Tag: food

Beer of the Week 19: 1554

New Belgium’s 1554 Enlightened Black Ale

From the bottle:

1554 Enlightened Black Ale redefines the phrase keeping time in a bottle. From an ancient, crumbling, Belgian library book, out intrepid researchers found references to this obscure style dating back to the year 1554. Overcoming obsolete script and units of measurement, our brewers discovered an ale with a surprisingly bright taste and a dry, chocolately finish – one evocative of the dark brews enjoyed in Belgian taverns 500 years ago.

From my notes:

Pours dark, this is a black beer with a nice head the color of ivory piano keys. Head dissipates quickly. Smells of roasted malts, chocolate and some caramel. Taste reflects the smell: dark roasted malts and chocolate,hint of sweetness. 1554 is medium bodied and very smooth, velvety…

Rich, velvety, malted goodness

1554 is a well balanced beer that never overpowers your tastebuds. The Brewers at New Belgium have done a great job bringing all the elements together with this beer, it is just so drinkable. If you enjoy rich malty beers 1554 is for you.

Rating (out of five):


 

Beer of the Week #18: Espresso Stout

Kiuchi Brewery's Hitachino Nest Espresso Stout

from the importer’s site (the actual brewery’s site doesn’t mention this stout(?!):

From Japan’s most prestigious brewery, the very unusual character of Hitachino Nest Espresso Stout stems from the fact that Kiuchi Brewery is using the recipe of a Russian Imperial Stout as base. Saphir & Northern Brewer hops are used.

from the bottle:

Japanese dark ale brewed with coffee beans

from my notes:

deep, dark brown almost black. Thick, tan, large bubbled head that quickly dissipates and leaves nice rings as you drink. Smells of oatmeal, malts, and roasted coffee. Tastes of coffee, vanilla and chocolate. Manages to successfully incorporate roasted coffee without making the beer taste like nothing bit burnt toast. Very smooth drink with a pleasing light, bitter finish.

Lot’s of coffee stouts go overboard on trying to infuse their beer with the flavor and smell of coffee that end up ruining the beer as all that effort does nothing but make the beer taste like burnt toast or dirt. I know some people enjoy an earthy or peaty flavor to their alcohol but not me. Hitachino Nest manages to thread that needle and deliver a great beer.

 

Rating (out of five):

Beer of the Week #17: Allagash White

From their site:

Our interpretation of a traditional Belgian wheat beer. Brewed with a generous portion of wheat and spiced with coriander and Curacao orange peel, this beer is fruity, refreshing and slightly cloudy in appearance.

From the bottle:

Our interpretation of a traditional Belgian wheat beer. Allagash White delicately balances full flavor with a crisp, refreshing taste and subtle hints of spice. Naturally cloudy. Bottled with yeast.

From my notes:

Pours cloudy blonde with a nice head, good lace, smells of lemons, grass, spice, and some yeast. High carbonation. orange peel and clove highlights the flavor, crisp finish. Very smooth no bitterness.

A great example of a wheat beer: super light but with enough flavor and spice to stand up to whatever foods you want to share it with. This would be an excellent beer to have with what ever it is you’re grilling

Rating (out of five):

 

 

 

Random Food Porn

A delicious, delicious sandwich

 

This is an open faced kielbasa provolone melt with wilted arugula , Dijon mustard and  a vinaigrette drizzle on ciabatta bread. This wasn’t even a meal we had planned, D looked through the fridge at our leftovers and whipped this up! It was so good that I immediately made her write down a quick recipe so we don’t forget about it and can make it again!

 

Bison burger!

 

This one was my creation! I took bison meat and mixed in cumin, oregano, salt, pepper, basil, and scallions then grilled them alongside some thinly sliced radishes once both were done I put them on some fresh bread added some provolone cheese and mustard. This was our first time eating bison, and I have to say I found the meat to have more depth and flavor to it than ground beef.  We ate these burgers with a side of kale chips. Don’t know what kale chips are?

 

These are kale chips

 

Preheat your oven to 350° F, Take a bunch of kale, rinse it, de-vein, and then tear into pieces and place in a large bowl. pour two tablespoons of EVOO on the shredded kale and season with pepper, salt, and whatever other seasonings you’d like (I’m fond of adding a dash of cayenne.) Spread the kale evenly across two large baking sheets. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes until the edges brown and the leaves are crispy but before they burn! Remove from the oven, place in a large bowl and enjoy!

 

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