And just like that, 2019 has almost come to a close. Holiday party season is in full swing, and folks everywhere are thoughtfully and diligently planning what to serve family and friends. Let’s be real here, traditional Christmas dinners look a whole lot like traditional Thanksgiving dinners, and that’s fantastic. But if you’re looking to add just a little twist to the same-old-same-old, why not swap out that bottle of wine for some beer? Here we’ll share a few ideas about how to expertly pair beer with your traditional holiday meal.

First and foremost, we have the appetizer course; and really that can be any number of things: shrimp cocktail, chips and dip, or a charcuterie board featuring cured meats, cheeses, and olives. A light- to medium-body beer like an IPA (for example our G.P.A. Geneva Pale Ale) would be a great contrasting choice. The bright, spicy, crisp effervescence of this beer would work well with the salty, savory appetizers.

Traditionally, ham or turkey would be served for the main course; each pairing with different beers. If turkey is on the menu, pour your guests a Dopplebock, one of our current seasonal selections. The richness and underlying sweetness of the caramel notes highlight the turkey as well as sweet potatoes, cranberry relish, etc. On the other hand, pair a Belgian White Wheat, like our Older But Weisser, with ham. The coriander and clove notes of this refreshing, light-bodied beer will perfectly balance the sweet and salty taste of a honey baked ham.

Onto everyone’s favorite part: dessert. Beer can make an amazing companion to all types of desserts if you know what to look for. Why not try a Porter, like our Doc’s Porter? This malty, creamy beer has just enough sweetness to perfectly complement any holiday dessert you may choose from pie to cookies, chocolate to vanilla, you can’t go wrong.

If a beer pairing experience sounds like a great idea for your holiday table, our brews are available for purchase to-go in growlers. We also host monthly beer pairing dinners at the restaurant. But whatever your plans for the season may be, all of us at Stockholm’s wish you a safe and warm holiday with beloved friends and family. Skoal!

The next step in this process is to start identifying the flavors and characteristics of the food or beer that you are trying to pair. If you’re planning on serving a Creamy Shrimp Fettucine at an upcoming dinner party and want to find a beer or two to pair with it, make some notes on the dish’s flavor profiles. Not only is it rich on account of the cream and cheese, but the onions and garlic impart caramelized notes as well. If you’re looking for a contrasting choice, a bitter and citrusy pale ale will work to cut through the richness of the dish. On the other hand, the nutty, roasted notes of a porter will accentuate the mouthfeel of the creamy sauce and highlight the caramelized flavors of the onions and garlic.

And of course, you can work the other way as well. For example, if you have a Belgian White Wheat that you’re looking to pair with food, identify its unique flavor profiles: for example medium body, refreshing, fruit-forward, and clove notes. As a complementary pairing, you can find a dish that has some brightness and high acidity, such as a butter lettuce salad with citrus vinaigrette and goat cheese. Conversely, a savory and briney dish featuring oysters or sardines would be a fabulous contrast to the fruitiness of the beer.
​
Coming up next, we’ll feature some of our favorite pairings of Stockholm’s entrees and Stockholm’s handcrafted beer. We’ll also invite you to show us some of your favorites, too. There might even be some prizes involved. See you soon!

​Although the number one rule of beer pairing is “There are no rules”, there are still some general guidelines to follow if you want to find your perfect pairing. The first decision to make is whether you want to pull out complementary or contrasting flavors. For example, do you want to find a beer that cuts through the richness of your favorite dish (contrasting)? Or would you like to find a beer that highlights the complex spices of your dish (complementary)?
​
Whether you want to offset certain distinguishable flavor elements in a dish, or you want to focus on similar flavors in the beer and food to form one easily identifiable flavor profile, the choice is yours. And you’ll find as you begin to pair beers with food that the options are plentiful. There really is no one right answer. Soon, we’ll visit the next step in the beer pairing process.

Welcome to our brand new blog!

At Stockholm’s, the only thing we love more than great beer and great food is great beer and great food TOGETHER. Sure, most people think of wine when they think of pairing, but why should wine have all the fun? In fact, beer just may be more food friendly than wine. While winemakers have only one ingredient to work with, brewers have a vast arsenal to experiment with, including barley, yeast, different types of hops, spices, fruits, the list goes on and on. The depth and breadth of flavors that can be achieved work to complement all types of fare, from spicy buffalo wings to a delicate seafood dish.

Curious about pairing your favorite beers with food? Each month we host a beer pairing dinner. Four complementary courses each expertly paired with one of our craft beers to create the ultimate dining experience. And consider this the maiden voyage of our Beer Pairing 101 series. Fun and educational snippets of insight on how to break this art of beer pairing down to a science. We might even have a contest to get you in on the action on our social media pages, so stay tuned. And in the meantime, Skoal!

Tuesday, March 13th

​Join Stockholm's support of Max Washington's effort to raise money for St. Baldrick's Foundation.  St. Baldrick's Foundation is a volunteer-driven charity committed to funding the most promising research to find cures for childhood cancers and give survivors long, healthy lives.  Over the past nine years Max has raised over $20,000 and his goal this year is $2,500.

​Stockholm's will be helping Max's fundraising efforts by donating 10% of all sales on Tuesday, March 13th.
​
​

 ​Sunday, November 5th or Sunday, February 11th from 3pm to 4:30pm

​Master the art and science of mixology with classically trained bartender and owner of Stockholm's Restaurant and Brewery in Geneva - Michael Olesen.  After an introduction to basic bar techniques, terminology and trends, you'll explore the science behind flavor combinations as you mix your own cocktails to sample and share.  Spirits, mixers and juices are provided.  The cocktail shaker is yours to keep.  Class cost is $69

​To sign up and for more information visit:
​www.waubonseetickets.com

Sunday, February 19th
​3pm to 4:30pm

Learn about the world's major beer styles and what makes them different from each other.  In the first session, you'll get an overview of the major beer styles, basic ingredients, brewing methods and regional varieties from Europe and North America.  The second session will concentrate on the lighter pilsners, lagers and wheat beers.  In the third session you will taste the heavier ales, bocks and stouts. (An additional one time $35 tasting fee will be collected at the first class that will cover all three classes.)

Sign up through the Geneva Park District at www.genevaparks.org or call 630-232-4542 or 630-232-4501.
$35 Resident/$53 Nonresident, Class Code: 1421506-01

Craft Your Own Cocktails
Sunday, October 2nd from 3pm to 4:30pm

Master the art and science of mixology with classically trained bartender and owner of Stockholm's Restaurant and Brewery in Geneva - Michael Olesen.  After an introduction to basic bar techniques, terminology and trends, you'll explore the science behind flavor combinations as you mix your own cocktails to sample (and share).  Spirits, mixers and juices are provided.  The cocktail shaker is yours to keep.  Class cost is $69.

To sign up and for more info visit:
http://www.waubonsee.edu/learning/personalProfessional/commEd/unique%20experiences/index.php

April 23rd

On April 23rd the German Beer Purity Law will be 500 years old.  It is a collective name for a series of regulations limiting the ingredients in beer in Germany and its predecessors states.  The most well-known version of the law was adopted in Bavaria in 1516.  According to the 1516 Bavarian law the only ingredients that could be used in the production of beer were water, barley and hops.  The law also set the price of beer (depending on the time of year and type of beer), limited the profits made by innkeepers and mad confiscation the penalty for making impure beer.

To commemorate the 500th Anniversary of Reinheitsgebot we will be tapping our Barrel Aged Beers aged in Fox River Distilling bourbon barrels.

Enjoy our Honey Barrel Brown & Doc's Barrel Ale on April 23rd!

Tuesday, March 22nd

Come support Geneva's Max Washington as he raises money to help kids fight cancer.  The St. Baldrick's Foundation has been helping kids battling cancer since 2000.  And Max has been doing his part for the past 8 years.  This year his goal is to raise $3,000.  Stockholm's has proudly supported Max in past years and will again donate 10% of all sales on Tuesday, March 22nd.  So bring your family and friends for lunch or dinner to help support kids fighting cancer.  Can't make it on the 22nd and would like to donate, then go to: www.stbaldricks.org/participants/maxwashington