PLATES & PINTS


Cookin’ with Colby “


Brandon Hernández hated beer and had never even heard the term “craft beer” until his first trip to O’Brien’s Pub in 1999. There, in a dark yet friendly space rife with the foreign smell of cascade and centennial hops, he fell into line with the new school of brew enthusiasts courtesy of a pint-sized one-two punch of Sierra Nevada Bigfoot and Stone Arrogant Bastard Ale. Those quaffs changed his perception of all beer could and should be and he’s spent the past decade-plus immers- ing himself in the local beer culture -- living, learning, loving and, of course, drinking craft suds. He’s since taken up homebrewing and specializes in the creation of beer-centric cuisine. A native San Diegan, Brandon is proud to be contributing to a publication that serves a positive purpose for his hometown and its beer loving inhabitants. In addition to West Coaster, he is the San Diego cor- respondent for Celebrator Beer News and contributes articles on beer, food, restau- rants and other such killer topics to national publications including The Beer Connoisseur, Beer Magazine and Wine Enthusiast as well as local outlets including The San Diego Union-Tribune, San Diego Magazine, The Reader, Riviera Magazine, Pacific San Diego, Edible San Diego, Dining Out San Diego, Rancho Magazine, North County Times and SanDiego.com.


Recipes for a first-class beer & food pairing By Brandon Hernández


Chefs and brewers are very similar in the fact that we both take ingredients from around the world and combine them together to create a recipe that is not only balanced, but is also an experience,” says Colby Chandler, general manager of Home Brew Mart and specialty brewer for Ballast Point.


Many know Colby as the talented brewmaster behind award- winning beers like SD’s beloved Sculpin IPA, but a select few are lucky enough to know how skilled he is in the kitchen, as well. First inspired by a mother who exposed him to a wide variety of flavors and ingredients at an early age, then seasoned with a wide-ranging edible worldview earned traveling the globe as a youngster, Colby has loved cooking for as long as he can remember and enjoys noth- ing more than pairing fine food with quality beers. “The more I know about the vast array of beer styles, the easier it is when I am eating to imagine some of the ingredients in my food either being part of a craft beer recipe or being paired with a certain style of craft beer,” says Colby. “I like to look for a bridge flavor that is common in both the craft beer and a food dish – something that links the two together but also enhances both when consumed.” Legendary for his annual Oktoberfest parties, a conspirator with the MIHO gastronomes and a member of the Stein Diego Supper Club, which is comprised of professionals in the brewing com- munity that love cooking as much as he does, Colby gets plenty of chances to flex his beer-and-food-pairing chops. In honor of the upcoming AHA Conference, Colby is sharing the recipe for the Curry Stout he recently brewed with Alex Tweet (the winner of Holiday Wine Cellars “Brew with a Pro” competi- tion) as well as a prawn curry recipe from his personal repertoire he says pairs up perfectly with it. But you can be the judge of that.


Curry Stout


All Grain Version Boil volume: 6 gallons Final volume: 5 gallons 9 lbs Crisp Maris Otter Malt 1 lb Briess Crystal 80L 1 lb flaked barley


2/3 lb Briess Black Barley 500L 2/3 lb Crisp UK Chocolate


Mash at 153° F for 60 min. 90 min. boil time 51 IBU Willamette or Fuggle Hops (60 min. addition) White Labs Dry English Yeast


OG 1.072 FG 1.1013 ABV 7.7%


2 oz Madras curry powder 1 tsp cayenne pepper ½ tsp cumin powder 8 oz vodka


3½ oz toasted shredded unsweetened coconut flakes


¼ oz Kaffir lime leaf, coarsely chopped ½ oz liquid coconut extract


Start fermentation at 68° F for 2 days and then kick it up to 75° F till final gravity. Leave in primary for 10 days total. On the final day, add the curry powder, cayenne, cumin and 4 ounces of the vodka to a 5-gallon fermenter and let sit overnight. The next day transfer the fermented beer into the secondary fermenter. Leave in secondary for 7 days. On the final day, place the toasted coconut and Kaffir lime leaves in separate jars and cover each with 2 ounces of the vodka. Let stand overnight. The next day, when bottling/kegging, add (to taste) the toasted coconut tincture*, Kaffir lime leaf tincture and coconut extract in bottling bucket or keg.


Note: A tincture is an alcoholic extract. Ingredients are put in a jar and a spirit of 40% pure ethanol is added (80 proof vodka, in this case).


Extract Version: If doing an extract batch, substitute 8 pounds of dried malt extract for the Maris Otter Malt and flaked barley. Steep the remaining grains, in a mesh bag, at 165° F for 15 minutes. Remove bag with grains and rinse with one pint of warm water (do not squeeze grain in bag). Add dried malt extract to pot, after removing from heat source, with 10 minutes left in the boil. Return to heat and bring to a boil for the last 10 minutes.


—Recipe courtesy of Colby Chandler and Alex Tweet


Prawn Curry with Fresh Pineapple & Asparagus


Makes 4 Servings


½ cup curry paste (recipe follows, or use ready-made curry paste)


2½ cups coconut cream (not coconut milk) ½ medium pineapple, peeled, cored and chopped


1 lb fresh asparagus, chopped 1½ tsp palm sugar 3 tsp fish sauce


1 lb medium prawns, shelled and cooked in Amber Ale (low bitterness)


2 Tbsp cilantro leaves 2 green shallots (or green onions), chopped 6 oz low bitterness amber ale (preferably Ballast Point Piper Down Scottish Ale)


Cooked white rice


Combine the curry paste and 1 cup of the coconut cream in a pan over medium-high heat. Bring the mixture to a boil and simmer, uncovered, for 3 minutes. Stir in the remaining coconut cream, pineapple, asparagus, sugar and fish sauce. Bring the mixture to a boil and simmer, uncovered, for 2 minutes. Add the prawns and cilantro and simmer until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. If too thick, thin out with ale. Spoon the shrimp mixture over rice, garnish with shallots and cilantro. Serve immediately with a glass of Curry Stout.


6- —Recipe courtesy of Colby Chandler Curry Paste Makes about ½ cup


1½ tsp dried chili flakes 3 stalks lemongrass, chopped 3 tsp galangal powder 1 small red onion, chopped ¼ tsp shrimp paste 1½ tsp lime zest ¼ tsp paprika pinch turmeric


Place all of the items in a food processor and process until it forms a paste.


—Recipe courtesy of Colby Chandler


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