Summer Flavor Survival Guide
Summer is HERE! Officially? Not so much, but if you’re a St. Petian or resident of the Tampa Bay area, you know that summer is in fact here. We think about summer a lot at Green Bench because it’s not so much a season as it is a lifestyle ‘round these parts. The conversations surrounding how to make our outdoor space more comfortable for our guests, events to beat or embrace the heat, and consulting a fortune teller about the summer storms and hurricanes (kidding..sort of) are ongoing throughout the year. But what we really get excited about is all of the familiar flavors that our long summer season brings.
Dry, crisp, and quaffable is the name of the beverage game at Green Bench. We firmly believe that a dry finish will keep folks coming back for that next sip. It elevates the drinking experience and is what we need when the summers are hot, humid, and heavy. So it’s no surprise that when I asked the four owners of Green Bench what their pairings are they picked some of our lightest, crispiest offerings, and our truest expressions of style.
I think it’s worth noting here that “light and crisp” does not equate to “boring and flavorless.” Simple beers are not easy beers. They’re like an open concept home - no closets to shove the clutter behind. There isn’t any room for decorative accents to hide unwelcome flavors. Which is wonderful when we look to our beers for pairing with food! It allows the cuisine to bring the heat, the sweet, the spice, the je ne sais quoi.
Let’s get to those pairings! First up, we’ve got Steve Duffy. He keeps it short and sweet, but he nails it with the summer vibes.
“I’d take some fresh crawfish flown in from Louisiana with sausage, potatoes, corn, garlic, and green beans paired with ice cold Bench Life Premium Lager. Outside in the sun with the radio jamming with a bunch of friends and eating ’til I can’t no more.”
Steve’s pairing really highlights pairing as a balancing act. A crawfish boil tells me there will be lots of butter and lemon involved, so in this case the crisp, malt-driven lager will wash all of those bold flavors down with ease. Plus it’s 4.6% ABV so the sipper can just keep on sippin’.
Next is Khristopher Johnson, Co-Owner & Head Brewer. At a backyard cookout, you can find Khris right next to Steve at the grill, so it’s no surprise we find him there for this pairing too.
“Let’s go with Sunshine City IPA paired with charcoal grilled chicken thighs tossed in a shallot, garlic, lime, salt, and coconut cream marinade, paired with lightly charred pineapple wedges. Sprinkle the two with a bit more lime juice and red pepper flakes.”
Khris’s pairing is exemplary of exploring complementary flavors. The spice and char characters are enhanced here by the bold bitterness that Sunshine City IPA brings. Plus, the beer is riddled with bright grapefruit and tangerine citrus character, which plays very well with the lime & pineapple.
Alright, Nathan Stonecipher come on down!
“Right now I'm a huge fan of fresh catch fried seafood and an ice cold Postcard Pils. From a savory grouper sandwich on a fluffy buttery bun, loaded with ripe tomato, lettuce, and onion to lightly battered fresh catch-of-the-day bites that seem to melt in your mouth, a crisp Postcard Pils still keeps the flavors of the food at the forefront while complementing the flavor profile with the carbonated bubbles, slightly sweet grainy flavor from malt, and a just a touch of hop backbone. There's nothing better on a hot day.”
There’s nothing I can say that Nathan didn’t, so on we move to our fourth and final pairing with Brian Wing, Co-Owner & Founder of Green Bench Mead & Cider.
“There is no better pairing for pork than apples and delicious beverages made from apples. In my house this weekend, we are enjoying pulled pork sliders with a tangy Carolina mustard sauce. I like a fresh-made vinegar slaw topping my slider...and we're in Florida, so a little bit of grilled pineapple wouldn't do any harm, either. My wife takes hers with a spicy kimchi. Both of these pair really nicely, with our Giants in the Sky, which is a wild-fermented, barrel aged cider bottled pet nat, for a beautiful tart, sparkling finish. Coming from the best heirloom and crab apples New York state has to offer, it's a bit funky with sharp acidity that works well to cut through the rich, smoky pork; leaving you ready for just one more slider.”
Again, Brian covers all of the bases so there you have it!
The Green Bench Summer Flavor Survival Guide! Our bar staff is also deeply versed in our offerings and how they pair with cuisine, so the next time you bring your picnic to the beer garden or need the perfect pairing for dinner, let us know! We’re always happy to offer our expertise to enhance your experience.