Ryan and I love finding new beers. Here in Colorado there are a ton of breweries, but sadly, we haven't been able to go and visit any of them. I was pregnant for the majority of the past year, and now with a newborn at home, exploring a brewery hasn't been very feasible.
Last week I had the brilliant idea to create a fun date night in! If we couldn't get to a brewery, why not bring the beer tasting to us? This year's release of Budweiser's limited edition Project 12 beers provided me the perfect opportunity to make this date night special. I knew Ryan would love the fact that he was getting to discover new beers. The Project 12 pack has three different beer varieties, so it saved me from having to buy multiple 6 or 12 packs in order to get a beer selection.
I researched the different beers offered in the pack and then came up with recipes that would pair well with each beer.
Batch #43229 - Beechwood Bock
This beer is best paired with spicy foods. I decided to create Buffalo Chicken Bites.
Batch #94534 - North Pacific Lager
This beer is best paired with butternut squash, cheddar or garlic. I created Warm Feta & Butternut Squash Dip.
Batch #23185 - Vanilla Bourbon Cask
This beer is best paired with sweets or pumpkin. I baked Pumpkin Brownie Bites.
After I created the three dishes to pair with the beers, I set up a cute little tasting station. I set out tasting glasses and labeled the slate serving platter with the batch number of each beer. Then I placed the corresponding foods on the platter. I added some fun, Fall decorations and waited to surprise Ryan.
He was so excited when he saw our little date setup! We began trying the beers and food and settled on which beer we liked best. I personally loved the Vanilla Bourbon Cask. It was delicious paired with the Pumpkin Brownie Bites and is what I would call a great dessert beer. Ryan's favorite beer was the Beechwood Bock. He really liked the crisp, clean taste of it.
This was by far one of the more creative date nights I have come up with. It was fun, relaxing and totally doable, even with a baby. I prepared everything and then just waited for her to fall asleep that night. It was nice being able to do something special without being forced to go out of the house. As most moms can probably relate, when we leave the house, my attention is largely focused on taking care of the baby.
I would love to hear of any other creative date night ideas you guys have! Also, head over to the Project 12 website if you want to find these delicious beers locally!
