Hull’s Export Lager and Red Rooster Baileys Irish Cookie
This label is great, it pays homage to an old school brand but makes it look new and modern.
New Haven’s Saint Patrick’s Day parade you say? Well that can mean only one thing for the beer lover, a pint of green beer! It’s a supposed tradition but many, John included, have never experienced it. Have you ever made green beer before? It’s not that hard. Put a few (1 or 2 depending on how Irish you're feeling) drops of food coloring right into the bottle or can of your favorite lightly colored beer, then pour out the green goodness into a glass. A slow stir might be necessary if you use a paste coloring, but the liquid blends really well if you pour it slowly.
The liquid food coloring provides a better green
The Beer: I know what you’re thinking. Hull’s Brewery in New Haven closed almost 44 years ago. Lucky for us, we live in a world with people like Chuck DelVecchio. This guy decided that 4 and half decades was enough time for the area to be without a beer the Elm City could call its own. His venture might be for nought if the beer was no good, but this beer is great. A recognizable lager, it is light, crisp, crushable, but not lacking malty flavor and a hoppy bite in the finish. It is reminiscent of a quality European pilsner or kolsch. Also, with its tradition and history, it is the perfect beer to add a few drops of green for a fun brew to celebrate old saint patty. I know that my grandfather had his share of Hull’s lager while celebrating St. Patrick’s Day, now I get to follow suit.
Chuck was way ahead of me with a special can release just for the Saint Patrick’s Day parade. Lots of people will be feeling nostalgic sipping some tasty brew from these green cans on parade day. If you’re interested in hearing from Chuck, check out this CT beer podcast where he chats up his beer and all kinds of good stuff at Full Pours Podcast. These guys are expert home-brewers who host a quality Connecticut focused craft beer podcast, worth a listen.
Bailys Irish cookie and Hull’s Lager
The Cookie: The Bailey Irish seemed a most fitting cookie for this special day in March. This is my favorite cookie from Red Rooster Gourmet Cookies in Guilford. Check out the bakery visit post if you want details about the place. The cookie is thick, soft, chewy, and very tasty. The frosting has a subtle Baily’s cream flavor that goes great with the butteriness of the cookie.
This green is from frosting dye, a bit darker
The Pairing: This was just fun to eat. Sipping green beer makes me feel like I’m at the Saint Patrick’s Day parade and the fact that it’s a Hull’s makes me feel like that parade is cruising around the streets of downtown New Haven. The lager is great to wash down the soft crumb of the cookie and the flavors do blend well together. I have said it before but I think frosted cookies make the best beer cookies, and this frosting is superb. The Baileys frosting goes well with the mild bitter bite of the beer and the buttery cookie dough. Some of our cookie pairings have been decadent cookies and big beers that are delicious but quickly become overwhelming. This pairing is the kind that I could enjoy all day.
This experience has been really fun. I had the opportunity to meet Chuck the brewer and chat with him about beer, cookies, and the history and future of Hull’s. His vision for a return to a New Haven brand and a future full of tradition as well as innovation has me excited for the continued growth of the Connecticut craft beer scene. Needless to say, I’m a big Hull’s fan. I’m psyched for the future of this brew.
