BEER-CENTRIC RESTAURANTS
Much has been made over the years about wine and food pairing. But only recently, and perhaps thanks to the renaissance of craft brewing, have we taken beer as a serious beverage worth fussing about. We’re not talking about downing a cold Dos Equis with your nachos (although there’s nothing wrong with that). These days, beer-centric restaurants and brewpubs are kicking it up a notch, crafting unique beers to be enjoyed alongside interesting cuisine.
SOUTHERLEIGH FINE FOOD & BREWERY
Pearl Complex, 136 Grayson, Suite 120, San Antonio
210.455.5701 | Southerleigh.com
Photography by Nick Simonite
An excellent example that is all the rage is Southerleigh, San Antonio’s newest brewpub. “We wanted to celebrate beer and its casual nature,” says acclaimed Executive Chef and co-owner Jeff Balfour, who previously helmed the kitchen at Citrus. Balfour brings his Gulf Coast upbringing and incredible talent to a menu that celebrates the many cultures and cuisines of Texas, paired with 13 unique and new house-made beers by co-owner and Brewer Les Locke, as well as a few craft selections from Texas and beyond. “[We] make beer people want to drink and food people want to eat.”
Although the food and beer lists grew independently, they did within the same spirit. “I never wanted to be about cooking with beer, or forcing beers to be brewed to a particular flavor profile just to match food,” says Balfour. “They exist in the same world so they should be influenced by the same elements (seasonality, flavor understanding and discovery), but never forced on one another just for the sake of doing it.” Balfour and Locke do consult and learn from each other, however, and very much enjoy experimenting. An excellent example of their creativity and collaboration is the Conjunction Curry Porter, a fabulous brew with definite culinary influence, great on its own or as a match to a variety of dishes.
Locke is passionate about his craft and what he brings to Southerleigh’s beer list. “I like trying my hand at what are considered hard beer styles to get right,” he says. “Everyone makes an IPA, but to make one that you know is nearly perfect is tough. The same goes for our lagers. We want balance and approachable components, and we strive to make them the best we can.” The team’s goal is to have their house brews dominate the restaurant’s draft selections. And they recently collaborated with two other local breweries to brew a Gruit, a beer that relies on a blend of herbs and spices to act as the bittering agents, instead of hops. “It’s a fun way to re-think modern beer styles while paying [homage] to how beer may have tasted 600 years ago or more.”
The menu at Southerleigh includes suggestions for homebrews to pair with each dish, but a lot depends on your personal taste. “Juxtaposition helps a ton here,” says Locke. “Finding elements that are both in the beer and the food are ideal. But sometimes it’s fun to take people out of their comfort zones.” Chef Balfour, a beer connoisseur himself, has his own opinions. “I agree that sometimes it’s hard to pair hoppy beer with foods on first taste. But then when you try it again, you find that it’s something that really works,” he says. “The underlying flavors really come through. It’s often surprising in a really interesting way.”
BLACK STAR CO-OP PUB & BREWERY
7020 Easy Wind Drive, Suite 100, Austin
512.452.BEER | Blackstar.coop
Photography by Dustin Finkelstein
Brewpubs are not new in Austin, but Black Star Co-Op has brought the concept to a new level as the world’s first cooperatively-owned and worker-managed brewpub, with more than 3,000 members. Alongside a selection of craft beer from around the world, Black Star proudly pours a rotating list of house-made brews and a menu of Texas pub fare made with locally sourced and sustainably produced foods.
The taps feature the High Esteem Golden Ale and Vulcan Rye IPA year round, but other offerings change seasonally. “We have some beers that we keep around for a few months at a time, and then we have a long list of “one and done” beers that we release throughout the year,” says Andy Martinec, Black Star’s Beer Team Leader/Head Brewer. “Recently we have been releasing one to two of the special beers a month, and try to keep as many on at one time as possible.” Some of the popular year-round offerings include Elba, a spiced American wheat beer brewed with lemongrass, bitter orange peel and grains of paradise, and the refreshing Waterloo, brewed with fresh apricots and perfect for the summer.
Martinec really enjoys brewing the darker, bigger porters and stouts they release during the cooler months. “The darker malts make the brewery smell like chocolate and coffee which is never a bad thing,” he says. “These beers usually have fun adjuncts in them as well, which keeps the brew days exciting and different.”
The delicious Insubordinate Dockhand Porter, brewed with Cuvee Coffee, is the perfect example. However, he confesses he’s always wanted to brew a traditional lager but because lagers require a longer fermentation period, he lacks the space to do it. “Since we move beers relatively fast, it has always been a logistical nightmare to tie up a fermentation vessel for a long period of time. Hopefully one day we can plan it out just right and make this a reality.”
BANGER’S SAUSAGE HOUSE & BEER GARDEN
79 & 81 Rainey Street, Austin
512.386.1656 | Bangersaustin.com
Photography by Jared Simpson
When it comes to selection, Banger’s is one of Austin’s favorite beer gardens. Although they don’t brew their own, the casual Rainey Street eatery offers a staggering selection of brews to match their ample menu of homemade gourmet sausages. Their “Tried and True” list features roughly 60 beers on tap, 15 bottled beers and a handful of ciders, with selections rotating every four months. The Seasonal/Limited beer menu includes about 40 options and is updated twice weekly.
At the bar, taps are arranged from lighter to heavier to make it easier for people to choose among the many options. In the kitchen, Chef Ted Prater uses beer in two of his sausage recipes. For his Andouille, the beer is used in the smoker to provide moisture during the process, and the Drunk Chicken sausage is brined in beer for 24-hours, giving it a very unique and delicious flavor.
“The awesome thing about Banger’s is we have so many beers representing many styles, so we can pair many different beers with items on the food menu,” says Courtney Strange, the restaurant’s beer-broker. “For example, the Dak Bulgogi, a Korean chicken sausage served with kimchi, Sriracha, oyster sauce and a soy caramel sauce, pairs very nicely with Real Ale Brewing’s Tripel, Devil’s Backbone. This beer is light in color and body with subtle sweet notes and a nice sharp finish. It accents the sausage perfectly, highlighting the different flavors and spice levels.”
“As far as pairing goes,” says Strange, “the rule of thumb is the lighter the food, the lighter the beer you should pair with it. Starting with this, one can gradually expand on that as their palate for beer expands.” In case you don’t feel up to the challenge, the Banger’s staff is thoroughly trained to help customers find the perfect beer to go with any menu item, from salads to appetizers, and even dessert. And don’t forget to ask about offerings from the growing Texas craft brew scene.
PAIRING BEER WITH YOUR FAVORITE FOODS
By Courtney Strange, Beer Broker, Banger’s
• Salads go great with light and refreshing beers or Light Belgian and Farmhouse, Belgian Wits and Tripels.
• Your typical appetizer, chips and salsa, wings and Poutine, pair well with a good, malty Amber beer. They provide enough flavor to hold up but are also palate cleansing.
• Red meat, pork or heavier sausages, like Brats and Andouille, pair well with darker beers — but one has to be careful not to go too rich because dark beers can be filling. A perfect pair here would be a beer like Austin Beerworks’ Black Thunder, a black lager with many nutty and rich flavors but a light body so it is less filling.
• Chicken, fish or a sausage like Banger’s own Turducken pair well with a wheaty, smooth beer. This pairing will highlight the subtle sweetness in fish and poultry, and it doesn’t overwhelm the spices that are key to these types of dishes. For a little more flavor, try a beer from Hop Heaven because these beers are true spice enhancers. Hops tingle the tongue and when paired with lighter dishes, they seem to make the seasoning pop to a new level. Try a Ballast Point Sculpin with a Turducken and one will get the full experience of what Chef Prater was hoping to deliver.
• Desserts are easy — big rich stouts or super sweet lambics. A rich stout like the Great Divide Chocolate Yeti pairs well with any rich dessert such as a decadent chocolate cake or our Snickers Bar-in-a-Jar — rich on rich. Also, any kind of coffee stout pairs well. A raspberry lambic with any pie a la mode will be the perfect dessert.