Your taste buds by pairing a beef burger with a stout

Beef Burger prop prepared by Apron Chiefs at the launch of Guinness Black Shines Brightest Series held at  Olesereni Hotel, Nairobi. Photo | Pool


What you need to know:

At the launch of Guinness Black Shines Brightest Series, I learnt how to pair a burger with a Guinness Stout Shandy

I’m a gym rat and with it comes a set of rules. Tough rules I must say. I don’t get to eat anyhow or how I want. This is why I carry home-prepared meals to work.
Since I’m approaching my mid-30s, I’m at that age where testosterone hormones responsible for the fat distribution, muscle, and strength building tend to dip naturally, my gym instructor insists on eating right all the time.
He says this is the only way I will achieve my goal of having a lean body by 40.
But sometimes I find myself bending these rules as was the case last Friday.
When I received a call to attend the official launch of Guinness  Black Shines Brightest Series, I honestly wasn’t going to miss it. At the event held at Ole Sereni hotel, Nairobi, I met a number of young Kenyan creatives featured in the series, including fashion stylists, visual artists, Chefs, historians, and filmmakers.

Bartender Mike Owino preparing Shandy  at the launch of Guinness Black Shines Brightest Series  held at  Olesereni Hotel, Nairobi. Photo | Pool



All of these young creatives displayed their beautiful crafts, however, one thing I wasn’t prepared for was a burger masterclass by the Black Apron Chefs. 
No one wants to bite into a burger that tastes bland and thus you have to get everything right.
Not only do you need to make sure you use enough salt and black pepper on the patties but also you need to ensure you use those condiments correctly. Patties are the foundation of a burger and as such you have to prepare them well. In this master class, I learned never to season my meat with salt until the patties are formed and just about to be thrown on the grill.
This is because salt draws water from the meat dissolving the protein thus making them dry.
I learnt not to do anything to the meat before I shape it into patties. And while on the grill, pressing patties with a spatula while they cook isn’t clever. What you would be doing is squeezing all the delicious meat juice out. Stop it.  Once you cut the bun use butter to toast them and then spread mayonnaise or margarine of your choice. When layering the components, ensure you melt the cheese.
With my meat burger set, the bartender on site, Mike Owino, asked if I could try pairing it with a Guinness Stout Shandy. Well, I love stout but a stout shandy?  Shandy is beer or cider mixed with a lemon or a lemon-lime flavoured beverage. It can be shaken or stirred. When stirred, the refreshing sweet-sour-tasting drink, becomes mild and strong. Now pair that with your beef burger. Fulfilling. Right? This is the right kind of cheat meal.  
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