During Emerson’s Week this year Regional
and Emerson’s Brewery worked together to run two highly successful beer and
food matching events. On the Tuesday night we ran The Emerson’s Degustation
Dinner at Logan Brown. Hosted by Steve Logan, Richard Emerson and myself the
event showcased just how well fine food and craft beer can work together. Logan
Brown Head Chef Shaun Clouston, and Richard worked together to match six of
Shaun’s courses to six of Richard’s beers. We happily eat and drunk our way
through Oysters and Pilsner, Sauté Paua sweet braised Pork and Old 95, Maltose
Roasted Duck Game Sausage and 1812, Porter Braised Lamb Shoulder Rack and
London Porter, Black Pepper & Walnut Meringues Gorgonzola Cream and Taieri
George, and finally Blackboy Peach Cobbler Salted Caramel Ice Cream and JP
2009.
At the start of the night we greeted each
guest with a tall pilsner glass of Pilsner. One woman admitted that she didn’t
really like beer, when she was presented with the chilled pilsner in the tall
glass she accepted it politely and drunk it. When the pilsner came out again a
little later to accompany the Oysters it was slightly warmer and served in
white wine glasses. This woman really liked it this
time and was convinced it was a different beer, proving a real lesson that
serving temperature and presentation can really make the difference in helping
people connect with the aromas and flavours that beer can provide.
The very first match, Marlborough Tio Point
Oysters served in the ½ shell with Sherry Mignonette served with Emerson’s
Pilsner proved to be one of the most amazing culinary experiences I have ever
had. This match was incredibly simple and yet so effective that Richard said he
dreamed of it later that night.
The oysters were almost as fresh as if we were eating them on the wharf.
The fruity passion fruit and citrus notes in the pilsner found a perfect zesty
harmony with the fresh briny character of the oysters.
The other match that really stood out for me was the Sauté Paua with sweet
braised Pork and Old 95, all the more amazing considering I don’t like pork!
The rich malt character of the Old 95 worked with the oily richness of the pork
while the spicy Chinese sautéed paua found harmony with the bright orangey hop
character of the beer.
We ended the night with Richard presenting
3 very special beers from his cellar. We enjoyed bottles of Bourbon Porter, JP
2008 Cherry Brown Ale and Old 95 2006.
The next day the culinary theme continued
with the Emerson’s Beer and Food Matching Trade Masterclass at Crazyhorse.
Members of the Wellington
hospitality industry were invited to a masterclass in beer and food matching
where Richard presented six courses each matched with one of Richard’s beers,
and a wine that would typically be recommended as a good match.The
courses had were:
-
Emerson’s Pilsner and
Stillwater Sauvignon Blanc 09 matched with Thai influenced sashimi of king
salmon.
-
Emerson’s Bookbinder and
Vynfields Classic Riesling with Prime Eye Fillet NZ Wasabi and Chimichuri
-
Emerson’s Old 95 and Sierra
Cantabria Rioja 07 with Wagyu Beef and Roquefort Gratin
-
Emerson’s Dunkelweiss and Breaksea Sound Pinot
Noir 08 with Pulled Pork and Popped Crackling.
-
Emerson’s London Porter and Beresford
Highwood Shiraz with 300 Day grain fed Sirloin on croute with Horseradish Crème
and Micro Mustard.
-
JP 2010 and Konrad Noble
Riesling Two Sigrun 08 with Chai Infused Cheesecake.
The event sparked a lot of debate and got
those in attendance thinking about how beer works with food in different ways
to wine. One of the dishes didn’t match well with either the beer or the wine
which was the perfect spark to get people talking about how and why certain
drinks work with certain foods.
Many of those in attendance were not beer drinkers which made it all the more
surprising and for me satisfying, that the final vote proved a landslide to
beer as the better match to the food on offer.
Cheers
Kieran Haslett-Moore