Best Beer for Carbonnade

Piraat would be good, probably a little cheaper than Rochefort.

 

Ommegang dubbel. Every time. Perfect.

 

I have always used Goudenband for carbonnade, and always paired it with an oud bruin. Seems the best choice.

A lot of folks seem to serve it with noodles, which seems like overkill to me: don't most recipes already include stale bread? I'd pair it with some sort of root vegetable salad, probably including fennel as one of the ingredients.

 

I was going to say, don't you have any access to any standard oud bruins up there? Then again maybe not or any US versions that are a little different?

You could no doubt still pull off I think with a Belgian Dark... or even some simple Rodenbach (I would go for the regular for the cooking, or the Grand Cru if you have to).

 

One of my fave Belgian salads is shredded celeriac root that you blanch briefly in boiling water; spin dry in a sald spinner; and dress with a mixture of creme fraiche and dijon mustard. Heap it on endive leaves for a nice presentation.

 

I'd agree with those suggesting a dubbel - I use Allagash , which has the added benefit of being $2 a bottle and a very well made American Belgian. My recipe calls for 500 mL (~1.5 bottles, which is perfect... because then I can drink the other half) for every 3# of shanks.

 

@bushycook - NO Piraat. Too hoppy

 

The cheapest flanders red (albeit good) you can find, I say.