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FrontRangeLiving.com -> Cooking -> Beer
 BEYOND THE FOAM: A Sudsy Story About Beer Along The Front Range
By Heather Grimshaw
Beer has traditionally been linked to football, fried foods and grill menus.
But across the Front Range gourmets have begun to pair beer with high-end
cheeses, chocolates, and fine dining menus. Beer dinners and tastings now are
sharing table space with wine as microbrews expand the palates
of experienced foodies.
The new image for the sudsy brew can be seen in fine dining restaurants
across the Front Range that have opened with and or added an extensive menus of
beers for diners who are eager to enlarge their beer repertoire.
Many beer connoisseurs and professionals refer to a popular new book titled
"The Brewmaster’s Table" by Garrett Oliver to illustrate the varied
culinary uses for beer. Several students at Cook Street Cooking School in Denver
have brought in copies for the instructors to read, and most small breweries
have read and recommended the book to customers and anyone who will listen.
"He takes a couple of swings at the wine industry," says Bryan
Simpson, media liaison for New Belgium Brewery Company in Fort Collins, in
reference to Oliver. "And there’s great information about how hops (an
ingredient in beer) cleanses the palate more quickly than wine."
Bryan, who frequently experiments with beer in recipes, recommends that
home chefs begin with lighter beers--such as Fat Tire--that do not have heavy hops
or malt flavors. "Something that is not too pronounced in one direction or the
other is more forgiving," Bryan says, who recently made a barbequed
scallop dish with a wasabi (Japanese horseradish) soy sauce and served it with the brewery’s Trippel
beer, a Belgian style brew. "The spiciness of the wasabi soy played off the
sweetness of the beer," he recalls.
 Abbey, a darker beer in New Belgian’s beer arsenal, has a chocolate
character to it because of the recipe’s roasted malt and is frequently served
as an after-dinner drink or paired with desserts.
Light or dense, sweet or sour, there are many different beer types to choose
from, which makes selection for cooking and or enjoying somewhat tricky. But
since so much depends on individual taste and the daily menu, beer experts
encourage drinkers to try different types of beer to test the water--or
beer.
"Experimentation is the key," to success, Bryan says, and adds
that there are some loose rules to follow." For example high hops content
produces a bitter taste, high malt recipes lend sweetness, and Belgian beers are
known for a sour element, which pairs well with cheeses like Camembert and
Stilton. For spicy dishes, such as Thai or Mexican food, Bryan would choose an
IPA (India Pale Ale), Pale Ale, or Pilsner because of its bitter quality, which balances out the
flavors of the food, reserving the Trippel for smoked trout or barbequed
scallops, which have sweeter tendencies.
A Beer State
The inextricable link between Colorado and frothy beverages is explained in a
myriad of ways but the simplest is that the state produces more beer than any
other in the country and has the second highest number of breweries. California
is number one. Described by some as a pioneer state for craft breweries, Rockies
Brewing Company – which brews Boulder Beer – is said to be the country’s
first microbrewery that opened in 1979. Twenty-four years later the concept has
exploded.
 "Just about every mountain town has a brew pub," says Brian Dunn,
founder of Great Divide Brewing Company in Denver. "It goes hand in hand
with the quality of life that draws people to Colorado. Good bread, good coffee,
and good beer. Denver is a beer town. Colorado is a beer state."
And that’s true year-round. Although July has been officially designated as
American Beer Month the beverage is widely consumed throughout the year. In summer, diners reach for beer
during baseball and grilling season, are introduced to new brews at beer
festivals in neighboring mountain towns in September and October--then comes
football season, which leads into Oktoberfest, St. Patrick's Day, and the list
goes on.
Why July? "Basically we decided it was time to claim a month on the
calendar," says Paul Gatza, director of the Association of Brewers in
Boulder, Colorado. "At first it started out with ‘Import beer is bad,
American beer is good’ but now it’s simply ‘Celebrate American beer
because it’s good.’"
As more people try and enjoy craft brews, beer continues to make inroads in
some of the higher brow eateries that traditionally featured wine as the
beverage of choice. And it is now frequently paired with foods most likely
served with wine. In fact beer now holds its own as a beverage consumed with all
types of meals, including a new rage for dessert pairings at Brasserie Rouge in
Denver, a restaurant that features a large glass beer mug outside its Wynkoop
Street location to highlight its tie-in with French breweries. But to be fair,
the fare is a far cry from pub grub.
 And while professional chefs say that beer will never replace wine in
culinary creations, some beer professionals insist that it has assumed a new
role in cooking because of its versatile nature. "We’re in a period of
discovery right now," Paul says, who points to the increasing number of
beer dinners and pairings held by restaurants, wine bars, and cheese shops.
"We’re just starting to find out what works."
One experiment that has proven successful with Front Range diners is the
combination of beer and chocolate desserts as well as gourmet cheeses.
The Truffle, an upscale gourmet cheese shop in Denver, held its first beer
pairing in March. The store hosts monthly wine and cheese pairings and,
according to store manager Kim Rowenfeldt, the twist on tradition was well
received. Five cheeses were paired with Great Divide beers. Truffle staff
members selected hard salty cheeses and a few selections washed in beer. For
example, blue cheese accompanied a Wild Raspberry beer from Great Divide, winner
of the Regional Champion award at the 2003 United States Beer Tasting
Championship.
"We’re starting to see more microbrews, and more distinguished beers
come out and people are realizing that it’s not just for football games. It’s
become a real beverage for fine dining," she said.
Several artisan cheeses were also paired with beer at the Great American Beer
Festival, which was held in Denver in September.
 "As people across the Front Range taste some of these small batch
microbrews their palates are waking up," says Matthew Jones, co-leader for
Slow Food Denver, who helped organize many of the food pairings for the beer
festival. We’re very fortunate in Colorado to have such a wide variety of beer
available, he added.
Slow Food is an organization of 100 food professionals who believe in the
message of slow food – those raised in a conscientious and healthful way,
Matthew says. When he refers to the natural pairing of high-quality foods and beer,
he adds, "With such a wonderful breadth of flavor and styles out there
it is inevitable that the incidence of beer and food pairings will
broaden."
One such example is the popularity of Lambic fruit beers paired with
chocolate desserts at Brasserie Rouge. Served in a champagne bottle, Lindenmans
Framboise is a "match made in heaven" with the desserts," says
Roan Feild, operations and beverage manager, who suggested the pairing to a few
ladies at the bar one night and has watched the beer become the best selling
beer by the bottle. "People now come in specifically for that and nothing
else. We have several regulars who are addicted."
The restaurant, which opened in August, specializes in Belgian and French
beers including Hogarten Wheat, a beer recipe that dates back 550 years.
"We’re trying to break the mold with a higher end beer list," Roan
says. "More people are stepping away from the mainstream toward microbrews
and we’re taking that one step further with more complex beers and recipes
that date back 400 to 700 years that are still made in the traditional way. They
have as much historical interest as any wine."
 Complementing wine selections with high-quality beers is a growing trend
among Front Range restaurants in an attempt to attract diners with various
tastes. "I’m more into beer than I am into wine," says Michael
Lebine, restaurant manager for the Wolfgang Puck Café in Denver, who organized
a beer dinner in September to coincide with the American Beer Festival.
Partnering with Ballast Point Brewery in San Diego, California, the Café
served a five-course meal with beer. The following is a list of featured items:
-
Grilled lemongrass prawns and chicken spring rolls with orange sweet and sour
sauce paired with Wahoo Wheat Beer
- Yellowtail Pale Ale accompanied a baby
spinach salad, caramelized pecans, apples, and a warm Brie crostini.
- Big Eye IPA
was served with a roasted butternut squash soup with toasted pumpkin seeds and
pumpkin seed oil.
- Calico Amber Ale was partnered with a roasted pork loin with a
root vegetable gratin and asparagus with a toasted almond-applewood bacon
vinaigrette.
- Black Marlin Porter with a toffee
crunch cream cheese torte.
Autumn and winter are especially conducive to beer pairings since beer has
traditionally been seated next to heartier fare. However, as evidenced by the
roasted butternut squash soup, beer can be a welcome bedfellow to many cuisines.
"I love beer, all chefs do," says Michael Comstedt, executive chef
and director for Cook Street Cooking School in Denver. "Cooking with beer
is something we do a lot but beer tastes like beer even when you cook it. You
don’t get rid of the beer taste whereas you can cook the acidity out of
wine."
Yet the goal is never to completely eliminate the acid element, Michael says. "We love the fact that wine has acid because it creates a balance on
the tongue between fat and acid, just like vinegar and olive oil. You need the
acid to balance the palate otherwise food tastes heavy." When it comes to
spicy foods or strong meat dishes, however, a glass of beer is perfect.
In 2004 Cook Street will add a "Grains & Grapes" event to
feature wine and beer pairings. The school also offers a Weber Grill Series
during the summer that pairs grill-related menu items with beer and has been one
of the school’s most popular classes.
Cooking with beer is something that many brew pubs do for fish and chips
batter and braised pot roasts but at the Phantom Canyon Brewing Company in
Colorado Springs the chef uses actual grain from the brewing process to create
Spent Grain Bread. It’s one of two beer breads on the menu, which features
eight to ten home brews at any time, says Greg Howard, general manager.
Open for ten years this December, Phantom Canyon pays close attention to its
menu, which is one reason why Howard believes it has survived the roller coaster
ride of the times. "We came into this market when the brew pub market was
starting to boom and now a lot of ‘em are petering out because they didn’t
pay enough attention to food," which accounts for about 60 percent of sales,
Greg says. "Above and beyond having great beer we concentrate on our dinner
menu."
This December the restaurant will host a beer dinner with five courses for
customers who want to "step it up a little bit," he says.
So even though most beer drinkers don’t care how you hold your glass and
few would judge the way you took your first sip, beer drinkers have joined the
elite. In fact, the mugs are even sharing table space with those high-falutin’
goblets.
Recipes
Carbonnade
This classic stew is Belgium's answer to French beef stew
with red wine. Less acid and far more mellow, it's the kind of dish you can make
your own. Add vegetables that you like in a stew. Just remember that it has to
simmer for hours, preferably all day, to truly blend and be tender.
- 1 pound beef cubes, chuck or round, generally lean
- ¼ cup flour that has been salted and peppered
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 3 large carrots, peeled and chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, whole
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 sprig thyme, fresh
- 1 sprig rosemary, fresh
- 1 cup beef broth
- 2 cups (or bottles) dark beer
Heat a crock pot if that is the preferred method of cooking. Heat oil in a
heavy bottomed skillet. Dredge the beef in the flour. Brown the beef in the oil.
As it browns, remove it and place in a crockpot. Add the onion, garlic,
carrots, bay leaf, thyme, broth and beer. Simmer on low in the crockpot all day until it
has melded into a stew. Or, simmer on the stove. Serve with mashed potatoes.
 Green
Chilies and Beer
Again, beer is a mellow addition that can't
be duplicated with wine in this traditional Southwestern chili.
- 1 pound of beef, chicken or pork in chunks
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- ¼ cup flour that has been salted and peppered
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 5 to 10 green chilies depending on the desired heat, roasted and chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin (optional)
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 cup of chicken broth
- 2 cups (or bottles) of beer, any kind
Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed skillet. Dredge the pork or beef in the
flour. Brown until the edges are crispy. Add the onion, garlic, chilies, broth
and beer. Simmer for at least four hours. If using a crock-pot, simmer on low all day.
Serve with rice or tortillas.
Shrimp and Vegetable Tempura
- For the batter:
- ½ cup flour
- ½ cup beer (pale)
- 3 tablespoons sesame seeds
-
- Shrimp and Vegetables: Choose your favorites, these are recommended
- 4 large shrimp
- 2 diagonal slices sweet potato
- 2 diagonal slices white turnip
- 2 large onion rings
- 4 green beans
Heat ½ cup oil to 350 degrees, or medium to medium high. If you are using a
small pan, don't allow the oil to be more than about one-third of an inch in the
pan. This is not deep frying. Instead, it's a quick fry and requires that each
ingredient have a lot of room so that the temperature of the hot oil does not
drop. Canola or peanut oil are good choices. The shrimp or veggies should sizzle as they are eased into the pan. Mix
the batter together and toss in the shrimp and vegetables. Fry in small batches
until golden. Serve immediately. A dipping sauce is traditional.
- Apricot and Soy Sauce Dip
- 3 tablespoon apricot jam
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon white wine
- a few shreds of grated fresh horseradish or ½ teaspoon of bottled
horseradish
Skewered Soy Wasabi Scallops
Both Japanese and Mexican cuisines combine well with beer. The
salty soy and spicy chili have a natural affinity that partners in Thai and
Indonesian fare, too.
- 1 pound of sea scallops
- 1 whole red bell pepper
- 1 whole green bell pepper
- 1 whole Bermuda onion
- 2 Portabella mushroom caps
Wasabi Soy Sauce
-
1/2 cup soy sauce
- 2 Tablespoons of wasabi
- Fresh, diced ginger to taste
Rinse the scallops and let sit in a colander. Cut into wide julienne strips:
green pepper, red pepper and onion. Cube the Portabella mushroom caps. Mix
wasabi and soy sauce in a bowl. Dice ginger and mix in to taste. Skewer all
veggies and scallops (should make six to eight skewers) and lay flat on a
cooking sheet. Drizzle soy wasabi mix over each skewer and allow to marinate 30
minutes, flipping occasionally. Set grill or broiler to medium low and lay
skewers across rack. Flip every few minutes, splash a little more soy to keep
moist, and remove when scallops are just golden brown on the edges. (To be
served with Trippel Belgian Ale, courtesy of Bryan Simpson from New Belgium
Brewery in Fort Collins).
 Resources:
"The Brewmaster’s Table: Discovering The Pleasures of Real Beer with
Real Food" by Garrett Oliver, Ecco Publishers, May 2003
Slow Food Denver at; www.slowfooddenver.com
also www.slowfoodusa.org
Tasting Beer (Colorado Free University) "Beyond Bud: Cultivate Your Beer
Palate," http://www.freeu.com/classes/6108.html or call 303-399-0093
Grill Series of Classes for the Home Cook with Beer Pairings at Cook Street
School; www.cookstreet.com
Oktoberfest September 10-12 and 18-19, 2004, Vail Valley Chamber & Tourism Bureau;
970.477.4023; www.visitvailvalley.com
Colorado Brewer’s Festival, Fort Collins, 970-484-6500
American Homebrewer’s Association, 736 Pearl Street, Boulder, 80302;
303-447-0816; www.beertown.org , sponsors the Great American Beer Festival in
Denver
Colorado Brewer's Guild: www.coloradobeer.org,
A Selection of Front Range Breweries; many offer tours
Bristol Brewing, 1647, South Tejon Street, Colorado Springs, 80906;
719-633-2555; www.bristolbrewing.com
Durango Brewing, 3000 Main Avenue, Durango, 81301; 970-247-3396
Great Divide Brewing Company, 2201 Arapahoe Street, Denver; 303-296-9460; www.greatdivide.com
Left Hand Brewing, 1265 Boston Avenue, Longmont, 80501; 303-772-0258;
www.lefthandbrewing.com
New Belgium Brewery, 500 Linden Street, Fort Collins, CO; 970-221-0524;
www.newbelgium.com
Odell’s Brewery, 800 East Lincoln Avenue, Fort Collins, 80524; 970-498-9070;
www.odells.com
Rockies Brewery, 2880 Wilderness Place, Boulder, 80301; 303-444-8118;
www.boulderbeer.com
Trinidad Brewing, 449 North Commercial Avenue, Trinidad, 81082; 719-846-7069
Upslope Brewing, 1501 Lee Hill Road No. 20, Boulder, 303-960-8494;
upslopebrewing.com
Photos: Beer in top photos is courtesy New Belgium Brewery, Fort Collins;
microbrewery tour is Rockies Brewery in Boulder; mug outside is Brasserie Rouge
in Denver
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