Rabbit Hole Brewing intros New Years Eve beers at House of Blues dinner

 

I wandered down a rabbit hole last Tuesday night and came out in the year 2015.

It was quite a tasty journey.

In actuality, I spent the evening at House of Blues, sampling some beers from Justin, Texas-based Rabbit Hole Brewing. The beers were thoughtfully paired with hor d’oeuvres supplied by HOB.

The theme of the night was New Year’s Eve, in honor of the unveiling of Hole Lang Syne, a limited-edition beer Rabbit Hole Brewing created specifically for New Year’s celebrations. The brewery opened just last January, so ringing in 2015 also doubles as a first anniversary party.

We started the evening with hockey great Mike Modano’s 561 Kölsch, named after the former Dallas Star, who is actually a part owner in the brewery. Modano scored 561 goals in his career, which is a record for US-born hockey players. That’s certainly a feat worthy of naming rights, and the beer more than lived up to its namesake. Clean and crisp, Modano’s 561 was the lightest beer of the evening, and went down smooth with a deviled egg with crab meet.

Next up was the 10/6 English IPA with a twice-baked potato that had a creamy cheddar filling and house-made bacon. The bold-flavored IPA complimented the smoky bacon very nicely ¬– I helped myself to seconds of both.

Off With Your Red was a seasonal brew that grabbed my attention with it’s audacious, in-your-face taste. Paired with risotto balls stuffed with smoked Gouda, the beer was excellent, but definitely not for the faint of heart.

Finally, it was time to toast the New Year with a brand new beer. Served in champagne flutes, the Hole Lang Syne was as complex a beer as I’ve ever tasted. A Belgian Golden Strong Ale brewed with raspberries and blackberries, the New Year’s brew had a soft malt flavor with a slight tartness. I didn’t love it, but I appreciated all the flavors it brought to the party.