I really hate getting into a car to go anywhere, but I do make an exception here and there. And one exception I'll always make is the chance to drink craft beer. Another exception, the food at Parkers Blue Ash is memorable. If you're out that way don't pass up a chance to try it.
The drive paid off big time as I got to sit and talk all evening with Tom Aguero of Queen City Drinks, Kevin Moreland Triple Digit's Brew-master and Jason Brewer who is Listerman's Brew-master. The conversation got geeky and over my head a few times but knowing a bunch of beer geeks all the technicalities of brewing is slowly sinking in. Plus it was cool listening to all Kevin's insider info on all the other Cincy brewer's.
Now I'm going to say right here that the food and beer taken individually was high quality and tasted it. But this was a pairing and that is where things fell apart.
The first course was a Tuna taco paired with a Serpitine Wheat beer. Slightly bitter, with citrus and very clean. The taco was spicey and flavorful. But the beer did nothing to cut the heat and maybe raised it, it didn't seem like the perfect fit.
Second course, fish and chips! now we're talking! Crunchy beer batter and tender flaky fish. A plantain chip and cole slaw made with beer and Napa cabbage. paired with Listerman's Leopold, a Belgium Blonde that was everything a Belgium beer should be, this pairing was ok, not great but they didn't conflict.
Next up was pork belly and a spicy pork rind with Listerman's Jungle Honey, think American pale Ale, its an IPA with the bitterness toned way down. There's no honey in it, I was told its an inside joke from the brewing process. This is a pairing that worked.
The entrée consisted of Miami Ohio raised beef and potatoes paired with Triple Digit's Aftermath. I was thinking, wow, we've been drinking awhile now and their rolling out the big guns now? Aftermath clocks in at 10.5% alcohol and you could taste it. Kevin Moreland talked about how Triple Digit doesn't believe in statement beers and he called Aftermath their mission statement. The richness of the beef stood up to the Aftermath, I just couldn't help thinking that maybe a beer that didn't fight for attention may have been a better match.
This is the one I was, what is the opposite of looking forward too? I had the Nutcase at the Winter Brewfest and disliked it strongly. Now keep in mind I love IPAs and this is probably the exact of opposite of an IPA. I know many people are fans of it. It was paired up with a heavy chocolate peanut butter cake confection that was so rich my eyes were crossing. But this pairing fell through for me too, the desert accentuated everything I disliked about the Nutcase beer.
As I stated before, taken individually every single thing tasted incredible (Nutcase excepted) but some of the pairings fell through. The high quality of the food, beer and company made everything worthwhile and redeemed what the specific pairings lacked.
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