DC Beer Week: Chimay Night @ Birreria Paradiso
The title of this event, "Chimay Vintage Beer and Cheese Tasting," was only partially misleading. There was some "vintage" Chimay to be had - one six-liter bottle of 2007 Chimay Grand Reserve (the blue label). And there was Chimay cheese to taste, if you ordered the special pizza with Chimay cheese. Good thing I read the full description on the DC Beer Week Facebook page, and ended up getting what I expected - a night of great beer and pizza at Birreria Paradiso with some extra Chimay options.
We walked in as they were pouring samples off of the “Balthazar” (6L bottle), and hopped in line to have a taste. On sight and smell, there wasn’t much difference between this and the usual Chimay Blue - reddish-brown color, tall cream head, aroma of darker fruits and sugar. To taste, it was pretty close as well, except the fruits and sugars were a little more intense, a little darker. When I asked the Chimay rep, he said that 10 years was about the perfect aging for the Grand Reserve, so this wouldn’t be too drastic a change in flavor. Fair enough. Still a great beer, though I’ve had it so many times.
Paradiso’s end of the deal came to this: $5 Chimays (Red, White or Blue…with the White (Tripel) on draft) and a special pizza with Chimay cheese, Belgian endive and caramelized onions. As much as I love Chimay, and was tempted by the five-dollar price, in the spirit of Beer Week I opted for trying new beers, but with the Chimay pizza special.
The Chimay pizza was out of this world. I’m not sure if the credit goes to the Chimay cheese, the caramelized onions (which frankly go well on everything, even Cheerios), or the pizza mastery in the kitchen at Paradiso. But the night was sponsored by Chimay (and not caramelized onions), so credit to their cheese.
The beer:
The table favorite of the night was the Lagunitas Lucky 13, which they call an amber ale, but it somehow doubles as an IPA. The reddish color and strong malt body make the "Large Red Ale" tag make sense, though at first scent, the floral / piney hops were unmistakable. Low carbonation, getting close to a cask-conditioned mouth feel, and a nice mildly bitter finish. Lagunitas says that this beer (made for their 13th birthday) was so popular with their staff that they brought it back again this year. I can see why.
I picked my second beer not because it sounded good, but because it sounded like nothing I’d ever tasted before. From the description of the The Weyerbacher Foxtrot: "six types of malt, two hop varieties, and one flavorful yeast strain. This dark, unfiltered concoction has upfront notes of molasses and white pepper, a middle filled with a roastiness reminiscent of iced coffee, and a finish layered with a light fruitiness and the delicate flavor of Saaz hops." My taste buds must be backwards, because I got orange / chocolate / spice up front, coffee in the middle and a light molasses finish. In some ways too complex for its own good - the yeast flavor is fighting to keep up in the middle there - but a nice enough drink. Hard to find, so if this sounds appealing, hit Paradiso while it’s still on tap.
Beer samples mooched from my friends:
Chimay Cint Cents: At least one of us felt compelled to give Chimay some love, and with good reason. This tripel is a classic and tastes even better on draught than it does in the bottle. Great Belgian sugars flavor and smooth, almost buttery. Not sure I agree with the "rare" description given on the Beer Week listing - isn’t this usually on draft at Paradiso and Marx?
Duck Rabbit Schwarzbier: Duck Rabbit seems to be the buzz brewery this summer and this was my first taste. Nice enough, burnt malt flavor and lighter than its appearance, though a little more overbearing that I'm used to with a Schwarz. I didn’t like it as much as the Foxtrot (note: everyone else disagreed with me).
BrewDog Punk IPA: The menu claimed "tropical fruits" and a bitter finish, but all I got was soapy followed by sharply bitter. From what I’ve read, these young brewers are trying to put new twists on classic styles, for which I give them kudos. But I only finished this because no one else at the table would and I kept seeing if I could taste fruit, at all. I didn’t.
Beer Week continues - tonight I’m hoping to get into the Brooklyn / Cowgirl event at St. Ex. Anyone have any standout beers last night? Any food paired with your beer that made you want more?