Matching beer and food

Red meat

Dark beer such as dry Stouts and Porters compliment red meat due to the strong and earthy flavours, sometimes smoky with notes of coffee or bitter chocolate. Hoppy IPA’s & Pale ales can be also work well with roasted meats, burgers or sausages.

Try – Marble Stout in or with a steak and ale pie. While a Stone IPA is perfect with a burger and Fries.

White meat

Saison’s work brilliantly with white meat such as Poultry or Pork. They are light, Effervescent summery, farmhouse beers with peppery & citrus notes. Alternatively, try a sour beer such as a Gueuze. Gueuze are often similar to white wines, tart, tannic & dry with green fruit flavours.

Try – Burning sky ‘Saison’ or Boon’s ‘Mariage Parfait’ with Chicken and herby new potatoes.

Seafood

The peppery flavours of the extremely versatile Saison are ideal for Seafood. As with Poultry, you can consider a sour beer such as a Gueuze or a Gose, due to their similarity to a tart white wine. For simplicity, light & fizzy lagers also work well with fried fish.

Try – ‘Saison Dupont’ with grilled Prawns, or Lervig’s ‘Sour Suzy’ Berliner Weisse with Fish Tacos

Spicy Food

Due to their light, refreshing & effervescent qualities, Lagers are an old favourite with spicy food. For something a bolder, choose a hoppy IPA or a tropical pale for a more intensely flavoured but still first quenching option.

Try – Buxton’s ‘Axe edge’ with a Bhuna, Wild beers Co Sleeping Limes with a Chilli, or Augustiner’s Lagerbier Hell with a Thai red curry.

Vegetarian

Lighter vegetarian dishes like salads, steamed vegetables, and pasta with light sauces pair well with light beers such as pilsners, lagers, wheat beers, or blonde ales. Spicy vegetarian dishes like curries, stir-fries, and Mexican cuisine pair well with hoppy beers such as IPAs, pale ales, or Belgian saisons. These beers can help cut through the heat and complement the spice. Creamy vegetarian dishes like risottos, chowders, and quiches pair well with malty beers such as brown ales, porters, and stouts. These beers can balance out the richness of the dish. Earthy vegetarian dishes like roasted vegetables, mushrooms, and lentils pair well with Belgian Dubbels, Trappist ales, or farmhouse ales. These beers have a complex flavour profile that complements the earthiness of the dish. Ultimately, it's all about personal preference, so don't be afraid to experiment and try different beer styles with your favourite vegetarian dishes, these are just some of our recommendations.

Dessert

Sweet stouts, particularly milk stouts often have flavours that complement sweet & creamy desserts: chocolate, vanilla, coffee and caramel. English Barley wines are rich, boozy brews with Dried fruit notes which go fantastically with chocolate & dark fruits.

Try – Tiny rebel’s Stay Puft Marshmallow porter or a milk Stout with Profiteroles. Look for Brandy, Rum, or Whisky barrel-aged Stouts to match red berries & dark chocolate.

Cheese

Dark beer which have been barrel-aged in Whisky, Brandy or Sherry casks make a great alternative to Port or Sherry for a cheese board. Alternatively, dark Belgian Abbey beers work well due to their nutty, caramel & dried fruit notes. For a savoury cheese starter, consider a peppery Saison or Belgian tripel.

Try – ‘Westmalle Dubbel’ with a mild to medium Cheddar, or ‘Straffe Hendrik’ with baked Goats cheese or Camembert.