(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service)
Some food-beer pairings simply don't work well: Delicately flavored dishes are likely to be overpowered by strongly flavored ales--so avoid heavily hopped ales such as India Pale Ale, or the hoppier imported lagers, such as Pilsener Urquell.
The American brewing scene has exploded in recent years, as craft brewers have learned to recreate the classic European beer styles. Although this article highlights the European originals, the suggestions about pairing food and wine apply equally well to their American counterparts.
With entrees of poultry or pork, mildly seasoned or sauced: Unless the sauce or seasoning is spicy, these mild meats go well with mildly hopped beers, such as Hacker-Pschorr Oktoberfest. Schell's Oktoberfest would also work well, as would many of the domestically produced Munich-and Vienna style lagers.
With fish and seafood: Some experts recommend the highly hopped pilseners, but the delicate flavors of fish and seafood also pair well with light, delicately aromatic Belgian blond ales, such as Duvel, or one of the pale Trappist ales from Belgium or Holland. American options include Hennepin and Ommegang Ales from Brewery Ommegang in Cooperstown, N.Y. and the Belgian-style beers brewed by the New Belgium Brewing Company of Fort. Collins, Colo.
With steaks, burgers and other red meats: English pale ales have a hoppy , aromatic bitterness that can balance the richness of hearty beef dishes. Bass Pale Ale and Summit Pale Ale are classic examples.
With salads: If the salad is made with a vinaigrette or other acidic dressing, try a beer that has a complementary acidity, such as the distinctively sour Rodenbach Grand Cru. With bratwurst, hot dogs, hams, and other high-fat or salty foods: German beers are the natural companions to ham and sausage--especially the maltier lagers such as bock beer. With smoked sausage, try a smoked beer, such as Aecht Schenkerla Rauchbier from Bavaria.
With barbecue: Sweet, tangy barbecue sauces pair best with dark ales that have a bit of sweetness, such as Newcastle Brown Ale, but dark lagers also work well.
With extremely spicy foods, such as Thai and Szechuan: Either a hoppy lager with a lot of flavor, such as Pilsener Urquell or Singha, or else light-bodied beers that can be quaffed in quantity, such as a well-chilled American lager or a Belgian or German white beer. A hoppy ale is the perfect match for curry, says Bill Burdick, owner and brewmaster at Sherlock's Home Restaurant, Pub and Brewery in Minnetonka: "The intensity of the flavors cries out for an ale with tang and intensity."
With desserts: Extremely bitter beers tend to clash with sweet desserts; the best choices are beers that have hints of sweetness or fruitiness, such as a Belgian cherry, raspberry or peach lambic. With chocolate desserts, try a creamy stout, such as Young's Double Chocolate Stout, made with dark-roasted "chocolate" malt, and real chocolate.
Resources New Belgium's Beer
assortment of locally-brewed beers
New Belgium Brewing Company
500 Linden Street
Fort Collins, CO 80524
Phone: 970-221-0524
Toll-free: 888-622-4044
Fax: 970-221-0535
E-mail:
nbb@newbelgium.com
Website:
www.newbelgium.com
Page's Beer
assortment of locally-brewed beers
James Page Brewing Co.
1300 Quincy Street NE
Minneapolis, MN 55413
Phone: 612-378-0771
Fax: 612-378-0781
E-mail:
jamespage@pagebrewing.com
Website:
www.pagebrewing.com
Ommegang's Beer
assortment of locally-brewed beer
Brewery Ommegang
656 County Highway 33
Cooperstown, NY 13326-9248
Phone: 607-547-8184
Toll-free: 800-656-1212
E-mail:
info@belgianexperts.com
Website:
ommegang.com/Ommegang/
Sherlock's Home Restaurant, Pub & Brewery
Sherlock's Home Restaurant, Pub & Brewery
11000 Red Circle Drive
Hopkins, MN 55343
Phone: 612-931-0203
