Beer Tasting Event

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Mariano and I were invited to attend a beer tasting event at the Central American Brewery’s Museum. For the first part of the event, the Master Brewer explained in a very entertaining manner the process of making beer. It takes about 24 days from beginning to end…. So, don’t chug those down!

We were not only told how beer is made, but also how beer should be handled and how you should drink it. You should drink beer in a glass, it will allow you to enjoy its aroma, if you drink it straight out of the bottle, you won’t be able to.  Your glass should only be used for beer, wash it with warm water and let it air dry. Kitchen cloths aren’t usually 100% clean, they have some grease, food, etc. Grease reacts with the foam of the beer, it makes it NOT foam. Have you ever noticed that when we pour a beer too quickly onto a glass, and we see it starts to overflow we put our finger on the glass to make it stop? It does stop. It’s not magic, we have grease in our fingers and that’s why the foaming stops. (Ewww, right?)

Regarding temperature, according to the Master Brewer, the perfect temperature to enjoy your beer is at 6ºC. Beer should be kept cold at all times (bottled) if you let it sit at room temperature for whatever reason and you refrigerate it again, chances are when you open it and taste it, it won’t be the same flavor you are used to getting from your favorite brand. And this is actually one reason why this happens sometimes at the bar, you order your regular beer and sometimes it tastes funny. That’s why! It has been re-refrigerated several times and the flavor suffers. (So, now you know and you can take it up with your bar tender the next time your beer tastes funny).

A good tip I got is how to cool beer faster, I’m sure the guys already knew this, but to quickly get your beers ice cold, put them in a cooler with ice and water, so they are completely submerged. Add salt to your water (about 4- 5 handfuls), this will get your beer to the desired temperature in about 15 minutes. (You’re welcome.)

Interesting fact, did you know that a light beer is about 108 calories and the same amount of orange juice is about 220 calories? I’m just saying. AND beer is good for you (I knew it!), it is a diuretic so it helps with the clean up, it was proven (New England Journal of Medicine – Nov. 1999) that those who drank one beer a week compared to those who drank one beer a day experienced no variance in reducing stroke risks, but it is said that light to moderate drinkers will decrease their chances of suffering a stroke by 20%. A researcher at the Texas Southwestern Medical Center (May 1999) reported that those who consume moderate amounts of beer (one to two a day at the most) have a 30-40% lower rate of coronary heart disease compared to those who don’t drink. Beer contains a similar amount of ‘polyphenols’ (antioxidants) as red wine and 4-5 times as many polyphenols as white wine.

Alcohol has also been attributed of its ability to increase the amount of good cholesterol (HDL) into the bloodstream as well as help to decrease blood clots.

Beer also contains vitamin B6, which prevents the build-up of amino acid called homocysteine that has been linked to heart disease. Those of us who have high levels of homocysteine are usually more prone to an early onset of heart and vascular disease. A new study performed at the TNO Nutrition and Food Research Institute in Utrecht indicates that those who drink beer had no increase in their homocysteine level but those who drank wine or liquor had an increase of up to 10%. Also noted was the fact that those who drank beer experienced a 30% increase in vitamin B6 in their blood plasma, thereby proving that beer (in moderation) is actually healthier to drink than wine and other liquor.

So there!

Now, what this article is really all about… which beer goes with what food?

The Chef that was explaining how we should pair beer with food said that if you drink your beer, and have a bite of food and then you want to keep on drinking your beer and eating more of your plate, it’s a good match. (duh!)

First we tried a light beer with a low bitterness (Gallo Light); the appetizer that accompanied it was a tortilla with refried beans, guacamole, tomato and cilantro. The beer was refreshing and it definitely paired well with that appetizer.

The second tasting was with an even lighter tasting beer (Dorada Ice); the appetizer we had with that was fish ceviche. This beer, by itself, has a slightly salty and acidic taste to it, so it actually complements ceviche quite nicely.

The third pairing was made between a dark amber beer (Moza Gold), with a light body and a slight caramel taste and a crostini with cheese, ham, rosemary and nuts. This is the beer you should drink when you will eat things with cheese, such as pizza, crostinis, or even pasta, also to balance the mixture of ingredients that you would have in a hamburger.

For the fourth tasting, we had a regular beer with a stronger bitter taste (Gallo), to accompany it they served a chicken kebab with a strong asian sauce and pineapple (with soy sauce and sesame oil flavors). This beer goes well with BBQ’s, and strong dishes like the appetizer that was presented.

And for the last tasting, a dark bock beer (Moza) with a sweeter, maple flavor. It was combined with a spicy sausage and grape kebab.

So, next time you order a pizza, try a dark amber beer!

Here’s a cheat sheet I found:

• Pale Ales – Salads, light appetizers, fish and seafood
• India Pale Ales (IPAs) – IPAs can stand up to a little more richness and flavor. They can go well with things like pulled pork, pizza, and fried chicken, as well as lighter salads and seafood dishes. And if you like heat, try an IPA with spicy food – the hoppiness really pumps up the spice quotient!
• Hefeweizens and Wheat Beers – Fruit dishes, dinner salads, grain salads, and desserts made with warm spices (cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg).
• Amber Ales – Ambers are a good middle-of-the-road beer and go well with just about anything: burgers, grilled cheese, roast chicken, soups and stews
• Stouts and Porters – Barbecue, stews, braised dishes – any kind of meat dish, really. Also rich desserts with chocolate and espresso flavors.

Cheers!

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This post is also available in / Esta entrada también está disponible en ESPAÑOL (SPANISH)