In an earlier post I related a story about the power of good beer and food pairing. When well paired the two really do raise each other up, creating a combination that is better than the sum of its parts. At a beer dinner that I facilitated last night for a corporate Christmas party I witnessed yet another example of this. For the second course we were pouring Flying Dog’s Doggy Style Pale Ale, a classic American Pale Ale with a lightly cracker malt character and explosive citrus/pine flavors and aroma from loads of Cascade hops. It was paired with a warm escarole salad with mustard-sherry vinaigrette, brioche croutons, and crumbled blue cheese expertly created by Chef Philip Dorwart of Create Catering.  As I moved from table to table working the room and discussing beer and food with guests, one particularly outspoken diner had this to say about the pairing. “I hate hoppy beers. But with this salad, this is fucking awesome.”

There you have it. Another straightforward testimony to the power of pairing beer and food.