By Chef
I’ve heard this Colts season compared to the year Brady was out. Often in reference to how easy Bill Polian has it compared to Bill Belichick. Now, I’m not saying this is true, I’m practicing my Boston media “just throwing it out there” but I think Polian is tanking this season on purpose.
To get Luck? No! That is merely the cover!
Follow Thanksdad Irsay’s twitter feed for 2 minutes and you’ll see he knows more about dropping a million on a guitar that Nickelback’s 2nd backup guitarist used once than he does about a nickel back or anything else football related.
Now peruse the list of Indy’s presidents, vice presidents and board members … Polian, Polian, Polian, Von Polian, McPolian, Poliano. That’s right Polian is scheming to take control! He’s doing corporationy moves, and Board and the Regents and…and
Ah you got me, I stole that from the finest piece of Cinema ever invented. The great Carrot Top’s Chairman of the Board.
What to eat
We’re making burgers based on bratwurst
Der Oferelevenen Burgher
serves 6
2 eggs, beaten
3 tablespoons beer, see suggestions below
3/4 cup rye bread crumbs
1/2 tsp caraway seeds, ground
1/2 tsp dried marjoram
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, grated
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 pound ground veal
1 pound ground pork
12 slices rye bread
German style mustard & Sauerkraut to top
Combine egg, beer, bread crumbs, caraway, marjoram, garlic, salt, pepper. Add the veal and pork.
Form into six patties. Cook over high heat for 5 minutes, flip, cook an addition 4 minutes and check for doneness.
Want an even better option than the rye bread?
The day before make a batch of pretzel dough from the Philly game. Divide into 6 equal parts and roll each into a ball. Boil in a baking soda and water solution as laid out in that buffet table, but for a minute per roll instead of 45 seconds.
Place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and sprinkle with pretzel salt, or kosher salt if you can’t find pretzel salt.
Bake the pretzel rolls for 25-35 minutes at 350 degrees. Remove to cooling rack, and once cool keep in a paper bag for the next day.
Coat the bun with German mustard, top the burger with sauerkraut, and eat.
What to drink
To go along with Peyton’s season on ice we’re going with lagers this week. Lagers are fermented on the cool side, high 40s to low 50s as opposed to Ales most of which are fermented in the mid to high 60s.
The lower temps make the beer smoother. This is further emphasized by the cold conditioning or lagering process. After fermentation the beer is held near freezing. This has many effects, the flavors will meld, small particulates fall out of solution, the lager yeast will continue to ferment long chain sugars that ale yeasts cannot ferment.
So why aren’t there more craft lager breweries? That lagering process takes time, during which tank space is tied up. An ale brewery could run two, three or even more batches through their fermenters in the same time. Secondly, for many people, even those that should know better Lager=BudMillerCoors.
Craft Lager breweries are mainly confined from Pennsylvania through Wisconsin. However we were lucky enough to get our first (to my knowledge) lager only brewery in New England this summer.
Jack’s Abby in Framingham, MA brews lagers with traditional skill and care, but without the hidebound tradition German breweries are bound by.
Jabby Brau is their “session lager”, a lower ABV offering that you can drink a lot of. Broadly in the style of a light Marzen if it had to be categorized. Or is it a slightly too dark Pilsner? Who knows, but it is good and won’t knock you over. 4.5% ABV and 20 IBUs.
Hoponius Union, the first India Pale Lager in commercial production that I know of. The hops are all West Coast IPA, especially the hard to acquire Citra hops. 6.7% ABV and 65 IBUs. Smoother than an IPA and the hops really shine. Smoke & Dagger, my favorite smoked beer the only one that comes close is Alaskan Smoked Porter and that isn’t sold in New England. Smoke & Dagger falls somewhere between a Rauchbier, a Scwarzbier and a Munich Dunkel. 5.8% ABV and 25 IBU. Goes great with anything off the grill.
Kiwi Rising is their limited edition Double India Pale Lager. 8.5% ABV and 105 IBUs. The hops are all from New Zealand Motueka and Pacific Jade.
On 12/17 their Winter Seasonal Saxonator Dopplebock will debut. They are a draft only brewery, so you’ll have to hit the brewery itself (highly recommended) on a Thursday, Friday or Saturday. Cash or Credit accepted, but bring cash in case Jack has broken the credit card machine … again. Or go to any of the close to 60 bars and restaurants carrying their beer. Including Tastings at Patriots Place.
A small amount of Kiwi Rising was bottled and sent to area liquor stores but it is likely sold out by now. They will be installing a bottling line soon, and you’ll see their beers out in half liter bottles next year.
In addition to the beers listed above they have also made Saxon Sons Pils, Red Tape Lager, Wet Hop Lager, Naughty or Spice Spiced Lager, Copper Legend Octoberfest. The last three are still available at the brewery. The
Pils and Red Tape are on hiatus, but you may see some at restaurants and bars.
Patriots Daily 