A hat-trick of Beer Blends using Rogue Chocolate Stout

Here are three of my favorite beer blends, perfect for any occasion!

1. Holy Mole'

Blend Rogue Chipotle Ale with Rogue Chocolate Stout.
The proportions are your choice, some prefer more smoked jalapeno/chipotle flavor, others more chocolate. I use 50/50. Hints of smoked jalapeno linger through the bittersweet chocolate and oatmeal stout flavors. Pair it with with Rogue Creamery Smokey Blue Cheese, or try it with a steak.

2. Spontaneous Sebbie

Blend equal amounts of Hanssens Oude Kriek, a Belgian sour cherry lambic that is spontaneously fermented, with Rogue Chocolate Stout.

An aperitif beer cocktail created and named by Stephen Beaumont for a beer dinner at Monks Cafe in Phila in 2004. He also suggested the name Sebbie up the Kriek, but introduced it as Spontaneous Sebbie, both are pretty funny (imho!) It was served in a stem aperitif glass (6-8 oz...), I recommend upsizing this to a full pint, and enjoy it before, with or after dinner!

This lovely dry, tart, fruity and rich drink pairs beautifully with duck confit, lamb shanks, pork loin, blue cheeses, and rich desserts.


3. Malted Maven's ChocoNuts & Spirits

Spritz a wine glass or stemmed beer glass with Rogue Spirits Hazelnut Rum, pour equal amounts of Rogue Hazelnut Brown Ale and Rogue Chocolate Stout into the glass, and spritz the finished blend with more Hazelnut Rum.

The aroma is chocolaty and nutty, the taste is sublime. I created this on the fly for the dessert course at a Sommelier Smackdown Dinner in NYC in July 2009. I was pitted against Master Sommelier Emily Wines at Nios Restaurant. We had nicknames for the evening, I was the Malted Maven, Emily was the Blue Nun. She did beat me by a couple of votes (rematch!), and was quoted in Serious Eats as being impressed with my elixir!

Bon Appetite!