In the early days of my journey into a career in beer, I took a class centered around beer and food pairings. It was an eye-opening experience – one that led me to become a Level 2 Certified Cicerone®. Simply put, I drink, and I know things.
Beer is dynamic, offering a broad range of styles and flavors. It’s also bubbly, and carbonation can help clean the palate between bites. Want to wow friends with a few home runs at your next cookout or gathering? Keep reading for a few tips – with a local twist.
COOKOUT
Fire up those grills and ice down your cooler – it’s time for a cookout. A helpful hint to remember is matching strengths with strengths. Grilled meats like burgers, steak, and ribs are rich and savory. Sure, a light lager works here, but take your pairing to the next level with a little more malt backbone. Think amber, red ale, or dark lager. These are more robust, offering sweetness and complexity to enhance all those flavors from the grill.
For this one, grab a six-pack of Monolithic Memories, a Czech dark lager from First State Brewing Company. It doesn’t disappoint.
SEAFOOD
Let’s talk about seafood – you’re at the beach, after all. Generally speaking, seafood has more delicate flavors, so we don’t want to overwhelm them. The ultimate beer to pair with your seafood dish is SeaQuench, a slightly sour ale from my friends over at Dogfish Head.
This one is light and refreshing, with a touch of salt and lime. SeaQuench works with lobster, crabs, mussels, oysters, scallops, sushi – really, all kinds of fish dishes. It has sea in the name, so it only makes sense.
DESSERT
Dessert is a fun one, with flavors and styles as diverse as those in the beer world. You’ll want to consider the contents of your dessert and think about matching it with your beer.
Sunset Eclipse, a stout from the folks at Dewey Beer Co., works beautifully with a decadent chocolate cake, brownie, or even simple vanilla ice cream. Root beer float minus the root, anyone?
EVERYTHING ELSE
This column could go on and on with specific dishes and recommendations, but I’ll wrap up with a personal favorite. I’m a sucker for pepperoni and mushroom pizza.
If you’re like me, you’ll want to pair it with a cold, clear IPA – and that means cracking open a Hammerhead from Big Oyster Brewery. Hammerhead’s hoppy goodness cuts through the grease and makes the pepperoni pop.
Give it a try. Your taste buds will thank you (and me) for it.
