Brew Duel: Potato Chip Cookie and (NECC Ciders) or (Kinsmen Earthbound Misfit Berliner Weiss)
Before our after bedtime gaming night, we got together with our friends and family to have some dinner. We had some wonderful homemade hummus, pumpkin chili (sounds weird but is awesome), some leafy salad, all finished with a fun cookie pairing challenge.
Bob picked up a few ciders from New England Cider company, and John had a crowler of Earthbound Misfit, a cherry-lime berliner weisse from Kinsmen Brewing in Meriden. It was fun to get everyone involved in talking about the beer and how surprising the cookies were. Experiences like this make me continue to see the value in enjoying your food and exploring fun ways to experience it. A good time was most definitely had by all.
The Beer: We chose two beers to try with this superior cookie. The first was a hard cider from the New England cider company. The ‘fresh blend’ is a mildly sweet cider with a familiar aroma of apples and a well balanced flavor profile. It really tastes like adult apple juice. I was thinking that the sweetness of the cider would compliment the mild saltiness of the cookie.
The other beer we chose to experiment with was from Kinsmen, a cherry-lime berliner weisse. The beer comes in at a very light 2.8% abv, featherweight body with light citrus notes, tart smell and taste with a clean finish predominated by cereal. A classic berliner, it does not carry much sweetness but the lime and cherry give it a juicy aroma.
The Cookie: The potato chip cookie is like a jack in the box that pops a second earlier than the song would lead you to expect. You think you know what's going to happen, but it ends up surprising you anyway. The chips bring a mild salty finish, but are balanced with the sugar sprinkled over the top when they are fresh and hot. It is buttery and soft, but also crisp from the chips and the bake on the edges. I love this cookie.
Baking Tip: Cookie stamps are an awesome tool for adding something a little extra to most cookies. For this batch it gave the sugar coating some extra nooks and crannies to fill.
The Pairing: The potato chip cookie presents a significant pairing challenge. It is a favorite amongst those who try it and, on paper, it should go with just about any beer. The simple nature of the cookie, with mild sweetness, nutty notes and hint of salt makes it a natural companion to any brew. Unfortunately I don’t think either of these beers are exactly right for the potato chip cookie. The cider is timeless and did better of the two, but some sort of ‘punch’ was lacking. The berliner weisse have a nice tart kick, but it tended to overwhelm the subtle flavor of its companion. Both brews were very satisfying and we had no trouble with the plate of cookies, but absent was that synergy, the sum greater than its parts. We hope to revisit this on another Brew Duel post and really get a special match together.
This is not the last of the potato chip cookie...
