SAUCE MAGAZINE
Posted On: 02/01/2010
STL Hop’s Mike Sweeney weighs in on which brews to drink this month, while Annie Gunn’s wine director Glenn Bardgett provides his picks for Pinot. Check your favorite watering hole, liquor store or wine shop for availability.
Modus Hoperandi, Ska Brewing, Durango, Colo.
Too long has the beer can had to live with the stigma of being lowbrow. Luckily, Ska Brewery knows full well that the can is the superior beer vessel: impervious to damaging light and oxygen-proof. Pop open this one and you’ll find citrusy hops that play beautifully with a sticky malt body. You’re going to have to hop across the river to find this one, because it’s currently available only in Illinois.
Black Dawn Coffee Porter, Mattingly Brewing Co., St. Louis, Mo.
Mattingly Brewing Co.’s Head Brewer Drew Huerter blended Ethiopian Yirgacheffe and Sumatra Mandheling Grade 1 beans from local roaster Kuva Coffee Co. to craft a beer perfect for the wee hours of the night or your first beer of the morning.
Gouden Carolus Cuvée Van De Keizer, Brouwerij Het Anker, Mechelen, Belgium
Beginning each Feb. 24, the Cuvée Van De Keizer is brewed to honor the birthday of the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V. Let this beer get a bit warmer than your average American lager, because only then will you pick up on the complex aroma and flavor of sweet breadiness and dried fruits.
Mark West Pinot Noir 2008, California
This wine’s 100 percent French oak aging adds an exciting amount of elegance not generally found in Pinots of this price range. It’d pair well with a BLT and fries.
Mandolin 2008, Monterey, Calif.
From the prestigious growing area of Santa Lucia Highlands in Monterey, this has a great pedigree. There are even hints of Old World Burgundian earthy charms here, not always found in new world Pinots; I’d pair it with grilled pork tenderloin and mushroom risotto.
Cartlidge & Browne Pinot Noir 2008, California
This cherry bomb of flavors comes from insightful blending of fruit from six regions of California, and aging in a blend of American and French oak really blasts the taste buds. Pair it with pork roast with a fruit glaze and mashed potatoes.
