Craft Beer x Food: How to Pair Your Fave Elias Beer with Matching Pulutan

Under normal circumstances, we wouldn’t find ourselves drinking alcohol at noon. Last week, however, at Elias Wicked Ales & Spirits’ Beer x Food Pairing event at their Alabang taproom, we heard – and participated in – over a dozen calls for cheers.

Don’t get them wrong, though - Elias Brews is not one to encourage binge-drinking sessions. In fact, they want their regulars to practice a balance between sobriety and binge drinking: mindful drinking.

While it sounds like there may be some Zen-like meditation involved, mindful drinking is much simpler and requires no training whatsoever. All Elias is looking to promote is for people to take their drink slow and taste every bit of the beer instead of chugging it down like at a frat party competition.

By practicing mindful drinking, you’ll be able to savor the various facets of the drink, appreciate the taste profile, and ultimately, understand the care and immense work put into crafting them.

After all, each craft beer flavor of Elias is borne out of the passion of husband-wife duo: Raoul and Erin Masangcay who moved back to the Philippines from Virginia, United States (US) after realizing their calling of being a part of the local craft beer industry.

“We have two daughters and one son, Elias [Wicked Ales & Spirits],” they joked, referring to their microbrewery as their “baby,” which, Raoul shared, they check every day, specifically the taste profiles of their beers.

Years later, Elias Wicked Ales & Spirits celebrated their 6th anniversary in their two branches (Quezon City and Alabang) with a wildly tempting offer: unlimited craft beer for P999. At the exclusive event in Alabang, we were treated to a tasting menu showcasing the best of Elias Brews which, when combined with the selection of dishes, produced matches made in heaven.

As people milled about the bar, they served Gabi-Gabi (taro) Chips (available for P195) and Sourdough Bread matched with Chicken Pate made in-house – casually kicking off the event.

People continued to chat as they munched on the chips and bread. Is it treason if we say that these gabi chips are far better than potato chips? Still, it’s all about moderation with chips so, naturally, we ate them all.

Then came the appetizer and our first glass of beer for the day: Astig Mango Hard Cider (starts from P190, 7% ABV) and Tuna Killa-Win. Serving Astig as the first beer is quite fitting since it’s the first product Elias launched. That’s right, they first launched with a hard cider, not a beer. Master Brewer Raoul shared, however, that this was simply due to logistical concerns – their beer equipment was still a couple of months away from arriving, so he just went ahead and whipped up Astig while waiting.

As for its taste, let’s just say this drink wouldn’t still be a part of their menu if it wasn’t that good. It features the distinct sweetness of mangoes, but not too sweet that it would overwhelm the palate. Paired with the acidic and sharp taste of the kilawin (ceviche), it’s the ideal pair to kick off what would surely be an interesting meal.

We were then served the Summer Breeze Saison (P180++, 5.5% ABV) and Tinapa Spaghetti (P420). Before we dug in, Raoul reminded us that beer is only made of four ingredients: grains, hops, yeast, and water. Nothing else!

Imagine our surprise when we drank the Summer Breeze Saison and were hit with spicy and fruity notes – peppery and complex. Where did they come from, right? The tinapa spaghetti was just as powerful – smokey and savory – and held up well against the beer.

For those seeking strong flavors, this pairing is well up your alley. To top it all off, the Summer Breeze Saison won as the “Champion Beer of Asia” in the 2023 Asia Beer Championship. How often do you get to say you’re drinking award-winning beer made by the Philippines' only certified Cicerone (beer sommelier)?

As a palate cleanser, Elias also served their non-alcoholic seltzer called the Cherry Limeade. Light and refreshing, this limeade is a family-friendly (and designated driver-friendly) option. Raoul stressed that their bars are open for families, once again bringing to mind their “mindful drinking” philosophy.

They also served the Verry Berry Hard Seltzer (from P160, 5% ABV) which is designed for Metro Manila’s titas – low calorie, no added sugar, and gluten-free. Perfect, right? Plus, the bright, fruity flavor (but not too sweet!) is perfect for those who aren’t into the traditional flavor profiles of most craft beers.

Back to the tasting menu, they served a crowd-favorite, the Lost in Japan White Ale (12oz Draft is P160, 5% ABV) and Grilled Salmon Head.

Crisp and citrusy, it was easy to see the appeal, and paired next to the expertly-grilled fish, this duo is ideal for chill hangout nights. Citrus fruits and fish, this pair is a classic – nothing could go wrong! If you’re new to Elias and aren’t sure what to get, you’ll find “Lost in Japan” an excellent starter drink.

Elias then served another off-tasting menu drink, the Tropical Sour Ale (Starts from P180, 4.5% ABV) which is one of their newest creations. It’s a mix of mango, pineapple, orange, and toasted coconut. Tangy, complex, and sour, this drink features lactobacillus – yes, the one in Yakult! – which is good for your stomach. We found the perfect excuse to fit this drink into our “diet,” it’s for our gut health, right?

Then it was time for the main event: Hop Boi IPA (from P210, 6.5% ABV) paired with Wicked Sisig (P320), Crispy Pata (P950), and Crispified Hito (served like Peking Duck with vegetables and thin pancakes).

Another strong Elias offering, Hop Boi packs a punch but easily cuts through the fattiness of the main dishes. Personally, we loved the spicy Wicked Sisig with the Hop Boi.

Classic bar chows like Crispy Pata are classics for a reason, however, and it was a close second – this one is best if you’re ordering for a large group though! While the Crispified Hito was very interesting with the pancake-wrapped serving style, it didn’t quite match the sumptuous fattiness of the Peking Duck. Up against the Hop Boi, it just faded in the background compared to the flavor profiles of the sisig and pata.

Just like that, the tasting menu was drawing to an end with their last duo: Darker Vader Stout (from P200, 6.5% ABV) matched with the Beeramisu (their own take on the iconic Italian dessert, Tiramisu). Stouts are known for robust flavors and the Darker Vader definitely had us pledging allegiance to the Sith.

The Elias team gave us specific instructions to take a sip of the beer while we still had some Beeramisu to combine the two flavors together – and we were never the same after that. This pairing (plus that combination on your palate), was a true chef's kiss moment! On its own, the Darker Vader Stout is, as expected, bold and somewhat bitter. If you enjoy a pint of Guinness, grab a pitcher of this!

They served another off-menu craft beer alongside this pairing: Toasted Marshmallow but it’s not yet available in their bars. Another stout, this drink is just as dark but there’s an extra hint of bitterness because of the “toasted” marshmallow aspect.

Before we left, Raoul served us their version of mead, the Viking’s Honey Mead (starts from P190, 5% ABV). To quote Thor, “This drink, I like it – another!” Their mead, made from locally sourced honey, has a distinct flavor from the dalandan. Sweet and sour, this mead definitely had us tapping into our Nordic alter egos – but fortunately without the smashing of glasses!

With their wide array of craft beers available on tap, a night at Elias Wicked Ales & Spirits (either Quezon City or Alabang branch) is guaranteed to be a memorable one. Plus, if you’re really undecided, then go for the beer flight so you can sample different flavors and maybe grab other pulutan dishes such as Shrimp Gambas (P650), Beef Salpicao (P500), Onion Rings (P235), and Disco Chicken Lumpia (P250). With their wide array of drinks and dishes, you can create your own pairing menu – go wild with the flavors or, if you want a safer route, go with their recommendations. On their menu, each dish is matched with a craft beer they’d go “best with” so mix and match to your heart (and stomach’s) content!

For more information, follow them on Instagram or check out their website where you can also view their menu and what’s on tap for the day.

Elias QC Brewery is located at 13 Ubay, Santa Mesa Heights, Quezon City. Elias Alabang Taproom is located on the 2nd Floor, Madison Galleries, 398 Don Jesus Blvd, Brgy. Cupang, Alabang, Muntinlupa City.