Choosing a beer as a complement to food is delightful
There is an underground culinary movement in North America. Like all underground movements it is a fight against convention: this time against the overdone wine and food pairing. Beer and food when done right are two extraordinary forces that come together in one lethally delicious combination and some respected chefs are starting to buck the grape-juice-and-food trend in their kitchens.
First you have to be able to get past preconceived notions of beer and focus on the qualities that make it better than wine for food pairing. Besides offering more than 78 styles a cornucopia of new flavours for most beer has carbonation which can tackle the job of cleansing the palate between bites. This is something wine can’t manage especially with fatty or cream-based foods. A good beer and food pairing will make the meal taste better while showing a side of the beer you wouldn’t see particularly with some beers if you drink them on their own.
For example smoked beer — or German rauchbier — is often an inaccessible style for most beer drinkers. But incorporate it into a barbeque sauce for beef and then serve the finished product with the beer itself: The result is magic.
Although this may contradict historic notions beer is much easier to pair with food than wine. Beer can be incorporated into all five courses of any fine meal even with spicy food and desserts. With spicy and sweet most sommeliers begin to struggle given that these are difficult combinations to determine with wine. The added bonus with a five-course meal is that five bottles of good beer could be less expensive than one bottle of wine.
Although drinking different beers with food is a great place to start it’s only the start of this journey. Don’t just drink beer with food; welcome it into your kitchen. Cook with it use it as a marinade make a sauce with it and use it to make a cake ice cream or a mousse. Experience the abundance of flavours beer has to offer — from sour to sweet smoky to bitter.
Try to find a beer with flavours that match the food you will be serving. For beer and food beginners: Parallel the old-school wine thoughts for new-school beer thoughts. With red meat choose a darker beer to pick up the caramelized flavours and lighter-coloured beers for poultries and seafood dishes.
Of course you shouldn’t be restricted by strict rules. Instead be guided by an understanding of how your taste and flavours work. Experimentation is key — always be willing to try new things and find a trustworthy liquor store where the staff loves to cook teach and eat.
There are several good liquor stores around town where the staff will gladly help you with combinations. I was at one of my favourites recently when one of the wine staff was asked what wines pair with Indian food. He just walked them over to the beer wall and suggested some beers resulting in some confused looks from the customer.
For those wanting to learn more about beer and food pairings for home cooking Draft magazine has one of the world’s foremost experts writing for them Sean Paxton. Check out his website at homebrewchef.com .
For those wanting to experience places locally that put a lot of thought into their beer lists and pairings here are some of my favourites: Bottlescrew Bill’s Buzzards Charcut Divino The District Farm 1410 Bier House and 1600 World Bier Haus. The movement may be underground now but it won’t be staying there for long.
