If you’re going to pair beer and food, Jared Rouben is the preeminent source on how to do so. As the president and brewmaster of Moody Tongue Brewing Company, Rouben oversees a Michelin-starred restaurant and brewery that specializes in integrating beer with fine dining.
At Moody Tongue’s many offshoots in Chicago, NYC and West Palm Beach — which range from hyper-seasonal menus to upscale pizza and omakase experiences — you’ll find beers served in crystal glassware and poured from decanters. And these aren’t everyday lagers or IPAs; rather, there are culinary-themed brews like Orange Blossom Belgian Blonde, Caramelized Chocolate Churro Porter and Shaved Black Truffle Pilsner.
You can credit Rouben’s background for the unique mix of elevated grub and beer. “I started as a classically-trained chef, and when I was in culinary school, I started a beer club,” he says. “I started that club in response to a wine club having a pretty high price point for events and a minimum GPA. And it was about that time I started seeing the similarities between brewing and cooking.”
A graduate of Washington University in St. Louis and the Culinary Institute of America in New York, Rouben launched Moody Tongue in Chicago in 2014. Along the way, his hospitality journey has brought him from Michelin-starred kitchens (Martin House, Per Se) to craft breweries — including Goose Island’s brewpubs, where, as brewmaster, he developed the brewery’s Farmers’ Market Series and Chef Collaboration Series with celebrity chefs like Rick Bayless, Stephanie Izard and Paul Kahan.
Rouben makes his beers — using fruits and following the patterns of the farmers and seasons — because he often can’t find the flavor profile he’s looking for in commercially-available brews. “I was cooking out in Napa, and one of my responsibilities was to go to the farmer’s market,” he says. “I remember this one fruit that inspired me: the pluot. It’s a hybrid between a plum and an apricot, and they were magical. I really couldn’t create that flavor profile with the hops that were available at the time. It was my aha moment; I decided to put it in my home brew. I realized I should be thinking about brewing through the lens of a chef.”
Until you can make it to Moody Tongue, Rouben offers a few lessons for those who want to pair beer and food at home.
Glassware Is Important
The majority of what Rouben utilizes for his culinary brews is hand-blown, 100% crystal glassware. “You create a beautiful beverage, it deserves a beautiful home,” he says. “The wine industry is already exceptional at this.” These unique glasses elevate beer’s aromatics and taste.
Many of Moody Tongue’s releases are reminiscent of experiences you’d have at a winery’s tasting room. Take the Pressed Asian Pear Saison, for example. “It’s reminiscent of Krug, my favorite Champagne,” Rouben says. “We pick these pears, juice them and ferment them in stainless steel while the base beer sits in a chardonnay barrel. You blend the two, and you get all the characteristics of a vintage Champagne: apple, pear, brioche. And we put it in Champagne glassware. That’s how you’re supposed to experience it.”
And the restaurant often serves beer from decanters. “It opens up some of the beers that need more time, like our Cassis, which is reminiscent of Bordeaux,” Rouben says.
The Startlingly Fun Evolution of High-Low Food and Cocktail Pairings
Duck hot dogs and Japanese whisky highballs, anyone? Credit Gen Z for the unique new wave of food and cocktail team-ups.Make Your Pairings as Easy as Possible
Rouben often follows the “what grows together, goes together” philosophy. Meaning, if you’re having German food, pair it with German beer. “If that didn’t work, people would have changed it a long time ago,” he says.
Outside of regionality, also look at complementary flavors. “For Valentine’s Day, we had a bourbon barrel-aged 12 layer cake Imperial Stout, which showcases chocolate and vanilla,” Rouben says. “And we pair that with a 12-layer German chocolate cake. It sounds simple, but if you have chocolate in the glass and chocolate on the plate, they build a bridge of complementary flavors.”
Pair Beer as You Would Wine
That Pressed Asian Pear Saison that Rouben mentioned? As he notes, it pairs quite nicely with caviar, much like a vintage Champagne. If you find a beer with a certain quality you find in a wine, there’s a good chance it’ll pair similarly with food.
As you can see, it might be more difficult to pair off-the-shelf beers with food, which is why Rouben makes his own brews (that said, you can buy MT’s beers, and not just in the restaurants). In a way, pairing food and beer might be ideal for a home brewer who also likes to cook.
“When you actually create the beverage and you’re able to speak with a chef who’s creating the food, there’s an incredible bond between your food and your beverage,” Rouben says. “It’s a bond I think the guests can truly appreciate.”
More Like This
Join America's Fastest Growing Spirits Newsletter THE SPILL. Unlock all the reviews, recipes and revelry — and get 15% off award-winning La Tierra de Acre Mezcal.
