With over 60 recognized styles of beer, pairing beer with chocolate can present as many intriguing possibilities as with wine. And that’s just styles of beer! Add to that the regional variations in recipe, the skills and personalities of the brewers, local climates, adjuncts, spices, herbs… It’s endless! Aren’t food and drink and flavors fun?
At Intrigue Chocolates, we’ve just begun to tap this whole new range of pairing delights. We thought we’d really get the barrel rolling with a seasonal tribute to our Irish heritage (No, really, it’s true!). Our new Stout Truffle is crafted with a great big Imperial Stout beer, full of its own roasted chocolaty flavors. You can still taste the cool lift of the alcohol and feel the dense foam as the chocolate melts on your tongue.
So, go ahead and try your favorite chocolates with beer. I recommend starting off easy, with beers that are only lightly hopped and have a slight sweetness. Let me know how it goes!
Jamaican Hot Chocolate Truffle – Always a good warmer-upper! Aaron’s signature truffle includes: nutmeg, rum, vanilla, honey, and habanero chilis, just to remind your taste buds who’s boss!
NEW! Basmati Truffle – This one ROCKS! An epiphany to our chocolatier, inspired as he sipped from his muse (a glass of fine Viognier), this combination of dry-roasted brown basmati rice and fresh lime zest is unforgettable.
NEW! Irish Coffee Truffle – Face it, there is still a chill in the air…best battled with a little Jameson Irish Whiskey and a dollop of honey in your coffee!
NEW! Stout Truffle – What did you call me? Nah, this kind of stout is a good, dark beer, a beautiful pairing with a good, dark chocolate.
Honey-Ginger Truffle – Emblematic of the liquid-gold sun of Spring and our faith in warmer days right around the corner. A large dose of sweet honey mellows the mouth-warming ginger perfectly.
Saint Basil Truffle – Ever fresh, ever organic, the basil in this truffle breaks through to give you a burst of green that brightens in your mouth and makes you smile.
Pear-Lavender Truffle – Fruit brandies are called “eau-de-vie” or “water of life” by the French. This truffle with it’s pear brandy, lavender (Washington-grown), and honey additions blend to give you a hard to describe, yet choreographed taste experience. Sweet and dark, earthy and floral, musky and citrusy, all together.
Damiana Truffle – Aptly presented in the Month of Love, damiana (Turnera aphrodisiaca) has been used as an aphrodisiac in Mexico, Central and South America for centuries. An aromatic herb, damiana adds pleasant bright notes and a soft pepperiness to the chocolate.
R. Valentino – The idea of eating flowers is the ultimate in romantic food. Since ancient times rose petals have been present at feasting tables, both as decoration and part of the menu. The R. Valentino Truffle uses culinary-quality dried rose petals that lend a delicately rosy aroma, with the impression of vanilla and cool sunlight.
Framboise Truffle – One of our more aromatic truffles, the raspberry brandy blended into our deep chocolate base couldn’t be a better combination. A touch of honey brings out the fruit flavor to savor the experience.
Pomegranate Truffle – Tart, fruity, and intense, this truffle flavored with pomegranate juice will wake up your taste buds with a bright burst of flavor.
Ruby Port Truffle – Fortified red wine delivers a sweet finish as you savor this truffle. We find it “fortifying” on a long winter day.
Clove Truffle – A spice with so many layers, cloves (Syzygium aromaticum) are warming with a richness that lingers on the tongue.
Tannenbaum Truffle – Douglas-fir bud brandy? Yup, that’s right. We have such fun bringing you flavors that you wouldn’t imagine! This truffle will bring to mind a spring day in the Pacific Northwest. This Douglas-fir bud (Pseudotsuga spp.) brandy is distilled in Oregon.
Rumple Minze Truffle – A new flavor this month, this combination of mint schnapps and chocolate seems like a natural for the Holidays!
Orange Spice Truffle – Orange and chocolate belong together, and this special “holiday blend” of fresh orange zest, cinnamon, allspice, and cloves is delightful.
Nutmeg Truffle – This one evokes many fond memories of winter dishes and holiday cheer, warm and cozy wishes of eggnog and pie…
YoHoHo Rum Truffle – Dark Chocolate, dark rum, and vanilla. Almost like a classic Christmas “rum ball”, but better!