Todd Hubler
There are a lot of things the Super Bowl is about beyond the game on the field: the halftime show, the commercials and absolutely the game day food people make at home. If you’re enjoying a snack buffet this Sunday, consider these pairing suggestions to best enjoy some Wisconsin beers.
Texas caviar
Recently “Texas caviar” has been appearing all over the place. A vinegary salad of beans, onions, maybe some corn, cilantro — it’s a mix of sweet, herbal and savory, perfect for a complex black IPA like Karben4’s Silk Scorpion. Cilantro brings out the hoppy bitterness, and Silk Scorpion’s roasty malts should complement the starchy sweetness of the dip.
Pigs in a blanket
Breakfast on a toothpick? I’m all in. Play up that early a.m. vibe with New Glarus Brewing’s Coffee Stout, a relatively thin and sessionable version of the style that’s making a return to the brewery’s lineup. The coffee flavor isn’t overpowering, and the cola-esque carbonation will clear your palate after each bite. The pancakes will be enhanced by the beer’s malty sweetness. Or, if you prefer the croissant dough and wiener version, that’ll work, too.
Chicken wings
With buffalo chicken wings or anything drenched in Frank’s Hot Sauce, seek some semblance of relief in Arbre qui Donne, a new barrel-aged sour blonde with peaches from O’so Brewing. No beer will quell the actual heat, but Arbre’s soft mouthfeel might trick your tongue into feeling a little less aflame, and the subtle but persistent peach will remind you that there are flavors in the world beyond vinegar and pain.
Loaded potato skins
The flavors of bacon, cheddar, sour cream and chive are rich and spicy, but the oven-browned potato skin base gives this snack an undertone of bitterness. The smooth porter body and chocolatey sweetness of Door County Brewing Company’s Polka King should round things out on your palate, allowing the smoky sweetness of the bacon to step forward.
Cheese fondue, Caramel corn
Feeling fancy with your game day meal? Fire up the fondue pot and get some big Alpine cheeses bubbling away. You’ll need a big beer to stand up to the richness. Bourbon Barrel Barleywine Ale from Central Waters’ Brewer’s Reserve series should manage that task, even if the Swiss tradition is to drink only white wine or kirsch. This barleywine is sweet, darkly fruity, almost like a cordial in nature, but it’s also 11.5% alcohol by volume, so take it easy.
Josh Ruffin, certified cicerone at Brasserie V, likes this beer too — for caramel corn. “Hell, yes,” Ruffin affirms. “Sweet and hearty enough to satisfy, this sucker hits all the notes you need: loads of caramel character to reflect the snack, while a distinct raisin-meets-vanilla profile that results from the marriage of strong ale to oak pervades.”
Kipper snacks
House of Brews owner and brewer Page Buchanan’s snack choice is, well, out there. He’d pair his Pagoda IPA with kipper snacks — that is, cured and smoked herring fillets in a creamy dill sauce. “The lemon/dill flavors of the Sorachi Ace hop complement the dill in the kipper snacks. The beer itself cuts the creamy sauce and clears the palate,” Buchanan notes. You should be able to find bomber bottles of this locally, or pick up a growler at the House of Brews taphouse, 4539 Helgesen Dr.
All the other beers listed should be available on area store shelves all week. Kipper snacks, too, if you’re game.
