beer and food

Archived Posts from this Category

June 7, 2010

Belgian Beer Tour

Posted by Global Beer Network under beer and food, beer tour, Brouwerij De Halve Maan, Brouwerij Van Steenberge, Troubadour Magma | Tags: , , , , , , |
1 Comment 

We here at Global Beer Network are all about giving you the best Belgian beer experience possible. Be it letting you know about new beers like Troubadour Magma, ideas for food and cigar pairings, or simply bringing you your favorite classic brands, we try to keep people dialed into Belgium’s beer world and all it has to offer.

But what you may not know is that we go one step further. To get the full taste of any place, you have to visit. It’s nice to sit at home and dream about it over a nice, foamy glass of tripel, but it’s something entirely different to walk the beautiful streets of Bruges, sip a lambic in Brussels, and dine at an elaborate beer dinner in Gent.

That’s why we have our annual beer tour to Belgium. Coming this September, you can do all of the above and more if you sign up before July 1. This year’s trip is packed with visits to several breweries, including but not limited to Cantillon, Van Steenberge, Westvleteren, De Halve Maan, and Struise.

For more information, visit our Beer Tour Belgium page and be sure to sign up here soon before someone else does!

 

April 1, 2010

Bornem Triple and a Cigar

Posted by Global Beer Network under beer and food, Bornem Tripel, Brouwerij Van Steenberge, cigar pairing | Tags: , , , , , |
Leave a Comment 

In this piece, our intrepid beer and cigar correspondent Bruce Hackmann gives us a specific pairing idea that’s sure to please.

—

This Abbey Ale, to me, is upfront with a ‘champagne-like’ effervescence.  As I open the 750 ml bottle my taste buds dance with anticipation.  I fill the chalice and take a drink … and … my taste buds are now calling for a Granny Smith Apple.  I run to the kitchen and slice up an ol’ Granny, grab a few black grapes and slice up a little Smoked Jack cheese.  It’s the perfect combination for this delightful spring weather.

Oh boy that is it for me!  I have just taken a bite of the Granny Smith Apple and then a sip of the Bornem and wow – to me this matches up.  The black grapes are a perfect match as well.  The Smoky Jack cheese elevates the taste buds with its smokiness and the Bornem with its vibrant bubbles cleanses the taste buds.  I say, set the fruit table up with some nice smoked cheese and serve the Bornem Triple in champagne glasses and you’ll have the perfect appetizer set-up for your guests.

For me the next pairing is the best – a fine cigar.  Referring to my number scale that I presented to you last month I am placing a 5.5 on this ale.  Remember, the 0 to 10 scale is how you would personally rate the taste of the beer in strength.  Zero:  Light in body and taste or Ten: full in body and taste.  I want my cigar to match up to this 5.5.  As explained last month, try to stay within 2 points in either direction.  So, I can go milder to a 3.5 or fuller to a 7.5.

Planning is everything here for the perfect match – so ‘THINK.’  It’s not illegal yet, to think.  We have fine malt and hop balance here with some nice effervescence.  Don’t take away from the effervescence.  Going stronger may take away from this, matching the same strength should play well and going milder may even enhance the experience.

The Indian Tabac Cameroon Legend Super Toro Gorilla rates about a 4.5 for me on my cigar strength scale.  The Cameroon wrapper is going to give you a wonderful nutty taste while the Dominican Corojo and Brazilian Mata Fina fillers are going to give you a fancy raisin like character and a cedary taste on this cigar.  The size of this cigar is 6 x 58 giving you wonderful smoking experience.

After toasting up this fine cigar my expectations are met.  The cigar does not over power the Bornem Triple.  I get all the fine characteristics from my Belgian Ale and I get a great taste experience from my cigar.

I did change my chalice glassware over to a champagne flute.  Why be normal?   This proved positive.  The champagne glass directed the aromas right to the nose.  The aromas are then enhanced and the taste experience is rewarded.

Maximize your pleasures by using the point system and word game to match your Belgium Beer and fine cigar.  The key word here was effervescence.  Don’t kill the bubbles by going stronger.  I tried it and it didn’t work.  The stronger 6 point cigar brought out the tartness in the ale and lost all the underlying notes to be enjoyed as well as the bubbles.  The great flavors from the cigar were lost as well.

Now go and dice up a Granny Smith Apple add some raisins a few green, red and black grapes along with some pecans and slice up some Smoky Jack cheese then, open yourself a 750 ml bottle of Bornem Triple Abbey Ale.  Then, match up your cigar.

 

March 12, 2010

Beer is Food

Posted by Global Beer Network under beer and food, history and tradition | Tags: , , , , , |
Leave a Comment 

You may have heard this mantra repeated by fellow beer lovers in some way, shape, or form:  Beer is Food.

When you really think about it, it is. The domestication of plants led to humans shifting from the hunter-gather lifestyle to a less nomadic way of life; reason being, there was a more abundant and stable supply of food. This trend occurred alongside the domestication of animals, evolving into what would be considered an agrarian lifestyle.

Now, what does all that have to do with beer? Everything!

Beer comes from our beloved grains, primarily barley, the cultivation of which dates back to roughly 8500 BCE. After fermentation was used to create alcoholic beverages, and the malting process became more refined, various kilning levels could achieve a wider range of flavors out of the barley – from bready to caramel to chocolate to roasted coffee notes. That’s one of several reasons why beer pairs so well with most any kind of food you can imagine.

So, sticking with the mantra, remember:  Beer is Food! When you shop for food at the market, you’re looking for freshness, right? That’s why we’re proud to have “living beer” in our lineup. Living beer is naturally carbonated, with yeast still in the bottle, which helps preserve the freshness of the beer as it matures. Thus, the beer is kept “alive,” since yeast is a living organism. This traditional method of bottling contributes to the complex character of the yeast and creates the bountiful carbonation, both staples of Belgian brewing.

See the video below for more information on living beer from Global Beer founder Johnny Fincioen.

 

February 13, 2010

What To Do For Valentine’s Day

Posted by Global Beer Network under beer and food, Cherish Kriek, Cherish Raspberry, holiday | Tags: , , , , , , , |
Leave a Comment 

What better way to kick off this blog in earnest than by celebrating all things love? Around here, if you haven’t figured it out by now, that includes the love of beer!

So, the question becomes, “which beer should I have handy for Valentine’s Day?” How about “which two beers should I have handy?” After all, variety is the spice of life.

Allow me to recommend Cherish Kriek, for those who are partial to cherry, and Cherish Raspberry for something a little different. You can’t go wrong with either one, and they make a great addition to a romantic evening, or any evening for that matter.

Some of you might be puzzled as to why these beers contain fruit. In the Belgian brewing tradition, fruit was often times added to give lambic beer a complexity not achieved through malts and fermentation processes alone (we’ll talk more about lambic later). Also, the added natural sugar actually helped dry the beer out even further, giving it a refreshing body to go along with that acidity.

The Cherish Kriek and Raspberry will give you that tart note underneath to go with its inherent sweetness, but it’s quite balanced and won’t taste like you’re sucking on a lemon or eating a cherry-flavored Pixy Stick.

To take things to the next level, I recommend pairing either beer with a chocolaty dessert such as La Dame Blanche, since these fruit flavors and slight tartness will pair exquisitely with the chocolate. La Dame Blanche is the classic Belgian hot fudge sundae. If you’re feeling adventurous and strive for authenticity, feel free to make your own version at home to have with your beer. You won’t be disappointed.

So there you have it. If you’re with your loved one at home or out on the town, snuggle up to a bottle of beer you can enjoy together!

 

« Previous Page

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.