Schuyler Schultz - Beer, Food, and Flavor: A Guide to Tasting, Pairing, and the Culture of Craft Beer

BEER,

FOOD, AND FLAVOR

A Guide to Tasting, Pairing, and the Culture of Craft Beer

SCHUYLER SCHULTZ

Foreword by Peter Zien, Brewmaster/Owner,
AleSmith Brewing Co.

Skyhorse Publishing

Copyright 2012 by Schuyler Schultz

Foreword copyright 2012 by Peter Zien

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Schultz, Schuyler.

Beer, food, and flavor : a guide to tasting, pairing, and the culture of craft beer / by Schuyler Schultz ; foreword by Peter Zien.

p. cm.

ISBN 978-1-61608-679-4 (hardcover : alk. paper)

1. Beer. 2. Food and beer pairing. I. Title.

TP577.S385 2012

641.23dc23

2012018215

Printed in China

To my wife, Amy.
Sharing the pleasures of life together is my greatest source of inspiration. To my dadyour support and encouragement made writing this book possible. And to my momthank you for teaching me to cook.

Theres a lot of pressure put upon the young to choose their path and identify an occupation well before theyre ready to make a good choice. And sometimes the chosen occupation can feel more like a prison sentence than a way to showcase ones talents or skill sets. I didnt find my way as a professional brewer until later in life, and I was fortunate to have understanding parents who allowed me the time to find out what suited me best. Completing my major in political science and deciding to enter law school seemed like a logical choice, though I had no idea where destiny would take me. But throughout it all my life-long interests in travel, food, and beer continued to give me the greatest feelings of happiness that I could attain. On the day that the Gulf War broke out in January of 1991, I made the decision to follow my dream of doing a job that I could actually love and gave up on any plan of becoming a practicing attorney. I went to work with my father as the president of a successful home repair finance company and took up homebrewing for the first time. I quickly realized that this hobby had the potential to change my life. Six years later, in 2002, I seized on the opportunity to purchase a commercial brewery with a respected name: the AleSmith Brewing Company in San Diego, California.

What attracted me to craft beer was the unflinching commitment to high quality that this community embodies. At a time when we, as a country, are reassessing the quality of our food and where it comes from, the craft beer segment is driving a similar renaissance of quality, growth, and acceptance among brewers and consumers. Its been ten years since I bought AleSmith, and craft beer continues to post double-digit annual growth numbers, eating away at the dominance of macrobrewers. And our choices have only increased.

A wonderful part of this awakening to quality and flavor is the ability to pair the exceptional food being prepared today with the diversity of craft beer now available. Once reserved only for wine drinkers, the simple pleasure of pairing well-made dishes with craft beer is beginning to make inroads into the larger culinary scene. It is quickly becoming evident that pairing food and beer is natural and fun, and that anyone can participate in and enjoy this enhanced dining experience. Roasted and caramelized aromas and flavors found in many dishes can also be found in many beer styles, thus creating a natural bridge between food and drink. But it doesnt stop there. For every unique cuisine theres a beer style that will accentuate its most positive aspects.

It was only after meeting Schuyler Schultz that I truly realized just how fantastic a beer and food pairing event could be. AleSmith and Schuyler have teamed up to do a number of beer and food dinners since our meeting, not to mention the wonderful beer and food pairings that he has prepared for me at his home in San Diego. It is evident in the food he prepares that Schuyler shares with AleSmith a total commitment to quality. His deep understanding of craft beer and AleSmiths lineup has aided Schuyler in coming up with some of the most delicious and imaginative pairings that can be experienced.

It has been a pleasure and an honor to work with Schuyler on this book. The knowledge and breadth of experience that is contained within will give you much more than the basics of food and beer pairing; it expresses the creativity and passion necessary to create and enjoy truly memorable experiences with food and beer. Eat well, drink craft beer, and enjoy!

Peter Zien

Brewmaster and Owner

AleSmith Brewing Co.

BEER,

FOOD, AND FLAVOR

The pleasures of food and drink are supported by long traditions of skill and knowledge, but something new is happening. The new food movement in America, with its emphasis upon local and sustainable production and consumption, has many of us making more informed choices about our food and drink based on where it comes from, how far it has traveled, how it was raised or produced, and whats actually in it. At the same time, we are increasingly curious about new ingredients, combinations, and preparations. The new food movement is in part a fine food movement, creating a sophisticated, venturesome, and highly varied cuisine. Within this context, the craft beer movement is a national phenomenon rising up from and touching down in hundreds if not thousands of localities. The craft beer segment of the beverage market is growing faster than any other. In recession-plagued 2011, when overall beer sales fell approximately 1 percent, domestic craft beer sales rose by 15 percent. With 1,938 craft breweries operating in 2011the highest total since the 1880scraft beers volume share of the market exceeded 5 percent for the first time ever with 5.7 percent. National and regional craft beer festivals are growing in number and attendance because craft breweries around the country are creating vibrant local scenes with distinct regional tastes. It is becoming easier than everand more popularto drink local and drink well.