Standing Stone Brewing Company

beer and food pairing

By in Brewery & Beer 0

Latest Specialty Beer: Madrone NW Red Ale

As autumn steals the show this month, we think about all the seasonal colors: oranges, browns, yellows, and…Reds! Introducing our latest specialty beer, just tapped this week – Madrone Red. We think you’ll like this change of pace. Madrone Red is a big, bold beer made for enjoying slowly. So kick up your feet, take in the scenery, and give yourself a bit to unwind with this new brew.

beer2About the beer

This NW Red Ale is garnet colored with toffee aromas. The medium body, spicy and piney hops, and big bitter finish make this beer a great fit with hearty fall-time foods. 8.1% abv, 60 IBU

Malt

  • Great Western Organic Two-Row
  • Simpsons Crystal Light
  • Simpsons Crystal Dark
  • Briess Victory
  • Briess Organic Chocolate

Hops

  • Bittering: Apollo
  • Flavor/Aroma: Organic Citra, Organic Ahtanum

Food Pairing Suggestions

At home, fish out your slow-cooker from the back of the pantry and put on some spicy chili, pork shoulder, or a sharp cheese fondue. Anything big and bold, with not too much sweetness, will stand up to this beer’s character. Here are our pairing suggestions from the menu:

reubenBlack & Blue Burger

Fig & Bacon Pizza

Lamb Shawarma (seasonal special)

Black Bean Nachos with Chorizo

I Heart Oregon Pastrami Reuben

Come give this red a spin, especially if your usual go-to is the Twin Plunge Double IPA, or the seasonal Barley Wine. The toffee aroma and big hop bitterness will keep malt-lovers and hop-heads alike happy and ready for more.

By in Brewery & Beer 0

Latest Specialty Beer: Lavandula Saison

Our newest beer on tap might be a little difficult to pronounce, but you’ll be so busy sipping it you won’t have time to say much anyway. We welcome the Lavandula Saison to our taps this week, making it the second never-before-brewed ale we’ve crafted this summer (see Whittle Wit). You could say we’re feeling adventurous.

Lavandula is the genus name for lavender, which we added at the finish of this Farmhouse-style brew. Historically, saisons are brewed using a range of different spices such as coriander, orange zest or ginger. We threw in some lavender flowers to add to the floral character, without being too over-powering. We think you’ll like it.

About the Beersaison

This Farmhouse-style saison is hazy yellow with a mild floral lavender aroma, light body and slightly tart mouthfeel. 5.3% abv, 15 IBU

 

Malt

  • Organic Pilsner
  • Organic Wheat
  • Rye
  • Acidulated

Hops

  • Organic Hallertau

Spice

  • Lavender flowers

Food Pairing Suggestionsfish tacos

First off, we’d say pair this beer with some sunshine and an Adirondack chair. Then, we’d suggest a soft goat cheese, fruit plate, and dessert. The light body and floral, spicy aroma also pair well with white fish and herbed foods.

  • Three Cheese, Mushroom & Herb
  • Goat Cheese Fondue
  • Fish & Chips
  • Tacos de Pescado
  • Salmon Springroll Salad
  • Beet & Chevre Salad
  • Marionberry Cobbler

We’re excited to take this beer along on our last camping and rafting trips of the season. So far, we’ve heard words like “new favorite” and “boom” from our coworkers. Come try a pint, and grab some to-go in a liter or growler bottle for the road.

By in Brewery & Beer 0

Beer, Bloggers & Care Packages

With the annual Beer Bloggers Conference coming up July 17-19 in Asheville, NC, we’re reminiscing about last year’s conference in San Diego. The beer, the people, the seminars…we remember most of it and some of it’s hazy, but we know we had a great time! Beer Trio

After the conference, one of our newfound beer-blogging friends sent us a care package of Colorado beers (gotta love beer writers, right?). We sat down, had a group tasting, and took notes on our loot. In the spirit of the annual conference coming up again, we want to share our impressions of these awesome Colorado beers:

Vindication Brewing Co., Big Samson’s Imperial Rye IPA

For an Imperial IPA, we thought this beer was totally approachable (but wait, aren’t all beers?). Grapefruit hop aroma, medium mouthfeel, and a round, fruity bitter finish. But watch out for that 9.0% abv – it’s easy to forget. Consider this beer vindicated; Imperial IPAs are not always what they seem.

Our food-pairing vote: Kimchi. As funny as it might sound, a spicy and briny kimchi offers a great contrast to the round, citrus fruit aroma and flavor. We tried this one alongside our Kimchi Pork Burger, and pretty much didn’t talk for the next five minutes. No time for words when you’ve got a beer-food marriage going on.   Tasting Duo

Strange Craft Beer Company, 1000 Barrel Imperial IPA

Amarillo, Simcoe, and Summit hops give this beer a strong hop aroma and bright astringency. The light body and soft mouthfeel were pleasant surprises.

Our food-pairing vote: Chinese 5-Spice. We tried this beer with Standing Stone’s Teriyaki Ribs and Sweet Potato Fries with Harissa Aioli. This beer had the right bitterness to cut the fat, while still allowing us to taste every bite with the not-too-overwhelming hop flavor and aroma. And the golden ale just looked so nice alongside the plate. Color coordination can be everything, you know.  

Apple Pie PairAvery Brewing Co., Einzigartig Barrel-Aged Wild Ale

So fun! Think Sour Apple Jolly Rancher and Sour Patch Kids candy…this apricot/orange beer gave us a face-squinting sour finish, but we couldn’t stop tasting it. Sparkling mouthfeel and pale honey color finished bright with every sip.

Our food-pairing vote: Apple Pie with Cinnamon. From our brewpub menu, we chose the Marionberry Cobbler as a great year-round pairing, but really, the Apple Pie takes the cake (so to speak). We just happened to have a slice as a special, and we wallowed in beer-dessert-tasting heaven.

Thanks to Darlene for taking care of us! Unfortunately, we won’t be able to make it to this year’s conference, but we can almost taste the beers from Sierra Nevada, Oskar Blues, and so many more. We’ll maybe miss the Live Beer Blogging most of all (single tear, sad frown), but we’re excited to follow along with #BBC15 to check on everyone’s tasting notes. Have fun, everyone! Play safe, use the buddy system, and drink some great beer.

(photos: R. Koning)

By in Brewery & Beer 1

Latest Specialty Beer: 2015 Hefeweizen

There are a few tell-tale signs of the transition to summer in Southern Oregon. Mornings get bright earlier, light sweatshirts replace down jackets, and Hefeweizen makes its annual appearance on our tap list. Hefeweizen (pronounced HAY-fuh-veyt-ssenn) is one of our favorite summer seasonals, and it makes a return just in time for the Memorial Day weekend. Now’s a great time to toast a pint to warmer weather to come, and pair with some great local produce like seasonal salad greens and strawberries.

hefeweizenAbout the beer 

Our German style wheat beer is hazy yellow with mild banana and spice aroma, a clean, clove flavor, and light mouthfeel. 5.4% abv, 18 IBU

Malt

  • Organic Wheat
  • Organic Pilsner
  • Acidulated

Hops

  • Bittering: Organic Magnum
  • Flavor/Aroma: Organic Sterling

Yeast

  • Southern German Munich Wheat

marioncobblerFood Pairing Suggestions

If you’re taking your Hefeweizen to-go in a growler or keg, stop by the Tuesday or Saturday Growers & Crafters Markets in Ashland and pick up some local fruits and veggies to pair with this light, bright beer. Strawberry, goat cheese, and spinach salad is an easy winner, as are local jams and jellies. At the brewpub, check out our specials board for featured seasonal ingredients, or choose a lighter-bodied, year-round option from the menu. Dessert is a winner with this beer, too! Here are our suggestions:

Roasted Beet & Chevre Salad

Calamari with Fried Jalapenos & Lemon Wheels

Fish & Chips

Rhubarb Crisp

Marionberry Cobbler

We hope you get a chance to enjoy the Hefeweizen soon, before we drink it all to ourselves. We’re suckers for seasonals, and plan to enjoy lots of pints on the back patio. We’ll probably take some growlers on upcoming raft trips, road races and camping journeys, too, since nothing quite says “summer” like Hefeweizen outdoors.

By in Community, Events 0

Taste the Town During Ashland’s Restaurant Preview Week, 2/2-2/9

At Standing Stone, we jump on pretty much any opportunity to celebrate beer and food. Next week, February 2-9, we’re participating in Ashland’s Restaurant Preview Week, presented by the Ashland Chamber of Commerce. Restaurants around town are featuring specials and events to show off what our little town has to offer, and we’re excited to join the fun with a week-long special and Sunday pairing event.

2015RestaurantWeekPosterREVRestaurant Preview Week showcases Ashland’s culinary scene and invites visitors and locals alike to take advantage of the delicious one, two, and three-course specials offered at participating restaurants. By taking part in Ashland’s Restaurant Week, dining guests will have a chance to enter to win $25 Gift Certificates from the restaurants, in addition to savoring delicious fare. The more restaurants you visit, the more entries you can submit for the drawing.

Just for the occasion, we’re featuring a special with the main ingredient from our farm down the road. Come enjoy our One Mile Farm Lamb Pita with Tzatziki, Mixed Greens, Cucumbers, Feta and I Heart Oregon Ale Vinaigrette. Our local lamb and beer-inspired dressing make this plate truly an Ashland-crafted meal.

On Sunday, February 8th follow along with a guided multi-course sampler of Standing Stone ales and food. We’ll feature tasters of menu items and discuss beer-pairing concepts such as complementing, contrasting and matching. The hour-long pairing is $25 per person and begins at 3pm. No need to make reservations; just show up and we’ll take care of the rest!

Visit the Ashland Chamber’s website for more info and to download an entry form for the $25 gift certificate drawing. You can view all the participating restaurants along with their specials, and plan a full week of culinary enjoyment! Because, heck, why not take advantage of yet another good reason to eat and drink in Ashland?

By in Brewery & Beer 0

Latest Specialty Beer: Farmer Brown

There’s a new special beer in town, and its name is Farmer Brown. This returning seasonal brew boasts warm, nutty aromas and a slightly hoppy finish. We’re thinking fireside chats, warm boots, and leather-bound books. Or maybe this is the beer to drink after a hard day of work in the cold outdoors. Whatever your lifestyle, give the Farmer Brown a try, either here at the brewpub or at home with a growler bottle.

About the beer

Our newest seasonal sports a chestnut color and offers toasted aromas of graham cracker. This brown ale’s medium body and biscuit-like flavors are followed by a slightly dry and nutty finish, with mild bitterness. 4.7% abv 25 IBU

Maltbrown ale chalkboard

  • Great Western Organic Two Row
  • Briess Carabrown
  • Briess Organic Carapils
  • Briess Special Roast
  • Briess Organic Chocolate

Hops

  • Bittering: Organic Magnum
  • Flavor/Aroma: Organic Golding

Food Pairing Suggestions

This medium intensity beer matches well with foods in the same realm. To complement a pairing, look for items with toasted bread and nutty flavors. Roasted beef and pork work well with brown ales, as do nutty cheeses like Gruyere and Asiago. Here are our pairing suggestions from our menu:quinoa burger

  • Tempeh Stir Fry
  • Greek Salad
  • Quinoa Nut Burger
  • House Salad with Mixed Greens & Stout Glazed Walnuts
  • Bread Pudding with Whiskey Sauce

Next Tuesday, we’ll welcome Rogue Farm Corps as the recipient for our Pints for a Purpose benefit evening, and we’d say this beer feels pretty appropriate. Toast your Farmer Brown with local farming enthusiasts on Tuesday, February 2nd from 5-10pm, and give $2 for every pint sold to this organization. Come enjoy this seasonal brew while it lasts!

By in Brewery & Beer, Events, Restaurant & Menu 0

2015 Winter Beer Dinner Photo Recap

You came, you saw, and you ate and drank a whole lot of craft beer and food. If you joined us for our Winter Beer Dinner last Thursday, we want to say a big “Thank You” for helping us make the evening a tasty and fun success! If you weren’t able to make it, there will always be next year (and keep it on the down low…we’re considering a summer pairing event, too).

toastingWe had a full house for the three-hour-long beer and food pairing soiree. Our brewer, Larry Chase, led everyone through flavor combinations and concepts, such as matching, contrasting, complementing, echoing, and finding a homerun – when the pairing is so phenomenal that all the flavors are elevated and the whole is greater than individual parts. Mmm, yes please. You can find more about beer and food interactions at CraftBeer.com.

It sounds like everyone had a different favorite course of the evening. The brewer’s favorite (as he let everyone know before the course) was the Carrot Cake with Vanilla-Mint Coulis paired with the I ♥ Oregon Ale. Typically, IPAs are great matches for carrot cake, but this hoppy pale ale provided the right amount of astringency between bites, while the lighter body complemented the light and fluffy cake and cream cheese frosting. Yes, it was delicious.

What was your favorite course of the evening? The 2011 Reserve Rogue River Blue from Rogue Creamery certainly stands out in our mind as a treat alongside the 2014 Barley Wine. Whichever course made your taste buds swoon, we’d love to hear about it!

For more mouth-watering fun, check out some of our favorite photos of the evening, below. Our house photographer, George Rubaloff, was on-scene to make sure every dish and Standing Stone craft beer had its time in the spotlight.

And if you’d like to be on our mailing list for next January’s Winter Beer Dinner, please email us at Rachel@standingstonebrewing.com and we’ll send the word next November when we’ve picked the perfect date. Until then, keep pairing, citizens!

By in Food 0

Pairing & Recipe: Brussels Sprouts with Basil Aioli

We at Standing Stone are collectively in love with our tasty, crisp, satisfying Deep Fried Brussels Sprouts. We’re pretty certain this is the best way to get one of your daily servings of greens. Sure, they’re cooked in oil, sprinkled with salt, and served with an herbed mayo brussels spouts and amber– shouldn’t more veggies get this kind of preferential treatment? These baby cabbages are a perfect snack to share with friends, and a pint of Milk & Honey Ale pairs perfectly with the toasted, crunchy leaves.

We’ve received numerous emails asking for our Deep Fried Brussels Sprouts recipe, so we thought we’d put it up on News On Tap for the world to see. It’s simple and requires few ingredients, and is sure to impress even the picky eaters at your holiday dinner party.

Deep Fried Brussels Sprouts with Basil Aioli

As many Brussels Sprouts as you like!
1 TBLS Pesto
16 oz Mayonnaise
2 TBLS + 1 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tsp Minced Garlic
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Pepper

Method:brussels sprouts

For the Brussels Sprouts, simply deep fry completely submerged at 325 degrees, using something to keep them under so they don’t splatter (very important)! Better to use a deep pan than a shallow one, a lot of oil, and a wire basket to push down. Once the outside leaves are crispy and dark brown, remove and toss with a sprinkle of salt.

Incorporate the remaining ingredients in a mixing bowl and serve for dipping, preferably alongside your favorite craft beer. Voila!

These Brussels Sprouts make a great snack, or side dish to accompany a grilled steak. At the brewpub, we feature them with charbroiled cuts of beef from Standing Stone’s One Mile Farm and a big ole’ scoop of garlicky mashed potatoes.

Let us know what other ideas you have for dipping sauces, or if you have a favorite beer or wine in mind for pairing. You could host your own pairing at home and try this dish with several beers to pick your own favorite. Anything with roasted aromas, a medium body, or a little sweetness would make it onto our list. Enjoy!

By in Brewery & Beer, Events, Food 0

Belly Up to the 2015 Winter Beer Dinner

Grab your beer-loving buddies and join us for the 2015 Standing Stone Winter Beer Dinner on Thursday, January 8th at 6:30pm. This is our biggest beer and food pairing soiree of the year, and we’re thrilled to debut this year’s menu. Our brewer and chef, Larry Chase and Eric Bell, have teamed up to create a mouth-watering line-up of craft beer and tasty fare. We host this six-course event over two-and-a-half hours, giving you and guests plenty of time to savor each sip and bite.

Here is this year’s Winter Beer Dinner menu:2015 Beer Dinner Poster

 

To make your reservation, call us at (541) 261-0021. Seating is limited to 80 guests, so be sure to book yours soon as we fill up every year. The dinner is $60 per person (gratuity not included), and Brewer Larry and Chef Eric will walk you through tasting notes with every course. Have friends you know are attending? Let us know! We are happy to seat friends and groups together at any of our tables of 8-10 guests.

If you’re looking for a holiday treat for your favorite beer fan, we have gift cards available, too. Call us, visit the brewpub (101 Oak Street, Ashland, OR), or email rachel@standingstonebrewing.com and we’ll get you set up with a reservation and gift card.

In the meantime, here’s a look at our previous Winter Beer Dinners. If these photos don’t get your stomach rumbling, we simply don’t know what will. Cheers!

By in Brewery & Beer 0

Latest Specialty Beer: Brimstone Lager

Lager-lovers, rejoice! We’ve just tapped our latest specialty beer and we’re overjoyed with the tasty brew. Our new Brimstone Lager was crafted with the same lager yeast we used for our popular Oktoberfest. This light, slightly toasty and nutty Helles-style beer is perfect for refreshing after an active day in the chilly-autumn outdoors. Whether you enjoy hiking, skiing, running, biking, or just playing in the leaves, this new lager is ready to reward you for your efforts.

In German, “helles” simply indicates a pale or light colored beer. Traditionally, these beers have low hop bitterness and sweet maltiness, with an abv in the 5% range. Popularity of this beer style has grown in the U.S. and, we have to say, breweries have come up with some pretty fantastic names. Here are some of our top favorites:lager

Helles Yeah from Leinenkugel’s, Wisconsin

Helles Belles from Ninkasi Brewing, Oregon

Lucky as Helles from Breakside Brewing, Oregon

Heavenly Helles from Church Street Brewing, Illinois

About the Beer

This Munich-style Helles Lager is light gold with a slightly toasted aroma. The mouthfeel is bright and crisp with sweet maltiness and very low bitterness. 5.3% abv, 18 IBU

Malt

  • Weyermann Organic Pilsner
  • Briess Ashburne Mild
  • Briess Victory

Hops

  • Organic Hallertau

 

Food Pairing Suggestionsquinoa burger

This crisp lager refreshes the palate between bites without being too overbearing. The light toastiness makes it a great pairing with light herbs, fish and chicken. We’re thinking it could even hold it’s own alongside curry and pork chops. Can you tell we’re fans of this beer? Here are our suggestions from the menu:

Three Cheese & Mushroom Pizza

Clams in Jalapeno Beer Broth (daily special)

Calamari

Quinoa Nut Burger

Goat Cheese Fondue

Turkey Reuben

Carrot Cake (daily special)

You’ll want your pint glass brimming with this helles lager soon! Maybe we’re being optimistic, but we’re hoping this new beer will be around as our local ski resort, Mt. Ashland, opens for the season. We can’t think of anything we’d like more than a growler of Brimstone Lager at the fireside after a day of skiing or snowboarding and fresh air. Fire and Brimstone, anyone?

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LOCATION
Standing Stone Brewing Co.
101 Oak Street
Ashland, OR 97520 View Map

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541.482.2448
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