Beer: Finding its Place at the Table

Did you think beer only went with hot dogs, burgers and pizza? Think again. These days you’ll find beer paired with everything from oysters to crème brulee. And with so many styles of beer on the market today, there are a large array of flavors, aromas and textures that exist for finding a good match for your meal. Many of the craft brewers in the United States have made an effort to promote the connection between food and beer and to promote beer as a drink that can hold its own with even the most elegant of meals. At some restaurants these days you’ll even find a beer sommelier to help you find the best beer for your meal.

If you find that you are more versed in food and wine pairing, it may be helpful to think of an ale as a red wine and a lager as a white wine. Using the same principals of wine and food pairing, you should be able to navigate through the world of beer and food pairing. And don’t forget the number one rule – when all else fails, always eat and drink what you like! We’ve provided some recommended pairings for several common types of beer.

Wheat Ale – this smooth, clean-tasting style of beer pairs really well with spicy foods because it lacks strong malt or hop flavors, making it more of a thirst-quenching type of beer. It is also a great beer to have at the start of a meal with appetizers or a salad.

Pilsner – this light-bodied, mild beer is a great pairing for fish. It’s simple, refreshing flavor also make it a good match for spicier Mexican and Indian foods.

Pale Ale - a beer with strong hop flavors. Pair with hearty dishes that can hold their own against the beer. Pale Ale pairs best with strong cheeses, lamb, hearty stews and steak.

Amber Ale – a very versatile beer for pairing with food. Just keep it away from anything sweet as the sweetness gets in the way of the malt flavor of the beer. Amber Ale is great with pizza, BBQ and Mexican food.

What about dessert? Beer is a great pairing with dessert and probably easier to pair than wine. You want to find a rich, full-bodied beer that can balance the sweetness of the dessert. For chocolate, go with a dark beer like a rich Belgian ale. For sweeter desserts like crème brulee, go with a beer with lots of hop flavor like a Pale Ale.

Written by Linzi