Beer at Max Lager's in Atlanta

I am a nerd. Wine is only one of my nerdy pursuits. My other serious hobby took me and a college buddy to Atlanta this past Labor Day to attend Dragon*Con--the world’s largest fantasy and science fiction convention, according to them. Now, normally when I travel, I search out good restaurants; this trip, I would be focused on other things. My friend and I survived on junk food and snacks for the most part, and took a couple of side trips to a nearby pub for dinner and beer when we were losing steam. But on our way to the convention on Sunday, we passed a brick building with a compelling sign, announcing “Beer.” So we made a pact to return there for dinner. When we returned to Max Lager's, we found ourselves in a large restaurant and brewery. I love beer as much as wine and was thrilled to see a three-course “beer pairing menu.” Our choice for dinner was sealed.

The tempting "Beer Dinner"

The first course was Parmesan Cheese Grits, with Cajun Crawfish Dressing, paired with Max Lager’s Hopsplosion. As can be expected of the name, Hopsplosion is a lager, with a blast of hops flavors, and hints of grass and flowers. The grits we rich and creamy, with a certain heat imparted by the dressing. The crisp flavors of the hops cut through the heavy starter, cleansing the palate between each bite, but there wasn’t any real balance between the flavors. By themselves, each was a wonderful start to the meal, but together they didn’t complement each other very much.

Parmesan Cheese Grits

Our main course was a Grilled Pork Tenderloin in Adobo sauce, over a bed of Manchamantla, paired with their Chocolate Bock. The pork was tender and cooked perfectly, with just a hint of smokiness from the grill. The adobo sauce provided a hint of freshness and heat to the dish. The manchamantla smelled wonderful, as only fresh grilled corn can, but seemed a bit overdone, as the kernels were chewy, almost caramelized. It was hard to chew and had a tendency to stick to the teeth. Overall, however, it was a good pairing for the beer. The Chocolate Bock brought a richness to the meal that the other components lacked, adding a sweet flavor, but not overpowering the other flavors like a stout might have. With the green pepper spice of the adobo sauce, the beer added enough chocolate and sweet flavors to the meal to taste almost like a mole sauce in your mouth. The beer was heavy enough to stand up against the meal and impart some additional flavors, but light enough to allow a lingering heat from the sauce. 

Pork Tenderloin in Adobo Sauce

Surprisingly, the best pairing was the dessert course. A Strawberry Bread Pudding, paired with their Grand Cru. In wine terms, that’s the “best of the picking.” The beer was a Belgian style ale, sweet in flavor, with strong hints of berry and citrus. The fresh fruit and creaminess of the pudding and whipped cream played of the heartiness of the ale, and was match note for note: sweet for sweet, fruity for fruity. The pudding was less heavy than I have had elsewhere, which was good, considering the weightiness of the rest of the meal. While the servings of the beer were only half a pint, that was more than enough to accompany each course, and enough beer for a casual meal. 

Max Lager Brews its Own Beer On-Site