Summer is in full swing. Berries of all kinds have ripened and you can get all kinds of fruits and veggies at the farmer’s market. To beat the heat, why not try a light strawberry salad and pair it with another fruit infused beer?
The Beer:
This week’s beer is New Belgium’s Heavy Melon Watermelon Lime Ale. I really like the name of this beer. It looks ready for summer fun and possibly an awesome concert series.
Style: Watermelon Lime Ale with 5% alc./vol.
Color: A mix of dark honey and deep red.
Aroma: Watermelon and beer. Yep, that’s really what I think it smells like.
Taste: The watermelon flavor is not shy in this beer, but it isn’t too overpowering. There’s only a hint of the lime in this beer and if the label hadn’t told me it was there, I probably wouldn’t have noticed it at all. No aftertaste and it isn’t sweet.
Level of Recommendation: I’d take this beer to an outside summer concert.
The Food:
This salad is light with a ton of flavor. I made mine with chipotle infused olive oil and chocolate balsamic vinegar. I highly recommend tracking some down for this salad, if not plain olive oil and balsamic vinegar work just as well.
What you’ll need: 
- Romaine lettuce
- Strawberries
- Feta cheese
- Shaved almond slivers
- Chipotle olive oil
- Chocolate dark balsamic vinegar
Rinse the lettuce and pat it dry. Place in a bowl. Clean strawberries, remove the green tops, and slice into small chunks. Place the strawberries, feta cheese, and shaved almonds slivers into the bowl on top of the lettuce. Drizzle olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
Enjoy!
The Pairing:
This pairing is nice and light, a great way to beat the heat. The strawberries in the salad complement the watermelon flavors of the beer. If you used the chipotle olive oil, it helps to bring out more of the hop flavor. The chocolate balsamic vinegar adds in a little extra richness.
Level of Recommendation: If you need something quick and light, look no further.
Cooking with Spirits 