Accidental Perfection by way of Delirium

We had a huge seminar-slash-wine-tasting at the store tonight, so we all drank our fair share of wine. Feeling fairly wined-out after the whole affair, Jeff and I and the Second Glass crew walked down to Redbones for a little post-work beer and a little bbq. Their taps were down, but they still had their whole list up, and right there in the first column: Delirium Nocturnum. The first time I had a Delirium was over in Belgium years and years ago; it was my first introduction to Belgian beer, yeah of course, but also my first introduction to a beer’s potential to blow your mind. The Nocturnum is this dark, smokey, high-alcohol brew. I ordered it without a second thought.

And then I ordered a bowl of mac and cheese. I did so, again, without a second thought. It arrived minutes later and I still had my Nocturnum. Dug in.

I’ve never had such a perfect pairing of beer to meal without trying to do so. The smokiness in the beer weaved its way through the sharp cheese in a way that… that… Y’know what? I’m not going to bother describing it. Like any booze-y experience, you gotta get at it yourself, draw your own conclusions. Suffice it so say, I could imagine hitch-hiking down some dusty Spanish highway, glaring sun, the horizon wavering in the heat. It’s the perfect pairing of food to booze (or just booze in general) that can transport your whole imagination from Underbones to some far-away locale like that.

Try it. Delirium Nocturnum and mac and cheese.

Tags: beer, Belgian, Belgium, Delirium, food-pairing
Category: The Beer Blog | Comments (0)