Good evening and welcome to the Swell Restaurant. My name is Maurice, and I will be your server for the evening. Poulet aux champignons et poivre creme for the lady and boeuf et truffe noir for yourself? Both excellent choices. Would you prefer an unobtrusive pinot with the chicken, or an insouciant pale ale? Perhaps a sassy lager with the steak or a slightly mischievous, more traditional barolo?
The sun is setting on the days of mandatory wine pairings at fine-dining establishments, and there will be ample evidence of ways to pair good food with good beer this weekend when more than a dozen well-known local and national chefs tip their toques to malt and barley at the Great American Beer Festival.
Look for such chefs as Charlie Master of Brix, teaming with Tom Garcia of San Diego-based Stone Brewing Co.; Kevin Taylor of Kevin Taylor Restaurant, joining forces with Eric Warner of Aspen’s Flying Dog Brewery; Ed Kent of Strings cooking with Full Sail Brewing Co. brewmaster John Harris from Oregon; and Goose Sorensen of Solera, who will unite his skills with those of Vinnie Cilurzo of the Russian River Brewing Co. in Sonoma County, Calif.
If hosts can serve wine with chili, they can also serve a Belgian white ale with crab cakes. With the pairing of meals with tequila, scotch and bourbon, why not beer?
You might have sampled Chris DeJohn’s work at Invesco Field. DeJohn, executive chef for Centerplate, the catering firm that manages the stadium food, appreciates the possibilities of pairing good food with good beer.
“We have a lot of Southwestern-style food on the buffet,” he says. “For example we have a steak rubbed with cumin, grilled and served with a chipotle corn relish. It’s the sort of dish that a (cabernet) would go great with, but you’d want a strong ale to go with it to match the power of the spices.”
On the other hand, he noted, for an evening of appetizers or tapas where you have such complex flavors, say, a gorgonzola-pear appetizer served with spiced walnuts, you might want to just serve champagne.
Or a gentle pale ale.
“I learned about beer from the Italians,” DeJohn says. “They tell you to taste and see how it feels in your mouth. If it leaves a fresh taste in your mouth after you taste the food, that’s the one. Strength should match strength, and light should match light.”
Kevin Taylor sommelier Kevin Arndt agrees that you want the weight of the wine to match the weight of the food, and the beer.
“For the beef dish we do with black truffles, you would want a barolo or nebbiola,” he says. “For a beer I would recommend Guinness (stout).”
He would get no argument from Bobby Stuckey, master sommelier at Frasca, the hot new northern Italian restaurant in Boulder. He has no problem pairing beer and food. In fact, he says, it may well be an idea whose time has arrived.
“I think beer is overlooked a lot in food and wine pairings, because there are so many other cuisines that are popular and important in American culture. Any of the foods that have sweet, salty and spicy overtones work well with beer, such as barbecue, Thai or Vietnamese foods. It’s all about balance – the white wine we drink is usually 9 percent alcohol, but beer is about 6 (percent). So with a chardonnay, for example, you’re adding (alcohol) on heat. Beer is a really good foil for so much American cuisine.”
One needn’t restrict beer as a companion to ‘cue, pad Thai or pho. Nor should one feel inappropriate ordering it with anything served at Frasca. And you might even want to reconsider more traditional before-dinner drinks.
“Beer is a great aperitif, in many ways better than a martini, which doesn’t enhance taste buds as much as it deadens them,” Stuckey says. “Beer wakes up taste buds.”
So while you’re perusing Frasca’s menu, deciding on a first course, you’ll find yourself nibbling complimentary almonds and olives, a typical offering in Mediterranean countries. They are backed by frico, a house-made cheese crisp that pairs perfectly with a glass of San Francisco’s Anchor Steam.
“You could also have a dry white wine like Bastianich Tocai, but the Anchor Steam is also dry and full of flavor,” Stuckey says. “We’re wine dominated, but we always try to have a good beer selection, including Italian beers like Peroni Blue Label.
Right now we have a lamb stufato (stew), which is rich with potatoes and root vegetables in the bottom of the bowl. I would recommend Guinness with that.”
Hmmm. Let’s see: Guinness, $5.50. A 1998 Castello di Butrio, $45 a bottle.
“The point is,” Stuckey says, “both are great pairings on their own. Either one would work just fine.”
Staff writer Ellen Sweets can be reached at 303-820-1284 or esweets@denverpost.com.
Best bars for beers
Not going to the Great American Beer Festival? These pubs pour a wide variety of brews:
The Cherry Cricket, 2641 E. Second Ave.
Dillon Dam Brewery, 100 Little Dam St., Dillon
Falling Rock Tap House, 1919 Blake St.
5280 Roadhouse & Brewery, 5798 S. Rapp St., Littleton
The Irish Hound, 575 St. Paul St.
My Brother’s Bar, 2376 15th St.
Old Chicago, 13 locations, metro Denver
Phantom Canyon Brewing Co., 2 E. Pikes Peak Ave., Colorado Springs
Pint’s Pub, 221 W. 13th Ave.
Spot Bar and Grill, 98 S. Pennsylvania St.
Uptown Tavern, 538 E. 17th Ave.
Wazee Supper Club, 1600 15th St.
Wynkoop Brewing Co., 18th and Wynkoop Streets
Perfect pairings
Red meat goes with red wine, but what if you would rather have a stout with that steak? Here are some suggestions for matching beers with food:
Amber lagers are classic with Mexican food, but extra special bitter (ESB) or amber ales can match fresh cilantro, cumin and Mexican oregano. Remember, chile heat and hoppy bitterness fight each other, so don’t pair a highly bitter beer with extremely spicy food.
India pale ale can stand up to complex seasonings such as curries and typical Indian spices such as turmeric and fenugreek. An IPA also makes a welcome contrast to pungent, buttery cheeses such as blue cheese.
Witbier or saison styles, with subtle spice and fruity notes, go well with Mediterranean flavors, such as a grilled Greek chicken salad with kalamata olives, roasted red peppers and Greek oregano.
Malty maibock lagers take the heat of Thai food. To step it up a bit, an abbey-style tripel is sweet with Thai coconut milk curries, and adds its own yeasty character.
Imperial stout can be matched with anything made with dark chocolate and cocoa: truffles, flourless chocolate cake (huge flavors all going the same direction; hops and deep-roast malt balances sweetness).
Belgian-style abbey ale is a surprise partner for spicy barbecued ribs, as there’s harmony between caramelized meat and malt, spiciness of sauce and yeast character. The ale’s dryness and carbonation cuts the richness of the ribs.
-Lucy Saunders
Source: Randy Mosher, author of the Brewers Association’s guide to beer and food pairing
Beer Nation
Craft beer is finding a place alongside wine in restaurants across the country, thanks to these open-minded chefs:
Tom Colicchio, Gramercy Tavern, New York
Christopher Corby, Emmett’s, Palatine, Ill.
Sanford D’Amato, Coquette’s Brasserie, Milwaukee
Tom Douglas, Palace Kitchen, Seattle
Adam Glickman and Tom Peters, Monk’s Cafe, Philadelphia
Gregg Higgins, Higgins, Portland, Ore.
Jay Jenc, Cafe Saint-Ex,Washington, D.C.
Marc Kadish, Sunset Grill, Allston, Mass.
Scott McGlinchey, Heaven City, Mukwanago, Wis.
Brian Morin, Beerbistro, Toronto
Tim Schafer’s Cuisine, Morristown, N.J.
– Lucy Saunders
Stout Ice Cream
Although Denver chef Elena Clement based her recipe on the original Guinness version, she uses locally brewed Oatmeal Stout from Breckenridge Brewery. Adapted from her recipe, this makes about 1 3/4 quarts.
Ingredients
Directions
In a large saucepan, combine milk, cream and vanilla bean. Pour half the sugar into the middle of the pan and bring to a boil. Do not stir. (This allows the sugar to melt slowly and coat the bottom of the pan so the milk solids do not burn.) When the mixture comes to a boil, remove from the heat.
In a heat-resistant bowl, whisk egg yolks, salt and remaining sugar. While whisking, pour half the boiled mixture over egg yolks and sugar. Return pan with remaining milk mixture to heat and bring back to a boil. Whisk yolk mixture into boiling liquid and switch to a wooden spoon or heat-resistant spatula. Stir mixture in a figure-eight motion over medium heat until it starts to thicken. Do not allow the mixture to boil again, or you will curdle the yolks.
Once it thickens slightly, remove from heat and strain through a fine sieve into a bowl. Place bowl over a larger ice-filled bowl to cool. Add stout and stir gently (you are not trying to add air to the mixture).
Refrigerate, covered, overnight. Freeze according to freezer manufacturer directions. (This might need to be done in two batches.)
Railyard BBQ Shrimp
Wynkoop Brewing Co. chef Michael Angelo offers these guidelines for cooking with beer: “I feel that beer is an equal to wine in cooking, but there are a few guidelines that I follow. Unlike wine, I don’t feel that beer works well in a reduction. Where a wine’s flavor stays and intensifies when being reduced, the bittering in the hops can produce off flavors when beer is reduced.” This recipe from Angelo makes 4 appetizer servings.
Ingredients
Base
Sauce
Rice
Directions
Base: Peel, de-vein and butterfly the shrimp (save the peels for the base). Bring the water to a boil with the shrimp shells and bay leaf. Simmer for 5 minutes, strain and reserve.
Sauce: Simmer and reduce the shrimp base by half. Then add the Worcestershire, rosemary and garlic; simmer for 5 minutes. Add the Cajun spice, beer and parsley and simmer for 2 minutes. Cut 6 tablespoons butter into small pieces and slowly add to the mix, blending the mixture well. In a separate pan, sautée shrimp with 2 tablespoons butter (salt and pepper lightly).
Rice: Bring the water to a boil with the gumbo file, butter and salt and pepper. Add the rice and turn off heat, allowing rice to absorb water.
To serve: Place a spoonful of rice in the middle of a small plate, arrange the butterfly shrimp around the rice. Drizzle the sauce over the plate and shrimp. Top the rice with fried leeks (leeks cut very thin and dusted with cornstarch and fried), and sprinkle plate with diced tomato.
Beer ideas: Angelo uses Octoberfest-style Rail Yard Ale in this dish. The malty character of the beer balances the light spicing in the dish, and the understated hops accent the herbs, he says. Any good Oktoberfest or other style of beer with a high malt profile and a low hop character will also work well.
Mussels with Saffron, Guajillo Chiles and Beer
Recipe adapted from the “Nuevo Latino: Chiles” episode of Alex Garcia’s show, “Melting Pot,” on the Food Network. Guajillo chiles can be found at Avanza supermarkets, and natural- and ethnic-food stores. Serves 4.
Ingredients
Directions
Saute red onion, tomato and garlic in olive oil until soft and translucent. Add guajillo chile, beer and mussels. Steam over low heat for 10 minutes. Discard any unopened mussels. Serve in a shallow bowl.
Beer ideas: The lively flavor of the crisp blond Belgian trippel- or saison-style will match the spice in this dish, says beer connoisseur Marty Jones. He also recommends Belgian Duvel brand golden strong ale.
Dale’s Pale Ale Hunt Camp Stew
This is one of the meals Denver chef Mark DiNittis prepares when he sets up hunt camp at 10,000 feet. Serves 4.
Ingredients
Directions
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season meat lightly with salt and pepper, and place into hot skillet. Brown all the meat. Add garlic, onion and black pepper. Cook until onions and garlic are soft. Add beer and water to skillet. Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer 45 minutes to an hour over low heat.
When the meat is tender, add carrot and potato, and cook 10.15 minutes. Add more water or beer if it has reduced too much. The sauce should have a semi-smooth consistency.
To finish, slowly stir in 1/3 of the sour cream, adding 1/3 at a time to temper the sauce. (Adding cold sour cream in one big “glop” to a hot liquid can coddle the sour cream and make the sauce gritty.) Simmer briefly to allow flavors to meld and come to a creamy texture. Season to taste with salt.
Beer ideas: This one’s easy. Drink the rest of the Dale’s Pale Ale.
Onion Rings
In answer to a reader’s question about substituting non-alcoholic beer in recipes, Chicago Tribune test kitchen writer Donna Pierce, says any brew will do. “The same properties that make beer good in a recipe apply to non-alcoholic brew,” said Jeff Becker, president of the Beer Institute, a national trade association for brewers, located in Washington, D.C.
Ingredients
Directions
Whisk beer into flour. Add egg and beat until smooth. Dip sliced onions in batter and fry in hot oil until golden.
Beer ideas: Just as any type of beer will work in the recipe, any type would be good to drink with it. But an Avery Brewing IPA with its load of hops and extra bit of alcohol would cut nicely through the crispy fried batter.
Porter Cornbread and Sausage Stuffing
This recipe from the National Beer Wholesalers Association has been adapted to high altitude, and makes 12 servings.
Ingredients
Cornbread
Stuffing
1 recipe Porter Cornbread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
Directions
Cornbread: Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. In large bowl, whisk cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda. In a separate bowl, whisk buttermilk and eggs. Pour beer, pimientos and melted butter into buttermilk mixture. Stir well. Pour liquid into dry ingredients and mix gently. Pour batter into pan; bake 25 minutes. Cool in pan on wire rack 15 minutes; invert onto rack and cool completely.
Stuffing: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place cornbread pieces in large roasting pan. Bake 30 minutes, tossing once, until dried and lightly toasted. Cool. Transfer to large mixing bowl. Keep oven hot.
In large, deep saucepan on high heat, cook sausage 5 minutes, breaking into bits with the back of a wooden spoon. Add leeks, carrots and jalapenos; cook 5 minutes, or until sausage is browned and cooked through and vegetables are tender. Add to bowl with cornbread; add cilantro, salt and pepper. In same saucepan, pour beer and chicken broth; bring to boil over high heat. Add cranberries. Boil 10 minutes or until reduced to about 1 1/2 cups. Pour over cornbread mixture and toss evenly to moisten. Transfer to greased 9-by-13-inch baking dish; dot top with butter. Cover with foil. Bake 30-35 minutes.
Beer ideas: A malty Oktoberfest lager from Paulaner or the caramel notes in Samuel Smith’s Nut Brown Ale would work with the sausage here.
