Here are the answers to our beer pairing quiz.
Marshall McNellie’s Pub Ale /
Rotisserie chicken
Alexander says the rotisserie
caramelizes the natural
sugars present in the chicken,
which leaves the skin rich and
slightly sweet.
“Using a similar process,
malted barley is roasted until
the plant sugars caramelize
on the exterior of the barley,
giving the beer its characteristic
amber color and slightly
sweet flavor characteristic.
Just like rotisserie chicken
balances flavors such as salty
and sweet, McNellie’s Pub Ale
balances malty and hop bitterness,”
Alexander said.
For meats that have been
roasted, grilled or smoked, he
prefers balanced amber beers.
The amber color is an indicator
of caramelized malty
character.
Prairie Artisan Ales Standard Saison /
Tacos al pastor
Alexander says that he loves
the tacos al pastor at El Rinconcito
in Tulsa. “They manage
to get the pineapple and red
chile flavor all through the
crispy bits of pork,” he said.
For an Oklahoma beer,
try Prairie Standard, a light,
slightly hoppy beer with floral
notes and citrus. Or pair it
with a Brewery Ommegang
Hennepin. Alexander said
Hennepin has wonderful
citrus and spice character in
the aroma that complements
the tacos al pastor.
Chimay Belgian Ale /
Spicy Chinese food
During a recent Beer University
course, Elliot Nelson,
owner of the McNellie’s
Group, shared with us his love
of spicy Chinese food with a
Belgian Ale. He said it does
not matter which dish you
choose — kung pao chicken
or Szechuan — they are all
good with a Belgian Ale. We
chose Chimay, a traditional
Belgian beer that is widely
available at many liquor
stores.
Anchor Porter / Braised short ribs
The sweetness and roasty
malt flavor is a perfect pairing
with the richness of the
pork, Alexander said.
“There are many fine examples
of short ribs on menus
around town, but I like to
make them at home,” he said.
“I first caramelize onions in
a Dutch oven, then add two
cups of your favorite Porter
— mine is Big Jamoke — then
braise low and slow until the
meat is tender. Once ribs are
done, cover to keep warm and
reduce the braising liquid to a
flavorful sauce."
Big Jamoke is a winter
seasonal made by Marshall
Brewing Co. Anchor is a
porter made in California
that should be available all
year long.
Marshall Sundown Wheat /
Salad with grilled chicken
The Belgian-style wheat
beer is spiced with coriander
and orange peel and is
very drinkable. Brett White,
of Ranch Acres Wine and
Spirits and a bartender at
The Tavern, said that because
the flavors are lighter
in this beer, it goes well with
dishes such as salad with
grilled chicken or pasta with
chicken and a light sauce.
Or, try Choc Beer’s Waving
Wheat, brewed in Krebs.
Marshall Revival Red / Hamburger
This beer has bigger
flavors than the Sundown
Wheat and features floral
notes. It’s one of White’s favorites,
and he immediately
thought of pairing it with a
nice, juicy hamburger. But
the Revival Red would also
go well with a pasta with red
sauce, White said.
Mustang Route 66 Lager / Pizza
This traditional, American
amber lager is brewed with
four types of barley and a
combination of Hallertauer
and Willamette hops. It has
all the crisp, clean characteristics
of an American lager.
White described this lager
as crisp and clean, similar to
red lager. The Route 66 would
go great with pizza, he said.
Sierra Nevada Bigfoot Barleywine /
Blue cheese
This pairing is all about
intensity, Alexander said.
“The tang and pungent
aroma need a beer to stand
up to the powerful character
of blue cheese. Barley
wines are beers with alcohol
content near that of wine.
The flavor profile is of intense
malty sweetness. The
sweetness serves as a balance
to the pungency of blue
cheese,” Alexander said.
Goose Island Beer Co. IPA /
Fried food
Fried food stands up well
to the “intense, over the top”
flavors of a hoppy IPA, White
said. Try Goose Island IPA,
a highly rated beer that recently
hit the Tulsa market.
And while COOP’s popular
F5 is available only on tap
now, prices have been posted
for the beer in cans, and the
company plans to be selling
it soon. The F5 is very hoppy,
with notes of citrus, grapefruit
and pine.
recipe
Here's a recipe for tacos al pastor to go with a Saison beer.
TACOS AL PASTOR
1 large white onion, halved
1 pineapple, peeled, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick rounds
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
1/4 cup guajillo chile powder
3 garlic cloves, halved
2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano (preferably Mexican)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 large or 2 small chipotle chiles and 1 to 2 teaspoons adobo from canned chipotle chiles in adobo
1 2 1/2-to 3-pound boneless pork loin, cut into 1/2-inch slices
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Corn tortillas
Salsa
Lime wedges
1. Coarsely chop 1 onion half. Coarsely chop 2 pineapple rounds, discarding core; cover and chill remaining pineapple. Place chopped onion and chopped pineapple in blender. Add orange juice and next 7 ingredients; puree marinade until smooth. Place pork in large resealable plastic bag. Add marinade and seal bag, releasing excess air. Turn to coat. Chill at least 4 hours and up to 1 day.
2. Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Grill remaining pineapple until warm and slightly charred, 4 to 6 minutes per side. Grill pork with some marinade still clinging until slightly charred and cooked through, 2 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer pineapple and pork to work surface; chop pineapple into 1/2-inch cubes, discarding cores. Chop pork. Transfer to platter; toss to combine.
3. Finely chop remaining onion half and place in medium bowl. Add cilantro; toss to combine. Grill tortillas until warm and slightly charred, about 10 seconds per side.
4. Serve pork-pineapple mixture with onion-cilantro relish, salsa and lime wedges.
- adapted from Bon Appetit
Tulsa’s Craft Beer Week
WEDNESDAY
R-Bar, 3421 S. Peoria Ave.,
918-392-4811
Green Flash Pint Night, Featuring
Green Flash West Coast
IPA and a special glass, 6 p.m.
McNellies, 409 E. First St.,
918-382-7468
Choc Firkin, and you get to
keep a Tulsa Craft Beer Week
pint glass with your purchase,
noon.
THURSDAY
R-Bar, 3421 S. Peoria Ave.,
918-392-4811
Local Tap Takeover, local
breweries take over the taps,
5 p.m.
FRIDAY
R-Bar
Outdoor Festival, Firkin Friday.
Special firkin tasting event
with more than 10 breweries
bringing their best to the table,
6-10 p.m. Cost, $25.
McNellies, 409 E. 1st St.,
918-382-7468
Prairie Artisan Tap Takeover:
Standard, Somewhere, Gold,
‘Merica, Funky Galaxy, Noir,
5 p.m.
SATURDAY
BierGarten Parking Lot, 807
East A St., Jenks
Cost: $25
The Tulsa Craft Beer Festival
Finale is sponsored by BierGarten
Wine and Spirits and the
Fellowship of Oklahoma Ale
Makers, Tulsa’s premier homebrew
club. Brewers will be on
hand to talk to you about your
favorite brews, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
For more information:
tulsaworld.com/tulsacraftbeerweek
Food
The signature item is the Philly cheesesteak sandwich made with a uniquely American ingredient, Cheez Whiz, and the owners immigrated here from Philadelphia.
Most sandwiches may be ordered with white bread, bagel, rye bread, wheat bread, sourdough bread or croissant.
