Just a tuesday night dinner... Sierra Nevada Glissade and Enchilade Casserole

Move aside, Corona.

I've heard that German lagers are supposed to be great with Mexican food, so when I decided to make Enchilada Casserole for dinner I figured it would be a perfect time to try the pairing, as I had a bottle of Sierra Nevada's Glissade Golden Bock lager in the fridge. I love Mexican food so I was pumped to try this. I'd also like to gripe a bit that Mexican places seem to never carry any beer other than cheap macros, Corona, Dos Equis, and Modelo (my exception is Santi's, my favorite Mexican joint, which also carries Sam Adams).

Golden Bock & Enchilada Casserole!

I used this recipe for the casserole. I seasoned the meat with cayenne pepper, salt, and kickin' chicken spice to taste. I put diced tomatoes, shredded lettuce, sour cream, and salsa verde on top.

The Golden Bock, brewed in the German style, (6.4% ABV) had a nice 2 finger head that dissipated to a thin lacing, a light/medium amber color, and a nutty, "lagerish" nose. This seasonal lager is very well balanced between nutty malts and hops (German Spalter, Slovenian Aurora & Styrian).

The bock paired well with the enchilada casserole. The crispness and the hoppy bitterness cut nicely through the fatty, creamy flavors of the food. The nuttiness of the beer and the spiciness of the chilies and cayenne in the food played nicely off each other as well.

I would recommend the pairing of German style lagers with Mexican food of this sort. Now to get the restaurants to carry better beer...

ShakenBarley