HOW TO PAIR BEER WITH EVERYTHING: Dawn of the Red by Ninkasi Brewing Company
Beer: Dawn of the Red
Brewer: Ninkasi Brewing Company
Style: American Amber/Red Ale
ABV: 7.00%
Description: Dawn of the Red pours a pale amber hue with a frothy white head that leaves a wonderful lacing on the glass. The aroma is a fruity hop bouquet, with notes of grapefruit, papaya, and mango coming through strong with backing notes of decadently sweet malts. The taste follows the nose with a great hop presence, appearing first on the palate in the form of citrus and tropical fruits that is quickly followed by a sweet malt bill that refreshes the palate and leaves a perfectly dry finish. The balance in this beer is absolutely perfect and has a great hop punch that is kept in check by a wonderfully sweet and subtle malt bill.
The medium body and carbonation are flawless and create a beer that is highly drinkable. Dawn of the Red is a must-try beer for all who worship at the altar of hops!
Ideal setting: Dawn of the Red is a beer that can be enjoyed in noisy party-like situations or curled up on the couch watching a great movie. There are a lot of nuances in the beer, but it is perfectly balanced and has a strong enough hop punch that can rise to the occasion no matter the setting. Wherever you are, this beer will be phenomenal!
Ideal music: A beer with a nod to zombies, a wonderful hop bite, and easy drinkability makes an enjoyable evening no matter what is on the stereo. However, when you pair this beer with some great horror punk or rockabilly music, you turn an enjoyable evening into an unforgettable one!
Some great albums to enjoy with Dawn of the Red are:
- HorrorPops – “Bring It On!”
- Nekromantix – “Return of the Loving Dead”
- AFI – “The Art of Drowning”
- Calabrese – “13 Halloweens”
- Samhain – “Initium”
Ideal movie: While the beer itself has wonderful hoppy and candy-like sweet malts that are perfect for summer, the artwork and name conjure images of fall and Halloween. Thankfully, horror movies, specifically zombie flicks, are not only for the fall and can be enjoyed year-round, and they go perfectly with a beer of this caliber!
Some great movies to watch with Dawn of the Red are:
- “Dawn of the Dead”
- “Burial Ground”
- “Evil Dead”
- “Zombie”
- “Cemetery Man”
Ideal book: Again, this is a beer that goes best with horror. Maybe it’s just the name and artwork, but regardless, the pairing is just perfect. Horror fiction is a saturated market, and some storylines fit better than others with Dawn of the Red, but great zombie adventure novels make for a great pairing.
Some great books to read with Dawn of the Red are:
- “The Rising” by Brian Keene
- “Affliction Z: Patient Zero” by L.T. Ryan
- “World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War” by Max Brooks
- “The Reapers Are the Angels” by Alden Bell
The perfect experience: Dawn of the Red is a great beer to enjoy at home while watching a classic zombie movie or while listening to great rockabilly on the stereo. However, it is also a beer with perfect balance and a moderate ABV that can make a great night out with friends. Really, the perfect experience for this beer will be determined by you and your desire to be at home relaxing or out with friends; no matter what, this beer is a classic!
