Carnival!

Carnival!

Carnival!

Beer Hawk's Beer Sommelier, Maggie Cubbler, talks through some of her beer-and-food experiences at Carnival celebrations around the world

As I sit here in my house in my new German home of Eppstein listening to the church bells clang in celebration of Fastnachtsdienstag it came to mind that there is much more to this significant Tuesday around the world than pancakes. Now don’t get me wrong. I love me some pancakes. And I’ll probably have some tonight as I’ve adopted this wonderful British custom for Shrove Tuesday. But considering a huge chunk of the world—from Brazil to Barcelona, Nice to Norfolk—is celebrating this Carnival season let’s uncover a few of the other food (and beer!) traditions taking place right now.

Cologne

Beer and Food Pairing: Bratwurst & Kölsch or Kreppel & Belgian Tripel

The undisputed Karneval capital of Germany, Cologne fills its streets with a massive parade on Rosenmontag (Rose Monday). Revelers dressed as everything from pirates to nuns enjoy enough of the refreshing local Kölsch—like our favourite, Früh—to have parade floats literally, well, float. As with most places in Germany, Cologne’s Karneval isn’t complete without a bratwurst or schnitzel and a side of pommes (French fries). Similar scenes are witnessed in the cities of Mainz and Düsseldorf where in the latter you can enjoy a flavourfully bitter Altbier (like Schlösser) while eating your schnitzel and watching a satirical version of Donald Trump float by. Sweet jelly/custard-filled doughnuts called Krapfen or Kreppel are also common during Karneval and I wouldn’t mind having one or five alongside a Belgian Tripel (hey, it’s close enough to the border).

Binche

Beer and Food Pairing: Oysters & Saison

This small city in French-speaking Belgium is famed for its unique Carnival celebration called Le Carnaval de Binche. Dating back to about the 14^th century, this festival takes place over the three days leading up to Ash Wednesday. What sets it apart from virtually every other festival worldwide is the presence of les Gilles—men wearing vibrant outfits wearing towering ostrich feathers, wax masks, wooden shoes and who carry sticks to ward off evil spirits. Oh, and they whiz oranges at the crowds too and it’s apparently good luck to be hit by one. Even if it’s in the face (like my husband). Les Gilles are treated to an elegant breakfast of champagne and oysters on the morning of Shrove Tuesday. If you’re more of a beer budget sort of person—with champage tastes—you could try the relatively local-to-Binche Saison DuPont with your oysters instead. The peppery spice and spritzy finish are fantastic with grilled oysters and I couldn’t think of a better way to prepare for the fast.

New Orleans

Beer and Food Pairing: Seafood Etouffée & Weizenbock

No conversation about Carnival would be complete without mentioning one of the most famous of them all: New Orlean's Mardi Gras. Its reputation of being a raunchy, booze-filled fest is, ahem, justified but if you look past the people passed out in the street there's an interesting history and culture. First celebrated in the late 17th century by French settlers, the modern-day version is still based in its roots of fun and  masquerading with numerous krewes--or social clubs--putting on parades all throughout the city. This tradition has spread all throughout the Gulf Coast from New Orleans to Pensacola, Florida. Suffice it to say, seafood is a mainstay of many a Mardi Gras party and a big pot of spicy and bold Cajun seafood stew like an etoufée or gumbo would fill your whole krewe right up. I think an equally spicy and bold pairing with a weizenbock, like the Schneider Weiss Aventinus Tap 6, would be a great way to laissez les bons temps rouler!