beer and food pairing tips

BEER PAIRING TIPS FOR THE HOLIDAYS, AND YEAR-ROUND

Whether you're sitting down for a traditional family dinner, preparing an elaborate appetizer spread, or gathering with friends for an amazing bottle share this holiday season, there are a few basic tips you can use to pair your foods with beer that will compliment and enhance any experience! Here are some suggestions to help you wow your guests with your pairing prowess! 1) MATCH INTENSITY A mismatch in intensity is one of the quickest ways to detract from your food or your beer, by having one overwhelm the other. The more intense or subtle the flavours of the food, the more intense or subtle the beer needs to be. 2) START WITH WHAT WORKS In cooking or wine pairing, people often talk about classic flavour or style combinations, and beer pairing is no different.  Try pairing a Pale Ale with Cheddar Cheese, or a German Wheat Ale with Bratwurst. Be creative and see how you can create some great dishes that incorporate some tried-and-true suggestions. 3) SOME FOODS AND BEERS ARE MORE FLEXIBLE AND FORGIVING Beer and fried food are pub staples for a reason, so why mess with a good thing? The greasy decadence of fried food just begs to be paired with the refreshing carbonation of beer, and there are more than a handful of styles that will do the trick.  The light complexity of Saisons makes them an amazing counterpart for a wide variety of foods, from first to last course. 4) ALAS, SOME FOODS AND BEERS ARE MORE DIFFICULT TO PAIR In contrast to the suggestions above, there are certain types of food and beer that will be challenging no matter how long you've been doing it, such as Tomatoes or Imperial style beers.  Either save them for a later date when you feel more comfortable in your pairing abilities, or go in with an open mind and a few friends to bounce ideas off of! Which leads us to our next point... 5) BE OPEN MINDED AND TRY THINGS Sit down and try the foods and beers that you're considering pairing!  It can be helpful to gather a variety of ingredients to test different flavours against different beers. Try starting with the beers you'd like to serve, and testing them against a wide variety of ingredients, sauces, herbs and spices.  Create your dishes based on the combinations that appealed to you most.  If you've got a special bottle that you're saving for the occasion, try using a similar style for reference. Alternatively, prepare small samples of the food you plan to serve, and taste it alongside a few beers you thing may work well.   Be open minded and try your beers and dishes with some "wildcards" as well!  You'll be surprised by what does and doesn't work.  It's hard work, but someone's gotta do it...   HAM, TURKEY, PIE, FRUITCAKE... WHAT SHOULD YOU PAIR? BierCraft Owner, Don Farion, put together a list of his favourite holiday beer pairings, including suggestions for great local Craft Beers to try. From Turkey to Fruitcake, North Van to New Westminster, he's got you covered! CHECK OUT HIS LIST   ONLY 3 MORE DAYS TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OUR HOLIDAY GIFT CARD SPECIAL! HURRY UP! - Happy Holidays from the BierCraft Team