The Society Dish

Culinary Companions for The Bruery’s Monthly Releases
August 2025 Edition

Welcome back to The Society Dish, where we explore the intersection of craft beer and cuisine with a beer-first mindset. Our August 2025 lineup brings a flavorful mix of bold bourbon barrel-aged stouts, a deeply expressive barleywine, and a refreshingly tart sour ale. Each beer in this set is full of character and complexity, and we've crafted a pairing roadmap to help you make the most of each pour, whether you're hosting a dinner party or just grabbing takeout on a Tuesday.

Toasted Delight
Bourbon Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout with Dulce de Leche, Toasted Coconut, Cacao Nibs, Graham Cracker, and Vanilla | 13.3% ABV

This samoa cookie-inspired stout is rich with dessert-driven complexity. The aroma opens with sweet coconut and caramelized sugar layered over bourbon-soaked oak. On the palate, toasted coconut dominates, with dulce de leche and vanilla weaving through the dark chocolate and graham cracker backbone. It's sweet, layered, and finishes just shy of cloying thanks to its barrel character and soft bitterness.

Elevated Pairing: Croquembouche with Passionfruit Custard
When it comes to dessert pairings that both mirror and elevate the beer in your glass, few options are as theatrical—or flavorful—as croquembouche. This tower of choux pastry puffs acts as a perfect canvas for the sweet, decadent layers of Toasted Delight. A filling of passionfruit custard bridges beautifully with the beer’s toasted coconut, while its graham cracker and dulce de leche notes meld seamlessly with the caramel ribbons that envelop this dessert. Rich, creamy, and delicately crisp, this pairing plays with both texture and intensity. Meanwhile, the beer’s bitter cacao and dark malt backbone add just the right contrast, cutting through the sweetness while amplifying complexity. Its semi-sweet finish and barrel-derived structure reset the palate between bites.

Simple Pairing: Dark Chocolate Coconut Macaroons
A handful of coconut macaroons from your favorite bakery will make this pairing sing. The chewy texture and concentrated coconut flavor of the macaroon echoes the beer’s toasted coconut richness, creating a layered coconut experience that shifts between creamy and roasted.

The macaroon’s dark chocolate shell matches up with the beer’s cacao nib bitterness, amplifying the cocoa notes while softening some of the bourbon heat. Meanwhile, the beer’s vanilla and dulce de leche glide effortlessly over the sweetened coconut, enhancing the confectionery notes and wrapping each bite and sip in velvety warmth. As the pairing unfolds, graham cracker undertones in the beer provide a buttery crunch impression that complements the macaroon’s toasty edges.

Coffee is Life
Bourbon Barrel-Aged Barleywine Ale with Coffee | 14.3% ABV

This is a beer built for those who prefer their coffee bold and their barleywines bolder. Aromas of fresh-brewed coffee, oak, and bourbon rise from the glass. On the palate, the roast is assertive yet balanced, underpinned by caramelized sugars, soft vanilla, and an echo of cocoa. The mouthfeel is rich and round, giving a long, bittersweet finish that lingers like a well-pulled espresso.

Elevated Pairing: Mole Negro
Mole negro may be complex, but that’s exactly what makes it such a compelling partner to this deeply layered coffee barleywine. A well-crafted mole built on toasted nuts—think almonds and walnuts—alongside cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice sets the stage for a warm, holiday spiced hot chocolate impression. The chocolate in the sauce bridges easily to the beer’s cocoa and caramel base, while the roasted coffee notes bring a grounding bitterness that lifts the mole’s sweetness and spice. Keep the chili heat modest: the beer’s high ABV will naturally amplify spice levels. With each bite, the beer’s tannins, carbonation, and alcohol cut through the thick richness of the sauce, refreshing the palate and making space for the next forkful.

Simple Pairing: Cinnamon Toast Crunch Crusted French Toast
For a comfort food pairing that hits all the indulgent notes, start your morning—or your evening—with French toast crusted in Cinnamon Toast Crunch. If you aren’t already adding cinnamon to your french toast dredge, the time is now. Before adding your bread to the pan, coat it in crunched up Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal.  The crispy cereal shell provides a caramelized crunch that echoes the beer’s toffee and vanilla, while a drizzle of vanilla icing brings out the sweet creaminess of the barleywine. The beer’s coffee bitterness tempers the dish’s rich maple syrup and butter, creating a play between sweet and roasty. This beer is luscious and full bodied giving us a nice textural compliment with the fluffy french toast interior along with some contrast from the cereal crust. With a full-bodied mouthfeel and warming alcohol, Coffee is Life cuts right through the sugar and syrup, bringing balance to every bite.

Mango Charm’d
Sour Rye Ale with Mango, Vegan Marshmallows, and Vanilla | 8.1% ABV

Bright, tangy, and fruit-forward, Mango Charm’d bursts with tropical mango tartness balanced by a soft vanilla sweetness and marshmallow creaminess. The rye lends a subtle spice that keeps things interesting and cuts the sweetness. The finish is long and creamy, making this beer as surprising as it is sessionable.

Elevated Pairing: Lemon Ricotta Donuts with Black Pepper Ice Cream and Honey Granola
Playful and complex, this pairing layers tart, sweet, and creamy elements into a summery, dessert-worthy moment. Mango Charm’d’s vibrant acidity and sweet vanilla are echoed in lemon ricotta donuts served with black pepper ice cream, lemon cream, goat’s curd, and a honey seed granola. The mango and lemon creams create a soft, fruit-and-zest bridge, while the goat’s curd adds tang and depth that complements the beer’s sour rye base. The granola and marshmallow notes create a parfait-like texture contrast—crunchy, creamy, bright. And just when it starts to feel too indulgent, the beer’s acidity and carbonation cut through with a cleansing finish, keeping things fresh from bite to sip.

Simple Pairing: Mango Sticky Rice with a Vanilla Drizzle
This Thai-inspired dessert is an easy store pickup or takeout treat. This is a textural and aromatic match made in heaven. The lush, starchy body of the sticky rice cradles the tart-sweet mango topping in a way that mirrors the beer’s own interplay between ripe mango and sweet vanilla. Each sip of Mango Charm’d lifts the dish’s richness with its natural acidity, cutting through the coconut milk glaze while heightening the fruity aromas. The vanilla drizzle and vegan marshmallow character in the beer create a creamy, candy-like echo to the dessert’s tropical sweetness. The result is a balance of brightness and indulgence—a dance between creamy, chewy textures and tropical fruit layered with comforting vanilla warmth.

So Happens It’s Tuesday
Bourbon Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout | 13.7% ABV

This is our stealth-mode stout—deep, dark, and full of surprises. Rich flavors of dried fruit, burnt caramel, and vanilla fill the palate, carried by a velvety mouthfeel and a subtle warmth from the barrel. It's contemplative but versatile, with just enough edge to keep you coming back for another sip.

Elevated Pairing: Banana Espresso Upside Down Cake
Think of this pairing as a chocolate-dipped banana turned elegant dinner party dessert. The banana caramelization in an upside down cake finds instant harmony with the dark fruit and toffee notes of So Happens It’s Tuesday. Espresso dusting adds a coffee-kissed bitterness that accentuates the beer’s roasted malt and oak character, bringing welcome contrast to its otherwise rich, brownie-like depths. Cherry and dark fruit elements in the beer enhance the caramel and banana, layering on a dessert-like complexity. Full-bodied and boozy, the stout’s alcohol and carbonation cleanse the palate between gooey bites, elevating a classic comfort dessert into a nuanced pairing.

Simple Pairing: Dark Chocolate-Covered Dried Cherries
A handful of these from your favorite chocolate shop brings all the right notes—tart fruit, bitter cocoa, and just enough sweetness. The dried cherries bring a dense, concentrated fruit character that matches the beer’s deep notes of dark fruit leather and subtle cherry-like acidity. Coated in bittersweet chocolate, the cherries amplify the stout’s roasted malt profile and cocoa depth, forming a seamless bridge of flavor. As the bourbon barrel warmth unfolds, it lifts the cherry’s tartness while enhancing the chocolate’s richness with hints of vanilla and caramel. The chewy texture of the cherries plays beautifully against the beer’s full-bodied mouthfeel, and with each bite, the stout refreshes the palate just enough to keep the indulgence going without becoming cloying.

Whether you're cozying up with a decadent stout or cooling off with a tropical sour, August's releases offer a wide range of flavors to explore. Keep experimenting, keep pairing, and we'll see you next month with another round of Society Dish.