The Times Herald (Norristown, PA)
Did you know? Santa prefers beer and cookies
Many of us with small children leave out milk and cookies on Christmas Eve on the theory that Santa Claus might be hungry and thirsty — at every single stop. I suppose it explains his rotund physique. Milk and cookies at every house in the world would do that to anyone.
The truth, of course — psst, make sure your offspring aren’t reading over your shoulder — is that over the years all of us have had to chug a glass of milk and eat some cookies right before bedtime. Wouldn’t you rather have a glass of beer as that nightcap? If you’re thinking “not with cookies,” think again. Cookies and beer pair quite well together — you just have to pick the right combination.
Of course, the first thing you have to do is convince your wee ones that Santa would definitely prefer a glass of beer with his cookies.
The perfect argument? St. Nicholas is one of several patron saints of brewers. He’s also the patron saint of coopers and barrel-makers, once-important professions in the brewing industry and, thanks to the recent rise of barrel-aged beers, notable again.
The next step is choosing the brew. Here’s a handy guide to the art of holiday cookie and beer pairing.
Sugar cookies and snickerdoodles
Most of us enjoy classic cut-out cookies during the holidays, especially when those cookies are decorated with icing and sprinkles. A blonde ale or any very maltfocused ale can add a buttery sweetness to the pairing. Belgian golden ales, like Duvel or Omer, are also terrific, and add Belgian yeasty notes.
The butteriness of shortbread cookies will be magnified by a malty brown ale or a scotch ale, which usually has nice caramel notes. And a snickerdoodle’s cinnamon-sugar coating will be enhanced with something maltier, too. Just stay away from hoppy beers.
Gingerbread and gingersnaps
Special to Digital First Media
Ginger is a powerful flavor — and wonderful in holiday treats. Some breweries make ginger beers, but I think ginger beer and gingersnaps tend to cancel each other out. Unless ginger is your most-loved flavor, a contrasting pairing is in order. I’ve found