Beer Dinner

Recently we were the fortunate recipients of a care package from Iowa. While that might not make most people giddy with excitement, it's all about knowing the right person in Iowa.

One of E's friends is an award-winning home brewer, as well as a loyal reader of Brim. You may know him as mrT. He was kind enough to send us some of his magic, and to celebrate the bounty we put together a very simple beer-themed dinner.

The first selection for the evening was a double pale. If my beer research serves me right, the "double" refers to adding twice the normal amount of malt and hops, which imparts a stronger flavor and a higher alcohol content. This beer clocked in at just under 10 percent.

You can see the color for yourself. The flavors were bitter orange with a nice balance of carmel malt and green hops. It was a big full-bodied pale ale that called for something rich to go with it.

To go with the pale ale, I put together some mini-pizzas with smoked salmon, caramelized Vidalia onion, goat cheese and sautéed asparagus spears. A very nice combination, I must say. Asparagus can be notoriously difficult to pair with wine. The bold ale paired nicely without overwhelming.

Next up was the Potter Porter. Having a beer named in our honor was enough to predispose me to love it, but there was plenty to love anyway. It was hard to capture the glory of the artfully designed label, but it proclaims this beer as "a marriage of wine and beer" and even features a photo from our own nuptials. I was speechless when I saw it.

Tasting it was even better. Infused with a California red blend, this had the most intriguing nose: raisin, roasted malt and a hint of anise. The flavor was dominated by the rich malt and chocolate with notes of coffee and raisin. The mouthfeel was very lush and smooth.


To pair with such an elegant brew, I cooked up a couple bacon-wrapped fillets (and made sure not to burn them). I know I'm a bit predictable with the balsamic reduction, but it's so damn good. I finished off the plate with some baby greens, chopped heirloom tomatoes, a dollop of potato salad and some crumbled bleu cheese. The smooth, rich beer was perfect, and the flavor opened up even more as it warmed.

The final beer was a chocolate porter, which we paired with a bit of dark chocolate. I served it a bit too cold at first, but as it warmed up the chocolate came through, along with notes of malt, toffee and nuts. It might have been my imagination, but I picked up some more carbonation in this one, which gave it a lighter mouthfeel.

The Potter Porter was our favorite, of course, but they were all exceptional. My beer palate is still developing, but I'm getting better at picking up on the nuances. You might notice the glassware as Riedel "O" red wine tumblers. I love drinking beer out of them.

Here's a great big "thank you" to mrT for sharing his hard work with us. It's amazing to see what's possible with home brewing, and it was lots of fun to match such amazing beers with food. I need to do it more often.

Cheers.