As we told you in this article, recent studies indicate that in recent years beer is taking over other types of drinks at New Year's Eve parties. Although it is true that it is still rare to toast the new year with something other than sparkling wine ( cava or champagne ), artisan beers are gaining place on our tables these days .
There are even already Christmas baskets that include craft beers! What a step forward to incorporate this our favorite drink this holiday season.
Beer pairing
If you love craft beers and want them to become another guest at your table at home, a very good way to enjoy these brews is to do so through pairing.
And it is that every day there are more and better possibilities of combining beer with food, given the growing number of styles and varieties present in the market, which offer the beer consumer aromas and flavors unthinkable until not so long ago.
In these articles we talk about some basic concepts to combine beers with different types of food.
The soft and hard nougat: the usual classics
But this year we want to keep it simple... and surprising. Because if there is a product that is present in all Spanish homes at this time, it is undoubtedly nougat.
This sweet, whose origins date back to the Middle Ages, is rarely missing as the final dessert, on an eternal tray that is filled with more surprising flavors every year. However, traditional recipes have very simple basic ingredients : honey, nuts, sugar and eggs.
Today we propose you to pair the classic nougats (and an extra) with different styles and references of craft beer , so that you can experiment with them and give a new twist to your Christmas meals.
Soft Nougat with Winter Ale
Few things are more typical of Christmas than soft or Jijona nougat, with its pasty consistency. This recipe, made with the basic ingredients that we mentioned above, is characterized by the fact that the almonds and honey are presented in a ground format. The mass of this nougat, between earthy and malleable, with a light layer of honey, leaves a persistent taste in the mouth.
That is why we cannot think of a better option to combine than with another typically Christmas product, such as the Christmas Ale style . These recipes, made especially for the New Year's season, are strong, smelly and dark. They usually include seasonal spices and special sugars.
We love Cierzo Brewing Oogie Boogie Imperial Winter Ale , a beer with a rich body and a warm finish, in which there is a sweet touch of vanilla and cinnamon. Of course, it has 8.4% ABV, so enjoy the after-dinner nougat and beer without rushing!
Hard nougat with Belgian beer
This style of nougat, also called Alicante nougat, is the one with the oldest recipe. It is made with lightly toasted whole almonds, egg white and honey. It is usually covered by a thin wafer or angel bread.
In addition to testing the teeth, its sweetness can be somewhat cloying. That is why we recommend you combine it with a bitter cut beer, such as the Belgian style.
We recommend some Blonde Ale , with its characteristic refreshing flavor, which cleanses the mouth of the sweetness of honey and nuts. For example, the Bachiella Rubia Blonde Ale or the Bidassoa Kasper , with nuances of flowers and spices and a slight final bitterness.
Toasted yolk nougat with Pale Ale
And we end with this typical recipe from Catalonia , which was created to take advantage of the unused egg yolks in soft and hard nougat. It is inspired by the flavors of Catalan cream, so its flavor is toasted and caramelized. Its texture is slightly similar to biscuits and the sugar remains on the palate for a long time.
For all these reasons, this type of nougat fits very well with a sweet and malty style of beer, such asPale Ale . A good pairing proposal is Caleya Asturies , which is made with four types of malts and its caramel flavor has the right touch of hops to balance (beer and nougat).
Another Pale Ale that we love is Espig a, which won the 2021 National Beer Championship Gold medal and whose malts give it a powerful flavor of toasted caramel.
We hope you liked this very special nougat tray. These are just some of the combinations that can be made.
Remember, the important thing is to choose always quality products (and the brewers and nougat masters of Spain know about that...) so that the after-dinner meal at these parties is unforgettable.
Tell us if you liked this article and if you would like a pairing proposal for any other typical sweet of these days. Happy Holidays!