Have you ever had a delicious meal and a delicious drink, but when consumed together wasn’t so tasty after all? Was the meal overcome by the flavors of your drink? Or vice versa? Nothing is worse than not being able to enjoy your meal or drink properly because you ordered the wrong counterpart. If you haven’t really noticed, then it’s time to start paying attention. Food consumed with the wrong beer can actually change your perception of its flavor. However, the right beer/food paring actually enables you to complement flavors with each other to produce an amplified taste. We call this being strategic. So with that being said, we want to provide you with a guide that will help you extract the best flavors out of your meals. Welcome to this season’s food and beer paring: Autumn Edition.
First things first, let’s state a general rule of thumb. Typically, lighter colored beers go with lighter colored meat. The same works the other way around. Darker colored beers go with darker colored meat. Pay attention to the pairings and you’ll start to notice this reoccurring theme. Now, it’s time to dive in!
Butternut Squash Soup
This popular Autumn soup is typically prepared sweet and lightly spicy. To properly match a beer with this dish, you’ll want a flavorful Ale with a bitter taste to provide a perfect balance to the dish. An India Pale Ale works nicely to complement the herbs in the soup while not overpowering the flavor.
Roasted Chicken
Following the rule of having light colored beers with light colored meat, the best choice of craft beer to pair with roasted chicken would obviously be a lighter drink. Both Golden Lagers and Blondes would prove to be an excellent choice. Their crisp and sweet characteristics combine wonderfully with the roasted chicken, while emphasizing its hints of lathered seasoning.
Bratwursts
Bratwursts, a staple of the Oktoberfest community, complement beer perfectly. To capture the mouthwatering flavors that are brought about through pairing the right beer with bratwursts, you’ll want to go with either a German-Style Helles or a Cream Ale. The smoky flavors of a Helles duet perfectly with the grilled characteristics of a bratwurst, making it an exquisite combination. Easy to drink, flavorful beer such as a Cream Ale will also prove to be a perfect match for this sausage.
Oven Roasted Turkey
For oven roasted turkey, you want something that isn’t too light or too dark. To hit the nail on the head, an Amber Lager or Golden Ale with notes of hops and a sweet finish will fit perfectly with the lighter colored meat. These crisp beers will add a refreshing taste and clean finish to your meal.
Beef Stew
With beef being darker meat, we know off the bat that we’re going to select a darker beer. A stout and beef will flow in harmony, as they won’t overcome each other’s flavors. Also, this type of beer will bring out the juicy flavors of your beef stew.
Pork chops
This popular dish tends to pair well with beer that’s more on the malty side. In fact, a Hefeweizen or German Style Oktoberfest would be a good choice, as its sweetness and clean finish are sure to enhance the pork’s tender flavor.
Pumpkin pie
If you’re not having Pumpkin Pie this season, you’re doing it wrong. Since this is probably the most iconic dish of the season, let’s get one thing straight. To get the most out of this pairing, you’ll want a beer that contains spices. Either a Spiced Porter or a Spiced Amber Ale would work perfectly to bring out both the pumpkin flavors and the faint spice within the pie. For a maximum pumpkin sensation collaborated between the pie and the beer, find a Pumpkin Spiced Porter or Pumpkin Spiced Amber Ale.
Apple Pie
To complement the sweetness brought out by the apples in the pie, you’ll want a beer rich in flavor that also provides a touch of sweetness. To us, this sounds like the perfect job for a Porter. This smooth, dessert-like beer uses its dark roast to contrast well with the tart of an apple and crust. The underlying sweet sensation of the beer then latches on to the syrupy textures of the pie to extract a delightful taste.
Other – Fruity and Spicy Autumn Food
During autumn, Apples and spices become more common. To get the most out of your beer and food combination, it’s important to know which beer you’re drinking. For Fruity and spicy foods, their beer counterpart is going to have a bright yeast containing brighter fruit notes. In this situation, a Belgian-Style Wit or a German Style Hefeweizen would both be great choices, as they contain a touch of fruit and spices that helps perfectly blend together with your food.