Countless articles and several books have been published on matching food and wine, but surprisingly few about pairing food and beer.
Beer is world’s most popular alcoholic beverage and more people enjoy beer with or without food. A glass or a bottle of fine beer enhances the enjoyment of food and helps digest as well.
Beer, being a “manufactured” product, is more varied than wine. The taste of beer depends on the quality and taste of the base material (malt), water, yeast strain, and techniques employed.
There are two basic beer styles: lagers and ales. Fruit flavoured beers start life as ales and then change by human intervention.
Lagers are generally light, hoppy, slightly bitter and refreshing, suitable for light dishes, whereas ales by nature tend to be fuller in body, darker in colour, and may be high or low in alcohol content.
Ale originated in the United Kingdom and British still prefer it, though preferences are changing slowly to lager.
Here is a menu and several dishes with appropriate beers available in Ontario.
NOTE: Ontario and Quebec boast an unprecedented number of quality-oriented boutique breweries. All have been able to take market share from the big three (Molson, Labatt, Sleeman) dominant Canadian breweries
BBQ WILD MUSHROOMS, SMOKED TROUT CAKES, PREPPERONI AND SALAMI, ASSORTED FANCY POTATO CHIPS, CORNMEAL FRIED OYSTERS
NEUSTADT LAGER, NEUSTADT SPRINGS BREWERY, ONTARIO
MUSSLES IN ALE
I P A ALEXANDER KEITH, LABATT
DOUBLE-SMOKED PASTRAMI, SPICED BACON AND TOMATO WEDGE SALAD
NIAGARA PALE ALE, NIAGARA FALLS BREWING, NIAGARA FALLS, ONTARIO
APPLEWOOD SMOKED PORK LOIN, SUMMER FRUIT CHUTNEY, CORN FRITTERS WITH JALAPENO SAUCE
TRADITIONAL ALE, BIG ROCK BREWERY, ALBERTA
CHOCOLATE GLAZED DOUGHNUT ICE CREAM SANDWICH
HOBGOBLIN EXTRA STRONG ALE, UNITED KINGDOM
GERMAN POATO SALAD WITH GRILLED BRATWURST, SAUERKRAUT LAGER SAUCE
STEAM WHISTLE LAGER, STEAM WHISTLE BREWERY, TORONTO
BBQ SHORT RIBS OVER CHEDDAR POLENTA AND WILD MUSHROOM RAGOUT
GRIFFON EXTRA PALE ALE, MCAUSLAN BREWING COMPANT, QUEBEC.
LAMBIC-POACHED ON FIELD GREEN, VANILLA SHALLOT VINAIGRETTE, HAZELNUTS AND STILTON
CZECHVAR PREMIUM LAGER, PLZEN, CZECH REPUBLIC
TEMPURA OF ALE-BATTERED COD WITH NOODLES, WILTED SPINACH AND GINGER SOY
GRILLED PORK FILET WITH CIDER GLAZE, MAPLE SWEET POTATO PUREE, PANCHETTA-BRAISED CABBAGE AND BEER-BATTERED FRIED APPLE CHIPS
I’ll be checking throughout the spring and summer to document the progress of the plants they grow there.
ニホンNCH
Beers are good for refreshment. They can also be used as complement for food. Aside from that, beers do not easily get you drunk.
I usually enjoy my occasional beer with pizza, barbecue or grilled meat, onion rings and garlic and mushrooms. I like the dishes mentioned. I am definitely trying a few out this weekend.
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hi
Beers are good for refreshment. They can also be used as complement for food. Aside from that, beers do not easily get you drunk.
Great article – not many people think about beer and food pairings. I like some of the lighter beers so they don’t overwhelm a dish, but a couple of these combinations sound really good. Next time we have a backyard party we’ll give these a try.
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I love potato chips and barbecue with beer. The best part for me is drinking beer with my friends. Let’s drink to that!
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When eating strong cheeses or strong pork meat, a good belgian beer is a great combination.
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