Put Rosemary in your Rauchbier
My eyes dart wildly as I size up the plate that is placed in front of me– I decipher the eclectic shapes, colors and aromas. It is beautifully plated with a variety of cheeses, fruits, pickles, and nuts. Charcuterie sometimes reminds me of the old Eye-Spy books I read as a kid, though maybe not quite as chaotic, there is a story here. Someone curated this sensory experience.
Visually, I am captivated. "Are these spiced nuts? Oh– The gouda is right next to the honey comb!" I think to myself as I break off another piece of cheese. It's just a nibble. I already forgot exactly what I had ordered for the plate and I have to sample them as a reminder. It felt like I was having one of those Ratatouille moments. You know– the Disney film with the rat! That early scene where Remy the Rat is tasting different foods and closing his eyes as the flavor unfolded in his mind's eye. All the while, I've neglected my freshly poured pint.
I am currently at one of my favorite places in San Diego, Bottlecraft. It's a bottleshop that is well known among locals and beer enthusiasts alike. This particular location is in the North Park neighborhood within San Diego, but get this– it's a joint location! Yes, this Bottlecraft shares its building with a cheese shop named Venissimo! The well-mannered cheese-monger working the shop today helped me create particularly pleasant plate that day! I personally think there was some extra love that went into selecting the accompanying accoutrements.
After choosing my cheeses, I turn my attention toward the beers. Like a kid in a candy store, I gloss over some of the featured options on the draft list. I wonder if there is anything I want to visit before moving on to my prized pint. When I came to Bottlecraft today, I did so with intention– there are specific beers I have been craving lately: Schlenkerla's selection of Rauchbier.
It might be more appropriate to say, "Bottlecraft's selection of Schlenkerla," since most, if not all, of Schlenkerla's beers could be considered Rauchbier.
Okay, so Rauchbier is a style of beer that translates to "smoke-beer" from German. I love smoked beers. I love them so much. Rauchbier easily tops my list of "desert island beers" that I would choose to drink forever. So naturally, I pick out a pint or two or three from the fridge and bring them to the counter to pay, pour and profit. I decide in that moment that I'll be drinking the Märzen on the patio.
Almost immediately after sitting down with my pint, the cheese plate arrived! "Like clockwork." I think to myself. No sooner did I become so engrossed by the charcuterie that I'd forgotten my beer! A little lightstruck character wouldn't be so bad, but I was really feeling like this deserved a photo. The head on this beer was collapsing, but there was still time. I could salvage this!
I reached for the can, hoping that there was enough left to reinvigorate the idling beer in my glass. No such luck. A fork? Yeah-yeah, do I have one here... a toothpick. Not a fork. How will I bring forth the the froth from within this smoke-show of a beer?? Well your favorite Beer Villain worked some magic, baby.
Coincidentally, something quite coniferous was chaperoning the charcuterie. Upon my plate laid a lovely garnish. You guessed it– rosemary, here to save the day.
My hero.
I had to act fast! Herb in hand, I swirled up my pint, and it worked like a charm! The rosemary nettles fanned out perfectly, acting as a whisk, I revived my Rauchbier in a rush, placed it perfectly adjacent to my plate, and...
click, click
In the clear.
If you think that was the whole lesson, just wait! The aesthetics be damned, there was something even more magical unfolding in my glass now. From time to time we may find ourselves in the midst of a food pairing that truly takes us by surprise. This was one of those moments. After only a second of stirring, a few flicks of the wrist, this rosemary imparted its essential oils upon my pint. It was... herbaceous.
Smoked beer, Rauchbier, is famously reminiscent of smoked meats. They're umami tsunamis, if you will. But to that point, I wouldn't have sought out to drink my beer this way under any other circumstances. Theres enough ridiculous styles these days on the market and nobody (mostly) would be too keen on buying a bottle of braised brisket off the shelf.
You won't change my mind on this one though! I think because I am already so infatuated with this style of beer, or maybe because it was in the context of being paired with charcuterie. This altered state of the beer sang to me! The fresh rosemary added a wonderful third element to the already fantastic beer and cheese pairings. It helped cut the rich nuttiness of the aged gouda and added depth to the brie, complimenting the cheese alongside the Rauchbier's hardy Märzen malt. I couldn't decide if it was more like cooking by the campfire in the woods, or I was having a bouquet garni in a glass before me! I loved it.
So the next time you have a chance, put some rosemary in your Rauchbier!
Jorge Torres
Jorge Torres
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