Okay, it's not a mead but I was reminded of one of those beautiful, almost perfect, pairings that happen between tasty beverages and tasty food. Since the re-org of the forums, I can't find the proper niche so I'll put it here.
A few months ago, one of my distributors gifted me with a 750ml bottle of Brother Thelonious Abbey Style Ale from North Coast Brewery for evaluation. I took it to a dinner wherein the hostess had prepared a turkey loaf (turkey, gravy, mashed potatoes, dressing, cranberries, yams and other goodies all in one). We all agreed that the beer and the food was one of the best pairings we had ever had. There were six of us and we all love food and flavor pairings, always looking for something new.
This beer is now also available in the 12oz size so I brought it into my store this week. I'm in love all over again! And with Thanksgiving coming up, I thought I'd bring it to everybody's attention. I'm not trying to sell it, just trying to share a great experience with you all. Look to your local sellers of tasty beverages to find it. If they don't have it, ask for it!
Personally, I like the thrust of this beer. It's a Belgian Dubbel Abbey style ale that's made in honor of one the greatest jazz artists in the world, Thelonius Monk. North Coast doesn't mess around when it comes to great beers. They've made a monk-style beer in honor of The Monk! And they've carried it off well.
It has a nice caramelly, almost rum-like sweetness that underlies the composition like a stand up bass. There are nice raisin notes that provide the melody like a saxophone while the fig flavors remind me of the sustained seventh chords from an Epiphone F stop guitar under a masterful hand. And then there are the sharp little high hat notes (faint, but essential) from the cherries. Just a hint of cinnamon and other spices provide the snares and other textures.
Try this one with your Thanksgiving dinner. This beverage blends so well with the savory, sweet and tart flavors of the traditional meal. They all blend to build a free-form improvisation (like good jazz should), tied together by the complexity of the beer: it even covers the pumpkin pie! And at 9.4% abv it's one you want to sip on through the entire meal. But damn, I wish I had another one right now!
Sorry for the gushing here, I'm really looking forward to the end of the month so I can try this combination again. In the meantime, I'm a gonna enjoy the beer by itself. I hope I don't get burnt out before T-day! Any ideas on making a mead like this? There is a certain honey sweetness to it. I've got some ideas but...
What's your favorite beverage with holiday meals? Which holiday in particular? Discuss!
A few months ago, one of my distributors gifted me with a 750ml bottle of Brother Thelonious Abbey Style Ale from North Coast Brewery for evaluation. I took it to a dinner wherein the hostess had prepared a turkey loaf (turkey, gravy, mashed potatoes, dressing, cranberries, yams and other goodies all in one). We all agreed that the beer and the food was one of the best pairings we had ever had. There were six of us and we all love food and flavor pairings, always looking for something new.
This beer is now also available in the 12oz size so I brought it into my store this week. I'm in love all over again! And with Thanksgiving coming up, I thought I'd bring it to everybody's attention. I'm not trying to sell it, just trying to share a great experience with you all. Look to your local sellers of tasty beverages to find it. If they don't have it, ask for it!
Personally, I like the thrust of this beer. It's a Belgian Dubbel Abbey style ale that's made in honor of one the greatest jazz artists in the world, Thelonius Monk. North Coast doesn't mess around when it comes to great beers. They've made a monk-style beer in honor of The Monk! And they've carried it off well.
It has a nice caramelly, almost rum-like sweetness that underlies the composition like a stand up bass. There are nice raisin notes that provide the melody like a saxophone while the fig flavors remind me of the sustained seventh chords from an Epiphone F stop guitar under a masterful hand. And then there are the sharp little high hat notes (faint, but essential) from the cherries. Just a hint of cinnamon and other spices provide the snares and other textures.
Try this one with your Thanksgiving dinner. This beverage blends so well with the savory, sweet and tart flavors of the traditional meal. They all blend to build a free-form improvisation (like good jazz should), tied together by the complexity of the beer: it even covers the pumpkin pie! And at 9.4% abv it's one you want to sip on through the entire meal. But damn, I wish I had another one right now!
Sorry for the gushing here, I'm really looking forward to the end of the month so I can try this combination again. In the meantime, I'm a gonna enjoy the beer by itself. I hope I don't get burnt out before T-day! Any ideas on making a mead like this? There is a certain honey sweetness to it. I've got some ideas but...
What's your favorite beverage with holiday meals? Which holiday in particular? Discuss!
