What goes well with a Belgian style ale?

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jacksonbrown

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I just picked up a bottle of Trader Joe's Vintage Ale. I hear it's a dark ale with molasses/brown sugar tones. Some sort of combo between a dark ale and champagne. A sweet dark Belgian ale, I am told.

Now, keep in mind SWMBO is vegan, so no meat or dairy. But I would appreciate any recommendations for an accompanying dinner.
 
OK, how about a style of meal (Indian, Moroccan, BBQ). But there's lots more than tofu to eat for a vegan.
 
I guess I just don't understand vegans. Seems unnatural to me, but to each his own. Sounds like it is a dubbel or Belgian Dark Strong type ale. I always though they were more of a dessert kind of beer - they go really nicely with something sweet or just for drinking when it is cold out.
 
Aren't yeasts alive?

YEAST. Get it right, jesus. And yeast are just fungus. They're not of kingdom Animalia or anything.

Leave the ethical BS out of it. The guy has a question he'd like answered, and none of you are really helping.

Portabello mushroom sandwich or risotto would be awesome. Something rich and flavorful like that. I personally like a dark strong with chocolate and as more of a dessert beer.
 
YEAST. Get it right, jesus. And yeast are just fungus. They're not of kingdom Animalia or anything.

Leave the ethical BS out of it. The guy has a question he'd like answered, and none of you are really helping.

:rolleyes:

Way to take the fun, joking atmosphere out of a forum. No need to be a Negative Nancy, I was just giving him a hard time. :)

But thank for chiding me. That was awesome.
 
:rolleyes:

Way to take the fun, joking atmosphere out of a forum. No need to be a Negative Nancy, I was just giving him a hard time. :)

But thank for chiding me. That was awesome.

Well next time remember that you're the 500th person to make some sort of joking comment this week about a vegan and what is and isn't alive. You might think it is funny, but it is pretty damned annoying when you hear it over and over.
 
Well next time remember that you're the 500th person to make some sort of joking comment this week about a vegan and what is and isn't alive. You might think it is funny, but it is pretty damned annoying when you hear it over and over.

I would hurry up and change that tampon.....

A think a blueberry pie would go nice with it if she can eat that (I am not really sure whats in the crust). I think its more of an after dinner drink
 
My first thought is something rich. I like a dark belgian with something like mussels, or maybe cajun food, but not too spicy. Mmm or some homemade mushroom and sliced tomato pizza. Lots of things work, but I'd go for something with a strong enough flavor to be able to compete with the strong flavors of the beer, and savory to balance the sweetness of the beer. A stir fry with an asian sauce?
 
A think a blueberry pie would go nice with it if she can eat that (I am not really sure whats in the crust). I think its more of an after dinner drink

Pie crust is traditionally made with butter which is an animal product, but I believe that a vegetable shortening like Crisco would be usable. I think they have a butter flavored one too, but I'm not sure what that has in it.
 
Well next time remember that you're the 500th person to make some sort of joking comment this week about a vegan and what is and isn't alive. You might think it is funny, but it is pretty damned annoying when you hear it over and over.

Well, you can
a) Ignore the comments and get over it
b) Come up with a compelling argument and defend your position
c) Get over the fact that people will continue to make those comments, take them in stride and rinse the sand out of your ******.
 
You might think it is funny, but it is pretty damned annoying when you hear it over and over.

Dude...You're picking on a girl...and a pretty damn nice one at that.

If you don't want to take grief for a life choice....stop publicizing it. You don't think that I've heard 10,000 grass skirt jokes? What about the brewers in Kilts? You don't think they hear constant man skirt jokes? Either deal with it, or stop telling people about it.

I don't think that the OP took offence to this...and I know Laurel didn't mean any harm buy it.

Time to take a chill pill, and we'll all be friends again.
 
Well next time remember that you're the 500th person to make some sort of joking comment this week about a vegan and what is and isn't alive. You might think it is funny, but it is pretty damned annoying when you hear it over and over.

It is probably almost as annoying as when vegans give me **** for eating meat, saying it is cruel and unnatural.
 
Whoa guys, this thing's going off again!

vag.JPG

For the record, yeast is a fungus, not an animal, so it's fine for vegans.
 
Dude...You're picking on a girl...and a pretty damn nice one at that.

haha. I like talking **** to everyone. I don't discriminate. Girls are fully capable of defending themselves.

Vegans who butt into people's business are as bad as others who butt into theirs. I just think that if someone asks for a food pairing and they get, "is there anything other than tofu?" and other snarky comments, why not be a snarky ***** right back?

If anyone took the time to actually read up on what they're talking **** about and maybe understand that just about anything can be made vegan (save the steak comments, please) then maybe they could actually be productive in these conversations.

Pie crust can easily be made vegan with vegetable shortening.
 
haha. I like talking **** to everyone. I don't discriminate.

If anyone took the time to actually read up on what they're talking **** about and maybe understand that just about anything can be made vegan (save the steak comments, please) then maybe they could actually be productive in these conversations.

In that case, How about a nice TVP (Textured Vegetable Protein) Burger, piled high with all the fixins? No animal products. :D Regards, GF.
 
Well, you can
a) Ignore the comments and get over it
b) Come up with a compelling argument and defend your position
c) Get over the fact that people will continue to make those comments, take them in stride and rinse the sand out of your ******.

Yeah, what she said. :ban:
 
Wow, I should have known better than to reference that fact that the wife is vegan. LOL. Well, for the record, I'm an omnivore, and she's a good girl. She doesn't force her opinions on anyone. And she's a damn fine cook, too. Can turn almost anything into a vegan dish, it's awesome.
We ended up eating barbeque meatless riblets, a side of roasted veggies, and drank the beer with our dessert: home made vegan pumpkin cheesecake. Yum!! Beer was pretty nice, definitely a dessert beer, and matched up well with the pie's spices.
 
Make some Beef Gourmande. Or Venison Stew. Or something else sufficiently autumnal and rich.

Eat it and savor every bite as you wash it down with the TJ's Vintage Ale (which is actually made by Unibroue, FYI). Be sure to exaggerate your facial expressions as each delicious bite slides down your throat, and make sure the wife is right there eating her tofutti cardboard burger or whatever.

Why? Just because.
 
Oh, I offer her meat all the time. I figure since I'm so good about eating her food, she could at least try some of mine. It's only polite. She has yet to accept my generous offer.
 
"Vegetarians, and their Hezbollah-like splinter faction, the vegans, are a persistent irritant to any chef worth a damn. To me, life without veal stock, pork fat, sausage, organ meat, demi-glace, or even stinky cheese is a life not worth living. Vegetarians are the enemy of everything good and decent in the human spirit, and an affront to all I stand for, the pure enjoyment of food. The body, these waterheads imagine, is a temple that should not be polluted by animal protein. It's healthier, they insist, though every vegetarian waiter I've worked with is brought down by any rumor of a cold. Oh, I'll accommodate them, I'll rummage around for something to feed them, for a 'vegetarian plate', if called on to do so. Fourteen dollars for a few slices of grilled eggplant and zucchini suits my food cost fine."
-Anthony Bourdain
 
I just picked up a bottle of Trader Joe's Vintage Ale. I hear it's a dark ale with molasses/brown sugar tones. Some sort of combo between a dark ale and champagne. A sweet dark Belgian ale, I am told.

Now, keep in mind SWMBO is vegan, so no meat or dairy. But I would appreciate any recommendations for an accompanying dinner.

This may be a stretch but,

Belgian :p Waffles?

Steamed baby hop shoots served under a nice Tripel reduction?

Beyond these I would have to suggest any variety of Indian cuisine, they too have a large community of vegetarians however, they do still like their cheese (usually goatal since they revere the cow) so maybe not a large choice of Vegan options.
 
Dessert beer? The beer as a dessert, I could understand, but the beer with a dessert? No thanks. I definitely would have put it with the bbq.

Nah. I think it pairs well with some desserts. I think pumpkin pie was a decent enough idea for it, although I still think chocolate would be better.
 
Now that the OP has already drank his beer and the question of something vegan with a Belgian Strong ale is solved, let me get to my non-vegan suggestion. Rare red meat, prepared with nothing more than salt and black pepper, is the perfect accompaniment for a good strong Belgian dark ale in my experience. I would avoid any meal that was overly salty or overly spicy, as you want to savor the ale and not need to cleanse your pallet of strong flavors. I would also suggest root vegetables, or perhaps fresh green beens, as a side. In my opinion, any meal that is perfect for pairing with a bold spicy red wine, would also go nicely with a strong Belgian dark.

On another note, how is TJ's Special ale this year? I wasn't overly impressed with last years, but for the price you can't argue.
 
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