Beer and Food

[IPAfanatic]

I'm a relatively new fan of "good" beer and I was kind of surprised when I saw notes about what foods go with certain beers. It makes sense that certain foods would bring out the flavors in beer, however, I'm not sure which beers go with what kind of food. If anyone could give me a general idea that would be great! Thanks.

[studentofbeer]

wow, that's a big question. the concept of beer with food is slowly becoming my new obsession as i am starting to enjoy cooking and pairing meals more and more.

ive really been meaning to start a good discussion on Garrett Oliver's Brewmaster's Table (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/006000570X/qid=1083033387/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl14/102-4343870-1180156?v=glance&s=books&n=507846), because that is really the best starting place for this information IMO. It's an interesting and well written book that will really open up your eyes to the tastes and aromas of both beer and food and make you have a lot more fun with both. Oliver maintains throughout the book that beer is a better match for most foods than wine, despite wine's notoriety in the area. He also promises at the beginning of the book that it will "change your life in small but important ways" and he really isn't lying. So that is definitely worth a look.

I found a guide from the association of brewers (http://www.beertown.org/education/pairing.html) that has some info that might be helpful getting started.

More basically when I try to think about a pairing i try to think about the flavors and aromas of a dish and match that to a beer. I'm probably not going to have a bock with spicy thai food (maybe an IPA, saison or pale ale would be better?) but that bock would sure as hell go well with some good sausage. An English ESB might make an excellent choice with a steak, a brown ale does wonders for blackened or grilled meat, barlywines can stand up to stilton and other stinky cheeses and imperial stouts make great dessert drinks.

I try to find a beer that won't overpower or fall flat with my food (barbecued ribs lathered in sauce would totally overpower a good pilsner so a porter, stout or brown ale might do better, but those beers would knock all the taste out of my fresh green salad or light-flavored fish, where a pilsner could really shine), and shares some of the general characteristics of what im eating (is my food more earthy flavors like mushrooms or bright and tangy like lime?)

im no expert but im starting to experiment and that's probably the best thing you can do. id love to hear what others think. me, im re-reading Oliver's book and brushing up on my cooking skills.

[IPAfanatic]

Thanks student! That was pretty much exactly the kind of information I needed to know. It seems I now have a new "hobby". The more time I'm spending on this message board, the more completely obsessed with beer I'm becoming!

Thanks again!

[chazwicke]

Beer and food are two of the most pleasurable things in life. To have them together is wonderful. I recommend Olivers book too and also just try experimenting. One good way to try different pairings is to visit different ethnic restraunts and drink the beers that are their local beers. Indian beers with indian foods and such. There is another thread somewhere here that talks about ethnic foods and beers.

[MeridianFC]

Studentofbeer's post is an excellent starting point, as is the Oliver book. But don't be afraid to experiment and find what works for you. Sometimes pairings that might not follow the convential wisdom can be very rewarding. A personal favorite of mine is Saison Dupont and a burger & fries (from Angles btw) of a Tuesday night.

[davesarman]

IPA, since you are from the Mpls. area, I would also suggest going to Townhall Brewpub for a meal or two. They do an excellent job of pairing their beer with foods and many of the menu items are made with their beer. Their wait staff is beer/food savvy as well, so they can also make suggestions for you. I have a few cookbooks about cooking with beer that have been helpful. I would recommend picking one up as well. Good luck and welcome to the madness!!! :p

[marksalehouse]

You could do worse than check out the books and recipes from Sue Novak - staff writer for the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA).

More info at www.camra.org.uk

Mark