Liquid Assets

liquid Assets I’ll have a beer with that

Local chefs ditch the wine to create beer-centered dinners

by Deborah Luhrman Photography by Patrick Tregenza

Santa Cruz Mountain Brewing: Not your average sandwich and a beer.

“I love beer and I love food,” says brewer and beer evangelist Kevin Clark. Reason enough for him to start a popular monthly series of beer and food-pairing dinners at Peter B’s Brewpub in Monterey, where 30-year-old Clark reigns as brewmaster. Other local restaurants—like Point Pinos Grill in Pacific Grove—have also tuned in to our growing passion for craft beer and started their own regular pairing dinners. At the same time, places like Santa Cruz Mountain Brewery are getting into food, both pairing and cooking dishes with beer. And the fall calendar of beer and food events is about to get busier, with Monterey’s new Bacon, Blues & Brews joining the Monterey Beer Garden and Santa Cruz’ Sausagefest. (Continued on p. 41)

It was probably just a matter of time before beer lovers and foodies decided to get together. But experts say craft beer goes especially well with food, and its growing popularity is a real bright spot for the brewing industry. While beer consumption declined nationally in 2011, the Brewers Association says craft beer grew to 5.7% of total consumption, surpassing 5% for the first time ever. And California ranks No. 1 in the nation with nearly 300 microbreweries producing endless local varieties of lagers, ales and stouts.

The floral and fruity characteristics of hops used in craft beer are one reason it pairs better with food than your average can of Bud. “The kind of hops makes a big difference,” says Clark, who has traveled the world, sampling brews. “In New Zealand, hops are bright and citrus-y; U.S. hops are big, full and in your face, just like with wine; and European hops are warm.”

Unusual seasonal ingredients that often go into craft beer are also a factor. For example, Clark found that the red raspberry ale he made last summer paired really well with raspberry-infused cheese. A pumpkin ale he is getting ready to release in October might be paired with pie.

Beyond Hot Dogs

When it comes to food that pairs well with beer, “Bacon is a nobrainer,” says Dory Ford, executive chef at Point Pinos Grill and AQUA TERRA Culinary. “You could just put a heap of bacon on the table and drink your beer and eat the bacon,” he says with a laugh.

Fortunately, his beer-pairing dinners and those prepared by Chef Jason Giles at Peter B’s are a lot more sophisticated. They start with the lightest brews to accompany appetizers and flow to medium-bodied ales with the main course, followed by heavier, richer stouts at the end of the meal—sometimes with dessert. “Pretty much anything that is crispy, fried, golden brown or rich in umami tends to go well with beer,” says Ford, who once created a gourmet pairing dinner, working different cuts of pork into five delicious courses, ending with bacon, chocolate and cherry bread pudding with candy cap mushrooms.

After those criteria are met, the search is on for nuances in the beer that can be reflected in the food so that the pairing brings out the best in both the drink and the dish.

The pairing Ford is most proud of was a savory beef pie, made with braised beef cheeks, mirepoix, gravy and mushy peas, and served with malty, medium-bodied Black Prince Porter from English Ales Brewery in Marina. “We got that one just right,” he recalls.

Rich stouts are often paired with desserts that play up their subtle chocolate or coffee notes. Peter B’s is working on Coffee Stout in collaboration with Acme Coffee Roasting in Seaside. At the beerpairing dinner, look for it to be served, perhaps, with Chef Jason’s espresso chocolate ice cream torte.

Beer for Breakfast?

Coffee Stout may pair better with dessert than breakfast, but you might try wheat beer in the morning.

“You could have a piece of toast, but wheat beer goes really well with omelets,” says Clark, who spends all day sampling the brews he is creating. In fact, wheat beer is used as a stand-in for crackers or bread in many successful pairings.

The only hard and fast rule in beer pairing is to avoid combining bitter and spicy tastes. Drinking bitter beers like IPAs with spicy food is like adding fuel to a fire. Try a malty brown ale instead because sweetness counteracts spiciness.

At beer-pairing dinners at both Peter B’s and Point Pinos Grill, guests sit at long communal tables that promote conversation. Drinking beer is a social activity that puts everybody in a friendly, party mood. It is a casual, blue jeans-clad crowd. Dinners are reasonably priced and sell out quickly.

“Enjoying, savoring and learning about beer is not a bank buster,” says Ford. “In these tough economic times, I know people who used to be wine connoisseurs who have switched over to beer.”

While beer has traditionally been a man’s drink, that too, is changing. “Women have started to realize that beer pairs well with food and has a lot of different flavors and intricacies,” says brewer Emily Thomas, who owns Santa Cruz Mountain Brewing with her husband, Chad Brill.

She and fellow SCMB brewer Nicole Todd are among just a handful of women brewing craft beer in California and only about 100 nationwide. “Women have a different style,” she says. “We are more interested in different herbs, tastes and food, and we take the most risks with flavor.”

EXPLORE

You don’t need to go to Munich to enjoy some boisterous beerfests this fall.

Monterey Beer Garden, September 8: Peter B’s hosts members of the Bay Brewers Guild in the Memory Garden next to Monterey Custom House Plaza. Chef Jason Giles pulls out all the stops with a bang-up barbecue, and 13 brewers pour their own beers from noon to 4 pm. Live music and all you can eat and drink for $40.

Sausagefest, October 6: Santa Cruz Mountain Brewing hosts el Salchichero, Corralitos Market and Freedom Meat Locker for an SCMB beer and sausage party with live music from 5–9pm on the grounds of the Westside Farmers’ Market, Mission Street and Western Drive in Santa Cruz.

Bacon, Blues & Brews, October 27: Featured local chefs will offer their best bacon dishes to go with local craft brews and live music at this new event at the Monterey Fairgrounds. Organizers intend to make the event both upscale and accessible by offering a variety of ticket options ranging from $20 to more than $100.

Beer-pairing dinners, Monthly at Peter B’s in Monterey and every other month at Point Pinos Grill in Pacific Grove. Check Facebook for upcoming dates. Also watch for other restaurants to introduce their own beer-pairing events.

SCMB makes unusual concoctions like Love Potion, a pale ale brewed with hibiscus, rose hips, raspberry and orange peel; sweet and cinnamon-y Horchata Pale Ale; and the popular summertime Olallieberry Cream Ale.

Thomas prepared a pairing dinner for the Squaw Valley Institute at Lake Tahoe last month, using beer as much as possible in preparing the various courses—from beer-braised short ribs to a flourless chocolate cake made with stout. (See recipes on p. 43). And last February, for the “Twisted Tasting,” a mind-bendingly creative beer-pairing event that SCMB organized with a challenge for Santa Cruz’s inventive cooks and brewers to come up with the wildest creations possible, Thomas brewed a beer with maple syrup, dates and smoked pig’s ear (one per gallon). To pair with it, SCMB concocted beer-brined pickled eggs with hops salt and chipotle-bacon chocolate.

This fall, SCMB plans to brew 10 kegs of fresh Hard Apple Cider using organic local apples. In the realm of food, sausages made with beer, including a smoked IPA sausage and a chili beer sausage, are expected to be a highlight of the annual Sausagefest sponsored by SCMB on October 6. Please see box on p. 41 for more information.

In March of next year, Santa Cruz Mountain Brewery will open the highly anticipated Brewer’s Kitchen restaurant in Felton. Inventive, beer-inspired dishes made with local ingredients will be paired with SCMB’s full line of ales and stouts on tap in a fun, relaxing atmosphere.

And that’s all probably just the beginning. Stay tuned.

Chipotle Chocolate Stout-Braised Short Ribs with HefeweizenSteamed Polenta Tamales and Beer Brassica Slaw

Courtesy Santa Cruz Mountain Brewing

Short Ribs

1 rack beef short ribs, about 2½ pounds, cut into 4-ounce portions 2 tablespoons chipotle chili powder 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon soy sauce 3 tablespoons bittersweet cocoa powder 1 medium red onion, sliced 4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped 6 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 6 tablespoons light brown sugar 1 22-ounce bottle Thy Twisted Sister (chipotle chocolate stout from Santa Cruz Mountain Brewing), Chipotle Stout (Rogue Brewing) or any good stout Salt and pepper to taste

Beer Brassica Slaw

1 head cabbage or your favorite brassica (kohlrabi, etc). 1 bunch cilantro 1 red onion ¼ cup Organic IPA (Santa Cruz Mountain Brewing), Torpedo (Sierra Nevada) or your favorite IPA 2 limes 1 tablespoon salt Ground pepper

Shred cabbage and red onion. Chop cilantro finely and mix with cabbage and red onion. Season with lime juice, IPA, salt and pepper. Serve.

Season both sides of the ribs with the chipotle chili powder, salt and pepper. Preheat the oven to 350° F. In a Dutch oven, add oil, and sear ribs on all sides. Add the soy sauce, cocoa powder, onion, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, Kosher salt and stout to the roasting pan, and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Adjust the seasoning to taste. Tightly cover and transfer to the oven. Cook until the ribs are tender and fall from the bones, about 3–3½ hours. Remove from the oven and serve on top of the polenta tamales, with the cooking liquid spooned over the top and slaw on the side.

Hefeweizen-Steamed Tamales

1½ cups water 2 cups milk 1½ teaspoons salt ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 cup polenta 4 tablespoons unsalted butter ½ cup grated Cheddar cheese 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan 1 22-ounce bottle Wilder Wheat (Santa Cruz Mountain Brewing), Hoegaarden White Ale or Blue Moon

In a large, heavy saucepan, combine 1½ cups of water with the milk, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and slowly add the polenta, whisking constantly. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring often with a large wooden spoon until the polenta thickens, about 25 minutes.

Add the butter and stir until melted. Add the Cheddar and Parmesan, and stir well. Allow to cool slightly and wrap in corn husks, tying the ends. Place beer in stock pot with steam basket and steam tamales for 15 minutes.

Cheers: beer-pairing dinner at Peter B’s

Courtesy AQUA TERRA Culinary in Pacific Grove

Pie crust

2¼ cups all-purpose flour 7 ounces cold, unsalted butter 3 ounces water 1 teaspoon salt

Sift flour and salt into bowl. Cut cold butter into pea-sized pieces. Add water and mix until just absorbed. Shape into a loose ball. Scrape onto counter and fold onto itself 10 times, patting down in between to create layers. Chill at least 1 hour.

Pie filling

2½ pounds beef cheek or boneless beef short rib, cut into 2-inch cubes 5 cups beef stock 1½ cups English Ales’ Black Prince Porter 2 medium yellow onions, medium diced 2 carrots, peeled and medium diced 3 stalks celery, medium diced 4½ ounces cremini mushrooms 6 sprigs thyme 3 sprigs rosemary ½ cup all-purpose flour ½ stick butter 3 tablespoons canola oil Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350° F.

In a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, heat the oil on medium-high heat until it sheets in the pan. Season the beef with salt and pepper and sear until golden brown. Remove the meat from the pan. Sweat the onions, carrots and celery until the onions are translucent but haven’t gained any color.

Place the meat back in the pot. Cover with the stock and beer. Bring to a simmer. Pull the leaves from the herb sprigs and chop finely. Add these to the simmering pot. Cover the pot with a lid and place it in the oven for 2½ hours.

Melt the butter in a saucepan, and add the flour to make a roux. Cook on low for about 5 minutes. Remove the pot from the oven. Check the meat—it should be fork tender.

Strain the meat and vegetables from the liquid, reserving the liquid to make into gravy. Place the liquid in the pot back on the stove and bring to a simmer. Add half of your roux to the liquid and whisk, allowing the gravy to thicken. Add additional roux until you reach your desired gravy consistency.

Fold the beef and vegetables back into the gravy. Season with salt and pepper while the mixture is still warm. Cool the mixture.

Mushy peas

1 pint fresh English peas, shelled 1/3 stick butter Salt and pepper to taste

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Simmer the peas in the water until very soft. Shock the peas in ice water. Puree the peas in a food processor.

Roll out the pie dough to a thickness of ¼ inch. Butter a muffin tin. Find a ring cutter just a bit larger than the top of the tin and cut out tops for the pies. Lay the rest of the dough over the tin (you may need to re-roll the dough to keep from having holes from the cut-out pie tops). Gently press the dough into the cups to form the crust of the pies. Cut around the cups to create the individual pies, and remove excess.

Fill the pies ¾ of the way to the top of the muffin tin with the cold pie filling. Beat one egg and with a pastry brush, brush the edge of the crust with it to create a seal. Lay the cut-out pie tops over the edge of the crust and crimp between thumb and forefinger to seal the pie. Cut a slit in the top of the pie to allow the steam to vent. Brush the top of the pie with the remaining egg. Bake in a 350° F oven for 45 minutes.

Gently turn out of pans and allow to cool on a cooling rack. Warm the pea puree with the butter and season with salt and pepper. Serve with an English Ales’ Black Prince Porter.

Organic Devout Stout and Chocolate Gateau au Moule

Serves 4 to 6

Courtesy Santa Cruz Mountain Brewing

Who wouldn’t love a dark, rich soufflé-like chocolate cake, accented by the complexities of a sultry stout? In this recipe, the cake is baked in a water bath for consistent, even baking. Together, the egg whites and stout react to create an airy, light creation whose richness and depth form a perfect pairing of dark chocolate and devout stout.

This can be prepared as a single cake or in individual ramekins.

6 ounces extra-dark chocolate, roughly chopped 6 tablespoons unsalted butter 4 tablespoons stout ½ cup fine sugar 3 egg yolks 2 tablespoons unbleached white flour 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 5 egg whites ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar Salt Powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 325° F. Butter an 8-inch custard dish or 4 ramekins. Combine chocolate and butter in a large bowl over a pan of simmering hot water. Melt until butter and chocolate are evenly blended. Add stout and blend. Remove from heat. Whisk sugar into egg yolks and whisk egg yolk mixture into cooled chocolate mixture. Whisk in flour and vanilla.

Beat egg whites with cream of tartar and a pinch of salt until shiny, stiff peaks have formed. Be careful not to overbeat. Fold a dollop of egg whites into the chocolate mixture and gently blend. Add remaining egg whites and blend. Be careful not to overblend, as cake will deflate. Pour the batter into the custard dish or ramekins and place in a shallow baking dish. Add enough hot water to make a water bath that comes halfway up the custard dish or ramekins. Bake for 1½ hours. Cake will be done when skewer inserted in the center comes out with dry crumbs. Cool and lightly sift with powdered sugar.