SteepleChase Brewing Company: Three Dead Red

This is the first beer we have homebrewed in a while, and I have the pleasure of being the first one to try it. The name comes from a disgusting story. I had left some dishes in the sink for a bit too long and last night I noticed some little red flies in the sink. So I did the dishes, killed a handful of flies, and cleaned the sink with bleach. I went to work in the morning and forgot about the flies.

On my way home I stopped at Wegman's to get some ingredients for a delicious dinner. When I arrived at home I was excited to try the freshly brewed beer, but before popping a sixer in the icebox, I noticed something in the sink. Three dead red flies. And Three Dead Red was born. [Fun Trivia: this is the second SBC beer to have Three in the name]

I had put one Three Dead Red in the fridge earlier and so I cracked it open as I prepared dinner. I didn't have much time to think about it as I prepared one of the best meals of my life. Let me set the scene:

The Scene:
Take Red, Yellow and Cayenne Peppers and saute them with some onions in a pan. Slice open a nice Angus steak and line it with pepperjack cheese. Stick the peppers and onions in there and throw the whole thing on the stovetop. Cook it like a man... rare.

The Result:The steak yielded some great gravy for the mashed potatoes and I waited until it was all done to open my second Three Dead Red.

The Beer:
The secondary fermentation did a great job and I could pour this bottle straight up. Perfect amount of carbonation, I should put it all in the fridge now so it doesn't get overcarb'ed. The smell is kind of light and pleasant. Pretty much what you would expect. The taste follows suit. Its nothing special, but it goes down easy. And with an ABV around only 4%, this is a beginner's homebrew. I'm no expert at pairing beer and food, but I feel like this went perfect with my dinner. It didn't try to push to the forefront and overpower me with flavor, the meal had plenty of that. It was always there for me when I came across a bite filled with cayenne pepper. Its not really a beer to sit around and discuss, but it plays the part of supporting actor to perfection. And in honor of that comparison, I will give it a rating system based on the best Best Supporting Actor ever.






5/10 Cuba Gooding Jrs.