Rack and Draak - Baby Back Ribs & Gulden Draak Dark Triple

As part of an ongoing weekly post yours truly will be picking one food menu item and pairing it with one of our 150+ bottle beers from our monster beer menu. Stay tuned each week for an informed, tried and true suggestion.

This weeks' winning couple is:

Mudville's melt-off-the-bone baby back ribs and the incomparable Gulden Draak (Golden Dragon).

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The Chemistry:
When matching up dark meats (like ribs, steak or roast) you want to reach for what you call a malt-forward (as opposed to hop-forward) beer that doesn't overpower the delicate flavors of slow-roasted meat. Not always, but in this case, one can apply the old wine pairing adage "red with red" (or "dark with dark"). This belgian beast is a dark triple, which in itself makes it an exceptional beer. But it is the complex taste with hints of caramel and roasted malt in combination with the creamy hazel head that makes it unique. The sweetness of this roasty caramel calls out the cooked-in molasses flavor ribs are known for creating a rich, full flavor combination. Save room for your side dish though - I recommend the fire roasted corn to offset all the richness with a little spice on the cob.

Bon appetit!


Cheers!

Beau Knows - Southern Tier Pumking

Every Friday, yours truly (Beau), will be highlighting one particular beer that we have on tap at Mudville. This beer will most likely be complex, hopefully well-balanced and otherwise delicious. This week I've chosen The Pumking in all it's royalty.

Though I don't normally reach for a pumpkin beer myself, this ghoulish king is the exception to that rule. The folks over at Southern Tier say it's an ode to Púca, a creature of Celtic folklore, who is both feared and respected by those who believe in it. Púca is said to waylay travelers throughout the night, tossing them on its back, and providing them the ride of their lives, from whichthey return forever changed! Brewed in the spirit of All Hallows Eve, a time of year when spirits can make contact with the physical world and when magic is most potent. Pour Pumking into a goblet and allow it’s alluring spirit to overflow. As spicy aromas present themselves, let its deep copper color entrance you as your journey into this mystical brew has just begun. As the first drops touch your tongue a magical spell will bewitch your taste buds making it difficult to escape.

All true about this pagan nectar! What I particularly like about this pumpkin brew is that the pumpkin isn't smacking you in the face, most others you're drinking pumpkin pie in a pint. What you do taste is in well balanced subtlety - Buttered crust, pie spice, sweetness of the pumpkin are all in great parallels.  At the end there's just a hint of alcohol to close to really remind you who you're dealing with.

Come in as soon as you can, this beer does not stick around very long. Ask me and I'll pour you a taste to get you started.

Cheers!

Pair of the Dog - Pulled Pork & Flying Dog Doggie Style

As part of an ongoing weekly (Wednesday) post yours truly will be picking one food menu item and pairing it with one of our 150+ bottle beers from our monster beer menu. Stay tuned each Wednesday for an informed, tried and true suggestion. 

This weeks' winning couple is:

The world famous Mudville Pulled Pork sandwich and the award winning Flying Dog Doggie Style Pale Ale.

Slow roasted, braised pork seasoned with hickory BBQ.








The Chemistry:
This sandwich has A LOT of different flavors. The savory meat, zesty spices and hint of smoke could handle the job alone but the hickory BBQ sauce sends your taste buds over the top. You want a beer, therefore, that doesn't compete for so many parts of your palate. A beer with matching flavors would get lost in the taste of this braised beauty and be little more than watering your meal down. So, for my money I pair this BBQ with the bright and citrusy Flying Dog Doggie Style. The subtle caramel notes from the malt align with the savory meat and the citrusy hoppy notes of the beer cleanse the palate while complementing the spices in the sauce. Bon appetit!

P.S. Try the coleslaw on top to get real crazy. (The seasoned fries are always a safe back up though.)

Cheers!