The Story of Bourbon Maple Hops

Bourbon and maple are two distinct flavors that have truly left their mark on American culture and cuisine. Bourbon has been wracked by an evolution from war efforts to prohibition, but today is one of our oldest alcoholic beverages. It is sometimes even called “America’s Native Spirit” with evidence of the terminology “bourbon” being used to all the way back in the 1780s, with the moniker likely originating from somewhere in Kentucky. Maple on the other hand has been a part of the American diet long before colonialization, with Native Americans being the first sugarmakers, the title of those who tap the trees to make maple syrup.

For our Bourbon Maple Hops blend, we wanted to work with some old but trendy flavors to see what would taste good together, but we wanted it to be unique too! So, hops came to mind. With the craft beer craze still going strong, there is of course a demand for hoppy flavors, and this extends past an ice-cold beer and into the steaming heat of a freshly prepared vegetable dish! Hoppiness can taste good in either application, depending on your taste buds and the ingredients you choose!

Craft beers have always been on our radar, but they have seen a surge in popularity since 2010. As of 2018, craft beers make up nearly 13% of the beer market here in the United States. With plenty of craft beers boasting about their hop forward flavors and the incredible aromatics they illicit, we were excited to incorporate hops into our newest blend so successfully.

What’s in it?

Our Bourbon Maple blend is hand blended with maple sugar, bourbon barrel salt, paprika, garlic, onion, tangerine, chipotle, Italian seasoning, and hops.

Flavor Profile

Bourbon Maple Hops is smoky, slightly sweet, and a little bitter. This is a very aromatic blend, a seasoning designed to help you experience eating with all your senses, not just your sense of taste

Where to Use

This blend has some interesting flavors to add to otherwise bland foods like chicken! Try it on vegetables, or for something unique you could add it to eggs. Really experiment with what you can do with this blend. It has a flavor profile that one won’t easily forget, so it is perfect for the adventurous eater. It’s aromatic and is more botanical, so it tastes better on fresher things that aren’t necessarily extremely sweet or extremely savory. This is a blend that works especially well on foods that don’t need a lot of cooking. Hops tend to get bitter as they are cooked, meaning you’ll want to add this seasoning towards the end of the cooking process versus towards the beginning. Treat this blend more like an herb than you would one of our typical spice blends.

It goes well with “bar snack” foods. When paired with cheese, the creamy dairy shines when presented next to this blend. Added to a seasoned pretzel recipe and combined with a beer cheese, this makes for a beer flavor enhancing bar food, especially on those nights when you are searching for the perfect dish to enjoy with your IPA.

We don’t recommend using this blend on plain fish however, as the hops can overwhelm the delicate flavors of fish, particularly white fish like cod. Using it in a batter on a fish like tilapia would be good if you were hoping to make a fried fish taco or something with similar, complex flavors, but this is not a blend we would consider suitable to be used as a rub on a plain fish. Avoid using it on sweeter vegetables like carrots, because the contrast of flavors would be markedly unpleasant as the hops in this blend are very aromatic and very forward.

Helpful Hints

Start out with less than you think you will need. This is a very flavorful, very aromatic blend and once it is added to the dish it can’t be removed! You can always add more, but you can’t take it out once it’s been incorporated into your dish!

Read More

Craft Brewers Favorite Beer Spices
Pairing Beer with Spicy Food