Don’t look at just wine pairings this December; consider something different to drink with your salmon, your turkey and your Christmas pudding.
Here are some great festive food and ale matches, along with a recipe for a delicious beer gravy.
The range of Badger Ales also make the perfect stocking filler for the ale lover in your life this Christmas. From a classic Badger Tanglefoot to a crisp Badger Golden Champion, there’s something for every beer lover with over 10 different brews in the range.
Badger Ales are available at most major supermarkets and RRP is £1.99.
FOOD AND BEER PAIRINGS FROM BADGER ALES FOR THE FESTIVE SEASON
Start your Christmas Day with a smoked salmon starter and Badger’s Golden Champion’s. The crisp and fruity ale is an all-rounder that pairs wonderfully with smoky flavours like the salmon in this Christmas classic combo.
As you move onto the turkey, – refresh yourself and your guests with a light golden Hopping Hare, which complements all the elements of the traditional roast dinner, thanks to the citrusy hops which cut through the rich flavours.
A fruity Christmas pudding deserves to be paired with an equally fruity beer and Poachers Choice will tick all those boxes, adding a softly spiced sweetness with bonus liquorice notes to the penultimate course.
For the ideal end to the day, why not pair a Blandford Flyer with a selection of cheeses? With aromas of ginger spice and toffee, Blandford Flyer is a flawless match with an equally flavour packed cheese like Red Leicester or spicy cheeses with added chilli or peppercorns.
With Badger Ales, there’s even a beer to cheer in the New Year – the Limited Edition 2016 Sturminster Beast! With rich, dark malt notes and a coffee and chocolate flavour, serve the Sturminster Beast in champagne flutes and eat with rich dark chocolate for a celebratory feel.
Badger Ales don’t just pair wonderfully with all the different elements of Christmas dinner, they can be the secret ingredient to the meal too. We’ve got a brilliant recipe for Tanglefoot gravy to set your Christmas turkey off perfectly.
Read about our visit to the brilliant Badger brewery.
Tanglefoot gravy
Serves 4
2 large onions, thinly sliced
6 thyme sprigs
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp dark brown soft sugar
2 tbsp plain flour
200ml Badger Tanglefoot Ale
1 beef stock cube
1 tsp light soy sauce
a few splashes of Worcestershire sauce
1.Cook the onions with the thyme sprigs and 150ml water with a lid on for 10 minutes until softened, adding more water if needed. Remove the lid, add the oil and sugar and over a low to medium heat cook for 15 minutes until caramelised, stirring occasionally.
2.Add the flour and cook for 30 seconds before gradually stirring in Badger Tanglefoot beer followed by the beef stock cube, soy, Worcestershire sauce and 200ml water. Simmer for 10 minutes, and remove the thyme stalks.