should order this fabulous cookbook on TDAC.com.

3. These illustrations are copyrighted.  You may not use them for any commercial reason without express written consent from the artist.  You may, however, print them for your own use.  Click the recipe which will take you to TDAC and from there you can download a high resolution copy or print a copy of this recipe. 

American Stout

Examples:  Rogue Shakespeare Stout, Deschutes Obsidian Stout, Sierra Nevada Stout
Serving Temp: 45°- 50°
Glassware: Pint Glass, Mug

Aroma: Will be full of roasted malt, which gives it a coffee-like aroma.  There may also be hints of chocolate or cocoa as well as American grown hops.
Appearance: The beer will pour jet black and opaque with garnet highlights around the edges with a thick and a long lasting tan head.
Flavor: You can expect a lot of roasted malt flavors of burnt coffee or bittersweet chocolate.  The burnt flavors shouldn’t be unpleasant and are often quickly replaced by a much smoother and sweeter chocolate flavor.  Citrus or resiny hop flavors can be present.
Mouthfeel: You can expect a well-carbonated, medium to full bodied beer with a dry and slightly astringent finish due to the roasted barley that was used in the brewing.

Food Pairings: Cuisine: Barbecue. Cheese: buttery, earthy.  Dessert: chocolate. Meat: beef, shellfish, smoked, grilled, game.

HopHeadSaid: Beers in this beer style can span a wide range of body and flavors but this almost ensures you will find that perfect American stout to suit your tastes or food pairing.  I suggest pairing your favorite stout with a chocolate dessert.  The sweetness in the deserts will help balance the roasty flavors in the stout and the stout will keep the dessert from becoming to cloying.  The coffee-like roastieness is often a pleasant layer with sweets, as well. If desserts aren’t your thang, then try breakfast foods! Consider replacing your morning coffee with a stout, it has a similar flavor profile as the coffee and its carbonation will help to scrub those savory or sweet flavors off the palate.  I won’t even get into the slight warming sensation you get with the stout.

This is the second installment in a new pairing series/collaboration with the website They Draw and Cook (TDAC).  TDAC is a truly inspiring website with hundreds if not thousands of illustrated recipes by artists from around the world.  As you can imagine each recipe’s style and content is as unique as the artist who illustrated it. TDAC is a “veritable who’s who” of artistic styles and recipes as you will find painted, collaged, drawn, and digital renditions of scrumptious salads, mouthwatering main dishes, decadent desserts and so much more! 

For this series, I have picked five recipes from a compilation book of recipes TDAC had published last year but you can also find them on TDAC.com.  I have picked one breakfast-y recipe, one salad, one appetizer, one main dish and one dessert AND paired each recipe with one and sometimes two different beers! 

Today I have picked another uncommon beer pairing. Unless you have been to a beer pairing dinner, pairing beer with a salad may seam a little odd. But this one isn't odd it's delicious! Admittedly, it can be a challenge to pair fresh fruit and especially fresh veggies with beer (even after you have tasted as many beers as I have) unless you come across a recipe like this! This salad is a perfect pairing with a specialty offshoot category of American style IPA's. Namely the rye IPA. 

This pairing works for several reasons.  First, the beer's citric hop flavor and bitterness complement the delightfully bittersweet pink grapefruit flavors perfectly. So perfectly that if it weren't for the crunchy parts, you might find it hard to tell where the salad ends and the beer starts. Then the earthy flavors of the avocado and the nutty-spiciness of the arugula resonate with the beer's subtle rye spiciness.   The carbonation plays a double role in this pairing.  First it causes a momentary burst of spicy flavors as the the rye, arugula and pepper mix together before the beer's malt sweetness and avocado take over keeping everything in balance.  And as always, the carbonation, the alcohol and the dry finish help to cleanse the savory avocado off the palate as you swallow.  A crisp and refreshing way to cleanse the palate before your next bite.

If you can't find Ruthless Rye IPA then use any rye pale ale or IPA especially if your local brewery makes one. Freshest is the bestest!

Specific Beer Description: Ruthless Rye IPA pours a crystal clear copper with a cascade of tiny carbonation bubbles rising from the etching in the bottom of my glass.  The pillowy, off-white head has staying power with some decent lacing on the side of the glass.  Lemon peal, pine and earthy hop aromas (a mouth watering combination) ready your palate for what's to come. Ruthless Rye's crisp hop bitterness gives way to a wonderfully smooth earthy hop flavor. However, the caramel-like malt sweetness and the rye malt spiciness balance the bitterness before it can become to intense. The malts then morph, what could be an over the top aggressive, hop bitterness into a smooth and refreshing grapefruity flavor. My overall opinion is that you should try this beer!  Ruthless Rye doesn't have the one-sided bitterness that turns so many people away from trying other IPA's. The mix of spice and citrus hop flavors make this beer an awesome partner for salads that include bitter greens or citrus.

1. If you liked this pairing or love this recipe let the artist know and spread the love around. The artist and I would appreciate the extra publicity!

2. You can and should order this fabulous cookbook on TDAC.com.

3. These illustrations are copyrighted.  You may not use them for any commercial reason without express written consent from the artist.  You may, however, print them for your own use.  Click the recipe which will take you to TDAC and from there you can download a high resolution copy or print a copy of this recipe.  

American IPA Style Description: 
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 in this style 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 in and an American IPA.
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.

Other IPA's:  Titan, Furious, Stone IPA, Two Hearted Ale

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

I love IPA’s! They are refreshing when it is hot out and their warming alcohol keeps you warm when it is cold.  These beers pair well with many foods especially savory or sweet foods.  The bitterness and alcohol help cleanse the palate of savory foods like cheeses or fried foods and the bitterness also helps keep the sweet foods in check.  But if you want to spice things up a bit drink an IPA. The bitterness momentarily emphasizes the spice but the alcohol helps to refresh the palate just like a tortilla chip. 

This week I am starting a new pairing series in collaboration with the website They Draw and Cook (TDAC).  TDAC is a truly inspiring website with hundreds if not thousands of illustrated recipes by artists from around the world.  As you can imagine each recipe’s style and content is as unique as the artist who illustrated it.  TDAC is a “veritable who’s who” of artistic styles and recipes as you will find painted, collaged, drawn, and digital renditions of scrumptious salads, mouthwatering main dishes, decadent desserts and so much more!

For this series, I have picked five recipes from a compilation book of recipes TDAC had published last year but you can also find them on TDAC.com.  I have picked one breakfast-y recipe, one salad, one appetizer, one main dish and one dessert AND paired each recipe with one and sometimes two different beers!  So if you have missed one (or more) of the recipes just scroll down or click “TDAC” in the categories on the right hand side of the screen.

Visit Eliza's blog here: http://elizasbirdhaus.blogspot.com/

I chose this recipe because people don't always think about pairing beer with breakfast foods.  Weird, yeah?! Well ... it turns out beer does pair well with many breakfast foods, especially baked ones like this quiche, but I'll get to that in a moment. The reason beer goes so well with breakfast foods is that they are generally full of cereal grains (flower, oats, etc) and beer is full of one and sometimes two cereal grains: barley and/or wheat.

Mission St.Brown Ale (from Trader Joe's) is a great pairing with this recipe for several reasons. To begin with, the pie crust sweetness and sweet caramel-like malt flavors in the beer create a sweet base layer that ties all the other flavors together. Next, the baked/browned crust resonates with the darker roasted grains in the beer. These toasted/baked flavors of the crust and malt add a depth to the sweeter base layer and strengthen the tie between the beer and quiche.  The caramel-like malt flavors resonate with the subtle sweetness in the cheese strengthening the tie between the beer and quiche even more. Then there is the play between the beer's toasted nutty aroma and flavors and the nutty flavor in the gruyere. Both are fairly subtle but together they resonate and create a more noticeable nutty flavor.  Last but certainly not least, the hop flavor/bitterness, alcohol and carbonation refresh your palate and clear the way for your next bite.

If you can't find this particular beer here are some good substitutes: Big Sky's Moose Drool, North Coast Acme Brown, Lost Coast Downtown Brown.

1. If you liked this pairing or love this recipe let the artist know and spread the love around. The artist and I would appreciate the extra publicity!

2. You can and should order this fabulous cookbook on TDAC.com.

3. These illustrations are copyrighted.  You may not use them for any commercial reason without express written consent from the artist.  You may, however, print them for your own use.  Click the recipe which will take you to TDAC and from there you can download a high resolution copy or print a copy of this recipe.  

Style: American Brown
Serving: Pint Glass or Mug @ 45°- 50° 

Aroma: Hints of sweet chocolate, caramel with toasted nuts are typical of this style.  Some American browns have pronounced hop aromas especially if they are dry hopped.
Appearance: Pours clear brown to dark brown with a light tan head.
Flavor:  Pronounced sweet malty flavors reminiscent of caramel and chocolate are balanced by elevated hop flavors and bitterness.
Mouthfeel:  Medium-full body that finish fairly dry due to the hops and elevated carbonation levels.

Other Examples: If you cant'f find this particular beer, I suggest you start with Indian Brown Ale from Dogfish Head, Bender from Surly Brewing Co or Moose Drool Brown Ale from Big Sky Brewing Co.

Food Pairings: Cuisine: Barbecue. Cheese: Earthy, Nutty. Meat: beef. Dessert: Chocolate.

HopHeadSaid: I prefer American brown ales over English brown ales because of the elevated hop profiles. The hop profiles help balance the toasted caramely/chocolate sweetness keeping the beer refreshing without limiting the beer’s pairing ability. The assertive hop intensity means the malt flavors have to be increased making it a great pairing beer for grilled foods, assertive cheeses and chocolate desserts.