Category: Beer & Food

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Needed or Not? – Beer n Brats chips

Limited time potato chip varietals will never stop.  I like to imagine that there are tubes filled with ten spices and to make a new flavor, in this case, Lays Chip Researchers just re-mixe the spices in different amounts and orders to come up with one that resembles Beer flavor and sausage flavor.  

But why? Are they really selling enough of these to justify the new packaging and clip art? I have the same reaction to Chicken and waffles chips too.

NOT needed. Just get a beer, then sausage then add in chips on the side. Or at least Lays should stick to just Brat flavored.

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Dipped

Los Angeles has a special connection to French Dip sandwiches.  And now there is a special beer to pair with it, Red Car Blonde brewed for Cole’s by nearby Arts District Brewing.  Described as “A crispy 4.5% blonde ale to pair perfectly with our classic beef dip”.

You might need to try the dip solo, then get a second to properly test.

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Get Your Peanuts….

…to pair with beer? I immediately thought these were beer flavored peanuts…

…but no, they are to PAIR with beer and in one case to specifically pair with Sam Adams Boston Lager which I think is just smarter. Most “beer flavored” snacks, taste nothing of beer so one ends up disappointed. But peanuts and beer is a gimme. It is going to taste good no matter the beer so now your product gets a positive glow even if a larger more economical bag would do the same.

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Hoppy Hour

Not for the first time, I am pointing out a choco-hop combo.  Tcho with Fieldwork Brewing have put Cascade, Centennial, and Chinook hops into 68% dark chocolate. 

Called Hoppy Hour,  “This classic West Coast IPA hop blend cuts through the cacao with intense grapefruit, spice, and piney notes. We then dialed it to eleven by adding some pop rocks for a fun and effervescent backend.”  

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Steeped Peanuts

In my time blogging, I have seen a lot of beer flavored foods from potato chips to candy to jerky. But I have never seen the phrasing, alcohol steeped liked this…

I would be OK with the Irish Stout and bourbon but the head scratcher is Jamaican Lager. What will that add past the salt?

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Tasty

Taste is subjective but that doesn’t mean we can’t improve our tasting ability and one way to do that is to educate yourself with book learning from someone who can guide the way.

That person is Mandy Naglich. And she has an impressive CV.  Advanced Cicerone, check. Certified Taster, check. Certified Cider Professional, check. Completed all levels of WSET Spirits, check.

Also a journalist with credits for Vice, Taste of Home, VinePair, and Wine Enthusiast. 

Oh, and a book about tasting too. With the simple title, How to Taste. It is pre-order now and it is on my reading list.

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Out Russelled

One of the best things about The Great American Beer Festival (GABF®) is their Paired food and beer section of the convention floor.  

But I got questions about this….

“This year’s festival will offer a sweet surprise on Thursday as sponsor Russell Stover Chocolates stops by on a nationwide tour celebrating its 100th anniversary and Guinness World Records title.”

It measures “30 feet 4.5 inches wide by 15 feet 5 inches tall and held more than 5,000 lbs. of chocolate. Russell Stover Chocolates will provide free chocolate samples to festivalgoers while supplies last.”

Maybe I am a See’s Man but even if I wasn’t one, I would avoid Russell Stover cause it don’t taste like chocolate and I sure don’t want a bigger piece of it.  I would prefer a local chocolatier instead.

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Osborne

The long in the works, twist and turns journey to a brewpub is now reality for 8one8 Brewing. 

Their new pizza restaurant is called the Osborne Pizza Kitchen and is located right next door to the brewery taproom.  They had a soft launch on July 10th. 

All the more reason to re-visit this corner of the Los Angeles beer scene.