Belgian beer and food pairing, what's the deal? (1)
Author: Erik Verdonck / Published: 2016-06-01 20:47:37 +0200 / Last Updated: about 3 years ago
Lupulus© BeerTourism.com
ELLEZELLES - Put several brewers and chefs around the same table, get them to taste a few beers and soon you will have a heated discussion! Jean-Baptiste and Christophe Thomaes of Le Château du
Jean-Baptiste Thomaes
© BeerTourism.com
Mylord, a restaurant awarded with two Michelin stars, invited their colleagues to a beer tasting.
Around the table there was an enormous amount of experience and knowledge about beer and food.
There was Eric Martin from Lemonnier in Lavaux Ste-Anne, Laurent Martin from La Frairie in Perwez, Eric Fernez from the two-star-winning Eugénie à Emilie, brasserie Le Faitout and café La Marelle in Baudour.
The brewers were represented by Marc Lemay from Brasserie Dubuisson and Charles and Bruno Delroisse from La Frasnoise.
Catherine and Antoine Malingret of Ca Brasse Pour Moi in Boussu are beer traders who are planning to start up their own brewing operation.
Muriel Lombard and Marjorie Elich voice the opinion of women with La Bière des Femmes.
Edmée Hooghe is a fruit farmer whose client list includes Christophe Thomaes. She has brought ancient fruit varieties back to
Marc Lemay, Dubuisson
© BeerTourism.com
life in her splendid garden at a stone’s throw of Le Château du Mylord.
So many people and just as many opinions; the guests agree on certain points but are at loggerheads on others.
Chef Jean-Baptiste Thomaes says “The quality of beers has come along in leaps and bounds in recent years."
There are now quite a few beers that deserve their regular place in gastronomy, because beer offers a surprising amount of new aromas and tastes.
Chefs now have far more techniques for working beer into a recipe and using it as an ingredient - gels, for example.”
Beer trader Antoine Malingret
© BeerTourism.com
"Guidance is Essential"
At the table, most chefs prefer heavier beers with sufficient complexity, preferably served from small glasses. As a general rule, when you assemble a beer menu you should start off with a lighter
Catherine & Marjorie
© BeerTourism.com
beer and finish with a more distinctive one that packs more of a punch.
If you start with serving an IPA or a heavy stout at the start of a meal, the dominant bitterness of these beers will linger in the mouth.
Bart Lamon, sommelier at Le Château du Mylord, makes a case for beer accompanying food at every course - he is convinced that beer can make a perfect complement to an entire gastronomic meal.
However, the chefs have their doubts about this, and question whether their average customer is ready for this. Chef Jean-Baptiste Thomaes would prefer the scenario where beer and wine are both offered depending on the dish.
“It’s all about enjoyment at the table,” says brewer Marc Lemay. “This is equally possible with beer and wine.”
His colleague Bruno Delroisse feels that you have to surprise your guests and offer them new aromas and tastes, but to achieve this, they need to be guided by professionals.
Marjorie Elich remarks that there is often a lack of beer knowledge in the hotel, restaurant and café business as education and training have a one-sided focus on wine.
Today's selection...
© BeerTourism.com
Heaven Sent?
Not all beers are suited to gastronomy, it would appear. For example, lighter ‘session beers’ do not appeal to the chefs. We also find out that some beers can be served with completely different
Christophe Thomaes
© BeerTourism.com
and often surprising dishes.
Have a dry ‘saison’ beer with an oily fish - mackerel perhaps - or with an apple pie to provide a contrast with the sweetness. A zesty blonde Lupulus from Les 3 Fourquets goes well with sweetbreads or with white meat prepared with thyme and rosemary.
Beers of the Flemish red-brown type such as the Reninge Oud Bruin from Seizoensbrouwerij Vandewalle should be paired with blood sausage and foie gras because the sour element cuts through the greasiness of the meat.
There are some degustation beers that just seem heaven sent for gastronomy. The wood-matured Bush De Charmes from Dubuisson goes with raw fish recipes, steamed couscous, goat’s and sheep’s cheeses, or desserts with peach, raspberry or chocolate.
We conclude our tasting with the Extase from Dochter van de Korenaar, a Double IPA with a blend of no fewer than fourteen hop varieties.
The nose is overpowering, especially for your average Belgian beer lover who is not used to extreme beers such as this, yet the chefs see gastronomic potential here.
They suggest that this would be one to enjoy with a very mature cheese, or with a sweet fruit dessert.
Our panel...
© BeerTourism.com
“You choose the beer depending on the occasion,” Marc Lemay concludes, “when you’re meeting friends at the bar, you will have a pils."
"At the table you often expect a little more depth and interest, you want to discover more."
"In the end everyone will decide for himself what suits best at that particular moment or what he fancies the most.”
The informative discussion raises many points and opinions but overall, the message is clear: by all means, don’t deny yourself any pleasures. Discover, taste, try … and experiment!
Le Château du Mylord
Le Château du Mylord
Rue Saint-Mortier 35
B-7890
Ellezelles
Email: info@mylord.be
Website: www.mylord.be
Recent Blog Posts
Brewers of Europe Forum 2019: Craftsmanship on the old continentANTWERP - Brewers from 59 different countries flocked to attend the Brewers of Europe Forum 2019 in the prestigious Queen Elizabeth Hall, right next to the renowned Antwerp Central Station building. ... [ read more ]
Craftsmanship and balance at brewery Van SteenbergeERTVELDE - To track down a brewer within his own domain is a high-ranking form of sports, or that’s the impression I get. After a bit of practice I spot Jef Versele, CEO of the Van Steenberge brewery, ... [ read more ]
Brussels Beer Challenge 2018 - The results!MECHELEN - The historic city of Mechelen, halfway between Brussels and Antwerp, is truly a hidden gem. The presence of the Dukes of Burgundy, who ruled here in the late middle ages, still permeates th ... [ read more ]
Best of Belgium Beer & Bites pops up at Brussels AirportBRUSSELS/ZAVENTEM - This year Brussels Airport is 60 years young! The airport is planning to mark this milestone by showcasing the very best of Belgian produce, which would not be complete without ... [ read more ]
Trappist beer meets whisky, Chimay Grande Réserve Fermentée en Barriques 2018At the BeerLovers’ Café just behind Liège’s City Hall we get together to taste the limited edition Chimay Grande Réserve Fermentée en Barriques 2018, a Trappist beer aged in whisky barrels. ... [ read more ]
Comments
You must be logged in to leave a comment
SHARE:
You Might Like
The Duvel Moortgat Brewery caters to everyone’s tastes with 3 different brewery experiences. From complete novice to experienced beer lover, Duvel has the brewery visit package for you.
Everything you ever wanted to know about (Belgian) beer under one roof. You get to feel, smell and taste ingredients and discover the typical Belgian beer styles. Come celebrate Belgian beer culture in heart of historic Bruges! Shop and bar are accessible without visiting the museum.
Brewery Van Honsebrouck - Bierkasteel
Castle Brewery Van Honsebrouck, well known for it's "Kasteel" beer range, now offers their Bierkasteel beer experience; brewery visit, event location, restaurant, bar and shop. Open from 10th August 2016.
The ultimate book on Belgian beer; a 704 page illustrated hardcover written by Erik Verdonck and Luc de Raedemaeker. Discover how brewing works, how to tap, pour, taste and store your beer; which beer styles and types there are, how to pair beer and food, must-try beers and what about the new craft beer trend? The Belgian Beer Book covers it all.
BLOG
POSTS
Belgian beer and food pairing, what's the deal? (2)
ANTWERP - Today, we are meeting up for a second tasting session in this beer and food pairing series at ‘t Zilte restaurant, the proud owner of two Michelin stars, perched high above the Flemish city of Antwerp. ... [ more ]
Bush beer pairing at Le Château du Mylord
ELLEZELLES - As many as 34 years ago Jean-Baptiste Thomaes, at the ripe young age of 22, set up the prestigious establishment of Le Château du Mylord in Ellezelles, a village close to Ronse and Oudenaarde. ... [ more ]
Travel through a world of flavours with Lindemans
PAJOTTENLAND/BRUSSELS -The times are changing. Beer in gastronomy is taken seriously nowadays, both in recipes and to partner a dish. This was obvious once more during the latest edition of the Prosper Montagné cooking ... [ more ]
More Beer
Kasteel Hoppy is a recent addition to the Castle Brewery Van Honsebrouck Kasteel range. It was launched in 2013 in response to the trend for more hopped beers. This is a high ferme... [ more ]
Beer Tourism Newsletter Signup
Enter your name and email address on the right and click "SignUp" to join.