Deli King
Barley Days Brewery

 

 

Deli King, named such as an ode to popular Toronto delicatessen founder Zane Caplansky and brewed with his signature spice rub, indeed looks like a beer of some distinction. It has a glowing complexion, bright orange colour and crowning lace. I'm a little surprised the spices didn't hinder head retention.

I'm not sure whether it's a good or bad thing I can't smell any of the brisket rub. For the most part it's yeast and lightly sweet, nutty rye grain. There's no smoked meat in the aroma either; if you were expecting something like Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier (which strongly resembles kielbasa, bacon, and the like) know that this isn't that kind of beer...

This is styled as a rye lager. Of course - corned beef on rye is a classic. But this is also a smart and practical decision since rye tends to impart a little spice and has a dry, hearty, whole grain kind of flavour that's reminiscent of pumpernickel bread, all of which naturally suit the rub.

The rub which, for better or worse, isn't much tasted. Between black pepper, onion and garlic powder, mustard, dill and celery seed, coriander, chile flakes, clove and cinnamon, not a single one of those flavours are strong enough to confidently pick out, which is probably to the beer's advantage.

Generally speaking, chefs strive to season their dishes in such a way that flavours collaborate and no one spice dominates. You want balanced, complimentary contributions from the different parts of a rub. The desired flavour is achieved by the combination of spices, even if certain ones aren't tasted outright.

Indeed, Deli King is a beer with interesting, tasteful, and thoughtfully balanced flavours. The rye malt, yeast, and brisket rub all play important, if moderate parts in the recipe. This doesn't overwhelm. Instead, it does what it's meant to: perfectly accompany a giant smoked meat sandwich and pickles.