By Leigh O’Connor.
Forget wine and cheese! The newest food and drink pairing according to The Crazy Bull is beer and cheese.
Australia’s favourite Spaniard, Miguel Maestre, will launch his new beer Rubia exclusively at the GABS Festival in Brisbane from May 23 and Sydney in June.
Bringing the fiesta to the brewery, this top Chef, TV presenter and legend of the kitchen is a massive beer lover and has taken this passion to the next level with his very own brew.
We had the chance to go one-on-one with El Toro Loco as he prepares to take the Aussie beer world by storm:
"I became involved with GABS because it is one of the biggest and funnest beer festivals in the world and showcases great Australian brewers. My new beer Rubia is the first Spanish beer made in Australia and is launching at the festival.
"How exciting! Being amongst the best brewers in the country is quite an honour.”
Maestre Enterprises already has the tastiest smallgoods, cheese and chips according to Miguel, so a beer seemed like a perfect pairing.
"The flavour profile of Rubia has refreshing Valencia orange and the fruitiness of a Mediterranean Pale Ale – this is what is consumed in the South of Spain and I wanted to bring it to all Australians,” Miguel explains.
"It pairs so well with the smokiness of paprika and intensity of saffron in a paella – it’s a match made in heaven. This is what you’d have in a Spanish tapas bar.”
However, it is cheese that this ever-smiling assassin of the kitchen recommends pairing his beer with.
"Most people think of wine when they’re pairing with cheese. My beer goes so well with a nice Manchego.”
At GABS, Miguel will serve Rubia with Spanish jamon-flavoured chips, chorizo hot dogs and empanadas.
"We’re also showcasing our signature chorizo and chicken paella along with our smallgoods which also go great with the beer.”
Speaking of paella, Miguel’s most outrageous creation was cooked in the NT when he used crocodile, buffalo, mud crabs and vegetables – "it was insanely good!”
As for 2025, he will be filming a new series of ‘Luxury Escapes’ and a new show that will air later in the year on Channel 9 called ‘Topknotz’.
Appearances at festivals are also a high priority for this Chef, as he tries to conquer Australian taste buds one mouthful at a time.
We asked Miguel what he thought the biggest food trend was Down Under in 2025. His answer may surprise you:
"Frozen yoghurt! There seems to be a frozen yoghurt shop on every street. My kids Claudia and Morgan and I love going there and adding all of the toppings. South American cuisine is also big at the moment.”
As for something no one knows about him?
"I’m extremely handsome, ha ha! People always ask if I am the same in real life as I am on TV, you only have to ask my wife Sascha, who’s exhausted listening to me.
"My mind goes 1000 miles an hour – I also get asked if my accent is real. Guess what, it is!”
If you want to catch Miguel in action at GABS and taste his Rubia beer, click here to buy tickets.
