Pairing Saag Paneer & Pumpkin Beers

It was a one-off, a fridge-clearing-out kind of pairing. Pairing saag paneer with Southern Tier's Pumking was a complete accident. 

We had this meal last October but by the time we realized that this combination worked pumpkin beers had disappeared from the shelves. You can't get even get Southern Tier in Los Angeles! Our bottle was a gift. 

This year we planned ahead and choose three pumpkin beers, Alaskan Pumpkin Porter, Shipyard Pumpkinhead Ale, and Dogfish Head Punkin Ale, made a batch of saag paneer, and tried to recreate the magic.  

Pumpkin and ginger are a classic pairing, showing up in savory soups as well as desserts. The fresh ginger in the saag and pumpkin notes in the beers play off each other, balancing the rich diary elements of buttermilk and cheese with acidity. Spices, including red pepper flakes, turmeric, and cumin, are brought out by the sweet, earthy beers. This is definitely a meal we recommend trying. And fast, before the pumpkin beers are gone from shelves for another year.

Alaskan Pumpkin Porter (Mike's favorite)
Nose: Earthy. 
Palate: Balanced pumpkin, cocoa, and Christmas spices with a complex, sweet finish. 

Shipyard Pumkinhead Ale
Nose: Yankee Candle.
Palate: Cider-like; light bodied and overly spiced. 

Dogfish Head Punkin Ale (Abby's favorite)
Nose: Pumpkin bread, heavy on the spice. 
Palate: Belgian and brown sugar; lots of pleasant, balanced sweetness.

Southern California Whiskey Club

There is a theory that, in order to make a Sunday night more palatable, one should attend a Sunday night whiskey tasting. We tested this theory at the first meeting of the Southern California Whiskey Club in late January and found it to be true. 

The inaugural meeting of the SCWC was held at Far Bar in Little Tokyo and featured wheated bourbons from the Stitzel-Weller distillery. The Kentucky-based distillery closed in 1991*, leaving behind an expansive portfolio, including the storied Pappy Van Winkle. 

Bar Made and 38 fellow Club members tasted our way through 1/2 ounce pours of 11 whiskies (full list below). Our friend Chris, founder of the SCWC, presented each bottle, gave a brief description, and then stopped by each table to pour and answer questions. 

The format of the club was relaxed and casual, with an interesting mix of members comprised of alcohol industry reps, casual whiskey fans, and serious drinkers. Everyone was there to drink, talk, and to learn. In order to underscore the casual vibe of the Club we'll share the Club rules with you:

1. Have fun and allow others to have fun!
2. No telling others how they should drink their whisky! (If you want to drink your whisky over fruity pebbles cereal, that is fine). It is yours to enjoy.
3. Please be respectful of the places of business that allow us to have our meetings at their location.
4. No mean drunks
5. If you are a mean drunk, please remember rule #1.

SCWC's next meeting is coming up in March and is a Tax Stamp Night. If you're interested in joining you can find out more information and contact Chris here.

Stitzel-Weller Night Whiskey List

1. Cabin Still 1989
2. Cabin Still 2012
3. Old Fitzgerald BID DSP-KY-16
4. Old Fitzgerald BID DSP-KY-1 2012
5. Very Special Old Fitzgerald BHC Louisville 1994**
6. Very Special Old Fitzgerald 12 year Current Release
7. Pappy Van Winkle 20 Year 2010
8. Pappy Van Winkle 20 Year 2012
9. W.L. Weller Special Reserve 7 year 1995***
10. W.L. Weller Centennial 10 year BHC Louisville 1994
11. Rebel Yell 90 proof Bourbon 1982 Tax Stamp

*Stitzel-Weller recently announced that they would begin distilling again, as has been confirmed by several sources.
** Mike's favorite of the night
*** Abby's favorite of the night

Westvleteren 12

On a wet, misty Los Angeles afternoon we picked up a tiny, cheap Christmas tree and toasted it with glasses of Westvleteren 12, one of the rarest beers in the world. 

As soon as you start drinking craft beers, you begin hearing about Westvleteren. Everyone talks about this beer but few people get the chance to taste one, as a plane ticket to Belgium is the usual price tag.

When an unprecedented 15,000 cases of this beer were released in the U.S. on 12/12/12, fans allegedly camped out overnight for it, participated in lotteries for it, and everyone had something to say about its price. Stores across the country were inundated with requests for the "bricks", which included six 11.2 oz beers and two glasses. 

Because of the hype surrounding this beer, it is hard to objectively say whether or not the $85 price tag is worth it. For (some) beer enthusiasts, it almost certainly is. This special release is, for many, a once-in-a-lifetime chance to drink this beer, and $85 is much cheaper than a trans-Atlantic flight. We were lucky enough to get a six pack and waited four days to try it so we had enough time to sit down and enjoy the beer properly.

Tasting Notes

We recommend taking a bottle out of the refrigerator 30 minutes prior to drinking. 

Nose: honeyed dates with fruity esters and light alcohol spice.

Palate: very textured and effervescent right out of the bottle; caramelized Belgian candi sugar up front, with a complex, fruity mid-palate; dates, dried figs, apricot, and honey; finish is surprisingly dry with a lingering hop bitterness.

Driven by spicy alcohol and fruity esters, Westvleteren 12 is a balanced, well-structured quad.