Sometimes things are just meant to go together: Summer and baseball, movies and popcorn, Bogie and Bacall, jazz and blues. But now, thankfully, we have a new combo to add to this legendary list, 12 West Brewing's "Blap! Blap!" beer and Red, White & Brew's Seafood Scampi. Though it pairs well with many of our dishes and pizzas, this easy drinking summer beer has found it's perfect compliment in the decadent ingredients of our seafood linguini topped with house recipe sauces and four varieties of fresh catch seafood.
12 West Brewing is a locally born and bred operation. With a brewery located just a stone's throw from the RWB, about two miles to the east over the 202, 12 West has established themselves in dozens of establishments over the valley, though we like to consider ourselves their unofficial tasting room. Boasting a double digit list of handcrafted brews, we were lucky enough to add their Blap! Blap! Belgian Wheat to our selection of local beers. Blap! Blap! features a slightly tart finish to an light and delicious flavor created from Minneola Tangelos and Navel Oranges from The Farm at Agritopia and features a beautiful blood orange color in the glass that is incredibly unique.
Now, we've tried this beer with quite a few menu options from our dinner menu. But once it was paired with the Mixed Seafood Scampi, we knew we had our favorite of the bunch. Boasting mussels, jumbo shrimp, littleneck clams and sea scallops, this dish is sautéed in a garlic butter wine sauce creating a light, yet extremely flavorful medley that melts in the mouth. The savory bursts from the entree are finished off with the slightly sweet, yet tart brew that is unforgettable.
As always, these are just suggestions and we know not everyone has the same tastes. Blap! Blap! also pairs extremely well with our Garlic, Chicken, Artichoke Pizza, Shrimp Monaco, Cajun Chicken, and others. The Seafood Scampi also pairs well with an amber ales, dry white wines, or a Moscow Mule. Please keep following us for more suggestions, and thank you in advance for supporting local breweries as we seek out the best in Arizona homegrown craft beers. Have a great weekend everyone!