what to serve with (a lot of) stouts? [Booze]
2011 Jan 24
Niall The first thing that came to mind is nuts. If you want to make your own Monty posted some recipes here: Forum - you're gonna love my nuts! (spicy smoked peanuts)
Other thoughts that came to mind are an assortment of cheeses (I'll bet some La Trappe à Fromage cheeses would go great), pâté or liverwurst, or cold cuts. Devilled eggs are always a hit. Maybe rollmops? Maybe samosas?
Other thoughts that came to mind are an assortment of cheeses (I'll bet some La Trappe à Fromage cheeses would go great), pâté or liverwurst, or cold cuts. Devilled eggs are always a hit. Maybe rollmops? Maybe samosas?
2011 Jan 24
I tried "Oyster Stout" this weekend, and on the bottle, it recommends drinking with oysters or seafood...I was great, but I didn't try any oysters with it.
I'm thinking some chocolate covered gingerbread (had some this weekend; A PC product), jalapeno poppers, mozzarella sticks, maybe a raclette, or fondue, fresh fruit with chocolate fountain....stout braised short ribs...or check this out - www.realbeer.com
I'm thinking some chocolate covered gingerbread (had some this weekend; A PC product), jalapeno poppers, mozzarella sticks, maybe a raclette, or fondue, fresh fruit with chocolate fountain....stout braised short ribs...or check this out - www.realbeer.com
2011 Jan 24
Porter, dry or oatmeal stout: Think hearty foods -- meat dishes with gravy, barbecue, shepherd's pie, stew. Oysters are also ideal. Both these beers and brown ales will stand up to stronger cheeses such as sharp cheddar and blue.
Cream or sweet stout, imperial stout: These are made for chocolate, and imperial stout pairs especially well with dark chocolate. Also try chocolate-and-fruit desserts, such as stout cheesecake with raspberry sauce, or something with caramel or pecans.
Cream or sweet stout, imperial stout: These are made for chocolate, and imperial stout pairs especially well with dark chocolate. Also try chocolate-and-fruit desserts, such as stout cheesecake with raspberry sauce, or something with caramel or pecans.
2011 Jan 24
That`s a whole lot of stouts and porters to try - awesome Niall! Sounds like it would be a lot of fun and quite an eye-opener, perhaps. I`m not overly fond of food with my dark beers so can`t recommend anything (I could suggest some unsalted saltine crackers perhaps during the serious tastings).
Had a couple Barley Days Cherry porters this week - got any in your lineup? Say, what is your lineup? ...smacking my lips here!
Had a couple Barley Days Cherry porters this week - got any in your lineup? Say, what is your lineup? ...smacking my lips here!
2011 Jan 24
Pasta lover: due to allergies, I'll have to refrain from peanuts. Cheeses might work, it's along the proper level of quick easy snack between bottles.
Bobby Filet: I saw the Marston's Oyster stout, but I think I have enough as it is. :) Seafood would be a bit too much to work in. No hearty food as it's meant to be a tasting after supper, but yes, normally those would be great dishes to have with just one stout, and I'll keep it in mind since we're not going to finish any of them. :)
Andy: No Barley Days Cherry porter, that sounds yummy. The saltines may be worth checking out. Between that, good cheese and water, I may be set after all. The list is as follows:
UK:
* Young's Double Chocolate Stout, 5.2% (Bedford, UK)
* Meantime Coffee Porter, 6.0% (X, UK)
Iceland:
* Lava Smoked Imperial Stout, 9.5% (Iceland)
US:
* Southern Tier Crème Brûlée Stout, 10.0% (Lakewood, NY)
* Brooklyn Brewery Black Chocolate (Imperial) Stout, 10.0% (Brooklyn, NY) (no actual chocolate)
Ontario:
* Black Creek Porter, 5% (Toronto, Ontario)
* Muskoka Double Chocolate Cranberry Stout, 8% (Muskoka, Ontario)
Québec:
* St-Ambroise oatmeal stout, 5.0% (Montreal, Quebec)
* Le Naufrageur St-Barnabé oatmeal stout, 5.2% (Gaspé, Quebec)
* La Corriveau oatmeal stout, 5.5% (St-Hyacinthe, Quebec)
* Simple Malt Double Porter, 6.4% (St-Eustache, Quebec)
* Mild stout with chocolate and rasberries, 7.0% (Tingwick, Quebec)
* Monseigneur d'Esgly stout, 7.5% (Québec, Quebec)
* La Barberie imperial stout, 7.5% (Québec, Quebec)
* Simple Malt imperial stout, 8.1% (St-Eustache, Quebec)
* La Vache Folle Milk Stout, 9.0% (Charlevoix/Le St-Pub, Quebec)
* St-Ambroise Russian Imperial Stout, 9.1% (Montréal, Quebec)
Rizak: BroueHaHa is deadly tempting. 8 of the 10 Quebec ones were bought there, and I had to put some back on the shelves.
Bobby Filet: I saw the Marston's Oyster stout, but I think I have enough as it is. :) Seafood would be a bit too much to work in. No hearty food as it's meant to be a tasting after supper, but yes, normally those would be great dishes to have with just one stout, and I'll keep it in mind since we're not going to finish any of them. :)
Andy: No Barley Days Cherry porter, that sounds yummy. The saltines may be worth checking out. Between that, good cheese and water, I may be set after all. The list is as follows:
UK:
* Young's Double Chocolate Stout, 5.2% (Bedford, UK)
* Meantime Coffee Porter, 6.0% (X, UK)
Iceland:
* Lava Smoked Imperial Stout, 9.5% (Iceland)
US:
* Southern Tier Crème Brûlée Stout, 10.0% (Lakewood, NY)
* Brooklyn Brewery Black Chocolate (Imperial) Stout, 10.0% (Brooklyn, NY) (no actual chocolate)
Ontario:
* Black Creek Porter, 5% (Toronto, Ontario)
* Muskoka Double Chocolate Cranberry Stout, 8% (Muskoka, Ontario)
Québec:
* St-Ambroise oatmeal stout, 5.0% (Montreal, Quebec)
* Le Naufrageur St-Barnabé oatmeal stout, 5.2% (Gaspé, Quebec)
* La Corriveau oatmeal stout, 5.5% (St-Hyacinthe, Quebec)
* Simple Malt Double Porter, 6.4% (St-Eustache, Quebec)
* Mild stout with chocolate and rasberries, 7.0% (Tingwick, Quebec)
* Monseigneur d'Esgly stout, 7.5% (Québec, Quebec)
* La Barberie imperial stout, 7.5% (Québec, Quebec)
* Simple Malt imperial stout, 8.1% (St-Eustache, Quebec)
* La Vache Folle Milk Stout, 9.0% (Charlevoix/Le St-Pub, Quebec)
* St-Ambroise Russian Imperial Stout, 9.1% (Montréal, Quebec)
Rizak: BroueHaHa is deadly tempting. 8 of the 10 Quebec ones were bought there, and I had to put some back on the shelves.
2011 Jan 25
I would avoid nuts myself. I would consider a variety of meats, prepared as finger food. Blackened but rare steak, sliced into small cubes. Chicken skewers basted with mole sauce. Strong, but plain cheeses, such as a nice sharp cheddar. I would go light on the mouldy (blue etc) cheeses. And some fresh bread/rolls, such as the Dynamite dinner rolls from Art-Is-In. I might throw in a starch or veg too, if I could figure a way to keep it more finger-food-like.
2011 Jan 25
Niall That's an awesome lineup! I'm looking forward to hearing what you liked and what you didn't. I don't often have stouts, so it's nice to be nudged in the right direction.
Andy Thank you for restoring my faith in myself. You're the only other person I know who likes the Cherry Porter. I ordered one at The Rochester before Christmas and the bartender said, "You like the stuff?"
:)
Andy Thank you for restoring my faith in myself. You're the only other person I know who likes the Cherry Porter. I ordered one at The Rochester before Christmas and the bartender said, "You like the stuff?"
:)
2011 Jan 25
Thanks Pete-in-Ottawa! After perusing the recommendations of the www.beeradvocate.com website, I will have dark chocolate, strong-plain cheeses, some neutral crackers and some bread bought that day.
I think a 1-1.5oz pour might be best too to sample, and if we get through all of them, it would still be at most two pints consumed overall. I have some nice small mugs, definitely better than the cylinder glasses I was first thinking of using (which would be better if I did a bunch of fruit and summer beers in July).
I'm glad I'm doing this at home, because I'm fairly sure I won't be able to walk by the end of it all. :)
Some friends sadly can't make it and would only be able to be by a week later. Even if I recap them properly and keep them in the fridge, I would gather that they'd go flat in that time?
Momomoto, consider that these are all bottled stouts and porters, since I can't really bring in brewpub stuff in - even with growlers, which would be way too much for the occasion. :)
I think a 1-1.5oz pour might be best too to sample, and if we get through all of them, it would still be at most two pints consumed overall. I have some nice small mugs, definitely better than the cylinder glasses I was first thinking of using (which would be better if I did a bunch of fruit and summer beers in July).
I'm glad I'm doing this at home, because I'm fairly sure I won't be able to walk by the end of it all. :)
Some friends sadly can't make it and would only be able to be by a week later. Even if I recap them properly and keep them in the fridge, I would gather that they'd go flat in that time?
Momomoto, consider that these are all bottled stouts and porters, since I can't really bring in brewpub stuff in - even with growlers, which would be way too much for the occasion. :)
2011 Feb 2
Well, this was a success!
Seven people on Saturday, one more tonight (two more couldn't show up, alas). 17 stouts and porters, two extra beers, and one had brought a taste of his still-immature lambic, pre-fruit phase. Lots of fun reactions to pouring the beers, to smelling and tasting them... a few heads exploding every now and then. (Often mine.)
The photo shows the setup I had tonight, bigger version here: home.mycybernet.net
Other photo in the middle of the tasting, showing the note sheets I made for everyone: home.mycybernet.net
I had small mini-mugs, perfect for pouring the 1-2 ounces into, and the tall thin glasses for water. Worked like a charm. Various cheeses, chocolates and munchables and a great fine herbs sausage from Papille rounded up the tastes.
Here are a collection of my notes and reactions to the various beers, in order:
Black Creek Porter: an excellent flavour, thin body making it easy to drink, nice drinkability; a proper introduction to the family of porters, many would happily sip a pint talking with friends.
Meantime Coffee Porter: Some found it had a more pronounced coffee smell but less of a coffee taste than the Black Creek, but it wasn't unanimous. Also quite nice and drinkable, rounder taste.
La Corriveau: the first stout, oatmeal on top, and the first consensus: man, this has kick and has a bold firm taste that "dances" with your tongue. Recommended. (BroueHaHa)
Young's Double Chocolate Stout: I had enjoyed it previously, but it paled in comparison to the microbrews. A bit bland, chocolate as a bit of an aftertaste. Fine on its own, but we found so many tastier alternatives.
D'Esgly: First strong stout, light 7.5% for an Imperial, but a damned good strong stout anyway. Poured black and thicker than all others before, almost a shock. Complex flavours, not unassuming at all, strong chocolate smell component.
Simple Malt Double Porter: strong enough smoke smell and taste to be more of a smoked than a porter; if you can take peaty whiskies, then this may well be up your alley, but not necessarily. Very smoky for a porter.
La Barberie: holy CRAP. poured thick and black like a nightgaunt's blood. Outright shocked me, and others just gawked as I poured around. Takes your tastebuds around for a bit of a sparring match, left us a bit breathless but happy. Definite consensus as Really Good. One comment: "In R'lyeh, beer drinks you!" (BroueHaHa)
Sweet stout with raspberries and chocolate: Extremely fruity nose, but taste is amazingly balanced, the chocolate not as pronounced as one might think, making it not cloying. Quite drinkable. Most people really liked it. (BroueHaHa)
Simple Malt imperial stout: Much better balanced, the smoke barely there, quite tasty though not disguising the 8.1%. Often a good second choice for many.
Lava: holy bloody WTF. The taste was a roundhouse kick in your mouth, smoky but not from wood like the previous ones, bold but not in your face with it, Wow, unique, definitely not your average stout. Smoked and Imperial, it is strong enough to hold the 9.5% without a doubt. Those who liked it, liked it a lot. (LCBO if any are left)
St Barnabé: It was a little washed-out after the lava, a simple 5% oatmeal stout, but was smooth enough to be quite pleasant. Probably quite nice, but nothing to make it really stand out.
Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout: Some found it boring, I found it 'too obvious' in what it was trying to do. No subtlety, no complexity, acrid, in-your-face in an unpleasant way. Stereotypical image of a Brooklynite...
St-Ambroise oatmeal stout: Felt a little thin in comparison to the others around it, but it wasn't boring either; can hold its own, a tried-and-true if slightly less-bold flavour profile.
Vache Folle oatmeal stout: Oh, but it was fun to watch reactions to this. :) Pour 1 oz, get 2/3 head anyway! The lactose makes the taste profile all warped, more unctuous without being thick, just... smoooooooth. (ducks)
St-Ambroise Imperial Stout: my sole note: "KAPOW". Someone noted that the Lava took everyone else's lunch money - this one beat up the Lava in its locker and robbed it in turn. THIS is a drink fit for an EMPEROR. Strong and bold, the carbonation making it drink so nicely and easily, despite making a mess of your mouth on the way down. Dangerously smooth and barely a trace of the 9.1%. Highly recommended for how powerful an Imperial is supposed to be. (Trappe à Fromage, but it's seasonal and is probably gone til next year.)
Muskoka double chocolate cranberry stout: Very chocolaty, the cranberry is subtle, almost as an aftertaste; still refreshing, nice holiday beer, quite enjoyable. (LCBO)
Southern Tier Crème Brulée stout: in one person's words: "I'm not convinced beer is supposed to do that" - it has both lactose and vanilla beans in such a dosage as to smell and taste like the dessert. Incredibly sweet, bizarre, impressively so. Heads exploded at each first sip. (Yes, I had much fun watching, why do you ask?)
Other beers we tried:
Simple Malt Massive Smoke: smoke, smoke and more smoke. Wood, whisky malts, sugars, all blending in a bizarre but still-enjoyable concoction that nonetheless goes down well - IF you like smoked beers.
Harviestown Ola Dubh 16-yr-old-whiskey-cask-aged ale: Ohhhhh.. this is smooth and niiiiiiiice... sips itself most, most satisfyingly, excellent blend of flavours that honestly shouldn't work this well together. Expensive ($6) but less so than the 40-year whiskey cask aged version ($20)... (LCBO)
Seven people on Saturday, one more tonight (two more couldn't show up, alas). 17 stouts and porters, two extra beers, and one had brought a taste of his still-immature lambic, pre-fruit phase. Lots of fun reactions to pouring the beers, to smelling and tasting them... a few heads exploding every now and then. (Often mine.)
The photo shows the setup I had tonight, bigger version here: home.mycybernet.net
Other photo in the middle of the tasting, showing the note sheets I made for everyone: home.mycybernet.net
I had small mini-mugs, perfect for pouring the 1-2 ounces into, and the tall thin glasses for water. Worked like a charm. Various cheeses, chocolates and munchables and a great fine herbs sausage from Papille rounded up the tastes.
Here are a collection of my notes and reactions to the various beers, in order:
Black Creek Porter: an excellent flavour, thin body making it easy to drink, nice drinkability; a proper introduction to the family of porters, many would happily sip a pint talking with friends.
Meantime Coffee Porter: Some found it had a more pronounced coffee smell but less of a coffee taste than the Black Creek, but it wasn't unanimous. Also quite nice and drinkable, rounder taste.
La Corriveau: the first stout, oatmeal on top, and the first consensus: man, this has kick and has a bold firm taste that "dances" with your tongue. Recommended. (BroueHaHa)
Young's Double Chocolate Stout: I had enjoyed it previously, but it paled in comparison to the microbrews. A bit bland, chocolate as a bit of an aftertaste. Fine on its own, but we found so many tastier alternatives.
D'Esgly: First strong stout, light 7.5% for an Imperial, but a damned good strong stout anyway. Poured black and thicker than all others before, almost a shock. Complex flavours, not unassuming at all, strong chocolate smell component.
Simple Malt Double Porter: strong enough smoke smell and taste to be more of a smoked than a porter; if you can take peaty whiskies, then this may well be up your alley, but not necessarily. Very smoky for a porter.
La Barberie: holy CRAP. poured thick and black like a nightgaunt's blood. Outright shocked me, and others just gawked as I poured around. Takes your tastebuds around for a bit of a sparring match, left us a bit breathless but happy. Definite consensus as Really Good. One comment: "In R'lyeh, beer drinks you!" (BroueHaHa)
Sweet stout with raspberries and chocolate: Extremely fruity nose, but taste is amazingly balanced, the chocolate not as pronounced as one might think, making it not cloying. Quite drinkable. Most people really liked it. (BroueHaHa)
Simple Malt imperial stout: Much better balanced, the smoke barely there, quite tasty though not disguising the 8.1%. Often a good second choice for many.
Lava: holy bloody WTF. The taste was a roundhouse kick in your mouth, smoky but not from wood like the previous ones, bold but not in your face with it, Wow, unique, definitely not your average stout. Smoked and Imperial, it is strong enough to hold the 9.5% without a doubt. Those who liked it, liked it a lot. (LCBO if any are left)
St Barnabé: It was a little washed-out after the lava, a simple 5% oatmeal stout, but was smooth enough to be quite pleasant. Probably quite nice, but nothing to make it really stand out.
Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout: Some found it boring, I found it 'too obvious' in what it was trying to do. No subtlety, no complexity, acrid, in-your-face in an unpleasant way. Stereotypical image of a Brooklynite...
St-Ambroise oatmeal stout: Felt a little thin in comparison to the others around it, but it wasn't boring either; can hold its own, a tried-and-true if slightly less-bold flavour profile.
Vache Folle oatmeal stout: Oh, but it was fun to watch reactions to this. :) Pour 1 oz, get 2/3 head anyway! The lactose makes the taste profile all warped, more unctuous without being thick, just... smoooooooth. (ducks)
St-Ambroise Imperial Stout: my sole note: "KAPOW". Someone noted that the Lava took everyone else's lunch money - this one beat up the Lava in its locker and robbed it in turn. THIS is a drink fit for an EMPEROR. Strong and bold, the carbonation making it drink so nicely and easily, despite making a mess of your mouth on the way down. Dangerously smooth and barely a trace of the 9.1%. Highly recommended for how powerful an Imperial is supposed to be. (Trappe à Fromage, but it's seasonal and is probably gone til next year.)
Muskoka double chocolate cranberry stout: Very chocolaty, the cranberry is subtle, almost as an aftertaste; still refreshing, nice holiday beer, quite enjoyable. (LCBO)
Southern Tier Crème Brulée stout: in one person's words: "I'm not convinced beer is supposed to do that" - it has both lactose and vanilla beans in such a dosage as to smell and taste like the dessert. Incredibly sweet, bizarre, impressively so. Heads exploded at each first sip. (Yes, I had much fun watching, why do you ask?)
Other beers we tried:
Simple Malt Massive Smoke: smoke, smoke and more smoke. Wood, whisky malts, sugars, all blending in a bizarre but still-enjoyable concoction that nonetheless goes down well - IF you like smoked beers.
Harviestown Ola Dubh 16-yr-old-whiskey-cask-aged ale: Ohhhhh.. this is smooth and niiiiiiiice... sips itself most, most satisfyingly, excellent blend of flavours that honestly shouldn't work this well together. Expensive ($6) but less so than the 40-year whiskey cask aged version ($20)... (LCBO)
2011 Feb 8
Péché Mortel and Aphrodisiaque were among those I put back on the shelves at BroueHaHa. I had enough by then. :)
I had a second tasting Tuesday a week ago with someone who couldn't be there on the Saturday - none of the bottles were finished but I had put the caps back on as best I could, having been careful to not bend them much when opening them. Most of the beers had lost their carbonation, but the tastes were pretty much the same for most of them.
I have been finishing bottles bit by bit over the week, and had some help on Friday - the better stouts still had their taste intact a week later.
Last night I finished the Vache Folle milk stout, and poured it all in a glass... and blinked as it developed a foam head for several minutes. It still had carbonation left. This thing is impressive.
I had a second tasting Tuesday a week ago with someone who couldn't be there on the Saturday - none of the bottles were finished but I had put the caps back on as best I could, having been careful to not bend them much when opening them. Most of the beers had lost their carbonation, but the tastes were pretty much the same for most of them.
I have been finishing bottles bit by bit over the week, and had some help on Friday - the better stouts still had their taste intact a week later.
Last night I finished the Vache Folle milk stout, and poured it all in a glass... and blinked as it developed a foam head for several minutes. It still had carbonation left. This thing is impressive.
Niall
I already have some dark chocolate. Obviously, for those who know me. :)
I gather something salty would be to avoid?
Suggestions welcome...