From the Beer Writer: While it’s been an honor to help raise some money for a worthy cause through this year’s Beer to the Rescue campaign, there have been plenty of fun elements as well. Chief among them has been working with San Diego County breweries to come up with more outlandish beer offerings, proceeds of which help out the Lupus Foundation of Southern California. Thanks to the openness of such artisanal interests, I have been able to not only suggest flavorful ingredients I’ve always wanted to experience in beers, but also taste them in the finished product. The most recent Beer to the Rescue brew, Biere Du Monde from Kearny Mesa’s Kilowatt Brewing Co. takes that company’s skill at crafting dark ales, and combines it with the flair and flavor of one of my favorite places—New Orleans, Louisiana (NOLA). As a frequenter of the Crescent City, I love taking a wrought iron seat at a confectionery sugar-coated table at the French Quarter’s Cafe du Monde, sipping café au lait and downing fresh-fried beignets. French roast Café du Monde coffee laced with chicory adds extra roastiness and a touch of spice akin to black pepper to this English-style milk stout. And thanks to Kilowatt’s relationship with the Louziana Food Truck, the beer can be enjoyed with fresh beignets and other Cajun/Creole delicacies at its debut event starting at 5 p.m. TODAY at the brewery’s tasting room (7576 Clairemont Mesa Boulevard, Kearny Mesa).
From the Brewer: “Biere Du Monde is a special-release milk stout representing the café au lait in true New Orleans style. For those of you not familiar with Café Du Monde’s version of the café au lait, this preferred NOLA variation is bold coffee brewed with chicory root and served with hot milk. The practice of brewing the chicory-blended coffee was started by the French during their civil war when faced with a coffee shortage. Kilowatt co-owner Rachel Fischer designed the beer recipe and included a balanced dose of toasted, roasted, caramel and honey malts along with the addition of Café du Monde’s chicory-blended coffee. Her idea was to incorporate enough honey, caramel and toasted malts so the beer would mimic how the robust flavors of the NOLA-style café au lait complement the sweetness of beignets and pralines, two common accompaniments often paired with the drink.”—Steve Kozyk, Co-owner, Kilowatt Brewing Co.