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Yeah, you read that right. And as soon as our gag reflex was able to get ahold of itself, we too had to peek and, sure enough, Champion Brewing Company in Virginia created a beer that, according to them, pairs perfectly with Duke’s Mayo. We all got our problems, right? Food & Wine first wrote about this unique beverage last week and reports the beer is “strictly meant to further improve mayo-accentuated dishes.”
Still.
The beer, called Family Recipe, is a 5.1% Vienna-style lager with a touch of bitterness. Of course, it’s bitter. It should be. That beer should flip a table and throw itself against a wall.
To cleanse our minds of thoughts of mayo-beer pairings, we started thinking about local collaborations that make sense and taste good. And the exercise made us realize how lucky we’ve been; local brewers have created some amazing beer duets. Many lean towards desserts but a couple are more esoteric.
Special suds note: This is a reflection piece. These beers may or may not be available now.
Black Forest Cake Beer at Martin House Brewing
Lauren Drewes Daniels
Martin House Brewing and Swiss Pastry Shop
Black Forest Cake Ale
When Martin House Brewing isn’t keeping the party going in Cowtown, they’re scratching their heads for their next bombastic pairing. And while the whole Best Maid Sour Pickle run is doing well for itself, nothing tops their pairing with the most iconic dessert in Fort Worth, the Black Forest Cake from the Swiss Pastry House.
First of all, that cake is amazing; layers of light meringue are filled with whipped cream and chocolate shavings. If you haven’t tried it, make haste. Second, the beer is delightful. The beer, which was produced in 2019, was brewed with vanilla, almond flour, sweet cream and a touch of cocoa powder.
These special releases were a collaboration between Lakewood Brewing and Intrinsic Smokehouse and Brewery. Can artwork is by Brad Albright.
Lakewood Brewing Co.
Lakewood Brewing and Zombieland
Double Tap Blond Stout
Lakewood Brewing is another brewery that knows its way around a good pairing. A couple of years ago they made a beer in homage to the cult-following film Zombieland featuring Woody Harrelson and Bill Murray. Double Tap Blond Stout was brewed with bananas and Twinkies, of course. There was also a Chocolate Twinkies Cream Stout. To boot, the can art was designed by local artist Brad Albright.
Some Dallas-area places are spreading the fair beyond Fair Park this fall.
Community Beer Company
Community and Funnel Cakes at The State Fair
Funnel Cake Ale
Community Beer Co. initially created this beer as a liquid ode to our favorite annual fried gluttonous joy ride. But, since its release, the ale has become one of the brewery’s most popular beers. From their website, “this beer begins as Golden Ale brewed using the finest Maris Otter English malt and malted wheat to lend a crisp and bready finish.” Whole Madagascar vanilla beans are infused as its aging. Rumors are it pairs well with ring toss and Ferris wheels, but not the swinging pirate ship.
Our question is: when is the fair going to create a Community Beer funnel cake?
This Pantera collaboration is avaible now.
Texas Ale Project
Texas Ale Project and Pantera
Pantera Gold Ale
The family-owned brewery Texas Ale Project collaborated with legendary heavy metal band Pantera, who hails from Arlington, for a beer to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the album Reinventing the Steel and the 30th anniversary of the hit “Cowboys from Hell.” Released earlier this year, Pantera Golden Ale is a 5.4% ABV brewed with Cascade and Citra hops using a multi-step mash brewing process. Pantera Golden Ale is now available but due to demand sales are limited to one case per person per day.
Little skull head gems from Dude, Sweet Chocolate
Taylor Adams
Rahr and Dude, Sweet Choclate
10th Anniversary Milk Stout
An original with an original. Fort Worth brewer Rahr & Sons was one of the first craft breweries in Texas. To properly celebrate their 10th anniversary a few years ago, they tapped one of Dallas’ longtime great makers of chocolate, Katherine Clapner of Dude, Sweet Chocolate for a hefty 11% ABV Russian milk stout. Other beers have dabbled in local chocolate, but this one was particularly sweet because of its inclusion of two companies who have really helped shape the North Texas culinary and craft beer landscape.
Deep Ellum Brewing Co. and Oak Cliff Coffee
Oak Cliff Coffee Ale
This beer feels nostalgic. In terms of the broad beer world, it’s most certainly not. But in terms of the offerings in Dallas’ still young craft beer scene, it could soon be considered for the Ring of Honor. Deep Ellum Brewing Co. collaborated with Oak Cliff Coffee Roasters for a beer that will calm your nerves and energize your brain all at the same time. That’s some dark magic in that can.
And because of these beer partnerships, this city will never ever have a mayonnaise-paired beer. Salud!
