Flying Dog Belgian Style Pale Ale and Cookie Pairing
About this time last year, Flying Dog Brewing released an awesome beer and cookie pairing in collaboration with Otterbein’s Bakery. I’ve paired beer with dessert for several years, but it was awesome to see a brewery formally work with another company to provide an experience such as this.
In fact, I enjoyed the pairings so much last year that when I saw news that the Maryland company was once again going to release a series of pairings, my immediate response was to start bombarding their press team with pleas, begging for samples.
Instead, I remained calm and sacrificed an ABInbev Rep — I kid — in the name of all things Gonzo. A week later the below package arrived to much skipping and school-girl like giggling.
Arrived: @FlyingDog holiday beer and cookie pairing samples!! pic.twitter.com/U0y0jU5jzC
— The Barley Blog (@barleyblog) November 13, 2015
So, now the question was which beer and cookie combo do I start with. Thanks to the handy dandy booklet that arrived with the sample, I was instructed to begin with this 5.2% ABV Belgian Style Pale Ale paired with Otterbein’s Orange White Chocolate Chip cookies. The beer is made with Pils, Carapils, Biscuit and Acidulated malt blend, as well as Saaz hops.
Pouring a crystal clear gold in color, the brew sits with a frothy cap of white foam. Grain, honey, a soft yeastiness and citrus fruits combine for an enticing aroma. The flavor is solid with a great refreshing character. It’s crips with plenty of Belgian yeast, grain, a hint of honey and a touch of grapefruit. It finishes with a soft dryness that is appropriate for the style.
As you can see in the photo below — and much like last year — the cookies arrived in pieces. This didn’t make a difference in the experience obviously, as the cookies are fairly thing to begin with. Just like the other Otterbein’s cookies I’ve had, these are light and crisp with a load of flavor. Orange zest persists from start to finish as you crunch through sugary goodness and small bursts of white chocolate.
On their own both the cookie and beer are darn tasty, but together they really shine. Taking a swig of the beer followed by a quick nibble of bookie makes for some awesomeness. The yeast and cookie dough greet one another warmly as the orange is amplified to a marmalade level of deliciousness.
This first pairing has set the bar high for the remaining three. I’m not sure that the rest are going to match it, but I’m up for the task of checking them all out.
Rating: 4/5
This is a review of a promotional sample.