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!