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We can’t all be gourmands every hour of every day. Sometimes less really is more. That’s why when the Lagerheads shared a bottle of Jolly Pumpkin’s Oro de Calabaza with friends at a party this weekend, we experimented with some pairings that would make most self-respecting foodies squirm.
We are sure food-and-beer pairing guru Garrett Oliver, who will be gracing DC with his presence at Brasserie Beck this Tuesday, would not approve. But after trying the beer with chips and salsa, frosted cookies, cheese and crackers, and candy corn, we found a clear winner…of the triangular, orange, and waxy variety.
In this guilty pleasure pairing, the Lagerheads declare Oro de Calabaza and candy corn a winning combination. Since the beer is on the funky side (beer geek translation: horse blanket), we decided to try it with candy. Just like sour ales are often subdued with sugary fruit syrups, we thought the corn syrup and honey in the candy corn might cut the funkiness of the beer, which is caused by wild Belgian yeast.
We were right, but we are certain that Ron Jeffries, the renowned “creator of beers of outstanding art and grace, philosopher of things beery, and outspoken advocate of the slower, finer life,” would be appauled to find out that we paired junk food with his award-winning Biere de Garde, but we’re sticking to our guns and encourage you to give it a try. (Note: Bottles of Oro de Calabaza were on sale at DeVine’s in Columbia Heights earlier this month.)
Have you had some fancy-pants beer pairings lately, or made any lowbrow discoveries like ours? We’d like to hear about it.