Beer + Food

[malarkey]

QUOTE (Bux @ May 18 2004, 07:08 AM)

Any thoughts about beer connoisseurs and their relationship to what they eat? Are there really fine restaurants with great beer lists? Actually, you should just feel free to expound on any aspect of the the title combination--beer & food.

Here in the PNW, its not at all uncommon to see a pretty decent beer list at the higher end restaurants. Craft beers have had a presence here since the early 80's. There is a culture of beer drinkers here that restauranteurs have recognized and attempt to provide for.

Likewise, you can go into the skankiest of shacks here and usually find a micro on tap. Might be old as shit Redhook, but hey

I've also noticed that most hardcore beerdrinkers (such as the current Q & A kids) don't "do" wine. How many people are into both? Surely I'm not that much of a rarity.

And here's another thing about Beer & Food: I can't do beer after a large meal. I can do dessert wine, or a port (especially if its Prager Aria that stuff is like a drug) till the cows come home, but I just can't do beer after a meal.

Foods that go with beer: Spicy foods (thai, indian, mex, szechuan), German food (bockwurst & mustard YES)

Foods that demand wine: French, Italian, (ok, so I spose pizza and beer is an exception) Spanish... now this is a toss up. Personally I'd probably be having fino sherry if were having tapas in San Sebastian. so, wine but I can see beer going with this. Anything "haute", or elaborately prepared, no matter the ethnicity, wine, definitely.

Edited May 19, 2004 by malarkey (log)

[john b]

Depending on my mood and the company, I can drink beer (Hefeweizen) or wine (usually Riesling) with Szechuan.

With BBQ it's beer. With French/Italian, I wouldn't even think of beer. With steaks, usually wine but I also like something like Victory lager with steak, too.

[Susan in FL]

I am a hardcore beer drinker (hophead, mostly) and I "do" wine also, so count me in among those who are into both. We are probably more wine drinkers than beer drinkers, but often pair beer with food. As for AFTER dinner, if it's beer it's barleywine... that is often what we choose to go with dessert. Otherwise, it's Port or dessert wine or a good red wine with fine dark chocolate.

[malarkey]

With BBQ it's beer.

oh yeah, I left that one out

also: cheeseburger & fries = definitely beer.

[Rich Pawlak]

Depending on my mood and the company, I can drink beer (Hefeweizen) or wine (usually Riesling) with Szechuan.

With BBQ it's beer. With French/Italian, I wouldn't even think of beer. With steaks, usually wine but I also like something like Victory lager with steak, too.

I disagree about beer with Italian food; I have found that beers like (believe it or not) Tsing Tsao, Yuengling Light and Rolling Rock pair superbly with red sauce Italian and pizza, while beers like Pilsner Urquell, Victory Pils and New Belgium Blue Paddle go very well with Northern Italian.

[john b]

Depending on my mood and the company, I can drink beer (Hefeweizen) or wine (usually Riesling) with Szechuan.

With BBQ it's beer.  With French/Italian, I wouldn't even think of beer.  With steaks, usually wine but I also like something like Victory lager with steak, too.

I disagree about beer with Italian food; I have found that beers like (believe it or not) Tsing Tsao, Yuengling Light and Rolling Rock pair superbly with red sauce Italian and pizza, while beers like Pilsner Urquell, Victory Pils and New Belgium Blue Paddle go very well with Northern Italian.

I can see a hoppy beer working with something in a cream sauce, such as fetuccini Alfredo, or with risotto. The hops in beer have the same palate cleansing effect as acid in wine.

[RagallachMC]

I'm both a Hop-Head and a Wino, and enjoy pairing both with food.

Last year I wrote a menu for a 6 course beer dinner. It went over very well. My favorite:

Littleneck clams in Trappist ale broth, pomme frites, and Pommery mustard aioli. Served with Chimay.

[malarkey]

Wow. Mind sharing the whole menu with us??

[theakston]

Beer has such an enormous range of flavours that it can go with just about everything. I've been to some of these tasting / paired dinners and some of the pairings have been awesome. I particularly enjoyed a Belgian Brown Ale or Abbey Dubbel - Val Dieu Brune with Hangar Steak & Frites at Les Halles recently (remember that classic brasserie food was originally designed with beer in mind as brasseries were brew pubs). I find, however, that I prefer red wine with pizza. The tomato / beer thing doesn't work for me.

[sylunt1]

I wrote an article on this very subject... (which has been republished on other sites)...

Pairing Beer with Food

Just thought I'd add that :)