Are you looking to make a big splash with your next meal? Knowing which beer to pair with different food is a key skill for home cooks and professionals alike.
Choosing the wrong beer and food pairings can drown out subtle flavors in your dish. It very well may ruin the hours you spent in the kitchen.
Knowing which is the best beer for a meal brings out these flavors. It can even turn everyday food into a taste sensation.
Whether you want to make a homebrew or just understand what should or shouldn’t be served with an IPA, you can’t be without this guide. Want to instantly improve your meals?
Beer and Food Pairings: Meats
If you are eating white meats such as Chicken or fish, you need a beer with a delicate taste. The best mealtime beer for these types of meals is a fruity beer.
A particularly good type is the Belgian beer known as Lambic. These can be fermented with raspberries to create a framboise, which is light, refreshing, and understated.
When it comes to red meats or barbecue, you need something more robust. A porter is a beer to go for here, with its dark and smoky taste complementing the meat’s umami.
Beer and Food Pairings: Cheese
The next time someone suggests having a cheese and wine evening, head them off at the pass. As far as beer and food pairings go, cheese is hard to beat.
Strong hard cheeses, like a ripe Cheddar or Manchego, should be paired with dark lager. These help to bring out the salty, rich flavors of the cheese without muting them.
If it’s a soft cheese, like brie, we’d recommend a Saison. These beers are earthy, with a taste that’s somewhat floral and reminiscent of hay. These types of cheese already have an earthiness to them, which a Saison complements.
Blue cheese should be eaten with an IPA. Their pungent taste and creamy texture go well with the tartness of a good IPA. It stops the pungency from being too overwhelming and can cleanse the palate between bites.
Beer and Food Pairings: Greasy Foods
Hey, we’re not judging you here. Greasy food and beer go together like peanut butter and chocolate. Those cravings have been scientifically proven.
Next time you’re eating a pizza, Chinese food, or bacon, grab a pilsner. Pilsner is crisp and clean, cutting straight through the grease of the food. Their lightness also works against all that heavy food you’re eating, stopping you from feeling too bloated.
Beer and Food Pairings: Fruit and Salads
When you’re eating these light foods, you want something that’s light to complement it. That’s why the best beer for a meal of salad or fruit is wheat beer.
Think of a German Weissbier. These are crisp and light but with a tang that enlivens any dish.
Ready to Get Started?
Now you know which beer and food pairings work best. Do you know what’s even better than matching store-bought beer with homemade foods? Matching homebrew beer with homemade foods.
If you’re ready to take your beer to the next level, take a look at our store and find a homebrew kit for you!
