Friends are on their way. The grill is packed with coals. The watermelon has been cut into palm-size pieces. Colorful paper umbrellas are sticking out of plastic red cups.
Barbeque season is upon us, which becomes more and more obvious every time we walk around the neighborhood, stumbling upon the smoky smell of a lit grill and the marinated meats that sizzle on them. In between flipping burgers on the grill, sometimes we can’t help but reach for something to tie you over until the food is done. And nothing quite says summer snacking like an ice cold beer straight from the cooler and a bag of your favorite salty crunch of choice.
In an attempt to keep the grilling to you, we’ve done the work for you and paired some of the Pacific Northwest’s signature salty snacks with some of our favorite local brews. Pull some of these flavor explosions out at your Fourth of July celebration and your guests will hardly notice the fireworks.
Beer: Double Mountain Pale Death Belgian-style Imperial IPA
Crunch: Tim’s Cascades Chips Jalapeno
Taste: Double Mountain Brewery in Hood River, Oregon gets the majority of its hops from nearby, in the surrounding Yakima Valley in Washington and the Willamette Valley in Oregon. They describe the Pale Death smelling of a “dank tropical forest.” The golden orange beer has a dark, fruity smell reminiscent of a whole cohort of tropical delights, including mango, apricot and pineapple. As it finishes the dry taste turns to its hoppy origins as a bitter taste clings to the back of the throat. Pop in a couple of Tim’s Cascades Jalapeno chips, one of their most popular products, to match the beer’s flavor progression. The chip starts out with a subtle sweet barbeque flavor, countering the bitter hops from the beer, but quickly turns into a fiery, peppery smoke that ignites the taste buds, and the sweat glands if you happen to pop in one too many. Don’t pull the fire alarm too soon, for you can continue this happy harmonious cycle by taking a swig of this flavorsome IPA to cool down your palate, and continue to munch away.
Beer: Bridgeport Brewing Conviction Pale Ale
Crunch: Kukuruza Gourmet Popcorn Truffle Fromage Porcini
Taste: Cheese and fruit pairings are no stranger to the artistic world of culinary craftsmanship, which is why we paired Bridgeport’s fruity pale ale with Kukuruza’s Truffle Fromage Porcini popcorn. It’s hard to beat such a perfect power couple. Kukuruza, named for the Russian word for corn, sits in downtown Seattle right by Pike Place Market and offers 21 bold and unique popcorn flavors. Conviction Pale Ale from Oregon’s oldest brewery to date pours golden and produces an aromatic tinge of tangerine, with an upfront citrus taste that goes down smooth, light and silky. The house-made white cheddar-based popcorn has a sweet earthy taste, from the French truffle oil and organic porcini mushrooms used in flavoring it. The decadent taste of truffle oil deliciously coats the back of the throat, and when mixed with the citrus of the dry-hopped pale ale, creates a light and refreshing flavor combination worthy of this classic power duo.
Beer: Alaskan Brewing Company Imperial Red Ale
Crunch: Kettle Brand Potato Chips Sea Salt and Vinegar
Taste: The taste of this beer could not be summed up more perfectly than with the red crab featured center front on the label. Alaskan Brewing Company in Juneau opened up for business in December of 1986, and now distributes to 17 states throughout America. The Imperial Red Ale pours true to its name, with a rich dark brown, red tone. A taste of this takes you to white shell-sprinkled sandy beaches along salt water, the briny smell of salt in the air. And what better a match for the sea than the all-natural Kettle Brand Sea Salt and Vinegar chips from Salem, Oregon. The upfront heavy caramel malt hits hard along with a full-bodied hoppy flavor, balancing out the salty, purse-your-lips tangy zip of the vinegar crunch.
Beer: Airway Brewery Final Departure Imperial Stout
Crunch: Kukuruza Gourmet Popcorn Seattle Style
Taste: A micro-brewery in Kent, Washington, Airway produces three year-round beers, as well as some small batch selects. Their Final Departure Imperial Stout pours a pitch dark brown with a strong malty aroma of a pure and almost bitter baker’s dark chocolate. The taste of chocolate quickly turns into that all too familiar Pacific Northwest feeling of taking shots of straight espresso. And what better than to pair coffee, with coffee? Kukuruza offers their caffeinated Seattle Style, made with finely ground espresso beans from the Emerald City’s Zoka coffee. The sweet upon entry popcorn offers a caramel taste that cools down the kick of bitter espresso aftertaste from the stout, settling it to its smooth and slightly smoky coffee finish.
