A Sour Start 🍻
The first beer you will be indulging in is Mayday Hills “Table Beer” from Bridge Road Brewers in Beechworth.
Bridge Road Brewers was founded by Ben Kraus in his dad’s back shed in 2005 and has grown to be a crafty sensation in Australia! They like to call themselves a micronation - a land where they prefer to create 100% of their beer from scratch, using their own production equipment, on their own site!
The “Table Beer” is made with a mixture of pale malts, and oats, and fermented with Brettanomyces Clausennii making it a really great start for those wanting to get into beer. For those of us who are not beer sommeliers, Brettanomyces Clausennii is a wild yeast used in wine and fermentation.
We have paired this beer with béchamel and chive croquettes served with tomato relish.
Why Are They Paired?
The Table Beer has very low bitterness which makes it a great match for the tomato relish allowing the herbs and spices to stand out. The acidity of the sour beer balances the salt and fat in the béchamel croquette making it a nice easy start to your tasting journey.
A Pick Me Up 🍻
Our second victorian craft beer is a Vanilla Porter from Quiet Deeds Brewery in Glen Iris.
Quiet Deeds is a family run brewery known for using different components to make a range of unique beers. If you need a little “pick me up” then get ready for the roasted coffee, dark chocolate and big burst of vanilla coming your way! Don’t worry if your not a huge sugar fan because this beer keeps the subtle sweetness in check so it doesn’t overpower your palate!
We have paired this with sambal squid served with pan-fried tomato and a spicy sambal oelek.
Why Are They Paired?
Like a classic Stout and Oyster pairing, the sweet malt of the Vanilla Porter balances the salt, spice and acidity of the sambal squid. Notice how the lime juice in the Sambal brings out the bitterness in the beer for a mouthful of different flavours!
A Japanese Delight 🍻
Our final tasting is a Classic West Coast Style IPA from Fixation Brewing Company in Collingwood. Fixation Brewing is one of Melbourne's most sought after breweries and are known for their obsession for IPAs! Since opening they have produced over 50 different beers and 80 fresh batches! They are all about freshness there so they only do beers in small batches. They don’t allow their beer to sit in stock and deteriorate making it one of the freshest beers around!
Fixation IPA takes inspiration from the craft beers from California where the hop regions are. So picture palm trees and the ocean while you enjoy that first sip!
We have paired this with avocado and umeboshi tartare served with diced avocado, shallots, umeboshi, caper puree and a toasted baguette.
Why Are They Paired?
The rich bitterness of an IPA balances nicely with the natural fats in the avocado and egg and the saltiness of the umeboshi and capers in the tartare. FYI, umeboshi is fermented ume fruit, popular in Japan so see if you can taste some of the fruit flavour in the fresh IPA.
This concludes your AmazingCo Tasting at Concrete Boots. Thanks for stopping by!
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