Beer makes an excellent accompaniment to many different foods. The following beer and food pairing tips can help enhance your overall dining experience:

  • A very general rule is to think of lagers as the beer equivalent to white wine and ales as the red wine equivalent.

  • The best pairings occur when beer is used to either cut, contrast, or complement the dish. For example, a hoppy India Pale Ale cuts through the oiliness of duck or lamb, a malty Märzenbier or Vienna Lager contrasts the heat of a 5-alarm chili, and a rich Imperial Stout nicely complements fudge brownies.

  • Drink light-bodied beers before eating; save fuller bodied beers for dessert or for after the meal.

  • Lighter bodied and colored lagers pair well with delicate fish; malty, amber-colored beers pair well with chicken; hoppy Pale Ales mate well with pork and lamb; dark Porters and Stouts complement hearty beef dishes — especially when grilled.

About This Article

This article is from the book:

About the book authors:

Marty Nachel is a beer educator, an award-winning homebrewer, a BJCP Certified Beer Judge, on the panel of professional beer judges at the Great American Beer Festival, and a former beer evaluator at the Beverage Testing Institute. He is also the founder and administrator of the Ale-Conner Beer Certification Program.

Steve Ettlinger is the author of seven books, most of which are about food and food-related subjects. His most recent is Twinkie, Deconstructed.

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