Beer and Food Pairing
As the summer winds to a close, it’s time to adjust our beer drinking patterns. Throwing some burgers on the grill and sipping a smooth pale ale just won’t cut it in the fall. Here are some food and beer combinations that will:
Porter
A dark style originating in England, made from brown malt
Suggested Foods:
- Blackened fish
- Barbeque
- Roasted meat, sausage
- Sweets like peanut butter, chocolate frosting
Beer Recommendations:
- Captain Lawrence Smoked Porter (Elmsford, NY)
- Stone Brewing Co Smoked Porter (Vista, CA)
- Sierra Nevada Brewing Co Porter (Chico, CA)
- Deschutes Black Butte Porter (Bend, OR)
Sweet Stout
A dark beer with more unfermented sugars, giving it a residual sweet character
Suggested Foods:
- Spicy foods like Mole
- Szechuan Chinese foods
- Rich, hearty beef
- Desserts like espresso cake, cream puffs
Beer Recommendations:
- Cigar City Moat Water (Tampa, FL)
- Firestone Walker Velvet Merlin (Paso Robbles, CA)
- Rogue Chocolate Stout (Newport, OR)
- Lost Coast 8 Ball Stout (Eureka, CA)
Hefeweizen
A German style of wheat beer, unfiltered, which gives it a cloudy appearance
Suggested Foods:
- Sushi, light seafood
- Salads with light dressing
- Weisswurst (traditional Bavarian sausage)
- Desserts like key lime pie, strawberry shortcake
Beer Recommendations:
- Weihenstephaner Hefe Weissbier (Freising, Germany)
- Live Oak HefeWeizen (Austin, TX)
- New Glarus Brewing Co Dancing Man Wheat (New Glarus, WI)
- Mother Earth Brewing Sunny Haze (Kinston, NC)
Amber/Red Ale
Lighter style of beer with primarily a redder hue, balanced and malt-focused
Suggested Foods:
- Chicken
- Seafood
- Spicy cuisines
- Desserts like pound cake, pecan cookies
Beer Recommendations:
- New Belgium Red Hoptober (Ft Collins, CO)
- Green Flash Hop Head Red Ale (San Diego, CA)
- Bell’s Amber Ale (Kalamazoo, MI)
- Full Sail Amber (Hood River, OR)
Imperial/Double IPA
Stronger, very hoppy versions of IPAs that have higher alcohol contents
Suggested Foods:
- Smoked beef
- Lamb
- Southern-fried meats
- Very sweet desserts like cheesecake, Crème brûlée
Beer Recommendations:
- Russian River Pliny the Elder (Santa Rosa, CA)
- Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA (Milton, DE)
- Lagunitas Hop Stoopid (Petaluma, CA)
- Great Lakes Brewing Co Chillwave Double IPA (Cleveland, OH)