First things first—when it comes to beer and food pairings you must break down the flavors you’re workin’ with. The zymurgical institution that is the Waldos Triple IPA has been described at times as herbaceous, botanical, resinous, and dank. Upon first sip, you may encounter deep, juicy notes of ripening mango skins, guavas, and passionfruit. Dig a little deeper and things get catty and dank with undertones of cedar, citrus, pine, and a whole lotta cannabis (disclaimer: no cannabis is used in the production of Waldos, and similarities in aroma are a mere coincidence) alongside a wee bit of sweetness from the high alcohol content. The IBUs are clocking in high with a bitterness reminiscent of crushed grapefruit peels.
Now that we know what we’re working with, Lagunitas Petaluma TapRoom Chef breaks down his rationale behind a few food pairings that bring out the best in Waldos and vice versa. Read on, then chow down!
The marriage of buffalo sauce and blue cheese is a classic pairing for any IPA, and this Triple IPA is no different. At the Lagunitas Petaluma TapRoom, we prefer a fried chicken thigh for the naturally higher fat content. The chicken is dredged in buttermilk and seasoned flour and then deep-fried. Post-frying, the chicken is doused in Franks Red Hot Sandwich Sauce (which is thicker than your traditional Franks Red Hot) and topped with blue cheese slaw. The blue cheese funk works very well with Waldo’s. This sandwich is a great vehicle for the bold flavor that comes from buffalo sauce. Check out our recipe and make it yourself or order it next time you’re in Petaluma.
This Thai chicken salad goes by many names but has a few integral ingredients that make this dish an ideal pairing for Lagunitas’ dankest ale. This salad is mainly composed of ground chicken (ground beef and ground pork can also sub in here), toasted jasmine rice, tons of herbs and aromatics like fish sauce, lime juice, mint, cilantro, scallions, garlic, red onion, and Thai red chilis, just to mention a few. The Maillard reaction of the seared ground chicken and the nuttiness of the toasted jasmine rice are serving caramel, sweet notes, complimenting those produced by the high alcohol content of Waldos. The high alcohol also helps temper the spice of the red Thai chilis. The dankness of Waldos instantly made me think of this salad and the magical decoction that only exists when fish sauce, lime juice, and a host of herbs combine in a thin dressing that I can only describe as dank and herbaceous.
You could make this yourself, but if we were you we’d just hit up our favorite local Thai spot and call it a day.
Think sweet citrus curd baked on top of a shortbread cookie. Passion fruit is one of my favorite descriptors of Waldos. The fruit itself has a highly acidic, citrus tart flavor that is an unmistakable part of the Waldos’ flavor profile. The pairing is a great way to compliment both the dessert and the Ale. We found a couple of recipes such as this one and this one around the internet that look tasty.
Lookin’ for something sweet? Try some Funnel Fries with Whipped Cream and Strawberry Compote!
A holiday that pays homage to the golden glory of fried chicken is a holiday we can get behind, so in devotion to National Fried Chicken Day, we’re sharing our North Bay famous Buffalo Chicken Sandwich recipe, straight from the kitchen of our Petaluma TapRoom & Beer Sanctuary.
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