Country Boy Jalapeno Smoked Porter Pork Tacos

So as you know from reading this blog, when we get together, my girlfriend, Meredith, and I enjoy cooking. Especially when it involves beer. She had texted me early last week about a recipe she had found that involved cooking meat in a crock pot with lager. Now that sounded pretty tasty, but I was a bit dubious as to what flavors might be imparted by a lager. I suggested we try it with something with a bit more oomph. After I grabbed the growler of Jalapeño Smoked Porter from Country Boy Brewing that I looked at on Monday, the decision as to what beer to cook with sort of made itself. Also the inclusion of the Jalapeño made making tacos out of all of this seem to be the logical choice. To the beer and food!

Pairing Beer and Food

Trying something a bit different with today's post. My girlfriend, Meredith and I enjoy cooking together. Well, really we enjoy the eating, but the cooking can be fun too. This past weekend Meredith had it in mind to make a chicken dish using bourbon, peach preserves, and barbeque sauce and thought that we should try to pair some beer with it and that would make an interesting post for the blog. Now that's an idea I can absolutely get behind. To the beer, and the food!

Cooking With Beer

Well, if you’re a regular reader of this blog you’ll know that two weeks ago I bottled my homebrewed smoked porter. It’s been sitting in those bottles carbonating the past couple weeks and the day when I can enjoy it is almost here. That day is not here yet, but more on that later. Since I was planning on popping the top on the first homebrew this past weekend my girlfriend Meredith and I decided to cook up a dinner to pair with the beer. The pairing of beer and food is something that we are both very interested in yet really know perilous little about. So, the quest began to find something that would be fun to cook that would pair well with a smoked porter.

Beer Week Pint Night With Left Hand, Founders, and Mouco

Folks, I'll be honest with you. I had an entirely different post lined up for today. I reviewed a very tasty beer the other night and I was all set to post it for you. It appears that life had other plans. Don't worry, you'll see the review eventually, this is way cooler.

I usually spend every Thursday night at the Cock and Bull English Pub in Hyde Park. It's one of my favorite beer bars in Cincinnati. They always have a fantastic craft beer list (60 taps!) and great food (Their fish and chips are the best in the city, hands down). Thursday is pint night. My friends and I always meet up, grab a beer or two, and head home with the glass. I have amassed quite the collection over the past few months. Tonight was something special though. As a part of Cincinnati Beer Week the Cock and Bull brought in the big guns: Left Hand, Founders, and some of the best cheese I've ever had from a cheese company in Colorado called Mouco.