Long gone are the days when cheap PBR was an acceptable drink of choice. If you've got a passion for the best local brews, then you might want to learn about how to elevate your next drink with beer pairing. Whether you're looking for something to complement a savory dish or a brew that will cut the spice off your next meal, it's essential to learn how to correctly pair your beer with food.
The Basics of Beer Pairing
Most people know about wine pairing, but beer pairing is just as important. If you want to flood your pallet with complex flavors to bring out the best in your meal, then it's worth the effort to know how to pair beer effectively. There are a few ways you can master pairing beer, such as using complementary flavors, contrasting flavors, and cleansing flavors.
Pair With Complementary Flavors
Pairing beer with complementary flavors is the easiest way to master this skill. After all, it's easy to match the flavor of your food with the underlying flavor of your beer. The goal of pairing beer with complementary flavors is to bring out the flavors of both the food and the beer you are consuming. For example, you can pair light beers with light dishes to enjoy milder flavors.
Pair With Contrasting Flavors
You can also pair beer with contrasting flavors. This skill is a bit more daring, since the contrasting flavors of your food and drink should be different, yet also match enough for a delicious experience. The goal of this pairing skill is to offer a slight flavor contrast without overwhelming your palate, since this could make both your food and beer taste less-than-stellar.
For example, it's a good idea to pair spicy dishes with slightly sweet beers, particularly if you want to cut some of the spice you taste in your meal. You can also contrast the chocolate flavor in a stout with salty fish. If you stick with the salt-and-sweet or sweet-and-sour combination, then you'll be able to pair beers and foods with contrasting flavors easily.
Pair to Cleanse Flavor
Finally, you can pair beer to cleanse your pallet. This is a more advanced skill, but anyone dedicated to appreciating excellent brews can learn how to do this with some practice. The goal of cleansing your palate with beer is to wash away some heavy flavors from
your food.
If you're eating very oily food or very spiced food, you can use light beers or bitter beers to cut through these strong flavors. In a way, cleansing your palate with beer is a more advanced version of pairing your beer with contrasting flavors. And remember that the temperature of the beer can also help you cleanse your palate more effectively.
Breaking Down Flavor Profiles
When you decide to start pairing your beer with your food, it's important to understand the different flavor profiles you can encounter from your brew selection. Beers are made in a variety of interesting flavors, especially local microbrews that are often more complex than larger name brands. Here are a few of the most common flavor profiles you will encounter in a beer.
Dark
Dark brews can refer to both the color and overall taste of the beer. Dark beers usually have a richer flavor. The nutty taste of a dark beer is often compared to coffee or chocolate, so although dark beers are smooth, they can also be slightly bitter.
Light
Light beers tend to have lighter flavors. Low in bitterness and alcohol, light beers are made with fewer hops and have a crisper flavor that is more mellow on the palate. Light beers are exceptionally popular, particularly for those who are looking for a more refreshing drink.
Bitter
Many beers are bitter, but the degree of bitterness in each brew will vary based on how long the malt grain has been roasted. There are a couple of ways you can detect bitterness in beer, such as opting for darker brews. However, the easiest way to determine the bitterness of a beer is to look at the IBU number on the label. When the IBU number is high, the beer will be very bitter.
Hops
Hops are a flavor that adds more complicated notes to the beer. For example, hops can create a bitter flavor when they are added early in the brewing process, while adding hops later in the brewing process can create a floral or fruity flavor profile for the brew.
Malt
Malt beers are typically medium to dark brews that have a nutty, sweet, or caramel flavor. Malt beers are made with barley that is roasted before it is added to a brew. Because malt beers are often sweeter than other beers, the flavor tends to be less bitter.
Common Brews and Beer Pairing
Now that you understand the common flavor profiles you will encounter in beer, it's time to break down the most common brews and the foods that can be paired with them. From IPAs to stouts, here are a few guidelines for how to successfully pair your beer.
Light Lagers
Light lagers are refreshing and crisp. As a lighter beer, these brews are not heavy on bitterness or hoppiness. Generally, you can pair a light lager with spicy dishes for a contrasting flavor, or with lighter dishes such as salads for a complementary flavor.
IPAs
IPAs are popular craft beers that focus on the bitterness of the flavor profile. While IPAs can be herby or have a citrus taste, these medium brews tend to pair well with most dishes. In particular, you can pair an IPA with a savory dish or red meat that has a kick of spice.
Wheat Beers
Wheat beers tend to be light and smooth with a fruitier flavor. Because these beers are light, they also tend to be more versatile and can be easily paired with very spicy meat, fruit, and even pastries.
Amber Ales
Amber ales have caramel flavors that are dry and crisp. Typically, people will use amber ales as a palate cleanser, which is why these brews are often paired with flavorful dishes such as jerk chicken or pizza.
Brown Ales
Brown ales are dark with a bitter and hoppy flavor profile. Because brown ales do not have complicated flavors, they can be paired with a variety of dishes, including barbecued meat and fish, both raw and cooked.
Dark Lagers
Dark lagers have a deeper, nuttier flavor because of roasted malts used to craft the beers. In general, dark lagers are best paired with oily or meaty dishes, such as German sausage.
Porters
Porters tend to be rich and dark, with coffee and chocolate flavor profiles. Because porters are so bold, they are best paired with foods that contrast their flavor. For example, roasted meat and game such as rabbit or venison are good options.
Stouts
Stouts are the darkest brew you will encounter. Similar to porters, stouts have a dark chocolate and coffee flavor profile. Stouts are best when they are paired with complementary flavors, such as chocolate mousse or other pastries.
Successfully pairing your beer with your food can create a unique dining experience. The guidelines of beer pairing make it easy to complementary or contrasting flavors for your meal. If you're ready to put what you've learned about beer pairing to the test, stop by Lowercase Brewing to check out the specialty brews on tap today.
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