Festbier Oktoberfest Style Lager, Columbus Brewing Co.
Price: $9.99 for a six-pack
Details: Seasonal, widely available; 5.3% alcohol by volume, 22 IBU (International Bitterness Units)
Notes: Translucent, appropriately pumpkin-colored hue, slight bread-y aroma; firm, foamy head
Thoughts: Although, with any luck, we still have several weeks before the frost is on the pumpkin, Oktoberfest beers are ready for picking.
I picked CBC’S Festbier as my first of the season.
The Marzen-style lager has a maltiness up front that is sweet, but not cloying, and a pleasant hop kick to finish off the swallow. Matching the balanced taste is a rich, but not chewy, mouth feel.
This beer is simple and drinkable and smooth as pumpkin pie. Now I remember why I love autumn so much.
— Steve Stephens Dispatch beer reviewer sstephens@dispatch.com
Makes 6 servings
1 1/3 cups long grain brown rice 2/3 cup black japonica rice
2 large cloves garlic, crushed or finely
chopped
3 cups diced peeled butternut squash,
sweet potato or sliced carrots
3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil
Salt, freshly ground pepper
2 cups corn kernels
3 or 4 cups roasted chicken or grilled boneless, skinless chicken (shredded or diced)
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 to 2 tablespoons Korean chile flakes (gochugaru) or red chile hot sauce to taste, optional
½ cup thinly sliced or julienned
radishes
¼ cup each, chopped, fresh: chives,
cilantro
Put rices and garlic into a rice cooker along with 2 2/3 cups water. Cover and cook according to manufacturer’s instructions. (Alternatively, simmer rices and garlic with 3 cups water in a medium saucepan, tightly covered, until rice is tender, about 40 minutes.) Fluff rice with a fork and turn out onto a shallow platter or baking sheet to cool.
Meanwhile, heat oven to 400 degrees. Toss squash with 2 tablespoons of the oil on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Roast, stirring once or twice, until tender and golden, about 20 minutes. Add corn to baking sheet. Roast, 5 minutes. Cool.
Put rice mixture into a large bowl. Stir in chicken, remaining 1 or 2 tablespoons olive oil and the vinegar. Add squash mixture and chile flakes or hot sauce, if using. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Stir in radishes and herbs. Serve at room temperature or slightly chilled.
You can substitute 1 bag (16 ounces) frozen diced squash for the fresh. Look for roasted squash or carrots in the deli section of large supermarkets, and use those instead of roasting your own. Smoked chicken or ham are good here, too.
PER SERVING: 472 calories, 29 g protein, 64 g carbohydrates, 7 g fiber, 3 g sugar, 12 g fat (2 g saturated), 59 mg cholesterol, 68 mg sodium