Best beer pairing for trout.

I was just kind of curious as to any and all of you opnions. I'm sure someone has already asked this before, but if not maybe I can start something new. I

The reason I ask is because my father and have a fly fishing trip coming up soon and I figured I would make a few different brews to enjoy with our catch each evening.

Thank you in advance for any advice or ideas.

- Switchman

Of course, I can only think of what I recently brewed. It is not quite ready yet, but early tastes have been fantastic. It is Terrapin's Rye Pale Ale. Never had the commercial version, but I think the light body and crisp rye character would go well with trout.

Two hearted! It has a trout on the label and is named after the two hearted river which is famous for fishing, Hemingway wrote about it.

I think might just have to give two hearted a shot. I wasn't sure if I could get it in Iowa but a quick check on the website says otherwise. I may very well just thaw out some of the trout from last year and see how it matches up. Works out even better for me since my wife can't stand beer and hates the taste of fish.

-Switchman

Oh yeah! Some Two Hearted and a mess of Morel mushrooms would go great with fresh trout!

Can't go wrong with Belgians.

It depends on how you plan on seasoning it. What are your plans?

Homercidal said:

Oh yeah! Some Two Hearted and a mess of Morel mushrooms would go great with fresh trout!

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fizgig said:

Two hearted! It has a trout on the label and is named after the two hearted river which is famous for fishing, Hemingway wrote about it.

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I support these opinions.

BreezyBrew said:

It depends on how you plan on seasoning it. What are your plans?

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Exactly....the pairing would be more about the seasoning/sauce than the flesh of the trout.

Xpertskir said:

Exactly....the pairing would be more about the seasoning/sauce than the flesh of the trout.

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I totally agree. If the trout is just pan fried with nothing on it, a hoppy beer or a stout will overwhelm and you won't taste the fish one bit.

If pan fried and unseasoned, I'd go for a Kolsch. Seriously.

MC

Switchman said:

Best beer pairing for trout.

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Pretty much any beer made with malts and hops..

I guess the thought of how I plan on seasoning it never came to mind. I would just figure on how i usually do it, skin on, no head or tail, wrapped in aluminum foil with butter and some salt. Pretty much the simplest way I think.

I currently have an, "Amber Apple Ale" (or so you could call it) in the primary that I brewed up for the trip.

-Switchman

If the trout is lightly seasoned and sautéd I would think a light saison that is more spicy and not very funky would go great with the fish.

I did read an article from Field & Stream about a month or so ago about a Scandinavian or something along those lines, method of cooking trout. Where they open the trout and nail it to a cedar plank and let the radiant heat from the fire cook it. That might call for a slightly smokey beer I would feel.

- Switchman

If the trout is lightly seasoned and sautéd I would think a light saison that is more spicy and not very funky would go great with the fish.

Wheat beer with lemon might go well with the fish, or even cook it with it.

I suppose I could bring up the question then, what kind of hops would be a good choice. I really like the wheat beer idea and would ask if anybody had a good recipe, but that wouldn't belong in this thread.

- Switchman

Where you going fishing???

Pale ales, belgians, saisons, pilsner . . .. I like light and crisp with my trout. British Bitter maybe...

Baufessor, Were probably going to start at the at Big Springs on the Turkey river, just kind of a nostalgia thing, first place we ever went trout fishing so it always brings back memories. I'm not totally sure where we are headed from there, I do know we plan on kayaking the Volga river, Turkey river, and Bloody Run (water levels willing of course).

So far the general consensus seems to be light, crisp, easy drinking, refreshing beers. I think I can work with that.

Another question just came to mind. Dutch oven's, anybody use one, or swear by them for that matter?

-Switchman

You are eating fresh caught trout? ( jealous ) buddy you can drink anything you want with it. Its fresh caught trout!

Well, good lord willing I'll be eating fresh trout. Its a bit of a trip from where I'm at but it's always worth it. If I had trout streams down here I would have to quit my job and live in a tent just so I could fish all day. Worst case scenario though I'll just have to thaw out last years catch and gobble it up.

I'm going on the Manistee for a week in late May and plan on bringing lots of "orphan" bottles from sixers...but I'm thinking a nice pilsner, premium american, or oktoberfest would do any trout right by not crowding it's natural flavor.

I was thinking along the same lines in respect to not overpowering the natural flavor. I guess the thought of a pilsner never really crossed my mind, thanks for bringing that up, gives me even more reason to make some delicious brews.

Switchman said:

Baufessor, Were probably going to start at the at Big Springs on the Turkey river, just kind of a nostalgia thing, first place we ever went trout fishing so it always brings back memories. I'm not totally sure where we are headed from there, I do know we plan on kayaking the Volga river, Turkey river, and Bloody Run (water levels willing of course).

-Switchman

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Cool. Big Spring is where I started too I kayak the turkey and upper iowa a fair amount, but need to get down to the Volga - been meaning to do that for a couple years.

I spend most of my time trout fishing up around North and South Bear Creek. My Father-in-Law owns a couple miles of Bear creek after those other two join together. He basically does not let anyone on it except me..... so it makes for some fine fishing. Bear creek outside of Fayette is kind of a cool stream too...I used to fish it quite a bit. I liked coming in on the upper in - kind of a decent walk down a logging road into a huge valley. Then generally fished it up stream. Pretty area.