black hills pioneer wine guide | TASTE
Food and Beer Pairing
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any craft beer aficionados can rattle off not only their top five foamy favorites, but also the food that goes best with them. It’s no wonder so many craft beer makers open up shop inside restaurants and wineries. Drinking and eating go hand in hand – literally – and if paired correctly can make a good meal great. If you’re looking for a great spot on vacation to enjoy the perfect combination of craft beer and food, check in with the town’s tourism board. Its members will be able to steer you in the right direction. With many local brewers serving as proud sectors of the local economy, they should be easy to find and enjoy.
Salt and Ale
Most sandwiches or beef you find in the restaurant will be salted, as will the chips or fries that go with it. The perfect way to wash that sodium down is a medium-flavored IPA or American ale. While a light lager won’t fully cleanse your palette, a fuller body will work together with the food and your taste buds to enhance your dining pleasure.
Get Smokey
Not for everyone, smoked beer is a nearly perfect complement to any type of similarly smoked meat. Whether you prefer barbecue, salmon or beef brisket from the smoker, the varying notes of barley and bitterness from a smoked beer provide quite a one-two punch.
Go Seasonal with Seafood
Summer is the perfect time to crack into a juicy lobster or bite into a plump shrimp. And with seasonal summer blondes or ales, you have the perfect partner to finish off a delicious seafood meal. Staying light and seasonal instead of dark and overpowering will help your taste buds stay focused on the task at hand – enjoying that succulent feast.
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black hills pioneer Beer & wine guide | FRUITY TASTE
The Low-Down on Merlot
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A look at the world’s most popular red wine
ts fresh, fruity flavor has helped Merlot explode in popularity since the 1990s, becoming the biggest selling red wine in the world. Some of the most exclusive and expensive wines are Merlot-based, too. And here in America, Merlot has emerged as an incredibly popular drink that is grown extensively in Washington State and California, among other places. Fortunately for wine lovers, Merlot can also have a wide variety of flavor profiles depending on where it comes
from and how it is made. While all Merlots are based on the flavors of red fruits such as cherries, plums or raspberries, they can take on tones of spice, vanilla, cedar or smoke when they ferment in oak. In fact, because they have such a pleasant, fruity flavor, Merlots are
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Food Pairings
The same traits that make Merlot so popular to drink also make it easy to pair with dishes. Like most red wines, Merlot works well with red meats such as beef, but it’s also flexible enough to be used with poultry or pork. Salads and pastas are commonly paired with Merlot to let its fruity flavor shine through.
History
Merlot is actually a newcomer to the wine lover’s spotlight. The Merlot grape dates back to very early in France’s history, but it wasn’t officially recognized as a distinct variety of grape until the 19th century. Merlot is most closely associated with the Bordeaux region of France,
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and today it is grown more than any other grape in the country.
Why all the popularity?
Much of it stems from a scientific study that reported the health benefits of red wine in the 1990s. Because Merlot is among the most approachable of red wines, with its easy-to-love taste, it was the variety of choice for wine lovers who wanted the heart benefits of drinking red wine after the study was publicized.
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among the best selections for people just starting to explore red wines. Their medium body and low tannin content makes them ideal for most people.
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