Written By: The Gnarly Gnome

8/6/24

If you’re a fan of Cincinnati Craft Beer (especially Belgian-Style ales) you’re going to want to pay close attention to what the Moerlein Lager House has planned for this weekend (Thursday, August 8th through Sunday, August 11th) – not only are they celebrating the release of two new Belgian-Style beers – but they’re pairing them up with some exclusive food and drink specials that are freaking great.

The Beers

I happened to get a little taste of both of these while I was recently down at the Lager House (huge thanks to them for dropping these in front of me – it’s much appreciated!) – and I have to admit, even though historically speaking, I haven’t always loved Belgian beers… I really enjoyed both of them.

The Farmhouse ale is (according to the brewery) brewed with Kentucky-grown barley and starts out with a citrusy aroma and finishes with a light, malty, dry taste. It comes in at 6% ABV. Don’t let the term “farmhouse” scare you off from this one. It was easily my favorite of the two. It had plenty of earthy, spicy character in the nose with a light, refreshing citrusy flavor as you dug into it and a light crispy finish that I think would be great with food (more on that in a moment.)

To make things even more exciting, they’re also going to release a fun, infused variant of this one, a Black Cherry Farmhouse that I’m dying to get my hands on!

The Belgian Golden Ale (again, according to the brewery) is refreshingly light. It features an enticing aroma of banana and citrus with a sweet, bready finish. My impressions of this one were that it was just that… super light after the bold flavors in the farmhouse ale. It’s a lot more approachable and easier for folks who might not want the fuller flavor and higher ABV of the Farmhouse Ale. This one comes in at 4.8% ABV.

The Food

I’m a HUGE fan of food and beer pairings, with their ability to change your taste and perception of both sides of the coin. Moerlein Lager House gets this better than a lot of breweries do, and they’re preparing a stellar menu that is built to go really well with these beers.

On the appetizer side, they’ll have:

  • Charcuterie Board – Featuring Gouda and Goat Cheese
  • Tomato Bruschetta – Fresh Tomatoes, Basil, And Balsamic Glaze
  • Garlic Shrimp – Herb Butter, Green Onion, Sambal
  • Parmesan Truffle Fries – Tomato Jam, Truffle Aioli, BBQ Sauce
    For the entrees:
  • Herb Roasted Chicken – Garlic Herb Sauce and Grilled Asparagus
  • Mussels – Beer Baron Sausage, Roasted Red Pepper, Caramelized Onion, Golden Ale Broth
  • Pork Tenderloin – Harissa Dry Rub, Sweet BBQ Glaze, Grilled Asparagus
    And then, of course… dessert:
  • Lemon Poppy Seed Cake
  • German Chocolate Brownie
  • Key Lime Cheesecake

Yeah, I’m Hungry Now.

I can’t stop thinking about getting my hands on those mussels. It sounds so freaking good, and I KNOW that with a glass of that Farmhouse Ale next to it, it’ll be great. I’m certainly making some plans to try to swing by at some point!

What’s even cooler is that the brewery is making its brewing team available at times throughout the weekend, too, to answer any questions that folks might have. If you show up during one of the following times, you can meet the folks who made these beers come to life!

  • Thursday 8/8 – 6-7pm (during Rockin’ The Roebling)
  • Friday 8/9 – 6-7 pm
  • Saturday 8/10 – 12-1 pm
  • Sunday 8/11 – 4-5 pm (during their Sunday Jazz Concert on the Patio)

If it’s been a while since you’ve stopped down to The Moerlein Lager House – let this be your call to do just that!

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