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AMERICANCRAFT BEERAND FOOD:PERFECTCOMPANIONS

AMERICA’S HOTCRAFT BEER SCENEDuring the 1960s and 1970s,many young Americanstraveled abroad, seeking newand exciting experiences.Among these were memorable encounters with classicEuropean beers. When travelers returned, some sought torecreate those experiences bybrewing, first at home, andthen in small commercialbreweries. By 1980, there werefour or five of these new craftbreweries. Presently, thousands of small, independentand traditional breweries arecreating exciting, uniquelyAmerican interpretations ofevery imaginable style of beer.This abundance of flavorfulbeers led to economic growth.The U.S. craft beer categorycontinues to grow rapidly.Beer lovers clearly appreciatethe flavor, diversity andquality of the new Americanbeer scene. These creativebrewers have produced arange of delicious beers tosuit nearly every kind of food.Here we present a briefintroduction to the pleasuresof American craft beer as adining companion. Enjoy!2

TABLE OF CONTENTSPages 4–5The Principles of Beer & Food MatchingPages 6–7Beer with Various Types of FoodPages 8–9Beer & Food Matching ChartPage 10Serving Up the Perfect Beer ExperiencePage 11Cooking with BeerBack CoverAbout the Brewers AssociationWHAT IS CRAFT BEER?It is generally agreed to mean all-malt beer brewedwith traditional methods and ingredients, inspiredby classic styles. Brewed by small, independentbreweries, craft beer offers a huge range of colors,flavors, strengths and sensations. Naturally, it makes agreat companion to the wide world of foods.3

HOW TO MATCH BEER AND FOODFor centuries, beer and food have been enjoyed together as part of thegood life. The grain-based nature of beer makes it a food in itself, andthe huge range of flavors, aromas and textures makes it a perfect matchfor nearly any kind of food, from a handmade sausage to the mostluxurious gourmet dish. Choosing beers and foods that enhance oneanother means paying attention to the gustatory qualities of both.We have some suggestions we hope will make your experience moreenjoyable and successful.For great beer and food pairings, a number of things must be considered. Here are the most important concepts: Match strength with strength. It is simply common sense that delicatedishes work best with delicate beers, and it is equally true that stronglyflavored foods demand assertive beers. Intensity of flavor may involvemany aspects: alcoholic strength, malt character, hop bitterness,sweetness, richness, roastiness and so on. Find harmonies. Combinations often work best when they share somecommon flavor or aroma elements. The nutty flavor of an English-stylebrown ale and a handmade cheddar cheese; the deep, roasted flavors ofan imperial stout and chocolate truffles, and the rich, caramelly flavorsof an Oktoberfest lager and roasted pork are all examples of this.BEER AND FOOD: SPECIFIC INTERACTIONSBeer FlavorInteractionFoodHop BitternessRoasted t)SweetnessMaltinessBalancesSpiciness(chili heat)AcidityEmphasizesSpiciness(chili heat)Hop Bitterness Consider sweetness, bitterness, carbonation, heat (spice) and richness.This may seem a little complicated, but it really is quite straightforward.Specific characteristics of food and beer interact with each other inpredictable ways. Taking advantage of these interactions ensures thatthe food and beer will balance each other, each giving you a desire fora taste of the other.Don’t be afraid to try things out and seek new possibilities. The bestpairings have yet to be discovered. And remember, beer is a pleasurableexperience, so enjoy yourself.4

Some additional thoughts about enjoying beer and food together: Look to classic cuisines. The cuisines of beer-drinking countries offermany great beer and food combinations. Schnitzel with pale lager maybe obvious, but who would have thought to put stout together withoysters? Classic matches such as this can be found if you search forthem, and offer a great start to further exploration. Practice makes perfect. Not every pairing works as expected—this canbe fun if you learn to appreciate the unexpected. Build on the thingsthat work and keep seeking those magic combinations. Consider seasonality. Like light food and beer in the warm summermonths or heavier beer in the winter, the beers and foods of a givenseason pair very naturally and suit the mood as well. Contrast and complement. All beer and food combinations shouldinvolve both of these principles. Some pairings will be more dependenton the contrasts, others on complementary flavors, but all should strivefor some kind of balance. The chart at the left shows the importantcontrasting elements.Remember, the above suggestions are just that—not absolute rules.The American craft beer experience was founded on creativity andexperimentation. We hope you embrace that spirit on your beer andfood journey.5

BEER AS AN APERITIF (SALADS & APPETIZERS)Crisp, refreshing beers are the best way to start a meal. Lighter wheatbeers can be a perfect match for salads, although the bitterness of greenssometimes calls for a hoppy Pilsener. A floral blonde ale is great withseared Ahi tuna. Hoppy American pale ale can balance the richness ofappetizers such as cheese tartlets. Spicy saison is the perfectcounterpoint to New Orleansstyle shrimp. A full-flavoredred ale or amber lager canbe an ideal mate to smokedfish—or you might choose topresent it with an elegantlycrisp, dry stout.The idea is to create a greatexperience without wearingout the palate. Look for beersthat are light in body andaren’t aggressively bitter.BEER AND MAINCOURSESThere’s a perfect beer for justabout any main dish, as longas you remember to match theintensity of the beer to the food.For lighter items such as grilledfish, a Pilsener is a treat. Forroasted chicken, a malty lageror pale ale can be great. Thesweet heat of barbecue can betamed by a beer like a Maibockor an abbey-style dubbel. Forgrilled or roast beef, a heartyporter or stout is an excellentchoice.6

BEER WITH DESSERTSo challenging with wine, dessert works beautifully with beer. Rich,full-flavored beers are needed to balance the sweetness of most desserts. American small brewers love to produce such styles, so thereare plenty of choices. Fruity desserts can be paired with a strongpale tripel. Caramelly bread pudding or nut tart demands somethingwith similar qualities—old ale fills the role beautifully. Super-sweetitems such as cheesecake, crème brulée or carrot cake can create amemorable experience with highly hopped beers such as double IPAs.Spice and citrus qualities in many beers work well with desserts thathighlight similar flavors.Chocolate loves a dark beer. Milk chocolate is wonderful withBelgian-inspired strong dark ales. Flourless chocolate cake or trufflescall for an inky imperial stout. Fruitbeers have an obvious affinity for fruitdesserts, but they can be magic withchocolate as well.BEER AND CHEESEBeer’s bright carbonation andcrisp hoppiness can handlethe mouth-coating richness ofcheese. Medium-intensity beerssuit many cheeses, but one aspowerful as Stilton requires anassertive barley wine.The herbal and floral hop noseof an IPA blends nicely withthe complex aroma of bluecheese, while the bitternesscleanses the palate. Aromatichefeweizen makes a nice matchwith simple Chèvre. Fruit beersare excellent with soft-ripenedcheese such as Brie. Stout andaged cheddar is another greatpair, and for the adventurous,smoked porter with a smokedcheese is a rustic joy.7

Beer Typessneter rBitolCoctpar Im lvooFla lcohABEER& FOODGUIDE1. Kölsch, Cream Ale,Blonde Ale2. British-Style Bitter3. Pale Ale4. India Pale Ale5. Double/Imperial IPA6. Amber/Red Ale7. Scotch Ale/Wee Heavy8. Brown Ale, Altbier9. Abbey Dubbel10. Abbey Tripel,Strong Golden Ale11. Old or Strong Ale12. Barley Wine13. Porter14. Dry Stout15. Sweet or OatmealStout16. Imperial Stout17. Hefeweizen18. American Wheat Ale19. Witbier20. Dunkelweizen21. Weizenbock22. Classic Pilsener23. Helles, Dortmunder24. Oktoberfest, Märzen,Vienna25. Amber Lager26. Dark Lager, Dunkel,Schwarzbier27. Maibock/Pale Bock28. Doppelbock8Key to Symbols:Color approximates actual beerShaded circles range of variationSuggested FoodsLighter food: chicken, salads, salmon,bratwurst; Monterey jack cheese.Wide range of food: roast chickenor pork, fish & chips; mild cheese.Wide range of food: meat pie, Englishcheese; great with a burger!Strong, spicy food (classic with curry!);bold, sweet desserts like carrot cake.Smoked beef brisket, grilled lamb;Southern chicken-fried steak.Wide range of food: chicken, seafood,burgers; great with spicy cuisine.Roasted or grilled beef, lamb, game,smoked salmon.Hearty foods: roast pork, smokedsausage, grilled salmon.Barbecue, meat stews, or a nice thicksteak or smoked rib roast.Spicy Cajun food, crab cakes, pheasantor roast turkey.Big, intense dishes such as roast beef,lamb or game, grilled or roasted.Easily overpowers most main dishes. Bestwith strong cheese or dessert.Roasted or smoked food: barbecue,sausages, roasted meat, blackened fish.Hearty, rich food: steak, meat pie;a classic with raw oysters.Rich, spicy food like barbecued beef,Oaxacan mole or hearty Szechuan dishes.Easily overpowers most main dishes, butstands up to foie gras, smoked goose.Great with lighter food: salads,seafood, sushi; classic with weisswurstBest with very light foods: salads, sushi,vegetable dishes.Great with lighter seafood dishes—classicwith steamed mussels.Substantial salads; roast chicken orpork; excellent with hearty sausage.Roast pork, beef, smoked ham or gamedishes.Great with lighter food: chicken,salads, salmon, bratwurst.Lighter food: salads, seafood, pork;works with spicy Asian, Cajun, Latin.Mexican or any hearty, spicy food;chicken, sausage, pork.Hearty, spicy food: barbecue,hamburgers, chili.Hearty, spicy food: barbecue, sausages,roasted meat.Spicy food like Thai or Korean barbecue;great with fried chicken, too.Rich roasty foods like duck or roastedpork shanks; great with cured meats.