{"id":4130,"date":"2024-01-29T10:45:03","date_gmt":"2024-01-29T10:45:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/londondrinker.camra.org.uk\/wordpress\/?p=4130"},"modified":"2024-01-29T10:45:03","modified_gmt":"2024-01-29T10:45:03","slug":"its-all-smoking","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/londondrinker.camra.org.uk\/wordpress\/index.php\/2024\/01\/29\/its-all-smoking\/","title":{"rendered":"It\u2019s all smoking!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Once a year, a number of brewers from the Brewers Association (BA) come to London from the USA to take part in the London Craft Beer Festival. While they are here they traditionally host a beer and food matching event and this year\u2019s was certainly a little different.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The tasting took place at Humo, a restaurant in Mayfair that specialises in wood fired cooking. The type of wood used, how long the food is grilled for and at what temperature all have a profound effect on the taste. The flavour changes are due to the Mallard reaction, which is where amino acids and certain simple sugars in the food form new molecules. The reaction is responsible for anything from sweet caramel to the more expected charred and smoky notes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The event was opened by a representative from the U S Department of Agriculture, who stressed the importance of their partnership with the Brewers Association. The USA grows 40% of the world\u2019s hops and 70% of that production is exported, so beer is big business.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Cooking with fire<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Adam Dulye, the chief executive of the Brewers Association, who is well known for his beer and food pairing expertise, introduced the session saying, \u201cExploring the idea of how wood, fire and smoke impact pairings and flavour is the next step in beer and food pairing. All too often we talk simply about an ingredient when the cooking methods, especially the selections of wood available, are as important as the beer you chose to serve with the course<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There were five protein-based pairings of wood-smoked foods with American beers, some of which were unexpected choices and challenged the usual perceptions of how pairings work.<\/p>\n\n\n

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The lemon tart<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

The first pairing was a delight: lightly juniper smoked trout with smoked caviar accompanied by Digital Goodbye Pilsner from the Virginia based Bold Mariner Brewery, which gently cut through the smoke. This was followed by two more fish dishes: Kombu-Gin-Me sea bream, dry aged for nine days, with fermented tomato and 25 year old balsamic vinegar and smoked over silver birchwood. This was matched with the very fruity Coronado Weekend Vibes IPA, which provided a contrast in flavours. Next was dry aged Yellow Tail, smoked over hay and served with a citrus and coffee sauce, teamed with DC Brau Penn Quarter Porter. This was an interesting, if challenging, combination for my palate. The next two were however definitely worth waiting for. There was a Wagyu sirloin steak with sudachi dashi (a Japanese sauce), which was paired with Missouri based Heavy Riff Brewery\u2019s Velvet Underbrown, a brown ale with lactose and oats. An umami combination. The final dish was Amalfi Lemon tart with oak \u2018burnt\u2019 meringue, matched with the Texan 903 Brewers\u2019 Polynesian Whip Cream Ale, a 6.5% ABV full flavoured beer where the pineapple and vanilla flavours perfectly complemented the tart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I had originally intended to suggest that readers indulge themselves, have a practice and match some of their Christmas fayre with some of the fantastic beers that are available but perhaps you can cheer up February instead!
Christine Cryne<\/em><\/strong>
Note: the Brewers Association (BA) is the not-for-profit trade association for small and independent American brewers, their beers and the community of brewing enthusiasts. Thanks to the BA for the photographs.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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