Beer-Food Pairings from the Brewers Association

[Rich Pawlak]

The Brewers Association has just produced a pretty comprehensive list of Beer and Food Pairings the kind of thing I always enjoy reading, but frustratingly, it's a tad incomplete. Hell, it's more than a tad incomplete.

Now this list has a lot of the usual suspects (and an inordinate amount of barbecue pairings), and I would imagine that it serves a beer novice pretty well. It also has a nice column devoted to just cheese pairings. But it still seems incomplete somehow. Maybe I'm just expecting too much.

It's missing a few beer styles (Saison, anyone? Or is it just classified in a way that I don't understand?), and some terrific, obvious food pairings, some of which I've written about previously here, and on my blog, The Omnivore.

If you know me only slightly well, you know I live for beer and food pairings. It's an almost endless labor of love for me.

Did they leave off any of your favorite beer-food pairings? Let 'em fly here.Don't hold back.

Edited March 29, 2010 by Rich Pawlak (log)

[sheepish]

I'm usually very much a wine man, but I really like the idea of matching beers and other drinks with food. Hey, even non-alcoholic drinks! :-)

I have found some pairing suggestions before. See http://www.camra.org.uk/page.aspx?o=181004. My big problem was matching the styles to bottles on the shelf. If I go out looking for a "floral-hopped bitter" or "nutty, malty ale" there's nothing on the bottle that matches those descriptions.

The picture is a bit rubbish, but the best combination I've found is a Belgian fruit beer, this was a Bacchus Frambozenbier, and a caramelised red onion and fennel tarte tatin. This is good enough to serve as part of a smart dinner party, and I like throwing in a beer match for some added interest.

The recipe and beer suggestion were from Michel Roux Jr's "Matching Food and Wine" http://www.amazon.co.uk/Matching-Food-Wine-Classic-Combinations/dp/0297843796/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1269936702&sr=8-1 which does contain a few beer suggestions too.

I look forward to seeing any dinner party friendly combinations people may have. I had a look on your blog but I couldn't find a lot on the subject. Can you direct me to anything you've written?

Thanks

Rob

[Rich Pawlak]

A little while back, I compiled this list of beer-food pairings on my blog:

http://theomnivorenow.blogspot.com/2008/12/beer-and-food-pairings.html

I hope it can be helpful, or better yet, inspirational.