How to Pair Beer with Food

Thanks to the boom in craft beers, food-beer pairing is now increasingly under the spotlight of haute cuisine. Beer, therefore, is becoming a drink on a par with wine, and there is no longer the cliché of 'pizza and beer'. Indeed, beer now accompanies different types of food with a place in fine dining.

To correctly combine food with beer, it is necessary to know the exact vocabulary of beers, and only by knowing them is it possible to create the perfect pairing.

Not to be confused with the food-beer pairing is cooking with beer. In fact, these are two very different topics: in the first case, the beer becomes the accompanying beverage that enhances the dish, while in the second case it becomes a distinct ingredient.

Food and beer pairing: the advice

Lager

It is a bottom-fermentation beer. Lager has German origins and is found on the market in numerous varieties - light, dark, sweet and bitter lagers. The alcohol content is quite low.

Pairing:

• White meat
• Salads
• Salmon
• Fried fish and vegetables but also meat
• White meat
• Salads
• Pizza
• Spicy dishes

Blonde ale

Ales are fruity, full-bodied beers that vary from light blonde to gold. It is the classic beer to be paired with fish.

Pairing:

• Grilled fish
• Seafood
• Sushi
• Fried chicken
• Sliced
• Salads

Weissbier

Originating in Bavaria, these are wheat beers - unfiltered and top-fermented beers as is often not the case in traditional Bavarian beers. These beers are creamy and slightly sweet, have an opalescent yellow colour and are served with a significant foam head. These are beers to be paired with meat.

Pairing:

• Hot dog
• Mexican food
• Pickles
• Cured meat

IPA

Highly fermented and with an alcohol content ranging from 5.5 to 7.5% Vol, IPA (India Pale Ale) originated in England around 1700. The most modern IPAs, from the USA, are inspired by the British ones, but the taste is totally different. The American ones, created in the 1970s, are derived from a variety of native hops, rich in resin and slightly citrus aromas and are amber-yellow in colour, US IPAs have aromatic nuances that can vary a lot. They are reminiscent of caramel, grapefruit, pine resin, pineapple, mango and lemon. However, all have a long bitter persistence with a strong character. Here are the best food and IPA pairings.

• Tapas
• Chicken
• Nachos
• Sandwiches

Amber ale

Amber ale is considered a red beer, it is obtained through a mixture of mostly dark malts. These beers can be low or high fermentation and their colour varies from copper to amber to dark bronze. What are the food and red beer combinations? Here are the most balanced ones:

• Grilled cheeses
• Pork meat
• Burger

Irish red ale

Like any red beer, this too is a top-fermented beer with an aromatic flavour and character. The best combinations are with:

• Cured meat
• Cheeses
• Grilled meat

Brown ale 

High fermentation beer with aromatic and smoky scents. It is a creamy beer that pairs perfectly with:

• Grilled meats
• Cheeses
• Cakes

Porter

It is a beer from the ale group and is top-fermented. Similar to the stout, porter pairs with:

• Grilled meats
• Oysters
• Cured meat
• Cheeses

Stout

High fermentation dark beer with low carbonisation. Stouts are very creamy beers that pair well with:

• Oysters
• Shellfish
• Sweets
• Meat stews
• Salmon

How to pair food and beer: the infographic: