Beer

Wine

By Bert Mattson

Whetting the dry season

The song of the Dogday Cicada runs long in August - like that stretch in Grand Funk Railroad’s “I’m Your Captain” between the 8and 10-minute mark, where I become less interested in how close the subject is to home than I am anxious for him to get there.

For better or worse, this was the soundtrack to surveying the parched lawn — deciding to let it go — and realizing I’m a bit burned out on lawnmower beers. Late August brings breezes to shoo bugs from porches and patios … but also sets the clock ticking on outdoor cookery. Fortunately, August also cues the seasonal release of complex beers, which suit cooking over coals. For folks cramming to stave off the season of kitchen cleanup, here’s a sweet spot.

Pumpkin beers are on the horizon, but for me that’s too much too soon. However, seasonal release porters do begin to look appealing. Deschutes Brewery rolls out their Whiskey Butte Porter in August. A blend of their flagship Black Butte Porter and whiskey barrel-aged Imperial Porter, Whiskey Butte bridges the calendar gap before the sticky, dessert-flavored imperial porters indicative of the frosty months. Merging the spice of bourbon and oak in the imperial with the slight hop bitterness and darkly roasted malts of the creamy porter poses an intriguing pairing to a rich, smoky, slow-cooked cut such as brisket. Toasted oak echoes smoke on the beef. The crusty bark and velvety brew make for tactile contrast. A faint booziness and carbonated lightness prevent fat from lingering on the palate. Smoke on the finish of the Whiskey Butte could also stand in with ribs cooked slowly over charcoal-fine companions for a lazy afternoon.

While I’m more than reluctant to breeze past the prime evenings of September, neither am I rushed by the August vanguard of Octoberfest releases. O’dell Brewing’s malty and rich Marzen style lager, Oktoberfest, creeps into August like long shadows and earlier sunsets. I’d sooner gaze into its clear copper than the straw-dry roots of my turning turf. A whiff of toffee sweetness is salve to the withering of my failing flowers. Its herbal hops are easier on the nose than my thyme, drying on the stem. The toasty biscuit, malty goodness of this one calls for grilled sausage and perhaps a pretzel bun.

Pale ales present a more tempered approach to the seasonal transition. Bent Paddle Brewing Company’s Lollygagger Pale Ale drops in August. A hoppy note of cut grass harkens to what I once had. The gold in the glass is gentler than the sepia cast of late-summer sun. Hops are forward and carbonation lively. It’s a cheeseburger beer. Extra cheese — any lost will fall on a paper plate. A buttertoasted bun teases out the malt. The bubbles lift away a drop of bacon grease, clearing the path for another bite. Easy drinking, but not basic. Fries would be good – worth tossing some in the turkey fryer… if the back forty looked anything like a controlled burn.

Bert Mattson is a chef and writer based in St. Paul. He is the manager of the iconic Mickey’s Diner. bertsbackburner.com