Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Holiday Beer wisdom from Jackalope Brewing Company

Posted by Adam / 3 comments » / Uncategorized

Hello Nashville Foodie readers!  We’re the ladies of Jackalope Brewing Company, a craft brewery that will be opening in town this spring, and we were invited by Adam to let you know about some delicious beers to get you through the season.  Beer and food pairings are a major passion for us, and holiday meals can provide a fun platform for trying new combinations.

Miller High Life already has laid claim to the “champagne of beer” title, but luckily some fabulous craft beers are coming on to the market to take it back.  There is a lovely trend in craft brewing right now, with brewers creating high gravity beers, packaging them in 750 ml bottles, and even putting on the finishing touch with champagne corks rather than bottle caps.  The result is a fun festive drink that is sure to attract attention at your holiday gatherings.   The Bière de Champagne (aka Bière Brute) getting the most press these days is Sam Adams’ Infinum.  It was just released late last week, and it is in limited supply so -quick!- head to your local store and grab some.  While we have yet to be lucky enough to try some (soon though, very soon), the reviews coming in are praising its notes of apple, pear, apricot and peach.  You may think it’s some kind of magical beer/champagne hybrid, but make no mistake, as a collaboration between the Boston Beer Company and the Weihenstephan Brewery out of Germany, this brew adheres to the strict German Beer Purity Laws – the only ingredients are water, hops, malt, and yeast  (in this case, champagne yeast), without any of the adjuncts that have become increasingly popular in American craft brews.  If you like the idea of beer-as-champagne, other Bière de Champagnes to try include Deus (Brut Des Flandres) from Brouwerij Bosteels or Malheur Bière Brut (Brut Reserve) from Brouwerij De Landtsheer, both Belgian, and both outstanding. They pair nicely with almost anything, particularly goat cheese, seafood, and midnight toasts on New Years.

If you’re interested in more classic winter brews to warm you up, a great option is Highland Brewing’s spicy and malty Cold Mountain Winter Ale.  It changes slightly every season, but always pairs beautifully with a hearty winter meal.  Looking for something to go with dessert?  Brewery Ommegang’s Chocolate Indulgence is also about as close to hot chocolate as a beer can get, so you can either pair it with dessert or just treat it as a dessert on it’s own!  If you can’t find Ommegang brews where you live, Young’s Double Chocolate Stout from our friends across the pond is widely available and is also delicious. So bundle up, hunker down with one of these recommendations, and make the most out of these cold winter nights!

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3 comments

3 Responses to “Holiday Beer wisdom from Jackalope Brewing Company”

  1. 1

    Beth Becker — December 29, 2010 @ 11:07 am

    Hi Baily,
    Your Mom has been helping me to see your new adventure!! I love your name and logo!! Think the newsletter is a great idea! I would like to buy a tee shirt, how do I do that? Thanks!! Beth Becker

  2. 2

    Ellen Shaw — December 29, 2010 @ 7:42 pm

    Hi Bailey,
    Loved the article. I love champagne..so I going to try one of those…maybe two. If you do a newsletter, please put me on it. Wish you much success, hope to see your place one day soon.
    Ellen

  3. 3

    Adam — January 3, 2011 @ 8:49 am

    Christian sent this along as well –

    Adam, here’s a cocktail recipe with a Tennessee twist adding moonshine in place of gin in this Champagne mixer. It might give your readers an idea of how to involve moonshine in their New Year’s celebrations :)

    http://www.shortmountaindistillery.com/2010/12/30/make-your-sparkle-shine-this-new-years-eve/

    Christian Grantham
    Short Mountain Distillery (Cannon County, TN)
    http://shortmountaindistillery.com

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