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Abbey Ales and Marinated Pork Chops

© Richard T Curtin

Abbey Ales are a very old tradition in Belgium. A comparison would be how wine production was once associated with monastic life in ancient France. Today, few working monasteries brew beer within the order, a notable exception are the Trappists. Many though, have licensed the production of beers bearing their abbey name to large commercial brewers. One notable brewer of a Belgian Abbey Ale is Abbaye des Rocs , named after the ruins of an old abbey on the French border. According to their web site all the beers from this Abbey "are made with water from a well in the rocky subsoil, with malt, hops and spices. They are natural without added sugars and guaranteed to be without chemical additives".

Due to a change in the "bottle container law" in Florida, I recently had the pleasure of tasting Abbaye des Rocs Grand Cru. This Belgian dark ale is an has an extremely complex flavor profile. The beer is a delight to the senses. For the eyes it pours with a deep, rich, amber color and a thick frothy head. For the nose it has a complex blend of fruit, beginning with the aroma of cherries, peaches and raisins intermingling with caramel and honey. For the palate the beer has a nicely carbonated, medium body with a warming mouthfeel. Rich, smooth flavors of caramel, cherries, almonds and chocolate are evident, the beer finishes with a slight dark sugar or molasses taste with again a warming alcohol feel. The alcohol content in this beer rings up at a hefty 10% but the rich flavor and superb smooth body stand up well to dim any sharp alcohol bite. This is definitely going to be my favorite cold weather beer.

Because of the rich flavors and dark color and medium body, Abbaye des Rocs Grand Cru will pair up nicely with beef, pork and spicy dishes. To torment my carnivorous, Irish friend, Joe Kelly, here's a good pork chop recipe.

Marinated Grilled Pork Chops

6 1- to 1 1/2-inch-thick center-cut bone-in pork chops
(don't use thin chops out of the case)

2 cups water

2 cups Abbaye des Rocs Grand Cru

4 tablespoons (packed) dark brown sugar

5 large garlic cloves, minced

3 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper

2 teaspoons salt

3 teaspoons dried rosemary

Combine 2 cups water, beer, sugar, garlic, salt and pepper and rosemary in large glass bowl.
Place pork chops in large plastic bag. Pour marinade over pork chops and refrigerate 4-6 hours, turning bag occasionally.

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