Counterweight’s Crimson Briar and Raspberry Macarons

Have you looked with longing at the New Park Blender can releases but realized you’re an hour away with a family and a to do list a mile long? If so, then are you me? I can’t compare this beer to Blender, since I haven’t had the stuff from West Hartford, but this is a case where I feel like I’m not missing out.

The Beer: The beer pours an opaque, rich maroon and smells like tart like a  berlinerweisse should - but the game changes when you take a sip. Pure raspberry juice. Light, slightly tart, super fruity, and supremely crushable or worthy to savor. I’m a big fan of this one.

The Cookie: Macarons are one of my favorite cookies, they seem so fancy yet are approachable and delicious. If they weren’t so expensive we would be eating them and pairing them all the time. These macarons have that beautiful crunch on the outside with the soft chewy inside. The filling is like a sweet raspberry jam, like something that would be on a fruit tart. Most macaroons I’ve eaten had some kind of sweet frosting filling so this was a nice change and it was fruity and bright.

The Pairing: We were lucky enough to get our hands on some raspberry macarons the night we cracked open our first Crimson Briar. If was an obvious match. The bright fruit notes of the cookie and beer were like a raspberry symphony. The tartness in the finish was a very nice end and made me want to go in for another bite and another sip. Boy do I hope Counterweight makes this one again.