Action shot!
I had previously done a successful pairing with Sweetwater IPA and an Italian dish, but the food was kinda crudely thrown together, and it featured a cream sauce. I wanted to give it another go with a more properly-prepared Italian dish, and one featuring a tomato-based sauce. If I keep this blog going long enough you’ll probably see me pair Sweetwater IPA with nearly every food imaginable as it’s one of my favorite beers, even including the thousands I’ve sampled that aren’t available in Alabama. Yes, it’s that good.
As for the sauce, I’m not hardcore opposed to sauce from a jar, but when I can I usually go with the method outlined by Ezra Klein here. My “aromatics” were the quintessential elements of a good tomato sauce, in my opinion. Onion, mushrooms, and garlic. All fresh. Add large can of diced tomatoes (mine were organic, from Whole Foods, with basil). And salt, pepper, oregano. I also happened to have a few ounces of leftover sour cream in the fridge that needed polishing off, so I threw that in. You’ll notice in the pic it’s a creamy tomato sauce, rather than pure red tomato sauce.
Simmered sausages in a separate pan. Mild Italian, turkey. Whole wheat noodles. And upon serving it up, sprinkled with a six cheese blend including asiago, romano, mozzarella, and parmesan. In short, this was a truly excellent meal. One of my finest Italian creations.
And Sweetwater IPA? Not so much. Not cringe-inducing, but there was a bit of a funky clash of flavors toward the end of a sip taken right after a bite. I really don’t think all IPAs are indicted by this so much as Sweetwater specifically. There’s a massive range of flavors among different hop varieties, so I’d like to try something with some English hops here.
As luck would have it, I have substantial leftovers. I’m going to dig up an English-style IPA and give it another go. I probably even have enough to test a third beer, too. I’m certain something in the ballpark of a Belgian pale ale would work, but I’m trying to push the envelope a bit…
Tags: IPA, spaghetti, Sweetwater Brewing
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