Beer isn't just for chugging

When Chipotle Honey met Arrogant Bastard, the union took them to a whole new level.

Arrogant Bastard, normally a bitter fellow from San Diego, became rich and fulfilling. Chipotle Honey, born and bred here in the Valley, went from merely interesting to spicy, explosive and unique. Once together, all who encountered them wanted more -another taste if you will.

But theirs is not a story from a dime store romance novel or Sunday matinee. It is not the tale of two souls transformed by love.

Arrogant Bastard is a beer and Chipotle Honey is a peanut butter.

They taste fine separately but spectacular when paired together. And a new McAllen restaurant has launched an awareness campaign. Roosevelt's at 7, an eatery and alehouse located in McAllen's arts district, aims to teach patrons the value of mixing great ale with quality cuisine. It marks a first for a Valley restaurant scene long devoid of craft beers.

On a recent weekday afternoon, owner Alex Macias explained the finer points of pairing beer with food.

"What it's doing is exploding the taste of the beer," Macias said. "It's about getting all the flavor and enjoying the beer."

Craft beer pairing has long existed. The Valley, however, has not had it, lacking a diverse selection of craft beers. Roosevelt's has changed that, and the owners plan to offer beer and food education classes.

A pair of other Valley restaurants also offers craft beers. BJ's Restaurant and Brewhouse in McAllen and Padre Island Brewing Co. in South Padre Island join Roosevelt's in the craft beer game. BJ's, a Santa Ana, Calif.-based chain restaurant, lacks the international lineup of beers, but the restaurant brews its own ales and lagers in the style of many European countries.

BJ's occasionally offers beer tasting education classes in its restaurants. The Padre Island Brewing Co. also brews its own beer, and the restaurant offers a sample try of its concotions.

For now, anyone can jump into the complex world of beer pairing. For $7.95, Roosevelt's offers a tray of exotic peanut butters with samples of craft beers. The selection comes with six beer samples, roughly equivalent to a pint. It also comes with a print out of beer pairing information, and a selection of three peanut butters. Roosevelt's makes the peanut butters from scratch, rotating the flavors every few weeks.

Currently, the alehouse offers almond butter, chipotle honey and cashew butter. The kitchen has tinkered with curry, white chocolate and other exotic butters. And all these flavors taste fine, made with high quality ingredients. They really shine when paired with one of Roosevelt's more than 35 beers on tap.

The beer pairing extends past peanut butter. Macias, a software engineer by trade, learned of craft beers and exotic tastes while traveling the world on business. He toys with culinary experiments in his spare time. After Roosevelt's opened, Macias and his other business partners hired a seasoned kitchen veteran to tie it all together.

Guy Hatley helped open Fresco, a once popular north McAllen Italian joint, and he manned the kitchen at a T.G.I. Friday's for years. Now he runs the food duties at Roosevelt's. Here's a sample of what the establishment offers.

>>> Roosevelt's at 7 821 N. Main St., McAllen | (956) 928-1994 | Hours: Open for lunch daily from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Kitchen remains open until 2 a.m. closing time.  

>>> BJ's Restaurant and Brewhouse 3200 Expressway 83, McAllen | (956) 687-2005 | Hours: 11 a.m. to 12 a.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday. 

>>> Padre Island Brewing Co. 3400 Padre Boulevard, South Padre Island | (956) 761-9585 Hours: Open daily from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., depending on business may stay open later.

Zack Quaintance covers features and entertainment for The Monitor. You can reach him at (956) 683-4447.