The TMR Zoo is pleased to announce the first edition of it’s very latest feature… the Beer of the Month. The goal is simple… we will introduce you to a new beer each month that in some way is in tune with the current season or climate. This beer of the month will sometimes be paired with food or maybe an anecdote or two. By selecting a specific beer, we encourage members to try the monthly selection and post their own thoughts via the comments section below.
The best thing about the beer of the month is that we have partnered with our new friends from Bottletrek.com to introduce you to 12 cool brews this year. If that wasn’t enough, each month we will include a coupon which will save Zoo readers 10% off any beer from Bottletrek’s online bottleshop.
This month’s selection is a perfect spring, hoppy offering: Deschutes Hop Henge Imperial IPA (Bend, Oregon). This beer pours a deep amber color with a fluffy white head. Of course the aroma is of hops, big piney and citrus aromas. Through the esters of orange peel and lemon there is a faint caramel aroma vying for attention.
The mouthfeel is medium with a slight presence of malt that is quickly pushed aside by another wave of malt. The 95+ IBU’s (international bittering units) are very noticeable but the 8.75% Alcohol by Volume is well hidden.
With BBQ season upon us, this big IIPA is a great companion for a spicy grilled meal. Try it with one of my favorite summer recipes:
Start with 4 boneless chicken breasts and slice/fillet a pocket in the side of the chicken so that the breast is like a half a pita pocket. Skin and chop up a chorizo into course chunks then sauté the chorizo until browned with some bell peppers and onions. Shred a cup of Monterey jack or cheddar cheese and stuff a couple of tablespoons of cheese into the pocket of the breast, after the cheese is in add a similar amount of the chorizo. The breast should be bulging, give me credit for not making a cheap joke here.
This is where this might get tricky because I don’t use measurements. The trick is lightly sprinkle each spice because there are so many being used. If you want a cheaters way out of this next step – sprinkle the chicken with a bit of taco, chili or Mexican seasoning. I rub the chicken down with diced garlic and olive oil then season the chicken with – kosher salt, black pepper, paprika, oregano, cilantro, chili powder and a bit of crushed red pepper.
Throw the chicken on the grill and grill until it is brown on the outside and you can see the cheese starting to bubble out of the pocket.
Serve this with a Deschutes Hop Henge Imperial IPA and you are in heaven. You can get the ingredients for the chicken at any grocery store, The Hop Henge we suggest you get from our friends at Bottletrek.com
Now it’s your turn… visit Botteltrek’s Deschutes Hop Henge Imperial IPA page and purchase this month’s brew. When checking out use the coupon code ZOO5 to receive 10% off of your purchase. After you have tasted our June selection, come back here and post your thoughts, whether they are positive or negative. If you’ve previously sampled Hop Henge, or have purchased it elsewhere, comment away! Each month we will give an overall thumbs-up or thumbs-down based on readers’ reviews. Feel free to review our food pairing as well.
We hope you enjoy this month’s selection and are awaiting your feedback.
