Growing up, my grandparents enjoyed preparing pork barbecue a few times every year at their home. Whenever they barbecued, they would invite several friends and other family members over. To serve with the pork meat, my grandmother always prepared several mouthwatering side dishes such as potato salad and baked beans. Because they slow cooked the meat for hours, they were always extremely tired when the fun festivities were complete. Nowadays, my family skips the hassle of cooking pork barbecue themselves. Instead, they enjoy this delicious entree at a favorite local restaurant. On this blog, you will discover the best side dishes to order with a pork barbecue meal at a restaurant. Enjoy!
Roland Adams
For many beer lovers, buying beer at a regular bar or grocery store can be a tiresome experience. This is especially true if you love dark beer. Many places might only sell one type of dark beer, usually a mass-produced stout. So it's not surprising that beer lovers are enthusiastic anytime a brewpub opens up in town. These places cater to individuals who love quality, craft beer.
Here are 4 stouts to try on your first visit.
Imperial Stout
This is a very dark colored stout that originated England, but was sold in Russia during the time of Catherine the Great. It was brewed to have a higher alcohol content than the stouts sold in England. One possible reason for this was that the stouts were being shipped across the sea and overland to St.Petersburg, so the greater alcohol content would prevent them from freezing. Other legends have it that the Czarina and those in her court simply preferred the darker, and more alcohol heavy beer. These stouts have very little carbonation and have flavor notes of dark roasted coffee and chocolate.
Dry Stout
The dry stout is the dominant style of stout in Ireland. It has a lower alcohol content, and a smoother flavor than Imperial stouts. If you purchase a mass produced stout beer in the grocery store, odds are it will be made in the dry stout style. However, you should try one of the craft versions, or at least get one on tap. They have a malty flavor, and because they are low in alcohol content, they make a great session beer (a beer you can have several of over the course of a single session).
Oatmeal Stout
Don't like oatmeal? Don't worry. Oatmeal stouts don't actually taste like oatmeal. The oats are added during the mash in order to alter the mouth feel of the stout. The malt is roasted and imparts a subtle coffee flavor to the stout. Oatmeal stout will have a silky, smooth finish. This is caused because the oats provide protein and fat to the beer. Oatmeal stouts will vary in their ABV. Some breweries keep the alcohol low so that they are similar to session beers, while others brew them with ABV's up to 7%.
So, if you're looking for a creamy, stout with a rich, almost coffee like aroma, then look for an oatmeal stout.
Chocolate Stout
Chocolate stouts get their name from the malts used in the mash. The brewers roast the malt until it is very dark and has an almost chocolate smell. This turns the beer very dark and gives it rich chocolate flavor notes. There are some brewers that will even add raw cacao beans or dark chocolate to the mash so that there is actually chocolate in the beer.
Go to a local brew pub, like Four Mile Bar & Grill brewery, to try something new today.